Nonlinear Raman-Nath diffraction (NRND) is a unique diffraction pattern formed when a high-intensity laser interacts with a nonlinear microstructure bulky medium relying only on the transverse phase matching condition. Here, we report on the first experimental observation of NRND in a submicron-thick periodically poled lithium niobate thin film (PPLNTF) by geometric reflection pumped via a near-infrared femtosecond pulse laser. We further observe the evolution of the diffracted signals after broadening of the pump laser via a fused silica plate. We systematically analyze the spectral properties of multi-order second harmonic generation (SHG) diffracted signals exhibiting asymmetric distributions and explicitly clarify their phase matching conditions, simultaneously considering the impacts of the incident pump wavelength, the sample poling period, and the incident angle on the properties of the angular distribution diffracted beams. The realization of NRND phenomena with appreciable on-chip efficiency at a submicron interaction length is mainly attributed to the significant contribution of domain walls to enhance the nonlinear effects along with the modulation of second-order nonlinear susceptibilities χ(2). This NRND scheme provides a high-resolution, non-destructive on-chip microstructure diagnostic method, and even has the potential to develop novel on-chip integrated optoelectronic devices for applications such as precision metrology, biosensing, and spectral analysis.

In a recent study published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, researchers led by Prof. ZHANG Xinzheng at the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, utilized cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) along with their self-developed algorithm, GisSPA, to capture dynamic, periodic changes in ribosomal translation within the cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae—also known as Brewer’s yeast—at near-atomic resolution.

Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic paramyxovirus that has recently emerged as a crucial public health issue. It can elicit severe encephalitis and respiratory diseases in animals and humans, leading to fatal outcomes, exhibiting a wide range of host species tropism, and directly transmitting from animals to humans or through an intermediate host. Human-to-human transmission associated with recurrent NiV outbreaks is a potential global health threat. Currently, the lack of effective therapeutics or licensed vaccines for NiV necessitates the primary utilization of supportive care. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of the various aspects of the NiV, including therapeutics, vaccines, and its biological characteristics, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical features. The objective is to provide valuable information from scientific and clinical research and facilitate the formulation of strategies for preventing and controlling the NiV.

Pediatric ear, nose and throat (ENT) infections are highly prevalent and may require invasive surgical procedures to extract samples for identifying causal pathogens. However, this takes time and patients are prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics until results are available. This leads to increased treatment costs and antibiotic-derived side-effects. A new Pediatric Investigation study examines the potential of a new diagnostic tool – microbial cell-free DNA (mcfDNA) testing – which may offer a simple alternative to traditional culturing methods.