Photo-Embossed Surface Relief Structures with Improved Aspect Ratios and Their Applications in Liquid Crystal Devices

Photo-embossing has been developed as a convenient and economical method for creating complex surface relief structures in polymer films. The pursuit for large aspect ratios of the photo-embossed structures has never stopped. Here, we demonstrate a simple strategy to obtain improved aspect ratios by adding a quick solvent developing step into the photo-embossing process. A good solvent for the monomer is used to remove unreacted monomers from the unexposed region, resulting in deepened valleys of the surface reliefs. In a polymer film as thin as 2.5 µm, the height of the surface reliefs can be increased by a factor of three to around 1.0 µm. This strategy is also shown to be compatible with other methods used to improve the aspect ratios of the photo-embossed structures. Lastly, we employ these surface relief structures in the fabrication of liquid crystal (LC) devices and investigate their performances for visible light regulation.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM BY THE INTRODUCTION OF ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS

The article is devoted to the prospects of improving the quality of traffi c in the junction of the urban street and road network through the introduction of intelligent transport systems, especially automatic traffi c control systems (ATCS). The paper analyzes the problems of implementing intelligent transport systems in urban conditions, taking into account the current regulatory framework. The classifi cation of local automated traffi c control systems according to the adaptability of traffi c light regulation to the changing parameters of traffi c fl ows is given. For the decision of a problem of practicability of introduction of ACSDS, the technique including construction of imitation models for more exact forecasting of eff ect of introduction of local ACSDS on the considered site of an urban street-road network is off ered. The application of the methodology is demonstrated on the example of the intersection of Engels Avenue and Suzdal Avenue in St. Petersburg. Two variants of the organization of control of phases of traffi c light objects are analyzed: static and adapted according to the time of day. The infl uence of ADCS implementation on average speed of vehicles and characteristics of traffi c jams in the junction in question was estimated based on simulation modeling in PTV Vissim. In accordance with the analysis, the prospects of introducing adaptive local ACSDS in the considered transport junction are described

Simulation of a problem section of the street-road network to increase road safety

The article is devoted to the issue of increasing the level of road safety (RTS), a road infrastructure management system using simulation modeling is proposed. The aim of the study is to develop a simulation model of a problematic section of the road network (UDS) in the city of Elabuga, to select the optimal parameters for the functioning of traffic lights, which will improve the quality of road infrastructure management, while reducing the risk of occurrence and the severity of a road traffic accident (RTA). The analysis of research in the field of traffic management is carried out, methods are considered that allow assessing the risk of accidents, as well as methods for reducing the severity of the consequences of road accidents. Keywords: intelligent transport systems, road safety, traffic light regulation, simulation modeling

Genome-Wide Analysis of Light-Regulated Alternative Splicing in Artemisia annua L.

Artemisinin is currently the most effective ingredient in the treatment of malaria, which is thus of great significance to study the genetic regulation of Artemisia annua. Alternative splicing (AS) is a regulatory process that increases the complexity of transcriptome and proteome. The most common mechanism of alternative splicing (AS) in plant is intron retention (IR). However, little is known about whether the IR isoforms produced by light play roles in regulating biosynthetic pathways. In this work we would explore how the level of AS in A. annua responds to light regulation. We obtained a new dataset of AS by analyzing full-length transcripts using both Illumina- and single molecule real-time (SMRT)-based RNA-seq as well as analyzing AS on various tissues. A total of 5,854 IR isoforms were identified, with IR accounting for the highest proportion (48.48%), affirming that IR is the most common mechanism of AS. We found that the number of up-regulated IR isoforms (1534/1378, blue and red light, respectively) was more than twice that of down-regulated (636/682) after treatment of blue or red light. In the artemisinin biosynthetic pathway, 10 genes produced 16 differentially expressed IR isoforms. This work demonstrated that the differential expression of IR isoforms induced by light has the potential to regulate sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis. This study also provides high accuracy full-length transcripts, which can be a valuable genetic resource for further research of A. annua, including areas of development, breeding, and biosynthesis of active compounds.

Light-Controlled Friction by Carboxylic Azobenzene Molecular Self-Assembly Layers

Nowadays, reversible friction regulation has become the focus of scientists in terms of the flexible regulatory structure of photosensitive materials and theories since this facilitates rapid development in this field. Meanwhile, as an external stimulus, light possesses great potential and advantages in spatiotemporal control and remote triggering. In this work, we demonstrated two photo-isomerized organic molecular layers, tetra-carboxylic azobenzene (NN4A) and dicarboxylic azobenzene (NN2A), which were selected to construct template networks on the surface of the highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) to study the friction properties, corresponding to the arrangement structure of self-assembled layers under light regulation. First of all, the morphology of the self-assembled layers were characterized by a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), then the nanotribological properties of the template networks were measured by atomic force microscope (AFM). Their friction coefficients are respectively changed by about 0.6 and 2.3 times under light control. The density functional theory (DFT) method was used to calculate the relationship between the force intensity and the friction characteristics of the self-assembled systems under light regulation. Herein, the use of external light stimulus plays a significant role in regulating the friction properties of the interface of the nanometer, hopefully serving as a fundamental basis for further light-controlling research for the future fabrication of advanced on-surface devices.

Characterization of BLUF-photoreceptors present in Acinetobacter nosocomialis.

Acinetobacter nosocomialis is a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen, whose ability to cause disease in humans is well recognized. Blue light has been shown to modulate important physiological traits related to persistence and virulence in this microorganism. In this work, we characterized the three Blue Light sensing Using FAD (BLUF) domain-containing proteins encoded in the A. nosocomialis genome, which account for the only "traditional" light sensors present in this microorganism. By focusing on a light-modulated bacterial process such as motility, the temperature dependence of light regulation was studied, as well as the expression pattern and spectroscopic characteristics of the different A. nosocomialis BLUFs. Our results show that the three BLUF-containing proteins encode active photoreceptors, despite only two of them are stable in the light-regulatory temperature range when expressed recombinantly. In vivo, only the A. baumannii's ortholog AnBLUF65 is expressed, which is active in a temperature range from 15 °C to 37 °C. In turn, AnBLUF46 is an active photoreceptor between 15 °C to 32 °C in vitro, but is not expressed in A. nosocomialis in the conditions tested. Intra-protein interactions were analyzed using 3D models built based on A. baumanni's photoreceptor, to support spectroscopic data and profile intra-protein residue interactions. A general scheme is presented on how hydrophobic/aromatic interactions may contribute to the stability of dark/light- adapted states, indicating the importance of these interactions in BLUF photoreceptors.

ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF INTERSECTIONS WITH INTENSIVE TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN FLOWS

Introduction. Problematic sections of the road network are intersections with high traffic intensity of conflicting pedestrian and traffic flow, in particular, right and left turns. At such crossings, there are significant traffic delays. In the case of vehicles turning left or right at an intersection when passing at a traffic light signal that allows traffic, should give way to pedestrians crossing the roadway on the crosswalk. In the case of high intensity of pedestrian traffic, it is impossible to complete the turn of such vehicles, they remain at the intersection, so there are significant traffic delays for returning vehicles.Purpose. Therefore, the work aims to study the interaction of traffic and pedestrian flows with high intensity at regulated intersections to improve their capacity.Methods. To study the parameters of traffic flows, in particular, the length of congestion, we used traffic flow models, which include a psychophysiological model of following a vehicle moving in front, and a model based on traffic rules. To model, pedestrian flows the Wiedemann model was used. The leastsquares method was used to obtain empirical nonlinear dependences of congestion length on the intensities of conflicting pedestrian and traffic flows.Results. The paper uses known methods for solving applied problems in the field of traffic for some unique cases, namely the intersection of intensive -traffic and pedestrian flows. Studies of road and pedestrian traffic parameters at crossings have shown that the length of congestion significantly depends on the intensity of traffic flow, but with increas-ing intensity of pedestrian traffic more than 1000 people/h, the length of congestion changes insignificantly. If there are trams at the intersection, the length of congestion increases by an average of 1.14% and depends significantly on the intensity of traffic and pedestrian flows.It is proposed to introduce three-phase traffic light regulation on such sections when one of the phases allows traffic only for pedestrians. The simulation results showed that the length of congestion in the absence of rail vehicles on the approaches to the intersection decreases by an average of 45.3% and is weakly dependent on the intensity of pedestrian flows. If there are rail vehicles at the crossing, the length of congestion can reduce by an average of 13.7%. But in some cases may increase.Conclusion. The research methodology presented in this paper can be used for intersections with another traffic organization scheme to justify the feasibility of introducing threephase traffic light control when one of the phases allows traffic only to pedestrians.

EXPERIENCE OF IMPLEMENTING THE "SMART CITY" SYSTEM IN THE WORLD

The article describes a system called "Smart City" and its elements, presented in the generally recognized developed cities in this area around the world. The successful implementation of such technologies in Russia was also noted on the example of adaptive traffic light regulation in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Key words: city, traffic light, transport, adaptive management, ecology.