We present a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC)-based optical fiber temperature sensor using a 1250 nm band wavelength-swept laser (WSL). The WSL is implemented using two semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) with different center wavelengths connected in parallel in the form of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer in a laser resonator. At 3.6 kHz scanning frequency, the 10 dB bandwidth was about 223 nm from 1129 nm to 1352 nm. As the temperature of the CLC cell increased, the long-wavelength edge of the reflection band shifted to shorter wavelengths. The relationship between the temperature change and the central wavelength change of the reflection band was obtained to be almost linear.

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3D printing technology for tissue engineering applications has been extensively studied for materials and processes. However, clinical application to the vascular system was limited owing to mechanical inconsistency and toxicity. Here, we characterized 3D templated artificial vascular grafts (3D grafts), which were fabricated by an integrative method involving 3D printing, dip coating, and salt leaching method. The as-fabricated grafts were featured with micrometer-scale porosity enabling tissue-mimetic mechanical softness comparable with native blood vessels. In terms of mechanical properties and water permeability, the fabricated 3D grafts exhibited comparable or superior performances compared to the commercialized grafts. Furthermore, the in-vivo stability of the 3D graft was validated through a toxicity test, and the small-diameter 3D graft was transplanted into a rat to confirm the implant's performance. Overall, the experimental results demonstrated the clinical feasibility of the 3D graft with retaining the mechanical biocompatibility and also revealed the possibility of patient-specific customization.

A 70-year-old woman underwent cardiopulmonary bypass surgery for aorta dissection. After 10 days she developed a vertical gaze palsy, and 2 months later she presented with dysarthria, bradykinesia, postural instability, blepharospasm, and truncal tilt to the left. Brain imaging indicated old lacunes in the bilateral thalamus. Her symptoms remained unchanged during a 4-year follow-up, which seems to be incompatible with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). However, the clinical features of this case were suggestive of PSP-like syndrome after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.