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The efficiency of the intersystem crossing process can be improved by reducing the energy gap between the singlet and triplet excited states (ΔEST), which offers the opportunity to improve the yield of the triplet excited state. Herein, we demonstrate that modulation of the excited states is also an effective strategy to regulate the singlet oxygen generation of photosensitizers. Based on our previous studies that photosensitizers with aggregation-induced emission characteristics (AIE) showed enhanced fluorescence and efficient singlet oxygen production in the aggregated state, a series of AIE fluorogens such as TPDC, TPPDC and PPDC were synthesized, which showed ΔEST values of 0.48, 0.35 and 0.27 eV, respectively. A detailed study revealed that PPDC exhibited the highest singlet oxygen efficiency (0.89) as nanoaggregates, while TPDC exhibited the lowest efficiency (0.28), inversely correlated with their ΔEST values. Due to their similar optical properties, TPDC and PPDC were further encapsulated into nanoparticles (NPs). Subsequent surface modification with cell penetrating peptide (TAT) yielded TAT-TPDC NPs and TAT-PPDC NPs. As a result of the stronger singlet oxygen generation, TAT-PPDC NPs showed enhanced cancer cell ablation as compared to TAT-TPDC NPs. Fine-tuning of the singlet-triplet energy gap is thus proven to be an effective new strategy to generate efficient photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common disease in the department of gastroenterology with variable severity, from being mild and self-limited to severe and fatal. The early diagnosis and accurate prediction of AP severity are of great importance. Our primary observation showed that fatty liver (FL) was frequently detected in patients with AP. In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the relation between FL and the severity and outcomes of AP. The medical records of 2671 patients with AP were reviewed retrospectively, and characteristics of AP patients were recorded. FL was assessed by abdominal CT scan, and AP patients were categorized by the occurrence of FL for the analysis. The variation of mortality, clinical severity and the appearance of CT were analyzed between the non-FL group and FL groups. Compared with patients without FL, an obviously higher rate of death and higher frequency of severe AP (SAP) and necrotizing AP (ANP) were observed in patients with FL, as well as the incidence of local complications and systemic complications. Taking obesity into consideration, a higher rate of death and more severe AP were found in patients with FL, no matter whether they were obese or not. Alcoholic fatty liver (AFL) and non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) were also separated for comparison in this study; the incidence of ANP and the clinical severity had no significant difference between the AFL and NAFL groups. In conclusion, FL could influence the severity and clinical outcome and may play a prognostic role in AP. This study is of clinical significance, because few reports have been previously issued on FL and AP.

In recent decades, polymer semiconductors, extensively employed as charge transport layers in devices like organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs), have undergone thorough investigation due to their capacity for large‐area solution processing, making them promising for mass production. Research efforts have been twofold: enhancing the charge mobilities of polymer semiconductors and augmenting their mechanical properties to meet the demands of flexible devices. Significant progress has been made in both realms, propelling the practical application of polymer semiconductors in flexible electronics. However, integrating excellent semiconducting and mechanical properties into a single polymer still remains a significant challenge. This review intends to introduce the design strategies and discuss the properties of high‐charge mobility stretchable conjugated polymers. In addition, another key challenge faced in this cutting‐edge field is maintaining stable semiconducting performance during long‐term mechanical deformations. Therefore, this review also discusses the development of healable polymer semiconductors as a promising avenue to improve the lifetime of stretchable device. In conclusion, challenges and outline future research perspectives in this interdisciplinary field are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Isoindigo (IID) is widely used as organic dye and conjugated unit in opto‐electronic materials. Functionalization of IID to increase its structural complexity is demanding for obtaining diversity properties. Herein, we developed a direct C—H/N—H activation method of IIDs via double alkyne annulations and synthesized π‐extended IIDs with two pairs of 5/7 membered rings. The structure of the π‐extended IIDs was characterized and confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HRMS and X ray crystal analysis. Their physical properties were characterized by UV‐vis absorption, cyclic voltammetry and thermogravimetric analysis. The absorption coefficient of the annulated products enhanced significantly compared with the non‐annulated analogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hinged arrays have garnered increasing interest due to their potential to provide flexible and adaptable solutions for the various challenges faced in ocean development. The effectiveness of these arrays in engineering applications heavily depends on the motion characteristics of each individual module, rather than specific modules, such as the one with the strongest motion. However, the presence of hinge constraints results in coupled motion responses of all modules instead of independent ones. The objective of this study is to investigate the motion behavior of large arrays formed by multiple floaters hinged together, while existing literature mainly focused on two-body hinged systems. Based on the potential flow theory and Rankine source panel method, a numerical program was developed to calculate the hydrodynamic interactions and the coupled motion responses. First, a model test was conducted to validate the developed frequency-domain simulations. A good agreement was achieved. Then, the effects of hinge constraints, the number of modules, and two external constraints on the motion responses of the entire array were discussed. The results indicated that the heave motion of the array subjected to hinge constraints was significantly suppressed, but a strong pitch motion occurred in a larger wavelength range. For hinged arrays, the floaters located at the two ends were most likely to be excited with the strongest motions. Moreover, a shorter hinged array could be used to quantify the trends in the motion of arrays with more floaters. The calculation results also revealed that the motion responses of a hinged array were highly sensitive to the external constraints, e.g., mooring lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]