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Type-II superlattice (T2SL) detectors are emerging as key technologies for next-generation long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) applications, particularly in the 8-14 µm range, offering advantages in space exploration, medical imaging, and defense. A major challenge in improving quantum efficiency (QE) lies in achieving sufficient light absorption without increasing the active layer (AL) thickness, which can elevate dark current and complicate manufacturing. Traditional methods, such as thickening the absorber, are limited by the short carrier lifetime in T2SLs, necessitating alternative solutions. In this study, we introduced a guided-mode resonance (GMR) structure into T2SL LWIR detectors to enhance QE while maintaining a thin AL for efficient carrier collection. The GMR structure was fabricated by introducing a grating array on the surface of the detector and an Au mirror beneath the absorber. This configuration enhanced light trapping, which introduced additional resonance modes. The optimized grating design, with a 5 µm period and a fill factor of 0.6, significantly increased absorption, as predicted by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations and confirmed experimentally. The GMR-enhanced T2SL detector demonstrated a 2.58-fold improvement in QE over conventional LWIR detectors and a 1.33-fold increase compared to Fabry-Pérot (FP) resonance-based detectors in the 6-11 µm range. Despite exhibiting an almost identical dark current density, the GMR LWIR detector demonstrated superior performance, featuring a broader cut-off wavelength of 9.3 µm and higher QE compared to FP LWIR detectors.

Azobenzene, while relevant, has faced constraints in biological system applications due to its suboptimal quantum yield and short-wavelength emission. This study presents a pioneering strategy for fabricating organic microdots by coupling foldamer-linked azobenzene, resulting in robust fluorescence intensity and stability, especially in aggregated states, thereby showing promise for bioimaging applications. Comprehensive experimental and computational examinations elucidate the mechanisms underpinning enhanced photostability and fluorescence efficacy. In vitro and in vivo evaluations disclose that the external layer of cis-azo-foldamer microdots performs a self-sacrificial function during photo-bleaching. Consequently, these red-fluorescent microdots demonstrate extraordinary structural and photochemical stabilities over extended periods. The conjugation of a β-peptide foldamer to the azobenzene chromophore through a glycine linker instigates a blue-shifted and amplified π * -n transition. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the aggregated state of cis-azo-foldamers fortifies the stability of cis isomers, thereby augmenting fluorescence efficiency. This investigation furnishes crucial insights into conceptualizing novel, biologically inspired materials, promising stable and enduring imaging applications, and carries implications for diverse arenas such as medical diagnostics, drug delivery, and sensing technologies., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Family-centered care is an approach to promote the health and well-being of children with chronic diseases and their families. This study aims to explore the knowledge components, structures, and research trends related to family-centered care for children with chronic conditions. We conducted the keyword network analysis in three stages using the keywords provided by the authors of each study: (1) search and screening of relevant studies, (2) keyword extraction and refinement, and (3) data analysis and visualization. The core keywords were child, adolescence, parent, and disabled. Four cohesive subgroups were identified through degree centrality. Research trends in the three phases of a recent decade have been changed. With the systematic understanding of the context of the knowledge structure, the future research and effective strategy establishment are suggested based on family-centered care for children with chronic disease., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore the experiences of women in Korea who were separated from their newborns when they were transported to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to receive treatment., Design: Phenomenological., Setting: A university hospital with approximately 600 beds in Seoul, Korea., Participants: Women who experienced neonatal transport after childbirth from March to May 2021 (N = 9)., Methods: We collected data through individual in-depth interviews and analyzed them using Colaizzi's procedure., Results: We extracted four overarching themes that represented the experiences of participants: Outsider Left Alone, Enduring in a Different World, The Lost Starting Line, and Running Together., Conclusion: Our findings captured the unique experiences of women whose newborns were transported from the hospitals where they were born to NICUs at other hospitals to receive treatment. It is necessary to develop and apply tailored nursing interventions, such as assessment and support for postpartum blues or depression, to ensure that postnatal care and healthy maternal transition are not hindered., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors report no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships., (Copyright © 2023 AWHONN, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We present a robust insulin delivery system that includes automated meal detection and carbohydrate content estimation using machine learning for meal insulin dosing called robust artificial pancreas (RAP). We conducted a randomized, single-center crossover trial to compare postprandial glucose control in the four hours following unannounced meals using a hybrid model predictive control (MPC) algorithm and the RAP system. The RAP system includes a neural network model to automatically detect meals and deliver a recommended meal insulin dose. The meal detection algorithm has a sensitivity of 83.3%, false discovery rate of 16.6%, and mean detection time of 25.9 minutes. While there is no significant difference in incremental area under the curve of glucose, RAP significantly reduces time above range (glucose >180 mg/dL) by 10.8% (P = 0.04) and trends toward increasing time in range (70-180 mg/dL) by 9.1% compared with MPC. Time below range (glucose <70 mg/dL) is not significantly different between RAP and MPC., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have an advantage in printing thin film transistors (TFTs) due to their high carrier mobility, excellent chemical stability, mechanical flexibility, and compatibility with solution-based processing. Thus, the printed SWCNT-based TFTs (pSWCNT-TFTs) showed significant technological potential such as integrated circuits, conformable sensors, and display backplanes. However, the long-term environmental stability of the pSWCNT-TFTs hinders their commercialization. Thus, to extend the stability of the pSWCNT-TFTs, such devices should be passivated with low water and oxygen permeability. Herein, we introduced the silicon nitride (SiNx) passivation method on the pSWCNT-TFTs via a combination of roll-to-roll (R2R) gravure and the roll-to-roll plasma-enhanced vapor deposition (R2R-PECVD) process at low temperature (45 °C). We found that SiNx-passivated pSWCNT-TFTs showed ± 0.50 V of threshold voltage change at room temperature for 3 days and ±1.2 V of threshold voltage change for 3 h through a Temperature Humidity Test (85/85 test: Humidity 85%/Temperature 85 °C) for both p-type and n-type pSWCNT-TFTs. In addition, we found that the SiNx-passivated p-type and n-type pSWCNT-TFT-based CMOS-like ring oscillator, or 1-bit code generator, operated well after the 85/85 test for 24 h.

We present a novel genome-wide off-target prediction method named Extru-seq and compare it with cell-based (GUIDE-seq), in vitro (Digenome-seq), and in silico methods using promiscuous guide RNAs with large numbers of valid off-target sites. Extru-seq demonstrates a high validation rate and retention of information about the intracellular environment, both beneficial characteristics of cell-based methods. Extru-seq also shows a low miss rate and could easily be performed in clinically relevant cell types with little optimization, which are major positive features of the in vitro methods. In summary, Extru-seq shows beneficial features of cell-based and in vitro methods., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: DailyDose is a decision support system designed to provide real-time dosing advice and weekly insulin dose adjustments for adults living with type 1 diabetes using multiple daily insulin injections. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five adults were enrolled in this single-arm study. All participants used Dexcom G6 for continuous glucose monitoring, InPen for short-acting insulin doses, and Clipsulin to track long-acting insulin doses. Participants used DailyDose on an iPhone for 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was % time in range (TIR) comparing the 2-week baseline to the final 2-week period of DailyDose use. Results: There were no significant differences between TIR or other glycemic metrics between the baseline period compared to final 2-week period of DailyDose use. TIR significantly improved by 6.3% when more than half of recommendations were accepted and followed compared with 50% or fewer recommendations (95% CI 2.5%-10.1%, P  = 0.001). Conclusions: Use of DailyDose did not improve glycemic outcomes compared to the baseline period. In a post hoc analysis, accepting and following recommendations from DailyDose was associated with improved TIR. Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT04428645.

An aerobic, gram-stain-negative, pink-colored, non-motile and rod-shaped algicidal bacterium, designated as JA-25 T was isolated from freshwater in Geumgang River, Republic of Korea. Strain JA-25 T grew at 15-30 °C and pH 6-9, and did not require NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain JA-25 T belongs to the family 'Spirosomaceae' and is most closely related to Fibrella aestuarina BUZ 2 T (93.6%). Strain JA-25 T showed < 90% sequence similarity to other members of the family 'Spirosomaceae'. The average nucleotide identity(ANI), in silico DNA-DNA hybridization and average amino acid identity(AAI) values based on the genomic sequences of JA-25 T and F. aestuarina BUZ 2 T were 74.4, 20.5, and 73.6%, respectively. Strain JA-25 T showed an algicidal effect on the marine flagellate alga Heterocapsa triquetra, but no effect on fresh water cyanobacterium (Nostoc). In genome analysis, RIPP-like peptides were detected and predicted to resemble the indolmycin biosynthetic gene cluster, which possibly influence its algicidal effect. Furthermore, a bacteriorhodopsin gene with photoheterotrophic characteristics was detected. The genomic DNA G + C content was 52.5 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω6c/C16:1 ω7c), C16:1 ω5c, C16:0 (> 10%). The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7 and major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids, two phospholipids, and five unidentified lipids. Considering the phylogenetic inference, phenotypic, and chemotaxonomic data, strain JA-25 T should be classified as a novel species in the novel genus Fibrivirga, with the proposed name Fibrivirga algicola sp. nov. The type strain is JA-25 T (= KCCM 43334 T  = NBRC 114259 T )., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Electrochromic devices (ECDs) exhibit reversible optical changes under applied electrical stimuli. Transparent conducting electrodes (TCOs), generally constructed with indium tin oxide (ITO), are a vital component determining transparency and switching behaviors. ITO specifications for TCO materials have not drawn much attention despite the critical role of these materials. Herein we investigate the influence of ITO electrodes in achieving high-performance ECDs containing viologen-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS-viologen). Indeed, ITO electrodes exert significant effects on the electrochromic characteristics. A high ITO thickness shows superior color-switching with high optical density and coloration efficiency levels. Enhanced electrical conductivity facilitates diffusion behaviors, an outcome beneficial for electrochromic switching. The surface-charge capacity ratio values are measured and found to be close to one, indicating that no residual current remains, and the prepared devices provide good reversibility during the coloring and bleaching process. Furthermore, with an increase in the ITO thickness, the current required for the coloring and bleaching processes decreases, and the power consumption needed for the operation of the device becomes low. The superiority of POSS-viologen should also be noted, especially when compared to normal viologens, in terms of the electrochromic properties and long-term operational stability. These results demonstrate the critical role of electrical conductivity in ITO electrodes, providing a valuable guideline for TCO specifications for ECD fabrication using viologen derivatives., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Herein, we report the first example of a programmed radial assembly of anisotropic microparticles derived from a helical foldamer with a C -terminal cysteine residue. Surface-exposed thiols played a crucial role in facilitating the interparticle hydrogen bonding to form higher-order structures in an aqueous solution.

In the last few decades, adverse reactions to pharmaceuticals have been evaluated using 2D in vitro models and animal models. However, with increasing computational power, and as the key drivers of cellular behavior have been identified, in silico models have emerged. These models are time-efficient and cost-effective, but the prediction of adverse reactions to unknown drugs using these models requires relevant experimental input. Accordingly, the physiome concept has emerged to bridge experimental datasets with in silico models. The brain physiome describes the systemic interactions of its components, which are organized into a multilevel hierarchy. Because of the limitations in obtaining experimental data corresponding to each physiome component from 2D in vitro models and animal models, 3D in vitro brain models, including brain organoids and brain-on-a-chip, have been developed. In this review, we present the concept of the brain physiome and its hierarchical organization, including cell- and tissue-level organizations. We also summarize recently developed 3D in vitro brain models and link them with the elements of the brain physiome as a guideline for dataset collection. The connection between in vitro 3D brain models and in silico modeling will lead to the establishment of cost-effective and time-efficient in silico models for the prediction of the safety of unknown drugs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the concurrent use of benzodiazepines and opioids and the risk of fractures in older patients with chronic non-cancer pain., Methods: Patients with osteoarthritis or low back pain (≥ 65 years of age) included in the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort database of Korea and with an incident diagnosis of hip, humeral, or forearm fracture between 2011 and 2015 were identified as cases. For each case, four controls were matched for age (within 5 years), sex, and year of cohort entry. We estimated the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for fractures associated with concurrent use of benzodiazepines and opioids using a conditional logistic regression analysis, adjusting for comorbidities and comedications., Results: The aOR (95% CI) for the concurrent use of benzodiazepines and opioids was 1.45 (1.22-1.71), compared with those of non-use within 30 days before the index date. The aOR was 1.65 (1.22-2.23) in patients who were continuously receiving benzodiazepines and were newly initiated with concurrent opioids. The aORs for concurrent use were 1.95 (1.39-2.74) and 1.27 (1.03-1.56) in the case of hip fracture and forearm fracture, respectively., Conclusion: The concurrent use of benzodiazepines and opioids was associated with an increased risk of fractures in older patients with chronic non-cancer pain. Therefore, patients continuously receiving benzodiazepines in whom opioids are newly initiated need careful monitoring, and such combined therapy should be limited to the shortest duration possible., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Successful cell therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD) requires large numbers of homogeneous ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic (vmDA) precursors. Enrichment of vmDA precursors via cell sorting is required to ensure high safety and efficacy of the cell therapy. Here, using LMX1A-eGFP knock-in reporter human embryonic stem cells, we discovered a novel surface antigen, trophoblast glycoprotein (TPBG), which was preferentially expressed in vmDA precursors. TPBG-targeted cell sorting enriched FOXA2 + LMX1A + vmDA precursors and helped attain efficient behavioral recovery of rodent PD models with increased numbers of TH + , NURR1 + , and PITX3 + vmDA neurons in the grafts. Additionally, fewer proliferating cells were detected in TPBG + cell-derived grafts than in TPBG - cell-derived grafts. Our approach is an efficient way to obtain enriched bona fide vmDA precursors, which could open a new avenue for effective PD treatment., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

It is important to detect signals of abrupt changes in adverse event reporting in order to notice public safety concerns and take prompt action, especially for vaccines under national immunization programs. In this study, we assessed the applicability of change point analysis (CPA) for signal detection in vaccine safety surveillance. The performances of three CPA methods, namely Bayesian change point analysis, Taylor's change point analysis (Taylor-CPA), and environmental time series change point detection (EnvCpt), were assessed via simulated data with assumptions for the baseline number of events and degrees of change. The analysis was validated using the Korea Adverse Event Reporting System (KAERS) database. In the simulation study, the Taylor-CPA method exhibited better results for the detection of a change point (accuracy of 96% to 100%, sensitivity of 7% to 100%, specificity of 98% to 100%, positive predictive value of 25% to 85%, negative predictive value of 96% to 100%, and balanced accuracy of 53% to 100%) than the other two CPA methods. When the CPA methods were applied to reports of syncope or dizziness following human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization in the KAERS database, Taylor-CPA and EnvCpt detected a change point (Q2/2013), which was consistent with actual public safety concerns. CPA can be applied as an efficient tool for the early detection of vaccine safety signals.

The direct synthesis of inherently defect-free, large-area graphene on flexible substrates is a key technology for soft electronic devices. In the present work, in situ plasma-assisted thermal chemical vapor deposition is implemented in order to synthesize 4 in. diameter high-quality graphene directly on 10 nm thick Ti-buffered substrates at 100 °C. The in situ synthesized monolayer graphene displays outstanding stretching properties coupled with low sheet resistance. Further improved mechanical and electronic performances are achieved by the in situ multi-stacking of graphene. The four-layered graphene multi-stack is shown to display an ultralow resistance of ≈6 Ω sq -1 , which is consistently maintained during the harsh repeat stretching tests and is assisted by self- p -doping under ambient conditions. Graphene-field effect transistors fabricated on polydimethylsiloxane substrates reveal an unprecedented hole mobility of ≈21 000 cm 2 V -1 s -1 at a gate voltage of -4 V, irrespective of the channel length, which is consistently maintained during the repeat stretching test of 5000 cycles at 140% parallel strain., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

This study was conducted to explore the potential capacity for the removal of heavy metals from the fly ash (FA) and bottom ash (BA) emitted by wood pellet thermal power plants. Fly ash consists of inorganic compounds such as CaSiO 3 , P 2 O 5 , and K 2 O, whereas BA shows properties very similar to the biochar derived from organic biomass. The adsorption properties of both FA and BA for Cd were described well by the Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models, and the maximum adsorption capacity of FA for Cd was 4.2 times higher than that of BA. The results indicate that FA can be applied to the treatment of wastewater that contains heavy metals over pH range from 2-6; however, BA is considered to be most effective for application with wastewater that contains heavy metals at a pH of 5-6. Study of the mechanism concluded that the adsorption of Cd by FA is dominated by the formation of Cd 2 SiO 4 complexes by chemical reactions between CaSiO 3 and Cd ions as well as via the precipitation of Cd(OH) 2 in the neutral and alkaline solutions that is caused by the dissolution of K. It was found that the adsorption of Cd by BA was influenced by the binding of functional groups (CC and COH), coupled CaCO 3 dissolution-CdCO 3 precipitation reaction and ion exchange between some minerals with Si and Cd ions in weakly acidic conditions. Results indicate that the FA and BA emitted from wood pellet thermal power plants have high potential for heavy metal removal, and their practical use in the purification and restoration of heavy metals could be an effective way to reduce the waste produced by power plants and clean the environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Growth and differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) and myostatin (MSTN) are closely related transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family members, but their biological functions are quite distinct. While MSTN has been widely shown to inhibit muscle growth, GDF11 regulates skeletal patterning and organ development during embryogenesis. Postnatal functions of GDF11, however, remain less clear and controversial. Due to the perinatal lethality of Gdf11 null mice, previous studies used recombinant GDF11 protein to prove its postnatal function. However, recombinant GDF11 and MSTN proteins share nearly identical biochemical properties, and most GDF11-binding molecules have also been shown to bind MSTN, generating the possibility that the effects mediated by recombinant GDF11 protein actually reproduce the endogenous functions of MSTN. To clarify the endogenous functions of GDF11, here, we focus on genetic studies and show that Gdf11 null mice, despite significantly down-regulating Mstn expression, exhibit reduced bone mass through impaired osteoblast (OB) and chondrocyte (CH) maturations and increased osteoclastogenesis, while the opposite is observed in Mstn null mice that display enhanced bone mass. Mechanistically, Mstn deletion up-regulates Gdf11 expression, which activates bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway to enhance osteogenesis. Also, mice overexpressing follistatin (FST), a MSTN/GDF11 inhibitor, exhibit increased muscle mass accompanied by bone fractures, unlike Mstn null mice that display increased muscle mass without fractures, indicating that inhibition of GDF11 impairs bone strength. Together, our findings suggest that GDF11 promotes osteogenesis in contrast to MSTN, and these opposing roles of GDF11 and MSTN must be considered to avoid the detrimental effect of GDF11 inhibition when developing MSTN/GDF11 inhibitors for therapeutic purposes., (Copyright © 2020 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.)

Growth and differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) is a transforming growth factor β family member that has been identified as the central player of anterior-posterior (A-P) axial skeletal patterning. Mice homozygous for Gdf11 deletion exhibit severe anterior homeotic transformations of the vertebrae and craniofacial defects. During early embryogenesis, Gdf11 is expressed predominantly in the primitive streak and tail bud regions, where new mesodermal cells arise. On the basis of this expression pattern of Gdf11 and the phenotype of Gdf11 mutant mice, it has been suggested that GDF11 acts to specify positional identity along the A-P axis either by local changes in levels of signaling as development proceeds or by acting as a morphogen. To further investigate the mechanism of action of GDF11 in the vertebral specification, we used a Cdx2-Cre transgene to generate mosaic mice in which Gdf11 expression is removed in posterior regions including the tail bud, but not in anterior regions. The skeletal analysis revealed that these mosaic mice display patterning defects limited to posterior regions where Gdf11 expression is deficient, whereas displaying normal skeletal phenotype in anterior regions where Gdf11 is normally expressed. Specifically, the mosaic mice exhibited seven true ribs, a pattern observed in wild-type (wt) mice (vs. 10 true ribs in Gdf11 -/- mice), in the anterior axis and nine lumbar vertebrae, a pattern observed in Gdf11 null mice (vs. six lumbar vertebrae in wt mice), in the posterior axis. Our findings suggest that GDF11, rather than globally acting as a morphogen secreted from the tail bud, locally regulates axial vertebral patterning., (© 2019 The Authors Journal of Cellular Physiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Purpose: This study aimed to define the level of perceived stress, social support, and paternal role confidence in Korean fathers with high risk infants and investigate how they perceived stress and social support influence their confidence in paternal role., Design and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted. The participants were 160 fathers of high risk infants admitted for 72 h or longer in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Using a self-reported questionnaire, high risk infants' fathers' general characteristics, stress, social support, and confidence in paternal role were measured., Results: Fathers' low stress from the sights and sounds of the unit, more family members and fathers' awareness of the infants' prognosis were found to have a significant influence on paternal role confidence for high risk infants, explaining 18.7% variance in the effect., Conclusions: To assist fathers in developing paternal role confidence in their parenting, nurses should comprehend the degree of stress experienced by fathers whose infants were hospitalized in an NICU and offer supportive nursing to them to help them cope with their stress., Practice Implications: When preparing a nursing care plan for high risk infants and their fathers, if nurses help fathers to participate in infants' care and offer proper information to them to understand the environment of the NICU, actions taken for their infants, and infants' prognosis, the fathers' confidence in their paternal role is expected to improve., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The rational design of self-assembling organic materials is extremely challenging due to the difficulty in precisely predicting solid-state architectures from first principles, especially if synthons are conformationally flexible. A tractable model system to study self-assembly was constructed by appending cyclopropanoyl caps to the N termini of helical α/β-peptide foldamers, designed to form both N-H⋅⋅⋅O and C α -H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds, which then rapidly self-assembled to form foldectures (foldamer architectures). Through a combined analytical and computational investigation, cyclopropanoyl capping was observed to markedly enhance self-assembly in recalcitrant substrates and direct the formation of a single intermolecular N-H⋅⋅⋅O/C α -H⋅⋅⋅O bonding motif in single crystals, regardless of peptide sequence or foldamer conformation. In contrast to previous studies, foldamer constituents of single crystals and foldectures assumed different secondary structures and different molecular packing modes, despite a conserved N-H⋅⋅⋅O/C α -H⋅⋅⋅O bonding motif. DFT calculations validated the experimental results by showing that the N-H⋅⋅⋅O/C α -H⋅⋅⋅O interaction created by the cap was sufficiently attractive to influence self-assembly. This versatile strategy to harness secondary noncovalent interactions in the rational design of self-assembling organic materials will allow for the exploration of new substrates and speed up the development of novel applications within this increasingly important class of materials., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Direct graphene synthesis on substrates via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is an attractive approach for manufacturing flexible electronic devices. The temperature for graphene synthesis must be below ∼200 °C to prevent substrate deformation while fabricating flexible devices on plastic substrates. Herein, we report a process whereby defect-free graphene is directly synthesized on a variety of substrates via the introduction of an ultrathin Ti catalytic layer, due to the strong affinity of Ti to carbon. Ti with a thickness of 10 nm was naturally oxidized by exposure to air before and after the graphene synthesis, and the various functions of neither the substrates nor the graphene were influenced. This report offers experimental evidence of high-quality graphene synthesis on Ti-coated substrates at 150 °C via CVD. The proposed methodology was applied to the fabrication of flexible and transparent thin-film capacitors with top electrodes of high-quality graphene.

Although lisdexamfetamine is used as a recreational drug, little research exists regarding its potential for dependence or its precise mechanisms of action. This study aims to evaluate the psychoactivity and dependence profile of lisdexamfetamine using conditioned place preference and self-administration paradigms in rodents. Additionally, biochemical techniques are used to assess alterations in the dopamine levels in striatal synaptosomes following administration of lisdexamfetamine. Lisdexamfetamine increased both conditioned place preference and self-administration. Moreover, after administration of the lisdexamfetamine, dopamine levels in the striatal synaptosomes were significantly increased. Although some modifications should be made to the analytical methods, performing high performance liquid chromatography studies on synaptosomes can aid in predicting dependence liability when studying new psychoactive substances in the future. Collectively, lisdexamfetamine has potential for dependence possible via dopaminergic pathway.

Aim: Glycosylation of recombinant human erythropoietins (rhEPOs) is significantly associated with drug's quality and potency. Thus, comprehensive characterization of glycosylation is vital to assess the biotherapeutic quality and establish the equivalency of biosimilar rhEPOs. However, current glycan analysis mainly focuses on the N-glycans due to the absence of analytical tools to liberate O-glycans with high sensitivity. We developed selective and sensitive method to profile native O-glycans on rhEPOs., Results: O-glycosylation on rhEPO including O-acetylation on a sialic acid was comprehensively characterized. Details such as O-glycan structure and O-acetyl-modification site were obtained from tandem MS., Conclusion: This method may be applied to QC and batch analysis of not only rhEPOs but also other biotherapeutics bearing multiple O-glycosylations.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Bawu Decoction (, BWD, Palmul-tang in Korean) against benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)., Methods: Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups, with 6 rats in each group. The 4 study groups included sham-operated group (CON), BPH model group, fifinasteride-treated group, and BWD-treated group. All the groups except CON group received a subcutaneous injection of 10 mg/kg of testosterone, while CON group received saline. Finasteride at a dose of 5 mg/kg was administered to the finasteride-treated group for a period of 4 weeks. BWD group received BWD at a dose of 200 mg/kg for 4 weeks. The prostatic weight, prostate weight to body weight ratio, relative prostate weight ratio, serum testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) level, and histological analysis of prostatic tissue were analyzed., Results: Compared to BPH model group, BWD administration was associated with reductions in prostatic weight, prostate and relative prostate weight ratio weight to body weight ratio (P<0.05). The concentration of serum testosterone and DHT were higher in BPH group compared with CON group (P<0.05). Administration of finasteride and BWD suppressed the elevation of serum testosterone and DHT levels signifificantly (both P<0.05). In addition, BWD suppressed the growth of prostatic tissue (P<0.05)., Conclusion: BWD has suppressant effects on development of BPH through inhibition of serum testosterone and DHT.

Umbilical cord blood plasma (UCB-PL) contains various cytokines, growth factors, and immune modulatory factors that regulate the proliferation and function of immune cells and adult stem cells. Despite its therapeutic potential, the effects of UCB-PL treatment in conditions of ischemic brain injury have yet to be investigated. In this study, we demonstrated that both behavioral and structural impairments resulting from ischemic brain injury were significantly prevented/reversed after intravenous administration of UCB-PL relative to the vehicle control. As early as 1-week post-ischemia, an increased number of newborn cells in the subventricular zone and a reduced number of activated microglial cells in the peri-infarct area were observed in the UCB-PL group, suggesting that enhanced neurogenesis and/or the suppression of inflammation may have contributed to functional protection/recovery. Moreover, UCB-PL was more effective than plasma derived from a 65-year-old healthy adult for the treatment of ischemia-related structural and functional deficits, indicating that UCB-PL had greater therapeutic potential. This study provides valuable insights into the development of a safe, effective, and cell-free strategy for the treatment of ischemic brain damage and a much-needed alternative for patients who are ineligible for thrombolytic therapy.

Although 5-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (5-APB) and 7-bromo-5-(2-chlorophenyl)-1,3-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one (phenazepam) are being used as recreational drugs, research on their dependence liability or mechanisms of action is lacking. The present study aimed to evaluate the behavioral effects and dependence liability of these drugs using conditioned place preference and self-administration paradigms in rodents. Additionally, biochemical techniques were used to assess the substance-induced alterations in synaptosome-released dopamine. While both of the tested substances elicited increases in conditioned place preference and dopamine, neither of them facilitated self-administration, suggesting that 5-APB and phenazepam have rewarding effects, rather than reinforcing effects., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy is a common treatment modality for bladder cancer after transurethral resection of a bladder tumor. This therapy is generally safe, and development of a prostatic abscess with a prostatorectal fistula after intravesical BCG immunotherapy is a very rare complication. This finding was incidentally obtained by the authors, who examined a patient with colonoscopy for evaluation of abdominal pain. The patient was successfully treated with antitubercular drugs. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with a tuberculous prostatic abscess with prostatorectal fistula after BCG immunotherapy in South Korea., Competing Interests: The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

A D-π-A metal-free organic dye, featuring salicylic acid as a novel acceptor/anchoring unit, has been designed, synthesized and applied to dye-sensitized solar cell. The detailed photophysical, electrochemical, photovoltaic and sensitizing properties of the organic dye were investigated, in addition to the computational studies of the dye and dye-(TiO2)6 system. A solar cell device using this new organic dye as a sensitizer produced a solar to electric power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.49% (J(sc) = 6.69 mAcm-2, V(oc) = 0.74 V and ff = 0.70) under 100 mWcm(-2) simulated AM 1.5 G solar irradiation, demonstrating that the salicylic acid-based organic dye is a suitable alternative to currently used organometallic dyes.

Building a sophisticated protein nano-assembly requires a method for linking protein components in a predictable and stable structure. Most of the cross linkers available have flexible spacers. Because of this, the linked hybrids have significant structural flexibility and the relative structure between their two components is largely unpredictable. Here we describe a method of connecting two proteins via a 'fusion α helix' formed by joining two pre-existing helices into a single extended helix. Because simple ligation of two helices does not guarantee the formation of a continuous helix, we used EY-CBS, a synthetic cross linker that has been shown to react selectively with cysteines in α-helices, to stabilize the connecting helix. Formation and stabilization of the fusion helix was confirmed by determining the crystal structures of the fusion proteins with and without bound EY-CBS. Our method should be widely applicable for linking protein building blocks to generate predictable structures.

When crystalline ZnO films with a thickness of 30 nm and hydrophilic properties were deposited at room temperature onto a glass substrate via radio frequency sputtering, they exhibited antifingerprinting qualities following annealing treatment that was simple and accomplished at low temperature (100 °C). Hydrophobic properties were achieved using as-deposited ZnO films with hydrophilic properties via annealing treatment without the deposition of a protective layer with hydrophobic properties. The annealed 30 nm ZnO films showed a high transmittance (∼91.3%) comparable to that of a glass substrate at a wavelength of 550 nm. The annealed films showed strong antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus bacteria. The ZnO films with a thickness of 30 nm showed predominant mechanical durability with strong antibacterial activity for smart-phone panel applications.

The creation of self-assembling microscale architectures that possess new and useful physical properties remains a significant challenge. Herein we report that an 11-helical foldamer self-assembles in a controlled manner to form a series of 3D foldectures with unusual three-fold symmetrical shapes that are distinct from those generated from 12-helical foldamers. The foldamer packing motif was revealed by powder X-ray diffraction technique, and provides an important link between the molecular-level symmetry and the microscale morphologies. The utility of foldectures with hollow interiors as robust and well-defined supramolecular hosts was demonstrated for inorganic, organic, and even protein guests. This work will pave the way for the design of functional foldectures with greater 3D shape diversity and for the development of biocompatible delivery vehicles and containment vessels., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Myrcene, a monoterpene (C10), has gathered attention as a starting material for high-value compounds, such as geraniol/linalool and (-)-menthol. Metabolic engineering has been successfully applied to produce monoterpenes, such as pinene and limonene, at high levels in microbial hosts. However, microbial synthesis of myrcene has not yet been reported. Thus, we metabolically engineered Escherichia coli for production of myrcene by introducing a heterologous mevalonate pathway and overexpressing tailoring enzymes, such as geranyl diphosphate synthase (GPPS) and myrcene synthase (MS). Although MSs have broad ranges of functionality for producing various monoterpenes, our engineered E. coli strains harboring MS from Quercus ilex L. produced only myrcene (1.67 ± 0.029 mg/L). Subsequent engineering resulted in higher production of myrcene by optimizing the levels of GPPS in amino-acid-enriched (EZ-rich) defined medium, where glycerol as a carbon source was used. The production level of myrcene (58.19 ± 12.13 mg/L) was enhanced by 34-fold using in situ two-phase extraction to eliminate cellular toxicity and the evaporation of myrcene.

Human amniotic membrane-derived stromal cells (hAMSC) are candidates for cell-based therapies. We examined the characteristics of hAMSC including the interaction between hAMSC and breast cancer cells, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231. Human amniotic membrane-derived stromal cells showed typical MSC properties, including fibroblast-like morphology, surface antigen expression, and mesodermal differentiation. To investigate cell-cell interaction via secreted molecules, we cultured breast cancer cells in hAMSC-conditioned medium (hAMSC-CM) and analyzed their proliferation, migration, and secretome profiles. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells exposed to hAMSC-CM showed increased proliferation and migration. However, in hAMSC-CM, MCF-7 cells proliferated significantly faster than MDA-MB-231 cells. When cultured in hAMSC-CM, MCF-7 cells migrated faster than MDA-MB-231 cells. Two cell types showed different profiles of secreted factors. MCF-7 cells expressed much amounts of IL-8, GRO, and MCP-1 in hAMSC-CM. Human amniotic membrane-derived stromal cells interact with breast cancer cells through secreted molecules. Factors secreted by hAMSCs promote the proliferation and migration of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. For much safe cell-based therapies using hAMSC, it is necessary to study carefully about interaction between hAMSC and cancer cells., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Even after decades of intensive studies, therapeutic options for patients with stroke are rather limited. Thrombolytic drugs effectively treat the very acute stage of stroke, and several neuroprotectants that are designed to treat secondary injury following stroke are being tested in clinical trials. However, these pharmacological approaches primarily focus on acute stroke recovery, and few options are available for treating chronic stroke patients. In recent years, stem cell-mediated regenerative approaches have emerged as promising therapeutic strategies for treating the chronic stage of stroke. In this study, we examined whether systemically administered bone marrow cells (BMCs) could have beneficial effects in a rat model of chronic ischemia. Our transplantation experiments using BMCs obtained from ischemic donor rats showed functional and structural recovery during the chronic stage of stroke. BMC-mediated neural proliferation was prominent in the brains of rats with chronic stroke, and most of the new cells eventually became neurons instead of astrocytes. BMC-mediated enhanced neural proliferation coincided with a significant reduction (∼50%) in the number of activated microglia, which is consistent with previous reports of enhanced neural proliferation being linked to microglial inactivation. Strikingly, approximately 57% of the BMCs that infiltrated the chronic ischemic brain were CD25(+) cells, suggesting that these cells may exert the beneficial effects associated with BMC transplantation. Based on the reported anti-inflammatory role of CD25(+) regulatory T-cells in acute experimental stroke, we propose a working model delineating the positive effects of BMC transplantation during the chronic phase of stroke; infiltrating BMCs (mostly CD25(+) cells) reduce activated microglia, which leads to enhanced neural proliferation and enhanced recovery from neuronal damage in this rat model of chronic stroke. This study provides valuable insights into the effect of BMC transplantation in the chronic ischemic brain, which may lead to the development of effective therapy for chronic stroke patients who currently lack satisfactory therapeutic options.

Pinene is a monoterpenes (C10) that is produced in a genetically-engineered microbial host for its industrial applications in fragrances, flavoring agents, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. Herein, we have metabolically-engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum, to produce pinene and studied its toxicity in C. glutamicum. Geranyl diphosphate synthases (GPPS) and pinene synthases (PS), obtained from Pinus taeda and Abies grandis, were co-expressed with over-expressed native 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (Dxs) and isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase (Idi) from C. glutamicum using CoryneBrick vector. Most strains expressing PS-GPPSs produced detectable amounts of pinene, but co-expression of DXS and IDI with PS (P. taeda) and GPPS (A. grandis) resulted in 27 μg ± 7 α-pinene g(-1) cell dry weight, which is the first report in C. glutamicum. Further engineering of PS and GPPS in the C. glutamicum strain may increase pinene production.

Homogeneously distributed zinc nanoparticles (NPs) on the glass substrate were investigated for the transmittance, mechanical durability, and antibacterial effect. The buffered Ti NPs between Zn NPs and glass substrate were studied for an enhancement of the transmittance and mechanical endurance. The Ti NPs buffered Zn NPs showed a high transmittance of approximately 91.5% (at a wavelength of 550 nm) and a strong antibacterial activity for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria. The buffered Ti NPs are attractive for an excellent mechanical endurance of the Zn NPs. The Zn NPs did not require the protection layer to prevent the degradation of the performance for both the antibacterial effect and the transmittance.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of squat exercises performed in toilet-using postures on the blood flow velocity of the lower extremities for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis. [Subjects] The subjects were 28 students who were attending B University in Cheonan. They were divided into a group of 14 subjects of sitting toilet users and a group of 14 subjects of squat toilet users. [Methods] The subjects performed squat exercises in different toilet-using postures and we investigated the changes in blood flow velocity. [Results] The variations in blood flow velocities before and after the exercises showed significant differences in both groups but the differences between the two groups were not significant. [Conclusion] Based on the results of this study, we consider squat exercises are effective at improving the variation in lower-extremity blood flow velocity when using a toilet.

Gastrocolocutaneous fistula is a rare complication of the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) procedure. Typical symptoms usually occur in the first few months. We recently encountered 2 patients with 8- and 33-month asymptomatic periods. A 74-year-old man presented with watery diarrhea for 1 month. He had undergone PEG 9 months earlier. During workup, an upper endoscopy and abdominal CT scan revealed the migration of the feeding tube into the transverse colon. He was discharged with a nasogastric tube after treatment. A 77-year-old man presented with sudden loosening of his PEG tube with a duration over 3 days. He had undergone PEG procedure three times until that time. During workup, a gastrocolocutaneous fistula was diagnosed. However, when previous studies were reviewed, an abdominal CT scan, which was done 6 months ago before the third PEG, showed the fistula already existed at that time, suggesting that it was created about 33 months earlier when he underwent the second PEG procedure. The patient died of pneumonia aggravation despite conservative treatment. Both a high index of suspicion and the careful inspection of the upper endoscopy are very important for early diagnosis regardless of symptoms.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the wall slide device on activation of the scapulothoracic musculature. [Subjects] We recruited 15 healthy male subjects. [Methods] The subjects performed the general wall push-up plus (WPUP) and the wall slide with device (WSD) exercises. During the exercises, the muscle activities of the upper and lower trapezius (UT, LT), middle and lower serratus anterior (MSA, LSA), and pectoralis major (PM) were measured. [Results] The normalized muscle activity data of the WSD were significantly higher in UT, MSA and LSA than the WPUP. [Conclusion] Our results suggest that exercise using the WSD can more effectively activate the scapulothoracic musculature than the general WPUP.

Newborn hearing screening test is very important in the early diagnosis of childhood hearing loss because it affects language development. Auditory neuropathy is a spectrum disorder characterized by abnormal auditory brainstem response but preserved otoacoustic emission and cochlear microphonics. In general, auditory neuropathy patients have poor word discrimination and variable patterns of pure tone audiometry. We report on a patient with auditory neuropathy diagnosed at 16 months of age and started wearing hearing aids, but showed normal pure tone and speech audiometric findings 3 years later. Close follow-up for patients with auditory neuropathy is recommended.

We present a quantitative overhead analysis for effective task migration in biosensor networks. A biosensor network is the key technology which can automatically provide accurate and specific parameters of a human in real time. Biosensor nodes are typically very small devices, so the use of computing resources is restricted. Due to the limitation of nodes, the biosensor network is vulnerable to an external attack against a system for exhausting system availability. Since biosensor nodes generally deal with sensitive and privacy data, their malfunction can bring unexpected damage to system. Therefore, we have to use a task migration process to avoid the malfunction of particular biosensor nodes. Also, it is essential to accurately analyze overhead to apply a proper migration process. In this paper, we calculated task processing time of nodes to analyze system overhead and compared the task processing time applied to a migration process and a general method. We focused on a cluster ratio and different processing time between biosensor nodes in our simulation environment. The results of performance evaluation show that task execution time is greatly influenced by a cluster ratio and different processing time of biosensor nodes. In the results, the proposed algorithm reduces total task execution time in a migration process.

Previously, we demonstrated that the erythropoietin receptor (EpoR) is present on fibroblasts, where it regulates focal contact. Here, we assessed whether this action of EpoR is involved in the reduced cell adhesion observed in colonocytes exposed to Clostridium difficile toxin A. EpoR was present and functionally active in cells of the human colonic epithelial cell line HT29 and epithelial cells of human colon tissues. Toxin A significantly decreased activating phosphorylations of EpoR and its downstream signaling molecules JAK-2 (Janus kinase 2) and STAT5 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5). In vitro kinase assays confirmed that toxin A inhibited JAK 2 kinase activity. Pharmacological inhibition of JAK2 (with AG490) abrogated activating phosphorylations of EpoR and also decreased focal contacts in association with inactivation of paxillin, an essential focal adhesion molecule. In addition, AG490 treatment significantly decreased expression of occludin (a tight junction molecule) and tight junction levels. Taken together, these data suggest that inhibition of JAK2 by toxin A in colonocytes causes inactivation of EpoR, thereby enhancing the inhibition of focal contact formation and loss of tight junctions known to be associated with the enzymatic activity of toxin A.

Endogenous stromal cell-derived factor 1α (SDF1α) has been implicated in postischemic tissue repair, suggesting SDF1α as a potential therapeutic molecule to treat stroke patients. In spite of its potential, no data are available regarding the short- and long-term effects of SDF1α when it is delivered at different phases of stroke. In our study, adenovirus expressing SDF1α gene (AV-SDF1α) was introduced into the boundary of the infarcted area either 3 days before or 1 week after ischemia, and behavioral performance was measured over 5 weeks. Immediate behavioral and structural amelioration was evident when AV-SDF1α was injected 3 days before ischemia, which might be the result of SDF1α-mediated neuroprotection as supported by the TUNEL staining and Western blot analysis of active caspase-3. In addition, increase in neurogenesis, neuroblast migration, and neural differentiation was also apparent in the AV-SDF1α-injected brain, which contributed to further amelioration at later time points ("delayed response"). On the contrary, when AV-SDF1α was introduced 1 week post-ischemia (in the subacute phase), significant behavioral recovery became apparent beginning 5 weeks after viral delivery. Taken together, the therapeutic efficacy of SDF1α varied considerably depending on when SDF1α overexpression was initiated; initiating SDF1α overexpression before ischemia exerted both immediate and delayed beneficial effects, whereas initiating overexpression in the subacute phase exerted only a delayed response., (Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The aim of this prospective, double-blind, randomized study was to investigate the analgesic effects of low-dose ketamine on intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) with fentanyl for pain control in pediatric patients following the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum., Materials and Methods: Sixty pediatric patients undergoing the Nuss procedure were randomly assigned to receive fentanyl (Group F, n=30) or fentanyl plus ketamine (Group FK, n=30). Ten minutes before the end of surgery, following the loading dose of each solution, 0.5 μg/kg/hr of fentanyl or 0.5 μg/kg/hr of fentanyl plus 0.15 mg/kg/hr of ketamine was infused via an IV-PCA pump (basal rate, 1 mL/hr; bolus, 0.5 mL; lock out interval, 30 min). Fentanyl consumption, pain score, ketorolac use, nausea/vomiting, ondansetron use, pruritus, respiratory depression, hallucination, dreaming, and parent satisfaction with pain control were measured throughout the 48 hours following surgery., Results: The pain scores, ketorolac use, and fentanyl consumption of Group FK were significantly lower than in Group F (p<0.05). The incidence of nausea/vomiting and ondansetron use in Group FK was significantly lower than in Group F (p<0.05). There were no reports of respiratory depression, hallucination or dreaming. Parent satisfaction with pain control was similar between the two groups., Conclusion: We concluded that low-dose ketamine added to IV-PCA with fentanyl after the Nuss procedure in pediatric patients can reduce pain scores, consumption of fentanyl, and incidence of nausea/vomiting without increasing side effects.

Molecular self-assembly is the spontaneous association of molecules into structured aggregates by which nature builds complex functional systems. While numerous examples have focused on 2D self-assembly to understand the underlying mechanism and mimic this process to create artificial nano- and microstructures, limited progress has been made toward 3D self-assembly on the molecular level. Here we show that a helical β-peptide foldamer, an artificial protein fragment, with well-defined secondary structure self-assembles to form an unprecedented 3D molecular architecture with a molar tooth shape in a controlled manner in aqueous solution. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis, combined with global optimization and Rietveld refinement, allowed us to propose its molecular arrangement. We found that four individual left-handed helical monomers constitute a right-handed superhelix in a unit cell of the assembly, similar to that found in the supercoiled structure of collagen.

A polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-based electroluminescent nanoparticle, POSS-NPA, which contains anthracenenaphthyl chromophores on each of its eight arms, was easily prepared via the hydrosilylation reaction between octakis(dimethylsiloxy)silsesquioxane and allyl-functionalized 9-naphthalene-2-yl-10-phenyl anthracene chromophores. POSS-NPA was completely soluble in common organic solvents such as chloroform, THF, toluene, p-xylene, and chlorobenzene, and showed good film-forming properties on a quartz plate or an indium tin oxide (ITO) plate, i.e., it has good solution processing properties. The UV-visible absorption and the photoluminescence (PL) emission maxima of POSS-NPA in chlorobenzene solution were found to be 378 nm and 433 nm while those of POSS-NPA in the solid state were 379 and 464 nm, respectively. An electroluminescent (EL) device with the configuration of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/POSS-NPA (50 nm)/BAIq (40 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (120 nm) was also fabricated and the blue light emission was successfully obtained.

We have synthesized a new polymeric host material for phosphorescent dyes, which can be used in phosphorescent light-emitting layers. An alternating copolymer, composed of N-alkylcarbazole and tetramethylbenzene units was synthesized through the Suzuki coupling reaction. We fabricated electro-phosphorescent devices using the synthesized polymeric host doped with solution-processible green and red phosphorescent dyes. Light-emitting devices have an ITO/PEDOT/polymer + dopant/Balq3/Alq3/LiF/Al configuration. The device containing one of two studied green dopants (designated as green 1) in the polymeric host showed the best performance, with a maximum luminous efficiency of 29 cd/A. A thin film of this polymeric was successfully patterned by laser-induced thermal imaging (LITI), and an electro-phosphorescent device was fabricated using the patterned film. This patterned device showed performance characteristics similar to those of a spin-coated device.