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Abstract The Wnt receptor Frizzled3 (FZD3) is important for brain axonal development and cancer progression. We report structures of FZD3 in complex with extracellular and intracellular binding nanobodies (Nb). The crystal structure of Nb8 in complex with the FZD3 cysteine-rich domain (CRD) reveals that the nanobody binds at the base of the lipid-binding groove and can compete with Wnt5a. Nb8 fused with the Dickkopf-1 C-terminal domain behaves as a FZD3-specific Wnt surrogate, activating β-catenin signalling. The cryo-EM structure of FZD3 in complex with Nb9 reveals partially resolved density for the CRD, which exhibits positional flexibility, and a transmembrane conformation that resembles active GPCRs. Nb9 binds to the cytoplasmic region of FZD3 at the putative Dishevelled (DVL) or G protein-binding site, competes with DVL binding, and inhibits GαS coupling. In combination, our FZD3 structures with nanobody modulators map extracellular and intracellular interaction surfaces of functional, and potentially therapeutic, relevance.

Abstract Stem cells’ differentiation toward cardiac lineage is a complex process dependent on various alterations in molecular basis and regulation pathways. The aim of the study is to show that endometrium-derived stromal cells – menstrual, endometrial and endometriotic, could be an attractive source for examination of the mechanisms underlying cardiomyogenesis. After treatment with Decitabine, Angiotensin II and TGF-β1, cells demonstrated morphological dedifferentiation into early cardiomyocyte-like cells and expressed CD36, CD106, CD172a typically used to sort for human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. RT-qPCR revealed changed cells’ genetic profiles, as majority of cardiac lineage differentiation related genes and cardiac ion channels (calcium, sodium, potassium) coding genes were upregulated after 6 and 13 days of exposure. Additionally, analysis of expression of various signaling proteins (FOXO1, PDGFB, TGFBR1, mTOR, VEGFA, WNT4, Notch1) coding genes showed differences between cell cultures as they seem to employ distinct signaling pathways through differentiation initiation. Early stages of differentiation had biggest impact on cardiomyogenesis related proteins (Nkx-2.5, EZH2, FOXO3a, H3K9Ac) levels, as we noticed after conducting Western blot and as expected, early cardiac transcription factor Nkx-2.5 was highly expressed and localized in nucleus of differentiating cells. These findings led us to assess endometrium origin stromal cells’ potential to differentiate towards cardiomyogenic lineage and better understand the regulation of complex differentiation processes in ex vivo model systems.

Abstract Global energy consumption is increasing yearly, yet the world is trying to move toward carbon neutrality to mitigate global warming. More research is being done on energy storage devices to advance these efforts. One well‐known and widely studied technology is Zn‐ion batteries (ZIBs). Therefore, this paper demonstrates how laser irradiation at wavelengths of 266 and 1064 nm, in the presence of air or water, can enhance the electrochemical performance of metallic zinc anode in alkaline electrolyte. The obtained samples are characterized using X‐ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Then, the electrochemical properties are studied by cyclic voltammetry and impedance measurements. Results indicate that the laser processing of the Zn sample increases surface‐specific capacity by up to 30% compared to the non‐irradiated Zn sample. Furthermore, electrochemical measurements reveal enhanced participation of metallic Zn grains in the oxidation and reduction processes in irradiated samples. In future research, integrating laser treatment into electrode preparation processes can become essential for optimizing anode battery materials.

Purpose Assessing the development of skills that ensure personal mental toughness in adolescence is important because adolescents’ increasing autonomy and socialisation during adolescence inevitably create the conditions for an increasing number of external stressors to emerge. Paradoxically, adolescents’ confidence in their ability to cope with external stressors decreases during adolescence, which may lead to poorer sports performance in adolescent athletes. This study aimed to determine and analyse mental toughness skills in the cadet and junior age groups of young basketball players. Another aim was to reveal how general (total) mental toughness and age predict each athletic mental toughness skill. Methods This study surveyed 378 young basketball players using a two-stage cluster sampling approach. The Mental Toughness Questionnaire 48 (MTQ48) was chosen to assess general mental toughness skills. The Performance Inventory-Alternative (PPI-A) was chosen to assess athletic mental toughness skills. Results The study’s results revealed that players in the junior age group scored significantly higher on challenge (p < 0.001; d = –0.41), commitment (p < 0.001; d = –0.65), emotional control (p < 0.001; d = –0.76), life control (p = 0.02; d = –0.26), overall control (p < 0.001; d = –0.64), self-confidence in one’s abilities (p < 0.001; d = –0.73), self-confidence in interpersonal interactions (p < 0.001; d = –0.50), overall self-confidence (p < 0.001; d = –0.73), total mental toughness (MTQ-48) (p < 0.001; d = –0.78), determination (p < 0.001; d = –0.47) and visualisation (p < 0.001; d = –0.81). Significant correlations (r ranges from 0.12 to 0.37) were found between mental toughness skills and age groups for all scales mentioned above, except positive cognition and self-belief. Total mental toughness strongly predicted athletic mental toughness skills, but age did not predict determination and self-belief skills. Conclusions The findings of the present study suggest that promoting mental toughness can lead to improved athletic mental toughness indicators, emphasising its relevance for coaches, trainers, and sports psychologists in enhancing athletes’ development and performance.

Abstract Twisted gastrulation (TWSG1) is an evolutionarily conserved secreted glycoprotein which controls signaling by Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs). TWSG1 binds BMPs and their antagonist Chordin to control BMP signaling during embryonic development, kidney regeneration and cancer. We report crystal structures of TWSG1 alone and in complex with a BMP ligand, Growth Differentiation Factor 5. TWSG1 is composed of two distinct, disulfide-rich domains. The TWSG1 N-terminal domain occupies the BMP type 1 receptor binding site on BMPs, whereas the C-terminal domain binds to a Chordin family member. We show that TWSG1 inhibits BMP function in cellular signaling assays and mouse colon organoids. This inhibitory function is abolished in a TWSG1 mutant that cannot bind BMPs. The same mutation in the Drosophila TWSG1 ortholog Tsg fails to mediate BMP gradient formation required for dorsal-ventral axis patterning of the early embryo. Our studies reveal the evolutionarily conserved mechanism of BMP signaling inhibition by TWSG1.

The aim of the current descriptive study was to examine perceived characteristics of aggressiveness of youth school's students who received disciplinary punishment for violence and youth school's students who not received disciplinary punishment for violence. Youth schools provide learning opportunities for students who fail in conventional schools because they required specialized attention not available in the conventional school. The analysis covered 178 youth school's students, which were randomly selected from different youth schools in Kaunas region. The study used two surveys: Assinger's questionnaire and Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. The data in the Assinger questionnaire were found to be different from the normal distribution. Statistical analysis of these data was performed using the chi-square test. The data of the Buss and Perry's Aggression Questionnaire were normally distributed, thus making it possible to use t-test for independent samples. Youth school's students who received disciplinary punishment for violence had more positive attitudes toward aggression, i.e., they tend to justify the aggression partly or approve completely. Youth school's students who received disciplinary punishment for violence were more verbally and physically aggressive than youth school's students who not received disciplinary punishment for violence. The findings of the present study point out new trends to a deeper understanding of the peculiarities of aggressiveness among youth school's students.

The current research addresses interesting and still mostly neglected question of how introductory philosophical disciplines (such as "Introduction to philosophy", "Introduction to ethics" etc.) affects students' comprehension of the concept of critical thinking which is one of the most important descriptive and normative notions in contemporary education. Addressing this issue we formulated following tasks. First, to outline a theoretical framework of the research by introducing models of critical thinking that are relevant in contemporary education. Second, to discover and compare undergraduate students' understanding of critical thinking before and after the completion of their philosophy classes. To complete the first task, the common methods of literature review (scoping, analysis, synthesis) were applied. The second task was completed by means of empirical (qualitative) research. Actual sample of current research consists of 15 undergraduates (first year) students from study program "Physical education and sports" in Lithuanian Sports University (LSU). The method of semi-structured interview was used in the current research. Participants were asked to give elaborated answers to 10 questions prepared in advance, as well as a range of additional questions which appeared to be relevant in the course of the interview. The participants were interviewed twice: the first time before the beginning of their philosophy classes (module "Philosophy of education"), and the second time after their completion. Our research leads to two conclusions. The first (conceptual) conclusion is that despite a great diversity of definitions and theoretical models of critical thinking the underling idea remains the same, namely, that of reflectivity, a general ability to discern different prospects of actions and to associate particular action with initial motives (needs, goals). The second (empirical) conclusion is that philosophical classes, as a kind of educational intervention, makes the idea of reflectivity more articulated in students' conceptions of critical thinking.

Background: We investigated the predictors of poor SRH in a representative sample of Lithuanian mainstream school students in grades 7–8. We also checked for gender differences in the associations between SRH and depressive symptoms and other predictors. Methods: A total of 2104 7th–8th-grade students participated (response rate 73.95%) and were asked about depressive symptoms, psychosomatic health complaints, negative acts at school, feeling at school, family stress and violence, sense of coherence, self-esteem, and lifestyle. We used a hierarchical regression analysis including a variety of self-rated health predictors. Results: Boys scored significantly higher on physical activity and smoking, whereas girls scored significantly higher on SRH, depressive symptoms, psychosomatic health complaints, and family stress and violence, though the significance was lost in the hierarchical regression. Depressive symptoms were the strongest predictor of poor SRH (standardized β = 0.309, p < 0.001), though other investigated predictors were also significant but had lower effect sizes. Strong evidence was found supporting the buffering role of sense of coherence in the relationship between depressive symptoms and SRH (standardized β = −0.266, p < 0.001). Conclusions: We can conclude that the magnitude of the relationship between depressive symptoms and self-rated health is dependent on the levels of sense of coherence. We did not find gender differences in those associations. As poor SRH is easy to determine, especially with a one-item question, the cases of poorly rated health should be detected early and corrected by interventions in order to prevent poor health outcomes in the future.

The article aims to answer the question, what is the dynamics of the future physical education (PE) teachers' sociability in the first decades of the 21st century? The study documented the peculiarities of sociability in future PE teachers in 2001. It was conducted in 2018 and aimed to answer the question of whether the changing social environment and educational reform in the last decades have recently been linked to changes in the sociability of future PE teachers. An analysis of sociability was made using the adapted Rogov questionnaire and the Bales System of process categories in the interaction process analysis. The research model was selected by interviewing a sample of 3rd and 4th year students (n = 139) in 2001 and in 2018 (n = 134). The survey data showed that in 2018 status striving of future PE teachers is statistically significantly stronger than in 2001. The research findings revealed that in 2001 during the teaching practice students (future PE teachers) were more committed to solidarity, encouraged others more frequently, were calmer, felt more satisfied, and communicated more easily than in 2018. In 2018 during the teaching practice students survived bigger tension and more frequently showed antagonism than in 2001.

In this paper, the differences in academic motivation between university students of traditional (in-classroom) and online (distance) education were investigated. It has been hypothesized that online (distance) students possess stronger intrinsic motivation than traditional (in-classroom) students. The random sample consisted of 386 students. Participants comprised 189 male and 197 female students; 194 of them were traditional students, and 192 of them were online students. The cross-sectional research design was used in this study. A 21 item Academic Motivation Scale (SAMS-21) was used to measure three types of extrinsic motivation (intrinsic motivation to know, to accomplish things, and to experience stimulation), three types of extrinsic motivation (external, introjected, and identified regulation) and amotivation in university students. The findings indicated that students' intrinsic motivation scores were higher in online students than in students who attend traditional face-to-face classes. The results did not reveal significant differences between male and female students in terms of academic motivation. This study made a novel contribution to the literature, because the present study has compared academic motivation between university students of traditional and online education in a new context. i.e. before COVID-19 pandemic and during it. Recommendations are provided for further research into areas not covered by this study.

The main attention in the publication is paid to the competencies of physical education teachers for sport injuries and their prevention. The scientific newness is characterized by the felt lack of scientific works for the analysis of these issues. The sample of the research consisted of 126 physical education teachers (54 women (43 per cent) and 72 men (57 per cent). The teachers were also divided into groups according to the experience of pedagogical work: 57 teachers (45 per cent) had the pedagogical experience of up to 10 years and the pedagogical experience of 69 teachers (55 per cent) exceeded 10 years. For the revelation of this issue, the Questionnaire of the competencies of physical education teachers for injury prevention was used that had been compiled on the basis of scientific literature (Raižiene, 2014; Vercruysse et al., 2016). The data of the research showed most competencies of physical education teachers for sport injuries of students and their prevention differed statistically significantly depending on the gender among teachers and their pedagogical experience. Teachers with the pedagogical experience of up to 10 years state that students encounter injuries during their lessons more often. The direction of further research should be modelling of programs about the competencies in the field of injury prevention.

Determination of refractive index of micro-disks of a calcinated ($1100^\circ$C in air) photo-resist SZ2080$^\mathrm{TM}$ was carried out using transmission and reflection spectroscopy. Interference fringes at specific wavenumbers/wavelengths were selected for determination of the optical thickness, hence, the refractive index when the thickness of micro-disks was measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Refractive index of disks of $\sim 6\pm 1~\mu$m thickness were determined at visible and IR (2.5-13~$\mu$m) spectral ranges and where $2.2\pm 0.2$ at visible and IR wavelengths. Peculiarities of optical characterisation of micro-optical structures are discussed in view of possible uncertainties in the definition of geometric parameters, shape and mass density redistribution.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of education programs on dance performance in youth sports dancers. Fifty-four subjects (aged 9-11 years) volunteered to participate in a 12 wk education program and were randomly assigned to three groups. The experimental group one (EG-1) trained in Dance sport 2 d.wk[superscript -1] and performed physical training (i.e. track and field athletics, games, relays, and rhythmic gymnastics) 1 d.wk[superscript -1]. Experimental group two (EG-2) trained in Dance sport 2 d.wk[superscript -1] and performed aerobics and aerobic gymnastics exercises 1 d.wk[superscript -1]. The control group (CG) dancers developed their Dance sport-specific technical and tactical skills 3 d.wk[superscript -1]. Training occurred 3 d.wk[superscript -1] for a total of 54 hours. The dancers' anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics, as well as Dance sport performances were measured pre and post-intervention. No significant differences were observed at baseline between the three groups, except stature in EG-2 (p > 0.005). At post-intervention, the supplemental education sessions improved Dance sport performance scores of EG-1 (p = 0.004, n[superscript 2] = 0.673, P = 0.943) and EG-2 (p = 0.001, n[superscript 2] = 0.778, P = 0.996) dance pair; no change was observed in Dance sport performance in CG-1 (p = 0.622, n[superscript 2] = 0.032, P = 0.074). The application of Dance sport training combined with supplemental education improves development of Dance sport performance in youth sports dancers.

The current paper addresses research question of how do students of one university (in our case study -- Lithuanian Sports University, LSU) experience the educational effect of introductory philosophy course. To answer this question, method of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was employed. In accordance with this qualitative approach, we used method of purposive sampling. Sample of current study consist of 8 participants (3 females and 5 males). All participants are first year undergraduate students form study program "Physical education and sport" (continuing studies) in LSU. As a data collection method, semi-structured interview was applied. In our research it was found that students more tend to share their cognitive experience of philosophy classes than their emotional experience. Among nine qualitative categories (codes) which are the most prominent in our interview records, two of them were found to be especially frequent -- "Philosophical technical language poses a great challenge for a common reader" and "In philosophy everything has a deeper meaning".

In this study, the differences in social self-efficacy and prosocial behaviour between students of high and youth schools were investigated. The random sample consisted of 394 students. Participants comprised 213 male and 181 female students; 198 of them were high school students, and 196 of them were youth school students. A Social Self-efficacy Scale (SSES) and a Revised Prosocial Tendencies Measure (PTM-R) were used. The findings indicated that students' social self-efficacy and prosocial behaviour scores were higher in high schools than in youth schools. The social self-efficacy of girls was found to be significantly higher than those of boys, however girls and boys did not differ significantly in overall scores of prosocial behaviour.

We investigated the formation of graphite nanocrystals covered with graphite oxide for white light generation. The nanoparticles were formed using cost-efficient oxidation of a carbon-based dye pigment at different temperatures and verified using X-ray diffraction and Raman measurements. Formation of the graphite nanoparticles via thermal annealing was observed, while their light emission increased at higher oxidation temperatures. This was associated with a higher amount of oxygen defect groups. The time-resolved photoluminescence measurements showed linearly faster decays at shorter wavelengths and similar decays at different annealing temperatures. Broadband and linear vs. excitation emission spectra of the particles were found to be suitable for white-light-emitting devices and phosphor markers. The fast photoluminescence decay opens the possibility for the application of nanoparticles in optical wireless communication technology.

Energy-level alignment is a crucial factor in the performance of thin-film devices, such as organic light-emitting diodes and photovoltaics. One way to adjust these energy levels is through chemical modification of the molecules involved. However, this approach may lead to unintended changes in the optical and/or electrical properties of the compound. An alternative method for energy-level adjustment at the interface is the use of self-assembling monolayers (SAMs). Initially, SAMs with passive spacers were employed, creating a surface dipole moment that altered the work function (WF) of the electrode. However, recent advancements have led to the synthesis of SAM molecules with active spacers. This development necessitates considering not only the modification of the electrode’s WF but also the ionization energy (IE) of the molecule itself. To measure both the IE of SAM molecules and their impact on the electrode’s WF, a relatively simple method is photo-electric emission spectroscopy. Solar cell performance parameters have a higher correlation coefficient with the ionization energy of SAM molecules with carbazole derivatives as spacers (up to 0.97) than the work function of the modified electrode (up to 0.88). Consequently, SAMs consisting of molecules with active spacers can be viewed as hole transport layers rather than interface layers.

The development of mental toughness in student athletes within sports schools is crucial for identifying strengths and improving weaknesses to optimize performance. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a mental toughness development program for basketball sports school students. Sixty-two male student athletes, aged 15.83 ± 0.37 years, participated, with 30 in the experimental group and 32 in the control group. They completed the Mental Toughness Questionnaire 48 (MTQ48) before and after the 6-week intervention program. Pearson’s correlations were calculated for study variables. A repeated measures MANOVA followed by one-way ANOVA analyzed differences in mental toughness skills between groups and over time. Results showed a significant effect of the intervention program on mental toughness skills, with small and medium effect sizes. Post-program, the experimental group exhibited higher levels of various skills compared to controls, including skills related to challenge, commitment, emotional control, life control, overall control, self-confidence in interpersonal interactions, self-confidence in one’s abilities, overall self-confidence, and total MTQ48. These findings underscore the utility of interventions for enhancing mental toughness among basketball sports school students, emphasizing the importance of tailored approaches in such intervention programs.

Multiphoton photopolymerisation (MPP), also known as 3D nanoprinting, was studied using a wavelength-tunable femtosecond laser. The possibility of using any colour of the spectrum from 500 to 1200 nm with a fixed pulse width of 100 fs revealed an interplay of photophysical mechanisms more delicate than just two-photon photopolymerisation. An effective order of absorption, i.e. the X-photon absorption, as well as optimal exposure conditions were assessed for photosensitised and pure SZ2080$^{{\rm TM}}$ pre-polymer. The tunability of wavelength greatly influenced the dynamic fabrication window (DFW), optimised conditions resulting in a 10-fold increase. Furthermore, a non-trivial energy deposition by X-photon absorption was noted with an onset of a strong lateral size increase at longer wavelengths and can be understood as due to reaching epsilon-near-zero conditions. Such a control over the voxel aspect ratio and, consequently, the photopolymerised volume, may boost 3D nanoprinting efficiency. Overall, the results reveal wavelength being an important degree of freedom to tailor the MPP process and, if optimised, benefiting broad applications in areas of micro-optics, nanophotonic devices, metamaterials and tissue engineering.

The dependence of the polymerization and optical damage thresholds in multi-photon polymerization (MPP) lithography was studied using a broadly-tunable laser system with group delay dispersion (GDD) control. The order of non-linearity and the light–matter interaction mechanisms were investigated using the resolution bridges method for non-photosensitized SZ2080TM and photosensitized SZ2080TM + IRG369 prepolymers. Energy deposition, voxel dimension growth, and the size of the dynamic fabrication window (DFW) were measured in the 700–1300 nm wavelength range at three different pulse durations measured at the sample – 100, 200 and 300 fs. Polymerization was observed at all wavelengths and pulse durations without significant differences in the achieved minimal spatial dimension (

Vitrimers have gained attention as materials with recyclability, self-healing, and shape memory properties. The use of bio-based monomers for the synthesis of vitrimers is relevant because of the use of an environmentally friendly strategy. In this work, resins based on 2-hydroxy-2-phenoxypropyl acrylate and acrylated epoxidized soybean oil were designed and tested by real-time photorheometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and mechanical testing to determine suitability for digital light processing 3D printing. The synthesis of vitrimer that could have good thermal properties and vitrimeric abilities, such as shape memory, self-healing, and recyclability properties, was investigated. Because of this, the vitrimer could repair cracks and defects and could have a complex design of several parts, which also contributes to recyclability and decreases costs. The rigidity and viscosity of the resins were reduced with an increasing amount of 2-hydroxy-2-phenoxypropyl acrylate-based monomer. The resin that has the highest amounts of hydroxyl and ester groups that are beneficial for transesterification reactions was chosen for vitrimer synthesis in order to show vitrimeric abilities such as self-healing, shape memory properties, reprocessability, and recyclability. The synthesized vitrimer was applied to digital light processing 3D printing and showed shape memory with a recovery ratio of 100%, self-healing and reprocessability with an efficiency of 47 and 31% and recyclability properties.

Abstract Although teeth microcracks (MCs) have long been considered more of an aesthetic problem, their exact role in the structure of a tooth and impact on its functionality is still unknown. The aim of this study was to reveal the possibilities of an X-ray micro-computed tomography ( $$\mu$$ μ CT) in combination with convolutional neural network (CNN) assisted voxel classification and volume segmentation for three-dimensional (3D) qualitative analysis of tooth microstructure and verify this approach with four extracted human premolars. Samples were scanned using a $$\mu$$ μ CT instrument (Xradia 520 Versa; ZEISS) and segmented with CNN to identify enamel, dentin, and cracks. A new CNN image segmentation model was trained based on “Multiclass semantic segmentation using DeepLabV3+” example and was implemented with “TensorFlow”. The technique which was used allowed 3D characterization of all MCs of a tooth, regardless of the volume of the tooth in which they begin and extend, and the evaluation of the arrangement of cracks and their structural features. The proposed method revealed an intricate star-shaped network of MCs covering most of the inner tooth, and the main crack planes in all samples were arranged radially in two almost perpendicular directions, suggesting that the cracks could be considered as a planar structure.

In this study, the effectiveness of training module on enhancing self-efficacy in teacher education students was investigated. Sixty-eight (68) teacher education students (M age = 22.74; SD = 0.57) participated in this study, 36 of whom were assigned to an experimental group and the other 32 were assigned to a control group. The training module on enhancing self-efficacy composed of 26 one-hour sessions was applied on experimental group. A pretest-posttest control group design was used in order to assess the effectiveness of the training module as well as to collect data. A General Self-efficacy Scale, a Social Self-efficacy Scale, and a Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale were used. The findings showed that this training module on enhancing social self-efficacy was effective on the teacher education students' general self-efficacy, social self-efficacy, and teacher self-efficacy beliefs.

Research aim was to analyze peculiarities of education of social responsibility among football sports school students. We hypothesized that after the educational program sport school students will have more developed social responsibility. The total sample comprised 52 male students. Experimental group consisted of 26 and the control group of 26 football sports school students. Statistical analyses revealed that after educational program experimental group had significantly higher scores of social responsibility components: "respect" and "caring and helping". Overall results showed significant higher effects on social responsibility in experimental group and no significant effects in control group.

Due to the ease of synthesis and the ability to easily tune properties, organic semiconductors are widely researched and used in many optoelectronic applications. Requirements such as thermal stability, appropriate energy levels and charge-carrier mobility have to be met in order to consider the suitability of an organic semiconductor for a specific application. Balancing of said properties is not a trivial task; often one characteristic is sacrificed to improve the other and therefore a search for well-balanced materials is necessary. Herein, seven new charge-transporting biphenyl-based enamine molecules are reported. The new materials were synthesized using a simple one-step reaction without the use of expensive transition metal catalysts. It was observed that subtle variations in the structure lead to notable changes in the properties. Materials exhibited high thermal stability and relatively high carrier drift mobility, reaching 2 × 10−2 cm2V−1 s−1 (for BE3) at strong electric fields. Based on the results, three materials show the potential to be applied in organic light emitting diodes and solar cells.

Providing a 3D environment that mimics the native extracellular matrix is becoming increasingly important for various applications such as cell function studies, regenerative medicine, and drug discovery. Among the most critical parameters to consider are the scaffold’s complicated micro-scale geometry and material properties. Therefore, stereolithography based on photopolymerization is an emerging technique because of its ability to selectively form volumetric structures from liquid resin through localized polymerization reactions. However, one of the most important parameters of the scaffold is biocompatibility, which depends not only on the material but also on the exposure conditions and post-processing, which is currently underestimated. To investigate this systematically, microporous scaffolds with pore sizes of 0.05 mm3 corresponding to a porosity of 16,4% were fabricated using the stereolithography printer Asiga PICO2 39 UV from the widely used resins FormLabs Clear and Flexible. The use of various polymers is usually limited for cells because, after wet chemical development, the non-negligible amount of remaining monomers intertwined in the photopolymerized structures is significantly toxic to cells. Therefore, the aim of this research was to find the best method to remove monomers from the 3D scaffold by additional UV exposure. For this purpose, a Soxhlet extractor was used for the first time, and the monomers were immersed in different alcohols. A Raman microspectroscopy was also used to investigate whether different post-processing methods affect DC (cross-linking) to find out if this specifically affects the biocompatibility of the scaffolds. Finally, mesenchymal stem cells from rat dental pulp were examined to confirm the increased biocompatibility of the scaffolds and their ability to support cell differentiation into bone tissue cells.