Detection of SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La Autoantibodies Using Immunoblotting Procedure and Characterization of the Antigens from 293 Cells and KB Cells

Specific and sensitive assay was performed to detect both antiSS-A/Ro and antiSS-B/La antibodies in sera of patients with collagen diseases including SLE, PSS, etc. The SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La antigens were prepared from human spleen (HSE) and cultured human cell line (KB cells), while rabbit thymus extract (RTE) was used as SS-B/La antigen marker. The antigens were partially purified by DEAE cellulose column chromatography. The SS-A/Ro antibody was shown to react mainly with 58KDa peptide by means of immunoblotting. Sera containing both the SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La antibody reacted with 40KDa peptide of RTE, and 58KDa, 42KDa and 40KDa peptides of HSE. We found that some of SS-A/Ro antisera could further react with 64KDa peptide in HSE. The 58KDa peptide is rich in a cytoplasmic fraction of KB cells, and the 40KDa peptide in the nucleoplasmic fraction. KB cells are not less good source of the antigens than human spleen. Extracts of 293 cells (human embryonic kidney cells expressing adenovirus-5 El gene) were prepared by the same method from KB cells, though immunoblotting patterns of both SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La antigens of 293 cell extracts are similar to those of KB cells, the relative content of SS-B/La antigens in 293 cell extracts are decreased

Self-powered ultraflexible photonic skin for continuous bio-signal detection via air-operation-stable polymer light-emitting diodes

Ultraflexible optical devices have been used extensively in next-generation wearable electronics owing to their excellent conformability to human skins. Long-term health monitoring also requires the integration of ultraflexible optical devices with an energy-harvesting power source; to make devices self-powered. However, system-level integration of ultraflexible optical sensors with power sources is challenging because of insufficient air operational stability of ultraflexible polymer light-emitting diodes. Here we develop an ultraflexible self-powered organic optical system for photoplethysmogram monitoring by combining air-operation-stable polymer light-emitting diodes, organic solar cells, and organic photodetectors. Adopting an inverted structure and a doped polyethylenimine ethoxylated layer, ultraflexible polymer light-emitting diodes retain 70% of the initial luminance even after 11.3 h of operation under air. Also, integrated optical sensors exhibit a high linearity with the light intensity exponent of 0.98 by polymer light-emitting diode. Such self-powered, ultraflexible photoplethysmogram sensors perform monitoring of blood pulse signals as 77 beats per minute.ISSN:2041-172

Indoor Self-Powered Perovskite Optoelectronics with Ultraflexible Monochromatic Light Source

Self-powered skin optoelectronics fabricated on ultrathin polymer films is emerging as one of the most promising components for the next-generation Internet of Things (IoT) technology. However, a longstanding challenge is the device underperformance owing to the low process temperature of polymer substrates. In addition, broadband electroluminescence (EL) based on organic or polymer semiconductors inevitably suffers from periodic spectral distortion due to Fabry–Pérot (FP) interference upon substrate bending, preventing advanced applications. Here, ultraflexible skin optoelectronics integrating high-performance solar cells and monochromatic light-emitting diodes using solution-processed perovskite semiconductors is presented. n–i–p perovskite solar cells and perovskite nanocrystal light-emitting diodes (PNC-LEDs), with power-conversion and current efficiencies of 18.2% and 15.2 cd A⁻¹, respectively, are demonstrated on ultrathin polymer substrates with high thermal stability, which is a record-high efficiency for ultraflexible perovskite solar cell. The narrowband EL with a full width at half-maximum of 23 nm successfully eliminates FP interference, yielding bending-insensitive spectra even under 50% of mechanical compression. Photo-plethysmography using the skin optoelectronic device demonstrates a signal selectivity of 98.2% at 87 bpm pulse. The results presented here pave the way to inexpensive and high-performance ultrathin optoelectronics for self-powered applications such as wearable displays and indoor IoT sensors.ISSN:0935-9648ISSN:1521-409

Ultraflexible Transparent Oxide/Metal/Oxide Stack Electrode with Low Sheet Resistance for Electrophysiological Measurements

Flexible, transparent electrodes are a crucial component for future implantable and wearable systems. For practical applications, conductivity and flexibility should be further improved to prevent signal attenuation, heat generation, and disconnection. Herein, we fabricate an ultraflexible transparent electrode with low sheet resistance (8.6 Ω/sq) using an indium-tin-oxide/Au/indium-tin-oxide (ITO) multilayer on a 1 μm thick parylene substrate. The electrodes were foldable and when compared to pristine ITO displayed greater mechanical robustness. Applicability for large-area applications was confirmed through electrochemical impedance measurements, and the compatibility of electrode arrays for in vivo applications was demonstrated with an optogenetic experiment. As a result of the ultraflexible transparent electrode’s excellent conformity to soft tissue, voltage signals induced by light stimulation directly below the electrode were successfully recorded on the moving muscle