Highly flexible, electrically driven, top-emitting, quantum dot light-emitting stickers

Flexible information displays are key elements in future optoelectronic devices. Quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) with advantages in color quality, stability, and cost-effectiveness are emerging as a candidate for single-material, full color light sources. Despite the recent advances in QLED technology, making high-performance flexible QLEDs still remains a big challenge due to limited choices of proper materials and device architectures as well as poor mechanical stability. Here, we show highly efficient, large-area QLED tapes emitting in red, green, and blue (RGB) colors with top-emitting design and polyimide tapes as flexible substrates. The brightness and quantum efficiency are 20 000 cd/m2 and 4.03%, respectively, the highest values reported for flexible QLEDs. Besides the excellent electroluminescence performance, these QLED films are highly flexible and mechanically robust to use as electrically driven light-emitting stickers by placing on or removing from any curved surface, facilitating versatile LED applications. Our QLED tapes present a step toward practical quantum dot based platforms for high-performance flexible displays and solid-state lighting. © 2014 American Chemical Society

Risk profile analysis and complications after surgery for autoimmune thyroid disease

Background: Surgical approaches to autoimmune thyroid disease are currently hampered by concerns over postoperative complications. Risk profiles and incidences of postoperative complications have not been investigated systematically, and studies with sufficient power to show valid data have not been performed. Methods: A prospective multicentre European study was conducted between July 2010 and December 2012. Questionnaires were used to collect data prospectively on patients who had surgery for autoimmune thyroid disease and the findings were compared with those of patients undergoing surgery for multinodular goitre. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate risk factors for thyroid surgery-specific complications, transient and permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy and hypoparathyroidism. Results: Data were available for 22 011 patients, of whom 18 955 were eligible for analysis (2488 who had surgery for autoimmune thyroid disease and 16 467 for multinodular goitre). Surgery for multinodular goitre and that for autoimmune thyroid disease did not differ significantly with regard to general complications. With regard to thyroid surgery-specific complications, the rate of temporary and permanent vocal cord palsy ranged from 2·7 to 6·7 per cent (P = 0·623) and from 0·0 to 1·4 per cent (P = 0·600) respectively, whereas the range for temporary and permanent hypoparathyroidism was 12·9 to 20·0 per cent (P < 0·001) and 0·0 to 7·0 per cent (P < 0·001) respectively. In logistic regression analysis of transient and permanent vocal cord palsy, autoimmune thyroid disease was not an independent risk factor. Autoimmune thyroid disease, extent of thyroid resection, number of identified parathyroid glands and no autotransplantation were identified as independent risk factors for both transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism. Conclusion: Surgery for autoimmune thyroid disease is safe in comparison with surgery for multinodular goitre in terms of general complications and RLN palsy. To avoid the increased risk of postoperative hypoparathyroidism, special attention needs to be paid to the parathyroid glands. © 2018 BJS Society Ltd Published by John Wiley & Sons LtdStiftelserna Wilhelm och Martina Lundgren