Highly efficient polarized polymer light-emitting diodes utilizing oriented films of beta-phase poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene)

Uniaxially oriented films of beta-phase poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) were realized by a friction-transfer technique followed by thermal annealing and vapor treatments. Absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra show the characteristics of beta-phase: an additional absorption peak at 433 nm and redshifted PL peaks compared with those of the usual nematic (N) phase. We fabricated polarized polymer light-emitting diodes utilizing oriented films of beta-phase PFO. Highly polarized beta-phase emission with an integrated polarization ratio of 51 was observed from the devices. The efficiency of the devices based on beta-phase reached 2.0 cd/A, which is two times higher than that based on N-phase

逆行性感染が疑われた感染性腎嚢胞の1例

著者版63歳男。直腸癌の術後4年8ヵ月後CTにて大動脈周囲リンパ節腫大、両側水腎症、転移性肝腫瘍の指摘を受け、血液生化学検査にて腎機能障害を認め当科入院となった。軽度炎症反応、腫瘍マーカーC19-9、CEAの上昇、左腎F極に径6cmの内部不均一な低吸収域を認め単純性腎嚢胞と判断した。大動脈周囲リンパ節転移による両側尿管閉塞、腎後性腎不全と診断し両側尿管ステント留置術を施行した。術後11日病日より発熱を認め抗生剤投与を行うも発熱が持続し、CTにて左水腎症の残像、嚢胞壁の肥厚を認め超音波検査で内部不均一なhypoechoic像を呈したことから左尿管ステント閉塞に伴う左水腎症および感染性嚢胞と診断し、ステント交換と経皮的の嚢胞穿刺術を行った。腎盂および嚢胞から混濁した膿汁の排出を認め左膿腎症および左感染性腎嚢胞と確定診断した。感染性腎嚢胞の再発は認めなかったが原疾患の進行のため入院後約8ヵ月に癌死した

Understanding Device-Structure-Induced Variations in Open-Circuit Voltage for Organic Photovoltaics

We investigate the structural influences on the device performance, especially on open-circuit voltage (<i>V</i>_OC) in squaraine (SQ)/fullerene (C₆₀) bilayer cells. Simply changing the SQ thickness could lead to 40% variation in <i>V</i>_OC from 0.62 to 0.86 V. The ionization potential (IP) of SQ films and recombination at the anode surface as well as donor/acceptor (D/A) interface sensitively vary with film thicknesses, which account for the shifts in <i>V</i>_OC. The anode recombination can be effectively suppressed by preventing direct contact between C₆₀ and the anode with a buffer layer, delivering an elevated <i>V</i>_OC. Through polarized infrared–multiple-angle incidence resolution spectroscopy measurement, the molecular structure of SQ films is found to gradually evolve from lying-down on indium–tin oxide substrates with noncentrosymmetric orientation at low thicknesses to random structure at high thicknesses. The different molecular orientation may yield different strengths of electronic coupling, which affects the charge-carrier recombination and thus <i>V</i>_OC. Moreover, the oriented SQ films would spontaneously compose aligned dipole moments at the D/A interface because of the strong dipolar effects in SQ molecules identified by density functional theory calculations, whereas no aligned interfacial dipole moment exists in the random structure. The resulting interfacial dipole moments would form an electric field at the D/A interface, leading to variations in the IP and thus impacting <i>V</i>_OC. Our findings demonstrate that <i>V</i>_OC in organic photovoltaic cells is critically associated with the molecular orientation that affects the charge-carrier recombination and interfacial dipole alignment, which should be seriously taken into consideration for the design of organic molecules and optimization of the cell efficiency

The Water-absorption Region of Ventral Skin of Several Semiterrestrial and Aquatic Anuran Amphibians Identified by Aquaporins

The water-absorption region of ventral skin of several semiterrestrial and aquatic anuran amphibians identified by aquaporins. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 299: R1150-R1162, 2010. First published September 1, 2010; doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00320.2010.-Regions of specialization for water absorption across the skin of Bufonid and Ranid anurans were identified by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis, using antibodies raised against arginine vasotocin (AVT)-stimulated aquaporins (AQPs) that are specific to absorbing regions of Hyla japonica. In Bufo marinus, labeling for Hyla urinary bladder-type AQP (AQP-h2), which is also localized in the urinary bladder, occurred in the ventral surface of the hindlimb, pelvic, and pectoral regions. AQP-h2 was not detected in any skin regions of Rana catesbeiana, Rana japonica, or Rana nigromaculata. Hyla ventral skin-type AQP (AQP-h3), which is found in the ventral skin but not the bladder of H. japonica, was localized in the hindlimb, pelvic, and pectoral skins of Bufo marinus, in addition to AQP-h2. AQP-h3 was also localized in ventral skin of the hindlimb of all three Rana species and also in the pelvic region of R. catesbiana. Messenger RNA for AQP-x3, a homolog of AQP-h3, could be identified by RT-PCR from the hindlimb, pectoral, and pelvic regions of the ventral skin of Xenopus laevis, although AVT had no effect on water permeability. In contrast, 10(-8) M AVT-stimulated water permeability and translocation of AQP-h2 and AQP-h3 into the apical membrane of epithelial cells in regions of the skin of species where they had been localized by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Finally, water permeability of the hindlimb skin of B. marinus and all the Rana species was stimulated by hydrins 1 and 2 to a similar level as seen for AVT. The present data demonstrate species differences in the occurrence, distribution, and regulation of AQPs in regions of skin specialized for rapid water absorption that can be associated with habitat and also phylogeny