It has been known for decades that the emitting dipole orientation (EDO) of emitting dyes influences the outcoupling efficiency of organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, the EDO of dopants, ...especially phosphorescent dopants, has been studied less than that of neat films and polymer emitting layers (EMLs) due to the lack of an apparent driving force for aligning the dopants in amorphous host films. Recently, however, even globular‐shaped Ir complexes have been reported to have a preferred orientation in doped films and OLEDs. External quantum efficiencies (EQEs) higher than 30% have also been demonstrated using phosphorescent and thermally activated delayed fluorescent dyes (TADF) doped in EMLs. Here, recent results on the EDO of phosphorescent and TADF dyes doped in host films, and highly efficient OLEDs using these dyes are reviewed. The origin and control of the orientation of phosphors are discussed, followed by a discussion of future strategies to achieve EQEs of over 60% without a light extraction layer, from the material point of view.
Orientations of phosphors in organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been studied considerably because the emitting dipole orientation (EDO) of OLEDs significantly influences the outcoupling efficiency of OLEDs. The orientation of phosphorescent and thermally activated delayed fluorescent dyes doped in a host film and highly efficient OLEDs with horizontal EDOs is reviewed from the material point of view.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Wireless power transfer with a self-tuning LCC inverter using pulsewidth modulation (PWM) controlled switched capacitor is proposed in this paper in order to compensate for the variations of Tx ...inductance. Usually, receivers contain magnetic and conductive materials for shielding and mechanical support. The inductance of the Tx coil is sensitive to the variation of Tx-Rx alignment because the interaction between the Tx coil and the Rx magnetic-conductive materials is also varied. It is shown that the detuning of the Tx inductance value exacerbates the losses in the LCC inverter. In the proposed method, the PWM duty ratio of a single capacitor adjusts the effective output impedance of the LCC inverter. The PWM feedback loop is designed such that the power factor and the real-part impedance of the LCC inverter are maximized. The PWM switch is turned on at zero voltage and turned off with low dv / dt , minimizing switching losses. Such a soft-switching tunable capacitor can handle higher power compared to the traditional hard-switching capacitor, p-n junction capacitor, or an analog IC capacitor. Another advantage of the proposed technique is the continuity in achievable capacitance value using only one capacitor. The feedback can be fully implemented by analog components, obviating the necessity of digital samplings, ADC/DACs, and microcontrollers. The power of 54 W is transferred at 76.6% and 60.7% with and without the proposed method, respectively.
A first-step half-reference ramping (FHR) readout scheme is presented in this study for high frame rate CMOS image sensors (CISs). The proposed readout scheme enhances the conversion speed of a ...single-slope (SS) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) by applying a binary-weighted searching algorithm at the first A/D conversion attempt. By effectively reducing the reference signal range, the proposed FHR readout scheme can reduce the number of A/D conversion steps in the SS ADC while maintaining the ADC performance. Furthermore, the proposed scheme is reversible to operate the conventional SS ADC algorithm, thus it preserves the structural advantages of the SS ADC. The proposed FHR scheme becomes more effective as the bit-depth of the ADC increases. A prototype CIS with a column-parallel 11-bit SS ADC was fabricated in a 0.11-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\mu \text{m} </tex-math></inline-formula> 1P4M CIS process with a 2.9-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\mu \text{m} </tex-math></inline-formula> pixel pitch. A maximum frame rate of 570 frames/s was achieved with a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">1024\times240 </tex-math></inline-formula> pixel resolution, corresponding to a 140.08 Mp/s pixel rate. Total power consumption was 57.2 mW under 2.8 V for pixel readout and 1.8 V for readout circuitry. When compared with the conventional 11-bit SS ADC, the proposed FHR scheme shortens the total A/D conversion time by 38.4%. The prototype CIS demonstrated the figure of merits (FoM) of 0.84 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\text{e}^{-}\cdot </tex-math></inline-formula>nJ and 0.41 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\text{e}^{-}\cdot </tex-math></inline-formula>nJ/step.
(1) Background: Progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) leads to irreversible lung damage and inflammatory responses; however, biomarker discovery for monitoring of COPD ...progression remains challenging. (2) Methods: This study evaluated the metabolic mechanisms and potential biomarkers of COPD through the integrated analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of metabolic changes in lung, plasma, and urine, and changes in morphological characteristics and pulmonary function in a model of PPE/LPS-induced COPD exacerbation. (3) Results: Metabolic changes in the lungs were evaluated as metabolic reprogramming to counteract the changes caused by the onset of COPD. In plasma, several combinations of phenylalanine, 3-methylhistidine, and polyunsaturated fatty acids have been proposed as potential biomarkers; the α-aminobutyric acid/histidine ratio has also been reported, which is a novel candidate biomarker for COPD. In urine, a combination of succinic acid, isocitric acid, and pyruvic acid has been proposed as a potential biomarker. (4) Conclusions: This study proposed potential biomarkers in plasma and urine that reflect altered lung metabolism in COPD, concurrently with the evaluation of the COPD exacerbation model induced by PPE plus LPS administration. Therefore, understanding these integrative mechanisms provides new insights into the diagnosis, treatment, and severity assessment of COPD.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
Objectives
To introduce blockchain technologies, including their benefits, pitfalls, and the latest applications, to the biomedical and health care domains.
Target Audience
Biomedical and ...health care informatics researchers who would like to learn about blockchain technologies and their applications in the biomedical/health care domains.
Scope
The covered topics include: (1) introduction to the famous Bitcoin crypto-currency and the underlying blockchain technology; (2) features of blockchain; (3) review of alternative blockchain technologies; (4) emerging nonfinancial distributed ledger technologies and applications; (5) benefits of blockchain for biomedical/health care applications when compared to traditional distributed databases; (6) overview of the latest biomedical/health care applications of blockchain technologies; and (7) discussion of the potential challenges and proposed solutions of adopting blockchain technologies in biomedical/health care domains.
This study presents a preliminary report on the chest radiographic and computed tomography (CT) findings of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pneumonia in Korea.
As part of a ...multi-institutional collaboration coordinated by the Korean Society of Thoracic Radiology, we collected nine patients with COVID-19 infections who had undergone chest radiography and CT scans. We analyzed the radiographic and CT findings of COVID-19 pneumonia at baseline. Fisher's exact test was used to compare CT findings depending on the shape of pulmonary lesions.
Three of the nine patients (33.3%) had parenchymal abnormalities detected by chest radiography, and most of the abnormalities were peripheral consolidations. Chest CT images showed bilateral involvement in eight of the nine patients, and a unilobar reversed halo sign in the other patient. In total, 77 pulmonary lesions were found, including patchy lesions (39%), large confluent lesions (13%), and small nodular lesions (48%). The peripheral and posterior lung fields were involved in 78% and 67% of the lesions, respectively. The lesions were typically ill-defined and were composed of mixed ground-glass opacities and consolidation or pure ground-glass opacities. Patchy to confluent lesions were primarily distributed in the lower lobes (
= 0.040) and along the pleura (
< 0.001), whereas nodular lesions were primarily distributed along the bronchovascular bundles (
= 0.006).
COVID-19 pneumonia in Korea primarily manifested as pure to mixed ground-glass opacities with a patchy to confluent or nodular shape in the bilateral peripheral posterior lungs. A considerable proportion of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia had normal chest radiographs.
Cigarette smoke (CS) is the leading cause of chronic pulmonary diseases, including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate ...the effects of repeated CS exposure on polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. A single intratracheal instillation of 0.6 mg/kg PHMG enhanced the immune response of mice by increasing the number of total and specific inflammatory cell types in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. It induced histopathological changes such as granulomatous inflammation/fibrosis and macrophage infiltration in the lungs. These responses were upregulated upon exposure to a combination of PHMG and CS. In contrast, a 4-hr/day exposure to 300 mg/m3 CS alone for 2 weeks by nose-only inhalation resulted in minimal inflammation in the mouse lung. Furthermore, PHMG administration increased the expression of fibrogenic mediators, especially in the pulmonary tissues of the PHMG + CS group compared with that in the PHMG alone group. However, there was no upregulation in the expression of inflammatory cytokines following exposure to a combination of PHMG and CS. Our results demonstrate that repeated exposure to CS may promote the development of PHMG-induced pulmonary fibrosis.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Cholecystectomy is indicated for gallbladder mucoceles (GBM). Evaluating the patency of the biliary duct and precise biliary tree visualization is crucial for reducing the risk of compromised bile ...flow after surgery. Therefore, intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) is recommended during cholecystectomy to prevent biliary tract injury. Although indocyanine green (ICG) cholangiography has been extensively reported in human medicine, only one study has been conducted in veterinary medicine. Therefore, this study aimed to demonstrate the use of ICG for IOC to identify fluorescent biliary tract images and determine the patency of the common bile duct during cholecystectomy in dogs. This study comprised 27 dogs, consisting of 17 with gallbladder mucoceles (GBM) and 10 controls, specifically including dogs that had undergone elective cholecystectomy for GBM. ICG injection (0.25 mg/kg) was administered intravenously at least 45 minutes before surgery. During the operation, fluorescent images from cholangiography were displayed on the monitor and obtained in black-and-white mode for the comparison of fluorescence intensity (FI). The FI values of the gallbladders (GBs) and common bile duct (CBD) were measured using FI analyzing software (MGViewer V1.1.1, MetapleBio Inc.). The results demonstrated successful CBD patency identification in all cases. Mobile GBM showed partial gallbladder visibility, whereas immobile GBM showed limited visibility. Additionally, insights into the adequate visualization of the remaining extrahepatic biliary tree anatomy were provided, extending beyond the assessment of CBD patency and gallbladder intensity. Our study demonstrates the potential of fluorescent IOC using intravenous injection of ICG for assessing the patency of the cystic duct and common bile duct during cholecystectomy in patients with GBM, eliminating the need for surgical catheterization and flushing of the biliary ducts. Further research is warranted to investigate and validate the broader applicability of ICG cholangiography in veterinary medicine.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Mitochondria are organelles that play a vital role in cellular survival by supplying ATP and metabolic substrates via oxidative phosphorylation and the Krebs cycle. Hence, mitochondrial dysfunction ...contributes to many human diseases, including metabolic syndromes, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and aging. Mitochondrial transfer between cells has been shown to occur naturally, and mitochondrial transplantation is beneficial for treating mitochondrial dysfunction. In this study, the migration of mitochondria was tracked in vitro and in vivo using mitochondria conjugated with green fluorescent protein (MT
). When MT
were used in a coculture model, they were selectively internalized into lung fibroblasts, and this selectivity depended on the mitochondrial functional states of the receiving fibroblasts. Compared with MT
injected intravenously into normal mice, MT
injected into bleomycin-induced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis model mice localized more abundantly in the lung tissue, indicating that mitochondrial homing to injured tissue occurred. This study shows for the first time that exogenous mitochondria are preferentially trafficked to cells and tissues in which mitochondria are damaged, which has implications for the delivery of therapeutic agents to injured or diseased sites.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common age-related dementia. The alteration in metabolic characteristics determines the prognosis. Patients at risk show reduced glucose uptake in the brain. ...Additionally, type 2 diabetes mellitus increases the risk of AD with increasing age. Therefore, changes in glucose uptake in the cerebral cortex may predict the histopathological diagnosis of AD. The shifts in glucose uptake and metabolism, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and abnormal autophagy advance the pathogenesis of AD syndrome. Here, we summarize the role of altered glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetes for AD prognosis. Additionally, we discuss diagnosis and potential pharmacological interventions for glucose metabolism defects in AD to encourage the development of novel therapeutic methods.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
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