Oxide Derivatives of Nb2CTx MXene and Their Application as Electron Transport Layers in Perovskite Solar Cells: Unraveling the Oxidation Process and Functionalization.

In the realm of photovoltaic research, 2D transition metal carbides (MXenes) have gained significant interest due to their exceptional photoelectric capabilities. However, the instability of MXenes due to oxidation has a direct impact on their practical applications. In this work, the oxidation process of Nb2CTx MXene in aqueous systems is methodically simulated at the atomic level and nanosecond timescales, which elucidates the structural variations influenced by the synergistic effects of water and dissolved oxygen, predicting a transition from metal to semiconductor with 44% C atoms replaced by O atoms in Nb2CTx. Moreover, Nb2CTx with varying oxidation degrees is utilized as electron transport layers (ETLs) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Favorable energy level alignments with superior electron transfer capability are achieved by controlled oxidation. By further exploring the composites of Nb2CTx to its derivatives, the strong interaction of the nano-composites is demonstrated to be more effective for electron transport, thus the corresponding PSC achieves a better performance with long-term stability compared with the widely used ETLs like SnO2. This work unravels the oxidation dynamics of Nb2CTx and provides a promising approach to designing ETL by exploiting MXenes to their derivatives for photovoltaic technologies.

Sustainable H2O2 production via solution plasma catalysis.

Clean production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) with water, oxygen, and renewable energy is considered an important green synthesis route, offering a valuable substitute for the traditional anthraquinone method. Currently, renewable energy-driven production of H2O2 mostly relies on soluble additives, such as electrolytes and sacrificial agents, inevitably compromising the purity and sustainability of H2O2. Herein, we develop a solution plasma catalysis technique that eliminates the need for soluble additives, enabling eco-friendly production of concentrated H2O2 directly from water and O2. Screening over 40 catalysts demonstrates the superior catalytic performance of carbon nitride interacting with discharge plasma in water. High-throughput density functional theory calculations for 68 models, along with machine learning using 29 descriptors, identify cyano carbon nitride (CCN) as the most efficient catalyst. Solution plasma catalysis with the CCN achieves concentrated H2O2 of 20 mmol L-1, two orders of magnitude higher than photocatalysis by the same catalyst. Plasma diagnostics, isotope labeling, and COMSOL simulations collectively validate that the interplay of solution plasma and the CCN accounts for the significantly increased production of singlet oxygen and H2O2 thereafter. Our findings offer an efficient and sustainable pathway for H2O2 production, promising wide-ranging applications across the chemical industry, public health, and environmental remediation.

Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction to Ethanol by ZnCo2O4/ZnO Janus Hollow Nanofibers.

Photocatalytic carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction for high-value hydrocarbon fuel production is a promising strategy to tackle global energy demand and climate change. However, this technology faces formidable challenges, primarily stemming from low yield and poor selectivity of C2 products of the desired hydrocarbon fuels. This study reported ZnO/ZnCo2O4 Janus hollow nanofibers (ZnO/ZCO JHNFs) prepared by electrospinning and atomic layer deposition. Photocatalytic tests revealed an ethanol yield of 4.99 µmol g-1 h-1 for ZnO/ZnCo2O4 JHNFs, surpassing mixed ZnO/ZnCo2O4 nanofibers (ZnO/ZCO NFs) by 4.35 times and pure ZnO by 12.7 times. The selectivity of 58.8% is 2.38 and 4.49 times higher than those of ZnO/ZnCo2O4 NFs and ZnO, respectively. These enhancements are attributed to efficient carrier separation facilitated by the ordered internal electric field of the Z-scheme heterojunction interface, validated by the energy band evaluations from experimentation and density functional theory (DFT) simulations and charge separation characterizations of photocurrent, impedance, and photoluminescence spectra. The Janus structure also effectively exposes the surface of ZnCo2O4 to CO2 molecules, increasing the active site availability, as confirmed by BET nitrogen adsorption/desorption, temperature-programmed desorption tests, and DFT adsorption energy calculations. This study proposes a novel approach for efficient photocatalytic hydrocarbon fuel production, with potential applications in energy and climate crisis mitigation.

Hemispherical Retina Emulated by Plasmonic Optoelectronic Memristors with All-Optical Modulation for Neuromorphic Stereo Vision.

Binocular stereo vision relies on imaging disparity between two hemispherical retinas, which is essential to acquire image information in three dimensional environment. Therefore, retinomorphic electronics with structural and functional similarities to biological eyes are always highly desired to develop stereo vision perception system. In this work, a hemispherical optoelectronic memristor array based on Ag-TiO2 nanoclusters/sodium alginate film is developed to realize binocular stereo vision. All-optical modulation induced by plasmonic thermal effect and optical excitation in Ag-TiO2 nanoclusters is exploited to realize in-pixel image sensing and storage. Wide field of view (FOV) and spatial angle detection are experimentally demonstrated owing to the device arrangement and incident-angle-dependent characteristics in hemispherical geometry. Furthermore, depth perception and motion detection based on binocular disparity have been realized by constructing two retinomorphic memristive arrays. The results demonstrated in this work provide a promising strategy to develop all-optically controlled memristor and promote the future development of binocular vision system with in-sensor architecture.

Outcomes and Complications of Pediatric Eustachian Tube Dilation Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether balloon dilation of Eustachian tube (BDET) improves postoperative audiology and quality of life scores in children with chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary care pediatric center. METHODS: Eligible participants were patients 8 years or older, with a history of 2 prior tubes placement. Group 1-patients completed pre-and post-Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Quality of Life Survey (ETDQ-7) survey scores, Group 2-patients had available pre- and postdilation tympanogram data (TD), and Group 3-patients had both ETDQ-7 survey and TD. The average time for the first and subsequent follow-ups was 3.8 and 12.9 months, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients (85 ears) underwent BDET. The mean age was 13.3 years (8-18 years). Twenty-four patients were male (55.8%) and over 80% were Caucasian. The average mean ETDQ-7 score before and after dilation was 3.9 and 2.5, respectively. Ninety-three percent experienced improvement of their postoperative ETDQ-7 scores and 53% had normal postdilation ETDQ-7 score (P < .0001). Thirty-seven ears in Group 2 (60.7%) had improvement in postdilation TD. A greater proportion of ears showed improvement of 62.3% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) [50.1%-74.5%] compared to 37.7% without improvement, 95% CI [25.5%-49.87%]. Ears with type A or B TD were more likely to show improvement than ears with type C, perforated, or with tubes (P < .0001). Eighteen out of 30 ears in Group 3 (60%) experienced an improvement in both ETDQ-7 and tympanogram. CONCLUSION: BDET is a safe, efficacious alternative to tubes in selected pediatric patients.

The Impact of School Reopening on Chinese Adolescents' Mental Health During COVID-19: Considering the Role of Academic Stress and Academic Orientation.

PURPOSE: Existing studies found that school closure during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively influenced adolescents' mental health. Yet, it remains unclear how adolescent mental health changed during the transition of school reopening as well as the academic-related risk and protective factors. METHODS: Immediately before (April 2020) and three months (July 2020) after school reopening, 879 adolescents in Shanghai, China (mean age = 13.14 years, standard deviation = 1.31, 51% girls) completed online surveys and reported on their mental health (i.e., depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and anger problems). Adolescents also reported perceived academic stress and academic orientations (i.e., performance orientation and mastery orientation) before school reopening. RESULTS: Adolescents reported decreased depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and anger problems three months after school reopening. Adolescents who reported higher perceived academic stress and performance orientation showed elevated mental health symptoms after school reopening, whereas those reported higher mastery orientation showed decreased anger problems. Higher mastery orientation buffered the negative influence of academic stress on mental health. DISCUSSION: The findings not only demonstrate the positive influence of school reopening on Chinese adolescents' mental health but also highlight the role of perceived academic stress and academic orientations in contributing to individual differences during this transition.

Revealing oxygen effect on efficiency and stability of quantum dot photovoltaics.

Colloidal quantum dot solar cells (CQDSCs) have received great attention in the development of scalable and stable photovoltaic devices. Despite the high power-conversion-efficiency (PCE) reported, stability investigations are still limited and the exact degradation mechanisms of CQDSCs remain unclear under different atmosphere conditions. In this study, the atmospheric influence on the ZnO electron transport layer material (ETL), halide-passivated lead sulfide CQDs (PbS-PbI2) photoactive layer material and 1,2-ethanedithiol-PbS CQDs (PbS-EDT) hole transport material on device stability in PbS CQDSCs is investigated. It was found that O2 had negligible influence on PbS-PbI2, but it did induce the increase in work function of ZnO ETL and PbS-EDT layers. Notably, the increase of the ZnO work function (WFZnO) induces the formation of interface barrier between ZnO and PbS-PbI2, leading to a deterioration in device efficiency. By further replacing ZnO ETL with SnO2, a multi-interface collaborative CQDSC was constructed to realize the PCE with high stability. This study identifies the efficiency evolution that is inherent in CQDSCs under different atmospheric conditions.

Invasive Listeriosis in End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) Patients Receiving Long-Term Dialysis: A 21-Year Case Series.

Background: Listeriosis is caused by the facultative anaerobic bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Infection from Listeria-contaminated food or water is the main etiology. If Listeria travels outside the intestines, it can cause invasive listeriosis, such as sepsis, meningitis, and meningoencephalitis. Invasive illness is especially dangerous for pregnant women and their newborns, elderly people, and people with compromised immune systems or medical conditions such as end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients receiving long-term dialysis. Purpose: Describe the manifestations and hospital outcomes of invasive listeriosis and identify the risk factors for in-hospital and one-year mortality in ESKD patients receiving long-term dialysis. Patients and Methods: This retrospective observational study examined hospitalized patient records at a Taiwanese tertiary medical center from August 1, 2000, to August 31, 2021. ESKD patients on chronic dialysis were identified with invasive listeriosis by blood culture and discharge diagnosis. Over 21 years, we accurately recorded 26 cases. Results: ESKD patients on chronic dialysis with invasive listeriosis have a poor prognosis. Only 53.8% of chronic dialysis patients with invasive listeriosis survived their first hospital episode. 42.3% of hospitalized ESKD patients with invasive listeriosis survived one year later. In univariate analysis, shock, tachypnea (RR ≥ 22), respiratory failure, qSOFA score ≥ 2, and lower initial platelet count were linked to greater in-hospital mortality rates. Conclusion: ESKD patients with invasive listeriosis have a grave prognosis. Our research reveals that an early blood sample for a bacterial culture may identify invasive listeriosis in chronic dialysis patients with fever, nausea or vomiting, confusion, and respiratory distress. This study is the first to identify a lower platelet count and qSOFA score ≥ 2 as markers of high-risk invasive listeriosis in ESKD patients.

Vertically stacked skin-like active-matrix display with ultrahigh aperture ratio.

Vertically stacked all-organic active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes are promising candidates for high-quality skin-like displays due to their high aperture ratio, extreme mechanical flexibility, and low-temperature processing ability. However, these displays suffer from process interferences when interconnecting functional layers made of all-organic materials. To overcome this challenge, we present an innovative integration strategy called "discrete preparation-multilayer lamination" based on microelectronic processes. In this strategy, each functional layer was prepared separately on different substrates to avoid chemical and physical damage caused by process interferences. A single interconnect layer was introduced between each vertically stacked functional layer to ensure mechanical compatibility and interconnection. Compared to the previously reported layer-by-layer preparation method, the proposed method eliminates the need for tedious protection via barrier and pixel-defining layer processing steps. Additionally, based on active-matrix display, this strategy allows multiple pixels to collectively display a pattern of "1" with an aperture ratio of 83%. Moreover, the average mobility of full-photolithographic organic thin-film transistors was 1.04 cm2 V-1 s-1, ensuring stable and uniform displays. This strategy forms the basis for the construction of vertically stacked active-matrix displays, which should facilitate the commercial development of skin-like displays in wearable electronics.

The relationship between schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and type 1 diabetes mellitus: a scoping review of observational studies.

OBJECTIVE: Both schizophrenia and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) are known as immune-related disorders. We systematically reviewed observational studies to explore the relationship between schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and T1D. METHODS: A preliminary search of articles was completed using the following databases: Airiti Library, CINAHL Complete (via EBSCOhost), OVID MEDLINE, Embase, and PubMed. Two researchers independently assessed each study's quality based on Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). A narrative review summarized the potential relationship between the two diseases. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included in the final analysis. Six observational studies investigated the risk of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder in patients with T1D. Two studies showed negative correlations, one showed no correlation, and three showed positive correlations. On the other hand, five studies reported the prevalence of T1D in patients with schizophrenia. Two of them showed positive associations, and three others showed no association. Although the majority of the included studies suggested a positive association between the two medical conditions, these studies were still too heterogeneous to draw consistent results. CONCLUSION: We found conflicting results regarding the bidirectional relationship between schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and T1D. These may stem from differences in study design, sampling methods, or definition of diagnoses, which are essential aspects to consider in future research.

Ultra-Flexible, Breathable, and Robust PAN/MWCNTs/PANI Nanofiber Networks for High-Performance Wearable Gas Sensor Application.

Wearable gas sensors have drawn great attention for potential applications in health monitoring, minienvironment detection, and advanced soft electronic noses. However, it still remains a great challenge to simultaneously achieve excellent flexibility, high sensitivity, robustness, and gas permeability, because of the inherent limitation of widely used traditional organic flexible substrates. Herein, an electrospinning polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber network was designed as a flexible substrate, on which an ultraflexible wearable gas sensor was prepared with in situ assembled polyaniline (PANI) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a sensitive layer. The unique nanofiber network and strong binding force between substrate and sensing materials endow the wearable gas sensor with excellent robustness, flexibility, and gas permeability. The wearable sensor can maintain stable NH3 sensing performance while sustaining extreme bending and stretching (50% of strain). The Young's modulus of wearable PAN/MWCNTs/PANI sensor is as low as 18.9 MPa, which is several orders of magnitude smaller than those of reported flexible sensors. The water vapor transmission rate of the sensor is 0.38 g/(cm2 24 h), which enables the wearing comfort of the sensor. Most importantly, due to the effective exposure of sensing sites as well as the heterostructure effect between MWCNTs and PANI, the sensor shows high sensitivity to NH3 at room temperature, and the theoretical limit of detection is as low as 300 ppb. This work provides a new avenue for the realization of reliable and high-performance wearable gas sensors.

Enhanced Performance of Self-Powered Ga2O3/ZnO:V Heterojunction Solar-Blind Ultraviolet Photodetectors by Coupling Ferroelectricity and Piezoelectricity.

Ferroelectric materials have aroused increasing interest in the field of self-powered ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors (PDs) for their switchable spontaneous polarization. However, the utilization of ferroelectric materials to modulate the built-in electric field and energy band at the junction interface has rarely been investigated. Herein, we design and fabricate self-powered solar-blind UV PDs based on a Ga2O3/ZnO:V heterojunction. The performance of the Ga2O3/ZnO:V PD is significantly enhanced through the reasonable coupling of ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity within the ZnO:V film. The device at 260 nm exhibits excellent photoelectric properties with high peak responsivity of 64.5 mA/W, a specific detectivity of 3.8 × 1010 Jones, and a rise/decay time of 1.9/45.2 µs, together with reproducibility and stability. Systematical energy band diagram analysis reveals that the excellent performance of Ga2O3/ZnO:V PD can be attributed to the driving forces arising from the addition of the depolarization field and piezoelectric field, which increases the intensity of built-in electric field and promotes the separation and transport of photogenerated carriers at the heterojunction interface. The findings of our research provide a novel avenue and valuable guidance for the design of high-performance self-powered photodetectors.

The Association between Autism Spectrum Disorder and Precocious Puberty: Considering Effect Modification by Sex and Neuropsychiatric Comorbidities.

Limited knowledge is available about the association between autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and precocious puberty. Our study examined the association between the two medical conditions and effect modification by sex and neuropsychiatric comorbidities in a nationwide population. To compare the risk of precocious puberty between ASD and non-ASD cases, we conducted a Cox regression analysis using ASD as the exposure and time to precocious puberty as the outcome. We adjusted for sex, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), tic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorder, intellectual disability, and epilepsy. We performed a moderation analysis to examine the potential moderating effects of sex and comorbidities. Patients with ASD were prone to have precocious puberty, with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.80 (95% CI: 1.61-2.01). For effect modification, sex, specifically females, moderated the association between ASD and precocious puberty, with a relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) of 7.35 (95% CI 4.90-9.80). No significant effect modification was found for any of the comorbidities within the scope of additive effect modification. We found that patients with ASD were prone to precocious puberty, regardless of sex or comorbid neuropsychiatric disorders. Girls with ASD are at a particularly higher risk of developing precocious puberty.

Adaptive Processing Enabled by Sodium Alginate Based Complementary Memristor for Neuromorphic Sensory System.

Adaptive processing allows sensory systems to autonomically adjust their sensitivity with exposure to a constant sensory stimulus and thus organisms to adapt to environmental variations. Bioinspired electronics with adaptive functions are highly desirable for the development of neuromorphic sensory systems (NSSs). Herein, the functions of desensitization and sensitivity changing with background intensity (i.e., Weber's law), as two fundamental cues of sensory adaptation, are biorealistically demonstrated in an Ag nanowire (NW)-embedded sodium alginate (SA) based complementary memristor. In particular, Weber's law is experimentally emulated in a single complementary memristor. Furthermore, three types of adaptive NSS unit are constructed to realize a multiple perceptual capability that processes the stimuli of illuminance, temperature, and pressure signals. Taking neuromorphic vision as an example, scotopic and photopic adaptation functions are well reproduced for image enhancement against dark and bright backgrounds. Importantly, an NSS system with multisensory integration function is demonstrated by combining light and pressure spikes, where the accuracy of pattern recognition is obviously enhanced relative to that of an individual sense. This work offers a new strategy for developing neuromorphic electronics with adaptive functions and paves the way toward developing a highly efficient NSS.

Rate and management of tympanic membrane perforations in children with Down syndrome and middle ear disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the management and outcomes of observation versus surgical intervention of tympanic membrane (TM) perforations in children with Down syndrome (DS). In addition, to estimate the prevalence of TM perforations in children with DS. METHODS: Retrospective case review analysis of TM perforation rate in children with DS with history of tympanostomy tube (TT) insertion at a tertiary pediatric referral center. Patients were divided into observation or surgical intervention groups and then further evaluated for the type of intervention, the number of required procedures, and success rate of hearing improvement. Risk factors contributing to perforations were analyzed, including TT type, number of TT surgeries, and perforation size. RESULTS: The TM perforation rate in children with DS with TT history was 7.0 %. Tympanoplasty was performed in 41.5 % of perforated ears with a success rate of 53.1 %. There was no statistical difference between the surgical intervention and observation groups regarding perforation characteristics or TT number and type, but the surgical intervention cohort was older. Hearing improvement based on postoperative pure tone average (PTA) threshold was noted in the successful surgical intervention group. CONCLUSION: The rate of TM perforations in children with DS after TTs is comparable to the general population. Improved PTA thresholds were noted in the surgical success group influencing speech development. The overall lower success rate of tympanoplasty in patients with DS emphasizes the need to factor in the timing of surgical intervention based on the predicted age of Eustachian tube maturation.

Efficient Carrier Multiplication in Self-Powered Near-Ultraviolet γ-InSe/Graphene Heterostructure Photodetector with External Quantum Efficiency Exceeding 161.

Carrier multiplication (CM) in semiconductors, the process of absorbing a single high-energy photon to form two or more electron-hole pairs, offers great potential for the high-response detection of high-energy photons in the ultraviolet spectrum. However, compared to two-dimensional semiconductors, conventional bulk semiconductors not only face integration and flexibility bottlenecks but also exhibit inferior CM performance. To attain efficient CM for ultraviolet detection, we designed a two-terminal photodetector featuring a unilateral Schottky junction based on a two-dimensional γ-InSe/graphene heterostructure. Benefiting from a strong built-in electric field, the photogenerated high-energy electrons in γ-InSe, an ideal ultraviolet light-absorbing layer, can efficiently transfer to graphene without cooling. It results in efficient CM within the graphene, yielding an ultrahigh responsivity of 468 mA/W and a record-high external quantum efficiency of 161.2% when it is exposed to 360 nm light at zero bias. This work provides valuable insights into developing next-generation ultraviolet photodetectors with high performance and low-power consumption.

Synergistic Engineering of Energy Band Alignment and Interfacial Electric Field Distribution over Bi-bismuth-Based Hetero-nanofibers for Boosting Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Ammonia Synthesis and Antibiotic Removal.

Synergistic engineering of energy band alignment and interfacial electric field distribution is essential for photocatalyst design but is still challenging because of the limitation on refined regulation in the nanoscale. This study addresses the issue by employing surface modification and thermal-induced phase transformation in Bi2MoO6/BixOyIz hetero-nanofiber frameworks. The energy band alignment switches from a type-II interface to a Z-scheme contact with stronger redox potentials and inhibited electron traps, and the optimized built-in electric field distribution could be reached based on experimental and theoretical investigations. The engineered hetero-nanofibers exhibit outstanding visible-light-driven photocatalytic nitrogen reduction activity (605 µmol/g/h) and tetracycline hydrochloride removal rate (81.5% within 30 min), ranking them among the top-performing bismuth series materials. Furthermore, the photocatalysts show promise in activating advanced oxidants for efficient organic pollutant degradation. Moreover, the Bi2MoO6/Bi5O7I hetero-nanofibers possess good recycling stability owing to their three-dimensional network structure. This research offers valuable insights into heterojunction design for environmental remediation and industrial applications.

Precision Identification of Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer in Denoised CT Scans Using EfficientNet and Voting System Algorithms.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Local advanced rectal cancer (LARC) poses significant treatment challenges due to its location and high recurrence rates. Accurate early detection is vital for treatment planning. With magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) being resource-intensive, this study explores using artificial intelligence (AI) to interpret computed tomography (CT) scans as an alternative, providing a quicker, more accessible diagnostic tool for LARC. METHODS: In this retrospective study, CT images of 1070 T3-4 rectal cancer patients from 2010 to 2022 were analyzed. AI models, trained on 739 cases, were validated using two test sets of 134 and 197 cases. By utilizing techniques such as nonlocal mean filtering, dynamic histogram equalization, and the EfficientNetB0 algorithm, we identified images featuring characteristics of a positive circumferential resection margin (CRM) for the diagnosis of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Importantly, this study employs an innovative approach by using both hard and soft voting systems in the second stage to ascertain the LARC status of cases, thus emphasizing the novelty of the soft voting system for improved case identification accuracy. The local recurrence rates and overall survival of the cases predicted by our model were assessed to underscore its clinical value. RESULTS: The AI model exhibited high accuracy in identifying CRM-positive images, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.89 in the first test set and 0.86 in the second. In a patient-based analysis, the model reached AUCs of 0.84 and 0.79 using a hard voting system. Employing a soft voting system, the model attained AUCs of 0.93 and 0.88, respectively. Notably, AI-identified LARC cases exhibited a significantly higher five-year local recurrence rate and displayed a trend towards increased mortality across various thresholds. Furthermore, the model's capability to predict adverse clinical outcomes was superior to those of traditional assessments. CONCLUSION: AI can precisely identify CRM-positive LARC cases from CT images, signaling an increased local recurrence and mortality rate. Our study presents a swifter and more reliable method for detecting LARC compared to traditional CT or MRI techniques.

Submicron-Thickness Ultraflexible Organic Light-Emitting Diodes via a Photoregulated Stripping Strategy.

With the rapid advances in imperceptible and epidermal electronics, the research on ultraflexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) has become increasingly significant, owing to their excellent flexibility and conformability to the human body. It is highly desirable to develop submicrometer-thick ultraflexible OLEDs to enable the devices to seamlessly conform to the surface of arbitrary-shaped objects and still function properly. However, it remains a huge challenge for currently reported OLEDs due to the lack of an appropriate stripping strategy. Here, for the first time, we develop a facile photoregulated stripping strategy for the fabrication of high-performance ultraflexible OLEDs with submicron thickness. Under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, the surface adhesion force of the ultrathin photopolymer membrane can be adjusted from 16.9 to 5.1 N/m, thereby effectively controlling the laminating and detaching process. Based on this strategy, the resultant device thickness is as low as 0.821 µm, which is the lowest record among flexible OLEDs reported to date. More remarkably, excellent electrical properties with a maximum current efficiency (CE) of 62.5 cd/A, an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 17.8%, and a low turn-on voltage of 2.5 V are realized, which are superior to almost all of the reported ultraflexible OLEDs with thicknesses below 10 µm. Based on versatile ultraflexible OLEDs, all-organic and skin-mounted displays are successfully realized by employing a conformable organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) as the driver. This work offers a feasible strategy for advancing OLEDs from flexible to ultraflexible, showing significant application potential in future epidermal electronics and conformal displays.

Clinical outcomes of cetuximab-based treatment for distant metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A real-world study using Taiwan Head Neck Society registry database.

BACKGROUND: For R/M HNSCC, the differences in prognosis and treatment options between distant metastasis (DM) and locoregional recurrence, especially in the DM group, remain unclear. METHODS: From the Taiwan Head Neck Society registry database, patients who were diagnosed with R/M HNSCC and received cetuximab-based frontline therapy were collected for analysis. RESULTS: Among the enrolled patients, 59.3% (491/827) belonged to the DM group. The DM group had less primary site of oral cavity, less betel nut chewing, higher lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and higher LDH/albumin ratio compared with the non-DM group. For the patients with primary site of oral cavity and current smokers, DM coexisted with poorer outcomes. In the DM group, EXTREME-like regimen was more suitable for older patients, those with elevated LDH, and those with higher LDH/albumin ratio than TPExtreme-like regimen. CONCLUSION: DM coexisted with poorer prognosis in certain groups. LDH-associated biomarkers may aid treatment options for DM patients.