Despite mandated primary series, health care personnel still hesitant about COVID-19 vaccine and immunizing children.

IMPORTANCE: Healthcare personnel (HCP) are important messengers for promoting vaccines, for both adults and children. Our investigation describes perceptions of fully vaccinated HCP about COVID-19 vaccine for themselves and primary series for their children. OBJECTIVE: To determine associations between sociodemographic, employment characteristics and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines among HCP overall and the subset of HCP with children, who were all mandated to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, in a large US metropolitan region. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of fully vaccinated HCP from a large integrated health system. SETTING: Participants were electronically enrolled within a multi-site NYS healthcare system from December 21, 2021, to January 21, 2022. PARTICIPANTS: Of 78,000 employees, approximately one-third accessed promotional emails; 6,537 employees started surveys and 4165 completed them. Immunocompromised HCP (self-reported) were excluded. EXPOSURE(S) (FOR OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES): We conducted a survey with measures including demographic variables, employment history, booster status, child vaccination status; vaccine recommendation, confidence, and knowledge. MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy for all dose types - primary series or booster doses - among HCP. RESULTS: Findings from 4,165 completed surveys indicated that almost 17.2 % of all HCP, including administrative and clinical staff, were hesitant or unsure about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine booster, despite the NYS recommendation to do so. Depending on age group, between 20 % and 40 % of HCP were hesitant about having their children vaccinated for COVID-19, regardless of clinical versus non-clinical duties. In multivariable regression analyses, lack of booster dose, unvaccinated children, females, income less than $50,000, and residence in Manhattan remained significantly associated with vaccine hesitancy. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Despite mandated COVID-19 vaccination, a substantial proportion of HCP remained vaccine hesitant towards adult booster doses and pediatric COVID-19 vaccination. While provider recommendation has been the mainstay of combatting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, a gap exists between HCP-despite clinical or administrative status-and the ability to communicate the need for vaccination in a healthcare setting. While previous studies describe the HCP vaccine mandate as a positive force to overcome vaccine hesitancy, we have found that despite a mandate, there is still substantial COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and reluctance to vaccinate children.

Before and after COVID-19: Changes in symptoms and diagnoses in 13,033 adults.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with COVID-19 report experiencing one or more symptoms after acute infection subsides, known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). Though research has examined PASC after acute COVID-19, few studies have examined PASC over a longer follow-up duration or accounted for rates of symptoms and diagnoses before COVID-19 infection, and included those not actively seeking treatment for PASC. To determine what symptoms and diagnoses are occurring at higher rates after acute COVID-19 infection from a more inclusive sample, we extracted electronic hospital records (EHR) data from 13,033 adults with previously known diagnoses and symptoms. METHODS: The sample was comprised of patients who had a positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020, and follow-up was conducted through November 29, 2021. All patients in the sample had medical appointments ≥4 weeks before and ≥4 weeks after their positive PCR test. At these appointments, all ICD-10 codes recorded in the EHR were classified into 21 categories based on the literature and expert review. Conditional logistic regression models were used to quantify the odds of these symptoms and diagnostic categories following COVID-19 infection relative to visits occurring before infection. The sample was comprised of 28.0% adults over 65 and was 57.0% female. After the positive PCR test, the most recorded diagnoses and symptoms were dyspnea and respiratory failure, myositis, musculoskeletal pain/stiffness, anxiety, and depression. RESULTS: Results from regression analyses showed increased odds of diagnosis for 15 of the 21 categories following positive PCR. Relative to pre-COVID, the diagnoses and symptoms with the greatest odds after a positive PCR test were loss of smell or taste [OR (95% CI) = 6.20 (3.18-12.09)], pulmonary fibrosis [3.50 (1.59-7.68)], and dyspnea/respiratory failure [2.14 (1.92-2.40)]. Stratification of these analyses by age, gender, race, and ethnicity showed similar results. CONCLUSION: The increased symptoms and diagnoses detected in the current study match prior analyses of PASC diagnosis and treatment-seeking patients. The current research expands upon the literature by showing that these symptoms are more frequently detected following acute COVID-19 than before COVID-19. Further, our analyses provide a broad snapshot of the population as we were able to describe PASC among all patients who tested positive for COVID-19.

A Series of Personalized Virtual Light Therapy Interventions for Fatigue: Feasibility Randomized Crossover Trial for N-of-1 Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms treated in primary care and can lead to deficits in mental health and functioning. Light therapy can be an effective treatment for symptoms of fatigue; however, the feasibility, scalability, and individual-level heterogeneity of light therapy for fatigue are unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a series of personalized (N-of-1) interventions for the virtual delivery of bright light (BL) therapy and dim light (DL) therapy versus usual care (UC) treatment for fatigue in 60 participants. METHODS: Participants completed satisfaction surveys comprising the System Usability Scale (SUS) and items assessing satisfaction with the components of the personalized trial. Symptoms of fatigue were measured using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) daily, PROMIS weekly, and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) questionnaires delivered 3 times daily. Comparisons of fatigue between the BL, DL, and UC treatment periods were conducted using generalized linear mixed model analyses between participants and generalized least squares analyses within individual participants. RESULTS: Participants rated the usability of the personalized trial as acceptable (average SUS score=78.9, SD 15.6), and 92% (49/53) of those who completed satisfaction surveys stated that they would recommend the trial to others. The levels of fatigue symptoms measured using the PROMIS daily fatigue measure were lower or improved in the BL (B=-1.63, 95% CI -2.63 to -0.63) and DL (B=-1.44, 95% CI -2.50 to -0.38) periods relative to UC. The treatment effects of BL and DL on the PROMIS daily measure varied among participants. Similar findings were demonstrated for the PROMIS weekly and EMA measures of fatigue symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The participant scores on the SUS and satisfaction surveys suggest that personalized N-of-1 trials of light therapy for fatigue symptoms are both feasible and acceptable. Both interventions produced significant (P<.05) reductions in participant-reported PROMIS and EMA fatigue symptoms relative to UC. However, the heterogeneity of these treatment effects across participants indicated that the effect of light therapy was not uniform. This heterogeneity along with high ratings of usability and satisfaction support the use of personalized N-of-1 research designs in evaluating the effect of light therapy on fatigue for each patient. Furthermore, the results of this trial provide additional support for the use of a series of personalized N-of-1 research trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04707846; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04707846.

Randomized Phase II Trial of Endocrine Therapy With or Without Ribociclib After Progression on Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4/6 Inhibition in Hormone Receptor-Positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer: MAINTAIN Trial.

PURPOSE: Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) with endocrine therapy (ET) improves progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Although preclinical and clinical data demonstrate a benefit in changing ET and continuing a CDK4/6i at progression, no randomized prospective trials have evaluated this approach. METHODS: In this investigator-initiated, phase II, double-blind placebo-controlled trial in patients with HR+/HER2- MBC whose cancer progressed during ET and CDK4/6i, participants switched ET (fulvestrant or exemestane) from ET used pre-random assignment and randomly assigned 1:1 to the CDK4/6i ribociclib versus placebo. PFS was the primary end point, defined as time from random assignment to disease progression or death. Assuming a median PFS of 3.8 months with placebo, we had 80% power to detect a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.58 (corresponding to a median PFS of at least 6.5 months with ribociclib) with 120 patients randomly assigned using a one-sided log-rank test and significance level set at 2.5%. RESULTS: Of the 119 randomly assigned participants, 103 (86.5%) previously received palbociclib and 14 participants received ribociclib (11.7%). There was a statistically significant PFS improvement for patients randomly assigned to switched ET plus ribociclib (median, 5.29 months; 95% CI, 3.02 to 8.12 months) versus switched ET plus placebo (median, 2.76 months; 95% CI, 2.66 to 3.25 months) HR, 0.57 (95% CI, 0.39 to 0.85); P = .006. At 6 and 12 months, the PFS rate was 41.2% and 24.6% with ribociclib, respectively, compared with 23.9% and 7.4% with placebo. CONCLUSION: In this randomized trial, there was a significant PFS benefit for patients with HR+/HER2- MBC who switched ET and received ribociclib compared with placebo after previous CDK4/6i and different ET.

Personalized Feedback for Personalized Trials: Construction of Summary Reports for Participants in a Series of Personalized Trials for Chronic Lower Back Pain.

Personalized (N-of-1) trials offer a patient-centered research approach that can provide important clinical information for patients when selecting which treatment options best manage their chronic health concern. Researchers utilizing this approach should present trial results to patients in a clear and understandable manner in order for personalized research trials to be useful to participants. The current study provides participant feedback examples for personalized trial reports using lay summaries and multiple presentation styles from a series of 60 randomized personalized trials examining the effects of massage and yoga versus usual care on chronic lower back pain (CLBP). Researchers generated summary participant reports that describe individual participant results using multiple presentation modalities of data (e.g., visual, written, and auditory) to offer the most appealing style for various participants. The article discusses contents of the participant report as well as participant satisfaction with the personalized summary report, captured using a satisfaction survey administered after study completion. The results from the satisfaction survey in the current study show that participants were generally satisfied with their personalized summary report. Researchers will use feedback from the participants in the current study to refine personalized feedback reports for future studies.

A Series of Virtual Interventions for Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Feasibility Pilot Study for a Series of Personalized (N-of-1) Trials.

Chronic lower back pain (CLBP) affects 25% of U.S. adults and is associated with high costs due to physician visits and reduced productivity. Research shows that massage and yoga can be effective nonpharmacological treatments for CLBP, but the feasibility, scalability, individual treatment, and adverse-event heterogeneity of these treatments are unknown. The current study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a series of personalized (N-of-1) interventions for virtual delivery of massage and yoga or usual-care treatment for CLBP in 57 participants. We hypothesized that this study would provide valuable information about implementing a virtual, personalized platform for randomized controlled trials of personalized (N-of-1) interventions among individuals with CLBP. The study will do so by determining participants' ratings of usability and satisfaction with the virtual, personalized intervention delivery system and, in the long term, identifying ways to integrate these personalized trials into patient care. Of the 57 participants enrolled, two withdrew from the study and were not eligible to receive the primary outcome assessment. Thirty-seven of the remaining 55 participants (67.3%) completed satisfaction surveys comprising the System Usability Scale (SUS) and items assessing satisfaction with the components of the personalized trial. Participants rated the usability of the personalized trial as excellent (average SUS score = 85.8), 95% were satisfied with the personalized trial overall, and 100% stated they would recommend the trial to others. These results suggest that personalized trials of massage and yoga are highly feasible and acceptable to participants with CLBP.

Flame-Retardant Mechanism and Mechanical Properties of Wet-Spun Poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinylidene chloride) Fibers with Antimony Trioxide and Zinc Hydroxystannate.

To produce flame retardant poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinylidene chloride) (PANVDC) fibers with limiting oxygen index (LOI) values above 28%, flame retardants are added to fibers. Because antimony trioxide (ATO) used widely for PANVDC is suspected as a carcinogen, non-toxic zinc hydroxystannate (ZHS) could be the alternative for reduction of ATO usage. Moreover, a flame retardant efficiency of the combination of ATO with ZHS could be expected because it was reported that ATO resists flame in the gas phase, whereas ZHS reacts in the condensed phase. Therefore, this study discussed the flame retardant mechanisms of ATO and ZHS in PANVDC, and evaluated the efficiency of the combination. PANVDC fibers with ATO and ZHS in 15 phr were produced by wet spinning. When ZHS was added, a more cyclized structure was detected (e.g., 1-methylnaphthalene) through pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). As a result of SEM-EDX analysis, Sb and Cl hardly remained in char layers of PANVDC-ATO; meanwhile, Zn, Sn, and Cl remained in that of PANVDC-ZHS. This implied that SbCl3 from reaction of ATO and HCl reacts in the gas phase, whereas ZnCl2 and SnCl2 from ZHS and HCl promotes the cyclization reaction of PANVDC in the condensed phase. The LOI values of PANVDC, PANVDC-ATO, and PANVDC-ZHS were 26.4%, 29.0%, and 33.5%, respectively. This suggests that ZHS is a highly effective for PANVDC. Meanwhile, the LOI of PANVDC containing ATO-ZHS mixture is 31.0%. The combination of ATO and ZHS exhibited no efficiency. The addition of ATO and ZHS slightly reduced the tenacities of the fibers, respectively, 3.11 and 3.75 from 4.42 g/den.

The quality of dying and death for patients in intensive care units: a single center pilot study.

BACKGROUND: To identify the necessary care for dying patients in intensive care units (ICUs), we designed a retrospective study to evaluate the quality of dying and death (QODD) experienced by the surrogates of patients with medical illness who died in the ICU of a tertiary referral hospital. METHODS: To achieve our objective, the authors compared the QODD scores as appraised by the relatives of patients who died of cancer under hospice care with those who died in the ICU. For this study, a Korean version of the QODD questionnaire was developed, and individual interviews were also conducted. RESULTS: Sixteen people from the intensive care group and 23 people from the hospice care group participated in the survey and completed the questionnaire. The family members of patients who died in the ICU declined participation at a high rate (50%), with the primary reason being to avoid bringing back painful memories (14 people, 87.5%). The relatives of the intensive care group obtained an average total score on the 17-item QODD questionnaire, which was significantly lower than that of the relatives of the hospice group (48.7±15.5 vs. 60.3±14.8, P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: This work implies that there are unmet needs for the care of dying patients and for the QODD in tertiary hospital ICUs. This result suggests that shared decision making for advance care planning should be encouraged and that education on caring for dying patients should be provided to healthcare professionals to improve the QODD in Korean ICUs.

Scalable nanohybrids of graphitic carbon nitride and layered NiCo hydroxide for high supercapacitive performance.

The limited number of edge nitrogen atoms and low intrinsic electrical conductivity hinder the supercapacitive energy storage applications of the nitrogen-rich graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). In this study, a novel graphitic carbon nitride/NiCo-layered double hydroxide (CNLDH), a two-dimensional nanohybrid, is prepared by a simple hydrothermal synthesis. The homogeneous interpolation of g-C3N4 nanosheets into NiCo LDH stacked nanosheets effectively increases the overall performances of the g-C3N4/NiCo LDH nanohybrid. The improved morphology of the nanohybrid electrode upon the addition of g-C3N4 to the NiCo LDH yields a specific capacity of 183.43 mA h g-1 in 6 M KOH at 1 A g-1, higher than those of bare g-C3N4 (20.89 mA h g-1) and NiCo LDH (95.92 mA h g-1) electrodes. The excellent supercapacitive performance of the CNLDH nanohybrid is complemented by its low internal resistance, excellent rate capability, and large cycling lifetime. Furthermore, the hybrid supercapacitor is assembled using CNLDH 0.1 as a positive electrode and activated carbon (AC) as a negative electrode. The hybrid supercapacitor device of CNLDH 0.1//AC shows the maximum specific capacity of 37.44 mA h g-1 at 1 A g-1 with remarkable energy density, power density and good cycling performance. This confirms that the CNLDH 0.1 nanohybrid is an excellent electrode material for supercapacitor applications.

Fabrication and Electrochemical Characterization of Polyaniline/Titanium Oxide Nanoweb Composite Electrode for Supercapacitor Application.

In this study, polyaniline/titanium oxide (PANi-TiO2) nanoweb composite was fabricated through electrochemical deposition and electrospinning techniques, and the composite was further utilized as an electrode for a supercapacitor. The PANi-TiO2 composite film showed three-dimensional hierarchical micro/nano architecture. The film was deposited on the current collector without the use of any binders. The morphology of the PANi-TiO2 composite film was confirmed by the use of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis that polyaniline was grown in the form of nanorods with a diameter of 100 nm-200 nm on a TiO2 nanoweb. The chemical composition and quantitative analysis were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The electrochemical properties were analyzed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronopotentiometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The result of electrochemical tests indicated that TiO2-PANi electrode displayed a high specific capacitance of 306.5 Fg(-1) at the scan rate of 20 mVs(-1), with the capacitance retention ratio being 103% after 500 cycles at the scan rate of 50 mVs(-1).

Rational design of coaxial structured carbon nanotube-manganese oxide (CNT-MnO2) for energy storage application.

Recently, there has been great research interest in the development of composites (core-shell structures) of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with metal oxides for improved electrochemical energy storage, photonics, electronics, catalysis, etc. Currently, the synthetic strategies for metal oxides/hydroxides are well established, but the development of core-shell structures by robust, cost-effective chemical methods is still a challenge. The main drawbacks for obtaining such electrodes are the very complex synthesis methods which ultimately result in high production costs. Alternatively, the solution based method offers the advantages of simple and cost effective synthesis, as well as being easy to scale up. Here, we report on the development of multi-walled carbon nanotube-manganese oxide (CNT-MnO2) core-shell structures. These samples were directly utilized for asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) applications, where the CNT-MnO2 composite was used as the positive electrode and ZIF-8 (zeolitic imidazolate framework, ZIF) derived nanoporous carbon was used as the negative electrode. This unconventional ASC shows a high energy density of 20.44 W h kg(-1) and high power density of 16 kW kg(-1). The results demonstrate that these are efficient electrodes for supercapacitor application.

Hierarchical patterns of three-dimensional block-copolymer films formed by electrohydrodynamic jet printing and self-assembly.

Self-assembly of block-copolymers provides a route to the fabrication of small (size, <50 nm) and dense (pitch, <100 nm) features with an accuracy that approaches even the demanding specifications for nanomanufacturing set by the semiconductor industry. A key requirement for practical applications, however, is a rapid, high-resolution method for patterning block-copolymers with different molecular weights and compositions across a wafer surface, with complex geometries and diverse feature sizes. Here we demonstrate that an ultrahigh-resolution jet printing technique that exploits electrohydrodynamic effects can pattern large areas with block-copolymers based on poly(styrene-block-methyl methacrylate) with various molecular weights and compositions. The printed geometries have diameters and linewidths in the sub-500 nm range, line edge roughness as small as ∼45 nm, and thickness uniformity and repeatability that can approach molecular length scales (∼2 nm). Upon thermal annealing on bare, or chemically or topographically structured substrates, such printed patterns yield nanodomains of block-copolymers with well-defined sizes, periodicities and morphologies, in overall layouts that span dimensions from the scale of nanometres (with sizes continuously tunable between 13 nm and 20 nm) to centimetres. As well as its engineering relevance, this methodology enables systematic studies of unusual behaviours of block-copolymers in geometrically confined films.

Drop-on-demand printing of carbon black ink by electrohydrodynamic jet printing.

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing is a technique using electric fields to eject inks through nozzle apertures. EHD jet printing is very attractive due to its non-contacting nature and compatibility with diverse materials and substrates. In this research, we have fabricated micron-sized dot arrays and line patterns with carbon black ink on Si wafer substrates using EHD jet printing. The effect of operating conditions such as applied voltage, working distance and stage speed on the size and shape of the jetted patterns and jetting cycles is investigated by using optical microscope, high speed camera and atomic force microscopy (AFM). We have also demonstrated the drop-on-demand feature of the EHD jet printing system by patterning carbon black ink lines with various widths and dot arrays with desired diameters and spacing by controlling the operating conditions.

Direct-patterning of porphyrin dot arrays and lines using electrohydrodynamic jet printing.

In this research, we have fabricated micron-sized patterns of porphyrins on silicon substrates using an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing technique. Optical and fluorescence microscopies have been used to examine the shape and fluorescence property of porphyrin patterns. The morphology of the porphyrin patterns printed with variously formulated porphyrin inks and the effects of applied voltage, working distance, and substrate properties on the morphology of patterns were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). We have also demonstrated the acid-vapor sensing capability of the porphyrins by exposing the porphyrin patterns on Si substrates to nitric acid vapor.

Interfacially treated dye-sensitized solar cell with in situ photopolymerized iodine doped polythiophene.

A thin film of iodine doped polythiophene was grown photoelectrochemically around the dye-sensitized TiO(2) nanoparticles in a Grätzel cell, and the effect of iodine doping level on the cell performance was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and photovoltage decay. At an optimum doping level, the cell demonstrated the enhanced energy conversion efficiency by 27.52% compared to the cell without polythiophene.

Micro-contact printing of polydiacetylene liposomes using hydrophilic stamps.

Micron-sized polydiacetylene (PDA) liposome patterns have been fabricated on titanium (Ti) substrates using a micro-contact printing (micro-CP) technique. Two types of stamps (PDMS and agarose) and inking methods ("soaking" and "dropping") are used for micro-CP, and we compare their effect on the morphology of the PDA patterns. The size and morphology of the patterned PDA liposomes are analysized by optical and fluorescence microscopies and atomic force microscopy (AFM). When the agarose stamp is inked by the "dropping" method, PDA patterns are most efficiently transferred to the Ti substrate. However, the thickness of the transferred PDA patterns is not homogeneous, with the edge of the transferred pattern being thicker than its center. In contrast, when the PDMS stamp is used for micro-CP, the center of the pattern is thicker than the edge. Red fluorescence patterns are readily obtained by heat treatment of the PDA-immobilized solid substrate. The intensity of the fluorescence of the samples is consistent with the results of optical microscopy and AFM experiments.

Electrospinning of porphyrin/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers and their acid vapor sensing capability.

Fluorescing 5,10,15,20-terakis(1-methyl-4-pyridinio)porphyrin tetra(p-toluenesulfonate) (TMPyP)-embedded and -coated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers were fabricated by using the electrospinning technique. To improve nonpolar solvent solubility of TMPyP/PVA nanofibers, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was used as a cross-linking agent. UV-vis spectroscopy showed a strong Q band and two relatively weak Soret bands from the TMPyP/PVA nanofibers, and revealed that the TMPyP molecules were homogeneously loaded to the fibers. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the electrospun nanofibers had ultrafine structures with an average diameter of ca. 250 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the compositional structure of TMPyP/PVA/TEOS nanofibers and revealed the relative coverage of TMPyP molecules on the surface of TMPyP-embedded and TMPyP-coated PVA/TEOS fibers. For the comparison of the acid vapor sensitivity, TMPyP-embedded PVA/TEOS films, and TMPyP-embedded PVA/TEOS fibers, TMPyP-coated PVA/TEOS fibers were exposed to 1N nitric-acid vapor for 20-60 seconds. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that TMPyP-coated PVA/TEOS nanofibers exhibited better acid-sensing capability than TMPyP-embedded PVA/TEOS nanofibers and films.

Enhanced photocurrent generation of binary self-assembled monolayers of di-(3-aminopropyl)-viologen and methylviologen on indium tin oxide.

The binary self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of di-(3-aminopropyl)-viologen (DAPV) and methylviologen (MV) molecules on indium tin oxide (ITO) were prepared by dipping the DAPV SAMs/ITO substrates into MV solution. The DAPV-MV SAM films were characterized by UV-vis. absorption spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. Optical band gap, lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, and highest occupied molecular orbital of DAPV-MV SAMs were measured to be 1.6, -4.3, and -5.9 eV, respectively. We found that although DAPV SAMs have a quantum yield of 0.11%, the binary SAM films have a good quantum yield of 2.30%, which was 20 times higher than that of DAPV SAMs on ITO. This result may be due to the higher adsorption property of the binary SAMs for the light in visible range compared to that of DAPV SAMs. From this study, we demonstrated that the photocurrent generation systems with a high quantum yield can be obtained by the functional binary SAMs.

Enhancement of photoconversion efficiency of ZnO nanorod-based dye-sensitized solar cells in presence of ZrO2 thin energy barrier.

In order to enhance the power conversion efficiency of ZnO nanorods-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), ZrO2 thin energy barriers were formed on ZnO nanorods using a sol-gel method. In DSSCs, the short-circuit current was substantially increased, and the dark current was significantly reduced in the presence of the ZrO2 layer. Due to suppressed recombination in the presence of the ZrO2 layer, 81.3% increment of power conversion efficiency is achieved compared to those without ZrO2 layer.

Electrospinning of polystyrene/dicyanopyrazine-linked porphyrin nanofibers.

We have fabricated fluorescing polystyrene/dicyanopyrazine-linked porphyrin (PS/4-TDCPP) nanofibers using the electrospinning technique. UV-vis spectroscopy shows a strong Soret band and two relatively weak Q bands from the PS/4-TDCPP films and fibers, and reveals that the 4-TDCPP molecules are homogeneously dispersed in the films and fibers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals the effect of solvent and collecting distance on the morphology of the electro-spun PS/4-TDCPP fibers. Fibers spun from a 50% dimethlyformamide (DMF), 50% methylethylketone (MEK) solution have ultra-fine structures with an average diameter of 300 nm. In the case of fibers from pure DMF and DMF:MEK (1:3) solutions, beads are formed along the length of the fibers. Variation of the collecting distance from 20 to 30 cm does not induce significant differences in the morphology of the electro-spun PS/4-TDCPP fibers. However, at a collecting distance of 15 cm, many beads are formed along the fibers. Acid-sensing capability of the PS/4-TDCPP fibers is demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy.