Centimeter-scale hole diffusion and its application in organic light-emitting diodes for reducing efficiency roll-off and enhancing operation lifetime

We found that hole diffusion in a centimeter-scale can be achieved in a PEDOT:PSS layer via composition and interface engineering. This ultralong distance hole diffusion enables substantially enhanced hole diffusion current in the lateral direction perpendicular to the applied electric field in typical organic optoelectronic devices. By introducing this lateral-holediffusion layer (LHDL) at the anode side of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), both reduced efficiency roll-off and enhanced operation stability are demonstrated. In conventional OLEDs, balance in electron and hole currents is typically achieved by leakage of the major carrier through the devices or by accumulation of the major carrier inside the devices. Both of these are known to reduce performances leading to efficiency roll-off at high currents, reduction of operation stability due to exciton-polaron annihilation etc. The application of the LHDL provides a new strategy for current balancing with much reduced harmful effects from the previous two approaches. For example, by incorporating the diffusion layer in a white phosphorescent OLED, 94% of its maximum efficiency can be maintained even at a brightness of 10000 cd/cm2. At a high brightness of 30000 cd/cm2, the OLED maintains a record high 2 external quantum efficiency of 13.9% without using any optical photon extraction layer. The OLED also show 5.5 times improvements in operation lifetime over the device without the diffusion layer. This study shows that centimeter-scale hole diffusion can be achieved in organic semiconductors and generally applied for enhancing efficiency and stability of OLEDs.

POPULATIONS OF THE MAJOR CARRIER RHOMBOMYS OPIMUS, VECTORS OF XENOPSYLLA FLEAS AND THE CAUSATIVE AGENT OF YERSINIA PESTIS IN THE CENTRAL ASIAN DESERT NATURAL FOCUS OF PLAGUE

In the Central Asia desert natural focus of plague, the major carrier of the Yersinia pestis agent is the great gerbil Rhombomys opimus, and its vectors include fleas of the Xenopsylla genus. Phenotypical and genotypical properties of the R. opimus populations, Xenopsylla fleas and Yersinia pestis strains have been studied in the Central Asia desert natural focus of plague. Phenotypic distinctions and population discreteness have been identified in R. opimus on the cytochrome b gene of the mitochondrial genome from three autonomous plague foci: Pre-Balkhash, Betpakdala and Pre-Ustyurt. Phenotypic distinctions have been found in Xenopsylla fleas in the Central Asia desert natural focus of plague, and the genotype of X. gerbilli minax fleas on the Cox2 gene of the mitochondrial DNA; these had been captured in the Betpakdala autonomous focus. The repertoire diversity in phenotypical properties of Y. pestis strains from different natural foci of plague has been demonstrated, and population discreteness of Y. pestis strains has been determined using the next-generation sequencing method for single nucleotide polymorphism genes. Results of the study suggest that geographical and environmental isolation and natural selection have led to heterogeneity in the three populations of the great gerbil, vector fleas and Y. pestis.

An Optimal Teaching and Learning based Optimization with Multi-Key Homomorphic Encryption for Image Security

Due to the drastic rise in multimedia content, digital images have become a major carrier of data. Generally, images are communicated or archived via wireless communication changes, and the significance of data security gets increased. In order to accomplish security, encryption is an effective technique which is used to encrypt the images using secret keys in such a way that it is not readable by the hacker. In this view, this study focuses on the design of Teaching and Learning based Optimization (TLBO) with Multi-Key Homomorphic Encryption (MHE) technique, called MHE-TLBO algorithm. The goal of the MHE-TLBO algorithm is to optimally select multiple keys using TLBO algorithm for encryption and decryption processes. In addition, the MHE-TLBO algorithm has derived a fitness function involving peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) and thereby ensures the superior quality of the reconstructed image. For validating the security performance of the MHE-TLBO algorithm, a comprehensive result analysis is made and the simulation results ensured the betterment of the MHE-TLBO algorithm interms of different aspects.

Dsi-RNA knockdown of genes regulated by Foxo reduces glycogen and lipid accumulations in diapausing Culex pipiens

Culex pipiens is a major carrier of the West Nile Virus, the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States. Cx. pipiens survive overwinter through diapause which is an important survival strategy that is under the control of insulin signaling and Foxo by regulating energy metabolism. Three homologous candidate genes, glycogen synthase (glys), atp-binding cassette transporter (atp), and low-density lipoprotein receptor chaperone (ldlr), that are under the regulation of Foxo transcription factor were identified in Cx. pipiens. To validate the gene functions, each candidate gene was silenced by injecting the target dsi-RNA to female Cx. pipiens during the early phase of diapause. The dsi-RNA injected diapause-destined female post-adult eclosion were fed for 7 days with 10% glucose containing 1% d-[13C6]glucose. The effects of dsi-RNA knockdown on glucose metabolism in intact mosquitoes were monitored using 13C solid-state NMR and ATR-FTIR. Our finding shows that the dsi-RNA knockdown of all three candidate genes suppressed glycogen and lipid biosyntheses resulting in inhibition of long-term carbon energy storage in diapausing females.

IGFBP-3/IGFBP-3 Receptor System as an Anti-Tumor and Anti-Metastatic Signaling in Cancer

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) is a p53 tumor suppressor-regulated protein and a major carrier for IGFs in circulation. Among six high-affinity IGFBPs, which are IGFBP-1 through 6, IGFBP-3 is the most extensively investigated IGFBP species with respect to its IGF/IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR)-independent biological actions beyond its endocrine/paracrine/autocrine role in modulating IGF action in cancer. Disruption of IGFBP-3 at transcriptional and post-translational levels has been implicated in the pathophysiology of many different types of cancer including breast, prostate, and lung cancer. Over the past two decades, a wealth of evidence has revealed both tumor suppressing and tumor promoting effects of IGF/IGF-IR-independent actions of IGFBP-3 depending upon cell types, post-translational modifications, and assay methods. However, IGFBP-3′s anti-tumor function has been well accepted due to identification of functional IGFBP-3-interacting proteins, putative receptors, or crosstalk with other signaling cascades. This review mainly focuses on transmembrane protein 219 (TMEM219), which represents a novel IGFBP-3 receptor mediating antitumor effect of IGFBP-3. Furthermore, this review delineates the potential underlying mechanisms involved and the subsequent biological significance, emphasizing the clinical significance of the IGFBP-3/TMEM219 axis in assessing both the diagnosis and the prognosis of cancer as well as the therapeutic potential of TMEM219 agonists for cancer treatment.

Endocrine disruption: Molecular interactions of environmental bisphenol contaminants with thyroid hormone receptor and thyroxine-binding globulin

Many bisphenol A (BPA) analogs have been commercially used recently, such as 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)butane (BPB), 4,4′-ethylidenebisphenol, 4,4′-methylenediphenol (BPF), 4,4′-(1,4-phenylenediisopropylidene)bisphenol (BPP), 4,4′-dihydroxydiphenyl sulfone (BPS), 4,4′-cyclohexylidenebisphenol (BPZ), 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphenol (BPAF), 4,4′-(1-phenylethylidene)bisphenol (BPAP), and 2,2-bis(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)propane (TMBPA), to circumvent adverse effects of BPA. However, their increasing use is also contaminating the environment, which is a potential cause of concern for human health. Thyroid hormone transport and signaling are potential targets for endocrine-disrupting activity of BPA analogs. Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) is the major carrier protein for thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) in blood. Thyroid hormones exert their action through thyroid hormone receptors (TRα and TRβ). This report presents the thyroid-disrupting potential of indicated nine BPA analogs from structure-based studies with TBG and TRα. Each BPA analog formed important polar and hydrophobic interactions with a number of residues of TBG and TRα. Majority of TBG residues (77–100%) and TRα residues (70–91%) interacting with BPA analogs were common with those of native ligands T4 and T3, respectively. Majority of BPA analogs interacted with TBG forming a salt bridge interaction at Lys-270. The hydrogen-bonding interaction of T3 with TRα at His-381 was also shared by majority of analogs. The binding energy for BPP, BPB, BPZ, BPAP, and TMBPA with both proteins was closer to binding energy of respective native ligands. The similarity in structural binding characteristics suggested potential disrupting activity of thyroid hormone signaling and transport.

Forming of territorial communities’ conceptual framework

The research of territorial communities has been gaining more relevance lately in the conditions of administrative and territorial reform. Indeed, the reform is related to the complicated processes formed at local levels in territorial communities that perform the role of the lowest management link and the major carrier of functions and liabilities of local self-governance. Therefore, it is an important stage of the reform process to define the nature of territorial community and its major functions. The paper aims to define the major features of the territorial community in conditions of administrative and territorial reform. The paper analyzes and emphasizes the major controversial issues in forming of the conceptual framework of territorial communities. The nature of territorial community is examined not only as a social phenomenon, but also as the legal one. The paper argues that the legal status of a territorial community is the system of established rights and liabilities of consolidated territorial communities – the villages, towns, cities, which are the independent administrative and territorial units with a single administrative center. The main types of territorial communities in Ukraine are defined. The rights and liabilities of consolidated territorial communities are determined. The paper proves that territorial community is the source of local authorities and main entity of local governance that is designated to secure the meeting of the needs of some administrative-territorial unit’s residents and the development of civil society. Therefore, a territorial community is the main carrier of functions and liabilities of a certain cluster of residents as a primary center in the system of management authorities that functions as a single coherent mechanism in the system of local self-governance. Territorial community is independently formed only if most of its members identify themselves with it, have common interests and contribute to their realization.