Advanced Flexible Physical Sensors with Independent Detection Mechanisms of Pressure and Strain Stimuli for Overcoming Signal Interference.

Flexible and wearable physical sensors have gained significant interest owing to their potential in attachable devices, electronic skin, and multipurpose sensors. The physical stimuli of these sensors typically consist of vertically and horizontally applied pressures and strains, respectively. However, owing to their similar response characteristics, interference occurs between the two types of signals detected, complicating the distinction between pressure and strain stimuli, leading to inaccurate data interpretation and reduced sensor specificity.

Advanced Multiparallel-Connected Piezoresistive Physical Sensors: Elevating Performance Reliability of Flexible Strain and Pressure Sensors.

A physical sensor with a sensing medium comprising multiparallel-connected (MPC) piezoresistive pathways in both the vertical and horizontal directions was developed to achieve improved sensing performance. The MPC sensing medium reduces the total resistance and offsets noise, offering enhanced signal stability and device reliability and providing a high-performance sensing platform. The signal change and gauge factor (GF) of the 3PW-5L strain sensor (comprising three lines and five layers of piezoresistive pathways horizontally and vertically, respectively) were, respectively, 5.

Decreased Risk of Knee Osteoarthritis with Taller Height in an East Asian Population: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background: Numerous studies have explored factors impacting osteoarthritis (OA), but its relationship with height remains uncertain. This study investigates the relationship between height and osteoarthritis risk in South Korea.

Methods: Participants aged 50 or older who underwent health screenings in 2009 were selected from the National Health Insurance System database.

Dissecting the Interplay between Organic Charge-Modulated Field-Effect Transistors and Field-Effect Transistors through Interface Control Engineering.

Organic charge-modulated field-effect transistors (OCMFETs) have garnered significant interest as sensing platforms for diverse applications that include biomaterials and chemical sensors owing to their distinct operational principles. This study aims to improve the understanding of driving mechanisms in OCMFETs and optimize their device performance by investigating the correlation between organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) and OCMFETs. By introducing self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with different functional groups on the AlO gate dielectric surface, we explored the impact of the surface characteristics on the electrical behavior of both devices.

Is the Surface Anatomy of the Popliteal Crease Related to Lower Extremity Alignment or Knee Osseous Morphology? A Radiographic Study.

The popliteal crease varies among individuals, and there has been no prior study on this aspect. We assumed that it may be associated with lower extremity alignment and osseous morphology. To demonstrate this, we conducted a radiographic analysis.

Isolated Avulsion Fracture of the Tibial Tuberosity in an Adult Treated with Suture-Bridge Fixation: A Rare Case and Literature Review.

Isolated tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures are exceptionally uncommon among adults, with limited instances documented in published literature. Here, we describe a case of an isolated tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture in an adult that was treated successfully with the suture bridge repair technique. A 65-year-old female visited the outpatient department with left knee pain after a slip and fall.

Low-Regioregularity Polythiophene for a Highly Sensitive and Stretchable Gas Sensor.

In this study, we examined how the regioregularity of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) affects molecular packing, free volume, charge transport, and gas sensing properties. Our results showed that the presence of regular alkyl side chains on the polymer backbone promoted a high degree of structural order in regioregular P3HT molecules, leading to a compact packing density and reduced free volume. Consequently, it was more challenging for NO molecules to interact with the hole charge carriers in the conductive channel.

Novel Dithienopyrrole-Based Conjugated Copolymers: Importance of Backbone Planarity in Achieving High Electrical Conductivity and Thermoelectric Performance.

The development of conjugated polymers with structures that are suitable for efficient molecular doping and charge transport is a key challenge in the construction of high-performance conjugated polymer-based thermoelectric devices. In this study, three novel conjugated polymers based on dithienopyrrole (DTP) are synthesized and their thermoelectric properties are compared. When doped with p-dopant, a donor-acceptor type copolymer, DPP-MeDTP, exhibits higher electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power factor compared to the other donor-donor type copolymers.

Advanced Organic Transistor-Based Sensors Utilizing a Solvatochromic Medium with Twisted Intramolecular Charge-Transfer Behavior and Its Application to Ammonia Gas Detection.

Here, we designed and developed an organic field-effect transistor (OFET)-based gas sensor by applying solvatochromic dye (Nile red, NR) with twisted intramolecular charge-transfer (TICT) behavior depending on the polarity of the surrounding molecules, as an auxiliary NR sensing medium (aNR-SM). As a polar molecule approaches, intra-charge transfers from the donor diethylamine group to the ketone group occur in the NR molecule, resulting in the twisting of the donor functional group and thereby increasing its dipole moment. Using this characteristic, NR was applied as an auxiliary sensing medium to the OFET for detecting ammonia (NH), a representative toxic gas.

Understanding adsorption geometry of organometallic molecules on graphite.

To comprehensively investigate the adsorption geometries of organometallic molecules on graphene, CpRu fragments as an organometallic molecule is bound on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and imaged at atomic resolution using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) (Cp = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl). Atomic resolution imaging through STM shows that the CpRu fragments are localized above the hollow position of the hexagonal structure, and that the first graphene layer adsorbed with the fragments on the graphite redeveloped morphologically to minimize its geometric energy. For a better understanding of the adsorption site and molecular geometry, experimental results are compared with computed calculations for the graphene surface with CpRu fragments.

Direct Printing of Asymmetric Electrodes for Improving Charge Injection/Extraction in Organic Electronics.

Engineering the energy levels of organic conducting materials can be useful for developing high-performance organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), whose electrodes must be well controlled to facilitate easy charge carrier transport from the source to drain through an active channel. However, symmetric source and drain electrodes that have the same energy levels are inevitably unfavorable for either charge injection or charge extraction. In this study, asymmetric source and drain electrodes are simply prepared using the electrohydrodynamic (EHD)-jet printing technique after the careful work function engineering of organic conducting material composites.

Omnidirectionally Stretchable Organic Transistors for Use in Wearable Electronics: Ensuring Overall Stretchability by Applying Nonstretchable Wrinkled Components.

With the emergence of wearable human interface technologies, new applications based on stretchable electronics, such as skin-attached sensors or wearable displays, must be developed. Difficulties associated with developing electronic components with the high stretchabilities required for such applications have restricted the range of appearance and utilization of cost- or process-efficient stretchable electronics. Herein, we present omnidirectionally stretchable wrinkled transistors having a shape that replicates human skin, which operates stably on deformable objects or complex surfaces.

Precise Control over Polymer Semiconducting Films by Tuning the Thermal Behavior of the Thin-Film State's Crystalline and Morphological Structures.

The crystalline and morphological structures of polymer semiconducting films were controlled by selecting appropriate thermal properties of the polymeric chains, thereby improving polymer field-effect transistor (FET) performances. Poly(dioctyl-quaterthiophene-dioctyl-bithiazole) (PDQDB), comprising 5,5'-bithiazole and oligothiophene rings, was used as the basis for the polymer semiconductor studies. The and values of the thin-film state, rather than those of the bulk polymer state, were important in this study.

Intra-articular Injection of Type I Atelocollagen to Alleviate Knee Pain: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Collagen disruption is one of the underlying causes of knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis and/or diverse cartilage defects. Atelocollagen is a type of collagen that lacks telopeptides and thus has reduced antigenicity. The intra-articular injection of type I atelocollagen supplements collagen levels in the disrupted articular cartilage.

Engineering Asymmetric Charge Injection/Extraction to Optimize Organic Transistor Performances.

The introduction of an appropriate functionality on the electrode/active layer interface has been found to be an efficient methodology to enhance the electrical performances of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). Herein, we efficiently optimized the charge injection/extraction characteristics of source/drain (S/D) electrodes by applying an asymmetric functionalization at each individual electrode/organic semiconductor (OSC) interface. To further clarify the functionalizing effects of the electrode/OSC interface, we systematically designed five different OFETs: one with pristine S/D electrodes (denoted as pristine S/D) and the remaining ones made by symmetrically or asymmetrically functionalizing the S/D electrodes with up to two different self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) based on thiolated molecules, the strongly electron-donating thiophenol (TP) and electron-withdrawing 2,3,4,5-pentafluorobenzenethiol (PFBT).

Tuning the Work Function of Printed Polymer Electrodes by Introducing a Fluorinated Polymer To Enhance the Operational Stability in Bottom-Contact Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is a promising electrode material for organic electronic devices due to its high conductivity, good mechanical flexibility, and feasibility of easy patterning with various printing methods. The work function of PEDOT:PSS needs to be increased for efficient hole injection, and the addition of a fluorine-containing material has been reported to increase the work function of PEDOT:PSS. However, it remains a challenge to print PEDOT:PSS electrodes while simultaneously tuning their work functions.

Thermal Gradient During Vacuum-Deposition Dramatically Enhances Charge Transport in Organic Semiconductors: Toward High-Performance N-Type Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

A thermal gradient distribution was applied to a substrate during the growth of a vacuum-deposited n-type organic semiconductor (OSC) film prepared from N,N'-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-1,7-dicyanoperylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboxyimide) (PDI-CN2), and the electrical performances of the films deployed in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) were characterized. The temperature gradient at the surface was controlled by tilting the substrate, which varied the temperature one-dimensionally between the heated bottom substrate and the cooled upper substrate. The vacuum-deposited OSC molecules diffused and rearranged on the surface according to the substrate temperature gradient, producing directional crystalline and grain structures in the PDI-CN2 film.

Dense Assembly of Soluble Acene Crystal Ribbons and Its Application to Organic Transistors.

The preparation of uniform large-area highly crystalline organic semiconductor single crystals remains a challenge in the field of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). Crystal densities in the channel regions of OFETs have not yet reached sufficiently high values to provide efficient charge transport, and improving channel crystal densities remains an important research area. Herein we fabricated densely well-aligned single crystal arrays of the 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS_PEN) semiconductor using a straightforward scooping-up (SU) methodology to quickly produce a large-area self-assembled semiconductor crystal layer.

Weil and Dorsal Closing Wedge Osteotomy for Freiberg's Disease.

Background: Weil osteotomy is a type of distal osteotomy for the treatment of lesser metatarsalgia by shortening the metatarsal length. We applied Weil and dorsal closing wedge osteotomy for the treatment of Freiberg's disease.

Methods: Between September 1, 2006, and December 31, 2011, we performed Weil and dorsal closing wedge osteotomy of the second metatarsal in 15 feet of 15 patients (12 women, three men) diagnosed as having Freiberg's disease.

Gate-Bias Stability Behavior Tailored by Dielectric Polymer Stereostructure in Organic Transistors.

Understanding charge trapping in a polymer dielectric is critical to the design of high-performance organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). We investigated the OFET stability as a function of the dielectric polymer stereostructure under a gate bias stress and during long-term operation. To this end, iso-, syn-, and atactic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymers with identical molecular weights and polydispersity indices were selected.

Identification of Domain Boundary Defects in Crystalline Self-Assembled Monolayers.

One of the major challenges to the fabrication of functionalized templates using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) is the characterization of nanoscale defects, particularly SAM domain boundaries (DBs). In this study, an etchant was used to chemically amplify the DBs in a SAM by forming microscale pits in the underlying SiO2 layer. This approach revealed that the naturally occurring DBs acted as structural defects in the SAMs.

Secondary aneurysmal bone cystic change of the chondroblastoma, mistaken for a primary aneurysmal bone cyst in the patella.

A 29-year-old woman complained of a 3-month history of left knee pain without trauma history. X-ray showed a well-defined osteolytic lesion with a sclerotic margin in the patella and magnetic resonance imaging showed T1-low and T2-high signal intensity with different fluid level. Our impression was an aneurysmal bone cyst.

Association of IL-17A and IL-17F single nucleotide polymorphisms with susceptibility to osteoarthritis in a Korean population.

The damage incurred in osteoarthritis (OA) is mediated by a variety of cytokines, growth factors and inflammatory mediators. The importance of the interleukin-17 (IL-17) family in inflammatory and autoimmune disease is becoming increasingly apparent. Microsatellite association mapping reveals a primary osteoarthritis susceptibility locus on chromosome 6p12.

Microstructural control over soluble pentacene deposited by capillary pen printing for organic electronics.

Research into printing techniques has received special attention for the commercialization of cost-efficient organic electronics. Here, we have developed a capillary pen printing technique to realize a large-area pattern array of organic transistors and systematically investigated self-organization behavior of printed soluble organic semiconductor ink. The capillary pen-printed deposits of organic semiconductor, 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS_PEN), was well-optimized in terms of morphological and microstructural properties by using ink with mixed solvents of chlorobenzene (CB) and 1,2-dichlorobenzene (DCB).