Conventional silicon-based electronics have faced challenges in the realization of soft bioelectronics, such as wearable and implantable integrated devices, which necessitate electrically and mechanically interactive biotic–abiotic interfacing without disturbing the daily life of the user or posing biocompatibility issues. Recently, much effort has been directed at overcoming the mechanical limitations of conventional rigid electronics by replacement of bulky, thick, and rigid electronic materials with biocompatible, soft, and nanoscale electronic materials, which exhibit intrinsic mechanical deformability as well as superior electrical properties. Recent advances in the synthesis of unconventional nanomaterials, surface functionalization methods, and integrated device fabrication techniques have resulted in further improvements in the performance of nanomaterials-based soft bioelectronics. Numerous studies have focused on the biological, electrical, and mechanical analyses of heterogeneous nanomaterial–biosystem interfaces as well as the development of efficient integration processes of soft nanomaterials into devices. In this article, we summarize the latest advances and future prospects in nanomaterials synthesis, processing, and integration strategies for flexible and stretchable bioelectronics, and their application to wearable and implantable devices.

Lack of understanding the effects of single- and multiple-weed interference on soybean yield has led to inadequate weed management in Primorsky Krai, resulting in much lower average yield than neighboring regions. A 2 yr field experiment was conducted in a soybean field located in Bogatyrka (43.82°N, 131.6°E), Primorsky Krai, Russia, in 2013 and 2014 to investigate the effects of single and multiple interference caused by naturally established weeds on soybean yield and to model these effects. Aboveground dry weight was negatively affected the most by weed interference, followed by number of pods and seeds. Soybean yield under single-weed interference was best demonstrated by a rectangular hyperbolic model, showing that common ragweed and barnyardgrass were the most competitive weed species, followed by annual sowthistle, American sloughgrass, and common lambsquarters. In the case of multiple-weed interference, soybean yield loss was accurately described by a multivariate rectangular hyperbolic model, with total density equivalent as the independent variable. Parameter estimates indicated that weed-free soybean yields were similar in 2013 and 2014, i.e., estimated as 1.72 t and 1.75 t ha−1, respectively, and competitiveness of each weed species was not significantly different between the two years. Economic thresholds for single-weed interference were 0.74, 0.66, 1.15, 1.23, and 1.45 plants m−2 for common ragweed, barnyardgrass, annual sowthistle, American sloughgrass, and common lambsquarters, respectively. The economic threshold for multiple-weed interference was 0.70 density equivalent m−2. These results, including the model, thus can be applied to a decision support system for weed management in soybean cultivation under single and multiple-weed interference in Primorsky Krai and its neighboring regions of Russia.

Cast-iron (CI) based bulk amorphous alloy with compositions of Fe75.5−xC6.0Si3.3B5.5P8.7Cu1.0Alx (x = 0, 1 at.%) was synthesized by Cu mold casting. As indicated by increased critical diameters (dmax) for the amorphization, the substitution of Al enhanced the glass-forming ability of the alloy. However, the onset temperature of crystallization (Tx) and the range of supercooled liquid region (ΔTx) of the alloy decreased upon Al addition from 500 °C and 28 °C to 475 °C and 25 °C, respectively. It was revealed that the decreased thermal stability of the amorphous phase is related to the enhanced crystallization tendency to form primary α-Fe phase. Upon the nanocrystallization of primary α-Fe phase the Al-added alloy shows enlarged Ms of 176 emu g−1, still keeping a reasonable small Hc value of 0.086 Oe. The present study revealed that the minor Al addition enhances not only the glass-forming ability, but also the nanocrystallization behavior of the CI based bulk amorphous alloy.

Yoon H-K, Kim Y-K, Han C, Ko Y-H, Lee H-J, Kwon D-Y, Kim L. Paliperidone in the treatment of delirium: results of a prospective open-label pilot trial.

Objective: Delirium is a life-threatening neuropsychiatric syndrome characterised by disturbances in consciousness, attention, cognition and perception. Antipsychotics are considered the drugs of choice in managing the symptoms of delirium. Paliperidone is a benzisoxazole derivative and the principal active metabolite of risperidone. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of paliperidone for the treatment of delirium.

Methods: A prospective open-label study of paliperidone for delirium treatment was performed with 6-day follow-up. Fifteen patients who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for delirium and had a score of 13 on the Delirium Rating Scale were recruited. The starting dose was 3 mg once a day and the dose was adjusted depending on the status of delirium. Daily assessments of the severity of delirium were evaluated using Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS).

Results: The mean daily maintenance dose of paliperidone was 3.75 ± 1.06. The MDAS scores before and after treatment (day 7) were 23.60 ± 6.31 and 11.33 ± 5.45 (t = 6.78, p < 0.001), respectively. The intensity of delirium showed a statistically significant reduction in MDAS scores from the first day of treatment. No serious adverse effects were observed, and none of the patients discontinued paliperidone because of adverse effects.

Conclusions: This study shows that low-dose paliperidone is effective in reducing behavioural disturbances and symptoms in delirium and is well tolerated in delirious patients. This trial is an open-label study with a small sample size, and further controlled studies will be necessary.

The liquid phase plasma reduction method has been applied to prepare silver nanoparticles from a solution of silver nitrate (AgNO3) using a bipolar pulsed electrical discharge system. The excited states of atomic silver, hydrogen and oxygen as well as the molecular bands of hydroxyl radicals were detected in the emission spectra. As the discharge duration increased up to 10 min, silver particle peaks produced by surface plasmon absorption were observed around 430 nm. Both the particle size and the particle numbers were observed to increase with the length of the plasma treatment time and with the initial AgNO3 concentration. Spherical nanoparticles of about 5–20 nm in size were obtained with the discharging time of 5 min, whereas aggregates of nanoparticles of about 10–50 nm in size were mainly produced with the discharging time of 20 min. The cationic surfactant of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) added with the CTAB/AgNO3 molar ratio of 30% was shown to inhibit nanoparticle aggregation.

We report on the insulator-charging-effects of poly-4-vinylphenol (PVP) gate dielectric on the reliabilities of pentacene thin-film transistors (TFTs). Our PVP films were prepared by spin coating and curing at various temperatures (155, 175, and 200 °C). Evaluated using Au/PVP/p+−Si structures, the dielectric strength of PVP films cured at 175 °C was superior to those of the other PVP films cured at different temperatures. Although saturation current and field mobility (∼0.13 cm2/Vs) obtained from a TFT with PVP film cured at 200 °C appeared higher than those (∼0.07 cm2/Vs) from the device with 175 °C-cured polymer film, the TFT prepared at 200 °C revealed a low on/off current ratio of less than 104 due to its high off-state current and also unreliable saturation behavior under repetitive gate voltage sweep. The unreliable behavior is due to the dielectric-charging caused by gate-electron-injection. We thus conclude that there are some optimal PVP-curing conditions to improve the reliability of pentacene TFT.

We report the characterization of white light emitting devices fabricated using conjugated polymer blends. Blue emissive poly[9,9-bis(4′-n-octyloxyphenyl)fluorene-2,7-diyl-co-10-(2′-ethylhexyl)phenothiazine-3,7-diyl] [poly(BOPF-co-PTZ)] and red emissive poly(2-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-5-methoxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV) were used in the blends. The inefficient energy transfer between these blue and red light emitting polymers (previously deduced from the photoluminscence (PL) spectra of the blend films) enables the production of white light emission through control of the blend ratio. The PL and electroluminescence (EL) emission spectra of the blend systems were found to vary with the blend ratio. The EL devices were fabricated in the indium tin oxide [poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy-thiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate)] (ITO/PEDOT-PSS)blend/LiF/Al configuration, and white light emission was obtained for one of the tested blend ratios.

Incomplete reprogramming of the donor cell nucleus after nuclear transfer (NT) probably leads to the abnormal expression of developmentally important genes. This may be responsible for the low efficiency of cloned animal production. Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) and IGF2 receptor (IGF2R) are imprinted genes that play important roles in preimplantation development. To obtain an insight into abnormal gene expression after nuclear transfer, we assessed the transcription patterns of IGF2-IGF2R in single in vitro fertilised and cloned embryos by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). IGF2R expression did not differ significantly but IGF2 was more highly expressed in cloned embryos than in IVF embryos (p < 0.05). This was confirmed by a quantitative RT-PCR method. Thus, incomplete reprogramming may induce abnormal transcription of IGF2 in cloned embryos.

In this study we examined the developmental potential of reconstructed embryos and the fate of donor mitochondria during preimplantation development after nuclear transfer in cattle. Isolated cumulus cells were used as donor cells in nuclear transfer. Cumulus cells labelled with MitoTracker Green FM fluorochrome were injected into enucleated bovine MII oocytes and cultured in vitro. MitoTracker labelling on donor cells did not have a detrimental effect on blastocyst formation following nuclear transfer. Cleavage rate was about 69% (56/81) and blastocyst formation rate was 6.2% (5/81) at 7 days after nuclear transfer. The labelled mitochondria dispersed to the cytoplasm and became distributed between blastomeres and could be identified up to the 8- to 15-cell stage. Small patches of mitochondria were detected in some 8- to 15-cell stage embryos (5/20). However, donor mitochondria were not detected in embryos at the 16-cell stage and subsequent developmental stages. In the control group, mitochondria could be identified in arrested 1-cell embryos up to 7 days after nuclear transfer. These results suggest that disappearance of the labelled donor mitochondria in nuclear transfer bovine embryos is not due to fading of the fluorochrome marker, but is rather an as yet undefined cytoplasmic event.

We report the electroluminescence behaviour of the devices made with the polymer blend of two emissible polymers, poly(2-methoxy,5-(2′ethyl-hexoxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene)(MEHPPV) and poly[ 1,3-propanedioxy- 1,4-phenylene- 1,2-ethenylene-(2,5-bis(trimethylsilyl)- 1,4- phenylene)-l,2-ethenylene-l,4-phenylene](B-polymer) luminescing at 580 nm and 480 nm respectively. The quantum efficiency increases with the composition ratio of B-polymer by two order of magnitude of that of MEH-PPV. Luminescence behaviour of the blend system was explained by hole blocking, exciton transfer behavior of the matrix polymer (B-polymer) and efficient confinement of the injected carriers in MEH-PPV.

Poly(CMPV-co-PV) have been synthesized via water soluble sulfonium salt precursor route and their linear and non-linear optical properties were characterized. The electro-optic response was stable up to 100°C when the materials were poled during the elimination. The thermal stability and mechanical strength of PPV and its derivatives, and easy processibility from the precursor polymers suggest a new approach for the molecular design of the 2nd order non-linear optical polymers.