Although various colloidal quantum dot (QD) coating and patterning techniques have been developed to meet the demands in optoelectronic applications over the past years, each of the previously demonstrated methods has one or more limitations and trade-offs in forming multicolor, high-resolution, or large-area patterns of QDs. In this study, we present an alternative QD patterning technique using conventional photolithography combined with charge-assisted layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly to solve the trade-offs of the traditional patterning processes. From our demonstrations, we show repeatable QD patterning process that allows multicolor QD patterns in both large-area and microscale. Also, we show that the QD patterns are robust against additional photolithography processes and that the thickness of the QD patterns can be controlled at each position. To validate that this process can be applied to actual device applications as an active material, we have fabricated inverted, differently colored, active QD light-emitting device (QD-LED) on a pixelated substrate, which achieved maximum electroluminescence intensity of 23 770 cd/m, and discussed the results. From our findings, we believe that our process provides a solution to achieving both high-resolution and large-scale QD pattern applicable to not only display, but also to practical photonic device research and development.

Using degenerate PCR we isolated a cDNA encoding a novel 406- and 410-amino acid protein from human and mouse embryonic cDNAs and have designated it 'hepatic fibrinogen/angiopoietin-related protein' (HFARP). The N-terminal and C-terminal portions of HFARP contain the characteristic coiled-coil domains and fibrinogen-like domains that are conserved in angiopoietins. In human and mouse tissues, HFARP mRNA is specifically expressed in the liver. HFARP mRNA and protein are mainly present in the hepatocytes. HFARP has a highly hydrophobic region at the N-terminus that is typical of a secretory signal sequence and one consensus glycosylation site. Recombinant HFARP expressed in COS-7 cells is secreted and glycosylated. HFARP protein is present not only in the hepatocytes, but also in the circulating blood. Recombinant HFARP acts as an apoptosis survival factor for vascular endothelial cells, but does not bind to Tie1 or Tie2 (endothelial-cell tyrosine kinase receptors). These results suggest that HFARP may exert a protective function on endothelial cells through an endocrine action.

Two-dimensional van der Waals (2D vdWs) materials are a class of new materials that can provide important resources for future electronics and materials sciences due to their unique physical properties. Among 2D vdWs materials, black phosphorus (BP) has exhibited significant potential for use in electronic and optoelectronic applications because of its allotropic properties, high mobility, and direct and narrow band gap. Here, we demonstrate a few-layered BP-based nonvolatile memory transistor with a poly(vinylidenefluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) ferroelectric top gate insulator. Experiments showed that our BP-based ferroelectric transistors operate satisfactorily at room temperature in ambient air and exhibit a clear memory window. Unlike conventional ambipolar BP transistors, our ferroelectric transistors showed only p-type characteristics due to the carbon-fluorine (C-F) dipole effect of the P(VDF-TrFE) layer, as well as the highest linear mobility value of 1159 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) with a 10(3) on/off current ratio. For more advanced memory applications beyond unit memory devices, we implemented two memory inverter circuits, a resistive-load inverter circuit and a complementary inverter circuit, combined with an n-type molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheet. Our memory inverter circuits displayed a clear memory window of 15 V and memory output voltage efficiency of 95%.

Amplification of the chemokines CXCL10 and RANKL has been suggested to promote osteoclast differentiation and osteolytic bone metastasis, but a function for endogenous CXCL10 in these processes is not well established. In this study, we show that endogenous CXCL10 is critical to recruit cancer cells to bone, support osteoclast differentiation and promote for the formation of osteolytic bone metastases. Neutralizing CXCL10 antibody reduced migration of cancer cells expressing the CXCL10 receptor CXCR3, and loss of CXCR3 or CXCL10 decreased bone tumor burden in vivo. Bone colonization augmented host production of CXCL10, which was required for cancer growth and subsequent osteolysis. Direct interactions between cancer cells and macrophages further stimulated CXCL10 production from macrophages. Growth of bone metastases required CXCL10-stimulated adhesion of cancer cells to type I collagen as well as RANKL-mediated osteoclast formation. Together, our findings show that CXCL10 facilitates trafficking of CXCR3-expressing cancer cells to bone, which augments its own production and promotes osteoclastic differentiation. CXCL10 therefore may represent a therapeutic target for osteolytic bone metastasis. Cancer Res; 72(13); 3175-86. Ó2012 AACR.

Lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots (QDs) have great potential in optoelectronic applications because of their desirable characteristics as a light absorber for near-infrared (NIR) photodetection. However, most PbS-based NIR photodetectors are two-terminal devices, which require an integrated pixel circuit to be practical photosensors. Here we report on PbS QD/indium gallium zinc oxide (InGaZnO, IGZO) metal oxide semiconductor hybrid phototransistors with a photodetection capability between 700 and 1400 nm, a range that neither conventional Si nor InGaAs photodetectors can cover. The new hybrid phototransistor exhibits excellent photoresponsivity of over 10 6 A W − 1 and a specific detectivity in the order of 10 13 Jones for NIR (1000 nm) light. Furthermore, we demonstrate an NIR (1300 nm) imager using photogating inverter pixels based on PbS/IGZO phototransistors at an imaging frequency of 1 Hz with a high output voltage photogain of~4.9 V (~99%). To the best of our knowledge, this report demonstrates the first QD/metal oxide hybrid phototransistor-based flat panel NIR imager. Our hybrid approach using QD/metal oxide paves the way for the development of gate-tunable and highly sensitive flat panel NIR sensors/ imagers that can be easily integrated.