Purpose: One of the main challenges of lung cancer research is identifying patients at high risk for recurrence after surgical resection. Simple, accurate, and reproducible methods of evaluating individual risks of recurrence are needed. Experimental Design: Based on a combined analysis of time-to-recurrence data, censoring information, and microarray data from a set of 138 patients, we selected statistically significant genes thought to be predictive of disease recurrence. The number of genes was further reduced by eliminating those whose expression levels were not reproducible by real-time quantitative PCR. Within these variables, a recurrence prediction model was constructed using Cox proportional hazard regression and validated via two independent cohorts (n = 56 and n = 59). Results: After performing a log-rank test of the microarray data and successively selecting genes based on real-time quantitative PCR analysis, the most significant 18 genes had P values of <0.05.After subsequent stepwise variable selection based on gene expression information and clinical variables, the recurrence prediction model consisted of six genes (CALB1, MMP7, SLC1A7, GSTA1, CCL19, and IFI44). Two pathologic variables, pStage and cellular differentiation, were developed. Validation by two independent cohorts confirmed that the proposed model is significantly accurate (P = 0.0314 and 0.0305, respectively). The predicted median recurrence-free survival times for each patient correlated well with the actual data. Conclusions: We have developed an accurate, technically simple, and reproducible method for predicting individual recurrence risks. This model would potentially be useful in developing customized strategies for managing lung cancer.

An efficient synthesis of 9,9-bis(2-ethylhexyl)fluorene oligomers up to the heptamer is reported, with repetitive Suzuki and Yamamoto coupling reactions employed in the synthesis. The key steps for preparation of the essential intermediates include Pd-catalyzed transformation of aryl bromides to aryl boronic esters (Miyaura reaction) and the application of the much higher reactivity of aryl boronic esters over aryl bromides in the Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction with aryl diazonium salts. Variation of the UV/Vis absorption and photoluminescence characteristics with chain length is reported. Moreover, glass transition and liquid-crystal characteristics of the oligomers are described and compared with those of the polymer.

Considering a strict global environmental regulation, fluorescent quantum dots (QDs) as key visible emitters in the next-generation display field should be compositionally non-Cd. When compared to green and red emitters obtainable from size-controlled InP QDs, development of non-Cd blue QDs remains stagnant. Herein, we explore the synthesis of non-Cd, ZnSe-based QDs with binary and ternary compositions toward blue photoluminescence (PL). First, the size increment of binary ZnSe QDs is attempted by a multiply repeated growth until blue PL is attained. Although this approach offers a relevant blue color, excessively large-sized ZnSe QDs inevitably entail a low PL quantum yield. As an alternative strategy to the above size enlargement, the alloying of high-band gap ZnSe with lower-band gap ZnTe in QD synthesis is carried out. These alloyed ternary ZnSeTe QDs after ZnS shelling exhibit a systematically tunable PL of 422–500 nm as a function of Te/Se ratio. Analogous to the state-of-the-art heterostructure of InP QDs with a double-shelling scheme, an inner shell of ZnSe is newly inserted with different thicknesses prior to an outer shell of ZnS, where the effects of the thickness of ZnSe inner shell on PL properties are examined. Double-shelled ZnSeTe/ZnSe/ZnS QDs with an optimal thickness of the ZnSe inner shell are then employed for all-solution-processed fabrication of a blue QD light-emitting diode (QLED). The present blue QLED as the first ZnSeTe QD-based device yields a peak luminance of 1195 cd/m2, a current efficiency of 2.4 cd/A, and an external quantum efficiency of 4.2%, corresponding to the record values reported from non-Cd blue devices.

We explore both the synthesis of Cd-free blue quantum dots (QDs) with high-quality photoluminescence (PL) characteristics and the fabrication of high-efficiency QD light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). True blue (445 nm)-emissive, multishelled ZnSeTe QDs with a high PL quantum yield of 84% and a sharp bandwidth of 27 nm are prepared. To obtain a better electron transport layer (ETL) material, the surface of ZnMgO nanoparticles (NPs) is modified by additional Mg reaction, leading to the possible formation of a Mg­(OH)2 layer on the surface-modified ZnMgO (m-ZnMgO) NPs. The presence of a Mg­(OH)2 overlayer, the origin of the desirably reduced electron mobility, is supposedly responsible for the improved charge balance of the QD emissive layer (EML). The Mg­(OH)2 layer is further found to alleviate the emission quenching of the QD EML. Via combination of blue ZnSeTe QDs and m-ZnMgO NP ETL, highly bright, efficient blue QLEDs with the record luminance of 2904 cd/m2 and an external quantum efficiency of 9.5% are demonstrated.

Indium phosphide (InP) has been regarded as the most promising composition of visible quantum dot (QD) emitters for the application to next-generation display devices primarily because of its environmental benignity. Bright, sharp emissivity of InP QDs should be pursued for the realization of high-efficiency, wide-color gamut display devices. Photoluminescence (PL) performance of InP QDs has been greatly improved based on synthetic advances enabling the securement of core size homogeneity and the formation of exquisite core/shell heterostructure. Until now, high-quality fluorescent InP QDs have been attainable exclusively through the use of a hazardous phosphorus (P) precursor of tris(trimethylsilyl)phosphine ((TMS) 3 P) against green chemistry. In this work, we report a synthetic breakthrough of green InP QDs toward narrow, bright emissivity by using a much cheaper, safer P alternative of tris(dimethylamino)phosphine ((DMA) 3 P). For this, QD synthesis proceeds via a so-called two-step approach, where as-grown InP cores are subjected to a stepwise size fractionation process and then placed in the consecutive double shelling of a composition-gradient ZnSe x S 1−x inner and a ZnS outer shell. The chemical composition (x) of the ZnSe x S 1−x inner shell in the range of 0.09−0.36 is varied to explore its effects on PL quantum yield (QY), size, and blue excitation light absorptivity. Because of the effective core size fractionation and elaborately designed heterostructure, the resulting InP/ZnSe x S 1−x /ZnS QDs exhibit exceptional green (527 nm) PL features of a sharp line width of 37 nm and a high PL QY of 87%, which have not been achievable to date from non-(TMS) 3 P-based QDs, when an optimal inner shell composition is applied.

Loss of E-cadherin, a hallmark of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), can significantly affect metastatic dissemination. However, the molecular mechanism of EMT-associated metastatic dissemination by loss of E-cadherin still remains unclear in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). In the present study, we show that the knockdown of E-cadherin was sufficient to convert A549 NSCLC cells into mesenchymal type with the concurrent up-regulation of typical EMT inducers such as ZEB1 and TWIST1. Interestingly, the EMT-induced cells by E-cadherin depletion facilitate invasion in a matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2)-dependent manner with aberrant activation of EGFR signaling. We demonstrated that the elevated invasiveness was a result of the activated EGFR-MEK/ERK signaling, which in turn leads to ZEB1 dependent MMP2 induction. These results suggest that the EGFR-MEK/ERK/ZEB1/MMP2 axis is responsible for promoted invasion in EMT-induced NSCLCs. Consistently, ERK activation and loss of E-cadherin were both observed in the disseminating cancer cells at the invasive tumor fronts in NSCLC cancer tissues. Thereby, these data suggest that the EGFR-MEK/ERK signaling would be a promising molecular target to control aberrant MMP2 expression and consequent invasion in the EMT-induced NSCLCs

We report on the synthesis of highly fluorescent red-emitting InP quantum dots (QDs) and their application to the fabrication of a high-efficiency QD-light-emitting diode (QLED). The core/shell heterostructure of the QDs is elaborately tailored toward a multishelled structure with a composition-gradient ZnSeS intermediate shell and an outer ZnS shell. Using the resulting InP/ZnSeS/ZnS QDs as an emitting layer, all-solution-processible red InP QLEDs are fabricated with a hybrid multilayered device structure having an organic hole transport layer (HTL) and an inorganic ZnO nanoparticle electron transport layer. Two HTLs of poly(9-vinlycarbazole) or poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(4,4^'-(N-(4-sec-butylphenyl))diphenyl-amine), whose hole mobilities are different by at least three orders of magnitude, are individually applied for QLED fabrication and such HTL-dependent device performances are compared. Our best red device displays exceptional figures of merit such as a maximum luminance of 2849  cd/m², a current efficiency of 4.2  cd/A, and an external quantum efficiency of 2.5%.

A substantial proportion of EBV-positive DLBCL of the elderly can occur in young adults. EBV positivity of DLBCL in young adults was not associated with unfavorable clinical characteristics or worse outcomes. We suggest that EBV-positive DLBCL should not be confined only in the elderly and 'EBV-positive DLBCL in young adults' needs to be considered as a clinically distinct disease entity. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02060435.