UV-NIL replication of microlens arrays on flexible fluoropolymer substrates

Microsystem Technologies - This paper describes application of UV-NIL technique for the fabrication of hexagonal OrmoComp microlens arrays on flexible fluoropolymer substrates having exceptional...     

Tirzepatide: A Systematic Update

Tirzepatide is a new molecule capable of controlling glucose blood levels by combining the dual agonism of Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide (GIP) and Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors. GIP and GLP1 are incretin hormones: they are released in the intestine in response to nutrient intake and stimulate pancreatic beta cell activity secreting insulin. GIP and GLP1 also have other metabolic functions. GLP1, in particular, reduces food intake and delays gastric emptying. Moreover, Tirzepatide has been shown to improve blood pressure and to reduce Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides. Tirzepatide efficacy and safety were assessed in a phase III SURPASS 1–5 clinical trial program. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration approved Tirzepatide subcutaneous injections as monotherapy or combination therapy, with diet and physical exercise, to achieve better glycemic blood levels in patients with diabetes. Other clinical trials are currently underway to evaluate its use in other diseases. The scientific interest toward this novel, first-in-class medication is rapidly increasing. In this comprehensive and systematic review, we summarize the main results of the clinical trials investigating Tirzepatide and the currently available meta-analyses, emphasizing novel insights into its adoption in clinical practice for diabetes and its future potential applications in cardiovascular medicine.     

Novel hole-transporting carbazole main chain oligomer and its model glass-forming compound

Summary The oligomer containing 9-[2-(9H-carbazo1-9-yl)cyclobutyl]-9H-carbazole moiety in the main chain and its model compound were synthesized by Wittig reaction. Both compounds form glasses with glass transition temperatures of 254°C and 135°C respectively. The optical and photoelectrical properlies of the compounds were studied. The hole drift mobilities observed in the film of the oligoiner by the time of flight technique were in the range of 2·10⁻⁶ – 7·10⁻⁶ cm²/(V·s) at an applied electric field ranging from 5·8.10⁴ to 2·7.10⁵ V/cm. Rcceivcd: 3 April 2002/Revised version: 16 July 2002/ Accepted: 5 August 2002 Correspondence to Juozas V. Grazulevicius e-mail: juogra@ctf.ktu.lt. Tel/Fax: +37 07 456525     

Indole and phenylenediamine based enamines as amorphous hole-transporting materials

New aromatic enamines were synthesized by condensation of the commercially available N-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine, indole or 2-methylindole with 2,2-diphenylacetaldehyde or 2-phenylpropionaldehyde. Twin derivatives of the 2-methylindole-based enamine were prepared. The materials were examined by various techniques including differential scanning calorimetry, UV spectrometry, electron photoemission and time of flight techniques. The electron photoemission spectra of layers of the amorphous materials showed the ionization potentials of 5.26–5.6 eV. Hole drift mobilities in the layers range from 4.7 × 10^?6 to 10^?4 cm²/(V s). Some of the materials were tested as hole-transporting layers in light emitting diodes with Alq₃ as the electroluminescent/electron transport layer. The device containing indole-based enamine exhibited the best overall performance with a turn-on voltage of 3 V, maximum brightness of about 3500 cd/m² and luminance efficiency of 1.62 lm/W.     

Phenyl-, carbazolyl- and fluorenyl-substituted derivatives of indolo[3,2-b]carbazole as hole-transporting glass forming materials

A series of new derivatives of indolo[3,2-b]carbazole containing phenyl, fluorenyl and carbazolyl substituents at the nitrogen atoms were synthesized by Ullmann coupling of 6-pentyl-5,11-dihydroindolo[3,2-b]carbazole with the different aryl halogenides. The optical, photophysical, photoelectrical and thermal properties of the materials obtained were studied. All the synthesized compounds can be transformed into the amorphous phase with the glass transition temperatures ranging from 0 to 154 °C. The ionization potentials of the newly synthesized derivatives of indolo[3,2-b]carbazole are in the range of 5.22–5.48 eV. The lowest energy absorption edges and the lowest ionization potentials were observed for carbazolyl-substituted derivatives. Charge transport properties of the synthesized materials were estimated by the time-of-flight technique. The highest hole drift mobilities were observed for the fluorenyl-substituted derivative. For the molecular glass of 5,11-bis(9,9-dibutyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)-6-pentyl-5,11-dihydroindolo[3,2-b]carbazole they exceed 10^?3 cm²/V s at an electric field of 3.6 × 10⁵ V/cm.     

Synthesis and properties of poly(3,9-carbazole) and low-molar-mass glass-forming carbazole compounds

The novel π-conjugated polymer poly(3,9-carbazole) was prepared by Ullmann polycondensation reaction of 3-iodo-9H-carbazole. The polymer has a number-average molecular weight of ca. 2400 with a molecular weight distribution of 2.15. The dimer model compound and the carbazole trimer 3,6-di(carbazolyl)alkylcarbazole have been synthesized by stepwise reactions. All these compounds have been found to form glasses with glass transition temperatures in the range 35-157 °C as characterized by differential scanning calorimetry. The ionization potentials of these compounds range from 5.45 to 5.97 as determined by the electron photoemission method. Time of flight experiment showed that hole drift mobilities of the low-molar-mass glasses were in the range 10⁻⁵-10⁻³ cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹.     

The effect of two kinds of T-shirts on physiological and psychological thermal responses during exercise and recovery

The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological and psychological responses during and after high-intensity exercise in a warm and humid environment in subjects wearing shirts of different fabrics. Eight healthy men exercised on two separate occasions, in random order, wearing two types of long-sleeve T-shirt: one made of polyester (PES) and the other of cotton fabric (CT). They performed three 20 min exercise bouts, with 5 min rest between each, and then rested in a chair for 60 min to recover. The ambient temperature was 25 °C and relative humidity was 60%. The exercise comprised of treadmill running at 8 km/h at 1° grade. Rectal temperature, skin temperatures at eight sites, heart rate, T-shirt mass and ratings of thermal, clothing wettedness, and shivering/sweating sensation were measured before the experiment, during the 5 min rest period after each exercise bout, and during recovery. Nude body mass was measured before the experiment and during recovery. The physiological stress index showed that the exercise produced a state of very high heat stress. Compared with exercise wearing the CT shirt, exercise wearing the PES fabric produced a greater sweating efficiency and less clothing regain (i.e., less sweat retention), but thermophysiological and subjective sensations during the intermittent high-intensity exercise were similar for both fabrics. However, skin temperature returned to the pre-exercise level faster, and the thermal and rating of shivering/sweating sensation were lower after exercise in the warm and humid environment in subjects wearing PES than when wearing the more traditional CT fabric.     

Ion beam energy effects on structure and properties of diamond like carbon films deposited by closed drift ion source

In the present study DLC films deposited from acetylene gas by a closed drift ion source were investigated. Ion beam energy effects on structure as well as optical and electrical properties of the synthesized films were studied. Non-monotonic dependence of structure of the DLC films on ion beam energy was observed. The highest sp³/sp² ratio as well as highest optical transparency was observed in the case of the films synthesized by 500 eV energy ion beam. However, the bandgap of the DLC films synthesized by 500 eV energy ion beam was the lowest between all investigated samples, while resistivity non-monotonically decreased with increase of the ion beam energy. These results were explained by changes of the sp³/sp² ratio, structure of sp² bonded clusters as well as hydrogen content in the film due to the competition between the increased (decreased) ion beam energy and decreased (increased) ion/neutral ratio.