O público e o privado nas universidades públicas: análise da fundação de apoio privada FADESP no gerenciamento dos recursos para a UFPA (2004 a 2008)

Este estudo tem como objetivo central analisar a parceria entre o público e o privado, estabelecida entre as universidades federais e as fundações de apoio privadas (FAP), no gerenciamento de recursos para a instituição apoiada, tendo como caso a relação entre a Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA) e a Fundação de Amparo e Desenvolvimento da Pesquisa (FADESP), no período de 2004 a 2008, analisadas a partir dos relatórios de prestação de contas e documentos institucionais. Para compreender a realidade como resultado de processos históricos das relações humanas, partiu-se da premissa de que o esgotamento do modelo de gestão das universidades públicas no Brasil, financiadas exclusivamente com recursos do erário, acentuou-se a partir da década de 1990 com a Reforma do Estado no governo de Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Com a materialização das políticas de diminuição de recursos públicos introduziu a perspectiva de busca de vias alternativas de receitas para uma aparente manutenção das instituições públicas por entidades privadas como as FAP, políticas continuadas pelo governo de Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. O estudo apontou que, apesar da introdução da lógica de mercado e da naturalização da parceria com o privado no interior das Instituições Federais de Ensino Superior (IFES), a relação entre público e privado é sustentada, essencialmente, com recursos públicos. Isso se reflete na expansão no número de FAP credenciadas junto às universidades federais, multiplicando-se em mais de 154% nos últimos 10 anos. Das 55 universidades públicas federais do Brasil, apenas cinco não possuem FAP credenciada, e as restantes apresentam 85 FAP gerenciando seus recursos. No caso da FADESP, no gerenciamento de recursos para a UFPA, abstraiu-se que: a) A FADESP atua há mais de 30 anos no interior da universidade e, embora seus relatórios de prestação de conta sejam apresentados de forma pública no conselho superior, isso se deu somente a partir de 2004 pela exigência do Decreto n° 5.204; b) Há ausência de observância da prestação de contas anual estabelecida pelo marco regulatório das FAP e o regimento da UFPA; c) Os Relatórios de Atividades são organizados diferentemente a cada ano, dificultando a compreensão dos mesmos por parte dos conselheiros da UFPA; d) A fundação apresenta no período investigado (2004-2008) um crescimento de 532,1% no volume de recursos gerenciados; e) Do total de recursos gerenciados pela fundação, em 2008, 94% representam recursos captados pela UFPA, especialmente por professores-pesquisadores, evidenciando uma nova identidade para a universidade pública, como produtora de conhecimento para valorização do capital, na qual a FAP é intermediadora dos processos administrativo-financeiros; t) O apoio real prestado pela fundação à UFPA, através da criação do Programa de Apoio (PROAP), é irrisório considerando o superávit da fundação que, em 2008, ultrapassou um milhão de reais; g) A FADESP atua com entendimento equivocado de Desenvolvimento Institucional, associando este como uma forma de prestação de serviço a outras instituições públicas e privadas, o que desvirtua a observância do marco regulatório das FAP e, por conseguinte, a missão institucional da UFPA.

Lateral interactions in visual perception of temporal signals: cortical and subcortical components

The aim of this work was to isolate and investigate subcortical and cortical lateral interactions involved in flicker perception. We quantified the perceived flicker strength (PFS) in the center of a test stimulus which was simultaneously modulated with a surround stimulus (50% Michelson contrast in both stimuli). Subjects were requested to adjust the modulation depth of a separate matching stimulus that was physically identical to the center of the test stimulus but without the surround. Using LCD goggles, synchronized to the frame rate of a CRT screen, the center and surround could be presented monoptically or dichoptically. In the monoptic condition, center-surround interactions can have both subcortical and cortical origins. In the dichoptic condition, center-surround interactions cannot occur in the retina and the LGN, therefore isolating a cortical mechanism. Results revealed both a strong monoptic (subcortical plus cortical) lateral interaction and a weaker dichoptic (cortical) lateral interaction. Subtraction of the dichoptic from the monoptic data revealed a subcortical mechanism of the lateral interaction. While the modulation of the cortical PFS component showed a low-pass temporal-frequency tuning, the modulation of the subcortical PFS component was maximal at 6 Hz. These findings are consistent with two separate temporal channels influencing the monoptic PFS, each with distinct lateral interactions strength and frequency tuning characteristics. We conclude that both subcortical and cortical lateral interactions modulate flicker perception.

Myxidium volitans sp. nov., a parasite of the gallbladder of the fish, Dactylopterus volitans (Teleostei: Triglidae) from the Brazilian Atlantic coast: morphology and pathology

Myxidium volitans sp. nov. (Myxozoa: Myxidiidae) parasitizing the hypertrophied green-brownish gallbladder of the teleost Dactylopterus volitans, collected in the Atlantic coast near Niterói, Brazil was described based on ultrastructural studies. The spores were fusiform, sometimes slightly crescent-shaped on average 21.7 ± 0.3 µm (mean ± standard deviation) (n = 50) long and 5.6 ± 0.4 µm (n = 30) wide. The spore wall was thin and smooth, comprising two equally-sized valves joined by a hardly visible sutural ridge. Spores containing two pyriform polar capsules (PC) (5.0 ± 0.4 × 2.3 ± 0.3 µm) (n = 30) are situated in each extremity of the spore. The PC wall was composed of hyaline layer (0.20-0.29 µm thick) and by a thin external granular layer. Each PC contains a polar filament (PF) with irregular arrangements that was projected from its apical region to the bases of PC and coiled laterally from bases to the tip of PC. Some regular striations and S-like structures in the periphery of the PFs with four-five irregular sections were observed. Based on the spore morphology, ultrastructural differences and the specificity of the host we describe this parasite as a new myxosporidian, named M. volitans sp. nov.

Avaliação das práticas e conhecimentos de profissionais da atenção primária à saúde sobre vigilância do desenvolvimento infantil

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar os conhecimentos e práticas relacionados à vigilância do desenvolvimento da criança de 160 profissionais que atuam na atenção primária à saúde, no Município de Belém, Pará. Foram selecionados 40 médicos e 40 enfermeiros de Unidades Municipais de Saúde (UMS), e 40 médicos e 40 enfermeiros do Programa da Família Saudável (PFS). Na avaliação dos conhecimentos por meio da aplicação de teste objetivo, o percentual de acerto foi de 63,7% para médicos das UMSs, 57,3% para médicos do PFS, 62,1% para os enfermeiros do PFS e 54,3% para enfermeiros das UMSs. Na avaliação das práticas, apenas 21,8% das mães informaram que foram indagadas sobre o desenvolvimento dos seus filhos, 27,6% que o profissional perguntou ou observou o desenvolvimento da sua criança e 14,4% que receberam orientação sobre como estimulá-las. Concluímos que médicos e enfermeiros da atenção primária no Município de Belém apresentam deficiências nos conhecimentos sobre desenvolvimento infantil e que a vigilância do desenvolvimento não é realizada de forma satisfatória, sendo necessárias sensibilização e capacitação dos profissionais para esta prática.

Características e distribuição das descargas atmosféricas e dos sistemas precipitantes produtores de raios na Amazônia Oriental

Este trabalho analisou 10 anos de distribuição espacial e temporal dos raios, dos sistemas precipitantes e suas características, como refletividade, temperatura de brilho e altura dos sistemas precipitantes amostrados pelo satélite Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) através dos sensores Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS), Precipitation Radar (PR) e TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI). Estes dados foram organizados e armazenados pelo grupo de pesquisa da convecção tropical da University of Utah no período de dezembro de 1997 a fevereiro de 2009. Também foram analisados dados de focos de queimadas detectadas pelo Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), no período de 1998 a 2008. Foi selecionada uma área delimitada entre 60ºW a 45ºW de longitude e 10ºS a 5ºN de latitude, a qual, posteriormente, foi dividida em nove sub-áreas para um melhor detalhamento dasinformações. Para verificar a possível influência das queimadas no número de raios, selecionaram-se oito áreas, sendo 4 com o maior número de focos de queimadas e 4 com o menor número de focos de queimadas. Os sistemas precipitantes foram classificados seguindo a metodologia de Nesbitt et. al. 2000 e obedecendo a nova definição dos dados realizado por Liu (2007). Os sistemas precipitantes amostrados pelo satélite TRMM utilizados neste trabalho são denominados ALLPFS e são definidos como aqueles que apresentam pixel de chuva estimado pelo algoritmo 2A25. Estes são classificados em PFS e OTHPFS, que respectivamente, são aqueles que apresentam e não apresentam informação de temperatura de brilho. Os PFS são sub-classificados em sistemas sem assinatura de gelo (NOICE), com assinatura de gelo (WICE) e sistemas convectivos de mesoescala (MCS), sendo que os sistemas mais intensos, dentre estes últimos, são sistemas que recebem a denominação de IMCS. Os resultados mostram que as regiões do sul do Estado do Pará, município de Belém e Ilha do Marajó foram as que apresentaram as maiores ocorrências de raios na Amazônia Oriental, com valores superiores a 20 a 35 raios/km^²/ano. Os NOICEs foram os sistemas mais frequentes em todas as regiões e os sistemas precipitantes da categoria WICE e MCS são aqueles que mais contribuem com a produção de raios sobre essas regiões. Os sistemas eletrificados apresentam grande contribuição no volume de chuva estimada sobre as áreas CENTRO e SUL, com percentuais superiores a 50% nas áreas SUL. A variação mensal dos raios na área de estudo mostrou que as maiores ocorrências de raios sobre o município de Belém são nos meses de janeiro a junho, com um pico no mês de janeiro. As maiores ocorrências no setor SUL da Amazônia Oriental concentram-se nos meses de setembro a dezembro. Nas análises sobre a interação entre os raios e as queimadas não se observou coerência, dentro das áreas de maior número de queimadas, na correlação mensal entre os raios e as queimadas, evidenciando que, apesar do grande número de queimadas observado sobre essas áreas, outros fatores interferem na produção de raios.

Folículos ovarianos pré-antrais bovinos: cultivo in vitro e xenotransplante

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Topical Application of Retinyl Palmitate-Loaded Nanotechnology-Based Drug Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Skin Aging

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Sorafenib in Combination With Capecitabine: An Oral Regimen for Patients With HER2-Negative Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer

Purpose Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor with antiangiogenic/antiproliferative activity. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase IIB trial assessed sorafenib with capecitabine for locally advanced or metastatic human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) -negative breast cancer. Patients and Methods Patients were randomly assigned to first-or second-line capecitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) orally twice a day for days 1 to 14 of every 21-day cycle with sorafenib 400 mg orally twice a day or placebo. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Results In total, 229 patients were enrolled. The addition of sorafenib to capecitabine resulted in a significant improvement in PFS versus placebo (median, 6.4 v 4.1 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.58; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.81; P = .001) with sorafenib favored across subgroups, including first-line (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.82) and second-line (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.41 to 1.04) treatment. There was no significant improvement for overall survival (median, 22.2 v 20.9 months; HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.61 to 1.23; P = .42) and overall response (38% v 31%; P = .25). Toxicities (sorafenib v placebo) of any grade included rash (22% v 8%), diarrhea (58% v 30%), mucosal inflammation (33% v 21%), neutropenia (13% v 4%), hypertension (18% v 12%), and hand-foot skin reaction/hand-foot syndrome (HFSR/HFS; 90% v 66%); grade 3 to 4 toxicities were comparable between treatment arms except HFSR/HFS (44% v 14%). Reasons for discontinuation in the sorafenib and placebo arms included disease progression (63% v 82%, respectively), adverse events (20% v 9%, respectively), and death (0% v 1%, respectively). Conclusion Addition of sorafenib to capecitabine improved PFS in patients with HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. The dose of sorafenib used in this trial resulted in unacceptable toxicity for many patients. A phase III confirmatory trial has been initiated with a reduced sorafenib dose.

Thalidomide plus dexamethasone as a maintenance therapy after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation improves progression-free survival in multiple myeloma

Despite the good response of stem cell transplant (SCT) in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), most patients relapse or do not achieve complete remission, suggesting that additional treatment is needed. We assessed the impact of thalidomide in maintenance after SCT in untreated patients with MM. A hundred and eight patients (<70 years old) were randomized to receive maintenance with dexamethasone (arm A; n = 52) or dexamethasone with thalidomide (arm B; n = 56; 200 mg daily) for 12 months or until disease progression. After a median follow-up of 27 months, an intention to treat analysis showed a 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) of 30% in arm A (95% CI 2238) and 64% in arm B (95% CI 5771; P = 0.002), with median PFS of 19 months and 36 months, respectively. In patients who did not achieve at least a very good partial response, the PFS at 2 years was significantly higher when in use of thalidomide (19 vs. 59%; P = 0.002). Overall survival at 2 years was not significantly improved (70 vs. 85% in arm A and arm B, respectively; P = 0.27). The addition of thalidomide to dexamethasone as maintenance improved the PFS mainly in patients who did not respond to treatment after SCT. Am. J. Hematol. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cediranib Plus FOLFOX/CAPOX Versus Placebo Plus FOLFOX/CAPOX in Patients With Previously Untreated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase III Study (HORIZON II)

Purpose Cediranib is a highly potent inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling with activity against all three VEGF receptors. HORIZON II [Cediranib (AZD2171, RECENTIN) in Addition to Chemotherapy Versus Placebo Plus Chemotherapy in Patients With Untreated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer] assessed infusional fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin/capecitabine and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX/CAPOX) with or without cediranib in patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Patients and Methods Eligible patients were initially randomly assigned 1:1:1 to receive cediranib (20 or 30 mg per day) or placebo plus FOLFOX/CAPOX. In an early analysis of this and two other cediranib studies (HORIZON I [Cediranib Plus FOLFOX6 Versus Bevacizumab Plus FOLFOX6 in Patients With Previously Treated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer] and HORIZON III [Cediranib Plus FOLFOX6 Versus Bevacizumab Plus FOLFOX6 in Patients With Untreated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer]), the 20-mg dose met the predefined criteria for continuation. Subsequent patients were randomly assigned 2: 1 to the cediranib 20 mg or placebo arms. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were coprimary end points. Results In all, 860 patients received cediranib 20 mg (n = 502) or placebo (n = 358). The addition of cediranib to FOLFOX/CAPOX resulted in PFS prolongation (hazard ratio [HR], 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.98; P = .0121; median PFS, 8.6 months for cediranib v 8.3 months for placebo) but had no impact on OS (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.79 to 1.12; P = .5707; median OS, 19.7 months for cediranib v 18.9 months for placebo). There were no significant differences in the secondary end points of objective response rate, duration of response, or liver resection rate. Median chemotherapy dose-intensity was decreased by approximately 10% in patients treated with cediranib. Adverse events (AEs) associated with cediranib were manageable. Conclusion Addition of cediranib 20 mg to FOLFOX/CAPOX resulted in a modest PFS prolongation, but no significant difference in OS. The cediranib AE profile was consistent with those from previous studies. Because of the lack of improvement in OS, cediranib plus an oxaliplatin-based regimen cannot be recommended as a treatment for patients with mCRC. J Clin Oncol 30:3596-3603. (C) 2012 by American Society of Clinical Oncology

Magnetic fabric of Araguainha complex impact structure (Central Brazil): Implications for deformation mechanisms and central uplift formation

The weakening mechanisms involved in the collapse of complex impact craters are controversial. The Araguainha impact crater, in Brazil, exposes a complex structure of 40 km in diameter, and is an excellent object to address this issue. Its core is dominated by granite. In addition to microstructural observations, magnetic studies reveal its internal fabric acquired during the collapse phase. All granite samples exhibit impact-related planar deformation features (PDFs) and planar fractures (PFs), which were overprinted by cataclasis. Cataclastic deformation has evolved from incipient brittle fracturing to the development of discrete shear bands in the center of the structure. Fracture planes are systematically decorated by tiny grains (<10 mu m) of magnetite and hematite, and the orientation of magnetic lineation and magnetic foliation obtained by the anisotropies of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) and anhysteretic remanence (AAR) are perfectly coaxial in all studied sites. Therefore, we could track the orientation of deformation features which are decorated by iron oxides using the AMS and AAR. The magnetic fabrics show a regular pattern at the borders of the central peak, with orientations consistent with the fabric of sediments at the crater's inner collar and complex in the center of the structure. Both the cataclastic flow revealed from microstructural observations and the structural pattern of the magnetic anisotropy match the predictions from numerical models of complex impact structures. The widespread occurrence of cataclasis in the central peak, and its orientations revealed by magnetic studies indicate that acoustic fluidization likely operates at all scales, including the mineral scales. The cataclastic flow made possible by acoustic fluidization results in an apparent plastic deformation at the macroscopic scale in the core. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Review of the efficacy of green tea, isoflavones and aloe vera supplements based on randomised controlled trials

We assess the evidence for health benefits of three commonly consumed plant food supplements (PFS), green tea, isoflavone and aloe vera, based on published systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Whilst the potential benefits of green tea have been reported in a wide range of health areas, it is only in the area of the metabolic syndrome that the number of RCTs is approaching sufficient to judge such efficacy. Isoflavone supplements are widely used, and RCTs indicate that they affect bone resorption at lower doses in postmenopausal women undergoing estrogen-related bone loss, but this is only translated to attenuation of bone loss at higher doses of isoflavones A systematic review on RCTs concluded that the effects of isoflavones

Overweight and obesity in relation to socio-economic status, tobacco smoking and plant food supplements usage

Programa de doctorado: Salud Pública (Epidemiología, Planificación y Nutrición)

Studio di marcatori biologici prognostici nel linfoma di Hodgkin

Recent reports showed that early-interim PET-scan is the only tool predicting treatment outcome in advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (asCHL). We evaluated the prognostic impact of a series of immunohistochemical markers, mentioned in literature as prognostic factors, on tissue microarrays assembled from biopsies of 220 patients: STAT1, SAP, TOP2A, PCNA and CD20, both in neoplastic (HRSC) and microenvironment cells (MC); RRM2, MAD2, CDC2, BCL2, P53, BCL11A and EBER in HRSC; ALDH1A1, TIA-1, granzyme B, perforin, FOXP3, and PD-1 in MC. All patients had been treated with standard ABVD ± Rx therapy. Interim-PET after 2 ABVD courses was evaluated according to the criteria indicated by Gallamini in his study (Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2007). The survival analysis has been performed in a subset of 138 patients whose complete clinical information were available: the mean age was 33.3 years (14-79), the stage III-IVB in 98 and IIB in 40, and the mean follow-up 38.1 months (7.6-71.9). Histopathology review showed: NS-I 75, NS-II 22, MC 20, DL 3, and CHL/nos 18 cases. Interim-PET was positive in 30 patients, while treatment failure was recorded in 32. In univariate analysis the factors related to treatment outcome were BCL2 on HRSC (cut-off value 50%), STAT1/SAP on MC, and PET (Log-rank 6.9, 7.9 and 93.9 respectively). The combined expression of STAT1 and SAP was scored in three levels depending on the architectural pattern: score 0 for expression of both with a diffuse/rosetting pattern; score 1 for discordant combination of diffuse/rosetting and scattered patterns; score 2 for both markers with a scattered pattern; the 3y-PFS were 87.4%, 69.9% and 61.9% respectively. In multivariate analysis PET, BCL2 and STAT1/SAP remained significant (HR: 24.8, 4.6, 7.5 and 5.6, respectively; p<.01). The proposed model is able to predict treatment response in AsCHL, even if with a lower efficacy than PET. However, unlike PET, it can be applied upfront therapy.

Liquid crystalline oligofluorenes and their derivatives

Homo-oligofluorenes (OFn), polyfluorenes (PF2/6) and oligofluorenes with one fluorenenone group in the center (OFnK) were synthesized. They were used as model compounds to understand of the structure-property relationships of polyfluorenes and the origin of the green emission in the photoluminescence (after photooxidation of the PFs) and the electroluminescence (EL) spectra. The electronic, electrochemical properties, thermal behavior, supramolecular self-assembly, and photophysical properties of OFn, PF2/6 and OFnK were investigated. Oligofluorenes with 2-ethylhexyl side chain (OF2-OF7) from the dimer up to the heptamer were prepared by a series of stepwise transition metal mediated Suzuki and Yamamoto coupling reactions. Polyfluorene was synthesized by Yamamoto coupling of 2,7-dibromo-9,9-bis(2-ethylhexyl)fluorene. Oligofluorenes with one fluorenone group in the center (OF3K, OF5K, OF7K) were prepared by Suzuki coupling between the monoboronic fluorenyl monomer, dimer, trimer and 2, 7-dibromofluorenone. The electrochemical and electronic properties of homo-oligofluorenes (OFn) were systematically studied by several combined techniques such as cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, steady and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. It was found that the oligofluorenes behave like classical conjugated oligomers, i.e., with the increase of the chain-length, the corresponding oxidation potential, the absorption and emission maximum, ionization potential, electron affinity, band gap and the photoluminescence lifetime displayed a very good linear relation with the reciprocal number of the fluorene units (1/n). The extrapolation of these linear relations to infinite chain length predicted the electrochemical and electronic properties of the corresponding polyfluorenes. The thermal behavior, single-crystal structure and supramolecular packing, alignment properties, and molecular dynamics of the homo-oligofluorenes (OFn) up to the polymer were studied using techniques such as TGA, DSC, WAXS, POM and DS. The OFn from tetramer to heptamer show a smectic liquid crystalline phase with clearly defined isotropization temperature. The oligomers do show a glass transition which exhibits n-1 dependence and allows extrapolation to a hypothetical glass transition of the polymer at around 64 °C. A smectic packing and helix-like conformation for the oligofluorenes from tetramer to heptamer was supported by WAXS experiments, simulation, and single-crystal structure of some oligofluorene derivatives. Oligofluorenes were aligned more easily than the corresponding polymer, and the alignability increased with the molecular length from tetramer to heptamer. The molecular dynamics in a series of oligofluorenes up to the polymer was studied using dielectric spectroscopy. The photophysical properties of OFn and PF2/6 were investigated by the steady-state spectra (UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectra) and time-resolved fluorescence spectra both in solution and thin film. The time-resolved fluorescence spectra of the oligofluorenes were measured by streak camera and gate detection technique. The lifetime of the oligofluorenes decreased with the extension of the chain-length. No green emission was observed in CW, prompt and delayed fluorescence for oligofluorenes in m-THF and film at RT and 77K. Phosphorescence was observed for oligofluorenes in frozen dilute m-THF solution at 77K and its lifetime increased with length of oligofluorenes. A linear relation was obtained for triplet energy and singlet energy as a function of the reciprocal degree of polymerization, and the singlet-triplet energy gap (S1-T1) was found to decrease with the increase of degree of polymerization. Oligofluorenes with one fluorenone unit at the center were used as model compounds to understand the origin of the low-energy (“green”) emission band in the photoluminescence and electroluminescence spectra of polyfluorenes. Their electrochemical properties were investigated by CV, and the ionization potential (Ip) and electron affinity (Ea) were calculated from the onset of oxidation and reduction of OFnK. The photophysical properties of OFnK were studied in dilute solution and thin film by steady-state spectra and time-resolved fluorescence spectra. A strong green emission accompanied with a weak blue emission were obtained in solution and only green emission was observed on film. The strong green emission of OFnK suggested that rapid energy transfer takes place from higher energy sites (fluorene segments) to lower energy sites (fluorenone unit) prior to the radiative decay of the excited species. The fluorescence spectra of OFnK also showed solvatochromism. Monoexponential decay behaviour was observed by time-resolved fluorescence measurements. In addition, the site-selective excitation and concentration dependence of the fluorescence spectra were investigated. The ratio of green and blue emission band intensities increases with the increase of the concentration. The observed strong concentration dependence of the green emission band in solution suggests that increased interchain interactions among the fluorenone-containing oligofluorene chain enhanced the emission from the fluorenone defects at higher concentration. On the other hand, the mono-exponential decay behaviour and power dependence were not influenced significantly by the concentration. We have ruled out the possibility that the green emission band originates from aggregates or excimer formation. Energy transfer was further investigated using a model system of a polyfluorene doped by OFnK. Förster-type energy transfer took place from PF2/6 to OFnK, and the energy transfer efficiency increased with increasing of the concentration of OFnK. Efficient funneling of excitation energy from the high-energy fluorene segments to the low-energy fluorenone defects results from energy migration by hopping of excitations along a single polymer chain until they are trapped on the fluorenone defects on that chain or transferred onto neighbouring chains by Förster-type interchain energy transfer process. These results imply that the red-shifted emission in polyfluorenes can originate from (usually undesirable) keto groups at the bridging carbon atoms-especially if the samples have been subject to photo- or electro-oxidation or if fluorenone units are present due to an improper purification of the monomers prior to polymerization.