Hot-Carrier Cooling Regulation for Mixed Sn-Pb Perovskite Solar Cells

The rapid relaxation of hot carriers leads to energy loss in the form of heat and consequently restricts the theoretical efficiency of single-junction solar cells; However, this issue has not received much attention in tin-lead perovskites solar cells. Herein, tin(II) oxalate (SnC2O4) is introduced into tin-lead perovskite precursor solution to regulate hot-carrier cooling dynamics. The addition of SnC2O4 increases the length of carrier diffusion, extends the lifetime of carriers, and simultaneously slows down the cooling rate of carriers. Furthermore, SnC2O4 can bond with uncoordinated Sn2+ and Pb2+ ions to regulate the crystallization of perovskite and enable large grains. The strongly reducing properties of the C2O4 2- can inhibit the oxidation of Sn2+ to Sn4+ and minimize the formation of Sn vacancies in the resulting perovskite films. Additionally, as a substitute for tin(II) fluoride, the introduction of SnC2O4 avoids the carrier transport issues caused by the aggregation of F- ions at the interface. As a result, the SnC2O4-treated Sn-Pb cells show a champion efficiency of 23.36%, as well as 27.56% for the all-perovskite tandem solar cells. Moreover, the SnC2O4-treated devices show excellent long-term stability. This finding is expected to pave the way toward stable and highly efficient all-perovskite tandem solar cells.

Evidence of 3D Topological-Domain Dynamics in KTN:Li Polarization-Supercrystal Formation

We experimentally and theoretically investigate thermal domain evolution in near-transition KTN:Li. Results allow us to establish how polarization supercrystals form, a hidden 3D topological phase composed of hypervortex defects. These are the result of six converging polarization vortices, each associated to one orientation of the 3D broken inversion symmetry. We also identify rescaling soliton lattices and domain patterns that replicate on different scales. Findings shed light on volume domain self-organization into closed-flux patterns and open up new scenarios for topologically protected noise-resistant ferroelectric memory bits.

Solid-state fermentation produces greater stearidonic acid levels in genetically engineered Mucor circinelloides

Omega-3 (ω-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are important dietary components due to their health benefits and preventative role in cardiovascular disease. Fish-based and plant seed oils are rich in stearidonic acid (SDA; 18:4 n-3) which are readily metabolized into ω-3 PUFAs such as eicosapentaenoic acid. However, these natural sources of SDA are generally low yielding and are unlikely to meet global demands, so new sustainable microbial fermentative sources of SDA need to be identified. Expression of delta15-desaturase in the oleaginous filamentous fungus Mucor circinelloides (McD15D) has been used to construct a recombinant SDA-producing McD15D strain that produces 5.0% SDA levels using submerged fermentation conditions. Switching to solid-state fermentation conditions in the same medium with submerged fermentation resulted in this engineered strain producing significantly higher amounts of SDA. A Box-Behnken design (BBD) of response surface methodology (RSM) approach has been used to identify optimal glucose and ammonium tartrate concentrations and temperature levels to maximize SDA production. The use of these optimal solid-state fermentation conditions resulted in the spores and mycelium of the recombinant McD15D producing 19.5% (0.64 mg g^-1 ) and 12.2% (1.52 mg g^-1 ) SDA content respectively, which represents an overall increase in SDA yield of 188.0% when compared to SDA yields produced using submerged fermentation conditions.

Homologous Overexpression of Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase in Oleaginous Fungus Mucor circinelloides WJ11 Enhances Lipid Accumulation under Static Solid Cultivation

Diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) catalyzes the binding of acyl-CoA to diacylglycerol to form triacylglycerol (TAG). Previous studies strongly indicate that DGAT2, rather than DGAT1, is crucial for TAG accumulation in the oleaginous fungus Mucor circinelloides. To increase the lipid content of M. circinelloides WJ11, McDGAT2 was overexpressed by homologous recombination; compared to the control strain Mc2075, transformants McDGAT2d showed a significant increase in biomass for both spores and mycelia (from 87.7 to 101.2 mg/g in spores and from 75.6 to 93.1 mg/g in mycelia). McDGAT2 overexpression under static solid fermentation gave a greater boost to lipid accumulation in mycelia than in spores. Total fatty acid content in mycelia increased by 68.0% (from 13.6 to 22.8%) and in spores by 26.3% (from 10.6 to 13.4%). However, under submerged fermentation, the lipid content of McDGAT2d was the same as the control, while biomass was slightly reduced. Transcriptomics showed that NADPH was derived mainly from the pentose phosphate pathway, acetyl-CoA was from multiple pathways, and leucine metabolism played an important role in substrate supply for fatty acid biosynthesis. Static solid fermentation may be the more suitable fermentation method for microbial oil production by filamentous fungi due to its lower fermentation costs.

Intense Wave Formation from Multiple Soliton Fusion and the Role of Extra Dimensions

We experimentally and numerically explore the role of dimensionality in multiple (three or more) soliton fusion supported by nonreciprocal energy exchange. Three-soliton fusion into an intense wave is found when an extra dimension, with no broken inversion symmetry, is involved. The phenomenon is observed for 2+1D spatial waves in photorefractive crystals, where solitons are supported by a spatially local saturated Kerr-like self-focusing and fusion is driven by the leading nonlocal correction, the spatial analog of the nonlinear Raman effect.

Evidence of Chaotic Dynamics in Three-Soliton Collisions

We observe chaotic optical wave dynamics characterized by erratic energy transfer and soliton annihilation and creation in the aftermath of a three-soliton collision in a photorefractive crystal. Irregular dynamics are found to be mediated by the nonlinear Raman effect, a coherent interaction that leads to nonreciprocal soliton energy exchange. Results extend the analogy between solitons and particles to the emergence of chaos in three-body physics and provide new insight into the origin of the irregular dynamics that accompany extreme and rogue waves.

Direct Observation of Fractal-Dimensional Percolation in the 3D Cluster Dynamics of a Ferroelectric Supercrystal

We perform percolation analysis of crossed-polarizer transmission images in a biased nanodisordered bulk KTN:Li perovskite. Two distinct percolative transitions are identified at two electric field thresholds. The low-field transition involves a directional fractal chain of dimension D=1.65, while the high-field transition has a dimension D>2. Direct cluster imaging in the volume is achieved using high-resolution orthographic 3D projections based on giant refraction. Percolation is attributed to a full-3D domain reorientation that mediates the transition from a ferroelectric supercrystal state to a disordered domain mosaic.

Soliton Maxwell demons and long-tailed statistics in fluctuating optical fields

We demonstrate experimentally in biased photorefractive crystals that collisions between random-amplitude optical spatial solitons produce long-tailed statistics from input Gaussian fluctuations. The effect is mediated by Raman nonlocal corrections to Kerr self-focusing that turn soliton-soliton interaction into a Maxwell demon for the output wave amplitude.

TTK contributes to tumor growth and metastasis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma by inducing cell proliferation and invasion

The aim of this study was to determine the expression levels of TTK in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tissues and its possible link with the clinical pathologic characteristics and the prognosis of patients suffering this disease, and to further explore the potential role of TTK in the progression of ccRCC. Immunohistochemical (IHC) assays were performed to detect the expression levels of TTK in 112 samples of ccRCC tissues and corresponding non-tumor tissues. According to the results of IHC assays, patients were divided into TTK high expression and low expression group. Clinical analysis related to the clinical features (age, gender, T stage), and the potential link between TTK expression levels and clinical features were analyzed. In addition, the effects of TTK on the proliferation and invasion of ccRCC cells were detected through colony formation assay and transwell assays, respectively. The possible effects of TTK on tumor growth and metastasis were measured in mice. We found a high expression level of TTK in human ccRCC tissues from patients who received surgical treatment. We also found its expression level was obviously associated with clinical characteristics, such as T stage (p=0.008) and lymphatic metastasis (p=0.023). We further confirmed that knockdown of TTK suppressed cell proliferation and invasion in 2 types of ccRCC cells, HTB-47 and CRL-1932 cells. Furthermore, TTK contributes to tumor growth and metastasis of ccRCC in mice. We found that TTK affected the progression of ccRCC and further mechanically confirmed it could be a novel therapeutic target for ccRCC treatment.

Differential expression and analysis of target regulation of microRNAs in alcohol-dependent rats

This study analyzed the differential expression of miRNAs related to alcohol dependence in rats undergoing continued consumption and withdrawal. Furthermore miRNAs were sought and evaluated for potential use as biomarkers for diagnosis. This study used Exiqon miRCURYTM LNA miRNA microarray on alcohol-dependent and normal rats for the expression of microRNAs in perfluorinated compounds, and the stem-loop qPCR method to validate its expression in brain tissue. We forecast the relevant target genes of differentially expressed miRNA and drew the regulatory network. Comparison of the differential expression between brain tissue and plasma was carried out and the correlation and analyzed.65 miRNA with differential expression with threshold of 1.5 were screened out; among them, most miRNA with differential expression in the dependent group had relatively high expression values. The target genes were found with great confidence: PIK3CA, MAPK, NTF, BDNF, NGFR, IGF-1, and the pair consisting of miRNA- mRNA. Among the three groups, the expression levels of miR-101b (F=8.12, P less than0.05) showed significant difference; no significant difference was found in the expression levels of miRNA in plasma among the groups (F=1.23, P>0.05). No consistency was shown in the changing trend of miRNA in PFC and plasma (r= -.004, p>0.05). The genetic regulatory network of neurotrophic factors, its receptors and the protein kinases that influence metabolism may mediate the incidence of alcohol-dependence. There is a lack of conformity between the expression of miR-101b in the prefrontal cortex and the plasma.

Inhibition of ZERO-BK by PKC is involved in carbachol-induced enhancement of rat colon smooth muscle motility

BACKGROUND

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) activation is an important factor to enhance the motility of gastrointestinal (GI) smooth muscle. Large conductance Ca²⁺ -activated potassium (BK) channels are widely expressed in GI smooth muscle. Roles of BK in carbachol (a mAChR agonist) induced enhancement of GI motility and the molecular mechanisms remains unknown and were investigated in this study.

METHODS

Colonic smooth muscle (CSM) strip was perfused to record motility in vitro. The patch-clamp technique was used to record BK currents. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of BK channels in rat CSM tissues. Two different types BK channels were constructed in HEK293 cells to investigate the regulation mechanism. Paired t tests were set with a P < .05 regarded as significant.

KEY RESULTS

Carbachol enhanced CSM contraction through M₃ receptor (M₃ R) were attenuated by IbTX, an inhibitor of BK. Carbachol inhibited BK currents in CSM cells and Go6983, an inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC), reversed the effect. PKC activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), inhibited BK currents. Two types of BK channels (ZERO-BK and STREX-BK) were detected in CSM. ZERO- but not STREX-BK channels expressed in HEK293 cells were inhibited by PMA.

CONCLUSION

Our results provide strong evidence that inhibition of ZERO-BK but not STREX-BK channels via PKC pathway is involved in the enhancement of CSM motility by mAChR activation. Besides the activation of BK by an increase in intracellular calcium, inhibition of BK played an important role in GI motility regulation during mAChR activation.

A circulating serum miRNA panel as early detection biomarkers of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

OBJECTIVE

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been demonstrated to play critical roles in regulating the molecular process of tumorigenesis. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to establish a panel of serum miRNA signature for early detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred and twenty-six patients with CIN and sixty healthy control subjects were recruited in this cohort study. Quantitative reverse transcript polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was conducted to detect the expression level of the panel of miRNA signature (miR-9, miR-10a, miR-20a and miR-196a) in the serum samples of all the participants. The association between HPV infection status and the expression levels of miRNAs was also evaluated. In addition, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of the combination of these four serum miRNAs.

RESULTS

The expression levels of the four miRNAs (miR-9, miR-10a, miR-20a and miR-196a) were all significantly upregulated in the serum samples derived from the CIN patients compared with those from the healthy controls (p < 0.01). Also, HPV infection status was significantly correlated with the expression levels of miRNAs (p < 0.01). The ROC analysis showed that this four-miRNA signature showed high accuracy in discriminating CIN individuals (AUC = 0.886, p < 0.01) from healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our findings demonstrated that the panel of four serum miRNAs (miR-9, miR-10a, miR-20a and miR-196a) are useful and novel noninvasive biomarkers for early detection of CIN.

The curative efficacy of arthroscopic therapy in treating anterior cruciate ligament rupture with secondary osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE

To compare and analyze the clinical effects of arthroscopic therapy and drug therapy in treating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture with secondary osteoarthritis (OA).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 68 patients that were diagnosed as ACL rupture with secondary OA in our hospital from February 2014 to February 2015 were enrolled in our study. All of the patients were randomly divided into control group (n = 30) and observation group (n = 38) according to the order of admission. The patients in the control group were given analgesic, anti-inflammatory drugs + functional rehabilitation training whereas the patients in the observation group were given ACL reconstruction + OA debridement and functional rehabilitation training under arthroscopy.

RESULTS

The success rate of the observation group was 92.1%. After 3-month follow-up, the clinical total effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group, the prevalence of complications in the observation group was significantly lower than in the control group, and differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Lysholm scale scoring of observation group was significantly higher than of the control group, modified McGill pain scale score was significantly lower than that of the control group, and differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Quadriceps muscle peak torque, average power, and the optimal single work at 60°/s, 120°/s, and 180°/s were significantly higher than those of the control group, and differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Arthroscopic operative therapy was safe and effective for the treatment of ACL with secondary OA. Compared with drug therapy, it can significantly improve the movement function of the knee joint, so it was worthy of clinical application.

Ultraviolet band edge photorefractivity in LiNbO3:Sn crystals

The ultraviolet (UV) band edge photorefractivity of Sn-doped LiNbO(3) (LN:Sn) at 325 nm has been investigated. A sharp decrease of beam distortion, which is accompanied by a significant increase in the photoconductivity, is observed in LN:Sn crystals with Sn-doping concentrations at or above 2.0 mol%. The diffraction efficiency, the holographic recording sensitivity and response rate, and the two-wave coupling gain coefficient are greatly enhanced when the Sn-doping concentration reaches 2.0 mol% or more. Unlike LiNbO(3) doped with Hf in which the UV gratings can be erased easily by a red beam, the UV gratings in LN:Sn can withstand long-term red beam illumination. Electrons are determined to be the dominant light-induced charge carriers responsible for the UV band edge photorefraction. The observed enhancement on the UV band edge photorefractivity is found to be associated with the showup of an absorption band around 325 nm in LN:Sn crystals with Sn-doping concentrations at or above 2.0 mol%.

Controlled transformation from nanorods to vesicles induced by cyclomaltoheptaoses (β-cyclodextrins)

A modified cyclomaltoheptaose (β-cyclodextrin) containing an anthraquinone moiety, mono[6-deoxy-N-n-hexylamino-(N'-1-anthraquinone)]-β-cyclodextrin (1), which can self-assemble into nanorods in aqueous solution, was synthesized. Interestingly, upon the addition of natural cyclodextrin, the nanorods could transform into bilayer vesicles, which were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and epi-fluorescence microscopy (EFM). A transformation mechanism is suggested based on the results of (1)H NMR, 2D NMR ROESY, FTIR, and UV-vis spectra. The response of the vesicles to changing pH and adding Cu(2+) was also tested. Our research may pave the way to the development of new intelligent materials and biomaterials.

2-Isopropyl-3-methyl-quinoxaline 1,4-dioxide

In the title compound, C(12)H(14)N(2)O(2), the quinoxaline ring system and the C atoms of the methylene and methyl substituents lie on a mirror plane. The crystal packing is stabilized by weak π-π inter-actions [centroid-centroid distance = 3.680 (7) Å].

Mitochondria and calpains mediate caspase-dependent apoptosis induced by doxycycline in HeLa cells

Doxycycline (Dc) has been demonstrated to inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis in tumor cells, although its mechanism of action is not fully understood. The present study demonstrates that apoptosis can be induced in HeLa cells. Western blot data demonstrated that cytochrome c (Cyt c), Smac (the second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase), calpain I, caspase-9, -3 and -8 were involved in the apoptotic process, while the pan caspase inhibitor zVAD-fmk almost completely inhibited Dc-induced apoptosis. We further demonstrated that the release of mitochondrial proteins and the activation of calpains occurred upstream of the caspase cascade, in which caspase-9 was activated in response to the release of Cyt c, that caspase-8 activation was caspase and calpain dependent, and that caspase-3 was activated mainly by caspase-8 and -9. Caspase-8 played important roles in the activation of caspase-3 and induction of apoptosis, whereas the role of the caspase-9 was limited.

Effect of vitamin K(2) on lumbar vertebral bone: histomorphometric analyses in experimental osteoporotic rats

The in-vivo effect of vitamin K(2) on bone metabolism was investigated by histochemical and morphometric methods, using an animal model of osteoporosis. Eighteen female Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Rats in group A had sham ovariectomies, group B were ovariectomized, and group C were ovariectomized and received vitamin K(2), at 10 mg/kg per day, injected subcutaneously. The lumbar vertebral bones were evaluated 8 weeks after the operation by a modified tetrachrome method after decalcification. Mineralized bone areas, osteoid, and defectively mineralized bone areas in group B were markedly decreased compared with findings in group A, but these features in group C were not severely decreased. There was no significant difference in total bone areas and total bone volumes among the three groups. Accordingly, it appeared that vitamin K(2) had an effect in reducing mineralized bone loss after the ovariectomy. In conclusion, vitamin K(2) is thought to be beneficial for the properties of bone microarchitecture in the condition of osteoporosis.

Engagement of the CrkL adapter in interleukin-5 signaling in eosinophils

Interleukin-5 (IL-5) drives the terminal differentiation of myeloid progenitors to the eosinophil lineage; blocks eosinophil apoptosis; and primes eosinophils for enhanced functional activities in allergic, parasitic, and other eosinophil-associated diseases. Here we describe a novel signaling pathway activated by the IL-5 receptor in eosinophils involving the CrkL adapter protein. We determined whether IL-5 induces activation of CrkL and STAT5 in eosinophils using both the human eosinophil-differentiated AML14.3D10 cell line and purified peripheral blood eosinophils from normal donors. Stimulation of AML14.3D10 cells or blood eosinophils with IL-5 induced rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of the CrkL adapter and STAT5 and the association of CrkL and STAT5 in vivo as evidenced by the detection of STAT5 in anti-CrkL immunoprecipitates. The resulting CrkL.STAT5 complexes translocated to the nucleus and bound STAT5 consensus DNA-binding sites present in the promoters of IL-5-regulated genes, as shown in gel mobility and antibody supershift assays. IL-5 also induced marked activity of an 8X-GAS (interferon gamma-activated site)-luciferase reporter construct in transient transfections of AML14.3D10 eosinophils, demonstrating that these complexes play a functional role in IL-5 signaling. CrkL was also found to interact, via its N-terminal SH3 domain, with C3G, a guanine exchange factor for the small G-protein Rap1, which was also rapidly activated in an IL-5-dependent manner in these cells, establishing that CrkL mediates downstream activation of at least two signaling cascades in IL-5-stimulated eosinophils. Thus, the CrkL adapter plays an important role in IL-5 signaling in the eosinophil, acting as a nuclear adapter for STAT5 and as an upstream regulator of the C3G-Rap1 signaling pathway.

[A preliminary study on influence of N and P on population constituent of planktonic diatoms in seawater]

Experiment was conducted to study the influence of N and P on population constiuent of planktonic diatoms in seawater. The concentrations of N and P and their ratios might significantly affect the population constituent of planktonic diatoms in seawater, the more the concentrations of N and P and the bigger the N/P ratio to Redfield ratio, the less the species of planktonic diatoms and Shannon's index. The experimental result was verified in the investigation from shrimp culturing ponds.

Assessment of effectiveness of Vaxigrip

In order to assess the effectiveness of Vaxigrip in 1996-1997, we chose 1356 people in the Chinese Army, who had not recently had influenza and who were divided into an injection group and a control group. The injection group consisted of 80 children aged 3-6 years, 363 adults aged 18-59 years and 235 people over 60 years of age. The control group consisted of 88 children aged 3-6, 372 adults aged 18-59 and 218 people over 60. They were observed from the 21st day to the 6th month after Vaxigrip administration. Each person was requested to report having a body temperature over 38.5 degrees C, headache, myalgia or arthalgia, cough, pharyngodynia or nasal obstruction. Fever due to other causes was not included in the influenza symptoms. We counted the symptoms of influenza and common cold only once during the observation period. Our final finding was that the incidence rates of the influenza and common cold symptoms were reduced by 84.8% in children, 74.0% in adults and 68.6% in elderly people. In comparison with the control group, the incidence rate of influenza-like symptoms was reduced by 71.1% in the injection group, and the incidence rate of common cold symptoms in the injection group was lower than that in the control group. There was no large difference by age. The incidence rate of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection in the injection group was 47.5% lower than that in the control group. Our findings are basically the same as those in other countries.

[Studies on flavones of Epimedium bevicorum Maxim]

OBJECTIVE

To systematically develop Epimedium spp. and control their quality.

METHOD

Using polyamide and macroporous adsorbent resins AB-8. The compounds were identified on the basis of spectrometric data and physical and chemical test.

RESULT

Four flavones were isolated from the herb. They were identified as wushanicariin, baohuoside VI, kaempferol-3,7-O-alpha-L-dirhamnoside and hexandraside E.

CONCLUSION

These flavones were isolated from the herb and identified for the first time.