Optimization of CZTSe Thin Films Using Sequential Annealing in Selenium and Tin-Selenium Environments.

CuZnSnSe (CZTSe) is a promising material for thin-film solar cells due to its suitable band gap, high absorption coefficient, and composition of earth-abundant and nontoxic elements. In this study, we prepared CZTSe thin films from Cu/SnSe and ZnSe stacks using a two-step annealing process. Initially, Cu-Sn-Se (CTSe) films were synthesized by sequential deposition and annealing of Cu and SnSe precursors in either a selenium (Se) or tin-selenium (Sn+Se) atmosphere.

DC current-voltage and impedance spectroscopy characterization of nCdS/pZnTe HJ.

This paper describes the electrical and dielectric behavior of the nCdS/pZnTe HJ by current-voltage, capacitance-voltage characteristics, and impedance spectroscopy in a temperature interval 220-350 K. A microcrystalline p-ZnTe layer and n-CdS were grown on glass/ZnO substrate by closed space sublimation method. As frontal contact to CdS, the transparent ZnO and as a back contact to ZnTe, silver conductive paste (Ag) treated at 50 °C in vacuum were used.

Anti-Proliferative Potential of Cynaroside and Orientin-In Silico (DYRK2) and In Vitro (U87 and Caco-2) Studies.

Luteolin derivates are plant compounds with multiple benefits for human health. Stability to heat and acid hydrolysis and high resistance to (auto)oxidation are other arguments for the laden interest in luteolin derivates today. The present study was designed to compare the in silico and in vitro anti-proliferative potential of two luteolin derivates, luteolin-7--glucoside/cynaroside (7-Lut) and luteolin-8--glucoside/orientin (8-Lut).

Influence of Grain Size on Dielectric Behavior in Lead-Free 0.5 Ba(ZrTi)O-0.5 (BaCa)TiO Ceramics.

Fine-tuning of grain sizes can significantly influence the interaction between different dielectric phenomena, allowing the development of materials with tailored dielectric resistivity. By virtue of various synthesis mechanisms, a pathway to manipulate grain sizes and, consequently, tune the material's dielectric response is revealed. Understanding these intricate relationships between granulation and dielectric properties can pave the way for designing and optimizing materials for specific applications where tailored dielectric responses are sought.

Surface charge dynamics on air-exposed ferroelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O(001) thin films.

Probing of the free surface ferroelectric properties of thin polar films can be achieved either by estimating the band bending variance under the top-most layer or by studying the extent of the extrinsic charge accumulated outside the surface. Photoemitted or incoming low-energy electrons can be used to characterize locally both properties in a spectromicroscopic approach. Thin ferroelectric lead zirco-titanate (PZT) is investigated by combining low energy/mirror electron microscopy (LEEM/MEM) with photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) and high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Existential Loneliness Among Older People from the Perspective of Health Care Professionals: A European Multicenter Study.

Introduction: Health care professionals (HCPs) encounter different forms of loneliness in their work. It is essential that they have the courage, skills, and tools to deal with loneliness, in particular with existential loneliness (EL) which relates to meaning in life and the fundamentals of living and dying.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate HCPs' views on loneliness among older people and their understanding, perception, and professional experience of EL in older people.

New N-acyl Thiourea Derivatives: Synthesis, Standardized Quantification Method and In Vitro Evaluation of Potential Biological Activities.

New N-acyl thiourea derivatives with heterocyclic rings have been synthesized by first obtaining isothiocyanate, which further reacted with a heterocyclic amine, characterized by (FT-IR, NMR spectroscopy and FT-ICR) and tested for their in vitro antimicrobial, anti-biofilm and antioxidant activities to obtain a drug candidate in a lead-optimization process. From the tested compounds, those bearing benzothiazole () and 6-methylpyridine () moieties revealed anti-biofilm activity against ATCC 25922 at MBIC values of 625 µg/mL. Compound exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity (~43%) in the in vitro assay using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH).

Potential Benefits of Dietary Plant Compounds on Normal and Tumor Brain Cells in Humans: In Silico and In Vitro Approaches.

Neuroblastoma can be accessed with compounds of larger sizes and wider polarities, which do not usually cross the blood-brain barrier. Clinical data indicate cases of spontaneous regression of neuroblastoma, suggesting a reversible point in the course of cell brain tumorigenesis. Dual specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase2 (DYRK2) is a major molecular target in tumorigenesis, while curcumin was revealed to be a strong inhibitor of DYRK2 (PBD ID: 5ZTN).

Influence of Ferroelectric Filler Size and Clustering on the Electrical Properties of (Ag-BaTiO)-PVDF Sub-Percolative Hybrid Composites.

The paper presents a study concerning the role of ferroelectric filler size and clustering in the dielectric properties of 20%BaTiO-80%PVDF and of 20% (2%Ag-98%BaTiO)-PVDF hybrid nanocomposites. By finite element calculations, it was shown that using fillers with ε > 10 does not provide a permittivity rise in the composites and the effective dielectric constant tends to saturate to specific values determined by the filler size and agglomeration degree. Irrespective of the ferroelectric filler sizes, the addition of metallic ultrafine nanoparticles (Ag) results in permittivity intensification and the effect is even stronger if the metallic nanoparticles are connected to a higher degree with the ferroelectric particles' surfaces.

Experimental Band Structure of Pb(Zr,Ti)O : Mechanism of Ferroelectric Stabilization.

Pb(Zr,Ti)O (PZT) is the most common ferroelectric (FE) material widely used in solid-state technology. Despite intense studies of PZT over decades, its intrinsic band structure, electron energy depending on 3D momentum k, is still unknown. Here, Pb(Zr Ti )O using soft-X-ray angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) is explored.

Studies Regarding the Antimicrobial Behavior of Clotrimazole and Limonene.

The paper presents the results of the studies performed to establish the effect of the mixtures between limonene and clotrimazole against microbial pathogens involved in dermatological diseases, such as , , and . Preliminary data obtained from the studies performed in microplates revealed a possible synergism between the mixture of clotrimazole and limonene for . Studies performed "in silico" with programs such as CLC Drug Discovery Workbench and MOLEGRO Virtual Docker, gave favorable scores for docking each compound on a specific binding site for each microorganism.

Increasing Permittivity and Mechanical Harvesting Response of PVDF-Based Flexible Composites by Using Ag Nanoparticles onto BaTiO Nanofillers.

The role of Ag addition on the structural, dielectric, and mechanical harvesting response of 20%(Ag - (1 - )BaTiO) - 80%PVDF ( = 0, 2, 5, 7 and 27 vol.%) flexible composites is investigated. The inorganic fillers were realized by precipitating fine (~3 nm) silver nanoparticles onto BaTiO nanoparticles (~60 nm average size).

Controlling polarization direction in epitaxial Pb(ZrTi)O films through Nb (n-type) and Fe (p-type) doping.

Fe (acceptor) and Nb (donor) doped epitaxial Pb(ZrTi)O (PZT) films were grown on single crystal SrTiO substrates and their electric properties were compared to those of un-doped PZT layers deposited in similar conditions. All the films were grown from targets produced from high purity precursor oxides and the doping was in the limit of 1% atomic in both cases. The remnant polarization, the coercive field and the potential barriers at electrode interfaces are different, with lowest values for Fe doping and highest values for Nb doping, with un-doped PZT in between.

New Understanding of the Difference in Filtration Performance between Anatase and Rutile TiO Nanoparticles through Blending into Ultrafiltration PSF Membranes.

The blending of nanomaterials into a polymeric matrix is a method known for its ability, under certain circumstances, to lead to an improvement in membrane properties. TiO nanoparticles have been used in membrane research for the last 20 years and have continuously shown promise in this field of research. Polysulfone (PSf) membranes were obtained through the phase inversion method, with different TiO nanoparticle concentrations (0, 0.

The microbiota-related coinfections in COVID-19 patients: a real challenge.

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has infected millions of people around the world, especially the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. The infection transmission rate is considered more rapid than other deadly pandemics and severe epidemics encountered earlier, such as Ebola, Zika, Influenza, Marburg, SARS, and MERS. The public health situation therefore is really at a challenging crossroads.

Homogeneous versus Inhomogeneous Polarization Switching in PZT Thin Films: Impact of the Structural Quality and Correlation to the Negative Capacitance Effect.

Polarization switching in ferroelectric films is exploited in many applications, such as non-volatile memories and negative capacitance field affect transistors. This can be inhomogeneous or homogeneous, depending on if ferroelectric domains are forming or not during the switching process. The relation between the polarization switching, the structural quality of the films and the negative capacitance was not studied in depth.

Tetragonal-Cubic Phase Transition and Low-Field Dielectric Properties of CHNHPbI Crystals.

The frequency and temperature dependence of dielectric properties of CHNHPbI (MAPI) crystals have been studied and analyzed in connection with temperature-dependent structural studies. The obtained results bring arguments for the existence of ferroelectricity and aim to complete the current knowledge on the thermally activated conduction mechanisms, in dark equilibrium and in the presence of a small external a.c.

Influences of Dispersions' Shapes and Processing in Magnetic Field on Thermal Conductibility of PDMS-FeO Composites.

Composites of magnetite (FeO) nanoparticles dispersed in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix were prepared by a molding process. Two types of samples were obtained by free polymerization with randomly dispersed particles and by polymerization in an applied magnetic field. The magnetite nanoparticles were obtained from magnetic micrograins of acicular goethite (α-FeOOH) and spherical hematite (α-FeO), as demonstrated by XRD measurements.

Electro-active properties of nanostructured films of cytosine and guanine nucleobases.

The discovery of multifunctional properties related to electro-activity of organic systems of biomolecules is important for a variety of applications, especially for devices in the realm of biocompatible sensors and/or bioactuators. A further step towards such applications is to prepare thin films with the required properties. Here, the investigation is focused on the characterization of films of guanine and cytosine nucleobases, prepared by thermal evaporation-an industrial accessible deposition technique.

β-Ketophosphonates with Pentalenofuran Scaffolds Linked to the Ketone Group for the Synthesis of Prostaglandin Analogs.

β-Ketophosphonates with pentalenofurane fragments linked to the keto group were synthesized. The bulky pentalenofurane skeleton is expected to introduce more hindrance in the prostaglandin analogues of type , greater than that obtained with the bicyclo[3.3.