Printing High-Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells in High-Humidity Ambient Environment-An In Situ Guided Investigation.

Extensive studies are conducted on perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with significant performance advances (mainly spin coating techniques), which have encouraged recent efforts on scalable coating techniques for the manufacture of PSCs. However, devices fabricated by blade coating techniques are inferior to state-of-the-art spin-coated devices because the power conversion efficiency () is highly dependent on the morphology and crystallization kinetics in the controlled environment and the delicate solvent system engineering. In this study, based on the widely studied perovskite solution system dimethylformamide-dimethyl sulfoxide, air-knife-assisted ambient fabrication of PSCs at a high relative humidity of 55 ± 5% is reported.

Biomimetic Anti-PD-1 Peptide-Loaded 2D FePSe Nanosheets for Efficient Photothermal and Enhanced Immune Therapy with Multimodal MR/PA/Thermal Imaging.

Metal phosphorous trichalcogenides (MPX) are novel 2D nanomaterials that have recently been exploited as efficient photothermal-chemodynamic agents for cancer therapy. As a representative MPX, FePSe has the potential to be developed as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI) agents due to the composition of Fe and the previously revealed PA signal. Here, a FePSe-based theranostic agent, FePSe@APP@CCM, loaded with anti-PD-1 peptide (APP) as the inner component and CT26 cancer cell membrane (CCM) as the outer shell is reported, which acts as a multifunctional agent for MR and PA imaging and photothermal and immunotherapy against cancer.

Fluoride-Free 2D Niobium Carbide MXenes as Stable and Biocompatible Nanoplatforms for Electrochemical Biosensors with Ultrahigh Sensitivity.

Recently, 2D niobium carbide MXene has drawn vast attention due to its merits of large surface area, good metallic conductivity, and tunable band gap, making it desirable for various applications. However, the usage of highly toxic fluoride-containing etchant and quite long etching time in the conventional synthesis route has greatly hindered further exploration of MXene, especially restricting its biomedical application. Herein, novel fluoride-free NbCT nanosheets are prepared by a facile strategy of electrochemical etching (E-etching) exfoliation.

Mesenchymal Transformation: The Rosetta Stone of Glioblastoma Pathogenesis and Therapy Resistance.

Despite decades of research, glioblastoma (GBM) remains invariably fatal among all forms of cancers. The high level of inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity along with its biological location, the brain, are major barriers against effective treatment. Molecular and single cell analysis identifies different molecular subtypes with varying prognosis, while multiple subtypes can reside in the same tumor.

Understanding the Epidemic Course in Order to Improve Epidemic Forecasting.

The epidemic course of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has been differently divided according to its transmission pattern and the infection and mortality status. Unfortunately, such efforts for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been lacking. Does every epidemic have a unique epidemic course? Can we coordinate two arbitrary courses into an integrated course, which could better reflect a common real-world progression pattern of the epidemics? To what degree can such arbitrary divisions help predict future trends of the COVID-19 pandemic and future epidemics? Spatial lifecourse epidemiology provides a new perspective to understand the course of epidemics, especially pandemics, and a new toolkit to predict the course of future epidemics on the basis of big data.

The Response in Air Quality to the Reduction of Chinese Economic Activities During the COVID-19 Outbreak.

During the COVID-19 outbreak that took place in early 2020, the economic activities in China were drastically reduced and accompanied by a strong reduction in the emission of primary air pollutants. On the basis of measurements made at the monitoring stations operated by the China National Environmental Monitoring Center, we quantify the reduction in surface PM, NO, CO, and SO concentrations in northern China during the lockdown, which started on 23 January 2020. We find that, on the average, the levels of surface PM and NO have decreased by approximately 35% and 60%, respectively, between the period 1 and 22 January 2020 and the period 23 January and 29 February 2020.

Efficient Energy Conversion and Storage Based on Robust Fluoride-Free Self-Assembled 1D Niobium Carbide in 3D Nanowire Network.

Owing to their high robustness and conductivity, 2D transition metal carbides and nitrides known as MXenes are considered as a promising material class for electrochemical catalysis, energy conversion, and storage applications. Nevertheless, conventional hazardous fluoride-based synthesis routes and the intense intralayer bonding restrict the development of MXenes. Herein, a fluoride-free, facile, and rapid method for synthesizing self-assembled 1D architecture from an MXene-based compound is reported.

PinX1t, a Novel PinX1 Transcript Variant, Positively Regulates Cardiogenesis of Embryonic Stem Cells.

Background Pin2/TRF1-interacting protein, PinX1, was previously identified as a tumor suppressor. Here, we discovered a novel transcript variant of mPinX1 (mouse PinX1), mPinX1t (mouse PinX1t), in embryonic stem cells (ESCs). The aims of this investigation were (1) to detect the presence of mPinX1 and mPinX1t in ESCs and their differentiation derivatives; (2) to investigate the role of mPinX1 and mPinX1t on regulating the characteristics of undifferentiated ESCs and the cardiac differentiation of ESCs; (3) to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of how mPinX1 and mPinX1t regulate the cardiac differentiation of ESCs.

Additive Manufactured Graphene Coating with Synergistic Photothermal and Superhydrophobic Effects for Bactericidal Applications.

Drug-resistant bacterial infection is a global threat to public health due to the high mobility of the population. Novel therapy methods have been intensively studied for the eradication of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including photothermal treatment, which has established outstanding bacterial killing efficiencies under laser radiation, and superhydrophobic surfaces have exhibited excellent antifouling properties. However, an effective, scalable, and affordable bactericidal coating for eliminating drug-resistant bacteria is lacking.

Aggregation-Induced Absorption Enhancement for Deep Near-Infrared II Photoacoustic Imaging of Brain Gliomas In Vivo.

The delineation of brain gliomas margins still poses challenges to precise imaging and targeted therapy, mainly due to strong light attenuation of the skull and high background interference. With deep penetration and high sensitivity, photoacoustic (PA) imaging (PAI) in the second near-infrared (NIR II) window holds great potential for brain gliomas imaging. Herein, mesoionic dye A1094 encapsulated in Arg-Gly-Asp-modified hepatitis B virus core protein (RGD-HBc) is designed and synthesized for effective NIR II PAI of brain gliomas.

Ultra-high adsorption of cationic methylene blue on two dimensional titanate nanosheets.

In this work, we examined the performance of 2D titanate nanosheets for dye adsorption. Their adsorption capacity for methylene blue (MB) is up to 3937 mg g, which is more than 10 times higher than active carbon and occupies the highest place among all the reports.

Parcellation of the Human Cerebral Cortex Based on Molecular Targets in the Serotonin System Quantified by Positron Emission Tomography In vivo.

Parcellation of distinct areas in the cerebral cortex has a long history in neuroscience and is of great value for the study of brain function, specialization, and alterations in neuropsychiatric disorders. Analysis of cytoarchitectonical features has revealed their close association with molecular profiles based on protein density. This provides a rationale for the use of in vivo molecular imaging data for parcellation of the cortex with the advantage of whole-brain coverage.

Solution-Processed Bilayer Dielectrics for Flexible Low-Voltage Organic Field-Effect Transistors in Pressure-Sensing Applications.

Flexible pressure sensors based on organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) have emerged as promising candidates for electronic-skin applications. However, it remains a challenge to achieve low operating voltages of hysteresis-free flexible pressure sensors. Interface engineering of polymer dielectrics is a feasible strategy toward sensitive pressure sensors based on low-voltage OFETs.

Electrical and thermal properties of silver nanowire fabricated on a flexible substrate by two-beam laser direct writing for designing a thermometer.

Accurate knowledge of electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity temperature dependence plays a crucial role in the design of a thermometer. Here, by using a two-beam laser direct writing system, an individual silver nanowire (AgNW) with well-defined dimensions is fabricated on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The temperature dependence of the resistivity of the fabricated AgNW is measured ranging from 10 to 300 K, and fitted with the Bloch-Grüneisen formula.

Electrochemical characteristics of amorphous silicon carbide film as a lithium-ion battery anode.

The electrochemical reactions of SiC film with Li have been investigated by electrochemical characterization and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The SiC film is prepared by inductively-coupled-plasma chemical-vapor-deposition (ICP-CVD) technique and displays an amorphous state due to the low processing temperature (∼350 °C). An irreversible reaction of SiC with Li occurs with the formation of lithium silicon carbide (Li Si C) and elemental Si, followed by a reversible alloying/dealloying reaction of the elemental Si with Li.

Three-dimensional macroporous graphene monoliths with entrapped MoS nanoflakes from single-step synthesis for high-performance sodium-ion batteries.

Layered metal sulfides (MoS, WS, SnS, and SnS) offer high potential as advanced anode materials in sodium ion batteries upon integration with highly-conductive graphene materials. However, in addition to being costly and time-consuming, existing strategies for synthesizing sulfides/graphene composites often involve complicated procedures. It is therefore essential to develop a simple yet scalable pathway to construct sulfide/graphene composites for practical applications.

Psychometric properties of Brief-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Brief-BESTest) in evaluating balance performance in individuals with chronic stroke.

Objective: To examine the psychometric properties of the Brief-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Brief-BESTest) in individuals with chronic stroke.

Materials And Methods: This was an observational study with repeated measurements involving 50 participants with chronic stroke [mean (SD) age: 59.2 (7.

Interaction Effect of Social Isolation and High Dose Corticosteroid on Neurogenesis and Emotional Behavior.

Hypercortisolemia is one of the clinical features found in depressed patients. This clinical feature has been mimicked in animal studies via application of exogenous corticosterone (CORT). Previous studies suggested that CORT can induce behavioral disturbance in anxious-depressive like behavior, which is associated with suppressed neurogenesis.

MiR-30a-5p Overexpression May Overcome EGFR-Inhibitor Resistance through Regulating PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines.

Lung cancer is one of the most common deadly diseases worldwide, most of which is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant NSCLCs frequently respond to the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) treatment, such as Gefitinib and Erlotinib, but the development of acquired resistance limits the utility. Multiple resistance mechanisms have been explored, e.

Associations of mRNA:microRNA for the Shared Downstream Molecules of EGFR and Alternative Tyrosine Kinase Receptors in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer is the top cancer killer worldwide with high mortality rate. Majority belong to non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been broadly explored as a drug target for therapy.

Doxorubicin Induces Inflammatory Modulation and Metabolic Dysregulation in Diabetic Skeletal Muscle.

Anti-cancer agent doxorubicin (DOX) has been demonstrated to worsen insulin signaling, engender muscle atrophy, trigger pro-inflammation, and induce a shift to anaerobic glycolytic metabolism in skeletal muscle. The myotoxicity of DOX in diabetic skeletal muscle remains largely unclear. This study examined the effects of DOX on insulin signaling, muscle atrophy, pro-/anti-inflammatory microenvironment, and glycolysis metabolic regulation in skeletal muscle of db/db diabetic and db/+ non-diabetic mice.

Evidence for Trait Related Theory of Mind Impairment in First Episode Psychosis Patients and Its Relationship with Processing Speed: A 3 Year Follow-up Study.

This study aimed to confirm whether first-episode psychosis patients present a stable trait impairment in theory of mind (ToM) and to examine the potential relationship between ToM and clinical symptomatology and neurocognition. Patients with a first episode of psychosis (N = 160) and healthy controls (N = 159) were assessed with an extensive neuropsychological test battery, which included a mental state decoding task known as "The Reading the Mind in the Eyes" (Eyes test), at baseline and reassessed after 1 and 3 years. The clinical group performed below healthy controls on the Eyes test while not showing test-retest differences between baseline and follow-up administrations.

Neuroenhancement of Memory for Children with Autism by a Mind-Body Exercise.

The memory deficits found in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be caused by the lack of an effective strategy to aid memory. The executive control of memory processing is mediated largely by the timely coupling between frontal and posterior brain regions. The present study aimed to explore the potential effect of a Chinese mind-body exercise, namely Nei Gong, for enhancing learning and memory in children with ASD, and the possible neural basis of the improvement.