Slot‐Die and Roll‐to‐Roll Processed Single Junction Organic Photovoltaic Cells with the Highest Efficiency

The record efficiency of the state‐of‐the‐art polymer solar cells (PSCs) is rapidly increasing, due to the discovery of high‐performance photoactive donor and acceptor materials. However, strong questions remain as to whether such high‐efficiency PSCs can be produced by scalable processes. This paper reports a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.5% achieved with single‐junction ternary PSCs based on PTB7‐Th, PC₇₁BM, and COi8DFIC fabricated by slot‐die coating, which shows the highest PCE ever reported in PSCs fabricated by a scalable process. To understand the origin of the high performance of the slot‐die coated device, slot‐die coated photoactive films and devices are systematically investigated. These results indicate that the good performance of the slot‐die PSCs can be due to a favorable molecule‐structure and film‐morphology change by introducing 1,8‐diiodooctane and heat treatment, which can lead to improved charge transport with reduced carrier recombination. The optimized condition is then used for the fabrication of large‐area modules and also for roll‐to‐roll fabrication. The slot‐die coated module with 30 cm² active‐area and roll‐to‐roll produced flexible PSC has shown 8.6% and 9.6%, respectively. These efficiencies are the highest in each category and demonstrate the strong potential of the slot‐die coated ternary system for commercial applications.     

Correlation between Li Plating Behavior and Surface Characteristics of Carbon Matrix toward Stable Li Metal Anodes

Carbonaceous materials are widely employed to host Li for stable and safe Li metal batteries while relatively little effort is devoted to tailoring the surface properties of carbon to facilitate uniform Li plating. Herein, the correlation between Li plating behavior and the surface characteristics of electrospun porous carbon nanofibers (PCNFs) is systemically elucidated through experiments and theoretical calculations. It is revealed that the neat carbon surface suffers from severe lattice mismatch with Li metal, hindering uniform Li plating. In contrast, open pores created on the PCNF surface serve as active sites for controlled initial nucleation of Li. The introduction of oxygenated functional groups further facilitates the nucleation of Li on PCNFs through the largely reduced nucleation energy barrier. The Li film uniformly deposited on PCNFs enables efficient use of the whole carbon surface, giving rise to enhanced cyclic stability of the electrode. When used as an anode in lithium–sulfur batteries, the modified electrode delivers an excellent energy density of 385 Wh kg^?1 after 100 cycles. The fundamental correlation established in this study is universal to all types of carbonaceous materials and sheds new light on the rational design of high‐performance Li metal anodes by controlling the initial Li nucleation.     

A New P2‐Type Layered Oxide Cathode with Extremely High Energy Density for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

Herein, a new P2‐type layered oxide is proposed as an outstanding intercalation cathode material for high energy density sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). On the basis of the stoichiometry of sodium and transition metals, the P2‐type Na_0.55[Ni_0.1Fe_0.1Mn_0.8]O₂ cathode is synthesized without impurities phase by partially substituting Ni and Fe into the Mn sites. The partial substitution results in a smoothing of the electrochemical charge/discharge profiles and thus greatly improves the battery performance. The P2‐type Na_0.55[Ni_0.1Fe_0.1Mn_0.8]O₂ cathode delivers an extremely high discharge capacity of 221.5 mAh g^?1 with a high average potential of ≈2.9 V (vs Na/Na⁺) for SIBs. In addition, the fast Na‐ion transport in the P2‐type Na_0.55[Ni_0.1Fe_0.1Mn_0.8]O₂ cathode structure enables good power capability with an extremely high current density of 2400 mA g^?1 (full charge/discharge in 12 min) and long‐term cycling stability with ≈80% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 600 mA g^?1. A combination of electrochemical profiles, in operando synchrotron X‐ray diffraction analysis, and first‐principles calculations are used to understand the overall Na storage mechanism of P2‐type Na_0.55[Ni_0.1Fe_0.1Mn_0.8]O₂.     

Survival and life table parameters of soybean pod borer Maruca vitrata (Geyer) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on leguminous crop cultivars

The soybean pod borer, Maruca vitrata is one of the key insect pests of tropical legumes. It damages tender leaf axils, flower buds, flowers and pods by webbing and boring clusters of flowers and pods. In this study, we investigated the survival and life table parameters of M. vitrata on several leguminous crops; soybean (cvs. Daewon, Poongsannamool and Socheongja), azuki bean (cv. Hongeon), mung bean (cv. Sanpo), and cowpea (cv. Jangchae), compared to artificial diet to assess the antibiosis resistance to M. vitrata. The life‐variables of M. vitrata were significantly affected by the tested legume cultivars. None of the larvae fed cowpea cultivar Jangchae survived. The azuki bean cultivar Hongeon and mung bean cultivar Sanpo were found susceptible to M. vitrata, whereas cowpea cultivar Jangchae and soybean cultivar Daewon showed antibiosis resistance to M. vitrata. Further studies should examine the chemicals associated with leguminous crop cultivars and its mechanism to develop a control method against M. vitrata.     

Genetic divergence of Platycerus hongwonpyoi (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) in South Korea

We examined the genetic divergence of Platycerus hongwonpyoi Imura & Choe, 1989 in South Korea using the nuclear wingless (Wg) gene, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. We found no variation in Wg or ITS. Based on COI, P. hongwonpyoi was split into four well defined and one weakly supported clades, which were inferred to have diverged 2.11–1.33 Ma. The Platycerus hongwonpyoi population size seems to have decreased during the past several tens of thousands of years. The divergence times of major clades of P. hongwonpyoi were comparable with those involved in the speciation of certain Japanese species. Frequent overlapping of different clades at the same sites suggests the occurrence of secondary gene flow following differentiation in South Korea. In conclusion, the genus Platycerus underwent strikingly different divergence patterns in South Korea compared with Japan according to the disparate topographies of these two geographical areas.     

The Structural Basis of the Farnesylated and Methylated KRas4B Interaction with Calmodulin

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Biocompatibility evaluation of bioprinted decellularized collagen sheet implanted in vivo cornea using swept‐source optical coherence tomography

Corneal transplantation by full‐thickness penetrating keratoplasty with human donor tissue is a widely accepted treatment for damaged or diseased corneas. Although corneal transplantation has a high success rate, a shortage of high‐quality donor tissue is a considerable limitation. Therefore, bioengineered corneas could be an effective solution for this limitation, and a decellularized extracellular matrix comprises a promising scaffold for their fabrication. In this study, three‐dimensional bioprinted decellularized collagen sheets were implanted into the stromal layer of the cornea of five rabbits. We performed in vivo noninvasive monitoring of the rabbit corneas using swept‐source optical coherence tomography (OCT) after implanting the collagen sheets. Anterior segment OCT images and averaged amplitude‐scans were acquired biweekly to monitor corneal thickness after implantation for 1 month. The averaged cornea thickness in the control images was 430.3 ± 5.9 μm, while the averaged thickness after corneal implantation was 598.5 ± 11.8 μm and 564.5 ± 12.5 μm at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. The corneal thickness reduction of 34 μm confirmed the biocompatibility through the image analysis of the depth‐intensity profile base. Moreover, hematoxylin and eosin staining supported the biocompatibility evaluation of the bioprinted decellularized collagen sheet implantation. Hence, the developed bioprinted decellularized collagen sheets could become an alternative solution to human corneal donor tissue, and the proposed image analysis procedure could be beneficial to confirm the success of the surgery.      

Cleaved Cochlin Sequesters Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Activates Innate Immunity in the Inner Ear

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Inhibitory role of RhoA on senescence-like growth arrest by a mechanism involving modulation of phosphatase activity

Recently, negative effects of phosphatase in tumorigenesis and metastasis have been suggested in various tumor types. In this study, we showed that RhoA activation modulated phosphatase during senescence-like arrest in human prostate cancer cells. Under senescence-inducing condition, decreased Erk phosphorylation was detected in caRhoA-transfected cells and inactivation of Erk, but not p38, prevented doxorubicin-induced cell senescence. Cells were induced to senescence by inhibition of phosphatase activity (VHR, MKP3, or PP2A) without additional cellular stress. Of interest, caRhoA prevented doxorubicin-induced decrease of phosphatase. Thus, we postulate that RhoA signaling may protect cells against cellular senescence by maintaining phosphatase activity and Erk dephosphorylation.     

Manifold active-state conformations in GPCRs: agonist-activated constitutively active mutant AT1 receptor preferentially couples to Gq compared to the wild-type AT1 receptor

The angiotensin II type I (AT(1)) receptor mediates regulation of blood pressure and water-electrolyte balance by Ang II. Substitution of Gly for Asn(111) of the AT(1) receptor constitutively activates the receptor leading to Gq-coupled IP(3) production independent of Ang II binding. The Ang II-activated conformation of the AT1(N111G) receptor was proposed to be similar to that of the wild-type AT(1) receptor, although, various aspects of the Ang II-induced conformation of this constitutively active mutant receptor have not been systematically studied. Here, we provide evidence that the conformation of the active state of the wild-type and the constitutively active AT(1) receptors are different. Upon Ang II binding an activated conformation of the wild-type AT(1) receptor activates G protein and recruits beta-arrestin. In contrast, the agonist-bound AT1(N111G) mutant receptor preferentially couples to Gq and is inadequate in beta-arrestin recruitment.