Thiophene Rings Improve the Device Performance of Conjugated Polymers in Polymer Solar Cells with Thick Active Layers

Developing novel materials that tolerate thickness variations of the active layer is critical to further enhance the efficiency of polymer solar cells and enable large‐scale manufacturing. Presently, only a few polymers afford high efficiencies at active layer thickness exceeding 200 nm and molecular design guidelines for developing successful materials are lacking. It is thus highly desirable to identify structural factors that determine the performance of semiconducting conjugated polymers in thick‐film polymer solar cells. Here, it is demonstrated that thiophene rings, introduced in the backbone of alternating donor–acceptor type conjugated polymers, enhance the fill factor and overall efficiency for thick (>200 nm) solar cells. For a series of fluorinated semiconducting polymers derived from electron‐rich benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene units and electron‐deficient 5,6‐difluorobenzo[2,1,3]thiazole units a steady increase of the fill factor and power conversion efficiency is found when introducing thiophene rings between the donor and acceptor units. The increased performance is a synergistic result of an enhanced hole mobility and a suppressed bimolecular charge recombination, which is attributed to more favorable polymer chain packing and finer phase separation.     

Heavy metal accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa) near electronic waste dumps and related human health risk assessment

This research was conducted to assess heavy metal contamination in the environment and within Oryza sativa. The translocation factors (TFs) and bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) for heavy metals in O. sativa and estimated daily intake (EDI) and health risk index (HRI) were measured. The samples were analyzed for heavy metals using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Pb and Cr concentrations in water samples within and near the electronic-waste dumping area exceeded water quality standards for surface water sources from the Pollution Control Department in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand (PCD). The Pb concentration in soil samples within the area also exceeded soil quality standards for habitat and agriculture from PCD. Most of the metals were highly concentrated in roots, except for Mn which has the highest concentration in leaves. Pb concentrations in rice grains exceeded the FAO/WHO standard (0.2 mg/kg). The average TF values for heavy metals from the soil to roots, roots to stems, stems to leaves, and stems to grains were Mn > Pb > Ni > Cr, Mn > Cr > Ni > Pb, Ni > Pb > Mn > Cr, and Pb > Ni > Cr > Mn, respectively. The average BAF values in O. sativa were Mn > Ni > Pb > Cr. The EDI for Cr, Pb, Mn, and Ni via O. sativa consumption were 6.19, 6.02, 370.57, and 3.80 µg/kg/day, respectively. The HRI for Cr, Pb, Mn, and Ni via O. sativa consumption were 0.30, 1.50, 2.60, and 0.002, respectively.     

二甲双胍片联合糖脉康颗粒对2型糖尿病患者血清IL-6、TNF-?琢、CRP、APN水平的影响

摘要 目的：研究二甲双胍片联合糖脉康颗粒对2型糖尿病患者血清白介素-6(IL-6)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、C反应蛋白(CRP)、脂联素(APN)水平的影响。方法：选择2013年2月至2016年10月在我院接受治疗的2型糖尿病患者130例，按照给药方法不同分为对照组和观察组，对照组采用二甲双胍片治疗，观察组以对照组为基础联合糖脉康治疗。治疗8周后，对比两组患者治疗前后血清IL-6、TNF-α、CRP、APN、总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)，空腹血糖(FBC)、餐后2小时血糖(2hPBG)、糖化血红蛋白(HbAlc)、胰岛抵抗指数( HOMA-IR)、胰岛β细胞分泌功能指数(HOMA-IS)和胰岛素敏感指数(ISI)的变化。结果：治疗后，两组患者血清IL-6、TNF-α、CRP、TC、TG、LDL-C，FBC、2hPBC、HbAlc，HOMA-IR均较治疗前均明显降低，而血清APN、HDL-C、HOMA-IS、ISI均明显增高(P<0.05)；与对照组相比，观察组患者血清IL-6、TNF-α、CRP、TC、TG、LDL-C，FBC、2hPBC、HbAlc、HOMA-IR水平均较低(P<0.05)，血清APN、HDL-C，HOMA-IS、ISI水平较高(P<0.05)。结论：二甲双胍片联合糖脉康治疗2型糖尿病患者可有效稳定其血脂血糖，改善胰岛功能，可能与其降低血清IL-6、TNF-α、CRP水平，增加血清APN水平有关。     

Identifying novel targets in renal cell carcinoma: Design and synthesis of affinity chromatography reagents

Two novel scaffolds, 4-pyridylanilinothiazoles (PAT) and 3-pyridylphenylsulfonyl benzamides (PPB), previously identified as selective cytotoxins for von Hippel–Lindau-deficient Renal Carcinoma cells, were used as templates to prepare affinity chromatography reagents to aid the identification of the molecular targets of these two classes. Structure–activity data and computational models were used to predict possible points of attachment for linker chains. In the PAT class, Click coupling of long chain azides with 2- and 3-pyridylanilinothiazoleacetylenes gave triazole-linked pyridylanilinothiazoles which did not retain the VHL-dependent selectivity of parent analogues. For the PPB class, Sonagashira coupling of 4-iodo-(3-pyridylphenylsulfonyl)benzamide with a propargyl hexaethylene glycol carbamate gave an acetylene which was reduced to the corresponding alkyl 3-pyridylphenylsulfonylbenzamide. This reagent retained the VHL-dependent selectivity of the parent analogues and was successfully utilized as an affinity reagent.     

Receptor tyrosine kinase activation: From the ligand perspective

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are single-span transmembrane receptors in which relatively conserved intracellular kinase domains are coupled to divergent extracellular modules. The extracellular domains initiate receptor signaling upon binding to either soluble or membrane-embedded ligands. The diversity of extracellular domain structures allows for coupling of many unique signaling inputs to intracellular tyrosine phosphorylation. The combinatorial power of this receptor system is further increased by the fact that multiple ligands can typically interact with the same receptor. Such ligands often act as biased agonists and initiate distinct signaling responses via activation of the same receptor. Mechanisms behind such biased agonism are largely unknown for RTKs, especially at the level of receptor–ligand complex structure. Using recent progress in understanding the structures of active RTK signaling units, we discuss selected mechanisms by which ligands couple receptor activation to distinct signaling outputs.