Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells Based on a Solution Processable Nickel(II) Phthalocyanine and Vanadium Oxide Integrated Hole Transport Layer

An organic–inorganic integrated hole transport layer (HTL) composed of the solution‐processable nickel phthalocyanine (NiPc) abbreviated NiPc‐(OBu)₈ and vanadium(V) oxide (V₂O₅) is successfully incorporated into structured mesoporous perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The optimized PSCs show the highest stabilized power conversion efficiency of up to 16.8% and good stability under dark ambient conditions. These results highlight the potential application of organic–inorganic integrated HTLs in PSCs.     

Stimulation of Native Microorganisms for Improving Loose Salty Sand

Prolonged droughts and excessive water harvesting in western Asia has accelerated desertification and caused longer dry seasons of salt lakes. The Aral Sea experience has proven that dust from saline soil is a serious health issue. Various stabilization techniques to reduce wind erosion have been used in the past. However, in recent years, a potentially viable method has been developed; microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP) has been introduced as a method of soil stabilization, though its effectiveness in saline soils remains to be examined. The effect of salt content in loose sandy soil on calcite precipitation of calcite through stimulation of native bacteria is investigated in this article. Samples with salinity up to 30% salt content were prepared and treated with different culture medium compounds. A number of tests were used to evaluate the effect of the mentioned parameters. The results show that improvement increases with increasing salinity up to 5% salt, and further increase in salinity reduces the effectiveness of improvement. It is also shown that the addition of urea in the culture medium has a significant effect on the urea hydrolysis which resulted in a five-fold increase in compressive strength. Four native strains of halotolerant urease-positive bacteria were also identified.     

Current approaches in identification and isolation of cancer stem cells

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are tumor cells with initiating ability, self-renewal potential, and intrinsic resistance to conventional therapeutics. Efficient isolation and characterization of CSCs pave the way for more comprehensive knowledge about tumorigenesis, heterogeneity, and chemoresistance. Also a better understanding of CSCs will lead to novel era of both basic and clinical cancer research, reclassification of human tumors, and development of innovative therapeutic strategies. Finding novel diagnostic and effective therapeutic strategies also enhance the success of treatment in cancer patients. There are various methods based on the characteristics of the CSCs to detect and isolate these cells, some of which have recently developed. This review summarized current techniques for effective isolation and characterization of CSCs with a focus on advantages and limitations of each method with clinical applications.     

Co-composting of oil-based drilling cuttings by bagasse

Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering - The feasibility of using a locally abundant bulking material (sugarcane bagasse) in Khuzestan province, Iran, to remove petroleum hydrocarbons from oil-based...     

Antibody humanization methods – a review and update

This article reviews recent advances achieved during recent years on various aspects of antibody humanization theories and techniques. Common methods for producing humanized antibodies including framework-homology-based humanization, germline humanization, complementary determining regions (CDR)-homology-based humanization and specificity determining residues (SDR) grafting, as well as advantages and disadvantages of each of these methods and their applications are discussed.     

Tumour induction in BALB/c mice for imaging studies: An improved protocol

Dealing with nude mice, which lack thymus and therefore are sensitive to unsterile conditions, needs special care and laboratory conditions. For preclinical studies, especially tumour imaging purposes, in which therapeutic properties of drugs or therapeutic compounds are not studied, mice with normal immune system can be a favourable alternative if they carry tumours of interest. In the current study, we introduce an optimized protocol for induction of human tumours in BALB/c mice for preclinical studies. Immune system of BALB/c mice was suppressed by administration of cyclosporine A (CsA), ketoconazole and cyclophosphamide. The tumours of MDA-MB-231, A-431 and U-87-MG human cancer cells were induced by subcutaneous injection of the cells to the immunosuppressed mice. Tumour size was calculated weekly. Histopathological and metastatic analyses were performed using haematoxylin and eosin staining. The combination of the three drugs was found to suppress immune system and decrease the numbers of white blood cells, including lymphocytes. At the eighth week, tumours with a dimension of approximately 1400 mm³ developed. Large atypical nuclei with scant cytoplasm were found to exist using histopathological analysis. No metastasis was observed in the tumour-bearing mice. A combination of CsA, ketoconazole and cyclophosphamide can be used to suppress the immune system in BALB/c mice and induce tumours with significant size.