Suppressing Interfacial Dipoles to Minimize Open‐Circuit Voltage Loss in Quantum Dot Photovoltaics

Quantum‐dot (QD) photovoltaics (PVs) offer promise as energy‐conversion devices; however, their open‐circuit‐voltage (V_OC) deficit is excessively large. Previous work has identified factors related to the QD active layer that contribute to V_OC loss, including sub‐bandgap trap states and polydispersity in QD films. This work focuses instead on layer interfaces, and reveals a critical source of V_OC loss: electron leakage at the QD/hole‐transport layer (HTL) interface. Although large‐bandgap organic materials in HTL are potentially suited to minimizing leakage current, dipoles that form at an organic/metal interface impede control over optimal band alignments. To overcome the challenge, a bilayer HTL configuration, which consists of semiconducting alpha‐sexithiophene (α‐6T) and metallic poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiphene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), is introduced. The introduction of the PEDOT:PSS layer between α‐6T and Au electrode suppresses the formation of undesired interfacial dipoles and a Schottky barrier for holes, and the bilayer HTL provides a high electron barrier of 1.35 eV. Using bilayer HTLs enhances the V_OC by 74 mV without compromising the J_SC compared to conventional MoO₃ control devices, leading to a best power conversion efficiency of 9.2% (>40% improvement relative to relevant controls). Wider applicability of the bilayer strategy is demonstrated by a similar structure based on shallow lowest‐unoccupied‐molecular‐orbital (LUMO) levels.     

Effect of trophic conditions on microalga growth,nutrient removal,algal organic matter,and energy storage products in Scenedesmus (Acutodesmus) obliquus KGE-17 cultivation

Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering - This study compared the performance of microalga growth, nutrient removal, algal organic matter, and energy storage products in mixotrophic,...     

三维联合培养牙髓细胞和血管内皮祖细胞促进成牙本质向/成骨向分化

目的:探讨三维联合培养牙髓细胞(dental pulp cells, DPCs)和血管内皮祖细胞(endothelial progenitor cells, EPCs)对成牙本质向/成骨向分化的影响。方法:取单独培养DPCs及联合培养的DPCs和EPCs进行三维培养后成牙本质向/成骨向诱导,使用茜素红染色及半定量分析、RT-PCR和细胞免疫荧光检测成牙本质向/成骨向分化能力。采用SPSS 23.0统计软件对数据进行统计学分析。结果:茜素红染色显示联合培养组和单独培养组之间未见显著差异。RT-PCR和细胞免疫荧光显示成牙本质向/成骨向相关基因m RNAs和蛋白表达水平联合培养组显著高于单独培养组。结论:三维联合培养的DPCs和EPCs促进成牙本质向/成骨向分化,为牙髓再生提供可能实验依据。     

Genetic Analysis of an Emerging GII.P2–GII.2 Norovirus Associated with a 2016 Outbreak of Acute Gastroenteritis in China

<正>Dear Editor,Noroviruses are positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses belonging to Caliciviridae and account for more than 50%of all acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreaks worldwide and cause an estimated 200,000 deaths per year among children\5 years of age, primarily in developing countries (Hall et al. 2012; Glass et al. 2009). The norovirus genome contains three open reading frames (ORFs).     

入侵害虫菊方翅网蝽在中国的潜在分布预测

菊方翅网蝽Corythucha marmorata(Uhler,1878)是我国新近发现的外来入侵害虫,研究明确菊方翅网蝽在我国的潜在分布范围对其监测预警及科学防控具有重要意义。本研究根据菊方翅网蝽的地理分布数据及相关环境变量,运用Maxent生态位模型与ArcGIS预测了菊方翅网蝽在中国的潜在地理分布范围。预测结果表明:菊方翅网蝽在我国的适生区主要分布于100°～125°E,20°～40°N的亚热带、暖温带区域,其中高适生区主要集中在长江中下游地区,包括浙江、江苏、湖南、上海大部分地区、安徽南部、湖北南部、江西西部及南部、贵州东部、福建东部、广西北部、山东中部、河南南部以及重庆、台湾局部;此外,极端气温、平均气温、最干月份降雨量对菊方翅网蝽的潜在分布影响较大。菊方翅网蝽已在我国成功入侵并迅速蔓延成灾,应在疫区边缘地带加强监测,并采取措施防止其进一步扩散。     

New pollen classification of Chenopodiaceae for exploring and tracing desert vegetation evolution in eastern arid central Asia

Members of the Chenopodiaceae are the most dominant elements in the central Asian desert. The different genera and species within this family are common in desert vegetation types. Should it prove possible to link pollen types in this family to specific desert vegetation, it would be feasible to trace vegetation successions in the geological past. Nevertheless, the morphological similarity of pollen grains in the Chenopodiaceae rarely permits identification at the generic level. Although some pollen classifications of Chenopodiaceae have been proposed, none of them tried to link pollen types to specific desert vegetation types in order to explore their ecological significance. Based on the pollen morphological characters of 13 genera and 24 species within the Chenopodiaceae of eastern central Asia, we provide a new pollen classification of this family with six pollen types and link them to those plant communities dominated by Chenopodiaceae, for example, temperate dwarf semi‐arboreal desert (Haloxylon type), temperate succulent halophytic dwarf semi‐shrubby desert (Suaeda, Kalidium, and Atriplex types), temperate annual graminoid desert (Kalidium type), temperate semi‐shrubby and dwarf semi‐shrubby desert (Kalidium, Iljini, and Haloxylon types), and alpine cushion dwarf semi‐shrubby desert (Krascheninnikovia type). These findings represent a new approach for detecting specific desert vegetation types and deciphering ecosystem evolution in eastern central Asia.     

Perivascular adipose tissue‐derived stromal cells contribute to vascular remodeling during aging

Aging is an independent risk factor for vascular diseases. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT), an active component of the vasculature, contributes to vascular dysfunction during aging. Identification of underlying cell types and their changes during aging may provide meaningful insights regarding the clinical relevance of aging‐related vascular diseases. Here, we take advantage of single‐cell RNA sequence to characterize the resident stromal cells in the PVAT (PVASCs) and identified different clusters between young and aged PVASCs. Bioinformatics analysis revealed decreased endothelial and brown adipogenic differentiation capacities of PVASCs during aging, which contributed to neointimal hyperplasia after perivascular delivery to ligated carotid arteries. Mechanistically, in vitro and in vivo studies both suggested that aging‐induced loss of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ coactivator‐1 α (PGC1α) was a key regulator of decreased brown adipogenic differentiation in senescent PVASCs. We further demonstrated the existence of human PVASCs (hPVASCs) and overexpression of PGC1α improved hPVASC delivery‐induced vascular remodeling. Our finding emphasizes that differentiation capacities of PVASCs alter during aging and loss of PGC1α in aged PVASCs contributes to vascular remodeling via decreased brown adipogenic differentiation.