Although power conversion efficiency (PCE) of state‐of‐the‐art perovskite solar cells has already exceeded 20%, photo‐ and/or moisture instability of organolead halide perovskite have prevented ...further commercialization. In particular, the underlying weak interaction of organic cations with surrounding iodides due to eight equivalent orientations of the organic cation along the body diagonals in unit cell and chemically non‐inertness of organic cation result in photo‐ and moisture instability of organometal halide perovskite. Here, a perovskite light absorber incorporating organic–inorganic hybrid cation in the A‐site of 3D APbI3 structure with enhanced photo‐ and moisture stability is reported. A partial substitution of Cs+ for HC(NH2)2+ in HC(NH2)2PbI3 perovskite is found to substantially improve photo‐ and moisture stability along with photovoltaic performance. When 10% of HC(NH2)2+ is replaced by Cs+, photo‐ and moisture stability of perovskite film are significantly improved, which is attributed to the enhanced interaction between HC(NH2)2+ and iodide due to contraction of cubo‐octahedral volume. Moreover, trap density is reduced by one order of magnitude upon incorporation of Cs+, which is responsible for the increased open‐circuit voltage and fill factor, eventually leading to enhancement of average PCE from 14.9% to 16.5%.
FA0.9Cs0.1PbI3 with improved moisture‐ and photostability is developed. Incorporation of 10% of Cs cation in the FA cation sites improves photovoltaic performance as well as photo‐ and moisture stability. Property–structure correlation plays important role in improving the stability of perovskite solar cells.
Abstract
Conventional imaging and recognition systems require an extensive amount of data storage, pre-processing, and chip-to-chip communications as well as aberration-proof light focusing with ...multiple lenses for recognizing an object from massive optical inputs. This is because separate chips (
i
.
e
., flat image sensor array, memory device, and CPU) in conjunction with complicated optics should capture, store, and process massive image information independently. In contrast, human vision employs a highly efficient imaging and recognition process. Here, inspired by the human visual recognition system, we present a novel imaging device for efficient image acquisition and data pre-processing by conferring the neuromorphic data processing function on a curved image sensor array. The curved neuromorphic image sensor array is based on a heterostructure of MoS
2
and poly(1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-trivinyl cyclotrisiloxane). The curved neuromorphic image sensor array features photon-triggered synaptic plasticity owing to its quasi-linear time-dependent photocurrent generation and prolonged photocurrent decay, originated from charge trapping in the MoS
2
-organic vertical stack. The curved neuromorphic image sensor array integrated with a plano-convex lens derives a pre-processed image from a set of noisy optical inputs without redundant data storage, processing, and communications as well as without complex optics. The proposed imaging device can substantially improve efficiency of the image acquisition and recognition process, a step forward to the next generation machine vision.
Archaea are one of the least-studied members of the gut-dwelling autochthonous microbiota. Few studies have reported the dominance of methanogens in the archaeal microbiome (archaeome) of the human ...gut, although limited information regarding the diversity and abundance of other archaeal phylotypes is available.
We surveyed the archaeome of faecal samples collected from 897 East Asian subjects living in South Korea. In total, 42.47% faecal samples were positive for archaeal colonisation; these were subsequently subjected to archaeal 16S rRNA gene deep sequencing and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based abundance estimation. The mean archaeal relative abundance was 10.24 ± 4.58% of the total bacterial and archaeal abundance. We observed extensive colonisation of haloarchaea (95.54%) in the archaea-positive faecal samples, with 9.63% mean relative abundance in archaeal communities. Haloarchaea were relatively more abundant than methanogens in some samples. The presence of haloarchaea was also verified by fluorescence in situ hybridisation analysis. Owing to large inter-individual variations, we categorised the human gut archaeome into four archaeal enterotypes.
The study demonstrated that the human gut archaeome is indigenous, responsive, and functional, expanding our understanding of the archaeal signature in the gut of human individuals. Video Abstract.
Purpose
To enhance the visibility of nigrosome 1 in substantia nigra, which has recently been suggested as an imaging biomarker for Parkinson's disease (PD) at 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
...Materials and Methods
The substantia nigra structure was visualized at 3T MRI using multiecho susceptibility map‐weighted imaging (SMWI) in 15 healthy volunteers and 6 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The visibility of nigrosome 1 was further enhanced by acquiring data in an oblique‐coronal imaging plane at a high spatial resolution (0.5 × 0.5 × 1.0 mm3). To compare the visibility, the contrast‐to‐noise ratios (CNR) of the nigrosome 1 structure relative to the neighboring substantia nigra structure were evaluated in the SMWI and other conventional susceptibility contrast images (magnitude, frequency, quantitative susceptibility map QSM and susceptibility‐weighted image).
Results
In healthy volunteers, the CNRs of the nigrosome 1 structure were 1.04 ± 0.38, 0.84 ± 0.32, 1.04 ± 0.40, 0.86 ± 0.41, and 1.45 ± 0.48 for magnitude, frequency, quantitative susceptibility map, susceptibility‐weighted image, and SMWI, respectively. Compared to conventional susceptibility contrast images, the SMWI method significantly improved the CNR of nigrosome 1 (P = 0.014 for magnitude, P = 0.030 for QSM, and P < 0.001 for frequency and SWI, respectively). The magnetic susceptibility difference between nigrosome 1 and neighboring substantia nigra structures was 0.037 ± 0.016 ppm (measured in QSM, P < 0.001) in healthy volunteers. In the PD patients, the visibility of the nigrosome 1 structures was reduced.
Conclusion
The SMWI method enhances the visibility of nigrosome 1 structures at 3T MRI when compared to conventional susceptibility contrast images.
Level of Evidence: 3
Technical Efficacy: Stage 2
J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:528–536
Regulatory T cells play a key role in immune tolerance to self‐antigens, thereby preventing autoimmune diseases. However, no drugs targeting Treg cells have been approved for clinical trials yet. ...Here, a chimeric peptide is generated by conjugation of the cytoplasmic domain of CTLA‐4 (ctCTLA‐4) with dNP2 for intracellular delivery, dNP2‐ctCTLA‐4, and evaluated Foxp3 expression during Th0, Th1, Treg, and Th17 differentiation dependent on TGF‐β. The lysine motif of ctCTLA‐4, not tyrosine motif, is required for Foxp3 expression for Treg induction and amelioration of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Transcriptome analysis reveals that dNP2‐ctCTLA‐4‐treated T cells express Treg transcriptomic patterns with properties of suppressive functions. In addition, the molecular interaction between the lysine motif of ctCTLA‐4 and PKC‐η is critical for Foxp3 expression. Although both CTLA‐4‐Ig and dNP2‐ctCTLA‐4 treatment in vivo ameliorated EAE progression, only dNP2‐ctCTLA‐4 requires Treg cells for inhibition of disease progression and prevention of relapse. Furthermore, the CTLA‐4 signaling peptide is able to induce human Tregs in vitro and in vivo as well as from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of multiple sclerosis patients. These results collectively suggest that the chimeric CTLA‐4 signaling peptide can be used for successful induction of regulatory T cells in vivo to control autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.
In this study, it is described how the synthetic peptide dNP2‐ctCTLA‐4 can induce Foxp3+ Tregs in mice and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), ameliorate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) progression with long‐term regulation and prevent disease relapse. On the basis of these findings, this peptide is an attractive drug candidate to increase Tregs in autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.
Synbiotics, including probiotics and prebiotics, are useful for patients with functional bowel disorders. However, which synbiotics are beneficial for patients with which diseases, especially those ...with functional diarrhea (FDr) with high fecal calprotectin levels, is currently unknown. FDr is an extension of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D). Although fewer studies have been conducted on FDr compared to IBS-D, its importance is increasing as its prevalence increases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a synbiotic containing a mixture of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and its substrate, fructooligosaccharide, on bowel symptoms, fecal calprotectin levels, fecal microbiota, and safety in FDr patients with high fecal calprotectin levels. Forty patients were randomly assigned to either a synbiotic group or a placebo group. A total of 20 subjects in the synbiotic group and 19 subjects in the placebo group completed the study (8 weeks). Changes in FDr symptoms, fecal calprotectin levels, and gut microbiota were assessed during the intervention period. At 4 and 8 weeks, the number of bowel movements tended to increase in the synbiotic group, with a significant increase in the number of formed stools rather than loose stools (p < 0.05). Bowel movement satisfaction was significantly increased in the synbiotic group, but not in the placebo group. Intestinal flora analysis revealed that Lactobacillales at the order level was increased only in the synbiotic group at the end of the intervention. In contrast, at week 8 of the intervention, log-transformed fecal calprotectin levels were significantly decreased in the synbiotic group, although the change was not significantly different from that of the placebo group. These findings suggest that the intake of a multi-strain-containing synbiotic for 8 weeks could improve gut symptoms and the intestinal microenvironment of FDr patients with high fecal calprotectin levels.
The prevalence of a novel β-coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was declared as a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January 2020 and a global pandemic on 11 March 2020 by WHO. The spike ...glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is regarded as a key target for the development of vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. In order to develop anti-viral therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2, it is crucial to find amino acid pairs that strongly attract each other at the interface of the spike glycoprotein and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) complex. In order to find hot spot residues, the strongly attracting amino acid pairs at the protein-protein interaction (PPI) interface, we introduce a reliable inter-residue interaction energy calculation method, FMO-DFTB3/D/PCM/3D-SPIEs. In addition to the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein/hACE2 complex, the hot spot residues of SARS-CoV-1 spike glycoprotein/hACE2 complex, SARS-CoV-1 spike glycoprotein/antibody complex, and HCoV-NL63 spike glycoprotein/hACE2 complex were obtained using the same FMO method. Following this, a 3D-SPIEs-based interaction map was constructed with hot spot residues for the hACE2/SARS-CoV-1 spike glycoprotein, hACE2/HCoV-NL63 spike glycoprotein, and hACE2/SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein complexes. Finally, the three 3D-SPIEs-based interaction maps were combined and analyzed to find the consensus hot spots among the three complexes. As a result of the analysis, two hot spots were identified between hACE2 and the three spike proteins. In particular, E37, K353, G354, and D355 of the hACE2 receptor strongly interact with the spike proteins of coronaviruses. The 3D-SPIEs-based map would provide valuable information to develop anti-viral therapeutics that inhibit PPIs between the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and hACE2.
We investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated autoimmune encephalitis (MOGAE) in adult patients.
From an institutional ...cohort, we analysed adult patients with MOGAE followed-up for more than 1 year. Disease severity was assessed using the modified Rankin scale (mRS) and Clinical Assessment Scale in Autoimmune Encephalitis scores. Immunotherapy profiles, outcomes and disease relapses were evaluated along with serial brain MRI data.
A total of 40 patients were enrolled and categorised into cortical encephalitis (18 patients), limbic encephalitis (LE, 5 patients) and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM, 17 patients). 80.0% of patients achieved good clinical outcomes (mRS 0‒2) and 40.0% relapsed. The LE subtype was associated with an older onset age (p=0.004) and poor clinical outcomes (p=0.014) than the other subtypes but with a low rate of relapse (0.0%). 21/25 (84.0%) relapse attacks were associated with an absence or short (≤6 months) immunotherapy maintenance. On MRI, the development of either diffuse cerebral or medial temporal atrophy within the first 6 month was correlated with poor outcomes. MOG-antibody (MOG-Ab) was copresent with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-antibody in 13 patients, in whom atypical clinical presentation (cortical encephalitis or ADEM, p
0.001) and disease relapse (46.2% vs 0.0%, p
0.001) were more frequent compared with conventional NMDAR encephalitis without MOG-Ab.
Outcomes are different according to the three phenotypes in MOGAE. Short immunotherapy maintenance is associated with relapse, and brain atrophy was associated with poor outcomes. Patients with dual antibodies of NMDAR and MOG have a high relapse rate.
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