InP quantum dots (QDs) are typical III–V group semiconductor nanocrystals that feature large excitonic Bohr radius and high carrier mobility. The merits of InP QDs include large absorption ...coefficient, broad color tunability, and low toxicity, which render them promising alternatives to classic Cd/Pb‐based QDs for applications in practical settings. Over the past two decades, the advances in wet‐chemistry methods have enabled the synthesis of small‐sized colloidal InP QDs with the assistance of organic ligands. By proper selection of synthetic protocols and precursor materials coupled with surface passivation, the QYs of InP QDs are pushed to near unity with modest color purity. The state‐of‐the‐art InP QDs with appealing optical and electronic properties have excelled in many applications with the potential for commercialization. This work focuses on the recent development of wet‐chemistry protocols and various precursor materials for the synthesis and surface modification of InP QDs. Current methods for constructing light‐emitting diodes using novel InP‐based QDs are also summarized.
InP nanocrystals are promising alternatives to classic Cd/Pb‐based quantum dots (QDs) for applications in practical settings owing to the low toxicity and high emission efficiency. This work focuses on the recent advances in the synthesis and surface modification of InP QDs as well as their applications in light‐emitting diodes.
Quantum cutting can realize the emission of multiple near‐infrared photons for each ultraviolet/visible photon absorbed, and has potential to significantly improve the photoelectric conversion ...efficiency (PCE) of solar cells. However, due to the lack of an ideal downconversion material, it has merely served as a principle in the laboratory until now. Here, the fabrication of a novel type of quantum cutting material, CsPbCl1.5Br1.5:Yb3+, Ce3+ nanocrystals is presented. Benefiting from the larger absorption cross‐section, weaker electron–phonon coupling, and higher inner luminescent quantum yield (146%), the doped perovskite nanocrystals are successfully explored as a downconverter of commercial silicon solar cells (SSCs). Noticeably, the PCE of the SSCs is improved from 18.1% to 21.5%, with a relative enhancement of 18.8%. This work exhibits a cheap, convenient, and effective way to enhance the PCE of SSCs, which may be commercially popularized in the future.
Cerium and ytterbium codoped halide perovskite quantum dots display an efficient near‐infrared emission with inner luminescent quantum yield of 146%. The quantum dots are explored to enhance the performance of silicon solar cells with a relative enhancement of 18.8%.
Recently, various lanthanide ions (Ln3+) have been successfully doped into perovskite quantum dots (PQDs), and the quantum-cutting emission of 2F5/2–2F7/2 for Yb3+with a measurable inner efficiency ...of more than 100% has been discovered and applied as the luminescent converter of solar cells, which has opened a new branch for the application of PQDs. In this work, to further improve the quantum-cutting efficiency of Yb3+, the codoping and tridoping methods were used to improve the quantum-cutting emission of PQDs. The Yb3+–Ln3+ (Ln = Nd, Dy, Tb, Pr, Ce) pair-doped CsPbCl x Br y I3–x–y PQDs were fabricated, with all displaying excitonic emission, narrow-band emission of Ln3+ ions, and quantum-cutting emission of Yb3+ ions. It was interesting that Yb3+–Pr3+ as well as Yb3+–Ce3+ pairs could effectively sensitize the emission of Yb3+, owing to Pr3+ and Ce3+ ions offering intermediate energy states close to the exciton transition energy of the PQDs. After host composition optimization and tridoping investigation, overall emissions with a 173% photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) were obtained in the Yb3+–Pr3+–Ce3+-tridoped CsPbClBr2 PQDs. Then, the tridoped PQDs were designed as the down-converter for CuIn1–x Ga x Se2 (CIGS) as well as the silicon solar cells, which leads to an enhancement of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of as high as ∼20%. The modified CIGS was further employed to charge the smart mobile phone, which could largely shorten the charging time from 180 to 150 min. This finding is of great significant for expanding the application fields of the impurity-doped PQDs.
The development of fluorogens with deep-red emission is one of the hottest topics of investigation in the field of bio/chemosensors and bioimaging. Herein, the tunable fluorescence of perylene ...diimide (PDI) derivatives was achieved by the incorporation of varied isolation groups linked on the PDI core. With the enlarged sizes of isolation groups, the conversion from aggregation caused quenching to aggregation-induced emission was obtained in their fluorescence variations from solutions to nanoparticles, as the result of the efficient inhibition of π–π stacking by the larger isolation groups. Accordingly, DCzPDI bearing 1,3-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl)benzene as the biggest isolation group exhibited the bright deep-red emission in the aggregated state with a quantum yield of 12.3%. Combined with the three-photon excited fluorescence microscopy (3PFM) technology, through-skull 3PFM imaging of mouse cerebral vasculature can be realized by DCzPDI nanoparticles with good biocompatibility, and the penetration depth can be as deep as 450 μm.
Advanced optical methods combined with various probes pave the way toward molecular imaging within living cells. However, major challenges are associated with the need to enhance the imaging ...resolution even further to the subcellular level for the imaging of larger tissues, as well as for in vivo studies. High scattering and absorption of opaque tissues limit the penetration of light into deep tissues and thus the optical imaging depth. Tissue optical clearing technique provides an innovative way to perform deep-tissue imaging. Recently, various optical clearing methods have been developed, which provide tissue clearing based on similar physical principles via different chemical approaches. Here, we introduce the mechanisms of the current clearing methods from fundamental physical and chemical perspectives, including the main physical principle, refractive index matching via various chemical approaches, such as dissociation of collagen, delipidation, decalcification, dehydration, and hyperhydration, to reduce scattering, as well as decolorization to reduce absorption.
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Subject areas: Optical Imaging; Biological Sciences; Research Methodologies; Biological Sciences Tools
Cancer stem cells are the key link between malignant tumor progression and drug resistance. This cell population has special properties that are different from those of conventional tumor cells, and ...the role of cancer stem cell-related exosomes in progression of tumor malignancy is becoming increasingly clear. Cancer stem cell-derived exosomes carry a variety of functional molecules involved in regulation of the microenvironment, especially with regard to immune cells, but how these exosomes exert their functions and the specific mechanisms need to be further clarified. Here, we summarize the role of cancer stem cell exosomes in regulating immune cells in detail, aiming to provide new insights for subsequent targeted drug development and clinical strategy formulation.
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•Exosomes released by CSC play an important role in immunotherapy.•Molecules released by cancer stem cells are the key mediators for their regulation of target cells.•Proposing new targeted drug therapy strategies for CSC-associated exosomes are promising directions.•Immune cells-related exosomes can regulate CSC metabolism and stemness in a variety of ways.
Practices of intergenerational support are regulated by familial normative imperatives. Ancestor worship has been serving as such a normative force that sustains household eldercare in traditional ...China. Against the background of the concerted population ageing and reviving ancestor worship practices and beliefs in contemporary China, this study investigates whether or not the positive link between ancestor worship and household eldercare persists in the post-Reform Era. Drawing on data from the 2010 China Family Panel Studies, this study finds that, on average, both practices and beliefs of ancestor worship at the household level have a significant and positive correlation with the likelihood of older family members to be financially supported by family members, but no significant association is detected for the reception of household chore assistance. Moreover, familial ancestor worship beliefs show a stronger association with the reception of monetary support among rural older adults than the urban counterpart. These results suggest that the intergenerational relation in contemporary China still relates to the norms of ancestor worship. As such, this study extends the scholarship on eldercare that mostly focuses on resource transaction and exchange by highlighting the normative aspect of caregiving.
In this paper, we consider parameter estimation, kink points testing and statistical inference for a longitudinal multi-kink expectile regression model with nonignorable dropout. In order to ...accommodate both within-subject correlations and nonignorable dropout, the bias-corrected generalized estimating equations are constructed by combining the inverse probability weighting and quadratic inference function approaches. The estimators for the kink locations and regression coefficients are obtained by using the generalized method of moments. A selection procedure based on a modified BIC is applied to estimate the number of kink points. We theoretically demonstrate the number selection consistency of kink points and the asymptotic normality of all estimators. A weighted cumulative sum type statistic is proposed to test the existence of kink effects at a given expectile, and its limiting distributions are derived under both the null and the local alternative hypotheses. Simulation studies show that the proposed estimators and test have desirable finite sample performance in both homoscedastic and heteroscedastic errors. An application to the Nation Growth, Lung and Health Study dataset is also presented.
Introduction
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is not considered only a liver disease but also associated with an increased risk of extra-hepatic diseases including bone metabolism disorders. ...In our study, we aim to explore the changes of several bone turnover markers (BTMs) under different fat deposition and stiffness levels of the liver.
Materials and methods
We analyzed the physical examination data of 3353 subjects from February 2018 to June 2021 in this study. The steatosis and stiffness of liver were quantitatively detected using the fat attenuation parameter (FAP) and liver stiffness measurements (LSM) of transient elastography (TE). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), osteocalcin, carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX), amino terminal elongation peptide of total type 1 procollagen (P1NP) were tested. Clinical and other biochemical data were also collected.
Results
With the increasing of FAP, the levels of 25(OH)D3 and osteocalcin decreased, the difference was statistically significant. No correlation was found between LSM and all the four BTMs. Logistic regression analysis revealed that FAP ≥ 244 dB/m was negatively correlated with 25(OH)D3 (in both males and females) and osteocalcin (only in males). No correlation was found between FAP ≥ 244 dB/m and P1NP or CTX.
Conclusion
The degree of liver adipose deposition was found to be negatively associated with the serum levels of 25(OH)D3 (in both males and females) and osteocalcin (only in males) in southwest China.
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