Introducing Bi2S3 Interlayer to Synergistically Modify Mo Back Contact and Regulate Bulk Defects in Kesterite Solar Cells.

A suitable interlayer between the Mo back electrode and kesterite absorber layer has been proven to have a positive effect on limiting the bulk defects of the absorber by the constitute diffusion. Here, a thin Bi2S3 layer is used as the back-interface intermediate layer for the first time, this innovative approach allows for simultaneous modification of the back contact and reduction of bulk defects, resulting in improving the power conversion efficiency of the kesterite device from 9.66% to 11.8%. The evaporated Bi2O3 thin films turn into the Bi2S3 interlayers after sintering the Cu2ZnSnS4 precursor thin films. The Bi2S3 interlayer can inhibit the decomposition reaction of back contact and suppress the formation of the secondary phases. It can also optimize the Fermi level offset and promote the separation of the photoinduced carriers, resulting from its characteristic of high work function. Besides, a small part of the Bi element can diffuse into Cu2ZnSn(S, Se)4 film and induce the crystal growth and restrain Zn-related defects, which is attributed to forming the low melting-point liquid BiSex phase during the high-temperature selenization process. The conclusions highlight the bifunction of the thin Bi2S3 intermediate layer, which can provide a new approach to improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency of kesterite solar cells.

Small Extracellular Vesicle piR-hsa-30937 Derived from Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms Upregulates CD276 in Macrophages to Promote Immune Evasion.

The role of PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNA) in small extracellular vesicles (sEV) derived from pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNEN) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unexplored. We used multiplex IHC to analyze the expression of CD68, CD276 (B7H3), and CD3 on PNEN. CD276+ tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) were more abundant in tumor tissues than nontumor tissues and negatively correlated with T-cell infiltration. Serum sEV piRNA sequencing was performed to identify piRNAs enriched in patients with PNEN. We then investigated the function and mechanism of sEV piR-hsa-30937 in the cross-talk between tumor cells and macrophages in the PNEN TME. PNEN-derived sEV piR-hsa-30937 targeted PTEN to activate the AKT pathway and drive CD276 expression. CD276+ macrophages inhibited T-cell proliferation and IFNγ production. piR-hsa-30937 knockdown and anti-CD276 treatment suppressed progression and metastasis in a preclinical model of PNEN by enhancing T-cell immunity. Thus, our data show that PNEN-derived sEV piR-hsa-30937 promotes CD276 expression in macrophages through the PTEN/AKT pathway and that CD276+ TAMs suppress T-cell antitumor immunity. sEV piR-hsa-30937 and CD276 are potential therapeutic targets for immunotherapy of PNEN.

Signal Photon Extraction Method for ICESat-2 Data Using Slope and Elevation Information Provided by Stereo Images.

Laser altimetry data from the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) contain a lot of noise, which necessitates the requirement for a signal photon extraction method. In this study, we propose a density clustering method, which combines slope and elevation information from optical stereo images and adaptively adjusts the neighborhood search direction in the along-track direction. The local classification density threshold was calculated adaptively according to the uneven spatial distribution of noise and signal density, and reliable surface signal points were extracted. The performance of the algorithm was validated for strong and weak beam laser altimetry data using optical stereo images with different resolutions and positioning accuracies. The results were compared qualitatively and quantitatively with those obtained using the ATL08 algorithm. The signal extraction quality was better than that of the ATL08 algorithm for steep slope and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regions. The proposed method can better balance the relationship between recall and precision, and its F1-score was higher than that of the ATL08 algorithm. The method can accurately extract continuous and reliable surface signals for both strong and weak beams among different terrains and land cover types.

ALKBH5 enhances lipid metabolism reprogramming by increasing stability of FABP5 to promote pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms progression in an m6A-IGF2BP2-dependent manner.

The process of post-transcriptional regulation has been recognized to be significantly impacted by the presence of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification. As an m6A demethylase, ALKBH5 has been shown to contribute to the progression of different cancers by increasing expression of several oncogenes. Hence, a better understanding of the key targets of ALKBH5 in cancer cells could potentially lead to the development of new therapeutic targets. However, the specific role of ALKBH5 in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs) remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that ALKBH5 was up-regulated in pNENs and played a critical role in tumor growth and lipid metabolism. Mechanistically, ALKBH5 over-expression was found to increase the expression of FABP5 in an m6A-IGF2BP2 dependent manner, leading to disorders in lipid metabolism. Additionally, ALKBH5 was found to activate PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, resulting in enhanced lipid metabolism and proliferation abilities. In conclusion, our study uncovers the ALKBH5/IGF2BP2/FABP5/mTOR axis as a mechanism for aberrant m6A modification in lipid metabolism and highlights a new molecular basis for the development of therapeutic strategies for pNENs treatment.

Transgenic soybean of GsMYB10 shapes rhizosphere microbes to promote resistance to aluminum (Al) toxicity.

Plant resistance genes could affect rhizosphere microbiota, which in turn enhanced plant resistance to stresses. Our previous study found that overexpression of the GsMYB10 gene led to enhanced tolerance of soybean plants to aluminum (Al) toxicity. However, whether GsMYB10 gene could regulate rhizosphere microbiota to mitigate Al toxicity remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the rhizosphere microbiomes of HC6 soybean (WT) and transgenic soybean (trans-GsMYB10) at three Al concentrations, and constructed three different synthetic microbial communities (SynComs), including bacterial, fungal and cross-kingdom (bacteria and fungi) SynComs to verify their role in improving Al tolerance of soybean. Trans-GsMYB10 shaped the rhizosphere microbial communities and harbored some beneficial microbes, such as Bacillus, Aspergillus and Talaromyces under Al toxicity. Fungal and cross-kingdom SynComs showed a more effective role than the bacterial one in resistance to Al stress, and these SynComs helped soybean resist Al toxicity via affecting some functional genes that involved cell wall biosynthesis and organic acid transport etc. Overall, this study reveals the mechanism of soybean functional genes regulating the synergistic resistance of rhizosphere microbiota and plants to Al toxicity, and also highlights the possibility of focusing on the rhizobial microbial community as a potential molecular breeding target to produce crops.

Study on the source of magnetic properties of three novel boratopolyoxovanadates via two-dimensional infrared correlation spectroscopy.

Three novel polyoxovanadoborates namely [V12B18O46(OH)14(H2O)0.75]·20.5H2O 1, Na2[V12B18O48(OH)12(H2O)0.5]·26.5H2O 2 and Cd0.5{[Na(H2O)2]2[Na(H2O)]2[Na(H2O)3]2V12B18O53(OH)7(H2O)0.5}·11H2O 3 have been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. The boratopolyoxovanadate cage [V12B18O60] backbones in 1-3 are constructed by the combination of two hexameric oxovanadate units [V6O9] and one puckered [B18O42] ring via sharing O atoms. All three compounds were obtained under alkaline conditions, and the cluster anions were all [V12B18O60]. But the cations were different, it is inferred that the protonation of the three compound cluster ions is different, respectively [V12B18O46(OH)14(H2O)0.75] in 1, [V12B18O48(OH)12(H2O)0.5]2- in 2 and [V12B18O53(OH)7(H2O)0.5]7- in 3. The V oxidation states ratio of VIV to VV were 2:1 confirmed by valence bond calculation and XPS. We studied the magnetic properties of three compounds by two methods: The variable temperature magnetic susceptibility and the 2D IR COS under magnetic perturbation. From the 2D IR COS under magnetic perturbation map, it is showed that all three: (1) the presence of VIV. (2) Certain quasi-aromaticity from B3O3 six-membered ring. (3) The difference of protonation and the charge of the cluster anions. This work enriches the theory of two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy and also provides a new approach to the study of magnetic materials.

Two novel Dawson-like tungstoantimonates with difunctional photocatalytic and magnetic properties.

Two novel inorganic-organic hybrids containing the pyramidal SbO3 group in Dawson-like POMs based on an organic ligand with different coordination modes, namely {Ni(phen)3}3[SbW18O60]·(H3O)3·7H2O (1) and [CuI(phen)(H2O)3]{[Cu(phen)2(H2O)2]2[SbW18O60]}·2H2O (2) (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), have been synthesized. The catalytic property of compound 1 was studied as the first case for an {M18} cluster containing the pyramidal SbO3 group. Remarkably, compound 1 has excellent photocatalytic activity for RhB degradation and the probable mechanism of degradation was discussed. Additionally, the 2D-IR correlation spectra (2D-IR COS) under magnetic perturbation were recorded to analyze the magnetic properties of compound 1. The 2D-IR COS under thermo perturbation were recorded to verify the presence of H-bonding interactions.