Low-temperature solution-processed LaNiO3 hole-transport layer for UV-stable inverted perovskite solar cells.

We report a solution-processing method to prepare an inorganic LaNiO3 (LNO) hole-transport layer (HTL) under low temperature (<150 °C) for the first time. The inverted PSCs prepared with LNO exhibit high UV-stability and promising efficiency (17.15%). Our preliminary results show great potential for LNO HTL in the fabrication of efficient and photostable inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs).

[Retracted] MicroRNA­675 inhibits cell proliferation and invasion in melanoma by directly targeting metadherin.

Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that the western blotting data shown in Fig. 5A and the cell migration and invasion assay data shown in Fig. 5C were strikingly similar to data appearing in different form in other articles by different authors at different research institutes, several of which have been retracted. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article were already under consideration for publication, or had already been published, prior to its submission to Molecular Medicine Reports, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. After having been in contact with the authors, they agreed with the decision to retract the paper. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [Molecular Medicine Reports 17: 3372­3379, 2018; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.8264].

Manipulation of the Buried Interface for Robust Formamidinium-based Sn-Pb Perovskite Solar Cells with NiOx Hole-Transport Layers.

Low band gap tin-lead perovskite solar cells (Sn-Pb PSCs) are expected to achieve higher efficiencies than Pb-PSCs and regarded as key components of tandem PSCs. However, the realization of high efficiency is challenged by the instability of Sn2+ and the imperfections at the charge transfer interfaces. Here, we demonstrate an efficient ideal band gap formamidinium (FA)-based Sn-Pb (FAPb0.5 Sn0.5 I3 ) PSC, by manipulating the buried NiOx /perovskite interface with 4-hydroxyphenethyl ammonium halide (OH-PEAX, X=Cl- , Br- , or I- ) interlayer, which exhibits fascinating functions of reducing the surface defects of the NiOx hole transport layer (HTL), enhancing the perovskite film quality, and improving both the energy level matching and physical contact at the interface. The effects of different halide anions have been elaborated and a 20.53 % efficiency is obtained with OH-PEABr, which is the highest one for FA-based Sn-Pb PSCs using NiOx HTLs. Moreover, the device stability is also boosted.

Regulating the Interplay at the Buried Interface for Efficient and Stable Carbon-Based CsPbI2Br Perovskite Solar Cells.

Buried interface modification is promising for preparing high-performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by improving the film quality and adjusting the interfacial energy level alignment. In this work, multifunctional ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid diammonium (EAD)-modulated ZnO is employed as an effective buried interface to regulate the interplay between SnO2 and CsPbI2Br in carbon-based inorganic PSCs (C-IPSCs). The burying of EAD into the ZnO interlayer not only enhances the photoelectric properties of ZnO by passivating oxygen defects but also adjusts the energy level alignment of the buried interface. More importantly, the perovskite quality is optimized and the buried interface defects are passivated due to the formation of coordination and hydrogen bondings. Benefiting from such a robust and efficient charge transfer configuration, a maximum power conversion efficiency of 14.58% is achieved in the optimized device, which represents the highest performance reported among those of low-temperature CsPbI2Br C-IPSCs. In addition, the unencapsulated device demonstrates better long-term and thermal stability.

Small Molecules Functionalized Zinc Oxide Interlayers for High Performance Low-Temperature Carbon-Based CsPbI2 Br Perovskite Solar Cells.

The charge recombination resulting from bulk defects and interfacial energy level mismatch hinders the improvement of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of carbon-based inorganic perovskite solar cells (C-IPSCs). Herein, a series of small molecules including ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and its derivatives (EDTA-Na and EDTA-K) are studied to functionalize the zinc oxide (ZnO) interlayers at the SnO2 /CsPbI2 Br buried interface to boost the photovoltaic performance of low-temperature C-IPSCs. This strategy can simultaneously passivate defects in ZnO and perovskite films, adjust interfacial energy level alignment, and release interfacial tensile stress, thereby improving interfacial contact, inhibiting ion migration, alleviating charge recombination, and promoting electron transport. As a result, a maximum PCE of 13.94% with a negligible hysteresis effect is obtained, which is one of the best results reported for low-temperature CsPbI2 Br C-IPSCs so far. Moreover, the optimized devices without encapsulation demonstrate greatly improved operational stability.

MicroRNA­675 inhibits cell proliferation and invasion in melanoma by directly targeting metadherin.

Melanoma is derived from melanocytes and accounts for ~80% of skin cancer-associated fatalities worldwide. The dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) is involved in the development and progression of melanoma. Therefore, miRNAs may be novel diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets in the treatment of patients with melanoma. miR­675 is differentially expressed in several types of human cancer and has important roles in the pathogenesis of several diseases. However, the expression levels and the biological roles of miR­675 in melanoma remain unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the expression of miR­675 in melanoma, explore the effects of miR­675 on melanoma cells and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms that may be involved in the actions of miR­675. The present study indicated that miR­675 expression was downregulated in melanoma tissues and cell lines. Functional assays demonstrated that the upregulation of miR­675 impaired cell proliferation and invasion in melanoma. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay, reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis demonstrated that metadherin (MTDH) was a direct target of miR­675 in melanoma. The MTDH levels were upregulated in melanoma tissues and inversely correlated with the miR­675 expression. Furthermore, restored MTDH expression rescued the inhibition effects in melanoma cells caused by miR­675 overexpression. Thus, miR­675 may be a potential therapeutic target for melanoma.