Hydrophobic Ionic Liquid Gel-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator: Next Generation of Ultrastable, Flexible, and Transparent Power Sources for Sustainable Electronics.

Wearable devices have become a research hotspot due to their prospective applications in wireless sensor networks and the Internet of Things. However, these technologies demand the generation of new power sources, which are efficient, flexible, sustainable, and stable. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), as a new type of power supply, have been widely studied for environmental energy harvesting and self-powered sensing; however, they have vastly limited stretchability, flexibility, and stability. For the first time, we report a single-electrode TENG based on hydrophobic ionic liquid gel, which is simultaneously transparent (average transmittance of 89% for visible light), stretchable (400%), and has super-stability-up to 3 months in various weather conditions (from -25 to +60 °C and humidity up to 80%). This TENG was used to power a vast range of flexible electronics, including 30 green light-emitting diodes (LEDs), an arch-shaped finger-bending sensor, and a transparent keyboard. This work provides a creative platform to access the next-generation sustainable wearable electronics.

CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots-Labeled Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Targeted Fluorescence Imaging of Pancreas Tissues and Therapy of Type 1 Diabetic Rats.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used for therapy of type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, the in vivo distribution and therapeutic effects of transplanted MSCs are not clarified well. Herein, we reported that CdSe/ZnS quantum dots-labeled MSCs were prepared for targeted fluorescence imaging and therapy of pancreas tissues in rat models with type 1 diabetes. CdSe/ZnS quantum dots were synthesized, their biocompatibility was evaluated, and then, the appropriate concentration of quantum dots was selected to label MSCs. CdSe/ZnS quantum dots-labeled MSCs were injected into mouse models with type 1 diabetes via tail vessel and then were observed by using the Bruker In-Vivo F PRO system, and the blood glucose levels were monitored for 8 weeks. Results showed that prepared CdSe/ZnS quantum dots owned good biocompatibility. Significant differences existed in distribution of quantum dots-labeled MSCs between normal control rats and diabetic rats (p < 0.05). The ratios of the fluorescence intensity (RFI) analysis showed an accumulation rate of MSCs in the pancreas of rats in the diabetes group which was about 32 %, while that in the normal control group rats was about 18 %. The blood glucose levels were also monitored for 8 weeks after quantum dots-labeled MSC injection. Statistical differences existed between the blood glucose levels of the diabetic rat control group and MSC-injected diabetic rat group (p < 0.01), and the MSC-injected diabetic rat group displayed lower blood glucose levels. In conclusion, CdSe/ZnS-labeled MSCs can target in vivo pancreas tissues in diabetic rats, and significantly reduce the blood glucose levels in diabetic rats, and own potential application in therapy of diabetic patients in the near future.