Indeno[3,2-b]carbazole-Based Small Molecule Layer Enables Optimized Carrier Transport for PbS Quantum Dot NIR Photodetectors.

Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) have garnered considerable attention for photodetectors (PDs), attributable to exceptional photoelectric properties and ease solution-based processing. However, the prevalent use of 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT) as a hole transport layer (HTL) has limitations, such as energy level discrepancies, requisite oxidation, and intricate multilayer assembly. Organic p-type materials, lauded for their superior attributes and synthetic versatility, are now stepping forward as viable substitutes for conventional EDT HTLs. In this work, we introduced an organic HTL derived from indolo[3,2-b]carbazole, named ZL004, leading to a marked improvement in carrier generation and collection, facilitated by the optimized band alignment and enhanced interfacial charge dynamics. The ZL004-based PDs exhibit a photoresponsivity of 0.45 A/W, a noise current of 1.8 × 10-11 A Hz-0.5, a specific detectivity of 4.6 × 109 Jones, and an expansive linear dynamic range of 107 dB─surpassing EDT-based devices across the board, demonstrating the extraordinary property of organic p-type materials for CQD-based PDs.

Interfacial Heterojunction Enables High Efficient PbS Quantum Dot Solar Cells.

Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are promising optoelectronic materials for solution-processed thin film optoelectronic devices. However, the large surface area with abundant surface defects of CQDs and trap-assisted non-radiative recombination losses at the interface between CQDs and charge-transport layer limit their optoelectronic performance. To address this issue, an interface heterojunction strategy is proposed to protect the CQDs interface by incorporating a thin layer of polyethyleneimine (PEIE) to suppress trap-assisted non-radiative recombination losses. This thin layer not only acts as a protective barrier but also modulates carrier recombination and extraction dynamics by forming heterojunctions at the buried interface between CQDs and charge-transport layer, thereby enhancing the interface charge extraction efficiency. This enhancement is demonstrated by the shortened lifetime of carrier extraction from 0.72 to 0.46 ps. As a result, the resultant PbS CQD solar cells achieve a power-conversion-efficiency (PCE) of 13.4% compared to 12.2% without the heterojunction.

Organic hole transport materials for high performance PbS quantum dot solar cells.

We developed a triazatruxene-based hole transport material (HTM), 3Ka-DBT-3Ka, aiming to enhance band alignment and augment charge generation and collection in devices, as an alternative for 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT). The PbS CQD solar cells employing 3Ka-DBT-3Ka as the HTM achieve a peak efficiency of 11.4%, surpassing devices employing the conventional PbS-EDT HTM (8.9%).

Merkel cell carcinoma overlapping Bowen's disease: two cases report and literature review.

PURPOSE: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare neuroendocrine tumor of the skin, which mainly occurs in the sun exposed sites of white patients over 65 years, with a higher recurrence and metastasis rate. Clinically, MCC overlapping Bowen's disease (BD) is a very rare subtype of MCC. Few cases in the literature have been described and the management is not well defined. We summarize and update the epidemiology, clinical and histopathological features, metastasis characteristics, local recurrence rate and management of it by presenting two cases of MCC overlapping BD and reviewing the literature over the last 11 years. DESIGN: We consulted databases from PubMed, ResearchGate and Google Scholar by MeSh "Merkel cell carcinoma" and "Bowen's disease", "Bowen disease" or "squamous cell carcinoma in situ", from January 2013 to December 2023 and reviewed the literatures. We reported two additional cases. RESULTS: Total 13 cases of MCC overlapping BD were retrospectively analyzed, in whom mainly in elderly women over 70 years, the skin lesions were primarily located on the faces, followed by the extremities and trunk. Most of them were asymptomatic, firm, dark red nodules arising on rapidly growing red or dark brown patches, or presenting as isolated nodules. Dermoscopy evaluation was rarely performed in the pre-operative diagnostic setting. All cases were confirmed by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. The most definitive treatment was extended local excision, but local recurrences were common. Of the 13 cases, 4 cases experienced local or distant metastasis. One suffered from an in-transit recurrence of MCC on the ipsilateral leg after local excision and lymph node dissection, whose metastasis completely subsided after avelumab treatment and without recurrence or metastasis during 6 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: MCC overlapping BD is a very rare skin tumor mainly predisposed on the faces, with high misdiagnosis rate and recurrence rate. Advanced disease at diagnosis is a poor prognostic factor, suggesting that earlier detection may improve outcome. The acronym, AEIOUN, has been proposed to aid in clinical identification. Our reports and the literature review can provide a better awareness and management of it.

Recurrent Skin and Soft Tissue Infections Caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum in an Immunocompromised Adult Patient: A Case Report.

Ureaplasma urealyticum (U. urealyticum) is a normal commensal that colonizes the human genital tract and usually of low virulence; however, it can trigger serious extragenital infections in immunocompromised patient. In this case, a 48-year-old female immunocompromised patient with a four-year history of recurrent ulcer on extremities was presented to our hospital due to aggravation of lesions 10 months before. She was initially diagnosed as Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection secondary to lupus panniculitis and slightly responded to ceftazidime treatment; however, a new rash appeared on her left hip 16 days after admission, which was aggravated even under antibiotic treatment. After multiple negative cultures, U. urealyticum was identified in her left hip tissue using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). U. urealyticum was also confirmed in her secretion samples from left hip, left thigh, right calf and uterine neck using mycoplasma culture and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Her lesions, especially the new rash, were positively responded to sensitive antibiotic treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of U. urealyticum induced recurrent skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) in an immunocompromised adult patient. This case suggests that the prevalence of this kind of infections may be underestimated because of the limitation of routine culture. mNGS may be considered to look for atypical pathogens to improve the antimicrobial treatment of complicated infections.

Fatal Balamuthia mandrillaris infection with red plaques on the nasal dorsum as the first presentation

Abstract Balamuthia mandrillaris infection is a rare infectious disease around the world, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Its early and correct diagnosis is a big challenge for us, and without it the delay in starting effective treatment can lead to the development of encephalitis. This is a report of a case of Balamuthia mandrillaris infection in a Chinese boy, with red plaques on the nasal dorsum as the first presentation, who finally developed into fatal encephalitis. The authors have reviewed the related literature and share the special skin features in order to favor the early diagnosis of the disease and increase the chances of survival.

Fatal Balamuthia mandrillaris infection with red plaques on the nasal dorsum as the first presentation.

Balamuthia mandrillaris infection is a rare infectious disease around the world, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Its early and correct diagnosis is a big challenge for us, and without it the delay in starting effective treatment can lead to the development of encephalitis. This is a report of a case of Balamuthia mandrillaris infection in a Chinese boy, with red plaques on the nasal dorsum as the first presentation, who finally developed into fatal encephalitis. The authors have reviewed the related literature and share the special skin features in order to favor the early diagnosis of the disease and increase the chances of survival.

Surface Defect Passivation and Energy Level Alignment Engineering with a Fluorine-Substituted Hole Transport Material for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells.

The surface and boundary defects present in the perovskite film are reported to be nonradiative recombination and degradation centers, restricting further improvement of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and long-term stability of perovskite solar cells. To address this problem, herein, we introduce a fluorine-substituted small molecular material 2FBTA-1 as a bifunctional buffer layer to efficiently passivate the surface defects of perovskite and tune the energy level alignment between the perovskite/2,2',7,7'-tetrakis(N,N-di-(p-methoxyphenyl)amino)-9,9'-spirobifluorene (Spiro-OMeTAD) interface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that with the insertion of 2FBTA-1 between perovskite and Spiro-OMeTAD, the metallic Pb0 defects and uncoordinated Pb2+ defects are well restricted. Consequently, the average PCE is distinctly improved from 18.4 ± 0.51 to 20.3 ± 0.40%. Moreover, the long-term stability of unencapsulated devices with 2FBTA-1 treatment under ambient conditions (relative humidity 40-60%) is effectively enhanced, retaining 87% of the initial efficiency after storage for 500 h.

Fine-Tuning by Triple Bond of Carbazole Derivative Dyes to Obtain High Efficiency for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Copper Electrolyte.

Three novel dyes consisting of a 5,8,15-tris(2-ethylhexyl)-8,15-dihydro-5H-benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b':6,5-b″]tricarbazole (BTC) electron-donating group and a 4,7-bis(4-hexylthiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (BTBT) π-bridge with an anchoring group of phenyl carboxyl acid were synthesized and applied in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs).The AJ202 did not contain any triple bonds, the AJ201's ethynyl group was inserted between the BTC and BTBT units, and the AJ206's ethynyl group was introduced between the BTBT moiety and the anchor group. The inclusion and position of the ethynyl linkage in the sensitizer molecules significantly altered the electrochemical properties of these dyes, which can fine-tune the energy levels of the dyes. The best performing devices contained AJ206 as a sensitizer and a Cu(I/II) redox couple, which resulted in a power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 10.8% under the standard AM 1.5 G illumination, which obtained PCEs higher than those from the devices that contained AJ201 (9.2%) and AJ202 (9.7%) under the same conditions. The highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital levels of the sensitizers were tuned to be well-suited for the Cu(I/II) redox potential and the Fermi level of TiO2. The innovative synthesis of a tricarbazole-based donor moiety in a sensitizer used in combination with a Cu(I/II) redox couple has resulted in relatively high PCEs.

Twist1 Contributes to the Maintenance of Some Biological Properties of Dermal Papilla Cells in vitro by Forming a Complex With Tcf4 and ß-Catenin.

OBJECTIVE: During hair follicle regeneration, hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are regulated by signals from dermal papilla cells (DPCs). Previously we found that Tcf4 could promote the proliferation of DPCs. In this study, we focused on whether and how the biological properties of Tcf4-induced DPCs were regulated by Twist1. METHODS: Twist1 was overexpressed or knocked down in DPCs following different adenovirus or lentivirus infection. Phase-contrast microscopy was used to observe the agglutinative growth of DPCs. The CCK-8 assay was used to test the proliferation of DPCs. Western blot and qPCR experiments were used to determine the expression of HGF, IGF-1, VEGF, c-myc, survivin, and CyclinD1 in DPCs. ELISAs were used to test the growth factors secreted by DPCs. Conditional medium culture was used to detect the inductive ability of DPCs. Co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence were used to test the binding of Twist1, Tcf4, and ß-catenin in DPCs. Immunofluorescence was also used to test the expression of Twist1, Tcf4, and KRT15 in hair follicles. RESULTS: Twist1 induced DPC agglutinative growth and proliferation. Twist1 upregulated the expression of downstream target genes downstream of Tcf4, c-myc, survivin, in Tcf4-induced DPCs, as well as the expression and secretion of growth factors HGF, IGF-1, VEGF, which had the ability to induce hair follicle growth. The conditional medium from Twist1-treated DPCs increased the expression of KRT40 and MSX2 in HaCaT cells. Twist1 and Tcf4 co-localized in DPCs both in vitro and in vivo. Anti-Twist1 precipitated Tcf4 and ß-catenin. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that Tcf4 and Twist1 play a synergistic role in regulating the hair follicle induction ability of DPCs. Twist1 functions by forming a ternary complex with Tcf4 and ß-catenin. Thus, we report new data that elucidate whether and how Twist1 regulates some biological properties of DPCs.

Conformational and Compositional Tuning of Phenanthrocarbazole-Based Dopant-Free Hole-Transport Polymers Boosting the Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells.

Conjugated polymers are regarded as promising candidates for dopant-free hole-transport materials (HTMs) in efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Thus far, the vast majority of polymeric HTMs feature structurally complicated benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene (BDT) analogs and electron-withdrawing heterocycles, forming a strong donor-acceptor (D-A) structure. Herein, a new class of phenanthrocarbazole (PC)-based polymeric HTMs (PC1, PC2, and PC3) has been synthesized by inserting a PC unit into a polymeric thiophene or selenophene chain with the aim of enhancing the π-π stacking of adjacent polymer chains and also to efficiently interact with the perovskite surface through the broad and planar conjugated backbone of the PC. Suitable energy levels, excellent thermostability, and humidity resistivity together with remarkable photoelectric properties are obtained via meticulously tuning the conformation and elemental composition of the polymers. As a result, PSCs containing PC3 as dopant-free HTM show a stabilized power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.8% and significantly enhanced longevity, rendering one of the best types of PSCs based on dopant-free HTMs. Subsequent experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the planar conformation of the polymers contributes to an ordered and face-on stacking of the polymer chains. Furthermore, introduction of the "Lewis soft" selenium atom can passivate surface trap sites of perovskite films by Pb-Se interaction and facilitate the interfacial charge separation significantly. This work reveals the guiding principles for rational design of dopant-free polymeric HTMs and also inspires rational exploration of small molecular HTMs.

Tumor with slow-developing and recurring lumps of the external ear with skull base and lung metastasis: A case report.

The present case report describes a rare case of recurring lumps on the external ear in a 46-year-old Chinese male with a history of >10 years, who presented with large irregular red lumps on the right temple and with lung and skull base metastasis. The patient had a lesion in the right auricle and experienced recurrence following surgical resection. A thorough systemic evaluation revealed no other obvious abnormalities. The patient was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), a slow-growing form of high-grade adenocarcinoma, and refused any further treatment at the present hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University). At 2 years post-follow-up, the patient had become more frail but was in good spirits. The present study indicated that ACC is a low-grade and commonly slow-developing malignancy that primarily arises from a salivary gland, with recurring and metastatic characteristics.

Effect of fluorine substituents on benzothiadiazole-based D-π-A'-π-A photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells.

Two D-π-A'-π-A organic dyes with triazatruxene (TAT) as the electron donor, thiophene as the π-spacer, benzoic acid as the anchor group, and benzothiadiazole (BT) or difluorobenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (DFBT) as the additional acceptor, namely LS101 and LS102, respectively, were applied to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). As fluorine substituents are usually strong electron-withdrawing groups, introducing two fluorine atoms into BT was expected to strengthen the electron-withdrawing ability of the auxiliary acceptor, resulting in DSSCs with a broader light capture region and further improved power conversion efficiency (PCE). Fluorine is the smallest electron-withdrawing group with an induction effect, but can also act as an electron-donating group owing to its conjugation effect. When the conjugation effect is dominant, the electron-withdrawing ability of additional acceptor DFBT decreases instead. Accordingly, the band gap of LS102 was broadened and the UV-vis absorption spectrum was blue-shifted. In the end, DSSCs based on LS101 achieved a champion PCE of 10.2% (J sc = 15.1 mA cm-2, V oc = 966 mV, FF = 70.1%) while that based on LS102 gave a PCE of only 8.6% (J sc = 13.4 mA cm-2, V oc = 934 mV, FF = 69.1%) under standard AM 1.5G solar irradiation (100 mW cm-2) with Co2+/Co3+ as the electrolyte.

Polymeric, Cost-Effective, Dopant-Free Hole Transport Materials for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has skyrocketed in the past decade to an unprecedented level due to their outstanding photoelectric properties and facile processability. However, the utilization of expensive hole transport materials (HTMs) and the inevitable instability instigated by the deliquescent dopants represent major concerns hindering further commercialization. Here, a series of low-cost, conjugated polymers are designed and applied as dopant-free HTMs in PSCs, featuring tuned energy levels, good temperature and humidity resistivity, and excellent photoelectric properties. Further studies highlight the critical and multifaceted roles of the polymers with respect to facilitating charge separation, passivating the surface trap sites of perovskite materials, and guaranteeing long-term stability of the devices. A stabilized power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.3% and remarkably enhanced device longevity are achieved using the dopant-free polymer P3 with a low concentration of 5 mg/mL, qualifying the device as one of the best PSC systems constructed on the basis of dopant-free HTMs so far. In addition, the flexible PSCs based on P3 also exhibit a PCE of 16.2%. This work demonstrates a promising route toward commercially viable, stable, and efficient PSCs.

Analysis and optimization of alloyed Al-p+ region and rear contacts for highly efficient industrial n-type silicon solar cells.

This paper aims to develop high quality screen-printed Al emitters and improve the interface condition of rear contacts in industrial silicon solar cells. We propose to introduce an ultra-thin SiO2 buffer layer between the silicon bulk and metal contact during the fabrication process. A post-annealing strategy is adapted to further modify the Al doping profiles. The experimental results show that the effects of this oxide layer on migrating the nonuniformity of Al-p+ region and decreasing the defects at the metal-silicon interface are significant. The recombination velocity of contacts, which is extracted from the measured S rear by an analytical model, exhibits a decrease by 90.8% and the series resistance is reduced by 60.3% for the improved contacts compared to the conventional screen-printed contacts. Finally, this technique is applied to large-area (156 × 156 mm2) industrial n-type silicon solar cells and leads to a 2.18% increase in average cell efficiency, including a 12.82 mV increase in open-circuit voltage V oc and 0.99 mA cm-2 increase in short-circuit current density J sc compared with solar cells fabricated by a standard industrial process. A 19.16% efficient cell with a V oc of 637.47 mV is achieved.

Characterization of TCF4-mediated oncogenic role in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

The aberrant highly expressed T-cell factor 4 (TCF4) has been determined to be closely connected with carcinogenesis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) in previous studies. However, the underlying regulatory network and the potential therapeutic targets of TCF4 in SCC are still not fully understood. In this study, the highly expressed TCF4 was observed in human cSCC cancer compared to the paired adjacent tissues. A431 cell lines with TCF4 RNA silencing were found to be the repressive cell proliferation and invasion as well as the enhanced apoptosis. Furthermore, RNA-Seq was conducted and observed that 147 genes were up-regulated (including 113 coding genes and 34 lncRNA) while 172 genes were down-regulated (including 64 coding genes and 108 lncRNA) in TCF4 silencing compared to blank RNAi and untreated control A431 cells. 18 pathways including steroid, porphyrin, arachidonic acid, and retinol metabolism, as well as the functions associated with angiogenesis, inflammatory response, and cell adhesion were involved in the differentially expressed genes of A431 cells with TCF4 silencing. Finally, ChIP-qPCR of TCF4 and ß-catenin were performed and we found that the enrichments of ß-catenin were lost on the promoters on top ten down-regulated genes in A431 cells with TCF4 silencing compared to the untreated A431. Additionally, in untreated A431 cells, some genes such as ALDH8A1, DRICH1, and UGT1A5 were observed with high enrichment of TCF4, but without ß-catenin, which indicated a Wnt/ß-catenin independent way of TCF4 for gene transcriptional regulation. In conclusion, we declared that TCF4 played an important role in tumorigenesis of skin cancer via the aberrant activation of variety of signaling pathways, and could be considered as a potential therapeutic target for cSCC treatment.

Efficient and Stable Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on a Tetradentate Copper(II/I) Redox Mediator.

The identification of an efficient and stable redox mediator is of paramount importance for commercialization of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Herein, we report a new class of copper complexes containing diamine-dipyridine tetradentate ligands (L1 = N, N'-dibenzyl- N, N'-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)ethylenediamine; L2 = N, N'-dibenzyl- N, N'-bis(6-methylpyridin-2-ylmethyl)ethylenediamine) as redox mediators in DSCs. Devices constructed with [Cu(L2)]2+/+ redox couple afford an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.2% measured under simulated one sun irradiation (100 mW cm-2, AM 1.5G), which is among the top efficiencies reported thus far for DSCs with copper complex-based redox mediators. Remarkably, the excellent air, photo, and electrochemical stability of the [Cu(L2)]2+/+ complexes renders an outstanding long-term stability of the whole DSC device, maintaining ∼90% of the initial efficiency over 500 h under continuous full sun irradiation. This work unfolds a new platform for developing highly efficient and stable redox mediators for large-scale application of DSCs.

Author Correction: MAD2B acts as a negative regulatory partner of TCF4 on proliferation in human dermal papilla cells.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.