Manipulating Radiation-Sensitive Z-DNA Conformation for Enhanced Radiotherapy.

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) yield highly determines radiotherapy efficacy. However, improving the inherent radiosensitivity of tumor DNA to promote radiation-induced DSBs remains a challenge. Using theoretical and experimental models, the underexplored impact of Z-DNA conformations on radiosensitivity, yielding higher DSBs than other DNA conformations, is discovered. Thereout, a radiosensitization strategy focused on inducing Z-DNA conformation, utilizing CBL@HfO2 nanocapsules loaded with a Z-DNA inducer CBL0137, is proposed. A hollow mesoporous HfO2 (HM-HfO2) acts as a delivery and an energy depositor to promote Z-DNA breakage. The nanocapsule permits the smart DSBs accelerator that triggers its radiosensitization with irradiation stimulation. Impressively, the CBL@HfO2 facilitates the B-Z DNA conformational transition, augmenting DSBs about threefold stronger than irradiation alone, generating significant tumor suppression with a 30% cure rate. The approach enables DSBs augmentation by improving the inherent radiosensitivity of DNA. As such, it opens up an era of Z-DNA conformation manipulation in radiotherapy.

In Situ Growth 3D GDY-NCNTs Nanocomposites for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

New binary carbon composites (GDY-NCNTs and GDY-CNTs) with a three-dimensional porous structure, which are synthesized by an in situ growth method, are adopted in this article. The GDY-NCNTs composites exhibit excellent specific capacitance performance (679 F g-1, 2 mV s-1, 139% increase compared to GDY-CNTs) and good cycling stability (with a capacity retention rate of up to 116% after 10000 cycles). The three-dimensional porous structure not only promotes ion transfer and increases the effective specific surface area to improve its specific capacitance performance but also adapts to the volume expansion and contraction during the charging and discharging process to improve its cycling stability. The presence of nitrogen doping in the carbon nanotubes of GDY-NCNTs increases the surface defects of the composites, provides more electrochemical points, and improves the surface wettability of the composites, further improving the electrochemical performance of the composites.

Tuning Hole Transport Properties and Perovskite Crystallization via Pyridine-Based Molecules for Quasi-2D Perovskite Solar Cells.

Quasi-2D perovskites show great potential as photovoltaic devices with superior stability, but the power conversion efficiency (PCE) is limited by poor carrier transport. Here, it is simultaneously affected the hole transport layer (HTL) and the perovskite layer by incorporating pyridine-based materials into poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) to address the key problem above in 2D perovskites. With this approach, the enhanced optoelectronic performance of the novel PEDOT:PSS is due to electron transfer between the additives and PEDOT or PSS, as well as a dissociation between PEDOT and PSS based on experimental and theoretical studies, which facilitates the charge extraction and transfer. Concurrently, in-situ X-ray scattering studies reveal that the introduction of pyridine-based molecules alters the transformation process of the perovskite intermediate phase, which leads to a preferred orientation and ordered distribution caused by the Pb─N chemical bridge, achieving efficient charge transport. As a result, the pyridine-treated devices achieve an increased short-circuit current density (Jsc) and PCE of over 17%.