Bilateral Production Shield Enabling Highly Efficient Perovskite Photovoltaics.

Enhancing the intrinsic stability of perovskite and through encapsulation to isolate water, oxygen, and UV-induced decomposition are currently common and most effective strategies in perovskite solar cells. Here, the atomic layer deposition process is employed to deposit a nanoscale (≈100 nm), uniform, and dense Al2O3 film on the front side of perovskite devices, effectively isolating them from the erosion caused by water and oxygen in the humid air. Simultaneously, nanoscale (≈100 nm) TiO2 films are also deposited on the glass surface to efficiently filter out the ultraviolet (UV) light in the light source, which induces degradation in perovskite. Ultimately, throughthe collaborative effects of both aspects, the stability of the devices is significantly improved under conditions of humid air and illumination. As a result, after storing the devices in ambient air for 1000 h, the efficiency only declines to 95%, and even after 662 h of UV exposure, the efficiency remains at 88%, far surpassing the performance of comparison devices. These results strongly indicate that the adopted Al2O3 and TiO2 thin films play a significant role in enhancing the stability of perovskite solar cells, demonstrating substantial potential for widespread industrial applications.

Tailoring whispering-gallery fields in optical black hole cavities.

The ability to confine light has great significance in both fundamental science and practical applications. Optical black hole (OBH) cavities show intriguing zero radiation loss and strong field confinement. In this work, we systematically explore the whispering gallery mode (WGM) in a group of generalized OBH cavities, featuring bound states and strong field confinement. The field confinement in generalized OBH cavities is revealed to be enhanced with the increase of index-modulation factors, resulting from the increase of a potential barrier. Furthermore, we reveal the anomalous external resonant modes, exhibiting fascinating field enhancement in the low-index region far beyond the cavity boundary. These anomalous WGMs are attributed to the potential bending effect and above-barrier resonance. Our work may shed light on tailoring WGM fields in gradient-index cavities and find potential applications in light coupling and optical sensing.

Simultaneous temperature and pressure sensing based on a single optical resonator.

We propose a dual-parameter sensor for the simultaneous detection of temperature and pressure based on a single packaged microbubble resonator (PMBR). The ultrahigh-quality (∼107) PMBR sensor exhibits long-term stability with the maximum wavelength shift about 0.2056 pm. Here, two resonant modes with different sensing performance are selected to implement the parallel detection of temperature and pressure. The temperature and pressure sensitivities of resonant Mode-1 are -10.59 pm/°C and 0.1059 pm/kPa, while the sensitivities of Mode-2 are -7.69 pm/°C and 0.1250 pm/kPa, respectively. By adopting a sensing matrix, the two parameters are precisely decoupled and the root mean square error of measurement are ∼ 0.12 °C and ∼ 6.48 kPa, respectively. This work promises the potential for the multi-parameters sensing in a single optical device.

Electron Microscopy Probing Electron-Photon Interactions in SiC Nanowires with Ultrawide Energy and Momentum Match.

Light-matter interactions are commonly probed by optical spectroscopy, which, however, has some fundamental limitations such as diffraction-limited spatial resolution, tiny momentum transfer, and noncontinuous excitation/detection. In this work, through the use of scanning transmission electron microscopy-electron energy loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS) with ultrawide energy and momentum match and subnanometer spatial resolution, the longitudinal Fabry-Perot (FP) resonating modes and the transverse whispering-gallery modes (WGMs) in individual SiC nanowires are simultaneously excited and detected, which span from near-infrared (∼1.2 µm) to ultraviolet (∼0.2 µm) spectral regime, and the momentum transfer can range up to 108 cm-1. The size effects on the resonant spectra of nanowires are also revealed. This work provides an alternative technique to optical resonating spectroscopy and light-matter interactions in dielectric nanostructures, which is promising for modulating free electrons via photonic structures.

Ultra-compact reconfigurable device for mode conversion and dual-mode DPSK demodulation via inverse design.

The mode multiplexing/de-multiplexing devices are key components for mode-division multiplexing (MDM) technology. Here, we propose an ultra-compact and reconfigurable mode-conversion device via inverse design, which can selectively implement multichannel mode conversion controlled by input phase shifts (Δφ). The device can transform input TE0 (TE1) mode to TE4 (TE3) mode at Δφ=0, or from TE0 (TE1) to TE1 (TE2) at Δφ=π spanning the wavelength range of 1525-1565 nm. We further demonstrate an integrated monolithic module based on the mode conversions to directly demodulate the dual-mode difference phase shift keying (DPSK) signal which significantly reduces the device size and benefits for future dense integrations in MDM systems.

Efficacy and safety of DOACs in patients with peripheral arterial disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with peripheral arterial disease are not completely understood. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to explore the effects of DOACs in this population. METHODS: We systematically searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science till April 2020 for relevant randomized controlled trials and observational studies, with no linguistic restrictions. The efficacy outcomes were cardiovascular death, stroke, myocardial infraction, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), acute limb ischemia, amputation, and target lesion revascularization. The safety outcome was major bleeding events. Random effects risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: A total four randomized controlled trials were included in this meta-analysis. Among peripheral arterial disease patients, DOACs did not reduce the risk of cardiovascular death (RR = 1.02 95%CI 0.75-1.37, P = 0.92), stroke (RR = 0.73 95%CI 0.46-1.14, P = 0.16), myocardial infraction (RR = 0.85 95%CI 0.70-1.03, P = 0.10), MACE (RR = 0.73 95%CI 0.46-1.14, P = 0.16), or amputation (RR = 0.73 95%CI 0.46-1.14, P = 0.16) compared with control. However, DOACs were associated with reduction in acute limb ischemia (RR = 0.67 95%CI 0.55-0.80, P < 0.01) and target lesion revascularization (RR = 0.89 95%CI 0.81-0.99, P = 0.02) at the expense of major bleeding events (RR = 1.43 95%CI 1.16-1.77, P < 0.01) compared with control. CONCLUSIONS: Based on current evidence, no significant difference in cardiovascular death, stroke, myocardial infraction, MACE, and amputation was found when DOACs were compared to antiplatelet monotherapy. The benefits of preventing target lesion revascularization and acute limb ischemia were balanced by amplified risk of major bleeding. Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to figure out the uncertainty around efficacy and safety of medications for peripheral arterial disease.

Surface Plasmonic Sensors: Sensing Mechanism and Recent Applications.

Surface plasmonic sensors have been widely used in biology, chemistry, and environment monitoring. These sensors exhibit extraordinary sensitivity based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) or localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effects, and they have found commercial applications. In this review, we present recent progress in the field of surface plasmonic sensors, mainly in the configurations of planar metastructures and optical-fiber waveguides. In the metastructure platform, the optical sensors based on LSPR, hyperbolic dispersion, Fano resonance, and two-dimensional (2D) materials integration are introduced. The optical-fiber sensors integrated with LSPR/SPR structures and 2D materials are summarized. We also introduce the recent advances in quantum plasmonic sensing beyond the classical shot noise limit. The challenges and opportunities in this field are discussed.

Demonstration of a microelectromechanical tunable Fabry-Pérot cavity based on graphene-bonded fiber devices.

Taking advantage of the high thermal conductivity of graphene, this Letter demonstrates a microelectromechanical (MEM) tunable Fabry-Pérot (F-P) cavity, based on a graphene-bonded fiber device (GFD), which acts as a microheater. By increasing the electric current from 0 to 8 mA in the heater, the temperature of the GFD can rise and approach a value of 760 K theoretically. This high temperature will cause a deformation of the fiber, allowing the graphene-bonded fiber end to form a gap-adjustable F-P cavity with a cleaved single-mode fiber. The gap in the cavity can be reduced by increasing the current applied, leading the transmittance of the cavity to change. In this work, a highly sensitive current sensor (5.9×105 nm/A2) and a tunable mode-locked fiber laser (1.2×104 nm/A2) are created based on the MEM tunable F-P cavity.

Microcavity Nonlinear Optics with an Organically Functionalized Surface.

We report enhanced optical nonlinear effects at the surface of an ultrahigh-Q silica microcavity functionalized by a thin layer of organic molecules. The maximal conversion efficiency of third harmonic generation reaches ∼1680%/W^{2} and an absolute efficiency of 0.0144% at pump power of ∼2.90 mW, which is approximately 4 orders of magnitude higher than that in a reported silica microcavity. Further analysis clarifies the elusive dependence of the third harmonic signal on the pump power in previous literature. Molecule-functionalized microcavities may find promising applications in high-efficiency broadband optical frequency conversion and offer potential in sensitive surface analysis.

Effects of alternate-day fasting on body weight and dyslipidaemia in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Alternate-day fasting (ADF) is a novel diet therapy that may achieve reduction in body weight and improvement of dyslipidaemia, but the impact of this diet on patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ADF on the body weight and lipid profile of individuals with NAFLD. METHODS: NAFLD patients (n = 271) were randomised to the ADF group, time-restricted feeding (TRF) group, or the control group and subjected to the respective diet for 12 weeks. Anthropometric measurements (body weight, fat mass/fat-free mass) were performed, and plasma lipids were analysed enzymatically. RESULTS: Within 4 weeks, the body weight decreased significantly (P < 0.001) in the ADF group by 4.56 ± 0.41 kg (6.1 ± 0.5%) and the TRF group by 3.62 ± 0.65 kg (4.83 ± 0.9%) compared to the control group, and it decreased even more after 12 weeks in both groups (ADF: - 4.04 ± 0.54 kg, 5.4 ± 0.7%; TRF: - 3.25 ± 0.67 kg, 4.3 ± 0.9%). Fat mass was significantly reduced by ADF (- 3.49 ± 0.37 kg; 11 ± 1.2%) and TRF (- 2.91 ± 0.41 kg; 9.6 ± 1.3%), with ADF leading to a further reduction in fat mass after 12 weeks (- 3.48 ± 0.38 kg; 11 ± 1.2%). Total cholesterol was significantly decreased at both time points in the ADF group (- 0.91 ± 0.07 mmol/L; 18.5 ± 1.5%) compared to the control and TRF groups. Both ADF (- 0.64 ± 0.06 mmol/L; 25 ± 1.9%) and TRF (0.58 ± 0.07 mmol/L; 20 ± 1.7%) achieved a significant reduction in serum triglycerides (P < 0.001) after 12 weeks. Changes in fat free mass, HDL, LDL, fasting insulin, glucose, liver stiffness, and systolic or diastolic blood pressure did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: ADF appears to be an effective diet therapy for individuals with NAFLD that can achieve weight loss and improvement of dyslipidaemia within a relatively short period of time (4 to 12 weeks). Potential preventive effects of ADF on cardiovascular disease need to be confirmed by future investigations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR1900024411, this trial was retrospectively registered on July 10, 2019.

Periodic micro-structures in optical microfibers induced by Plateau-Rayleigh instability and its applications.

A periodic micro-structure on optical microfibers induced by Plateau-Rayleigh instability (PRI) was investigated and a potential application for long period gratings (LPGs) fabrication was given. The linear relation between the average periods of micro-structures and the diameters of optical microfibers was demonstrated first. By brushing a glass rod with a Teflon droplet suspended at the end tip along microfibers, a continuous film of Teflon was formed at once, then the film broke up into a series of periodic droplets due to PRI. Periodic Teflon nodes were left after the evaporation of the solvent. A LPG structure based on polymer was finally formed by this method on a microfiber with a diameter of 5.5 µm. An attenuation transmission dip of 15 dB around 1447 nm was achieved. Investigation of the strain and temperature response characteristics of the grating presented a strain sensitivity of -2.5 pm/µÎµ and a temperature sensitivity of -157 pm/°C. The technique proposed here provides a versatile technique for polymer-based LPGs fabrication. Benefiting from the high sensitivities, LPGs based on numerous polymers fabricated in this way could have potential applications in optical and biological sensing.

Versatile hybrid plasmonic microfiber knot resonator.

A planar, all-optical fiber polarizer-based device based on a hybrid plasmonic microfiber knot resonator (HPMKR) is demonstrated in this Letter. A microfiber knot resonator (MKR) can be flexibly attached to the gold film, which forms the hybrid plasmonic mode with high propagation loss. Therefore, the device can be used not only as a broadband polarizer, but also as a high-quality resonator by tuning the geometry of the MKR. The polarizer has an extinction ratio of more than 15 dB ranging from 1200 to 1600 nm, and the Q-factor is more than 52,000 for one polarization state. For a chosen polarization, the resonator has an extinction ratio of nearly 15 dB, even though the diameter of the microfiber is more than 5 µm, which is unattainable for a normal MKR. By further optimizing and packaging, the device can be utilized as a weight sensor, with a sensitivity of 18.28 pm/g (51.2 pm/kPa) for the cavity resonant wavelength. Further, a vibration sensor on a HPMKR structure for detecting vibration from tens of hertz to several kilohertz is demonstrated.

Microfiber-coupler-assisted control of wavelength tuning for Q-switched fiber laser with few-layer molybdenum disulfide nanoplates.

Based on the liquid exfoliated method, we obtained the few-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanoplates solution. By thermal evaporation method, we directly deposited MoS2 thin film onto the facet of a fiber patch cord. The modulation depth of the film is as high as 29%, and a Q-switched fiber laser was achieved. We also provided a new method to continuously tune the output laser with a tuning sensitivity of ∼5.5 nm/(1% strain) by controlling the cavity loss with a strained microfiber coupler (MFC).

(+)- and (-)-liriodenol, a pair of novel enantiomeric lignans from Liriodendron hybrid.

(+)- and (-)-liriodenol, a pair of unprecedented enantiomeric lignans bearing a 1,1-disubstituted olefinic group, were isolated from the barks of Liriodendron hybrid. The structure and relative configurations were determined by comprehensive analysis of MS and NMR spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity of these three lignans ((±)-, (+)-, and (-)-liriodenol) was evaluated in vitro against four selected human tumor cell lines, where (+)-liriodenol showed more significant cytotoxic effects than the (±)- and (-)-liriodenol enantiomers.

The extract, LXB-1, from the barks of Liriodendron × hybrid, induced apoptosis via Akt, JNK and ERK1/2 pathways in A549 lung cancer cells.

The effect of LXB-1, an extract from Liriodendron × hybrid, was determined on A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Growth inhibition of LXB-1 was analyzed by MTT assay. Cancer cell cycle was measured by flow cytometry. To verify the apoptosis effect of LXB-1 on A549 cells, annexin V/PI double staining assay was performed. The expression levels of proapoptotic proteins were also measured by western blot. The potential mechanisms of LXB-1 inducing apoptosis - the expression and phosphorylation of ERK, p38, JNK and Akt - were investigated by western blot. The IC50 values of LXB-1 on A549 for 24, 48 and 72 h treatment were determined to be 12.97±1.53 µg/mL, 9.55±1.42 µg/mL, and 5.90±0.74 µg/mL, respectively. LXB-1 induced an obvious G2/M cell cycle arrest in A549 cells and resulted in significant cell apoptosis. LXB-1 also increased the cleavage of both caspase-3 and caspase-9, and greatly decreased the protein levels of Bcl-2. Moreover, LXB-1 increased the expression of phosphorylated JNK but decreased the levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2 and Akt. These results suggest that that LXB-1 induced apoptosis through JNK, ERK1/2, and Akt pathways in A549 cells.

Multifunctional optical nanofiber polarization devices with 3D geometry.

Here a reliable fabrication process enabling the integration of multiple functions in a single rod with one optical nano/microfiber (ONM) was proposed, which represents a further step in the "lab-on-a-rod" technology roadmap. With a unique 3D geometry, the all-fiber in-line devices based on lab-on-a-rod techniques have more freedom and potential for compactness and functionality than conventional fiber devices. With the hybrid polymer-metal-dielectric nanostructure, the coupling between the plasmonic and waveguide modes leads to hybridization of the fundamental mode and polarization-dependent loss. By functionalizing the rod surface with a nanoscale silver film and tuning the coil geometry, a broadband polarizer and single-polarization resonator, respectively, were demonstrated. The polarizer has an extinction ratio of more than 20 dB over a spectral range of 450 nm. The resonator has a Q factor of more than 78,000 with excellent suppression of polarization noise. This type of miniature single-polarization resonator is impossible to realize by conventional fabrication processes and has wide applications in fiber communication, lasing, and especially sensing.

Electrical tuning of branched flow of light.

Branched flows occur ubiquitously in various wave systems, when the propagating waves encounter weak correlated scattering potentials. Here we report the experimental realization of electrical tuning of the branched flow of light using a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) system. We create the physical realization of the weakly correlated disordered potentials of light via the inhomogeneous orientations of the NLC. We demonstrate that the branched flow of light can be switched on and off as well as tuned continuously through the electro-optical properties of NLC film. We further show that the branched flow can be manipulated by the polarization of the incident light due to the optical anisotropy of the NLC film. The nature of the branched flow of light is revealed via the unconventional intensity statistics and the rapid fidelity decay along the light propagation. Our study unveils an excellent platform for the tuning of the branched flow of light which creates a testbed for fundamental physics and offers a new way for steering light.

The enantioselective pharmacokinetics metabolism of diniconazole in quail (Coturnix coturnixs japonica).

The pharmacokinetics of diniconazole enantiomers in quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were investigated by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Quails were exposed to racemic diniconazole in capsule by oral at dose of 10 mg/kg (body weight). The maximal concentrations observed in blood, heart, liver, and kidney were 3.18, 11.35, 12.32, 15.03 µg/g for S-diniconazole, and 1.13, 3.70, 6.00, 2.60 µg/g for R-diniconazole. The elimination of enantiomers all met the one-compartment model in blood, heart, liver, and kidney well. The elimination half-lives (T1/2) of S-diniconazole were 2.87, 3.85, 5.29, and 4.42 h in blood, heart, liver, and kidney, respectively; the T1/2 of R-diniconazole were 2.44, 3.42, 146.23, and 74.02 h in blood, heart, liver, and kidney, respectively. The enantiomer fractions (EFs) steadily increased from 0.50 to 0.92 in blood samples and 0.91 in heart samples. Meanwhile, the values increased to 0.70 and 0.80 in liver and kidney initially, and then decreased to 0.33 and 0.44 at the end of the experiment. Metabolism was examined as well and it was found that diniconazole was metabolized to 1, 2, 4-triazole, (E)-3-(1H-1, 2, 4-triazol-1-yl) acrylaldehyde, (E, S)-(R, S)-4-(2, 4-dichlorophenyl)-2, 2-dimethyl-5-(1H-1, 2, 4-triazol-1-yl) pent-4-ene-1, 3-diol, (E)-4-(2, 4-dichlorophenyl)-3-hydroxy-2, 2-dimethyl-5-(1H-1, 2, 4-triazol-1-yl) pent-4-enoic acid, and 1, 3-dichlorobenzen in all samples of quail.

In vitro tumor cytotoxic activities of extracts from three Liriodendron plants.

The extracts prepared from Liriodendron tulipifera Linn., L. chinense (Hemsl.) Sarg., and their hybrid L. chinense x L. tulipifera, were investigated for their cytotoxic abilities in vitro against five human cancer cell lines: MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells, SGC-7901 gastric cancer cells, HuH-7 hepatocarcinoma cells, and HCT-15 colon carcinoma cells, and then measured their phenols and alkaloids contents. Of these plant extracts, some of them, especially the lower polar extracts from barks, exhibited potent cytotoxic effects on five tested tumor cell lines.

Ambient air pollution and infant health: a narrative review.

The extensive evidence regarding the effects of ambient air pollution on child health is well documented, but limited review summarized their health effects during infancy. Symptoms or health conditions attributed to ambient air pollution in infancy could result in the progression of severe diseases during childhood. Here, we reviewed previous empirical epidemiological studies and/or reviews for evaluating the linkages between ambient air pollution and various infant outcomes including adverse birth outcomes, infant morbidity and mortality, early respiratory health, early allergic symptoms, early neurodevelopment, early infant growth and other relevant outcomes. Patterns of the associations varied by different pollutants (i.e., particles and gaseous pollutants), exposure periods (i.e., pregnancy and postpartum) and exposure lengths (i.e., long-term and short-term). Protection of infant health requires that paediatricians, researchers, and policy makers understand to what extent infants are affected by ambient air pollution, and a call for action is still necessary to reduce ambient air pollution.