Spin Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes Enabled by 2D Chiral Perovskite with Spin-Dependent Carrier Transport.

Chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect provides innovative approach to spintronics and quantum-based devices for chiral materials. Different from the conventional ferromagnetic devices, the application of CISS effect is potential to operate under room temperature and zero applied magnetic field. Low dimensional chiral perovskites by introducing chiral amines are beginning to show significant CISS effect for spin injection, but research on chiral perovskites is still in its infancy, especially on spin-light emitting diode (spin-LED) construction. Here, the spin-QLEDs enabled by 2D chiral perovskites as CISS layer for spin-dependent carrier injection and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) as light emitting layer are reported. The regulation pattern of the chirality and thickness of chiral perovskites, which affects the circularly polarized electroluminescence (CP-EL) emission of spin-QLED, is discovered. Notably, the spin injection polarization of 2D chiral perovskites is higher than 80% and the CP-EL asymmetric factor (gCP-EL ) achieves up to 1.6 × 10-2 . Consequently, this work opens up a new and effective approach for high-performance spin-LEDs.

LZTS3/TAGLN Suppresses Cancer Progression in Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Through Regulating Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Actin Cytoskeleton.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have confirmed that the leucine zipper tumor suppressor (LZTS) gene family plays a vital role in modulating transcription and cell cycle control, especially in colorectal cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of leucine zipper tumor suppressor family member 3 (LZTS3) as a marker for COAD. METHODS: Bioinformatics, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting were applied to assess the expression of LZTS3 in tissues. Gene overexpression or silencing was used to examine the biological roles of LZTS3 and validated using an in vivo nude mouse-human tumor model. RESULTS: The results obtained in this study indicate that LZTS3 is highly expressed in COAD. RTCA, Transwell, actin stain, and in vitro transfection experiments confirmed that LZTS3 expression inhibits tumor cell proliferation and cell migration. The results obtained in the nude mouse-human tumor model are consistent with those obtained in vitro. In particular, LZTS3 may exert biological effects by targeting the NOTCH signaling pathway. Furthermore, TAGLN was demonstrated to be a downstream target of LZTS3. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to demonstrate the important role of LZTS3 in the proliferation and migration of COAD and to shed light on the molecular mechanism underlying the tumor-suppressing role of LZTS3.

3D-printed high-birefringence THz hollow-core anti-resonant fiber with an elliptical core.

A high-birefringence and low-loss terahertz (THz) hollow-core anti-resonant fiber (THz HC-ARF) is designed and analyzed numerically by the finite element method (FEM). The THz HC-ARF is composed of an elliptical tube as the core for high birefringence guidance and a pair of symmetrical slabs arranged vertically as the cladding to attain low loss. Numerical analysis indicates that the birefringence reaches 10-2 in the transmission window between 0.21 and 0.35 THz. The highest birefringence is 4.61 × 10-2 at 0.21 THz with a loss of 0.15 cm-1. To verify the theoretical results, the THz HC-ARF is produced by three-dimensional (3D) printing, and the transmission characteristics are determined by THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). High birefringence in the range of 2.17 × 10-2 to 3.72 × 10-2 and low loss in the range of 0.12 to 0.18 cm-1 are demonstrated experimentally in the 0.2 to 0.27 THz transmission window. The highest birefringence is 3.72 × 10-2 at 0.22 THz and the corresponding loss is 0.18 cm-1. The THz HC-ARF shows the highest birefringence besides relatively low loss compared to similar THz HC-ARFs reported recently.

Achieving Simplified and Tunable Flexibility in Carborane-Based Emitters for Quantitative Vapochromic VOC Sensing.

Photoluminescence (PL) sensing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) represents a convenient and economic detection method toward air pollutants. However, tetraphenylethylene (TPE)-based and recent carborane (Cb)-based sensors retained multiple sites that are responsive to VOC stimulation, making quantitative PL sensing rather challenging. Rendering the simplified and tunable flexibility in the PL sensors is key to achieve the quantitative target. In this work, we proposed a dimeric model of Cb-based emitters to deal with flexibility. Three emissive dibenzothiophene (DBT)-alkynylated carboranes (Cb-1/2/3) were designed and synthesized. Among them, Cb-3 contributed green and green-yellow emission in the crystals, as well as yellow and orange emission in the VOC-incorporated films, together unfolding its vapochromic properties. Crystallographic studies revealed that Cb-3 molecules were invariably dimerized in an interlocked fashion and the redshift in PL was caused by the successive through-space conjugation of DBT moieties. Theoretical calculations verified the thermodynamics stability of Cb-3 dimers and suggested that DBT could individually rotate different angles under the simulation of VOCs. Based on the above findings, we introduced DBT-alkynylated carboranes to detect the VOCs and established linear relationships between the photon energy at the PL maxima and the concentrations of benzene and tetrahydrofuran (THF) vapors. Aside from the successful implementation of quantitative vapochromic sensing, the fast response (6 s) and recovery (3∼5 s), as well as the good reusability, were also evidenced in the sensing of THF vapors.

Solvent Modulation of Chiral Perovskite Films Enables High Circularly Polarized Luminescence Performance from Chiral Perovskite/Quantum Dot Composites.

Materials with circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) activity are promising in many chiroptoelectronics fields, such as for biological probes, asymmetric photosynthesis, information storage, spintronic devices, and so on. Promoting the value of the dissymmetry factor (glum) for the CPL-active materials based on chiral perovskite draws increasing attention since a higher glum value indicates better CPL. In this work, we find that, after being treated with a facile solvent modulation strategy, the chirality of 2D chiral perovskite films has been enhanced a lot, which we attribute to an increased lattice distortion degree. By forming chiral perovskite/quantum dot (QD) composites, the CPL-active material is successfully obtained. The calculated maximum |glum| of these composites increased over 4 times after solvent modulation treatment (1.53 × 10-3 for the pristine sample of R-DMF and 6.91 × 10-3 for R-NMP) at room temperature. Moreover, the enhancement of the CPL intensity is ascribed to two aspects: one is the generation and transportation of spin-polarized charge carriers from chiral perovskite films to combine in the QD layer, and the other is the solvent modulation strategy to enlarge the lattice distortion of chiral perovskite films. This facile route provides an effective way to construct CPL-active materials. More importantly, this kind of composite material (chiral perovskite film/QD layer) can be easily applied for fabricating circularly polarized light-emitting diode devices for electroluminescence.

Genome-wide Analysis of Histone H3 Lysine 27 Trimethylation Profiles in Sciatic Nerve of Chronic Constriction Injury Rats.

The histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) is one of the most important chromatin modifications, which is associated with injury-activated gene expression in Schwann cells (SCs). However, the alteration of genome-wide H3K27me3 enrichments in the development of neuropathic pain is still unknown. Here, we applied the chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) approach to identify the alteration of differential enrichments of H3K27me3 in chronic constriction injury (CCI) sciatic nerve of rats and potential molecular mechanisms underlying the development of neuropathic pain. Our results indicated that CCI increased the numbers of SCs displaying H3K27 methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and H3K27me3 in the sciatic nerve. ChIP-seq data showed that CCI significantly changed H3K27me3 enrichments on gene promoters in the sciatic nerve. Bioinformatics analyses exhibited that genes gaining H3K27me3 were mostly associated with regulation of cell proliferation, response to stress and oxidation-reduction process. Genes losing this mark were enriched in neuronal generation, and MAPK, cAMP as well as ERBB signaling pathways. Importantly, IL1A, CCL2, NOS2, S100A8, BDNF, GDNF, ERBB3 and C3 were identified as key genes in neuropathic pain. CCI led to significant upregulation of key genes in the sciatic nerve. EZH2 inhibitor reversed CCI-induced increases of H3K27me3 and key gene protein levels, which were accompanied by relieved mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in CCI rats. These results indicate that genes with differential enrichments of H3K27me3 in SCs function in various cellular processes and pathways, and many are linked to neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury.

Influence of NaYF4 Inert and Active Layer on Upconversion Luminescence.

NaYF4:Yb,Er@NaYF4 core-shell nanostructures were prepared to investigate their influence on upconversion (UC) luminescence. Tests revealed green radiation (4S3/2→4I15/2) and red radiation (4F9/2→4I15/2) first increased and then gradually decreased as Yb concentration increased in the NaYF4 shell. The strongest fluorescent radiation occurred at an Yb concentration of 5%. To investigate the complicated variation of luminescence, we designed a set of experiments to study the impact of Yb ion concentration on luminescence intensity, and we analyzed the corresponding enhancement mechanism. It is probable that the energy transfers between both Yb and Er ions and Yb and Yb ions are involved in the UC processes. The enhancement of hybrid nanostructures has huge potential in biological detection and solar cells.

Green-Solvent-Processable Low-Cost Fluorinated Hole Contacts with Optimized Buried Interface for Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells.

Solution-processed hole contact materials, as an indispensable component in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), have been widely studied with consistent progress achieved. One bottleneck for the commercialization of PSCs is the lack of hole contact materials with high performance, cost-effective preparation, and green-solvent processability. Therefore, the development of versatile hole contact materials is of great significance. Herein, we report two novel donor-acceptor (D-A)-type hole contact molecules (FMPA-BT-CA and 2FMPA-BT-CA) with low cost and alcohol-based processability by utilizing a fluorination strategy. We showed that the fluorine atoms lead to the lowered highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels and larger dipole moments for FMPA-BT-CA and 2FMPA-BT-CA. Moreover, fluorination also improves the buried interfacial interaction between hole contacts and perovskite. As a result, a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.37% along with good light stability could be achieved for green-solvent-processed FMPA-BT-CA-based inverted PSC devices, demonstrating the great potential of environmentally compatible hole contacts for highly efficient PSCs.

Fabrication of Highly Efficient Perovskite Nanocrystal Light-Emitting Diodes via Inkjet Printing.

As an effective manufacturing technology, inkjet printing is very suitable for the fabrication of perovskite light-emitting diodes in next-generation displays. However, the unsatisfied efficiency of perovskite light-emitting diode created with the use of inkjet printing impedes its development for future application. Here, we report highly efficient PeLEDs using inkjet printing, with an external quantum efficiency of 7.9%, a current efficiency of 32.0 cd/A, and the highest luminance of 2465 cd/m2; these values are among the highest values for the current efficiency of inkjet-printed PeLED in the literature. The outstanding performance of our device is due to the coffee-ring-free and uniform perovskite nanocrystal layer on the PVK layer, resulting from vacuum post-treatment and using a suitable ink. Moreover, the surface roughness and thickness of the perovskite layer are effectively controlled by adjusting the spacing of printing dots. This study makes an insightful exploration of the use of inkjet printing in PeLED fabrication, which is one of the most promising ways for future industrial production of PeLEDs.

Thermally Processed Quantum-Dot Polypropylene Composite Color Converter Film for Displays.

Quantum dots (QDs) have attracted much attention as one of the most promising candidates for next-generation display materials. However, stability is still a big challenge for QDs. Herein, we encapsulated QDs in a thermoplastic polypropylene (PP) matrix by thermal processing technology to prepare a stabler color conversion film for the first time. Thermal processing technology expands the packaging materials of QDs from traditional soluble polymers to thermoplastic polymers such as PP with easy processing and a low cost. We showed that the QDs in the PP film exhibited longer-lasting stability than the traditional PMMA film. After 216 h of blue light accelerated aging test, the QDs maintained more than 90% of the initial performance in the PP film but dropped to less than 25% in the PMMA film. Moreover, the reasons for the improved stability have been further discussed. It was found that the PP-H film not only possessed better barriers to moisture and oxygen, but the absence of ester groups also led to a milder environment around the QDs. The results show that ester groups have stronger electronegativity and easily cause the ligands on the surface of QDs to fall off, which lead to performance degradation.

Interfacial Passivation Engineering for Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells with a Fill Factor over 83.

Charge carrier nonradiative recombination (NRR) caused by interface defects and nonoptimal energy level alignment is the primary factor restricting the performance improvement of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Interfacial modification is a vital strategy to restrain NRR and enable high-performance PSCs. We report here two interfacial materials, PhI-TPA and BTZI-TPA, consisting of phthalimide and a 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-5,6-dicarboxylicimide core, respectively. The difunctionalized BTZI-TPA with imide and thiadiazole shows higher hole mobility, better aligned energy levels, and stronger interaction with uncoordinated Pb2+ on the perovskite surface, suppressing NRR and carrier accumulation at the interface of perovskite/spiro-OMeTAD and yielding enhanced open-circuit voltage and fill factor. Consequently, the PSC based on BTZI-TPA delivers a high efficiency of 24.06% with an excellent fill factor of 83.10%, superior to that (21.47%) of the reference cell without an interfacial layer, and 21.45% efficiency for the device with a scaled-up area (1.00 cm2). These results underscore the potential of imide and thiadiazole groups in developing interfacial layers with strong passivation capability, effective charge transport property, and fine-tuned energetics for stable and efficient PSCs.

Simultaneous Tuning of Alkyl Chains and End Groups in Non-fused Ring Electron Acceptors for Efficient and Stable Organic Solar Cells.

Fine-tuning the alkyl chains and end groups of non-fused ring electron acceptors (NFREAs) plays vital roles in the promotion of charge transfer (CT) and power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this work, we developed a series of A-D-A'-D-A-type NFREAs, which possess the same terminals (A), the cyclopentadithiophene unit (D), and the thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (A'). Despite the subtle difference in side chains and halogenated end groups, the six acceptors exhibit a considerable difference in the efficiency and device stability of the organic solar cells (OSCs). Among the molecules, chlorinated NFREAs show a broader light absorption than the fluorinated ones do. Compared with C8C8-4F (1-octylnonyl and fluorination) and C6C4-4Cl (2-butyloctyl and chlorination), C8C8-4Cl (1-octylnonyl and chlorination) exhibits a lower highest occupied molecular orbital level, higher electron mobility, and denser molecular packing. The OSCs based on PM6:C8C8-4Cl yield the best PCE of 14.11%, which is attributed to the faster charge transport, high miscibility, and preferable morphology. Moreover, the PM6:C8C8-4Cl devices retain 91.1% of the initial PCE after being placed in air with 67% relative humidity for 50 days. This work shows that the simultaneous optimization of side chains and end groups facilitates the CT and improves the stability in the OSCs, offering a novel view into the molecular design of A-D-A'-D-A-type NFREAs.

Marked Efficiency Improvement of FAPb0.7Sn0.3Br3 Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes by Optimization of the Light-Emitting Layer and Hole-Transport Layer.

Highly luminescent FAPb0.7Sn0.3Br3 nanocrystals with an average photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of 92% were synthesized by the ligand-assisted reprecipitation method. The 41-nm-thick perovskite film with a smooth surface and strong PL intensity was proven to be a suitable luminescent layer for perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs). Electrical tests indicate that the double hole-transport layers (HTLs) played an important role in improving the electrical-to-optical conversion efficiency of PeLEDs due to their cascade-like level alignment. The PeLED based on poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(4,40-(N-(p-butylphenyl))-diphenylamine)] (TFB)/poly(9-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) double HTLs produced a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 9%, which was improved by approximately 10.9 and 5.14 times when compared with single HTL PVK or the TFB device, respectively. The enhancement of the hole transmission capacity by TFB/PVK double HTLs was confirmed by the hole-only device and was responsible for the dramatic EQE improvement.

Role of the nuclear receptor subfamily 4a in mast cells in the development of irritable bowel syndrome.

The activation of mast cells (MCs) and mediator release are closely related to the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the exact underlying mechanisms are still not completely understood. The nuclear receptor subfamily 4a (Nr4a) is a family of orphan nuclear receptors implicated in regulating MC activation, degranulation, cytokine/chemokine synthesis and release. Acute and chronic stress trigger hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal axis (HPA) activation to induce the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), resulting in MC activation and induction of the Nr4a family. Our newest data showed that Nr4a members were specially over-expressed in colonic MCs of the chronic water-avoidance stress (WAS)-induced visceral hyperalgesia mice, suggesting that Nr4a members might be involved in the pathophysiology of visceral hypersensitivity. In this review, we highlight the present knowledge on roles of Nr4a members in the activation of MCs and the pathophysiology of IBS, and discuss signaling pathways that modulate the activation of Nr4a family members. We propose that a better understanding of Nr4a members and their modulators may facilitate the development of more selective and effective therapies to treat IBS patients.

In Situ Growth Mechanism for High-Quality Hybrid Perovskite Single-Crystal Thin Films with High Area to Thickness Ratio: Looking for the Sweet Spot.

The development of in situ growth methods for the fabrication of high-quality perovskite single-crystal thin films (SCTFs) directly on hole-transport layers (HTLs) to boost the performance of optoelectronic devices is critically important. However, the fabrication of large-area high-quality SCTFs with thin thickness still remains a significant challenge due to the elusive growth mechanism of this process. In this work, the influence of three key factors on in situ growth of high-quality large-size MAPbBr3 SCTFs on HTLs is investigated. An optimal "sweet spot" is determined: low interface energy between the precursor solution and substrate, a slow heating rate, and a moderate precursor solution concentration. As a result, the as-obtained perovskite SCTFs with a thickness of 540 nm achieve a record area to thickness ratio of 1.94 × 104  mm, a record X-ray diffraction peak full width at half maximum of 0.017°, and an ultralong carrier lifetime of 1552 ns. These characteristics enable the as-obtained perovskite SCTFs to exhibit a record carrier mobility of 141 cm2 V-1 s-1 and good long-term structural stability over 360 days.

High-Performance Blue Quasi-2D Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes via Balanced Carrier Confinement and Transfer.

Extensive investigation of the passivating agents has been performed to suppress the perovskite defects. However, very few attentions have been paid to rationally design the passivating agents for the balance of the carrier confinement and transfer in quasi-2D perovskites, which is essential to achieve high-performance perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs). In this work, tributylphosphine oxide (TBPO) with moderate carbon chain length is demonstrated as a decent passivator for the quasi-2D perovskites by strengthening the carrier confinement for massive radiative recombination within the perovskites, and more importantly providing efficient carrier transfer in the quasi-2D perovskites. Benefiting from these interesting optoelectronic properties of TBPO-incorporated perovskites, we achieve high-efficient blue PeLEDs with an external quantum efficiency up to 11.5% and operational stability as long as 41.1 min without any shift of the electroluminescence spectra. Consequently, this work contributes an effective approach to promote the carrier confinement and transfer for high-performance and stable blue PeLEDs.

Analyzing and modulating energy transfer in ternary-emissive system of quantum dot light-emitting diodes towards efficient emission.

The mechanisms for energy transfer including Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and radiative energy transfer in ternary-emissive system consists of blended-quantum dots (QDs, red-QDs blended with blue-QDs) emissive layer (EML) and blue-emissive hole-transport material that contained in quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are complicated. As the energy transfer could exhibit either positive or negative impact on QD's photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL), it is important to analyze and modulate energy transfer in such ternary-emissive system to obtain high-efficiency QLEDs. In this work, we have demonstrated that proper B-QDs doping has a positive impact on R-QDs' PL and EL, where these improvements were attributed to the B-QDs' spacing effect on R-QDs which weakens homogeneous FRET among R-QDs and near 100% efficient heterogeneous FRET from B-QDs to R-QDs. With optimization based on the analysis of energy transfer, the PL quantum yield of blended-QDs (with R:B blending ratio of 90:10, in quality) film has been enhanced by 35% compared with that of unblended R-QDs film. Moreover, thanks to the spacing effect and high-efficiency FRET from B-QDs to R-QDs, the external quantum efficiency of QLEDs that integrate optimized blended-QDs (R:B=90:10) EML reaches 22.1%, which is 15% higher than that of the control sample (19.2%) with unblended R-QDs EML. This work provides a systematically analytical method to study the energy transfer in ternary-emissive system, and gives a valid reference for the analysis and development of the emerging QLEDs that with blended-QDs EML.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide induces the histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation in astrocytes associated with neuroinflammation in rats with neuropathic pain.

AIMS: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) as a regulator of astrocyte activation may facilitate spinal nociceptive processing. Histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation (H3K9ac) is considered an important regulator of cytokine and chemokine gene expression after peripheral nerve injury. In this study, we explored the relationship between CGRP and H3K9ac in the activation of astrocytes, and elucidated the underlying mechanisms in the pathogenesis of chronic neuropathic pain. METHODS: Astroglial cells (C6) were treated with CGRP and differentially enrichments of H3K9ac on gene promoters were examined using ChIP-seq. A chronic constriction injury (CCI) rat model was used to evaluate the role of CGRP on astrocyte activation and H3K9ac signaling in CCI-induced neuropathic pain. Specific inhibitors were employed to delineate the involved signaling. RESULTS: Intrathecal injection of CGRP and CCI increased the number of astrocytes displaying H3K9ac in the spinal dorsal horn of rats. Treatment of CGRP was able to up-regulate H3K9ac and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in astroglial cells. ChIP-seq data indicated that CGRP significantly altered H3K9ac enrichments on gene promoters in astroglial cells following CGRP treatment, including 151 gaining H3K9ac and 111 losing this mark, which mostly enriched in proliferation, autophagy, and macrophage chemotaxis processes. qRT-PCR verified expressions of representative candidate genes (ATG12, ATG4C, CX3CR1, MMP28, MTMR14, HMOX1, RET) and RTCA verified astrocyte proliferation. Additionally, CGRP treatment increased the expression of H3K9ac, CX3CR1, and IL-1ß in the spinal dorsal horn. CGRP antagonist and HAT inhibitor attenuated mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in CCI rats. Such analgesic effects were concurrently associated with the reduced levels of H3K9ac, CX3CR1, and IL-1ß in the spinal dorsal horn of CCI rats. CONCLUSION: Our findings highly indicate that CGRP is associated with the development of neuropathic pain through astrocytes-mediated neuroinflammatory responses via H3K9ac in spinal dorsa horn following nerve injury. This study found that CGRP act on their astrocytic receptors and lead to H3K9 acetylation (H3K9ac), which are mainly associated with proliferation-, autophagy-, and inflammation-related gene expression. The number of astrocytes with H3K9ac expression is increased after nerve injury. Inhibition of CGRP attenuates the development of neuropathic pain, which was accompanied by the suppression of H3K9ac, CX3CR1, and IL-1ß expression in CCI rats.

Effect of Interleukin-1ß on Gene Expression Signatures in Schwann Cells Associated with Neuropathic Pain.

Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) plays a critical role in the development of neuropathic pain through activation of Schwann cells (SCs) after nerve injury. Here, we applied an RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) approach to identify the effect of IL-1ß on gene signatures of a rat SC line (RSC96) and the potential molecular mechanisms underlying the development of neuropathic pain. RNA-seq data demonstrated a total of 57 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with 35 up-regulated and 22 down-regulated between SCs treated with IL-1ß, and control SCs without treatment. Bioinformatics analysis showed that key upregulated DEGs included those associated with immune and inflammation-related processes, neurotrophin production and SC proliferation. Five proteins encoded by key upregulated DEGs (Ceacam1, Hap1, Irs3, Lgi4 and Mif) were further verified by Western blot. Consistent with the RNA-Seq results, the expression of key genes was confirmed in SCs by immunofluorescence of the chronic constriction injury (CCI) sciatic nerve in rats. Furthermore, we demonstrated that treatment with IL-1ß resulted in an increase in p38/ERK phosphorylation, and activators of p38/ERK enhanced the effect of IL-1ß on the expression some of the key genes, whereas p38/ERK inhibitors reversed these effects. In conclusion, the present study highlights key genes involved in the development of neuropathic pain through activation of SCs after nerve injury. Identification of these genes and subsequent evidence of their mediation by IL-1ß treatment promote our understanding of molecular mechanisms of nerve injury induced neuropathic pain, and highlight potential molecular targets for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Alloyed Green-Emitting CdZnSeS/ZnS Quantum Dots with Dense Protective Layers for Stable Lighting and Display Applications.

Alloyed green-emitting CdZnSeS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) demonstrate potential applications in solid-state lighting and displays owing to their various advantages, such as high color purity, light conversion efficiency, and color rendering index. However, their applications in white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) are limited by their poor photostabilities on blue-emitting gallium nitride (GaN) LED chips. In this study, the effect of the specific surface area (SSA) in the coating layers on the photostabilities of QDs was investigated. SSA was adjusted by controlling the proportions of dense aluminum oxide (AlOX) layers and porous silica dioxide (SiO2) layers to fabricate QD protective layers via a catalyst-free sol-gel method. The results showed that the synthesized AlOX possessing the lowest SSA among the synthesis protective layers presented the best QD photostabilities on the LED chips. Moreover, they exhibited a 9.9-fold increase in the operational lifetime (T80) compared to that of pristine QDs. In addition, the QD-based WLED achieved an excellent display performance with a wide color gamut (115%) of the National Television System Committee (NTSC) color gamut standard. This approach offers a promising strategy for enhancing the QD photostabilities for applications in solid-state lighting and displays by coating the protective layers on the QD surface.