Ag Intercalation in Layered Cs3Bi2Br9 Perovskite for Enhanced Light Emission with Bound Interlayer Excitons.

Cesium bismuth bromide (CBB) has garnered considerable attention as a vacancy-ordered layered perovskite with notable optoelectronic applications. However, its use as a light source has been limited due to its weak photoluminescence (PL). Here, we demonstrate metal intercalation as a novel approach to engineer the room-temperature PL of CBB using experimental and computational methods. Ag, when introduced into CBB, occupies vacant sites in the spacer region, forming octahedral coordination with surrounding Br anions. First-principles density functional theory calculations reveal that intercalated Ag represents the most energetically stable Ag species compared to other potential forms, such as Ag substituting Bi. The intercalated Ag forms a strong polaronic trap state close to the conduction band minimum and quickly captures photoexcited electrons with holes remaining in CBB layers, leading to the formation of a bound interlayer exciton, or BIE. The radiative recombination of this BIE exhibits bright room-temperature PL at 600 nm and a decay time of 38.6 ns, 35 times greater than that of free excitons, originating from the spatial separation of photocarriers by half a unit cell separation distance. The BIE as a new form of interlayer exciton is expected to inspire new research directions for vacancy-ordered perovskites.

The Potential Role of Ionic Liquid as a Multifunctional Dental Biomaterial.

In craniofacial research and routine dental clinical procedures, multifunctional materials with antimicrobial properties are in constant demand. Ionic liquids (ILs) are one such multifunctional intelligent material. Over the last three decades, ILs have been explored for different biomedical applications due to their unique physical and chemical properties, high task specificity, and sustainability. Their stable physical and chemical characteristics and extremely low vapor pressure make them suitable for various applications. Their unique properties, such as density, viscosity, and hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, may provide higher performance as a potential dental material. ILs have functionalities for optimizing dental implants, infiltrate materials, oral hygiene maintenance products, and restorative materials. They also serve as sensors for dental chairside usage to detect oral cancer, periodontal lesions, breath-based sobriety, and dental hard tissue defects. With further optimization, ILs might also make vital contributions to craniofacial regeneration, oral hygiene maintenance, oral disease prevention, and antimicrobial materials. This review explores the different advantages and properties of ILs as possible dental material.

Perception of atrial fibrillation symptoms: Impact on quality of life and treatment in older adults.

BACKGROUND: In managing older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF), their symptomatology impacts their well-being and may inform treatment decision-making. We examined AF symptom perception, its impact on quality of life (QoL), and its relation to treatment strategies in older adults with AF. METHODS: Data were obtained from older adults with AF enrolled in a multicenter study conducted at clinic sites in Massachusetts and Georgia between 2016 and 2018. Participants were stratified into three age groups: 65-74 (youngest-old), 75-84 (middle-old), and ≥85 (oldest). Perception of AF symptoms was assessed by participant self-report during their clinic visit and at study enrollment by the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-Life Questionnaire which assessed cardiac-specific and non-specific, non-cardiac AF symptoms and their impact on QoL. Treatment strategies (rate or rhythm control) utilized were ascertained from electronic medical records. RESULTS: Among the 1184 participants (mean age 75 years, 48% women, 86% Non-Hispanic White), 51% were aged 65-74 years, 36% were 75-84 years, and 13% were ≥ 85 years. The most commonly reported AF symptoms were non-specific, non-cardiac symptoms (fatigue, dyspnea, lightheadedness) with similar prevalence and impact on QoL in all age groups. Cardiac-specific AF symptoms (palpitations, irregular heartbeat, pause in heart activity) were less prevalent, but most commonly reported by the youngest participants (65-74 years), who endorsed considerable impact of these symptoms on their QoL. Overall, those who reported experiencing any AF symptoms during their clinic visit were more likely to have received rhythm compared with rate control (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.18-2.04) with similar findings for all age groups except those aged ≥85 years. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a high prevalence of non-specific, non-cardiac symptoms among older adults with AF and that cardiac-specific AF symptoms may exert considerable impact on their QoL. The presence of any AF symptoms may drive more rhythm control in a majority of older adults.

Spectroscopic Analysis of Cu(II)-Complexed Thin Films to Characterize Molecular-Level Interactions and Film Behavior.

We report on the structure and dynamics of a Cu2+-complexed arachidic acid (AA) monolayer formed by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) deposition. Infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) was used to characterize aliphatic chain -CH2 symmetric and asymmetric stretching modes and determine the chain tilt angle and order as a function of subphase pH. Monolayer structure is controlled by metal ion-amphiphile interactions. At low subphase pH (<5), film buckling at high surface pressure is observed, while for high subphase pH (≥5), monolayer buckling is not observed. This finding is correlated to monolayer structural mediation by metal ion-amphiphile interactions. Dynamics and mobility of a fluorophore incorporated into the monolayer were also affected by Cu2+-AA interactions, determined by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) measurements. These data are consistent with the formation of a rigid film due to Cu2+ coordination to AA headgroups, with the extent of headgroup protonation being determined by the pH of the subphase during monolayer deposition.

Metal Ion-Dependent Interfacial Organization and Dynamics of Metal-Phosphonate Monolayers.

Self-assembled monolayers have been studied extensively due to their relative ease of synthesis and the broad range of applications for this class of materials. Monolayer-support interactions can range in strength from physisorption through covalent bond formation, with consequent variability in the robustness and fluidity of the monolayer. Monolayer-support bonding by metal ion complexation is especially attractive because of the ability to adjust the strength of interaction through metal ion identity. For such systems, both the exchange kinetics and thermodynamics of metal ion-complex formation contribute to the observed properties of the monolayer. We have synthesized metal-phosphate/phosphonate monolayers using Zr4+ and In3+ and have evaluated the metal ion dependence of monolayer dynamics for free and bound chromophores. Our findings reveal significant metal ion-dependent variations in monolayer dynamics and organization.

Local and Long-Range Organization in Room Temperature Ionic Liquids.

Room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have a wide range of current and potential applications, in areas ranging from supercapacitor energy storage to sequestration of toxic gas phase species and use as reusable solvents for selected organic reactions. All these applications stem from their unique physical and chemical properties, which remain understood to only a limited extent. Among the issues of greatest importance is the extent to which RTILs exist as dissociated ionic species and the length scales over which some types of organizations are seen to exist in them. In this Invited Feature Article, we review the current understanding of organization in this family of materials, where opportunities lie in terms of deepening our understanding, and what potential applications would benefit from gaining such knowledge.

Selective LXR agonist DMHCA corrects retinal and bone marrow dysfunction in type 2 diabetes.

In diabetic dyslipidemia, cholesterol accumulates in the plasma membrane, decreasing fluidity and thereby suppressing the ability of cells to transduce ligand-activated signaling pathways. Liver X receptors (LXRs) make up the main cellular mechanism by which intracellular cholesterol is regulated and play important roles in inflammation and disease pathogenesis. N, N-dimethyl-3ß-hydroxy-cholenamide (DMHCA), a selective LXR agonist, specifically activates the cholesterol efflux arm of the LXR pathway without stimulating triglyceride synthesis. In this study, we use a multisystem approach to understand the effects and molecular mechanisms of DMHCA treatment in type 2 diabetic (db/db) mice and human circulating angiogenic cells (CACs), which are hematopoietic progenitor cells with vascular reparative capacity. We found that DMHCA is sufficient to correct retinal and BM dysfunction in diabetes, thereby restoring retinal structure, function, and cholesterol homeostasis; rejuvenating membrane fluidity in CACs; hampering systemic inflammation; and correcting BM pathology. Using single-cell RNA sequencing on lineage-sca1+c-Kit+ (LSK) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from untreated and DMHCA-treated diabetic mice, we provide potentially novel insights into hematopoiesis and reveal DMHCA's mechanism of action in correcting diabetic HSCs by reducing myeloidosis and increasing CACs and erythrocyte progenitors. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the beneficial effects of DMHCA treatment on diabetes-induced retinal and BM pathology.

Effect of Surface Oxygen on the Wettability and Electrochemical Properties of Boron-Doped Nanocrystalline Diamond Electrodes in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids.

This paper reports on how the surface chemistry of boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond (BDD) thin-film electrodes (H vs O) affects the wettability and electrochemical properties in two room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs): [BMIM][PF6] and [HMIM][PF6]. Comparative measurements were made in 0.5 mol L-1 H2SO4. The BDD electrodes were modified by microwave or radio-frequency (RF) plasma treatment in H2 (H-BDD), Ar (Ar-BDD), or O2 (O-BDD). These modifications produced low-, medium-, and high-oxygen surface coverages. Atomic O/C ratios, as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were 0.01 for H-BDD, 0.08 for Ar-BDD, and 0.17 for O-BDD. The static contact angle of ultrapure water on the modified electrodes decreased from 110° (H-BDD) to 41° (O-BDD) with increasing surface oxygen coverage, as expected as the surface becomes more hydrophilic. Interestingly, the opposite trend was seen for both RTILs as the contact angle increased from 20° (H-BDD) to 50° (O-BDD) with increasing surface oxygen coverage. The cyclic voltammetric background current and potential-dependent capacitance in both RTILs were largest for BDD electrodes with the lowest O/C ratio (H-BDD) and smallest contact angle. Slightly larger voltammetric background currents and capacitance were observed in [HMIM][PF6] than in [BMIM][PF6]. Capacitance values ranged from 8 to 16 µF cm-2 over the potential range for H-BDD and from 4 to 6 µF cm-2 for O-BDD. The opposite trend was observed in H2SO4 as the voltammetric background current and capacitance were largest for BDD electrodes with the highest O/C ratio (O-BDD) and smallest contact angle. In summary, reducing the surface oxygen on BDD electrodes increases the wettability to two RTILs and this increases the voltammetric background current and capacitance.

Characterizing the Magnitude and Structure-Dependence of Free Charge Density Gradients in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids.

We have reported previously on the existence of charge-induced long-range organization in the room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), BMIM+BF4-. The induced organization is in the form of a free charge density gradient (ρf) that exists over ca. 100 µm into the RTIL in contact with a charged surface. The fluorescence anisotropy decay of a trace-level charged chromophore in the RTIL is measured as a function of distance from the indium-doped tin oxide support surface to probe this free charge density gradient. We report here on the characterization of the free charge density gradient in five different imidazolium RTILs and use these data to evaluate the magnitude of the induced free charge density gradient. Both the extent and magnitude of this gradient depend on the chemical structures of the cationic and anionic constituents of the RTIL used. Control over the magnitude of ρf has implications for the utility of RTILs for a host of applications that remain to be explored fully.

Separation of Spinach Thylakoid Protein Complexes by Native Green Gel Electrophoresis and Band Characterization using Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting.

The light reactions of photosynthesis are carried out by a series of pigmented protein complexes in the thylakoid membranes. The stoichiometry and organization of these complexes is highly dynamic on both long and short time scales due to processes that adapt photosynthesis to changing environmental conditions (i.e., non-photochemical quenching, state transitions, and the long-term response). Historically, these processes have been described spectroscopically in terms of changes in chlorophyll fluorescence, and spectroscopy remains a vital method for monitoring photosynthetic parameters. There are a limited number of ways in which the underlying protein complex dynamics can be visualized. Here we describe a fast and simple method for the high-resolution separation and visualization of thylakoid complexes, native green gel electrophoresis. This method is coupled with time-correlated single photon counting for detailed characterization of the chlorophyll fluorescence properties of bands separated on the green gel.

Plasma Exosomes Contribute to Microvascular Damage in Diabetic Retinopathy by Activating the Classical Complement Pathway.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular complication of diabetes and is the leading cause of vision loss in working-age adults. Recent studies have implicated the complement system as a player in the development of vascular damage and progression of DR. However, the role and activation of the complement system in DR are not well understood. Exosomes, small vesicles that are secreted into the extracellular environment, have a cargo of complement proteins in plasma, suggesting that they can participate in causing the vascular damage associated with DR. We demonstrate that IgG-laden exosomes in plasma activate the classical complement pathway and that the quantity of these exosomes is increased in diabetes. Moreover, we show that a lack of IgG in exosomes in diabetic mice results in a reduction in retinal vascular damage. The results of this study demonstrate that complement activation by IgG-laden plasma exosomes could contribute to the development of DR.

Magnetic polymer microcapsules loaded with Nile Red fluorescent dye.

Fabrication of multifunctional smart vehicles for drug delivery is a fascinating challenge of multidisciplinary research at the crossroads of materials science, physics and biology. We demonstrate a prototypical microcapsule system that is capable of encapsulating hydrophobic molecules and at the same time reveals magnetic properties. The microcapsules are prepared using a templated synthesis approach where the molecules to be encapsulated (Nile Red) are present in the organic droplets that are suspended in the polymerization solution which also contains magnetic nanoparticles. The polymer (polypyrrole) grows on the surface of organic droplets encapsulating the fluorescent dye in the core of the formed microcapsule which incorporates the nanoparticles into its wall. For characterization of the resulting structures a range of complementary physicochemical methodology is used including optical and electron microscopy, magnetometry, 1H NMR and spectroscopy in the visible and X-ray spectral ranges. Moreover, the microcapsules have been examined in biological environment in in vitro and in vivo studies.

The Influence of Metal Ions on the Dynamics of Supported Phospholipid Langmuir Films.

The translational diffusion dynamics of the zwitterionic lipid 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) at a planar phosphorylated support surface containing metal ions (Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Zr4+) was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). Fluorescence recovery curves yielded diffusion constants on the order of 2-5 µm2/s for the chromophore-tagged 12:0 NBD-Lyso-PC. Ionic interactions between the zwitterionic headgroup and metal ions were found to play a secondary role in mediating lipid fluidity. This work provides quantitative insight into the extent to which the fluidity of a supported lipid film is mediated by the ionic interactions between headgroup and surface versus that of the lipid-lipid tailgroup interactions.

Using Diffusion To Characterize Interfacial Heterogeneity.

We report on the use of molecular diffusional motion over a range of length scales to characterize compositional heterogeneity in monolayer structures. This work focuses on the diffusional motion of perylene in two types of films supported on functionalized silica surfaces: single-component (stearic acid) and two-component (hydrocarbon/fluorocarbon) films. Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) monolayers were deposited directly on silica or were bound to surface-modified silica by means of metal ion complexation. The LB films were characterized by their π-A isotherms and by Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) during formation and deposition. Chromophore mobility and monolayer structural heterogeneity were evaluated by comparing rotational diffusion data (fluorescence anisotropy decay imaging) and translational diffusion data (fluorescence recovery after photobleaching) on the same LB films. Our results indicate that the mobility of the chromophore depends sensitively on both metal ion identity and film composition.

New solvatochromic probes: performance enhancement via regulation of excited state structures.

A new fluorescent conjugate (PNBD) with a structure of D-π-A was designed and synthesized, where the donor (D), the acceptor (A) and the bridge (π) are naphthalyl, dicyanovinyl and phenylethynyl-phenylethynyl, respectively. To improve the solubility of the conjugate, two long alkyl chains were introduced as substituents of the central aromatic ring. Spectroscopic studies demonstrated that PNBD is a strongly solvatochromic probe which is characterized by a large molar absorption coefficient (>32 000 cm-1 M-1), long wavelength absorption (>410 nm), large solvatochromic emission range (470-650 nm), high photochemical stability, and good solubility in common organic solvents. The fluorescent quantum yield of PNBD is limited in some polar solvents due to dual emission, a phenomenon ascribed to radiative decay from a higher excited singlet state. To eliminate dual emission, a covalently bound dimer (BPNBD) of PNBD characterized by weak vibronic coupling, was designed and synthesized. The dimer constituents are linked by a single bond between the naphthalyl moieties of the two PNBD monomers. As expected, BPNBD maintains almost all the strong points of the monomer, exhibits a substantial increase in fluorescence quantum yield, and eliminates dual emission by facilitating efficient internal conversion. Importantly, the use of PNBD and BPNBD in concert provides unprecedented discrimination among solvents of similar structures, such as (CH2Cl2, CHCl3, CCl4), (ethyl ether, THF, dioxane), or (methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, n-pentanol, n-hexanol, n-heptanol, n-octanol, n-decanol), allowing rapid and selective visual identification.

Charge-Induced Long-Range Order in a Room-Temperature Ionic Liquid.

We report direct evidence for charge-induced long-range (ca. 100 µm) order in the room-temperature ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM(+)BF4(-)), supported on a silica surface. We have measured the rotational diffusion dynamics of anionic, cationic, and neutral chromophores as a function of distance from a silica surface. The results reflect the excess charge density gradient induced in the IL by the (negative) charge present on the silica surface. Identical measurements in ethylene glycol reveal spatially invariant reorientation dynamics for all chromophores. Capping the silica support with Me2SiCl2 results in spatially invariant reorientation dynamics in the IL. We understand these data in the context of the IL exhibiting a spatially damped piezoelectric response mediated by IL fluidity and disorder.

MALDI ionization mechanisms investigated by comparison of isomers of dihydroxybenzoic acid.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) ion formation mechanisms were investigated by comparison of isomers of dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB). These exhibit substantially different MALDI performance, the basis for which was not previously understood. Luminescence decay curves are used here to estimate excited electronic state properties relevant for the coupled chemical and physical dynamics (CPCD) model. With these estimates, the CPCD predictions for relative total ion and analyte ion yields are in good agreement with the data for the DHB isomers. Predictions of a thermal equilibrium model were also compared and found to be incompatible with the data. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Role of Acid Sphingomyelinase in Shifting the Balance Between Proinflammatory and Reparative Bone Marrow Cells in Diabetic Retinopathy.

The metabolic insults associated with diabetes lead to low-grade chronic inflammation, retinal endothelial cell damage, and inadequate vascular repair. This is partly due to the increased activation of bone marrow (BM)-derived proinflammatory monocytes infiltrating the retina, and the compromised function of BM-derived reparative circulating angiogenic cells (CACs), which home to sites of endothelial injury and foster vascular repair. We now propose that a metabolic link leading to activated monocytes and dysfunctional CACs in diabetes involves upregulation of a central enzyme of sphingolipid signaling, acid sphingomyelinase (ASM). Selective inhibition of ASM in the BM prevented diabetes-induced activation of BM-derived microglia-like cells and normalized proinflammatory cytokine levels in the retina. ASM upregulation in diabetic CACs caused accumulation of ceramide on their cell membrane, thereby reducing membrane fluidity and impairing CAC migration. Replacing sphingomyelin with ceramide in synthetic membrane vesicles caused a similar decrease in membrane fluidity. Inhibition of ASM in diabetic CACs improved membrane fluidity and homing of these cells to damaged retinal vessels. Collectively, these findings indicate that selective modulation of sphingolipid metabolism in BM-derived cell populations in diabetes normalizes the reparative/proinflammatory cell balance and can be explored as a novel therapeutic strategy for treating diabetic retinopathy.