Development of two multiplex real-time PCR assays for simultaneous detection and differentiation of monkeypox virus IIa, IIb, and I clades and the B.1 lineage.

An ongoing multi-country outbreak of monkeypox was reported in May 2022 with several deaths, affecting 107 countries of all six World Health Organization (WHO) regions. The WHO has declared the current monkeypox outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. It is, thus, necessary to rapidly and accurately detect and distinguish different monkeypox virus (MPXV) clades. We designed primers and probes based on the alignment of 138 complete genomes of poxviruses. In Panel 1, we mixed one pair of primers and three probes to detect and differentiate the MPXV Western Africa (IIa, IIb clade) and Congo Basin (I clade) and other orthopoxviruses. In Panel 2, we mixed one pair of primers and two probes to detect the 2022 MPXV (B.1 lineage and its descendant lineages). In addition, we tested the specificity and sensitivity of the assay using real-time PCR. In Panel 1, the assay reproducibly identified various concentrations of two plasmids of the monkeypox virus, whereas other orthopoxviruses did not cross-react. In Panel 2, the probe annealed well to MPXV B.1 and showed the expected linearity. These two multiple real-time assays are inclusive and highly specific for identifying different clades of MPXV.

CsPbBr3@CsPbBr3-x Cl x Perovskite Core-Shell Heterojunction Nanowires via a Postsynthetic Method with HCl Gas.

CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) are promising materials due to their excellent optoelectronic properties. This work shows a successful anion exchange reaction in CsPbBr3 nanowire (NW) systems with HCl gas resulting in a blue-green light-emitting CsPbBr3@CsPbBr3-x Cl x core-shell heterojunction. By adjusting the reaction time and the reaction temperature, the structure and light emission of the NWs can be adjusted. The core-shell heterojunction NCs are stably luminescent in 24 h. The rational mechanism of anion exchange in perovskite NCs is also investigated. The work highlights the feasibility of NWs heterogeneously prepared under the HC1 gas atmosphere, which provides a new strategy for studying the two- and multicolor luminescent perovskite NCs.

Improving the Quality and Luminescence Performance of All-Inorganic Perovskite Nanomaterials for Light-Emitting Devices by Surface Engineering.

Lead halide perovskites and their applications in the optoelectronic field have garnered intensive interest over the years. Inorganic perovskites (IHP), though a novel class of material, are considered as one of the most promising optoelectronic materials. These materials are widely used in detectors, solar cells, and other devices, owing to their excellent charge-transport properties, high defect tolerance, composition- and size-dependent luminescence, narrow emission, and high photoluminescence quantum yield. In recent years, numerous encouraging achievements have been realized, especially in the research of CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) nanocrystals (NCs) and surface engineering. Therefore, it is necessary to summarize the principles and effects of these surface engineering optimization methods. It is also important to scientifically guide the applications and promote the development of perovskites more efficiently. Herein, the principles of surface ligands are reviewed, and various surface treatment methods used in CsPbX3 NCs as well as quantum-dot light-emitting diodes are presented. Finally, a brief outlook on CsPbX3 NC surface engineering is offered, illustrating the present challenges and the direction in which future investigations are intended to obtain high-quality CsPbX3 NCs that can be utilized in more applications.