Nano-Cu Derived from a Copper Nitride Precatalyst for Reductive Coupling of Nitroaromatics to Azo Compounds.

The study of structural reconstruction is vital for the understanding of the real active sites in heterogeneous catalysis and guiding the improved catalyst design. Herein, we applied a copper nitride precatalyst in the nitroarene reductive coupling reaction and made a systematic investigation on the dynamic structural evolution behaviors and catalytic performance. This Cu3N precatalyst undergoes a rapid phase transition to nanostructured Cu with rich defective sites, which act as the actual catalytic sites for the coupling process. The nitride-derived defective Cu is very active and selective for azo formation, with 99.6% conversion of nitrobenzene and 97.1% selectivity to azobenzene obtained under mild reaction conditions. Density functional theory calculations suggest that the defective Cu sites play a role for the preferential adsorption of nitrosobenzene intermediates and significantly lowered the activation energy of the key coupling step. This work not only proposes a highly efficient noble-metal-free catalyst for nitroarenes coupling to valuable azo products but also may inspire more scientific interest in the study of the dynamic evolution of metal nitrides in different catalytic reactions.

Chronic Alcohol Exposure Alters the Levels and Assembly of the Actin Cytoskeleton and Microtubules in the Adult Mouse Hippocampus.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol abuse, a prevalent global health issue, is associated with the onset of cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration. Actin filaments (F-actin) and microtubules (MTs) polymerized from monomeric globular actin (G-actin) and tubulin form the structural basis of the neuronal cytoskeleton. Precise regulation of the assembly and disassembly of these cytoskeletal proteins, and their dynamic balance, play a pivotal role in regulating neuronal morphology and function. Nevertheless, the effect of prolonged alcohol exposure on cytoskeleton dynamics is not fully understood. This study investigates the chronic effects of alcohol on cognitive ability, neuronal morphology and cytoskeleton dynamics in the mouse hippocampus. METHODS: Mice were provided ad libitum access to 5% (v/v) alcohol in drinking water and were intragastrically administered 30% (v/v, 6.0 g/kg/day) alcohol for six weeks during adulthood. Cognitive functions were then evaluated using the Y maze, novel object recognition and Morris water maze tests. Hippocampal histomorphology was assessed through hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Nissl staining. The polymerized and depolymerized states of actin cytoskeleton and microtubules were separated using two commercial assay kits and quantified by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Mice chronically exposed to alcohol exhibited significant deficits in spatial and recognition memory as evidenced by behavioral tests. Histological analysis revealed notable hippocampal damage and neuronal loss. Decreased ratios of F-actin/G-actin and MT/tubulin, along with reduced levels of polymerized F-actin and MTs, were found in the hippocampus of alcohol-treated mice. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that chronic alcohol consumption disrupted the assembly of the actin cytoskeleton and MTs in the hippocampus, potentially contributing to the cognitive deficits and pathological injury induced by chronic alcohol intoxication.

Photo-Activated Ratiometric Fluorescent Indicator for Real-Time and Visual Detection of Plasma Membrane Homeostasis.

Development of an activated ratiometric indicator that is specific to plasma membrane (PM) viscosity exhibits great application prospects in disease diagnosis and treatment but remains a great challenge. Herein, a photo-activated fluorescent probe (CQ-IC) was designed and prepared tactfully, which could analyze and real-time monitor the microenvironmental homeostasis of the PM based on a two-channel ratiometric imaging model. Interestingly, upon light irradiation, CQ-IC generates reactive oxygen species and thus increases the cellular viscosity, which increases two emission peaks at 480 and 610 nm. This work would propose a new strategy to sensor PM homeostasis and effectively guide the treatment of viscosity-related diseases among various physiological and pathological processes.

Bifunctional Single-Molecular Fluorescent Probe: Visual Detection of Mitochondrial SO2 and Membrane Potential.

Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) significantly affect the mitochondrial state. In this work, TC-2 and TC-8 were constructed through side-chain engineering, in which TC-2 bearing the poorer hydrophobicity could localize on mitochondria better. Interestingly, short-wave emission was captured due to the sensitive response of TC-2 to SO2 (LOD = 13.8 nM). Meanwhile, the probe could bind with DNA, presenting enhanced long-wave emission. Encouragingly, TC-2 could migrate from mitochondria to the nucleus when MMP was decreased, accompanied by the increase of fluorescence lifetime (9-fold). Hence, TC-2 could be used for dual-channel monitoring of mitochondrial SO2 and MMP, which showed a completely different pathway from the commercial MMP detectors JC-1/JC-10. The cellular experiments showed that MMP was gradually decreased due to reactive oxygen species-triggered oxidative stress, and the SO2 level was up-regulated simultaneously. Overall, this work proposed a new method to investigate and diagnose the mitochondrial-related diseases.

Solvatochromic Two-Photon Fluorescent Probe Enables In Situ Lipid Droplet Multidynamics Tracking for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver and Inflammation Diagnoses.

Intracellular lipid storage and regulation occur in lipid droplets, which are of great significance to the physiological activities of cells. Herein, a lipid droplet-specific fluorescence probe (lip-YB) with a high quantum yield (QYlip-YB = 73.28%), excellent photostability, and quickly polarity sensitivity was constructed successfully. Interestingly, lip-YB exhibited remarkable two-photon (TP) characteristics, which first realized real-time monitoring of the lipid droplet multidynamics process, diagnosing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and inflammation in living mice via TP fluorescence imaging. It is found that the as-prepared lip-YB provides a new avenue to design lipid droplet-specific imaging probes, clarifies its roles and mechanisms in cell metabolism, and can timely intervene in lipid droplet-related diseases during various physiological and pathological processes.

Unveiling Mechanism of Organic Photogenerator for Hydroxyl Radicals Generation by Molecular Modulation.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with organic photosensitizers generally goes through the oxygen-dependent process, generating singlet oxygen and/or superoxide anion. However, the generation of reactive oxygen species is often suppressed as a result of hypoxia, one of the common features in tumors, therefore limiting the effectiveness of the tumor treatments. Consequently, it is urgent and significant to develop an oxygen-independent hydroxyl radical photogenerator and unveil the mechanism. In this work, a hydroxyl radical (·OH) photogenerator originating from the electron transfer process is engineered. Detailed mechanism studies reveal that the optimized photosensitizer, WS2D, which contains a bithiophene unit, could both promote charge carrier generation and accelerate reaction efficiency, resulting in the efficient production of ·OH. In addition, WS2D nanoparticles are constructed to improve the polydispersity and stability in aqueous solution, which exhibit excellent biocompatibility and mitochondrial targeting. Bearing the above advantages, WS2D is employed in phototheranostics, which could release ·OH effectively and damage mitochondria precisely, achieving high PDT efficiency in vitro and in vivo. Overall, this work successfully provides valuable insights into the structural design of a hydroxyl radicals (·OH) photogenerator with great practical perspectives.

Post-COVID-19 Epidemic: Allostatic Load among Medical and Nonmedical Workers in China.

BACKGROUND: As the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic continues, medical workers may have allostatic load. OBJECTIVE: During the reopening of society, medical and nonmedical workers were compared in terms of allostatic load. METHODS: An online study was performed; 3,590 Chinese subjects were analyzed. Socio-demographic variables, allostatic load, stress, abnormal illness behavior, global well-being, mental status, and social support were assessed. RESULTS: There was no difference in allostatic load in medical workers compared to nonmedical workers (15.8 vs. 17.8%; p = 0.22). Multivariate conditional logistic regression revealed that anxiety (OR = 1.24; 95% CI 1.18-1.31; p < 0.01), depression (OR = 1.23; 95% CI 1.17-1.29; p < 0.01), somatization (OR = 1.20; 95% CI 1.14-1.25; p < 0.01), hostility (OR = 1.24; 95% CI 1.18-1.30; p < 0.01), and abnormal illness behavior (OR = 1.49; 95% CI 1.34-1.66; p < 0.01) were positively associated with allostatic load, while objective support (OR = 0.84; 95% CI 0.78-0.89; p < 0.01), subjective support (OR = 0.84; 95% CI 0.80-0.88; p < 0.01), utilization of support (OR = 0.80; 95% CI 0.72-0.88; p < 0.01), social support (OR = 0.90; 95% CI 0.87-0.93; p < 0.01), and global well-being (OR = 0.30; 95% CI 0.22-0.41; p < 0.01) were negatively associated. CONCLUSIONS: In the post-COVID-19 epidemic time, medical and nonmedical workers had similar allostatic load. Psychological distress and abnormal illness behavior were risk factors for it, while social support could relieve it.

Tropisetron Facilitates Footshock Suppression of Compulsive Cocaine Seeking.

BACKGROUND: The hallmark characteristics of the murine model of drug addiction include the escalation of cocaine consumption and compulsive punishment-resistant drug seeking. In this study, we evaluated the motivation for drug seeking in cocaine self-administering rats exposed to an escalated dosing regimen that endeavored to mimic the characteristic of escalating drug intake in human addicts. Tropisetron is a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and α7-nicotinic receptor partial agonist. Utilizing rats trained on the escalated-dosing regimen, we examined the effects of tropisetron on control over compulsive drug-seeking behavior that was defined as footshock-resistant lever pressing. METHODS: Rats were trained to self-administer cocaine with incremental-infusion doses (from 0.6 to 2.4 mg/kg/infusion) across training sessions (3 h/session) or with a long-access paradigm (i.e., 0.6 mg/kg/infusion, 6 h/d training session). The drug-seeking motivations of 2 groups were estimated by the patterns of drug intake and progressive-ratio schedule. The compulsivity for drug seeking of the group with an escalated dose was further evaluated using the footshock-associated seeking-taking chain task. RESULTS: The rats trained on the dose-escalated protocol achieved the same levels of motivated drug seeking as those subjected to a long-access paradigm, as indicated by cocaine intake per training session and breakpoints on a progressive ratio schedule. Tropisetron attenuated compulsive behavior of rats when pressing of the seeking lever potentially led to footshock. Intriguingly, tropisetron did not change the motivation to seek cocaine when footshock was absent. Tropisetron had no effect on locomotor activities or saccharin self-administration. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that tropisetron restored control over compulsive cocaine seeking, and they indicate that 5-HT3/α7-nicotinic receptors may be potential therapeutic targets for relieving compulsive drug seeking.

Unveiling the Impact of Light-Induced Acceptor-Generated ROS on Device Stability in Organic Photovoltaics.

The intrinsic stability of the acceptor is a crucial component of the photovoltaic device stability. In this study, we investigated the efficiency and stability of the nonfused-ring acceptors LC8 and BC8 under indoor light conditions. Interestingly, we found that devices based on BC8 with terminal side chains exhibited a higher indoor efficiency and stability. Through accelerated aging experiments, we discovered that the acceptors generate singlet oxygen under light exposure with BC8 demonstrating lower levels of ROS compared to LC8. We attribute this difference to the modulation of the acceptor aggregation orientation. Furthermore, the generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) further deteriorate the acceptor structure, and this phenomenon is also observed in high-efficiency acceptor structures, such as Y6. Our research reveals important mechanisms of acceptor photo-oxidation processes, providing a theoretical basis for enhancing the intrinsic stability of acceptors.

In situ self-assembled near-infrared phototherapeutic agent: unleashing hydrogen free radicals and coupling with NADPH oxidation.

Investigation of electron transfer (ET) between photosensitizers (PSs) and adjacent substrates in hypoxic tumors is integral to highly efficient tumor therapy. Herein, the oxygen-independent ET pathway to generate hydrogen free radicals (H˙) was established by the in situ self-assembled phototherapeutic agent d-ST under near-infrared (NIR)-light irradiation, coupled with the oxidation of reduced coenzyme NADPH, which induced ferroptosis and effectively elevated the therapeutic performance in hypoxic tumors. The higher surface energy and longer exciton lifetimes of the fine crystalline d-ST nanofibers were conducive to improving ET efficiency. In hypoxic conditions, the excited d-ST can effectively transfer electrons to water to yield H˙, during which the overexpressed NADPH with rich electrons can power the electron flow to facilitate the generation of H˙, accompanied by NADP+ formation, disrupting cellular homeostasis and triggering ferroptosis. Tumor-bearing mouse models further showed that d-ST accomplished excellent phototherapy efficacy. This work sheds light onto the versatile electron pathways between PSs and biological substrates.

Unveiling upsurge of photogenerated ROS: control of intersystem crossing through tuning aggregation patterns.

Photo-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by organic photosensitizers (PSs), which show potential in significant fields such as photodynamic therapy (PDT), are highly dependent on the formation of the excited triplet state through intersystem crossing (ISC). The current research on ISC of organic PSs generally focuses on molecular structure optimization. In this manuscript, the influence of aggregation patterns on ISC was investigated by constructing homologous monomers (S-TPA-PI and L-TPA-PI) and their homologous dimers (S-2TPA-2PI and L-2TPA-2PI). In contrast to J-aggregated S-TPA-PI, S-2TPA-2PI-aggregate forming "end-to-end" stacking through π-π interaction could generate ROS more efficiently, due to a prolonged exciton lifetime and enhanced ISC rate constant (k ISC), which were revealed by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. This finding was further validated by the regulation of aggregation patterns induced by host-guest interaction. Moreover, S-2TPA-2PI could target mitochondria and achieve rapid mitophagy to cause more significant cancer cell suppression. Overall, the delicate supramolecular dimerization tactics not only revealed the structure-property relationship of organic PSs but also shed light on the development of a universal strategy in future PDT and photocatalysis fields.

The high frequency oscillation in orbitofrontal cortex is susceptible to phenethylamine psychedelic 25C-NBOMe in male rats.

Serotoninergic psychedelics induced extensive alterations in perception and cognition, which has been attributable to its disruptive effect on oscillatory rhythms of prefrontal cortex. However, there is a lack of information how serotoninergic psychedelics affect the intra-prefrontal network, which intrinsically interact to accomplish perceptual processing. Uncovering the altered neural network caused by psychedelics helps to understand the mechanisms of their psychoactive effects and contribute to develop biological markers of psychedelic effects. In present study, we investigated the effects of substituted phenethylamine psychedelic 25C-NBOMe on neural oscillations in the intra-prefrontal and hippocampal-prefrontal network. The effective dose of 25C-NBOMe (0.1 mg/kg) disrupting sensorimotor gating in male Sprague-Dawley rats was used to observe its effects on neural oscillations in the prelimbic cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and hippocampus CA1. The power of high frequency oscillation (HFO, 120-150 Hz) was potentiated by 25C-NBOMe selectively in the OFC, with peaking at 20-30 min after treatment. 25C-NBOMe strengthened HFO coherence within the intra-prefrontal, rather than hippocampal-prefrontal network. Potentiated HFO in the OFC had a strong positive correlation with the strengthened inter-prefrontal HFO coherence by 25C-NBOMe. The 25C-NBOMe-induced alterations of rhythmic patterns were prevented by pre-treatment with selective serotonin 2A receptor antagonist MDL100,907. These results demonstrate that OFC rhythmic activity in HFO is relatively susceptible to substituted phenethylamine and potentially drives drug-induced rhythmic coherence within intra-prefrontal regions. Our findings provide additional insight into the neuropathophysiology of the psychoactive effects of psychedelics and indicate that the altered HFO might be applied as a potential biological marker of psychedelic effect.

The effects of serotonergic psychedelics in synaptic and intrinsic properties of neurons in layer II/III of the orbitofrontal cortex.

RATIONALE: Serotonergic psychedelics show promise in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder. Dysfunction of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFc) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of compulsive behavior, which might be a key region for the efficacy of psychedelics. However, the effects of psychedelics on the neural activities and local excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance in the OFc are unclear. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate how 25C-NBOMe, a substituted phenethylamine psychedelic, regulated the synaptic and intrinsic properties of neurons in layer II/III of the OFc. METHODS: Acute brain slices containing the OFc of adult male Sprague Dawley rats were used for ex vivo whole-cell recording. The synaptic and intrinsic properties of neurons were monitored using voltage and current clamps, respectively. Electrically evoked action potential (eAP) was used to measure synaptic-driven pyramidal activity. RESULTS: 25C-NBOMe enhanced spontaneous neurotransmission at glutamatergic synapses but diminished that in GABAergic synapses through the 5-HT2A receptor. 25C-NBOMe also increased both evoked excitatory currents and evoked action potentials. Moreover, 25C-NBOMe promoted the excitability of pyramidal neurons but not fast-spiking neurons. Either inhibiting G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels or activating protein kinase C significantly obstructed the facilitative effect of 25C-NBOMe on the intrinsic excitability of pyramidal neurons. CONCLUSIONS: This work reveals the multiple roles of 25C-NBOMe in modulating synaptic and neuronal function in the OFc, which collectively promotes local E/I ratios.

D-serine reconstitutes synaptic and intrinsic inhibitory control of pyramidal neurons in a neurodevelopmental mouse model for schizophrenia.

The hypothesis of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) dysfunction for cognitive impairment in schizophrenia constitutes the theoretical basis for the translational application of NMDAR co-agonist D-serine or its analogs. However, the cellular mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of D-serine remains unclear. In this study, we utilize a mouse neurodevelopmental model for schizophrenia that mimics prenatal pathogenesis and exhibits hypoexcitability of parvalbumin-positive (PV) neurons, as well as PV-preferential NMDAR dysfunction. We find that D-serine restores excitation/inhibition balance by reconstituting both synaptic and intrinsic inhibitory control of cingulate pyramidal neurons through facilitating PV excitability and activating small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK) channels in pyramidal neurons, respectively. Either amplifying inhibitory drive via directly strengthening PV neuron activity or inhibiting pyramidal excitability via activating SK channels is sufficient to improve cognitive function in this model. These findings unveil a dual mechanism for how D-serine improves cognitive function in this model.

Near-Infrared multifunctional theranostic agent with Wave-Like aggregates modulated by substituent position effect.

Precise design of organic photosensitizers (PSs) promoted the technological innovation for multimodal imaging-guided synergistic therapy. Nonetheless, various group substitution could not only optimize the basic photophysical behavior, but possibly change the aggregate, which handicaps the deep understanding of the "Formula-Aggergete-Property" relationship. Bearing this in mind, herein two isomers, named 6-TDE and 7-TDE, were prepared via substituting position modification. Among them, 6-TDE exhibited the grid-like structure, while 7-TDE presented wavy-like structure. Despite the aggregates were different, 6-TDE and 7-TDE shared common features including partly twisted backbone and non-overlapped-orbit, hence resulting in similar optical physical behavior such as decent extinction coefficient, near-IR emission, large stockes shifts, etc. Meanwhile, though two PSs could both generated Type-I and Type-II ROS, 7-TDE possessed smaller singlet-triplet splitting (ΔEST), which exhibited favorable ROS as well as outstanding mitochondrial targeting, achieving efficient photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect. During this process, mitochondrial autophagy could be tracked and observed effectively and in real-time. Moreover, 7-TDE presented outstanding performance in multimodal imaging, including fluorescence imaging (FLI), photoacousticimaging (PAI) and photothermal imaging (PTI). This study enriches the strategy of precise molecular engineering to optimize theranostic agents.

Polarity-Sensitive Probe: Dual-Channel Visualization of the "Chameleon" Migration with the Assistance of Reactive Oxygen Species.

The real-time and differentiated visualization of the organelles is favorable for exploring the distribution and interaction. However, most visual probes emit monochromatic fluorescence and target a single organelle, which impedes the in-depth study of their interplay. To overcome this obstacle, we tactfully conceived a polarity-sensitive fluorescent DPDO-C that could accurately discriminate polarity changes in the cellular environment, exhibiting distinct fluorescence in lipid droplets (LDs) and mitochondria. Remarkably, the probe DPDO-C could migrate from mitochondria to LDs with the assistance of reactive oxygen species, which was conducive to further monitoring of the number and size of LDs as well as the interactions between LDs and other organelles. Moreover, the nuanced difference between normal and fatty liver tissues was also distinguished by two-color fluorescence imaging, which could act as a promising candidate for the early diagnosis of fatty liver.

1-(4-Carb-oxy-phen-yl)-1H-imidazol-3-ium chloride dihydrate.

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C(10)H(9)N(2)O(2) (+)·Cl(-)·2H(2)O, the components are linked by O-H⋯O, N-H⋯O, O-H⋯Cl and N-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds. In the cation, the imidazole ring is oriented at a dihedral angle of 13.67 (17)° with respect to the benzene ring. In the crystal, π-π stacking occurs between nearly parallel benzene rings, which are oriented at a dihedral angle of 3.4 (1)°, the centroid-centroid distance being 3.798 (3) Å.

Restoring glutamate homeostasis in the nucleus accumbens via endocannabinoid-mimetic drug prevents relapse to cocaine seeking behavior in rats.

Impaired glutamate homeostasis is a key characteristic of the neurobiology of drug addiction in rodent models and contributes to the vulnerability to relapse to drug seeking. Although disrupted astrocytic and presynaptic regulation of glutamate release has been considered to constitute with impaired glutamate homeostasis in rodent model of drug relapse, the involvement of endocannabinoids (eCBs) in this neurobiological process has remained largely unknown. Here, using cocaine self-administration in rats, we investigated the role of endocannabinoids in impaired glutamate homeostasis in the core of nucleus accumbens (NAcore), which was indicated by augmentation of spontaneous synaptic glutamate release, downregulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 2/3 (mGluR2/3), and mGluR5-mediated astrocytic glutamate release. We found that the endocannabinoid, anandamide (AEA), rather than 2-arachidonoylglycerol elicited glutamate release through presynaptic transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and astrocytic cannabinoid type-1 receptors (CB1Rs) in the NAcore of saline-yoked rats. In rats with a history of cocaine self-administration and extinction training, AEA failed to alter synaptic glutamate release in the NAcore, whereas CB1R-mediated astrocytic glutamate release by AEA remained functional. In order to induce increased astrocytic glutamate release via exogenous AEA, (R)-methanandamide (methAEA, a metabolically stable form of AEA) was chronically infused in the NAcore via osmotic pumps during extinction training. Restoration of mGluR2/3 function and mGluR5-mediated astrocytic glutamate release was observed after chronic methAEA infusion. Additionally, priming or cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking was inhibited in methAEA-infused rats. These results demonstrate that enhancing endocannabinoid signaling is a potential pathway to restore glutamate homeostasis and may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for preventing cocaine relapse.

In-Situ-Bloomed Micrometer-Scale Ultrathin Nanosheets in Tumor-Microenvironment for Intensive Photothermal-Enhanced Chemodynamic Therapy.

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT), as the emerging modality of cancer therapy based on Fenton or Fenton-like reactions, still suffers from low efficacy of hydroxyl radical generation, which requires full exposure of reaction sites of CDT nanoagents to intracellular H2O2. However, the amount of exposed reaction sites is severely restrained by the controlled size (<200 nm) and the limited specific surface area of nanoagents. Herein, we highlight the in-situ bloomed micrometer-scale CoMn-based layered double hydroxide (CoMn-LDH) ultrathin nanosheets, which are derived from CoMn boride-based CMB@ss-SF nanospheres in response to overexpressed glutathione (GSH) and dissolved oxygen in tumor microenvironment (TME), accomplishing intensive photothermal-enhanced CDT. The micrometer-scale CoMn-LDH ultrathin nanosheets would provide abundant reactive sites to accelerate heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction as well as GSH depletion, eliciting quick release of metal ions and further realizing intensive homogeneous Fenton-like reactions for ·OH generation. Moreover, the nanoagent can harvest 808 nm light into heat, which can be utilized to promote the CDT efficacy and realize photoacoustic imaging (PAI). Because of acidity and overexpressed GSH in TME, the nanoagent exhibited superior biodegradability. Benefiting from the synergistic advantages, CMB@ss-SF with negligible cytotoxicity completely eradicated the tumors in mouse. This work provides avenue for developing CDT nanoagents.

Molecular insights of exceptionally photostable electron acceptors for organic photovoltaics.

Photo-degradation of organic semiconductors remains as an obstacle preventing their durable practice in optoelectronics. Herein, we disclose that volume-conserving photoisomerization of a unique series of acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) acts as a surrogate towards their subsequent photochemical reaction. Among A-D-A NFAs with fused, semi-fused and non-fused backbones, fully non-fused PTIC, representing one of rare existing samples, exhibits not only excellent photochemical tolerance in aerobic condition, but also efficient performance in solar cells. Along with a series of in-depth investigations, we identify that the structural confinement to inhibit photoisomerization of these unique A-D-A NFAs from molecular level to macroscopic condensed solid helps enhancing the photochemical stabilities of molecules, as well as the corresponding OSCs. Although other reasons associating with the photostabilities of molecules and devices should not excluded, we believe this work provides helpful structure-property information toward new design of stable and efficient photovoltaic molecules and solar cells.