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Devices that can capture and convert sunlight into stored chemical energy are attractive candidates for future energy technologies. A general challenge is to combine efficient solar energy capture with high energy densities and energy storage time into a processable composite for device application. Here, norbornadiene (NBD)–quadricyclane (QC) molecular photoswitches are embedded into polymer matrices, with possible applications in energy storing coatings. The NBD–QC photoswitches that are capable of absorbing sunlight with estimated solar energy storage efficiencies of up to 3.8% combined with attractive energy storage densities of up to 0.48 MJ kg−1. The combination of donor and acceptor units leads to an improved solar spectrum match with an onset of absorption of up to 529 nm and a lifetime (t1/2) of up to 10 months. The NBD–QC systems with properties matched to a daily energy storage cycle are further investigated in the solid state by embedding the molecules into a series of polymer matrices revealing that polystyrene is the preferred choice of matrix. These polymer devices, which can absorb sunlight and over a daily cycle release the energy as heat, are investigated for their cyclability, showing multicycle reusability with limited degradation that might allow them to be applied as window laminates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long antisense non-coding RNA ANRIL is 3.8 kb in length and serves an important role in the tumorigenesis and progression of a number of malignancies. However, its function in human osteosarcoma remains unknown. The present study investigated the role of ANRIL in human osteosarcoma cell lines and clinical tumor samples. The expression of ANRIL was analyzed in 19 osteosarcoma and paired adjacent non-cancerous tissues using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Knockdown of ANRIL expression using lentivirus-mediated small interfering RNA was performed to investigate the role of ANRIL in tumor proliferation and metastasis using MTT, colony formation and transwell assays. The results demonstrated that ANRIL expression was upregulated in osteosarcoma tissues when compared with ANCT samples. In addition, knockdown of ANRIL expression in vitro reduced cell proliferation and invasion. These results indicated that ANRIL is upregulated in osteosarcoma tissues, and may promote the proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells. Therefore, ANRIL may serve as a novel biomarker and target of novel therapies for the treatment of patients with osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]