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Recently, lead‐free double perovskites have emerged as a promising environmentally friendly photovoltaic material for their intrinsic thermodynamic stability, appropriate bandgaps, small carrier effective masses, and low exciton binding energies. However, currently no solar cell based on these double perovskites has been reported, due to the challenge in film processing. Herein, a first lead‐free double perovskite planar heterojunction solar cell with a high quality Cs2AgBiBr6 film, fabricated by low‐pressure assisted solution processing under ambient conditions, is reported. The device presents a best power conversion efficiency of 1.44%. The preliminary efficiency and the high stability under ambient condition without encapsulation, together with the high film quality with simple processing, demonstrate promise for lead‐free perovskite solar cells.

In the present work, a hole-conductor-free inverted-structure planar perovskite solar cell was fabricated by a solution process. Remarkably, the device showed a power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 16.0%, which is higher than those of reported hole-conductor-free perovskite solar cells, and even higher than that of devices using NiOx as the hole conductor. Furthermore, the hole-conductor-free device was also found to reveal a very good stability.

Recently, lead‐free double perovskites have emerged as a promising environmentally friendly photovoltaic material for their intrinsic thermodynamic stability, appropriate bandgaps, small carrier effective masses, and low exciton binding energies. However, currently no solar cell based on these double perovskites has been reported, due to the challenge in film processing. Herein, a first lead‐free double perovskite planar heterojunction solar cell with a high quality Cs2AgBiBr6 film, fabricated by low‐pressure assisted solution processing under ambient conditions, is reported. The device presents a best power conversion efficiency of 1.44%. The preliminary efficiency and the high stability under ambient condition without encapsulation, together with the high film quality with simple processing, demonstrate promise for lead‐free perovskite solar cells.

In this work, a CuI anode buffer layer prepared from a facile solution-processed method was introduced in polymer solar cells (PSCs). The CuI films obtained under different spin-coating speeds and anneal treatments, and the performances of corresponding device fabricated with these CuI films were systematically investigated. The results showed that the devices based on CuI anode buffer layer displayed superior performance than conventional devices using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) sulfonic acid (PEDOT/PSS). The highest power conversion efficiency of the PSCs based on CuI layer reached 4.15% under the illumination of AM 1.5G, 100 mW/cm2. Furthermore, the pristine CuI layer could be applied in PSCs immediately, which shortened the production time of PSCs.

During the past several years, methylammonium lead halide perovskites have been widely investigated as light absorbers for thin-film photovoltaic cells. Among the various device architectures, the inverted planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells have attracted special attention for their relatively simple fabrication and high efficiencies. Although promising efficiencies have been obtained in the inverted planar geometry based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) sulfonic acid (PEDOT:PSS) as the hole transport material (HTM), the hydrophilicity of the PEDOT:PSS is a critical factor for long-term stability. In this paper, a CuOx hole transport layer from a facile solution-processed method was introduced into the inverted planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells. After the optimization of the devices, a champion PCE of 17.1% was obtained with an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.99 V, a short-circuit current (Jsc) of 23.2 mA cm−2 and a fill factor (FF) of 74.4%. Furthermore, the unencapsulated device cooperating with the CuOx film exhibited superior performance in the stability test, compared to the device involving the PEDOT:PSS layer, indicating that CuOx could be a promising HTM for replacing PEDOT:PSS in inverted planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to explore the role of miR-199a-5p in the development of thyroid cancer, including its anti-proliferation effect and downstream signaling pathway. MATERIAL AND METHODS We conducted qRT-PCR analysis to detect the expressions of several microRNAs in 42 follicular thyroid carcinoma patients and 42 controls. We identified CTGF as target of miR-491, and viability and cell cycle status were determined in FTC-133 cells transfected with CTGF siRNA, miR-199a mimics, or inhibitors. RESULTS We identified an underexpression of miR-199a-5p in follicular thyroid carcinoma tissue samples compared with controls. Then we confirmed CTGF as a target of miR-199a-5p thyroid cells by using informatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay. Additionally, we found that mRNA and protein expression levels of CTGF were both clearly higher in malignant tissues than in benign tissues. miR-199a-5p mimics and CTGF siRNA similarly downregulated the expression of CTGF, and reduced the viability of FTC-133 cells by arresting the cell cycle in G0 phase. Transfection of miR-199a-5p inhibitors increased the expression of CTGF and promoted the viability of the cells by increasing the fraction of cells in G2/M and S phases. CONCLUSIONS Our study proves that the CTGF gene is a target of miR-199a-5p, demonstrating the negatively related association between CTGF and miR-199a. These findings suggest that miR-199a-5p might be a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of follicular thyroid carcinoma.

A global adaptive output feedback control strategy is presented for a class of nonholonomic systems in generalized chained form with drift nonlinearity and unknown virtual control parameters. The purpose is to design a nonlinear output feedback switching controller such that the closed-loop system is globally asymptotically stable. By using the input-state scaling technique and an integrator back-stepping approach, an output feedback controller is given. A filter of observer gain is introduced for state and parameter estimates. Meanwhile, in order to avoid the over-parameters, a tuning function technique is utilized. A novel switching control strategy based on the output measurement of the first subsystem rather than time is used to overcome the uncontrollability of the x 0 -subsystem in the origin. The proposed controller can guarantee that all the system states globally converge to the origin, while other signals maintain bounded. The numerical simulation testifies the effectiveness.

Although inorganic hole-transport materials usually possess high chemical stability, hole mobility, and low cost, the efficiency of most of inorganic hole conductor-based perovskite solar cells is still much lower than that of the traditional organic hole conductor-based cells. Here, we have successfully fabricated high quality CH3NH3PbI3 films on top of a CuSCN layer by utilizing a one-step fast deposition-crystallization method, which have lower surface roughness and smaller interface contact resistance between the perovskite layer and the selective contacts in comparison with the films prepared by a conventional two-step sequential deposition process. The average efficiency of the CuSCN-based inverted planar CH3NH3PbI3 solar cells has been improved to 15.6% with a highest PCE of 16.6%, which is comparable to that of the traditional organic hole conductor-based cells, and may promote wider application of the inexpensive inorganic materials in perovskite solar cells.

The effects of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) on cardiac pathology and energy metabolism were studied in a canine model of smoke inhalation injury.Twenty-one dogs were randomly divided into three groups: four dogs constituted the normal control group (group N), eight dogs subjected to smoke inhalation followed by O(2) inhalation (FiO(2)=0.45) constituted the injury control group (group C), and nine dogs inhaling a mixture of O(2) and 45ppm nitric oxide after smoke exposure served as the treatment group (group T). Myocardial zymograms were continuously measured, and ventricular muscles were examined for histopathology in the end of the experiment.Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (alpha-HBD), creatine kinase (CK) and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) in group T were less than those in group C(P0.05, or P0.01). ATP content and energy charge (EC) in group T were higher significantly than those in group C(P0.01). Light microscopy and electron microscopy indicated that the ventricular pathologic changes in group T were milder than in control group.Nitric oxide inhalation relieved myocardial damage and improved energy metabolism.

In perovskite solar cells, the morphology of the porous TiO2 electron transport layer (ETL) largely determines the quality of the perovskites. Here, we chose micro-scale TiO2 (0.2 µm) and compared it with the conventional nanoscale TiO2 (20 nm) in relation to the crystallinity of perovskites. The results show that the micro-scale TiO2 is favorable for increasing the grain size of the perovskites and enhancing the light scattering. However, the oversized TiO2 results in an uneven surface. The evenness of the perovskites can be improved by nanoscale TiO2, while the crystallinity and compactness are not as good as those of the films based on micro-scale TiO2. To combine the advantages of both micro-scale and nanoscale TiO2, by mixing 0.2 µm/20 nm TiO2 with a ratio of as the composite ETL, the device average power conversion efficiency was increased to 11.2% from 9.9% in the case of only 20 nm TiO2.

In this work, a fully tin‐based, mixed‐organic‐cation perovskite absorber (FA)x(MA)1− xSnI3 (FA = NH2CH = NH2 +, MA = CH3NH3 +) for lead‐free perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with inverted structure is presented. By optimizing the ratio of FA and MA cations, a maximum power conversion efficiency of 8.12% is achieved for the (FA)0.75(MA)0.25SnI3‐based device along with a high open‐circuit voltage of 0.61 V, which originates from improved perovskite film morphology and inhibits recombination process in the device. The cation‐mixing approach proves to be a facile method for the efficiency enhancement of tin‐based PSCs.

In the present work, a Pb-assisted two step method is successfully proposed to fabricate high-quality CH3NH3Sn0.5Pb0.5I3 (MASn0.5Pb0.5I3) perovskite film on the indium tin oxide (ITO) glass/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) substrate. The film shows regular crystalline grains with a flat and compact morphology as well as full coverage on the planar PEDOT:PSS substrate. Remarkably, corresponding devices ITO/PEDOT:PSS/MASn0.5Pb0.5I3/C60/2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline/Ag are fabricated with high reproducibility, achieving a high power conversion efficiency of 13.6%, which is, to the best of knowledge, the most efficient solar cell based on Sn-based perovskite.

Planar heterojunction perovskite solar cell is one of the most competitive photovoltaic technologies, while charge transport materials play a crucial role. We successfully demonstrated an effective electron transport material, namely chemical bath deposited cadmium sulphide (CdS) film under low temperature, in perovskite-based solar cells. Power conversion efficiency of 16.1% has been achieved, which is comparable to that of devices based on TiO2 film prepared via low-temperature processes. Electronic impedance spectra reveal that the CdS-based device presents a higher recombination resistance than TiO2-based devices, which reduces carrier recombination and increases the open circuit voltage. The interface between CdS and perovskite was characterized with improved characteristics when compared to TiO2, e.g., efficient carrier extraction and reduced surface defect–associated degradation in the devices, which help to alleviate anomalous hysteresis and long-term instability. Furthermore, the entire device was fabricated via solution process with a processing temperature below 100°C, suggesting a promising method of further development of perovskite solar cells and commercial manufacturing.

Thin polythiophene film prepared via electrochemical polymerization has been successfully used as the hole-transporting layer in CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells, affording a series of ITO/polythiophene/CH3NH3PbI3/C60/BCP/Ag devices. The highest occupied molecular orbit (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbit (LUMO) of the polythiophene film are determined as −5.20 eV and −3.12 eV, respectively, which match well with that of CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite material. In addition, a promising power conversion efficiency of 11.8%, featuring a high fill factor of 0.707, good open voltage of 1.03 V and short current density of 16.2 mA cm−2, has been obtained, which renders polythiophene as an effective competitor to spiro-OMeTAD in perovskite solar cells. Furthermore, this work provides a simple, prompt, controllable and economic approach for the preparation of hole-transporting layer, which would undoubtedly yield new insight into the industrial production of perovskite solar cells.