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Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped Na2O–CaF2–ZnO–Al2O3–SiO2 glasses with different Zn/Si ratios were prepared using the melt-quenching technique. The thermal stability was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. Additionally, the absorption spectra were also analyzed to gather more information about their properties. The down-conversion luminescence corresponding to the strongest fluorescence at a wavelength of 547 nm was obtained under the 378 nm excitation, and a 4S3/2 level fluorescence lifetime was studied. By utilizing a laser pump with a wavelength of 980 nm, the process of both up-conversion and down-conversion luminescence was accomplished. In particular, the glasses substantially enhance fluorescence properties when the Zn/Si ratio is about 0.16. The changes in the Zn/Si ratio lead to modifications in the glass network structure, changing the coordination field environment around the fluorescence center and ultimately impacting the luminescence properties of the rare-earth ions. These effects are evidenced through the findings obtained from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy analysis of the glass material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent glass-ceramics containing CaF 2 single-phase or CaF 2 /Ca 5 (PO 4) 3 F two-phase were obtained by heat-treating the precursor glass. Compared with the precursor glass, the glass-ceramics containing CaF 2 crystal with low phonon energy greatly enhance the emission intensity. Further research was conducted on the influence of various crystallization procedures on the luminescent properties of the glass-ceramic, and the procedure crystallized at 660 °C for 4 h was determined to be the optimal heat treatment. The SEM results indicate that the crystal size of the glass-ceramics is in the nanometer scale, which guarantees the possibility of its optical application. The three-photon absorption process of the Tb3+/Yb3+ co-doped glass-ceramics containing CaF 2 single-phase was confirmed based on the up-conversion emission spectra excited at different power of 980 nm laser. The chromaticity coordinates of the Tb3+/Yb3+ co-doped glass-ceramic are located in the green region, indicating its potential applications in green lighting and other optical display devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimized variational modal decomposition (VMD) algorithm is widely used in the diagnosis of rolling bearing faults. However, the subjectivity of the optimization range can compromise the effect of fault feature extraction under strong background noise (SBN). To enhance the fault diagnosis accuracy of rolling bearings under SBN, an adaptive range selection for parameter optimization of the VMD algorithm was developed. The proposed algorithm utilizes a method based on peak spectral clustering and center frequency to determine the optimal range of mode number and penalty factor. An optimization process based on the weighted kurtosis spectrum L2/L1 norm is then employed as the fitness function to obtain the optimal values of modes and penalty factor. Experimental results have demonstrated that the proposed method achieves a 20.02 % increase in fault diagnosis accuracy compared to the classical adaptive variational mode decomposition (AVMD) method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In this study, a subtractive proteomics approach was employed to select target proteins from databases that can accurately cover serotypes A and D of the Cryptococcus neoformans, and based on predicted T and B cell epitopes, two multi-epitope vaccines were designed with structurally rational, receptor-binding properties that can induce desired immune responses. • After further evaluation, these vaccines show the potential for large-scale production and applicability to the majority of the population of the world. • In summary, these two vaccines have been theoretically proven to combat Cryptococcus neoformans infections, awaiting further experimental validation of their actual protective effects. The emergence of Cryptococcus neoformans has posed an undeniable burden to many regions worldwide, with its strains mainly entering the lungs through the respiratory tract and spreading throughout the body. Limitations of drug regimens, such as high costs and limited options, have directed our attention toward the promising field of vaccine development. In this study, the subtractive proteomics approach was employed to select target proteins from databases that can accurately cover serotypes A and D of the Cryptococcus neoformans. Further, two multi-epitope vaccines consisting of T and B cell epitopes were demonstrated that they have good structural stability and could bind with immune receptor to induce desired immune responses in silico. After further evaluation, these vaccines show the potential for large-scale production and applicability to the majority of the population of the world. In summary, these two vaccines have been theoretically proven to combat Cryptococcus neoformans infections, awaiting further experimental validation of their actual protective effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been known that short-time auditory stimulation can contribute to the improvement of the balancing ability of the human body. The present study aims to explore the effects of white Gaussian noise (WGN) of different intensities and frequencies on dynamic balance performance in healthy young adults. A total of 20 healthy young participants were asked to stand at a dynamic balance force platform, which swung along the x-axis with an amplitude of ± 4° and frequency of 1 Hz. Their center of pressure (COP) trajectories were recorded when they were stimulated by WGN of different intensities (block 1) and different frequencies (block 2). A traditional method and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) were used for data preprocessing. The authors found that only with 75–85 dB WGN, the COP parameters improved. WGN frequency did not affect the dynamic balance performance of all the participants. The DFA results indicated stimulation with 75 dB WGN enhanced the short-term index and reduced the crossover point. Stimulation with 500 Hz and 2500 Hz WGN significantly enhanced the short-term index. These results suggest that 75 dB WGN and 500 Hz and 2500 Hz WGN improved the participants' dynamic balance performance. The results of this study indicate that a certain intensity of WGN is indispensable to achieve a remarkable improvement in dynamic balance. The DFA results suggest that WGN only affected the short-term persistence, indicating the potential of WGN being considered as an adjuvant therapy in low-speed rehabilitation training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eu3+/Yb3+ co-doped Na 2 O–CaO–SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 –ZnO–F glasses were prepared. Various Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 ratios were used and their impact on the structure and optical properties of the glasses was examined. The results indicate that as the content of Al 2 O 3 increases, the propensity for precipitation in the glass intensifies, while its thermal stability diminishes. The transmission spectra reveal that the incorporation of Al 2 O 3 causes a shift towards longer wavelengths in the UV cut-off point of the glasses, which can be attributed to the alteration of the glass's network structure. Consequently, there is an increase in the amount of non-bridging oxygens present, ultimately resulting in a reduction of the optical bandgap. The analysis of luminescent properties suggests that as the Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 ratio increases, the luminescence intensity of the Eu3+ ion also increases but that of the Yb3+ ion decreases. The reason for this is that the Al 2 O 3 added to the glass disrupts the symmetry of the surrounding environment where Eu3+ ions exist. As a result, the likelihood of electric dipole transition for these ions is enhanced. Simultaneously, it disrupts the glass network and increases the distance between rare earth ions, leading to a reduction in the luminescence intensity of Yb3+ ions. In addition, the energy transfer process of Eu3+→Yb3+ has potential application prospects in improving the efficiency of silicon-based solar cells by converting ultraviolet light into infrared light. • Eu3+/Yb3+ co-doped Na 2 O–CaO–SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 –ZnO–F glasses were prepared. • Effect of Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 ratio on structure and properties of were studied. • Al 2 O 3 causes a shift towards longer wavelengths in the UV cut-off point. • Luminescence intensity of Eu3+ ions increases, but that of Yb3+ ions decreases. • Glass has potential application in the field of orange-red light display devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na 2 O–CaO–SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 –ZnO–P 2 O 5 –CaF 2 glasses co-doped with Ce3+/Yb3+ ions were obtained. The effects of added CaF 2 on the glass structure, stability, and luminescence properties of the fluorosilicate glasses were studied. The research results show that the introduction of fluoride ions can reduce the crystallization peak temperature of the glass and increase the crystallization tendency of the glass. Structural analysis shows that the network breaking effect of F− ion is more obvious after CaF 2 replaces CaO, and more glass network terminator sites are produced, raising the molar volume of the prepared glasses. The results of transmission spectra reveal that with the rise of CaF 2 doping content, the UV cut-off wavelength appears blue-shift, which can be explained by the change of optical alkalinity of the prepared glass. Analysis of fluorescence performance shows that the intensity and inhomogeneous broadening of the emission peaks displays an increasing trend, which might be related to the decrease of glass phonon energy and the increase of rare-earth ion solubility. The above results indicate that the prepared Na 2 O–CaO–SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 –ZnO–P 2 O 5 –CaF 2 glasses co-doped with Ce3+/Yb3+ ions have potential applications for solar cells. • Na 2 O–CaO–SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 –ZnO–P 2 O 5 –CaF 2 glasses co-doped with Ce3+/Yb3+ ions were obtained. • With the rise of CaF 2 doping content, the UV cut-off wavelength appears blue-shift. • Under 345 nm excitation, emission peaks emerged in 380–600 nm and 900–1100 nm regions, respectively. • CIE chromaticity coordinates indicate that prepared glass shows a potential application in blue display devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biologicalorganisms have evolved tremendous control over the synthesisof inorganic materials in aqueous solutions at standard conditions.Such control over material properties is difficult to achieve withcurrent synthesis strategies. Biotemplated synthesis of materialshas been demonstrated to be efficient at facilitating the formationof various inorganic species. In this study, we employ a protein cage-basedsystem to synthesize photoactive TiO2nanoparticles lessthan 10 nm in diameter. We also demonstrate phase control over thematerial, with the ability to synthesize both anatase and rutile TiO2using distinct biomineralization peptides within the proteincage. Finally, using analytical ultracentrifugation, we are able toresolve distinct reaction products and approximate their loading.We find that two distinct species comprise the reaction products,likely representing procapsid-like particles with early, precursormetal oxide clusters, and shells nearly full with crystalline TiO2nanoparticles, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Control of magnetization is central to the performance of magneto-optical switches and isolators. Photonic crystal technology on these devices can yield significant improvements in polarization rotation efficiency and an overall reduction in device dimensions. The optical response and field reversal characteristics of resonant magneto-optic polarization rotators fabricated on chip are presented herein and analyzed by micromagnetic simulation. By introducing domain-strip structures into the resonant cavity of Bragg gratings formed on magnetic garnet films, a bi-stable magnetic state is demonstrated and the enhancement of characteristic saturation field is studied. Domain closure loops between the strips affect the hysteresis response in the resonant cavity. Large magneto-optic rotations exceeding 45° are produced near resonance between 1500 and 1580nm in the stop-bands, although the presence of linear birefringence in these gyrotropic waveguides strongly suppresses the Faraday rotation outside the stop-bands and degrades the linearity of the output polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Porous scaffolds composed of alginate (AG) and chitosan (CS) were fabricated by combining the formation of polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) with freeze-drying. The AG scaffold was used as a framework with uniformly distributed and interconnected pore structure. The chitosan or chitosan/hydroxyapatite (CS/HA) composite solution was introduced into the pores of AG scaffold to form PEC scaffolds. FT-IR, XRD and XPS analysis confirmed that CS or CS/HA was coated on the AG scaffold surface. Microstructure, porosity, mechanical strength and thermal stability of PEC scaffolds were also investigated. The AG–CS PEC scaffold and Ca2+ crosslinked AG scaffold showed smaller average pore diameter and lower porosity than those of uncrosslinked AG scaffold. Moreover, compared with Ca2+ crosslinked AG scaffold, AG–CS PEC scaffold exhibited higher mechanical strength and better thermal stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Perovskite solar cells (PVSC) have drawn increasing attention due to their high photovoltaic performance and low-cost fabrication with solution processability. A variety of methods have been developed to make uniform and dense perovskite thin films, which play a critical role on device performance. Herein, we demonstrate a polymer additive assisted approach with Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers to facilitate the growth of uniform, dense, and ultra-smooth perovskite thin films. Furthermore, a lamp annealing approach has been developed to rapidly anneal perovskite films using an incandescent lamp, resulting in comparable or even better device performance compared to the control hotplate annealing. The facile polymer additive assisted method and the rapid lamp annealing technique offer a clue for the large-scale fabrication of efficient PVSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li 2 O–ZnO–B 2 O 3 -WO 3 (LZBW) sealing glasses for Si substrates were prepared and the effect of WO 3 on the structure, thermal properties, and sintering behaviour was investigated. As the WO 3 increases from 0 to 12 mol%, the glass transition temperature and softening temperature reach the lowest values of 448 °C and 479 °C, respectively, at which time the glass network has the lowest degree of polymerization. The thermal expansion coefficient increases from 6.959 × 10−6/°C to 8.476 × 10−6/°C with increasing WO 3 contents. It is verified that the introduction of WO 3 can effectively improve the conductivity. The sealing property of the glasses was evaluated by the wetting angle of the glasses after co-sintering with Si substrate for 10 min at 860 °C, and the 25Li 2 O-7ZnO-2.7Bi 2 O 3 -1.3P 2 O 5 -55B 2 O 3 -9WO 3 glass had the minimum wetting angle of 34.07°. The excellent thermal properties, conductivity, and wetting behaviour of the LZBW glasses make it a potential material as a binder material for positive silver pastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Gd 2 O 3 –Ga 2 O 3 -GeO 2 -Nd 2 O 3 glasses and glass ceramics were synthesized, and their structural, thermal, and crystallization characteristics were analyzed. Our findings indicate that substituting Gd 2 O 3 for Ga 2 O 3 positively influences the enhancement of bridge oxygen content and network structure stability. Heat treatments at different temperatures showed no significant impact on the crystal phase type but did alter the crystallization rate. Optimal conditions were identified: a Gd 2 O 3 /Ga 2 O 3 ratio of 0.6 facilitated the production of transparent glass ceramics containing a single-phase GdGaGe 2 O 7 nano-crystal. Notably, the glass ceramic nucleated at 780 °C for 24 h and crystallized at 840 °C for 5 min exhibited superior performance. Despite a 6% reduction in transmission rate, the emission intensity at 1060 nm increased by 1.5 times. This material holds promise for various applications in solid-state lasers operating within the 1.06 μm region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the CuCl/KNO 3 and AgCl/KNO 3 mixed molten salts were selected to prepare chemically strengthened Cu containing glasses and Ag–Cu containing glasses at 460–500 °C used two-step ion-exchange method. The effects of treatment temperature on ions concentration distribution, transmittance, strengthening effect, chemical stability and ion release of samples were studied, the antimicrobial activity of samples was evaluated. The results demonstrated that K+ ions, Ag+ ions and Cu+ ions were successfully introduced onto the surface of the glass. Cu and Ag existed mainly in the form of monovalent ions, but the metal Cu or metal Ag formed when the temperature was high, making the glass appear pink or yellow, respectively. The surface compressive stress of Cu containing glasses was 508–602 MPa, and that of Ag–Cu containing glasses was 587–672 MPa, both of which showed stress relaxation at temperatures above 480 °C. The samples' Vickers hardness rose by 4–16 %, the density and chemical stability were also improved. Ion-exchanged glass was capable of releasing Cu+ ions or Ag+ ions steadily in an aqueous environment, which had a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of staphylococcus aureus with favorable antimicrobial effect. Compared with the original glass, the ion-exchanged glass prepared in our work was not only incorporated two antibacterial active ions (Ag+ ions, Cu+ ions), but also has improved mechanical properties and chemical stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older patients (≥75 years) after coronary angiography constitute an increasing proportion, but only limited data are available regarding the prognosis of geriatric contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI). Patients (≥75 years) undergoing coronary angiography between December 2010 and September 2013 were consecutively enrolled. CA-AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine of 25% or.5 mg/dL from the baseline within 48–72 h of contrast exposure. All-cause mortality was assessed during median 7.5 years (interquartile range [IQR] 6.7–8.7 years) follow-up period. In total, 571 patients aged >75 years undergoing coronary angiography were enrolled in a single center study; 82 (14.4%) patients had CA-AKI. The all-cause mortality during the median 7.5 years follow-up period was 22.0% in patients with CA-AKI and 13.1% in patients without CA-AKI (P =.015). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the multivariable analysis indicated that CA-AKI was related to an increased risk of all-cause mortality during the median 7.5-year follow-up (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.46; 95% CI: 1.29–4.7; P =.006). CA-AKI is a significant and independent predictor of long-term mortality for patients aged over 75 years who underwent coronary angiography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV‐1) envelope glycoprotein spike is targeted by antibodies and therefore represents the main viral antigen for antibody‐based vaccine design. One of the challenges in HIV‐1 vaccine development is inducing efficient immune system recognition and response to the virus without establishing an infection. Since HIV‐1 enters the body at mucosal surfaces, induction of immune response at these sites is a preferred preventive approach. Nasal administration is an effective route for mucosal immunization since it can stimulate immune responses both locally and distantly. In this paper, Luna Labs develops a short carbon nanotube‐based delivery platform known as "CNTVac." The size of carbon nanotubes is controlled to possess HIV‐1 particle‐like morphology capable of efficient intranasal delivery of a broad range of antigens. A polyethylene glycol‐lipid chain is localized between V1V2 antigens and serves to protect antigen conformation and enhance mucosal penetration. This is demonstrated to cause enhanced local immunoglobulin A and systemic antibody immunoglobulin G responses in mice and rabbits. CNTVac not only serves as an efficient delivery system but also reduces the amount of lipid required for vaccine dosing in order to eliminate potential adverse effects. These data suggest a promising platform technology for vaccine delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the discovery of 1970s, bioactive glass has been a hot topic of research because of its excellent biological activity, which makes it a material that can repair and replace human bone tissue organs. In this work, the bioactive glasses in the system SiO 2 –P 2 O 5 –Na 2 O–CaO–F with different amounts of strontium oxide (SrO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) were prepared by the conventional melt quenching technology. The hydroxyapatite (HA) forming ability, ion release and antibacterial activity of these prepared glasses were investigated and the obtained results illustrated that SrO-doped samples had a better ability to form HA in modified simulated body fluid (MSBF) than ZnO-doped samples. As the immersion time of the sample in MSBF increased, the content of HA phase gradually increased. In the same immersion time, the formation ability of HA and the variation of SrO substitution amount showed a non-linear trend, which is mainly related to the influence of SrO content on the glass network structure. The results of ion concentration showed that the formation of HA was the result of the comprehensive action of various ions in the solution, especially the release rate of Si4+ ions, which had a direct impact on the formation ability of HA. The antibacterial test illustrated that the difference in antibacterial activity of bacteria solution at different sample concentrations may be related to the high pH environment and the osmotic effects caused by the non-physiological concentration of ions in the solution. The glass sample contained 4 wt% SrO showed the minimum bactericidal concentration at 64 mg/mL. The glass samples prepared in this experiment had good biological activity and antibacterial effect, making them suitable for using in dentistry and orthopedic applications, as well as providing a valuable composition reference for the preparation of bioactive glass with excellent comprehensive properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, MgO–TiO 2 –P 2 O 5 –Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 glasses with different Ti/P ratios were prepared by the melt-quenching method, and Mg 0.5 Ti 2 (PO 4) 3 glass-ceramics were obtained by controllable crystallization. The effects of the Ti/P ratio on the structure, crystallization behaviour, and properties of the glasses and glass-ceramics were studied by FTIR, DSC, XRD, EDS, UV–Vis DRS, and so on. The results show that with the increase of the Ti/P ratio, the content of the [TiO 6 ] group and Ti–O–P bond in the glass network increases, which strengthens the cross-linking of the glass network. However, the decrease of glass former P 2 O 5 reduces the thermal stability of the glass. The appropriate Ti/P ratio is beneficial to the formation of single-phase glass-ceramics, and the band gap width of glass-ceramics containing single Mg 0.5 Ti 2 (PO 4) 3 crystal phase is 3.0 eV. With the irradiation of a high-pressure mercury lamp for 120 min, the glass-ceramics after crystallization at 850 °C for 4 h can effectively degrade MB dye solution (41%∼75%). The potential application prospect of the prepared glass-ceramics in the field of water purification of organic dyes was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the 30Bi2O3-38B2O3-3SiO2-5Al2O3-(24-x)MnO-xCuO (x = 6, 10, 14, 18, 22 mol%) lead-free bismuth borate glasses were prepared by the melt-quenching method. The effects of CuO substitution for MnO on the structure and properties of the bismuth borate glass were investigated. As the CuO content increases from 6 to 22 mol%, the density of the glass gradually increases while the molar volume shows an opposite trend. The FTIR spectra show that [BiO3], [BiO6], [BO3], and [BO4] are the main structural units in the bismuth borate glass network. The vibrations of both [BiO3] and [BO4] units are enhanced with the increasing CuO content. With the increase of CuO content, the glass transition temperature (Tg) decreases from 438 to 417 ℃ and the softening temperature (Tf) decreases from 470 to 452 ℃. The thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) decreases from 7.875 to 7.702 × 10–6 /℃ in the temperature range of 30–300 ℃, which is between the thermal expansion coefficients of Ag (19 × 10–6 /℃) and silicon substrates (2.5 × 10–6 /℃). In addition, the HF resistance of the bismuth borate glasses gradually improves as the CuO content increases, with a minimum dissolution rate of 14.27 × 10–3 g cm−2 min−1. The NaOH resistance of the bismuth borate glasses initially decreases and then remains stable, with a maximum dissolution rate of 14.66 × 10–3 g cm−2 min−1. The results revealed that the investigated Bi2O3-B2O3-MnO-CuO glass can be used as a suitable alternative to lead-based glass for conductive silver paste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing a safe and effective preventive for HIV-1 remains the hope for controlling the global AIDS epidemic. Recently, mRNA vaccines have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional vaccine approaches, primarily due to their rapid development and potential for low-cost manufacture. Despite the advantages of mRNA vaccines, challenges remain, especially due to the adverse effects of the delivery vehicle and low delivery efficiency. As a result, Luna Labs is developing a short carbon nanotube-based delivery platform (NanoVac) that can co-deliver mRNA and HIV-1 glycoproteins to the immune system efficiently with negligible toxicity. Surface chemistries of NanoVac were optimized to guide antigen/mRNA loading density and presentation. Multiple formulations were engineered for compatibility with both intramuscular and intranasal administration. NanoVac candidates demonstrated immunogenicity in rabbits and generated human-derived humoral and cellular responses in humanized mice (HIS). Briefly, 33% of the HIV-1–infected HIS mice vaccinated with NanoVac–mRNA was cleared of virus infection by 8–weeks post-infection. Finally, NanoVac stabilized the loaded mRNA against degradation under refrigeration for at least three months, reducing the cold chain burden for vaccine deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of prediabetes is increasing in young adults and patients undergoing coronary angiography. However, whether prediabetes is a considerable risk factor for all-cause mortality remains undetermined in young patients undergoing coronary angiography. Methods: In this study, we retrospectively included 8868 young patients (men aged < 45 years, women aged < 55 years) who underwent coronary angiography (CAG). Patients were categorized as normoglycemic, prediabetes and diabetes according to the HbA1c level or documented history of diabetes. The association of all-cause mortality with diabetes and prediabetes was detected by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Results: A total of 3240 (36.5%) among 8868 young patients receiving CAG were prediabetes and 2218 (25.0%) were diabetes. 728 patients died during a median follow-up of 4.92 years. Compared to the normoglycemic group, prediabetes increased the risk of all-cause mortality in young CAG patients by 24%(adjusted HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.04–1.49, p = 0.019) and diabetes increased the risk of all-cause mortality by 46%(adjusted HR:1.46, 95% CI:1.2–1.79, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that diabetes and prediabetes increased the risk of death mainly in patients without comorbidities. Conclusion: Prediabetes accounts for more than one-third of the young adults undergoing CAG and was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, active prevention strategy should be considered for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of prediabetes is increasing in young adults and patients undergoing coronary angiography. However, whether prediabetes is a considerable risk factor for all-cause mortality remains undetermined in young patients undergoing coronary angiography. Methods: In this study, we retrospectively included 8868 young patients (men aged < 45 years, women aged < 55 years) who underwent coronary angiography (CAG). Patients were categorized as normoglycemic, prediabetes and diabetes according to the HbA1c level or documented history of diabetes. The association of all-cause mortality with diabetes and prediabetes was detected by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Results: A total of 3240 (36.5%) among 8868 young patients receiving CAG were prediabetes and 2218 (25.0%) were diabetes. 728 patients died during a median follow-up of 4.92 years. Compared to the normoglycemic group, prediabetes increased the risk of all-cause mortality in young CAG patients by 24%(adjusted HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.04–1.49, p = 0.019) and diabetes increased the risk of all-cause mortality by 46%(adjusted HR:1.46, 95% CI:1.2–1.79, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that diabetes and prediabetes increased the risk of death mainly in patients without comorbidities. Conclusion: Prediabetes accounts for more than one-third of the young adults undergoing CAG and was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, active prevention strategy should be considered for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For sake of enhancing dependability and broadening application of medical packing glass, this work is designed to develop a new-type aluminoborosilicate neutral glass and optimize its main performances by adjusting CaO, BaO and ZnO amounts. Based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and performances analysis, the different effects of BaO, CaO and ZnO were interpreted. The partial replacing BaO with CaO facilitated formation of [AlO 4 ] and thermal stability, while entirely substitution of CaO impaired the Si group network connectivity and chemical stability. The ZnO was testified as a weak network former which reversely hindered [BO 4 ] and [AlO 4 ] formations, and boosted the water resistance specifically. In summary, a series of neutral glasses fulfilled requirements for medical packing material was prepared, and improved thermal and chemical properties were obtained whilst BaO/CaO mixed ratio reached about 0.8; the ZnO bearing glasses showed higher water resistance but faintly weaker thermal and partial chemical performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a series of Sm3+-doped MO-ZnO-B 2 O 3 –P 2 O 5 (M = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) glasses were prepared. The glass structure and luminescence properties were investigated by XRD, DSC, IR, absorption spectroscopy, Judd-Ofelt theory and photoluminescence spectra. The J-O parameters of Sm3+-doped glasses follow the trend of Ω 4 ＞Ω 6 ＞Ω 2. Under the excitation of 401 nm Xenon lamp, Sm3+-doped glasses exhibited four emissions from the transitions of 4G 5/2 →6H J/2 (J = 5, 7, 9, 11) in the visible spectra. The luminous intensity of Sm3+ increases with the asymmetry in local environments and decreases with the increasing radius of the alkaline-earth cation. Among the as-prepared glass, the Sm3+-doped glass containing magnesium oxide exhibits higher values of stimulated emission cross-section (2.18 × 10−21 cm2), gain bandwidth (1.40 × 10−27 cm3), and optical gain (3.83 × 10−24 cm2). All the Sm3+-doped glasses show intense orange light in the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram with a high color purity exceeding 99%. In addition, the time-resolved emission spectra reveal the decay process of the Sm3+ ions for the transitions 4G 5/2 → 6H 7/2 and 4G 5/2 → 6H 9/2 in the glass containing magnesium oxide. It suggests that Sm3+-doped alkaline-earth zinc borophosphate glasses could be a potential candidate for reddish-orange light-conversion fluorescent materials based on the ultraviolet light-emitting diode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered Nd-doped LiNi 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2 (NCM523) compounds were successfully synthesized via a coprecipitation-assisted solid-phase method in this work. The effects of Nd doping on the crystal structure, morphology, and electrochemical properties were characterized thoroughly using XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, and electrochemical tests. Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction data indicated that the Nd-doped samples had lower cation mixing than the raw NCM523. The SEM and EDX mapping characterization results demonstrated that Nd atoms were uniformly distributed in NCM523. At 1C and 10C, the Li(Ni 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 ) 0.992 Nd 0.008 O 2 materials exhibited initial discharge capacities of 189.7 and 101.5 mAh g −1 , respectively, with capacity retentions of 83.3% and 88%, respectively, compared to those of NCM523 (68.1% and 52.5%, respectively) with a cutoff voltage of 4.8 V after 100 cycles. It was found that NCM523 doped with Nd 3+ ions can expand lithium ion diffusion channels in the layered structure and stabilize the structure of the material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of prediabetes is increasing in young adults and patients undergoing coronary angiography. However, whether prediabetes is a considerable risk factor for all-cause mortality remains undetermined in young patients undergoing coronary angiography. Methods: In this study, we retrospectively included 8868 young patients (men aged < 45 years, women aged < 55 years) who underwent coronary angiography (CAG). Patients were categorized as normoglycemic, prediabetes and diabetes according to the HbA1c level or documented history of diabetes. The association of all-cause mortality with diabetes and prediabetes was detected by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Results: A total of 3240 (36.5%) among 8868 young patients receiving CAG were prediabetes and 2218 (25.0%) were diabetes. 728 patients died during a median follow-up of 4.92 years. Compared to the normoglycemic group, prediabetes increased the risk of all-cause mortality in young CAG patients by 24%(adjusted HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.04–1.49, p = 0.019) and diabetes increased the risk of all-cause mortality by 46%(adjusted HR:1.46, 95% CI:1.2–1.79, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that diabetes and prediabetes increased the risk of death mainly in patients without comorbidities. Conclusion: Prediabetes accounts for more than one-third of the young adults undergoing CAG and was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, active prevention strategy should be considered for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilization of solid waste can be a preferable waste management solution. In this study, a type of self-foamed glass ceramic material was prepared using lead zinc mine tailings, red mud, and silica sand tailings through in-situ decomposition foaming. The effect of silica sand tailings content on the pore morphology, microstructure, and basic performances of the prepared specimen was analyzed. Meanwhile, the differences in the pore morphology and self-foaming behavior of the foamed glass ceramics were discussed. The obtained results indicated that the addition of silica sand tailings facilitated the formation of the glass phase in samples, and the composition, content, and viscosity of the glass phase could be changed by adjusting the content of silica sand tailings, resulting in a uniform distribution of the formed pores. Owing to their well-distributed pore structure, foamed glass ceramics exhibit excellent comprehensive properties (light weight and high strength), making them a potential non-load-bearing material. In this study, the comprehensive properties of the sample prepared with 40 wt% silica sand tailings were determined to be the best: exhibiting the lowest bulk density (0.63 g/cm3), highest porosity (72.6%), and an applicable mechanical strength (9.7 MPa). This study utilized three solid wastes through a reasonable combination based on their chemical composition, and proposed a novel technique for the preparation of self-foaming glass ceramics via the cooperative treatment of various wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Er3+ and/or Cr3+ doped transparent ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics were successfully obtained by one-step heat treatment. The results showed that Er3+ ions can enrich around ZnGa 2 O 4 crystal to reduce the crystallization activation energy and promote the growth of ZnGa 2 O 4 crystal. Cr3+ ions may successfully occupy the Ga3+ sites in the ZnGa 2 O 4 lattice but will increase crystallization activation energy and inhibit the growth of the ZnGa 2 O 4 crystal. Before and after crystallization, the coordination-field intensity of Cr3+ ions increased from 2.17 to 2.86, resulting in the peak position of its emission spectra moving from 850 to 688 nm. By excitation at 378 nm, the precursor glass co-doped with Er3+ and Cr3+ ions only showed the characteristic emission peaks belonging to Er3+ ions. After heat treatment, the characteristic emission peaks belonging to Er3+ and Cr3+ ions existed simultaneously, and the emission color changed from green to yellow. By excitation at 980 nm, there were only characteristic emission peaks belonging to Er3+ ions of the Er3+/Cr3+ co-doped glasses before and after heat treatment. The results showed that the Er3+ and/or Cr3+ doped ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics have adjustable luminescence ability and show potential application value in the field of luminescence display. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Used immunoinformatic tools to screen the T -cell and B-cell epitopes for the Marburgvirus proteins GP, NP, VP24, VP30, VP35, VP40, and L. • Performed consensus and novelty analysis to identify potential vaccine candidate epitopes. • Investigated the atomistic details of the epitope-allele complexes for the GP and NP epitopes using molecular dynamics simulations. Marburgvirus (MARV), a member of the Filovirus family, causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. Currently, there are no approved vaccines or post exposure treatment methods available against MARV. With the aim of identifying vaccine candidates against MARV, we employ different sequence-based computational methods to predict the MHC-I and MHC-II T -cell epitopes as well as B-cell epitopes for the complete MARV genome. We analyzed the variations in the predicted epitopes among four MARV variants, the Lake Victoria, Angola, Musoke, and Ravn. We used a consensus approach to identify several epitopes, including novel epitopes, and narrowed down the selection based on different parameters such as antigenicity and IC 50 values. The selected epitopes can be used in various vaccine constructs that give effective antibody responses. The MHC-I epitope-allele complexes for GP and NP with favorably low IC 50 values were investigated using molecular dynamics computations to determine the molecular details of the epitope-allele complexes. This study provides information for further experimental validation of the potential epitopes and the design and development of MARV vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work mainly concentrated on the structural and optical properties of TiO 2 -doped transparent glass-ceramics embedding ZnO quantum dots (QDs). The results show that the concentration of non-bridging oxygen and related defects in the glasses increases and thermal parameters decreases by the introduction of TiO 2. The surface defect concentration of ZnO QDs is greatly improved and the size of ZnO QDs is reduced by heat treatment below the T g and the introduction of TiO 2. The green emission of glasses is mainly derived from oxygen vacancy defects and the yellow emission of glass-ceramics primarily originated from oxygen interstitial defects which show a tendency of enhancing first and then reducing with the increase of TiO 2 content. Among them, the optimal content for the strongest emission intensity of TiO 2 -doped glasses and glass-ceramics was determined to be 1.0 mol%, and the relative exceeds 10 times and 5.4 times that of TiO 2 -free glasses and glass-ceramics, respectively. The average size of ZnO QDs (∼2.1 nm) remarkably close to its exciton Bohr radius is successfully prepared by the optimal heat treatment condition (630 °C/8 h, below the T g). The results show that these glass-ceramics embedding ZnO QDs are good yellow emission materials and have application prospects in WLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we discuss the fabrication and characterization of optical waveguide Bragg filters in ion-implanted PMN-32PT [68Pb (Mg1/3Nb2/3)-32PbTiO3] single crystal substrates. PMN-32PT posses exceptionally high piezoelectric and electro-optic properties and has immediate applications in on-chip optical circuitry. We use commercial modeling programs to design the waveguide filter and fabricate the device using ion-implantation and nano-fabrication techniques. First, slab waveguides are created in <001> mirror polished substrates through He+ ion-implantation process. He+ implantation creates an optical barrier with reduced refractive index. Second, ridge waveguides on the slab are fabricated through standard photolithography and dry etching techniques. Third, Periodic refractive index modulation (grating) on the top of the ridge waveguide is achieved through Focused Ion Beam [FIB] milling which is controlled by Nanometer Pattern Generation System [NPGS]. Photonic bandgaps are observed in 1480–1580nm wavelength range in these filters. The experimental data shows excellent agreement with the theory. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this investigation, Tb3+-doped SrO–MgO–SiO 2 –TiO 2 –B 2 O 3 glasses were prepared using the melting-cooling technique. The amorphous nature of the glass was confirmed through XRD analysis. The thermodynamic parameters of the glass were determined by DSC testing, and the crystallization activation energy was calculated. Using infrared spectroscopy, the network structure of the glass was investigated. At 376 nm excitation, the emission spectrum was obtained, which contained six emission bands: 415 nm (5D 3 →7F 5), 437 nm (5D 3 →7F 4), 489 nm (5D 4 →7F 6), 545 nm (5D 4 →7F 5), 586 nm (5D 4 →7F 4) and 623 nm (5D 4 →7F 3). With the increase of Tb 2 O 3 ion-doping concentration, the emission intensity of the 5D 3 excited state decreases gradually, while that of the 5D 4 excited state increases gradually. Also measured were the lifetimes of Tb3+: 5D 3 and 5D 4 fluorescence decay. The luminescence of the glass falls within the green region of the CIE chromaticity coordinates, and the correlated color temperature index indicates that the luminescence is pale green. The results show that the Tb3+ doped SrO–MgO–SiO 2 –TiO 2 –B 2 O 3 glasses system has a potential application prospect in the field of green light display. • Effects of Tb3+-doping on structure and optical properties of the silicate glass have been discussed. • Cross-relaxation between Tb3+ and Tb3+ions leads to energy transfer. • CIE Chromaticity coordinates are calculated for glasses doped with different Tb3+ concentrations. • Glasses are anticipated to be important in green light display devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ce3+-Yb3+ co-doped Na 2 O–CaO–SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 –ZnO glasses were prepared by the melt-quenching method. The effects of ZnO replacing CaO on the structure and luminescent properties of glass were studied. The thermodynamic temperature and thermal stability of the glasses were determined by DSC. The change in the glass network structure was analyzed by FT-IR spectra. The excitation spectrum, emission spectrum and fluorescence lifetime of Ce3+ in glass were determined by fluorescence spectrometer. The down-conversion luminescence spectra of Ce3+-Yb3+ ions excited at 355 nm were measured. According to the emission spectra of Ce3+ ions under different excitation wavelengths, the multiple luminescence centers of Ce3+ ions are determined, and the chromaticity coordinates of CIE are calculated. Finally, the energy transfer between Ce3+ and Yb3+ was analyzed. The Ce3+-Yb3+ co-doped glass can convert ultraviolet and visible light to the response band of c-Si solar cells, so it is an ideal candidate for solar panel glass. Although Yb3+ cannot directly absorb the light in the range of 300–500 nm, the ultraviolet band can be down-converted and emitted to the response band of c-Si solar cells by Ce3+-Yb3+ co-doping in glass, and a strong broadband near-infrared emission occurs near 978 nm, which matches the best response spectrum of c-Si solar cells. Therefore, the Ce3+-Yb3+ co-doped glass is expected to be a suitable spectral converter to be used as solar cover glass, which has potential application value in improving the actual photoelectric efficiency of silicon-based solar cells. [Display omitted] • Substitution of ZnO for CaO in glass composition has a significant effect on structure and properties. • Phenomenon of multiple luminescence centers of Ce3+ ions in a glass matrix has been discussed. • CIE Chromaticity coordinates indicate that the luminescence color of glass transitions from blue to turquoise light. • Chromaticity coordinates excited by ultraviolet light indicate UV protection performance of cover glass to photovoltaic module. • It provides guiding significance for the functional improvement of solar cell cover glass at present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ternary copper-bismuth-sulphide (CBS) semiconducting nanocrystals (NCs), with optimal band gap values of ∼1.5 eV and optical absorption coefficient α > 104 cm−1, have been investigated in recent years as an absorber material for thin film solar cells. We report on a facile hot injection method to synthesize phase-pure CBS NCs of Cu 3 BiS 3 in the form of nanospheres and nanoflowers. The precursor, capping ligands, and reaction temperature play a key role in stabilizing the structural phase and morphology of the synthesized nanocrystals. The resultant nanocrystals films show distinct photo-response characteristics, which makes them attractive as absorber materials for use in thin film solar cells. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Effect of precursor, capping ligands, and reaction temperature in structural phase and morphology of nanocrystals. • Comparative study of the optical and electrical properties of Cu 3 BiS 3 nanospheres and nanoflowers. • Optical band gaps of the nanocrystals are determined to be between 1.48 and 1.59 eV. • Good photoresponse characteristics in I-V measurements and their potential for solar energy conversion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yibo He, Hongyu Lu, and Yihang Ling contributed equally to this work and share first authorship. Correction: Prediabetes and all-cause mortality in young patients undergoing coronary artery angiography: a multicenter cohort study in China The study sponsor/funder was not involved in the design of the study; the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing the report; and did not impose any restrictions regarding the publication of the report.". [Extracted from the article]

The novel P 2 O 5 –ZnO–B 2 O 3 –Na 2 O–NaF multi-component fluorophosphate glasses doped with DyF 3 were prepared via the conventional melt-quenching process. The effects of DyF 3 concentration on the glass structure and photoluminescence properties were systematically discussed. The J-O analysis and radiative properties of Dy3+ ions in fluorophosphate glass were investigated. Upon the excitation of 349 nm, the fluorescence intensity of 4F 9/2 → 6H J/2 (J = 15, 13, 11, 9) transitions increase first and then decrease with the DyF 3 concentration, and the optimum concentration was determined to be 1.5 mol%. The 1.5 mol% DyF 3 -doped glass exhibit a high photoluminescence quantum yield (54.65%) and great thermal stability. Finally, the temperature-dependent emission spectra contour map reveals that the fluorescence emission of the fluorophosphate glass with 1.5 mol% DyF 3 demonstrates a downtrend with the temperature, and the fluorescence intensity of the yellow emission transition (4F 9/2 → 6H 13/2) at 473 K can still maintain 70% of that at the initial condition (298 K). These results suggest that these DyF 3 -doped fluorophosphate glasses may be applied for thermal stable photonic devices. [Display omitted] • DyF 3 -doped P 2 O 5 –ZnO–B 2 O 3 –Na 2 O–NaF multi-component fluorophosphate glasses were prepared. • Glass exhibit intense emission with optimal concentration for 1.5 mol% DyF 3. • 1.5 mol% DyF 3 -doped fluorophosphate glass exhibits great photothermal stability. • It is a potential candidate material for thermally stabilized photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transparent ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics doped with Mn2+/Cr3+ ions were prepared by a one-step crystallization method. The visible light fluorescence properties of Mn2+ ions in 6-coordination and 4-coordination environments and the visible light fluorescence properties of Mn2+/Cr3+ ions co-doped in transparent ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics were studied. The results manifest that in the parent glass, Mn2+ ions mainly occupy the network former in the form of Hexa-coordination, and the luminescence center can emit orange-yellow light at ~600 nm. In transparent ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics, Mn2+ ions and Cr3+ ions appear at the four-coordination site (Zn site) and six-coordination site (Ga site) in ZnGa 2 O 4 spinel, respectively, and they can radiate green (510 nm) and red light (688 nm), respectively. An energy transfer mechanism of Mn2+→Cr3+ exists in ZnGa 2 O 4 : Mn2+/Cr3+ and different colors of luminescence can be produced by changing the molar ratios of components and test conditions. CIE results show that Mn2+-single-doped parent glass and glass-ceramics can be used in orange-yellow and green light displays, while Mn2+/Cr3+ co-doped transparent ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics can be used as ideal materials for the green and red light displays. • Mn2+/Cr3+ co-doped transparent ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics were successfully prepared. • The results show that Ga/Zn/O/Cr/Mn elements highly enrich in ZnGa 2 O 4 nanocrystals. • The luminescence of Mn2+/Cr3+ in this work is affected by the coordination field. • Mn2+/Cr3+ co-doped ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics can be used in multicolor display devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new family of quaternary semiconductors Cu2ZnAS4−x and CuZn2AS4 (A = Al, Ga, In) has been synthesized in the form of wurtzite phase nanocrystals for the first time. The nanocrystals can be converted to the stannite phase via thermal annealing under a N2 atmosphere. A direct band gap in the visible wavelength region combined with a high absorption cross-section makes these materials promising for solar energy conversion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiO 2 -Ga 2 O 3 –ZnO–Al 2 O 3 –NaF–Na 2 O glasses with different Ga/Zn molar ratios have been prepared by the melt-quenching method, and glass-ceramics have been prepared by "one-step" controlled crystallization. The crystallization kinetics, crystal structure, and fluorescence properties of glass-ceramics with different Ga/Zn molar ratios have been studied by DSC, XRD, TEM, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The single-crystal phase with ZnGa 2 O 4 spinel structure was precipitated in the glass-ceramics, and the grain size decreases from ∼87 nm to ∼6 nm with Ga 2 O 3 replacing ZnO. The prepared ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics can produce fluorescence emission in the boundary of 350–650 nm, and the emission peak shape changes significantly with the change of Ga/Zn molar ratios. CIE chromaticity diagram shows that ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics can be applied in the field of blue light display devices. • Transparent glass-ceramics containing ZnGa 2 O 4 nanocrystals with different Ga/Zn ratios were obtained. • Glass-ceramics with different Ga/Zn ratios show different crystallization kinetics. • ZnGa 2 O 4 nanocrystals with different microstructure are precipitated in glass-ceramics with different Ga/Zn ratios. • ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics can be a potential candidate for blue light display devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Er3+-Yb3+ co-doped glass-ceramics containing ZnAl 2 O 4 crystals were prepared. • Precipitation of ZnAl 2 O 4 crystal with spinel structure was confirmed by XRD and SEM. • Visible, NIR, and up-conversion fluorescence intensity in glass-ceramics are enhanced. • Maximum absolute sensitivity S a-max of 0.006 K−1 of glass-ceramics was obtained at 404 K. • It is a potential candidate material for a high-precision up-conversion optical thermometer. Er3+-Yb3+ co-doped glass-ceramics were fabricated by the conventional melt-quenching method and subsequent heat treatment. The precipitation of ZnAl 2 O 4 microcrystals with spinel structure was confirmed by the XRD pattern and SEM photographs. Raman spectra show that the glass-ceramics have lower maximum phonon energy compared with the glass matrix. Under the excitation of 378 nm Xenon lamp and 980 nm laser, different degrees of enhancement in the visible, NIR, and up-conversion fluorescence intensity attributed to the transitions of Er3+ ions in glass-ceramics, can be observed by emission spectra. Finally, according to the fluorescence intensity ratio between the transition from the thermal coupling energy level 2H 11/2 and 4S 3/2 to the ground state 4I 15/2 , the optical temperature sensing properties of glass-ceramics were evaluated, and the maximum absolute sensitivity S a-max of 0.006 K−1 can be obtained at 404 K. These results indicate that the Er3+-Yb3+ co-doped ZnAl 2 O 4 glass-ceramics may be utilized as a potential high-sensitivity up-conversion optical temperature sensing material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Transparent glass-ceramics containing spinel ZnGa 2 O 4 nanocrystals were obtained. • Crystallization kinetics and luminescence properties of glass-ceramic were investigated. • XRD, SEM and TEM results ZnGa 2 O 4 nanocrystals with spinel structure were precipitated. • ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics have potential applications in blue-green laser and color display. In this study, the transparent glass-ceramics containing spinel ZnGa 2 O 4 nanocrystals were obtained by controlling crystallization. XRD, SEM, and TEM results show that after heat treatment at 750–950 °C, ZnGa 2 O 4 nanocrystals with spinel structure can be precipitated in the glass matrix. As the heat treatment temperature increases, the nanocrystal size of ZnGa 2 O 4 in the glass matrix shows an increasing trend, which results in a slight decrease in the transmittance of the glass-ceramics. However, it still maintains high optical transparency in the visible-light range. Under the excitation of 281 and 355 nm ultraviolet light, the transparent glass-ceramics embedding ZnGa 2 O 4 nanocrystals show wide emission bands. Moreover, with the increase of heat-treatment temperatures, the CIE chromaticity coordinates of the glass-ceramics gradually move from the green-light region towards the blue-light region, which indicates that the transparent ZnGa 2 O 4 glass-ceramics have potential applications in blue-green laser and color display. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yb3+-Ho3+-Tb3+ co-doped SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 –Y 2 O 3 –NaF–CaF 2 glasses were prepared. The XRD of the glass was obtained, which proved the amorphous state of the glass. The crystallization temperature of glass was measured by differential scanning calorimetry, and the crystallization activation energy was obtained. The absorption spectrum of glass was investigated. The network structure of glass was studied. The up-conversion and down-conversion spectra of the glass were obtained under 980 nm and 369 nm excitation, respectively, and the fluorescence decay lifetime of Tb3+: 5D 4 was measured. The influence of laser power on up-conversion luminescence intensity was investigated by changing the laser power. The energy transfer relationship among Yb3+, Ho3+, and Tb3+ was researched. The CIE chromaticity coordinate was calculated according to the emission spectrum. It shows that this series of glasses have possible applications in the field of the green light display. • Yb3+-Ho3+-Tb3+ tri-doped SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 –Y 2 O 3 –NaF–CaF 2 glass was prepared. • Intensity of the up-conversion and down-conversion emission peaks was dominated by Tb3+ ions. • Energy level transitions and energy transfer modes between Yb3+-Ho3+-Tb3+ ions were discussed. • This series of glass has potential applications in the field of green light display elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monodisperse CuInS2nanocrystals are produced by injecting mixed metal-oleate precursors into hot organic solvents containing the dissolved sulphur sources. A better understanding of the formation mechanism of CuInS2has enabled us to tailor anisotropic shapes in the form of triangular-pyramid, circular cone, and bullet-like rods with tunable crystal phases by varying the synthetic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu2ZnMS4-x (M: Al, Ga, In) nanocrystals are prepared by the colloidal hot-injection method starting with thermal decomposition of a 2:1:1 molar mixture of Cu(acac)2, Zn(acac)2, and M(acac)3 in oleylamine under N2 (Schlenk line, 150 °C) followed by quickly injecting a mixture of n-dodecanethiol and tert-dodecanethiol and subsequent heating (250 °C, 1 h), with the latter leading to a structural transition from the wurtzite to the stannite phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]