2.2]Paracyclophanes in polymer chemistry and materials science

After a long period as model compounds in basic research [2.2]paracyclophanes are quickly gaining in practical importance. They can be incorporated into numerous polymeric systems in which they either lose (the so-called Parylenes) or retain their layered structure, and they can be used for the construction of unsaturated molecular scaffolds characterized not only by conventional (lateral) pi-electron overlap but also by cofacial pi-electron interactions. Surfaces generated from and with [2.2]paracyclophanes possess interesting biological, photophysical, and optoelectronic properties.     

Thermoelectric power and electrochemical studies on CdI<Subscript>2</Subscript>–Ag<Subscript>2</Subscript>O–V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript>–B<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> system

A quaternary super-ion-conducting system, 20CdI₂ − 80[xAg₂O − y(0.7V₂O₅ − 0.3B₂O₃)] where 1 ≤ x/y ≤ 3, has been prepared by melt quenching technique. The electrical conductivity measured was the order of 10⁻⁴  S/cm at room temperature. The values of silver-ion transport number obtained by electromotive force technique are nearly unity. The thermoelectric power and electrochemical studies were done on the CdI₂–Ag₂O–V₂O₅–B₂O₃ system. The discharge and polarization characteristics were examined for different cathodes to evaluate the utility of these cells as power sources for low energy applications.     

Nuclear proteome analysis of undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem and germ cells

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and embryonic germ cells (EGCs) provide exciting models for understanding the underlying mechanisms that make a cell pluripotent. Indeed, such understanding would enable dedifferentiation and reprogrammation of any cell type from a patient needing a cell therapy treatment. Proteome analysis has emerged as an important technology for deciphering these biological processes and thereby ESC and EGC proteomes are increasingly studied. Nevertheless, their nuclear proteomes have only been poorly investigated up to now. In order to investigate signaling pathways potentially involved in pluripotency, proteomic analyses have been performed on mouse ESC and EGC nuclear proteins. Nuclei from ESCs and EGCs at undifferentiated stage were purified by subcellular fractionation. After 2‐D separation, a subtractive strategy (subtracting culture environment contaminating spots) was applied and a comparison of ESC, (8.5 day post coïtum (dpc))‐EGC and (11.5 dpc)‐EGC specific nuclear proteomes was performed. A total of 33 ESC, 53 (8.5 dpc)‐EGC, and 36 (11.5 dpc)‐EGC spots were identified by MALDI‐TOF‐MS and/or nano‐LC‐MS/MS. This approach led to the identification of two isoforms (with and without N‐terminal acetylation) of a known pluripotency marker, namely developmental pluripotency associated 5 (DPPA5), which has never been identified before in 2‐D gel‐MS studies of ESCs and EGCs. Furthermore, we demonstrated the efficiency of our subtracting strategy, in association with a nuclear subfractionation by the identification of a new protein (protein arginine N‐methyltransferase 7; PRMT7) behaving as proteins involved in pluripotency.     

HCV全基因组培养细胞的比较蛋白组学研究

利用比较蛋白质组技术研究了转染丙型肝炎病毒(Hepatitis C virus, HCV)全基因组的人肝癌细胞系Huh7细胞模型中蛋白质表达谱的变化, 建立了Huh7-HCV的双向凝胶电泳蛋白质表达图谱和数据库. 通过双向凝胶电泳分离和图像分析, 对表达差异2倍以上蛋白质点进行了胶内酶解和MALDI-TOF MS鉴定. 得到包括与细胞骨架蛋白、细胞周期、凋亡和信号转导等相关的14个蛋白质, 并且用Western blot验证了热休克蛋白70的蛋白质组研究结果. 利用HCV全基因组培养系统, 采用蛋白质组学技术, 为研究HCV病毒和宿主细胞相互作用提供了新的实验数据, 为深入研究HCV病毒复制和分子致病机理奠定了基础.     

Insight into the enhancement of photovoltaic properties of Ti-doped Copper(I) oxide via: Modified spray pyrolysis technique

For years, the human race has awaited a more convenient, greener, and largely efficient material for energy conversion and electronic applications. Cu₂O thin films produced by spray pyrolysis meet the economic viability and cost requirements, and it is widely assumed that they will lead to the production of functionally viable technologies. The spray pyrolysis method was used to added titanium into copper (I) oxide thin films with a deposition temperature of 200 °C and annealing for 2 h at 200 °C in this study. The Ti-doped Cu₂O's optical, surface morphology, and photovoltaic characteristics have all been thoroughly explored. The best characteristics were obtained at 3% Ti doped Cu₂O. The near-band emission of Ti-doped Cu₂O was moved from 385 nm to 400 nm. The bandgap was reduced from 2.35 to 1.98Ev at 3% Ti doped Cu₂O. As a result, Cu₂O (Ti)-based solar cells' short circuit current density and open circuit voltage were greatly improved. It has been demonstrated that adding Ti to p-CuO/n-Si solar cells enhances their photovoltaic performance.     

Role of Cu-doping in CdTe thin films: Experiments and simulations

Due to its outstanding physical properties, CdTe is used to fabricate high efficiency solar cells. However, its high work function poses a challenge, and hence, to fabricate an efficient CdTe-based solar cell, Cu-doping may be useful. Here, we present the role of temperature-dependent Cu-doping in radio frequency sputter-deposited CdTe films and the related changes occurring in their optical, electrical, structural and microstructural properties. For instance, Cu-doping at different temperatures leads to an increase in the grain size and a reduction in the optical reflectance with increasing temperature. In addition, Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements reveal that the work function is found to be smaller corresponding to the annealing temperature of 473 K, whereas resistivity measurements show that it decreases with increasing temperature (the lowest value of resistivity is found to be 1.8 × 10⁻² Ω-cm). To understand the electronic structure of CdTe before and after Cu-doping, we have carried out first-principles density functional theory (DFT) simulation, which reveals a strong hybridization among Cu, Cd and Te atoms. This study paves the way to fabricate efficient Cu-doped CdTe-based solar cells.