Synthesis and characterization of folic acid‐modified carboxymethyl chitosan‐ursolic acid targeted nano‐drug carrier for the delivery of ursolic acid and 10‐hydroxycamptothecin

Carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), as a water‐soluble, biocompatible, and biodegradable polymer, is an excellent carrier for a sustained drug delivery system. In this study, a amphiphilic carboxymethyl chitosan‐ursolic acid nano‐drug carrier modified by folic acid (FPCU) were prepared, and then the nano‐drug carrier wrapped another anticancer drug 10‐hydroxycamptothecin were self‐assembled into nanoparticles (FPCU/HCPT NPs). The FPCU/HCPT NPs had a suitable size, high drug loading efficiency of ursolic acid (6.4%) and 10‐hydroxycamptothecin (14.1%). The drug release study in vitro indicated that the nanoparticles have obviously sustained effect and pH sensitive behaviors, the drug release amount was higher at pH 5.5 than at pH 7.4. in vitro and in vivo study showed that the nanoparticles displayed a high antitumor efficiency to tumor cells compared with free drug. The nano delivery system as a carrier for ursolic acid (UA) and 10‐hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) has good application prospects in cancer treatment.     

Fungal keratitis infected eye treatment with antibiotic-loaded zinc ions tagged polyvinyl acetate phthalate-g-polypyrrole drug carrier

Currently, the treatment of fungal keratitis (FK) infection remains a major clinical challenge, and current investigations, development in the field have widened approaches. The present work was aimed to synthesis a dual role novel carrier system consisting of Ofloxacin (OFL) and Nepafenac (NF) hydrophobic drugs incorporated in Zinc ions (Zn²⁺) tagged Polyvinyl acetate phthalate (PVAP) grafted Polypyrrole (PPy) carrier (OFL&NF-Zn²⁺/PVAP-g-PPy) to treat FK infection. The FT-IR, SEM, and dynamic light scattering revealed the carrier chemical structure, spherical shape, and the average particle size of 691.3 ± 1 nm. The carrier’s entrapment of OFL and NF drugs has been observed at 78.23% and 60.03%. The carrier exhibited significant antifungal activity at the concentration of 58 mg mL⁻¹ against Candida albicans which was lower than that of the free ofloxacin. The cell viability results suggested up to 70 μg/mL concentration of OFL&NF-Zn²⁺/PVAP-g-PPy did not induce any cytotoxicity on cultured ADSC cells at 48 h treatment time. It confirms the fact that the OFL&NF-Zn²⁺/PVAP-g-PPy carrier showed good biocompatibility and good anti-fungal activity. Thus the carriers provide a significant potential to improve the bioavailability of topically applied drugs to treat fungal eye infection.     

Terpyridine-Functionalized Calixarenes: Synthesis,Characterization and Anion Sensing Applications

Lanthanide complexes have been developed and are reported herein. These complexes were derived from a terpyridine-functionalized calix[4]arene ligand, chelated with Tb³⁺ and Eu³⁺. Synthesis of these complexes was achieved in two steps from a calix[4]arene derivative: (1) amide coupling of a calix[4]arene bearing carboxylic acid functionalities and (2) metallation with a lanthanide triflate salt. The ligand and its complexes were characterized by NMR (¹H and ¹³C), fluorescence and UV-vis spectroscopy as well as MS. The photophysical properties of these complexes were studied; high molar absorptivity values, modest quantum yields and luminescence lifetimes on the ms timescale were obtained. Anion binding results in a change in the photophysical properties of the complexes. The anion sensing ability of the Tb(III) complex was evaluated via visual detection, UV-vis and fluorescence studies. The sensor was found to be responsive towards a variety of anions, and large binding constants were obtained for the coordination of anions to the sensor.     

Acceleration and mitigation of carrier‐induced degradation in p‐type multi‐crystalline silicon

Recently, a new carrier‐induced defect has been reported in multi‐crystalline silicon (mc‐Si), and has been shown to be particularly detrimental to the performance of passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) cells. Under normal conditions, this defect can take years to fully form. This Letter reports on the accelerated formation and subsequent passivation of this carrier‐induced defect through the use of high illumination intensity and elevated temperatures resulting in passivation within minutes. The process was tested on industrial mc‐Si PERC solar cells, where degradation after a 100 hour stability test was suppressed to only 0.1% absolute compared to 2.1% for non‐treated cells. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Spectral probing of carrier traps in Si–Ge alloy nanocrystals

Photogenerated carriers in Si–Ge alloy nanocrystals (NCs) prepared by co‐sputtering method were investigated by mean of transient induced absorption. The carrier relaxation features multiple components, with three decay life times of τ ≈ 600 fs, 12 ps, and 15 ns, established for Si_0.2Ge_0.8 alloy NCs of a mean crystal size of 9 nm and standard deviation of 3 nm. Deep carrier traps, identified at the boundary between the NCs and the SiO₂ host with the ionization energy of about 1 eV, are characterized by a long‐range Coulombic potential. These are responsible for rapid depletion of free carrier population within a few picoseconds after the excitation, which explains the low emissivity of the investigated materials, and also sheds light on the generally low luminescence of Si/Ge and Ge NCs. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Charge transport in anodic TiO2 nanotubes studied by terahertz spectroscopy

We report on the photoelectrochemical and terahertz measurements, of the charge transport properties of 1 μm thick self‐organized TiO₂ nanotube layers, prepared by the anodization of titanium. We provide evidence regarding the complexity of electron transport, and dynamics in the nanotubes. Shortly after photoexcitation, charge mobilites in amorphous and crystalline nanotubes are similar, but still lower compared to the bulk anatase. The mobility subsequently decreases due to trapping‐detrapping processes. The recombination rate in anatase nanotubes is much slower than in the amorphous ones, enabling the material to reach an internal photon to electron conversion efficiency exceeding 60%.     

拓展光催化材料光谱响应的研究进展

光催化技术在解决能源短缺和环境污染问题方面有重要的应用前景,引起了人们的广泛关注。宽光谱响应和高量子效率是实现光催化材料大规模应用的前提。本文介绍了近年来紫外、可见和近红外光催化方面的最新进展,阐述了拓展光响应范围和促进载流子分离的有效途径,总结了光催化材料发展所面临的问题,并对其发展趋势进行了展望。     

Quantitative Time-Resolved Fluorescence Spectrum of the Cortical Sarcoma and the Adjacent Normal Tissue

The difference in time-resolved fluorescence spectrum between the cortical sarcoma and the adjacent normal tissue was studied in both experimental and theoretical ways. The Clinical data were obtained in vivo using a time-resolved fluorescence spectrometer employing a single fiber-optic probe for excitation and detection. Tissue was modeled as s-180 sarcoma tumor surrounded with normal muscle and was mediated by the Palladium-porphyrin photosensitizer (Pd-TCPP). The emitted fluorescence was considered as arising from the tumor tissue or the normal muscle, due to the presence of the photosensitizer. A computational code which could simulating time-resolved fluorescence emission was presented and applied to comparing fluorescence decay of photosensitizer in different stages of tumor growth. In this code the different stages of the tumor was modeled through changing the time τ, the delay of the fluorescence photon emission and z _max, the thickness of the tumor. It was found in the in vivo experiment that the fluorescence from tumor tissue decayed more quickly than from the adjacent normal muscle. For the ten rats in the first experiment day, the mean decay constant of tumor T _s and normal tissue T _n were 554 and 526 μs, respectively. And T _s increased with the tumor growth, from 554 μs in the first day to 634 μs in the eighth day while T _s kept steady. It was believed that the more adequate oxygen supplied by the normal tissue can more effectively quench the fluorescence and in the normal tissue the photosensitizer lifetime is smaller. As a result the simulated time-resolved fluorescence spectrum of normal tissue showed more quickly decay. And the thickness of the tumor can also delay the fluorescence decay. Both the experimental and simulated results indicated that the germination of the tumor would increase the decay constant of the time-resolved fluorescence spectrum. So decay constant of the tumor tissue spectrum should be larger than that of adjacent normal tissue for the reason of hypoxia and overgrouth. This fact could be of use in the tumor diagnoses.     

Direct detection of carrier traps in Si solar cells after light‐induced degradation

In solar cells fabricated from boron‐doped Cz‐Si wafers minority and majority carrier traps were detected by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) after so‐called “light‐induced degradation” (LID). The DLTS signals were detected from mesa‐diodes with the full structure of the solar cells preserved. Preliminary results indicate metastable traps with energy levels positioned at E_V + 0.37 eV and E_C – 0.41 eV and apparent carrier capture cross‐sections in the 10^–17–10^–18 cm² range. The concentration of the traps was in the range of 10¹²–10¹³ cm^–3. The traps were eliminated by annealing of the mesa‐diodes at 200 °C. No traps were detected in Ga‐doped solar cells after the LID procedure or below the light protected bus bar locations in B‐doped cells. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Charge carrier decay and diffusion in organic–inorganic CH3NH3PbI3–xClx perovskite based solar cell

In recent years, organic–inorganic lead halides attracted widespread interest, mainly due to their impressive photoconversion properties and low‐cost solution processing. In this study, we employed small amplitude transient photovoltage and photocurrent spectroscopy to investigate charge transport and recombination properties of perovskite CH₃NH₃PbI_3–xCl_x solar cell under realistic light harvesting conditions (<1 sun). Cell structure resembles outlay commonly found in organic photovoltaics, with perovskite absorber being sandwiched between two thin layers of organic polymers. Tested device displayed high power conversion efficiency (10.3%), good fill factor and negligible hysteresis effect. Fundamental device parameters were characterized at various open‐circuit voltages (V_oc) by examination of small voltage and current perturbations created by the low intensity pulsed laser excitations. The obtained results exhibit long charge carrier lifetimes and fast charge transport over the full range of applied optical bias, as well as remarkable diffusion lengths exceeding 1 μm. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)