[en] Highlights: • We developed a novel firefly luciferase based biosensor to detect apoptosis. • The novel biosensor 233-DnaE-DEVDG was reliable, sensitive and convenient. • 233-DnaE-DEVDG faithfully indicated ESAT-6 family proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis induced apoptosis. • EsxA, esxT and esxL in ESAT-6 family proteins induced apoptosis. • Activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) participated in esxT-induced apoptosis. - Abstract: The activation of caspase-3 is a key surrogate marker for detecting apoptosis. To quantitate caspase-3 activity, we constructed a biosensor comprising a recombinant firefly luciferase containing a caspase-3 cleavage site. When apoptosis was induced, caspase-3 cleavage of the biosensor activated firefly luciferase by a factor greater than 25. The assay conveniently detected apoptosis in real time, indicating that it will facilitate drug discovery. We screened ESAT-6 family proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and found that esxA, esxT and esxL induced apoptosis. Further, activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and the NF-κB-regulated genes encoding tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) participated in esxT-induced apoptosis. We conclude that this assay is useful for high-throughput screening to identify and characterize proteins and drugs that regulate apoptosis

[en] Highlights: • La₂Co_xNi_1-xMnO₆ epitaxial films are originally fabricated by pulsed laser deposition. • Co-doping effect on the structure and magnetic property arestudied. • La₂Co_0.2Ni_0.8MnO₆ displays the highest B-site ordering degree, which improves the magnetic performance. Novel La₂Co_xNi_1-xMnO₆ (LC_xNMO, x = 0–0.4) thin films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition, and the influences of Co-doping content on the crystallographic structure, chemical structure as well as magnetic property were studied. The AFM and SEM images revealed a uniform film growth and smooth surfaces for all the films. The (HR)XRD analysis and their RSM results testified for the formation of pseudocubic perovskite films epitaxially grown onto LAO(00l) substrate. The in-plane lattice parameter increased with increasing proportion of Co substituting for Ni sites, as expected due their ionic radii differences. In our work, a change of Mn³⁺ + Ni³⁺/Co³⁺ → Mn⁴⁺ + Ni²⁺/Co²⁺ was found, and the mechanism in the enhancement of the magnetic property was demonstrated. It proposed that the performances of all the films can be enhanced and regulated by controlling the Co-doping content. Among all the films, LC_0.2NMO film possessed the maximum Mn⁴⁺ ion concentration (80%) and displayed the highest B-site ordering degree. As a consequence, LC_0.2NMO was achieved to exhibit a high Curie temperature (278.4 K) and the best saturation magnetization (513.72 emu/cm³), on account of the combined effects of the strong B-site cation ordering and the structural distortion after Co-doping.

[en] The image guided small animal arc radiation treatment platform has adopted onboard cone beam computed tomography and bioluminescence tomography (BLT). We used BLT to guide irradiation delivery and quantitatively assess irradiation-induced tumor response.

[en] To fine-tune surface ligands towards high-performance devices, we developed an in situ passivation process for all-inorganic cesium lead iodide (CsPbI${}_3$) perovskite quantum dots (QDs) by using a bifunctional ligand, L-phenylalanine (L-PHE). Through the addition of this ligand into the precursor solution during synthesis, the in situ treated CsPbI${}_3$ QDs display significantly reduced surface states, increased vacancy formation energy, higher photoluminescence quantum yields, and much improved stability. Consequently, the L-PHE passivated CsPbI${}_3$ QDs enabled the realization of QD solar cells with an optimal efficiency of 14.62 % and red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with a highest external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 10.21 %, respectively, demonstrating the great potential of ligand bonding management in improving the optoelectronic properties of solution-processed perovskite QDs. (© 2020 Wiley‐VCH GmbH)

[en] Organic-inorganic formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI${}_3$) hybrid perovskite quantum dot (QD) is of great interest to photovoltaic (PV) community due to its narrow band gap, higher ambient stability, and long carrier lifetime. However, the surface ligand management of FAPbI${}_3$ QD is still a key hurdle that impedes the design of high-efficiency solar cells. Herein, this study first develops a solution-mediated ligand exchange (SMLE) for preparing FAPbI${}_3$ QD film with enhanced electronic coupling. By dissolving optimal methylammonium iodide (MAI) into antisolvent to treat the FAPbI${}_3$ QD solution, the SMLE can not only effectively replace the long-chain ligands, but also passivate the A- and X-site vacancies. By combining experimental and theoretical results, this study demonstrates that the SMLE engineered FAPbI${}_3$ QD exhibits lower defect density, which is beneficial for fabricating high-quality QD arrays with desired morphology and carrier transport. Consequently, the SMLE FAPbI${}_3$ QD based solar cell outputs a champion efficiency of 15.10% together with improved long-term ambient storage stability, which is currently the highest reported value for hybrid perovskite QD solar cells. These results would provide new design principle of hybrid perovskite QDs toward high-performance optoelectronic application. (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH)

[en] The gold nanoparticle (GNP) as a promising theranostic probe has been increasingly studied. The tumor-targeting efficiency of GNPs is crucial to increase the therapeutic ratio. In this study, we developed PSMA-targeted GNPs to enhance GNP uptake in prostate cancer and developed an x-ray fluorescence imaging system to noninvasively monitor and assess GNP delivery.

[en] All-inorganic CsPbX${}_3$ (X = Cl, Br, I, or mixed halides) perovskite quantum dots (QDs) exhibit tunable optical bandgaps and narrow emission peaks, which have received worldwide interest in the field of both photovoltaics (PVs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Herein, it is reported a discovery that CsPbI${}_3$ perovskite QD solar cell can simultaneously deliver high PV performance and intense electroluminescence. In specific, the multifunctional CsPbI${}_3$ QD film is fabricated through a simple yet efficient solid-state-ligand exchange process using a tailored organic ligand triphenyl phosphite (TPPI). The function of QD surface manipulation using TPPI here is proven to be twofold, balancing the carrier transport and effectively passivating the QD surface to produce conductive and emissive QD film. The CsPbI${}_3$ perovskite QD solar cell delivers a champion efficiency of 15.21% with improved open circuit voltage and high fill factor. Concurrently functioning as a red LED, the CsPbI${}_3$ perovskite QD solar cell outputs electric power to light conversion efficiency approaching 4%, a record value for QD electroluminescent PVs. The results here indicate that these versatile perovskite QDs may be a promising candidate for fabricating multifunctional optoelectronic devices. (© 2021 Wiley‐VCH GmbH)