Explore the vast range of titles available.

Flowers of Inula britannica commercially serve as pharmaceutical herbs in the manufacturing of medicinal products. In the current study, sesquiterpenoids of I. britannica flowers’ extract and their potential effects against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells were investigated. Eight structurally diverse sesquiterpenoids, including one sesquiterpenoid dimer (1) and seven sesquiterpenoid monomers (2–8) were isolated from this source. The structures of all compounds were elucidated by 1D/2D NMR data, and their absolute configurations were discerned by single crystal X-ray diffraction. All of the compounds were tested for their potential effects against TNBC. Specifically, 5 displayed strong antiproliferative potency against TNBC cells with a high selective index (SI) on MCF-7 cells (SI > 4 of IC50 on MDA-MB-468/IC50 on MCF-7), and dimer 1 (IC50 = 8.82 ± 0.85 μM) showed better antiproliferative potency against MCF-7 cells than the other monomers did (2–8) (IC50 > 20 μM). To our best knowledge, compound 5 is the first sesquiterpenoid targeting TNBC cells.

X-ray detection is widely used in various applications. However, to meet the demand for high image quality and high accuracy diagnosis, the raw data increases and imposes challenges for conventional X-ray detection hardware regarding data transmission and power consumption. To tackle these issues, we present a scheme of in-X-ray-detector computing based on CsPbBr 3 single-crystal detector with convenient polarity reconfigurability, good linear dynamic range, and robust stability. The detector features a stable trap-free device structure and achieves a high linear dynamic range of 106 dB. As a result, the detector could achieve edge extraction imaging with a data compression ratio of ~50%, and could also be programmed and trained to perform pattern recognition tasks with a high accuracy of 100%. Our research shows that in-X-ray-detector computing can be used in flexible and complex scenarios, making it a promising platform for intelligent X-ray imaging. In-sensor computing requires detectors with polarity reconfigurability and linear responsivity. Pang et al. report a CsPbBr3 perovskite single crystal X-ray detector for edge extraction imaging with a data compression ratio of 46.4% and classification task with an accuracy of 100%.

Circularly polarized light (CPL) detection is required in various fields such as drug screening, security surveillance and quantum optics. Conventionally, CPL photodetector needs the installation of optical elements, imposing difficulties for integrated and flexible devices. The established CPL detectors without optical elements rely on chiral organic semiconductor and metal metamaterials, but they suffer from extremely low responsivity. Organic-inorganic hybrid materials combine CPL-sensitive absorption induced by chiral organics and efficient charge transport of inorganic frameworks, providing an option for direct CPL detection. Here we report the CPL detector using chiral organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, and obtain a device with responsivity of 797 mA W -1 , detectivity of 7.1 × 10 11 Jones, 3-dB frequency of 150 Hz and one-month stability, a competitive combined feature for circularly polarized light detection. Thanks to the solution processing, we further demonstrate flexible devices on polyethylene terephthalate substrate with comparable performance. Optics-free circularly-polarized light detection has suffered from extremely low responsivity. Here Chen et al. demonstrate chiral organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite based detectors to distinguish circularly-polarized light with high responsivity of 797 mA/W.

Antimony selenide is an emerging promising thin film photovoltaic material thanks to its binary composition, suitable bandgap, high absorption coefficient, inert grain boundaries and earth-abundant constituents. However, current devices produced from rapid thermal evaporation strategy suffer from low-quality film and unsatisfactory performance. Herein, we develop a vapor transport deposition technique to fabricate antimony selenide films, a technique that enables continuous and low-cost manufacturing of cadmium telluride solar cells. We improve the crystallinity of antimony selenide films and then successfully produce superstrate cadmium sulfide/antimony selenide solar cells with a certified power conversion efficiency of 7.6%, a net 2% improvement over previous 5.6% record of the same device configuration. We analyze the deep defects in antimony selenide solar cells, and find that the density of the dominant deep defects is reduced by one order of magnitude using vapor transport deposition process. Antimony selenide possess several advantages for solar cell applications but state-of-the-art vapor transport deposition methods suffer from poor film quality. Here Wen et al. develop a fast and cheap method to reduce the defect density by 10 times and achieve a certified power conversion efficiency of 7.6%.

With rapid advances of perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs), the large-scale fabrication of patterned PeLEDs towards display panels is of increasing importance. However, most state-of-the-art PeLEDs are fabricated by solution-processed techniques, which are difficult to simultaneously achieve high-resolution pixels and large-scale production. To this end, we construct efficient CsPbBr 3 PeLEDs employing a vacuum deposition technique, which has been demonstrated as the most successful route for commercial organic LED displays. By carefully controlling the strength of the spatial confinement in CsPbBr 3 film, its radiative recombination is greatly enhanced while the nonradiative recombination is suppressed. As a result, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of thermally evaporated PeLED reaches 8.0%, a record for vacuum processed PeLEDs. Benefitting from the excellent uniformity and scalability of the thermal evaporation, we demonstrate PeLED with a functional area up to 40.2 cm 2 and a peak EQE of 7.1%, representing one of the most efficient large-area PeLEDs. We further achieve high-resolution patterned perovskite film with 100 μm pixels using fine metal masks, laying the foundation for potential display applications. We believe the strategy of confinement strength regulation in thermally evaporated perovskites provides an effective way to process high-efficiency and large-area PeLEDs towards commercial display panels. Overcoming the limitations to fabricate large-area perovskite light-emitting diodes is crucial for bringing the technology a step closer to commercialization. Here, the authors report a 40.2 cm 2 large-area device with an EQE of 7.1% by using the thermal evaporation method.

Lighting accounts for one-fifth of global electricity consumption 1 . Single materials with efficient and stable white-light emission are ideal for lighting applications, but photon emission covering the entire visible spectrum is difficult to achieve using a single material. Metal halide perovskites have outstanding emission properties 2 , 3 ; however, the best-performing materials of this type contain lead and have unsatisfactory stability. Here we report a lead-free double perovskite that exhibits efficient and stable white-light emission via self-trapped excitons that originate from the Jahn–Teller distortion of the AgCl 6 octahedron in the excited state. By alloying sodium cations into Cs 2 AgInCl 6 , we break the dark transition (the inversion-symmetry-induced parity-forbidden transition) by manipulating the parity of the wavefunction of the self-trapped exciton and reduce the electronic dimensionality of the semiconductor 4 . This leads to an increase in photoluminescence efficiency by three orders of magnitude compared to pure Cs 2 AgInCl 6 . The optimally alloyed Cs 2 (Ag 0.60 Na 0.40 )InCl 6 with 0.04 per cent bismuth doping emits warm-white light with 86 ± 5 per cent quantum efficiency and works for over 1,000 hours. We anticipate that these results will stimulate research on single-emitter-based white-light-emitting phosphors and diodes for next-generation lighting and display technologies. After alloying with metal cations, a lead-free halide double perovskite shows stable performance and remarkably efficient white-light emission, with possible applications in lighting and display technologies.

Perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have shown excellent performance in the green and near-infrared spectral regions, with high color purity, efficiency, and brightness. In order to shift the emission wavelength to the blue, compositional engineering (anion mixing) and quantum-confinement engineering (reduced-dimensionality) have been employed. Unfortunately, LED emission profiles shift with increasing driving voltages due to either phase separation or the coexistence of multiple crystal domains. Here we report color-stable sky-blue PeLEDs achieved by enhancing the phase monodispersity of quasi-2D perovskite thin films. We selected cation combinations that modulate the crystallization and layer thickness distribution of the domains. The perovskite films show a record photoluminescence quantum yield of 88% at 477 nm. The corresponding PeLEDs exhibit stable sky-blue emission under high operation voltages. A maximum luminance of 2480 cd m −2 at 490 nm is achieved, fully one order of magnitude higher than the previous record for quasi-2D blue PeLEDs. Perovskite light-emitting diodes show promising color tunability and device performance but suffer from emission color shift at higher driving voltages. Here Xing et al. report color stable blue light-emitting diodes by drastically increasing the phase purity of the quasi-2D perovskite thin films.

TGF-β is known to influence tumour progression. Here we report an additional role of Smad3 in the tumour microenvironment regulating cancer progression. Deletion or inhibition of Smad3 in the tumour microenvironment suppresses tumour growth, invasion and metastasis in two syngeneic mouse tumour models. Smad3 −/− bone marrow gives rise to an expanded NK cell population with enhanced tumour-suppressive activities in vivo , and promotes differentiation of NK cells ex vivo . We identify E4BP4/NFIL3 as a direct Smad3 target gene critical for NK cell differentiation. Smad3 suppresses transcription of IFN-γ via E4BP4 in a T-bet independent manner. Therefore disruption of Smad3 enhances both the E4BP4-mediated NK cell differentiation and anti-cancer effector functions in vivo and in vitro . Furthermore, systemic treatment with a Smad3 inhibitor SIS3 effectively suppresses cancer progression. In summary, suppression of NK cell-mediated immunosurveillance via the Smad3-E4BP4 axis contributes to cancer progression. We propose targeting Smad3-dependent tumour microenvironment may represent an effective anti-cancer strategy. Smad3, a transcription factor activated by TGF-β, has been implicated in tumorigenesis. Here the authors show that Smad3 inhibits NK cell differentiation and effector function by repressing NFIL3, and that genetic or pharmacological blockade of Smad3 expands tumour-suppressive NK cells and restricts tumour growth in mice.

1β, 6α-dihydroxy-5αH-eudesma-3(4), 11(13)-dien-12, 8β-olide is a natural eudesmane sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the aerial parts of Inula nervosa Wall. In this paper, we report the X-ray crystallography of the compound 1 for the first time, along with the 1D/2D NMR spectra.

The infertile electromagnetic (EM) attenuating behavior of carbon material makes the improvement of its performance remain a significant challenge. Herein, a facile and low‐cost strategy radically distinct from the prevalent approaches by constructing polar covalent bonds between sp2‐hybridized and sp3‐hybridized carbon atoms to introduce strong dipolar polarization is proposed. Through customizing and selectively engineering the N moieties conjugated with carbon rings, the microstructure of the as‐synthesized 2D nanosheet is gradually converted with the partial transition from sp3 carbons to sp2 carbons, where the electric dipoles between them are also tuned. Supported by the DFT calculations, a progressively enhanced sp2─sp3 C─C dipolar polarization is caused by this controllable structure evolution, which is demonstrated to contribute dominantly to the total dielectric loss. By virtue of this unduplicated loss behavior, a remarkable effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) beyond ‐10 dB of 8.28 GHz (2.33 mm) and an ultrawide EAB beyond ‐5 dB of 13.72 GHz (4.93 mm) are delivered, which upgrade the EM performance of carbon material to a higher level. This study not only demonstrates the huge perspective of sp2─sp3‐hybridized carbon in EM elimination but also gives pioneering insights into the carbon–carbon polarization mechanism for guiding the development of advanced EM absorption materials. The sp2─sp3‐hybridized 2D carbon nanosheets are synthesized via a facile and low‐cost salt‐assisted thermal‐polymerization and pyrolysis strategy. The materials composed of only C and N atoms present ultrawide electromagnetic absorption bandwidth. This study excitingly reveals that sp2─sp3 C─C polar covalent bonds enable strong dipolar polarization loss.