Flavonoids Extracted from Licorice Prevents Colitis-Associated Carcinogenesis in AOM/DSS Mouse Model

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is generally considered as a major risk factor in the progression of colitis-associated carcinogenesis (CAC). Thus, it is well accepted that ameliorating inflammation creates a potential to achieve an inhibitory effect on CAC. Licorice flavonoids (LFs) possess strong anti-inflammatory activity, making it possible to investigate its pharmacologic role in suppressing CAC. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the anti-tumor potential of LFs, and further explore the underlying mechanisms. Firstly, an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse model was established and administered with or without LFs for 10 weeks, and then the severity of CAC was examined macroscopically and histologically. Subsequently, the effects of LFs on expression of proteins associated with apoptosis and proliferation, levels of inflammatory cytokine, expression of phosphorylated-Janus kinases 2 (p-Jak2) and phosphorylated-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-Stat3), and activation of nuclear factor-κB (NFκB) and P53 were assessed. We found that LFs could significantly reduce tumorigenesis induced by AOM/DSS. Further study revealed that LFs treatment substantially reduced activation of NFκB and P53, and subsequently suppressed production of inflammatory cytokines and phosphorylation of Jak2 and Stat3 in AOM/DSS-induced mice. Taken together, LFs treatment alleviated AOM/DSS induced CAC via P53 and NFκB/IL-6/Jak2/Stat3 pathways, highlighting the potential of LFs in preventing CAC

Activation Enhancement and Grain Size Improvement for Poly-Si Channel Vertical Transistor by Laser Thermal Annealing in 3D NAND Flash

The bit density is generally increased by stacking more layers in 3D NAND Flash. Lowering dopant activation of select transistors results from complex integrated processes. To improve channel dopant activation, the test structure of vertical channel transistors was used to investigate the influence of laser thermal annealing on dopant activation. The activation of channel doping by different thermal annealing methods was compared. The laser thermal annealing enhanced the channel activation rate by at least 23% more than limited temperature rapid thermal annealing. We then comprehensively explore the laser thermal annealing energy density on the influence of Poly-Si grain size and device performance. A clear correlation between grain size mean and grain size sigma, large grain size mean and sigma with large laser thermal annealing energy density. Large laser thermal annealing energy density leads to tightening threshold voltage and subthreshold swing distribution since Poly-Si grain size regrows for better grain size distribution with local grains optimization. As an enabler for next-generation technologies, laser thermal annealing will be highly applied in 3D NAND Flash for better device performance with stacking more layers, and opening new opportunities of novel 3D architectures in the semiconductor industry

MoS₂/NiSe₂/rGO Multiple-Interfaced Sandwich-like Nanostructures as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Overall Water Splitting

Constructing a heterogeneous interface using different components is one of the effective measures to achieve the bifunctionality of nanocatalysts, while synergistic interactions between multiple interfaces can further optimize the performance of single-interface nanocatalysts. The non-precious metal nanocatalysts MoS2/NiSe2/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) bilayer sandwich-like nanostructure with multiple well-defined interfaces is prepared by a simple hydrothermal method. MoS2 and rGO are layered nanostructures with clear boundaries, and the NiSe2 nanoparticles with uniform size are sandwiched between both layered nanostructures. This multiple-interfaced sandwich-like nanostructure is prominent in catalytic water splitting with low overpotential for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and almost no degradation in performance after a 20 h long-term reaction. In order to simulate the actual overall water splitting process, the prepared nanostructures are assembled into MoS2/NiSe2/rGO||MoS2/NiSe2/rGO modified two-electrode system, whose overpotential is only 1.52 mV, even exceeded that of noble metal nanocatalyst (Pt/C||RuO2~1.63 mV). This work provides a feasible idea for constructing multi-interface bifunctional electrocatalysts using nanoparticle-doped bilayer-like nanostructures

Side-Chain-Promoted Polymer Architecture Enabling Stable Mixed-Halide Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes

Mixed-halide perovskite nanocrystals (PeNCs) featuring bandgap-tunable luminescence with narrow bandwidth have emerged as promising electroluminescent materials for light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to satisfy the color standard of Rec. 2100. However, the phase segregation of mixed-halide perovskites severely restricts the spectral stability and lifetime of perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs). Here, we report that the introduction of multifunctional side-chain-promoted polymer architectures in the synthesis of I/Br-mixed PeNCs to suppress halide segregation and enable electroluminescent stability of the PeLEDs up to ∼2500 min, which is the longest to our knowledge. Meanwhile, the PeLEDs exhibit the pure-red electroluminescence spectrum with Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage coordinates (0.705, 0.292) at one of the highest external quantum efficiencies reported to date, 23.6%. Fundamentally, the as-proposed polymer ligand architecture simultaneously offers long-term nanocrystal dispersion, good charge transport, defect elimination, and phase segregation suppression. Overall, the work demonstrates the potential of the multifunctionalized polymer ligands for developing high-performance PeLEDs toward practical applications

Side-Chain-Promoted Polymer Architecture Enabling Stable Mixed-Halide Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes

Mixed-halide perovskite nanocrystals (PeNCs) featuring bandgap-tunable luminescence with narrow bandwidth have emerged as promising electroluminescent materials for light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to satisfy the color standard of Rec. 2100. However, the phase segregation of mixed-halide perovskites severely restricts the spectral stability and lifetime of perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs). Here, we report that the introduction of multifunctional side-chain-promoted polymer architectures in the synthesis of I/Br-mixed PeNCs to suppress halide segregation and enable electroluminescent stability of the PeLEDs up to ∼2500 min, which is the longest to our knowledge. Meanwhile, the PeLEDs exhibit the pure-red electroluminescence spectrum with Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage coordinates (0.705, 0.292) at one of the highest external quantum efficiencies reported to date, 23.6%. Fundamentally, the as-proposed polymer ligand architecture simultaneously offers long-term nanocrystal dispersion, good charge transport, defect elimination, and phase segregation suppression. Overall, the work demonstrates the potential of the multifunctionalized polymer ligands for developing high-performance PeLEDs toward practical applications