Efficient Volumetric Method of Moments for Modeling Plasmonic Thin-Film Solar Cells with Periodic Structures

Metallic nanoparticles (NPs) support localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs), which enable to concentrate sunlight at the active layer of solar cells. However, full-wave modeling of the plasmonic solar cells faces great challenges in terms of huge computational workload and bad matrix condition. It is tremendously difficult to accurately and efficiently simulate near-field multiple scattering effects from plasmonic NPs embedded into solar cells. In this work, a preconditioned volume integral equation (VIE) is proposed to model plasmonic organic solar cells (OSCs). The diagonal block preconditioner is applied to different material domains of the device structure. As a result, better convergence and higher computing efficiency are achieved. Moreover, the calculation is further accelerated by two-dimensional periodic Green's functions. Using the proposed method, the dependences of optical absorption on the wavelengths and incident angles are investigated. Angular responses of the plasmonic OSCs show the super-Lambertian absorption on the plasmon resonance but near-Lambertian absorption off the plasmon resonance. The volumetric method of moments and explored physical understanding are of great help to investigate the optical responses of OSCs.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure

Poly[[tetra­aquadi-μ3-oxalato-μ2-oxalato-diprasedymium(III)] dihydrate]

In the title compound, {[Pr2(C2O4)3(H2O)4]·2H2O}n, the three-dimensional network structure has the PrIII ion coordinated by nine O atoms in a distorted tricapped trigonal-prismatic geometry. The coordinated and uncoordinated water mol­ecules inter­act with the carboxyl­ate O atoms to consolidate the network via O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds

Knockdown of Rab5a expression decreases cancer cell motility and invasion through integrin-mediated signaling pathway

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rab GTPases function as modulators in intracellular transport. Rab5a, a member of the Rab subfamily of small GTPases, is an important regulator of vesicle traffic from the plasma membrane to early endosomes. Recent findings have reported that Rab5a gene was involved in the progression of cancer. In the present study, we investigated the effect of Rab5a on cervical cancer invasion and metastasis and the molecular mechanism underlying the involvement of Rab5a.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Rab5a expression was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis on a cervical cancer tissue microarray. RNA interference (RNAi) was performed to knock down the endogenous expression of Rab5a gene in HeLa and SiHa cells. Cell motility was evaluated using invasion assay and wound migration assay <it>in vitro</it>. The expression levels of integrin-associated molecules were detected by Western blot and immunofluorescence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that Rab5a was expressed at a high level in cervical cancer tissues. Silencing of Rab5a expression significantly decreased cancer cell motility and invasiveness. The down-regulation of integrin-associated focal adhesion signaling molecules was further detected in Rab5a knockdown cells. Meanwhile, active GTP-bound Rac1, Cdc42, and RhoA were also down-regulated, accompanied with the reduction in the number and size of filopodia and lamellipodia.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Taken together, these data suggest that Rab5a functions in regulating the invasion phenotype, and we propose that this regulation may be via integrin-mediated signaling pathway in cervical cancer cells.</p