Electron-Transfer Kinetics through Interfaces between Electron-Transport and Ion-Transport Layers in Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Utilizing Solid Polymer Electrolyte

The origin of the differences between the performance parameters found for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) using liquid and poly(ethylene oxide)-based solid polymer electrolytes has been investigated. Limitations associated with poor polymer electrolyte penetration and ionic diffusion have been analyzed together with other effects such as the dye regeneration rate, the conduction band edge shift, and the electron recombination kinetics occurring in the solid polymer electrolyte. We have found that dye regeneration was faster for sensitized TiO2 films fully wetted with polymer electrolyte than that with liquid cells. This new result was attributed to a 0.2 eV decrease in the dye highest occupied molecular orbital energy yielding to an increase in the driving force for dye regeneration. These understandings may contribute to a further increase in the energy-conversion efficiency of DSCs employing solid polymer electrolyte.This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (KCAP) (No. 2009-0093883)

Multiple independent variants at the TERT locus are associated with telomere length and risks of breast and ovarian cancer

<p>TERT-locus SNPs and leukocyte telomere measures are reportedly associated with risks of multiple cancers. Using the Illumina custom genotyping array iCOG, we analyzed similar to 480 SNPs at the TERT locus in breast (n = 103,991), ovarian (n = 39,774) and BRCA1 mutation carrier (n = 11,705) cancer cases and controls. Leukocyte telomere measurements were also available for 53,724 participants. Most associations cluster into three independent peaks. The minor allele at the peak 1 SNP rs2736108 associates with longer telomeres (P = 5.8 x 10(-7)), lower risks for estrogen receptor (ER)-negative (P = 1.0 x 10(-8)) and BRCA1 mutation carrier (P = 1.1 x 10(-5)) breast cancers and altered promoter assay signal. The minor allele at the peak 2 SNP rs7705526 associates with longer telomeres (P = 2.3 x 10(-14)), higher risk of low-malignant-potential ovarian cancer (P = 1.3 x 10(-15)) and greater promoter activity. The minor alleles at the peak 3 SNPs rs10069690 and rs2242652 increase ER-negative (P = 1.2 x 10(-12)) and BRCA1 mutation carrier (P = 1.6 x 10-14) breast and invasive ovarian (P = 1.3 x 10(-11)) cancer risks but not via altered telomere length. The cancer risk alleles of rs2242652 and rs10069690, respectively, increase silencing and generate a truncated TERT splice variant.</p>