Clean Household Energy Consumption and Residents’ Well-Being: Empirical Analysis and Mechanism Test

Improving well-being is a critical problem for worldwide social progress. Research on well-being effects of clean household energy consumption is of great significance for the realization of United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Due to the multifaceted role of clean household energy in enhancing well-being as a sustainable development goal, it has attracted extensive academic attention and research but still needs to be further refined through new perspectives. This paper uses data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study to conduct an empirical analysis of clean household energy consumption and residents’ well-being using an ordered probit model, the instrumental variables method, a conditional mixed process (CMP) method, and a mechanism analysis model. The results show that (1) household clean energy consumption contributes to residents’ well-being, and the results remained significant after selecting “Do you have an electric Bicycle?” as an instrumental variable to address the endogeneity question. (2) According to heterogeneity research, women’s wellbeing is impacted by clean energy consumption in the household more than men’s. Only in rural locations can clean household energy consumption significantly boost well-being; urban and suburban areas are unaffected. (3) In the mechanism analysis, health condition and depression played a mediating role on the impact of clean household energy consumption on well-being, and social contact played a moderating role on the impact of clean household energy consumption on well-being. The findings and policy recommendations in this paper are suggestive of how we can improve the well-being of residents in low- and middle-income countries and provide reference values for research in related fields around the world

Interfacial gradient energy band alignment modulation via ion exchange reaction toward efficient and stable methylammonium-free Dion-Jacobson quasi-2D perovskite solar cells

Dion-Jacobson (DJ) quasi-2D perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted significant attention owing to its greater potentials in realizing efficient and stable quasi 2D PSCs as compared to Ruddlesden-Popper counterpart. To further enhance power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability, the fabrication of methylammonium-free formamidinium (FA)-based DJ quasi-2D PSCs is highly desirable. Herein, we report a strategy for constructing gradient energy band alignment by achieving gradient Br doping (GBD) via in situ ion exchange reaction between I and Br in FA-based DJ quasi-2D PSCs. First, the gradient energy band alignment can facilitate carrier transport, extraction and transfer. Second, the improved crystallinity and reduced defect density due to recrystallization process are realized after FABr treatment. Finally, the incorporation of Br also contributes to increased device stability. The device with GBD achieves a much higher PCE of 16.75% than control device (13.78%), which is mainly as a consequence of a significantly boosted V-OC from 0.970 V to 1.107 V due to suppressed bulk and interfacial nonradiative recombination. The unencapsulated device with GBD maintains 93% of its initial PCE after aging under the relative humidity range of 15-20% for 1600 h, and 91% after aging at 60 degrees C for 400 h.11Nsciescopu

On-demand generation of peroxynitrite from an integrated two-dimensional system for enhanced tumor therapy

Nanosystem-mediated tumor radiosensitization strategy combining the features of X-ray with infinite penetration depth and high atomic number elements shows considerable application potential in clinical cancer therapy. However, it is difficult to achieve satisfactory anticancer efficacy using clinical radiotherapy for the majority of solid tumors due to the restrictions brought about by the tumor hypoxia, insufficient DNA damage, and rapid DNA repair during and after treatment. Inspired by the complementary advantages of nitric oxide (NO) and X-ray-induced photodynamic therapy, we herein report a two-dimensional nanoplatform by the integration of the NO donor-modified LiYF4:Ce scintillator and graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets for on-demand generation of highly cytotoxic peroxynitrite (ONOO–). By simply adjusting the Ce3+ doping content, the obtained nanoscintillator can realize high radioluminescence, activating photosensitive materials to simultaneously generate NO and superoxide radical for the formation of ONOO– in the tumor. Obtained ONOO– effectively amplifies therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy by directly inducing mitochondrial and DNA damage, overcoming hypoxia-associated radiation resistance. The level of glutamine synthetase (GS) is downregulated by ONOO–, and the inhibition of GS delays DNA damage repair, further enhancing radiosensitivity. This work establishes a combinatorial strategy of ONOO– to overcome the major limitations of radiotherapy and provides insightful guidance to clinical radiotherapy.Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)Submitted/Accepted versionFinancial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51972075, 51972076, and 51772059), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2019ZD29), the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province (YQ2019E014), the Postdoctoral Scientific Research Developmental Fund (LBH-Q18034), and the Ph.D. Student Research and Innovation Fund of the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (3072020GIP1016) are greatly acknowledged. This research is also supported by the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) AME IRG grant (A20E5c0081)

Crystal Orientation Modulation and Defect Passivation for Efficient and Stable Methylammonium-Free Dion-Jacobson Quasi-2D Perovskite Solar Cells

Dion-Jacobson (DJ) quasi-2D perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have received increasing attention due to their greater potentials in realizing efficient and stable quasi-2D PSCs relative to their Ruddlesden-Popper counterpart. The substitution of methylammonium (MA(+)) with formamidinium is expected to be able to further increase the stability and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of DJ quasi-2D PSCs. Herein, we report a multifunctional additive strategy for preparing high-quality MA-free DJ quasi-2D perovskite films, where 1,1'-carbonyldi(1,2,4-triazole) (CDTA) molecules are incorporated into the perovskite precursor solution. CDTA modification can control phase distribution, enlarge grain size, modulate crystallinity and crystal orientation, and passivate defects. After CDTA modification, more favorable gradient phase distribution and accordingly gradient band alignment are formed, which is conducive to carrier transport and extraction. The improved crystal orientation can facilitate carrier transport and collection. The enlarged grain size and effective defect passivation contribute to reduced defect density. As a result, the CDTA-modified device delivers a PCE of 16.07%, which is one of the highest PCEs ever reported for MA-free DJ quasi-2D PSCs. The unencapsulated device with CDTA maintains 92% of its initial PCE after aging under one sun illumination for 360 h and 86% after aging at 60 degrees C for 360 h.11Nsciescopu

Three-Step Depletion Strategy of Glutathione: Tunable Metal–Organic-Framework-Engineered Nanozymes for Driving Oxidative/Nitrative Stress to Maximize Ferroptosis Therapy

Ferroptosis is a novel type of nonapoptotic programmed cell death involving the accumulation of lipid peroxidation (LPO) to a lethal threshold. Herein, we propose tunable zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIFs)-engineered biodegradable nanozymes for ferroptosis mediated by both reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS). l-Arginine is utilized as an exogenous nitric oxide donor and loaded into hollow ZIFs@MnO2 artificial nanozymes, which are formed by etching ZIFs with potassium permanganate and simultaneously generating a MnO2 shell in situ. The constructed nanozymes with multienzyme-like activities including peroxidase, oxidase, and catalase can release satisfactory ROS and RNS through a cascade reaction, consequently promoting the accumulation of LPO. Furthermore, it can improve the efficiency of ferroptosis through a three-step strategy of glutathione (GSH) depletion; that is, the outer MnO2 layer consumes GSH under slightly acidic conditions and RNS downregulates SLC7A11 and glutathione reductase, thus directly inhibiting GSH biosynthesis and indirectly preventing GSH regeneration