Ab initio Study of Luminescence in Ce-doped Lu2_2SiO5_5: The Role of Oxygen Vacancies on Emission Color and Thermal Quenching Behavior

We study from first principles the luminescence of Lu$_2$SiO$_5$:Ce$^{3+}$ (LSO:Ce), a scintillator widely used in medical imaging applications, and establish the crucial role of oxygen vacancies (V$_O$) in the generated spectrum. The excitation energy, emission energy and Stokes shift of its luminescent centers are simulated through a constrained density-functional theory method coupled with a ${\Delta}$SCF analysis of total energies, and compared with experimental spectra. We show that the high-energy emission band comes from a single Ce-based luminescent center, while the large experimental spread of the low-energy emission band originates from a whole set of different Ce-V$_O$ complexes together with the other Ce-based luminescent center. Further, the luminescence thermal quenching behavior is analyzed. The $4f-5d$ crossover mechanism is found to be very unlikely, with a large crossing energy barrier (E$_{fd}$) in the one-dimensional model. The alternative mechanism usually considered, namely the electron auto-ionization, is also shown to be unlikely. In this respect, we introduce a new methodology in which the time-consuming accurate computation of the band gap for such models is bypassed. We emphasize the usually overlooked role of the differing geometry relaxation in the excited neutral electronic state Ce$^{3+,*}$ and in the ionized electronic state Ce$^{4+}$. The results indicate that such electron auto-ionization cannot explain the thermal stability difference between the high- and low-energy emission bands. Finally, a hole auto-ionization process is proposed as a plausible alternative. With the already well-established excited state characterization methodology, the approach to color center identification and thermal quenching analysis proposed here can be applied to other luminescent materials in the presence of intrinsic defects.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev. Material

First-principles study of Ce3+^{3+} doped lanthanum silicate nitride phosphors: Neutral excitation, Stokes shift, and luminescent center identification

We study from first principles two lanthanum silicate nitride compounds, LaSi$_{3}$N$_{5}$ and La$_{3}$Si$_{6}$N$_{11}$, pristine as well as doped with Ce$^{3+}$ ion, in view of explaining their different emission color, and characterising the luminescent center. The electronic structures of the two undoped hosts are similar, and do not give a hint to quantitatively describe such difference. The $4f\rightarrow 5d$ neutral excitation of the Ce$^{3+}$ ions is simulated through a constrained density-functional theory method coupled with a ${\Delta}$SCF analysis of total energies, yielding absorption energies. Afterwards, atomic positions in the excited state are relaxed, yielding the emission energies and Stokes shifts. Based on these results, the luminescent centers in LaSi$_{3}$N$_{5}$:Ce and La$_{3}$Si$_{6}$N$_{11}$:Ce are identified. The agreement with the experimental data for the computed quantities is quite reasonable and explains the different color of the emitted light. Also, the Stokes shifts are obtained within 20\% difference relative to experimental data.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure

First-principles Study of the Luminescence of Eu2+-doped Phosphors

The luminescence of fifteen representative Eu$^{2+}$-doped phosphors used for white-LED and scintillation applications is studied through a Constrained Density Functional Theory. Transition energies and Stokes shift are deduced from differences of total energies between the ground and excited states of the systems, in the absorption and emission geometries. The general applicability of such methodology is first assessed: for this representative set, the calculated absolute error with respect to experiment on absorption and emission energies is within 0.3 eV. This set of compounds covers a wide range of transition energies that extents from 1.7 to 3.5 eV. The information gained from the relaxed geometries and total energies is further used to evaluate the thermal barrier for the $4f-5d$ crossover, the full width at half-maximum of the emission spectrum and the temperature shift of the emission peak, using a one-dimensional configuration-coordinate model. The former results indicate that the $4f-5d$ crossover cannot be the dominant mechanism for the thermal quenching behavior of Eu$^{2+}$-doped phosphors and the latter results are compared to available experimental data and yield a 30$\%$ mean absolute relative error. Finally, a semi-empirical model used previously for Ce$^{3+}$-doped hosts is adapted to Eu$^{2+}$-doped hosts and gives the absorption and emission energies within 0.9 eV of experiment, underperforming compared to the first-principles calculation.Comment: 17 pages, 13 figures, (Phys. Rev. B 2017 Accept

Assessment of First-Principles and Semiempirical Methodologies for Absorption and Emission Energies of Ce3+^{3+}-Doped Luminescent Materials

In search of a reliable methodology for the prediction of light absorption and emission of Ce$^{3+}$-doped luminescent materials, 13 representative materials are studied with first-principles and semiempirical approaches. In the first-principles approach, that combines constrained density-functional theory and $\Delta$SCF, the atomic positions are obtained for both ground and excited states of the Ce$^{3+}$ ion. The structural information is fed into Dorenbos' semiempirical model. Absorption and emission energies are calculated with both methods and compared with experiment. The first-principles approach matches experiment within 0.3 eV, with two exceptions at 0.5 eV. In contrast, the semiempirical approach does not perform as well (usually more than 0.5 eV error). The general applicability of the present first-principles scheme, with an encouraging predictive power, opens a novel avenue for crystal site engineering and high-throughput search for new phosphors and scintillators.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Alcohol-Induced Aggressiveness of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women. Both Epidemiological and experimental studies indicate a positive correlation between alcohol consumption and the risk of breast cancer. While alcohol exposure may promote the carcinogenesis or onset of breast cancer, it may as well enhance the progression and aggressiveness of existing mammary tumors. Recent progress in this line of research suggests that alcohol exposure is associated with invasive breast cancer and promotes the growth and metastasis of mammary tumors. There are multiple potential mechanisms involved in alcohol-stimulated progression and aggressiveness of breast cancer. Alcohol may increase the mobility of cancer cells by inducing cytoskeleton reorganization and enhancing the cancer cell invasion by causing degradation and reconstruction of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Moreover, alcohol may promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a hallmark of malignancy, and impair endothelial integrity, thereby increasing the dissemination of breast cancer cells and facilitating metastasis. Furthermore, alcohol may stimulate tumor angiogenesis through the activation of cytokines and chemokines which promotes tumor growth. Additionally, alcohol may increase the cancer stem cell population which affects neoplastic cell behavior, aggressiveness, and the therapeutic response. Alcohol can be metabolized in the mammary tissues and breast cancer cells which produces reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing oxidative stress. Recent studies suggest that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family, particularly ErbB2 (a member of this family), is involved in alcohol-mediated tumor promotion. Breast cancer cells or mammary epithelial cells over-expressing ErbB2 are more sensitive to alcohol’s tumor promoting effects. There is considerable cross-talk between oxidative stress and EGFR/ErbB2 signaling. This review further discusses how the interaction between oxidative stress and EGFR/ErbB2 signaling contributes to the cellular and molecular events associated with breast cancer aggressiveness. We also discuss the potential therapeutic approaches for cancer patients who drink alcoholic beverages

A First-Principles Explanation of the Luminescent Line Shape of SrLiAl3_3N4_4:Eu2+^{2+} Phosphor for Light-Emitting Diode Applications

White light-emitting diodes are gaining popularity and are set to become the most common light source in the U.S. by 2025. However, their performance is still limited by the lack of an efficient red-emitting component with a narrow band emission. The red phosphor SrLiAl$_3$N$_4$:Eu$^{2+}$ is among the first promising phosphors with a small bandwidth for next-generation lighting, but the microscopic origin of this narrow emission remains elusive. In the present work, density functional theory, the $\Delta$SCF-constrained occupation method, and a generalized Huang-Rhys theory are used to provide an accurate description of the vibronic processes occurring at the two Sr$^{2+}$ sites that the Eu$^{2+}$ activator can occupy. The emission band shape of Eu(Sr1), with a zero-phonon line at 1.906 eV and a high luminescence intensity, is shown to be controlled by the coupling between the 5d$_{z^2}$-4f electronic transition and the low-frequency phonon modes associated with the Sr and Eu displacements along the Sr channel. The good agreement between our computations and experimental results allows us to provide a structural assignment of the observed total spectrum. By computing explicitly the effect of the thermal expansion on zero-phonon line energies, the agreement is extended to the temperature-dependent spectrum. These results provide insight into the electron-phonon coupling that accompanies the 5d-4f transition in similar UCr$_4$C$_4$-type phosphors. Furthermore, these results highlight the importance of the Sr channel in shaping the narrow emission of SrLiAl$_3$N$_4$:Eu$^{2+}$, and they shed new light on the structure-property relations of such phosphors.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Mesencephalic Astrocyte-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (MANF) Regulates Neurite Outgrowth through the Activation of Akt/mTOR and Erk/mTOR Signaling Pathways

Neurite outgrowth is essential for brain development and the recovery of brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we examined the role of the neurotrophic factor MANF in regulating neurite outgrowth. We generated MANF knockout (KO) neuro2a (N2a) cell lines using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 and demonstrated that MANF KO N2a cells failed to grow neurites in response to RA stimulation. Using MANF siRNA, this finding was confirmed in human SH-SY5Y neuronal cell line. Nevertheless, MANF overexpression by adenovirus transduction or addition of MANF into culture media facilitated the growth of longer neurites in RA-treated N2a cells. MANF deficiency resulted in inhibition of Akt, Erk, mTOR, and P70S6, and impaired protein synthesis. MANF overexpression on the other hand facilitated the growth of longer neurites by activating Akt, Erk, mTOR, and P70S6. Pharmacological blockade of Akt, Erk or mTOR eliminated the promoting effect of MANF on neurite outgrowth. These findings suggest that MANF positively regulated neurite outgrowth by activating Akt/mTOR and Erk/mTOR signaling pathways

MANF Is Neuroprotective against Ethanol-Induced Neurodegeneration through Ameliorating ER Stress

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a spectrum of developmental disorders caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. Neuronal loss or neurodegeneration in the central nervous system (CNS) is one of the most devastating features in FASD. It is imperative to delineate the underlying mechanisms to facilitate the treatment of FASD. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a hallmark and an underlying mechanism of many neurodegenerative diseases, including ethanol-induced neurodegeneration. Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) responds to ER stress and has been identified as a protein upregulated in response to ethanol exposure during the brain development. To investigate the role of MANF in ethanol-induced neurodegeneration and its association with ER stress regulation, we established a CNS-specific Manf knockout mouse model and examined the effects of MANF deficiency on ethanol-induced neuronal apoptosis and ER stress using a third-trimester equivalent mouse model. We found MANF deficiency exacerbated ethanol-induced neuronal apoptosis and ER stress and that blocking ER stress abrogated the harmful effects of MANF deficiency on ethanol-induced neuronal apoptosis. Moreover, using an animal model of ER-stress-induced neurodegeneration, we demonstrated that MANF deficiency potentiated tunicamycin (TM)-induced ER stress and neurodegeneration. A whole transcriptome RNA sequencing also supported the functionality of MANF in ER stress modulation and revealed targets that may mediate the ER stress-buffering capacity of MANF. Collectively, these results suggest that MANF is a neurotrophic factor that can protect neurons against ethanol-induced neurodegeneration by ameliorating ER stress