Science Bulletin最新文献

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) as hole-selective contacts have driven the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of inverted perovskite solar cells (IPSCs) beyond 27%, yet their poor operational stability remains a major barrier to commercialization. We report that strengthening the spatial confinement of SAMs through robust out-of-plane anchoring and dense in-plane packing can effectively suppress molecular desorption and enhance thermal and solvent resistance. A custom-designed molecule, MeO-PABDCB, forms strong bonds with both the underlying indium tin oxide (ITO) and the overlying perovskite, while its rigid, planar backbone promotes tight π-π stacking (3.72 Å). This multi-dimensionally confined SAM structure not only resists solvent washing and thermal degradation but also mitigates interfacial strain in the perovskite layer, facilitating highly efficient and stable hole extraction. The resulting IPSCs achieve a champion PCE of 26.54% with a fill factor of 86.4% and retain 90% of their initial efficiency after 1000 h of maximum power point tracking (ISOS-L-1). Devices also withstand 250 harsh thermal cycles between -40 and 85 °C (IEC61215 and ISOS-T-3) while preserving over 90% of their initial performance. This work establishes spatial confinement as a general molecular design principle toward durable and high-performance perovskite optoelectronics.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a key cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase that transmits signals from integrins and growth factors to control cell migration, metastasis, growth and survival. FAK can modulate prominent oncogenic pathways, such as the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and Rat Sarcoma virus/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Ras/ERK) pathway, through autophosphorylation at Y397 and subsequent conformational activation. Notably, FAK is overexpressed and activated in many solid tumors. Its expression levels are correlated with tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and poor prognosis. Moreover, FAK promotes tumor malignancy by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), chemoresistance, and stemness properties. However, targeting FAK is considerably challenging owing to signal complexity. To date, only eight small-molecule FAK inhibitors have reached the clinical trial stage, mainly in combination with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy. Recent advances, such as proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) degraders, protein-protein interaction (PPI) blockers, allosteric inhibitors, and natural products, offer promising opportunities to overcome current therapeutic challenges. The present review provides a comprehensive discussion of FAK, ranging from its structure and regulatory mechanisms to its central role in tumor malignancy and the current status of inhibitor development, aiming to inform future translational efforts in solid tumors.

The performance degradation caused by current reversal during start-up/shut-down (SU/SD) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), particularly severe in high-temperature PEMFCs (HT-PEMFCs), is conventionally mitigated by strategies that significantly increase system complexity and cost. In this work, the Co nanoparticles encapsulated by graphene layer supported Pt single atoms (Pt₁/Co@N-C) catalyst is employed enhance the durability of membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) under SU/SD situations. The Pt₁/Co@N-C catalyst with ultralow Pt loading exhibits a comparable hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) activity compared to the Pt/C catalyst, and a suppression of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity. Notably, the encapsulated Co nanoparticles with an fcc crystal structure act as the hydrogen buffer, the storage/escape of H₂ in the lattice interstices of Co metal can effectively resist current reversal of the MEA. The Pt₁/Co@N-C with ultralow Pt loading (35 μg_Pt cm^-2) displays an outstanding performance in the HT-PEMFCs, achieving a peak power density of 555 mW cm^-2 and a stability of 54 μV h^-1. The catalyst demonstrates a markedly enhanced durability compared to the Pt/C catalyst during SU/SD, and improves the resist current reversal time to 50 min (Pt/C, 2 min) under fuel starvation condition. This work presents innovative strategies for developing anode catalyst with low Pt loading and superior durability in HT-PEMFCs.