Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor nanocrystals display unconventional physical and opto-electronic properties due to their ultrathin and unique electronic structures. Since the success of Cd-based photoemissive nanocrystals, the development of sustainable and...

The advantages of the cage-to-network design strategy were demonstrated by knitting a waterwheel-like preporous molecular cage, noria, with a rigid aromatic linker to obtain a highly microporous organic polymer (NPOP,...

In this paper, we have developed a "phosphine-free" method for synthesising copper telluride nanocrystals using diphenyl ditelluride as an air-stable tellurium source. The diphenyl ditelluride is shown to have optimal reactivity for the colloidal synthesis of Cu2Te, allowing optimal control over the phase and morphology. Using this unexplored Te precursor for copper telluride synthesis, 1-D nanorods of hexagonal phase (Cu2Te) were synthesised at a moderate temperature of 180 °C. The precise control over key parameters for this system results in Cu2-XTe nanocrystals forming with varied shapes (1-D nanorods and 2-D nanoplates), sizes, and crystal phases (hexagonal Cu2Te and orthorhombic Cu1.43Te).

Controlling the crystal phase in layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) is critical for their diverse, flexible applications. However, due to the thermodynamic stability of 2H over other polymorphs, fine synthesis...

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Cataract is one of the oldest diseases. Even in the 21st century, the disease is often neglected and treated as an insignificant threat. Although the facts and figures account for the opposite, it is found that globally cataract holds for more than 50% of blindness. Cataract is also one of the first five immediate focus areas of a global Initiative called 'Vision 2020', which intends to eradicate preventable blindness by 2020. The disease is termed as multifactorial; has various extrinsic environmental and intrinsic cell biology factors determining its progress. Over the years, enormous progress has been made towards cataract including the identification of its risk factors. Yet the current scientific knowledge is far from developing a proven preventive or pharmacological strategy for it. The surgical method has been the only way to cure cataract by far. In this paper, we tried to give a comprehensive bird eye view for the disease; we have (a) reviewed briefly the recent progress in delineating the molecular biology and risk factors of cataract (b) delved into genetics of the cataract and overviewed crucial gene families related to the disease identified through single-gene mutations and Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS).

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