Development Of New Sensitizations Research Articles

Mechanism and clinical evidence of immunotherapy in allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis is a common upper airway disease caused by hypersensitivity to various aeroallergens. It causes increased inflammation throughout the body and may be complicated by other otolaryngological pathologies such as chronic hyperplastic eosinophilic sinusitis, nasal polyposis, and serous otitis media. Allergic rhinitis is an IgE-mediated disease and immunotherapy can be a possible approach for patients to limit the use of antihistamines and corticosteroids. There is evidence that allergen immunotherapy can prevent the development of new sensitizations and reduce the risk of later development of asthma in patients with allergic rhinitis. However, some patients do not benefit from this approach and the efficacy of immunotherapy in reducing the severity and relapse of symptoms is still a matter of debate. This review highlights new aspects of allergic rhinitis with a particular focus on the impact of sexual dimorphism on the disease manifestation and efficacy to the allergen specific immunotherapy.

Novel approaches for allergen-specific immunotherapy—An overview

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is an allergen-specific treatment for people with IgE-related allergies. Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is used to treat allergic disorders when symptoms persist despite medication and allergen avoidance. The therapy is presumed effective if it reduces the use of medications, improves the quality of life even after discontinuation of treatment, as well as prevents the conversion of one type of allergy to the other and the development of new sensitization. The allergen-specific immunotherapeutic agents can be administered sublingually, subcutaneously, or through some other routes, such as intra-lymphatically and epicutaneously to induce allergen tolerance by modifying immune responses (innate and adaptive). The primary mechanism of AIT is the induction of functional regulatory cells, such as regulatory T cells, follicular T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, innate lymphoid cells, and natural killer cells, which results in the control of the functions of type 2 inflammatory cells. However, there are several downsides to AIT, including the contentious treatment period resulting in high cost, systemic allergic reactions, and the lack of a biomarker for forecasting treatment responders. Vaccine adjuvants, adjunctive therapies, and novel vaccine technologies are currently being researched to address the issues associated with AIT. This article focuses on defined molecular approaches for improving the potential of specific immunotherapy that use recombinant allergen derivatives, allergen-derived peptides, virus-coupled allergens, nanoparticles, and specific adjuvants.

Efficacy and safety of allergen-specific immunotherapy in children

Atopic diseases are one of the most common chronic diseases in children and adolescents. They lead to a significant deterioration in the quality of life of patients and their families. The only strategy for the treatment of atopic diseases that has a disease-modifying effect is allergen-specific immunotherapy. The purpose of this review is to summarize the literature data on the practical aspects of allergen-specific immunotherapy use in children and adolescents with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic bronchial asthma. An analysis of scientific articles has shown that allergen-specific immunotherapy can reduce the severity of symptoms of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and/or atopic bronchial asthma and reduce the amount of pharmacotherapy, as well as reduce the risk of bronchial asthma developing in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. The current evidence of the preventive effect of allergen-specific immunotherapy in relation to the development of new sensitizations in monosensitized patients is unconvincing, and, according to many authors, new randomized clinical trials are needed. According to most experts, allergen-specific immunotherapy should be started in children from 5 years of age in the presence of proven immunoglobulin E-mediated sensitization to one or more allergens, carried out for at least 3 years, using preparations in which the presence of major allergens is documented. At the same time, both subcutaneous and sublingual administration of allergens has comparable effectiveness. Allergen-specific immunotherapy is a safe and well-tolerated treatment for children, but currently there is no generally accepted classification of possible adverse events, as well as a standardized and uniform system for assessing their severity.

Toward Sustainable, Colorless, and Transparent Photovoltaics: State of the Art and Perspectives for the Development of Selective Near‐Infrared Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

AbstractDye‐sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is one of the promising photovoltaic (PV) technologies for applications requiring high aesthetic features combined with energy production such as building integration PV (BIPV). In this context, DSSCs have the ability to be wavelength selective, thanks to the development of new sensitizers by molecular engineering. The long history of dye research has afforded is technology different colorations for reaching panchromatic light absorption. However, nearly 45% of radiation from sunlight lies in the near‐infrared (NIR) region, where human cones are not sensitive. This review provides the reader with key information on how to selectively exploit this region to develop colorless and transparent PV based on DSSC technology. Besides selective NIR absorbers, the triptych photoanode, counter‐electrode, and redox mediator are together contributing to reach high aesthetic features. Details of all the components, interplay, and an opinion on the technological limitations to reach colorless and transparent NIR‐DSSC are herein discussed in relationship with BIPV applications.

The Effect of Allergen Immunotherapy on the Development of New Sensitization in Children.

Aim:The protective effect of allergen immunotherapy against a new allergic sensitization is controversial. This study aimed to investigate the effect of allergen immunotherapy on new allergic sensitization in children.Materials and Methods:The study included 50 patients who received immunotherapy for at least 3 years, and whose skin prick tests were repeated at intervals of at least 3 years (31 patients for house dust mite immunotherapy, 19 patients for pollen immunotherapy), and 69 controls with similar characteristics.Results:The number of patients who developed a new sensitization was similar both in the groups of patients who received house dust mite and pollen immunotherapy, and the control group. There was no significant difference between the first and last skin prick tests of the patients who received house dust mite and pollen immunotherapy; however, in the control groups, a significant increase in sensitivity to tree pollens (n = 2, 5.4%; n = 8, 21.6%) and weed pollens (n = 7, 26.9%; n = 14, 53.8%) was detected (P = .031 and P = .039). While allergen sensitivities in the first tests of the pollen immunotherapy group and the control group were similar, weed pollen sensitivity was significantly higher in the last tests of the control group (n = 14, 53.8%; n = 4, 21.1%, P = .027). It was determined that the presence of weed pollen sensitization (OR: 8.1, 95% CI: 1.5-42.4) and having asthma (OR: 3.5, 95% CI: 1.3-10.8) increases the risk of new sensitization in all groups.Conclusion:Allergen immunotherapy has been found to protect against new sensitization to tree and weed pollens. However, this effect was insignificant in the multivariate analysis. Weed pollen sensitization and the presence of asthma are related to the development of new sensitization.

Preventive Effect of Allergen Immunotherapy on Asthma and New Sensitizations

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is a disease-modifying treatment for some IgE-mediated allergic diseases with the potential to have important preventive effects. Children with allergic rhinitis have a high risk of developing asthma, and treating allergic rhinitis with AIT may interfere with disease progression and prevent onset of asthma. Although the evidence is limited due to relatively few and heterogeneous studies, data nevertheless suggest that AIT has a preventive effect on development of asthma especially in children with rhinitis due to grass pollen allergy. AIT may also affect the development of new sensitizations. Both the degree of sensitization and the specific sensitization pattern may influence future disease severity and development of comorbidities. Hitherto, the indication for AIT for prevention of development of asthma in grass/birch pollen allergic children has been the same as for treatment of allergic rhinitis. Probably, AIT should be applied in the early stage of the allergic disease to have the greatest preventive effect on disease progression. Consequently, in the future, the potential preventive effects should influence the timing of initiating AIT. The window of opportunity to prevent asthma may primarily exist in young children with mild symptoms and a low degree of sensitization.

Analysis of the long-term efficacy and safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy for atopic dermatitis.

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory skin disease characterized by severe pruritus and eczematous skin lesions. Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) refers to repeated contact with gradually increasing doses of allergen extracts, which improve patient tolerance to such allergens and controls, or reduces allergic symptoms. This study aimed to explore the long-term efficacy and safety of SCIT for patients with AD sensitized to house-dust mite (HDM). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 378 patients with HDM-sensitized AD. Among these patients, 164 received SCIT plus pharmacotherapy for 3 years (SCIT group) and the other 214 patients received only pharmacotherapy (non-SCIT group). The scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) and pruritus visual analog scale (VAS) scores, laboratory test results, and adverse effects were recorded. Results: The SCORAD and pruritus VAS scores significantly decreased in the SCIT group. Also, the SCIT group showed higher reduction ratios of SCORAD and pruritus VAS scores than those observed in the non-SCIT group at 3 years after treatment initiation. The risk of development of new sensitization was higher in the non-SCIT group than in the SCIT group (relative risk 1.92 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.30-2.85]; p < 0.05). The eosinophil count of the participants significantly differed in the complete response (CR) group (p < 0.05) but not in the non-CR group (p = 0.098). However, the serum total immunoglobulin E value was not significantly reduced (p = 0.204). Of 8421 injections given to the patients, 231 injections (2.74%) showed adverse effects during the treatment period. Conclusion: Three years of SCIT can significantly reduce the severity and pruritus of moderate-to-severe AD with HDM sensitization. Patients who are multisensitized can also benefit from HDM SCIT. Patients can achieve long-term effects, such as prevention of neoallergen sensitization and inhibition of the allergy march.

A real-life study of the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy against weed allergies in the Serbian population

IntroductionIn the Serbian population allergy to weed pollen is the most common type of pollen-associated allergy, ahead of grass and tree pollens. Besides causing discomfort, allergy to pollen is often associated with rhinitis and asthma. Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) is the only treatment that can lead to potential long-term immune modification while reducing development of new sensitization and halting disease progression. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) to weeds in the adult patient population using vaccine produced by the local Serbian Torlak Institute for virology, vaccines and serum. MethodsAdult patients with a clinical history of allergic rhinitis with and without asthma were included in the study. IgE-mediated sensitization to grass, tree and weed pollens was confirmed by skin prick testing and/or positive specific IgE. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with allergy to tree and grass pollen and patients with allergy to weeds. All patients received SLIT for three years, either with or without additional symptomatic therapy. ResultsThree-year SLIT therapy led to significant improvement in several parameters, including skin-prick reactivity, decrease in specific IgE and use of symptomatic therapy, with mild adverse effects and high patient satisfaction concerning therapy. ConclusionThree-year SLIT is a safe and efficient treatment option for respiratory allergy to weeds. Further observations in a larger number of patients could provide a better epidemiological evaluation of SLIT, but the positive effects we observed in our study may be considered representative despite the small number of patients.

Self-Assembly by Coordination with Organic Antenna Chromophores for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

The development of new sensitizers and new sensitization methods is one of the important means to enhance the conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs); the ultimate goal is to broaden the spectral response of dyes, reduce electron recombination, and suppress dye aggregation. In this study, we have developed a series of new self-assembled dyes and applied them in DSSCs. We prepared two organic antenna chromophores S1 and S2 and coordinated them with two acceptors A1 and A2 via zinc to construct A-Zn-S series self-assembled dyes. This method is very simple and feasible and can avoid the complex synthesis steps of traditional dyes; the results show that the light-harvesting ability of devices can be improved and charge recombination can be reduced by adjusting the structures of the antenna chromophores and acceptors. The device with A2-Zn-S1 gave a power conversion efficiency of 4.25%, which was higher than those with A1-Zn-S1 (3.88%), A1-Zn-S2 (3.21%), and A2-Zn-S2 (3.52%); the main reason for this is that the different coordination combinations between the antenna chromophore and the acceptor show great differences in Voc and Jsc. The device based on A2-Zn-S1 showed a high Voc of 632 mV and a high Jsc of 9.54 mA cm-2; one reason for this is that S1 has better spectral responsiveness and another reason is that A2 has better steric resistance that effectively reduces charge recombination. Besides, IR spectra indicate that these self-assembled dyes anchored on a TiO2 surface by bicarboxyl anchoring groups are also very beneficial for improving the performance of dyes.

SLIT's Prevention of the Allergic March.

The progression of atopic disorders from atopic dermatitis in infants to allergic rhinitis and asthma in children, adolescents, and adults defines the allergy march. Allergen immunotherapy is the only causal treatment altering the immunological mechanism underlying the allergic diseases. The sublingual administration route is more acceptable than the subcutaneous one in pediatric age. Several studies show the efficacy and safety profile of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for the treatment of respiratory allergy diseases, but few data are available on its effect of primary and secondary prevention of allergic disease. The purpose of this manuscript is to review the latest studies addressing the effect of SLIT on the development of new sensitizations in not sensitized or already sensitized patients and progression of the allergy march.

Impact of allergen immunotherapy on the development of new sensitization in monosensitized patients

Impact of allergen immunotherapy on the development of new sensitization in monosensitized patients

Chinese Guideline on allergen immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis.

The present document is based on a consensus reached by a panel of experts from Chinese Society of Allergy (CSA) and Chinese Allergic Rhinitis Collaborative Research Group (C2AR2G). Allergen immunotherapy (AIT), has increasingly been used as a treatment for allergic rhinitis (AR) globally, as it has been shown to provide a long-term effect in improving nasal and ocular symptoms, reducing medication need, and improving quality of life. AIT is currently the only curative intervention that can potentially modify the immune system in individuals suffering from AR and prevent the development of new sensitization and the progression of disease from AR to asthma. Although the use of AIT is becoming more acceptable in China, to date no AR immunotherapy guideline from China is available for use by the international community. This document has thus been produced and covers the main aspects of AIT undertaken in China; including selection of patients for AIT, the allergen extracts available on the Chinese market, schedules and doses of allergen employed in different routes of AIT, assessment of effect and safety, patients' administration and follow-up, and management of adverse reactions. The Chinese guideline for AR immunotherapy will thus serve as a reference point by doctors, healthcare professionals and organizations involved in the AIT of AR in China. Moreover, this guideline will serve as a source of information for the international community on AIT treatment strategies employed in China.

Cytotoxicity modulation of ruthenium(II) tris-bathophenanthroline complexes with systematically varied charge

A series of four ruthenium(II) complexes Ru(bp)n(bps)3-n (n = 0-3; bp = 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline or bathophenanthroline; and bps = disulfonated 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline or bathophenanthroline disulfonate) bearing different charges were synthesized and characterized. In aqueous media, all complexes displayed similar photophysical properties which makes this series ideal to study the effect of charge on the cytotoxicity of Ru(II) complexes. Ru(bp)32+ (1) and Ru(bps)34− (4) are known photosensitizers that penetrate cancer cells and possess a significant light-induced cytotoxicity. The newly conceived neutral Ru(bp)2(bps)0 (2) and dianionic Ru(bp)(bps)22− (3) were also found to have significant uptake as well as light-activation properties. Importantly, the cytotoxicity in the dark was successfully tuned upon systematic charge modulation of the complexes. The cationic complex 1 was potent against 5 out of 6 cell lines tested (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, B16, SF and ML2) and displayed the highest cytotoxicity among the tested complexes with IC50 values of 4.0, 3.6, 1.7, 1.0 and 2.9 μM, respectively. The two anionic complexes, 3 and 4, with respective overall charges of −2 and −4, were not potent against any of the cell lines in the dark (IC50 > 200 μM), whereas the neutral molecule, complex 2, was potent against 3 out of 6 cell lines in the dark (B16, SF and ML2) and exhibited an intermediate activity with IC50 values of 12.8, 3.0 and 10.3 μM, respectively. All complexes presented significant phototoxicity when activated at 6 h post-incubation, which is consistent with their fast uptake and ability to produce singlet oxygen. The localization of complexes 1–4 within the cells was found to be dependent on the charge and photoexcitation conditions. The charge-activity relationship elucidated in this work facilitates the development of new sensitizers for photodynamic therapy.

Nanostructured functional materials for advanced three-dimensional (3D) solar cells

Advancements in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) technology are occurring at an ever-increasing rate, as the development of novel carbon-based materials, the increasing research into new 3D surface morphologies and cell design, and the focus on the development of new sensitizers and electrolytes have allowed many new possibilities for DSSCs. Solar cells that are three-dimensionally structured offer significant advantages over traditional crystalline / semi-crystalline panels in that they can convert incident photons that strike them at large incident angles, can be flexible / used in applications which require non-rigid materials, and can be substantially cheaper to produce than traditional panels, especially with the replacement of more expensive, traditional electrode materials by carbon materials in the working / counter electrode. The use of carefully selected and engineered sensitizers like quantum dots with these three-dimensionally structured solar cells have seen them achieve ever-increasing power conversion efficiencies, and it's likely that they will soon rival traditional crystalline / semi-crystalline panels for both mass power generation and use in more niche applications such as flexible photovoltaic textile fibers. This review covers DSSCs constructed with several different materials, and the advantages and disadvantages of a variety of cell designs.

Environmental controls and avoidance measures.

Environmental control measures refer to using 1 or more interventions aimed at avoiding, reducing, or eliminating allergens and irritants in the environment to improve symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Although avoiding known allergens is highly effective, completely eliminating an allergen from one's environment is often impractical or even impossible. The purpose of this work is to review evidence on the efficacy of various environmental control measures aimed at preventing the development of new sensitizations, reducing the progression of allergic rhinitis, and improving its symptoms and quality of life. Current literature examining the protective effects of specific measures such as breastfeeding and early pet exposure against the development of allergic diseases including allergic rhinitis has been inconclusive. Environmental measures such as frequently washing cats and dogs, encasing bedding within impermeable covers, air filtration, and chemicals can effectively reduce levels of allergens in the home. Although environmental control measures reduce allergen exposure levels, significant alleviation in symptoms or improvement in quality of life in patients with allergic rhinitis have not been shown. An evidence-based approach can assist health providers in educating patients and helping them to make informed decisions in selecting the most appropriate and cost-effective environmental control strategies to manage their disease. The greatest benefits can be achieved from using a multifaceted environmental approach aimed at routinely and systematically reducing exposure to allergens over time.

Sublingual Immunotherapy for Aeroallergens: Optimal Patient Dosing, Regimen and Duration

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a proven effective treatment for allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma. It can be disease-modifying: preventing the development of new sensitivities in monosensitized patients, preventing progression from allergic rhinitis to asthma, and providing long-lasting benefit after discontinuation of a successful course of treatment. The efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy, like that of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), is dependent on proper administration. This includes appropriate dosing, frequency, and duration of therapy. The current evidence for SLIT tablets is that daily administration of a dose equivalent to the monthly SCIT maintenance dose is appropriate. The appropriate doses for SLIT drops have not been adequately defined and may be the same or more than SLIT tablets. The optimal frequency of administration of SLIT appears to be daily. The optimal duration of SLIT for insuring disease modification appears to be 3 or 4 years. The initiation of SLIT at the maintenance dose appears safe if performed under physician observation. Preliminary evidence supports administration of pollen extracts only before and during the season, but further long-term follow-up is needed to ensure adequate disease modification. There are no studies to support the simultaneous administration of more than two non-cross-reacting allergens by SLIT.

Is There a Need for Repetition of Skin Test in Childhood Allergic Diseases? Repetition of Skin Test and Allergic Diseases

Skin prick tests are widely used to determine sensitivity in allergic diseases. There is limited information about the natural history of skin sensitization tests and factors that affect them. It was aimed to determine the changes in skin test results and the factors affecting the reactivity of skin tests after a period of approximately four years in children with allergic disease. SPT of 170 patients among 2485 children with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis and/or atopic dermatitis, who underwent SPT between 2005 and 2007, were repeated after an interval of at least 3 years. The mean age was 10.7 ± 3.1 (5-18) years and 70% of the patients were male. In total 66 (39.0% of the study population) had a different skin tests result in follow-up. Alterations: loss of sensitivity in 18 (11%) patients, the formation of a new sensitivity in 37 (22%) patients, and 11 (6%) both gained and lost sensitization. The presence of atopy in the family, the presence of allergic rhinitis and IgE elevation significantly predicted the incidence of new sensitization. The presence of sensitization to multiple allergens significantly predicted the incidence of loss of sensitization. It is found that there was an alteration of sensitization in 4/10 children at the end of the average 4-year period. The presence of family atopy, the presence of allergic rhinitis and serum total IgE elevation were risk factors for the development of new sensitization. On the other hand sensitization to multiple allergens was risk factors for the loss of sensitization.

Efficient Formation of Luminescent Lanthanide(III) Complexes by Solid‐Phase Synthesis and On‐Resin Screening

Time-resolved luminescence measurements of luminescent lanthanide complexes have advantages in biological assays and high-throughput screening, owing to their high sensitivity. In spite of the recent advances in their energy-transfer mechanism and molecular-orbital-based computational molecular design, it is still difficult to estimate the quantum yields of new luminescent lanthanide complexes. Herein, solid-phase libraries of luminescent lanthanide complexes were prepared through amide-condensation and Pd-catalyzed coupling reactions and their luminescent properties were screened with a microplate reader. Good correlation was observed between the time-resolved luminescence intensities of the solid-phase libraries and those of the corresponding complexes that were synthesized by using liquid-phase chemistry. This method enabled the rapid and efficient development of new sensitizers for Sm(III), Eu(III), and Tb(III) luminescence. Thus, solid-phase combinatorial synthesis combined with on-resin screening led to the discovery of a wide variety of luminescent sensitizers.

Intelligent Materials for Solar Cells

Globally, the growth rate of the human population is increasing; therefore, there is a huge demand of energy to fulfill their requirements like vehicles, TVs, computers, ACs, and so forth. This causes global warming. Therefore, CO2-free energy is an emergent issue. In this context, solar energy is an alternate of fossil fuels. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), organic thin-film solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, schottky solar cells, inorganic-organic heterojunction solar cells, and many others have been developed as an efficient, lowcost technology during the last years. In dye-sensitized solar cells, the sensitizer is one of the key components for high power conversion efficiency. Among various organic/inorganic dyes, the most successful charge transfer sensitizers should be credited to black dye, N3 dye, and N719 dye. Dye-sensitized solar cells based on ruthenium complexes have broad absorption spectra extending into the near-IR region and produce solar-to-electrical energy conversion efficiencies of up to 11%under AM 1.5 irradiation. In order to improve the performance of solar cells, the sensitizer should absorb photons in the near-IR region as well as over the entire visible region of the solar spectrum, and longterm stability is another serious issue. To further improve the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells device, our main focus lies in the development of new sensitizers with a good spectral match with the solar emission. This special issue contained high-quality research work addressing the latest innovations in nanomaterials research focused on solar cells, and synthetic nanomaterials considering the importance of light-harvestingmaterials in the design of novel generation of solar cells and smart nanomaterials. We hope that this collection of papers will be a source of ideas and motivation for scientists across different fields in academia and industry to continue further research on organic solar cells.

Nanotechnology and Solar Energy

Interest in solar energy conversion and the associated materials research and development has been inspired due to concerns regarding carbon dioxide emissions, job creation, and market instabilities due to the geopolitics and widespread consumption of fossil fuels. The wide introduction of solar powered devices made from nanomaterials has the potential to revolutionize global economic development. Increasing the efficiency and decreasing the costs of solar power are two key areas where nanoscience and nanotechnology can contribute most. Nanotechnology has assumed a special status in semiconductor materials and catalysts. These two classes of materials could be considered as the key for solar energy conversion. Nanomaterials applied in solar energy conversion may be classified depending on their proposed application. Photocatalysts are a big family of nanomaterials (semiconductors or transitionmetal oxides) mostly applied in water treatment and solar water splitting for hydrogen production, among other useful applications. Nanomaterials possess certain desirable properties like high catalytic activity, better stability in aqueous media, comparatively easier preparation techniques, and material economy. Still, nanomaterials suffer from certain drawbacks when they are used in photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical devices. The fascinating optical properties of nanostructured materials find important applications in a number of solar energy utilization schemes and devices. Nanotechnology provides methods for fabrication and use of structures and systems with size corresponding to the wavelength of visible light. This opens a wealth of possibilities to explore the new, often of resonance character, phenomena observed when the object size and the electromagnetic field periodicity (light wavelength λ) match. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is an n-type semiconductor that has attracted tremendous attention from researchers worldwide due to its potential applications in environmental protection and energy generation. It has demonstrated unique properties such as high adsorption ability and good photocatalytic activity. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are molecular system that consists of TiO2, an anchored molecular photosensitizer, a redox electrolyte, and a platinized photocathode. The sensitizers play a vital role in DSSCs, and a large number of Ru-complex sensitizers and organic sensitizers have been developed and tested. So far, sensitizers such as black dye, N719, and N3 are known as best sensitizers in DSSC. Black dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 solar cells have been reported to yield a solar to electric power conversion efficiency of over 11% under standard AM 1.5 conditions. Much effort has been made to increase photovoltaic performance (stability) of the DSSCs with the development of new sensitizers, electrodes, and nanostructured photoanode materials. This special issue shows the current trends of research in this branch by presenting two reviews and 14 research articles covering several important areas, ranging from fundamental to applied topics.