Comparison of the One- and Bi-Direction Chained Equipercentile Equating

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oh, Hyeonjoo; Moses, Tim

2012-01-01

This study investigated differences between two approaches to chained equipercentile (CE) equating (one- and bi-direction CE equating) in nearly equal groups and relatively unequal groups. In one-direction CE equating, the new form is linked to the anchor in one sample of examinees and the anchor is linked to the reference form in the other…

Synthesis and characterization of CdS/BiPO{sub 4} heterojunction photocatalyst

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Daimei, E-mail: chendaimei@cugb.edu.cn; Kuang, Zheng; Zhu, Qian

2015-06-15

Highlights: • A CdS/BiPO{sub 4} heterojunction was prepared by the solvothermal method. • The CdS/BiPO{sub 4} composite has the higher photocatalytic activity than the individual ones. • The optimal mass ratio of CdS to BiPO{sub 4} was 0.5. • The heterojunction structure of CdS/BiPO{sub 4} induces an effective electron–hole separation. - Abstract: A series of CdS/BiPO{sub 4} heterojunction photocatalysts with the visible-light response were synthesized by the solvothermal method. The resulting products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy. CdS nanoparticles with the size at range of 5–7 nm were immobilizedmore » on the surface of BiPO{sub 4} nanorods. The CdS/BiPO{sub 4} composite exhibited much higher photodegradation rate of methylene blue under visible light irradation compared to the pure CdS and BiPO{sub 4}. The optimal mass ratio of CdS to BiPO{sub 4} was 0.5, the photodegradation rate of which is 2.1 times higher than that of CdS. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity is attributed to the heterojunction structure of CdS/BiPO{sub 4} composite which induced the effective electron–hole separation between CdS and BiPO{sub 4}.« less

Electromechanical properties of A-site (LiCe)-modified sodium bismuth titanate (Na{sub 0.5}Bi{sub 4.5}Ti{sub 4}O{sub 15}) piezoelectric ceramics at elevated temperature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang Chunming; Wang Jinfeng; Zhang Shujun

2009-05-01

The Aurivillius-type bismuth layer-structured (NaBi){sub 0.46}(LiCe){sub 0.04}Bi{sub 4}Ti{sub 4}O{sub 15} (NBT-LiCe) piezoelectric ceramics were synthesized using conventional solid-state processing. Phase analysis was performed by x-ray diffraction and microstructural morphology was assessed by scanning electron microscopy. The dielectric, piezoelectric, ferroelectric, and electromechanical properties of NBT-LiCe ceramics were investigated. The piezoelectric activities were found to be significantly enhanced compared to NBT ceramics, which can be attributed to the lattice distortion and the presence of bismuth vacancies. The dielectric and electromechanical properties of NBT-LiCe ceramics at elevated temperature were investigated in detail. The excellent piezoelectric, dielectric, and electromechanical properties, coupled with high Curiemore » temperature (T{sub c}=660 deg. C), demonstrated that the NBT-LiCe ceramics are the promising candidates for high temperature applications.« less

Role of valence changes and nanoscale atomic displacements in BiS2-based superconductors.

PubMed

Cheng, Jie; Zhai, Huifei; Wang, Yu; Xu, Wei; Liu, Shengli; Cao, Guanghan

2016-11-22

Superconductivity within layered crystal structures has attracted sustained interest among condensed matter community, primarily due to their exotic superconducting properties. EuBiS 2 F is a newly discovered member in the BiS 2 -based superconducting family, which shows superconductivity at 0.3 K without extrinsic doping. With 50 at.% Ce substitution for Eu, superconductivity is enhanced with Tc increased up to 2.2 K. However, the mechanisms for the T c enhancement have not yet been elucidated. In this study, the Ce-doping effect on the self-electron-doped superconductor EuBiS 2 F was investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). We have established a relationship between Ce-doping and the T c enhancement in terms of Eu valence changes and nanoscale atomic displacements. The new finding sheds light on the interplay among superconductivity, charge and local structure in BiS 2 -based superconductors.

Structure and superconductivity in (Bi(0.35)Cu(0.65))Sr2YCu2O7 and related materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jennings, R. A.; Williams, S. P.; Greaves, C.

1995-01-01

The recently reported (Bi/Cu)Sr2YCu2O7 phase has been studied by time of flight powder neutron diffraction. The proposed 1212 structure has been confirmed and refinements have shown the oxygen in the (Bi/Cu)O layer is displaced by 0.78 A from the ideal (1/2,1/2,0) site (P4/mmm space group) along /100/. Bond Valence Sum calculations have suggested oxidation states of Bi(5+) and Cu(2+) for the cations in the (Bi/Cu)O layers. The material is non-superconducting and all attempts to induce superconductivity have been unsuccessful. Work on the related material (Ce/Cu)Sr2YCu2O7 has shown the ideal Ce content to be 0.5 Ce per formula unit. The introduction of Ba (10%) onto the Sr site dramatically increases phase stability and also induces superconductivity (62 K).

Photoemission study of absorption mechanisms in Bi2.0Sr1.8Ca0.8La0.3Cu2.1O8+δ, BaBiO3, and Nd1.85Ce0.15CuO4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindberg, P. A. P.; Shen, Z.-X.; Wells, B. O.; Dessau, D. S.; Ellis, W. P.; Borg, A.; Kang, J.-S.; Mitzi, D. B.; Lindau, I.; Spicer, W. E.; Kapitulnik, A.

1989-11-01

Photoemission measurements in the constant-final-state (absorption) mode were performed on three different classes of high-temperature superconductors Bi2.0Sr1.8Ca0.8La0.3Cu2.1O8+δ, BaBiO3, and Nd1.85Ce0.15CuO4 using synchrotron radiation from 20 to 200 eV. Absorption signals from all elements but Ce are identified. The results firmly show that the Bi 6s electrons are more delocalized in BaBiO3 than in Bi2.0Sr1.8Ca0.8La0.3Cu2.1O8+δ, in agreement with the results of band-structure calculations. Differences in the absorption signals due to O and Bi excitations between BaBiO3 and Bi2.0Sr1.8Ca0.8La0.3Cu2.1O8+δ are discussed. Delayed absorption onsets attributed to giant resonances (Ba 4d-->4f, La 4d-->4f, and Nd 4d-->4f transitions) are also reported.

CeO₂ Enhanced Ethanol Sensing Performance in a CdS Gas Sensor.

PubMed

Li, Meishan; Ren, Wei; Wu, Rong; Zhang, Min

2017-07-05

CdS nanowires (NWs) were fabricated through a facile low-temperature solvothermal method, following which CeO₂ nanoparticles were modified on the NWs. The ethanol sensing characteristics of pure CdS and decorated ones with different CeO₂ content were studied. It was found that the sensing performance of CdS was significantly improved after CeO₂ decoration. In particular, the 5 at% CeO₂/CdS composite exhibited a much higher response to 100 ppm ethanol (about 52), which was 2.6 times larger than that of pure CdS. A fast response and recovery time (less than 12 s and 3 s, respectively) were obtained as well as an excellent selectivity. These results make the CeO₂-decorated CdS NWs good candidates for ethanol sensing applications.

Discovery of Fe–Ce Oxide/BiVO 4 Photoanodes through Combinatorial Exploration of Ni–Fe–Co–Ce Oxide Coatings

DOE PAGES

Shinde, Aniketa; Guevarra, Dan; Liu, Guiji; ...

2016-08-23

An efficient photoanode is a prerequisite for a viable solar fuels technology. The challenges to realizing an efficient photoanode include the integration of a semiconductor light absorber and a metal oxide electrocatalyst to optimize corrosion protection, light trapping, hole transport, and photocarrier recombination sites. In order to efficiently explore metal oxide coatings, we employ a high throughput methodology wherein a uniform BiVO 4 film is coated with 858 unique metal oxide coatings covering a range of metal oxide loadings and the full (Ni-Fe-Co-Ce)Ox pseudo-quaternary composition space. Photoelectrochemical characterization of the photoanodes reveals that specific combinations of metal oxide composition andmore » loading provide up to a 13-fold increase in the maximum photoelectrochemical power generation for oxygen evolution in pH 13 electrolyte. Through mining of the high throughput data we identify composition regions that form improved interfaces with BiVO 4. Of particular note, integrated photoanodes with catalyst compositions in the range Fe (0.4-0.6)Ce (0.6-0.4)O x exhibit high interface quality and excellent photoelectrochemical power conversion. Furthermore, for scaled-up inkjet-printed electrodes and photoanodic electrodeposition of this composition on BiVO 4 we can confirm the discovery and the synthesis-independent interface improvement of (Fe-Ce)O x coatings on BiVO 4.« less

Discovery of Fe–Ce Oxide/BiVO 4 Photoanodes through Combinatorial Exploration of Ni–Fe–Co–Ce Oxide Coatings

DOE PAGES

Shinde, Aniketa; Guevarra, Dan; Liu, Guiji; ...

2016-08-23

An efficient photoanode is a prerequisite for a viable solar fuels technology. The challenges to realizing an efficient photoanode include the integration of a semiconductor light absorber and a metal oxide electrocatalyst to optimize corrosion protection, light trapping, hole transport, and photocarrier recombination sites. In order to efficiently explore metal oxide coatings, we employ a high throughput methodology wherein a uniform BiVO 4 film is coated with 858 unique metal oxide coatings covering a range of metal oxide loadings and the full (Ni-Fe-Co-Ce)O x pseudo-quaternary composition space. Photoelectrochemical characterization of the photoanodes reveals that specific combinations of metal oxide compositionmore » and loading provide up to a 13-fold increase in the maximum photoelectrochemical power generation for oxygen evolution in pH 13 electrolyte. Through mining of the high throughput data we identify composition regions that form improved interfaces with BiVO 4. Of particular note, integrated photoanodes with catalyst compositions in the range Fe (0.4-0.6)Ce (0.6-0.4)O x exhibit high interface quality and excellent photoelectrochemical power conversion. Furthermore, for scaled-up inkjet-printed electrodes and photoanodic electrodeposition of this composition on BiVO 4 we can confirm the discovery and the synthesis-independent interface improvement of (Fe-Ce)O x coatings on BiVO 4.« less

Construction of an all-solid-state artificial Z-scheme system consisting of Bi2WO6/Au/CdS nanostructure for photocatalytic CO2 reduction into renewable hydrocarbon fuel.

PubMed

Wang, Meng; Han, Qiutong; Li, Liang; Tang, Lanqin; Li, Haijin; Zhou, Yong; Zou, Zhigang

2017-07-07

An all-solid-state Bi 2 WO 6 /Au/CdS Z-scheme system was constructed for the photocatalytic reduction of CO 2 into methane in the presence of water vapor. This Z-scheme consists of ultrathin Bi 2 WO 6 nanoplates and CdS nanoparticles as photocatalysts, and a Au nanoparticle as a solid electron mediator offering a high speed charge transfer channel and leading to more efficient spatial separation of electron-hole pairs. The photo-generated electrons from the conduction band (CB) of Bi 2 WO 6 transfer to the Au, and then release to the valence band (VB) of CdS to recombine with the holes of CdS. It allows the electrons remaining in the CB of CdS and holes in the VB of Bi 2 WO 6 to possess strong reduction and oxidation powers, respectively, leading the Bi 2 WO 6 /Au/CdS to exhibit high photocatalytic reduction of CO 2 , relative to bare Bi 2 WO 6 , Bi 2 WO 6 /Au, and Bi 2 WO 6 /CdS. The depressed hole density on CdS also enhances the stability of the CdS against photocorrosion.

Effects of (LiCe) co-substitution on the structural and electrical properties of CaBi2Nb2O9 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Xiao-Xia; Qu, Shao-Bo; Du, Hong-Liang; Li, Ye; Xu, Zhuo

2012-03-01

The piezoelectric, dielectric, and ferroelectric properties of the (LiCe) co-substituted calcium bismuth niobate (CaBi2Nb2O9, CBNO) are investigated. The piezoelectric properties of CBNO ceramics are significantly enhanced and the dielectric loss tan δ decreased. This makes poling using (LiCe) co-substitution easier. The ceramics (where □ represents A-site Ca2+ vacancies, possess a pure layered structure phase and no other phases can be found. The Ca0.88(LiCe)0.04□0.04Bi2Nb2O9 ceramics possess optimal piezoelectric properties, with piezoelectric coefficient (d33) and Curie temperature (TC) found to be 13.3 pC/N and 960 °C, respectively. The dielectric and piezoelectric properties of the (LiCe) co-substituted CBNO ceramics exhibit very stable temperature behaviours. This demonstrates that the CBNO ceramics are a promising candidate for ultrahigh temperature applications.

Using elemental profiles and stable isotopes to trace the origin of green coffee beans on the global market.

PubMed

Santato, Alessandro; Bertoldi, Daniela; Perini, Matteo; Camin, Federica; Larcher, Roberto

2012-09-01

A broad elemental profile incorporating 54 elements (Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, P, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Mo, Pd, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Te, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Er, Tm, Yb, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi and U) in combination with δ(2) H, δ(13) C, δ(15) N and δ(18) O was used to characterise the composition of 62 green arabica (Coffea arabica) and robusta (Coffea canephora) coffee beans grown in South and Central America, Africa and Asia, the four most internationally renowned areas of production. The δ(2) H, Mg, Fe, Co and Ni content made it possible to correctly assign 95% of green coffee beans to the appropriate variety. Canonical discriminant analysis, performed using δ(13) C, δ(15) N, δ(18) O, Li, Mg, P, K, Mn, Co, Cu, Se, Y, Mo, Cd, La and Ce correctly traced the origin of 98% of coffee beans. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Structure and superconductivity in (Bi{sub 0.35}Cu{sub 0.65})Sr{sub 2}YCu{sub 2}O{sub 7} and related materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jennings, R.A.; Williams, S.P.; Greaves, C.

1994-12-31

The recently reported (Bi/Cu)Sr{sub 2}YCu{sub 2}O{sub 7} phase has been studied by time of flight powder neutron diffraction. The proposed 1212 structure has been confirmed and refinements have shown the oxygen in the (Bi/Cu)O layer is displaced by 0.78{angstrom} from the ideal (1/2,1/2,0) site (P4/mmm space group) along (100). Bond Valence Sum calculations have suggested oxidation states of Bi{sup 5+} and Cu{sup 2+} for the cations in the (Bi/Cu)O layers. The material is non-superconducting and all attempts to induce superconductivity have been unsuccessful. Work on the related material (Ce/Cu)Sr{sub 2}YCu{sub 2}O{sub y} has shown the ideal Ce content to bemore » 0.5 Ce per formula unit. The introduction of Ba (10%) onto the Sr site dramatically increases phase stability and also induces superconductivity (62K).« less

Stabilizing new bismuth compounds in thin film form [Stabilizing new thin film materials in bismuth compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Aiping; Zhou, Honghui; Zhu, Yuanyuan

2016-11-10

Growth of unexpected phases from a composite target of BiFeO 3:BiMnO 3 and/or BiFeO 3:BiCrO 3 has been explored using pulsed laser deposition. The Bi 2FeMnO 6 tetragonal phase can be grown directly on SrTiO 3 (STO) substrate, while two phases (S1 and S2) were found to grow on LaAlO 3 (LAO) substrates with narrow growth windows. However, introducing a thin CeO 2 buffer layer effectively broadens the growth window for the pure S1 phase, regardless of the substrate. Moreover, we discovered two new phases (X1 and X2) when growing on STO substrates using a BiFeO 3:BiCrO 3 target. Puremore » X2 phase can be obtained on CeO 2-buffered STO and LAO substrates. This work demonstrates that some unexpected phases can be stabilized in a thin film form by using composite perovskite BiRO 3 (R = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) targets. Moreover, it also indicates that CeO 2 can serve as a general template for the growth of bismuth compounds with potential room-temperature multiferroicity.« less

Small bowel video capsule endoscopy in Crohn's disease: What have we learned in the last ten years?

PubMed

Lucendo, Alfredo J; Guagnozzi, Danila

2011-02-16

Since its introduction in 2001, capsule endoscopy (CE) has become the most important advance in the study of small bowel disease, including Crohn's disease (CD). This technique has been demonstrated to be superior to all other current forms of radiological investigation in detecting mucosal abnormalities of small bowel nonstricturing CD. CE has proven to be extremely useful in diagnosing CD in patients with inconclusive findings from ileocolonoscopy and x-ray-based studies. Almost half of all patients with CD involving the ileum also present lesions in proximal intestinal segments, with the small bowel being exclusively involved in up to 30% of all CD cases. Despite the widespread use of CE, several questions concerning the utility of this technique remain unanswered. The lack of commonly agreed diagnostic criteria for defining CD lesions with the aid of CE may have had an influence on the variation in diagnostic results for CE reported in the literature. The utility of CE in monitoring CD and in guiding therapy has also been proposed. Furthermore, CE could be a useful second-line technique for patients with an established diagnosis of CD and unexplained symptoms. Finally, as no threshold for CD diagnosis has been agreed upon, a severity scale of mucosal disease activity has not been universally followed. None of the available activity indexes based on CE findings has been independently validated. This article discusses several cutting-edge aspects of the usefulness of CE in CD 10 years after its introduction as a sensible method to study the small intestine.

Small bowel video capsule endoscopy in Crohn’s disease: What have we learned in the last ten years?

PubMed Central

Lucendo, Alfredo J; Guagnozzi, Danila

2011-01-01

Since its introduction in 2001, capsule endoscopy (CE) has become the most important advance in the study of small bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease (CD). This technique has been demonstrated to be superior to all other current forms of radiological investigation in detecting mucosal abnormalities of small bowel nonstricturing CD. CE has proven to be extremely useful in diagnosing CD in patients with inconclusive findings from ileocolonoscopy and x-ray-based studies. Almost half of all patients with CD involving the ileum also present lesions in proximal intestinal segments, with the small bowel being exclusively involved in up to 30% of all CD cases. Despite the widespread use of CE, several questions concerning the utility of this technique remain unanswered. The lack of commonly agreed diagnostic criteria for defining CD lesions with the aid of CE may have had an influence on the variation in diagnostic results for CE reported in the literature. The utility of CE in monitoring CD and in guiding therapy has also been proposed. Furthermore, CE could be a useful second-line technique for patients with an established diagnosis of CD and unexplained symptoms. Finally, as no threshold for CD diagnosis has been agreed upon, a severity scale of mucosal disease activity has not been universally followed. None of the available activity indexes based on CE findings has been independently validated. This article discusses several cutting-edge aspects of the usefulness of CE in CD 10 years after its introduction as a sensible method to study the small intestine. PMID:21403813

Superconductivity and strong intrinsic defects in LaPd1-xBi2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Fei; Malliakas, Christos D.; Stoumpos, Constantinos C.; Sturza, Mihai; Claus, Helmut; Chung, Duck Young; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.

2013-10-01

Two new phases LaPd1-xBi2 and CePd1-xBi2 were obtained by growing single crystals in Bi flux. They adopt the tetragonal ZrCuSi2-type structure and feature Bi-square nets and PbO-type PdBi layers with significant partial Pd occupancy. Bulk superconductivity at 2.1 K and metallic behavior above Tc are observed in LaPd1-xBi2. A small residual resistance ratio (RRR) indicates a strong scattering effect induced by the Pd vacancies, which implies an s-wave pairing symmetry in LaPd1-xBi2. The broadening of the resistivity transition was measured under different magnetic fields demonstrating a high upper critical field of 3 T. Hall effect measurements reveal dominantly electron-like charge carriers and single-band transport behavior in LaPd1-xBi2. The paramagnetic CePd1-xBi2 is nonsuperconducting but shows antiferromagnetic ordering below 6 K.

Giant Faraday rotation in Bi(x)Ce(3-x)Fe5O12 epitaxial garnet films.

PubMed

Chandra Sekhar, M; Singh, Mahi R; Basu, Shantanu; Pinnepalli, Sai

2012-04-23

Thin films of Bi(x)Ce(3-x)Fe(5)O(12) with x = 0.7 and 0.8 compositions were prepared by using pulsed laser deposition. We investigated the effects of processing parameters used to fabricate these films by measuring various physical properties such as X-ray diffraction, transmittance, magnetization and Faraday rotation. In this study, we propose a phase diagram which provides a suitable window for the deposition of Bi(x)Ce(3-x)Fe(5)O(12) epitaxial films. We have also observed a giant Faraday rotation of 1-1.10 degree/µm in our optimized films. The measured Faraday rotation value is 1.6 and 50 times larger than that of CeYIG and YIG respectively. A theoretical model has been proposed for Faraday rotation based on density matrix method and an excellent agreement between experiment and theory is found. © 2012 Optical Society of America

Structure of Z-scheme CdS/CQDs/BiOCl heterojunction with enhanced photocatalytic activity for environmental pollutant elimination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Jinbo; Liu, Jianjun; Zuo, Shengli; Khan, Usman Ali; Yu, Yingchun; Li, Baoshan

2018-06-01

Z-scheme CdS/CQDs/BiOCl heterojunction was synthesized by a facile region-selective deposition process. Owing to the electronegativity of the groups on the surface of Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs), they can be sandwiched between CdS and BiOCl, based on the stepwise region-selective deposition process. The samples were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution TEM (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS), photoelectrochemical measurements and photoluminescence (PL). The results indicate that CQDs with size of 2-5 nm and CdS nanoparticles with size of 5-10 nm dispersed uniformly on the surface of cuboid BiOCl nanosheets. The photocatalytic performance tests reveal that the CdS/CQDs/BiOCl heterojunction exhibits much higher photocatalytic activity than that of BiOCl, CdS/BiOCl and CQDs/BiOCl for Rhodamine B (RhB) and phenol photodegradation under visible and UV light illumination, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic performance should be attributed to the Z-scheme structure of CdS/CQDs/BiOCl, which not only improves visible light absorption and the migration efficiency of the photogenerated electron-holes but also keeps high redox ability of CdS/CQDs/BiOCl composite.

Mechanistic insights into the photoinduced charge carrier dynamics of BiOBr/CdS nanosheet heterojunctions for photovoltaic application.

PubMed

Jia, Huimin; Zhang, Beibei; He, Weiwei; Xiang, Yong; Zheng, Zhi

2017-03-02

The rational design of high performance hetero-structure photovoltaic devices requires a full understanding of the photoinduced charge transfer mechanism and kinetics at the interface of heterojunctions. In this paper, we intelligently fabricated p-BiOBr/n-CdS heterojunctions with perfect nanosheet arrays by using a facile successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction and chemical bath deposition methods at low temperature. A BiOBr/CdS heterojunction based solar cell has been fabricated which exhibited enhanced photovoltaic responses. Assisted by the surface photovoltage (SPV), transient photovoltage (TPV) and Kelvin probe technique, the photoinduced charge transfer dynamics on the BiOBr nanosheet and p-BiOBr/n-CdS interface were systematically investigated. It was found that the BiOBr/CdS nanosheet array heterojunctions were more efficient in facilitating charge carrier separation than both bare BiOBr and CdS films. The mechanism underlying the photoinduced charge carrier transfer behaviour was unravelled by allying the energy band of BiOBr/CdS p-n junctions from both the interfacial electric field and surface electric field. In addition, the CdS loading thickness in the p-BiOBr/n-CdS heterojunction and the incident wavelength affected greatly the transfer behavior of photoinduced charges, which was of great value for design of photovoltaic devices.

Preclinical Assessment of CD171-Directed CAR T-cell Adoptive Therapy for Childhood Neuroblastoma: CE7 Epitope Target Safety and Product Manufacturing Feasibility.

PubMed

Künkele, Annette; Taraseviciute, Agne; Finn, Laura S; Johnson, Adam J; Berger, Carolina; Finney, Olivia; Chang, Cindy A; Rolczynski, Lisa S; Brown, Christopher; Mgebroff, Stephanie; Berger, Michael; Park, Julie R; Jensen, Michael C

2017-01-15

The identification and vetting of cell surface tumor-restricted epitopes for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-redirected T-cell immunotherapy is the subject of intensive investigation. We have focused on CD171 (L1-CAM), an abundant cell surface molecule on neuroblastomas and, specifically, on the glycosylation-dependent tumor-specific epitope recognized by the CE7 monoclonal antibody. CD171 expression was assessed by IHC using CE7 mAb in tumor microarrays of primary, metastatic, and recurrent neuroblastoma, as well as human and rhesus macaque tissue arrays. The safety of targeting the CE7 epitope of CD171 with CE7-CAR T cells was evaluated in a preclinical rhesus macaque trial on the basis of CD171 homology and CE7 cross reactivity. The feasibility of generating bioactive CAR T cells from heavily pretreated pediatric patients with recurrent/refractory disease was assessed. CD171 is uniformly and abundantly expressed by neuroblastoma tumor specimens obtained at diagnoses and relapse independent of patient clinical risk group. CD171 expression in normal tissues is similar in humans and rhesus macaques. Infusion of up to 1 × 10 8 /kg CE7-CAR + CTLs in rhesus macaques revealed no signs of specific on-target off-tumor toxicity. Manufacturing of lentivirally transduced CD4 + and CD8 + CE7-CAR T-cell products under GMP was successful in 4 out of 5 consecutively enrolled neuroblastoma patients in a phase I study. All four CE7-CAR T-cell products demonstrated in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity. Our preclinical assessment of the CE7 epitope on CD171 supports its utility and safety as a CAR T-cell target for neuroblastoma immunotherapy. Clin Cancer Res; 23(2); 466-77. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Morphology, structure and optical properties of hydrothermally synthesized CeO2/CdS nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanty, Biswajyoti; Nayak, J.

2018-04-01

CeO2/CdS nanocomposites were synthesized using a two-step hydrothermal technique. The effects of precursor concentration on the optical and structural properties of the CeO2/CdS nanoparticles were systematically studied. The morphology, composition and the structure of the CeO2/CdS nanocomposite powder were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrum analysis (EDXA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The optical properties of CeO2/CdS nanocomposites were studied by UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The optical band gaps of the CeO2/CdS nanopowders ranged from 2.34 eV to 2.39 eV as estimated from the UV-vis absorption. In the room temperature photoluminescence spectrum of CeO2/CdS nanopowder, a strong blue emission band was observed at 400 nm. Since the powder shows strong visible luminescence, it may be used as a blue phosphor in future. The original article published with this DOI was submitted in error. The correct article was inadvertently left out of the original submission. This has been rectified and the correct article was published online on 16 April 2018.

Enhancement of superconductivity near the pressure-induced semiconductor-metal transition in the BiS₂-based superconductors LnO₀.₅F₀.₅BiS₂ (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd).

PubMed

Wolowiec, C T; White, B D; Jeon, I; Yazici, D; Huang, K; Maple, M B

2013-10-23

Measurements of electrical resistivity were performed between 3 and 300 K at various pressures up to 2.8 GPa on the BiS2-based superconductors LnO0.5F0.5BiS2 (Ln=Pr, Nd). At lower pressures, PrO0.5F0.5BiS2 and NdO0.5F0.5BiS2 exhibit superconductivity with critical temperatures Tc of 3.5 and 3.9 K, respectively. As pressure is increased, both compounds undergo a transition at a pressure Pt from a low Tc superconducting phase to a high Tc superconducting phase in which Tc reaches maximum values of 7.6 and 6.4 K for PrO0.5F0.5BiS2 and NdO0.5F0.5BiS2, respectively. The pressure-induced transition is characterized by a rapid increase in Tc within a small range in pressure of ∼0.3 GPa for both compounds. In the normal state of PrO0.5F0.5BiS2, the transition pressure Pt correlates with the pressure where the suppression of semiconducting behaviour saturates. In the normal state of NdO0.5F0.5BiS2, Pt is coincident with a semiconductor-metal transition. This behaviour is similar to the results recently reported for the LnO0.5F0.5BiS2 (Ln=La, Ce) compounds. We observe that Pt and the size of the jump in Tc between the two superconducting phases both scale with the lanthanide element in LnO0.5F0.5BiS2 (Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd).

Bulk Superconductivity Induced by Se Substitution in BiCh2-Based Layered Compounds Eu0.5Ce0.5FBiS2-xSex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goto, Yosuke; Sogabe, Ryota; Mizuguchi, Yoshikazu

2017-10-01

We report the effect of Se substitution on the crystal structure and superconductivity of BiCh2-based (Ch: S, Se) layered compounds Eu0.5Ce0.5FBiS2-xSex (x = 0-1). Crystal structure analysis showed that both lattice constants, a and c, increased with increasing x, which is different from the related La-doped system Eu0.5La0.5FBiS2-xSex. This is due to Se substitution at both in-plane and out-of-plane Ch sites in the present Ce-doped system. Zero resistivity was observed for x = 0.2-1 above 2 K. The superconducting properties of Eu0.5Ce0.5FBiS2-xSex were investigated by magnetic susceptibility measurement, and the highest superconducting transition temperature of 3.5 K was obtained for x = 0.6 with a large shielding volume fraction. The emergence of bulk superconductivity and metallic conductivity can be qualitatively described in terms of the increased in-plane chemical pressure effect. A magnetic anomaly below 8 K, probably because of the ferromagnetic order of the magnetic moment of Ce3+ ions, coexists with bulk superconductivity in the BiCh2 layer. Since the effect of Se substitution on the magnetic transition temperature is ignorable, we suggest that the coupling between the magnetic order at the (Eu,Ce)F layer and the superconductivity at the Bi(S,Se)2 layer is weak.

Substitutional Cd and Cd-Oxygen Vacancy Complexes in ZrO2 and Ce-doped ZrO_2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zacate, Matthew O.; Karapetrova, E.; Platzer, R.; Gardner, J. A.; Evenson, W. E.; Sommers, J. A.

1996-03-01

We are using Perturbed Angular Correlation Spectroscopy (PAC) to study oxygen vacancy (V_O) dynamics in tetragonal ZrO2 and Ce-doped ZrO_2. PAC requires a radioactive probe atom, Cd in this study, which sits substitutionally for a Zr ion. Cd is doubly-negatively charged relative to the lattice and attracts doubly-positively charged V_Os. Pure tetragonal zirconia exists only above 950 ^circC and in this temperature range, the V_Os are very mobile. Above 950 ^circC we observe V_Os rapidly hopping about the Cd allowing us to determine the VO concentration and the trapping energy. We have been Ce-doping to stabilize the tetragonal phase to lower temperature to determine the electric field gradient the Cd experiences due to a stationary V_O. As a consequence of the Ce-doping, we observe a local lattice distortion about the Cd which increases with Ce-doping.

Diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy in refractory celiac disease.

PubMed

Barret, Maximilien; Malamut, Georgia; Rahmi, Gabriel; Samaha, Elia; Edery, Joël; Verkarre, Virginie; Macintyre, Elizabeth; Lenain, Emilie; Chatellier, Gilles; Cerf-Bensussan, Nadine; Cellier, Christophe

2012-10-01

Capsule endoscopy (CE) allows for the assessment of the small bowel in numerous intestinal diseases, including celiac disease (CD). The main advantage of CE is the complete visualization of the intestinal mucosal surface. The objective of this study was to investigate whether CE can predict the severity of CD and detect complications. We retrospectively studied the medical files of 9 patients with symptomatic CD, 11 patients with refractory celiac disease type I (RCDI) and 18 patients with refractory celiac disease type II (RCDII), and 45 patients without CD who were investigated both CE and upper endoscopy or enteroscopy. The type of CD was diagnosed on the basis of a centralized histological review, flow cytometry analysis of intraepithelial lymphocytes, and the analysis of T-cell receptor rearrangement by multiplex polymerase chain reaction. A total of 47 CEs (10, 11, and 26 CEs in the symptomatic CD, RCDI, and RCDII groups, respectively) from the 38 celiac patients and 47 CEs from the 45 nonceliac patients were retrospectively reviewed. Villous atrophy, numerous, or distally located ulcers were more frequent in celiac patients than in controls. Among celiac patients, CE was of acceptable quality in 96% of cases and was complete in 62% of cases. The concordance of CE with histology for villous atrophy was better than that of optic endoscopy (κ coefficient =0.45 vs. 0.24, P<0.001). Extensive mucosal damage on CE was associated with low serum albumin (P=0.003) and the RCDII form (P=0.02). Three cases of overt lymphoma were detected by CE during the follow-up. CE findings have a satisfactory concordance with histology and nutritional status in patients with symptomatic or refractory CD. Moreover, CE may predict the type of RCD and allows for the early detection of overt lymphoma.

Adsorption of cadmium on cerium oxide nanoparticles and oyster shells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Yongbo; Liu, Zhuomiao; Dang, Yonghui; Xu, Lina; Ning, Fangyuan; Xue, Yinhao; Wei, Yongpeng; Dai, Yanhui

2018-03-01

This study investigated the adsorption of cadmium (Cd(II)) by cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) and oyster shells in seawater. The results showed that the addition of Cd(II) significantly inhibited the agglomeration of CeO2 NPs both in DI water and seawater, increased the positive charges of CeO2 NPs in DI water and neutralized the negative charges of CeO2 NPs in seawater. Additionally, CeO2 NPs could adsorb Cd and the bioavailability of Cd was reduced in the presence of oyster shells. This study demonstrated that the adsorption of metals on shells should not be neglected for the accumulation of metals by shellfish.

Breaking chemoresistance and radioresistance with [213Bi]anti-CD45 antibodies in leukemia cells.

PubMed

Friesen, Claudia; Glatting, Gerhard; Koop, Bernd; Schwarz, Klaus; Morgenstern, Alfred; Apostolidis, Christos; Debatin, Klaus-Michael; Reske, Sven N

2007-03-01

Chemoresistance and radioresistance are considered one of the primary reasons for therapeutic failure in leukemias and solid tumors. Targeted radiotherapy using monoclonal antibodies radiolabeled with alpha-particles is a promising treatment approach for high-risk leukemia. We found that targeted radiotherapy using monoclonal CD45 antibodies radiolabeled with the alpha-emitter (213)Bi ([(213)Bi]anti-CD45) induces apoptosis, activates apoptosis pathways, and breaks beta-irradiation-, gamma-irradiation-, doxorubicin-, and apoptosis-resistance in leukemia cells. In contrast to beta-irradiation-, gamma-irradiation-, and doxorubicin-mediated apoptosis and DNA damage, [(213)Bi]anti-CD45-induced DNA damage was not repaired, and apoptosis was not inhibited by the nonhomologous end-joining DNA repair mechanism. Depending on the activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, [(213)Bi]anti-CD45 activated apoptosis pathways in leukemia cells through the mitochondrial pathway but independent of CD95 receptor/CD95 ligand interaction. Furthermore, [(213)Bi]anti-CD45 reversed deficient activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, deficient cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, and deficient activation of mitochondria in chemoresistant and in radioresistant and apoptosis-resistant leukemia cells. These findings show that [(213)Bi]anti-CD45 is a promising therapeutic agent to break chemoresistance and radioresistance by overcoming DNA repair mechanisms in leukemia cells and provide the foundation for discovery of novel anticancer compounds.

Synthesis of CdS/BiOBr nanosheets composites with efficient visible-light photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Haojie; Zhou, Yawen; Mei, Jinfeng; Li, Zhongyu; Xu, Song; Yao, Chao

2018-01-01

The efficient charge separation action and visible-light responding could enhance the photocatalytic property of photocatalysts. In the present study, novel CdS/BiOBr nanosheets composites were synthesized by a three-step process. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL). Under visible-light irradiation, the as-prepared CdS nanoparticles decorated BiOBr nanosheets exhibited the excellent photocatalytic activity and high stability for malachite green (MG) degradation. The photodegradation achieved maximum degradation efficiency (99%) using CdS/BiOBr-3 composites as photocatalyst. Furthermore, the possible photocatalytic mechanism upon CdS/BiOBr composites was also discussed through radical and holes trapping experiments. The heterostructure between CdS and BiOBr improved photocatalytic activity dramatically, which greatly promoted migration rate of the photoinduced electrons besides limiting the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs.

Enhanced sunlight-driven photocatalytic performance of Bi-doped CdMoO4 benefited from efficient separation of photogenerated charge pairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jiao; Liu, Huanhuan; Zhong, Junbo; Yang, Qi; Chen, Jiufu; Li, Jianzhang; Ma, Dongmei; duan, Ran

2018-06-01

In this paper, to further boost the photocatalytic performance of CdMoO4, Bi3+ was successfully doped into CdMoO4 by a facile microwave hydrothermal method. The Bi-doped CdMoO4 photocatalysts prepared were characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron spin-resonance (ESR) and surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS). The results exhibit that doping Bi3+ into CdMoO4 remarkably boosts the separation rate of photoinduced charge pairs and the specific surface area, decrease the crystal size, narrows the band gap of the CdMoO4 and induces the binding energy shift of Cd, all these advantageous factors result in the promoted photocatalytic performance of CdMoO4. Using rhodamine B (RhB) as model toxic pollutant, the photocatalytic activities of the photocatalysts were evaluated under a 500 W Xe lamp irradiation. When the molar ratio of Bi/Cd is 0.2%, Bi-CdMoO4 prepared displays the best photocatalytic performance, the photocatalytic performance of the 0.2% sample is more than twice of that of the reference CdMoO4.

Low-temperature conducting state in two candidate topological Kondo insulators: SmB 6 and Ce 3 Bi 4 Pt 3

DOE PAGES

Wakeham, N.; Rosa, P. F. S.; Wang, Y. Q.; ...

2016-07-12

We have investigated the low temperature conducting state of two Kondo insulators, SmB 6 and Ce 3Bi 4Pt 3, which have been theoretically predicted to host topological surface states. Through comparison of the speci c heat of as-grown and powdered single crystals of SmB 6, we show that the residual term that is linear in temperature is not dominated by any surface state contribution, but rather is a bulk property. In Ce 3Bi 4Pt 3, we find that the Hall coefficient is independent of sample thickness, which indicates that conduction at low temperatures is dominated by the bulk of themore » sample, and not by a surface state. The low temperature resistivity of Ce 3Bi 4Pt 3 is found to monotonically decrease with low concentrations of disorder introduced through ion-irradiation. This is in contrast to SmB 6, which is again indicative of the contrasting origins of the low temperature conduction. In SmB 6, we also show that the effect of low concentrations of irradiation damage of the surface with Fe + ions is qualitatively consistent with damage with non-magnetic ions.« less

Restricted L1 Estimators and Their Covariances,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-01

CD22 w =e 1-.< l’ -- I -M Ce -=, -2 C 22 CD -. 00 CD LJ L":v, wD .-C >-C CD U., -D -a 22J CD: CD. Vt. U.1 . CD* 31- a UOC CD I" -J zI == CŖ - 1- InCC.J...C 22 CC:.: 2 15Cb In0’C C 4 t’ 3 CD.2-cm I- I.- iC2 CD-3SJ U. cc CDam CC 22 0.-J~ I- iD C Me CC .JJ . A.2 Dt-2C. 2. D ~ 2 CD, Z-i- C -J 2Cn LI CD22 ...22 "I.- bII CD 0.-..CW I -- k- -o. CDCD-c =DDCCC-ce CDI- 22eCCDC.C I-L- 5 2wI-CDUct. I4.CDgCD Ci L., 2=9 E Mm t,2 cm CD22 ,,- D.-.2RCC Ce:CD .Cc n 9

Performances of some low-cost counter electrode materials in CdS and CdSe quantum dot-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Jun, Hieng Kiat; Careem, Mohamed Abdul; Arof, Abdul Kariem

2014-02-10

Different counter electrode (CE) materials based on carbon and Cu2S were prepared for the application in CdS and CdSe quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). The CEs were prepared using low-cost and facile methods. Platinum was used as the reference CE material to compare the performances of the other materials. While carbon-based materials produced the best solar cell performance in CdS QDSSCs, platinum and Cu2S were superior in CdSe QDSSCs. Different CE materials have different performance in the two types of QDSSCs employed due to the different type of sensitizers and composition of polysulfide electrolytes used. The poor performance of QDSSCs with some CE materials is largely due to the lower photocurrent density and open-circuit voltage. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy performed on the cells showed that the poor-performing QDSSCs had higher charge-transfer resistances and CPE values at their CE/electrolyte interfaces.

Kondo behavior and metamagnetic phase transition in the heavy-fermion compound CeBi2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, W.; Xu, C. Q.; Li, B.; Sankar, R.; Zhang, F. M.; Qian, B.; Cao, C.; Dai, J. H.; Lu, Jianming; Jiang, W. X.; Qian, Dong; Xu, Xiaofeng

2018-05-01

Heavy fermions represent an archetypal example of strongly correlated electron systems which, due to entanglement among different interactions, often exhibit exotic and fascinating physics involving Kondo screening, magnetism, and unconventional superconductivity. Here we report a comprehensive study on the transport and thermodynamic properties of a cerium-based heavy-fermion compound CeBi2 which undergoes an antiferromagnetic transition at TN˜3.3 K . Its high-temperature paramagnetic state is characterized by an enhanced heat capacity with Sommerfeld coefficient γ over 200 mJ mol-1K-2 . The magnetization in the magnetically ordered state features a metamagnetic transition. Remarkably, a large negative magnetoresistance associated with the magnetism was observed in a wide temperature and field-angle range. Collectively, CeBi2 may serve as an intriguing system to study the interplay between the f electrons and the itinerant Fermi sea.

Zero-Field Ambient-Pressure Quantum Criticality in the Stoichiometric Non-Fermi Liquid System CeRhBi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anand, Vivek K.; Adroja, Devashibhai T.; Hillier, Adrian D.; Shigetoh, Keisuke; Takabatake, Toshiro; Park, Je-Geun; McEwen, Keith A.; Pixley, Jedediah H.; Si, Qimiao

2018-06-01

We present the spin dynamics study of a stoichiometric non-Fermi liquid (NFL) system CeRhBi, using low-energy inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and muon spin relaxation (μSR) measurements. It shows evidence for an energy-temperature (E/T) scaling in the INS dynamic response and a time-field (t/Hη) scaling of the μSR asymmetry function indicating a quantum critical behavior in this compound. The E/T scaling reveals a local character of quantum criticality consistent with the power-law divergence of the magnetic susceptibility, logarithmic divergence of the magnetic heat capacity and T-linear resistivity at low temperature. The occurrence of NFL behavior and local criticality over a very wide dynamical range at zero field and ambient pressure without any tuning in this stoichiometric heavy fermion compound is striking, making CeRhBi a model system amenable to in-depth studies for quantum criticality.

Synthesis, crystal and electronic structure of the quaternary sulfides Ln{sub 2}CuMS{sub 5} (Ln=La, Ce; M=Sb, Bi)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kussainova, Ardak M.; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716; Akselrud, Lev G.

2016-01-15

The series of quaternary sulfides with general formula Ln{sub 2}CuMS{sub 5} (Ln=La, Ce; M=Sb, Bi) have been synthesized by solid-state reactions. Three representative members have been structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. La{sub 2}CuSbS{sub 5} crystallizes in a new structure type (space group Ima2 (no. 46), Z=4, a=13.401(2) Å, b=7.592(1) Å, c=7.598(1) Å, V=773.1(3) Å{sup 3}). The bismuth analogs of composition La{sub 2}CuBiS{sub 5} and Ce{sub 2}CuBiS{sub 5} crystallize with the La{sub 2}CuInSe{sub 5} structure type (space group Pnma (no. 62), Z=4). Lattice parameters for La{sub 2}CuBiS{sub 5}: a=11.9213(5) Å, b=3.9967(2) Å, c=17.0537(8) Å, V=812.56(7) Å{sup 3}; lattice parameters formore » Ce{sub 2}CuBiS{sub 5}: a=11.9179(15) Å, b=3.9596(5) Å, c=16.955(2) Å, V=800.13(17) Å{sup 3}). The similarities and the differences between the two structures are discussed. Electronic structure calculations for La{sub 2}CuSbS{sub 5} and La{sub 2}CuBiS{sub 5} are also presented; they suggest semiconducting behavior with energy gaps exceeding 1.7 eV. - Graphical abstract: La{sub 2}CuSbS{sub 5} crystallizes in a new structure type (space group Ima2 (no. 46). Its bismuth analog La{sub 2}CuBiS{sub 5} crystallizes in the La{sub 2}CuInSe{sub 5} structure type (space group Pnma (no. 62)). Z=4, a=11.9213(5) Å, b=3.9967(2) Å, c=17.0536(10) Å, V=813.53(10) Å{sup 3}). The structures are based on rare-earth metal atoms coordinated by S atoms in a trigonal-prismatic and/or square-antiprismatic fashion, Cu-centered tetrahedra, and pnictogen atoms in pyramidal or distorted octahedral coordination. - Highlights: • Ln{sub 2}CuSbS{sub 5} are complex quarternary phases crystallizing in their own structure type. • Ln{sub 2}CuSbS{sub 5} and Ce{sub 2}CuBiS{sub 5} are new compound in the respective ternary phase diagrams. • Ln{sub 2}CuSbS{sub 5} on one side, and Ln{sub 2}CuBiS{sub 5} on the other are not isotypic.« less

Antiviral Activity of HIV gp120 Targeting Bispecific T Cell Engager (BiTE®) Antibody Constructs.

PubMed

Brozy, Johannes; Schlaepfer, Erika; Mueller, Christina K S; Rochat, Mary-Aude; Rampini, Silvana K; Myburgh, Renier; Raum, Tobias; Kufer, Peter; Baeuerle, Patrick A; Muenz, Markus; Speck, Roberto F

2018-05-02

Today's gold standard in HIV therapy is the combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). It requires strict adherence by patients and life-long medication, which can lower the viral load below detection limits and prevent HIV-associated immunodeficiency, but cannot cure patients. The bispecific T cell engaging (BiTE®) antibody technology has demonstrated long-term relapse-free outcomes in patients with relapsed and refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia. We here generated BiTE® antibody constructs that target the HIV-1 envelope protein gp120 (HIV gp120) using either the scFv B12 or VRC01, the first two extracellular domains (1+2) of human CD4 alone or joined to the single chain variable fragment (scFv) of the antibody 17b fused to an anti-human CD3ϵ scFv. These engineered human BiTE® antibody constructs showed engagement of T cells for redirected lysis of HIV gp120-transfected CHO cells. Furthermore, they substantially inhibited HIV-1 replication in PBMCs as well as in macrophages co-cultured with autologous CD8+ T-cells, the most potent being the human CD4(1+2) BiTE® antibody construct and the CD4(1+2)L17b BiTE® antibody construct. The CD4(1+2) h BiTE® antibody construct promoted HIV infection of human CD4-/CD8+ T cells. In contrast, the neutralizing B12 and the VRC01 BiTE® antibody constructs as well as the CD4(1+2)L17b BiTE® antibody construct did not. Thus, BiTE® antibody constructs targeting HIV gp120 are very promising for constraining HIV and warrant further development as novel antiviral therapy with curative potential. Importance HIV is a chronic infection well controlled with the current cART. However, we lack cure of HIV, and the HIV pandemic goes on. Here we showed in vitro and ex vivo t hat a bispecific T-cell engaging (BiTE®) antibody construct targeting HIV gp120 resulted in substantially reduced HIV replication. In addition, these BiTE® antibody constructs display efficient killing of gp120 expressing cells and inhibited replication in ex vivo HIV-infected PBMCs or macrophages. We believe that BiTE® antibody constructs recognizing HIV gp120 could be a very valuable strategy for a cure of HIV in combination with cART and compounds, which reverse latency. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

CdS nanoparticles/CeO2 nanorods composite with high-efficiency visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Daotong; Pan, Bao; Jiang, Fan; Zhou, Yangen; Su, Wenyue

2016-02-01

Different mole ratios of CdS nanoparticles (NPs)/CeO2 nanorods (NRs) composites with effective contacts were synthesized through a two-step hydrothermal method. The crystal phase, microstructure, optical absorption properties, electrochemical properties and photocatalytic H2 production activity of these composites were investigated. It was concluded that the photogenerated charge carriers in the CdS NPs/CeO2 NRs composite with a proper mole ratio (1:1) exhibited the longest lifetime and highest separation efficiency, which was responsible for the highest H2-production rate of 8.4 mmol h-1 g-1 under visible-light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). The superior photocatalytic H2 evolution properties are attributed to the transfer of visible-excited electrons of CdS NPs to CeO2 NRs, which can effectively extend the light absorption range of wide-band gap CeO2 NRs. This work provides feasible routes to develop visible-light responsive CeO2-based nanomaterial for efficient solar utilization.

Photocatalytic degradation of metronidazole and methylene blue by PVA-assisted Bi2WO6-CdS nanocomposite film under visible light irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajendran, Ranjith; Varadharajan, Krishnakumar; Jayaraman, Venkatesan; Singaram, Boobas; Jeyaram, Jayaprakash

2018-02-01

The enhanced photocatalytic performance of nanocomposite is synthesized via the hydrothermal method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). Under visible light irradiation, PVA assisted Bi2WO6-CdS nanocomposite film displayed enhanced photocatalytic efficiency and inhibition of photocorrosion as compared with pure CdS, pure Bi2WO6 and Bi2WO6-CdS composite. The PVA assisted Bi2WO6-CdS composite film catalyst showed stable catalytic performance until seven successive runs with 92% of methylene blue(MB) degradation, and easy to recover after degradation of organic pollutant. PVA assisted Bi2WO6-CdS nanocomposite film has optimal band edge position for superior photocatalytic degradation. Furthermore, the trapping experiment was carried out using different scavenger for active species. Among the active species, OH· are the most responsive species which play a vital role in the degradation of metronidazole and MB.

The influence of co-sintering Bi2O3 on Yb0.2Ce0.8O2-δ ceramic SOFC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budiana, B.; Suasmoro, S.

2017-01-01

Ceramic Yb-doped CeO2 were prepared through two ways. First, sintering of mixed 20 mol % Yb2O3 and 80 mol % CeO2 at 1350 °C for 20 h and second sintering of mixed 96 mol % calcined Yb-doped CeO2 with 4 mol % Bi2O3 as a co-sintering agent at 1100 °C for 8h. Phase identification revealed that for the first sample was a cubic phase (a=5,3939Å) while the second sample showed three phases, CeO2 (cubic a=5,4254Å), YbxCe1-xO2-δ (cubic a=5,3980Å) and Bi5Yb3O12 (cubic a=10,5343Å). Cole-cole plot of impedance revealed 3 semicircles as marked of grain, grain boundary and electrode responses for B1 while for B2 showed two semicircles as marked of grain, grain boundary+electrode responses. Plot of log (σt) versus 1/T for both samples possed 2 activation energy regime, for the Sample B1 at T>650 °C Ea grain =1,01±0,04 eV and T<650 °C Ea grain =0,76±0,06 eV while for the sample B2 at T>650 °C, Ea grain =0,99±0,03 eV and T<650 °C Ea grain=0,70±0,09 eV.

Plasma-Advanced Oxidation Protein Products Are Potent High-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Antagonists In Vivo

PubMed Central

Marsche, Gunther; Frank, Sasa; Hrzenjak, Andelko; Holzer, Michael; Dirnberger, Sabine; Wadsack, Christian; Scharnagl, Hubert; Stojakovic, Tatjana; Heinemann, Akos; Oettl, Karl

2010-01-01

Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) are carried by oxidized plasma proteins, especially albumin and accumulate in subjects with renal disease and coronary artery disease. AOPPs represent an excellent novel marker of oxidative stress and their roles in the development of cardiovascular disease might be of great importance. Here, we show that in vitro–generated AOPP-albumin binds with high affinity to the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) receptor scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI). Already an equimolar concentration of AOPP-albumin to HDL blocked HDL association to SR-BI and effectively inhibited SR-BI–mediated cholesterol ester (CE) uptake. Interestingly, albumin extensively modified by advanced glycation end products (AGE-albumin), which is an established SR-BI ligand known to accumulate in renal disease, only weakly interfered with HDL binding to SR-BI. Furthermore, AOPP-albumin administration increased the plasma half-life of [3H]CE-HDL in control mice 1.6-fold (P=0.01) and 8-fold (P=0.0003) in mice infected with adenoviral vectors encoding human SR-BI. Moreover, albumin isolated from hemodialysis patients, but not albumin isolated from healthy controls, markedly inhibited SR-BI–mediated HDL-CE transfer in vitro dependent on the AOPP content of albumin. These results indicate that AOPP-albumin effectively blocks SR-BI in vitro and in vivo. Thus, depressed plasma clearance of HDL-cholesterol may contribute to the abnormal composition of HDL and the high cardiovascular risk observed in patients with chronic renal failure. PMID:19179658

Testing Room-Temperature Ionic Liquid Solutions for Depot Repair of Aluminum Coatings

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

Ne 3 Na Mg IIIB IVB VB VIB VIIB ------ VIIIB ------ IB IIB Al Si P S Cl Ar 4 K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr 5 Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc...Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe 6 Cs Ba La Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn 7 Fr Ra Ac Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Th Pa U Np...Electroplating Bath Lid Arrangement ;:::::::::::=== Thermometer Purge gas vent Anode lead Cathode lead (Extractable from the lid) Purge feed gas

Crystal Structure, Piezoelectric and Dielectric Properties of (Li, Ce)4+, Nb5+ and Mn2+ Co-doped CaBi4Ti4O15 High-Temperature Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Deqiong; Chen, Qiang; Wu, Jiagang; Bao, Shaoming; Zhang, Wen; Xiao, Dingquan; Zhu, Jianguo

2016-07-01

Bismuth-layered structured ceramics Ca0.85(Li,Ce)0.075Bi4Ti4- x Nb x O15-0.01MnCO3 were prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method. The evolution of microstructure and corresponding electrical properties were studied. All the samples presented a single bismuth layered-structural phase with m = 4, indicating that (Li, Ce)4+, Nb5+ and Mn2+ adequately enter into the pseudo-perovskite structure and form solid solutions. It was found that Ca0.85(Li,Ce)0.075Bi4Ti3.98Nb0.02O15-0.01MnCO3 (CBTLCM-0.02Nb) ceramics possess the optimum electrical properties. The piezoelectric coefficient d 33, dielectric constant ɛ r, loss tan δ, planar electromechanical coupling factor k p and Curie-temperature T C of CBTLCM-0.02Nb ceramics were found to be ˜19.6 pC/N, 160, 0.16%, 8.1% and 767°C, respectively. Furthermore, the thermal depoling behavior demonstrates that the d 33 value of x = 0.02 content remains at 16.8 pC/N after annealing at 500°C. These results suggest that the (Li, Ce)4+-, Nb5+- and Mn2+-doped CBT-based ceramics are promising candidates for high-temperature piezoelectric applications.

Objectively-measured impulsivity and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): testing competing predictions from the working memory and behavioral inhibition models of ADHD.

PubMed

Raiker, Joseph S; Rapport, Mark D; Kofler, Michael J; Sarver, Dustin E

2012-07-01

Impulsivity is a hallmark of two of the three DSM-IV ADHD subtypes and is associated with myriad adverse outcomes. Limited research, however, is available concerning the mechanisms and processes that contribute to impulsive responding by children with ADHD. The current study tested predictions from two competing models of ADHD-working memory (WM) and behavioral inhibition (BI)-to examine the extent to which ADHD-related impulsive responding was attributable to model-specific mechanisms and processes. Children with ADHD (n = 21) and typically developing children (n = 20) completed laboratory tasks that provided WM (domain-general central executive [CE], phonological/visuospatial storage/rehearsal) and BI indices (stop-signal reaction time [SSRT], stop-signal delay, mean reaction time). These indices were examined as potential mediators of ADHD-related impulsive responding on two objective and diverse laboratory tasks used commonly to assess impulsive responding (CPT: continuous performance test; VMTS: visual match-to-sample). Bias-corrected, bootstrapped mediation analyses revealed that CE processes significantly attenuated between-group impulsivity differences, such that the initial large-magnitude impulsivity differences were no longer significant on either task after accounting for ADHD-related CE deficits. In contrast, SSRT partially mediated ADHD-related impulsive responding on the CPT but not VMTS. This partial attenuation was no longer significant after accounting for shared variance between CE and SSRT; CE continued to attenuate the ADHD-impulsivity relationship after accounting for SSRT. These findings add to the growing literature implicating CE deficits in core ADHD behavioral and functional impairments, and suggest that cognitive interventions targeting CE rather than storage/rehearsal or BI processes may hold greater promise for alleviating ADHD-related impairments.

Cervical cancer cells suppress effector functions of cytotoxic T cells through the adenosinergic pathway.

PubMed

Mora-García, M L; Ávila-Ibarra, L R; García-Rocha, R; Weiss-Steider, B; Hernández-Montes, J; Don-López, C A; Gutiérrez-Serrano, V; Titla-Vilchis, I J; Fuentes-Castañeda, M C; Monroy-Mora, A; Jave-Suárez, L F; Chacón-Salinas, R; Vallejo-Castillo, L; Pérez-Tapia, S M; Monroy-García, A

2017-10-01

The expression of CD73 in tumor cells plays a significant role in the production of adenosine (Ado) that suppresses antitumor effector cells. In this study we analyzed the capability of HPV-positive (HPV+) cervical cancer (CeCa) cell lines CaSki, SiHa, HeLa, and RoVa; and HPV-negative (HPV-) cell lines C33A and ViBo to produce Ado and inhibit effector functions of CD8+ T cells. HPV+ CeCa cells expressed significantly higher levels of CD73 in the membrane (p<0.01) than HPV- CeCa cells and this expression was associated with the production of larger amounts of Ado (>400μM) compared to HPV-CeCa cells (<200μM) in the presence of AMP, as well asa stronger inhibition of (>50%) proliferation, activation, and cytotoxic activity of CD8+ T cells via interaction with A2A adenosine receptor. We also provide evidence that silenced E6/E7 expression in CeCa cells, strongly reduced its CD73 expression level and its capability to generate Ado. This results suggest that HPV infection, which is associated with more than 99% of CeCa cases, may present an increased constitutive expression of CD73 in cervical neoplasia to contribute to the suppression of the immune response mediated by the production of large amounts of Ado. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A study of Bi-Pb-Sn-Cd-Sb penta-alloys rapidly quenched from melt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamal, M.; El-Bediwi, A. B.

2004-11-01

Optical microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, the double bridge method, the Vickers microhardness testing and dynamic resonance techniques have been used to investigate structure, electrical resistivity, hardness, internal friction and elastic modulus of quenched Bi-Pb-Sn-Cd-Sb penta-alloys. The properties of these penta-alloys are greatly affected by rapid quenching. The intermetallic compound chi(Pb-Bi) or Bi3Pb7 is obtained after rapid quenching using the melt-spinning technique, and this is in agreement with reports by other authors [Marshall, T.J., Mott, G. T. and Grieverson, M. H. (1975). Br. J. Radiol., 48, 924, Kamal, M., El-Bediwi, A. B. and Karman, M. B. (1998). Structure, mechanical properties and electrical resistivity of rapidly solidified Pb-Sn-Cd and Pb-Bi-Sn-Cd alloys. J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron., 9, 425, Borromee-Gautier, C., Giessen, B. C. and Grrant, N. J. (1968). J. Chem. Phys., 48,1905, Moon, K.-W., Boettinger, W. J., Kanner, U. R., Handwerker, C. A. and Lee, D.-J. (2001). The effect of Pb contamination on the solidification behavior of Sn-Bi solders. J. Electron. Mater, 30, 45.]. The quenched Bi43.5Pb44.5Cd5Sn2Sb5 alloy has important properties for safety devices in fire detection and extinguishing systems.

PIK3C2A mRNA functions as a miR-124 sponge to facilitate CD151 expression and enhance malignancy of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

PubMed

Liu, Tao; Zu, Cai-Hua; Wang, Shu-Sen; Song, Hong-Li; Wang, Zheng-Lu; Xu, Xin-Nv; Liu, Hong-Sheng; Wang, Yu-Liang; Shen, Zhong-Yang

2016-07-12

Competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) are RNA transcripts that can crosstalk with each other by competing for shared microRNAs (miRNAs) through miRNA response elements (MREs). Involved in ceRNA networks, the RNA transcripts may be in a balance, disruption of which could lead to tumorigenesis. Here we reveal a ceRNA interaction between PIK3C2A and CD151 mRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. PIK3C2A is a candidate ceRNA of CD151 because mRNA 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs) of these two genes contain miR-124 binding sites. miR-124 is downregulated, while PIK3C2A and CD151 are upregulated in HCC cells compared with normal hepatocytes. Direct and negative regulation of PIK3C2A and CD151 by miR-124 was confirmed in HCC cells. miR-124 and the two potential ceRNAs are all recruited to the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). In HCC cell lines QGY- 7703 and SMMC-7721, and normal hepatic cell line HL-7702, miR-124 plays a tumor suppressor role by targeting PIK3C2A and CD151. The MREs within PIK3C2A 3'UTR can independently stimulate CD151 expression level by acting as miR-124 decoys. PIK3C2A MREs enhance HCC cell malignancy by absorbing endogenous miR-124 and activating CD151 in HCC cells. We conclude that PIK3C2A 3'UTR functions as a trans activator to stimulate CD151 by competing for miR-124 binding in HCC cells. The collaboration of PIK3C2A and CD151 through ceRNA mechanism may be implicated in HCC initiation and development.

Automation of IED Threat Emplacement for Training Scenarios

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

t C om bi ne p ro ce ss in g H ea t m ap pi ng Find all roads X X Find roads travelled...a 2011-134 Fi nd b y ro ut e as se ss m en t C om bi ne p ro ce ss in g wledge proce égé and then rd terminolog shared. Mu t a gravel...he route is de elRoadSeg1, ined items. fined ’ and DRDC Tor Based on G G T T G The

Role of capsule endoscopy in suspected celiac disease: A European multi-centre study

PubMed Central

Luján-Sanchis, Marisol; Pérez-Cuadrado-Robles, Enrique; García-Lledó, Javier; Juanmartiñena Fernández, José-Francisco; Elli, Luca; Jiménez-García, Victoria-Alejandra; Egea-Valenzuela, Juan; Valle-Muñoz, Julio; Carretero-Ribón, Cristina; Fernández-Urién-Sainz, Ignacio; López-Higueras, Antonio; Alonso-Lázaro, Noelia; Sanjuan-Acosta, Mileidis; Sánchez-Ceballos, Francisco; Rosa, Bruno; González-Vázquez, Santiago; Branchi, Federica; Ruano-Díaz, Lucía; Prieto-de-Frías, César; Pons-Beltrán, Vicente; Borque-Barrera, Pilar; González-Suárez, Begoña; Xavier, Sofía; Argüelles-Arias, Federico; Herrerías-Gutiérrez, Juan-Manuel; Pérez-Cuadrado-Martínez, Enrique; Sempere-García-Argüelles, Javier

2017-01-01

AIM To analyze the diagnostic yield (DY), therapeutic impact (TI) and safety of capsule endoscopy (CE). METHODS This is a multi-centre, observational, analytical, retrospective study. A total of 163 patients with suspicion of celiac disease (CD) (mean age = 46.4 ± 17.3 years, 68.1% women) who underwent CE from 2003 to 2015 were included. Patients were divided into four groups: seronegative CD with atrophy (Group-I, n = 19), seropositive CD without atrophy (Group-II, n = 39), contraindication to gastroscopy (Group-III, n = 6), seronegative CD without atrophy, but with a compatible context (Group-IV, n = 99). DY, TI and the safety of CE were analysed. RESULTS The overall DY was 54% and the final diagnosis was villous atrophy (n = 65, 39.9%), complicated CD (n = 12, 7.4%) and other enteropathies (n = 11, 6.8%; 8 Crohn’s). DY for groups I to IV was 73.7%, 69.2%, 50% and 44.4%, respectively. Atrophy was located in duodenum in 24 cases (36.9%), diffuse in 19 (29.2%), jejunal in 11 (16.9%), and patchy in 10 cases (15.4%). Factors associated with a greater DY were positive serology (68.3% vs 49.2%, P = 0.034) and older age (P = 0.008). On the other hand, neither sex nor clinical presentation, family background, positive histology or HLA status were associated with DY. CE results changed the therapeutic approach in 71.8% of the cases. Atrophy was associated with a greater TI (92.3% vs 45.3%, P < 0.001) and 81.9% of the patients responded to diet. There was one case of capsule retention (0.6%). Agreement between CE findings and subsequent histology was 100% for diagnosing normal/other conditions, 70% for suspected CD and 50% for complicated CD. CONCLUSION CE has a high DY in cases of suspicion of CD and it leads to changes in the clinical course of the disease. CE is safe procedure with a high degree of concordance with histology and it helps in the differential diagnosis of CD. PMID:28216978

Structural properties of lanthanide and actinide compounds within the plane wave pseudopotential approach

PubMed

Pickard; Winkler; Chen; Payne; Lee; Lin; White; Milman; Vanderbilt

2000-12-11

We show that plane wave ultrasoft pseudopotential methods readily extend to the calculation of the structural properties of lanthanide and actinide containing compounds. This is demonstrated through a series of calculations performed on UO, UO2, UO3, U3O8, UC2, alpha-CeC2, CeB6, CeSe, CeO2, NdB6, TmOI, LaBi, LaTiO3, YbO, and elemental Lu.

Evolution of Anisotropic Displacement Parameters and Superconductivity with Chemical Pressure in BiS2-Based REO0.5F0.5BiS2 (RE = La, Ce, Pr, and Nd)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizuguchi, Yoshikazu; Hoshi, Kazuhisa; Goto, Yosuke; Miura, Akira; Tadanaga, Kiyoharu; Moriyoshi, Chikako; Kuroiwa, Yoshihiro

2018-02-01

In order to understand the mechanisms behind the emergence of superconductivity by the chemical pressure effect in REO0.5F0.5BiS2 (RE = La, Ce, Pr, and Nd), where bulk superconductivity is induced by the substitutions with a smaller-radius RE, we performed synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction, and analyzed the crystal structure and anisotropic displacement parameters. With the decrease of the RE3+ ionic radius, the in-plane disorder of the S1 sites significantly decreased, very similar to the trend observed in the Se-substituted systems: LaO0.5F0.5BiS2-xSex and Eu0.5La0.5FBiS2-xSex. Therefore, the emergence of bulk superconductivity upon the suppression of the in-plane disorder at the chalcogen sites is a universal scenario for the BiCh2-based superconductors. In addition, we indicated that the amplitude of vibration along the c-axis of the in-plane chalcogen sites may be related to the Tc in the BiCh2-based superconductors.

Pressure and temperature dependence of the Ce valence and c -f hybridization gap in Ce T2In5(T =Co ,Rh ,Ir ) heavy-fermion superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaoka, H.; Yamamoto, Y.; Schwier, E. F.; Honda, F.; Zekko, Y.; Ohta, Y.; Lin, J.-F.; Nakatake, M.; Iwasawa, H.; Arita, M.; Shimada, K.; Hiraoka, N.; Ishii, H.; Tsuei, K.-D.; Mizuki, J.

2015-12-01

Pressure- and temperature-induced changes in the Ce valence and c -f hybridization of the Ce115 superconductors have been studied systematically. Resonant x-ray-emission spectroscopy indicated that the increase of the Ce valence with pressure was significant for CeCoIn5, and moderate for CeIr (In0.925Cd0.075)5 . We found no abrupt change of the Ce valence in the Kondo regime for CeIr (In0.925Cd0.075)5 , which suggests that valence fluctuations are unlikely to mediate the superconductivity in this material. X-ray-diffraction results were consistent with the pressure-induced change in the Ce valence. High-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy revealed a temperature-dependent reduction of the spectral intensity at the Fermi level, indicating enhanced c -f hybridization on cooling.

UV-emitting phosphors: synthesis, photoluminescence and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thakare, D. S.; Omanwar, S. K.; Muthal, P. L.; Dhopte, S. M.; Kondawar, V. K.; Moharil, S. V.

2004-02-01

UV-emitting phosphors find uses in various applications, such as photocopying, phototherapy, sun tanning, etc. The phosphor requirements for these applications vary. Simple methods for preparing different UV-emitting phosphors are described. Novel syntheses for some borates (SrB4O7:Eu, CeMgB5O10:Gd, GdBO3:Pr, LaB3O6:Ce,Bi, LaB3O6:Gd,Bi, LaB3O6:Ce, Ba2B5O9Cl:Eu), a silicate (Ba2SiO5:Pb), phosphates (Sr2-xMgxP2O7:Eu) and a sulphate (CaSO4:Eu) are reported. Photoluminescence spectra of the phosphors so prepared are presented and discussed in the context of applications like phototherapy and photocopying lamps, photoluminescent liquid crystal displays, radiophotoluminescence, etc.

Genetic evaluation using single-step genomic best linear unbiased predictor in American Angus.

PubMed

Lourenco, D A L; Tsuruta, S; Fragomeni, B O; Masuda, Y; Aguilar, I; Legarra, A; Bertrand, J K; Amen, T S; Wang, L; Moser, D W; Misztal, I

2015-06-01

Predictive ability of genomic EBV when using single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) in Angus cattle was investigated. Over 6 million records were available on birth weight (BiW) and weaning weight (WW), almost 3.4 million on postweaning gain (PWG), and over 1.3 million on calving ease (CE). Genomic information was available on, at most, 51,883 animals, which included high and low EBV accuracy animals. Traditional EBV was computed by BLUP and genomic EBV by ssGBLUP and indirect prediction based on SNP effects was derived from ssGBLUP; SNP effects were calculated based on the following reference populations: ref_2k (contains top bulls and top cows that had an EBV accuracy for BiW ≥0.85), ref_8k (contains all parents that were genotyped), and ref_33k (contains all genotyped animals born up to 2012). Indirect prediction was obtained as direct genomic value (DGV) or as an index of DGV and parent average (PA). Additionally, runs with ssGBLUP used the inverse of the genomic relationship matrix calculated by an algorithm for proven and young animals (APY) that uses recursions on a small subset of reference animals. An extra reference subset included 3,872 genotyped parents of genotyped animals (ref_4k). Cross-validation was used to assess predictive ability on a validation population of 18,721 animals born in 2013. Computations for growth traits used multiple-trait linear model and, for CE, a bivariate CE-BiW threshold-linear model. With BLUP, predictivities were 0.29, 0.34, 0.23, and 0.12 for BiW, WW, PWG, and CE, respectively. With ssGBLUP and ref_2k, predictivities were 0.34, 0.35, 0.27, and 0.13 for BiW, WW, PWG, and CE, respectively, and with ssGBLUP and ref_33k, predictivities were 0.39, 0.38, 0.29, and 0.13 for BiW, WW, PWG, and CE, respectively. Low predictivity for CE was due to low incidence rate of difficult calving. Indirect predictions with ref_33k were as accurate as with full ssGBLUP. Using the APY and recursions on ref_4k gave 88% gains of full ssGBLUP and using the APY and recursions on ref_8k gave 97% gains of full ssGBLUP. Genomic evaluation in beef cattle with ssGBLUP is feasible while keeping the models (maternal, multiple trait, and threshold) already used in regular BLUP. Gains in predictivity are dependent on the composition of the reference population. Indirect predictions via SNP effects derived from ssGBLUP allow for accurate genomic predictions on young animals, with no advantage of including PA in the index if the reference population is large. With the APY conditioning on about 10,000 reference animals, ssGBLUP is potentially applicable to a large number of genotyped animals without compromising predictive ability.

Photocatalytic activity of binary metal oxide nanocomposites of CeO2/CdO nanospheres: Investigation of optical and antimicrobial activity.

PubMed

Magdalane, C Maria; Kaviyarasu, K; Vijaya, J Judith; Siddhardha, Busi; Jeyaraj, B

2016-10-01

We report the synthesis of high quality CeO2-CdO binary metal oxide nanocomposites were synthesized by a simple chemical precipitation and hydrothermal method. Cerium nitrate and cadmium nitrate were used as precursors. Composition, structure and morphology of the nanocomposites were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). XRD pattern proves that the final product has cubic phase and the particle size diameter of the nanocomposites are 27nm, XRD results also indicated that the crystalline properties of the nanocomposite were improved without affecting the parent lattice, FESEM analysis indicates that the product is composed of spherical particles in clusters. The morphological and optical properties of CeO2-CdO nanosamples were characterized by HRTEM and DRS spectroscopy. The IR results showed high purity of products and indicated that the nanocomposites are made up of CeO2 and CdO bonds. Absorption spectra exhibited an upward shift in characteristic peaks caused by the addition of transition metal oxide, suggesting that crystallinity of both the metal oxide is improved due to specific doping level. TGA plots further confirmed the purity and stability of nanomaterials prepared. Hence the nanocomposite has cubic crystal lattice and form a homogeneous solid structure. From the result, Cd(2+) ions are embedded in the cubic crystal lattice of ceria. The growth rate increases which are ascribed to the cationic doping with a lower valence cation. Ce-Cd binary metal oxide nanocomposites showed antibacterial activity, it showed the better growth inhibition towards p.aeruginosa. Exploit of photodegradation and photocatalytic activity of large scale synthesis of CeO2-CdO binary metal oxide nanocomposites was reported. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Immunologic Impact of RAF Inhibitors to Guide Optimal Combination of RAF Inhibitors and Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Advanced Melanoma

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

TILS (Vehicle) Fr eq o f P ar en t CD4+ T cells CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ CD8+ CD8+PD1+ CD8+GrzB...PDL1+ CD 4+ T ce lls CD 4+ CD 25 +F ox p3 + CD 8+ CD 8+ PD 1+ CD 8+ Gr zB + CD 8+ Ki6 7+ 0 10 20 30 40 Day 5 - TILS (BRAFi) Fr eq o f P ar en t...ce lls CD 4+ CD 25 +F ox p3 + CD 8+ CD 8+ PD 1+ CD 8+ Gr zB + CD 8+ Ki6 7+ 0 10 20 30 40 Day 2 - TILS (Vehicle) Fr eq o f P ar en t CD4+ T cells

ApoA-II modulates the association of HDL with class B scavenger receptors SR-BI and CD36.

PubMed

de Beer, Maria C; Castellani, Lawrence W; Cai, Lei; Stromberg, Arnold J; de Beer, Frederick C; van der Westhuyzen, Deneys R

2004-04-01

The class B scavenger receptors SR-BI and CD36 exhibit a broad ligand binding specificity. SR-BI is well characterized as a HDL receptor that mediates selective cholesteryl ester uptake from HDL. CD36, a receptor for oxidized LDL, also binds HDL and mediates selective cholesteryl ester uptake, although much less efficiently than SR-BI. Apolipoprotein A-II (apoA-II), the second most abundant HDL protein, is considered to be proatherogenic, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We previously showed that apoA-II modulates SR-BI-dependent binding and selective uptake of cholesteryl ester from reconstituted HDL. To investigate the effect of apoA-II in naturally occurring HDL on these processes, we compared HDL without apoA-II (from apoA-II null mice) with HDLs containing differing amounts of apoA-II (from C57BL/6 mice and transgenic mice expressing a mouse apoA-II transgene). The level of apoA-II in HDL was inversely correlated with HDL binding and selective cholesteryl ester uptake by both scavenger receptors, particularly CD36. Interestingly, for HDL lacking apoA-II, the efficiency with which CD36 mediated selective uptake reached a level similar to that of SR-BI. These results demonstrate that apoA-II exerts a marked effect on HDL binding and selective lipid uptake by the class B scavenger receptors and establishes a potentially important relationship between apoA-II and CD36.

Bi2S3microspheres grown on graphene sheets as low-cost counter-electrode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guang; Chen, Xiaoshuang; Gao, Guandao

2014-02-01

In this work, we synthesized 3D Bi2S3 microspheres comprised of nanorods grown along the (211) facet on graphene sheets by a solvothermal route, and investigated its catalytic activities through I-V curves and conversion efficiency tests as the CE in DSSCs. Although the (211) facet has a large band gap for a Bi2S3 semiconductor, owing to the introduction of graphene into the system, its short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and efficiency were Jsc = 12.2 mA cm-2, Voc = 0.75 V, FF = 0.60, and η = 5.5%, respectively. By integrating it with graphene sheets, our material achieved the conversion efficiency of 5.5%, which is almost triple the best conversion efficiency value of the DSSCs with (211)-faceted 3D Bi2S3 without graphene (1.9%) reported in the latest literature. Since this conversion-efficient 3D material grown on the graphene sheets significantly improves its catalytic properties, it paves the way for designing and applying low-cost Pt-free CE materials in DSSC from inorganic nanostructures.In this work, we synthesized 3D Bi2S3 microspheres comprised of nanorods grown along the (211) facet on graphene sheets by a solvothermal route, and investigated its catalytic activities through I-V curves and conversion efficiency tests as the CE in DSSCs. Although the (211) facet has a large band gap for a Bi2S3 semiconductor, owing to the introduction of graphene into the system, its short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and efficiency were Jsc = 12.2 mA cm-2, Voc = 0.75 V, FF = 0.60, and η = 5.5%, respectively. By integrating it with graphene sheets, our material achieved the conversion efficiency of 5.5%, which is almost triple the best conversion efficiency value of the DSSCs with (211)-faceted 3D Bi2S3 without graphene (1.9%) reported in the latest literature. Since this conversion-efficient 3D material grown on the graphene sheets significantly improves its catalytic properties, it paves the way for designing and applying low-cost Pt-free CE materials in DSSC from inorganic nanostructures. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr06093d

Relationship between domestic smoking and metals and rare earth elements concentration in indoor PM2.5.

PubMed

Drago, Gaspare; Perrino, Cinzia; Canepari, Silvia; Ruggieri, Silvia; L'Abbate, Luca; Longo, Valeria; Colombo, Paolo; Frasca, Daniele; Balzan, Martin; Cuttitta, Giuseppina; Scaccianoce, Gianluca; Piva, Giuseppe; Bucchieri, Salvatore; Melis, Mario; Viegi, Giovanni; Cibella, Fabio; Balzan, Martin; Bilocca, David; Borg, Charles; Montefort, Stephen; Zammit, Christopher; Bucchieri, Salvatore; Cibella, Fabio; Colombo, Paolo; Cuttitta, Giuseppina; Drago, Gaspare; Ferrante, Giuliana; L'Abbate, Luca; Grutta, Stefania La; Longo, Valeria; Melis, Mario R; Ruggieri, Silvia; Viegi, Giovanni; Minardi, Remo; Piva, Giuseppe; Ristagno, Rosaria; Rizzo, Gianfranco; Scaccianoce, Gianluca

2018-04-16

Cigarette smoke is the main source of indoor chemical and toxic elements. Cadmium (Cd), Thallium (Tl), Lead (Pb) and Antimony (Sb) are important contributors to smoke-related health risks. Data on the association between Rare Earth Elements (REE) Cerium (Ce) and Lanthanum (La) and domestic smoking are scanty. To evaluate the relationship between cigarette smoke, indoor levels of PM 2.5 and heavy metals, 73 children were investigated by parental questionnaire and skin prick tests. The houses of residence of 41 "cases" and 32 "controls" (children with and without respiratory symptoms, respectively) were evaluated by 48-h PM 2.5 indoor/outdoor monitoring. PM 2.5 mass concentration was determined by gravimetry; the extracted and mineralized fractions of elements (As, Cd, Ce, La, Mn, Pb, Sb, Sr, Tl) were evaluated by ICP-MS. PM 2.5 and Ce, La, Cd, and Tl indoor concentrations were higher in smoker dwellings. When corrected for confounding factors, PM 2.5 , Ce, La, Cd, and Tl were associated with more likely presence of respiratory symptoms in adolescents. We found that: i) indoor smoking is associated with increased levels of PM 2.5 , Ce, La, Cd, and Tl and ii) the latter with increased presence of respiratory symptoms in children. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mesenchymal stromal cells derived from cervical cancer produce high amounts of adenosine to suppress cytotoxic T lymphocyte functions.

PubMed

de Lourdes Mora-García, María; García-Rocha, Rosario; Morales-Ramírez, Omar; Montesinos, Juan José; Weiss-Steider, Benny; Hernández-Montes, Jorge; Ávila-Ibarra, Luis Roberto; Don-López, Christian Azucena; Velasco-Velázquez, Marco Antonio; Gutiérrez-Serrano, Vianey; Monroy-García, Alberto

2016-10-26

In recent years, immunomodulatory mechanisms of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) from bone marrow and other "classic" sources have been described. However, the phenotypic and functional properties of tumor MSCs are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the immunosuppressive capacity of cervical cancer-derived MSCs (CeCa-MSCs) on effector T lymphocytes through the purinergic pathway. We determined the expression and functional activity of the membrane-associated ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73 on CeCa-MSCs and normal cervical tissue-derived MSCs (NCx-MSCs). We also analyzed their immunosuppressive capacity to decrease proliferation, activation and effector cytotoxic T (CD8+) lymphocyte function through the generation of adenosine (Ado). We detected that CeCa-MSCs express higher levels of CD39 and CD73 ectonucleotidases in cell membranes compared to NCx-MSCs, and that this feature was associated with the ability to strongly suppress the proliferation, activation and effector functions of cytotoxic T-cells through the generation of large amounts of Ado from the hydrolysis of ATP, ADP and AMP nucleotides. This study suggests that CeCa-MSCs play an important role in the suppression of the anti-tumor immune response in CeCa through the purinergic pathway.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wen, Haiming; van Rooyen, Isabella J.

Here, detailed electron microscopy studies were performed to investigate the distribution and composition of fission products in the SiC layer of a tristructural isotropic coated particle exhibiting localized corrosion. Previous studies on this particle indicated that pure carbon areas in the SiC layer, resulting from localized corrosion of SiC by Pd, provide pathways for Ag, Cd and Cs migration. This study reveals the presence of Ag- and/or Cd-containing precipitates in un-corroded SiC areas. Ag/Cd may exist by themselves or coexist with Pd. Ag/Cd mainly transport along SiC grain boundaries. An Ag-Pd-Cd precipitate was identified at a stacking fault inside amore » SiC grain, suggesting that intragranular transport of Ag/Cd is possible. Ce is present with Pd or Pd-U in some precipitates >50 nm. U and Ce frequently coexist with each other, whereas Ag/Cd usually does not coexist with U or Ce. No Cs was detected in any precipitates in the areas examined.« less

Crystallographic Study of Mixture CeBa1.8Pb0.2Cu3Oy in the Range of 860°C to 940 °C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stergiou, A.; Yilmaz, S.; Stergiou, C.

2007-04-01

A powder mixture with chemical formula CeBa1.8Pb0.2Cu3Oy was prepared. The mixture was heated in free atmosphere, at temperatures 860°C to 940°C, for 24 to 72h. The samples were measured by X-Ray powder diffraction with CuKa radiation. Each sample was characterized with the help of the PDF and refined, using the Rietveld's ``Powder Profile Analysis''. The first sample (860°C) was identified with the phases: Ba2CeBiO6, CuO and BaCuO2, while all the remaining samples (870°C-940°C) with the phases Ba2CePbO6, CuO and CeO2. The phases Ba2CeBiO6 and Ba2CePbO6 are the main phases with analogous chemical types, but different symmetry. The phase CuO is common in all the samples, while from the remaining phases the BaCuO2 appears only in the first sample and the CeO2 in all, except the first one. The quantity 0.2 of Pb is distributed in the Ba positions, substituting a part of these. The percentages of phases are about 82%, 10% and 8% for the first sample and for all the remaining about 85%, 8% and 7%, respectively with above serious.

Structural Investigations of the MnO-Bi3O3-CdO Glass System by IR and Raman Spectroscopies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardelean, I.; Todor, Ioana; PǍŞCUŢǍ, P.

Homogeneous glasses are formed in the MnO-Bi3O3-CdO system, up to 50 mol% MnO. For these glasses, IR and Raman spectral measurements are carried out in order to elucidate the local structure. We identify by IR spectroscopy both the structural units BiO3 and BiO6. The Raman investigation confirms the prevalence of BiO6 groups in the glass network for all concentrations. The number of these structural groups progressively increases with MnO content.

A-Site (MCe) Substitution Effects on the Structures and Properties of CaBi4Ti4O15 Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Haixue; Li, Chengen; Zhou, Jiaguang; Zhu, Weimin; He, Lianxin; Song, Yuxin

2000-11-01

We investigated the effect of A-site compound substitution on the structures and properties of Ca0.8(MCe)0.1Bi4Ti4O15 (M denotes Li, Na and K) ceramics. The samples were prepared by the conventional ceramic technique. Sintering characteristics of Ca0.8(MCe)0.1Bi4Ti4O15 and CaBi4Ti4O15 ceramics were discussed. X-ray powder diffraction patterns of the three modified CBT-based compounds show a single phase of bismuth oxide layer type structure with m=4. The hysteresis loops of polarization versus electric field of the four compounds were also measured. A-site compound substitution improves the piezoelectric properties and the high-temperature resistivity of these materials. A-site (LiCe) and (KCe) substitution not only improves the Curie temperature but also decreases the temperature coefficient of dielectric constant (TK\\varepsilon). Among the three modified ceramics, only the Curie temperature of Ca0.8(NaCe)0.1Bi4Ti4O15 is lower than that of CaBi4Ti4O15; however, its TK\\varepsilon is the lowest. As a result, all the three modified CBT-based ceramics were found to be excellent high-temperature piezoelectric materials.

Phase homology in new layered mixed Li, M (M=Mg, Cu, Cd, Pb, Bi) bismuth oxophosphates and oxoarsenates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozin, M. S.; Colmont, M.; Endara, D.; Aliev, A.; Huvé, M.; Siidra, O. I.; Krivovichev, S. V.; Mentré, O.

2013-03-01

Single crystals of two novel bismuth oxocompounds were grown from melts and the corresponding pure powders obtained from solid state reactions. Both compounds were structurally characterized using X-Ray diffraction techniques. [Bi7O7][BiO]7Cd1Li2(PO4)6 (1) is monoclinic, C2/m, a=26.9234(23), b=5.2926(5), c=12.3024(10) Å, β=106.45(5)°, R1=0.042 and ωR2=0.062. The crystal structure of 1 is related to that of [Bi7O7][BiO]7Bii0.66Li2(PO4)6 and consists of the [Bi7O7]7+ tetrahedral layers with the [(BiO)7CdLi2(PO4)6]7- interlayer blocks, where [BiO]+ denotes units attached to the layers of oxocentered tetrahedra. [Bi4O4][BiO]4Cu1Li2(AsO4)4 (2) is monoclinic, P21/c, a=8.8133(4), b=24.346(1), c=5.4056(2) Å, β=106,93(2)°, R1=0.031 and ωR2=0.035. The crystal structure of 2 is based upon layers similar to those observed in 1, but with the modified topology of the interlayer block. Both compounds can be considered as derivatives from the parent δ-Bi2O3 fluorite-like structure, where phosphorus and arsenic atoms substitute for some Bi sites. The arrangement of the [BiO]+ layers and the XO4 (X=P, As) interlayer groups is significantly modified compared to the previously known Cd compound. The comparison and review of the related structures is given. The variety of aliovalent cations able to incorporate in the interlayer as well as the strong structural resemblance with the Aurivillius series compounds establishes the new routes for the further prospective syntheses of novel but related phases with various important applications.

Pregnancy outcomes in women with chronic endometritis and recurrent pregnancy loss.

PubMed

McQueen, Dana B; Perfetto, Candice O; Hazard, Florette K; Lathi, Ruth B

2015-10-01

To evaluate the prevalence of chronic endometritis (CE) in women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and compare pregnancy outcomes in women with and without CE. Case-control observational study. Academic fertility practice. Women with two or more pregnancy losses. Hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining was performed on all endometrial biopsies and plasma cells were identified by morphology. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for CD138 was later applied to all tissue samples. Charts were reviewed to evaluate the outcome of the next clinical intrauterine pregnancy. Miscarriage rate and live birth rate. A total of 107 women met inclusion criteria. The use of CD138 IHC staining resulted in a significantly higher prevalence of CE compared with the use of H & E staining and morphological assessment alone (56% [60/107] vs. 13% [14/107]). The 51 women with untreated CE were compared with the 45 women without CE by CD138 staining. Among those women with a subsequent pregnancy, the live birth rate in the next clinical intrauterine pregnancy after endometrial evaluation was 67.6% (23/34) in women with untreated CE and 87.1% (27/31) in women without CE. Age, body mass index (BMI), results of RPL evaluation, and number of prior losses were not significantly different between the two groups. CD138 IHC staining of endometrial biopsies in women with RPL provides increased sensitivity when screening for CE compared with H & E staining and morphological assessment alone. Untreated CE may contribute to poor pregnancy outcomes and deserves further investigation in a larger cohort. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Streptococcal Serum Opacity Factor Increases Hepatocyte Uptake of Human Plasma High Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol1

PubMed Central

Gillard, Baiba K.; Rosales, Corina; Pillai, Biju K.; Lin, Hu Yu; Courtney, Harry S.; Pownall, Henry J.

2010-01-01

Serum opacity factor (SOF), a virulence determinant of Streptococcus pyogenes, converts plasma high density lipoproteins (HDL) to three distinct species: lipid-free apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, neo HDL, a small discoidal HDL-like particle, and a large cholesteryl ester-rich microemulsion (CERM), that contains the cholesterol esters (CE) of up to ~400,000 HDL particles and apo E as its major protein. Similar SOF reaction products are obtained with HDL, total plasma lipoproteins and whole plasma. We hypothesized that hepatic uptake of CERM-CE via multiple apo E dependent receptors would be faster than that of HDL-CE. We tested our hypothesis using human hepatoma cells and lipoprotein receptor-specific Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. [3H]CE uptake by HepG2 and Huh7 cells from HDL after SOF treatment, which transfers >90% of HDL-CE to CERM, was respectively 2.4 and 4.5 times faster than from control HDL. CERM-[3H]CE uptake was inhibited by LDL and HDL, suggestive of uptake by both the LDL receptor (LDL-R) and scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI). Studies in CHO cells specifically expressing LDL-R and SR-BI confirmed CERM-[3H]CE uptake by both receptors. RAP and heparin inhibit CERM-[3H]CE but not HDL-[3H]CE uptake thereby implicating LRP-1 and cell surface proteoglycans in this process. These data demonstrate that SOF treatment of HDL increases CE uptake via multiple hepatic apo E receptors. In so doing, SOF might increase hepatic disposal of plasma cholesterol in a way that is therapeutically useful. PMID:20879789

Weak hybridization and isolated localized magnetic moments in the compounds CeT 2Cd 20 (T = Ni, Pd)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, B. D.; Yazici, D.; Ho, P. -C.

2015-07-20

Here, we report the physical properties of single crystals of the compounds CeT 2Cd 20 (T = Ni, Pd) that were grown in a molten Cd flux. Large separations of ~6.7- 6.8 Å between Ce ions favor the localized magnetic moments that are observed in measurements of the magnetization. The strength of the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya- Yosida magnetic exchange interaction between the localized moments is severely limited by the large Ce-Ce separations and by weak hybridization between localized Ce 4f and itinerant electron states. Measurements of electrical resistivity performed down to 0.138 K were unable to observe evidence for the emergence ofmore » magnetic order; however, magnetically-ordered ground states with very low transition temperatures are still expected in these compounds despite the isolated nature of the localized magnetic moments. Such a fragile magnetic order could be highly susceptible to tuning via applied pressure, but evidence for the emergence of magnetic order has not been observed so far in our measurements up to 2.5 GPa.« less

Improved hole-injection and power efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes using an ultrathin cerium fluoride buffer layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Hsin-Wei; Kao, Po-Ching; Chu, Sheng-Yuan

2016-09-01

In this study, the efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) was enhanced by depositing a CeF3 film as an ultra-thin buffer layer between the ITO and NPB hole transport layer, with the structure configuration ITO/CeF3 (1 nm)/NPB (40 nm)/Alq3 (60 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (150 nm). The enhancement mechanism was systematically investigated via several approaches. The work function increased from 4.8 eV (standard ITO electrode) to 5.2 eV (1-nm-thick UV-ozone treated CeF3 film deposited on the ITO electrode). The turn-on voltage decreased from 4.2 V to 4.0 V at 1 mA/cm2, the luminance increased from 7588 cd/m2 to 10820 cd/m2, and the current efficiency increased from 3.2 cd/A to 3.5 cd/A when the 1-nm-thick UV-ozone treated CeF3 film was inserted into the OLEDs.

Blinatumomab, a Bi-Specific Anti-CD19/CD3 BiTE® Antibody for the Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Perspectives and Current Pediatric Applications

PubMed Central

Hoffman, Lindsey M.; Gore, Lia

2014-01-01

Leukemia is the most common childhood malignancy and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represents the largest sub-type. Despite remarkable improvements over the last 40 years, standard therapy fails in 10–20% of newly diagnosed patients. Survival for children with relapsed ALL is poor, and the development and implementation of novel therapeutic strategies in pediatric ALL are critical to further advancements. Immunotherapeutic approaches have been central to more novel ALL therapies. However, more recent innovation in antibody engineering has improved potency and efficacy, and antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are an especially attractive option in severely immunocompromised patients. An even more sophisticated antibody design is that of bi-specific T-cell engaging or BiTE® antibodies, which directly recruit effector T cells to augment the anti-neoplastic effect. This review focuses on blinatumomab, a bi-specific anti-CD19/CD3 antibody that has shown efficacy in adult patients with precursor B-ALL and is currently being evaluated in the pediatric setting. PMID:24744989

Negatively Cooperative Binding of High Density Lipoprotein to the HDL Receptor SR-BI†

PubMed Central

Nieland, Thomas J.F.; Xu, Shangzhe; Penman, Marsha; Krieger, Monty

2011-01-01

Scavenger receptor class B, type I (SR-BI) is a high-density lipoprotein (HDL) receptor, which also binds low density lipoprotein (LDL), and mediates the cellular selective uptake of cholesteryl esters from lipoproteins. SR-BI also is a co-receptor for hepatitis C virus and a signaling receptor that regulates cell metabolism. Many investigators have reported that lipoproteins bind to SR-BI via a single class of independent (not interacting), high affinity binding sites (one site model). We have re-investigated the ligand concentration dependence of 125I-HDL binding to SR-BI and SR-BI-mediated specific uptake of [3H]CE from [3H]CE-HDL using an expanded range of ligand concentrations (<1 µg protein/ml, lower than previously reported). Scatchard and non-linear least squares model fitting analyses of the binding and uptake data were both inconsistent with a single class of independent binding sites binding univalent lipoprotein ligands. The data are best fit by models in which SR-BI has either two independent classes of binding sites, or one class of sites exhibiting negative cooperativity due to either classic allostery or ensemble effects (‘ lattice model’). Similar results were observed for LDL. Application of the ‘infinite dilution’ dissociation rate method established that the binding of 125I-HDL to SR-BI at 4 °C exhibits negative cooperativity. The unexpected complexity of the interactions of lipoproteins with SR-BI should be taken into account when interpreting the results of experiments that explore the mechanism(s) by which SR-BI mediates ligand binding, lipid transport and cell signaling. PMID:21254782

Evolution of ground-state wave function in CeCoIn 5 upon Cd or Sn doping

DOE PAGES

Chen, K.; Strigari, F.; Sundermann, M.; ...

2018-01-17

We present linear polarization-dependent soft-x-ray absorption spectroscopy data at the Ce M 4,5 edges of Cd- and Sn-doped CeCoIn 5. The 4f ground-state wave functions have been determined for their superconducting, antiferromagnetic, and paramagnetic ground states. The absence of changes in the wave functions in CeCo (In 1- xCd x) 5 suggests that the 4f-conduction-electron (c f) hybridization is not affected by global Cd doping, thus supporting the interpretation of magnetic droplets nucleating long-range magnetic order. This is contrasted by changes in the wave function due to Sn substitution. Increasing Sn in CeCo (In 1 - ySn y) 5 compressesmore » the 4f orbitals into the tetragonal plane of these materials, suggesting enhanced c f hybridization with the in-plane In(1) atoms and a homogeneous altering of the electronic structure. As these experiments show, the 4 f wave functions are a very sensitive probe of small changes in the hybridization of 4f and conduction electrons, even conveying information about direction dependencies.« less

Evolution of ground-state wave function in CeCoIn 5 upon Cd or Sn doping

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, K.; Strigari, F.; Sundermann, M.

We present linear polarization-dependent soft-x-ray absorption spectroscopy data at the Ce M 4,5 edges of Cd- and Sn-doped CeCoIn 5. The 4f ground-state wave functions have been determined for their superconducting, antiferromagnetic, and paramagnetic ground states. The absence of changes in the wave functions in CeCo (In 1- xCd x) 5 suggests that the 4f-conduction-electron (c f) hybridization is not affected by global Cd doping, thus supporting the interpretation of magnetic droplets nucleating long-range magnetic order. This is contrasted by changes in the wave function due to Sn substitution. Increasing Sn in CeCo (In 1 - ySn y) 5 compressesmore » the 4f orbitals into the tetragonal plane of these materials, suggesting enhanced c f hybridization with the in-plane In(1) atoms and a homogeneous altering of the electronic structure. As these experiments show, the 4 f wave functions are a very sensitive probe of small changes in the hybridization of 4f and conduction electrons, even conveying information about direction dependencies.« less

Impact of gadolinium-based contrast agent in the assessment of Crohn's disease activity: Is contrast agent injection necessary?

PubMed

Quaia, Emilio; Sozzi, Michele; Gennari, Antonio Giulio; Pontello, Michele; Angileri, Roberta; Cova, Maria Assunta

2016-03-01

To determine whether magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) performed without intravenous contrast injection is diagnostically noninferior to conventional contrast-enhanced MRE (CE-MRE) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). This was an Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved retrospective study. Ninety-six patients (52 male and 44 female; 47.18 years ± 13.6) with a diagnosis of CD underwent MRE at 1.5T including T2 -weighted single-shot turbo-spin-echo, T2 -weighted spectral fat presaturation with inversion recovery (SPAIR), T1 -weighted balanced fast-field-echo MR sequences, and CE-MRE consisting in T1 -weighted breath-hold THRIVE 3D MRI sequences after administration of gadobenate dimeglumine (0.2 mL/kg of body weight). Unenhanced MRE, CE-MRE, and unenhanced MRE plus CE-MRE were reviewed in separate sessions with blinding by two readers in consensus, and subsequently by two other readers independently considering a subgroup of 20 patients. Crohn's Disease Endoscopic Index of Severity (CDEIS) and/or histologic analysis of the surgical specimen were considered as reference standards for the assessment of inflammatory activity. Patients revealed prevalently active (n = 55 patients) or quiescent CD (n = 41 patients). The agreement between unenhanced MRE vs. CE-MRE in interpreting active bowel inflammation was 96% (123/128 bowel segments; one-sided 95% confidence interval [CI], >94.4%). Unenhanced MRE vs. CE-MRE vs. unenhanced MRE plus CE-MRE revealed a diagnostic accuracy of 93% [90/96] vs. 92% [88/96] vs. 97% [93/96] (P > 0.05) in the diagnosis of active CD. Interreader agreement was very good for all variables (κ value = 0.8-0.9) except for the measurement of the length of disease (κ value = 0.45). Unenhanced MRE was noninferior to CE-MRE in diagnosing active inflammation in patients with CD. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using a double-doping strategy to improve physical properties of nanostructured CdO films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aydin, R.; Sahin, B.

2018-06-01

In this present study nanostructured dually doped samples of Cd1‑x‑yMgxMyO (M: Sn, Pb, Bi) are synthesized by SILAR method. The effects of the mono and dual doping on the structural, morphological and optoelectronic characteristics of CdO nanoparticles are examined. The SEM images verify that deposited CdO films are nano-sized. Also the SEM computations demonstrated that the morphological surface structures of the films were influenced from the Mg mono doping and (Mg, Sn), (Mg, Pb) and (Mg, Bi) dual doping. The XRD designs specified that all the CdO samples have polycrystalline structure exhibiting cubic crystal form with dominant peaks of (111) and (220). The results display that Mg and (Mg, Sn), (Mg, Pb) and (Mg, Bi) ions were successfully doped into CdO film matrix. The UV spectroscopy results show that the optical energy band gap of the CdO films, ranging from 2.21 to 2.66 eV, altered with the dopant materials.

Reduced graphene oxide-mediated Z-scheme BiVO4/CdS nanocomposites for boosted photocatalytic decomposition of harmful organic pollutants.

PubMed

Clament Sagaya Selvam, N; Kim, Yeong Gyeong; Kim, Dong Jin; Hong, Won-Hwa; Kim, Woong; Park, Sung Hyuk; Jo, Wan-Kuen

2018-09-01

The efficient photocatalytic degradation of harmful organic pollutants (isoniazid (ISN) and 1,4-dioxane (DX)) via the Z-scheme electron transfer mechanism was accomplished using a photostable composite photocatalyst consisting of BiVO 4 , CdS, and reduced graphene oxide (RGO). Compared to their pristine counterparts, the RGO-mediated Z-scheme CdS/BiVO 4 (CdS/RGO-BiVO 4 ) nanocomposites exhibited superior degradation activities, mainly attributed to the prolonged charge separation. RGO was found to be involved in visible-light harvesting and acted as a solid-state electron mediator at the CdS/BiVO 4 interface to realize an effective Z-scheme electron transfer pathway, avoid photocatalyst self-oxidation, and lengthen the life span of charge carriers. The results of reactive species scavenging experiments, photoluminescence measurements, and transient photocurrent measurements, as well as the calculated band potentials of the synthesized photocatalysts, supported the Z-scheme electron/hole pair separation mechanism. Additionally, the intermediates formed during the degradation of ISN and DX were identified, and a possible fragmentation pattern was proposed. This systematic work aims to develop photostable Z-scheme composites as unique photocatalytic systems for the efficient removal of harmful organic pollutants. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Capsule endoscopy in Crohn’s disease: Are we seeing any better?

PubMed Central

Hudesman, David; Mazurek, Jonathan; Swaminath, Arun

2014-01-01

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a complex, immune-mediated disorder that often requires a multi-modality approach for optimal diagnosis and management. While traditional methods include ileocolonoscopy and radiologic modalities, increasingly, capsule endoscopy (CE) has been incorporated into the algorithm for both the diagnosis and monitoring of CD. Multiple studies have examined the utility of this emerging technology in the management of CD, and have compared it to other available modalities. CE offers a noninvasive approach to evaluate areas of the small bowel that are difficult to reach with traditional endoscopy. Furthermore, CE maybe favored in specific sub segments of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as those with IBD unclassified (IBD-U), pediatric patients and patients with CD who have previously undergone surgery. PMID:25278698

Pediatric capsule endoscopy: review of the small bowel and patency capsules.

PubMed

Cohen, Stanley A; Ephrath, Hagit; Lewis, Jeffery D; Klevens, Alan; Bergwerk, Ari; Liu, Steven; Patel, Dinesh; Reed-Knight, Bonney; Stallworth, Angela; Wakhisi, Tamara; Gold, Benjamin D

2012-03-01

Because capsule endoscopy (CE) avoids ionizing radiation, deep sedation, and general anesthesia, CE may be valuable in pediatrics. We report a single pediatric center's experience with the use and safety of CE. In a retrospective review of consecutive CE studies, 284 CE studies were performed in 277 patients with a mean age of 15 (±3.7) years during a 5-year period. The youngest to swallow the capsule was 4.6 years old. Twenty capsules were placed. Overall, 245 (86%) patients underwent CE for suspected (184, 65%) or confirmed (61, 21%) Crohn disease (CD); 27 (9.5%) anemia or gastrointestinal bleeding; 6 (2%) polyposis; and 4 (1.4%) celiac disease. Positive findings were observed in 205 (72%) of the studies, with 152 (54%) having small bowel findings. Of these, 72 (47%) were diagnostic. Gastric (95, 33%) and colonic (31, 11%) abnormalities were also identified. Five CE studies (1.8%) resulted in retention of the capsule in nonsurgical patients. A patency capsule before CE in 23 patients allowed 19 CE to proceed with only 1 retained capsule. In 65 (21%) patients, the video capsule did not enter the colon before the video's end. Of these, 36 (65%) had significant findings, including 27 (49%) documenting small bowel (SB) CD. CE is useful to diagnose SB disease in children. Even in a study population with a high prevalence of confirmed and suspected CD, the risk of retention remains small. The patency capsule may lessen that risk. CE may identify gastric or colonic disease even when SB lesions are not present.

Effect of Ce Substitution on the Magnetoresistivity and Flux Pinning Energy of the Bi2Sr2Ca1- x Ce x Cu2O8+ δ Superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özçelik, B.; Kaya, C.; Gündoğmuş, H.; Sotelo, A.; Madre, M. A.

2014-02-01

In this study, the effect of Ce doping on the properties of Bi2Sr2Ca1- x Ce x Cu2O8+ δ ceramic superconductors, with x=0.0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.25, has been investigated. Samples' precursors were prepared using the conventional solid state method and subsequently textured using the Laser Floating Zone technique. The magnetoresistance measurements were studied under various applied magnetic fields. The activation energies, irreversibility fields ( H irr ), upper critical fields ( H c2) and coherence lengths at 0 K ( ξ(0)) were calculated from the resistivity versus temperature ( ρ- T) curves, under DC magnetic fields up to 5 T. The thermally activated flux flow model has been applied in order to calculate the flux pinning energies. The results indicated that H c2(0) varied from 416.19 to 115 T and the flux pinning energies varied from 1.46 to 0.042 eV at 0 T.

Effect of swift heavy ion irradiation on structural and opto-electrical properties of bi-layer CdS-Bi2S3 thin films prepared by solution growth technique at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaikh, Shaheed U.; Siddiqui, Farha Y.; Desale, Deepali J.; Ghule, Anil V.; Singh, Fouran; Kulriya, Pawan K.; Sharma, Ramphal

2015-01-01

CdS-Bi2S3 bi-layer thin films have been deposited by chemical bath deposition method on Indium Tin Oxide glass substrate at room temperature. The as-deposited thin films were annealed at 250 °C in an air atmosphere for 1 h. An air annealed thin film was irradiated using Au9+ ions with the energy of 120 MeV at fluence 5×1012 ions/cm2 using tandem pelletron accelerator. The irradiation induced modifications were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, UV spectroscopy and I-V characteristics. XRD study reveals that the as-deposited thin films were nanocrystalline in nature. The decrease in crystallite size, increase in energy band gap and resistivity were observed after irradiation. Results are explained on the basis of energy deposited by the electronic loss after irradiation. The comparative results of as-deposited, air annealed and irradiated CdS-Bi2S3 bi-layer thin films are presented.

Carbon nanostructured films modified by metal nanoparticles supported on filtering membranes for electroanalysis.

PubMed

Paramo, Erica; Palmero, Susana; Heras, Aranzazu; Colina, Alvaro

2018-02-01

A novel methodology to prepare sensors based on carbon nanostructures electrodes modified by metal nanoparticles is proposed. As a proof of concept, a novel bismuth nanoparticle/carbon nanofiber (Bi-NPs/CNF) electrode and a carbon nanotube (CNT)/gold nanoparticle (Au-NPs) have been developed. Bi-NPs/CNF films were prepared by 1) filtering a dispersion of CNFs on a polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) filter, and 2) filtering a dispersion of Bi-NPs chemically synthesized through this CNF/PTFE film. Next the electrode is prepared by sticking the Bi-NPs/CNF/PTFE film on a PET substrate. In this work, Bi-NPs/CNF ratio was optimized using a Cd 2+ solution as a probe sample. The Cd anodic stripping peak intensity, registered by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV), is selected as target signal. The voltammograms registered for Cd stripping with this Bi-NPs/CNF/PTFE electrode showed well-defined and highly reproducible electrochemical. The optimized Bi-NPs/CNF electrode exhibits a Cd 2+ detection limit of 53.57 ppb. To demonstrate the utility and versatility of this methodology, single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) were selected to prepare a completely different electrode. Thus, the new Au-NPs/SWCNT/PTFE electrode was tested with a multiresponse technique. In this case, UV/Vis absorption spectroelectrochemistry experiments were carried out for studying dopamine, demonstrating the good performance of the Au-NPs/SWCNT electrode developed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Role of dimensionality in the Kondo Ce T X2 family: The case of CeCd0.7Sb2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosa, P. F. S.; Bourg, R. J.; Jesus, C. B. R.; Pagliuso, P. G.; Fisk, Z.

2015-10-01

Motivated by the presence of competing magnetic interactions in the heavy fermion family Ce T X2 (T = transitionmetal, X =pnictogen), here we study the novel parent compound CeCd0.7Sb2 by combining magnetization, electrical resistivity, and heat-capacity measurements. Contrary to the antiferromagnetic (AFM) ground state observed in most members of this family, the magnetic properties of our CeCd0.7Sb2 single crystals revealed a ferromagnetic ordering at Tc=3 K with an unusual soft behavior. By using a mean field model including anisotropic nearest-neighbor interactions and the tetragonal crystalline electric field (CEF) Hamiltonian, a systematic analysis of our macroscopic data was obtained. Our fits allowed us to extract a simple but very distinct CEF scheme, as compared to the AFM counterparts. As in the previously studied ferromagnet CeAgSb2, a pure |±1 /2 > ground state is realized, hinting at a general trend within the ferromagnetic members. More generally, we propose a scenario for the understanding of the magnetism in this family of compounds based on the subtle changes of dimensionality in the crystal structure.

Probing the local structure of crystalline NaBiO3·XH2O and its acidified derivatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozma, Karoly; Surta, T. Wesley; Molina, Pedro I.; Lyubinetsky, Igor; Stoxen, Wynn; Byrne, Nicole M.; Dolgos, Michelle; Nyman, May

2018-07-01

Sodium bismuthate is a commercially available, inexpensive, non-toxic and very potent inorganic oxidant and photocatalyst. It is one of the important reagents for oxidative separation of Am3+ from the chemically similar lanthanide ions, for its recovery or safe disposal from reprocessed nuclear fuel. While the structure of NaBiO3 has been described from powder and neutron diffraction; the structure of NaBiO3·XH2O, the manufactured form of sodium bismuthate, is currently unknown. Herein, we describe the structure of NaBiO3·XH2O (X = 3) using pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of X-ray total scattering data. In our proposed structure model, NaBiO3·3H2O is similar to NaBiO3, but with turbostratic disorder in the stacking direction of the alternating Bi-O and Na-O layers. We propose locations for the lattice water, and its role in creating turbostratic disorder. We also used PDF to describe the structural evolution of sodium bismuthate upon exposure to nitric acid, the conditions employed in for nuclear fuel reprocessing. We supported the proposed model for pristine NaBiO3·3H2O and its acidified derivatives by a variety of techniques including thermogravimetry, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). By employing both surface and bulk techniques, we hypothesize that the bismuth reduced to Bi3+ upon aqueous acid exposure remains in the lattice, rather than completely dissolving and/or depositing on the surface, as prior suggested. Using pretreated acidified sodium bismuthate samples, we delineated the effects of acid strength vs. bismuthate structure/composition on Ce3+ to Ce4+ oxidation efficacy.

Anti-CD45 Pretargeted Radioimmunotherapy using Bismuth-213: High Rates of Complete Remission and Long-Term Survival in a Mouse Myeloid Leukemia Xenograft Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pagel, John M; Kenoyer, Aimee L; Back, Tom

2011-07-21

Pretargeted radioimmunotherapy (PRIT) using an anti-CD45 antibody (Ab)-streptavidin (SA) conjugate and DOTA-biotin labeled with β-emitting radionuclides has been explored as a strategy to decrease relapse and toxicity. α-emitting radionuclides exhibit high cytotoxicity coupled with a short path-length, potentially increasing the therapeutic index and making them an attractive alternative to β-emitting radionuclides for patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Accordingly, we have used 213Bi in mice with human leukemia xenografts. Results demonstrated excellent localization of 213Bi-DOTA-biotin to tumors with minimal uptake into normal organs. After 10 minutes, 4.5 ± 1.1% of the injected dose of 213Bi was delivered per gram ofmore » tumor. α imaging demonstrated uniform radionuclide distribution within tumor tissue 45 minutes after 213Bi-DOTA-biotin injection. Radiation absorbed doses were similar to those observed using a β-emitting radionuclide (90Y) in the same model. We conducted therapy experiments in a xenograft model using a single-dose of 213Bi-DOTA-biotin given 24 hours after anti-CD45 Ab-SA conjugate. Among mice treated with anti-CD45 Ab-SA conjugate followed by 800 μCi of 213Bi- or 90Y-DOTA-biotin, 80% and 20%, respectively, survived leukemia-free for >100 days with minimal toxicity. These data suggest that anti-CD45 PRIT using an α-emitting radionuclide may be highly effective and minimally toxic for treatment of AML.« less

Separation of enilconazole enantiomers in capillary electrophoresis with cyclodextrin-type chiral selectors and investigation of structure of selector-selectand complexes by using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

PubMed

Gogolashvili, Ann; Tatunashvili, Elene; Chankvetadze, Lali; Sohajda, Tamas; Szeman, Julianna; Salgado, Antonio; Chankvetadze, Bezhan

2017-08-01

In the present study, the enantiomer migration order (EMO) of enilconazole in the presence of various cyclodextrins (CDs) was investigated by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Opposite EMO of enilconazole were observed when β-CD or the sulfated heptakis(2-O-methyl-3,6-di-O-sulfo)-β-CD (HMDS-β-CD) was used as the chiral selectors. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to study the mechanism of chiral recognition between enilconazole enantiomers and those two cyclodextrins. On the basis of rotating frame nuclear Overhauser (ROESY) experiments, the structure of an inclusion complex between enilconazole and β-CD was derived, in which (+)-enilconazole seemed to form a tighter complex than the (-)-enantiomer. This correlates well with the migration order of enilconazole enantiomers observed in CE. No evidence of complexation between enilconazole and HMDS-β-CD could be gathered due to lack of intermolecular nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE). Most likely the interaction between enilconazole and HMDS-β-CD leads to formation of a shallow external complex that is sufficient for separation of enantiomers in CE but cannot be evidenced based on ROESY experiment. Thus, in this particular case CE documents the presence of intermolecular interactions which are at least very difficult to be evidenced by other instrumental techniques. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High color rendering index WLED based on YAG:Ce phosphor and CdS/ZnS core/shell quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Changyu; Li, Ke

2009-08-01

White LED combining of blue chip and YAG:Ce phosphor suffers from a red spectral deficiency, resulting in a relatively low value of color rendering index (CRI). In our study, for an effort to improve color rendering properties of YAG:Ce phosphor-based white LEDs, highly luminescent red-orange emitting CdS/ZnS QDs were blended with YAG:Ce phosphors. Core/shell CdS/ZnS quantum dots with the emission wavelength of 618nm, was synthesized by thermal deposition using cadmium oxide and selenium as precursors in a hot lauric acid and hexadecylamine trioctylphosphine oxide hybrid. YAG:Ce phosphor was synthesized by high-temperature solid state reaction at 900-1200°C in a slightly reducing atmosphere for 4 hours. Blends of phosphors and QDs exhibited the prominent spectral evolution with an increasing content of QDs. A hybrid white LED, which combines a blue LED with the blend of YAG phosphor and QDs with a weight ratio of 1.5:1,was demonstrated with an improved CRI value of 86.

Evolution of ground-state wave function in CeCoIn5 upon Cd or Sn doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, K.; Strigari, F.; Sundermann, M.; Hu, Z.; Fisk, Z.; Bauer, E. D.; Rosa, P. F. S.; Sarrao, J. L.; Thompson, J. D.; Herrero-Martin, J.; Pellegrin, E.; Betto, D.; Kummer, K.; Tanaka, A.; Wirth, S.; Severing, A.

2018-01-01

We present linear polarization-dependent soft-x-ray absorption spectroscopy data at the Ce M4 ,5 edges of Cd- and Sn-doped CeCoIn5. The 4 f ground-state wave functions have been determined for their superconducting, antiferromagnetic, and paramagnetic ground states. The absence of changes in the wave functions in CeCo (In1-xCdx) 5 suggests that the 4 f -conduction-electron (c f ) hybridization is not affected by global Cd doping, thus supporting the interpretation of magnetic droplets nucleating long-range magnetic order. This is contrasted by changes in the wave function due to Sn substitution. Increasing Sn in CeCo (In1-ySny) 5 compresses the 4 f orbitals into the tetragonal plane of these materials, suggesting enhanced c f hybridization with the in-plane In(1) atoms and a homogeneous altering of the electronic structure. As these experiments show, the 4 f wave functions are a very sensitive probe of small changes in the hybridization of 4 f and conduction electrons, even conveying information about direction dependencies.

Distribution of fission products palladium, silver, cerium and cesium in the un-corroded areas of the locally corroded SiC layer of a neutron irradiated TRISO fuel particle

DOE PAGES

Wen, Haiming; van Rooyen, Isabella J.

2017-04-14

Here, detailed electron microscopy studies were performed to investigate the distribution and composition of fission products in the SiC layer of a tristructural isotropic coated particle exhibiting localized corrosion. Previous studies on this particle indicated that pure carbon areas in the SiC layer, resulting from localized corrosion of SiC by Pd, provide pathways for Ag, Cd and Cs migration. This study reveals the presence of Ag- and/or Cd-containing precipitates in un-corroded SiC areas. Ag/Cd may exist by themselves or coexist with Pd. Ag/Cd mainly transport along SiC grain boundaries. An Ag-Pd-Cd precipitate was identified at a stacking fault inside amore » SiC grain, suggesting that intragranular transport of Ag/Cd is possible. Ce is present with Pd or Pd-U in some precipitates >50 nm. U and Ce frequently coexist with each other, whereas Ag/Cd usually does not coexist with U or Ce. No Cs was detected in any precipitates in the areas examined.« less

The risk of retention of the capsule endoscope in patients with known or suspected Crohn's disease.

PubMed

Cheifetz, Adam S; Kornbluth, Asher A; Legnani, Peter; Schmelkin, Ira; Brown, Alphonso; Lichtiger, Simon; Lewis, Blair S

2006-10-01

Capsule endoscopy (CE) allows visualization of the mucosa of the entire small bowel and is therefore a potentially important tool in the evaluation of patients with known or suspected Crohn's disease (CD). However, small bowel strictures, which are not uncommon in Crohn's, are considered to be a contraindication to CE for fear of capsule retention. Our goal was to determine the risk of capsule retention in patients with suspected or known CD. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 983 CE cases performed at three private gastroenterology practices between December 2000 and December 2003, and selected those with suspected or proven Crohn's. A total of 102 cases were identified in which CE was used in patients with suspected (N = 64) or known (N = 38) CD. Only one of 64 patients (1.6%) with suspected CD had a retained capsule. However, in five of 38 (13%) patients with known Crohn's, the capsule was retained proximal to a stricture. Of the five cases of retained capsules, three strictures were previously unknown. In four cases, the obstructing lesions were resected without complications, leading to complete resolution of the patient's underlying symptoms. One patient chose not to undergo surgery and has remained without an episode of small bowel obstruction for over 38 months. Capsule retention occurred in 13% (95% CI 5.6%-28%) of patients with known CD, but only in 1.6% (95% CI 0.2%-10%) with suspected Crohn's. A retained capsule may indicate unsuspected strictures in Crohn's that may require an unexpected, but therapeutic, surgical intervention. Patients and physicians should be aware of these potential risks when using CE in CD.

Structural and {sup 31}P NMR investigation of Bi(MM'){sub 2}PO{sub 6} statistic solid solutions: Deconvolution of lattice constraints and cationic influences

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Colmont, Marie; Delevoye, Laurent; Ketatni, El Mostafa

2006-07-15

Two solid solutions BiM{sub x} Mg{sub (2-x)}PO{sub 6} (with M {sup 2+}=Zn or Cd) have been studied through {sup 31}P MAS NMR. The analysis has been performed on the basis of refined crystal structures through X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction. The BiZn {sub x} Mg{sub (2-x)}PO{sub 6} does not provide direct evidence for sensitive changes in the phosphorus local symmetry. This result is in good agreement with structural data which show nearly unchanged lattices and atomic separations through the Zn{sup 2+} for Mg{sup 2+} substitution. On the other hand, the Cd{sup 2+} for Mg{sup 2+} substitution behaves differently. Indeed, upmore » to five resonances are observed, each corresponding to one of the five first-cationic neighbour distributions, i.e. 4Mg/0Cd, 3Mg/1Cd, 2Mg/2Cd, 1Mg/3Cd and 0Mg/4Cd. Their intensities match rather well the expected weight for each configuration of the statistical Cd{sup 2+}/Mg{sup 2+} mixed occupancy. The match is further improved when one takes into account the influence of the 2nd cationic sphere that is available from high-field NMR data (18.8 T). Finally, the fine examination of the chemical shift for each resonance versus x allows to de-convolute the mean Z/a {sup 2} effective field into two sub-effects: a lattice constraint-only term and a chemical-only term whose effects are directly quantifiable. - Graphical abstract: First (CdMg){sub 4} cationic sphere influence on the {sup 31}P NMR signal in Bi(Cd,Mg){sub 2}PO{sub 6}. Display Omitted.« less

International Conference (4th) on Nanostructured Materials Held in Stockholm, Sweden on 14-19 June 1998. Book of Abstracts

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-06-19

Coatings P2-67 Kuruvilla, B.A.; Nanda, J.; Sarma, D.D.; India Optical Properties ofPbS- CdS Coated Semiconductor Nanoparticles P2-68 Misra, S.; India...including phosphors, pigments and magnetic materials. In this study, the synthesis of ZnS, CdS and Ce2S3 nanoparticles by mechanochemical reaction has...formation of separated nanoparticles ; ZnS, CdS and Ce2S3 nanoparticles of ~7 nm, ɠ nm and -20 nm, respectively, were obtained. The average size of CdS

The effects of ultra-thin cerium fluoride film as the anode buffer layer on the electrical characteristics of organic light emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Hsin-Wei; Tsai, Cheng-Che; Hong, Cheng-Shong; Kao, Po-Ching; Juang, Yung-Der; Chu, Sheng-Yuan

2016-11-01

In this study, the efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) was enhanced by depositing a CeF3film as an ultra-thin buffer layer between the indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and α-naphthylphenylbiphenyldiamine (NPB) hole transport layer, with the structure configuration ITO/CeF3 (0.5, 1, and 1.5 nm)/α-naphthylphenylbiphenyl diamine (NPB) (40 nm)/tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) (60 nm)/lithium fluoride (LiF) (1 nm)/Al (150 nm). The enhancement mechanism was systematically investigated via several approaches. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy results revealed the formation of the UV-ozone treated CeF3 film. The work function increased from 4.8 eV (standard ITO electrode) to 5.22 eV (0.5-nm-thick UV-ozone treated CeF3 film deposited on the ITO electrode). The surface roughness of the UV-ozone treated CeF3 film was smoother than that of the standard ITO electrode. Further, the UV-ozone treated CeF3 film increased both the surface energy and polarity, as determined from contact angle measurements. In addition, admittance spectroscopy measurements showed an increased capacitance and conductance of the OLEDs. Accordingly, the turn-on voltage decreased from 4.2 V to 3.6 V at 1 mA/cm2, the luminance increased from 7588 cd/m2 to 24760 cd/m2, and the current efficiency increased from 3.2 cd/A to 3.8 cd/A when the 0.5-nm-thick UV-ozone treated CeF3 film was inserted into the OLEDs.

Incorporation of cerium oxide into hydroxyapatite coating regulates osteogenic activity of mesenchymal stem cell and macrophage polarization.

PubMed

Li, Kai; Shen, Qingyi; Xie, Youtao; You, Mingyu; Huang, Liping; Zheng, Xuebin

2017-02-01

Biomedical coatings for orthopedic implants should facilitate osseointegration and mitigate implant-induced inflammatory reactions. Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) ceramics possess anti-oxidative properties and can be used to decrease mediators of inflammation, which makes them attractive for biomedical applications. In our work, two kinds of CeO 2 incorporated hydroxyapatite coatings (HA-10Ce and HA-30Ce) were prepared via plasma spraying technique and the effects of CeO 2 addition on the responses of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and RAW264.7 macrophages were investigated. An increase in CeO 2 content in the HA coatings resulted in better osteogenic behaviors of BMSCs in terms of cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineralized nodule formation. RT-PCR and western blot analysis suggested that the incorporation of CeO 2 may promote the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs through the Smad-dependent BMP signaling pathway, which activated Runx2 expression and subsequently enhanced the expression of ALP and OCN. The expression profiles of macrophages cultured on the CeO 2 modified coating revealed a tendency toward a M2 phenotype, because of an upregulation of M2 surface markers (CD163 and CD206), anti-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and osteoblastogenesis-related genes (BMP2 and TGF-β1) as well as a downregulation of M1 surface markers (CCR7 and CD11c), proinflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and IL-1ra) and reactive oxygen species production. The results suggested the regulation of BMSCs behaviors and macrophage-mediated responses at the coating's surface were associated with CeO 2 incorporation. The incorporation of CeO 2 in HA coatings can be a valuable strategy to promote osteogenic responses and reduce inflammatory reactions.

New dielectric ceramics Pb(Cd)BiM/sup IV/SbO/sub 7/ (M/sup IV/ = Ti, Zr, Sn) with the pyrochlore structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lambachri, A.; Monier, M.; Mercurio, J.P.

1988-04-01

Dielectric ceramics have been obtained by natural sintering of pyrochlore phases with general formula Pb(Cd)BiM/sup IV/SbO/sub 7/ (M/sup IV/ = Ti, Zr, Sn). Low frequency dielectric characteristics have been studied with respect to the processing conditions: sintering without additive and in the presence of some low melting compounds (PbO, Pb/sub 5/Ge/sub 3/O/sub 11/, Bi/sub 12/PbO/sub 19/ and Bi/sub 12/CdO/sub 19/). The dielectric constants of these ceramics lie between 30 and 60, the dielectric losses range from 10 to 30.10/sup -4/ and the temperature coefficient of the dielectric constants (20 - 100/sup 0/C) can be tailored by means of additives inmore » the +- 30 ppm K/sup -1/ range.« less

Tuning the ground state of the Kondo lattice in UT Bi2 (T = Ag, Au) single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosa, Priscila; Luo, Yongkang; Pagliuso, Pascoal; Bauer, Eric; Thompson, Joe; Fisk, Zachary

2015-03-01

Motivated by the interesting magnetic anisotropy found in the Ce-based heavy fermion family Ce TX2 (T = transition metal, X = pnictogen), here we study the novel U-based parent compounds U TBi2 (T = Ag, Au) by combining magnetization, electrical resistivity, and heat-capacity measurements. The single crystals, synthesized by the self-flux method, also crystallize in the tetragonal HfCuSi2-type structure (space group P4/nmm). Interestingly, although UAgBi2 is a low- γ antiferromagnet below TN = 181 K, UAuBi2 is a moderately heavy uniaxial ferromagnet below Tc = 22 K. Nevertheless, both compounds display the easy-magnetization direction along the c-axis and a large magnetocrystalline anisotropy. Our results point out to an incoherent Kondo behaviour in the paramagnetic state and an intricate competition between crystal field effects and two anisotropic exchange interactions, which lead to the remarkable difference in the observed ground states.

Bi2S3microspheres grown on graphene sheets as low-cost counter-electrode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Li, Guang; Chen, Xiaoshuang; Gao, Guandao

2014-03-21

In this work, we synthesized 3D Bi2S3 microspheres comprised of nanorods grown along the (211) facet on graphene sheets by a solvothermal route, and investigated its catalytic activities through I-V curves and conversion efficiency tests as the CE in DSSCs. Although the (211) facet has a large band gap for a Bi2S3 semiconductor, owing to the introduction of graphene into the system, its short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and efficiency were Jsc = 12.2 mA cm(-2), Voc = 0.75 V, FF = 0.60, and η = 5.5%, respectively. By integrating it with graphene sheets, our material achieved the conversion efficiency of 5.5%, which is almost triple the best conversion efficiency value of the DSSCs with (211)-faceted 3D Bi2S3 without graphene (1.9%) reported in the latest literature. Since this conversion-efficient 3D material grown on the graphene sheets significantly improves its catalytic properties, it paves the way for designing and applying low-cost Pt-free CE materials in DSSC from inorganic nanostructures.

Mechanistic insights from DGT and soil solution measurements on the uptake of Ni and Cd by radish.

PubMed

Luo, Jun; Cheng, Hao; Ren, Jinghua; Davison, William; Zhang, Hao

2014-07-01

This work tests the previously proposed hypothesis that plant uptake of metals is determined dominantly by diffusional controlled or plant limiting uptake mechanisms at, respectively, low and high metal concentrations. Radish (Raphanus sativus) was grown in 13 soils spiked with Ni (10 and 100 mg kg(-1)) and Cd (0.5 and 4 mg kg(-1)) for 4 weeks to investigate the mechanisms affecting plant uptake. Soil solution concentrations, Css, of Ni and Cd were measured, along with the DGT interfacial concentration, CDGT, and the derived effective concentration in soil solution, CE. Free ion activities, aNi(2+) and aCd(2+), were obtained using WHAM 6. Although there was a poor relationship between Ni in radish roots and either Css or aNi(2+) in unamended soils, the distribution of data could be rationalized in terms of the extent of release of Ni from the soil solid phase, as identified by DGT and soil solution measurements. By contrast Ni in radish was linearly related to CE, demonstrating diffusion limited uptake. For soils amended with high concentrations of Ni, linear relationships were obtained for Ni in radish plotted against, Css, aNi(2+), and CE, consistent with the plant controlling uptake. For Ni the hypothesis concerning dominant diffusional and plant limiting uptake mechanisms was demonstrated. Poor relationships between Cd in radish and Css, aCd(2+), and CE, irrespective of amendment by Cd, showed the importance of factors other than diffusional supply, such as rhizosphere and inhibitory processes, and that fulfilment of this hypothesis is plant and metal specific.

Photocatalytic degradation effect of malachite green and catalytic hydrogenation by UV-illuminated CeO2/CdO multilayered nanoplatelet arrays: Investigation of antifungal and antimicrobial activities.

PubMed

Maria Magdalane, C; Kaviyarasu, K; Judith Vijaya, J; Jayakumar, C; Maaza, M; Jeyaraj, B

2017-04-01

CeO 2 /CdO multi-layered nanoplatelet arrays have been synthesized by sol-gel method at two different temperatures using Citrus limonum fruit extract and the effect of particle size on the photocatalytic performance is studied. The particle size and phases was analysed by X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) which brought out the formation of cubic phase in the synthesized samples. Field Emission Scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed the surface morphology and made up of cumulative form of platelet shaped arrays with an average size of 10nm. The elemental composition and the purity of the nanomaterials were confirmed by Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). CeO 2 /CdO multilayered binary metal oxide nanoplatelet arrays were formed which was further explored with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), it reveals that the nanocomposites contain CeO and CdO bonds. Determination of the direct and indirect bandgap energy of the nanoplatelet arrays was carried out by UV-Vis-DRS studies. In MG degradation, both the hole (h + ) and hydroxyl radical (OH) played a major role than the superoxide radical (O 2 - ). Possible photo degradation mechanisms are proposed and discussed in this article. CeO 2 /CdO multi-layered nanoplatelet arrays showed antibacterial activity and among the tested ones, it showed better growth inhibition towards P. aeruginosa MTCC73. Thus, this greener synthetic procedure was a highly effective method due to low-cost, highly effective UV light responsive material for environmental safety. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Modified R-Type Bacteriocin Specifically Targeting Clostridium difficile Prevents Colonization of Mice without Affecting Gut Microbiota Diversity

PubMed Central

Gebhart, Dana; Lok, Stephen; Clare, Simon; Tomas, Myreen; Stares, Mark; Scholl, Dean; Donskey, Curtis J.; Lawley, Trevor D.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of nosocomial infections worldwide and has become an urgent public health threat requiring immediate attention. Epidemic lineages of the BI/NAP1/027 strain type have emerged and spread through health care systems across the globe over the past decade. Limiting person-to-person transmission and eradicating C. difficile, especially the BI/NAP1/027 strain type, from health care facilities are difficult due to the abundant shedding of spores that are impervious to most interventions. Effective prophylaxis for C. difficile infection (CDI) is lacking. We have genetically modified a contractile R-type bacteriocin (“diffocin”) from C. difficile strain CD4 to kill BI/NAP1/027-type strains for this purpose. The natural receptor binding protein (RBP) responsible for diffocin targeting was replaced with a newly discovered RBP identified within a prophage of a BI/NAP1/027-type target strain by genome mining. The resulting modified diffocins (a.k.a. Avidocin-CDs), Av-CD291.1 and Av-CD291.2, were stable and killed all 16 tested BI/NAP1/027-type strains. Av-CD291.2 administered in drinking water survived passage through the mouse gastrointestinal (GI) tract, did not detectably alter the mouse gut microbiota or disrupt natural colonization resistance to C. difficile or the vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF), and prevented antibiotic-induced colonization of mice inoculated with BI/NAP1/027-type spores. Given the high incidence and virulence of the pathogen, preventing colonization by BI/NAP1/027-type strains and limiting their transmission could significantly reduce the occurrence of the most severe CDIs. This modified diffocin represents a prototype of an Avidocin-CD platform capable of producing targetable, precision anti-C. difficile agents that can prevent and potentially treat CDIs without disrupting protective indigenous microbiota. PMID:25805733

Does plant architectural complexity increase with increasing habitat complexity? A test with a pioneer shrub in the Brazilian Cerrado.

PubMed

Silveira, F A O; Oliveira, E G

2013-05-01

Understanding variation in plant traits in heterogeneous habitats is important to predict responses to changing environments, but trait-environment associations are poorly known along ecological gradients. We tested the hypothesis that plant architectural complexity increases with habitat complexity along a soil fertility gradient in a Cerrado (Neotropical savanna) area in southeastern Brazil. Plant architecture and productivity (estimated as the total number of healthy infructescences) of Miconia albicans (SW.) Triana were examined in three types of vegetation which together form a natural gradient of increasing soil fertility, tree density and canopy cover: grasslands (campo sujo, CS), shrublands (cerrado sensu strico, CE) and woodlands (cerradão, CD). As expected, plants growing at the CS were shorter and had a lower branching pattern, whereas plants at the CD were the tallest. Unexpectedly, however, CD plants did not show higher architectural complexity compared to CE plants. Higher architectural similarity between CE and CD plants compared to similarity between CS and CE plants suggests reduced expression of functional architectural traits under shade. Plants growing at the CE produced more quaternary shoots, leading to a larger number of infructescences. This higher plant productivity in CE indicates that trait variation in ecological gradients is more complex than previously thought. Nematode-induced galls accounted for fruit destruction in 76.5% infructescences across physiognomies, but percentage of attack was poorly related to architectural variables. Our data suggest shade-induced limitation in M. albicans architecture, and point to complex phenotypic variation in heterogeneous habitats in Neotropical savannas.

Submicron-scale mineralogy of lithotypes and the implications for trace element associations: Blue Gem coal, Knox County, Kentucky

DOE PAGES

Hower, James C.; Berti, Debora; Hochella, Michael F.; ...

2018-04-16

Transmission electron microscopy accompanied by energy-dispersive spectroscopy and selected area electron diffraction of density-gradient separates from two lithotypes of the low-ash, low-sulfur Blue Gem coal, eastern Kentucky, revealed an array of previously unrecognized (in this coal, and arguable in most others) sub-micron minerals, some <10 nm in size. The first sample representing the 1.22–1.24 specific gravity fraction of the middle bench contains a mineral identified as a La-, Ce-, Nd-bearing monazite; other minerals with CrFe, CuFeS, FeZn-S, and Pb; and areas, probably comprising agglomerates of several grains, if not several minerals, with concentrations of Mg, Ca, Ti, Fe, Zn, Zr,more » and Mo. The second sample representing the 1.30–1.31 specific gravity fraction of the basal lithotype has aggregates of particles enriched in Mg, Ca, Ti, and Fe. Individual grains not specifically quantified include CrNiMnCuFeS, AgS, and CuS. Detailed investigation of one area (most of the variation within a <4 μm 2 region) demonstrates the presence of greenockite (CdS); minute phases containing NiCoGe and AgCdBi, the latter with a more evident S association than the former; metallic Bi; nisnite (Ni 3Sn); silver cadmium; manganosite (MnO); and siderite. Some minerals, such as the monazite, are most likely of detrital or tuffaceous origin. Many of the other assemblages could be of hydrothermal origin, a hypothesis supported by known regional geochemical and coal rank trends, but not previously demonstrated in mineral assemblages at the 10's of nm scale in this region.« less

Submicron-scale mineralogy of lithotypes and the implications for trace element associations: Blue Gem coal, Knox County, Kentucky

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hower, James C.; Berti, Debora; Hochella, Michael F.

Transmission electron microscopy accompanied by energy-dispersive spectroscopy and selected area electron diffraction of density-gradient separates from two lithotypes of the low-ash, low-sulfur Blue Gem coal, eastern Kentucky, revealed an array of previously unrecognized (in this coal, and arguable in most others) sub-micron minerals, some <10 nm in size. The first sample representing the 1.22–1.24 specific gravity fraction of the middle bench contains a mineral identified as a La-, Ce-, Nd-bearing monazite; other minerals with CrFe, CuFeS, FeZn-S, and Pb; and areas, probably comprising agglomerates of several grains, if not several minerals, with concentrations of Mg, Ca, Ti, Fe, Zn, Zr,more » and Mo. The second sample representing the 1.30–1.31 specific gravity fraction of the basal lithotype has aggregates of particles enriched in Mg, Ca, Ti, and Fe. Individual grains not specifically quantified include CrNiMnCuFeS, AgS, and CuS. Detailed investigation of one area (most of the variation within a <4 μm 2 region) demonstrates the presence of greenockite (CdS); minute phases containing NiCoGe and AgCdBi, the latter with a more evident S association than the former; metallic Bi; nisnite (Ni 3Sn); silver cadmium; manganosite (MnO); and siderite. Some minerals, such as the monazite, are most likely of detrital or tuffaceous origin. Many of the other assemblages could be of hydrothermal origin, a hypothesis supported by known regional geochemical and coal rank trends, but not previously demonstrated in mineral assemblages at the 10's of nm scale in this region.« less

Capsule endoscopy: Current practice and future directions

PubMed Central

Hale, Melissa F; Sidhu, Reena; McAlindon, Mark E

2014-01-01

Capsule endoscopy (CE) has transformed investigation of the small bowel providing a non-invasive, well tolerated means of accurately visualising the distal duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Since the introduction of small bowel CE thirteen years ago a high volume of literature on indications, diagnostic yields and safety profile has been presented. Inclusion in national and international guidelines has placed small bowel capsule endoscopy at the forefront of investigation into suspected diseases of the small bowel. Most commonly, small bowel CE is used in patients with suspected bleeding or to identify evidence of active Crohn’s disease (CD) (in patients with or without a prior history of CD). Typically, CE is undertaken after upper and lower gastrointestinal flexible endoscopy has failed to identify a diagnosis. Small bowel radiology or a patency capsule test should be considered prior to CE in those at high risk of strictures (such as patients known to have CD or presenting with obstructive symptoms) to reduce the risk of capsule retention. CE also has a role in patients with coeliac disease, suspected small bowel tumours and other small bowel disorders. Since the advent of small bowel CE, dedicated oesophageal and colon capsule endoscopes have expanded the fields of application to include the investigation of upper and lower gastrointestinal disorders. Oesophageal CE may be used to diagnose oesophagitis, Barrett’s oesophagus and varices but reliability in identifying gastroduodenal pathology is unknown and it does not have biopsy capability. Colon CE provides an alternative to conventional colonoscopy for symptomatic patients, while a possible role in colorectal cancer screening is a fascinating prospect. Current research is already addressing the possibility of controlling capsule movement and developing capsules which allow tissue sampling and the administration of therapy. PMID:24976712

Tuning Topological Surface States by Charge Transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhiyi

Three-dimensional (3D) topological insulators (TIs), Bi2Se 3, Bi2Te3, Sb2Te3, are a class of materials that has non-trivial bulk band structure and metallic surface states. Access to charge transport through Dirac surface states in TIs can be challenging due to their intermixing with bulk states or non-topological two-dimensional electron gas quantum well states caused by bending of electronic bands near the surface. The band bending arises via charge transfer from surface adatoms or interfaces and, therefore, the choice of layers abutting topological surfaces is critical. Surfaces of these 3D TIs have also been proposed to host new quantum phases at the interfaces with other types of materials, provided that the topological properties of interfacial regions remain unperturbed. This thesis presents a systematic experimental study of both bulk conducting and surface charge transfer problems. We started with optimizing growth condition of Bi2Se3 on various substrates, to achieve best quality of Bi2Se3 single layers we can get. We then move on to growth of Bi2Se3/ZnxCd1-xSe bilayers. Here we improved lattice mismatch between Bi2Se 3 and ZnxCd1-xSe layers by tuning lattice parameter of ZnxCd1-xSe. After that, we achieved molecular beam epitaxial growth of Bi2Se3/ZnxCd1-x Se superlattices that hold only one topological surface channel per TI layer. The topological nature of conducting channels is supported by pi-Berry phase evident from observed Shubnikov de Haas quantum oscillations and by the associated two-dimensional weak antilocalization quantum interference correction to magnetoresistance. Both density functional theory calculations and transport measurements suggest that a single topological Dirac cone per TI layer can be realized by asymmetric interfaces: Se-terminated Znx Cd1-xSe interface with the TI remains 'electronically intact', while charge transfer occurs at the Zn-terminated interface. Our findings indicate that topological transport could be controlled by adjusting charge transfer from non-topological spacers in hybrid structures. The first chapter contains a brief introduction to TIs. It describes basic concepts and notations used later in the bulk of the thesis. These include the topological surface states of a TI, crystal structure of 3D TIs, the origin of defects and their effects on transport study. The second chapter presents experimental techniques employed for growth and for structural, and electrical characterization of the 3D TIs thin films and superlattices. First, every component of our custom-designed molecular beam epitaxy system will be described in detail, and then the important in situ surface morphology monitoring tool - RHEED will also be mentioned, as well as high resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD). In the second part, a standard procedure for device fabrication will be presented. The last part will focus on the electron transport measurement setup and various techniques for characterization. In the third chapter we present explorations of different substrates for growth of Bi2Se3 thin films, describe growth of Bi2Se3 thin films on sapphire, GaAs(111), InP(001) and InP(111), then optimize growth conditions accordingly. The quality of films are investigated to study the effects of substrates on quality of the films. The fourth chapter is a growth study of superlattice of a TI with a traditional II-VI semiconductor, Bi2Se3/ZnxCd1-x Se. we explore II-VI semiconductor family and study the optimal material to grow on top of Bi2Se3. Then we focus on the growth of Bi2Se3/ZnxCd1-xSe superlattice and structural study. The fifth chapter studies charge transfer at the interface between Bi 2Se3 layer and ZnxCd1-xSe layer. We start by looking at the result of charge transport study of our superlattice. Then we will present the result of our density functional theory (DFT) calculation, which showed completely different charge transfer between Bi2Se 3 sits on top of ZnxCd1-xSe and ZnxCd 1-xSe on top of Bi2Se3. This will provide a perfect explanation of our experimental results. Then we designed experiment using transport measurement to test and confirm out explanation. The sixth chapter gives a short summary of this thesis work and a proposal for future work.

Universal heat conduction in Ce 1-xYb xCoIn 5: Evidence for robust nodal d-wave superconducting gap

DOE PAGES

Xu, Y.; Petrovic, C.; Dong, J. K.; ...

2016-02-01

In the heavy-fermion superconductor Ce 1-xYb xCoIn 5, Yb doping was reported to cause a possible change from nodal d-wave superconductivity to a fully gapped d-wave molecular superfluid of composite pairs near x ≈ 0.07 (nominal value x nom = 0.2). Here we present systematic thermal conductivity measurements on Ce 1-xYb xCoIn 5 (x = 0.013, 0.084, and 0.163) single crystals. The observed finite residual linear term κ 0/T is insensitive to Yb doping, verifying the universal heat conduction of the nodal d-wave superconducting gap in Ce 1-xYb xCoIn 5. Similar universal heat conduction is also observed in the CeCo(Inmore » 1–yCd y) 5 system. Furthermore, these results reveal a robust nodal d-wave gap in CeCoIn 5 upon Yb or Cd doping.« less

Elaboration, microstructure, propriétés électriques et magnétiques de matériaux textures dans les systèmes Nd-Ce-Cu-O et Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhalenne, G.; Trouilleux, L.; Jegoudez, J.; Revcolevschi, A.; Monod, P.; Kormann, R.; Ganne, J. P.; Motohira, N.; Kitazawa, K.

1991-11-01

Superconducting textured materials were grown from the melt by a floating zone technique in the Nd-Ce-Cu-O and Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O systems. The influence of growth conditions and starting compositions on the microstructures and phase composition of the samples were studied by optical microscopy under polarized light, electron microprobe analysis and X-ray diffraction. The superconducting properties of these samples were examined by both electrical resistivity and magnetic measurements. A very strong influence of the microstructure on the superconducting properties as well as a magnetic and electrical anisotropy were shown. In the case of the Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O system, critical current densities ranging from 1 600 to 3 000 A.cm^{-2} were measured at 77 K. Des matériaux supraconducteurs texturés ont été élaborés à partir de l'état liquide dans les systèmes Nd-Ce-Cu-O et Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O par une technique de fusion de zone. L'influence des conditions de croissance et des compositions initiales sur la microstructure des échantillons a été étudiée par microscopie optique en lumière polarisée, microsonde électronique et diffraction des rayons X. Les propriétés supraconductrices des échantillons ont été examinées par des mesures électriques et magnétiques. Il a été observé une forte influence de la microstructure sur les propriétés supraconductrices ainsi qu'une anisotropie électrique et magnétique. Dans le cas du système Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O, les densités de courant critique mesurées à 77 K sont comprises entre 1 600 et 3 000 A.cm^{-2}.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sakai, H.; Ronning, F.; Hattori, T.

Here, we have used nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) to probe microscopically the response of a prototypical quantum critical metal CeCoIn 5 to substitutions of small amounts of Cd for In. Approximately half of the Cd substituents induce local Ce moments in their close proximity, as observed by site-dependent longitudinal nuclear spin relaxation rates 1/T 1. In order to reaffirm that localized f moments are induced around the Cd substituents, we find a Gaussian spin-echo decay rate 1/T 2G of transverse nuclear spin relaxation. Furthermore,more » $${T}_{1}T/{T}_{2\\text{G}}^{2}$$ for the NQR subpeak is found to be proportional to temperatures, again indicating local moments fluctuations around the Cd substituents, while that for the NQR main peak shows a T 0.7-dependence. The latter temperature dependence is close to 0.75 in pure CeCoIn 5 and indicates that the bulk electronic state is located close to a two dimensional quantum critical instability.« less

Chiral discrimination of sibutramine enantiomers by capillary electrophoresis and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

PubMed

Lee, Yong-Jae; Choi, Seungho; Lee, Jinhoo; Nguyen, NgocVan Thi; Lee, Kyungran; Kang, Jong Seong; Mar, Woongchon; Kim, Kyeong Ho

2012-03-01

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-NMR) have been used to discriminate the enantiomers of sibutramine using cyclodextrin derivatives. Possible correlation between CE and (1)H-NMR was examined. Good correlation between the (1)H-NMR shift non-equivalence data for sibutramine and the degree of enantioseparation in CE was observed. In CE study, a method of enantiomeric separation and quantitation of sibutramine was developed using enantiomeric standards. The method was based on the use of 50 mM of phosphate buffer of pH 3.0 with 10 mM of methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (M-β-CD). 0.05% of LOD, 0.2% of LOQ for S-sibutramine enantiomer was achieved, and the method was validated and applied to the quantitative determination of sibutramine enantiomers in commercial drugs. On a 600 MHz (1)H-NMR analysis, enantiomer signal separation of sibutramine was obtained by fast diastereomeric interaction with a chiral selector M-β-CD. For chiral separation and quantification, N-methyl proton peaks (at 2.18 ppm) were selected because of its being singlet and simple for understanding of diastereomeric interaction. Effects of temperature and concentration of chiral selector on enantiomer signal separation were investigated. The optimum condition was 0.5 mg/mL of sibutramine and 10 mg/mL of M-β-CD at 10°C. Distinguishment of 0.5% of S-sibutramine in R-sibutramine was found to be possible by (1)H-NMR with M-β-CD as chiral selector. Host-guest interaction between sibutramine and M-β-CD was confirmed by (1)H-NMR studies and CE studies. A Structure of the inclusion complex was proposed considering (1)H-NMR and 2D ROESY studies.

[Association of CD(+)4 T lymphocyte count and gingival crevicular fluid prostaglandin E2 with periodontal parameters in HIV-positive periodontitis patients].

PubMed

Jia, Hongcheng; Wang, Xuan; Hua, Wenhao; Li, Xiaoguang; Hou, Wen; Fu, Qian

2014-02-01

To investigate the correlation of CD(+)4 T lymphocyte count and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) with periodontal status in HIV-positive patients with periodontitis. Twenty subjects were selected according to inclusion criteria. The plasmatic CD(+)4 T lymphocytes were counted. All the individuals were divided into three groups, group A (CD(+)4 T lymphocyte count < 200 cell/mm(3)), group B (200 cell/mm(3) ≤ CD(+)4 T lymphocyte count ≤ 500 cell/mm(3)) and group C (CD(+)4 T lymphocyte count > 500 cell/mm(3)). Periodontal indexes, including plaque index(PLI), bleeding index(BI), attachment level(AL) and probing depth(PD) were recorded.GCF samples were taken from 120 index teeth by means of sterile paper strips.GCF PGE2 levels were determined by radioimmunoassays. Mann-Whitney was used to compare the periodontal indexes and PGE2 levels among the three groups. Partial correlations and Spearman correlations were applied to analyze the correlation of CD(+)4 T lymphocytes count and PGE2 in gingival crevicular fluid with periodontal status. BI value, PGE2 concentration and total PGE2 were 3.00(2.00), 90.75(30.60) µg/L, 447.58 (243.08) pg in group B, which were higher than those in group A[2.00(1.25), 79.75(30.50) µg/L and 339.52 (200.97) pg respectively] and group C[2.00(1.00), 73.38 (14.83) µg/L and 299.18 (108.33) pg respectively] (P < 0.0167). But the differences of PD and AL among the three groups were not significantly different(P > 0.0167). The correlations were observed between CD(+)4 T lymphocyte count and BI for the subpopulations with CD(+)4 T lymphocyte count <200 cells/mm(3) (r = 0.657, P < 0.05) and between 200-500 cells/mm(3) (r = -0.369, P < 0.05). PGE2 concentration was negatively correlated with BI, PD and AL (P < 0.05), and total PGE2 was positively correlated with PD and AL(P < 0.05). There was an association between the periodontal status and CD(+)4 T lymphocyte count in HIV(+) patients.GCF PGE2 level was related to periodontal parameters including BI, PD and AL.

How grain boundaries affect the efficiency of poly-CdTe solar-cells: A fundamental atomic-scale study of grain boundary dislocation cores using CdTe bi-crystal thin films.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klie, Robert

It is now widely accepted that grain boundaries in poly-crystalline CdTe thin film devices have a detrimental effect on the minority carrier lifetimes, the open circuit voltage and therefore the overall solar-cell performance. The goal of this project was to develop a fundamental understanding of the role of grain boundaries in CdTe on the carrier life-time, open-circuit voltage, Voc, and the diffusion of impurities. To achieve this goal, i) CdTe bi-crystals were fabricated with various misorientation angels, ii) the atomic- and electronic structures of the grain boundaries were characterized using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and iii) first-principles density functionalmore » theory modeling was performed on the structures determined by STEM to predict the grain boundary potential. The transport properties and minority carrier lifetimes of the bi-crystal grain boundaries were measured using a variety of approaches, including TRPL, and provided feedback to the characterization and modeling effort about the effectiveness of the proposed models.« less

In-plane chemical pressure essential for superconductivity in BiCh2-based (Ch: S, Se) layered structure

PubMed Central

Mizuguchi, Yoshikazu; Miura, Akira; Kajitani, Joe; Hiroi, Takafumi; Miura, Osuke; Tadanaga, Kiyoharu; Kumada, Nobuhiro; Magome, Eisuke; Moriyoshi, Chikako; Kuroiwa, Yoshihiro

2015-01-01

BiCh2-based compounds (Ch: S, Se) are a new series of layered superconductors, and the mechanisms for the emergence of superconductivity in these materials have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we investigate the relationship between crystal structure and superconducting properties of the BiCh2-based superconductor family, specifically, optimally doped Ce1−xNdxO0.5F0.5BiS2 and LaO0.5F0.5Bi(S1−ySey)2. We use powder synchrotron X-ray diffraction to determine the crystal structures. We show that the structure parameter essential for the emergence of bulk superconductivity in both systems is the in-plane chemical pressure, rather than Bi-Ch bond lengths or in-plane Ch-Bi-Ch bond angle. Furthermore, we show that the superconducting transition temperature for all REO0.5F0.5BiCh2 superconductors can be determined from the in-plane chemical pressure. PMID:26447333

Bismuth zinc vanadate, BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}: New crystal structure type and electronic structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eliziario Nunes, Sayonara; Department of Materials Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, 13565-905 São Carlos, SP; Wang, Chun-Hai

2015-02-15

We report a combined experimental and computational study of the crystal structure and electronic properties of bismuth zinc vanadate, BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}, known for its visible light photocatalytic activity. The crystal structure has been solved from laboratory powder X-ray diffraction data using the repeated minimisations from random starting values method. BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6} adopts a new structure type, based on the following building blocks: corner- and edge-sharing ZnO{sub 4} tetrahedra, ZnO{sub 6} octahedra and VO{sub 4} tetrahedra, and Bi{sub 2}O{sub 12} dimers. It is the only known member of the BiM{sub 2}AO{sub 6} (M=Pb, Ca, Cd, Mn, Zn, Mg, Cu;more » A=V, P, As) family which does not appear to be structurally closely related to others. The electronic structure of BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}, calculated by DFT methods, shows that it is an indirect gap semiconductor with a calculated band gap of 1.6 eV, which compares favourably to the experimentally measured value of 2.4 eV. - Graphical abstract: The crystal structure of BiZn{sub 2}VO{sub 6}, a new structure type in the BiM{sub 2}AO{sub 6} (M=Mg, Ca, Cd, Cu, Pb, Mn, Zn; A=V, P, As) family. - Highlights: • Structure solution from PXRD data by repeated minimisations from random starting values. • New structure type in the BiM{sub 2}AO{sub 6} (M=Pb, Ca, Cd, Mn, Zn, Mg, Cu; A=V, P, As) family. • Electronic structure calculation.« less

Translation and Clinical Development of Bispecific T‐cell Engaging Antibodies for Cancer Treatment

PubMed Central

Yuraszeck, T; Kasichayanula, S

2017-01-01

Bispecific T‐cell Engagers (BiTE®) antibody constructs enable a polyclonal T‐cell response to cell‐surface tumor‐associated antigens, bypassing the narrow specificities of T‐cell receptors and the need for antigen presentation through the major histocompatibility complex pathways. Blinatumomab, a CD19xCD3 BiTE® antibody construct, received accelerated approval for the treatment of relapsed/refractory Philadelphia chromosome negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Herein we review the pharmacology, safety, and efficacy observed in studies of blinatumomab and other BiTE® antibody constructs. Quantitative systems pharmacology is envisioned as a means to optimize dosing decisions for trials in which BiTE® antibody constructs are administered as monotherapy or in combination with other immunotherapies. PMID:28182247

Targeted delivery of CD44s-siRNA by ScFv overcomes de novo resistance to cetuximab in triple negative breast cancer.

PubMed

Fu, Wenyan; Sun, Hefen; Zhao, Yang; Chen, Mengting; Yang, Lipeng; Yang, Xueli; Jin, Wei

2018-05-16

The overexpression of EGFR often occurs in TNBC, and the anti-EGFR receptor antibody cetuximab is used widely to treat metastatic cancer in the clinic. However, EGFR-targeted therapies have been developed for TNBC without clinical success. In this study, we show that impaired EGFR degradation is crucial for resistance to cetuximab, which depends on the cell surface molecule CD44. To further investigate the role of CD44 in EGFR signaling and its treatment potential, we developed a targeting fusion protein composed of an anti-EGFR scFv generated from cetuximab and truncated protamine, called Ce-tP. CD44 siRNA can be specifically delivered into EGFR-positive TNBC cells by Ce-tP. Efficient knockdown of CD44 and suppression of both EGFR and downstream signaling by the Ce-tP/siRNA complex were observed in EGFR-positive TNBC cells. More importantly, our results also showed that targeted delivery of siRNA specific for CD44 can efficiently overcome resistance to EGFR targeting in TNBC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Overall, our results establish a new principle to achieve EGFR inhibition in TNBC and limit drug resistance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In-situ IR spectroscopy as a probe of oxidation/reduction of Ce in nanostructured CeO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Weiqiang; Savereide, Louisa Marie; Notestein, Justin; Weitz, Eric

2018-07-01

The redox properties of CeO2 are crucial in its applications in a wide range of catalytic processes. In the present research, in-situ IR spectroscopy is shown to be a viable and convenient method for the characterization of the oxidation state of Ce by monitoring the spin-orbit transition in Ce3+ (2F5/2 → 2F7/2) at ∼2147 cm-1. By monitoring this transition in CeO2 nanorods, the apparent activation energy for the production of oxygen vacancies that accompany the formation of Ce3+ has been determined and is shown to be lower for reduction with cyclohexene than with hydrogen. The bi-exponential kinetics for the formation of oxygen vacancies in CeO2 nanorods is discussed. An application of this method to real time monitoring of the oxidation state of Ce in the oxidation of cyclohexene on vanadia supported on ceria is presented as an example of how this method can be used as an operando probe of reaction mechanisms.

A comparative study of the luminescence properties of LYSO:Ce, LSO:Ce, GSO:Ce and BGO single crystal scintillators for use in medical X-ray imaging.

PubMed

Valais, I; Michail, C; David, S; Nomicos, C D; Panayiotakis, G S; Kandarakis, I

2008-06-01

The present study is a comparative investigation of the luminescence properties of (Lu,Y)(2)SiO(5):Ce (LYSO:Ce), Lu(2)SiO(5):Ce (LSO:Ce), Gd(2)SiO(5):Ce (GSO:Ce) and (Bi(4)Ge(3)O(12)) BGO single crystal scintillators under medical X-ray excitation. All scintillating crystals have dimensions of 10 x 10 x 10 mm(3) are non-hygroscopic exhibiting high radiation absorption efficiency in the energy range used in medical imaging applications. The comparative investigation was performed by determining the absolute luminescence efficiency (emitted light flux over incident X-ray exposure) in X-ray energies employed in general X-ray imaging (40-140 kV) and in mammographic X-ray imaging (22-49 kV). Additionally, light emission spectra of crystals at various X-ray energies were measured, in order to determine the spectral compatibility to optical photon detectors incorporated in medical imaging systems and the overall efficiency (effective efficiency) of a scintillator-optical detector combination. The light emission performance of LYSO:Ce and LSO:Ce scintillators studied was found very high for X-ray imaging.

Investigating the effect of Cd-Mn co-doped nano-sized BiFeO3 on its physical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishaq, B.; Murtaza, G.; Sharif, S.; Azhar Khan, M.; Akhtar, Naeem; Will, I. G.; Saleem, Murtaza; Ramay, Shahid M.

This work deals with the investigation of different effects on the structural, magnetic, electronic and dielectric properties of Cd and Mn doped Bi0.75Cd0.25Fe1-xMnxO3 multiferroic samples by taking fixed ratios of Cd and varying the Mn ratio with values of x = 0.0, 0.5, 0.10 and 0.15. Cd-Mn doped samples were synthesized chemically using a microemulsion method. All the samples were finally sintered at 700 °C for 2 h to obtain the single phase perovskites structure of BiFeO3 materials. The synthesized samples were characterized by different techniques, such as X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), LCR meter and magnetic properties using VSM. XRD results confirm BFO is a perovskite structure having crystallite size in the range of 24-54 nm. XRD results also reveal observed structural distortion due to doping of Cd at the A-site and Mn at the B-site of BFO. SEM results depict that, as the substitution of Cd-Mn increases in BFO, grain size decreases up to 30 nm. FTIR spectra showed prominent absorption bands at 555 cm-1 and 445 cm-1 corresponding to the stretching vibrations of the metal ions complexes at site A and site B, respectively. Variation of dielectric constant (ɛ‧) and loss tangent (tan δ) at room temperature in the range of 1 MHz to 3 GHz have been investigated. Results reveal that with Cd-Mn co doping a slight decrease in dielectric constant have been observed. Magnetic properties of Cd-Mn doped pure BFO samples have been studied at 300 K. Results reveal that undoped BiFeO3 exhibits weak ferromagnetic ordering due to the canting of its spin. Increase in magnetization and decrease in coercivity is a clear indication that a material can be used in high density recording media and memory devices.

Manipulation of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence of Blue Exciplex Emission: Fully Utilizing Exciton Energy for Highly Efficient Organic Light Emitting Diodes with Low Roll-Off.

PubMed

Wang, Zixing; Wang, Hedan; Zhu, Jun; Wu, Peng; Shen, Bowen; Dou, Dehai; Wei, Bin

2017-06-28

The application of exciplex energy has become a unique way to achieve organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with high efficiencies, low turn-on voltage, and low roll-off. Novel δ-carboline derivatives with high triplet energy (T 1 ≈ 2.92 eV) and high glass transition temperature (T g ≈ 153 °C) were employed to manipulate exciplex emissions in this paper. Deep blue (peak at 436 nm) and pure blue (peak at 468 nm) thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) of exciplex OLEDs were demonstrated by utilizing them as emitters with the maximum current efficiency (CE) of 4.64 cd A -1 , power efficiency (PE) of 2.91 lm W -1 , and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 2.36%. Highly efficient blue phosphorescent OLEDs doped with FIrpic showed a maximum CE of 55.6 cd A -1 , PE of 52.9 lm W -1 , and EQE of 24.6% respectively with very low turn on voltage at 2.7 V. The devices still remain high CE of 46.5 cd A -1 at 100 cd m -2 , 45.4 cd A -1 at 1000 cd m -2 and 42.3 cd A -1 at 5000 cd m -2 with EQE close to 20% indicating low roll-off. Manipulating blue exciplex emissions by chemical structure gives an ideal strategy to fully utilize all exciton energies for lighting of OLEDs.

CCR7(lo)PD-1(hi) CXCR5(+) CD4(+) T cells are positively correlated with levels of IL-21 in active and transitional cystic echinococcosis patients.

PubMed

Zhang, Fengbo; Pang, Nannan; Zhu, Yuejie; Zhou, Dexian; Zhao, Hui; Hu, Jinwei; Ma, Xiumin; Li, Jun; Wen, Hao; Samten, Buka; Fan, Haining; Ding, Jianbing

2015-10-26

In our study, we investigated whether circulating T follicular helper (Tfh) and the related cytokines are involved in human cystic echinococcosis (CE). A total of 64 patients with CE and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Percentages of CCR7(lo)PD-1(hi) cells within CXCR5(+) CD4(+) T cells (circulating Tfh cells) were detected by flow cytometry. Levels of IL-21 and IL-4 in peripheral blood were detected by cytometric bead array. The mRNA expression of IL-21, IL-4, Bcl-6, and Blimp-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were measured by real-time PCR. Levels of IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4 in the patients' sera were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Percentages of circulating Tfh cells were significantly increased in the CE1, CE2, and CE3 groups (p < 0.05). The concentrations of IL-21 and IL-4 in the serum were significantly increased in CE1, CE2, and CE3 groups (p < 0.05). IL-21 was positively correlated with circulating Tfh cells in CE3 group (r = 0.779, p < 0.05). The mRNA levels of IL-21, IL-4, and Bcl-6 were increased in CE1, CE2, and CE3 groups. Levels of IgG1 and IgG4 in patients' sera were increased in CE1, CE2, and CE3 groups. Levels of IgG2 and IgG3 were increased in CE4-5 group. Additionally, after stimulation with hydatid fluid in vitro, the levels of circulating Tfh cells, IL-21 and IL-4 in PBMCs isolated from CE patients were significantly increased (p < 0.05). The levels of circulating Tfh and related cytokines were significantly increased in CE patients, suggesting that they are involved in human CE.

Enantiomeric separation of antimalarial drugs by capillary electrophoresis using neutral and negatively charged cyclodextrins.

PubMed

Németh, Krisztina; Tárkányi, Gábor; Varga, Erzsébet; Imre, Tímea; Mizsei, Réka; Iványi, Róbert; Visy, Júlia; Szemán, Julianna; Jicsinszky, László; Szente, Lajos; Simonyi, Miklós

2011-02-20

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) methods for chiral resolution of five antimalarial drugs (primaquine, tafenoquine, mefloquine, chloroquine and quinacrine) were developed by using a wide selection of neutral and anionic cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives. The use of sulfobutyl-β-CD and carboxymethyl-β-CD (CMBCD) resulted in good resolution of quinacrine and tafenoquine, respectively. New results are presented for resolutions of chloroquine and mefloquine. Application of carboxyalkyl- and sulfobutyl-CD derivatives provided improved resolution for primaquine. The impurity in primaquine sample detected by CE was identified as quinocide by MS and NMR. CMBCD provided not only the best separation of primaquine from quinocide but also the simultaneous complete resolution of both compounds. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and characterization of zirconium titanium phosphate and its application in separation of metal ions.

PubMed

Thakkar, Rakesh; Chudasama, Uma

2009-12-15

An advanced inorganic ion exchanger, zirconium titanium phosphate (ZTP) of the class of tetravalent bimetallic acid (TBMA) salt has been synthesized by sol-gel route. ZTP has been characterized for ICP-AES, TGA, FTIR and XRD. Chemical stability of the material in various media-acids, bases and organic solvents has been assessed. Cation exchange capacity (CEC) and effect of calcination (100-500 degrees C) on CEC has also been studied. Distribution behaviour of metal ions Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ (d-block), Cd2+, Hg2+, Pb2+, Bi3+ (heavy) and La3+, Ce3+, Th4+, UO(2)2+ (f-block) towards ZTP has been studied and distribution coefficient (K(d)) determined in aqueous as well as various electrolyte media/concentrations. Based on the differential selectivity, breakthrough capacity (BTC) and elution behaviour of various metal ions towards ZTP, a few binary and ternary metal ion separations have been carried out.

Multielement analysis of Canadian wines by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and multivariate statistics.

PubMed

Taylor, Vivien F; Longerich, Henry P; Greenough, John D

2003-02-12

Trace element fingerprints were deciphered for wines from Canada's two major wine-producing regions, the Okanagan Valley and the Niagara Peninsula, for the purpose of examining differences in wine element composition with region of origin and identifying elements important to determining provenance. Analysis by ICP-MS allowed simultaneous determination of 34 trace elements in wine (Li, Be, Mg, Al, P, Cl, Ca, Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, I, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, and U) at low levels of detection, and patterns in trace element concentrations were deciphered by multivariate statistical analysis. The two regions were discriminated with 100% accuracy using 10 of these elements. Differences in soil chemistry between the Niagara and Okanagan vineyards were evident, without a good correlation between soil and wine composition. The element Sr was found to be a good indicator of provenance and has been reported in fingerprinting studies of other regions.

Clinical and Pathological Significance of ER Stress Marker (BiP/GRP78 and PERK) Expression in Malignant Melanoma.

PubMed

Shimizu, Akira; Kaira, Kyoichi; Yasuda, Masahito; Asao, Takayuki; Ishikawa, Osamu

2017-01-01

Glucose-regulated protein of 78 kD (GRP78) also referred to as immunoglobulin heavy chain binding protein (BiP/GRP78) plays an important role in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The level of BiP/GRP78 is highly elevated in various human cancers. The purpose of this study is to examine the prognostic significance of BiP/GRP78 expression in patients with malignant melanoma. A total of 133 malignant melanoma patients were analyzed, and tumor specimens were stained by immunohistochemistry for BiP/GRP78, PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), Ki-67, p53 and microvessel density (MVD) determined by CD34. BiP/GRP78 and PERK were highly expressed in 40 % (53/133) and 78 % (104/133), respectively. BiP/GRP78 disclosed a significant relationship with PERK expression, thickness, T factor, N factor, disease staging, cell proliferation (Ki-67) and MVD (CD34). By multivariate analysis, the high expression of BiP/GRP78 was identified as an independent prognostic factor for predicting poor survival against malignant melanoma. The increased BiP/GRP78 expression was clarified as an independent prognostic marker for predicting worse outcome. ER stress marker, BiP/GRP78 could be a powerful molecular target for the treatment of malignant melanoma.

Magnetic resonance enterography or video capsule endoscopy – what do Crohn’s disease patients prefer?

PubMed Central

Lahat, Adi; Kopylov, Uri; Amitai, Marianne M; Neuman, Sandra; Levhar, Nina; Yablecovitch, Doron; Avidan, Benjamin; Yanai, Henit; Dotan, Iris; Chowers, Yehuda; Weiss, Batya; Ben-Horin, Shomron; Eliakim, Rami

2016-01-01

Background Despite differences in the information obtained by capsule endoscopy (CE) and magnetic resonance enterography (MRE), one of these modalities is usually needed when evaluating disease activity. There are no data on patients’ preference that would help guide the choice between these two modalities in these instances. Aim To compare patients’ tolerance and preference to MRE versus CE. Patients and methods Patients with known small bowel Crohn’s disease (CD) in clinical remission (Crohn’s disease activity index [CDAI] <150) or with mild symptoms (CDAI <220) were prospectively recruited. All patients underwent MRE followed by CE. Patients were asked to fill out a questionnaire addressing specific points regarding inconvenience during the preparation for the procedures, the procedures, and postprocedures. Side effects and procedure preference were addressed. Questionnaires were included for analysis only when more than 95% of the items were addressed. Results Fifty-six patients fulfilled inclusion criteria. Pre-exam discomfort, during-exam discomfort, nausea, vomiting, bloating, and abdominal pain were all significantly more prominent in MRE as compared to CE (P<0.0001, P<0.0001, P<0.0001, P=0.009, P=0.0002, P<0.0001, respectively). MRE was perceived as a more difficult procedure (P<0.0001). Furthermore, MRE was associated with a specific adverse event – claustrophobia. Seventy-eight percent of patients (44 patients) preferred to repeat CE as compared to 22% (P<0.0001) who preferred MRE. Conclusion CE was better tolerated by CD patients compared to MRE and was preferred by 78% of patients. The superior tolerability of CE should be considered along with the diagnostic features, and more data sought when choosing between these two modalities for CD patients for long-term follow-up. PMID:27354774

Direct Quantification of Cd2+ in the Presence of Cu2+ by a Combination of Anodic Stripping Voltammetry Using a Bi-Film-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode and an Artificial Neural Network.

PubMed

Zhao, Guo; Wang, Hui; Liu, Gang

2017-07-03

Abstract : In this study, a novel method based on a Bi/glassy carbon electrode (Bi/GCE) for quantitatively and directly detecting Cd 2+ in the presence of Cu 2+ without further electrode modifications by combining square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) and a back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) has been proposed. The influence of the Cu 2+ concentration on the stripping response to Cd 2+ was studied. In addition, the effect of the ferrocyanide concentration on the SWASV detection of Cd 2+ in the presence of Cu 2+ was investigated. A BP-ANN with two inputs and one output was used to establish the nonlinear relationship between the concentration of Cd 2+ and the stripping peak currents of Cu 2+ and Cd 2+ . The factors affecting the SWASV detection of Cd 2+ and the key parameters of the BP-ANN were optimized. Moreover, the direct calibration model (i.e., adding 0.1 mM ferrocyanide before detection), the BP-ANN model and other prediction models were compared to verify the prediction performance of these models in terms of their mean absolute errors (MAEs), root mean square errors (RMSEs) and correlation coefficients. The BP-ANN model exhibited higher prediction accuracy than the direct calibration model and the other prediction models. Finally, the proposed method was used to detect Cd 2+ in soil samples with satisfactory results.

Effect of Silicon on Activity Coefficients of P, Bi, Cd, Sn, and Ag in Liquid Fe-Si, and Implications for Core Formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Righter, K.; Pando, K.; Ross, D. K.; Righter, M.; Lapen, T. J.

2018-01-01

Cores of differentiated bodies (Earth, Mars, Mercury, Moon, Vesta) contain light elements such as S, C, Si, and O. We have previously measured small effects of Si on Ni and Co, and larger effects on Mo, Ge, Sb, As metal/silicate partitioning. The effect of Si on metal-silicate partitioning has been quantified for many siderophile elements, but there are a few key elements for which the effects are not yet quantified. Here we report new experiments designed to quantify the effect of Si on the partitioning of Bi, Cd, Sn, Ag, and P between metal and silicate melt. The results will be applied to Earth, Mars, Moon, and Vesta, for which we have good constraints on the mantle Bi, Cd, Sn, Ag, and P concentrations from mantle and/or basalt samples.

Cinnamon extract regulates plasma levels of adipose-derived factors and expression of multiple genes related to carbohydrate metabolism and lipogenesis in adipose tissue of fructose-fed rats.

PubMed

Qin, B; Polansky, M M; Anderson, R A

2010-03-01

We reported earlier that dietary cinnamon extract (CE) improves systemic insulin sensitivity and dyslipidemia by enhancing insulin signaling. In the present study, we have examined the effects of CE on several biomarkers including plasma levels of adipose-derived adipokines, and the potential molecular mechanisms of CE in epididymal adipose tissue (EAT). In Wistar rats fed a high-fructose diet (HFD) to induce insulin resistance, supplementation with a CE (Cinnulin PF, 50 mg/kg daily) for 8 weeks reduced blood glucose, plasma insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, chylomicron-apoB48, VLDL-apoB100, and soluble CD36. CE also inhibited plasma retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) and fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) levels. CE-induced increases in plasma adiponectin were not significant. CE did not affect food intake, bodyweight, and EAT weight. In EAT, there were increases in the insulin receptor ( IR) and IR substrate 2 ( IRS2) mRNA, but CE-induced increases in mRNA expression of IRS1, phosphoinositide-3-kinase, AKT1, glucose transporters 1 and 4 , and glycogen synthase 1 expression and decreased trends in mRNA expression of glycogen synthase kinase 3beta were not statistically significant. CE also enhanced the mRNA levels of ADIPOQ, and inhibited sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c mRNA levels. mRNA and protein levels of fatty acid synthase and FABP4 were inhibited by CE and RBP4, and CD36 protein levels were also decreased by CE. These results suggest that CE effectively ameliorates circulating levels of adipokines partially mediated via regulation of the expression of multiple genes involved in insulin sensitivity and lipogenesis in the EAT.

Risk of capsule endoscope retention in pediatric patients: a large single-center experience and review of the literature.

PubMed

Atay, Orhan; Mahajan, Lori; Kay, Marsha; Mohr, Franziska; Kaplan, Barbara; Wyllie, Robert

2009-08-01

Capsule retention is a potential complication of capsule endoscopy (CE). The aims of our study were to determine the incidence of capsule retention in pediatric patients undergoing CE and to identify potential risk factors for capsule retention. We performed an institutional review board-approved retrospective chart review of pediatric patients undergoing CE studies at a single center. Data collected included patient age, sex, prior diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), CE indication, prior small bowel series results, study result, and complications. Two hundred seven CE procedures were performed in pediatric patients during the study period. Capsule retention occurred in 3 (1.4%) of the 207 studies. All 3 patients had known Crohn disease (CD). The risk of capsule retention in pediatric patients with known IBD was 5.2% (3/58). The risk of capsule retention for patients with suspected IBD and all other indications was 0%. If small bowel disease was identified on upper gastrointestinal series in patients with known CD, then the risk of capsule retention was 37.5% (3/8). Only 7 patients with known IBD had a body mass index (BMI) below the 5th percentile. Of these 7 patients, 3 (43%) had capsule retention. Red flags for potential CE retention identified in our study include known IBD (5.2% retention risk), previous small bowel follow-through demonstrating small bowel CD (37.5% retention risk), and BMI <5th percentile with known IBD (43% retention risk). Caution is advised in these pediatric patients before capsule ingestion.

Chlordecone Altered Hepatic Disposition of [14C]Cholesterol and Plasma Cholesterol Distribution but not SR-BI or ABCG8 Proteins in Livers of C57BL/6 Mice

PubMed Central

Lee, Junga; Scheri, Richard C.; Curtis, Lawrence R.

2011-01-01

Organochlorine (OC) insecticides continue to occur in tissues of humans and wildlife throughout the world although they were banned in the United States a few decades ago. Low doses of the OC insecticide chlordecone (CD) alter hepatic disposition of lipophilic xenobiotics and perturb lipid homeostasis in rainbow trout, mice and rats. CD pretreatment altered tissue and hepatic subcellular distribution of exogenous [14C]cholesterol (CH) equivalents 4 and 16 h after a bolus intraperitoneal (ip) injection of 5 ml corn oil/kg that contained 10 mg CH/kg. CD pretreatment altered tissue distribution of exogenously administered [14C]CH by decreased hepatic and renal accumulation, and increased biliary excretion up to 300%. Biliary excretion of polar [14C]CH metabolites was not altered by CD. CD pretreatment decreased subcellular distribution of [14C]CH equivalents in hepatic cytosol and microsomes and lipoprotein-rich fraction-to-homogenate ratio. CD pretreatment increased the ratio of [14C]CH equivalents in high density lipoprotein (HDL) to that in plasma and reduced [14C]CH equivalents in the non-HDL fraction 4 h after a bolus lipid dose. CD pretreatment increased plasma non-HDL total CH by 80% 4 h after a bolus lipid dose. Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) and ATPbinding cassette transporter G8 (ABCG8) proteins were quantified by western blotting in hepatic membranes from control and CD treated mice. Liver membrane contents of SR-BI and ABCG8 proteins were unchanged by CD pretreatment. The data demonstrated that a single dose of CD altered CH homeostasis and lipoprotein metabolism. PMID:18387646

Chlordecone altered hepatic disposition of [14C]cholesterol and plasma cholesterol distribution but not SR-BI or ABCG8 proteins in livers of C57BL/6 mice.

PubMed

Lee, Junga; Scheri, Richard C; Curtis, Lawrence R

2008-06-15

Organochlorine (OC) insecticides continue to occur in tissues of humans and wildlife throughout the world although they were banned in the United States a few decades ago. Low doses of the OC insecticide chlordecone (CD) alter hepatic disposition of lipophilic xenobiotics and perturb lipid homeostasis in rainbow trout, mice and rats. CD pretreatment altered tissue and hepatic subcellular distribution of exogenous [(14)C]cholesterol (CH) equivalents 4 and 16 h after a bolus intraperitoneal (ip) injection of 5 ml corn oil/kg that contained 10 mg CH/kg. CD pretreatment altered tissue distribution of exogenously administered [(14)C]CH by decreased hepatic and renal accumulation, and increased biliary excretion up to 300%. Biliary excretion of polar [(14)C]CH metabolites was not altered by CD. CD pretreatment decreased subcellular distribution of [(14)C]CH equivalents in hepatic cytosol and microsomes and lipoprotein-rich fraction-to-homogenate ratio. CD pretreatment increased the ratio of [(14)C]CH equivalents in high density lipoprotein (HDL) to that in plasma and reduced [(14)C]CH equivalents in the non-HDL fraction 4 h after a bolus lipid dose. CD pretreatment increased plasma non-HDL total CH by 80% 4 h after a bolus lipid dose. Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) and ATP-binding cassette transporter G8 (ABCG8) proteins were quantified by western blotting in hepatic membranes from control and CD treated mice. Liver membrane contents of SR-BI and ABCG8 proteins were unchanged by CD pretreatment. The data demonstrated that a single dose of CD altered CH homeostasis and lipoprotein metabolism.

Bismuth 213-labeled anti-CD45 radioimmunoconjugate to condition dogs for nonmyeloablative allogeneic marrow grafts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sandmaier, B M.; Bethge, W A.; Wilbur, D. Scott

To lower treatment-related mortality and toxicity of conventional marrow transplantation, a nonmyeloablative regimen using 200 cGy total-body irradiation (TBI) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) combined with cyclosporine (CSP) for postgrafting immunosuppression was developed. To circumvent possible toxic effects of external- beam gamma irradiation, strategies for targeted radiation therapy were investigated. We tested whether the short-lived (46 minutes) alpha-emitter Bi-213 conjugated to an anti-CD45 monoclonal antibody (mAb) could replace 200 cGy TBI and selectively target hematopoietic tissues in a canine model of nonmyeloablative DLA-identical marrow transplantation. Biodistribution studies using iodine 123-labeled anti-CD45 mAb showed uptake in blood, marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, andmore » liver. In a dose-escalation study, 7 dogs treated with the Bi-213-anti-CD45 conjugate (Bi-213 dose, 0.1-5.9 mCi/kg[3.7-218 MBq/kg]) without marrow grafts had no toxic effects other than a mild, reversible suppression of blood counts. On the basis of these studies, 3 dogs were treated with 0.5 mg/kg Bi-213-labeled anti-CD45 mAb (Bi-213 doses, 3.6, 4.6, and 8.8 mCi/kg[133, 170, and 326 MBq/kg]) given in 6 injections 3 and 2 days before grafting of marrow from DLA-identical littermates. The dogs also received MMF (10 mg/kg subcutaneously twice daily the day of transplantation until day 27 afterward) and CSP (15 mg/kg orally twice daily the day before transplantation until 35 days afterward). Therapy was well tolerated except for transient elevations in levels of transaminases in 3 dogs, followed by, in one dog, ascites. All dogs achieved prompt engraftment and stable mixed hematopoietic chimerism, with donor contributions ranging from 30% to 70% after more than 27 weeks of follow-up. These results form the basis for additional studies in animals and the design of clinical trials using Bi-213 as a nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen with minimal toxicity.« less

New mathematic model for predicting chiral separation using molecular docking: mechanism of chiral recognition of triadimenol analogues.

PubMed

Zhang, Guoqing; Sun, Qingyan; Hou, Ying; Hong, Zhanying; Zhang, Jun; Zhao, Liang; Zhang, Hai; Chai, Yifeng

2009-07-01

The purpose of this paper was to study the enantioseparation mechanism of triadimenol compounds by carboxymethylated (CM)-beta-CD mediated CE. All the enantiomers were separated under the same experimental conditions to study the chiral recognition mechanism using a 30 mM sodium dihydrogen phosphate buffer at pH 2.2 adjusted by phosphoric acid. The inclusion courses between CM-beta-CD and enantiomers were investigated by the means of molecular docking technique. It was found that there were at least three points (one hydrophobic bond and two hydrogen bonds) involved in the interaction of each enantiomer with the chiral selectors. A new mathematic model has been built up based on the results of molecular mechanics calculations, which could analyze the relationship between the resolution of enantioseparation and the interaction energy in the docking area. Comparing the results of the separation by CE, the established mathematic model demonstrated good capability to predict chiral separation of triadimenol enantiomers using CM-beta-CD mediated CE.

High efficiency yellow organic light-emitting diodes with optimized barrier layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Ye; Zhang, Shiming; Yue, Shouzhen; Wu, Qingyang; Zhao, Yi

2015-12-01

High efficiency Iridium (III) bis (4-phenylthieno [3,2-c] pyridinato-N,C2‧) acetylacetonate (PO-01) based yellow organic light-emitting devices are fabricated by employing multiple emission layers. The efficiency of the device using 4,4‧,4″-tris(N-carbazolyl) triphenylamine (TCTA) as potential barrier layer (PBL) outperforms those devices based on other PBLs and detailed analysis is carried out to reveal the mechanisms. A forward-viewing current efficiency (CE) of 65.21 cd/A, which corresponds to a maximum total CE of 110.85 cd/A is achieved at 335.8 cd/m2 in the optimized device without any outcoupling enhancement structures.

Bi-directional activation between mesenchymal stem cells and CLL B-cells: implication for CLL disease progression.

PubMed

Ding, Wei; Nowakowski, Grzegorz S; Knox, Traci R; Boysen, Justin C; Maas, Mary L; Schwager, Susan M; Wu, Wenting; Wellik, Linda E; Dietz, Allan B; Ghosh, Asish K; Secreto, Charla R; Medina, Kay L; Shanafelt, Tait D; Zent, Clive S; Call, Timothy G; Kay, Neil E

2009-11-01

It was hypothesized that contact between chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) B-cells and marrow stromal cells impact both cell types. To test this hypothesis, we utilized a long-term primary culture system from bone biopsies that reliably generates a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC). Co-culture of MSC with CLL B-cells protected the latter from both spontaneous apoptosis and drug-induced apoptosis. The CD38 expression in previously CD38 positive CLL B-cells was up-regulated with MSC co-culture. Upregulation of CD71, CD25, CD69 and CD70 in CLL B-cells was found in the co-culture. CD71 upregulation was more significantly associated with high-risk CLL, implicating CD71 regulation in the microenvironment predicting disease progression. In MSC, rapid ERK and AKT phosphorylation (within 30 min) were detected when CLL B-cells and MSC were separated by transwell; indicating that activation of MSC was mediated by soluble factors. These findings support a bi-directional activation between bone marrow stromal cells and CLL B-cells.

Magnetic interactions in equi-atomic rare-earth intermetallic alloys RScGe (R = Ce, Pr, Nd and Gd) studied by time differential perturbed angular correlation spectroscopy and ab initio calculations.

PubMed

Mishra, S N

2009-03-18

Applying the time differential perturbed angular correlation (TDPAC) technique we have measured electric and magnetic hyperfine fields of the (111)Cd impurity in equi-atomic rare-earth intermetallic alloys RScGe (R = Ce, Pr and Gd) showing antiferro- and ferromagnetism with unusually high ordering temperatures. The Cd nuclei occupying the Sc site show high magnetic hyperfine fields with saturation values B(hf)(0) = 21 kG, 45 kG and 189 kG in CeScGe, PrScGe and GdScGe, respectively. By comparing the results with the hyperfine field data of Cd in rare-earth metals and estimations from the RKKY model, we find evidence for the presence of additional spin density at the probe nucleus, possibly due to spin polarization of Sc d band electrons. The principal electric field gradient component V(zz) in CeScGe, PrScGe and GdScGe has been determined to be 5.3 × 10(21) V m(-2), 5.5 × 10(21) V m(-2) and 5.6 × 10(21) V m(-2), respectively. Supplementing the experimental measurements, we have carried out ab initio calculations for pure and Cd-doped RScGe compounds with R = Ce, Pr, Nd and Gd using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FLAPW) method based on density functional theory (DFT). From the total energies calculated with and without spin polarization we find ferrimagnetic ground states for CeScGe and PrScGe while NdScGe and GdScGe are ferromagnetic. In addition, we find a sizable magnetic moment at the Sc site, increasing from ≈0.10 μ(B) in CeScGe to ≈0.3 μ(B) in GdScGe, confirming the spin polarization of Sc d band electrons. The calculated electric field gradient and magnetic hyperfine fields of the Cd impurity closely agree with the experimental values. We believe spin polarization of Sc 3d band electrons, strongly hybridized with spin polarized 5d band electrons of the rare-earth, enables a long range Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction between RE 4f moments which in turn leads to high magnetic ordering temperatures in RScGe compounds.

Junction formation of Cu3BiS3 investigated by Kelvin probe force microscopy and surface photovoltage measurements

PubMed Central

Mesa, Fredy; Chamorro, William; Vallejo, William; Baier, Robert; Dittrich, Thomas; Grimm, Alexander; Lux-Steiner, Martha C

2012-01-01

Summary Recently, the compound semiconductor Cu3BiS3 has been demonstrated to have a band gap of ~1.4 eV, well suited for photovoltaic energy harvesting. The preparation of polycrystalline thin films was successfully realized and now the junction formation to the n-type window needs to be developed. We present an investigation of the Cu3BiS3 absorber layer and the junction formation with CdS, ZnS and In2S3 buffer layers. Kelvin probe force microscopy shows the granular structure of the buffer layers with small grains of 20–100 nm, and a considerably smaller work-function distribution for In2S3 compared to that of CdS and ZnS. For In2S3 and CdS buffer layers the KPFM experiments indicate negatively charged Cu3BiS3 grain boundaries resulting from the deposition of the buffer layer. Macroscopic measurements of the surface photovoltage at variable excitation wavelength indicate the influence of defect states below the band gap on charge separation and a surface-defect passivation by the In2S3 buffer layer. Our findings indicate that Cu3BiS3 may become an interesting absorber material for thin-film solar cells; however, for photovoltaic application the band bending at the charge-selective contact has to be increased. PMID:22497001

Junction formation of Cu(3)BiS(3) investigated by Kelvin probe force microscopy and surface photovoltage measurements.

PubMed

Mesa, Fredy; Chamorro, William; Vallejo, William; Baier, Robert; Dittrich, Thomas; Grimm, Alexander; Lux-Steiner, Martha C; Sadewasser, Sascha

2012-01-01

Recently, the compound semiconductor Cu(3)BiS(3) has been demonstrated to have a band gap of ~1.4 eV, well suited for photovoltaic energy harvesting. The preparation of polycrystalline thin films was successfully realized and now the junction formation to the n-type window needs to be developed. We present an investigation of the Cu(3)BiS(3) absorber layer and the junction formation with CdS, ZnS and In(2)S(3) buffer layers. Kelvin probe force microscopy shows the granular structure of the buffer layers with small grains of 20-100 nm, and a considerably smaller work-function distribution for In(2)S(3) compared to that of CdS and ZnS. For In(2)S(3) and CdS buffer layers the KPFM experiments indicate negatively charged Cu(3)BiS(3) grain boundaries resulting from the deposition of the buffer layer. Macroscopic measurements of the surface photovoltage at variable excitation wavelength indicate the influence of defect states below the band gap on charge separation and a surface-defect passivation by the In(2)S(3) buffer layer. Our findings indicate that Cu(3)BiS(3) may become an interesting absorber material for thin-film solar cells; however, for photovoltaic application the band bending at the charge-selective contact has to be increased.

Biodistributions, Myelosuppression, and Toxicities in Mice Treated with an Anti-CD45 Antibody Labeled with the alpha-Emitting Radionuclides Bismuth-213 or Astatine-211

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nakamae, Hirohisa; Wilbur, D. Scott; Hamlin, Donald K.

2009-03-15

We previously investigated 213Bi-labeled anti-CD45 antibody to replace total body irradiation as conditioning for hematopoietic cell transplantation in a canine model. While this allowed sustained engraftment of marrow, limited availability and high cost of 213Bi led to a preliminary investigation in mice of 211At-labeled antibody for the same application. To gain an understanding of the differences between the two radionuclides, biodistribution and myelosuppression/toxicity studies were conducted with 213Bi- and 211At-labeled rat anti-murine CD45 antibody, 30F11, conjugates. After injecting mice with 2-50 μCi on 10 μg 30F11 conjugate or 20 μCi on 2 or 40 μg conjugate, biodistributions, myelosuppression and non-hematologicalmore » toxicities were evaluated. Biodistribution studies showed that the spleen had the highest concentration of radioactivity, ranging from167-417 % injected dose/gram (%ID/g) at 24 h after injection in the 211At studies and 45-166 %ID/g at 3 h after injection in the 213Bi studies. The higher concentrations observed for 211At-labeled 30F11 was likely due to its longer half-life which, permitted more localization of antibody to the spleen before decay. 211At was more effective at myelosuppression for the same (mCi) quantity of injected radioactivity. Injection of only 20 or 50 μCi 211At resulted in lethal myeloablation. There was severe reversible acute hepatic toxicity with 50 μCi 213Bi, but not with lower doses or any dose of 211At. No significant renal toxicity occurred with either radionuclide. The data suggested that considerably lower quantities of 211At-labeled anti-CD45 antibody than 213Bi-labeled antibody might be effective for myelosuppression.« less

Concentration and distribution of sixty-one elements in coals from DPR Korea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hu, Jiawen; Zheng, B.; Finkelman, R.B.; Wang, B.; Wang, M.; Li, S.; Wu, D.

2006-01-01

Fifty coal samples (28 anthracite and 22 lignites) were collected from both main and small coal mines in DPR Korea prioritized by resource distribution and coal production. The concentrations of 61 elements in 50 coal samples were determined by several multielement and element-specific techniques, including inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), ion chromatogram (IC), cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS), and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS). The ranges, arithmetic means and geometric means of concentrations of these elements are presented. A comparison with crustal abundances (Clarke values) shows that some potentially hazardous elements in the coals of DPR Korea are highly enriched Li, B, S, Cl, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Sn, Sb, W, Te, Hg, Ag, Pb, and La, Ce, Dy, Tm, Ge, Mo, Cs, Tl, Bi, Th and U are moderately enriched. A comparison of ranges and means of elemental concentrations in DPR Korea, Chinese, and world coals shows the ranges of most elements in DPR Korea coals are very close to the ranges of world coals. Arithmetic means of most elements in DPR Korea coals are close to that of American coals. Most elements arithmetic means are higher in Jurassic and Paleogene coals than coals of other ages. In DPR Korea coals, only seven elements in early Permian coals are higher than other periods: Li, Zn, Se, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Bi. Only five elements B, As, Sr, Mo, W in Neogene coals have arithmetic means higher than others. SiO2 and Al2O 3 in ashes are more than 70% except six samples. The correlation between ash yields and major elements from high to low is in the order of Si>Al>Ti>K>Mg>Fe>Na>Ca>P>S. Most elements have high positive correlation with ash (r>0.5) and show high inorganic affinity. ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural, electrical and magnetic properties of (Cd, Ti) modified BiFeO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Nitin; Shukla, Alok; Choudhary, R. N. P.

2017-09-01

Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3), one of the most prominent members of multiferroics, has multiple promising characteristics useful for multifunctional applications. Multi-doped (Cd, Ti) complex bismuth ferrite [i.e., Bi(Cd1/4Ti1/4Fe1/2)O3] ceramic was synthesized through a mixed-oxide route. X-ray structural analysis of the prepared material provides its basic crystal data of a single-phase orthorhombic system. The scattered crystallite size and lattice strain of the material were estimated using Scherrer and Williamson-Hall approaches respectively using X-ray diffraction peaks. Analysis of the micrograph of field emission scanning electron microscope shows uniform and densely packed grains on the surfaces of the pellet sample suggesting the formation of good quality and high-density sample. A significant effect of substitution of multiple elements at the Fe-site on dielectric constant and tangent loss of BiFeO3 has been observed. Detailed studies of temperature (25-500 °C) and frequency (1-1000 kHz) dependence of impedance and ac-conductivity have provided the effect of grains and grain boundaries on the conduction mechanism and dielectric relaxation of the material. Based on the magnetic measurements, it is concluded that (Cd, Ti) modified bismuth ferrite has provided saturation magnetisation (Ms) and coercivity (Hc) of 2.66 emu g-1 and 653.75 Oe respectively which are consistent with those of many compounds of similar type.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of CD4-anchoring bi-functional fusion inhibitor in monkeys.

PubMed

Liu, Xingrong; Ou, Ying C; Zhang, Jun; Ahene, Ago; Clark, Douglas; Hsieh, Su-Chun; Cooper, Matthew; Ji, Changhua

2014-03-01

This study was to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of a chimeric protein, CD4-anchoring bi-functional fusion inhibitor (CD4-BFFI), in monkeys and assess the feasibility for HIV-1 treatment in humans. The serum concentrations of CD4-BFFI and CD4 receptors were determined and modeled using a target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD) model following intravenous administration of 1 or 10 mg/kg in monkeys. In vitro CD4 internalization was examined in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Noncompartmental analysis showed a decrease in clearance (1.35 to 0.563 mL/h/kg) and an increase in half-lives (35 to 50 h) with increasing doses. Dose-dependent CD4 occupancy was observed. The TMDD model reasonably captured the PK/PD profiles and suggested greater degradation rate constant for the free CD4 than the bound CD4. In vitro assay showed CD4-BFFI did not reduce the internalization of cell surface CD4. The simulated serum concentrations of CD4-BFFI were 20-fold above its in vitro IC50 for HIV-1 at 3 mg/kg weekly or biweekly following subcutaneous administration in humans. The TMDD modeling and in vitro CD4 internalization study indicate that CD4-BFFI does not induce CD4 internalization and CD4-BFFI short half-life is likely due to normal CD4 internalization. The simulated human PK supports CD4-BFFI as a promising anti-HIV-1 agent.

A scatterometry based CD metrology solution for advanced nodes, including capability of handling birefringent layers with uniaxial anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, Chih-Ming; Hu, Jimmy; Wang, Willie; Huang, Jacky; Chung, H. L.; Liang, C. R.; Shih, Victor; Liu, H. H.; Lee, H. J.; Lin, John; Fan, Y. D.; Yen, Tony; Wright, Noelle; Alvarez Sanchez, Ruben; Coene, Wim; Noot, Marc; Yuan, Kiwi; Wang, Vivien; Bhattacharyya, Kaustuve; van der Mast, Karel

2009-03-01

A brand new CD metrology technique that can address the need for accuracy, precision and speed in near future lithography is probably one of the most challenging items. CDSEMs have served this need for a long time, however, a change of or an addition to this traditional approach is inevitable as the increase in the need for better precision (tight CDU budget) and speed (driven by the demand for increase in sampling) continues to drive the need for advanced nodes. The success of CD measurement with scatterometry remains in the capability to model the resist grating, such as, CD and shape (side wall angle), as well as the under-lying layers (thickness and material property). Things are relatively easier for the cases with isotropic under-lying layers (that consists of single refractive or absorption indices). However, a real challenge to such a technique becomes evident when one or more of the under-lying layers are anisotropic. In this technical presentation the authors would like to evaluate such CD reconstruction technology, a new scatterometry based platform under development at ASML, which can handle bi-refringent non-patterned layers with uniaxial anisotropy in the underlying stack. In the RCWA code for the bi-refringent case, the elegant formalism of the enhanced transmittance matrix can still be used. In this paper, measurement methods and data will be discussed from several complex production stacks (layers). With inclusion of the bi-refringent modeling, the in-plane and perpendicular n and k values can be treated as floating parameters for the bi-refringent layer, so that very robust CD-reconstruction is achieved with low reconstruction residuals. As a function of position over the wafer, significant variations of the perpendicular n and k values are observed, with a typical radial fingerprint on the wafer, whereas the variations in the in-plane n and k values are seen to be considerably lower.

Bulk Dissolution Rates of Cadmium and Bismuth Tellurides As a Function of pH, Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen.

PubMed

Biver, Marc; Filella, Montserrat

2016-05-03

The toxicity of Cd being well established and that of Te suspected, the bulk, surface-normalized steady-state dissolution rates of two industrially important binary tellurides-polycrystalline cadmium and bismuth tellurides- were studied over the pH range 3-11, at various temperatures (25-70 °C) and dissolved oxygen concentrations (0-100% O2 in the gas phase). The behavior of both tellurides is strikingly different. The dissolution rates of CdTe monotonically decreased with increasing pH, the trend becoming more pronounced with increasing temperature. Activation energies were of the order of magnitude associated with surface controlled processes; they decreased with decreasing acidity. At pH 7, the CdTe dissolution rate increased linearly with dissolved oxygen. In anoxic solution, CdTe dissolved at a finite rate. In contrast, the dissolution rate of Bi2Te3 passed through a minimum at pH 5.3. The activation energy had a maximum in the rate minimum at pH 5.3 and fell below the threshold for diffusion control at pH 11. No oxygen dependence was detected. Bi2Te3 dissolves much more slowly than CdTe; from one to more than 3.5 orders of magnitude in the Bi2Te3 rate minimum. Both will readily dissolve under long-term landfill deposition conditions but comparatively slowly.

Effect of Low-Melting Metals (Pb, Bi, Cd, In) on the Structure, Phase Composition, and Properties of Casting Al-5% Si-4% Cu Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakovleva, A. O.; Belov, N. A.; Bazlova, T. A.; Shkalei, I. V.

2018-01-01

The effect of low-melting metals (Pb, Bi, Cd, In) on the structure, phase composition, and properties of the Al-5% Si-4% Cu alloy was studied using calculations. Polythermal sections have been reported, which show that the considered systems are characterized by the presence of liquid regions and monotectic reactions. The effect of low-melting metals on the microstructure and hardening of base alloy in the cast and heat-treated states has been studied.

High-pressure structural and vibrational properties of monazite-type BiPO4, LaPO4, CePO4, and PrPO4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Errandonea, D.; Gomis, O.; Rodríguez-Hernández, P.; Muñoz, A.; Ruiz-Fuertes, J.; Gupta, M.; Achary, S. N.; Hirsch, A.; Manjon, F. J.; Peters, L.; Roth, G.; Tyagi, A. K.; Bettinelli, M.

2018-02-01

Monazite-type BiPO4, LaPO4, CePO4, and PrPO4 have been studied under high pressure by ab initio simulations and Raman spectroscopy measurements in the pressure range of stability of the monazite structure. A good agreement between experimental and theoretical Raman-active mode frequencies and pressure coefficients has been found which has allowed us to discuss the nature of the Raman-active modes. Besides, calculations have provided us with information on how the crystal structure is modified by pressure. This information has allowed us to determine the equation of state and the isothermal compressibility tensor of the four studied compounds. In addition, the information obtained on the polyhedral compressibility has been used to explain the anisotropic axial compressibility and the bulk compressibility of monazite phosphates. Finally, we have carried out a systematic discussion on the high-pressure behavior of the four studied phosphates in comparison to results of previous studies.

Design of a new nanocomposite between bismuth nanoparticles and graphene oxide for development of electrochemical sensors.

PubMed

Bindewald, Eduardo H; Schibelbain, Arthur F; Papi, Maurício A P; Neiva, Eduardo G C; Zarbin, Aldo J G; Bergamini, Márcio F; Marcolino-Júnior, Luiz H

2017-10-01

This study describes a new route for preparation of a nanocomposite between graphene oxide (GO) and bismuth nanoparticles (BiNPs) and its evaluation as modifier electrode for development of electrochemical sensors. BiNPs were synthesized under ultrasound conditions using Bi(NO 3 ) 3 as metal precursor and ascorbic acid (AA) as reducing agent/passivating. Some experimental parameters of BiNPs synthesis such as Bi 3+ :AA molar ratio and reaction time were conducted aiming the best voltammetric performance of the sensor. Glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) were modified by drop-casting with the BiNPs dispersions and anodic stripping voltammetry measurements were performed and revealed an improvement in the sensitivityfor determination of Cd(II) and Pb(II) compared to an unmodified electrode. The best electrochemical response was obtained for a BiNPs synthesis with Bi 3+ :AA molar ratio of 1:6 and reaction time of 10min, which yielded Bi metallic nanoparticles with average size of 5.4nm confirmed by XRD and TEM images, respectively. GO was produced by graphite oxidation using potassium permanganate and exfoliated with an ultrasound tip. GO-BiNPs nanocomposite was obtained by a simple mixture of GO and BiNPs dispersions in water and kept under ultrasonic bath for 1h. GCE were modified with a nanocomposite suspension containing 0.3 and 1.5mgmL -1 of GO and BiNPs in water, respectively. Under optimized conditions, the proposed nanocomposite was evaluated on the voltammetric determination of Pb (II) and Cd (II), leading to a linear response range between 0.1 and 1.4μmolL -1 for both cations, with limit of detection of 30 and 27nmolL -1 , respectively. These results indicate the great potential of the GO-BiNPs nanocomposite for improving the sensitivity of voltammetric procedures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Creation and Analysis of Atomic Structures for CdTe Bi-crystal Interfaces by the Grain Boundary Genie

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buurma, Christopher; Sen, Fatih G.; Paulauskas, Tadas

2015-01-01

Grain boundaries (GB) in poly-CdTe solar cells play an important role in species diffusion, segregation, defect formation, and carrier recombination. While the creation of specific high-symmetry interfaces can be straight forward, the creation of general GB structures in many material systems is difficult if periodic boundary conditions are to be enforced. Here we describe a novel algorithm and implementation to generate initial general GB structures for CdTe in an automated way, and we investigate some of these structures using density functional theory (DFT). Example structures include those with bi-crystals already fabricated for comparison, and those planning to be investigated inmore » the future.« less

Short-sweep capillary electrophoresis with a selective zinc fluorescence imaging reagent FluoZin-3 for determination of free and metalothionein-2a-bound Zn2+ ions.

PubMed

Nejdl, Lukas; Moravanska, Andrea; Smerkova, Kristyna; Mravec, Filip; Krizkova, Sona; Pomorski, Adam; Krężel, Artur; Macka, Mirek; Adam, Vojtech; Vaculovicova, Marketa

2018-08-09

A capillary electrophoretic (CE) method using a short-sweep approach and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection (ShortSweepCE-LIF) was developed for determination of Zn 2+ and Cd 2+ as complexes with highly selective and sensitive fluorescent probe FluoZin-3. The ShortSweepCE-LIF method, established in this work, can be used for examining competitive Zn 2+ and Cd 2+ binding properties of metalloproteins or peptides. The parameters including background electrolyte composition, injection pressure and time as well as separation voltage were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, 80 mM HEPES, pH 7.4, with 1.5 μM FluoZin-3 was used as an electrolyte, hydrodynamic injection was performed at 50 mbar for 5 s, and separation voltage of 25 kV. Limits of detection for Zn 2+ and Cd 2+ were 4 and 125 nM, respectively. The developed method was demonstrated in a study of interactions between metalothionein-2a isoform and metal ions Zn 2+ , Co 2+ and Cd 2+ . It was found that FluoZin-3 was able to extract a single Zn 2+ ion, while added Co 2+ (in surplus) extracted only 2.4 Zn 2+ ions, and Cd 2+ extracted all 7 Zn 2+ ions present in the metalothionein molecule. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Two-Component DNA-Prime/Protein-Boost Vaccination Strategy for Eliciting Long-Term, Protective T Cell Immunity against Trypanosoma cruzi

PubMed Central

Gupta, Shivali; Garg, Nisha J.

2015-01-01

In this study, we evaluated the long-term efficacy of a two-component subunit vaccine against Trypanosoma cruzi infection. C57BL/6 mice were immunized with TcG2/TcG4 vaccine delivered by a DNA-prime/Protein-boost (D/P) approach and challenged with T. cruzi at 120 or 180 days post-vaccination (dpv). We examined whether vaccine-primed T cell immunity was capable of rapid expansion and intercepting the infecting T. cruzi. Our data showed that D/P vaccine elicited CD4+ (30-38%) and CD8+ (22-42%) T cells maintained an effector phenotype up to 180 dpv, and were capable of responding to antigenic stimulus or challenge infection by a rapid expansion (CD8>CD4) with type 1 cytokine (IFNγ+ and TFNα+) production and cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity. Subsequently, challenge infection at 120 or 180 dpv, resulted in 2-3-fold lower parasite burden in vaccinated mice than was noted in unvaccinated/infected mice. Co-delivery of IL-12- and GMCSF-encoding expression plasmids provided no significant benefits in enhancing the anti-parasite efficacy of the vaccine-induced T cell immunity. Booster immunization (bi) with recombinant TcG2/TcG4 proteins 3-months after primary vaccine enhanced the protective efficacy, evidenced by an enhanced expansion (1.2-2.8-fold increase) of parasite-specific, type 1 CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and a potent CTL response capable of providing significantly improved (3-4.5-fold) control of infecting T. cruzi. Further, CD8+T cells in vaccinated/bi mice were predominantly of central memory phenotype, and capable of responding to challenge infection 4-6-months post bi by a rapid expansion to a poly-functional effector phenotype, and providing a 1.5-2.3-fold reduction in tissue parasite replication. We conclude that the TcG2/TcG4 D/P vaccine provided long-term anti-T. cruzi T cell immunity, and bi would be an effective strategy to maintain or enhance the vaccine-induced protective immunity against T. cruzi infection and Chagas disease. PMID:25951312

Systematics in position annihilation lifetime analysis of high T c superconducting transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howell, R. H.; Radousky, H. B.; Wachs, A. L.; Fluss, M. J.; Turchi, P. E. A.; Jean, Y. C.; Sundar, C. S.; Chu, C. W.; Peng, J. L.; Folkerts, T. J.; Shelton, R. N.; Hinks, D. G.

1989-12-01

Values of the positron lifetime have previously been observed to change with temperature below T c in high T c superconducting oxides. We report new measurements on Ba .6K .4BiO 3 and Nd 1.85Ce .15CuO 4.

Simultaneous Stripping Detection of Pb(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II) Using a Bimetallic Hg-Bi/Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Composite Electrode

PubMed Central

Ouyang, Ruizhuo; Zhu, Zhenqian; Tatum, Clarissa E.; Chambers, James Q.; Xue, Zi-Ling

2011-01-01

A new, sensitive platform for the simultaneous electrochemical assay of Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) in aqueous solution has been developed. The platform is based on a new bimetallic Hg-Bi/single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) composite modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE), demonstrating remarkably improved performance for the anodic stripping assay of Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II). The synergistic effect of Hg and Bi as well as the enlarged, activated surface and good electrical conductivity of SWNTs on GCE contribute to the enhanced activity of the proposed electrode. The analytical curves for Zn(II), Cd(II) an Pb(II) cover two linear ranges varying from 0.5 to 11 μg L-1 and 10 to 130 μg L-1 with correlation coefficients higher than 0.992. The limits of detection for Zn(II), Cd(II) are lower than 2 μg L-1 (S/N = 3). For Pb(II), moreover, there is another lower, linear range from 5 to 1100 ng L-1 with a coefficient of 0.987 and a detection limit of 0.12 ng L-1. By using the standard addition method, Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions in river samples were successfully determined. These results suggest that the proposed method can be applied as a simple, efficient alternative for the simultaneous monitoring of heavy metals in water samples. In addition, this method demonstrates the powerful application of carbon nanotubes in electrochemical analysis of heavy metals. PMID:21660117

Composition of plume-influenced mid-ocean ridge lavas and glasses from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, East Pacific Rise, Galápagos Spreading Center, and Gulf of Aden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, Katherine A.; Kingsley, Richard; Schilling, Jean-Guy

2013-01-01

The global mid-ocean ridge system is peppered with localities where mantle plumes impinge on oceanic spreading centers. Here, we present new, high resolution and high precision data for 40 trace elements in 573 samples of variably plume-influenced mid-ocean ridge basalts from the Mid-Atlantic ridge, the Easter Microplate and Salas y Gomez seamounts, the Galápagos spreading center, and the Gulf of Aden, in addition to previously unpublished major element and isotopic data for these regions. Included in the data set are the unconventional trace elements Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, W, and Tl, which are not commonly reported by most geochemical studies. We show variations in the ratios Mo/Ce, Cd/Dy, Sn/Sm, Sb/Ce, W/U, and Rb/Tl, which are expected not to fractionate significantly during melting or crystallization, as a function of proximity to plume-related features on these ridges. The Cd/Dy and Sn/Sm ratios show little variation with plume proximity, although higher Cd/Dy may signal increases in the role of garnet in the mantle source beneath some plumes. Globally, the Rb/Tl ratio closely approximates the La/SmN ratio, and thus provides a sensitive tracer of enriched mantle domains. The W/U ratio is not elevated at plume centers, but we find significant enrichments in W/U, and to a lesser extent the Mo/Ce and Sb/Ce ratios, at mid-ocean ridges proximal to plumes. Such enrichments may provide evidence of far-field entrainment of lower mantle material that has interacted with the core by deeply-rooted, upwelling mantle plumes.

The Role of Siglec-1 and SR-BI Interaction in the Phagocytosis of Oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein by Macrophages

PubMed Central

Li, Chang; Zhu, Lin; Wu, Li-juan; Zhong, Ren-qian

2013-01-01

Background Macrophages play a proatherosclerotic role in atherosclerosis via oxLDL uptake. As an adhesion molecular of I-type lectins, Siglec-1 is highly expressed on circulating monocytes and plaque macrophages of atherosclerotic patients, but the exact role of Siglec-1 has not been elucidated. Methods In this study, oxLDL was used to stimulate Siglec-1 and some oxLDL receptors (SR-BI, CD64, CD32B, LOX-1 and TLR-4) expression on bone marrow-derived macrophages, whereas small interfering RNA was used to down-regulate Siglec-1. Meanwhile, an ELISA-based assay for Siglec-1-oxLDL interaction was performed, and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) were used to determine the role of Siglec-1 in oxLDL uptake by macrophages. Results We found that oxLDL could up-regulate the expression of various potential oxLDL receptors, including Siglec-1, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, down-regulation of Siglec-1 could attenuate oxLDL uptake by Oil red O staining. LSCM revealed that Siglec-1 and CD64/SR-BI may colocalize on oxLDL-stimulated macrophage surface, whereas co-IP showed that Siglec-1 and SR-BI can be immunoprecipitated by each other. However, no direct interaction between Siglec-1 and oxLDL was found in the in vitro protein interaction system. Conclusions Thus, Siglec-1 can interact with SR-BI in the phagocytosis of oxLDL by macrophages, rather than act as an independent receptor for oxLDL. PMID:23520536

Investigation of energy transfer mechanisms between Bi(2+) and Tm(3+) by time-resolved spectrum.

PubMed

Li, Yang; Sharafudeen, Kaniyarakkal; Dong, Guoping; Ma, Zhijun; Qiu, Jianrong

2013-11-01

Here, we report for the first time the optical properties of Bi(2+) and Tm(3+) co-doped germanate glasses and elucidate the potential of this material as substrates to improve the performance of CdTe solar cell. A strong emission peak at 800nm is observed under the excitation of 450-700nm in this material. The energy transfer processes from the transitions of Bi(2+) [(2)P3/2(1)→(2)P1/2]: Tm(3+) [(3)H6→(3)H4] are investigated by time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. A cover glass exhibiting an ultra-broadband response spectrum covering the entire solar visible wavelength region is suggested to enhance the conversion efficiency of CdTe solar cells significantly. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A modified R-type bacteriocin specifically targeting Clostridium difficile prevents colonization of mice without affecting gut microbiota diversity.

PubMed

Gebhart, Dana; Lok, Stephen; Clare, Simon; Tomas, Myreen; Stares, Mark; Scholl, Dean; Donskey, Curtis J; Lawley, Trevor D; Govoni, Gregory R

2015-03-24

Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of nosocomial infections worldwide and has become an urgent public health threat requiring immediate attention. Epidemic lineages of the BI/NAP1/027 strain type have emerged and spread through health care systems across the globe over the past decade. Limiting person-to-person transmission and eradicating C. difficile, especially the BI/NAP1/027 strain type, from health care facilities are difficult due to the abundant shedding of spores that are impervious to most interventions. Effective prophylaxis for C. difficile infection (CDI) is lacking. We have genetically modified a contractile R-type bacteriocin ("diffocin") from C. difficile strain CD4 to kill BI/NAP1/027-type strains for this purpose. The natural receptor binding protein (RBP) responsible for diffocin targeting was replaced with a newly discovered RBP identified within a prophage of a BI/NAP1/027-type target strain by genome mining. The resulting modified diffocins (a.k.a. Avidocin-CDs), Av-CD291.1 and Av-CD291.2, were stable and killed all 16 tested BI/NAP1/027-type strains. Av-CD291.2 administered in drinking water survived passage through the mouse gastrointestinal (GI) tract, did not detectably alter the mouse gut microbiota or disrupt natural colonization resistance to C. difficile or the vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF), and prevented antibiotic-induced colonization of mice inoculated with BI/NAP1/027-type spores. Given the high incidence and virulence of the pathogen, preventing colonization by BI/NAP1/027-type strains and limiting their transmission could significantly reduce the occurrence of the most severe CDIs. This modified diffocin represents a prototype of an Avidocin-CD platform capable of producing targetable, precision anti-C. difficile agents that can prevent and potentially treat CDIs without disrupting protective indigenous microbiota. Treatment and prevention strategies for bacterial diseases rely heavily on traditional antibiotics, which impose strong selection for resistance and disrupt protective microbiota. One consequence has been an upsurge of opportunistic pathogens, such as Clostridium difficile, that exploit antibiotic-induced disruptions in gut microbiota to proliferate and cause life-threatening diseases. We have developed alternative agents that utilize contractile bactericidal protein complexes (R-type bacteriocins) to kill specific C. difficile pathogens. Efficacy in a preclinical animal study indicates these molecules warrant further development as potential prophylactic agents to prevent C. difficile infections in humans. Since these agents do not detectably alter the indigenous gut microbiota or colonization resistance in mice, we believe they will be safe to administer as a prophylactic to block transmission in high-risk environments without rendering patients susceptible to enteric infection after cessation of treatment. Copyright © 2015 Gebhart et al.

Anti-PSMA/CD3 Bispecific Antibody Delivery And Anti-Tumor Activity Using A Polymeric Depot Formulation.

PubMed

Leconet, Wilhem; Liu, He; Guo, Ming; Le Lamer-Déchamps, Sophie; Molinier, Charlotte; Kim, Sae; Vrlinic, Tjasa; Oster, Murielle; Liu, Fang; Navarro, Vincent; Batra, Jaspreet S; Lopez-Noriega, Adolfo; Grizot, Sylvestre; Bander, Neil H

2018-06-11

Small therapeutic proteins represent a promising novel approach to treat cancer. Nevertheless, their clinical application is often adversely impacted by their short plasma half-life. Controlled long-term delivery of small biologicals has become a challenge because of their hydrophilic properties and in some cases their limited stability. Here, an in-situ forming depot injectable polymeric system was used to deliver BiJ591, a Bispecific T-cell Engager (BiTE) targeting both prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and the CD3 T-cell receptor in prostate cancer. BiJ591 induced T-cell activation, prostate cancer directed cell lysis and tumor growth inhibition. The use of diblock and triblock biodegradable polyethylene glycol - poly(lactic acid) (PEG-PLA) copolymers solubilized in tripropionin, a small chain triglyceride, allowed maintenance of BiJ591 stability and functionality in the formed depot and controlled its release. In mice, after a single subcutaneous injection, one of the polymeric candidates, TB1/DB4, provided the most sustained release of BiJ591 for up to 21 days. Moreover, the use of BiJ591-TB1/DB4 formulation in prostate cancer xenograft models showed significant therapeutic activity in both low and high PSMA expressing tumors whereas daily intravenous administration of BiJ591 was less efficient. Collectively, the present data provide new insights into the development of controlled delivery of small therapeutic proteins in cancer. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

Theoretical study of ZnS/CdS bi-layer for thin-film CdTe solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, H. A.; Mohamed, A. S.; Ali, H. M.

2018-05-01

The performance of CdTe solar cells is strongly limited by the thickness of CdS window layer. A higher short-circuit current density might be achieved by decreasing the thickness of CdS layer as a result of reducing the absorption losses that take place in this layer. However, it is difficult to obtain uniform and pin-hole free CdS layers thinner than 50 nm. This problem can be solved through increasing the band gap of the window layer by adding a wide band gap semiconductor such as ZnS. In this work, bi-layer ZnS/CdS film was studied as an improved window layer of ITO/ZnS/CdS/CdTe solar cell. The total thickness of ZnS/CdS layer was taken about 60 nm. The effect of optical losses due to reflection at different interfaces in the cell and absorption in ITO, ZnS, CdS as well as the recombination loss have been studied. Finally, the effects of the recombination losses in the space-charge region and the reflectivity from the back contact were taken into accounts. The results revealed that the optical losses of 23% were achieved at 60 nm thickness of CdS and theses losses minimized to 18% when ZnS layer of 30 nm thickness was added to CdS layer. The minimum optical and recombination losses of about 26% were obtained at 1 ns of electron life-time and ∼0.4 μm width of the space-charge region. The maximum efficiency of 18.5% was achieved for ITO/CdS/CdTe cell and the efficiency increased up to 20% for ITO/ZnS/CdS/CdTe cell.

Effect of different surfactants on structural and optical properties of Ce3+ and Tb3+ co-doped BiPO4 nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakshminarayana, G.; Dao, T. D.; Chen, K.; Sharma, Manoj; Takeda, T.; Brik, M. G.; Kityk, I. V.; Singh, Sarabjot; Nagao, T.

2015-01-01

In this paper we report on the Ce3+ and Tb3+ ions co-doped bismuth phosphate (BiPO4) nanostructures that were synthesized by a simple precipitation method using different surfactants such as glycerol/H2O, glycerol/ethylene glycol, oleic acid, and ethylene glycol. The structural (X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, tunneling electron microscopy), functional groups analysis (Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy), thermal (thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis), and optical (photoluminescence, photoluminescence-excitation) properties were investigated. The structural and morphological analysis confirms the pure hexagonal crystal structure of the synthesized nanostructures. From the measured Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectra various functional groups such as υ3 stretching vibration of the PO4 group, and δ(O-P-O) and υ4 (PO4) vibrations including the υ2 and υ1 bending modes of the PO4 units are identified. Based on the thermal analysis, for all the studied samples an exothermic peak between 680 °C and 700 °C was observed due to phase transition from hexagonal to high temperature monoclinic. The Ce3+and Tb3+ codoped samples show spectrally broad 5d → 4f luminescence in the blue (centered at 459 nm) wavelength region under the direct optical excitation of Ce3+ at 417 nm. Similarly, Tb3+ has revealed four main emission bands (5D4 → 7F6, 5, 4 and 3) at 490 nm, 545 nm, 585 nm and 621 nm with 378 nm (7F6 → 5G6) as the excitation wavelength, including three more weak emission bands at 647 nm, 669 nm, and 681 nm which could be assigned to 5D4 → 7F2, 1, 0 emission transitions. Among them, 545 nm (5D4 → 7F5) has shown bright green emission. The Ce3+ and Tb3+ codoped sample synthesized with pure oleic acid have shown relatively high green emission intensity for Tb3+, and relatively weak blue emission intensity for Ce3+ under their respective optical excitation wavelengths.

Investigational CD33-targeted therapeutics for acute myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Walter, Roland B

2018-04-01

There is long-standing interest in drugs targeting the myeloid differentiation antigen CD33 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Positive results from randomized trials with the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) validate this approach. Partly stimulated by the success of GO, several CD33-targeted therapeutics are currently in early phase testing. Areas covered: CD33-targeted therapeutics in clinical development include Fc-engineered unconjugated antibodies (BI 836858 [mAb 33.1]), ADCs (SGN-CD33A [vadastuximab talirine], IMGN779), radioimmunoconjugates ( 225 Ac-lintuzumab), bi- and trispecific antibodies (AMG 330, AMG 673, AMV564, 161533 TriKE fusion protein), and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified immune effector cells. Besides limited data on 225 Ac-lintuzumab showing modest single-agent activity, clinical data are so far primarily available for SGN-CD33A. SGN-CD33A has single-agent activity and has shown encouraging results when combined with an azanucleoside or standard chemotherapeutics. However, concerns about toxicity to the liver and normal hematopoietic cells - the latter leading to early termination of a phase 3 trial - have derailed the development of SGN-CD33A, and its future is uncertain. Expert opinion: Early results from a new generation of CD33-targeted therapeutics are anticipated in the next 2-3 years. Undoubtedly, re-approval of GO in 2017 has changed the landscape and rendered clinical development for these agents more challenging.

[Plasma scavenger receptor BI and CD36 expression change and susceptibility of atherosclerosis in patients post liver transplantation].

PubMed

Chen, Xin; Xue, Jinhong; Zhang, Shuyi; Sun, Liying; Lu, Chengzhi

2014-02-01

To explore the association between expression changes of plasma macrophages scavenger receptor (SR)-BI and CD36 and risk of arteriosclerosis in end-stage liver disease (ESLD) patients post liver transplantation. A total of 20 liver transplantation patients were included. Clinical data including blood pressure, blood lipid, blood glucose, incidence of new-onset cardiovascular events were obtained. Plasma macrophages scavenger receptor SR-BIand CD36 expressions were detected by polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western-blot before and at 1 year after liver transplantation. The serum levels of TC [(5.34 ± 0.87) mmol/L vs. (4.27 ± 0.91) mmol/L], TG [(2.47 ± 0.81) mmol/L vs. (1.02 ± 0.49) mmol/L] and LDL-C [(3.36 ± 0.67) mmol/L vs. (2.14 ± 0.74) mmol/L] were significantly increased (P < 0.05) while the serum level of HDL-C [(0.98 ± 0.84) mmol/L vs. (1.58 ± 0.34) mmol/L] was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) at 1 year post transplantation compared to before-transplantation levels. One patient developed non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction and treated with percutaneous coronary intervention, another patient developed atrial fibrillation at one year after transplantation. The plasma mRNA expression of SR-BI was reduced (20.44 ± 0.60 vs. 23.12 ± 0.69, P < 0.05) while the expression of CD36 mRNA was upregulated (20.91 ± 0.35 vs. 18.55 ± 0.62, P < 0.05) at 1 year after liver transplantation compare with that of before the transplantation. Similarly, the plasma protein expression of SR-BIwas reduced (0.21 ± 0.13 vs. 0.64 ± 0.28, P < 0.05) while the protein expression of CD36 was upregulated (0.94 ± 0.13 vs. 0.42 ± 0.19, P < 0.05) at 1 year after liver transplantation compare with that of before the transplantation. Plasma expression changes of SR-BI and CD36 might contribute to the dyslipidemia and contribute to the atherosclerosis susceptibility after liver transplantation.

Conventional and pretargeted radioimmunotherapy using bismuth-213 to target and treat non-Hodgkin lymphomas expressing CD20: a preclinical model toward optimal consolidation therapy to eradicate minimal residual disease.

PubMed

Park, Steven I; Shenoi, Jaideep; Pagel, John M; Hamlin, Don K; Wilbur, D Scott; Orgun, Nural; Kenoyer, Aimee L; Frayo, Shani; Axtman, Amanda; Bäck, Tom; Lin, Yukang; Fisher, Darrell R; Gopal, Ajay K; Green, Damian J; Press, Oliver W

2010-11-18

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) with α-emitting radionuclides is an attractive approach for the treatment of minimal residual disease because the short path lengths and high energies of α-particles produce optimal cytotoxicity at small target sites while minimizing damage to surrounding normal tissues. Pretargeted RIT (PRIT) using antibody-streptavidin (Ab-SA) constructs and radiolabeled biotin allows rapid, specific localization of radioactivity at tumor sites, making it an optimal method to target α-emitters with short half-lives, such as bismuth-213 (²¹³Bi). Athymic mice bearing Ramos lymphoma xenografts received anti-CD20 1F5(scFv)(4)SA fusion protein (FP), followed by a dendrimeric clearing agent and [²¹³Bi]DOTA-biotin. After 90 minutes, tumor uptake for 1F5(scFv)₄SA was 16.5% ± 7.0% injected dose per gram compared with 2.3% ± .9% injected dose per gram for the control FP. Mice treated with anti-CD20 PRIT and 600 μ Ci [²¹³Bi]DOTA-biotin exhibited marked tumor growth delays compared with controls (mean tumor volume .01 ± .02 vs. 203.38 ± 83.03 mm³ after 19 days, respectively). The median survival for the 1F5(scFv)₄SA group was 90 days compared with 23 days for the control FP (P < .0001). Treatment was well tolerated, with no treatment-related mortalities. This study demonstrates the favorable biodistribution profile and excellent therapeutic efficacy attainable with ²¹³Bi-labeled anti-CD20 PRIT.

Major and trace elements in organically or conventionally produced milk.

PubMed

Hermansen, John E; Badsberg, Jens H; Kristensen, Troels; Gundersen, Vagn

2005-08-01

A total of 480 samples of milk from 10 organically and 10 conventionally producing dairy farms in Denmark and covering 8 sampling periods over 1 year (triplicate samplings) were analysed for 45 trace elements and 6 major elements by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Sampling, sample preparation, and analysis of the samples were performed under carefully controlled contamination-free conditions. The dairy cattle breeds were Danish-Holstein or Jersey. Sources of variance were quantified, and differences between production systems and breeds were tested. The major source of variation for most elements was week of sampling. Concentrations of Al, Cu, Fe, Mo, Rb, Se, and Zn were within published ranges. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Mn and Pb were lower, and concentrations of Co and Sr were higher than published ranges. Compared with Holsteins, Jerseys produced milk with higher concentrations of Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, P, Rh, and Zn and with a lower concentration of Bi. The organically produced milk, compared with conventionally produced milk, contained a significantly higher concentration of Mo (48 v. 37 ng/g) and a lower concentration of Ba (43 v. 62 ng/g), Eu (4 v. 7 ng/g), Mn (16 v. 20 ng/g) and Zn (4400 v. 5150 ng/g respectively). The investigation yielded typical concentrations for the following trace elements in milk, for which no or very few data are available: Ba, Bi, Ce, Cs, Eu, Ga, Gd, In, La, Nb, Nd, Pd, Pr, Rh, Sb, Sm, Tb, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, Y, and Zr.

Improving Communicative Competence with "Clickers": Acceptance/Attitudes among Nigerian Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agbatogun, Alaba Olaoluwakotansibe

2014-01-01

This study examined the predictive power of teachers' perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), behavioural intention (BI) to use personal response system (PRS) and computer experience (CE) on teachers' acceptance and attitude towards using PRS in improving communicative competence in the classroom where English is taught as a second…

Preparation, characterization, and anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of Bi3+-Hericium erinaceus polysaccharide complex.

PubMed

Zhu, Yang; Chen, Yao; Li, Qian; Zhao, Ting; Zhang, Ming; Feng, Weiwei; Takase, Mohammed; Wu, Xueshan; Zhou, Zhaoxiang; Yang, Liuqing; Wu, Xiangyang

2014-09-22

Two new Bi3+-Hericium erinaceus polysaccharide (BiHEP) complexes were prepared using Bi3+ and two purified polysaccharides from H. erinaceus (HEPs), respectively. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, CD, SEM, AFM, XRD, and TG. The anti-Helicobacter pylori (Hp) activities in vitro by agar dilution assay of the complexes were evaluated. The molecular weights of HEPs were 197 and 20 kDa, respectively. All the analyses confirmed the formation of new BiHEP complexes with lower content of Bi3+ compared with colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS), the most utilized bismuth preparation clinically. Furthermore, HEPs themselves have definite inhibition effects on Hp, and BiHEP complexes have lower content of Bi exhibited strong inhibition effects on Hp (MIC=20 μg/mL), similar to that of CBS with higher content of Bi. The study provides a basis for further development of multiple treatments of Hp infection or new medicines. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solid oxide fuel cells with bi-layered electrolyte structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xinge; Robertson, Mark; Decès-Petit, Cyrille; Xie, Yongsong; Hui, Rob; Qu, Wei; Kesler, Olivera; Maric, Radenka; Ghosh, Dave

In this work, we have developed solid oxide fuel cells with a bi-layered electrolyte of 2 μm SSZ and 4 μm SDC using tape casting, screen printing, and co-firing processes. The cell reached power densities of 0.54 W cm -2 at 650 °C and 0.85 W cm -2 at 700 °C, with open circuit voltage (OCV) values larger than 1.02 V. The electrical leaking between anode and cathode through an SDC electrolyte has been blocked in the bi-layered electrolyte structure. However, both the electrolyte resistance (R el) and electrode polarization resistance (R p,a+c) increased in comparison to cells with single-layered SDC electrolytes. The formation of a solid solution of (Ce, Zr)O 2- x during sintering process and the flaws in the bi-layered electrolyte structure seem to be the main causes for the increase in the R el value (0.32 Ω cm 2) at 650 °C, which is almost one order of magnitude higher than the calculated value.

Exposure of children to metals via tap water ingestion at home: Contamination and exposure data from a nationwide survey in France.

PubMed

Le Bot, Barbara; Lucas, Jean-Paul; Lacroix, Françoise; Glorennec, Philippe

2016-09-01

29 inorganic compounds (Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Gd, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nd, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sr, Tl, U, V and Zn) were measured in the tap water of 484 representative homes of children aged 6months to 6years in metropolitan France in 2008-2009. Parents were asked whether their children consumed tap water. Sampling design and sampling weights were taken into account to estimate element concentrations in tap water supplied to the 3,581,991 homes of 4,923,058 children aged 6months to 6years. Median and 95th percentiles of concentrations in tap water were in μg/L: Al: <10, 48.3, As: 0.2, 2.1; B: <100, 100; Ba: 30.7, 149.4; Ca: 85,000, 121,700; Cd: <0.5, <0.5; Ce: <0.5, <0.5; Co: <0.5, 0.8; Cr: <5, <5; Cu: 70, 720; K: 2210, 6740; Fe: <20, 46; Mn: <5, <5; Mo: <0.5, 1.5; Na: 14,500, 66,800; Ni: <2, 10.2; Mg: 6500, 21,200; Pb: <1, 5.4; Sb: <0.5, <0.5; Se: <1, 6.7; Sr: 256.9, 1004; Tl: <0.5, <0.5; U: <0.5, 2.4; V: <1, 1; Zn: 53, 208. Of the 2,977,123 young children drinking tap water in France, some were drinking water having concentrations above the 2011 World Health Organization drinking-water quality guidelines: respectively 498 (CI 95%: 0-1484) over 700μg/L of Ba; 121,581 (CI 95%: 7091-236,070) over 50mg/L of Na; 2044 (CI 95%: 0-6132) over 70μg/L of Ni, and 78,466 (17,171-139,761) over 10μg/L of Pb. Since it is representative, this tap water contamination data can be used for integrated exposure assessment, in conjunction with diet and environmental (dust and soil) exposure data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wind - Ceiling - Visibility Data at Selected Airports. Volume VIII. Northwest Region.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

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Electrically driven cation exchange for in situ fabrication of individual nanostructures

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Qiubo; Yin, Kuibo; Dong, Hui; ...

2017-04-12

Cation exchange (CE) has been recognized as a particularly powerful tool for the synthesis of heterogeneous nanocrystals. Presently, CE can be divided into two categories, namely ion solvation-driven CE reaction and thermally activated CE reaction. Here we report an electrically driven CE reaction to prepare individual nanostructures inside a transmission electron microscope. During the process, Cd is eliminated due to Ohmic heating, whereas Cu + migrates into the crystal driven by the electrical field force. Contrast experiments reveal that the feasibility of electrically driven CE is determined by the structural similarity of the sulfur sublattices between the initial and finalmore » phases, and the standard electrode potentials of the active electrodes. These experimental results demonstrate a strategy for the selective growth of individual nanocrystals and provide crucial insights into understanding of the microscopic pathways leading to the formation of heterogeneous structures.« less

Shape-programmed nanofabrication: understanding the reactivity of dichalcogenide precursors.

PubMed

Guo, Yijun; Alvarado, Samuel R; Barclay, Joshua D; Vela, Javier

2013-04-23

Dialkyl and diaryl dichalcogenides are highly versatile and modular precursors for the synthesis of colloidal chalcogenide nanocrystals. We have used a series of commercially available dichalcogenide precursors to unveil the molecular basis for the outcome of nanocrystal preparations, more specifically, how precursor molecular structure and reactivity affect the final shape and size of II-VI semiconductor nanocrystals. Dichalcogenide precursors used were diallyl, dibenzyl, di-tert-butyl, diisopropyl, diethyl, dimethyl, and diphenyl disulfides and diethyl, dimethyl, and diphenyl diselenides. We find that the presence of two distinctively reactive C-E and E-E bonds makes the chemistry of these precursors much richer and interesting than that of other conventional precursors such as the more common phosphine chalcogenides. Computational studies (DFT) reveal that the dissociation energy of carbon-chalcogen (C-E) bonds in dichalcogenide precursors (R-E-E-R, E=S or Se) increases in the order (R): diallyl

Artificial neural networks for the diagnosis of aggressive periodontitis trained by immunologic parameters.

PubMed

Papantonopoulos, Georgios; Takahashi, Keiso; Bountis, Tasos; Loos, Bruno G

2014-01-01

There is neither a single clinical, microbiological, histopathological or genetic test, nor combinations of them, to discriminate aggressive periodontitis (AgP) from chronic periodontitis (CP) patients. We aimed to estimate probability density functions of clinical and immunologic datasets derived from periodontitis patients and construct artificial neural networks (ANNs) to correctly classify patients into AgP or CP class. The fit of probability distributions on the datasets was tested by the Akaike information criterion (AIC). ANNs were trained by cross entropy (CE) values estimated between probabilities of showing certain levels of immunologic parameters and a reference mode probability proposed by kernel density estimation (KDE). The weight decay regularization parameter of the ANNs was determined by 10-fold cross-validation. Possible evidence for 2 clusters of patients on cross-sectional and longitudinal bone loss measurements were revealed by KDE. Two to 7 clusters were shown on datasets of CD4/CD8 ratio, CD3, monocyte, eosinophil, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, INF-γ and TNF-α level from monocytes, antibody levels against A. actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.) and P.gingivalis (P.g.). ANNs gave 90%-98% accuracy in classifying patients into either AgP or CP. The best overall prediction was given by an ANN with CE of monocyte, eosinophil, neutrophil counts and CD4/CD8 ratio as inputs. ANNs can be powerful in classifying periodontitis patients into AgP or CP, when fed by CE values based on KDE. Therefore ANNs can be employed for accurate diagnosis of AgP or CP by using relatively simple and conveniently obtained parameters, like leukocyte counts in peripheral blood. This will allow clinicians to better adapt specific treatment protocols for their AgP and CP patients.

Characterizing the interaction between enantiomers of eight psychoactive drugs and highly sulfated-β-cyclodextrin by counter-current capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Asensi-Bernardi, Lucía; Escuder-Gilabert, Laura; Martín-Biosca, Yolanda; Sagrado, Salvador; Medina-Hernández, María José

2014-01-01

The estimation of apparent binding constants and limit mobilities of the complexes of the enantiomers that characterize the interaction of enantiomers with chiral selectors, in this case highly sulfated β-cyclodextrin, was approached using a simple and economic electrophoretic modality, the complete filling technique (CFT) in counter-current mode. The enantiomers of eight psychoactive drugs, four antihistamines (dimethindene, promethazine, orphenadrine and terfenadine) and four antidepressants (bupropion, fluoxetine, nomifensine and viloxazine) were separated for the first time for this cyclodextrin (CD). Estimations of thermodynamic and electrophoretic enantioselectivies were also performed. Results indicate that, in general, thermodynamic enantioselectivity is the main component explaining the high resolution found, but also one case suggests that electrophoretic enantioselectivity itself is enough to obtain a satisfactory resolution. CFT results advantageous compared with conventional capillary electrophoresis (CE) and partial filling technique (PFT) for the study of the interaction between drugs and chiral selectors. It combines the use of a simple fitting model (as in CE), when the enantiomers do not exit the chiral selector plug during the separation (i.e. mobility of electroosmotic flow larger than mobility of CD), and drastic reduction of the consumption (and cost; ~99.7%) of the CD reagent (as in PFT) compared with the conventional CE. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantitation of underivatized branched-chain amino acids in sport nutritional supplements by capillary electrophoresis with direct or indirect UV absorbance detection.

PubMed

Qiu, Jun; Wang, Jinhao; Xu, Zhongqi; Liu, Huiqing; Ren, Jie

2017-01-01

The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) including leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile) and valine (Val) play a pivotal role in the human body. Herein, we developed capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with conventional UV detector to quantify underivatized BCAAs in two kinds of sport nutritional supplements. For direct UV detection at 195 nm, the BCAAs (Leu, two enantiomers of Ile and Val) were separated in a background electrolyte (BGE) consisting of 40.0 mmol/L sodium tetraborate, and 40.0 mmol/L β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) at pH 10.2. In addition, the indirect UV detection at 264 nm was achieved in a BGE of 2.0 mmol/L Na2HPO4, 10.0 mmol/L p-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) as UV absorbing probe, and 40.0 mmol/L β-CD at pH 12.2. The β-CD significantly benefited the isomeric separation of Leu, L- and D-Ile. The optimal conditions allowed the LODs (limit of detections) of direct and indirect UV absorption detection to be tens μmol/L level, which was comparable to the reported CE inline derivatization method. The RSDs (relative standard deviations) of migration time and peak area were less than 0.91% and 3.66% (n = 6). Finally, CE with indirect UV detection method was applied for the quantitation of BCAAs in two commercial sport nutritional supplements, and good recovery and precision were obtained. Such simple CE method without tedious derivatization process is feasible of quality control and efficacy evaluation of the supplemental proteins.

Quantitation of underivatized branched-chain amino acids in sport nutritional supplements by capillary electrophoresis with direct or indirect UV absorbance detection

PubMed Central

Liu, Huiqing; Ren, Jie

2017-01-01

The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) including leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile) and valine (Val) play a pivotal role in the human body. Herein, we developed capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with conventional UV detector to quantify underivatized BCAAs in two kinds of sport nutritional supplements. For direct UV detection at 195 nm, the BCAAs (Leu, two enantiomers of Ile and Val) were separated in a background electrolyte (BGE) consisting of 40.0 mmol/L sodium tetraborate, and 40.0 mmol/L β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) at pH 10.2. In addition, the indirect UV detection at 264 nm was achieved in a BGE of 2.0 mmol/L Na2HPO4, 10.0 mmol/L p-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) as UV absorbing probe, and 40.0 mmol/L β-CD at pH 12.2. The β-CD significantly benefited the isomeric separation of Leu, L- and D-Ile. The optimal conditions allowed the LODs (limit of detections) of direct and indirect UV absorption detection to be tens μmol/L level, which was comparable to the reported CE inline derivatization method. The RSDs (relative standard deviations) of migration time and peak area were less than 0.91% and 3.66% (n = 6). Finally, CE with indirect UV detection method was applied for the quantitation of BCAAs in two commercial sport nutritional supplements, and good recovery and precision were obtained. Such simple CE method without tedious derivatization process is feasible of quality control and efficacy evaluation of the supplemental proteins. PMID:28640882

Fine tuning the heavy fermion ground state: A new handle on cerium cobalt indium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Long D.

A Two Fluid Description of the Kondo Lattice CeCoIn5 has been extended to include additional entropy terms that were not considered in the original work by S. Nakatsuji et al. [1]. The use of a Matlab computer code was successful at iteratively solving for f, the fraction of itinerant interacting heavy quasiparticles, and showed that it converges to a temperature dependent function invariant under successive iterations. The linear specific heat coefficient, gamma, was extracted from transport consideration in conjunction with f(T) and the Kadowacki-Woods ratio to be 204mJ/mole-K2, in good agreement from heat capacity measurements of 290mJ/mole-K2 for CeCoIn 5 [32]. Antiferromagnetism has been induced in CeCoIn5 as well as its two isostructural, isovalent sister compounds CeRhIn5 and CeIrIn 5. Cadmium-doping the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn5 at the percent level acts as an electronic tuning agent, sensitively shifting the balance between superconductivity and antiferromagnetism and opening new ambient-pressure phase space in the study of heavy-fermion ground states. At nominal concentrations of x>0.070, CeCo(In1-xCd x)5 displays a two phase region of antiferromagnetism coexisting with superconductivity up to x<0.15, above which no trace of superconductivity persists in specific heat. Similar results was seen in CeIr(In1-xCd x)5 where a quantum critical point (QCP) was observed, separating superconductivity from antiferromagnetism at a nominal critical concentration of x≈0.0475, while CeRh(In1-xCdx)5 goes through an incommensurate to commensurate antiferromagnetic transition nominally at x≈0.10. Amazingly, pressure completely recovers Tc in CeCo(In1-x Cdx)5 measured at nominal concentrations of x=0.10, and 0.15. Phase diagrams were constructed from specific heat and confirmed with resistivity and magnetization. An introduction to strongly correlated physics, relevant to the 115 family, will be worked out followed by a description of general techniques of synthesis and physical properties measurements central to this dissertation and in the study of material science in general.

Co-encapsulation of CdSe/ZnS and CeO2 nanoparticles in waterborne polymer dispersions: enhancement of fluorescence emission under sunlight.

PubMed

De San Luis, Alicia; Paulis, Maria; Leiza, Jose Ramon

2017-11-15

Hybrid core/shell polymer particles with co-encapsulated quantum dots (QDs) (CdSe/ZnS) and CeO 2 nanoparticles have been synthesized in a two stage semi-batch emulsion polymerization process. In the first stage, both inorganic nanoparticles are incorporated into cross-linked polystyrene (PS) particles by miniemulsion polymerization. This hybrid dispersion is then used as the seed to produce the core/shell particles by starved feeding of methyl methacrylate and divinylbenzene (MMA/DVB) monomers. The core/shell hybrid dispersions maintained in the dark exhibit stable fluorescence emission over time, and notably their fluorescence intensity increases under sunlight, likely due to the effect of the co-encapsulated CeO 2 nanoparticles that change the optical properties of the environment of the quantum dot particles. The fluorescence increase depends on the QD : CeO 2 ratio, with the 1 : 2 ratio resulting in the highest increase (280%). Furthermore, a film forming hybrid latex has been synthesized using the former core/shell PS/QD/CeO 2 /PMMA particles as seeds and feeding under semi-batch conditions methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate and acrylic acid. Films cast from this core/shell/shell hybrid dispersion also exhibit fluorescence, and as for the core/shell latex the fluorescence increases under sunlight exposure. Interestingly, the increase in the film is at least two times higher than that in the latex, which is attributed to the additional effect of the neighboring coalesced particles containing CeO 2 affecting the environment of the QDs.

Improving the efficiency of quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells by optimizing the growth time of the CuS counter electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sunesh, Chozhidakath Damodharan; Gopi, Chandu V. V. M.; Muthalif, Mohammed Panthakkal Abdul; Kim, Hee-Je; Choe, Youngson

2017-09-01

CuS counter electrodes (CEs) were prepared to fabricate efficient quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) based on a CdS/CdSe photo sensitizer. The CEs were prepared on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate by a facile chemical bath deposition (CBD) method by dissolving CuSO4·5H2O and CH3CSNH2 in water, followed by adding 0.25 mM polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The CBD was performed at 60 °C for 1 h, 2 h, and 3 h, and the samples were labeled as CuS 1 h, CuS 2 h, and CuS 3 h, respectively. The QDSSCs were assembled using prepared CuS CEs and a TiO2/CdS/CdSe/ZnS photoanode, and the effect of the growth time of CuS CEs on the QDSSC performance was investigated. As the CuS growth time increases, the short-circuit current density (Jsc), fill factor (FF), and open-circuit voltage (Voc) of the QDSSCs gradually increases, leading to an enhanced power conversion efficiency (η). QDSSCs that use the CuS 2 h CE exhibit a high Jsc of 14.31 mA cm-2, Voc of 0.603 V, and FF of 0.49, which are higher than that using conventional Pt electrodes as well as CuS 1 h and CuS 3 h electrodes. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results show that the CuS 2 h CE exhibits an inferior charge transfer resistance of only 2.93 Ω, which is 33 times lesser than that of the Pt CE. The enhanced device performance of CuS 2 h is ascribed to the high catalytic activity and low charge transfer resistance of the CuS CE in the reduction process of oxidized polysulfide. Consequently, a superior power conversion efficiency of 4.27% is achieved for QDSSCs utilizing CuS 2 h.

Chemometric analysis of voltammetric data on metal ion binding by selenocystine.

PubMed

Gusmão, Rui; Díaz-Cruz, José Manuel; Ariño, Cristina; Esteban, Miquel

2012-06-28

The behavior of selenocystine (SeCyst) alone or in the presence of various metal ions (Bi(3+), Cd(2+), Co(2+), Cu(2+), Cr(3+), Ni(2+), Pb(2+), and Zn(2+)) was studied using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) over a wide pH range. Voltammetric data matrices were analyzed using chemometric tools recently developed for nonlinear data: pHfit and Gaussian Peak Adjustment (GPA). Under the experimental conditions tested, no evidence was found for the formation of metal complexes with Bi(3+), Cu(2+), Cr(3+), and Pb(2+). In contrast, SeCyst formed electroinactive complexes with Co(2+) and Ni(2+) and kinetically inert but electroactive complexes with Cd(2+) and Zn(2+). Titrations with Cd(2+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), and Zn(2+) produced data that were reasonably consistent with the formation of stable 1:1 M(SeCyst) complexes.

Effect of Silicon on Activity Coefficients of P, Bl, CD, SN, and AG in Liquid Fe-Si, and Implications for Differentiation and Core Formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Righter, K.; Pando, K.; Ross, D. K.

2017-01-01

Cores of differentiated bodies (Earth, Mars, Mercury, Moon, Vesta) contain light elements such as S, C, Si, and O. We have previously measured small effects of Si on metal-silicate partitioning of Ni and Co [1,2], and larger effects for Mo, Ge, Sb, As [2]. The effect of Si on many siderophile elements could be an important, and as yet unquantified, influence on the core-mantle partitioning of SE. Here we report new experiments designed to quantify the effect of Si on the partitioning of Bi, Cd, Sn, Ag, and P between metal and silicate melt. The results will be applied to Earth, Mars, Mercury, Moon, and Vesta, for which we have excellent constraints on the mantle Bi, Cd, Sn, Ag, and P concentrations from mantle and/or basalt samples.

Electrically induced fluorescence Fe3+ sensing behavior of nanostructured Tiron doped polypyrrole.

PubMed

Tavoli, Farnaz; Alizadeh, Naader

2016-11-23

Nanostructured polypyrrole (PPy) film doped with Tiron was electrodeposited from aqueous solution on the surface of transparent electrode and used for sensitive, selective and rapid electrically controlled fluorescence detection of Fe 3+ in aqueous media. The fluorescence intensity of PPy-Tiron film decreases linearly in the presence of Fe 3+ by applying negative potential over a concentration range from 5.0 × 10 -8 to 1.0 × 10 -6  mol L -1 , with a relatively fast response time of less than 30 s at pH 7.4. The detection is not affected by the coexistence of other competitive metal ions such as Al 3+ , Ce 3+ , Tl 3+ , La 3+ , Bi 3+ , Cr 2+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , Cd 2+ , Hg 2+ , Pb 2+ , Na + , K + , Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ and Ba 2+ . The proposed electro-fluorescence sensor has a potential application to the determination of Fe 3+ in environmental and biological systems. The fluorescent thin film sensor was also used as a novel probe for Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ speciation in aqueous solution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interactions of Stress and CRF in Ethanol-Withdrawal Induced Anxiety in Adolescent and Adult Rats

PubMed Central

Wills, Tiffany A.; Knapp, Darin J.; Overstreet, David H.; Breese, George R.

2010-01-01

Background Repeated stress or administration of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) prior to ethanol exposure sensitizes anxiety-like behavior in adult rats. Current experiments determined whether adolescent rats were more sensitive to these challenges in sensitizing ethanol withdrawal-induced anxiety and altering CRF levels in brain during withdrawal. Methods Male adult and adolescent Sprague–Dawley rats were restraint stressed (1 hour) twice 1 week apart prior to a single 5-day cycle of ethanol diet (ED; stress/withdrawal paradigm). Other rats received control diet (CD) and three 1-hour restraint stress sessions. Rats were then tested 5, 24, or 48 hours after the final withdrawal for anxiety-like behavior in the social interaction (SI) test. In other experiments, adolescent rats were given two microinjections of CRF icv 1 week apart followed by 5-days of either CD or ED and tested in social interaction 5 hours into withdrawal. Finally, CRF immunoreactivity was measured in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) after rats experienced control diet, repeated ethanol withdrawals, or stress/withdrawal. Results Rats of both ages had reduced SI following the stress/withdrawal paradigm, and this effect recovered within 24 hours. Higher CRF doses were required to reduce SI in adolescents than previously reported in adults. CRF immunohistochemical levels were higher in the PVN and CeA of CD-exposed adolescents. In adolescent rats, repeated ethanol withdrawals decreased CRF in the CeA but was not associated with decreased CRF cell number. There was no change in CRF from adult treatments. Conclusions In the production of anxiety-like behavior, adolescent rats have equal sensitivity with stress and lower sensitivity with CRF compared to adults. Further, adolescents had higher basal levels of CRF within the PVN and CeA and reduced CRF levels following repeated ethanol withdrawals. This reduced CRF within the CeA could indicate increased release of CRF, and future work will determine how this change relates to behavior. PMID:20586753

EPR and Magnetic Susceptibility Studies of Manganese Ions in Bi2O3·CdO Glass Matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardelean, I.; Todor, Ioana; Ciceo-Lucacel, Raluca; Maniu, Dana

Glasses of the xMnO·(100-x)[Bi2O3·CdO] system with 0

Simultaneous determination of Cd(II) and Pb(II) by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry based on graphite nanofibers-Nafion composite modified bismuth film electrode.

PubMed

Li, Dongyue; Jia, Jianbo; Wang, Jianguo

2010-12-15

A bismuth-film modified graphite nanofibers-Nafion glassy carbon electrode (BiF/GNFs-NA/GCE) was constructed for the simultaneous determination of trace Cd(II) and Pb(II). The electrochemical properties and applications of the modified electrode were studied. Operational parameters such as deposition potential, deposition time, and bismuth ion concentration were optimized for the purpose of determination of trace metal ions in 0.10 M acetate buffer solution (pH 4.5). Under optimal conditions, based on three times the standard deviation of the baseline, the limits of detection were 0.09 μg L(-1) for Cd(II) and 0.02 μg L(-1) for Pb(II) with a 10 min preconcentration. In addition, the BiF/GNFs-NA/GCE displayed good reproducibility and selectivity, making it suitable for the simultaneous determination of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in real sample such as river water and human blood samples. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cluster dynamics transcending chemical dynamics toward nuclear fusion

PubMed Central

Heidenreich, Andreas; Jortner, Joshua; Last, Isidore

2006-01-01

Ultrafast cluster dynamics encompasses femtosecond nuclear dynamics, attosecond electron dynamics, and electron-nuclear dynamics in ultraintense laser fields (peak intensities 1015–1020 W·cm−2). Extreme cluster multielectron ionization produces highly charged cluster ions, e.g., (C4+(D+)4)n and (D+I22+)n at IM = 1018 W·cm−2, that undergo Coulomb explosion (CE) with the production of high-energy (5 keV to 1 MeV) ions, which can trigger nuclear reactions in an assembly of exploding clusters. The laser intensity and the cluster size dependence of the dynamics and energetics of CE of (D2)n, (HT)n, (CD4)n, (DI)n, (CD3I)n, and (CH3I)n clusters were explored by electrostatic models and molecular dynamics simulations, quantifying energetic driving effects, and kinematic run-over effects. The optimization of table-top dd nuclear fusion driven by CE of deuterium containing heteroclusters is realized for light-heavy heteroclusters of the largest size, which allows for the prevalence of cluster vertical ionization at the highest intensity of the laser field. We demonstrate a 7-orders-of-magnitude enhancement of the yield of dd nuclear fusion driven by CE of light-heavy heteroclusters as compared with (D2)n clusters of the same size. Prospective applications for the attainment of table-top nucleosynthesis reactions, e.g., 12C(P,γ)13N driven by CE of (CH3I)n clusters, were explored. PMID:16740666

Cluster dynamics transcending chemical dynamics toward nuclear fusion.

PubMed

Heidenreich, Andreas; Jortner, Joshua; Last, Isidore

2006-07-11

Ultrafast cluster dynamics encompasses femtosecond nuclear dynamics, attosecond electron dynamics, and electron-nuclear dynamics in ultraintense laser fields (peak intensities 10(15)-10(20) W.cm(-2)). Extreme cluster multielectron ionization produces highly charged cluster ions, e.g., (C(4+)(D(+))(4))(n) and (D(+)I(22+))(n) at I(M) = 10(18) W.cm(-2), that undergo Coulomb explosion (CE) with the production of high-energy (5 keV to 1 MeV) ions, which can trigger nuclear reactions in an assembly of exploding clusters. The laser intensity and the cluster size dependence of the dynamics and energetics of CE of (D(2))(n), (HT)(n), (CD(4))(n), (DI)(n), (CD(3)I)(n), and (CH(3)I)(n) clusters were explored by electrostatic models and molecular dynamics simulations, quantifying energetic driving effects, and kinematic run-over effects. The optimization of table-top dd nuclear fusion driven by CE of deuterium containing heteroclusters is realized for light-heavy heteroclusters of the largest size, which allows for the prevalence of cluster vertical ionization at the highest intensity of the laser field. We demonstrate a 7-orders-of-magnitude enhancement of the yield of dd nuclear fusion driven by CE of light-heavy heteroclusters as compared with (D(2))(n) clusters of the same size. Prospective applications for the attainment of table-top nucleosynthesis reactions, e.g., (12)C(P,gamma)(13)N driven by CE of (CH(3)I)(n) clusters, were explored.

Determination of Cd2+ in aqueous solution using polyindole-Ce(IV) vanadophosphate conductive nanocomposite ion-selective membrane electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Asif Ali; Quasim Khan, Mohd; Hussain, Rizwan

2017-09-01

In the present study an organic-inorganic nanocomposite ion exchanger Polyindole-Ce(IV) vanadophosphate (PIn-CVP) was synthesized via sol-gel process showing excellent ion exchange capacity (IEC‒1.90 meqg-1). The material was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, and TGA. A heterogeneous ion exchange membrane of PIn-CVP (IEC‒0.90 meqg-1) was also prepared by solution casting method. PIn-CVP shows high electrical conductivity (5.5  ×  10-2 S cm-1) and it is stable up to 120 °C under ambient conditions. Cd2+ selective membrane electrode was fabricated and its linear working range (3.98  ×  10-7 M to 1.0  ×  10-1 M), response time (25 s), Nerstian slope 25.00 mV dec-1 and working pH range (4-7) were calculated. It was employed as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Cd2+.

Neuroelectric Predictors of Performance Accuracy.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-31

3OM REz),S evn-eae Ialca wav IM EOmS, avrae Iro seemujcsmrentsgiiatl ifrnoAILR RIL F& the comarso oflf-cuae()wt etiacrt B codiios or ritacre...man. CE jn N~L~bi... ~,266. Posner. M. (1978) CbhrOnmIric C2QUt1dri Q1~ jIQ MidI Erlbaum: New Jersey. Rohrbaugh. J.W., Syndulko, K., Sanquist, T.F

Development and validation of a scoring index to predict the presence of lesions in capsule endoscopy in patients with suspected Crohn's disease of the small bowel: a Spanish multicenter study.

PubMed

Egea-Valenzuela, Juan; González Suárez, Begoña; Sierra Bernal, Cristian; Juanmartiñena Fernández, José Francisco; Luján-Sanchís, Marisol; San Juan Acosta, Mileidis; Martínez Andrés, Blanca; Pons Beltrán, Vicente; Sastre Lozano, Violeta; Carretero Ribón, Cristina; de Vera Almenar, Félix; Sánchez Cuenca, Joaquín; Alberca de Las Parras, Fernando; Rodríguez de Miguel, Cristina; Valle Muñoz, Julio; Férnandez-Urién Sainz, Ignacio; Torres González, Carolina; Borque Barrera, Pilar; Pérez-Cuadrado Robles, Enrique; Alonso Lázaro, Noelia; Martínez García, Pilar; Prieto de Frías, César; Carballo Álvarez, Fernando

2018-05-01

Capsule endoscopy (CE) is the first-line investigation in cases of suspected Crohn's disease (CD) of the small bowel, but the factors associated with a higher diagnostic yield remain unclear. Our aim is to develop and validate a scoring index to assess the risk of the patients in this setting on the basis of biomarkers. Data on fecal calprotectin, C-reactive protein, and other biomarkers from a population of 124 patients with suspected CD of the small bowel studied by CE and included in a PhD study were used to build a scoring index. This was first used on this population (internal validation process) and after that on a different set of patients from a multicenter study (external validation process). An index was designed in which every biomarker is assigned a score. Three risk groups have been established (low, intermediate, and high). In the internal validation analysis (124 individuals), patients had a 10, 46.5, and 81% probability of showing inflammatory lesions in CE in the low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively. In the external validation analysis, including 410 patients from 12 Spanish hospitals, this probability was 15.8, 49.7, and 80.6% for the low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively. Results from the internal validation process show that the scoring index is coherent, and results from the external validation process confirm its reliability. This index can be a useful tool for selecting patients before CE studies in cases of suspected CD of the small bowel.

Studies of hydride formation and superconductivity in hydrides of alloys Th-M /M = La, Y, Ce, Zr and Bi/

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oesterreicher, H.; Clinton, J.; Misroch, M.

1977-01-01

In order to gain a better insight into both the unusual composition of ThH15 and its superconductivity, an experimental study was conducted to assess the influence of partial replacement of Th in Th4H15 by elements which allow for a systematic alteration of spatial and electronic effects. For this purpose, substituent elements with the same number of valence electrons (4) but of smaller size (Zr) as well as elements with a smaller number of valence electrons (3) and either larger (La) or smaller size (Y) were selected. A few data with Ce and Bi as substituent atoms are also included. The matrix alloys for hydriding were obtained by induction melting under Ar in water-cooled Cu boats. Superconducting transition temperatures are found to decrease on substitution for Th in Th4H15. Hydrides derived from LaH3 by substitution for La by Th do not become superconducting. It is suggested that superconductivity in Th4H15 is connected with a deviation from the exact stoichiometry of Th4H15. A model of unsatisfied valencies may be of more general validity in predicting superconductivity.

Investigations on structural and photoluminescence mechanism of cerium doped L-Histidine hydrochloride mono hydrate single crystals for optical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajyalakshmi, S.; Ramachandra Rao, K.; Brahmaji, B.; Samatha, K.; Visweswara Rao, T. K.; Ramakrishna, Y.

2017-02-01

Semi organic nonlinear optical material of Ce3+ ion added L-Histidine hydrochloride monohydrate (LHHC) crystals have been grown successfully by the slow evaporation solution technique (SEST) as well as Sankaranarayanan-Ramasamy (SR) technique. Unit cell data have been measured from the single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and High resolution X-ray diffraction analysis (HRXRD) study shows relatively a good crystalline perfection. Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra indicates that the Ce3+ ion is coordinated with carboxylate group of grown crystal. The lower UV-cutoff wavelength of the incorporation of Ce3+ ion in LHHC is 240 nm. The incorporation of Ce3+ ion in the crystal lattice was observed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). The nonlinear optical (NLO) efficiency of SR-grown crystal is 3.7 times greater with respect to potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP). We report first-time the photoluminescence (PL) mechanism of emission spectrum, which shows broad band located at 350 nm corresponding to 5d → 4f transition of Ce3+ ion and excited by 250 nm wavelength. The excitation spectrum shows a band at 258 nm due to the 4f → 5d transition of Ce3+ ion. The nature of decay curve of the grown crystal is bi-exponential with a long life time of τ2 is 8.8270 μs.

Combined use of chiral ionic liquid surfactants and neutral cyclodextrins: evaluation of ionic liquid head groups for enantioseparation of neutral compounds in capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Liu, Yijin; Shamsi, Shahab A

2014-09-19

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are most commonly used chiral selectors in capillary electrophoresis (CE). Although the use of neutral CDs and its derivatives have shown to resolve plethora of charged enantiomers, they cannot resolve neutral enantiomers. The use of ionic liquids (ILs) surfactants forming successful complex with CDs present itself an opportunity to resolve neutral enantiomers. In this work, the effect of IL head groups and their complexation ability with heptakis (2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-β-cyclodextrin (TM-β-CD) was studied for the separation of neutral enantiomers by CE. First, cationic IL type surfactants with different chiral head groups were synthesized. Physicochemical properties such as critical micelle concentration were determined by surface tension, whereas aggregation and polarity were determined by fluorescence spectroscopy. The complexation ability of ILs with TM-β-CD was characterized in the gas phase by CE-mass spectrometry. The influence of the type of ILs head group and its concentration on chiral resolution, resolution per unit time and selectivity were investigated for four structurally diverse neutral compounds. The binding constants of the neutral analytes to the IL-CD complex were estimated by y-reciprocal method. The hydrophobicity of the side chain of the IL head group displayed significant effect on the binding constants and enantioseparations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical Analysis of a Carbon-enhanced Very Metal-poor Star: CD-27 14351

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karinkuzhi, Drisya; Goswami, Aruna; Masseron, Thomas

2017-01-01

We present, for the first time, an abundance analysis of a very metal-poor carbon-enhanced star CD-27 14351 based on a high-resolution (R ˜ 48,000) FEROS spectrum. Our abundance analysis performed using local thermodynamic equilibrium model atmospheres shows that the object is a cool star with stellar atmospheric parameters, effective temperature Teff = 4335 K, surface gravity log g = 0.5, microturbulence ξ = 2.42 km s-1, and metallicity [Fe/H] = -2.6. The star exhibits high carbon and nitrogen abundances with [C/Fe] = 2.89 and [N/Fe] = 1.89. Overabundances of neutron-capture elements are evident in Ba, La, Ce, and Nd, with estimated [X/Fe] > 1, the largest enhancement being seen in Ce with [Ce/Fe] = 2.63. While the first peak s-process elements Sr and Y are found to be enhanced with respect to Fe, ([Sr/Fe] = 1.73 and [Y/Fe] = 1.91), the third peak s-process element Pb could not be detected in our spectrum at the given resolution. Europium, primarily an r-process element also shows an enhancement with [Eu/Fe] = 1.65. With [Ba/Eu] = 0.12, the object CD-27 14351 satisfies the classification criterion for a CEMP-r/s star. The elemental abundance distributions observed in this star are discussed in light of the chemical abundances observed in other CEMP stars in the literature.

Transparent perovskite light-emitting diodes by employing organic-inorganic multilayer transparent top electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Junqing; Guo, Xiaoyang; Song, Li; Lin, Jie; Hu, Yongsheng; Zhang, Nan; Liu, Xingyuan

2017-11-01

Perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have attracted much attention in the past two years due to their high photoluminescence quantum efficiencies and wavelength tuneable characteristics. In this work, transparent PeLEDs (TPeLEDs) have been reported with organic-inorganic multilayer transparent top electrodes that have more convenient control of the organic/electrode interface. By optimizing the thickness of the MoO3 layer in the top electrode, the best average transmittance of 47.21% has been obtained in the TPeLED in the wavelength range of 380-780 nm. In addition, the TPeLED exhibits a maximum luminance of 6380 cd/m2, a maximum current efficiency (CE) of 3.50 cd/A, and a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 0.85% from the bottom side together with a maximum luminance of 3380 cd/m2, a maximum CE of 1.47 cd/A, and a maximum EQE of 0.36% from the top side. The total EQE of the TPeLED is about 86% of that of the reference device, indicating efficient TPeLED achieved in this work, which could have significant contribution to PeLEDs for see-through displays.

Borrelidins C-E: New Antibacterial Macrolides from a Saltern-Derived Halophilic Nocardiopsis sp.

PubMed

Kim, Jungwoo; Shin, Daniel; Kim, Seong-Hwan; Park, Wanki; Shin, Yoonho; Kim, Won Kyung; Lee, Sang Kook; Oh, Ki-Bong; Shin, Jongheon; Oh, Dong-Chan

2017-06-06

Chemical investigation of a halophilic actinomycete strain belonging to the genus Nocardiopsis inhabiting a hypersaline saltern led to the discovery of new 18-membered macrolides with nitrile functionality, borrelidins C-E ( 1 - 3 ), along with a previously reported borrelidin ( 4 ). The planar structures of borrelidins C-E, which are new members of the rare borrelidin class of antibiotics, were elucidated by NMR, mass, IR, and UV spectroscopic analyses. The configurations of borrelidines C-E were determined by the interpretation of ROESY NMR spectra, J-based configuration analysis, a modified Mosher's method, and CD spectroscopic analysis. Borrelidins C and D displayed inhibitory activity, particularly against the Gram-negative pathogen Salmonella enterica , and moderate cytotoxicity against the SNU638 and K562 carcinoma cell lines.

Electronic spectrum of non-tetrahedral acceptors in CdTe:Cl and CdTe:Bi,Cl single crystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krivobok, V. S., E-mail: krivobok@lebedev.ru; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology; Nikolaev, S. N.

2016-02-07

The electronic spectra of complex acceptors in compensated CdTe:Cl, CdTe:Ag,Cl, and CdTe:Bi,Cl single crystals are studied using low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements under both nonresonant and resonant excitation of distant donor–acceptor pairs (DAP). The wavelength modulation of the excitation source combined with the analysis of the differential PL signal is used to enhance narrow spectral features obscured because of inhomogeneous line broadening and/or excitation transfer for selectively excited DAPs. For the well-known tetrahedral (T{sub D}) Ag{sub Cd} acceptor, the energies of four excited states are measured, and the values obtained are shown to be in perfect agreement with the previous data.more » Moreover, splitting between the 2P{sub 3/2} (Γ{sub 8}) and 2S{sub 3/2} (Γ{sub 8}) states is clearly observed for Ag{sub Cd} centers located at a short distance (5–7 nm) from a hydrogen-like donor (Cl{sub Te}). This splitting results from the reduction of the T{sub D} symmetry taking place when the acceptor is a member of a donor–acceptor pair. For the Cl-related complex acceptor with an activation energy of ∼121 meV (A-center), the energies of eight excited states are measured. It is shown that this defect produces low-symmetry central-cell correction responsible for the strong splitting of S-like T{sub D} shells. The energy spectrum of the Bi-related shallow acceptor with an activation energy of ∼36 meV is measured as well. The spectrum obtained differs drastically from the hydrogen-like set of levels, which indicates the existence of repulsive low-symmetry perturbation of the hydrogen-like Coulomb potential. It is also shown that the spectra of selectively excited PL recorded for a macroscopic ensemble of distant donor–acceptor pairs allow one to detect the low symmetry of acceptors of a given type caused by their complex nature or by the Jahn–Teller distortion. This method does not require any additional (external) field and is applicable to acceptors in diverse zinc-blende compound semiconductors.« less

Characterization, distribution, and risk assessment of heavy metals in agricultural soil and products around mining and smelting areas of Hezhang, China.

PubMed

Briki, Meryem; Ji, Hongbing; Li, Cai; Ding, Huaijian; Gao, Yang

2015-12-01

Mining and smelting have been releasing huge amount of toxic substances into the environment. In the present study, agricultural soil and different agricultural products (potato, Chinese cabbage, garlic bolt, corn) were analyzed to examine the source, spatial distribution, and risk of 12 elements (As, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, and Zn) in agricultural soil near mine fields, smelting fields, and mountain field around Hezhang County, west of Guizhou Province, China. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated that in mining area, As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, and Zn were generated from anthropogenic sources; in smelting area, As, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, Sb, and Zn were derived from anthropogenic sources through zinc smelting ceased in 2004. The enrichment factors (EFs) and ecological risk index (RI) of soil in mining area are the most harmful, showing extremely high enrichment and very high ecological risk of As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, and Zn. Zinc is the most significant enriched in the smelting area; however, mountain area has a moderate enrichment and ecological risk and do not present any ecological risk. According to spatial distribution, the concentrations depend on the nearby mining and smelting activities. Transfer factors (TFs) in the smelting area and mountain are high, implying a threat for human consumption. Therefore, further studies should be carried out taking into account the harm of those heavy metals and potential negative health effects from the consumption of agricultural products in these circumstances.

Key role for scavenger receptor B-I in the integrative physiology of host defense during bacterial pneumonia.

PubMed

Gowdy, K M; Madenspacher, J H; Azzam, K M; Gabor, K A; Janardhan, K S; Aloor, J J; Fessler, M B

2015-05-01

Scavenger receptor B-I (SR-BI) is a multirecognition receptor that regulates cholesterol trafficking and cardiovascular inflammation. Although it is expressed by neutrophils (PMNs) and lung-resident cells, no role for SR-BI has been defined in pulmonary immunity. Herein, we report that, compared with SR-BI(+/+) counterparts, SR-BI(-/-) mice suffer markedly increased mortality during bacterial pneumonia associated with higher bacterial burden in the lung and blood, deficient induction of the stress glucocorticoid corticosterone, higher serum cytokines, and increased organ injury. SR-BI(-/-) mice had significantly increased PMN recruitment and cytokine production in the infected airspace. This was associated with defective hematopoietic cell-dependent clearance of lipopolysaccharide from the airspace and increased cytokine production by SR-BI(-/-) macrophages. Corticosterone replacement normalized alveolar neutrophilia but not alveolar cytokines, bacterial burden, or mortality, suggesting that adrenal insufficiency derepresses PMN trafficking to the SR-BI(-/-) airway in a cytokine-independent manner. Despite enhanced alveolar neutrophilia, SR-BI(-/-) mice displayed impaired phagocytic killing. Bone marrow chimeras revealed this defect to be independent of the dyslipidemia and adrenal insufficiency of SR-BI(-/-) mice. During infection, SR-BI(-/-) PMNs displayed deficient oxidant production and CD11b externalization, and increased surface L-selectin, suggesting defective activation. Taken together, SR-BI coordinates several steps in the integrated neutrophilic host defense response to pneumonia.

[LincRNA-ROR functions as a ceRNA to regulate Oct4, Sox2, and Nanog expression by sponging miR-145 and its effect on biologic characteristics of colonic cancer stem cells].

PubMed

Yan, Z Y; Sun, X C

2018-04-08

Objective: To investigate the impact of lincRNA-ROR, a ceRNA by binding miR-145 on the expression of the downstream genes Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog, and related biological characteristics of colon cancer stem cells, and to elucidate the clinical significance of this molecular regulatory network. Methods: Fifty-two cases of colorectal cancer tissue and adjacent tissue were collected at Nanyang City Central Hospital and Nanyang Second Hospital, Henan Province, from 2014 to 2016. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the expression of lincRNA-ROR and miR-145 in colorectal cancer tissue and isolated colon cancer cells. The correlation between the expression of lincRNA-ROR, miR-145 and the clinicopathologic features of colon cancer was performed. CD44(-)CD133(-) and CD44(+) CD133(+) cells were isolated from SW1116 by using flow cytometry. The expression of CD44, CD133, Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, lincRNA-ROR and miR-145 in cells were detected by qPCR. The relationship between lincRNA-ROR, miR-145, Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog was analyzed by bioinformatics, dual luciferase reporter assay, qPCR and Western blot. The effects of silencing lincRNA-ROR on the proliferation and chemosensitivity of colon cancer stem cells were detected by MTT, colony formation. Results: LincRNA-ROR was frequently up-regulated and inversely correlated with miR-145 down-regulation in the colon cancer specimens( P <0.05). LincRNA-ROR was related to tumor size, lymph node involvement and distant metastasis( P <0.05), and miR-145 was found related to tumor size and tumor location( P <0.05). CD44(+) CD133(+) cells were successfully isolated from SW1116 by flow cytometry. The levels of CD44, CD133, Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, lincRNA-ROR in CD44(+) CD133(+) cells were significantly increased, while miR-145 was decreased compared with CD44(-)CD133(-)cells( P <0.05). The levels of CD44, CD133, lnc-ROR in CD44(+) CD133(+) cells were significantly reduced upon cell adherence, while miR-145 was significantly increased( P <0.05). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that lincRNA-ROR shared miRNA response elements with core transcription factors Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog. MiR-145 significantly inhibited the expression of lincRNA-ROR, Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog. Silencing lincRNA-ROR significantly inhibited colon cancer stem cells proliferation and increased the sensitivity to chemotherapy. Conclusions: Linc-ROR functions as a key ceRNA to prevent core TFs, e. g., Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, from miR-145-mediated suppression in colon cancer stem cells and regulates cell proliferation and chemosensitivity.The data may provide insights into the pathophysiological interactions of the components of genetic networks in the development of colon cancer and may lead to new therapies in the future.

Determination of the Extent of Trace Metals Pollution in Soils, Sediments and Human Hair at e-Waste Recycling Site in Ghana.

PubMed

Tokumaru, Takashi; Ozaki, Hirokazu; Onwona-Agyeman, Siaw; Ofosu-Anim, John; Watanabe, Izumi

2017-10-01

The concentrations of trace elements (Mg, Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Mo, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, Tl, Pb, and Bi) in soils, sediment, human hair, and foodstuff collected around the electronic waste (e-waste) recycling sites in Accra, Ghana were detected using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). High levels of Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, and Pb were observed in soils collected from the e-waste recycling sites. Four sequential extraction procedures were used to evaluate the mobility and bioavailability of metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Sb, and Pb). Especially, the results showed that Cd and Zn in soils were mostly recovered in exchangeable fraction (respectively 58.9 and 62.8%). Sediment collected from around the site had enrichment of Zn, Sn, Sb, Mo, In, Pb, and Bi. The concentrations of Cu, Mo, Cd, Sb, and Pb in human hair were significantly higher than those collected from the control site (p < 0.01). Additionally, hierarchical cluster analysis reviewed that these elements were derived from e-waste activities. The results of Pb isotopic ratios in the samples indicate that Pb in human hair possibly originated from contaminated soils, fish, and foodstuff.

Multi-elemental analysis of Lentinula edodes mushrooms available in trade.

PubMed

Mleczek, Mirosław; Siwulski, Marek; Rzymski, Piotr; Niedzielski, Przemysław; Gąsecka, Monika; Jasińska, Agnieszka; Budzyńska, Sylwia; Budka, Anna

2017-03-04

The present study investigated the content of 62 elements in the fruiting bodies of Lentinula edodes (Shiitake mushroom) cultivated commercially in Poland on various substrates from 2007-2015. The general mean content (mg kg -1 dry weight (DW)) of the studied elements ranked in the following order: K (26,335) > P (11,015) > Mg (2,284) > Ca (607) > Na (131) > Zn (112) > Fe (69) > Mn (33) > B (32) > Rb (17) > Cu (14.5) > Al (11.2) > Te (2.9) > As (1.80) > Cd (1.76) > Ag (1.73) > Nd (1.70) > Sr (1.46) > Se (1.41) > U (1.11) > Pt (0.90) > Ce (0.80) > Ba (0.61) > Co (0.59) > Tl (0.58) > Er (0.50) > Pb (0.42) > Li (0.40) > Pr (0.39) > Ir (0.37) > In (0.35) > Mo (0.31) > Cr (0.29) > Ni (0.28) > Sb (0.26) > Re (0.24) > Ti (0.19) > Bi (0.18) > Th (0.12) > La (0.10) = Pd (0.10) > Os (0.09) = Zr (0.09) > Rh (0.08) > Ho (0.07) > Ru (0.06) > Sm (0.04) = Eu (0.04) = Tm (0.04) > Gd (0.03) > Sc (0.02) = Y (0.02) > Lu (0.01) = Yb (0.01) = V (0.01). The contents of Au, Be, Dy, Ga, Ge, Hf, and Tb were below the limits of detection (0.02, 0.02, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.02 mg kg -1 respectively). The concentrations of Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Er, Fe, In, Lu, Mn, Nd, Sr, Ti, Tm, and Zr were comparable over the period the mushrooms were cultivated. The study revealed that Lentinula edodes contained As and Cd at levels potentially adverse to human health. This highlights the need to monitor these elements in food products obtained from this mushroom species and ensure that only low levels of these elements are present in cultivation substrates.

Gills Onions Advanced Energy Recovery System: Turning a Waste Liability into a Renewable Resource

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-13

i U fl A bi 2 rea u ce s ng an p ow naero c Sludge Blanket (UASB) Reactor 3 Recover Biogas from UASB Remove Sulfur and Moisture for Cattle... biogas per cell ● 15 psi ● Requires highly purified water (RO) Energy NG RO W ta er ● Methane and steam converted into hydrogen-rich gas

Identification and integrated analysis of differentially expressed lncRNAs and circRNAs reveal the potential ceRNA networks during PDLSC osteogenic differentiation.

PubMed

Gu, Xiuge; Li, Mengying; Jin, Ye; Liu, Dongxu; Wei, Fulan

2017-12-02

Researchers have been exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying the control of periodontal ligament stem cell (PDLSC) osteogenic differentiation. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) were shown to function as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) to regulate the effect of microRNAs (miRNAs) on their target genes during cell differentiation. However, comprehensive identification and integrated analysis of lncRNAs and circRNAs acting as ceRNAs during PDLSC osteogenic differentiation have not been performed. PDLSCs were derived from healthy human periodontal ligament and cultured separately with osteogenic induction and normal media for 7 days. Cultured PDLSCs were positive for STRO-1 and CD146 and negative for CD31 and CD45. Osteo-induced PDLSCs showed increased ALP (alkaline phosphatase) activity and up-regulated expression levels of the osteogenesis-related markers ALP, Runt-related transcription factor 2 and osteocalcin. Then, a total of 960 lncRNAs and 1456 circRNAs were found to be differentially expressed by RNA sequencing. The expression profiles of eight lncRNAs and eight circRNAs were measured with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and were shown to agree with the RNA-seq results. Furthermore, the potential functions of lncRNAs and circRNAs as ceRNAs were predicted based on miRanda and were investigated using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis. In total, 147 lncRNAs and 1382 circRNAs were predicted to combine with 148 common miRNAs and compete for miRNA binding sites with 744 messenger RNAs. These mRNAs were predicted to significantly participate in osteoblast differentiation, the MAPK pathway, the Wnt pathway and the signaling pathways regulating pluripotency of stem cells. Among them, lncRNAs coded as TCONS_00212979 and TCONS_00212984, as well as circRNA BANP and circRNA ITCH, might interact with miRNA34a and miRNA146a to regulate PDLSC osteogenic differentiation via the MAPK pathway. This study comprehensively identified lncRNAs/circRNAs and first integrated their potential ceRNA function during PDLSC osteogenic differentiation. These findings suggest that specific lncRNAs and circRNAs might function as ceRNAs to promote PDLSC osteogenic differentiation and periodontal regeneration.

Regulation of HDL on hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in atherosclerosis requires SR-BI expression

PubMed Central

Gao, Mingming; Zhao, Dong; Schouteden, Sarah; Sorci-Thomas, Mary G.; Van Veldhoven, Paul P.; Eggermont, Kristel; Liu, George; Verfaillie, Catherine M.; Feng, Yingmei

2014-01-01

Objective Recently we demonstrated that scavenger receptor type BI (SR-BI), a HDL receptor, was expressed on murine hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) and infusion of reconstituted HDL and purified human apoA-I suppressed HSPC proliferation. We hypothesized that SR-B1 expression is required for the observed anti-proliferative effects of HDL on HSPC. Approach and Results SR-BI deficient (SR-BI−/−) mice and wild type (WT) controls were fed on chow or HFD (HFD) for 8–10 weeks. Under chow diet, a significant increase in Lin-Sca1+cKit+ cells (LSK cells, so called HSPC) was found in the BM of SR-BI−/− mice compared with WT mice. HFD induced a further expansion of CD150+CD48− LSK cells (HSCs), HSPCs, and granulocyte monocyte progenitors (GMPs) in SR-BI−/− mice. Injection of reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibitor N-acetylcysteine attenuated HFD-induced HSPC expansion, leukocytosis and atherosclerosis in SR-BI−/− mice. ApoA-I infusion inhibited HSPC cell proliferation, Akt phosphorylation and ROS production in HSPC and plaque progression in low density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDLr−/−) apoA-I−/− mice on HFD but had no effect on SR-BI−/− mice on HFD. Transplantation of SR-BI−/− BM cells into irradiated LDLr−/− recipients resulted in enhanced white blood cells (WBC) reconstitution, inflammatory cell production and plaque development. In patients with coronary heart disease, HDL levels were negatively correlated with WBC count and HSPC frequency in the peripheral blood. By flow cytometry, SR-BI expression was detected on human HSPC. Conclusions SR-BI plays a critical role in the HDL-mediated regulation HSPC proliferation and differentiation which is associated with atherosclerosis progression. PMID:24969774

Development of a Highly Efficient Hybrid White Organic-Light-Emitting Diode with a Single Emission Layer by Solution Processing.

PubMed

Wu, Jun-Yi; Chen, Show-An

2018-02-07

We use a mixed host, 2,6-bis[3-(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl]pyridine blended with 20 wt % tris(4-carbazoyl-9-ylphenyl)amine, to lower the hole-injection barrier, along with the bipolar and high-photoluminescence-quantum-yield (Φ p = 84%), blue thermally activated delay fluorescence (TADF) material of 9,9-dimethyl-9,10-dihydroacridine-2,4,6-triphenyl-1,3,5-triazine (DMAC-TRZ) as a blue dopant to compose the emission layer for the fabrication of a TADF blue organic-light-emitting diode (BOLED). The device is highly efficient with the following performance parameters: maximum brightness (B max ) = 57586 cd/m 2 , maximum current efficiency (CE max ) = 35.3 cd/A, maximum power efficiency (PE max ) = 21.4 lm/W, maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE max ) = 14.1%, and CIE coordinates (0.18, 0.42). This device has the best performance recorded among the reported solution-processed TADF BOLEDs and has a low efficiency roll-off: at brightness values of 1000 and 5000 cd/m 2 , its CEs are close, being 35.1 and 30.1 cd/A, respectively. Upon further doping of the red phosphor Ir(dpm)PQ 2 (emission peak λ max = 595 nm) into the blue emission layer, we obtained a TADF-phosphor hybrid white organic-light-emitting diode (T-P hybrid WOLED) with high performance: B max = 43594 cd/m 2 , CE max = 28.8 cd/A, PE max = 18.1 lm/W, and CIE coordinates (0.38, 0.44). This B max = 43594 cd/m 2 is better than that of the vacuum-deposited WOLED with a blue TADF emitter, 10000 cd/m 2 . This is also the first report on a T-P hybrid WOLED with a solution-processed emitting layer.

Recent advances in CD8+ regulatory T cell research

PubMed Central

Yu, Yating; Ma, Xinbo; Gong, Rufei; Zhu, Jianmeng; Wei, Lihua; Yao, Jinguang

2018-01-01

Various subgroups of CD8+ T lymphocytes do not only demonstrate cytotoxic effects, but also serve important regulatory roles in the body's immune response. In particular, CD8+ regulatory T cells (CD8+ Tregs), which possess important immunosuppressive functions, are able to effectively block the overreacting immune response and maintain the body's immune homeostasis. In recent years, studies have identified a small set of special CD8+ Tregs that can recognize major histocompatibility complex class Ib molecules, more specifically Qa-1 in mice and HLA-E in humans, and target the self-reactive CD4+ T ce lls. These findings have generated broad implications in the scientific community and attracted general interest to CD8+ Tregs. The present study reviews the recent research progress on CD8+ Tregs, including their origin, functional classification, molecular markers and underlying mechanisms of action.

Performance of europium-doped strontium iodide, transparent ceramics and bismuth-loaded polymer scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherepy, N. J.; Payne, S. A.; Sturm, B. W.; O'Neal, S. P.; Seeley, Z. M.; Drury, O. B.; Haselhorst, L. K.; Rupert, B. L.; Sanner, R. D.; Thelin, P. A.; Fisher, S. E.; Hawrami, R.; Shah, K. S.; Burger, A.; Ramey, J. O.; Boatner, L. A.

2011-09-01

Recently discovered scintillators for gamma ray spectroscopy - single-crystal SrI2(Eu), GYGAG(Ce) transparent ceramic and Bismuth-loaded plastics - offer resolution and fabrication advantages compared to commercial scintillators, such as NaI(Tl) and standard PVT plastic. Energy resolution at 662 keV of 2.7% is obtained with SrI2(Eu), while 4.5% is obtained with GYGAG(Ce). A new transparent ceramic scintillator for radiographic imaging systems, GLO(Eu), offers high light yield of 70,000 Photons/MeV, high stopping, and low radiation damage. Implementation of single-crystal SrI2(Eu), Gd-based transparent ceramics, and Bi-loaded plastic scintillators can advance the state-of-the art in ionizing radiation detection systems.

Performance of Europium-Doped Strontium Iodide, Transparent Ceramics and Bismuth-loaded Polymer Scintillators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cherepy, N J; Payne, S A; Sturm, B W

2011-08-30

Recently discovered scintillators for gamma ray spectroscopy, single crystal SrI{sub 2}(Eu), GYGAG(Ce) transparent ceramic and Bismuth-loaded plastics, offer resolution and fabrication advantages compared to commercial scintillators, such as NaI(Tl) and standard PVT plastic. Energy resolution at 662 keV of 2.7% is obtained with SrI{sub 2}(Eu), while 4.5% is obtained with GYGAG(Ce). A new transparent ceramic scintillator for radiographic imaging systems, GLO(Eu) offers high light yield of 70,000 Photons/MeV, high stopping, and low radiation damage. Implementation of single crystal SrI{sub 2}(Eu), Gd-based transparent ceramics, and Bi-loaded plastic scintillators can advance the state-of-the art in ionizing radiation detection systems.

Incorporating Information Value into Navy Tactical Data System: System Configuration Management Through the Delphi Method

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

e"-s tcc,: -e .- r reverse of necessary an., ice-tfy by bi.-:’ ru-’ce," 5uz"ou configuration management. Delphi method. Command and Control 19 Ac-s:’a...Aos!,ac: 21 Aostraczt Security Classitcator : R uncassf~’! i~e sa-e as renc- E 0orC users Unclassified 22a Na-e of Respon’s :e iro, v c a 22o Te’eo’one...i!r’ciule A’ea coce’ 22: C’" ce . Thomnas 1’. Mitchell (4081 646-2620 155k.11i DD FORI, 1473.6.: VAR 63 A-- R e-.!c- rnay be usec~ unti exhausted se

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gschneidner, Jr., Karl A.; Schmidt, Frederick A.

A carbothermic reduction method is provided for reducing a La-, Ce-, MM-, and/or Y-containing oxide in the presence of carbon and a source of a reactant element comprising Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, Bi, and/or P to form an intermediate alloy material including a majority of La, Ce, MM, and/or Y and a minor amount of the reactant element. The intermediate material is useful as a master alloy for in making negative electrode materials for a metal hydride battery, as hydrogen storage alloys, as master alloy additive for addition to a melt of commercial Mg and Al alloys, steels,more » cast irons, and superalloys; or in reducing Sm.sub.2O.sub.3 to Sm metal for use in Sm--Co permanent magnets.« less

Monte Carlo calculation for the development of a BNCT neutron source (1eV-10KeV) using MCNP code.

PubMed

El Moussaoui, F; El Bardouni, T; Azahra, M; Kamili, A; Boukhal, H

2008-09-01

Different materials have been studied in order to produce the epithermal neutron beam between 1eV and 10KeV, which are extensively used to irradiate patients with brain tumors such as GBM. For this purpose, we have studied three different neutrons moderators (H(2)O, D(2)O and BeO) and their combinations, four reflectors (Al(2)O(3), C, Bi, and Pb) and two filters (Cd and Bi). Results of calculation showed that the best obtained assembly configuration corresponds to the combination of the three moderators H(2)O, BeO and D(2)O jointly to Al(2)O(3) reflector and two filter Cd+Bi optimize the spectrum of the epithermal neutron at 72%, and minimize the thermal neutron to 4% and thus it can be used to treat the deep tumor brain. The calculations have been performed by means of the Monte Carlo N (particle code MCNP 5C). Our results strongly encourage further studying of irradiation of the head with epithermal neutron fields.

Structure of a dinuclear cadmium complex with 2,2′-bi­pyridine, monodentate nitrate and 3-carb­oxy-6-methyl­pyridine-2-carboxyl­ate ligands: intra­molecular carbon­yl(lone pair)⋯π(ring) and nitrate(π)⋯π(ring) inter­actions

PubMed Central

Granifo, Juan; Suarez, Sebastián; Baggio, Ricardo

2015-01-01

The centrosymmetric dinuclear complex bis­(μ-3-carb­oxy-6-methyl­pyridine-2-carboxyl­ato)-κ3 N,O 2:O 2;κ3 O 2:N,O 2-bis­[(2,2′-bi­pyridine-κ2 N,N′)(nitrato-κO)cadmium] methanol monosolvate, [Cd2(C8H6NO4)2(NO3)2(C10H8N2)2]·CH3OH, was isolated as colourless crystals from the reaction of Cd(NO3)2·4H2O, 6-methyl­pyridine-2,3-di­carb­oxy­lic acid (mepydcH2) and 2,2′-bi­pyridine in methanol. The asymmetric unit consists of a CdII cation bound to a μ-κ3 N,O 2:O 2-mepydcH− anion, an N,N′-bidentate 2,2′-bi­pyridine group and an O-mono­dentate nitrate anion, and is completed with a methanol solvent mol­ecule at half-occupancy. The Cd complex unit is linked to its centrosymmetric image through a bridging mepydcH− carboxyl­ate O atom to complete the dinuclear complex mol­ecule. Despite a significant variation in the coordination angles, indicating a considerable departure from octa­hedral coordination geometry about the CdII atom, the Cd—O and Cd—N distances in this complex are surprisingly similar. The crystal structure consists of O—H⋯O hydrogen-bonded chains parallel to a, further bound by C—H⋯O contacts along b to form planar two-dimensional arrays parallel to (001). The juxtaposed planes form inter­stitial columnar voids that are filled by the methanol solvent mol­ecules. These in turn inter­act with the complex mol­ecules to further stabilize the structure. A search in the literature showed that complexes with the mepydcH− ligand are rare and complexes reported previously with this ligand do not adopt the μ-κ3 coordination mode found in the title compound. PMID:26396748

Modeling dynamics of mutants in heterogeneous stem cell niche

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahriyari, L.; Mahdipour-Shirayeh, A.

2017-02-01

Studying the stem cell (SC) niche architecture is a crucial step for investigating the process of oncogenesis and obtaining an effective stem cell therapy for various cancers. Recently, it has been observed that there are two groups of SCs in the SC niche collaborating with each other to maintain tissue homeostasis: border stem cells (BSCs), which are responsible in controlling the number of non-stem cells as well as stem cells, and central stem cells (CeSCs), which regulate the SC niche. Here, we develop a bi-compartmental stochastic model for the SC niche to study the spread of mutants within the niche. The analytic calculations and numeric simulations, which are in perfect agreement, reveal that in order to delay the spread of mutants in the SC niche, a small but non-zero number of SC proliferations must occur in the CeSC compartment. Moreover, the migration of BSCs to CeSCs delays the spread of mutants. Furthermore, the fixation probability of mutants in the SC niche is independent of types of SC division as long as all SCs do not divide fully asymmetrically. Additionally, the progeny of CeSCs have a much higher chance than the progeny of BSCs to take over the entire niche.

Charge transport, interfacial interactions and synergistic mechanisms in BiNbO4/MWO4 (M = Zn and Cd) heterostructures for hydrogen production: insights from a DFT+U study.

PubMed

Opoku, Francis; Kuben Govender, Krishna; van Sittert, Cornelia Gertina Catharina Elizabeth; Poomani Govender, Penny

2017-10-25

In the 21st century, the growing demand of global energy is one of the key challenges. The photocatalytic generation of hydrogen has attracted extensive attention to discuss the increasing global demand for sustainable and clean energy. However, hydrogen evolution reactions normally use the economically expensive rare noble metals and the processes remain a challenge. Herein, low-cost BiNbO 4 /MWO 4 (010) heterostructures are studied for the first time to check their suitability towards photocatalytic hydrogen production. A theoretical study with the aid of density functional theory (DFT) is used to investigate the synergistic effect, ionisation energy, electron affinities, charge transfer, electronic properties and the underlying mechanism for hydrogen generation of BiNbO 4 /MWO 4 (010) heterostructures. The experimental band gaps of bulk ZnWO 4 , CdWO 4 and BiNbO 4 are well reproduced using the DFT+U method. The calculated band edge position shows a type-II staggered band alignment and the charge transfer between BiNbO 4 and MWO 4 monolayers results in a large interfacial built-in potential, which will favour the separation of charge carriers in the heterostructures. The effective mass of the photoinduced holes is higher compared to the electrons, making the heterostructures useful in hydrogen production. The relatively low ionisation energy and electron affinity for the heterostructures compared to the monolayers make them ideal for photocatalysis applications due to their small energy barrier for the injection of electrons and creation of holes. The BiNbO 4 /MWO 4 (010) heterostructures are more suitable for photocatalytic hydrogen production due to their strong reducing power relative to the H + /H 2 O potential. This study sheds light on the less known BiNbO 4 /ZnWO 4 (010) heterostructures and the fully explored electronic and optical properties will pave way for future photocatalytic water splitting applications.

Impact of demographic and clinical parameters on video capsule transit time.

PubMed

Niv, Eva; Pinchasovich, Hadassa; Yanai, Henit

2016-10-01

Small bowel (SB) capsule endoscopy (CE) studies provide data on both gastric and SB transit times (GTT and SBTT, respectively). This study aimed to evaluate the influence of demographic and clinical parameters on the GTT and SBTT. Transit times for two generations of capsules (Pillcam SB2 and SB3) were also compared. Consecutive adult patients undergoing CE were included. GTT, SBTT, and cecum arrival rates were calculated and correlated to demographics and clinical characteristics. A total of 332 CE studies were analyzed. Neither GTT nor SBTT were impacted by age or sex. SBTT was prolonged in newly diagnosed Crohn's disease (CD) patients compared with all other patients (303.1±90.3 vs. 243.6±83.6 min, P=0.02 for SB2, 267.8±63 vs. 228.6±72.3, P=0.01 for SB3, respectively). Moreover, CD patients had higher incomplete study rates compared with patients with all other diagnoses (29.4 vs. 7.3%, respectively, P=0.0116) in the SB2 subgroup. Higher cecum arrival rates were achieved by the SB3 capsule compared with SB2 (97 vs. 91%, P=0.04). Patients with prolonged gastric time or patients with incomplete studies had similar demographic and clinical characteristics as others. Age and sex apparently do not influence intestinal kinetics. Newly diagnosed CD patients have relatively prolonged SBTTs. Demographic and clinical parameters cannot predict prolonged GTT or cecum nonarrival.

Method development of enantiomer separations by affinity capillary electrophoresis, cyclodextrin electrokinetic chromatography and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Tanaka, Yoshihide

2002-07-01

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has become a powerful tool for enantiomer separations during the last decade. Since 1993, the author has investigated enantiomer separations by affinity capillary electrophoresis (affinity CE) with some proteins and by cyclodextrin electrokinetic chromatography (CDEKC) with some charged cyclodextrins (CDs). Many successful enantiomer separations are demonstrated from our study in this review article. In the enantiomer separations by affinity CE, the deterioration of detection sensitivity was observed under high concentration of the protein in running solutions. The partial filling technique was practically useful to solve the serious problem. It allowed operation at high protein concentrations, such as 500 mumol/L, without the detection problem. Charged CDs had several advantages for the enantiomer separations over neutral ones. Strong electrostatic interactions between a charged CD and oppositely charged analytes should be effective for the formation of the complex. A large difference in electrophoretic mobility between the free analyte and the inclusion complex should also enhance the enantiomeric resolution. In CE-mass spectrometry (CE-MS), the partial filling technique was applied to avoid the introduction of nonvolatile chiral selectors into the CE-MS interface. By replacing the nonvolatile electrolytes in the running buffer by volatile ones, the separation conditions employed in CE with the UV detection method could be transferred to CE-MS.

Comparison of competitive exclusion with classical cleaning and disinfection on bacterial load in pig nursery units.

PubMed

Luyckx, K; Millet, S; Van Weyenberg, S; Herman, L; Heyndrickx, M; Dewulf, J; De Reu, K

2016-09-06

Colonisation of the environment of nursery units by pathogenic micro-organisms is an important factor in the persistence and spread of endemic diseases in pigs and zoonotic pathogens. These pathogens are generally controlled by the use of antibiotics and disinfectants. Since an increasing resistance against these measures has been reported in recent years, methods such as competitive exclusion (CE) are promoted as promising alternatives. This study showed that the infection pressure in CE units after microbial cleaning was not reduced to the same degree as in control units. Despite sufficient administration of probiotic-type spores, the analysed bacteria did not decrease in number after 3 production rounds in CE units, indicating no competitive exclusion. In addition, no differences in feed conversion were found between piglets raised in CE and control units in our study. Also, no differences in faecal consistency (indicator for enteric diseases) was noticed. These results indicate that the CE protocol is not a valuable alternative for classical C&D.

Heterodimeric bispecific single chain variable fragments (scFv) killer engagers (BiKEs) enhance NK-cell activity against CD133+ colorectal cancer cells

PubMed Central

JU, Schmohl; MK, Gleason; PR, Dougherty; JS, Miller; DA, Vallera

2015-01-01

Background Natural killer (NK) cells are potent cytotoxic lymphocytes that play a critical role in tumor immunosurveillance and control. Cancer stem cells (CSC) initiate and sustain tumor cell growth, mediate drug refractory cancer relapse and express the well-known surface marker CD133. Methods DNA fragments from two fully humanized single chain fragment variable (scFv) antibody recognizing CD16 on NK-cells and CD133 on CSC were genetically spliced forming a novel drug, 16 × 133 BiKE that simultaneously recognizes these antigen to facilitate an immunologic synapse. The anti-CD133 was created using a fusion protein prepared by fusing DNA fragments encoding the two extracellular domains of CD133. Immunization of mice with the resulting fusion protein generated an unique antibody that recognized the molecular framework and was species cross-reactive. Results In vitro 51chromium release cytotoxicity assays at both high and low effector:target ratios demonstrated the ability of the heterodimeric biological drug to greatly enhance NK-cell killing of human Caco-2 colorectal carcinoma cells known to overexpress CD133. The tumor associated antigen specificity of the drug for CD133 even enhanced NK-cell cytotoxicity against the NK-resistant human Burkitt's lymphoma Daudi cell line, which has less than 5% CD133 surface expression. Flow cytometry analysis revealed increases in NK-cell degranulation and Interferon-γ production upon co-culture with Caco-2 targets in the presence of the drug. Conclusion These studies demonstrate that the innate immune system can be effectively recruited to kill CSC using bispecific antibodies targeting CD133, and that this anti-CD133 scFv may be useful in this bispecific platform or, perhaps, in the design of more complex trispecific molecules for carcinoma therapy. PMID:26566946

Optimization of Stripping Voltammetric Sensor by a Back Propagation Artificial Neural Network for the Accurate Determination of Pb(II) in the Presence of Cd(II).

PubMed

Zhao, Guo; Wang, Hui; Liu, Gang; Wang, Zhiqiang

2016-09-21

An easy, but effective, method has been proposed to detect and quantify the Pb(II) in the presence of Cd(II) based on a Bi/glassy carbon electrode (Bi/GCE) with the combination of a back propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) and square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) without further electrode modification. The effects of Cd(II) in different concentrations on stripping responses of Pb(II) was studied. The results indicate that the presence of Cd(II) will reduce the prediction precision of a direct calibration model. Therefore, a two-input and one-output BP-ANN was built for the optimization of a stripping voltammetric sensor, which considering the combined effects of Cd(II) and Pb(II) on the SWASV detection of Pb(II) and establishing the nonlinear relationship between the stripping peak currents of Pb(II) and Cd(II) and the concentration of Pb(II). The key parameters of the BP-ANN and the factors affecting the SWASV detection of Pb(II) were optimized. The prediction performance of direct calibration model and BP-ANN model were tested with regard to the mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), average relative error (ARE), and correlation coefficient. The results proved that the BP-ANN model exhibited higher prediction accuracy than the direct calibration model. Finally, a real samples analysis was performed to determine trace Pb(II) in some soil specimens with satisfactory results.

Higher prevalence of chronic endometritis in women with endometriosis: a possible etiopathogenetic link.

PubMed

Cicinelli, Ettore; Trojano, Giuseppe; Mastromauro, Marcella; Vimercati, Antonella; Marinaccio, Marco; Mitola, Paola Carmela; Resta, Leonardo; de Ziegler, Dominique

2017-08-01

To evaluate the association between endometriosis end chronic endometritis (CE) diagnosed by hysteroscopy, conventional histology, and immunohistochemistry. Case-control study. University hospital. Women with and without endometriosis who have undergone hysterectomy. Retrospective evaluation of 78 women who have undergone hysterectomy and were affected by endometriosis and 78 women without endometriosis. CE diagnosed based on conventional histology and immunohistochemistry with anti-syndecan-1 antibodies to identify CD138 cells. The prevalence of CE was statistically significantly higher in the women with endometriosis as compared with the women who did not have endometriosis (33 of 78, 42.3% vs. 12 of 78, 15.4% according to hysteroscopy; and 30 of 78, 38.5% vs. 11 of 78, 14.1% according to histology). The women were divided into two groups, 115 patients without CE and 41 patients with CE. With univariate analysis, parity was associated with a lower risk for CE, and endometriosis was associated with a statistically significantly elevated risk of CE. Using multivariate analysis, parity continued to be associated with a lower incidence of CE, whereas endometriosis was associated with a 2.7 fold higher risk. The diagnosis of CE is more frequent in women with endometriosis. Although no etiologic relationships between CE and endometriosis can be established, this study suggests that CE should be considered and if necessary ruled out in women with endometriosis, particularly if they have abnormal uterine bleeding. Identification and appropriate treatment of CE may avoid unnecessary surgery. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis & characterization of Bi7.38Ce0.62O12.3 and its optical and electrocatalytic property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padmanaban, A.; Dhanasekaran, T.; Kumar, S. Praveen; Gnanamoorthy, G.; Stephen, A.; Narayanan, V.

2017-05-01

Bismuth cerium oxide was synthesized by thermal decomposition method. The material was characterized by X-ray diffraction technique, DRS UV-Vis, Raman spectral methods and FE-SEM. The electrocatalytic sensing activity of bismuth cerium oxide modified GCE toward 4-nitrophenol exhibits better activity than the bare GCE. The modified electrode shows higher anodic current response with lower potential.

EFFECTS OF PRECURSOR SOLUTION MODIFICATION ON THE CRYSTALLINITY AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-BiFeO3 BASED THIN FILM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sui, Huiting; Yang, Changhong; Wang, Gaoyun; Feng, Chao

2014-07-01

For chemical solution decomposition process, the precursor solution is a basic factor affecting the quality of the deposited-film. In this paper, we choose (l00)-oriented 0.7[(Bi0.95Ce0.05)0.5Na0.5(Ti0.99Fe0.01)O3]-0.3BiFe0.97Mn0.03O3(0.7NBTCeFe-0.3BFOMn) thin films prepared by various precursor solutions for investigation. The roles of precursor solution modification on crystallinity, ferroelectric and dielectric properties are characterized. With the addition of polyethylene glycol into the solution, phase-pure perovskite structure can be obtained. Furthermore, when the volume ratio for the solvents (ethylene glycol to acetic acid) is modified as 2:1, enhanced ferroelectricity can be achieved with a remanent polarization (Pr) of 27.5 μC/cm2, which coincides well with the capacitance-voltage curve with relatively sharp feature. Also, the 0.7NBTCeFe-0.3BFOMn film exhibits a dielectric constant (ɛr) of 576 and dielectric loss (tan δ) of 0.123 at 100 kHz.

Host‐related factors explaining interindividual variability of carotenoid bioavailability and tissue concentrations in humans

PubMed Central

Desmarchelier, Charles; Dragsted, Lars O.; Nielsen, Charlotte S.; Stahl, Wilhelm; Rühl, Ralph; Keijer, Jaap; Borel, Patrick

2017-01-01

Carotenoid dietary intake and their endogenous levels have been associated with a decreased risk of several chronic diseases. There are indications that carotenoid bioavailability depends, in addition to the food matrix, on host factors. These include diseases (e.g. colitis), life‐style habits (e.g. smoking), gender and age, as well as genetic variations including single nucleotide polymorphisms that govern carotenoid metabolism. These are expected to explain interindividual differences that contribute to carotenoid uptake, distribution, metabolism and excretion, and therefore possibly also their association with disease risk. For instance, digestion enzymes fostering micellization (PNLIP, CES), expression of uptake/efflux transporters (SR‐BI, CD36, NPC1L1), cleavage enzymes (BCO1/2), intracellular transporters (FABP2), secretion into chylomicrons (APOB, MTTP), carotenoid metabolism in the blood and liver (LPL, APO C/E, LDLR), and distribution to target tissues such as adipose tissue or macula (GSTP1, StARD3) depend on the activity of these proteins. In addition, human microbiota, e.g. via altering bile‐acid concentrations, may play a role in carotenoid bioavailability. In order to comprehend individual, variable responses to these compounds, an improved knowledge on intra‐/interindividual factors determining carotenoid bioavailability, including tissue distribution, is required. Here, we highlight the current knowledge on factors that may explain such intra‐/interindividual differences. PMID:28101967

Biomonitoring of 37 trace elements in blood samples from inhabitants of northern Germany by ICP-MS.

PubMed

Heitland, Peter; Köster, Helmut D

2006-01-01

The trace elements Ag, As, Au, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Ce, Co, Cs, Cu, Ga, Hf, Hg, In, La, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Pd, Rb, Rh, Ru, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Te, Th, Tl, U, V, W, Y and Zr were determined in 130 human blood samples from occupationally non-exposed volunteers living in the greater area of Bremen in northern Germany. The blood samples were collected in lithium heparin monovettes developed for trace metal determination and were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with an octopole-based collision/reaction cell. For sample introduction into the ICP, the blood samples were diluted 1/10 (V/V) with a 0.1% Triton-X-100 and 0.5% (V/V) ammonia solution. The method validation of our developed routine method is described for all 37 elements and results about internal and external quality assurance are discussed. Information on exposure conditions of all human subjects were collected by questionnaire-based interviews, including smoking habits, seafood consumption and the type of dental alloys in the teeth. Mean values, geometric mean values, ranges and selected percentiles of all elemental concentrations in human blood are presented, which helps toxicologists and clinical chemists planning research about exposition to metals and health effects caused by exposition to metals.

Electrically assisted liquid-phase microextraction combined with capillary electrophoresis for quantification of propranolol enantiomers in human body fluids.

PubMed

Tabani, Hadi; Fakhari, Ali Reza; Shahsavani, Abolfath; Gharari Alibabaou, Hossein

2014-05-01

In this study, electromembrane extraction (EME) combined with cyclodextrin (CD)-modified capillary electrophoresis (CE) was applied for the extraction, separation, and quantification of propranolol (PRO) enantiomers from biological samples. The PRO enantiomers were extracted from aqueous donor solutions, through a supported liquid membrane (SLM) consisting of 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE) impregnated on the wall of the hollow fiber, and into a 20-μL acidic aqueous acceptor solution into the lumen of hollow fiber. Important parameters affecting EME efficiency such as extraction voltage, extraction time, pH of the donor and acceptor solutions were optimized using a Box-Behnken design (BBD). Then, under these optimized conditions, the acceptor solution was analyzed using an optimized CD-modified CE. Several types of CD were evaluated and best results were obtained using a fused-silica capillary with ammonium acetate (80 mM, pH 2.5) containing 8 mM hydroxypropyl-β-CD as a chiral selector, applied voltage of 18 kV, and temperature of 20°C. The relative recoveries were obtained in the range of 78-95%. Finally, the performance of the present method was evaluated for the extraction and determination of PRO enantiomers in real biological samples. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Interfacial engineering with ultrathin poly (9,9-di-n-octylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PFO) layer for high efficient perovskite light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chunyan; Chen, Ping; Xiong, ZiYang; Liu, Debei; Wang, Gang; Meng, Yan; Song, Qunliang

2018-02-01

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites have attracted great attention in the field of lighting and display due to their very high color purity and low-cost solution-process. Researchers have done a lot of work in realizing high performance electroluminescent devices. However, the current efficiency (CE) of methyl-ammonium lead halide perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) still needs to be improved. Herein, we demonstrate the enhanced performance of PeLEDs through introducing an ultrathin poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PFO) buffer layer between poly(3,4-ethylendioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite. Compared to the reference device without PFO, the optimal device luminous intensity, the maximum CE, and the maximum external quantum efficiency increases from 8139 cd m-2 to 30 150 cd m-2, from 7.20 cd A-1 (at 6.8 V) to 10.05 cd A-1 (at 6.6 V), and from 1.73% to 2.44%, respectively. The ultrathin PFO layer not only reduces the exciton quenching at the interface between the hole-transport layer and emission layer, but also passivates the shallow-trap ensure increasing hole injection, as well as increases the coverage of perovskite film.

Large anaplastic spinal B-cell lymphoma in a cat.

PubMed

Flatland, Bente; Fry, Michael M; Newman, Shelley J; Moore, Peter F; Smith, Joanne R; Thomas, William B; Casimir, Roslyn H

2008-12-01

A 5-year-old female spayed domestic shorthair cat was presented for evaluation of tetraparesis. The neurologic lesion was localized to the cervical spinal segment (C1-C6). A left axillary mass was identified, and the results of fine needle aspiration cytology indicated malignant round cell neoplasia of possible histiocytic origin. The cells were large, had marked anisocytosis and anisokaryosis, occasional bi- and multinucleation, and cytoplasmic vacuolation. Euthanasia was performed due to the poor prognosis associated with severe, progressive neurologic signs and a malignant neoplasm. Postmortem examination revealed spinal cord compression and an extradural mass at the C1-C2 spinal segment, with neoplastic cells in the adjacent vertebral bodies, surrounding skeletal muscle, left axillary lymph node, and bone marrow from the right femur. The initial histologic diagnosis was anaplastic sarcoma, but immunohistochemical results indicated the cells were CD20+ and CD45R+ and CD3-, compatible with a diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma. CD79a staining was nonspecific and uninterpretable. Weak to moderate CD18 positivity and E-cadherin positivity were also observed. Clonality of the B-cell population could not be demonstrated using PCR testing for antigen receptor gene rearrangement. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of a feline spinal anaplastic B-cell lymphoma exhibiting bi- and multinucleated cells. The prognostic significance of this cell morphology and immunophenotype is unknown.

Second moment scaling and the relationship of geometric and electronic structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoistad, L.M.

1993-01-01

Extended Hueckel band calculations were used to show the ditellurides in the CdI[sub 2] structure type with more than 16 valence electrons/MTe[sub 2] unit should have an instability due to their electronic structure. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of the electron rich Ta[sub 1[minus]x]Ti[sub x]Te[sub 2] (x = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) show that a statistical distortion of the CdI[sub 2] structure type has indeed occurred for these compounds confirming the theoretical calculations. Second Moment Scaled Hueckel theory was used to examine the basis of the Hume-Rothery phases are face centered cubic, hexagonal closest packed ([zeta], [epsilon] and [eta]-hcp),more » body centered cubic, [beta]-Mn and [gamma]-brass structures. Good agreement between the experimental and theoretically predicted electron concentration ranges was achieved when an s, p and contracted d orbital model was used. The results presented in this thesis were the first theoretical calculations that corroborate the entire set of Hume-Rothery electron concentration rules. Second Moment Scaled Hueckel energies were used for constructing structure maps for intermetallic compounds with stoichiometry ZA[sub 2], ZA[sub 3] and ZA[sub 6]. Calculations were performed only on the covalent network of the A atoms. The structure types considered were SmSb[sub 2], ZrSi[sub 2], Cu[sub 2]Sb, AuCu[sub 3], TiNi[sub 3], TiCu[sub 3], BiF[sub 3], SnNi[sub 3], NdTe[sub 3], TiS[sub 3], SmAu[sub 6], CeCu[sub 6] and PuGa[sub 6]. The bond distance variation found for closo-borohydrides B[sub 8]H[sub 8][sup 2[minus

EPR and FTIR spectroscopic studies of MO-Al2O3-Bi2O3-B2O3-MnO2(M = Pb, Zn and Cd) glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lalitha Phani, A. V.; Sekhar, K. Chandra; Chakradhar, R. P. S.; Narasimha Chary, M.; Shareefuddin, Md

2018-03-01

Glasses of the system (30-x)MO-xAl2O3-15Bi2O3-54.5B2O3-0.5MnO2 [M = Pb, Zn & Cd] (x = 0, 5, 10 & 15 mol%) were prepared by the normal melt quenching method. The amorphous nature of the prepared glasses was confirmed by the XRD studies. The EPR and FTIR studies were carried out at room temperature (RT). The EPR spectra exhibited three resonance signals at g ≈ 2.0 with a hyperfine structure, an absorption around g = 4.3 and a distinct shoulder at g = 3.3. Deconvoluted spectra were drawn for g ≈ 2.0 to resolve the six hyperfine lines. The electron paramagnetic resonance signal at g ≈ 2.0 indicates that the Mn2+ ions are in nearly perfectly octahedral symmetry. The low field signals at g = 3.3 and g = 4.3 are attributed to the Mn2+ ion which are in distorted rhombic symmetries. The hyperfine (HF) splitting constant (A) values suggested that the bonding between Mn2+ ions and its ligands is ionic in nature. The presence of BO3 and BO4 borate units, metal oxide cation units, Mn2+ and Bi-O bond vibrations in BiO3 units were noticed from the FTIR spectra.

Poster — Thur Eve — 18: Cherenkov Emission By High-Energy Radiation Therapy Beams: A Characterization Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zlateva, Y.; El Naqa, I.; Quitoriano, N.

2014-08-15

We investigate Cherenkov emission (CE) by radiotherapy beams via radiation dose-versus-CE correlation analyses, CE detection optimization by means of a spectral shift towards the near-infrared (NIR) window of biological tissue, and comparison of CE to on-board MV imaging. Dose-CE correlation was investigated via simulation and experiment. A Monte Carlo (MC) CE simulator was designed using Geant4. Experimental phantoms include: water; tissue-simulating phantom composed of water, Intralipid®, and beef blood; plastic phantom with solid water insert. The detector system comprises an optical fiber and diffraction-grating spectrometer incorporating a front/back-illuminated CCD. The NIR shift was carried out with CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs),more » emitting at (650±10) nm. CE and MV images were acquired with a CMOS camera and electronic portal imaging device. MC and experimental studies indicate a strong linear dose-CE correlation (Pearson coefficient > 0.99). CE by an 18-MeV beam was effectively NIR-shifted in water and a tissue-simulating phantom, exhibiting a significant increase at 650 nm for QD depths up to 10 mm. CE images exhibited relative contrast superior to MV images by a factor of 30. Our work supports the potential for application of CE in radiotherapy online imaging for patient setup and treatment verification, since CE is intrinsic to the beam and non-ionizing and QDs can be used to improve CE detectability, potentially yielding image quality superior to MV imaging for the case of low-density-variability, low-optical-attenuation materials (ex: breast/oropharynx). Ongoing work involves microenvironment functionalization of QDs and application of multi-channel spectrometry for simultaneous acquisition of dosimetric and tumor oxygenation signals.« less

Impact of Diverse Immune Evasion Mechanisms of Cancer Cells on T Cells Engaged by EpCAM/CD3-Bispecific Antibody Construct AMG 110

PubMed Central

Deisting, Wibke; Raum, Tobias; Kufer, Peter; Baeuerle, Patrick A.; Münz, Markus

2015-01-01

Background Bispecific T cell engager (BiTE®) are single-chain bispecific antibody constructs with dual specificity for CD3 on T cells and a surface antigen on target cells. They can elicit a polyclonal cytotoxic T cell response that is not restricted by T cell receptor (TCR) specificity, and surface expression of MHC class I/peptide antigen complexes. Using human EpCAM/CD3-bispecific BiTE® antibody construct AMG 110, we here assessed to what extent surface expression of PD-L1, cytoplasmic expression of indoleamine-2,3-deoxygenase type 1, Bcl-2 and serpin PI-9, and the presence of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and adenosine in culture medium can impact redirected lysis by AMG 110-engaged T cells. Methods The seven factors, which are all involved in inhibiting T cell functions by cancer cells, were tested with human EpCAM-expressing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) target cells at levels that in most cases exceeded those observed in a number of human cancer cell lines. Co-culture experiments were used to determine the impact of the evasion mechanisms on EC50 values and amplitude of redirected lysis by AMG 110, and on BiTE®-induced proliferation of previously resting human peripheral T cells. Findings An inhibitory effect on redirected lysis by AMG 110-engaged T cells was seen upon overexpression of serpin PI-9, Bcl-2, TGF-βand PD-L1. An inhibitory effect on induction of T cell proliferation was only seen with CHO cells overexpressing IDO. In no case, a single evasion mechanism rendered target cells completely resistant to BiTE®-induced lysis, and even various combinations could not. Conclusions Our data suggest that diverse mechanisms employed by cancer cells to fend off T cells cannot inactivate AMG 110-engaged T cells, and that inhibitory effects observed in vitro may be overcome by increased concentrations of the BiTE® antibody construct. PMID:26510188

Evaluation of GAGG:Ce scintillators for future space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoneyama, M.; Kataoka, J.; Arimoto, M.; Masuda, T.; Yoshino, M.; Kamada, K.; Yoshikawa, A.; Sato, H.; Usuki, Y.

2018-02-01

Cerium-doped Gd3(Ga, Al)5O12 (GAGG:Ce) is a promising novel scintillator for gamma-ray detectors. While GAGG:Ce has already been implemented in various commercial products, its detailed characteristics and response to high-energy particles and gamma rays remain unknown. In particular, knowledge is lacking on the radiation tolerance of this scintillator against the gamma-ray and proton irradiation expected in future space satellite mission applications. In this study, we first investigate the light-yield energy dependence, energy resolution, decay time, radiation tolerance, and afterglow of GAGG:Ce scintillators under various temperature conditions. We find excellent linearity of ±3% between light yields and deposited energy over a wide range of 30-1836 keV; however, a light-yield deficit of more than 10% is observed below 30 keV of deposited gamma ray energy. We confirm that the temperature dependence of the light yield, energy resolution, and scintillation decay time is within 5-20% between -20 and 20 oC. We also evaluate the GAGG:Ce activation characteristics under proton irradiation and the light-yield degradation by accumulated dose using a 60Co source. Moreover, we successfully identify various gamma-ray lines due to activation. Finally, we find a substantial afterglow for GAGG:Ce scintillators over a few hours; such an afterglow is only minimally observed in other scintillators such as CsI:Tl and Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO). However, the afterglow can be substantially reduced through additional co-doping with divalent metal ions, such as Mg ions. These results suggest that GAGG:Ce is a promising scintillator with potential application in space satellite missions in the near future.

Superficial roughness on composite surface, composite enamel and composite dentin junctions after different finishing and polishing procedures. Part I: roughness after treatments with tungsten carbide vs diamond burs.

PubMed

Ferraris, Federico; Conti, Alessandro

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate different instruments for finishing composite restorations, as well as examining different surfaces and interfaces of the same restoration. The null hypothesis is represented by the fact that there are no significant differences on roughness of composite restorations finishing between tungsten carbide and diamond burs, furthermore the null hypothesis is that there are no significant differences on roughness between finishing on composite surfaces (C), compositeenamel (CE) and composite-dentin (CD) interfaces. The study was performed on 28 teeth, and class V cavities were prepared on the extracted teeth. Restorations were done in Filtek XTE nanofilled composite (3M Espe) in a standardized method, to then be finished. A comparison was made in the phase 1 between tungsten carbide burs (16 blades), diamond burs (46 μm), with a similar shape by the same manufacturer (Komet). Each surface received 5 bur applications. Consequently, an analysis with a profilometer was performed. Phase 2 involved further confrontation of ulterior finishing with ultrafine tungsten carbide burs (30 blades) and with extra and ultrafine diamond burs (25 and 8 μm) (the same shape as previously mentioned). A second analysis was then performed with a profilometer. All measurements were taken on C surfaces, CE and CD interfaces. Statistical analyses were carried out with c2 test (a = 0.05). The finishing procedures with fine grit or toothing burs gave a better smoothness with tungsten carbide burs compared to diamond burs. While with the ultrafine grit no significant differences were noted between tungsten carbide and diamond burs on the CE and CD interfaces, the diamond bur left less superficial roughness on the C surfaces. With regards to the superficial roughness of the different areas of restoration, it can be concluded that: minor roughness was detected on C surfaces, while the CD interface had the most superficial roughness, regardless of whether the diamond burs or tungsten carbide burs were used. This study shows some statistical differences that could not be clinically perceivable. The clinical relevance could be resumed as follows: the fine tungsten carbide burs provided less roughness compared to a fine diamond bur. There were no differences between the ultrafine tungsten carbide and diamond burs. The less favourable interface to be finished is CD, compared to the CE interface and C surfaces.

A rapid, partial leach and organic separation for the sensitive determination of Ag, Bi, Cd, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb, and Zn in surface geologic materials by flame atomic absorption

USGS Publications Warehouse

Viets, J.G.; Clark, J.R.; Campbell, W.L.

1984-01-01

A solution of dilute hydrochloric acid, ascorbic acid, and potassium iodide has been found to dissolve weakly bound metals in soils, stream sediments, and oxidized rocks. Silver, Bi, Cd, Cu, Mo, Pb, Sb, and Zn are selectively extracted from this solution by a mixture of Aliquat 336 (tricaprylyl methyl ammonium chloride) and MIBK (methyl isobutyl ketone). Because potentially interfering major and minor elements do not extract, the organic separation allows interference-free determinations of Ag and Cd to the 0.05 ppm level, Mo, Cu, and Zn to 0.5 ppm, and Bi, Pb, and Sb to 1 ppm in the sample using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. The analytical absorbance values of the organic solution used in the proposed method are generally enhanced more than threefold as compared to aqueous solutions, due to more efficient atomization and burning characteristics. The leaching and extraction procedures are extremely rapid; as many as 100 samples may be analyzed per day, yielding 800 determinations, and the technique is adaptable to field use. The proposed method was compared to total digestion methods for geochemical reference samples as well as soils and stream sediments from mineralized and unmineralized areas. The partial leach showed better anomaly contrasts than did total digestions. Because the proposed method is very rapid and is sensitive to pathfinder elements for several types of ore deposits, it should be useful for reconnaissance surveys for concealed deposits. ?? 1984.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beales, T.P.; Parberry, J.M.

(Bi{sub 0.33}Cd{sub 0.67})Sr{sub 2}YCu{sub 2}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}} can be synthesized single phase by XRD, between 800 and 950 C. It has a tetragonal structure, space group P4/mmm, and lattice parameters a = 3.802 {angstrom} and c = 11.96 {angstrom}. The Cd site can be fully replaced with an appropriate M{sup 11} ion and the Y site can be chemically substituted up to 100% by lanthanide ions with ionic radii falling between those of Nd and Gd, with a measurable shift in a and c axis lattice parameters. As synthesized, (Bi{sub 0.33}Cd{sub 0.67})Sr{sub 2}YCu{sub 2}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}} is semiconducting and paramagnetic down tomore » 4 K. Superconductivity can be induced by a post-synthesis annealing in high pressure oxygen to give {Tc} = 40 K. Thermopower measurements show that the material is underdoped with S{sub 290K} = 50 {mu}VK{sup {minus}1}. Introduction of extra charge carriers to raise {Tc} by doping Ca on the Y site is not chemically possible with the synthesis techniques used.« less

How to train your T cell: genetically engineered chimeric antigen receptor T cells versus bispecific T-cell engagers to target CD19 in B acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PubMed

Ruella, Marco; Gill, Saar

2015-06-01

Antigen-specific T cell-based immunotherapy is getting its day in the sun. The contemporaneous development of two potent CD19-specific immunotherapeutic modalities for the treatment of B-cell malignancies provides exciting opportunities for patients, physicians and scientists alike. Patients with relapsed, refractory or poor-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) previously had few therapeutic options and now have two potential new lifelines. Physicians will have the choice between two powerful modalities and indeed could potentially enroll some patients on trials exploring both modalities if needed. For scientists interested in tumor immunology, the advent of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and of bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) provides unprecedented opportunities to explore the promise and limitations of antigen-specific T-cell therapy in the context of human leukemia. In this article, we compare chimeric antigen receptor T cells and BiTEs targeting CD19 in B-cell ALL in the setting of the available clinical literature.

Enantioseparation of thalidomide and its hydroxylated metabolites using capillary electrophoresis with various cyclodextrins and their combinations as chiral buffer additives.

PubMed

Meyring, M; Chankvetadze, B; Blaschke, G

1999-09-01

The separation of thalidomide (TD) and its hydroxylated metabolites including their simultaneous enantioseparation was studied in capillary electrophoresis (CE) using four different randomly substituted charged cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives, the combinations of some of them with each other, and beta-CD. TD, as well as two metabolites recently found in incubations of human liver microsomes and human blood, 5-hydroxythalidomide (5-OH-TD) and one of the diastereomeric 5'-hydroxythalidomides (5'-OH-TD), are neutral compounds. Therefore, they were resolved using charged chiral selectors in CE. Two different separation modes (normal polarity and carrier mode) and two different capillaries (fused-silica and polyacrylamide-coated) were tested. Based on the behavior of the individual CDs, their designed combinations were selected in order to improve the separation selectivity and enantioselectivity. Under optimized conditions all three chiral compounds and their enantiomers were resolved simultaneously.

Mission Connect Mild TBI Translational Research Consortium

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

Grill RJ, Parsley MA, Unabia G, Hulsebosch CE. Anti- inflammatory treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Society for Neuroscience, 2009...Hulsebosch, CD, DeWitt DS, Dash PK, Grill RJ, Parsley MA, Unabia, BC, Rea HC, & Perez-Polo, JR Role of IL-1 and TNF receptor activation in neurological...deficits at TBI. Military health Research Forum, 2009. Hulsebosch, CD, DeWitt DS, Dash PK, Grill RJ, Parsley MA, Unabia, BC, Rea HC, & Perez-Polo, JR

Risk Factors for Chorioamnion Infection and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome Among Active-Duty Military women and Dependent Women

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-10-01

0 00 012 IIOTI -- 00 0 Z 0 0 REFERENCES 1. McGann, E. F., Winchester, M. I., Carter, D . P ., Martin, J. N., Jr., Bass, D ., Morrison, J. C. Factors...Women: 1982-1992. 0a014 14. Magann, E. F., Winchester, M. I., Carter, D . P ., Martin, J. N., Jr., Bass, D ., and Morrison, J. C. Factors adversely...D ZHI CE) 10T CD ZC I eC-) 3Z co 00 000 CD CD) z_ < zll CD 1a 1 1 S C) I 1 icD=---I i !! Iz .i 3, z6 z,- !0 D Iz~=3 S--I_ 11001D The current C

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF A CARBON-ENHANCED VERY METAL-POOR STAR: CD-27 14351

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karinkuzhi, Drisya; Goswami, Aruna; Masseron, Thomas

2017-01-01

We present, for the first time, an abundance analysis of a very metal-poor carbon-enhanced star CD-27 14351 based on a high-resolution ( R  ∼ 48,000) FEROS spectrum. Our abundance analysis performed using local thermodynamic equilibrium model atmospheres shows that the object is a cool star with stellar atmospheric parameters, effective temperature T {sub eff} = 4335 K, surface gravity log g  = 0.5, microturbulence ξ  = 2.42 km s{sup −1}, and metallicity [Fe/H] = −2.6. The star exhibits high carbon and nitrogen abundances with [C/Fe] = 2.89 and [N/Fe] = 1.89. Overabundances of neutron-capture elements are evident in Ba, La, Ce, and Nd, with estimated [X/Fe] > 1, the largest enhancementmore » being seen in Ce with [Ce/Fe] = 2.63. While the first peak s -process elements Sr and Y are found to be enhanced with respect to Fe, ([Sr/Fe] = 1.73 and [Y/Fe] = 1.91), the third peak s -process element Pb could not be detected in our spectrum at the given resolution. Europium, primarily an r -process element also shows an enhancement with [Eu/Fe] = 1.65. With [Ba/Eu] = 0.12, the object CD-27 14351 satisfies the classification criterion for a CEMP-r/s star. The elemental abundance distributions observed in this star are discussed in light of the chemical abundances observed in other CEMP stars in the literature.« less

The role of backward cell migration in two-hit mutants' production in the stem cell niche.

PubMed

Bollas, Audrey; Shahriyari, Leili

2017-01-01

It has been discovered that there are two stem cell groups in the intestinal crypts: central stem cells (CeSCs), which are at the very bottom of the crypt, and border stem cells (BSCs), which are located between CeSCs and transit amplifying cells (TAs). Moreover, backward cell migration from BSCs to CeSCs has been observed. Recently, a bi-compartmental stochastic model, which includes CeSCs and BSCs, has been developed to investigate the probability of two-hit mutant production in the stem cell niche. In this project, we improve this stochastic model by adding the probability of backward cell migration to the model. The model suggests that the probability of two-hit mutant production increases when the frequency of backward cell migration increases. Furthermore, a small non-zero probability of backward cell migration leads to the largest range of optimal values for the frequency of symmetric divisions and the portion of divisions at each stem cell compartment in terms of delaying 2-hit mutant production. Moreover, the probability of two-hit mutant production is more sensitive to the probability of symmetric divisions than to the rate of backward cell migrations. The highest probability of two-hit mutant production corresponds to the case when all stem cell's divisions are asymmetric.

The role of backward cell migration in two-hit mutants’ production in the stem cell niche

PubMed Central

Bollas, Audrey

2017-01-01

It has been discovered that there are two stem cell groups in the intestinal crypts: central stem cells (CeSCs), which are at the very bottom of the crypt, and border stem cells (BSCs), which are located between CeSCs and transit amplifying cells (TAs). Moreover, backward cell migration from BSCs to CeSCs has been observed. Recently, a bi-compartmental stochastic model, which includes CeSCs and BSCs, has been developed to investigate the probability of two-hit mutant production in the stem cell niche. In this project, we improve this stochastic model by adding the probability of backward cell migration to the model. The model suggests that the probability of two-hit mutant production increases when the frequency of backward cell migration increases. Furthermore, a small non-zero probability of backward cell migration leads to the largest range of optimal values for the frequency of symmetric divisions and the portion of divisions at each stem cell compartment in terms of delaying 2-hit mutant production. Moreover, the probability of two-hit mutant production is more sensitive to the probability of symmetric divisions than to the rate of backward cell migrations. The highest probability of two-hit mutant production corresponds to the case when all stem cell’s divisions are asymmetric. PMID:28931019

Volatilization, transport and sublimation of metallic and non-metallic elements in high temperature gases at Merapi Volcano, Indonesia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Symonds, R.B.; Rose, William I.; Reed, M.H.; Lichte, F.E.; Finnegan, David L.

1987-01-01

Condensates, silica tube sublimates and incrustations were sampled from 500-800??C fumaroles and lava samples were collected at Merapi Volcano, Indonesia in Jan.-Feb., 1984. With respect to the magma, Merapi gases are enriched by factors greater than 105 in Se, Re, Bi and Cd; 104-105 in Au, Br, In, Pb and W; 103-104 in Mo, Cl, Cs, S, Sn and Ag; 102-103 in As, Zn, F and Rb; and 1-102 in Cu, K, Na, Sb, Ni, Ga, V, Fe, Mn and Li. The fumaroles are transporting more than 106 grams/day ( g d) of S, Cl and F; 104-106 g/d of Al, Br, Zn, Fe, K and Mg; 103-104 g d of Pb, As, Mo, Mn, V, W and Sr; and less than 103 g d of Ni, Cu, Cr, Ga, Sb, Bi, Cd, Li, Co and U. With decreasing temperature (800-500??C) there were five sublimate zones found in silica tubes: 1) cristobalite and magnetite (first deposition of Si, Fe and Al); 2) K-Ca sulfate, acmite, halite, sylvite and pyrite (maximum deposition of Cl, Na, K, Si, S, Fe, Mo, Br, Al, Rb, Cs, Mn, W, P, Ca, Re, Ag, Au and Co); 3) aphthitalite (K-Na sulfate), sphalerite, galena and Cs-K. sulfate (maximum deposition of Zn, Bi, Cd, Se and In; higher deposition of Pb and Sn); 4) Pb-K chloride and Na-K-Fe sulfate (maximum deposition of Pb, Sn and Cu); and 5) Zn, Cu and K-Pb sulfates (maximum deposition of Pb, Sn, Ti, As and Sb). The incrustations surrounding the fumaroles are also chemically zoned. Bi, Cd, Pb, W, Mo, Zn, Cu, K, Na, V, Fe and Mn are concentrated most in or very close to the vent as expected with cooling, atmospheric contamination and dispersion. The highly volatile elements Br, Cl, As and Sb are transported primarily away from high temperature vents. Ba, Si, P, Al, Ca and Cr are derived from wall rock reactions. Incomplete degassing of shallow magma at 915??C is the origin of most of the elements in the Merapi volcanic gas, although it is partly contaminated by particles or wall rock reactions. The metals are transported predominantly as chloride species. As the gas cools in the fumarolic environment, it becomes saturated with sublimate phases that fractionate from the gas in the order of their equilibrium saturation temperatures. Devolatilization of a cooling batholith could transport enough acids and metals to a hydrothermal system to play a significant role in forming an ore deposit. However, sublimation from a high temperature, high velocity carrier gas is not efficient enough to form a large ore deposit. Re, Se, Cd and Bi could be used as supporting evidence for magmatic fluid transport in an ore deposit. ?? 1987.

Y 3-xMg 2AlSi 2O 12: Cex3+ phosphors - prospective for warm-white light emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katelnikovas, Arturas; Bareika, Tomas; Vitta, Pranciškus; Jüstel, Thomas; Winkler, Holger; Kareiva, Aivaras; Žukauskas, Artūras; Tamulaitis, Gintautas

2010-07-01

Y 3-xMg 2AlSi 2O 12: Cex3+ (YMASG:Ce) phosphors were synthesized by sol-gel combustion technique at different temperatures from 1400 to 1550 °C. Samples with x = 0.015, 0.03, 0.045, and 0.06 were fabricated and characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence spectroscopy, and fluorescence lifetime measurements in frequency domain. XRD patterns confirmed single-phase garnet crystal structure for all the samples independently of their substitutional level and annealing temperature. In respect to Y 3Al 5O 12:Ce 3+ (YAG:Ce) phosphor, which was synthesized for comparison by a different sol-gel procedure, the photoluminescence band of these garnets is red shifted, indicating a prospective for application of this novel phosphor in warm-white light emitting diodes (LEDs). The luminescence decays bi-exponentially. The main component has a characteristic decay time decreasing from 72 to of 50 ns with increasing sintering temperature and cerium content, while ˜2% of the excitation decays with a characteristic decay time of ˜8 ns.

A chiral enantioseparation generic strategy for anti-Alzheimer and antifungal drugs by short end injection capillary electrophoresis using an experimental design approach.

PubMed

Abdel-Megied, Ahmed M; Hanafi, Rasha S; Aboul-Enein, Hassan Y

2018-02-01

The present study describes a generic strategy using capillary electrophoretic (CE) method for chiral enantioseparation of anti-Alzheimer drugs, namely, donepezil (DON), rivastigmine (RIV), and antifungal drugs, namely, ketoconazole (KET), Itraconazole (ITR), fluconazole (FLU), and sertaconazole (SRT) in which these drugs have different basic and acidic properties. Several modified cyclodextrins (CDs) were applied for enantioseparation of racemates such as highly sulfated α, γ CDs, hydroxyl propyl-β-CD, and Sulfobutyl ether-β-CD. The starting screening conditions consist of 50-mM phosphate-triethanolamine buffer at pH 2.5, an applied voltage of 15 kV, and a temperature of 25°C. The CE strategy implemented in the separation starts by screening prior to the optimization stage in which an experimental design is applied. The design of experiment (DOE) was based on a full factorial design of the crucial two factors (pH and %CD) at three levels, to make a total of nine (3 2 ) experiments with high, intermediate, and low values for both factors. Evaluation of the proposed strategy pointed out that best resolution was obtained at pH 2.5 for five racemates using low percentages of HS-γ-CD, while SBE-β-CD was the most successful chiral selector offering acceptable resolution for all the six racemates, with the best separation at low pH values and at higher %CD within 10-min runtime. Regression study showed that the linear model shows a significant lack of fit for all chiral selectors, anticipating that higher orders of the factors are most likely to be present in the equation with possible interactions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Regulation of gene expression in autoimmune disease loci and the genetic basis of proliferation in CD4+ effector memory T cells.

PubMed

Hu, Xinli; Kim, Hyun; Raj, Towfique; Brennan, Patrick J; Trynka, Gosia; Teslovich, Nikola; Slowikowski, Kamil; Chen, Wei-Min; Onengut, Suna; Baecher-Allan, Clare; De Jager, Philip L; Rich, Stephen S; Stranger, Barbara E; Brenner, Michael B; Raychaudhuri, Soumya

2014-06-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and subsequent dense-genotyping of associated loci identified over a hundred single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variants associated with the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), type 1 diabetes (T1D), and celiac disease (CeD). Immunological and genetic studies suggest a role for CD4-positive effector memory T (CD+ TEM) cells in the pathogenesis of these diseases. To elucidate mechanisms of autoimmune disease alleles, we investigated molecular phenotypes in CD4+ effector memory T cells potentially affected by these variants. In a cohort of genotyped healthy individuals, we isolated high purity CD4+ TEM cells from peripheral blood, then assayed relative abundance, proliferation upon T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation, and the transcription of 215 genes within disease loci before and after stimulation. We identified 46 genes regulated by cis-acting expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), the majority of which we detected in stimulated cells. Eleven of the 46 genes with eQTLs were previously undetected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Of 96 risk alleles of RA, T1D, and/or CeD in densely genotyped loci, eleven overlapped cis-eQTLs, of which five alleles completely explained the respective signals. A non-coding variant, rs389862A, increased proliferative response (p=4.75 × 10-8). In addition, baseline expression of seventeen genes in resting cells reliably predicted proliferative response after TCR stimulation. Strikingly, however, there was no evidence that risk alleles modulated CD4+ TEM abundance or proliferation. Our study underscores the power of examining molecular phenotypes in relevant cells and conditions for understanding pathogenic mechanisms of disease variants.

Composition-matched molecular “solders” for semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolzhnikov, Dmitriy S.; Zhang, Hao; Jang, Jaeyoung; Son, Jae Sung; Panthani, Matthew G.; Shibata, Tomohiro; Chattopadhyay, Soma; Talapin, Dmitri V.

2015-01-01

We propose a general strategy to synthesize largely unexplored soluble chalcogenidometallates of cadmium, lead, and bismuth. These compounds can be used as “solders” for semiconductors widely used in photovoltaics and thermoelectrics. The addition of solder helped to bond crystal surfaces and link nano- or mesoscale particles together. For example, CdSe nanocrystals with Na2Cd2Se3 solder was used as a soluble precursor for CdSe films with electron mobilities exceeding 300 square centimeters per volt-second. CdTe, PbTe, and Bi2Te3 powders were molded into various shapes in the presence of a small additive of composition-matched chalcogenidometallate or chalcogel, thus opening new design spaces for semiconductor technologies.

Simultaneous determination of phenylethanoid glycosides and aglycones by capillary zone electrophoresis with running buffer modifier.

PubMed

Dong, Shuqing; Gao, Ruibin; Yang, Yan; Guo, Mei; Ni, Jingman; Zhao, Liang

2014-03-15

Although the separation efficiency of capillary electrophoresis (CE) is much higher than that of other chromatographic methods, it is sometimes difficult to adequately separate the complex ingredients in biological samples. This article describes how one effective and simple way to develop the separation efficiency in CE is to add some modifiers to the running buffer. The suitable running buffer modifier β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was explored to fast and completely separate four phenylethanoid glycosides and aglycones (homovanillyl alcohol, hydroxytyrosol, 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acid, and caffeic acid) in Lamiophlomis rotata (Lr) and Cistanche by capillary zone electrophoresis with ultraviolet (UV) detection. It was found that when β-CD was used as running buffer modifier, a baseline separation of the four analytes could be accomplished in less than 20 min and the detection limits were as low as 10(-3) mg L(-1). Other factors affecting the CE separation, such as working potential, pH value and ionic strength of running buffer, separation voltage, and sample injection time, were investigated extensively. Under the optimal conditions, a successful practical application on the determination of Lr and Cistanche samples confirmed the validity and practicability of this method. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

26 CFR 301.9100-7T - Time and manner of making certain elections under the Tax Reform Act of 1986.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...(p)(1) of the Act. [See paragraph (a)(2)(vii) and(a)(3)(x) of this section.] 1882(c) 3121(w)(2... absence from the United States during the election year that are deemed to be days of presence. (x... the election described in H.R. Rep. No. 99-841 at II-320, 811(a) 453C(b)(2)(B)(i), 453C(e)(4) 905(a...

26 CFR 301.9100-7T - Time and manner of making certain elections under the Tax Reform Act of 1986.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...(p)(1) of the Act. [See paragraph (a)(2)(vii) and(a)(3)(x) of this section.] 1882(c) 3121(w)(2... absence from the United States during the election year that are deemed to be days of presence. (x... the election described in H.R. Rep. No. 99-841 at II-320, 811(a) 453C(b)(2)(B)(i), 453C(e)(4) 905(a...

26 CFR 301.9100-7T - Time and manner of making certain elections under the Tax Reform Act of 1986.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...(p)(1) of the Act. [See paragraph (a)(2)(vii) and(a)(3)(x) of this section.] 1882(c) 3121(w)(2... absence from the United States during the election year that are deemed to be days of presence. (x... the election described in H.R. Rep. No. 99-841 at II-320, 811(a) 453C(b)(2)(B)(i), 453C(e)(4) 905(a...

Study on effect of L-arginine on solubility and dissolution of Zaltoprofen: Preparation and characterization of binary and ternary cyclodextrin inclusion complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherje, Atul P.; Patel, Forum; Murahari, Manikanta; Suvarna, Vasanti; Patel, Kavitkumar

2018-02-01

The present study demonstrated the binary and ternary complexes of Zaltoprofen (ZPF) with β-CD and HP-β-CD. The products were characterized using solubility, in vitro dissolution, and DSC studies. The mode of interaction of guest and host was revealed through 1H NMR and FT-IR studies. A significant increase was noticed in the stability constant (Kc) and complexation efficiency (CE) of β-CD and HP-β-CD due to addition of L-Arg in ternary complexes. The ternary complexes showed greater increase in solubility and dissolution of ZPF than binary complexes. Thus, ternary system of ZPF could be an innovative approach for its solubility and dissolution enhancement.

Temperature Dependence of Morphology and Growth Mechanism of Vapor-Grown Cd crystals as Affected by Bi Impurities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yumoto, Hisami; Hasiguti, Ryukiti R.

1984-07-01

Hexagonal prismatic Cd crystals having {10\\bar{1}0} prismatic planes, or occasionally having {11\\bar{2}0} prismatic planes, were grown as high-temperature-type Cd crystals by the thin layer VLS mechanism at Ts (growth temperature) ≥ Tt (transition temperature range: 250-260°C). Pencil-shaped Cd crystals (low-temperature-type Cd crystals) were grown, having {10\\bar{1}0} and {11\\bar{2}0} prismatic planes and {10\\bar{1}1} pyramidal planes by the mixed-type VLS mechanism at Ts≤Tt. When the growth temperature was decreased below Tt, the shape of the solid-liquid interface changed from rounded to faceted. Three processes for the termination of the mixed-type VLS growth are proposed.

Enantiomeric separation of the antiuremic drug colchicine by electrokinetic chromatography. Method development and quantitative analysis.

PubMed

Menéndez-López, Nuria; Valimaña-Traverso, Jesús; Castro-Puyana, María; Salgado, Antonio; García, María Ángeles; Marina, María Luisa

2017-05-10

Two analytical methodologies were developed by CE enabling the enantiomeric separation of colchicine, an antiuremic drug commercialized as pure enantiomer. Succinyl-γ-CD and Sulfated-γ-CD were selected as chiral selectors after a screening with different anionic CDs. Under the optimized conditions, chiral resolutions of 5.6 in 12min and 3.2 in 8min were obtained for colchicine with Succinyl-γ-CD and Sulfated-γ-CD, respectively. An opposite enantiomeric migration order was observed with these two CDs being S-colchicine the first-migrating enantiomer with Succinyl-γ-CD and the second-migrating enantiomer with Sulfated-γ-CD. H NMR experiments showed a 1:1 stoichiometry for the enantiomer-CD complexes in both cases. However, the apparent and averaged equilibrium constants for the enantiomer-CD complexes could be calculated only for Succinyl-γ-CD. The developed methods were applied to the analysis of pharmaceutical formulations but only the use of Succinyl-γ-CD enabled to detect a 0.1% of enantiomeric impurity in colchicine formulations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coupling of non-aqueous electrokinetic chromatography using cationic cyclodextrins with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Mol, Roelof; de Jong, Gerhardus J; Somsen, Govert W

2008-01-01

Non-aqueous electrokinetic chromatography (NAEKC) using cationic cyclodextrins (CDs) was coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). A methanolic background electrolyte (BGE) was used which contained the hydrochloride salts of the single-isomer derivative cyclodextrins 6-monodeoxy-6-mono(2-hydroxy)propylamino-beta-cyclodextrin (IPA-beta-CD) or 6-monodeoxy-6-mono(3-hydroxy)propylamino-beta-cyclodextrin (PA-beta-CD). Applying a reversed capillary electrophoresis (CE) polarity (-30 kV), efficient separation of negatively charged compounds was achieved with plate numbers of up to 190,000. PA-beta-CD appeared to be the most suitable for the separation of various acidic drugs while also providing a high chiral selectivity. Analyte detection was achieved by ESI-MS in the negative-ion mode using a sheath-liquid interface. In order to prevent current drops caused by the cathodic electroosmotic flow, a pressure of 15 mbar was applied on the inlet vial during NAEKC/MS analysis. The effect of the cationic CDs on the MS signal intensities of acidic test drugs was thoroughly studied. When a voltage is applied across the CE capillary, the overall mobility of the cationic CDs is towards the inlet vial so that no CD molecules enter the ion source. The chloride counter ions of the CDs, which migrated towards the capillary outlet, were found to cause ionization suppression, although significant analyte signals could still be detected. Depending on the CD concentration in the BGE, limits of detection for acidic drugs were in the 50-400 ng/mL range in full-scan mode.

Self-reported dietary adherence, disease-specific symptoms, and quality of life are associated with healthcare provider follow-up in celiac disease.

PubMed

Hughey, Jacob J; Ray, Bonnie K; Lee, Anne R; Voorhees, Kristin N; Kelly, Ciaran P; Schuppan, Detlef

2017-12-11

The only treatment for celiac disease (CeD) is a lifelong gluten-free diet (GFD). The restrictive nature of the GFD makes adherence a challenge. As an integral part of CeD management, multiple professional organizations recommend regular follow-up with a healthcare provider (HCP). Many CeD patients also participate in patient advocacy groups (PAGs) for education and support. Previous work found that follow-up of CeD patients is highly variable. Here we investigated the self-reported factors associated with HCP follow-up among individuals diagnosed with CeD who participate in a PAG. We conducted a survey of members of Beyond Celiac (a PAG), collecting responses from 1832 U.S. adults ages 19-65 who reported having CeD. The survey queried HCP follow-up related to CeD and included validated instruments for dietary adherence (CDAT), disease-specific symptoms (CSI), and quality of life (CD-QOL). Overall, 27% of respondents diagnosed with CeD at least five years ago reported that they had not visited an HCP about CeD in the last five years. The most frequent reason for not visiting an HCP was "doing fine on my own" (47.6%). Using multiple logistic regression, we identified significant associations between whether a respondent reported visiting an HCP about CeD in the last five years and the scores for all three validated instruments. In particular, as disease-specific symptoms and quality of life worsened, the probability of having visited an HCP increased. Conversely, as dietary adherence worsened, the probability decreased. Our results suggest that many individuals with CeD manage their disease without ongoing support from an HCP. Our results thus emphasize the need for greater access to high quality CeD care, and highlight an opportunity for PAGs to bring together patients and HCPs to improve management of CeD.

Terahertz Spectroscopy of Deuterated Methylene Bi-Radical CD_2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozeki, Hiroyuki; Bailleux, Stephane

2015-06-01

Methylene, the parent of the carbene compounds, plays a crucial role in many chemical reactions. This bi-radical is a known interstellar molecule that has been detected towards hot cores in dense interstellar clouds. CH_2 is also thought to be present in cometary atmospheres. In the gas phase chemical models of both dense and diffuse molecular clouds, CH_2 is a key intermediate in interstellar carbon chemistry which is produced primarily by dissociative recombination of the methyl ion, CH^+_3. Recently tentative detection of the mono-deuterated methyl ion, CH_2D^+ has been reported toward an infrared source in the vicinity of Orion. Deuterated methylene CHD and CD_2 can be produced from this ion or its counterpart CHD^+_2 by dissociative recombination with an electron: CH2D+ + e- → CHD+ H or {CH2 + D}, CHD2+ ~+ e- → CHD+ D or CD2 + H. Thus, both CHD and CD_2 can be observed in warm interstellar clouds, where the deuterium fractionation process is important. Precise laboratory reference data are desirable for radioastronomical observation of these molecules. Here we report on our high-resolution spectroscopic investigation on the deuterated methylene radical, CD_2 (X ^3B_1) up to 1.45 THz. At present time, eleven out of the twelve fine-structure components of four pure rotational transitions have been newly recorded, and these measurements double the number of previously observed transitions. CD_2 was generated in a discharge in CD_2CO which was obtained from the flash pyrolysis of acetic anhydride-d6 ((CD_3CO)_2O). Effort is currently made to measure the astronomically important 111 - 000 transition whose fine-structure components are predicted to occur at 1.224,1.228 and 1.234 THz. D. C. Lis, P. F. Goldsmith, E. A. Bergin et al. 2009, in Submillimeter Astrophysics and Technology, ASP Conf. Ser., 417, 23. H. Ozeki and S. Saito J. Chem. Phys. 1996, 104, 2167.

CeO2 nanoparticles alter the outcome of species interactions.

PubMed

Peng, Cheng; Chen, Ying; Pu, Zhichao; Zhao, Qing; Tong, Xin; Chen, Yongsheng; Jiang, Lin

2017-06-01

Despite considerable research on the environmental impacts of nanomaterials, we know little about how they influence interactions between species. Here, we investigated the acute (12 d) and chronic (64 d) toxicities of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO 2 NPs) and bulk particles (0-200 mg/L) to three ciliated protist species (Loxocephalus sp., Paramecium aurelia, and Tetrahymena pyriformis) in single-, bi-, and multispecies microcosms. The results show that CeO 2 NPs strongly affected the interactions between ciliated protozoan species. When exposed to the highest CeO 2 NPs (200 mg/L), the intrinsic growth rates of Loxocephalus and Paramecium were significantly decreased by 18.87% and 88.27%, respectively, while their carrying capacities declined by more than 90%. However, CeO 2 NP exposure made it difficult to predict outcomes of interspecific competition between species. At higher NP exposure (100 and 200 mg/L), competition led to the extinction of both species in the Loxocephalus and Paramecium microcosms that survived in the absence of competitors or CeO 2 NPs. Further, the presence of potential competitors improved the survival of Loxocephalus to hundreds of individuals per milliliter in microcosms with Tetrahymena where Loxocephalus would otherwise not be able to tolerate high levels of NP exposure. This result could be attributed to weakened NP adsorption on the cell surface due to competitor-caused reduction of NP surface charge (from -18.52 to -25.17 mV) and intensified NP aggregation via phagocytosis of NPs by ciliate cells. Our results emphasize the need to explicitly consider species interactions for a more comprehensive understanding of the ecological consequences of NP exposure.

Diverse solid tumors expressing a restricted epitope of L1-CAM can be targeted by chimeric antigen receptor redirected T lymphocytes.

PubMed

Hong, Hao; Stastny, Michael; Brown, Christine; Chang, Wen-Chung; Ostberg, Julie R; Forman, Stephen J; Jensen, Michael C

2014-01-01

Adhesion molecule L1-CAM (CD171) was originally reported to be overexpressed on neuroblastoma and to play an important role during tumor progression. More recently, it has been shown to be overexpressed on many other solid tumors such as melanoma and carcinomas of the cervix, ovary, bladder, and others. Thus, there has been a growing interest in using this cell-surface molecule as a target for both antibody-based and cellular-based therapy-our group has previously examined the clinical utility of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-redirected cytolytic T cells that specifically target the CE7 epitope of L1-CAM on neuroblastoma patients. Here, we sought to determine whether this CE7 epitope is present on other recently identified L1-CAM tumors and whether it too can be targeted by CAR T cells. Our studies demonstrate that a diverse array of human tumor cell lines and primary solid tumors (ovarian, lung, and renal carcinoma, glioblastoma and neuroblastoma) do express the CE7 epitope and can efficiently stimulate CE7-specific CAR-redirected (CE7R) T-cell lytic activity and secretion of proinflamatory cytokines. L1-CAM was also detected on a limited number of normal tissues; however, L1-CAM expressed on normal human monocytes was not bound by the CE7 mAb nor was it targeted by CE7R T cells, suggesting that the CE7 epitope is more tumor restricted and not expressed on all L1-CAM tissues. Overall, the CE7 epitope of L1-CAM on a variety of tumors may be amenable to targeting by CE7R T cells, making it a promising target for adoptive immunotherapy.

RFe{sub 2}Mg{sub x}Al{sub 8−x} (R=La–Nd and Sm; x≈0.8): Flux synthesis, structure, magnetic and electrical properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Xiaowei; Chai, Ping; Chen, Banghao

2015-09-15

Single crystals of Mg-substituted CeFe{sub 2}Al{sub 8} type intermetallics RFe{sub 2}Mg{sub x}Al{sub 8–x} (R=La–Nd and Sm; x≤1) were grown by reacting iron and rare earth metals in 1:1 Mg/Al mixed flux. The structure features mono-capped and bi-capped trigonal prismatic FeAl{sub 6} units. Electronic structure calculations indicate that magnesium substitution reduces the valence electron count, shifting the Fermi level away from a pseudo-gap. This changes the electronic nature of the cerium analog; the previously reported ternary CeFe{sub 2}Al{sub 8} shows strong hybridization between the cerium states and the conduction electrons, resulting in no magnetic moment on Ce atoms. On the othermore » hand, magnetic susceptibility measurements on CeFe{sub 2}Mg{sub x}Al{sub 8–x} indicates a localized moment on cerium. The newly synthesized Pr, Nd and Sm analogs exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering at 2.8 K, 7.8 K and 12 K respectively. Solid state {sup 27}Al NMR of LaFe{sub 2}Mg{sub x}Al{sub 8–x} exhibits a broad Knight shift at ~1200 ppm, consistent with the metallic behavior shown by electrical resistivity data. - Graphical abstract: Mg substitution into CeFe{sub 2}Al{sub 8} modifies cerium valence due to changing valence electron count. - Highlights: • RFe{sub 2}Mg{sub x}Al{sub 8−x} (R=La–Nd, Sm) grow as large crystals from reactions in Mg/Al flux. • Products are magnesium-substituted variants of CeFe{sub 2}Al{sub 8}, with CaCo{sub 2}Al{sub 8} structure. • Ce magnetic moment in CeFe{sub 2}Mg{sub x}Al{sub 8−x} varies from that in CeFe{sub 2}Al{sub 8} due to VEC change. • Antiferromagnetic ordering observed for Pr, Nd, Sm analogs of RFe{sub 2}Mg{sub x}Al{sub 8−x}.« less

Comparative study of the complex forming ability and enantioselectivity of cyclodextrin polymers by CE and 1H NMR.

PubMed

Danel, Cécile; Azaroual, Nathalie; Chavaria, Cédric; Odou, Pascal; Martel, Bernard; Vaccher, Claude

2013-02-15

The interactions between nine drugs (baclofen, bupivacaine, chlorpheniramine, ketoconazole, paliperidone, promethazine, propranolol, risperidone and verapamil) and six cyclodextrins (α-CD, β-CD, γ-CD, HP-β-CD, HP-γ-CD and Me-β-CD) or six polymers of cyclodextrins (polyα-CD, polyβ-CD, polyγ-CD, polyHP-β-CD, polyHP-γ-CD and polyMe-β-CD) were studied by affinity capillary electrophoresis and/or (1)H NMR at pH 2.5. An exhaustive qualitative study was performed through the determination of the retardation factor. Then, four compounds and both β-CD and polyβ-CD were selected for the quantitative study of the interactions at pH 2.5 and 7.0. By comparing the results obtained with the β-CD and polyβ-CD, it appears that the apparent binding constants are up to five times higher with the polymer. The 2D-NMR results seem to indicate that the structure of the polymeric network favours the inclusion of the guest in the hydrophobic cavity of the CD units. Moreover, the poly-CDs have shown very high enantioselective abilities at both pH. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Natural seaweed waste as sorbent for heavy metal removal from solution.

PubMed

Ahmady-Asbchin, Salman; Andres, Yves; Gerente, Claire; Le Cloirec, Pierre

2009-06-01

Biosorption is a suitable heavy metal remediation technique for the treatment of aqueous effluents of large volume and low pollutant concentration. However, today industrial applications need the selection of efficient low-cost biosorbents. The aim of this work is to investigate brown alga such as Fucus serratus (FS) as a low-cost biosorbent, for the fixation of metallic ions, namely Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Pb(2+), Ni(2+), Cd(2+) and Ce(3+), in a batch reactor. Biosorption kinetics and isotherms have been performed at pH 5.5. For all of the studied metallic ions, the equilibrium time is about 450 min and a tendency based on the initial sorption rate has been established: Ce(3+) > Zn(2+) > Ni(2+) > Cu(2+) > Cd(2+) > Pb(2+). The adsorption equilibrium data are well described by the Langmuir equation. The sequence of the maximum adsorption capacity is Pb(2+) approximately equal Cu(2+) > Ce(3+) approximately equal Ni(2+) > Cd(2+) > Zn(2+) and values are ranged between 1.78 and 0.71 mmol g(-1). These results indicate that the FS biomass is a suitable biosorbent for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater and can be tested in a dynamic process. The selected pilot process involves a hybrid membrane process: a continuous stirred tank reactor is coupled with a microfiltration immersed membrane, in order to confine the FS particles. A mass balance model is used to describe the adsorption process and the breakthrough curves are correctly modelled. Based on these results, it is demonstrated that FS is an interesting biomaterial for the treatment of water contaminated heavy metals.

Dexamethasone attenuates echinococcosis-induced allergic reactions via regulatory T cells in mice.

PubMed

Zhang, Qin; Ye, Jianrong; Zheng, Hong

2016-03-11

Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by infection with Echinococcus granulosus larvae, is a potentially life-threatening disease in humans. Anaphylactic shock caused by CE is very dangerous, and is highly prevalent during surgery. Dexamethasone (DEX) is used clinically before operations to prevent allergic reactions; Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are believed to be associated with negative immune response, which play an important role in alleviating allergic reactions. However, the association of Treg cells with DEX remains unknown. In this study, C57BL/6 mice were divided into uninfected group, untreated group and DEX group which were inoculated with protoscoleces from E. granulosus and sensitized using a cyst fluid suspension to induce anaphylactic shock. In addition, the mice in DEX group were treated with 10 mg/kg DEX by intraperitoneal injection 30 min before being sensitized. It was found that 93.75 % of all sensitized mice experienced allergic symptoms. The levels of IgE, IgE/IgG, and IgE/IgG1 were significantly higher in both untreated group and DEX group. The proportion of CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + Treg cells relative to CD4+ Treg cells, and the levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor growth factor-β (TGF-β1) were significantly higher in DEX group. The level of IL-13 was significantly higher in the sensitized mice than in the other groups. These cells may play a key role in alleviating the immune response in CE-induced anaphylactic shock. The protective effect of DEX may be due to Treg cell upregulating IL-10 and TGF-β1 levels, and inhibiting helper T cell 2 cytokines.

Application of First Principles Ni-Cd and Ni-H2 Battery Models to Spacecraft Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Timmerman, Paul; Bugga, Ratnakumar; DiStefano, Salvador

1997-01-01

The conclusions of the application of first principles model to spacecraft operations are: the first principles of Bi-phasic electrode presented model provides an explanation for many behaviors on voltage fading on LEO cycling.

Materials chemistry. Composition-matched molecular "solders" for semiconductors.

PubMed

Dolzhnikov, Dmitriy S; Zhang, Hao; Jang, Jaeyoung; Son, Jae Sung; Panthani, Matthew G; Shibata, Tomohiro; Chattopadhyay, Soma; Talapin, Dmitri V

2015-01-23

We propose a general strategy to synthesize largely unexplored soluble chalcogenidometallates of cadmium, lead, and bismuth. These compounds can be used as "solders" for semiconductors widely used in photovoltaics and thermoelectrics. The addition of solder helped to bond crystal surfaces and link nano- or mesoscale particles together. For example, CdSe nanocrystals with Na2Cd2Se3 solder was used as a soluble precursor for CdSe films with electron mobilities exceeding 300 square centimeters per volt-second. CdTe, PbTe, and Bi2Te3 powders were molded into various shapes in the presence of a small additive of composition-matched chalcogenidometallate or chalcogel, thus opening new design spaces for semiconductor technologies. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Capillary electrophoresis-driven synthesis of water-soluble CdTe quantum dots in nanoliter scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nejdl, Lukas; Hynek, David; Adam, Vojtech; Vaculovicova, Marketa

2018-04-01

‘Green nanotechnology’ is a term used for the design of nanomaterials and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and/or generation of hazardous substances. In this paper, a capillary electrophoresis (CE)-driven synthesis of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) and their subsequent conjugation with a metal-binding protein metallothionein (isofom MT1) is reported. Even though the toxic materials (cadmium and potassium borohydride) were used for synthesis, the proposed method can be labeled as ‘environmentally friendly’ because the whole process (synthesis of QDs and MT1 conjugation) was carried out under mild conditions: ultra-low volume (nanoliter scale), relatively low temperature (50 °C), atmospheric pressure, and completed in a short time (under 90 s). Prepared QDs were also characterized by classical fluorescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. This study opens up new possibilities for the utilization of classical CE in the synthesis of nanoparticles and on-line labeling of biomolecules in the nanoliter scale in short period of time.

Capillary electrophoresis-driven synthesis of water-soluble CdTe quantum dots in nanoliter scale.

PubMed

Nejdl, Lukas; Hynek, David; Adam, Vojtech; Vaculovicova, Marketa

2018-04-20

'Green nanotechnology' is a term used for the design of nanomaterials and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and/or generation of hazardous substances. In this paper, a capillary electrophoresis (CE)-driven synthesis of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) and their subsequent conjugation with a metal-binding protein metallothionein (isofom MT1) is reported. Even though the toxic materials (cadmium and potassium borohydride) were used for synthesis, the proposed method can be labeled as 'environmentally friendly' because the whole process (synthesis of QDs and MT1 conjugation) was carried out under mild conditions: ultra-low volume (nanoliter scale), relatively low temperature (50 °C), atmospheric pressure, and completed in a short time (under 90 s). Prepared QDs were also characterized by classical fluorescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. This study opens up new possibilities for the utilization of classical CE in the synthesis of nanoparticles and on-line labeling of biomolecules in the nanoliter scale in short period of time.

New Antimony Selenide/Nickel Oxide Photocathode Boosts the Efficiency of Graphene Quantum-Dot Co-Sensitized Solar Cells.

PubMed

Kolay, Ankita; Kokal, Ramesh K; Kalluri, Ankarao; Macwan, Isaac; Patra, Prabir K; Ghosal, Partha; Deepa, Melepurath

2017-10-11

A novel assembly of a photocathode and a photoanode is investigated to explore their complementary effects in enhancing the photovoltaic performance of a quantum-dot solar cell (QDSC). While p-type nickel oxide (NiO) has been used previously, antimony selenide (Sb 2 Se 3 ) has not been used in a QDSC, especially as a component of a counter electrode (CE) architecture that doubles as the photocathode. Here, near-infrared (NIR) light-absorbing Sb 2 Se 3 nanoparticles (NPs) coated over electrodeposited NiO nanofibers on a carbon (C) fabric substrate was employed as the highly efficient photocathode. Quasi-spherical Sb 2 Se 3 NPs, with a band gap of 1.13 eV, upon illumination, release photoexcited electrons in addition to other charge carriers at the CE to further enhance the reduction of the oxidized polysulfide. The p-type conducting behavior of Sb 2 Se 3 , coupled with a work function at 4.63 eV, also facilitates electron injection to polysulfide. The effect of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as co-sensitizers as well as electron conduits is also investigated in which a TiO 2 /CdS/GQDs photoanode structure in combination with a C-fabric CE delivered a power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.28%, which is a vast improvement over the 4.23% that is obtained by using a TiO 2 /CdS photoanode (without GQDs) with the same CE. GQDs, due to a superior conductance, impact efficiency more than Sb 2 Se 3 NPs do. The best PCE of a TiO 2 /CdS/GQDs-nS 2- /S n 2- -Sb 2 Se 3 /NiO/C-fabric cell is 5.96% (0.11 cm 2 area), which, when replicated on a smaller area of 0.06 cm 2 , is seen to increase dramatically to 7.19%. The cell is also tested for 6 h of continuous irradiance. The rationalization for the channelized photogenerated electron movement, which augments the cell performance, is furnished in detail in these studies.

Synthesis, crystal structure, and magnetism of A 2Co 12As 7 (A=Ca, Y, Ce–Yb)

DOE PAGES

Tan, Xiaoyan; Ovidiu Garlea, V.; Chai, Ping; ...

2015-08-28

In this study, ternary intermetallics, A 2Co 12As 7 (A=Ca, Y, Ce–Yb), have been synthesized by annealing mixtures of elements in molten Bi at 1223 K. The materials obtained crystallize in the P6 3/m variant of the Zr 2Fe 12P 7 structure type. The unit cell volume shows a monotonic decrease with the increasing atomic number of the rare-earth metal, with the exception of Ce-, Eu-, and Yb-containing compounds. An examination of these outliers with X-ray absorption near edge structures (XANES) spectroscopy revealed mixed valence of Ce, Eu, and Yb, with the average oxidation states of +3.20(1), +2.47(5), and +2.91(1),more » respectively, at room temperature. Magnetic behavior of A 2Co 12As 7 is generally characterized by ferromagnetic ordering of Co 3d moments at 100–140 K, followed by low-temperature ordering of rare-earth 4f moments. The 3d-4f magnetic coupling changes from antiferromagnetic for A=Pr–Sm to ferromagnetic for A=Ce and Eu–Yb. Finally, polarized neutron scattering experiments were performed to support the postulated ferro- and ferrimagnetic ground states for Ce 2Co 12As 7 and Nd 2Co 12As 7, respectively.« less

Rubidium as an Alternative Cation for Efficient Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

Kanwat, Anil; Moyen, Eric; Cho, Sinyoung; Jang, Jin

2018-05-16

Incorporation of rubidium (Rb) into mixed lead halide perovskites has recently achieved record power conversion efficiency and excellent stability in perovskite solar cells. Inspired by these tremendous advances in photovoltaics, this study demonstrates the impact of Rb incorporation into MAPbBr 3 -based light emitters. Rb partially substitutes MA (methyl ammonium), resulting in a mixed cation perovskite with the formula MA (1- x) Rb x PbBr 3 . Pure MAPbBr 3 crystallizes into a polycrystalline layer with highly defective sub-micrometer grains. However, the addition of a small amount of Rb forms MA (1- x) Rb x PbBr 3 nanocrystals (10 nm) embedded in an amorphous matrix of MA/Rb Br. These nanocrystals grow into defect-free sub-micrometer-sized crystallites with further addition of Rb, resulting in a 3-fold increase in exciton lifetime when the molar ratio of MABr/RbBr is 1:1. A thin film fabricated with a 1:1 molar ratio of MABr/RbBr showed the best electroluminescent properties with a current efficiency (CE) of 9.45 cd/A and a luminance of 7694 cd/m 2 . These values of CE and luminance are, respectively, 19 and 10 times larger than those achieved by pure MAPbBr 3 devices (0.5 cd/A and 790 cd/m 2 ). We believe this work provides important information on the future compositional optimization of Rb + -based mixed cation perovskites for obtaining high-performance light-emitting diodes.

Synthesis and characterization of lanthanide based nanomaterials for radiation detection and biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Mingzhen

2011-12-01

Lanthanide based nanomaterials have shown a great potential in various areas such as luminescence imaging, luminescent labels, and detection of cellular functions. Due to the f-f transitions of the metal ion, luminescence of lanthanide ions is characterized by sharp and narrow emissions. In this dissertation lanthanide based nanoparticles such as Ce3+, Eu3+ and other lanthanide ions doped LaF3 were synthesized, their characterization, encapsulation and embedding into hybrid matrix were investigated and some of their biomedical and radiological applications were studied. DMSO is a common solvent which has been used widely for biological applications. LaF3:Ce nanoparticles were synthesized in DMSO and it was found that their fluorescent emission originates from the metal-to-ligand charge-transfer excited states. After conjugation with PpIX and then encapsulation within PLGA, the particles show efficient uptake by cancer cells and great cytotoxicity, which is promising for applications in cancer treatments. However, the emission of Eu3+ in DMSO is totally different from LaF3:Ce, very strong characteristic luminescence is observed but no emissions from metal-to-ligand charge-transfer excited states as observed in LaF3:Ce in DMSO. Besides, it is very interesting to see that the coupling of Eu 3+ with O-H oscillations after water was introduced has an opposite effect on emission peaks at 617 nm and its shoulder peak at 613 nm. As a result, the intensity ratio of these two emissions has a nearly perfect linear dependence on increasing water concentration in Eu-DMSO, which provides a very convenient and valuable method for water determination in DMSO. Ce3+ has been well known as an emitter for radiation detection due to its very short decay lifetime. However, its emission range limited the environment in which the detection system works. Whereas, Quantum dots have high luminescence quantum efficiency but their low stopping power results in very weak scintillation luminescence. Nanocompounds formed with CdTe quantum dots and LaF3:Ce nanoparticles optimize both stopping power and scintillation efficiency based on energy transfer from LaF3:Ce to CdTe. Hybrid matrix materials such as ORMOSIL have superior mechanical properties and a better processability than pure molecular material which could be used as carrier of radiation material. Moreover, embedding a lanthanide complex in a hybrid matrix enhances its thermal stability and luminescence output. LaF3:Ce doped ORMOSIL was synthesized by using two different LaF3:Ce, the nanoparticle doping concentration can reach up to 15.66% while its transparency and luminescent properties were maintained. These materials are very promising for radiation detection.

Electronic structure of R Sb ( R = Y , Ce, Gd, Dy, Ho, Tm, Lu) studied by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Wu, Yun; Lee, Yongbin; Kong, Tai; ...

2017-07-15

Here, we use high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and electronic structure calculations to study the electronic properties of rare-earth monoantimonides RSb (R = Y, Ce, Gd, Dy, Ho, Tm, Lu). The experimentally measured Fermi surface (FS) of RSb consists of at least two concentric hole pockets at the Γ point and two intersecting electron pockets at the X point. These data agree relatively well with the electronic structure calculations. Detailed photon energy dependence measurements using both synchrotron and laser ARPES systems indicate that there is at least one Fermi surface sheet with strong three-dimensionality centered at the Γ point. Duemore » to the “lanthanide contraction”, the unit cell of different rare-earth monoantimonides shrinks when changing the rare-earth ion from CeSb to LuSb. This results in the differences in the chemical potentials in these compounds, which are demonstrated by both ARPES measurements and electronic structure calculations. Interestingly, in CeSb, the intersecting electron pockets at the X point seem to be touching the valence bands, forming a fourfold-degenerate Dirac-like feature. On the other hand, the remaining rare-earth monoantimonides show significant gaps between the upper and lower bands at the X point. Furthermore, similar to the previously reported results of LaBi, a Dirac-like structure was observed at the Γ point in YSb, CeSb, and GdSb, compounds showing relatively high magnetoresistance. This Dirac-like structure may contribute to the unusually large magnetoresistance in these compounds.« less

Electronic structure of R Sb ( R = Y , Ce, Gd, Dy, Ho, Tm, Lu) studied by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Yun; Lee, Yongbin; Kong, Tai

Here, we use high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and electronic structure calculations to study the electronic properties of rare-earth monoantimonides RSb (R = Y, Ce, Gd, Dy, Ho, Tm, Lu). The experimentally measured Fermi surface (FS) of RSb consists of at least two concentric hole pockets at the Γ point and two intersecting electron pockets at the X point. These data agree relatively well with the electronic structure calculations. Detailed photon energy dependence measurements using both synchrotron and laser ARPES systems indicate that there is at least one Fermi surface sheet with strong three-dimensionality centered at the Γ point. Duemore » to the “lanthanide contraction”, the unit cell of different rare-earth monoantimonides shrinks when changing the rare-earth ion from CeSb to LuSb. This results in the differences in the chemical potentials in these compounds, which are demonstrated by both ARPES measurements and electronic structure calculations. Interestingly, in CeSb, the intersecting electron pockets at the X point seem to be touching the valence bands, forming a fourfold-degenerate Dirac-like feature. On the other hand, the remaining rare-earth monoantimonides show significant gaps between the upper and lower bands at the X point. Furthermore, similar to the previously reported results of LaBi, a Dirac-like structure was observed at the Γ point in YSb, CeSb, and GdSb, compounds showing relatively high magnetoresistance. This Dirac-like structure may contribute to the unusually large magnetoresistance in these compounds.« less

Novel Therapeutic Approaches Targeting MDSC in Myelodysplastic Syndrome

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

anti-Fc Fab fragment antibody for half hour on ice before culture for 48 hours at which point total RNA was collected for gene expression analysis...MDS BMMNCs (Figure 3A). We then cross-linked BI 836858 or CD33Ab with a respective anti- Fab antibody on ice for 30 minutes followed by 24 hour...or CD33Ab with a respective anti- Fab antibody on ice for 30 min followed by 24 h culture to mimic ligand binding to the receptor. We found that cross

Chronic endometritis in women with recurrent pregnancy loss and recurrent implantation failure: prevalence and role of office hysteroscopy and immunohistochemistry in diagnosis.

PubMed

Bouet, Pierre-Emmanuel; El Hachem, Hady; Monceau, Elise; Gariépy, Gilles; Kadoch, Isaac-Jacques; Sylvestre, Camille

2016-01-01

To determine the prevalence of chronic endometritis (CE) in patients with recurrent implantation failure (RIF) after IVF and unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Prospective observational study between November 2012 and March 2015. University-affiliated private IVF clinic. Women with RIF after IVF (group 1) and unexplained RPL (group 2). Office hysteroscopy followed by an endometrial biopsy was performed as part of the workup for RIF and RPL. The diagnosis of CE was histologically confirmed using immunohistochemistry stains for syndecan-1 (CD138). The prevalence of CE in each group and the sensitivity/specificity of office hysteroscopy in the diagnosis of CE. Ninety-nine patients were included (46 in group 1 and 53 in group 2). The mean age was 36.3 ± 4.9 years in group 1 and 34.5 ± 4.9 years in group 2. Five biopsies were uninterpretable (three in group 1 and two in group 2) because of insufficient specimen. The prevalence of CE was 14% (6/43) in group 1 and 27% (14/51) in group 2. The sensitivity and specificity of office hysteroscopy in the diagnosis of CE were 40% (8/20) and 80% (59/74), respectively. We found a high prevalence of immunohistochemically confirmed CE in women with RIF and RPL. Office hysteroscopy is a useful diagnostic tool but should be complemented by an endometrial biopsy for the diagnosis of CE. NCT01762098. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Er0.4Bi1.6O3-δ - La0.8Sr0.2MnO3-δ nano-composite as a low-temperature firing cathode of solid oxide fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sun Jae; Dayaghi, Amir Masoud; Kim, Kun Joong; Choi, Gyeong Man

2017-03-01

Er0.4Bi1.6O3-δ (ESB) composited with La0.8Sr0.2MnO3-δ (LSM) (2:3 or 3:2 wt:wt) with a bonding aid to decrease firing temperature TF are screen-printed on symmetric single cells composed of a Gd0.2Ce0.8O2-δ (GDC) interlayer/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte/GDC interlayer, and their impedance spectra are compared. Addition of 5 wt % CuO to ESB-LSM (3:2 wt:wt) decreases the cathode TF to 650 °C without increasing cathodic polarization resistance (Rp ∼0.19 Ω cm2 at 650 °C). This ESB-LSM composite can be used as a cathode that can be fired at low temperature.

Steam reforming catalyst

DOEpatents

Kramarz, Kurt W.; Bloom, Ira D.; Kumar, Romesh; Ahmed, Shabbir; Wilkenhoener, Rolf; Krumpelt, Michael

2001-01-01

A method of forming a hydrogen rich gas from a source of hydrocarbon fuel. A vapor of the hydrocarbon fuel and steam is brought in contact with a two-part catalyst having a dehydrogenation powder portion and an oxide-ion conducting powder portion at a temperature not less than about 770.degree.C. for a time sufficient to generate the hydrogen rich. The H.sub.2 content of the hydrogen gas is greater than about 70 percent by volume. The dehydrogenation portion of the catalyst includes a group VIII metal, and the oxide-ion conducting portion is selected from a ceramic oxide from the group crystallizing in the fluorite or perovskite structure and mixtures thereof. The oxide-ion conducting portion of the catalyst is a ceramic powder of one or more of ZrO.sub.2, CeO.sub.2, Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3, (BiVO).sub.4, and LaGaO.sub.3.

Inhibition of melanoma development in the Nras((Q61K)) ::Ink4a(-/-) mouse model by the small molecule BI-69A11.

PubMed

Feng, Yongmei; Lau, Eric; Scortegagna, Marzia; Ruller, Chelsea; De, Surya K; Barile, Elisa; Krajewski, Stan; Aza-Blanc, Pedro; Williams, Roy; Pinkerton, Anthony B; Jackson, Michael; Chin, Lynda; Pellecchia, Maurizio; Bosenberg, Marcus; Ronai, Ze'ev A

2013-01-01

To date, there are no effective therapies for tumors bearing NRAS mutations, which are present in 15-20% of human melanomas. Here we extend our earlier studies where we demonstrated that the small molecule BI-69A11 inhibits the growth of melanoma cell lines. Gene expression analysis revealed the induction of interferon- and cell death-related genes that were associated with responsiveness of melanoma cell lines to BI-69A11. Strikingly, the administration of BI-69A11 inhibited melanoma development in genetically modified mice bearing an inducible form of activated Nras and a deletion of the Ink4a gene (Nras((Q61K)) ::Ink4a(-/-) ). Biweekly administration of BI-69A11 starting at 10 weeks or as late as 24 weeks after the induction of mutant Nras expression inhibited melanoma development (100 and 36%, respectively). BI-69A11 treatment did not inhibit the development of histiocytic sarcomas, which constitute about 50% of the tumors in this model. BI-69A11-resistant Nras((Q61K)) ::Ink4a(-/-) tumors exhibited increased CD45 expression, reflective of immune cell infiltration and upregulation of gene networks associated with the cytoskeleton, DNA damage response, and small molecule transport. The ability to attenuate the development of NRAS mutant melanomas supports further development of BI-69A11 for clinical assessment. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Significantly enhanced piezoelectricity in low-temperature sintered Aurivillius-type ceramics with ultrahigh Curie temperature of 800 °C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Kai; Huang, Chengcheng; Guo, Dong

2017-04-01

We report an Aurivillius-type piezoelectric ceramic (Ca1-2x (LiCe) x Bi4Ti3.99Zn0.01O15) that has an ultrahigh Curie temperature (T c) around 800 °C and a significantly enhanced piezoelectric coefficient (d 33), comparable to that of textured ceramics fabricated using the complicated templating method. Surprisingly, the highest d 33 of 26 pC/N was achieved at an unexpectedly low sintering temperature (T s) of only 920 °C (~200 °C lower than usual) despite the non-ideal density. Study of different synthesized samples indicates that a relatively low T s is crucial for suppressing Bi evaporation and abnormal grain growth, which are indispensable for high resistivity and effective poling due to decreased carrier density and restricted anisotropic conduction. Because the layered structure is sensitive to lattice defects, controlled Bi loss is considered to be crucial for maintaining structural order and spontaneous polarization. This low-T s system is very promising for practical applications due to its high piezoelectricity, low cost and high reproducibility. Contrary to our usual understanding, the results reveal that a delicate balance of density, Bi loss and grain morphology achieved by adjusting the sintering temperature is crucial for the enhancing performance in Aurivillius-type high-T c ceramics.

Roles of Bi, M and VO{sub 4} tetrahedron in photocatalytic properties of novel Bi{sub 0.5}M{sub 0.5}VO{sub 4} (M=La, Eu, Sm and Y) solid solutions for overall water splitting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu Hui; Research Center for Combustion and Environment Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, shanghai 200240; Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 816-8580

2012-02-15

Novel Bi{sub 0.5}M{sub 0.5}VO{sub 4} (BMV; M=La, Eu, Sm and Y) solid solutions were prepared and studied in this paper. All the samples were proved to produce H{sub 2} and O{sub 2} simultaneously from pure water under the irradiation of UV light. M-O bond lengths were proved to increase with M cations by refining cell parameters and atomic positions. Besides, band gaps, energy gaps and photocatalytic activities of BMV also changed with M cations. Both of M-O and V-O bond lengths were suggested to account for this phenomenon. Inactive A{sub 0.5}Y{sub 0.5}VO{sub 4} (A=La, Ce) for water splitting proved incorporationmore » of Bi rather than distortion of VO{sub 4} tetrahedron was a critical factor for improving efficiency of overall water splitting by facilitating the generation of electron and hole with lighter effective masses. Replacement of Bi by M cations not only gave indirect effect on band structure but also raised position of conduction band minimum to meet requirement of H{sub 2} production. - Graphical abstract: Novel Bi{sub 0.5}M{sub 0.5}VO{sub 4} (M=La, Eu, Sm and Y) solid solutions showed the high and stable photocatalytic activities for overall water splitting with their crystal radii of M elements. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer BMV solid solutions were novel highly efficient V-based photocatalysts for overall water splitting. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Photocatalytic activity of BMV solid solution related to the effective ionic radii of M cations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Incorporation of Bi is one of key factors for the highly efficient activity of BMV solid solution. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Incorporation of Y is dispensable for H{sub 2} production.« less

Nonparametric Trajectory Analysis of CMAPS Data

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the Cleveland Multiple Air Pollutant Study (CMAPS), 30-minute average concentrations of the elemental composition of PM2.5 were made at two sites during the months of August 2009 and February 2010. The elements measured were: Al, As, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu...

U.S. EPA, Pesticide Product Label, RCI CHLOROPHEN 49-411, 10/05/1972

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2011-04-14

... factory for n!ost uses ot.her th;111 s:l('ci fic:ltion v;()cd prC'scr\\-ut ion. ... ',' t j. , 1 " ( : j', ~ ) I: I, din :', u n () II t 11 '... ... r}' and \\\\' (' lIs (' d S (l ned fen ce post ...

Therapeutic Efficacy of Alpha-RIT Using a (213)Bi-Anti-hCD138 Antibody in a Mouse Model of Ovarian Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

PubMed

Derrien, Aurélie; Gouard, Sébastien; Maurel, Catherine; Gaugler, Marie-Hélène; Bruchertseifer, Frank; Morgenstern, Alfred; Faivre-Chauvet, Alain; Classe, Jean-Marc; Chérel, Michel

2015-01-01

Ovarian peritoneal carcinomatosis is a pathology for which effective cures are currently lacking. New research protocols seek to eradicate residual micrometastases following cytoreductive surgery by using hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) or radioimmunotherapy (RIT). This study aims to first develop alpha-RIT using an anti-CD138 mAb radiolabeled with an alpha-emitter, bismuth-213 ((213)Bi-B-B4) and HIPEC in a nude mouse model and second to compare and combine these techniques. A murine model of postoperative ovarian peritoneal carcinomatosis was established. A pilot group of six mice received an intraperitoneal injection of luciferase-tagged SHIN-3 cells and bioluminescence was measured every day. Cytoreductive surgery was performed at day 14 (n = 4) and 29 (n = 2). Because the residual bioluminescence signal measured after surgery was equivalent to that obtained 3 days after the graft, HIPEC or alpha-RIT treatments were applied 3 days after the graft. Ten mice were treated by HIPEC with cisplatine (37.5 mg/mL), 11 with 7.4 MBq of (213)Bi-B-B4, seven with 11.1 MBq of (213)Bi-B-B4, and 10 mice were treated with the combined therapy (HIPEC + 7.4 MBq of (213)Bi-B-B4). Eleven mice received no treatment. Bioluminescence imaging and survival were assessed. Alpha-RIT 7.4 MBq and 11.1 MBq significantly improved survival (p = 0.0303 and p = 0.0070, respectively), whereas HIPEC and HIPEC + alpha-RIT treatments did not significantly ameliorate survival as compared to the control group. Survival was significantly increased by alpha-RIT treatment in mice with peritoneal carcinomatosis of ovarian origin; however, HIPEC alone or in combination with alpha-RIT had no significant effect.

Adsorption and photocatalysis for methyl orange and Cd removal from wastewater using TiO2/sewage sludge-based activated carbon nanocomposites

PubMed Central

Eltaher, M. A.; Abdou, A. N. A.

2017-01-01

Nanocomposite TiO2/ASS (TiO2 nanoparticle coated sewage sludge-based activated carbon) was synthesized by the sol-gel method. The changes in surface properties of the TiO2/ASS nanocomposite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray fluorescence. The prepared TiO2/ASS nanocomposite was applied for simultaneous removal of methyl orange dye (MO) and Cd2+ from bi-pollutant solution. The factors influencing photocatalysis (TiO2 : ASS ratios, initial pollutant concentrations, solution pH, nanocomposite dosage and UV irradiation time) were investigated. The results revealed that high removal efficiency of methyl orange dye (MO) and Cd2+ from bi-pollutant solution was achieved with TiO2/ASS at a ratio (1 : 2). The obtained results revealed that degradation of MO dye on the TiO2/ASS nanocomposite was facilitated by surface adsorption and photocatalytic processes. The coupled photocatalysis and adsorption shown by TiO2/ASS nanocomposite resulted in faster and higher degradation of MO as compared to MO removal by ASS adsorbent. The removal efficiency of MO by ASS adsorbent and TiO2/ASS (1 : 2) nanocomposite at optimum pH value 7 were 74.14 and 94.28%, respectively, while for Cd2+ it was more than 90%. The experimental results fitted well with the second-order kinetic reaction. PMID:29308227

Adsorption and photocatalysis for methyl orange and Cd removal from wastewater using TiO2/sewage sludge-based activated carbon nanocomposites.

PubMed

Rashed, M Nageeb; Eltaher, M A; Abdou, A N A

2017-12-01

Nanocomposite TiO 2 /ASS (TiO 2 nanoparticle coated sewage sludge-based activated carbon) was synthesized by the sol-gel method. The changes in surface properties of the TiO 2 /ASS nanocomposite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray fluorescence. The prepared TiO 2 /ASS nanocomposite was applied for simultaneous removal of methyl orange dye (MO) and Cd 2+ from bi-pollutant solution. The factors influencing photocatalysis (TiO 2  : ASS ratios, initial pollutant concentrations, solution pH, nanocomposite dosage and UV irradiation time) were investigated. The results revealed that high removal efficiency of methyl orange dye (MO) and Cd 2+ from bi-pollutant solution was achieved with TiO 2 /ASS at a ratio (1 : 2). The obtained results revealed that degradation of MO dye on the TiO 2 /ASS nanocomposite was facilitated by surface adsorption and photocatalytic processes. The coupled photocatalysis and adsorption shown by TiO 2 /ASS nanocomposite resulted in faster and higher degradation of MO as compared to MO removal by ASS adsorbent. The removal efficiency of MO by ASS adsorbent and TiO 2 /ASS (1 : 2) nanocomposite at optimum pH value 7 were 74.14 and 94.28%, respectively, while for Cd 2+ it was more than 90%. The experimental results fitted well with the second-order kinetic reaction.

Adsorption and photocatalysis for methyl orange and Cd removal from wastewater using TiO2/sewage sludge-based activated carbon nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashed, M. Nageeb; Eltaher, M. A.; Abdou, A. N. A.

2017-12-01

Nanocomposite TiO2/ASS (TiO2 nanoparticle coated sewage sludge-based activated carbon) was synthesized by the sol-gel method. The changes in surface properties of the TiO2/ASS nanocomposite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray fluorescence. The prepared TiO2/ASS nanocomposite was applied for simultaneous removal of methyl orange dye (MO) and Cd2+ from bi-pollutant solution. The factors influencing photocatalysis (TiO2 : ASS ratios, initial pollutant concentrations, solution pH, nanocomposite dosage and UV irradiation time) were investigated. The results revealed that high removal efficiency of methyl orange dye (MO) and Cd2+ from bi-pollutant solution was achieved with TiO2/ASS at a ratio (1 : 2). The obtained results revealed that degradation of MO dye on the TiO2/ASS nanocomposite was facilitated by surface adsorption and photocatalytic processes. The coupled photocatalysis and adsorption shown by TiO2/ASS nanocomposite resulted in faster and higher degradation of MO as compared to MO removal by ASS adsorbent. The removal efficiency of MO by ASS adsorbent and TiO2/ASS (1 : 2) nanocomposite at optimum pH value 7 were 74.14 and 94.28%, respectively, while for Cd2+ it was more than 90%. The experimental results fitted well with the second-order kinetic reaction.

Gradient Self-Doped CuBi2O4 with Highly Improved Charge Separation Efficiency.

PubMed

Wang, Fuxian; Septina, Wilman; Chemseddine, Abdelkrim; Abdi, Fatwa F; Friedrich, Dennis; Bogdanoff, Peter; van de Krol, Roel; Tilley, S David; Berglund, Sean P

2017-10-25

A new strategy of using forward gradient self-doping to improve the charge separation efficiency in metal oxide photoelectrodes is proposed. Gradient self-doped CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes are prepared with forward and reverse gradients in copper vacancies using a two-step, diffusion-assisted spray pyrolysis process. Decreasing the Cu/Bi ratio of the CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes introduces Cu vacancies that increase the carrier (hole) concentration and lowers the Fermi level, as evidenced by a shift in the flat band toward more positive potentials. Thus, a gradient in Cu vacancies leads to an internal electric field within CuBi 2 O 4 , which can facilitate charge separation. Compared to homogeneous CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes, CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes with a forward gradient show highly improved charge separation efficiency and enhanced photoelectrochemical performance for reduction reactions, while CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes with a reverse gradient show significantly reduced charge separation efficiency and photoelectrochemical performance. The CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes with a forward gradient produce record AM 1.5 photocurrent densities for CuBi 2 O 4 up to -2.5 mA/cm 2 at 0.6 V vs RHE with H 2 O 2 as an electron scavenger, and they show a charge separation efficiency of 34% for 550 nm light. The gradient self-doping accomplishes this without the introduction of external dopants, and therefore the tetragonal crystal structure and carrier mobility of CuBi 2 O 4 are maintained. Lastly, forward gradient self-doped CuBi 2 O 4 photocathodes are protected with a CdS/TiO 2 heterojunction and coated with Pt as an electrocatalyst. These photocathodes demonstrate photocurrent densities on the order of -1.0 mA/cm 2 at 0.0 V vs RHE and evolve hydrogen with a faradaic efficiency of ∼91%.

Stockton Lake Survey and Assessment. National Register Assessment of Prehistoric Archeological Sites 23DA407 and 23DA408 and Historic Properties Survey in the Stockton Lake Project, Cedar and Dade Counties, Missouri

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

Elevation 890 HPA Reports Stockton Lake Survey and Assessment page 38 23CE46723CE398 .1 IYAR CPA .COWN if Y 344 CD meer 50 suvexae sitvey area transect...Stockton Lake. The shelter is within the emergency floodpool of the lake. Some deposits north of the beck wall appuoxitmtely 5 to 6 feet my stiU be...point ha some tip damage and one baa corner mintin Arrow point sftm (Sallisaw variant?) 1 0.9 Am*a between remaining side notch and coaesve bowe

Capillary electrophoresis hyphenated with UV-native-laser induced fluorescence detection (CE/UV-native-LIF).

PubMed

Couderc, François; Ong-Meang, Varravaddheay; Poinsot, Véréna

2017-01-01

Native laser-induced fluorescence using UV lasers associated to CE offers now a large related literature, for now 30 years. The main works have been performed using very expensive Ar-ion lasers emitting at 257 and 275 nm. They are not affordable for routine analyses, but have numerous applications such as protein, catecholamine, and indolamine analysis. Some other lasers such as HeCd 325 nm have been used but only for few applications. Diode lasers, emitting at 266 nm, cheaper, are extensively used for the same topics, even if the obtained sensitivity is lower than the one observed using the costly UV-Ar-ion lasers. This review presents various CE or microchips applications and different UV lasers used for the excitation of native fluorescence. We showed that CE/Native UV laser induced fluorescence detection is very sensitive for detection as well as small aromatic biomolecules than proteins containing Trp and Tyr amino acids. Moreover, it is a simple way to analyze biomolecules without derivatization. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Apis mellifera ligustica, Spinola 1806 as bioindicator for detecting environmental contamination: a preliminary study of heavy metal pollution in Trieste, Italy.

PubMed

Giglio, Anita; Ammendola, Anna; Battistella, Silvia; Naccarato, Attilio; Pallavicini, Alberto; Simeon, Enrico; Tagarelli, Antonio; Giulianini, Piero Giulio

2017-01-01

Honeybees have become important tools for the ecotoxicological assessment of soil, water and air metal contamination due to their extraordinary capacity to bioaccumulate toxic metals from the environment. The level of heavy metal pollution in the Trieste city was monitored using foraging bees of Apis mellifera ligustica from hives owned by beekeepers in two sites strategically located in the suburban industrial area and urban ones chosen as control. The metal concentration in foraging bees was determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The chemical analysis has identified and quantified 11 trace elements accumulated in two different rank orders: Zn> Cu > Sr > Bi > Ni > Cr > Pb = Co > V > Cd > As in foraging bees from the suburban site and Zn > Cu > Sr > Cr > Ni > Bi > Co = V > Pb > As > Cd in bees from urban site. Data revealed concentrations of Cr and Cu significantly higher and concentration of Cd significantly lower in bees from urban sites. The spatial difference and magnitude order in heavy metal accumulation along the urban-suburban gradient are mainly related to the different anthropogenic activity within sampled sites and represent a risk for the human health of people living in the city. We discussed and compared results with the range of values reported in literature.

Alteration of Labile Trace Element Concentrations in Antarctic Meteorites by Weathering: A Five-Year Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, M.-S.; Xiao, X.; Lipschutz, M. E.

1992-07-01

Numerous studies since 1987 demonstrate that, on average, Antarctic populations of specific meteorite groups differ from non-Antarctic falls. Some differences could conceivably reflect alteration during the meteorites' residence in Antarctica while others clearly are preterrestrial origin, predating fall on Earth. Concentrations of certain trace elements (Ag, Au, Bi, Cd, Co, Cs, Ga, In, Rb, Sb, Se, Te, Tl, Zn) determined by RNAA in 45 H4-6 chondrites first provided evidence for Antarctic/non-Antarctic meteorite population differences [1]. Most of these elements are thermally labile (easily lost during extended chondritic heating chondrites) so that their concentrations give important information on the thermal history of meteoritic material. Refractory elements cannot give such information. Factors possibly complicating establishment of compositional differences as preterrestrial--meteorite pairing, population reproducibility, analyst bias, and statistical modeling--are of demonstrated in consequence [1-4]. Indeed, compositional differences exist [3,4] between Antarctic meteorite populations (Victoria Land vs. Queen Maud Land) and among observed falls (Cluster 1 vs. other falls). Possibilities for meteorite compositional alteration during Antarctic weathering must be re-assessed as new data are obtained: here, we summarize the current status of this problem. 1. Highly weathered meteorites: Ten of our suite of trace elements have significantly lower mean concentrations (presumably because of leaching) in H5 chondrites of weathering types B/C and C, than in types A, A/B, and B [1]. Meteorites of types A to B-- whether exhibiting efflorescence or not--seem uncompromised [5]. 2. Antarctic meteorites of high weathering susceptibility: Carbonaceous chondrites and lunar meteorites are essentially unaltered by weathering. For example, data for LEW 90500 C(1?) chondrite reported here demonstrate that the 8 most volatile elements (Se, Cs, Te, Zn, Cd, Bi, Tl, In) have a mean Cl- normalized weight ratio of 0.585+-0.069. Other elements--even Rb, which should be easily transported in a phyllosilicate exposed to water--show no evidence for gain or loss in Antarctica. This is true also for 39 other Antarctic C2-6 chondrites [6]; 3 additional Cl-2 chondrites thermally metamorphosed in their parent bodies [7]; and lunar meteorites studied by us and others. Hydration effects are absent in these meteorites. 3. Eucrites exhibiting evidence for Ce transport: A pair of eucrite clast samples (EET 87503,23 interior and exterior), was previously studied by INAA yield REE data suggesting addition of LREE (except Ce) to the interior during Antarctic residence (Mittlefehldt, personal communication). The exterior/interior ratio for Ce, 1.1, is the same as the mean value for our RNAA trace element suite, 1.1+-0.5. Despite the large uncertainty of this ratio (reflecting the normally heterogeneous distribution of labile elements in eucrites--including falls [8]), results for EET 87503,23 are consistent with the interpretation that our suite of labile trace elements is unaffected by the process that affected REE other than Ce. Our elements are probably dispersed among many host sites, rather than being sited in a single host, like whitlockite. More RNAA measurements of additional eucrite pairs should be done to confirm this result. Further, a putative C3 clast exhibits no evidence for terrestrial alteration of RNAA elements, saponitic matrix, etc. even though REE have apparently been leached from basalts in its host eucrite, LEW 85300 [5]. After five years, numerous investigations confirm meteorite population differences consistent with the RNAA results. While Antarctic processes may have affected REE contents in some eucrites, at present no evidence exists for labile trace element transport into/out of interiors of meteorites of weathering types A to B. The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, so continued vigilance remains necessary. Research supported by NASA grant NAG 9-48, aided by DOE grant DE-FG07-80ER10725J and NATO grant 0252/89. References: 1. Dennison J. E. and Lipschutz M. E. (1987) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 51, 741-754. 2. Lipschutz M. E. and Samuels S. M. (1991) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 55, 19-34. 3. Wolf S. F. and Lipschutz M. E. (1992) Lunar Planet. Sci. (abstract) XXIII, 1545-1546. 4. Wolf S. F. and Lipschutz M. E. (abstract), this conference. 5. Zolensky M. E., Hewins R. H., Mittlefehldt D. W., Lindstrom M. M., Xiao X., and Lipschutz M. E. (1992) Meteoritics, submitted. 6. Xiao X. and Lipschutz M. E. (1992) J. Geophys. Res. Planets, in press. 7. Paul R. L. and Lipschutz M. E. (1989) Z. Naturf. 44a, 978-987. 8. Paul R. L. and Lipschutz M. E. (1990) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 54, 3185-3195.

Novel Drugs in Follicular Lymphoma.

PubMed

Anastasia, Antonella; Rossi, Giuseppe

2016-01-01

Follicular lymphoma(FL) is the most common indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma and constitutes 15% to 30% of lymphoma diagnoses. The natural history of the disease is characterized by recurrent relapses and progressively shorter remissions with a median survival of 10yrs. The impossibility of achieving a definite cure, have prompted investigations into the possible role of more active and less toxic strategies with innovative therapeutic agents. Recently Casulo et al. demonstrated that approximately 20% of patients with FL relapse within two years after achieving remission with R-CHOP and have a poor prognosis. It is conceivable that this particularly chemoresistant population would benefit from specifically targeting the biologic and genetic factors that likely contribute to their poor prognosis. Evolving strategies for difficult to treat FL patients have recently considered immunomodulatory agents, new monoclonal antibodies as well as drugs targeting selective intracellular pathways. The importance of targeting the microenvironment together with the malignant FL cell has been particularly underscored. We review the most promising approaches, such as combining anti-CD20 antibodies with immunomodulatory drugs (Lenalidomide), mAbs directed against other surface antigens such as CD22 and CD23 (Epratuzumab, Lumiliximab), immunomodulatory antibodies such as PD-1, or inhibitors of key steps in the B-cell receptor pathway signaling such as PI3K inhibitors (Idelalisib, Duvelisib). Another highly attractive approach is the application of the bi-specific T-cell engaging (BiTE) antibody blinatumomab which targets both CD19 and CD3 antigens. Moreover, we highlight the potential of these therapies, taking into account their toxicity. Of course, we must wait for Phase III trials results to confirm the benefit of these new treatment strategies toward a new era of chemotherapy-free treatment for follicular lymphoma.

Novel Drugs in Follicular Lymphoma

PubMed Central

Anastasia, Antonella; Rossi, Giuseppe

2016-01-01

Follicular lymphoma(FL) is the most common indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma and constitutes 15% to 30% of lymphoma diagnoses. The natural history of the disease is characterized by recurrent relapses and progressively shorter remissions with a median survival of 10yrs. The impossibility of achieving a definite cure, have prompted investigations into the possible role of more active and less toxic strategies with innovative therapeutic agents. Recently Casulo et al. demonstrated that approximately 20% of patients with FL relapse within two years after achieving remission with R-CHOP and have a poor prognosis. It is conceivable that this particularly chemoresistant population would benefit from specifically targeting the biologic and genetic factors that likely contribute to their poor prognosis. Evolving strategies for difficult to treat FL patients have recently considered immunomodulatory agents, new monoclonal antibodies as well as drugs targeting selective intracellular pathways. The importance of targeting the microenvironment together with the malignant FL cell has been particularly underscored. We review the most promising approaches, such as combining anti-CD20 antibodies with immunomodulatory drugs (Lenalidomide), mAbs directed against other surface antigens such as CD22 and CD23 (Epratuzumab, Lumiliximab), immunomodulatory antibodies such as PD-1, or inhibitors of key steps in the B-cell receptor pathway signaling such as PI3K inhibitors (Idelalisib, Duvelisib). Another highly attractive approach is the application of the bi-specific T-cell engaging (BiTE) antibody blinatumomab which targets both CD19 and CD3 antigens. Moreover, we highlight the potential of these therapies, taking into account their toxicity. Of course, we must wait for Phase III trials results to confirm the benefit of these new treatment strategies toward a new era of chemotherapy-free treatment for follicular lymphoma. PMID:27872741

[Distribution Characteristics and Source Analysis of Dustfall Trace Elements During Winter in Beijing].

PubMed

Xiong, Qiu-lin; Zhao, Wen-ji; Guo, Xiao-yu; Chen, Fan-tao; Shu, Tong-tong; Zheng, Xiao-xia; Zhao, Wen-hui

2015-08-01

The dustfall content is one of the evaluation indexes of atmospheric pollution. Trace elements especially heavy metals in dustfall can lead to risks to ecological environment and human health. In order to study the distribution characteristics of trace elements, heavy metals pollution and their sources in winter atmospheric dust, 49 dustfall samples were collected in Beijing City and nearby during November 2013 to March 2014. Then the contents (mass percentages) of 40 trace elements were measured by Elan DRC It type inductively coupled plasma mass (ICP-MS). Test results showed that more than half of the trace elements in the dust were less than 10 mg x kg(-1); about a quarter were between 10-100 mg x kg-1); while 7 elements (Pb, Zr, Cr, Cu, Zn, Sr and Ba) were more than 100 mg x kg(-1). The contents of Pb, Cu, Zn, Bi, Cd and Mo of winter dustfall in Beijing city.were respectively 4.18, 4.66, 5.35, 6.31, 6.62, and 8.62 times as high as those of corresponding elements in the surface soil in the same period, which went beyond the soil background values by more than 300% . The contribution of human activities to dustfall trace heavy metals content in Beijing city was larger than that in the surrounding region. Then sources analysis of dustfall and its 20 main trace elements (Cd, Mo, Nb, Ga, Co, Y, Nd, Li, La, Ni, Rb, V, Ce, Pb, Zr, Cr, Cu, Zn, Sr, Ba) was conducted through a multi-method analysis, including Pearson correlation analysis, Kendall correlation coefficient analysis and principal component analysis. Research results indicated that sources of winter dustfall in Beijing city were mainly composed of the earth's crust sources (including road dust, construction dust and remote transmission of dust) and the burning of fossil fuels (vehicle emissions, coal combustion, biomass combustion and industrial processes).

Mechanism for the occurrence of paramagnetic planes within magnetically ordered cerium systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kioussis, Nicholas; Cooper, Bernard R.; Banerjea, Amitava

1988-11-01

Hybridization of moderately delocalized f electrons with band electrons gives rise to a highly anisotropic two-ion interaction. Previously it has been shown that such an interaction explains the experimentally observed unusual magnetic behavior of CeBi, yielding a phase transition from a higher-temperature type-I (↑↓) to a lower-temperature type-IA (↑↑↓↓) antiferromagnetic structure. If the hybridization-mediated interaction is the key to understanding the magnetic behavior of such moderately delocalized f-electron systems, we should expect to be able to understand on this basis the even more unusual magnetic behavior of CeSb. In CeSb, there is a sequence of magnetic structures in which the higher-temperature structures involve a periodic stacking of paramagnetic \\{001\\} planes alternating with magnetically ordered \\{001\\} planes of [001]-moment alignment. In this paper we show that such a coexistence of paramagnetic and magnetically ordered Ce3+ sites can be understood on the basis of the hybridization-mediated interionic interaction when there are cubic crystal-field (CF) interactions of comparable strength. The tendency to form paramagnetic planes is found to increase with increasing CF strength (Γ7 ground state); and the stability of the up-down paramagnetic plane arrangement at high temperatures is shown to arise from the reconciliation of the magnetic ordering with the CF interactions. We also find that for a certain range of parameters a different novel situation occurs, with a fully nonmagnetic (singlet) ground state for the Ce3+ ion. This singlet state is not Kondo-like, and occurs in such a way that the system would be expected to fluctuate between two differently polarized states, one of which is the singlet state.

Influence of complex impurity centres on radiation damage in wide-gap metal oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lushchik, A.; Lushchik, Ch.; Popov, A. I.; Schwartz, K.; Shablonin, E.; Vasil'chenko, E.

2016-05-01

Different mechanisms of radiation damage of wide-gap metal oxides as well as a dual influence of impurity ions on the efficiency of radiation damage have been considered on the example of binary ionic MgO and complex ionic-covalent Lu3Al5O12 single crystals. Particular emphasis has been placed on irradiation with ∼2 GeV heavy ions (197Au, 209Bi, 238U, fluence of 1012 ions/cm2) providing extremely high density of electronic excitations within ion tracks. Besides knock-out mechanism for Frenkel pair formation, the additional mechanism through the collapse of mobile discrete breathers at certain lattice places (e.g., complex impurity centres) leads to the creation of complex defects that involve a large number of host atoms. The experimental manifestations of the radiation creation of intrinsic and impurity antisite defects (Lu|Al or Ce|Al - a heavy ion in a wrong cation site) have been detected in LuAG and LuAG:Ce3+ single crystals. Light doping of LuAG causes a small enhancement of radiation resistance, while pair impurity centres (for instance, Ce|Lu-Ce|Al or Cr3+-Cr3+ in MgO) are formed with a rise of impurity concentration. These complex impurity centres as well as radiation-induced intrinsic antisite defects (Lu|Al strongly interacting with Lu in a regular site) tentatively serve as the places for breathers collapse, thus decreasing the material resistance against dense irradiation.

Higher thermoelectric performance of Zintl phases (Eu0.5Yb0.5)1-xCaxMg2Bi2 by band engineering and strain fluctuation.

PubMed

Shuai, Jing; Geng, Huiyuan; Lan, Yucheng; Zhu, Zhuan; Wang, Chao; Liu, Zihang; Bao, Jiming; Chu, Ching-Wu; Sui, Jiehe; Ren, Zhifeng

2016-07-19

Complex Zintl phases, especially antimony (Sb)-based YbZn0.4Cd1.6Sb2 with figure-of-merit (ZT) of ∼1.2 at 700 K, are good candidates as thermoelectric materials because of their intrinsic "electron-crystal, phonon-glass" nature. Here, we report the rarely studied p-type bismuth (Bi)-based Zintl phases (Ca,Yb,Eu)Mg2Bi2 with a record thermoelectric performance. Phase-pure EuMg2Bi2 is successfully prepared with suppressed bipolar effect to reach ZT ∼ 1. Further partial substitution of Eu by Ca and Yb enhanced ZT to ∼1.3 for Eu0.2Yb0.2Ca0.6Mg2Bi2 at 873 K. Density-functional theory (DFT) simulation indicates the alloying has no effect on the valence band, but does affect the conduction band. Such band engineering results in good p-type thermoelectric properties with high carrier mobility. Using transmission electron microscopy, various types of strains are observed and are believed to be due to atomic mass and size fluctuations. Point defects, strain, dislocations, and nanostructures jointly contribute to phonon scattering, confirmed by the semiclassical theoretical calculations based on a modified Debye-Callaway model of lattice thermal conductivity. This work indicates Bi-based (Ca,Yb,Eu)Mg2Bi2 is better than the Sb-based Zintl phases.

Mathematical Model of the Columbia River from the Pacific ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

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DGT estimates cadmium accumulation in wheat and potato from phosphate fertilizer applications

PubMed Central

Pérez, Angela L.; Anderson, Kim A.

2014-01-01

Cadmium is a common impurity in phosphatic fertilizers and may contribute to soil Cd accumulation. Changes in total and bioavailable Cd burdens to agricultural soils and the potential for plant Cd accumulation resulting from fertilizer input was investigated. Three year field studies were conducted using three dose levels of cadmium-rich, commercial, phosphate fertilizers applied at four agricultural sites. Labile Cd concentrations, measured using the passive sampling device Diffusive Gradients in Thin Films (CdDGT), increased with increasing fertilizer application rates. Cd also accumulated in the edible portion of wheat and potato crops grown at the sites, and showed strong positive dose response with fertilizer treatment. Regression models were calculated for each site, year, and for individual crops. Model comparisons indicated that soil physical and chemical parameters in addition to soil Cd fractions, were important determinants of CdDGT. Significant factors contributing to CdDGT concentrations were Cd from fertilizer input (Cdfertilizer), pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and total recoverable Cd (Cdtotal). Important factors used to determine Cd concentrations in wheat grain (Cdwheat) and in potato (Cdpotato) were as follows: Cdwheat:Cdfertilizer, and CdDGT; and Cdpotato:Cdfertilizer, CdDGT, % O.M. The effective concentration, CE, calculated from DGT did not correlate well with Cdwheat or with Cdpotato. Direct measurements of CdDGT correlated better with Cd found in edible plant tissue. The modeling approach presented in this study helps to estimate Cd accumulation in plant tissue over multiple years and in distinct agricultural soil systems. PMID:19552942

Fuels for urban transit buses: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Cohen, Joshua T; Hammitt, James K; Levy, Jonathan I

2003-04-15

Public transit agencies have begun to adopt alternative propulsion technologies to reduce urban transit bus emissions associated with conventional diesel (CD) engines. Among the most popular alternatives are emission controlled diesel buses (ECD), defined here to be buses with continuously regenerating diesel particle filters burning low-sulfur diesel fuel, and buses burning compressed natural gas (CNG). This study uses a series of simplifying assumptions to arrive at first-order estimates for the incremental cost-effectiveness (CE) of ECD and CNG relative to CD. The CE ratio numerator reflects acquisition and operating costs. The denominator reflects health losses (mortality and morbidity) due to primary particulate matter (PM), secondary PM, and ozone exposure, measured as quality adjusted life years (QALYs). We find that CNG provides larger health benefits than does ECD (nine vs six QALYs annually per 1000 buses) but that ECD is more cost-effective than CNG (dollar 270 000 per QALY for ECD vs dollar 1.7 million to dollar 2.4 million for CNG). These estimates are subject to much uncertainty. We identify assumptions that contribute most to this uncertainty and propose potential research directions to refine our estimates.

Cyclodextrin-gated mesoporous silica nanoparticles as drug carriers for red light-induced drug release

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chai, Shiqiang; Guo, Yu; Zhang, Zhenyu; Chai, Zhen; Ma, Yurong; Qi, Limin

2017-04-01

Long wavelength light-responsive drug delivery systems based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have attracted much attention in the last few years. In this paper, a red light (660 nm)-responsive drug delivery system based on low-cost cyclodextrin (CD)-gated MSNs containing a photodynamic therapy (PDT) photosensitizer (Chlorin e6, Ce6) was developed for the first time. The drug release experiment in water demonstrated that with the irradiation of red light, Ce6 can be excited to generate singlet oxygen, which can further cleave the singlet oxygen sensitive linker to trigger the departure of CD and the release of cargo. Further in vitro release experiments confirmed that cargo can be released from MSNs with the irradiation of red light and spread into the entire cell. The relative low power density (0.5 W cm-2) of excitation light together with the short irradiation time (one-three min) result in a low light dose (30-90 J cm-2) for the drug delivery, contributing to their potential clinical applications.

Combined use of [TBA][L-ASP] and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin as selectors for separation of Cinchona alkaloids by capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; Yu, Haixia; Wu, Yujiao; Zhao, Wenyan; Yang, Min; Jing, Huanwang; Chen, Anjia

2014-10-01

In this paper, a new capillary electrophoresis (CE) separation and detection method was developed for the chiral separation of the four major Cinchona alkaloids (quinine/quinidine and cinchonine/cinchonidine) using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) and chiral ionic liquid ([TBA][L-ASP]) as selectors. Separation parameters such as buffer concentrations, pH, HP-β-CD and chiral ionic liquid concentrations, capillary temperature, and separation voltage were investigated. After optimization of separation conditions, baseline separation of the three analytes (cinchonidine, quinine, cinchonine) was achieved in fewer than 7 min in ammonium acetate background electrolyte (pH 5.0) with the addition of HP-β-CD in a concentration of 40 mM and [TBA][L-ASP] of 14 mM, while the baseline separation of cinchonine and quinidine was not obtained. Therefore, the first-order derivative electropherogram was applied for resolving overlapping peaks. Regression equations revealed a good linear relationship between peak areas in first-order derivative electropherograms and concentrations of the two diastereomer pairs. The results not only indicated that the first-order derivative electropherogram was effective in determination of a low content component and of those not fully separated from adjacent ones, but also showed that the ionic liquid appeared to be a very promising chiral selector in CE. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Separation behaviors of actinides from rare-earths in molten salt electrorefining using saturated liquid cadmium cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Tetsuya; Inoue, Tadashi; Iwai, Takashi; Arai, Yasuo

2006-10-01

Electrorefining in the molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt containing actinide (An) and rare-earth (RE) elements was conducted to recover An elements up to 10 wt% into liquid cadmium (Cd) cathode, which is much higher than the solubility of the An elements in liquid Cd at the experimental temperature of 773 K. In the saturated Cd cathode, the An and RE elements were recovered forming a PuCd 11 type compound, MCd 11 (M = An and RE elements). The separation factors of element M against Pu defined as [M/Pu in Cd alloy (cathode)]/[M/Pu in molten salt] were calculated for the saturated Cd cathode including MCd 11. The separation factors were 0.011, 0.044, 0.064, and 0.064 for La, Ce, Pr, and Nd, respectively. These values were a little differed from 0.014, 0.038, 0.044, and 0.043 for the equilibrium unsaturated liquid Cd, respectively. The above slight differences were considered to be caused by the solid phase formation in the saturated Cd cathode and the electrochemical transfer of the An and RE elements in the molten salt.

Equilibrium distribution of rare earth elements between molten KCl-LiCl eutectic salt and liquid cadmium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakata, Masahiro; Kurata, Masaki; Hijikata, Takatoshi; Inoue, Tadashi

1991-11-01

Distribution experiments for several rare earth elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Y) between molten KCl-LiCl eutectic salt and liquid Cd were carried out at 450, 500 and 600°C. The material balance of rare earth elements after reaching the equilibrium and their distribution and chemical states in a Cd sample frozen after the experiment were examined. The results suggested the formation of solid intermetallic compounds at the lower concentrations of rare earth metals dissolved in liquid Cd than those solubilities measured in the binary alloy system. The distribution coefficients of rare earth elements between two phases (mole fraction in the Cd phase divided by mole fraction in the salt phase) were determined at each temperature. These distribution coefficients were explained satisfactorily by using the activity coefficients of chlorides and metals in salt and Cd. Both the activity coefficients of metal and chloride caused a much smaller distribution coefficient of Y relative to those of other elements.

Successful support of biventricular heart failure patients by new EXCOR® Adult pumps with bileaflet valves: a prospective study.

PubMed

Schmack, Bastian; Weymann, Alexander; Ruschitzka, Frank; Autschbach, Rüdiger; Raake, Philip W; Jurrmann, Nadine; Menon, Ares K; Karck, Matthias; Wilhelm, Markus J; Ruhparwar, Arjang

2018-05-01

The Berlin Heart EXCOR ® Adult biventricular assist device (BiVAD) is an approved mechanical circulatory support for patients with end-stage biventricular heart failure. In this prospective post-market clinical follow-up study, we present the first clinical experience of the new EXCOR ® Adult pump with bileaflet (BL) valves in Europe. After CE-mark approval in August 2014, a total of 12 patients were enrolled with a mean age of 44 years ± 11 (range 21-58 years). The majority of patients (n = 11) were in INTERMACS level 1 or 2. Eight patients had a median pre-operative extracorporeal life support (ECLS) of 6 days (range 1-37 days). Primary end point was survival, either to heart transplantation (HTx), recovery or alive at 12 months on device, whichever occurred first. Secondary end point was the number of adverse events throughout EXCOR ® BiVAD support. Median support time up to last follow-up on EXCOR ® BiVAD device was 248 days (range 57-381 days) and patient survival at 1 year was 92%. Half of the EXCOR ® BiVAD patients (n = 6) were transplanted and five patients were still on support at 1 year post-implantation. Complications during EXCOR ® BiVAD support were thoracic bleeding, exit site infection and ischemic cerebrovascular incidents in three cases, respectively. The new EXCOR ® Adult pump with BL provides pulsatile high cardiac output with excellent outcome and successful bridging to HTx, particularly in critically ill patients with INTERMACS level 1 or 2 at the time of implantation.

Synthesis, structures and properties of two new chiral rare earth-organic frameworks constructed by L/D-tartaric acid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Gonghao; Zhang, Haitao; Miao, Hao

2015-09-15

Hydrothermal reactions of rare earth cerium with L- or D- tartaric acid afford a pair of novel chiral enantiomer coordination polymers, namely, [Ce(L-tart)(CH{sub 2}OHCH{sub 2}OH)(H{sub 2}O)]Cl (L-1) and [Ce(D-tart)(CH{sub 2}OHCH{sub 2}OH)(H{sub 2}O)]Cl (D-1). Their structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses and further characterized by elemental analyses, XRD, IR spectra, and TG analyses. The circular dichroism (CD) spectra and second-harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency measurements proved that they are of structural chirality in the bulk samples. To the best of our knowledge, the enantiomers of L-1 and D-1 are the first 2D chiral dilayer frameworks constructed from L/D-tartrate ligands,more » ancillary ligand ethanediol and lanthanide ion Ce. - Graphical abstract: Hydrothermal reactions of rare earth cerium with L- or D- tartaric acid afford a pair of novel chiral enantiomer coordination polymers, namely, [Ce(L-tart)(CH{sub 2}OHCH{sub 2}OH)(H{sub 2}O)]Cl (L-1) and [Ce(D-tart)(CH{sub 2}OHCH{sub 2}OH)(H{sub 2}O)]Cl (D-1). Structural analysis indicates that the enantiomers of L-1 and D-1 are the first 2D chiral dilayer frameworks constructed from L/D-tartrate ligands and ancillary ligands ethanediol reacted with lanthanide ions Ce.« less

The performance of moss, grass, and 1- and 2-year old spruce needles as bioindicators of contamination: a comparative study at the scale of the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Suchara, Ivan; Sucharova, Julie; Hola, Marie; Reimann, Clemens; Boyd, Rognvald; Filzmoser, Peter; Englmaier, Peter

2011-05-01

Moss (Pleurozium schreberi), grass (Avenella flexuosa), and 1- and 2-year old spruce (Picea abies) needles were collected over the territory of the Czech Republic at an average sample density of 1 site per 290km(2). The samples were analysed for 39 elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nd, Ni, Pb, Pr, Rb, S, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Th, Tl, U, V, Y and Zn) using ICP-MS and ICP-AES techniques (the major nutrients Ca, K, Mg and Na were not analysed in moss). Moss showed by far the highest element concentrations for most elements. Exceptions were Ba (spruce), Mn (spruce), Mo (grass), Ni (spruce), Rb (grass) and S (grass). Regional distribution maps and spatial trend analysis were used to study the suitability of the four materials as bioindicators of anthropogenic contamination. The highly industrialised areas in the north-west and the far east of the country and several more local contamination sources were indicated in the distribution maps of one or several sample materials. At the scale of the whole country moss was the best indicator of known contamination sources. However, on a more local scale, it appeared that spruce needles were especially well suited for detection of urban contamination. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Second-moment equality and the structural chemistry of the main-group intermetallic compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, S.

1991-01-02

The authors determine electron counting rules for ZA{sub 2{minus}x}B{sub x} compounds, where Z is an electropositive atoms and A and B are main-group atoms. These rules are derived from a Huckel-type theory. Agreement between theory and experiment for all the major ZA{sub 2{minus}x}B{sub x} families, which include the MgCu{sub 2}, MoSi{sub 2}, CeCd{sub 2}, CeCu{sub 2}, MgAgAs, CaIn{sub 2}, AlB{sub 2}, ThSi{sub 2}, and Cu{sub 2}Sb structure types, is excellent. The results are interpreted by use of the method of moments.

Adsorption studies of heavy metal ions on mesoporous aluminosilicate, novel cation exchanger.

PubMed

Sepehrian, H; Ahmadi, S J; Waqif-Husain, S; Faghihian, H; Alighanbari, H

2010-04-15

Mesoporous aluminosilicates, have been prepared with various mole ratios of Si/Al and Cethyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). They have been characterized by XRD, nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements, FT-IR and thermogravimetry. Adsorption behavior of heavy metal ions on this adsorbent have been studied and discussed. The results show that incorporation of aluminum ions in the framework of the mesoporous MCM-41 has transformed it into an effective cation exchanger. The K(d) values of several metal ions have been increased. Separation of Sr(II)-Ce(III), Sr(II)-U(VI) and Cd(II)-Ce(III) has been developed on columns of this novel mesoporous cation exchanger. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cúmulos globulares como trazadores de bimodalidad estelar en galaxias cD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forte, J. C.

Se muestra que tanto la forma de los perfiles de brillo como de color observados en dos galaxias arquetípicas de tipo cD (NGC 1399 y NGC 4486) son compatibles con la presencia de poblaciones estelares bi-modales que comparten la misma distribución espacial y composición química de las familias dominantes de cúmulos globulares asociadas con ellas. El modelo resultante también predice una variación de la frecuencia específica de los cúmulos como función del radio galactocéntrico. Se discute este resultado en el contexto de una variedad de escenarios astrofísicos que intentan describir la formación de galaxias cD.

A Phosphine-Free Route to Size-Adjustable CdSe and CdSe/CdS Core-Shell Quantum Dots for White-Light-Emitting Diodes.

PubMed

Zhang, Yugang; Li, Guopeng; Zhang, Ting; Song, Zihang; Wang, Hui; Zhang, Zhongping; Jiang, Yang

2018-03-01

The selenium dioxide was used as the precursor to synthesize wide-size-ranged CdSe quantum dots (2.4-5.7 nm) via hot-injection route. The CdSe quantum dots are featured with high crystalline, monodisperse, zinc blende structure and wide emission region (530-635 nm). In order to improve the stability and quantum yield, a phosphine-free single-molecular precursor approach is used to obtain CdSe/CdS core/shell quantum dots. The CdSe/CdS quantum dots are highly fluorescent with quantum yield up to 65%, and persist the good monodispersity and high crystallinity. Moreover, the quantum dots white light-emitting-diodes are fabricated by using the resultant red emission core/shell quantum dots and Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ yellow phosphors as color-conversion layers on a blue InGaN chip. The prepared light-emitting-diodes show good performance with CIE-1931 coordinated of (0.3583, 0.3349), an Ra of 92.9, and a Tc of 4410 K at 20 mA, which indicate that the combination of red-emission QDs and yellow phophors as a promising approach to obtain warm WLEDs with good color rendering.

Structural and optical properties of Bi2O3-B2O3-CdO-Na2O glass system for gamma ray shielding applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogra, Mridula; Singh, K. J.; Kaur, Kulwinder

2018-05-01

Quaternary system of the composition (0.15+x) Bi2O3-(0.55-x) B2O3-0.15CdO-0.15Na2O (where x=0, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 mole fraction) has been synthesized using melt-quenching technique. Gamma ray shielding properties are measured in terms of mass attenuation coefficient and half value layer at photon energies 662, 1173 and 1332 keV. These parameters are compared with standard nuclear radiation shielding `barite and ferrite' concretes. The results reflect better radiation shielding properties as compared to barite and ferrite concretes. Effective atomic number is calculated at photon energies 662 and 1173 keV. Density, molar volume and XRD studies are analyzed to know physical and structural properties of the glass system. Optical band gap, refractive index and molar refraction are calculated from UV-Visible measurements. Decrease in optical band gap and increase in molar refraction have been observed indicating the increase of non-bridging oxygens in the structure.

CCD Astrometric Measurements of WDS 04155+0611

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Zhixin; Li, Junyao; Li, Jeff; Qu, Steve; Fene, Michael; Boyce, Grady; Boyce, Pat

2016-01-01

Twenty-two separations and position angle astrometric measurements were made of the multiple star system WDS 04155+0611. This system includes the pairs STTA 45 AB, H 6 98 AC, H 6 98 CD, and STU 18 CE. All measurements were compared with historical measurements from the Washington Double Star Catalog. Our astrometric results compare favorably with other recent observations.

Measurement of the neutron angular distribution from a beryllium target bombarded with a 345-MeV/u 238U beam at the RIKEN RI beam factory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakao, Noriaki; Uwamino, Yoshitomo; Tanaka, Kanenobu

2018-05-01

The angular distribution of neutrons produced from a 4-mm-thick beryllium target bombarded with a 345-MeV/u 238U beam was measured outside the target chamber using bismuth and aluminum activation detectors at angles of 4.5°, 10°, 30°, 60°, 70° and 90° from the beam axis. Following two hours of irradiation and photo-peak analyses, the production rates of the radionuclides were obtained for the 209Bi(n,xn)210-xBi(x = 4-12) and 27Al(n,α)24Na reactions. Using the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS), a Monte Carlo simulation of the production rates was performed and the ratios of the calculated to the experimental results (C/E) ranged from 0.6 to 1.0 generally and 0.4 to 1.3 in worst cases.

Orebody Modelling for Exploration: The Western Mineralisation, Broken Hill, NSW

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lotfolah Hamedani, Mohammad, E-mail: mlotfham@gmail.com; Plimer, Ian Rutherford; Xu Chaoshui

2012-09-15

The Western Mineralisation in the Broken Hill deposit was studied to identify the zonation sequence of lithogeochemical haloes along and across the strike of the orebody. Samples used are from 77 drill holes and the samples were assayed for Pb, Zn, Fe, S, Cu, Ag, Cd, Sb, Bi and As. Variogram analyses were calculated for all the elements and kriging was used to construct the 3D block model. Analysis of cross sections along and across the strike of the orebody shows that Bi and Sb form broader halos around sulphide masses and this suggests that they are pathfinder elements formore » the Pb and Zn elements of this orebody. The threshold concentrations (minimum anomaly) of the 10 elements were determined using the concentration-area analysis. On east-west vertical cross sections, the values of linear productivity, variability gradient and zonality index were calculated for each element. Based on the maximum zonality index of each element, the sequence of geochemical zonation pattern was determined from top to bottom of the orebody. The result shows that S, Pb, Zn and Cd tend to concentrate in the upper part of the mineralisation whereas Ag, Cu, Bi and As have a tendency to concentrate in the lower part of the mineralised rocks. Also, an empirical product ratio index was developed based on the position of the elements in the zonation sequence. The methods and results of this research are applicable to exploration of similar Zn and Pb sulphide ore deposits.« less

Controlling reabsorption effect of bi-color CdSe quantum dots-based white light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siao, Cyuan-Bin; Chung, Shu-Ru; Wang, Kuan-Wen

2017-08-01

The colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have the potentials to be used in white light-emitting diode (WLED) as a down-converting component to replace incandescent lamps, because the traditional WLED composed of Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ (YAG:Ce) phosphor lack of red color emissions and shows low color quality. Among various QDs, CdSe has been extensively studied because it possesses attractive characteristics such as high quantum yields (QYs), narrow emission spectral bandwidth, as well as size-tunable optical characteristics. However, in order to enhance the color rendering index (CRI) of WLED, blending materials with different emission wavelengths has been used frequently. Unfortunately, these procedures are complex and time-consuming, and the emission energy of smaller QDs can be reabsorbed by larger QDs, resulting in decreasing the excitation intensity in yellowish-green region. Therefore, in this study, in order to decrease the reabsorption effect and to simplify the procedures, we have demonstrated a facile thermal pyrolyzed route to prepare bicolor CdSe QDs with dual-wavelengths. The emission wavelengths, particle sizes, and QYs of QDs can be tuned from 537/595 to 537/602 nm, 2.59/3.92 to 2.59/4.01 nm, and 27 to 40 %, for GR1 to 3 samples, respectively when the amount of Se precursor is decreased from 1.5 to 0.75 mmol. Meanwhile, the area ratio of green to red (Ag/Ar) in fluorescence spectra is gradually increased, due to the increase in growth rate, and decrease in nuclei formation in red emission. The GR1, GR2, and GR3 QDs are then encapsulated by convert types to form the LED, in which the QDs are deposited on the blue-emitting InGaN LED chip (λem = 450 nm). After encapsulation, the devices properties of Commission International d'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity and Ag/Ar area ratio are (0.40, 0.24), 0.28/1, (0.40, 0.31), 0.52/1, and (0.40, 0.38), 1.02/1, respectively for GR1, GR2, and GR3. The results show that the green emission intensity are strongly reabsorbed by red emission, as the Ag/Ar area ratios are gradually increased and the CIEs are dramatically shift to white light region, suggesting that the Se amount not only can tune the red emission intensity but also can decrease the reabsorption effect. Based on the above results, the GR3 is suitable to be applied for WLED against the reabsorption effect. Besides, when the GR3 is blended with UV resin of 30 wt. % to prepare the WLED, the CIE located at (0.35, 0.34) is applied as backlight source, providing 126 % color gamut in sRGB standard. As a result, by simply adjusting the concentration of Se precursor, QDs with dual-wavelengths can be prepared and the reabsorption effect can be avoided to show promising lighting properties for the application in WLED.

Seven-Year Follow-Up Assessment of Cardiac Function in NSABP B-31, a Randomized Trial Comparing Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide Followed by Paclitaxel (ACP) With ACP Plus Trastuzumab As Adjuvant Therapy for Patients With Node-Positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Positive Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Romond, Edward H.; Jeong, Jong-Hyeon; Rastogi, Priya; Swain, Sandra M.; Geyer, Charles E.; Ewer, Michael S.; Rathi, Vikas; Fehrenbacher, Louis; Brufsky, Adam; Azar, Catherine A.; Flynn, Patrick J.; Zapas, John L.; Polikoff, Jonathan; Gross, Howard M.; Biggs, David D.; Atkins, James N.; Tan-Chiu, Elizabeth; Zheng, Ping; Yothers, Greg; Mamounas, Eleftherios P.; Wolmark, Norman

2012-01-01

Purpose Cardiac dysfunction (CD) is a recognized risk associated with the addition of trastuzumab to adjuvant chemotherapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive breast cancer, especially when the treatment regimen includes anthracyclines. Given the demonstrated efficacy of trastuzumab, ongoing assessment of cardiac safety and identification of risk factors for CD are important for optimal patient care. Patients and Methods In National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-31, a phase III adjuvant trial, 1,830 patients who met eligibility criteria for initiation of trastuzumab were evaluated for CD. Recovery from CD was also assessed. A statistical model was developed to estimate the risk of severe congestive heart failure (CHF). Baseline patient characteristics associated with anthracycline-related decline in cardiac function were also identified. Results At 7-year follow-up, 37 (4.0%) of 944 patients who received trastuzumab experienced a cardiac event (CE) versus 10 (1.3%) of 743 patients in the control arm. One cardiac-related death has occurred in each arm of the protocol. A Cardiac Risk Score, calculated using patient age and baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by multiple-gated acquisition scan, statistically correlates with the risk of a CE. After stopping trastuzumab, the majority of patients who experienced CD recovered LVEF in the normal range, although some decline from baseline often persists. Only two CEs occurred more than 2 years after initiation of trastuzumab. Conclusion The late development of CHF after the addition of trastuzumab to paclitaxel after doxorubicin/ cyclophosphamide chemotherapy is uncommon. The risk versus benefit of trastuzumab as given in this regimen remains strongly in favor of trastuzumab. PMID:22987084

Clonal evolution in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: analysis of correlations with IGHV mutational status, NOTCH1 mutations and clinical significance.

PubMed

López, Cristina; Delgado, Julio; Costa, Dolors; Villamor, Neus; Navarro, Alba; Cazorla, Maite; Gómez, Cándida; Arias, Amparo; Muñoz, Concha; Cabezas, Sandra; Baumann, Tycho; Rozman, María; Aymerich, Marta; Colomer, Dolors; Pereira, Arturo; Cobo, Francesc; López-Guillermo, Armando; Campo, Elías; Carrió, Ana

2013-10-01

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a lymphoproliferative disorder characterized with highly variable clinical course. The most common chromosomal abnormalities in CLL, using conventional and molecular cytogenetics, are trisomy 12, del(13)(q14), del(11)(q22-23), del(17)(p13), and del(6)(q21). Whereas the prognostic marker such as IGHV mutational status remains stable during course of the diseases, chromosomal aberrations may be acquired over time. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, and biological significance of clonal evolution (CE) using conventional and molecular cytogenetics and its relationship with prognostic markers such as CD38, ZAP70, and the mutational status of IGHV and NOTCH1. One hundred and forty-three untreated CLL patients were included in the study. The median time interval between analyses was 32 months (range 6-156 months). Forty-seven patients (33%) had CE as evidenced by detection of new cytogenetic abnormalities during follow-up. CE was not correlated with high expression of ZAP70, unmutated IGHV genes or NOTCH1 mutations. Multivariate analysis revealed that CE and IGHV mutation status had a significant impact on TFS. The combination of conventional and molecular cytogenetics increased the detection of CE, this phenomenon probably being a reflection of genomic instability and conferring a more aggressive clinical course. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of steaming on contaminants of emerging concern levels in seafood.

PubMed

Barbosa, Vera; Maulvault, Ana Luísa; Alves, Ricardo N; Kwadijk, Christian; Kotterman, Michiel; Tediosi, Alice; Fernández-Tejedor, Margarita; Sloth, Jens J; Granby, Kit; Rasmussen, Rie R; Robbens, Johan; De Witte, Bavo; Trabalón, Laura; Fernandes, José O; Cunha, Sara C; Marques, António

2018-05-19

Seafood consumption is a major route for human exposure to environmental contaminants of emerging concern (CeCs). However, toxicological information about the presence of CeCs in seafood is still insufficient, especially considering the effect of cooking procedures on contaminant levels. This study is one among a few who evaluated the effect of steaming on the levels of different CeCs (toxic elements, PFCs, PAHs, musk fragrances and UV-filters) in commercially relevant seafood in Europe, and estimate the potential risks associated with its consumption for consumers. In most cases, an increase in contaminant levels was observed after steaming, though varying according to contaminant and seafood species (e.g. iAs, perfluorobutanoate, dibenzo(ah)anthracene in Mytilus edulis, HHCB-Lactone in Solea sp., 2-Ethylhexyl salicylate in Lophius piscatorius). Furthermore, the increase in some CeCs, like Pb, MeHg, iAs, Cd and carcinogenic PAHs, in seafood after steaming reveals that adverse health effects can never be excluded, regardless contaminants concentration. However, the risk of adverse effects can vary. The drastic changes induced by steaming suggest that the effect of cooking should be integrated in food risk assessment, as well as accounted in CeCs regulations and recommendations issued by food safety authorities, in order to avoid over/underestimation of risks for consumer health. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trace element concentrations in livers of polar bears from two populations in Northern and Western Alaska.

PubMed

Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Agusa, Tetsuro; Evans, Thomas J; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2007-10-01

Concentrations of 20 trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, Hg, Tl, Pb, and Bi) were measured in livers of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) collected from Northern and Western Alaska from 1993 to 2002 to examine differences in the profiles of trace metals between the Beaufort Sea (Northern Alaska) and the Chukchi Sea (Western Alaska) subpopulations in Alaska. Among the trace elements analyzed, concentrations of Cu (50-290 microg/g, dry wt) in polar bear livers were in the higher range of values that have been reported for marine mammals. Concentrations of Hg in polar bears varied widely, from 3.5 to 99 microg/g dry wt, and the mean concentrations in polar bears were comparable to concentrations reported previously for several other species of marine mammals. Mean concentrations of Pb and Cd were 0.67 and 1.0 microg/g dry wt, respectively; these concentrations were lower than levels reported elsewhere for polar bears from Greenland and Canada. Age- and gender-related variations in the concentrations of trace elements in our polar bears were minimal. Concentrations of Hg decreased slowly in samples collected during 1993-2002, whereas Cd and Pb concentrations were found to be stable or slowly increasing, in the livers of Alaskan polar bears. Concentrations of Ag, Bi, Ba, Cu, and Sn were significantly higher in the Chukchi Sea subpopulation than in the Beaufort Sea subpopulation. Concentrations of Hg were significantly higher in the Beaufort Sea subpopulation than in the Chukchi Sea subpopulation. Differences in the profiles and concentrations of Hg, Ag, Bi, Ba, Cu, and Sn suggest that the sources of exposure to these trace elements between Western and Northern Alaskan polar bears are different, in agreement with findings reported earlier for several organic contaminants.

Thin film electroluminescent cells on the basis of Ce-doped CaGa2S4 and SrGa2S4 prepared by flash evaporation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gambarov, E.; Bayramov, A.; Kato, A.; Iida, S.

2006-09-01

Ce-doped CaGa2S4 and SrGa2S4 thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) devices were prepared for the first time on the basis of films deposited by flash evaporation method. Significant crystallization, stoichiometry improvement of the films and increase of photoluminescence intensity were found after annealing in H2S and O2 gas stream. EL spectra of the cells exhibited the characteristic double-band emission similar to that seen for Ce3+ activated CaGa2S4 and SrGa2S4 films under photon excitation. Applied voltage and frequency dependences of the electroluminescence were studied. Low voltage operation as low as 20 V was observed for these cells. Luminance of about 4 cd/m2 at 100 V operating voltage with 2.5 kHz frequency was achieved for the TFEL cell with films annealed in O2 gas stream.

Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-30

Ir aq a nd Af gh an is ta n, 2 00 4 D ep ar...Ka tr in a Re co ve ry , an d Ir aq Ac co un ta bi li ty Ap pr op ri at io ns Ac t, 20 07 20 07 F o re ig n As si st an ce Co nt...s Ir aq R el ie f an d Re co ns tr uc ti on F un d ( IR RF 2 )a $1 8, 43 9, 00 0 ($ 50 ,0 00 ) $1 8, 38 9, 00 0 Ir aq S

Enhancement of selectivity and resolution in the enantioseparation of uncharged compounds using mixtures of oppositely charged cyclodextrins in capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Abushoffa, Adel M; Fillet, Marianne; Servais, Anne-Catherine; Hubert, Philippe; Crommen, Jacques

2003-01-01

The enantiomeric separation of some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was investigated in capillary electrophoresis (CE) using dual systems with mixtures of charged cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives. A significant enhancement of selectivity and resolution could be achieved in the enantioseparation of these analytes in their uncharged form by the simultaneous addition of two oppositely charged CD derivatives to the background electrolyte. The combination of the single-isomer cationic CD, permethyl-6-monoamino-6-monodeoxy-beta-CD (PMMAbetaCD) and the single-isomer polyanionic CD, heptakis-6-sulfato-beta-cyclodextrin (HSbetaCD) in a pH 2.5 phosphoric acid-triethanolamine buffer, was designed and employed for the enantioseparation of profens. The improvement in selectivity and resolution can be attributed to the fact that the two CDs, which lead to independent and enantioselective complexation with the analyte enantiomers, have not only opposite effects on the electrophoretic mobility of these compounds but also opposite affinity patterns towards the enantiomers of these compounds. Binding constants for these enantiomers with each CD were determined using linear regression approach, in order to be able to predict the effect of the concentrations of the two CDs on enantiomeric selectivity and resolution in such dual systems.

Controlling the energy transfer via multi luminescent centers to achieve white light/tunable emissions in a single-phased X2-type Y2SiO5:Eu(3+),Bi(3+) phosphor for ultraviolet converted LEDs.

PubMed

Kang, Fengwen; Zhang, Yi; Peng, Mingying

2015-02-16

So far, more than 1000 UV converted phosphors have been reported for potential application in white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs), but most of them (e.g., Y2O2S:Eu, YAG:Ce or CaAlSiN3:Eu) suffer from intrinsic problems such as thermal instability, color aging or re-absorption by commixed phosphors in the coating of the devices. In this case, it becomes significant to search a single-phased phosphor, which can efficiently convert UV light to white lights. Herein, we report a promising candidate of a white light emitting X2-type Y2SiO5:Eu(3+),Bi(3+) phosphor, which can be excitable by UV light and address the problems mentioned above. Single Bi(3+)-doped X2-type Y2SiO5 exhibits three discernible emission peaks at ∼355, ∼408, and ∼504 nm, respectively, upon UV excitation due to three types of bismuth emission centers, and their relative intensity depends tightly on the incident excitation wavelength. In this regard, proper selection of excitation wavelength can lead to tunable emissions of Y2SiO5:Bi(3+) between blue and green, which is partially due to the energy transfer among the Bi centers. As a red emission center Eu(3+) is codoped into Y2SiO5:Bi(3+), energy transfer has been confirmed happening from Bi(3+) to Eu(3+) via an electric dipole-dipole (d-d) interaction. Our experiments reveal that it is easily realizable to create the white or tunable emissions by adjusting the Eu(3+) content and the excitation schemes. Moreover, a single-phased white light emission phosphor, X2-type Y1.998SiO5:0.01Eu(3+),0.01 Bi(3+), has been achieved with excellent resistance against thermal quenching and a QE of 78%. At 200 °C, it preserves >90% emission intensity of that at 25 °C. Consequent three time yoyo experiments of heating-cooling prove no occurrence of thermal degradation. A WLED lamp has been successfully fabricated with a CIE chromaticity coordinate (0.3702, 0.2933), color temperature 4756 K, and color rendering index of 65 by applying the phosphor onto a UV LED chip.

Enhanced recognition of HIV-1 Cryptic Epitopes Restricted by HLA-Class I alleles Associated with a Favorable Clinical Outcome

PubMed Central

Bansal, Anju; Mann, Tiffanie; Sterrett, Sarah; Peng, Binghao J.; Bet, Anne; Carlson, Jonathan M.; Goepfert, Paul A.

2015-01-01

Background Cryptic Epitopes (CE) are peptides derived from the translation of one or more of the five alternative reading frames (ARFs; 2 sense and 3 antisense) of genes. Here, we compared response rates to HIV-1 specific CE predicted to be restricted by HLA-I alleles associated with protection against disease progression to those without any such association. Methods Peptides (9–11mer) were designed based on HLA-I binding algorithms for B*27, B*57 or B*5801 (protective alleles) and HLA-B*5301 or B*5501 (non-protective allele) in all five ARFs of the nine HIV-1 encoded proteins. Peptides with >50% probability of being an epitope (n=231) were tested for T cell responses in an IFN-γ ELISpot assay. PBMC samples from HIV-1 seronegative donors (n=42) and HIV-1 seropositive patients with chronic clade B infections (n=129) were used. Results Overall, 16%, 2%, and 2% of CHI patients had CE responses by IFN-γ ELISpot in the protective, non-protective, and seronegative groups, respectively (p=0.009, Fischer’s exact test). Twenty novel CE specific responses were mapped (median magnitude of 95 SFC/106 PBMC) and the majority were both anti-sense derived (90%) as well as represented ARFs of accessory proteins (55%). CE-specific CD8 T cells were multifunctional and proliferated when assessed by intracellular cytokine staining. Conclusions CE responses were preferentially restricted by the protective HLA-I alleles in HIV-1 infection suggesting that they may contribute to viral control in this group of patients. PMID:26322665

Highly Efficient Red and White Organic Light-Emitting Diodes with External Quantum Efficiency beyond 20% by Employing Pyridylimidazole-Based Metallophosphors.

PubMed

Miao, Yanqin; Tao, Peng; Wang, Kexiang; Li, Hongxin; Zhao, Bo; Gao, Long; Wang, Hua; Xu, Bingshe; Zhao, Qiang

2017-11-01

Two highly efficient red neutral iridium(III) complexes, Ir1 and Ir2, were rationally designed and synthesized by selecting two pyridylimidazole derivatives as the ancillary ligands. Both Ir1 and Ir2 show nearly the same photoluminescence emission with the maximum peak at 595 nm (shoulder band at about 638 nm) and achieve high solution quantum yields of up to 0.47 for Ir1 and 0.57 for Ir2. Employing Ir1 and Ir2 as emitters, the fabricated red organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) show outstanding performance with the maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE), current efficiency (CE), and power efficiency (PE) of 20.98%, 33.04 cd/A, and 33.08 lm/W for the Ir1-based device and 22.15%, 36.89 cd/A, and 35.85 lm/W for the Ir2-based device, respectively. Furthermore, using Ir2 as red emitter, a trichromatic hybrid white OLED, showing good warm white emission with low correlated color temperature of <2200 K under the voltage of 4-6 V, was fabricated successfully. The white device also realizes excellent device efficiencies with the maximum EQE, CE, and PE reaching 22.74%, 44.77 cd/A, and 46.89 lm/W, respectively. Such high electroluminescence performance for red and white OLEDs indicates that Ir1 and Ir2 as efficient red phosphors have great potential for future OLED displays and lightings applications.

Ultrapure Green Light-Emitting Diodes Using Two-Dimensional Formamidinium Perovskites: Achieving Recommendation 2020 Color Coordinates.

PubMed

Kumar, Sudhir; Jagielski, Jakub; Kallikounis, Nikolaos; Kim, Young-Hoon; Wolf, Christoph; Jenny, Florian; Tian, Tian; Hofer, Corinne J; Chiu, Yu-Cheng; Stark, Wendelin J; Lee, Tae-Woo; Shih, Chih-Jen

2017-09-13

Pure green light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are essential for realizing an ultrawide color gamut in next-generation displays, as is defined by the recommendation (Rec.) 2020 standard. However, because the human eye is more sensitive to the green spectral region, it is not yet possible to achieve an ultrapure green electroluminescence (EL) with a sufficiently narrow bandwidth that covers >95% of the Rec. 2020 standard in the CIE 1931 color space. Here, we demonstrate efficient, ultrapure green EL based on the colloidal two-dimensional (2D) formamidinium lead bromide (FAPbBr 3 ) hybrid perovskites. Through the dielectric quantum well (DQW) engineering, the quantum-confined 2D FAPbBr 3 perovskites exhibit a high exciton binding energy of 162 meV, resulting in a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of ∼92% in the spin-coated films. Our optimized LED devices show a maximum current efficiency (η CE ) of 13.02 cd A -1 and the CIE 1931 color coordinates of (0.168, 0.773). The color gamut covers 97% and 99% of the Rec. 2020 standard in the CIE 1931 and the CIE 1976 color space, respectively, representing the "greenest" LEDs ever reported. Moreover, the device shows only a ∼10% roll-off in η CE (11.3 cd A -1 ) at 1000 cd m -2 . We further demonstrate large-area (3 cm 2 ) and ultraflexible (bending radius of 2 mm) LEDs based on 2D perovskites.

The targeted histone deacetylase inhibitor tefinostat (CHR-2845) shows selective in vitro efficacy in monocytoid-lineage leukaemias

PubMed Central

Zabkiewicz, Joanna; Gilmour, Marie; Hills, Robert; Vyas, Pares; Bone, Elizabeth; Davidson, Alan; Burnett, Alan; Knapper, Steven

2016-01-01

Tefinostat (CHR-2845) is a novel monocyte/macrophage-targeted histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor which is cleaved into its active acid by the intracellular esterase human carboxylesterase-1 (hCE-1). The in vitro efficacy of tefinostat was characterised in cell lines and in a cohort of 73 primary AML and CMML samples. Dose-dependent induction of apoptosis and significant growth inhibitory effects were seen in myelomonocytic (M4), monocytic/monoblastic (M5) and CMML samples in comparison to non-monocytoid AML sub-types (p = 0.007). Importantly, no growth inhibitory effects were seen in normal bone marrow CD34+ cells exposed to AML-toxic doses of tefinostat in clonogenic assays. Expression of hCE-1 was measured by intracellular flow cytometry and immunoblotting across the cohort, with highest levels seen in M5 AML patients. hCE-1 levels correlated with significantly increased tefinostat sensitivity (low EC50) as measured by growth inhibition assays (p = 0.001) and concomitant elevation of the mature monocytoid marker CD14+. Strong induction of intracellular histone protein acetylation was observed in tefinostat-responsive samples, as were high levels of the DNA damage sensor γ-H2A.X, highlighting potential biomarkers of patient responsiveness. Synergistic interaction between tefinostat and the current standard treatment cytarabine was demonstrated in dose response and clonogenic assays using simultaneous drug addition in primary samples (median Combination Index value = 0.51). These data provide a strong rationale for the further clinical evaluation of tefinostat in monocytoid-lineage haematological neoplasms including CMML and monocyte-lineage AMLs. PMID:26934551

Quantum dot-DNA aptamer conjugates coupled with capillary electrophoresis: A universal strategy for ratiometric detection of organophosphorus pesticides.

PubMed

Tang, Tingting; Deng, Jingjing; Zhang, Min; Shi, Guoyue; Zhou, Tianshu

2016-01-01

Based on the highly sensitivity and stable-fluorescence of water-soluble CdTe/CdS core-shell quantum dots (QDs) with broad-specificity DNA aptamers, a novel ratiometric detection strategy was proposed for the sensitive detection of organophosphorus pesticides by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF). The as-prepared QDs were first conjugated with the amino-modified oligonucleotide (AMO) by amidation reaction, which is partial complementary to the DNA aptamer of organophosphorus pesticides. Then QD-labeled AMO (QD-AMO) was incubated with the DNA aptamer to form QD-AMO-aptamer duplex. When the target organophosphorus pesticides were added, they could specifically bind the DNA aptamer, leading to the cleavage of QD-AMO-aptamer duplex, accompany with the release of QD-AMO. As a result, the ratio of peak height between QD-AMO and QD-AMO-aptamer duplex changed in the detection process of CE-LIF. This strategy was subsequently applied for the detection of phorate, profenofos, isocarbophos, and omethoate with the detection limits of 0.20, 0.10, 0.17, and 0.23μM, respectively. This is the first report about using QDs as the signal indicators for organophosphorus pesticides detection based on broad-specificity DNA aptamers by CE-LIF, thus contributing to extend the scope of application of QDs in different fields. The proposed method has great potential to be a universal strategy for rapid detection of aptamer-specific small molecule targets by simply changing the types of aptamer sequences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Library of Infectious Hepatitis C Viruses with Engineered Mutations in the E2 Gene Reveals Growth-Adaptive Mutations That Modulate Interactions with Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I.

PubMed

Zuiani, Adam; Chen, Kevin; Schwarz, Megan C; White, James P; Luca, Vincent C; Fremont, Daved H; Wang, David; Evans, Matthew J; Diamond, Michael S

2016-12-01

While natural hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in highly diverse quasispecies of related viruses over time, mutations accumulate more slowly in tissue culture, in part because of the inefficiency of replication in cells. To create a highly diverse population of HCV particles in cell culture and identify novel growth-enhancing mutations, we engineered a library of infectious HCV with all codons represented at most positions in the ectodomain of the E2 gene. We identified many putative growth-adaptive mutations and selected nine highly represented E2 mutants for further study: Q412R, T416R, S449P, T563V, A579R, L619T, V626S, K632T, and L644I. We evaluated these mutants for changes in particle-to-infectious-unit ratio, sensitivity to neutralizing antibody or CD81 large extracellular loop (CD81-LEL) inhibition, entry factor usage, and buoyant density profiles. Q412R, T416R, S449P, T563V, and L619T were neutralized more efficiently by anti-E2 antibodies and T416R, T563V, and L619T by CD81-LEL. Remarkably, all nine variants showed reduced dependence on scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) for infection. This shift from SR-BI usage did not correlate with a change in the buoyant density profiles of the variants, suggesting an altered E2-SR-BI interaction rather than changes in the virus-associated lipoprotein-E2 interaction. Our results demonstrate that residues influencing SR-BI usage are distributed across E2 and support the development of large-scale mutagenesis studies to identify viral variants with unique functional properties. Characterizing variant viruses can reveal new information about the life cycle of HCV and the roles played by different viral genes. However, it is difficult to recapitulate high levels of diversity in the laboratory because of limitations in the HCV culture system. To overcome this limitation, we engineered a library of mutations into the E2 gene in the context of an infectious clone of the virus. We used this library of viruses to identify nine mutations that enhance the growth rate of HCV. These growth-enhancing mutations reduced the dependence on a key entry receptor, SR-BI. By generating a highly diverse library of infectious HCV, we mapped regions of the E2 protein that influence a key virus-host interaction and provide proof of principle for the generation of large-scale mutant libraries for the study of pathogens with great sequence variability. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Tumors and Proliferative Lesions in Adult Offspring After Maternal Exposure to Methylarsonous Acid During Gestation in CD1 Mice

EPA Science Inventory

Developmental exposure to inorganic arsenic is carcinogenic in humans and mice, and adult offspring of mice exposed to inorganic arsenic can develop tumors of the lung, liver, adrenal, uterus, and ovary. It has been suggested that methylarsonous acid (MMA3+), a product of the bi...

Wind - Ceiling - Visibility Data at Selected Airports. Volume I. New England Region.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

Address DOT/Federal Aviation Administration Final Report Office of Aviation Policy and Plans Fina__Repor_ 800 Independence Avenue, S .11. 14. Spoor.ng...LJ ( () Z LflL -z ---[ I - I - I I - oI o 0 0 0 0 o a 0 LO CE . . .l . .i . . . . .i . . .i . . .i Cl- cnCD ...... . . . . . . . U - C; Lii C-); C

Analysis of optical purity and impurity of synthetic D-phenylalanine products using sulfated beta-cyclodextrin as chiral selector by reversed-polarity capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Zhao, Yan; Yang, Xing-Bin; Jiang, Ru; Sun, Xiao-Li; Li, Xiao-Ye; Liu, Wen-Min; Zhang, Sheng-Yong

2006-02-01

A new capillary electrophoresis (CE) method has been achieved for simultaneous separation and quantification of phenylalanine, N-acetylphenylalanine enantiomers, and prochiral N-acetylaminocinnamic acid, possibly co-existent in reaction systems or synthesized products of D-phenylalanine. The separation was carried out in an uncoated capillary under reversed-electrophoretic mode. Among the diverse charged cyclodextrins (CDs) examined, highly sulfated (HS)-beta-CD as the chiral selector exhibited the best enantioselectivity. The complete separation of the analytes was obtained under the optimum conditions of pH 2.5, 35 mM Tris buffer containing 4% HS-beta-CD, applied voltage -15 kV, and capillary temperature 25 degrees C. Furthermore, the proposed method was applied to the determination of optical purity and trace impurities in three batches of the asymmetric synthetic samples of D-phenylalanine, and satisfactory results were obtained. The determination recoveries of the samples were in the range of 97.8-103.8%, and precisions fell within 2.3-5.0% (RSD). The results demonstrate that this CE method is a useful, simple technique and is applicable to purity assays of D-phenylalanine. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Characterization of detector-systems based on CeBr3, LaBr3, SrI2 and CdZnTe for the use as dosemeters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kessler, P.; Behnke, B.; Dombrowski, H.; Neumaier, S.

2017-11-01

For the upgrade of existing dosimetric early warning networks in Europe spectrometric detectors based on CeBr3, LaBr3, SrI2, and CdZnTe are investigated as possible substitutes for the current detector generation which is mainly based on gas filled detectors. The additional information on the nuclide vector which can be derived from the spectra of γ-radiation is highly useful for an appropriate response in case of a nuclear or radiological accident. The measured γ-spectra will be converted into ambient dose equivalent H* (10) using a method where the spectrum is subdivided into multiple energy bands. For each band the conversion coefficients from count rate to dose rate is determined. The derivation of these conversion coefficients is explained in this work. Both experimental and simulative approaches are investigated using quasi-mono-energetic γ-sources and synthetic spectra from Monte-Carlo simulations to determine the conversion coefficients for each detector type. Finally, precision of the obtained characterization is checked by irradiation of the detectors in different well-known photon fields with traceable dose rates.

Identification of BSAP (Pax-5) target genes in early B-cell development by loss- and gain-of-function experiments.

PubMed Central

Nutt, S L; Morrison, A M; Dörfler, P; Rolink, A; Busslinger, M

1998-01-01

The Pax-5 gene codes for the transcription factor BSAP which is essential for the progression of adult B lymphopoiesis beyond an early progenitor (pre-BI) cell stage. Although several genes have been proposed to be regulated by BSAP, CD19 is to date the only target gene which has been genetically confirmed to depend on this transcription factor for its expression. We have now taken advantage of cultured pre-BI cells of wild-type and Pax-5 mutant bone marrow to screen a large panel of B lymphoid genes for additional BSAP target genes. Four differentially expressed genes were shown to be under the direct control of BSAP, as their expression was rapidly regulated in Pax-5-deficient pre-BI cells by a hormone-inducible BSAP-estrogen receptor fusion protein. The genes coding for the B-cell receptor component Ig-alpha (mb-1) and the transcription factors N-myc and LEF-1 are positively regulated by BSAP, while the gene coding for the cell surface protein PD-1 is efficiently repressed. Distinct regulatory mechanisms of BSAP were revealed by reconstituting Pax-5-deficient pre-BI cells with full-length BSAP or a truncated form containing only the paired domain. IL-7 signalling was able to efficiently induce the N-myc gene only in the presence of full-length BSAP, while complete restoration of CD19 synthesis was critically dependent on the BSAP protein concentration. In contrast, the expression of the mb-1 and LEF-1 genes was already reconstituted by the paired domain polypeptide lacking any transactivation function, suggesting that the DNA-binding domain of BSAP is sufficient to recruit other transcription factors to the regulatory regions of these two genes. In conclusion, these loss- and gain-of-function experiments demonstrate that BSAP regulates four newly identified target genes as a transcriptional activator, repressor or docking protein depending on the specific regulatory sequence context. PMID:9545244

Effects of Inhibiting Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP4) in Cows with Subclinical Ketosis.

PubMed

Schulz, Kirsten; Frahm, Jana; Kersten, Susanne; Meyer, Ulrich; Rehage, Jürgen; Piechotta, Marion; Meyerholz, Maria; Breves, Gerhard; Reiche, Dania; Sauerwein, Helga; Dänicke, Sven

2015-01-01

The inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) via specific inhibitors is known to result in improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and decreased accumulation of hepatic fat in type II diabetic human patients. The metabolic situation of dairy cows can easily be compared to the status of human diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver. For both, insulin sensitivity is reduced, while hepatic fat accumulation increases, characterized by high levels of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and ketone bodies.Therefore, in the present study, a DPP4 inhibitor was employed (BI 14332) for the first time in cows. In a first investigation BI 14332 treatment (intravenous injection at dosages of up to 3 mg/kg body weight) was well tolerated in healthy lactating pluriparous cows (n = 6) with a significant inhibition of DPP4 in plasma and liver. Further testing included primi- and pluriparous lactating cows suffering from subclinical ketosis (β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations in serum > 1.2 mM; n = 12). The intension was to offer effects of DPP4 inhibition during comprehensive lipomobilisation and hepatosteatosis. The cows of subclinical ketosis were evenly allocated to either the treatment group (daily injections, 0.3 mg BI 14332/kg body weight, 7 days) or the control group. Under condition of subclinical ketosis, the impact of DPP4 inhibition via BI 14332 was less, as in particular β-hydroxybutyrate and the hepatic lipid content remained unaffected, but NEFA and triglyceride concentrations were decreased after treatment. Owing to lower NEFA, the revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (surrogate marker for insulin sensitivity) increased. Therefore, a positive influence on energy metabolism might be quite possible. Minor impacts on immune-modulating variables were limited to the lymphocyte CD4+/CD8+ ratio for which a trend to decreased values in treated versus control animals was noted. In sum, the DPP4 inhibition in cows did not affect glycaemic control like it is shown in humans, but was able to impact hyperlipemia, as NEFA and TG decreased.

Using an ultra-thin non-doped orange emission layer to realize high efficiency white organic light-emitting diodes with low efficiency roll-off

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Liping; Chen, Jiangshan; Ma, Dongge, E-mail: mdg1014@ciac.ac.cn

2014-06-28

By adopting an ultra-thin non-doped orange emission layer sandwiched between two blue emission layers, high efficiency white organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs) with reduced efficiency roll-off were fabricated. The optimized devices show a balanced white emission with Internationale de L'Eclairage of (0.41, 0.44) at the luminance of 1000 cd/m{sup 2}, and the maximum power efficiency, current efficiency (CE), and external quantum efficiency reach 63.2 lm/W, 59.3 cd/A, and 23.1%, which slightly shift to 53.4 lm/W, 57.1 cd/A, and 22.2% at 1000 cd/m{sup 2}, respectively, showing low efficiency roll-off. Detailed investigations on the recombination zone and the transient electroluminescence (EL) clearly reveal the EL processes of the ultra-thinmore » non-doped orange emission layer in WOLEDs.« less

Superficial roughness on composite surface, composite-enamel and composite-dentin junctions after different finishing and polishing procedures. Part II: roughness with diamond finishing and differences between enamel composite vs body composite.

PubMed

Ferraris, Federico; Conti, Alessandro

2014-01-01

The following study asks three principle questions relative to composite finishing and composite polishing: 1) Will the superficial roughness of different restoration surfaces have different values, utilizing the same polishing system (multistep), after finishing with the tungsten carbide or diamond bur? 2) Under the same conditions of finishing and polishing sequences, will the composite surfaces (C), the composite-enamel (CE) and composite-dentin (CD) interfaces show different roughness values? 3) Will the surface roughness of composites of different translucency in the various phases of finishing and polishing, and on different interfaces, have different results? The null hypothesis is represented by the fact that there are no significant differences on roughness of composite restorations when polishing, after finishing with tungsten carbide or diamond burs. Furthermore, the null hypothesis is that there are no significant differences on roughness between polishing on composite surface, composite-enamel and composite-dentin interfaces, and finally there are no differences on roughness after finishing and polishing of two composite with different translucency. For the study, 56 class V cavities were prepared on extracted teeth. Restorations were done in nanofilled composite Filtek XTE (3M Espe) in a standard fashion, and then finished and polished. The 28 buccal cavities were restored on the surface with composite enamel and the 28 palatals with composite body. Finishing was done with fine toothing burs in tungsten carbide (16 blades) or fine grit diamond burs (46 μm), and made by the same manufacturer (Komet). The second phase of finishing was done with burs (with the same form as already mentioned) ultrafine toothing tungsten carbide (30 blades) or with extra and ultrafine grit diamond (25 and 8 μm). The polishing phase for both of the earlier sequences was done with the application of three rubber tips with decreasing abrasiveness and an application with a self-polishing brush. All measurements were taken from surfaces C, and interfaces CE and CD. Statistical analyses were carried out with c2 test (a = 0.05). 1) There were no relevant differences of surface roughness on the different surfaces if the polishing was done after finishing with tungsten carbide or diamond burs. 2) Keeping the same sequence of finishing and polishing, a difference was noticed between C, CE and CD, where the latter showed greater roughness. 3) Analyzing the data in all the phases of finishing and polishing on every interface, it can be concluded that the composite enamel and the composite body did not show different levels of superficial roughness. The clinical relevance could be resumed as follows: no difference after polishing, which is preceded by tungsten carbide or diamond finishing burs. The less favorable interface to be polished is CD, compared to CE and C. Considering two composites with different translucency, no difference on roughness after finishing and polishing were detected.

Involvement of hypoglossal and recurrent laryngeal nerves on swallowing pressure.

PubMed

Tsujimura, Takanori; Suzuki, Taku; Yoshihara, Midori; Sakai, Shogo; Koshi, Naomi; Ashiga, Hirokazu; Shiraishi, Naru; Tsuji, Kojun; Magara, Jin; Inoue, Makoto

2018-05-01

Swallowing pressure generation is important to ensure safe transport of an ingested bolus without aspiration or leaving residue in the pharynx. To clarify the mechanism, we measured swallowing pressure at the oropharynx (OP), upper esophageal sphincter (UES), and cervical esophagus (CE) using a specially designed manometric catheter in anesthetized rats. A swallow, evoked by punctate mechanical stimulation to the larynx, was identified by recording activation of the suprahyoid and thyrohyoid muscles using electromyography (EMG). Areas under the curve of the swallowing pressure at the OP, UES, and CE from two trials indicated high intrasubject reproducibility. Effects of transecting the hypoglossal nerve (12N) and recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) on swallowing were investigated. Following bilateral hypoglossal nerve transection (Bi-12Nx), OP pressure was significantly decreased, and time intervals between peaks of thyrohyoid EMG bursts and OP pressure were significantly shorter. Decreased OP pressure and shortened times between peaks of thyrohyoid EMG bursts and OP pressure following Bi-12Nx were significantly increased and longer, respectively, after covering the hard and soft palates with acrylic material. UES pressure was significantly decreased after bilateral RLN transection compared with that before transection. These results suggest that the 12N and RLN play crucial roles in OP and UES pressure during swallowing, respectively. We speculate that covering the palates with a palatal augmentation prosthesis may reverse the reduced swallowing pressure in patients with 12N or tongue damage by the changes of the sensory information and of the contact between the tongue and a palates. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Hypoglossal nerve transection reduced swallowing pressure at the oropharynx. Covering the hard and soft palates with acrylic material may reverse the reduced swallowing function caused by hypoglossal nerve damage. Recurrent laryngeal nerve transection reduced upper esophageal sphincter negative pressure during swallowing.

Exceptional magneto-resistance in 3D Dirac semimetal Bi0.96Sb0.04

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, P.; Nagpal, V.; Sudesh, Patnaik, S.

2017-05-01

Recent experimental evidence for Weyl fermions in topological semimetals has attracted considerable attention. These materials are three-dimensional analogue of graphene. The present work is motivated by the recent prediction of Weyl semi-metallic phase in Bi1-xSbx alloys. In this paper we present the electronic transport properties studied under high applied magnetic fields in Bi0.96Sb0.04 alloys. The sample exhibits extremely high magneto-resistance; MR(5 K, 8 T) = 9.8×104 %. This value is comparable to the MR observed in recently discovered other members of these emergent materials. Most importantly, this composition shows large MR at room temperature, MR (300 K, 8 T) = 435%, which is almost twice to that observed in Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 (= 200 % at 14.5 T) and Weyl semimetal NbP (= 250% at 9 T). We also discuss single crystal growth technique as well as Hall measurement data.

Inflammatory activity in Crohn disease: ultrasound findings.

PubMed

Migaleddu, Vincenzo; Quaia, Emilio; Scano, Domenico; Virgilio, Giuseppe

2008-01-01

Improvements in the ultrasound examination of bowel disease have registered in the last years the introduction of new technologies regarding high frequency probes (US), highly sensitive color or power Doppler units (CD-US), and the development of new non-linear technologies that optimize detection of contrast agents. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CE-US) most importantly increases the results in sonographic evaluation of Crohn disease inflammatory activity. CE-US has become an imaging modality routinely employed in the clinical practice for the evaluation of parenchymal organs due to the introduction of new generation microbubble contrast agents which persist in the bloodstream for several minutes after intravenous injection. The availability of high frequency dedicated contrast-specific US techniques provide accurate depiction of small bowel wall perfusion due to the extremely high sensitivity of non-linear signals produced by microbubble insonation. In Crohn's disease, CE-US may characterize the bowel wall thickness by differentiating fibrosis from edema and may grade the inflammatory disease activity by assessing the presence and distribution of vascularity within the layers of the bowel wall (submucosa alone or the entire bowel wall). Peri-intestinal inflammatory involvement can be also characterized. CE-US can provide prognostic data concerning clinical recurrence of the inflammatory disease and evaluate the efficacy of drugs treatments.

Geochemical gradients in soil O-horizon samples from southern Norway: Natural or anthropogenic?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reimann, C.; Englmaier, P.; Flem, B.; Gough, L.; Lamothe, P.; Nordgulen, O.; Smith, D.

2009-01-01

Forty soil O- and C-horizon samples were collected along a south-to-north transect extending inland for approximately 200 km from the southern tip of Norway. The elements As, Au, Bi, Cd, Cu, Ga, Ge, Hf, Hg, In, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, V, W, Zn and Zr all show a distinct decrease in concentration in soil O-horizons with increasing distance from the coast. The elements showing the strongest coastal enrichment, some by more than an order of magnitude compared to inland samples, are Au, Bi, As, Pb, Sb and Sn. Furthermore, the elements Cd (median O-/median C-horizon = 31), C, Sb, Ag, K, S, Ge (10), Hg, Pb, As, Bi, Sr (5), Se, Au, Ba, Na, Zn, P, Cu and Sn (2) are all strongly enriched in the O-horizon when compared to the underlying C-horizon. Lead isotope ratios, however, do not show any gradient with distance from the coast (declining Pb concentration). Along a 50 km topographically steep east-west transect in the centre of the survey area, far from the coast but crossing several vegetation zones, similar element enrichment patterns and concentration gradients can be observed in the O-horizon. Lead isotope ratios in the O-horizon correlate along both transects with pH and the C/N-ratio, both proxies for the quality of the organic material. Natural conditions in southern Norway, related to climate and vegetation, rather than long range atmospheric transport of air pollutants (LRT), cause the observed features. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd.

Evaluation of newly synthesized and commercially available charged cyclomaltooligosaccharides (cyclodextrins) for capillary electrokinetic chromatography.

PubMed

Culha, Mustafa; Schell, Fred M; Fox, Shannon; Green, Thomas; Betts, Thomas; Sepaniak, Michael J

2004-01-22

A highly new charged cyclodextrin (CD) derivatives, (6-O-carboxymethyl-2,3-di-O-methyl)cyclomaltoheptaoses (CDM-beta-CDs), was synthesized and characterized as anionic reagents for capillary electrophoresis (CE) in an electrokinetic chromatography mode of separation. Substitution with dimethyl groups at the secondary hydroxyl sites of the CD is aimed at influencing the magnitude and selectivity of analyte-CD interactions, while substitution by carboxymethyl groups at the primary hydroxyl sites provides for high charge and electrophoretic mobility. Full regioselective methylation at the secondary hydroxyl sites was achieved in this work, while substitution at the primary hydroxyl sites generated a mixture of multiply charged products. The separation performance of CDM-beta-CD was evaluated using a variety of analyte mixtures. The results obtained from commercially available negatively charged cyclodextrins, heptakis(2,3-di-O-methyl-6-O-sulfo)cyclomaltoheptaose (HDMS-beta-CD) and O-(carboxymethyl)cyclomaltoheptaose (CM-beta-CD) with an average degree of substitution one (DS 1), were compared to CDM-beta-CD using a sample composed of eight positional isomers of dihydroxynaphthalene. Four hydroxylated polychlorobiphenyl derivatives, a group of chiral and isomeric catchecins, and chiral binaphthyl compounds were also separated with CDM-beta-CD. The effect of adding neutral beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) into the running buffer containing charged cyclodextrins was investigated and provided evidence of significant inter-CD interactions. Under certain running buffer conditions, the charged cyclodextrins also appear to adsorb to the capillary walls to various degrees.

Free energy change of off-eutectic binary alloys on solidification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ohsaka, K.; Trinh, E. H.; Lin, J.-C.; Perepezko, J. H.

1991-01-01

A formula for the free energy difference between the undercooled liquid phase and the stable solid phase is derived for off-eutectic binary alloys in which the equilibrium solid/liquid transition takes place over a certain temperature range. The free energy change is then evaluated numerically for a Bi-25 at. pct Cd alloy modeled as a sub-subregular solution.

A Permeable Active Amendment Concrete (PAAC) for Contaminant Remediation and Erosion Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

124: 131 -143. SRNL-STI-2012-00356 70 Tessier, A., Campbell, P.G.C., and Bisson, M. 1979. Sequential extraction procedure for the speciation of...Bulk Density, Dry, (AI( C-D)]* p, pcf 134.85 Bulk Dens ity after Immersion, [BI(C-D)]* p, pcf 146.65 Bulk Density after Immersion & Boiling1 jCI (C

EFDC1D - A ONE DIMENSIONAL HYDRODYNAMIC AND SEDIMENT TRANSPORT MODEL FOR RIVER AND STREAM NETWORKS: MODEL THEORY AND USERS GUIDE

EPA Science Inventory

This technical report describes the new one-dimensional (1D) hydrodynamic and sediment transport model EFDC1D. This model that can be applied to stream networks. The model code and two sample data sets are included on the distribution CD. EFDC1D can simulate bi-directional unstea...

Thermal fuse for high-temperature batteries

DOEpatents

Jungst, Rudolph G.; Armijo, James R.; Frear, Darrel R.

2000-01-01

A thermal fuse, preferably for a high-temperature battery, comprising leads and a body therebetween having a melting point between approximately 400.degree. C. and 500.degree. C. The body is preferably an alloy of Ag--Mg, Ag--Sb, Al--Ge, Au--In, Bi--Te, Cd--Sb, Cu--Mg, In--Sb, Mg--Pb, Pb--Pd, Sb--Zn, Sn--Te, or Mg--Al.

ZnO/CdS bi-layer nanostructures photoelectrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dalal, Paresh V., E-mail: paresh10dalal@gmail.com; Deshpande, Milind P., E-mail: vishwadeshpande@yahoo.co.in; Solanki, Bharat G., E-mail: bhrt.solanki17@gmail.com

2016-05-06

Simple chemical deposition method for the synthesis of ZnO/CdS bilayer photoelectrode on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate in aqueous medium at low temperature (< 373K) is described. The different preparative parameters such as deposition time, bath temperature, concentration of precursor solution and, pH of the bath etc. were optimized. Nanograined ZnO was deposited on FTO coated glass substrates by dip-coating method, whereas CdS nanorods were successfully synthesized on pre-deposited ZnO film by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) method. The Photovoltaic properties of FTO/ZnO/CdS bilayer photo electrodes were also studied. A maximum short circuit current density of 9.1 mA cm-2more » and conversion efficiency 1.05% are observed for ZnO/CdS-10min. Layer, which supports fast electron injection kinetics due to hetero structured nanorod, while minimum values of 0.53mA cm-2 and 0.01% respectively are observed for only ZnO deposited layer.« less

Behavioral and neurochemical pharmacology of six psychoactive substituted phenethylamines: mouse locomotion, rat drug discrimination and in vitro receptor and transporter binding and function.

PubMed

Eshleman, Amy J; Forster, Michael J; Wolfrum, Katherine M; Johnson, Robert A; Janowsky, Aaron; Gatch, Michael B

2014-03-01

Psychoactive-substituted phenethylamines 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chlorophenethylamine (2C-C); 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphenethylamine (2C-D); 2,5-dimethoxy-4-ethylphenethylamine (2C-E); 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenethylamine (2C-I); 2,5-dimethoxy-4-ethylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-2); and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC) are used recreationally and may have deleterious side effects. This study compares the behavioral effects and the mechanisms of action of these substituted phenethylamines with those of hallucinogens and a stimulant. The effects of these compounds on mouse locomotor activity and in rats trained to discriminate dimethyltryptamine, (-)-DOM, (+)-LSD, (±)-MDMA, and S(+)-methamphetamine were assessed. Binding and functional activity of the phenethylamines at 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C receptors and monoamine transporters were assessed using cells heterologously expressing these proteins. The phenethylamines depressed mouse locomotor activity, although 2C-D and 2C-E stimulated activity at low doses. The phenethylamines except 2C-T-2 fully substituted for at least one hallucinogenic training compound, but none fully substituted for (+)-methamphetamine. At 5-HT1A receptors, only 2C-T-2 and 2C-I were partial-to-full very low potency agonists. In 5-HT2A arachidonic acid release assays, the phenethylamines were partial to full agonists except 2C-I which was an antagonist. All compounds were full agonists at 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor inositol phosphate assays. Only 2C-I had moderate affinity for, and very low potency at, the serotonin transporter. The discriminative stimulus effects of 2C-C, 2C-D, 2C-E, 2C-I, and DOC were similar to those of several hallucinogens, but not methamphetamine. Additionally, the substituted phenethylamines were full agonists at 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors, but for 2C-T-2, this was not sufficient to produce hallucinogen-like discriminative stimulus effects. Additionally, the 5-HT2A inositol phosphate pathway may be important in 2C-I's psychoactive properties.

Behavioral and neurochemical pharmacology of six psychoactive substituted phenethylamines: Mouse locomotion, rat drug discrimination and in vitro receptor and transporter binding and function

PubMed Central

Eshleman, Amy J.; Forster, Michael J.; Wolfrum, Katherine M.; Johnson, Robert A.; Janowsky, Aaron; Gatch, Michael B.

2014-01-01

Rationale Psychoactive substituted phenethylamines 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chlorophenethylamine (2C-C); 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphenethylamine (2C-D); 2,5-dimethoxy-4-ethylphenethylamine (2C-E); 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenethylamine (2C-I); 2,5-dimethoxy-4-ethylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-2) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC) are used recreationally and may have deleterious side effects. Objectives This study compares behavioral effects and mechanisms of action of these substituted phenethylamines with those of hallucinogens and a stimulant. Methods The effects of these compounds on mouse locomotor activity and in rats trained to discriminate dimethyltryptamine, (−)DOM, (+)LSD, (±)MDMA and (S+)methamphetamine were assessed. Binding and functional activity of the phenethylamines at 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C receptors and monoamine transporters were assessed using cells heterologously expressing these proteins. Results The phenethylamines depressed mouse locomotor activity, although 2C-D and 2C-E stimulated activity at low doses. The phenethylamines except 2C-T-2 fully substituted for at least one hallucinogenic training compound but none fully substituted for (+)-methamphetamine. At 5-HT1A receptors, only 2C-T-2 and 2C-I were partial-to-full very low potency agonists. In 5-HT2A arachidonic acid release assays, the phenethylamines were partial to full agonists except 2C-I which was an antagonist. All compounds were full agonists at 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor inositol phosphate assays. Only 2C-I had moderate affinity for, and very low potency at, the serotonin transporter. Conclusions The discriminative stimulus effects of 2C-C, 2C-D, 2C-E, 2C-I and DOC were similar to those of several hallucinogens but not methamphetamine. Additionally, the substituted phenethylamines were full agonists at 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors, but for 2C-T-2, this was not sufficient to produce hallucinogenlike discriminative stimulus effects. Additionally, the 5-HT2A inositol phosphate pathway may be important in 2C-I’s psychoactive properties. PMID:24142203

TIOMAX: A Spanish Multicenter Registry of the real-world use of the TItanium OptiMAX® biostent: TIOMAX: Registro Español Multicéntrico Del Biostent De Titanio OptiMAX® En La Vida Real.

PubMed

López-Mínguez, José R; Nogales-Asensio, Juan M; Romani, Sebastián; Rivero-Crespo, Fernando; Aragón-Extremera, Victor M; Jiménez-Mazuecos, Jesús M; Carrasco, Fernando; Oteo-Domínguez, Juan Francisco; Bosa-Ojeda, Francisco; Gómez-Hospital, Joan A

2017-09-30

To compare the safety and efficacy of the new cobalt-chromium bioactive stent Titan Optimax ® (Hexacath, France) with its predecessor, Titan-2 ® . The TIOMAX registry includes 784 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with these stents in 21 Spanish hospitals. Analysis of all patients in the registry without exclusion criteria, candidates for revascularization (March-2013/July-2014). Initially 273 patients received Titan-2 ® , and the next 511 received the Optimax ® after its launch. Mean age was 65.8 ± 13.0 (78.1% men); 49.2% were STEACS patients (n = 322), 29.8% NSTEACS, and 27.3% had stable angina or silent ischemia. Most STEACS patients (76.4% of n = 322) were treated <24 hr after developing symptoms. All-cause death (D), cardiac death (CD), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and stent thrombosis (ST) at 1 month were 1.1, 0.8, 0.1, and 0.5%, respectively, with no significant differences between groups. At 1 year, the death rate was 5.5% for Titan-2 vs. 4.1% for Optimax ® , CD was 1.8% for both groups, ST 1.1 vs. 0.6%, new AMI 3.3 vs. 2.5% and target lesion revascularization (TLR) 3.7 vs. 2.9%. The primary endpoint of the composite event (CE) of D/AMI/TLR/ST occurred in 10.3% vs. 7.6% (p = 0.211). Patients with STEACS (N = 322: Titan-2/Optimax: 103/209) had better outcomes for secondary events, device-oriented failure CD/AMI/TLR (7.8% vs. 5.0%; p = 0.330), and non-fatal CE of AMI/ST/TLR (7.8% vs. 2.7%, p = 0.039). The Titan Optimax retains the efficacy and safety of Titan 2. It appears to perform better in the subgroup of STEACS patients, by reducing the non-fatal CE of AMI/ST/TLR. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Drinking water quality in the Ethiopian section of the East African Rift Valley I--data and health aspects.

PubMed

Reimann, Clemens; Bjorvatn, Kjell; Frengstad, Bjørn; Melaku, Zenebe; Tekle-Haimanot, Redda; Siewers, Ulrich

2003-07-20

Drinking water samples were collected throughout the Ethiopian part of the Rift Valley, separated into water drawn from deep wells (deeper than 60 m), shallow wells (<60 m deep), hot springs (T>36 degrees C), springs (T<32 degrees C) and rivers. A total of 138 samples were analysed for 70 parameters (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Br, Ca, Cd, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, F, Fe, Ga, Gd, Ge, Hf, Hg, Ho, I, In, K, La, Li, Lu, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Nd, Ni, NO(2), NO(3), Pb, Pr, Rb, Sb, Se, Si, Sm, Sn, SO(4), Sr, Ta, Tb, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, Tm, U, V, W, Y, Yb, Zn, Zr, temperature, pH, conductivity and alkalinity) with ion chromatography (anions), spectrometry (ICP-OES and ICP-MS, cations) and parameter-specific (e.g. titration) techniques. In terms of European water directives and WHO guidelines, 86% of all wells yield water that fails to pass the quality standards set for drinking water. The most problematic element is fluoride (F), for which 33% of all samples returned values above 1.5 mg/l and up to 11.6 mg/l. The incidence of dental and skeletal fluorosis is well documented in the Rift Valley. Another problematic element may be uranium (U)-47% of all wells yield water with concentrations above the newly suggested WHO maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) of 2 microg/l. Fortunately, only 7% of the collected samples are above the 10 microg/l EU-MAC for As in drinking water.

Capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry determination of inorganic ions using an ion spray-sheath flow interface.

PubMed

Huggins, T G; Henion, J D

1993-01-01

The determination of inorganic cations and anions by capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry (CE/MS) is reported using an ion spray-sheath flow interface coupling. A twelve-component synthetic mixture of cations which included the positive ions of K, Ba, Ca, Mn, Cd, Co, Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn, Ag, and Cu was loaded into the capillary column at levels ranging from 30 to 300 pg, separated by CE, and detected by indirect UV and in the full-scan (m/z 35-450) positive ion CE/MS mode using an aqueous buffer containing 30 mM creatinine and 8 mM alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid, pH 4.8. Creatinine forms adducts with the cations which are observed in the gas phase and requires rather high (120 electron volts) declustering energy to dissociate. This produces a reduction in charge state to form the free, singly charged, inorganic cations which are observed in the mass spectra. CE/MS analysis of an aqueous acidic extract of used aircraft engine oil revealed high levels of lead as well as lower levels of chromium and nickel. CE-indirect UV analysis of a synthetic mixture containing 300 pg each of 11 inorganic ions, which included the anions of Br, Cl, NO2, NO3, S2O3, N3, SCN, SO4, SeO4, oxalate, and MoO4, is shown. The running buffer which affected this separation contained 5 mM ammonium dichromate, 10 mM ammonium acetate, and 20 mM diethylenetriamine at pH 9.3. Although indirect UV detection revealed good separation of these anions, CE/MS analysis of this mixture was complicated by interfering ion current signals from the cluster ions formed by the interaction between the additives and the analytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bioavailability of heavy metals, germanium and rare earth elements at Davidschacht dump-field in mine affected area of Freiberg (Saxony)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Midula, Pavol; Wiche, Oliver

2016-04-01

Bioavailability research presents an essential tool, in modern phytoremediation and phytomining technologies, allowing the estimation of plant available fractions of elements in soils. However, up to date, sufficient interdisciplinary knowledge on the biogeochemically impacted behavior of specific target elements, in particular Ge and REEs in mining affected soils and their uptake into strategically used plants is lacking. This presented work is focused on a correlation study between the concentrations of selected heavy metals, Ge and REEs in soils formed on the top of the dump-field of Davidschacht and the corresponding their concentrations in 12 vascular plant species. The mine-dump of Davidschacht, situated in the Freiberg (Saxony, Germany) municipality area was chosen as the study area, which has been considered to be a high contaminated enclave, due to the mining history of the region. In total 12 sampling sites with differing composition of plant species were selected. At each sampling site soil samples from a soil depth of 0 - 10 cm and samples of plant material (shoots) were taken. The soil samples were analysed for total concentration of elements, pH (H2O) and consequently analysed by 4-step sequential extraction (SE) to determine fractions of elements that are mobile (fraction 1), acid soluble (pH 5) (fraction 2), bound to organic and oxidizable matter (fraction 3) and bound to amorphic oxides (fraction 4). The plant material was decomposed by hydrofluoric acid in order to extract the elements. Concentrations of elements in soil extracts and digestion solutions were analysed by ICP-MS. For all species bioconcentration factor (BCF) was calculated of the total concentration of elements in order to investigate the bioaccumulation potential. Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) were chosen as the representative heavy metals. Within the REEs neodymium (Nd) and cerium (Ce) were selected as representatives for all REEs, since Nd and Ce correlated significant with the other elements from this group. High amounts of As, Cd, Pb in mould horizons were proved. The surprisingly highest concentrations were determined for As (in average 3328 mg kg-1). The results of the pH measurement indicates acid conditions (in average 4.86, min. 3.89) for whole mine heap. Due to the mobility of Cd and Pb in acid environment, a high mobility of Cd in mobile soil fractions (in average 0.58 mg kg-1) was found, that seems to be responsible for the Cd pollution of Freiberger Mulde river, situated near the dump-field in the East direction from the studied area. The Pb content was in the average 1513 mg kg-1. SE analyses shows, that only the minor amounts of these metals were accounted in fractions I - IV (As: 7.75 %, Pb: 5.48 %, Cd: 26.77 %). The total Ge content in soil samples was 2.7 mg.kg-1in average. The concentrations of Nd and Ce were 17.7 mg kg-1and 38.5 mg kg-1, which is even lower than the average Nd and Ce contents in the Earth crust. However, the concentration of Ge was roughly a factor of two higher, than this average showing a large pool of Ge that could be accessed by phytoextraction. The SE analyses shows, that the average in fractions I - IV is even much lower, than in the case of the above mentioned heavy metals in comparison with Ge (1.75 %), Nd (3.28 %) and Ce (3.12 %). The BCF calculated for plants shows, that the only element, which could be possibly used as the object of phytoaccumulation is Cd (the BCF > 1) in species Populus tremula (3.0, 1.7), Spirea douglasii (1.4, 2.2) and Tanacetum vulgare (3.2, 1.3) at the most sampling places. Since these species represent the natural occurring vegetation of the dump, the use of these species together with soil amendments enhancing the plant availability of elements in soil fractions hold promise for phytoextraction of economically valuable metalloids and consequently an in situ bioremediation of the dump field. This work was realised with the support of Christin Jahns on behalf of the Saxonia company and financial supported by grant scheme VEGA 1/0538/15 . The authors are grateful to students and laboratory assistants contributing in the field work and sample preparation.

Profile of blinatumomab and its potential in the treatment of relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia

PubMed Central

Ribera, Josep-Maria; Ferrer, Albert; Ribera, Jordi; Genescà, Eulàlia

2015-01-01

The CD19 marker is expressed on the surface of normal and malignant immature or mature B-cells. On the other hand, immunotherapy involving T-cells is a promising modality of treatment for many neoplastic diseases including leukemias and lymphomas. The CD19/CD3-bispecific T-cell-engaging (BiTE®) monoclonal antibody blinatumomab can transiently engage cytotoxic T-cells to CD19+ target B-cells inducing serial perforin-mediated lysis. In the first clinical trial, blinatumomab showed efficacy in non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, but the most important trials have been conducted in relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and in ALL with minimal residual disease. Encouraging reports on the activity of blinatumomab in R/R Philadelphia chromosome-negative B-cell precursor ALL led to its approval by the US Food and Drug Administration on December 3, 2014 after an accelerated review process. This review focuses on the profile of blinatumomab and its activity in R/R ALL. PMID:26170691

[Application and usefulness of flowcytometry in the haematology laboratory].

PubMed

Kubota, K; Makino, M

1991-02-01

Recent technological advances, in both hardware and software, and availability of various monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) for membrane antigens of blood cells have expanded the application of flow cytometry (FCM) in medicine. In the haematology laboratory, FCM has been used mainly for assessment of leukemia and lymphoma and for determination of lymphocyte subsets. In acute leukemia, FCM is useful to classify ALL accurately, particularly for bi phenotypic or mixed lineage leukemia. In lymphocyte subset determination, we found that the use of magnetic beads to remove contaminating monocytes and some granulocytes to purify the lymphocyte-population is helpful in clarify the subsets. We present data describing the age dependent variation in lymphocyte subsets in the pediatric population. In early life (up to 2 years old), CD4 (+) 2H4 (+) lymphocyte overwhelmed CD4 (+) 2H4 (-) cells, implying predominance of suppressor-inducer activity. We also presented some cases of markedly increased double negative T cells (gamma/delta TCR) and a rare case of double positive (CD4+, CD8+) T cells.

Comparison of modification strategies towards enhanced charge carrier separation and photocatalytic degradation activity of metal oxide semiconductors (TiO2, WO3 and ZnO)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, S. Girish; Rao, K. S. R. Koteswara

2017-01-01

Metal oxide semiconductors (TiO2, WO3 and ZnO) finds unparalleled opportunity in wastewater purification under UV/visible light, largely encouraged by their divergent admirable features like stability, non-toxicity, ease of preparation, suitable band edge positions and facile generation of active oxygen species in the aqueous medium. However, the perennial failings of these photocatalysts emanates from the stumbling blocks like rapid charge carrier recombination and meager visible light response. In this review, tailoring the surface-bulk electronic structure through the calibrated and veritable approaches such as impurity doping, deposition with noble metals, sensitizing with other compounds (dyes, polymers, inorganic complexes and simple chelating ligands), hydrogenation process (annealing under hydrogen atmosphere), electronic integration with other semiconductors, modifying with carbon nanostructures, designing with exposed facets and tailoring with hierarchical morphologies to overcome their critical drawbacks are summarized. Taking into account the materials intrinsic properties, the pros and cons together with similarities and striking differences for each strategy in specific to TiO2, WO3 & ZnO are highlighted. These subtlety enunciates the primacy for improving the structure-electronic properties of metal oxides and credence to its fore in the practical applications. Future research must focus on comparing the performances of ZnO, TiO2 and WO3 in parallel to get insight into their photocatalytic behaviors. Such comparisons not only reveal the changed surface-electronic structure upon various modifications, but also shed light on charge carrier dynamics, free radical generation, structural stability and compatibility for photocatalytic reactions. It is envisioned that these cardinal tactics have profound implications and can be replicated to other semiconductor photocatalysts like CeO2, In2O3, Bi2O3, Fe2O3, BiVO4, AgX, BiOX (X = Cl, Br & I), Bi2WO6, Bi2MoO6, etc., to improve their competence for various environmental applications.

The Effect of Rare Earth Dopants in Crystal Structure of Bi-2212 Superconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suharta, W. G.; Widagda, IGA.; Putra, K.; Suyanto, H.

2017-03-01

Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+∂ samples have been successfully synthesized by doping rare earth (RE) variations using wet-mixing method. Samples calcined at 600°C for 3 hours and sintered at 850°C for 10 hours. The purpose of research is to determine the effect of the RE dopant on the microscopic structure of BSCRECO superconductors. Therefore, the research was conducted characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Measurements with XRD could be carried out and crystal system of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+∂ with rare earth (RE) dopants could be determined clearly. Generally, crystallization has occurred very well demonstrated by the diffraction peaks are sharp, which is dominated by the emergence of Bi-2212 phase. Search match results of XRD spectrum showed Bi2Sr2CuOx (2201) and Ca2CuO3 (21) as an impurity phase with small intensity. Also, that is showing volume fraction from 85 to 92% and orthorombic value for all samples from 5 to 7%. The effect of RE dopants resulted a shift angle 2θ and changes in the volume of the unit cells of each sample. The value of the unit cell volume of the largest to smallest is BS(CN)CO, BS(CNG)CO, BS(CNEG)CO, BS(CNE)CO, BS(CG)CO, BS(CEG)CO and BS(CE)CO. Measurement with FTIR showed the bending vibration absorption by CO3 2- in the wavelength range between 1500 and 1520 cm-1, vibration of M-O between 420 and 650 cm-1, the complex formation of BSCCO in the wavelength range between 1690 and 1700 cm-1. Measurement with SEM showed rod shape with particle size in hundreds nanometer.

Knowledge Based Concepts and Artificial Intelligence: Applications to Guidance and Control.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-08-01

S tC* I it t r,, h syste t reason bout te aa lbe t m orsm l Ai, , eptW*- iip - Iil" n tI , and the n ob ain th "est s lut on co sis en wih ht a~a la ...f CE C- flEcflCE co0 m E ’?- MCD.- CD . -V E .UEE M4)c > 1 1 > * EO- EN >’? CI-E ’k EC Cw 0?0 0C O C -5? M’ D- W La LEE JOC -EE) C LEV . 3 -C 3LE3UmV...while he is, troublehoomig the circuit I)F-)AI I is a winking proiotrrlt’ Iha will be esreided \\,i hln the IMR( -\\l I icril S,,csln- ctlop ilnt en

CE-QUAL-RIV1: A Dynamic, One-Dimensional (Longitudinal) Water Quality Model for Streams. User’s Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-11-01

Applying the chain rule: dB dB dH dB 1 (180) 95 It remains to calculate dBi/ dHi and dB i+1/dHi+ 1 . Now as calculation pro - ceeds from node to node...simulation models can be powerful tools for studying these issues. However, to be useful, the water quality model must be properly vuited for the problem...0 GN_1(QNANQN _1AN_ ) = 0 GN(QN,AN) = 0 (47) 44. The e. l solution of these nobi -e-.a. equations c .-n proceed in two ways. First the nonlinear terms

United States Army, Seventh Army Field Order No. 1 (ANVIL)

DTIC Science & Technology

1944-07-29

4471- FHANCE, 1/100,000, GSGS 4249. ’ FR..fu."JCE, road maps, 1/200,000, GSGS 4238. FR.~~CE, 1/250,000, GSGS 2738. Target Area Beach panoramas . All...8217These plants are link.... ed to the thermal plants in the nor-th by a high tension. grid system of 150 and 220 kv, . b. The hydro-electric piants in...Saint-Lary Soulcm Trame zaygues ~ Sms~M’·- BIGOT ANVIL BAY OF BI~ ~: Thermal II II .§PANISH BORDE1t Type: Hydro 11 11 11 II II 11 "" "II "II tI "" II

SIGIR Quarterly Report to the United States Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-30

Ir aq a nd Af gh an is ta n, 2 00 4 D ep ar tm en t of D ef...co ve ry , an d Ir aq Ac co un ta bi li ty Ap pr op ri at io ns Ac t, 20 07 20 07 F o re ig n As si st an ce Co nt in ui ng Re so...6/ 15 /2 00 6 9/ 29 /2 00 6 5/ 25 /2 00 7 12 /2 1/ 20 07 12 /2 6/ 20 07 6/ 30 /2 00 8 6/ 30 /2 00 8 M aj or F un di ng S tr ea

Gamma-radiolytic preparation of multi-component oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Procházková, Lenka; Bárta, Jan; Čuba, Václav; Ekberg, Christian; Tietze, Sabrina; Jakubec, Ivo

2016-07-01

The preparation of solid precursors to Zn1-xCdxO and (Lu,Y)3Al5O12:Ce induced by 60Co gamma-ray irradiation of aqueous solutions containing soluble metal salts and ammonium formate is presented. Due to the irradiation, crystalline zinc carbonate hydroxide Zn4(CO3)(OH)6·H2O or amorphous carbonates of Lu, Y and Al were formed in the solutions. After calcination at 500 °C, the agglomerated phase-pure Zn1-xCdxO with crystallite size about 50 nm was obtained if the Cd concentration in solutions remained below 16 M% (with respect to Zn) with x being up to 0.035. The solid precursors to garnets contained the intended concentration of all elements, according to X-ray fluorescence analysis. After calcination at 1200 °C in mild vacuum, the respective phase-pure garnets with crystallite size 100 nm or their solid solution were produced when the Ce dopation was kept below 2 M% (with respect to rare-earth metals). The Ce solubility in the garnet lattice was estimated as 1-2 M% at the calcination conditions used.

Geochemical record of high emperor penguin populations during the Little Ice Age at Amanda Bay, Antarctica.

PubMed

Huang, Tao; Yang, Lianjiao; Chu, Zhuding; Sun, Liguang; Yin, Xijie

2016-09-15

Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) are sensitive to the Antarctic climate change because they breed on the fast sea ice. Studies of paleohistory for the emperor penguin are rare, due to the lack of archives on land. In this study, we obtained an emperor penguin ornithogenic sediment profile (PI) and performed geochronological, geochemical and stable isotope analyses on the sediments and feather remains. Two radiocarbon dates of penguin feathers in PI indicate that emperor penguins colonized Amanda Bay as early as CE 1540. By using the bio-elements (P, Se, Hg, Zn and Cd) in sediments and stable isotope values (δ(15)N and δ(13)C) in feathers, we inferred relative population size and dietary change of emperor penguins during the period of CE 1540-2008, respectively. An increase in population size with depleted N isotope ratios for emperor penguins on N island at Amanda Bay during the Little Ice Age (CE 1540-1866) was observed, suggesting that cold climate affected the penguin's breeding habitat, prey availability and thus their population and dietary composition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Préparation et caracterisation de composites ll verre-supraconducteur gg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roblin-Semène, L.; Pradel, A.; Ribes, M.; Belouet, C.

1994-11-01

Several types of " glass/superconductor " composites were prepared by a uniaxial hot pressing method. The BiSrCaCuO oxides were the materials under investigation in this work. A preliminary study of glasses obtained in this BiSrCaCuO system indicated that phase separation with nodules of 50 to 100 nm generally occurs. Glasses used as parts of composites are : 1) PbOB2O3 ones because of their low transition temperature and their large thermal stability which were favourable to texturation of superconducting grains, 2) BiSrCaCuO (2212, 2223, 4334) glasses because further recrystallisation could be carried out to improve grain connectivity and at last 3) mixture of BiSrCaCuO glass and V2O5 or PbO-B2O3 to insure a compromise between texturing and connectivity. Resistivity and current density measurements indicated that these types of composites were potential candidates for use as current limiters. Différents composites " verre/supraconducteur " ont été préparés par pressage à chaud uniaxial. Nos travaux ont porté sur les oxydes " BiSrCaCuO ". Une étude préalable des verres de ce système a permis de mettre en évidence une séparation de phase avec présence de nodules dont la taille est comprise entre 50 et 100 nm. Les verres choisis pour l'élaboration de ces composites ont été : 1 ) le verre PbO-B2O3 dont la basse température de transition vitreuse et la grande stabilité thermique étaient des éléments favorables à une bonne texturation des grains supraconducteurs, 2) les verres BiSrCaCuO purs (2212, 2223, 4334) dont la recristallisation partielle par recuit a posteriori devait assurer une meilleure connectivité entre grains, et enfin 3) des mélanges " BiSrCaCuO (V) " + V2O5 OU PbO-B2O3 qui devaient permettre d'assurer un compromis entre texturation et connectivité. Les mesures de résistivité et de densité de courant montrent que ces composites sont de bons candidats pour des applications de limiteur de courant.

Sci-Thur AM: YIS – 04: Stopping power-to-Cherenkov power ratios and beam quality specification for clinical Cherenkov emission dosimetry of electrons: beam-specific effects and experimental validation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zlateva, Yana; Seuntjens, Jan; El Naqa, Issam

Purpose: To advance towards clinical Cherenkov emission (CE)-based dosimetry by investigating beam-specific effects on Monte Carlo-calculated electron-beam stopping power-to-CE power ratios (SCRs), addressing electron beam quality specification in terms of CE, and validating simulations with measurements. Methods: The EGSnrc user code SPRRZnrc, used to calculate Spencer-Attix stopping-power ratios, was modified to instead calculate SCRs. SCRs were calculated for 6- to 22-MeV clinical electron beams from Varian TrueBeam, Clinac 21EX, and Clinac 2100C/D accelerators. Experiments were performed with a 20-MeV electron beam from a Varian TrueBeam accelerator, using a diffraction grating spectrometer with optical fiber input and a cooled back-illuminated CCD.more » A fluorophore was dissolved in the water to remove CE signal anisotropy. Results: It was found that angular spread of the incident beam has little effect on the SCR (≤ 0.3% at d{sub max}), while both the electron spectrum and photon contamination increase the SCR at shallow depths and decrease it at large depths. A universal data fit of R{sub 50} in terms of C{sub 50} (50% CE depth) revealed a strong linear dependence (R{sup 2} > 0.9999). The SCR was fit with a Burns-type equation (R{sup 2} = 0.9974, NRMSD = 0.5%). Below-threshold incident radiation was found to have minimal effect on beam quality specification (< 0.1%). Experiments and simulations were in good agreement. Conclusions: Our findings confirm the feasibility of the proposed CE dosimetry method, contingent on computation of SCRs from additional accelerators and on further experimental validation. This work constitutes an important step towards clinical high-resolution out-of-beam CE dosimetry.« less

Extensive CD4 and CD8 T-cell cross-reactivity between alphaherpesviruses1

PubMed Central

Dong, Lichun; Russell, Ronnie M.; Barlow, Russell S.; Haas, Juergen G.; Ramchandani, Meena S.; Johnston, Christine; Buus, Soren; Redwood, Alec J.; White, Katie D.; Mallal, Simon A.; Phillips, Elizabeth J.; Posavad, Christine M.; Wald, Anna; Koelle, David M.

2015-01-01

The alphaherpesvirinae subfamily includes HSV types 1 and 2 and the sequence-divergent pathogen varicella zoster virus (VZV). T cells, controlled by TCR and HLA molecules that tolerate limited epitope amino acid variation, might cross-react between these microbes. We show that memory PBMC expansion with either HSV or VZV enriches for CD4 T cell lines that recognize the other agent at the whole virus, protein, and peptide levels, consistent with bi-directional cross-reactivity. HSV-specific CD4 T cells recovered from HSV seronegative persons can be partially explained by such VZV cross-reactivity. HSV-1-reactive CD8 T cells also cross-react with VZV-infected cells, full-length VZV proteins, and VZV peptides, and kill VZV-infected dermal fibroblasts. Mono- and cross-reactive CD8 T cells use distinct TCRB CDR3 sequences. Cross-reactivity to VZV is reconstituted by cloning and expressing TCRA/TCRB receptors from T-cells that are initially isolated using HSV reagents. Overall, we define 13 novel CD4 and CD8 HSV-VZV cross-reactive epitopes and strongly imply additional cross-reactive peptide sets. Viral proteins can harbor both CD4 and CD8 HSV/VZV cross-reactive epitopes. Quantitative estimates of HSV/VZV cross-reactivity for both CD4 and CD8 T cells vary from 10-50%. Based on these findings, we hypothesize host herpesvirus immune history may influence the pathogenesis and clinical outcome of subsequent infections or vaccinations for related pathogens, and that cross-reactive epitopes and TCRs may be useful for multi-alphaherpesvirus vaccine design and adoptive cellular therapy. PMID:26810224

Structural and chemical evolution of the CdS:O window layer during individual CdTe solar cell processing steps

DOE PAGES

Abbas, A.; Meysing, D. M.; Reese, M. O.; ...

2017-12-01

Oxygenated cadmium sulfide (CdS:O) is often used as the n-type window layer in high-performance CdTe heterojunction solar cells. The as-deposited layer prepared by reactive sputtering is XRD amorphous, with a bulk composition of CdS0.8O1.2. Recently it was shown that this layer undergoes significant transformation during device fabrication, but the roles of the individual high temperature processing steps was unclear. In this work high resolution transmission electron microscopy coupled to elemental analysis was used to understand the evolution of the heterojunction region through the individual high temperature fabrication steps of CdTe deposition, CdCl2 activation, and back contact activation. It is foundmore » that during CdTe deposition by close spaced sublimation at 600 degrees C the CdS:O film undergoes recrystallization, accompanied by a significant (~30%) reduction in thickness. It is observed that oxygen segregates during this step, forming a bi-layer morphology consisting of nanocrystalline CdS adjacent to the tin oxide contact and an oxygen-rich layer adjacent to the CdTe absorber. This bilayer structure is then lost during the 400 degrees C CdCl2 treatment where the film transforms into a heterogeneous structure with cadmium sulfate clusters distributed randomly throughout the window layer. The thickness of window layer remains essentially unchanged after CdCl2 treatment, but a ~25 nm graded interfacial layer between CdTe and the window region is formed. Finally, the rapid thermal processing step used to activate the back contact was found to have a negligible impact on the structure or composition of the heterojunction region.« less

Structural and chemical evolution of the CdS:O window layer during individual CdTe solar cell processing steps

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abbas, A.; Meysing, D. M.; Reese, M. O.

Oxygenated cadmium sulfide (CdS:O) is often used as the n-type window layer in high-performance CdTe heterojunction solar cells. The as-deposited layer prepared by reactive sputtering is XRD amorphous, with a bulk composition of CdS0.8O1.2. Recently it was shown that this layer undergoes significant transformation during device fabrication, but the roles of the individual high temperature processing steps was unclear. In this work high resolution transmission electron microscopy coupled to elemental analysis was used to understand the evolution of the heterojunction region through the individual high temperature fabrication steps of CdTe deposition, CdCl2 activation, and back contact activation. It is foundmore » that during CdTe deposition by close spaced sublimation at 600 degrees C the CdS:O film undergoes recrystallization, accompanied by a significant (~30%) reduction in thickness. It is observed that oxygen segregates during this step, forming a bi-layer morphology consisting of nanocrystalline CdS adjacent to the tin oxide contact and an oxygen-rich layer adjacent to the CdTe absorber. This bilayer structure is then lost during the 400 degrees C CdCl2 treatment where the film transforms into a heterogeneous structure with cadmium sulfate clusters distributed randomly throughout the window layer. The thickness of window layer remains essentially unchanged after CdCl2 treatment, but a ~25 nm graded interfacial layer between CdTe and the window region is formed. Finally, the rapid thermal processing step used to activate the back contact was found to have a negligible impact on the structure or composition of the heterojunction region.« less

Immunity War: A Novel Therapy for Lymphoma Using T-cell Bispecific Antibodies.

PubMed

Prakash, Ajay; Diefenbach, Catherine S

2018-06-08

The activity of T cell mediated immunotherapies in B cell lymphoma has been limited to date. The novel bi-specific antibody CD20-TCB, has a 2:1 antibody design to maximize T cell engagement, and demonstrates activity in preclinical models. This may represent a novel therapeutic approach for patients with relapsed/refractory NHL. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

High Frequency Analog LSI Development.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-11-12

made to incorporate more optimal values through appropriate series or parallel connection of the four capacitors embedded on chip. The use of SPICE-2...collector of Q4 to about 50Q with some inductive reactance at the output. An external capacitor in series with the chip output serves as a DC block...by Under authority of CE Holland, Head CD Pierson, Jr, Head Advanced Applications Electronics Engineering Division and Sciences Department / f

[The spectrogram characteristics of organic blue-emissive light-emitting excitated YAG : Ce phosphor].

PubMed

Xi, Jian-Fei; Zhang, Fang-Hui; Mu, Qiang; Zhang, Mai-Li

2011-09-01

It is demonstrated that the panchromatic luminescence devices with organic blue-emissive light-emitting was fabricated. This technique used down conversion, which was already popular in inorganic power LEDs to obtain white light emission. A blue OLED device with a configuration of ITO/2T-NATA (30 nm)/AND : TBPe (50 Wt%, 40 nm)/Alq3 (100 nm)/LiF(1 nm)/Al(100 nm) was prepared via vacuum deposition process, and then coated with YAG : Ce phosphor layers of different thicknesses to obtain a controllable and uniform shape while the CIE coordinates were fine tuned. This development not only decreased steps of technics and degree of difficulty, but also applied the mature technology of phosphor. The results showed that steady spectrogram was obtained in the devices with phosphor, with a best performance of a maximum luminance of 13 840 cd x m(-2) which was about 2 times of that of the devices without phosphor; a maximum current efficiency of 17.3 cd x A(-1) was increased more two times more than the devices without phosphor. The emission spectrum could be adjusted by varying the concentration and thickness of the phosphor layers. Absoulte spectrogram of devices was in direct proportion with different driving current corresponding.

Cerium dioxide nanoparticles exacerbate house dust mite induced type II airway inflammation.

PubMed

Meldrum, Kirsty; Robertson, Sarah B; Römer, Isabella; Marczylo, Tim; Dean, Lareb S N; Rogers, Andrew; Gant, Timothy W; Smith, Rachel; Tetley, Terry D; Leonard, Martin O

2018-05-23

Nanomaterial inhalation represents a potential hazard for respiratory conditions such as asthma. Cerium dioxide nanoparticles (CeO 2 NPs) have the ability to modify disease outcome but have not been investigated for their effect on models of asthma and inflammatory lung disease. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of CeO 2 NPs in a house dust mite (HDM) induced murine model of asthma. Repeated intranasal instillation of CeO 2 NPs in the presence of HDM caused the induction of a type II inflammatory response, characterised by increased bronchoalveolar lavage eosinophils, mast cells, total plasma IgE and goblet cell metaplasia. This was accompanied by increases in IL-4, CCL11 and MCPT1 gene expression together with increases in the mucin and inflammatory regulators CLCA1 and SLC26A4. CLCA1 and SLC26A4 were also induced by CeO 2 NPs + HDM co-exposure in air liquid interface cultures of human primary bronchial epithelial cells. HDM induced airway hyperresponsiveness and airway remodelling in mice were not altered with CeO 2 NPs co-exposure. Repeated HMD instillations followed by a single exposure to CeO 2 NPs failed to produce changes in type II inflammatory endpoints but did result in alterations in the neutrophil marker CD177. Treatment of mice with CeO 2 NPs in the absence of HDM did not have any significant effects. RNA-SEQ was used to explore early effects 24 h after single treatment exposures. Changes in SAA3 expression paralleled increased neutrophil BAL levels, while no changes in eosinophil or lymphocyte levels were observed. HDM resulted in a strong induction of type I interferon and IRF3 dependent gene expression, which was inhibited with CeO 2 NPs co-exposure. Changes in the expression of genes including CCL20, CXCL10, NLRC5, IRF7 and CLEC10A suggest regulation of dendritic cells, macrophage functionality and IRF3 modulation as key early events in how CeO 2 NPs may guide pulmonary responses to HDM towards type II inflammation. CeO 2 NPs were observed to modulate the murine pulmonary response to house dust mite allergen exposure towards a type II inflammatory environment. As this type of response is present within asthmatic endotypes this finding may have implications for how occupational or incidental exposure to CeO 2 NPs should be considered for those susceptible to disease.

SU-C-201-07: Towards Clinical Cherenkov Emission Dosimetry: Stopping Power-To-Cherenkov Power Ratios and Beam Quality Specification of Clinical Electron Beams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zlateva, Y; Seuntjens, J; El Naqa, I

Purpose: We propose a Cherenkov emission (CE)-based reference dosimetry method, which in contrast to ionization chamber-based dosimetry, employs spectrum-averaged electron restricted mass collision stopping power-to-Cherenkov power ratios (SCRs), and we examine Monte Carlo-calculated SCRs and beam quality specification of clinical electron beams. Methods: The EGSnrc user code SPRRZnrc was modified to compute SCRs instead of stopping-power ratios (single medium: water; cut-off: CE threshold (observing Spencer-Attix conditions); CE power: Frank-Tamm). SCRs are calculated with BEAMnrc for realistic electron beams with nominal energies of 6–22 MeV from three Varian accelerators (TrueBeam Clinac 21EX, Clinac 2100C/D) and for mono-energetic beams of energies equalmore » to the mean electron energy at the water surface. Sources of deviation between clinical and mono-energetic SCRs are analyzed quantitatively. A universal fit for the beam-quality index R{sub 50} in terms of the depth of 50% CE C{sub 50} is carried out. Results: SCRs at reference depth are overestimated by mono-energetic values by up to 0.2% for a 6-MeV beam and underestimated by up to 2.3% for a 22-MeV beam. The variation is mainly due to the clinical beam spectrum and photon contamination. Beam angular spread has a small effect across all depths and energies. The influence of the electron spectrum becomes increasingly significant at large depths, while at shallow depths and high beam energies photon contamination is predominant (up to 2.0%). The universal data fit reveals a strong linear correlation between R{sub 50} and C{sub 50} (ρ > 0.99999). Conclusion: CE is inherent to radiotherapy beams and can be detected outside the beam with available optical technologies, which makes it an ideal candidate for out-of-beam high-resolution 3D dosimetry. Successful clinical implementation of CE dosimetry hinges on the development of robust protocols for converting measured CE to radiation dose. Our findings constitute a key step towards clinical CE dosimetry.« less

Aripiprazole-Cyclodextrin Binary Systems for Dissolution Enhancement: Effect of Preparation Technique, Cyclodextrin Type and Molar Ratio

PubMed Central

M. Badr-Eldin, Shaimaa; A. Ahmed, Tarek; R Ismail, Hatem

2013-01-01

Objective(s): The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of the natural and the chemically modified form of cyclodextrins namely; β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) respectively on the solubility and dissolution rate of aripiprazole; an antipsychotic medication showing poor aqueous solubility. Materials and Methods: Phase solubility of aripiprazole with the studied CDs and the complexation efficiency values (CE) which reflect the solubilizing power of the CDs towards the drug was performed. Solid binary systems of aripiprazole with CDs were prepared by kneading, microwave irradiation and freeze-drying techniques at 1:1 and 1:2 (drug to CD) molar ratios. Drug-CD physical mixtures were also prepared in the same molar ratios for comparison. The dissolution of aripiprazole-binary systems was carried out to select the most appropriate CD type, molar ratio and preparation technique. Results: Phase solubility study indicated formation of higher order complexes and the complexation efficiency values was higher for HP-β-CD compared to β-CD. Drug dissolution study revealed that aripiprazole dissolution was increased upon increasing the CD molar ratio and, the freeze-drying technique was superior to the other studied methods especially when combined with the HP-β-CD. The cyclodextrin type, preparation technique and molar ratio exhibited statistically significant effect on the drug dissolution at P≤ 0.05. Conclusion: The freeze-dried system prepared at molar ratio 1:2 (drug: CD) can be considered as efficient tool for enhancing aripiprazole dissolution with the possibility of improving its bioavailability. PMID:24570827

Tetravalent anti-CD20/CD3 bispecific antibody for the treatment of B cell lymphoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Chia-Yen; Chen, Gregory J.; Tai, Pei-Han

Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) are second generation antibodies for therapeutic application in immunotherapy. One of the major strategies of the bsAb platform is the recruitment of immune effector T cells by incorporating an anti-CD3 domain. A bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE), with one end having an affinity for CD3 and the other end with affinity for CD19, has been approved in the US and Europe for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, due to their small size and lack of Fc region, these single-chain variable fragment (scFv) bsAbs have short half-lives in vivo. Additionally, poor solubility, structural instability, and low production yieldsmore » have also become major challenges in the bulk production process. To overcome these challenges, we have engineered a tetravalent bsAb with bivalent binding specificity for the CD20 and CD3 antigen in an immunoglobulin G (IgG) format. The fusion of the anti-CD3 scFvs to the CD20 antibody via a linker-hinge domain (LHD) results in improved antibody stabilization and properties. Here we demonstrate this antibody's highly efficient cancer cell elimination in a dose-dependent manner in a CD20-expressing B lymphoblastoid cell line in vitro. Our data suggest the potential clinical application of this bsAb for the treatment of CD20-expressing B cell malignancies. - Highlights: • A bispecific antibody (bsAb) can increase immunotherapeutic efficacy. • A tetravalent bsAb with binding specificity for the CD20 and CD3 antigens is proposed. • A linker-hinge domain (LHD) within the bsAb results in improved antibody properties.« less

From Blood Islands to Blood Vessels: Morphologic Observations and Expression of Key Molecules during Hyaloid Vascular System Development

PubMed Central

McLeod, D. Scott; Hasegawa, Takuya; Baba, Takayuki; Grebe, Rhonda; Galtier d'Auriac, Ines; Merges, Carol; Edwards, Malia; Lutty, Gerard A.

2012-01-01

Purpose. The mode of development of the human hyaloid vascular system (HVS) remains unclear. Early studies suggested that these blood vessels formed by vasculogenesis, while the current concept seems to favor angiogenesis as the mode of development. We examined embryonic and fetal human HVS using a variety of techniques to gain new insights into formation of this vasculature. Methods. Embryonic and fetal human eyes from 5.5 to 12 weeks gestation (WG) were prepared for immunohistochemical analysis or for light and electron microscopy. Immunolabeling of sections with a panel of antibodies directed at growth factors, transcription factors, and hematopoietic stem cell markers was employed. Results. Light microscopic examination revealed free blood islands (BI) in the embryonic vitreous cavity (5.5–7 WG). Giemsa stain revealed that BI were aggregates of mesenchymal cells and primitive nucleated erythroblasts. Free cells were also observed. Immunolabeling demonstrated that BI were composed of mesenchymal cells that expressed hemangioblast markers (CD31, CD34, C-kit, CXCR4, Runx1, and VEGFR2), erythroblasts that expressed embryonic hemoglobin (Hb-ε), and cells that expressed both. Few cells were proliferating as determined by lack of Ki67 antigen. As development progressed (12 WG), blood vessels became more mature structurally with pericyte investment and basement membrane formation. Concomitantly, Hb-ε and CXCR4 expression was down-regulated and von Willebrand factor expression was increased with the formation of Weibel-Palade bodies. Conclusions. Our results support the view that the human HVS, like the choriocapillaris, develops by hemo-vasculogenesis, the process by which vasculogenesis, erythropoiesis, and hematopoiesis occur simultaneously from common precursors, hemangioblasts. PMID:23092923

Atrial Arrhythmia in Ageing Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats: Unraveling the Substrate in Hypertension and Ageing

PubMed Central

Lau, Dennis H.; Shipp, Nicholas J.; Kelly, Darren J.; Thanigaimani, Shivshankar; Neo, Melissa; Kuklik, Pawel; Lim, Han S.; Zhang, Yuan; Drury, Karen; Wong, Christopher X.; Chia, Nicholas H.; Brooks, Anthony G.; Dimitri, Hany; Saint, David A.; Brown, Lindsay; Sanders, Prashanthan

2013-01-01

Background Both ageing and hypertension are known risk factors for atrial fibrillation (AF) although the pathophysiological contribution or interaction of the individual factors remains poorly understood. Here we aim to delineate the arrhythmogenic atrial substrate in mature spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Methods SHR were studied at 12 and 15 months of age (n = 8 per group) together with equal numbers of age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto control rats (WKY). Electrophysiologic study was performed on superfused isolated right and left atrial preparations using a custom built high-density multiple-electrode array to determine effective refractory periods (ERP), atrial conduction and atrial arrhythmia inducibility. Tissue specimens were harvested for structural analysis. Results Compared to WKY controls, the SHR demonstrated: Higher systolic blood pressure (p<0.0001), bi-atrial enlargement (p<0.05), bi-ventricular hypertrophy (p<0.05), lower atrial ERP (p = 0.008), increased atrial conduction heterogeneity (p = 0.001) and increased atrial interstitial fibrosis (p = 0.006) & CD68-positive macrophages infiltration (p<0.0001). These changes resulted in higher atrial arrhythmia inducibility (p = 0.01) and longer induced AF episodes (p = 0.02) in 15-month old SHR. Ageing contributed to incremental bi-atrial hypertrophy (p<0.01) and atrial conduction heterogeneity (p<0.01) without affecting atrial ERP, fibrosis and arrhythmia inducibility. The limited effect of ageing on the atrial substrate may be secondary to the reduction in CD68-positive macrophages. Conclusions Significant atrial electrical and structural remodeling is evident in the ageing spontaneously hypertensive rat atria. Concomitant hypertension appears to play a greater pathophysiological role than ageing despite their compounding effect on the atrial substrate. Inflammation is pathophysiologically linked to the pro-fibrotic changes in the hypertensive atria. PMID:24013508

The Ce-Ni-Si system as a representative of the rare earth-Ni-Si family: Isothermal section and new rare-earth nickel silicides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morozkin, A.V., E-mail: morozkin@tech.chem.msu.ru; Knotko, A.V.; Garshev, A.V.

The Ce-Ni-Si system has been investigated at 870/1070 K by X-ray and microprobe analyses. The existence of the known compounds, i.e.: Ce{sub 2}Ni{sub 15.8}Si{sub 1.2} (Th{sub 2}Ni{sub 17}-type), Ce{sub 2}Ni{sub 15-14}Si{sub 2-3} (Th{sub 2}Zn{sub 17}-type), CeNi{sub 8.6}Si{sub 2.4} (BaCd{sub 11}-type), CeNi{sub 8.8}Si{sub 4.2} (LaCo{sub 9}Si{sub 4}-type), CeNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} (CeNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}-type), CeNi{sub 5}Si{sub 1-0.3} (TbCu{sub 7}-type), CeNi{sub 4}Si (YNi{sub 4}Si-type), CeNi{sub 2}Si{sub 2} (CeGa{sub 2}Al{sub 2}-type), Ce{sub 2}Ni{sub 3}Si{sub 5} (U{sub 2}Co{sub 3}Si{sub 5}-type), Ce{sub 3}Ni{sub 6}Si{sub 2} (Ce{sub 3}Ni{sub 6}Si{sub 2}-type), Ce{sub 3}Ni{sub 4}Si{sub 4} (U{sub 3}Ni{sub 4}Si{sub 4}-type), CeNiSi{sub 2} (CeNiSi{sub 2}-type), ~CeNi{sub 1.3}Si{sub 0.7} (unknown typemore » structure), Ce{sub 6}Ni{sub 7}Si{sub 4} (Pr{sub 6}Ni{sub 7}Si{sub 4}-type), CeNiSi (LaPtSi-type), CeNi{sub 0.8-0.3}Si{sub 1.2-1.7} (AlB{sub 2}-type), ~Ce{sub 2}Ni{sub 2}Si (unknown type structure), ~Ce{sub 4.5}Ni{sub 3.5}Si{sub 2} (unknown type structure), Ce{sub 15}Ni{sub 7}Si{sub 10} (Pr{sub 15}Ni{sub 7}Si{sub 10}-type), Ce{sub 5}Ni{sub 1.85}Si{sub 3} (Ce{sub 5}Ni{sub 1.85}Si{sub 3}-type), Ce{sub 6}Ni{sub 1.4}Si{sub 3.4} (Ce{sub 6}Ni{sub 1.67}Si{sub 3}-type), Ce{sub 7}Ni{sub 2}Si{sub 5} (Ce{sub 7}Ni{sub 2}Si{sub 5}-type) and Ce{sub 3}NiSi{sub 3} (Y{sub 3}NiSi{sub 3}-type) has been confirmed in this section. Moreover, the type structure has been determined for ~Ce{sub 2}Ni{sub 2}Si (Mo{sub 2}NiB{sub 2}-type Ce{sub 2}Ni{sub 2.5}Si{sub 0.5}) and ~Ce{sub 4.5}Ni{sub 3.5}Si{sub 2} (W{sub 3}CoB{sub 3}-type Ce{sub 3}Ni{sub 3-2.7}Si{sub 1-1.3}) and new ternary phases Ce{sub 2}Ni{sub 6.25}Si{sub 0.75} (Gd{sub 2}Co{sub 7}-type), CeNi{sub 7-7.6}Si{sub 6-5.4} (GdNi{sub 7}Si{sub 6}-type) and ~Ce{sub 27}Ni{sub 42}Si{sub 31} (unknown type structure) have been identified in this system. Quasi-binary phases, solid solutions, were detected at 870/1070 K for CeNi{sub 5}, CeNi{sub 3} and CeSi{sub 2}; while no appreciable solubility was observed for the other binary compounds of the Ce-Ni-Si system. As a prolongation of Rare Earth-Ni-Si system’s isostructural rows, LaNi{sub 7}Si{sub 6} and YNi{sub 6.6}Si{sub 6.1} (GdNi{sub 7}Si{sub 6}-type), ScNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} (YCo{sub 6}Ge{sub 6}-type), NdNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6} (YNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}-type), (Tb, Ho){sub 2}Ni{sub 15}Si{sub 2} (Th{sub 2}Zn{sub 17}-type), Nd{sub 2}Ni{sub 2.3}Si{sub 0.7} and Sm{sub 2}Ni{sub 2.2}Si{sub 0.8} (Mo{sub 2}NiB{sub 2}-type), Nd{sub 3}Ni{sub 2.55}Si{sub 1.45} (W{sub 3}CoB{sub 3}-type) and (Tb, Dy){sub 7}Ni{sub 50}Si{sub 19} (Y{sub 7}Ni{sub 49}Si{sub 20}-type) compounds were synthesized and investigated. Magnetic properties of the CeNi{sub 6}Si{sub 6}, CeNi{sub 7}Si{sub 6}, CeNi{sub 8.8}Si{sub 4.2}, Ce{sub 6}Ni{sub 7}Si{sub 4}, CeNi{sub 5}Si, Ce{sub 2}Ni{sub 2.5}Si{sub 0.5}, Nd{sub 2}Ni{sub 2.3}Si{sub 0.7} and Dy{sub 7}Ni{sub 50}Si{sub 19} compounds have also been investigated and are presented here. - Highlights: • Ce-Ni-Si isothermal section was obtained at 870/1070 K. • Twenty one known ternary cerium nickel silicides were confirmed in Ce-Ni-Si. • Five new cerium nickel silicides were detected in Ce-Ni-Si. • Eleven new rare earth nickel silicides were detected in R-Ni-Si. • Magnetic properties of eight rare earth nickel silicides were investigated.« less

Dispersive solid-phase microextraction and capillary electrophoresis separation of food colorants in beverages using diamino moiety functionalized silica nanoparticles as both extractant and pseudostationary phase.

PubMed

Liu, Feng-Jie; Liu, Chuan-Ting; Li, Wei; Tang, An-Na

2015-01-01

In this work, a new method for the determination of food colorants in beverage samples is developed, using diamino moiety functionalized silica nanoparticles (dASNPs) as both adsorbents in dispersive solid-phase microextraction (dSPME) and pseudostationary phases (PSPs) in capillary electrophoresis (CE) separation. dASNPs were firstly used as adsorbents for the preconcentration of four colorants by the dSPME process. After that, colorants were efficiently separated by CE using 30 mM phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) containing 2 mM β-CD and 0.9 mg/mL dASNPs as additives. All factors influencing dSPME and CE separations were optimized in detail. The investigated analytes showed good linearities with correlation coefficients (R(2)) higher than 0.9932. The limits of detection for the four food colorants were between 0.030 and 0.36 mg/L, which are lower than those reported previously. The established method was also used to analyze four colorants in beverage samples with recoveries ranging from 82.7% to 114.6%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time to use NPs both as extractants in dSPME and pseudostationary phases in CE for the analytical purpose. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improved performance of CdSe/CdS co-sensitized solar cells adopting efficient CuS counter electrode modified by PbS film using SILAR method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaolong; Lin, Yu; Wu, Jihuai; Fang, Biaopeng; Zeng, Jiali

2018-04-01

In this paper, CuS film was deposited onto fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate using a facile chemical bath deposition method, and then modified by PbS using simple successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method with different cycles. These CuS/PbS films were utilized as counter electrodes (CEs) for CdSe/CdS co-sensitized solar cells. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer was used to characterize the CuS/PbS films. The results show that CuS/PbS (10 cycles) CE exhibits an improved power conversion efficiency of 5.54% under the illumination of one sun (100 mW cm-2), which is higher than the CuS/PbS (0 cycles), CuS/PbS (5 cycles), and CuS/PbS (15 cycles) CEs. This enhancement is mainly attributed to good catalytic activity and lower charge-transfer and series resistances, which have been proved by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Tafel polarization measurements.

A Spanish model for quantification and management of construction waste.

PubMed

Solís-Guzmán, Jaime; Marrero, Madelyn; Montes-Delgado, Maria Victoria; Ramírez-de-Arellano, Antonio

2009-09-01

Currently, construction and demolition waste (C&D waste) is a worldwide issue that concerns not only governments but also the building actors involved in construction activity. In Spain, a new national decree has been regulating the production and management of C&D waste since February 2008. The present work describes the waste management model that has inspired this decree: the Alcores model implemented with good results in Los Alcores Community (Seville, Spain). A detailed model is also provided to estimate the volume of waste that is expected to be generated on the building site. The quantification of C&D waste volume, from the project stage, is essential for the building actors to properly plan and control its disposal. This quantification model has been developed by studying 100 dwelling projects, especially their bill of quantities, and defining three coefficients to estimate the demolished volume (CT), the wreckage volume (CR) and the packaging volume (CE). Finally, two case studies are included to illustrate the usefulness of the model to estimate C&D waste volume in both new construction and demolition projects.

Volatile Element Geochemistry in the Lower Atmosphere of Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaefer, L.; Fegley, B., Jr.

2004-01-01

We computed equilibrium abundances of volatile element compounds as a function of altitude in Venus lower atmosphere. The elements included are generally found in volcanic gases and sublimates on Earth and may be emitted in volcanic gases on Venus or volatilized from its hot surface. We predict: 1) PbS, Bi2S3, or possibly a Pb-Bi sulfosalt are the radar bright heavy metal frost in the Venusian highlands; 2) It should be possible to determine Venus' age by Pb-Pb dating of PbS condensed in the Venusian highlands, which should be a representative sample of Venusian lead; 3) The gases HBr, PbCl2, PbBr2, As4O6, As4S4, Sb4O6, BiSe, InBr, InCl, Hg, TlCl, TlBr, SeS, Se2-7, HI, I, I2, ZnCl2, and S2O have abundances greater than 0.1 ppbv in our nominal model and may be spectroscopically observable; 4) Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Ge, and Sn are approx. 100 % condensed at the 740 K (0 km) level on Venus.

Unprecedented chemosensing behavior of novel tetra-substituted benzimidazole zinc(II) phthalocynine for selective detection of Bi3 + ion: Synthesis, characterization and ROS generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ullah, Azeem; Shah, Faheem; Khan, Imran; Anwar, Muhammad; Shah, Kiramat; Muhammad, Munira Taj; Ahmad, Farid

2018-03-01

In this work, synthesis of novel symmetrical 4-(2-bromo-4-(5-bromo-1H-benzo[d] imidazol-2-yl) phenoxy) tetra substituted zinc phthalocyanine has been reported. The novel benzimidazole zinc phthlocynine compound (3) has been characterized by MALDI-TOF MS, FT-IR, UV-vis, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. This new compound 3 displayed excellent selectivity towards Bi3 + ion in the presence of other competitive ions including Ca2 +, Cd2 +, Co2 + Cu2 +, Fe3 +, Hg2 +, Sn2 +, Mg2 +, Na+, Ni2 + and Pb2 + respectively. Upon addition of Bi3 + into the solution of compound 3 in DMSO, dramatic change was observed in the Q- and the B-bands in UV-visible spectra as a result of donor acceptor interactions. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were also studied using 2,7-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) a fluorescent probe which is converted to highly fluorescent dichlorofluorescein (DCF) in the presence of ROS. This property of non-aggregating zinc phthalocyanine is promising as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy of cancer.

Prediction, synthesis and characterization of new topological materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, Quinn Davis

Over the past few years, a rediscovery of the concept of topology as it applies to the electronic structure of materials has created an explosion of research and discovery of new materials properties. While this field has been mainly of interest to the condensed matter physics community, this work explores it from a materials chemistry perspective, to both develop new materials, via a combination of computation, synthesis and measurement, to understand how the electronic topology can relate to structure and bonding. As such, adding chemical complexity to existing topological materials has been a focus of this study. In order to expand upon the archetypal topological insulator family of Bi2X3 (X=Se,Te), the super lattice materials, which contain alternating layers of Bi2 or Sb2 and Bi 2X3 or Sb2Te3, were investigated, revealing novel properties. The compound Bi4Se3 was shown to have termination dependent surface states, revealing a relationship between the nature of the surface states and the chemical nature of the surface, as well as novel mirror symmetry protected surface states. The 2:1 family (in the Sb2Te structure) were shown to be new topological insulators, with a novel Sb/Bi ordering when Bi is substituted for Sb in Sb2Te. Finally the 1:1 family was shown to, unexpectedly, be strong topological insulators, despite the theoretical prediction that they are weak topological insulators. Furthermore, other materials families were investigated as topological insulators, such as the chimney ladder family. Ir4Ge5 is identified as a likely candidate, and Ru2Sn3 was shown to have novel, quasi one-dimensional surface states. The exact reason for the existence of these states is not known and is under investigation. Finally, possible 3D Dirac and Weyl semi-metals were investigated. A set of rules to predict 3D Dirac semi-metals were developed, and Cd3 As2 was experimentally verified as the first of this kind of material. Studies towards Weyl semi-metals involved the investigation of CaMn2Bi2 and YbMnBi2, leading to the identification of CaMn2Bi2 as an antiferromagnetic hybridization gap insulator and YbMnBi2 as a possible time reversal symmetry breaking Weyl Semi-metal.

[Sensitive determination of Bi3+ by spectrofluorimetry based on graphene oxide-methylene blue system].

PubMed

Zhai, Qiu-ge; Guo, Peng; Zhou, Lin; Liu, Yan-ming

2014-08-01

Graphene oxide was prepared by the modified Hummers method and characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The interaction of graphene with methylene blue was studied by UV absorption, the intensity of two main absorption peaks of methylene blue decreased significantly after the fluorescence was quenched, and the energy transfer didn't occur because the overlap of the absorption spectrum of GO and the emission spectrum of MB is too small. Therefore, the fluorescence quenching of MB and GO was static. When adding a certain amount of Bi3+ in the graphene-methylene blue system, Bi3+ replaces the methylene blue from the graphene-methylene blue complexes because Bi3+ has the smaller volume and is more positively charged. The methylene blue therefore dissociates from the GO-MB complexes, resulting in the recovery of fluorescence of the system. Furthermore, the fluorescence of the system increases with the increase in the amount of Bi3+ due to the enhanced amount of MB in the system. A novel spectrofluorimetric method was therefore developed for the sensitive determination of Bi3+. Some parameters including the concentration of methylene blue, the amount of graphene oxide, the amount of nitric acid and the sequence of reagent adding were optimized to obtain higher sensitivity. The fluorescence of the system was detected at an emission wavelength of 667 nm with excitation at 690 nm. Under the optimized conditions, the concentration of Bi3+ showed good linear relationships with the fluorescence intensity in the range of 0.5-100 micromol x L(-1), with correlation coefficients of r = 0.9955. The limits of detection for Bi3+ was 1.0 x 10(-8) mol x L(-1) (S/N=3). The selectivity of the proposed method was evaluated and the results showed that 1000-fold K+, Ca+, Na+, Mg2+, Cu2+; 100-fold Fe3+, Be2+, SiO2- Al3+, Ni2+, Sb3+, NO3-, Cl-, F-, and 20-fold Pb2+, Hg2+, Cd2+ had negligible interference with the determination of Bi3+. The method has advantages of sensitivity, rapidness and low cost. It was used for the determination of Bi3+ in environmental water samples inclu- ding pond water, rain water and sewage water with recoveries of 93.4%-105.2%.

Soluble CD40 ligand directly alters glomerular permeability and may act as a circulating permeability factor in FSGS

PubMed Central

Doublier, Sophie; Zennaro, Cristina; Musante, Luca; Spatola, Tiziana; Candiano, Giovanni; Bruschi, Maurizio; Besso, Luca; Cedrino, Massimo; Carraro, Michele; Ghiggeri, Gian Marco; Camussi, Giovanni

2017-01-01

CD40/CD40 ligand (CD40L) dyad, a co-stimulatory bi-molecular complex involved in the adaptive immune response, has also potent pro-inflammatory actions in haematopoietic and non-haematopoietic cells. We describe here a novel role for soluble CD40L (sCD40L) as modifier of glomerular permselectivity directly acting on glomerular epithelial cells (GECs). We found that stimulation of CD40, constitutively expressed on GEC cell membrane, by the sCD40L rapidly induced redistribution and loss of nephrin in GECs, and increased albumin permeability in isolated rat glomeruli. Pre-treatment with inhibitors of CD40-CD40L interaction completely prevented these effects. Furthermore, in vivo injection of sCD40L induced a significant reduction of nephrin and podocin expression in mouse glomeruli, although no significant increase of urine protein/creatinine ratio was observed after in vivo injection. The same effects were induced by plasma factors partially purified from post-transplant plasma exchange eluates of patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and were blocked by CD40-CD40L inhibitors. Moreover, 17 and 34 kDa sCD40L isoforms were detected in the same plasmapheresis eluates by Western blotting. Finally, the levels of sCD40Lwere significantly increased in serum of children both with steroid-sensitive and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (NS), and in adult patients with biopsy-proven FSGS, compared to healthy subjects, but neither in children with congenital NS nor in patients with membranous nephropathy. Our results demonstrate that sCD40L directly modifies nephrin and podocin distribution in GECs. Moreover, they suggest that sCD40L contained in plasmapheresis eluates from FSGS patients with post-transplant recurrence may contribute, presumably cooperating with other mediators, to FSGS pathogenesis by modulating glomerular permeability. PMID:29155846

Soluble CD40 ligand directly alters glomerular permeability and may act as a circulating permeability factor in FSGS.

PubMed

Doublier, Sophie; Zennaro, Cristina; Musante, Luca; Spatola, Tiziana; Candiano, Giovanni; Bruschi, Maurizio; Besso, Luca; Cedrino, Massimo; Carraro, Michele; Ghiggeri, Gian Marco; Camussi, Giovanni; Lupia, Enrico

2017-01-01

CD40/CD40 ligand (CD40L) dyad, a co-stimulatory bi-molecular complex involved in the adaptive immune response, has also potent pro-inflammatory actions in haematopoietic and non-haematopoietic cells. We describe here a novel role for soluble CD40L (sCD40L) as modifier of glomerular permselectivity directly acting on glomerular epithelial cells (GECs). We found that stimulation of CD40, constitutively expressed on GEC cell membrane, by the sCD40L rapidly induced redistribution and loss of nephrin in GECs, and increased albumin permeability in isolated rat glomeruli. Pre-treatment with inhibitors of CD40-CD40L interaction completely prevented these effects. Furthermore, in vivo injection of sCD40L induced a significant reduction of nephrin and podocin expression in mouse glomeruli, although no significant increase of urine protein/creatinine ratio was observed after in vivo injection. The same effects were induced by plasma factors partially purified from post-transplant plasma exchange eluates of patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and were blocked by CD40-CD40L inhibitors. Moreover, 17 and 34 kDa sCD40L isoforms were detected in the same plasmapheresis eluates by Western blotting. Finally, the levels of sCD40Lwere significantly increased in serum of children both with steroid-sensitive and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (NS), and in adult patients with biopsy-proven FSGS, compared to healthy subjects, but neither in children with congenital NS nor in patients with membranous nephropathy. Our results demonstrate that sCD40L directly modifies nephrin and podocin distribution in GECs. Moreover, they suggest that sCD40L contained in plasmapheresis eluates from FSGS patients with post-transplant recurrence may contribute, presumably cooperating with other mediators, to FSGS pathogenesis by modulating glomerular permeability.

Crystal scintillators for use in check-light source for thermoluminescent systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagpal, J. S.; Sabharwal, S. C.; Chougaonkar, M. P.; Godbole, S. V.

1999-08-01

Beta ( 63Ni, Emax 0.063 MeV) excited radioluminescence of indigenously grown crystal scintillators CsI(Tl), Bi 4Ge 3O 12 and CdWO 4 has been studied for its use in check-light source needed for thermoluminescence systems. Temperature coefficient of the light output over 298-323 K and the beta-induced TL of the scintillators over 298-553 K are reported.

Geochemical disturbance of soil cover in the nonferrous mining centers of the Selenga River basin.

PubMed

Timofeev, Ivan V; Kosheleva, Natalia E

2017-08-01

The anthropogenic geochemical transformation of soil cover in large nonferrous mining centers of the Selenga River basin was assessed. The results of the geochemical survey of 2010-2012 revealed the spatial distribution patterns and abundances of 18 hazardous heavy metals and metalloids in the soils of Erdenet (Mongolia) and Zakamensk (Buryat republic, Russian Federation). In both cities, mining activities disturbed soil cover which accumulates Mo, Cu, As, Sb, W in Erdenet and Bi, W, Cd, Be, Pb, Mo, Sb in Zakamensk. Maximum accumulation of elements in Erdenet is restricted to the industrial zone. In Zakamensk, it has spread on ½ of the territory with the degree of multielemental pollution exceeding the extremely dangerous level by 16 times. The effect of mining centers on the state of the river system is local and does not spread to the Selenga River. Downstream from Erdenet, an artificial pool intercepts heavy metal and metalloid flows of the Erdenetii-Gol River. By contrast, downstream from the tailing dumps of the Dzhida tungsten-molybdenum plant the concentrations of ore elements W and Mo and their accessories Bi and Cd in the Modonkul River exceed background values by 146, 20, 57, and 21 times, respectively, decreasing by an order of magnitude 30 km downstream.

Anomalous electronic states in Pb1-xSnxTe induced by hydrostatic pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Tian; Kushwaha, Satya; Gibson, Quinn; Cava, R. J.; Ong, N. P.

Dirac/Weyl semimetals have attracted strong interest. In Dirac semimetals Cd3As2, Na3Bi, the Dirac nodes split into Weyl states in a magnetic field, which leads to novel phenomena, such as ultrahigh mobility (107 cm2 V-1 s-1) in Cd3As2, and the chiral anomaly in Na3Bi. The chiral anomaly appears as a negative longitudinal magnetoresistance. A new path to realize Weyl states is via the closing of the bulk gap in a system with broken inversion symmetry. As the gap is tuned, a Weyl semimetalic state is predicted to appear between two insulating phases. We performed the hydrostatic pressure measurement for Pb1-xSnxTe and observed that the gap of the system closes under pressure and the system shows insulator to metal phase transition. Interestingly, in the metalic phase, we observed giant negative magnetoresistance as well as anomalous hall effect which onsets only in the quantum limit. We discuss the implication of these phenomena and their relation with the Berry curvature. Supported by MURI grant (ARO W911NF-12-1-0461), Army Research Office (ARO W911NF-11-1-0379), Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (EPiQS Initiative GBMF4539).

Contamination by trace elements at e-waste recycling sites in Bangalore, India.

PubMed

Ha, Nguyen Ngoc; Agusa, Tetsuro; Ramu, Karri; Tu, Nguyen Phuc Cam; Murata, Satoko; Bulbule, Keshav A; Parthasaraty, Peethmbaram; Takahashi, Shin; Subramanian, Annamalai; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2009-06-01

The recycling and disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) in developing countries is causing an increasing concern due to its effects on the environment and associated human health risks. To understand the contamination status, we measured trace elements (TEs) in soil, air dust, and human hair collected from e-waste recycling sites (a recycling facility and backyard recycling units) and the reference sites in Bangalore and Chennai in India. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Hg, Pb, and Bi were higher in soil from e-waste recycling sites compared to reference sites. For Cu, Sb, Hg, and Pb in some soils from e-waste sites, the levels exceeded screening values proposed by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Concentrations of Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, In, Sn, Sb, Tl, Pb and Bi in air from the e-waste recycling facility were relatively higher than the levels in Chennai city. High levels of Cu, Mo, Ag, Cd, In, Sb, Tl, and Pb were observed in hair of male workers from e-waste recycling sites. Our results suggest that e-waste recycling and its disposal may lead to the environmental and human contamination by some TEs. To our knowledge, this is the first study on TE contamination at e-waste recycling sites in Bangalore, India.

Changes in heavy metals in Antarctic snow from Coats Land since the mid-19th to the late-20th century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planchon, Frédéric A. M.; Boutron, Claude F.; Barbante, Carlo; Cozzi, Giulio; Gaspari, Vania; Wolff, Eric W.; Ferrari, Christophe P.; Cescon, Paolo

2002-06-01

V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Co, Ag, Cd, Ba, Pb, Bi and U have been measured in a series of dated snow samples, covering the period from 1834 to 1990, collected at remote, low accumulation sites in Coats Land, Antarctica. They were determined by ultrasensitive inductively coupled sector field mass spectrometry in ultraclean conditions. Concentrations are found to be extremely low, down to 3×10 -15 g/g, for most metals, then confirming the high purity of Antarctic snow. The results show contrasting time trends for the different metals. For Mn, Co, Ba, and possibly V and Cd, no clear time trends are observed. For Cr, Cu, Zn, Ag, Pb, Bi and U, on the other hand, pronounced enhancements are observed during the recent decades. They are attributed to emissions of heavy metals to the atmosphere from human activities in Southern America, Southern Africa and Australia, especially non-ferrous metal mining and smelting in Chile, Peru, Zaire, Zambia and Australia. It shows that atmospheric pollution for heavy metals in the remote Antarctic continent is not limited to Pb and Cu, as previously thought, but also affects several other metals. It is a further indication that atmospheric pollution for heavy metals is really global.

Effects of Inhibiting Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP4) in Cows with Subclinical Ketosis

PubMed Central

Schulz, Kirsten; Frahm, Jana; Kersten, Susanne; Meyer, Ulrich; Rehage, Jürgen; Piechotta, Marion; Meyerholz, Maria; Breves, Gerhard; Reiche, Dania; Sauerwein, Helga; Dänicke, Sven

2015-01-01

The inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) via specific inhibitors is known to result in improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and decreased accumulation of hepatic fat in type II diabetic human patients. The metabolic situation of dairy cows can easily be compared to the status of human diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver. For both, insulin sensitivity is reduced, while hepatic fat accumulation increases, characterized by high levels of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and ketone bodies.Therefore, in the present study, a DPP4 inhibitor was employed (BI 14332) for the first time in cows. In a first investigation BI 14332 treatment (intravenous injection at dosages of up to 3 mg/kg body weight) was well tolerated in healthy lactating pluriparous cows (n = 6) with a significant inhibition of DPP4 in plasma and liver. Further testing included primi- and pluriparous lactating cows suffering from subclinical ketosis (β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations in serum > 1.2 mM; n = 12). The intension was to offer effects of DPP4 inhibition during comprehensive lipomobilisation and hepatosteatosis. The cows of subclinical ketosis were evenly allocated to either the treatment group (daily injections, 0.3 mg BI 14332/kg body weight, 7 days) or the control group. Under condition of subclinical ketosis, the impact of DPP4 inhibition via BI 14332 was less, as in particular β-hydroxybutyrate and the hepatic lipid content remained unaffected, but NEFA and triglyceride concentrations were decreased after treatment. Owing to lower NEFA, the revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (surrogate marker for insulin sensitivity) increased. Therefore, a positive influence on energy metabolism might be quite possible. Minor impacts on immune-modulating variables were limited to the lymphocyte CD4+/CD8+ ratio for which a trend to decreased values in treated versus control animals was noted. In sum, the DPP4 inhibition in cows did not affect glycaemic control like it is shown in humans, but was able to impact hyperlipemia, as NEFA and TG decreased. PMID:26291537

Highly Simplified Reddish Orange Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes Incorporating a Novel Carrier- and Exciton-Confining Spiro-Exciplex-Forming Host for Reduced Efficiency Roll-off.

PubMed

Xu, Ting; Zhang, Ye-Xin; Wang, Bo; Huang, Chen-Chao; Murtaza, Imran; Meng, Hong; Liao, Liang-Sheng

2017-01-25

A novel exciplex-forming host is applied so as to design highly simplified reddish orange light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with low driving voltage, high efficiency, and an extraordinarily low efficiency roll-off, by combining N,N-10-triphenyl-10H-spiro [acridine-9,9'-fluoren]-3'-amine (SAFDPA) with 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Bphen) doped with trivalent iridium complex bis(2-methyldibenzo[f,h]quinoxaline) (acetylacetonate)iridium(III) (Ir(MDQ) 2 (acac)). The reddish orange OLEDs achieve a strikingly high power efficiency (PE) of 31.80 lm/W with an ultralow threshold voltage of 2.24 V which is almost equal to the triplet energy level of the phosphorescent reddish orange emitting dopant. The power efficiency of the device with the exciplex-forming host is enhanced, achieving 36.2% mainly owing to the lower operating voltage by the novel exciplex forming cohost, compared with the reference device (23.54 lm/W). Moreover, the OLEDs show extraordinarily low current efficiency (CE) roll-off to 1.41% at the brightness from 500 to 5000 cd/m 2 with a maximal CE of 32.87 cd/A (EQE max = 11.01%). The devices display a good reddish orange color (CIE of (0.628, 0.372) at 500 cd/m 2 ) nearly without color shift with increasing brightness. Co-host architecture phosphorescent OLEDs show a simpler device structure, lower working voltage, and a better efficiency and stability than those of the reference devices without the cohost architecture, which helps to simplify the OLED structure, lower the cost, and popularize OLED technology.

Psoriatic inflammation enhances allergic airway inflammation through IL-23/STAT3 signaling in a murine model.

PubMed

Nadeem, Ahmed; Al-Harbi, Naif O; Ansari, Mushtaq A; Al-Harbi, Mohammed M; El-Sherbeeny, Ahmed M; Zoheir, Khairy M A; Attia, Sabry M; Hafez, Mohamed M; Al-Shabanah, Othman A; Ahmad, Sheikh F

2017-01-15

Psoriasis is an autoimmune inflammatory skin disease characterized by activated IL-23/STAT3/Th17 axis. Recently psoriatic inflammation has been shown to be associated with asthma. However, no study has previously explored how psoriatic inflammation affects airway inflammation. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriatic inflammation on cockroach extract (CE)-induced airway inflammation in murine models. Mice were subjected to topical and intranasal administration of IMQ and CE to develop psoriatic and airway inflammation respectively. Various analyses in lung/spleen related to inflammation, Th17/Th2/Th1 cell immune responses, and their signature cytokines/transcription factors were carried out. Psoriatic inflammation in allergic mice was associated with increased airway inflammation with concurrent increase in Th2/Th17 cells/signature cytokines/transcription factors. Splenic CD4+ T and CD11c+ dendritic cells in psoriatic mice had increased STAT3/RORC and IL-23 mRNA expression respectively. This led us to explore the effect of systemic IL-23/STAT3 signaling on airway inflammation. Topical application of STA-21, a small molecule STAT3 inhibitor significantly reduced airway inflammation in allergic mice having psoriatic inflammation. On the other hand, adoptive transfer of IL-23-treated splenic CD4+ T cells from allergic mice into naive recipient mice produced mixed neutrophilic/eosinophilic airway inflammation similar to allergic mice with psoriatic inflammation. Our data suggest that systemic IL-23/STAT3 axis is responsible for enhanced airway inflammation during psoriasis. The current study also suggests that only anti-asthma therapy may not be sufficient to alleviate airway inflammatory burden in asthmatics with psoriasis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ezetimibe suppresses cholesterol accumulation in lipid-loaded vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro via MAPK signaling

PubMed Central

Qin, Li; Yang, Yun-bo; Yang, Yi-xin; Zhu, Neng; Gong, Yong-zhen; Zhang, Cai-ping; Li, Shun-xiang; Liao, Duan-fang

2014-01-01

Aim: To investigate the mechanisms of anti-atherosclerotic action of ezetimibe in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in vitro. Methods: VSMCs of SD rats were cultured in the presence of Chol:MβCD (10 μg/mL) for 72 h, and intracellular lipid droplets and cholesterol levels were evaluated using Oil Red O staining, HPLC and Enzymatic Fluorescence Assay, respectively. The expression of caveolin-1, sterol response element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) and ERK1/2 were analyzed using Western blot assays. Translocation of SREBP-1 and ERK1/2 was detected with immunofluorescence. Results: Treatment with Chol:MβCD dramatically increased the cellular levels of total cholesterol (TC), cholesterol ester (CE) and free cholesterol (FC) in VSMCs, which led to the formation of foam cells. Furthermore, Chol:MβCD treatment significantly decreased the expression of caveolin-1, and stimulated the expression and nuclear translocation of SREBP-1 in VSMCs. Co-treatment with ezetimibe (3 μmol/L) significantly decreased the cellular levels of TC, CE and FC, which was accompanied by elevation of caveolin-1 expression, and by a reduction of SREBP-1 expression and nuclear translocation. Co-treatment with ezetimibe dose-dependently decreased the expression of phosphor-ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) in VSMCs. The ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 (50 μmol/L) altered the cholesterol level and the expression of p-ERK1/2, SREBP-1 and caveolin-1 in the same manner as ezetimibe did. Conclusion: Ezetimibe suppresses cholesterol accumulation in rat VSMCs in vitro by regulating SREBP-1 and caveolin-1 expression, possibly via the MAPK signaling pathway. PMID:25087996

Metal oxide electrocatalysts for alternative energy technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pacquette, Adele Lawren

This dissertation focuses on the development of metal oxide electrocatalysts with varying applications for alternative energy technologies. Interest in utilizing clean, renewable and sustainable sources of energy for powering the planet in the future has received much attention. This will address the growing concern of the need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. The facile synthesis of metal oxides from earth abundant metals was explored in this work. The electrocatalysts can be incorporated into photoelectrochemical devices, fuel cells, and other energy storage devices. The first section addresses the utilization of semiconductors that can harness solar energy for water splitting to generate hydrogen. An oxysulfide was studied in order to combine the advantageous properties of the stability of metal oxides and the visible light absorbance of metal chalcogenides. Bi 2O2S was synthesized under facile hydrothermal conditions. The band gap of Bi2O2S was smaller than that of its oxide counterpart, Bi2O3. Light absorption by Bi 2O2S was extended to the visible region (>600 nm) in comparison to Bi2O3. The formation of a composite with In 2O3 was formed in order to create a UV irradiation protective coating of the Bi2O2S. The Bi2O2S/In 2O3 composite coupled with a dye CrTPP(Cl) and cocatalysts Pt and Co3O4 was utilized for water splitting under light irradiation to generate hydrogen and oxygen. The second section focuses on improving the stability and light absorption of semiconductors by changing the shapes and morphologies. One of the limitations of semiconductor materials is that recombination of electron-hole pairs occur within the bulk of the materials instead of migration to the surface. Three-dimensional shapes, such as nanorods, can prevent this recombination in comparison to spherical particles. Hierarchical structures, such as dendrites, cubes, and multipods, were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions, in order to reduce recombination and improve photocatalytic activity. Another disadvantageous property of semiconductors is that photocorrosion of metal chalcogenides such as CdS occurs. In an attempt to prevent this, these materials were coated with more stable oxides such as Cu2O and TiO2. The photocatalytic activity of these CdS multipods protected by the stable oxides was enhanced in comparison to CdS particles. The third section describes the synthesis and the use of mixed metal oxides for alcohol oxidation. Presently, Pt is the most active and efficient metal catalyst for alcohol oxidation in fuel cells. It is necessary to develop cheaper, earth abundant metals that can replace Pt. Mixed metal oxides based on Mo-V-(Te,Nb)-O were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. These materials were incorporated into an electrochemical cell and used to oxidize cyclohexanol. At low temperatures of 60°C, cyclohexanol was converted to cyclohexanone, cyclohexene, and adipic acid on Mo-V-O, Mo-V-Te-O, and Mo-V-Te-Nb-O respectively. The present work showed that these interesting materials might potentially be utilized as a catalyst in complex alcohol fuel cell technologies. In the final section, the electrochemical actuation in conducting polymers is studied. Conducting polymers, such as polypyrrole (PPy), and polythiophene (PTh), are often incorporated into actuators, sensors, and energy storage devices such as supercapacitors. The mechanism of the actuation in these polymers due to the insertion/removal of ions was studied. Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) studies and in situ electrochemical stress measurements were the techniques used to study and to understand the observed actuation mechanism. The bilayer polypyrrole/polythiophene (PPy PTh) polymer film showed potential for enhancing the actuation and capacitance in energy storage devices.

Superconducting transition temperature in the Y(1-x)M(x)Ba2Cu3O(y) system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Takeyuki; Yamazaki, Tsutomu; Sekine, Ryuuta; Koukitsu, Akinori; Seki, Hisashi

1989-04-01

Experimental results are presented for the inclusion of compositional additives, M, to the sintered high-temperature superconductor Y(1-x)M(x)Ba2Cu3O(y); M can be the oxides of Mg, Ce, Gd, Yb, Ti, Zr, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, B, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, Sb, Bi, and Te, as well as Li, Na, K, Ca, Sr, and La carbonates. Temperature dependence of the electrical resistance was measured down to about 80 K. Attention is given to the influence of ionic radius and the valence of the M species.

Mass Spectrometry-Based Identification Of The Tumor Antigen UN1 as the Transmembrane CD43 Sialoglycoprotein*

PubMed Central

de Laurentiis, Annamaria; Gaspari, Marco; Palmieri, Camillo; Falcone, Cristina; Iaccino, Enrico; Fiume, Giuseppe; Massa, Ornella; Masullo, Mariorosario; Tuccillo, Franca Maria; Roveda, Laura; Prati, Ubaldo; Fierro, Olga; Cozzolino, Immacolata; Troncone, Giancarlo; Tassone, Pierfrancesco; Scala, Giuseppe; Quinto, Ileana

2011-01-01

The UN1 monoclonal antibody recognized the UN1 antigen as a heavily sialylated and O-glycosylated protein with the apparent molecular weight of 100–120 kDa; this antigen was peculiarly expressed in fetal tissues and several cancer tissues, including leukemic T cells, breast, and colon carcinomas. However, the lack of primary structure information has limited further investigation on the role of the UN1 antigen in neoplastic transformation. In this study, we have identified the UN1 antigen as CD43, a transmembrane sialoglycoprotein involved in cell adhesion, differentiation, and apoptosis. Indeed, mass spectrometry detected two tryptic peptides of the membrane-purified UN1 antigen that matched the amino acidic sequence of the CD43 intracellular domain. Immunological cross-reactivity, migration pattern in mono- and bi-dimensional electrophoresis, and CD43 gene-dependent expression proved the CD43 identity of the UN1 antigen. Moreover, the monosaccharide GalNAc-O-linked to the CD43 peptide core was identified as an essential component of the UN1 epitope by glycosidase digestion of specific glycan branches. UN1-type CD43 glycoforms were detected in colon, sigmoid colon, and breast carcinomas, whereas undetected in normal tissues from the same patients, confirming the cancer-association of the UN1 epitope. Our results highlight UN1 monoclonal antibody as a suitable tool for cancer immunophenotyping and analysis of CD43 glycosylation in tumorigenesis. PMID:21372249

Consistency of the initial cell acquisition procedure is critical to the standardization of CD34+ cell enumeration by flow cytometry: results of a pairwise analysis of umbilical cord blood units and cryopreserved aliquots.

PubMed

Flores, Ana I; McKenna, David H; Montalbán, M Angeles; De la Cruz, Javier; Wagner, John E; Bornstein, Rafael

2009-04-01

The CD34+ cell content is a predictive factor for engraftment and survival after umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation. The high variability in the CD34 assay results in different recommended cell doses for infusion across transplant centers and also limits the clinical utility of the CD34+ cell counts provided by cord blood banks (CBBs). This bi-institutional study was intended to understand the sources of this variability. The level of CD34 agreement between the University of Minnesota (UM) and the Madrid CBB (MCBB) was evaluated on 50 UCB units before and after cryopreservation. Two cryopreserved vials per unit were thawed and processed at both laboratories. Dual-platform ISHAGE-based flow cytometry was used for CD34 enumeration. Postthaw nucleated cell recoveries were similar. However, whereas CD34+ cell enumeration before freezing was 0.35 +/- 0.22 percent, the results after thawing were 0.98 +/- 0.65 and 0.57 +/- 0.39 percent at UM and MCBB, respectively. Bland-Altman plots analysis ruled out the interchangeability of MCBB and UM CD34 values. Differences in the initial cell acquisition settings accounted for most of the CD34 discrepancy, which was no longer present after normalization of the forward scatter threshold for cell acquisition. The standardization of CD34+ cell enumeration by flow cytometry is strongly reliant on a consistent initial cell acquisition procedure. The interlaboratory variation can be minimized by using frozen cell aliquots as reference samples. Both requisites should be considered for CD34 testing and UCB unit selection by regulatory institutions involved with cord blood banking and transplantation.

Chloropupukeanolides C-E: cytotoxic pupukeanane chlorides with a spiroketal skeleton from Pestalotiopsis fici.

PubMed

Liu, Ling; Bruhn, Torsten; Guo, Liangdong; Götz, Daniel C G; Brun, Reto; Stich, August; Che, Yongsheng; Bringmann, Gerhard

2011-02-25

Chloropupukeanolides C-E (8-10), three highly functionalized secondary metabolites featuring a novel spiroketal skeleton derived from the chlorinated tricyclo-[4.3.1.0(3, 7)]-decane (pupukeanane) and the 2,6-dihydroxy-4-methylbenzoic acid moieties, were isolated from the scale-up fermentation extract of the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis fici. The constitutions of compounds 8-10 were elucidated primarily by NMR experiments. Their relative configurations were deduced by analogy to metabolites 4-6, which were previously isolated from the same fungus. The absolute configuration of 8 was assigned by X-ray crystallography and those of 9 and 10 by quantum-chemical CD calculations. Biogenetically, chloropupukeanolides C-E (8-10) are presumably derived from the same oxidation-induced Diels-Alder reaction pathway as compounds 1 and 4-7, via the putative biosynthetic precursors 2 and 3. The opposite configurations of the complete "Southern parts" of 8 and 9 suggests that this Diels-Alder reaction is stereochemically not very selective. Compounds 8-10 showed significant cytotoxicity against a small panel of human tumor cell lines and weak activities against the pathogens of tropical diseases. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Recognition of the Class Ib Molecule Qa-1b by Putative Activating Receptors Cd94/Nkg2c and Cd94/Nkg2e on Mouse Natural Killer Cells

PubMed Central

Vance, Russell E.; Jamieson, Amanda M.; Raulet, David H.

1999-01-01

The heterodimeric CD94/NKG2A receptor, expressed by mouse natural killer (NK) cells, transduces inhibitory signals upon recognition of its ligand, Qa-1b, a nonclassical major histocompatibility complex class Ib molecule. Here we clone and express two additional receptors, CD94/NKG2C and CD94/NKG2E, which we show also bind to Qa-1b. Within their extracellular carbohydrate recognition domains, NKG2C and NKG2E share extensive homology with NKG2A (93–95% amino acid similarity); however, NKG2C/E receptors differ from NKG2A in their cytoplasmic domains (only 33% similarity) and contain features that suggest that CD94/NKG2C and CD94/NKG2E may be activating receptors. We employ a novel blocking anti-NKG2 monoclonal antibody to provide the first direct evidence that CD94/NKG2 molecules are the only Qa-1b receptors on NK cells. Molecular analysis reveals that NKG2C and NKG2E messages are extensively alternatively spliced and ∼20-fold less abundant than NKG2A message in NK cells. The organization of the mouse Cd94/Nkg2 gene cluster, presented here, shows striking similarity with that of the human, arguing that the entire CD94/NKG2 receptor system is relatively primitive in origin. Analysis of synonymous substitution frequencies suggests that within a species, NKG2 genes may maintain similarities with each other by concerted evolution, possibly involving gene conversion–like events. These findings have implications for understanding NK cells and also raise new possibilities for the role of Qa-1 in immune responses. PMID:10601355

A Synthesis of Experimental Data Describing the Partitioning of Moderately Volatile Elements in Major Rock Forming Minerals: Implications for the Moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vander Kaaden, Kathleen E.; Draper, David S.; McCubbin, Francis M.; Neal, Clive R.; Taylor, G. Jeffrey

2017-01-01

Highly volatile elements [condensation temperatures below about 700 K] and water are highly informative about lunar bulk composition (hence origin), differentiation and magmatic evolution, and the role of impacts in delivering volatiles to the Moon. Fractionation of volatile elements compared to moderately volatile and refractory elements are informative about high-temperature conditions that operated in the proto-lunar disk. Existing data show clearly that the Moon is depleted in volatile elements compared to the bulk silicate Earth. For example, K/Th is 400-700 in the Moon compared to 2800-3000 in Earth. A complicating factor is that the abundances of the highly volatile elements in major lunar lithologies vary by approximately two orders of magnitude. Perhaps most interesting, H2O is not correlated with the concentration of volatile elements, indicating a decoupling of highly volatile elements from the even more volatile H2O. We contend that this decoupling could be a significant tracer of processes operating during lunar formation, differentiation, and bombardment, and the combination of analyzing both volatile elements and water is likely to provide significant insight into lunar geochemical history. This variation and lack of correlation raises the question: what were the relative contributions of crystallization in the magma ocean, subsequent mantle overturn, production of secondary magmas, and addition of volatiles by large impacts in producing this apparently large range in volatile abundances? This current study will produce new partitioning data relevant to the role and distribution of the volatile and non-volatile, yet geochemically significant elements (Co, Ni, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, In, Sb, Ce, Yb, Tl, Pb, Bi) during the thermal and magmatic evolution of the Moon.

Atmospheric mercury and fine particulate matter in coastal New England: implications for mercury and trace element sources in the northeastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kolker, Allan; Engle, Mark A.; Peucker-Ehrenbrink, Bernhard; Geboy, Nicholas J.; Krabbenhotft, David P.; Bothner, Michael H.; Tate, Michael T.

2013-01-01

Intensive sampling of ambient atmospheric fine particulate matter was conducted at Woods Hole, Massachusetts over a four-month period from 3 April to 29 July, 2008, in conjunction with year-long deployment of the USGS Mobile Mercury Lab. Results were obtained for trace elements in fine particulate matter concurrently with determination of ambient atmospheric mercury speciation and concentrations of ancillary gasses (SO2, NOx, and O3). For particulate matter, trace element enrichment factors greater than 10 relative to crustal background values were found for As, Bi, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, V, and Zn, indicating contribution of these elements by anthropogenic sources. For other elements, enrichments are consistent with natural marine (Na, Ca, Mg, Sr) or crustal (Ba, Ce, Co, Cs, Fe, Ga, La, Rb, Sc, Th, Ti, U, Y) sources, respectively. Positive matrix factorization was used together with concentration weighted air-mass back trajectories to better define element sources and their locations. Our analysis, based on events exhibiting the 10% highest PM2.5 contributions for each source category, identifies coal-fired power stations concentrated in the U.S. Ohio Valley, metal smelting in eastern Canada, and marine and crustal sources showing surprisingly similar back trajectories, at times each sampling Atlantic coastal airsheds. This pattern is consistent with contribution of Saharan dust by a summer maximum at the latitude of Florida and northward transport up the Atlantic Coast by clockwise circulation of the summer Bermuda High. Results for mercury speciation show diurnal production of RGM by photochemical oxidation of Hg° in a marine environment, and periodic traverse of the study area by correlated RGM-SO2(NOx) plumes, indicative of coal combustion sources.

Quantification of Chemical Erosion in the DIII-D Divertor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLean, Adam

2009-11-01

Chemical erosion (CE) yield at the graphite divertor target in DIII-D was measured to be substantially lower in cold near-detached plasma conditions compared to well-attached ones, with major implications for ITER. Current estimates of tritium retention by co-deposition with hydrocarbons (HCs) in ITER place potentially severe restrictions on operation. However, calculations done to date have been based on excessively conservative assumptions, due to limited understanding of cold divertor plasmas (1-5eV) which bridge energy thresholds for complex atomic and molecular processes not present in attached conditions. Hydrocarbon injection through a unique porous graphite plate which realistically simulates secondary reactions of HCs with a graphite surface has been used to measure CE in-situ. For the first time in a divertor, measurements were made at extrinsic CH4 injection rates comparable to the expected intrinsic CE rate of C, with the resulting spectroscopic emissions separated from those of the intrinsic sources. Under cold plasma conditions the contribution of CE-produced C relative to total C sources in the divertor declined dramatically from ˜50% to <15%. Photon efficiencies for products from the breakup of injected CH4 were greater than previous measurements at higher puff rates, indicating the importance of minimizing perturbation to the local plasma. At 350K, the measured CE yield near the outer strike point was ˜2.6% in attachment dropping to only ˜0.5% in cold plasma; results are consistent with some theoretical predications and lab studies. Under full detachment, near total extinction of the CD band occurred, consistent with suppression of net C erosion. These findings have potentially major impact on projected target lifetime and tritium retention in future reactors, and for the PFC choice in ITER.

Synthesis and characterization of functionalized mesoprous SBA-15 decorated with Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles for removal of Ce(III) ions from aqueous solution: ICP-OES detection and central composite design optimization.

PubMed

Dashtian, Kheibar; Zare-Dorabei, Rouholah

2017-05-15

A selective adsorbent based on the modification of mesoprous SBA-15 with N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,3-ethylenediamine Schiff base and decorated with Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (SBA-15-BSEA-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs) for Ce(III) ions removal was reported. The SBA-15-BSEA-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs was identified by XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, SEM, FT-IR, VSM, BET and BJH analysis. Central composite design (CCD) was applied to evaluate the main and interactive effects of adsorption variables and optimize the operational parameters. The important variable such as initial pH solution, SBA-15-BSEA-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs mass, shaking time and initial concentration of Ce 3+ ions were studied under batch mode. In desirability concession of 1.0 as optimum value for R% Ce(III) , the level of factors was as follows: shaking time 80min, SBA-15-BSEA-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs mass 0.05g, pH 5 and initial concentration of Ce(III) ions 40mgL -1 . The SBA-15-BSEA-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs exhibited high adsorption efficiency and very good selectivity through cerium removal even in the presence of other ions (La 3+ , Nb 3+ , Er 3+ , Cu 2+ , Cd 2+ , Cr 3+ , and Fe 2+ ions). The SBA-15-BSEA-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs was successfully regenerated and the response was reversible. The R.S.D. of the adsorption process was less than 1.02%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous chiral discrimination of multiple profens by cyclodextrin-modified capillary electrophoresis in normal and reversed polarity modes.

PubMed

La, Sookie; Kim, Jiyung; Kim, Jung-Han; Goto, Junichi; Kim, Kyoung-Rae

2003-08-01

Simultaneous enantioseparations of nine profens for their accurate chiral discrimination were achieved by capillary electrophoresis (CE) in the normal polarity (NP) mode with a single cyclodextrin (CD) system and in the reversed polarity (RP) mode with a dual CD system. The single CD system in the NP mode employed heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin (TMbetaCD) added at 75 mM-100 mM 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid buffer (pH 6.0) as the optimum run buffer. The dual CD system operated in the RP mode used 30 mM TMbetaCD and 1.0% anionic carboxymethyl-beta-cyclodextrin dissolved in pH 3.0, 100 mM phosphoric acid-triethanolamine buffer containing 0.01% hexadimethrine bromide added to reverse the electroosmotic flow. Fairly good enantiomeric resolutions and the opposite enantiomer migration orders were achieved in the two modes. Relative migration times to internal standard under respective optimum conditions were characteristic of each enantiomer with good precision (< 2% relative standard deviation, RSD), thereby enabling to crosscheck the chemical identification of profens and also their accurate chiralities. The method linearity in the two modes was found to be adequate (r > or = 0.9991) for the chiral assay of the profens investigated. Simultaneous enantiomeric purity test of ibuprofen, ketoprofen and flurbiprofen in a mixture was feasible in a single analysis by the present method.

High-resolution spectroscopic observations of the new CEMP-s star CD -50°776

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roriz, M.; Pereira, C. B.; Drake, N. A.; Roig, F.; Silva, J. V. Sales

2017-11-01

Carbon enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars are a particular class of low-metalicity halo stars whose chemical analysis may provide important contrains to the chemistry evolution of the Galaxy and to the models of mass-transfer and evolution of components in binary systems. Here, we present a detailed analysis of the CEMP star CD -50°776, using high resolution optical spectroscopy. We found that CD -50°776 has a metalicity [Fe/H] = -2.31 and a carbon abundance [C/Fe] = +1.21. Analysing the s-process elements and the europium abundances, we show that this star is actually a CEMP-s star, based on the criteria set in the literature to classify these chemically peculiar objects. We also show that CD -50°776 is a lead star, since it has a ratio [Pb/Ce] = +0.97. In addition, we show that CD -50°776 develops radial velocity variations that may be attributed to the orbital motion in a binary system. The abundance pattern of CD -50°776 is discussed and compared to other CEMP-s stars already reported in the literature to show that this star is a quite exceptional object among the CEMP stars, particularly due to its low nitrogen abundance. Explaining this pattern may require to improve the nucleosynthesis models, and the evolutionary models of mass transfer and binary interaction.

Understanding rare adverse sequelae of breast implants: anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, late seromas, and double capsules

PubMed Central

Nava, Maurizio Bruno; Rocco, Nicola

2017-01-01

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BI-ALCL) is a distinct type of T-cell lymphoma arising around breast implants. The United States FDA recently updated the 2011 safety communication, warning that women with breast implants may have a very low risk of developing ALCL adjacent to a breast implant. According to the World Health Organization, BI-LCL is not a breast cancer or cancer of the breast tissue; it is a lymphoma, a cancer of immune cells. BI-ALCL is highly curable in the majority of patients. Informed consent should include the risk of BI-ALCL with breast implant patients. Women with breast implants are encouraged to contact their plastic surgeon if they notice swelling, fluid collections, or unexpected changes in breast shape. Physicians are encouraged to send suspicious peri-prosthetic fluid for CD30 immunohistochemistry, cell block cytology, and culture in symptomatic patients. An observation from reported cases indicates a predominance of textured device involvement. More information is needed to fully understand risk factors and etiology. The association of bacteria and biofilm with ALCL is currently being investigated and one theory is that biofilm may play a role in this disease process stressing the importance of best practice techniques intraoperatively. Recent studies have reported clinical presentation, prognosis, and treatment outcomes with long term followup demonstrating the critical role for surgical management. PMID:28497021

Understanding rare adverse sequelae of breast implants: anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, late seromas, and double capsules.

PubMed

Clemens, Mark W; Nava, Maurizio Bruno; Rocco, Nicola; Miranda, Roberto N

2017-04-01

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BI-ALCL) is a distinct type of T-cell lymphoma arising around breast implants. The United States FDA recently updated the 2011 safety communication, warning that women with breast implants may have a very low risk of developing ALCL adjacent to a breast implant. According to the World Health Organization, BI-LCL is not a breast cancer or cancer of the breast tissue; it is a lymphoma, a cancer of immune cells. BI-ALCL is highly curable in the majority of patients. Informed consent should include the risk of BI-ALCL with breast implant patients. Women with breast implants are encouraged to contact their plastic surgeon if they notice swelling, fluid collections, or unexpected changes in breast shape. Physicians are encouraged to send suspicious peri-prosthetic fluid for CD30 immunohistochemistry, cell block cytology, and culture in symptomatic patients. An observation from reported cases indicates a predominance of textured device involvement. More information is needed to fully understand risk factors and etiology. The association of bacteria and biofilm with ALCL is currently being investigated and one theory is that biofilm may play a role in this disease process stressing the importance of best practice techniques intraoperatively. Recent studies have reported clinical presentation, prognosis, and treatment outcomes with long term followup demonstrating the critical role for surgical management.

Synthesis of modified cyclic and acyclic dextrins and comparison of their complexation ability

PubMed Central

Jicsinszky, László; Sohajda, Tamás; Puskás, István; Fenyvesi, Éva

2014-01-01

Summary We compared the complex forming ability of α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins (α-CD, β-CD and γ-CD) with their open ring analogs. In addition to the native cyclodextrins also modified cyclodextrins and the corresponding maltooligomers, functionalized with neutral 2-hydroxypropyl moieties, were synthesized. A new synthetic route was worked out via bromination, benzylation, deacetylation and debenzylation to obtain the 2-hydroxypropyl maltooligomer counterparts. The complexation properties of non-modified and modified cyclic and acyclic dextrins were studied and compared by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) using model guest compounds. In some cases cyclodextrins and their open-ring analogs (acyclodextrins) show similar complexation abilities, while with other guests considerably different behavior was observed depending on the molecular dimensions and chemical characteristics of the guests. This was explained by the enhanced flexibility of the non-closed rings. Even the signs of enantiorecognition were observed for the chloropheniramine/hydroxypropyl maltohexaose system. Further studies are planned to help the deeper understanding of the interactions. PMID:25550750

Cinnamon polyphenols regulate multiple metabolic pathways involved in insulin signaling and intestinal lipoprotein metabolism of small intestinal enterocytes.

PubMed

Qin, Bolin; Dawson, Harry D; Schoene, Norberta W; Polansky, Marilyn M; Anderson, Richard A

2012-01-01

Increasing evidence suggests that dietary factors may affect the expression of multiple genes and signaling pathways, which regulate intestinal lipoprotein metabolism. The small intestine is actively involved in the regulation of dietary lipid absorption, intracellular transport, and metabolism and is closely linked to systemic lipid metabolism. Cinnamon polyphenols have been shown to improve glucose, insulin, and lipid metabolism and improve inflammation in cell culture, animal, and human studies. However, little is known of the effects of an aqueous cinnamon extract (CE) on the regulation of genes and signaling pathways related to intestinal metabolism. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of a CE on the primary enterocytes of chow-fed rats. Freshly isolated intestinal enterocytes were used to investigate apolipoprotein-B48 secretion by immunoprecipitation; gene expressions by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and the protein and phosphorylation levels were evaluated by western blot and flow cytometric analyses. Ex vivo, the CE significantly decreased the amount of apolipoprotein-B48 secretion into the media, inhibited the mRNA expression of genes of the inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, and induced the expression of the anti-inflammatory gene, Zfp36. CE also increased the mRNA expression of genes leading to increased insulin sensitivity, including Ir, Irs1, Irs2, Pi3k, and Akt1, and decreased Pten expression. CE also inhibited genes associated with increased cholesterol, triacylglycerols, and apolipoprotein-B48 levels, including Abcg5, Npc1l1, Cd36, Mttp, and Srebp1c, and facilitated Abca1 expression. CE also stimulated the phospho-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase expressions determined by flow cytometry, with no changes in protein levels. These results demonstrate that the CE regulates genes associated with insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and cholesterol/lipogenesis metabolism and the activity of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signal pathway in intestinal lipoprotein metabolism. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In-beam spectroscopy of medium- and high-spin states in Ce 133

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ayangeakaa, A. D.; Garg, U.; Petrache, C. M.

2016-05-01

Medium and high-spin states in Ce-133 were investigated using the Cd-116(Ne-22, 5n) reaction and the Gammasphere array. The level scheme was extended up to an excitation energy of similar to 22.8 MeV and spin 93/2 (h) over bar. Eleven bands of quadrupole transitions and two new dipole bands are identified. The connections to low-lying states of the previously known, high-spin triaxial bands were firmly established, thus fixing the excitation energy and, in many cases, the spin parity of the levels. Based on comparisons with cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky calculations and tilted axis cranking covariant density functional theory, it is shown that allmore » observed bands are characterized by pronounced triaxiality. Competing multiquasiparticle configurations are found to contribute to a rich variety of collective phenomena in this nucleus.« less

Method of bonding metals to ceramics

DOEpatents

Maroni, Victor A.

1991-01-01

A ceramic or glass having a thin layer of silver, gold or alloys thereof at the surface thereof. A first metal is bonded to the thin layer and a second metal is bonded to the first metal. The first metal is selected from the class consisting of In, Ga, Sn, Bi, Zn, Cd, Pb, Tl and alloys thereof, and the second metal is selected from the class consisting of Cu, Al, Pb, An and alloys thereof.

Development of viable solutions for the synthesis of sulfur bearing single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Xiao; Bud'ko, Sergey L.; Canfield, Paul C.

2012-07-01

The discovery of high temperature superconductivity in FeAs and FeSe based compounds has once again focused the condensed matter community on the need to systematically explore compounds containing chalcogens and pnictogens. Whereas some solution growth techniques have been developed to handle P and As, and Sb and Bi are versatile solvents in their own right, S has remained a problematic element to incorporate into conventional solution growth. To a large extent its low boiling point, combined with its polymeric nature in a molten state have made S an uninviting solvent. In this paper we present our development of a range of binary sulfur bearing solutions (some even sulfur rich) and demonstrate how we have been able to use these as useful starting points for the growth of a wide range of transition metal-sulfur-X ternary compounds. We present growth details and basic characterization data for Ni3Bi2S2, Co3Sn2S2, Fe2GeS4, CoSSb, and CePd3S4. In addition we present a remarkably simple method for the growth of single crystalline Co with crystallization taking place below the Curie temperature.

Conformational Rearrangement Within the Soluble Domains of the CD4 Receptor is Ligand-Specific

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ashish,F.; Juncadella, I.; Garg, R.

2008-01-01

Ligand binding induces shape changes within the four modular ectodomains (D1-D4) of the CD4 receptor, an important receptor in immune signaling. Small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) on both a two-domain and a four-domain construct of the soluble CD4 (sCD4) is consistent with known crystal structures demonstrating a bilobal and a semi-extended tetralobal Z conformation in solution, respectively. Detection of conformational changes within sCD4 as a result of ligand binding was followed by SAXS on sCD4 bound to two different glycoprotein ligands: the tick saliva immunosuppressor Salp15 and the HIV-1 envelope protein gp120. Ab initio modeling of these data showed thatmore » both Salp15 and gp120 bind to the D1 domain of sCD4 and yet induce drastically different structural rearrangements. Upon binding, Salp15 primarily distorts the characteristic lobal architecture of the sCD4 without significantly altering the semi-extended shape of the sCD4 receptor. In sharp contrast, the interaction of gp120 with sCD4 induces a shape change within sCD4 that can be described as a Z-to-U bi-fold closure of the four domains across its flexible D2-D3 linker. Placement of known crystal structures within the boundaries of the SAXS-derived models suggests that the ligand-induced shape changes could be a result of conformational changes within this D2-D3 linker. Functionally, the observed shape changes in CD4 receptor causes dissociation of lymphocyte kinase from the cytoplasmic domain of Salp15-bound CD4 and facilitates an interaction between the exposed V3 loops of CD4-bound gp120 molecule to the extracellular loops of its co-receptor, a step essential for HIV-1 viral entry.« less

Structural transition of glucagon in the concentrated solution observed by electrophoretic and spectroscopic techniques.

PubMed

Onoue, Satomi; Iwasa, Sumiko; Kojima, Takashi; Katoh, Fumie; Debari, Kazuhiro; Koh, Keitatsu; Matsuda, Yoshihisa; Yajima, Takehiko

2006-03-24

Glucagon, a polypeptide hormone consisting of 29 amino acid residues, tends to form gel-like fibrillar aggregates, and the glucagon fibril, as well as other pathologically related fibrils including prion, amylin, and beta-amyloid, have been found to be cytotoxic through the activation of apoptotic signaling pathways. To understand the aggregation properties of glucagon fibril, we have characterized and compared the physicochemical properties of glucagon, secretin, a member of the glucagon superfamily, and amylin using analytical techniques including capillary electrophoresis (CE), circular dichroism (CD), FT-IR, FT-Raman, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and beta-sheet-imaging probe. Aging treatment of glucagon resulted in the formation of fibrillar aggregates in time- and concentration-dependent manner, and FT-IR and FT-Raman analyses showed the spectral shift of amide I band, suggesting the conformational changes from alpha-helix to beta-sheet structure. Interestingly, secretin, having high sequential and secondary structural homology with glucagon, did not generate the fibrillar aggregates at the conditions tested. In addition, we evaluated the association state of glucagon at various pHs raging from pH 2.0 to 3.5 using CE. Based on the CE data, the rate constants of glucagon aggregation were calculated to be 0.002 +/- 0.004/h and 0.080 +/- 0.011/h for aging at pH 2.0 and 3.5, respectively, suggesting the pH dependence of self-association. CE showed the potential to separate and detect the glucagon aggregates and intermediates during aging process.

Rat and mouse CD94 associate directly with the activating transmembrane adaptor proteins DAP12 and DAP10 and activate NK cell cytotoxicity.

PubMed

Saether, Per C; Hoelsbrekken, Sigurd E; Fossum, Sigbjørn; Dissen, Erik

2011-12-15

Signaling by the CD94/NKG2 heterodimeric NK cell receptor family has been well characterized in the human but has remained unclear in the mouse and rat. In the human, the activating receptor CD94/NKG2C associates with DAP12 by an ionic bond between oppositely charged residues within the transmembrane regions of NKG2C and DAP12. The lysine residue responsible for DAP12 association is absent in rat and mouse NKG2C and -E, raising questions about signaling mechanisms in these species. As a possible substitute, rat and mouse NKG2C and -E contain an arginine residue in the transition between the transmembrane and stalk regions. In this article, we demonstrate that, similar to their human orthologs, NKG2A inhibits, whereas NKG2C activates, rat NK cells. Redirected lysis assays using NK cells transfected with a mutated NKG2C construct indicated that the activating function of CD94/NKG2C did not depend on the transmembrane/stalk region arginine residue. Flow cytometry and biochemical analysis demonstrated that both DAP12 and DAP10 can associate with rat CD94/NKG2C. Surprisingly, DAP12 and DAP10 did not associate with NKG2C but instead with CD94. These associations depended on a transmembrane lysine residue in CD94 that is unique to rodents. Thus, in the mouse and rat, the ability to bind activating adaptor proteins has been transferred from NKG2C/E to the CD94 chain as a result of mutation events in both chains. Remarkable from a phylogenetic perspective, this sheds new light on the evolution and function of the CD94/NKG2 receptor family.

Single-Stage Preparation of Human Cartilage Grafts Generated from Bone Marrow-Derived CD271+ Mononuclear Cells.

PubMed

Petters, Oliver; Schmidt, Christian; Henkelmann, Ralf; Pieroh, Philipp; Hütter, Gero; Marquass, Bastian; Aust, Gabriela; Schulz, Ronny M

2018-04-15

Due to the limited self-healing capacity of articular cartilage, innovative, regenerative approaches are of particular interest. The use of two-stage procedures utilizing in vitro-expanded mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from various cell sources requires good manufacturing practice-compliant production, a process with high demands on time, staffing, and financial resources. In contrast, one- stage procedures are directly available, but need a safe enrichment of potent MSCs. CD271 is a surface marker known to marking the majority of native MSCs in bone marrow (BM). In this study, the feasibility of generating a single-stage cartilage graft of enriched CD271 + BM-derived mononuclear cells (MNCs) without in vitro monolayer expansion from eight healthy donors was investigated. Cartilage grafts were generated by magnetic-activated cell sorting and separated cells were directly transferred into collagen type I hydrogels, followed by 3D proliferation and differentiation period of CD271 + , CD271 - , or unseparated MNCs. CD271 + MNCs showed the highest proliferation rate, cell viability, sulfated glycosaminoglycan deposition, and cartilage marker expression compared to the CD271 - or unseparated MNC fractions in 3D culture. Analysis according to the minimal criteria of the International Society for Cellular Therapy highlighted a 66.8-fold enrichment of fibroblast colony-forming units in CD271 + MNCs and the only fulfillment of the MSC marker profile compared to unseparated MNCs. In summary, CD271 + MNCs are capable of generating adequate articular cartilage grafts presenting high cell viability and notable chondrogenic matrix deposition in a CE-marked collagen type I hydrogel, which can obviate the need for an initial monolayer expansion.

Position and time resolution measurements with a microchannel plate image intensifier: A comparison of monolithic and pixelated CeBr3 scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ackermann, Ulrich; Eschbaumer, Stephan; Bergmaier, Andreas; Egger, Werner; Sperr, Peter; Greubel, Christoph; Löwe, Benjamin; Schotanus, Paul; Dollinger, Günther

2016-07-01

To perform Four Dimensional Age Momentum Correlation measurements in the near future, where one obtains the positron lifetime in coincidence with the three dimensional momentum of the electron annihilating with the positron, we have investigated the time and position resolution of two CeBr3 scintillators (monolithic and an array of pixels) using a Photek IPD340/Q/BI/RS microchannel plate image intensifier. The microchannel plate image intensifier has an active diameter of 40 mm and a stack of two microchannel plates in chevron configuration. The monolithic CeBr3 scintillator was cylindrically shaped with a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 5 mm. The pixelated scintillator array covered the whole active area of the microchannel plate image intensifier and the shape of each pixel was 2.5·2.5·8 mm3 with a pixel pitch of 3.3 mm. For the monolithic setup the measured mean single time resolution was 330 ps (FWHM) at a gamma energy of 511 keV. No significant dependence on the position was detected. The position resolution at the center of the monolithic scintillator was about 2.5 mm (FWHM) at a gamma energy of 662 keV. The single time resolution of the pixelated crystal setup reached 320 ps (FWHM) in the region of the center of the active area of the microchannel plate image intensifier. The position resolution was limited by the cross-section of the pixels. The gamma energy for the pixel setup measurements was 511 keV.

Macroscopic phase separation of superconductivity and ferromagnetism in Sr0.5Ce0.5FBiS2-x Se x revealed by μSR.

PubMed

Nikitin, A M; Grinenko, V; Sarkar, R; Orain, J-C; Salis, M V; Henke, J; Huang, Y K; Klauss, H-H; Amato, A; Visser, A de

2017-12-12

The compound Sr 0.5 Ce 0.5 FBiS 2 belongs to the intensively studied family of layered BiS 2 superconductors. It attracts special attention because superconductivity at T sc  = 2.8 K was found to coexist with local-moment ferromagnetic order with a Curie temperature T C  = 7.5 K. Recently it was reported that upon replacing S by Se T C drops and ferromagnetism becomes of an itinerant nature. At the same time T sc increases and it was argued superconductivity coexists with itinerant ferromagnetism. Here we report a muon spin rotation and relaxation study (μSR) conducted to investigate the coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetic order in Sr 0.5 Ce 0.5 FBiS 2-x Se x with x = 0.5 and 1.0. By inspecting the muon asymmetry function we find that both phases do not coexist on the microscopic scale, but occupy different sample volumes. For x = 0.5 and x = 1.0 we find a ferromagnetic volume fraction of ~8 % and ~30 % at T = 0.25 K, well below T C  = 3.4 K and T C  = 3.3 K, respectively. For x = 1.0 (T sc  = 2.9 K) the superconducting phase occupies most (~64 %) of the remaining sample volume, as shown by transverse field experiments that probe the Gaussian damping due to the vortex lattice. We conclude ferromagnetism and superconductivity are macroscopically phase separated.

Comparison of experimental results of a Quad-CZT array detector, a NaI(Tl), a LaBr3(Ce), and a HPGe for safeguards applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwak, S.-W.; Choi, J.; Park, S. S.; Ahn, S. H.; Park, J. S.; Chung, H.

2017-11-01

A compound semiconductor detector, CdTe (or CdZnTe), has been used in various areas including nuclear safeguards applications. To address its critical drawback, low detection efficiency, which leads to a long measurement time, a Quad-CZT array-based gamma-ray spectrometer in our previous study has been developed by combining four individual CZT detectors. We have re-designed the developed Quad-CZT array system to make it more simple and compact for a hand-held gamma-ray detector. The objective of this paper aims to compare the improved Quad-CZT array system with the traditional gamma-ray spectrometers (NaI(Tl), LaBr3(Ce), HPGe); these detectors currently have been the most commonly used for verification of nuclear materials. Nuclear materials in different physical forms in a nuclear facility of Korea were measured by the Quad-CZT array system and the existing gamma-ray detectors. For measurements of UO2 pellets and powders, and fresh fuel rods, the Quad-CZT array system turned out to be superior to the NaI(Tl) and LaBr3(Ce). For measurements of UF6 cylinders with a thick wall, the Quad-CZT array system and HPGe gave similar accuracy under the same measurement time. From the results of the field tests conducted, we can conclude that the improved Quad-CZT array system would be used as an alternative to HPGes and scintillation detectors for the purpose of increasing effectivenss and efficiency of safeguards applications. This is the first paper employing a multi-element CZT array detector for measurement of nuclear materials—particularly uranium in a UF6 cylinder—in a real nuclear facility. The present work also suggests that the multi-CZT array system described in this study would be one promising method to address a serious weakness of CZT-based radiation detection.

Engineering and introduction of de novo disulphide bridges in organophosphorus hydrolase enzyme for thermostability improvement.

PubMed

Farnoosh, Gholamreza; Khajeh, Khosro; Latifi, Ali Mohammad; Aghamollaei, Hossein

2016-12-01

The organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) has been used to degrade organophosphorus chemicals, as one of the most frequently used decontamination methods. Under chemical and thermal denaturing conditions, the enzyme has been shown to unfold. To utilize this enzyme in various applications, the thermal stability is of importance. The engineering of de novo disulphide bridges has been explored as a means to increase the thermal stability of enzymes in the rational method of protein engineering. In this study, Disulphide by Design software, homology modelling and molecular dynamics simulations were used to select appropriate amino acid pairs for the introduction of disulphide bridge to improve protein thermostability. The thermostability of the wild-type and three selected mutant enzymes were evaluated by half-life, delta G inactivation (ΔGi) and structural studies (fluorescence and far-UV CD analysis). Data analysis showed that half-life of A204C/T234C and T128C/E153C mutants were increased up to 4 and 24 min, respectively; however, for the G74C/A78C mutant, the half-life was decreased up to 9 min. For the T128C/E124C mutant, both thermal stability and Catalytic efficiency (kcat) were also increased. The half-life and ΔGi results were correlated to the obtained information from structural studies by circular dichroism (CD) spectrometry and extrinsic fluorescence experiments; as rigidity increased in A204C/T2234C and T128C/E153C mutants, half-life and ΔGi also increased. For G74C/A78C mutant, these parameters decreased due to its higher flexibility. The results were submitted a strong evidence for the possibility to improve the thermostability of OPH enzyme by introducing a disulphide bridge after bioinformatics design, even though this design would not be always successful.

Oral microemulsions of paclitaxel: in situ and pharmacokinetic studies.

PubMed

Nornoo, Adwoa O; Zheng, Haian; Lopes, Luciana B; Johnson-Restrepo, Boris; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Reed, Rachel

2009-02-01

The overall goal of this study was to develop cremophor-free oral microemulsions of paclitaxel (PAC) to enhance its permeability and oral absorption. The mechanism of this enhancement, as well as characteristics of the microemulsions relevant to the increase in permeability and absorption of the low solubility, low permeability PAC was investigated. Phase diagrams were used to determine the macroscopic phase behavior of the microemulsions and to compare the efficiency of different surfactant-oil mixtures to incorporate water. The microemulsion region on the phase diagrams utilizing surfactant-myvacet oil combinations was in decreasing order: lecithin: butanol: myvacet oil (LBM, 48.5%)>centromix CPS: 1-butanol: myvacet oil (CPS, 45.15%)>capmul MCM: polysorbate 80: myvacet oil (CPM, 27.6%)>capryol 90: polysorbate 80: myvacet oil (CP-P80, 23.9%)>capmul: myvacet oil (CM, 20%). Oil-in-water (o/w) microemulsions had larger droplet sizes (687-1010 nm) than the water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsions (272-363 nm) when measured using a Zetasizer nano series particle size analyzer. Utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), the self-diffusion coefficient (D) of PAC in CM, LBM and CPM containing 10% of deuterium oxide (D(2)O) was 2.24x10(-11), 1.97x10(-11) and 0.51x10(-11) m(2)/s, respectively. These values indicate the faster molecular mobility of PAC in the two w/o microemulsions (CM and LBM) than the o/w microemulsion--CPM. The in situ permeability of PAC through male CD-IGS rat intestine was 3- and 11-fold higher from LBM and CM, respectively, than that from the control clinical formulation, Taxol (CE, cremophor: ethanol) in a single pass perfusion study. PAC permeability was significantly increased in the presence of the pgp/CYP3A4 inhibitor cyclosporine A (CsA). This enhancement may be attributed to the pgp inhibitory effect of the surfactants, oil and/or the membrane perturbation effect of the surfactants. The oral disposition of PAC in CM, LBM and CPM compared to CE was studied in male CD-IGS rats after a single oral dose (20 mg/kg). The area-under-the-curve of PAC in CM was significantly larger than LBM, CPM and CE. Oral microemulsions of PAC were developed that increased both the permeability and AUC of PAC as compared to CE.

Microcomputer Based Ship-Board Gun Control System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

to0 CD 04 5. 6D3. bi t0 U3 3 3. A - a U3 vi4 . * ~ ~ ~ 1 z.. n . 0 4 OR *4 AnS 94 C.) 0 3 * 04 td ) . cu 4. P* 0r * 3 6* 04 to 0 f 3. 4 6-4 "a I c *0...0I td ..M U o -Oq I Z ) OM Pm , N ou POO 0 -4 I h 4 * W33 SVil lot I 4- ad2 13 41 *f 0 44 ac ci 0 IH 4n 0= U 04 o3 0, 3a V). cav% n oft af 44 0 A4A... td ) -zl- ~ 6N 0 l 4 44L CdP 9 ~CI (n l 4 t3 0. .4 vi~ n - 4 U :A -. c 14 w i cn v - V", v- C) 4A " =- " cL c. Ni 0.4 (n Z m a -I 11) Cd E4 r a. a

Cd (II) and holodirected lead (II) 3D-supramolecular coordination polymers based on nicotinic acid: Structure, fluorescence property and photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etaiw, Safaa El-din H.; Abd El-Aziz, Dina M.; Marie, Hassan; Ali, Elham

2018-05-01

Two new supramolecular coordination polymers namely {[Cd(NA)2(H2O)]}, SCP 1 and {[Pb(NA)2]}, SCP 2, (NA = nicotinate ligand) were synthesized by self-assembly method and structurally characterized by different analytical and spectroscopic methods. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction showed that SCP 1 extend in three dimensions containing bore structure where the 3D- network is constructed via interweaving zigzag chains. The Cd atom coordinates to (O4N2) atoms forming distorted-octahedral configuration. The structure of SCP 2 extend down the projection of the b-axis creating parallel zigzag 1D-chains connected by μ2-O2 atoms and H-bonds forming a holodirected lead (II) hexagonal bi-pyramid configuration. SCP 2 extend to 3D-network via coordinate and hydrogen bonds. The thermal stability, photoluminescence properties, photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye (MB) under UV-irradiation and sunlight irradiation were also studied.

Solvo-thermal synthesis of a unique alkaline earth-transition Ba-Cd micro-porous coordination framework as hetero-metallic luminescent sensor for Cu2+ and real-time detection of benzaldehyde

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Bin; Ma, Dian Xue; Zhang, Hui Min; Meng, Xin; Qiu, Rong Rong; Ren, Rong; Wu, Jie; Wu, Xiang Xia; Huo, Jian Zhong; Liu, Yuan Yuan; Shi, Xue Fang

2018-06-01

In this work a unique hetero-metallic alkaline earth-transition Ba-Cd luminescent micro-porous metal-organic framework {[BaCd(μ6-tp)1.5(μ2-Cl)(H2O) (DMF)2]·0.75H2O}n (H2tp = terephthalic acid) (1) has been prepared under solvo-thermal conditions. In 1 infinite 1D {Ba-X-Cd} (X = O, Cl) inorganic chains are linked via these full de-pronated tp2- ligands forming a unique 3D I1O2 type micro-porous coordination framework. PXRD patterns of 1 have been determined confirming pure phases of 1. Luminescence investigations suggested that 1 exhibits highly selective and sensitive sensing for trace amounts of benzaldehyde in ethanol, which provides a facile method for real-time detection of benzaldehyde. Meanwhile 1 also exhibits highly selective and sensitive sensing for Cu2+ over other cations with high quenching efficiency Ksv value 1.15 × 104 L·mol-1. As far as we know, 1 represents the first example of alkaline earth-transition hetero-metallic Ba-Cd micro-porous coordination framework as bi-functional luminescent probes for Cu2+ and benzaldehyde.

Solvo-thermal synthesis of a unique alkaline earth-transition Ba-Cd micro-porous coordination framework as hetero-metallic luminescent sensor for Cu2+ and real-time detection of benzaldehyde.

PubMed

Ding, Bin; Ma, Dian Xue; Zhang, Hui Min; Meng, Xin; Qiu, Rong Rong; Ren, Rong; Wu, Jie; Wu, Xiang Xia; Huo, Jian Zhong; Liu, Yuan Yuan; Shi, Xue Fang

2018-06-15

In this work a unique hetero-metallic alkaline earth-transition Ba-Cd luminescent micro-porous metal-organic framework {[BaCd(μ 6 -tp) 1.5 (μ 2 -Cl)(H 2 O) (DMF) 2 ]·0.75H 2 O} n (H 2 tp=terephthalic acid) (1) has been prepared under solvo-thermal conditions. In 1 infinite 1D {Ba-X-Cd} (X=O, Cl) inorganic chains are linked via these full de-pronated tp 2- ligands forming a unique 3D I 1 O 2 type micro-porous coordination framework. PXRD patterns of 1 have been determined confirming pure phases of 1. Luminescence investigations suggested that 1 exhibits highly selective and sensitive sensing for trace amounts of benzaldehyde in ethanol, which provides a facile method for real-time detection of benzaldehyde. Meanwhile 1 also exhibits highly selective and sensitive sensing for Cu 2+ over other cations with high quenching efficiency K sv value 1.15×10 4 L·mol -1 . As far as we know, 1 represents the first example of alkaline earth-transition hetero-metallic Ba-Cd micro-porous coordination framework as bi-functional luminescent probes for Cu 2+ and benzaldehyde. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Further Evidence on the Effect of Acquisition Policy and Process on Cost Growth of Major Defense Acquisition Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

Total Package Procurement (TPP) when it was judged to be practicable and, when not, Fixed Price Incentive Fee (FPIF) or Cost Plus Incentive Fee (CPIF...development contracts in favor of CPIF. ( Cost Plus Award Fee may not have been included in the contracting play book yet.) As a general matter, Packard’s...Group CAPE Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation CD Compact Disc CE Current Estimate CLC Calibrated Learning Curve CPIF Cost Plus Incentive Fee

The Neuropsychology of Imagery Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

14260 Providence RI 02912 Or Elizabeth B5ork Or John R Anderson Department of Psychology Department of Psychology University of California Carnegie...University Cornell University Fullerton CA 92634 Ithaca NY 14853 Or Norma Graham - r Murray Glanzer 314 Schermerhorn Hall, Psychology Department of...OF 01I4SPONSIGLE oINOiVtOUAL 3 . 2b TSLIP0ONS NUMIDEA 22c. Off"CE SVIMOOL Alfred R . Frealy I~~d 4IoCd 00 FORM 1473.83 APR 601TION 0P 1IJAN 72 IS

Evaluation of Alternative Future Strategies for Action.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

Station, CE, Vicksburg, Mississippi 290 Congdon , J. C., 1971. Fish populations of channelized and unchannelized sections of the Chariton River, Mis- souri...130 OCI 06 30. 0 05 c 54 4)IA ) me . u d0 04 0A 0 * 0 41 v 0 AU 0 u 5 IX C o 0% tp 0’ 05 0. 00 4 0 co w a 3 ~ 1- 0 40 CD M @ -A A~W I" v Ito ’ V @5 ’H

Red River of the North Reconnaissance Report: Pembina River.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

the mallard, blue -winged teal, pintail, gadwall, northern shoveler, green -winged teal, American wigeon, and redhead. [ Rush Lake receives heavy use...r.D-Ri4. 787 RED RIVER OF THE NORTH RECONNAISSANCE REPORT: PEMBINA 1/2 RIVER(IJ) GULF SOUTH RESEAPRCH INST BATON ROUGE LA DEC 9 DACU77-8@-C-e8i7B...ii% ---. :w: U ;r u --- ’w AD-A140 787 RED RIVER OF THE NORTH RECONNAISSANCE , %h,%! iREPORT , _ PEMBINA ; RIVER CD j- - D FINAL RMPORT ’ December

Fluorescence imaging technology (FI) for high-throughput screening of selenide-modified nano-TiO2 catalysts.

PubMed

Wang, Liping; Lee, Jianchao; Zhang, Meijuan; Duan, Qiannan; Zhang, Jiarui; Qi, Hailang

2016-02-18

A high-throughput screening (HTS) method based on fluorescence imaging (FI) was implemented to evaluate the catalytic performance of selenide-modified nano-TiO2. Chemical ink-jet printing (IJP) technology was reformed to fabricate a catalyst library comprising 1405 (Ni(a)Cu(b)Cd(c)Ce(d)In(e)Y(f))Se(x)/TiO2 (M6Se/Ti) composite photocatalysts. Nineteen M6Se/Tis were screened out from the 1405 candidates efficiently.

Method of bonding metals to ceramics

DOEpatents

Maroni, V.A.

1991-04-23

A ceramic or glass having a thin layer of silver, gold or alloys thereof at the surface thereof is disclosed. A first metal is bonded to the thin layer and a second metal is bonded to the first metal. The first metal is selected from the class consisting of In, Ga, Sn, Bi, Zn, Cd, Pb, Tl and alloys thereof, and the second metal is selected from the class consisting of Cu, Al, Pb, Au and alloys thereof. 3 figures.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and iron are required for Mycobacterium leprae survival.

PubMed

de Mattos Barbosa, Mayara Garcia; da Silva Prata, Rhana Berto; Andrade, Priscila Ribeiro; Ferreira, Helen; de Andrade Silva, Bruno Jorge; da Paixão de Oliveira, Jéssica Araújo; Assis, Tayná Quintella; de Toledo-Pinto, Thiago Gomes; de Lima Bezerra, Ohanna Cavalcanti; da Costa Nery, José Augusto; Rosa, Patricia Sammarco; Bozza, Marcelo Torres; Lara, Flávio Alves; Moraes, Milton Ozório; Schmitz, Veronica; Sarno, Euzenir Nunes; Pinheiro, Roberta Olmo

2017-11-01

Our previous study has demonstrated that IL-10 may modulate both indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and CD163 expression in lepromatous leprosy (LL) cells, favoring Mycobacterium leprae persistence through induction of regulatory pathways and iron storage. Here, we observed that in LL lesion cells there is an increase in the expression of proteins involved in iron metabolism such as hemoglobin (Hb), haptoglobin, heme oxygenase 1 and transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) when compared to tuberculoid leprosy (BT) cells. We also found increased iron deposits and diminished expression of the iron exporter ferroportin 1 in LL lesion cells. Hemin, but not FeSO 4 stimulation, was able to enhance M. leprae viability by a mechanism that involves IDO. Analysis of cell phenotype in lesions demonstrated a predominance of M2 markers in LL when compared with BT lesion cells. A positive correlation between CD163 and PPARG with the bacillary index (BI) was observed. In contrast, TNF, STAT1 and CSF2 presented a negative correlation with the BI. In summary, this study demonstrates that iron may regulate IDO expression by a mechanism that involves IL-10, which may contribute for the predominance of M2-like phenotype in LL lesions that favors the phagocytosis and maintenance of M. leprae in host cells. Copyright © 2017 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Migration of trace elements from pyrite tailings in carbonate soils.

PubMed

Dorronsoro, C; Martin, F; Ortiz, I; García, I; Simón, M; Fernández, E; Aguilar, J; Fernández, J

2002-01-01

In the carbonate soils contaminated by a toxic spill from a pyrite mine (Aznalcóllar, southern Spain), a study was made of a thin layer (thickness = 4 mm) of polluted soil located between the pyrite tailings and the underlying soil. This layer, reddish-yellow in color due to a high Fe content, formed when sulfates (from the oxidation of sulfides) infiltrated the soil, causing acidification (to pH 5.6 as opposed to 8.0 of unaffected soil) and pollution (in Zn, Cu, As, Pb, Co, Cd, Sb, Bi, Tl, and In). The less mobile elements (As, Bi, In, Pb, Sb, and Tl) concentrated in the uppermost part of the reddish-yellow layer, with concentration decreasing downward. The more mobile elements (Co, Cd, Zn, and Cu) tended to precipitate where the pH was basic, toward the bottom of the layer or in the upper part of the underlying soil. The greatest accumulations occurred within the first 6 mm in overall soil depth, and were negligible below 15 mm. In addition, the acidity of the solution from the tailings degraded the minerals of the clay fraction of the soils, both the phyllosilicates as well as the carbonates. Also, within the reddish-yellow layer, gypsum formed autigenically, together with complex salts of sulfates of Fe, Al, Zn, Ca, and Mn, jarosite, and oxihydroxides of Fe.

The role of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in the cycling of trace elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanz-Lázaro, C.; Malea, P.; Apostolaki, E. T.; Kalantzi, I.; Marín, A.; Karakassis, I.

2012-03-01

The aim of this work was to study the role of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica on the cycling of a wide set of trace elements (Ag, As, Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Tl, V and Zn). We measured the concentration of these trace elements in the different compartments of P. oceanica (leaves, rhizomes, roots and epibiota) in a non-polluted seagrass meadow representative of the Mediterranean and calculated the annual budget from a mass balance. We provide novel data on accumulation dynamics of many trace elements in P. oceanica compartments and demonstrate that trace element accumulation patterns are mainly determined by plant compartment rather than by temporal variability. Epibiota was the compartment which showed the greatest concentrations for most trace elements. Thus, they constitute a key compartment when estimating trace element transfer to higher trophic levels by P. oceanica. For most trace elements, translocation seemed to be low and acropetal. Zn, Cd, Sr and Rb were the trace elements that showed the highest release rate through decomposition of plant detritus, while Cs, Tl and Bi the lowest. P. oceanica acts as a sink of potentially toxic trace elements (Ni, Cr, As and Ag), which can be sequestered, decreasing their bioavailability. P. oceanica may have a relevant role in the cycling of trace elements in the Mediterranean.

The role of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in the cycling of trace elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanz-Lázaro, C.; Malea, P.; Apostolaki, E. T.; Kalantzi, I.; Marín, A.; Karakassis, I.

2012-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica on the cycling of a wide set of trace elements (Ag, As, Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Tl, V and Zn). We measured the concentration of these trace elements in different compartments of P. oceanica (leaves, rhizomes, roots and epiphytes) in a non-polluted seagrass meadow representative of the Mediterranean and calculated the annual budget from a mass balance. We provide novel data on accumulation dynamics of many trace elements in P. oceanica compartments and demonstrate that trace element accumulation patterns are mainly determined by plant compartment rather than by temporal variability. Epiphytes were the compartment, which showed the greatest concentrations for most trace elements. Thus, they constitute a key compartment when estimating trace element transfer to higher trophic levels by P. oceanica. Trace element translocation in P. oceanica seemed to be low and acropetal in most cases. Zn, Cd, Sr and Rb were the trace elements that showed the highest release rate through decomposition of plant detritus, while Cs, Tl and Bi showed the lowest. P. oceanica acts as a sink of potentially toxic trace elements (Ni, Cr, As and Ag), which can be sequestered, decreasing their bioavailability. P. oceanica may have a relevant role in the cycling of trace elements in the Mediterranean.

Comparing Visually Assessed BI-RADS Breast Density and Automated Volumetric Breast Density Software: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Breast Cancer Screening Setting.

PubMed

van der Waal, Daniëlle; den Heeten, Gerard J; Pijnappel, Ruud M; Schuur, Klaas H; Timmers, Johanna M H; Verbeek, André L M; Broeders, Mireille J M

2015-01-01

The objective of this study is to compare different methods for measuring breast density, both visual assessments and automated volumetric density, in a breast cancer screening setting. These measures could potentially be implemented in future screening programmes, in the context of personalised screening or screening evaluation. Digital mammographic exams (N = 992) of women participating in the Dutch breast cancer screening programme (age 50-75y) in 2013 were included. Breast density was measured in three different ways: BI-RADS density (5th edition) and with two commercially available automated software programs (Quantra and Volpara volumetric density). BI-RADS density (ordinal scale) was assessed by three radiologists. Quantra (v1.3) and Volpara (v1.5.0) provide continuous estimates. Different comparison methods were used, including Bland-Altman plots and correlation coefficients (e.g., intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]). Based on the BI-RADS classification, 40.8% of the women had 'heterogeneously or extremely dense' breasts. The median volumetric percent density was 12.1% (IQR: 9.6-16.5) for Quantra, which was higher than the Volpara estimate (median 6.6%, IQR: 4.4-10.9). The mean difference between Quantra and Volpara was 5.19% (95% CI: 5.04-5.34) (ICC: 0.64). There was a clear increase in volumetric percent dense volume as BI-RADS density increased. The highest accuracy for predicting the presence of BI-RADS c+d (heterogeneously or extremely dense) was observed with a cut-off value of 8.0% for Volpara and 13.8% for Quantra. Although there was no perfect agreement, there appeared to be a strong association between all three measures. Both volumetric density measures seem to be usable in breast cancer screening programmes, provided that the required data flow can be realized.

Comparing Visually Assessed BI-RADS Breast Density and Automated Volumetric Breast Density Software: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Breast Cancer Screening Setting

PubMed Central

van der Waal, Daniëlle; den Heeten, Gerard J.; Pijnappel, Ruud M.; Schuur, Klaas H.; Timmers, Johanna M. H.; Verbeek, André L. M.; Broeders, Mireille J. M.

2015-01-01

Introduction The objective of this study is to compare different methods for measuring breast density, both visual assessments and automated volumetric density, in a breast cancer screening setting. These measures could potentially be implemented in future screening programmes, in the context of personalised screening or screening evaluation. Materials and Methods Digital mammographic exams (N = 992) of women participating in the Dutch breast cancer screening programme (age 50–75y) in 2013 were included. Breast density was measured in three different ways: BI-RADS density (5th edition) and with two commercially available automated software programs (Quantra and Volpara volumetric density). BI-RADS density (ordinal scale) was assessed by three radiologists. Quantra (v1.3) and Volpara (v1.5.0) provide continuous estimates. Different comparison methods were used, including Bland-Altman plots and correlation coefficients (e.g., intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]). Results Based on the BI-RADS classification, 40.8% of the women had ‘heterogeneously or extremely dense’ breasts. The median volumetric percent density was 12.1% (IQR: 9.6–16.5) for Quantra, which was higher than the Volpara estimate (median 6.6%, IQR: 4.4–10.9). The mean difference between Quantra and Volpara was 5.19% (95% CI: 5.04–5.34) (ICC: 0.64). There was a clear increase in volumetric percent dense volume as BI-RADS density increased. The highest accuracy for predicting the presence of BI-RADS c+d (heterogeneously or extremely dense) was observed with a cut-off value of 8.0% for Volpara and 13.8% for Quantra. Conclusion Although there was no perfect agreement, there appeared to be a strong association between all three measures. Both volumetric density measures seem to be usable in breast cancer screening programmes, provided that the required data flow can be realized. PMID:26335569

Small molecular glasses based on multiposition encapsulated phenyl benzimidazole iridium(III) complexes: toward efficient solution-processable host-free electrophosphorescent diodes.

PubMed

Xu, Hui; Yu, Dong-Hui; Liu, Le-Le; Yan, Peng-Fei; Jia, Li-Wei; Li, Guang-Ming; Yue, Zheng-Yu

2010-01-14

Three electrophosphorescent small molecular Ir(3+) complexes, Ir(HexPhBI)(3) 1 (HexPhBI = 1-Hexyl-2-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazole), Ir(CzPhBI)(3) 2 (CzPhBI = 9-(6-(2-phenyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)hexyl)-9H-carbazole), and Ir(Cz(2)PhBI)(3) 3 (Cz(2)PhBI = 9-(6-(4-(1-(6-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)hexyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)phenoxy)hexyl)-9H-carbazole), were synthesized in which 3 was designed with the structure of multiposition encapsulation. Compared to the hexyl-substituted 1, 2 and 3 end-capped with the conjugated carbazole moieties have improved thermal stability. X-ray diffraction analysis proved the amorphous state of 2 and 3. High-photoluminescent efficiencies of 3 are achieved as 72% in solution and 61% in solid. It indicates that the peripheral carbazoles not only facilitate the separation of triplet-emission cores and reduce the intermolecular aggregation but also supply a routine for the intermolecular energy transfer. Electrochemical analysis showed the more oxidation states of 3, which might be anticipated to make it superior to 1 and 2 in hole injection and transporting. The important role of the peripheral carbazole moieties in carrier injection/transporting and the optical properties of the complexes were further investigated by Gaussian simulation. A dramatic electroluminescent (EL) performance, including external quantum efficiency of nearly 6%, low turn-on voltage of 2.5 V, and high brightness over 6000 cd m(-2), from the host-free spin-coated device of 3 was achieved. The superiority of multiencapsulation in EL was proved by comparing the EL performance of 2 and 3. By making comparison between the host-free and phosphor-doping devices, it indicated that the combined modification of the aliphatic chains and functional groups in multipositions is a feasible approach to realize the high-efficiency small molecular phosphorescent materials.

Impairment of immunity to Candida and Mycobacterium in humans with bi-allelic RORC mutations*

PubMed Central

Halwani, Rabih; Ma, Cindy S.; Wong, Natalie; Soudais, Claire; Henderson, Lauren A.; Marzouqa, Hiyam; Shamma, Jamal; Gonzalez, Marcela; Martinez-Barricarte, Rubén; Okada, Chizuru; Avery, Danielle T.; Latorre, Daniela; Deswarte, Caroline; Jabot-Hanin, Fabienne; Torrado, Egidio; Fountain, Jeffrey; Belkadi, Aziz; Itan, Yuval; Boisson, Bertrand; Migaud, Mélanie; Arlehamn, Cecilia S. Lindestam; Sette, Alessandro; Breton, Sylvain; McCluskey, James; Rossjohn, Jamie; de Villartay, Jean-Pierre; Moshous, Despina; Hambleton, Sophie; Latour, Sylvain; Arkwright, Peter D.; Picard, Capucine; Lantz, Olivier; Engelhard, Dan; Kobayashi, Masao; Abel, Laurent; Casanova, Jean-Laurent

2015-01-01

Human inborn errors of immunity mediated by the cytokines interleukin (IL)-17A/F underlie mucocutaneous candidiasis, whereas inborn errors of interferon (IFN)-γ immunity underlie mycobacterial disease. We report the discovery of bi-allelic RORC loss-of-function mutations in seven individuals from three kindreds of different ethnic origins with both candidiasis and mycobacteriosis. The lack of functional RORγ and RORγT isoforms resulted in the absence of IL-17A/F-producing T cells in these individuals, probably accounting for their chronic candidiasis. Unexpectedly, leukocytes from RORγ- and RORγT-deficient individuals also displayed an impaired IFN-γ response to Mycobacterium. This principally reflected profoundly defective IFN-γ production by circulating γδ T cells and CD4+CCR6+ CXCR3+ αβ T cells. In humans, both mucocutaneous immunity to Candida and systemic immunity to Mycobacterium require RORγ, or RORγT, or both. PMID:26160376

Preclinical characterization of AMG 330, a CD3/CD33-bispecific T-cell-engaging antibody with potential for treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia.

PubMed

Friedrich, Matthias; Henn, Anja; Raum, Tobias; Bajtus, Monika; Matthes, Katja; Hendrich, Larissa; Wahl, Joachim; Hoffmann, Patrick; Kischel, Roman; Kvesic, Majk; Slootstra, Jerry W; Baeuerle, Patrick A; Kufer, Peter; Rattel, Benno

2014-06-01

There is high demand for novel therapeutic options for patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). One possible approach is the bispecific T-cell-engaging (BiTE, a registered trademark of Amgen) antibody AMG 330 with dual specificity for CD3 and the sialic acid-binding lectin CD33 (SIGLEC-3), which is frequently expressed on the surface of AML blasts and leukemic stem cells. AMG 330 binds with low nanomolar affinity to CD33 and CD3ε of both human and cynomolgus monkey origin. Eleven human AML cell lines expressing between 14,400 and 56,700 CD33 molecules per cell were all potently lysed with EC(50) values ranging between 0.4 pmol/L and 3 pmol/L (18-149 pg/mL) by previously resting, AMG 330-redirected T cells. Complete lysis was achieved after 40 hours of incubation. In the presence of AML cells, AMG 330 specifically induced expression of CD69 and CD25 as well as release of IFN-γ, TNF, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-10, and IL-6. Ex vivo, AMG 330 mediated autologous depletion of CD33-positive cells from cynomolgous monkey bone marrow aspirates. Soluble CD33 at concentrations found in bone marrow of patients with AML did not significantly affect activities of AMG 330. Neoexpression of CD33 on newly activated T cells was negligible as it was limited to 6% of T cells in only three out of ten human donors tested. Daily intravenous administration with as low as 0.002 mg/kg AMG 330 significantly prolonged survival of immunodeficient mice adoptively transferred with human MOLM-13 AML cells and human T cells. AMG 330 warrants further development as a potential therapy for AML. ©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.

Mapping the cellular and molecular heterogeneity of normal and malignant breast tissues and cultured cell lines

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Introduction Normal and neoplastic breast tissues are comprised of heterogeneous populations of epithelial cells exhibiting various degrees of maturation and differentiation. While cultured cell lines have been derived from both normal and malignant tissues, it remains unclear to what extent they retain similar levels of differentiation and heterogeneity as that found within breast tissues. Methods We used 12 reduction mammoplasty tissues, 15 primary breast cancer tissues, and 20 human breast epithelial cell lines (16 cancer lines, 4 normal lines) to perform flow cytometry for CD44, CD24, epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), and CD49f expression, as well as immunohistochemistry, and in vivo tumor xenograft formation studies to extensively analyze the molecular and cellular characteristics of breast epithelial cell lineages. Results Human breast tissues contain four distinguishable epithelial differentiation states (two luminal phenotypes and two basal phenotypes) that differ on the basis of CD24, EpCAM and CD49f expression. Primary human breast cancer tissues also contain these four cellular states, but in altered proportions compared to normal tissues. In contrast, cultured cancer cell lines are enriched for rare basal and mesenchymal epithelial phenotypes, which are normally present in small numbers within human tissues. Similarly, cultured normal human mammary epithelial cell lines are enriched for rare basal and mesenchymal phenotypes that represent a minor fraction of cells within reduction mammoplasty tissues. Furthermore, although normal human mammary epithelial cell lines exhibit features of bi-potent progenitor cells they are unable to differentiate into mature luminal breast epithelial cells under standard culture conditions. Conclusions As a group breast cancer cell lines represent the heterogeneity of human breast tumors, but individually they exhibit increased lineage-restricted profiles that fall short of truly representing the intratumoral heterogeneity of individual breast tumors. Additionally, normal human mammary epithelial cell lines fail to retain much of the cellular diversity found in human breast tissues and are enriched for differentiation states that are a minority in breast tissues, although they do exhibit features of bi-potent basal progenitor cells. These findings suggest that collections of cell lines representing multiple cell types can be used to model the cellular heterogeneity of tissues. PMID:20964822

Role of Precursor-Conversion Chemistry in the Crystal-Phase Control of Catalytically Grown Colloidal Semiconductor Quantum Wires.

PubMed

Wang, Fudong; Buhro, William E

2017-12-26

Crystal-phase control is one of the most challenging problems in nanowire growth. We demonstrate that, in the solution-phase catalyzed growth of colloidal cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum wires (QWs), the crystal phase can be controlled by manipulating the reaction chemistry of the Cd precursors and tri-n-octylphosphine telluride (TOPTe) to favor the production of either a CdTe solute or Te, which consequently determines the composition and (liquid or solid) state of the Bi x Cd y Te z catalyst nanoparticles. Growth of single-phase (e.g., wurtzite) QWs is achieved only from solid catalysts (y ≪ z) that enable the solution-solid-solid growth of the QWs, whereas the liquid catalysts (y ≈ z) fulfill the solution-liquid-solid growth of the polytypic QWs. Factors that affect the precursor-conversion chemistry are systematically accounted for, which are correlated with a kinetic study of the composition and state of the catalyst nanoparticles to understand the mechanism. This work reveals the role of the precursor-reaction chemistry in the crystal-phase control of catalytically grown colloidal QWs, opening the possibility of growing phase-pure QWs of other compositions.

Highly Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation Efficiency Based on Triadic Quantum Dot/Layered Double Hydroxide/BiVO 4 Photoanodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tang, Yanqun; Wang, Ruirui; Yang, Ye

2016-08-03

The water oxidation half-reaction is considered to be a bottleneck for achieving highly efficient solar-driven water splitting due to its multiproton-coupled four-electron process and sluggish kinetics. Herein, a triadic photoanode consisting of dual-sized CdTe quantum dots (QDs), Co-based layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets, and BiVO4 particles, that is, QD@LDH@BiVO4, was designed. Two sets of consecutive Type-II band alignments were constructed to improve photogenerated electron-hole separation in the triadic structure. The efficient charge separation resulted in a 2-fold enhancement of the photocurrent of the QD@LDH@BiVO4 photoanode. A significantly enhanced oxidation efficiency reaching above 90% in the low bias region (i.e., Emore » < 0.8 V vs RHE) could be critical in determining the overall performance of a complete photoelectrochemical cell. The faradaic efficiency for water oxidation was almost 90%. The conduction band energy of QDs is -1.0 V more negative than that of LDH, favorable for the electron injection to LDH and enabling a more efficient hole separation. The enhanced photon-to-current conversion efficiency and improved water oxidation efficiency of the triadic structure may result from the non-negligible contribution of hot electrons or holes generated in QDs. Such a band-matching and multidimensional triadic architecture could be a promising strategy for achieving high-efficiency photoanodes by sufficiently utilizing and maximizing the functionalities of QDs.« less

The Influence of Tobacco Smoke on Protein and Metal Levels in the Serum of Women during Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Wrześniak, Marta; Kepinska, Marta; Królik, Małgorzata; Milnerowicz, Halina

2016-01-01

Background Tobacco smoking by pregnant women has a negative effect on fetal development and increases pregnancy risk by changing the oxidative balance and microelements level. Smoking affects the concentration, structure and function of proteins, potentially leading to various negative effects on pregnancy outcomes. Methodology/Principal Findings The influence of tobacco smoke on key protein fractions in smoking and non-smoking healthy pregnant women was determined by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Concentrations of the proteins α1-antitrypsin, α1-acid glycoprotein, α2-macroglobulin and transferrin were determined by ELISA tests. Total protein concentration was measured by the Biuret method. Smoking status was established by cotinine levels. Cadmium (Cd) and Zinc (Zn) concentrations were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry and the Zn/Cd ratio was calculated based on these numbers. Smoking women had a 3.7 times higher level of Cd than non-smoking women. Zn levels decreased during pregnancy for all women. The Zn/Cd ratio was three times lower in smoking women. The differences between the changes in the protein profile for smoking and non-smoking women were noted. Regarding proteins, α1-antitrypsin and α2-macroglobulin levels were lower in the non-smoking group than in the smoking group and correlated with Cd levels (r = -0.968, p = 0.032 for non-smokers; r = −0.835, p = 0.019 for smokers). Zn/Cd ratios correlated negatively with α1-, α2- and β-globulins. Conclusions/Significance Exposure to tobacco smoke increases the concentration of Cd in the blood of pregnant women and may lead to an elevated risk of pregnancy disorders. During pregnancy alter concentrations of some proteins. The correlation of Cd with proteins suggests that it is one of the causes of protein aberrations. PMID:27548057

Crystallization kinetics, optical and dielectric properties of Li2OṡCdOṡBi2O3ṡSiO2 glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rani, Saroj; Sanghi, Sujata; Ahlawat, Neetu; Agarwal, Ashish

2015-10-01

Crystallization kinetics, optical absorption and electrical behavior of lithium cadmium silicate glasses with different amount of bismuth oxide were investigated using non-isothermal crystallization approach, UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy and impedance spectroscopy, respectively. These glasses were synthesized by normal melt quenching technique. Variation in physical properties, viz. density, molar volume with Bi2O3:SiO2 ratio were related to the structural changes occurring in the glasses. The glass transition temperature (Tg), crystalline peak temperature (Tp) and melting temperature (Tm) of these glasses were determined using differential scanning calorimeter at various heating rates. The dependence of Tg and Tp on heating rate has been used for the determination of the activation energy of glass transition and crystallization. Thermal stability parameters have revealed high stability of the glass prepared with 40 mol% of Bi2O3 content. The crystallization kinetics for the glasses was studied by using the Kissinger and modified Ozawa equations. Appearance of a sharp cut-off and a wide and reasonable transmission in VIS-NIR region makes these glasses suitable for IR transmission window. The cut-off wavelength, optical band gap and Urbach's energy have been analyzed and discussed in terms of changes in the glass structure. By analyzing the impedance spectra, the ac and dc conductivities, activation energy for dc conduction (Edc) and for relaxation (EM″) were calculated. The results obtained from dc conductivity confirm the network forming role of Cd2+ ion in the glasses. The scaling of the conductivity spectra has been used to interpret the temperature dependence of the relaxation dynamics. The observed conductivity spectra follows power law with exponent 's' which decreases with temperature and satisfies the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model. The perfect overlying of normalized plots of electrical modulus on a single 'master curve' depicts temperature as well as composition independent dynamical process at several frequencies.

Membrane receptor-mediated apoptosis and caspase activation in the differentiated EoL-1 eosinophilic cell line.

PubMed

Al-Rabia, Mohammed W; Blaylock, Morgan G; Sexton, Darren W; Walsh, Garry M

2004-06-01

Caspases are key molecules in the control of apoptosis, but relatively little is known about their contribution to eosinophil apoptosis. We examined caspase-3, -8, and -9 activities in receptor ligation-dependent apoptosis induction in the differentiated human eosinophilic cell line EoL-1. Differentiated EoL-1 exhibited bi-lobed nuclei, eosinophil-associated membrane receptors, and basic granule proteins. Annexin-V fluorescein isothiocyanate binding to EoL-1 revealed significant (P<0.01) apoptosis induction in cells cultured for 20 h with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) specific for CD45 (71%+/-4.3), CD45RA (58%+/-2.3), CD45RB (68%+/-2.4), CD95 (47%+/-2.6), and CD69 (52%+/-2.1) compared with control (23%+/-1.6) or CD45RO mAb (27%+/-3.9). The pan-caspase inhibitor Z-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone (fmk) and inhibitors of caspase-8 (Z-Ile-Glu-Thr-Asp-fmk) and caspase-9 (Z-Leu-Glu-His-Asp-fmk) significantly inhibited mAb-induced apoptosis of EoL-1 but had no effect on constitutive (baseline) apoptosis at 16 and 20 h. Caspase activity was analyzed using the novel CaspaTag trade mark technique and flow cytometry. EoL-1 treated with pan-CD45, CD45RA, CD45RB, and CD95 mAb exhibited caspase-3 and -9 activation at 12 h post-treatment, which increased at 16 and 20 h. Activated caspase-8 was detected 12 and 16 h after ligation with CD45, CD45RA, CD45RB, and CD95 mAb followed by a trend toward basal levels at 20 h. CD69 ligation resulted in caspase-3 activation, a modest but significant activation of caspase-8, and a loss in mitochondrial transmembrane potential but had no significant effect on activation of caspase-9. Thus, the intrinsic and extrinsic caspase pathways are involved in controlling receptor ligation-mediated apoptosis induction in human eosinophils, findings that may aid the development of a more targeted, anti-inflammatory therapy for asthma.

Risk Assessment and Source Identification of 17 Metals and Metalloids on Soils from the Half-Century Old Tungsten Mining Areas in Lianhuashan, Southern China.

PubMed

Guo, Li; Zhao, Weituo; Gu, Xiaowen; Zhao, Xinyun; Chen, Juan; Cheng, Shenggao

2017-11-29

Background: Mining activities always emit metal(loid)s into the surrounding environment, where their accumulation in the soil may pose risks and hazards to humans and ecosystems. Objective : This paper aims to determine of the type, source, chemical form, fate and transport, and accurate risk assessment of 17 metal(loid) contaminants including As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ag, B, Bi, Co, Mo, Sb, Ti, V, W and Sn in the soils collected from an abandoned tungsten mining area, and to guide the implementing of appropriate remediation strategies. Methods : Contamination factors ( CFs ) and integrated pollution indexes ( IPIs ) and enrichment factors ( EFs ) were used to assess their ecological risk and the sources were identified by using multivariate statistics analysis, spatial distribution investigation and correlation matrix. Results : The IPI and EF values indicated the soils in the mine site and the closest downstream one were extremely disturbed by metal(loid)s such as As, Bi, W, B, Cu, Pb and Sn, which were emitted from the mining wastes and acid drainages and delivered by the runoff and human activities. Arsenic contamination was detected in nine sites with the highest CF values at 24.70 next to the mining site. The Cd contamination scattered in the paddy soils around the resident areas with higher fraction of bioavailable forms, primarily associated with intense application of phosphorus fertilizer. The lithogenic elements V, Ti, Ag, Ni, Sb, Mo exhibit low contamination in all sampling points and their distribution were depended on the soil texture and pedogenesis process. Conclusions : The long term historical mining activities have caused severe As contamination and higher enrichment of the other elements of orebody in the local soils. The appropriate remediation treatment approach should be proposed to reduce the bioavailability of Cd in the paddy soils and to immobilize As to reclaim the soils around the mining site. Furthermore, alternative fertilizing way and irrigating water sources are urgencies to reduce the input of Cd and As into the local soils effectively.

Risk Assessment and Source Identification of 17 Metals and Metalloids on Soils from the Half-Century Old Tungsten Mining Areas in Lianhuashan, Southern China

PubMed Central

Guo, Li; Zhao, Weituo; Gu, Xiaowen; Zhao, Xinyun; Chen, Juan; Cheng, Shenggao

2017-01-01

Background: Mining activities always emit metal(loid)s into the surrounding environment, where their accumulation in the soil may pose risks and hazards to humans and ecosystems. Objective: This paper aims to determine of the type, source, chemical form, fate and transport, and accurate risk assessment of 17 metal(loid) contaminants including As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ag, B, Bi, Co, Mo, Sb, Ti, V, W and Sn in the soils collected from an abandoned tungsten mining area, and to guide the implementing of appropriate remediation strategies. Methods: Contamination factors (CFs) and integrated pollution indexes (IPIs) and enrichment factors (EFs) were used to assess their ecological risk and the sources were identified by using multivariate statistics analysis, spatial distribution investigation and correlation matrix. Results: The IPI and EF values indicated the soils in the mine site and the closest downstream one were extremely disturbed by metal(loid)s such as As, Bi, W, B, Cu, Pb and Sn, which were emitted from the mining wastes and acid drainages and delivered by the runoff and human activities. Arsenic contamination was detected in nine sites with the highest CF values at 24.70 next to the mining site. The Cd contamination scattered in the paddy soils around the resident areas with higher fraction of bioavailable forms, primarily associated with intense application of phosphorus fertilizer. The lithogenic elements V, Ti, Ag, Ni, Sb, Mo exhibit low contamination in all sampling points and their distribution were depended on the soil texture and pedogenesis process. Conclusions: The long term historical mining activities have caused severe As contamination and higher enrichment of the other elements of orebody in the local soils. The appropriate remediation treatment approach should be proposed to reduce the bioavailability of Cd in the paddy soils and to immobilize As to reclaim the soils around the mining site. Furthermore, alternative fertilizing way and irrigating water sources are urgencies to reduce the input of Cd and As into the local soils effectively. PMID:29186069

Quantification of γ-aminobutyric acid in the heads of houseflies (Musca domestica) and diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella (L.)), using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

PubMed

Shi, Xueyan; Liang, Pei; Song, Dunlun; Yang, Wenling; Gao, Xiwu

2012-02-01

A novel method was developed for quantifying the levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the heads of houseflies (Musca domestica) and diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella (L.)), using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF). The GABA in sample was derivatized with 4-chloro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-Cl) prior to CE-LIF analysis. In total, 32 mmol/L borate buffer, at pH 9.2 and containing 5.3 mmol/L β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and 10.4 mmol/L sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), was determined to be the optimum CE background electrolyte (BGE) for GABA analysis. The detection limit of GABA was 0.016 μmol/L. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the migration time and peak area of GABA were 1.78 and 4.93%, respectively. The average recoveries of 0.97, 3.88, and 5.83 μmol/L of GABA, each added to the head sample of housefly, ranged from 88.9 to 110.5%. This method is simple and applicable to GABA assays of the heads of insects. With this newly developed CE-LIF method, the amounts of GABA in the heads of houseflies (M. domestica) and diamondback moths (P. xylostella (L.)) were measured. The results are relevant to the understandings of some insecticides and insecticide-resistance mechanisms in pests. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

In Situ STM Observation of Nonmagnetic Impurity Effect in MBE-grown CeCoIn5 Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haze, Masahiro; Torii, Yohei; Peters, Robert; Kasahara, Shigeru; Kasahara, Yuichi; Shibauchi, Takasada; Terashima, Takahito; Matsuda, Yuji

2018-03-01

Local electronic effects in the vicinity of an impurity provide pivotal insight into the origin of unconventional superconductivity, especially when the materials are located on the edge of magnetic instability. In high-temperature cuprate superconductors, a strong suppression of superconductivity and appearance of low-energy bound states are clearly observed near nonmagnetic impurities. However, whether these features are common to other strongly correlated superconductors has not been established experimentally. Here, we report the in situ scanning tunneling microscopy observation of electronic structure around a nonmagnetic Zn impurity in heavy-fermion CeCo(In1-xZnx)5 films, which are epitaxially grown by the state-of-the-art molecular beam epitaxy technique. The films have very wide atomically flat terraces and Zn atoms residing on two different In sites are clearly resolved. Remarkably, no discernible change is observed for the superconducting gap at and around the Zn atoms. Moreover, the local density of states around Zn atoms shows little change inside the c-f hybridization gap, which is consistent with calculations for a periodic Anderson model without local magnetic order. These results indicate that no nonsuperconducting region is induced around a Zn impurity and do not support the scenario of antiferromagnetic droplet formation suggested by indirect measurements in Cd-doped CeCoIn5. These results also highlight a significant difference of the impurity effect between cuprates and CeCoIn5, in both of which d-wave superconductivity arises from the non-Fermi liquid normal state near antiferromagnetic instabilities.

Photosensitizer (PS)-cyanine dye (CD) conjugates: Impact of the linkers joining the PS and CD moieties and their orientation in tumor-uptake and photodynamic therapy (PDT).

PubMed

James, Nadine S; Joshi, Penny; Ohulchanskyy, Tymish Y; Chen, Yihui; Tabaczynski, Walter; Durrani, Farukh; Shibata, Masayuki; Pandey, Ravindra K

2016-10-21

To investigate the impact of linker(s) joining the photosensitizer HPPH [3-(1'-hexyloxy) ethyl-3-devinylpyropheophorbide-a] and the cyanine dye (CD) in tumor-imaging and photodynamic therapy (dual-function agents), a series of HPPH-CD conjugates were synthesized. The modifications were done in an attempt to minimize Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) between the two chromophores and maximize singlet oxygen production. Among the conjugates containing variable length of linkers, the HPPH-CD conjugate, in which the photosensitizer (PS) and the CD was joined by four Carbon [(CH2)4] units showed higher tumor uptake, improved tumor contrast and limited skin uptake in mice bearing Colon-26 (BALB/c) or U87 tumors in Nude mice. The bi-functional agents in which the HPPH was linked at the meta-position of phenyl-substituted CD 5, 6 and 7 showed longer tumor response (cure) than the corresponding para-substituted analogs 2, 3, and 4, which suggests that the orientation of the PS and CD moieties within the conjugate also makes a substantial difference in tumor-specificity. Compared to HPPH, the singlet oxygen yields of all the HPPH-CD conjugates were significantly low, and required a higher therapeutic dose to achieve the same in vivo response obtained by HPPH-PDT alone. However, conjugate 6 produced a higher singlet oxygen yield with reduced FRET and exhibited enhanced long-term PDT efficacy in mice bearing Colon-26 (BALB/c) and U87 tumors (nude) than its counterparts, including our lead compound (HPPH-CD), making it the most efficacious of the series. Thus, these conjugates bearing cyanine dye moiety (CD) provide an opportunity of imaging deeply seated tumors for fluorescence-guided surgery with an option of PDT. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Determination of β-blockers in pharmaceutical and human urine by capillary electrophoresis with electrochemiluminescence detection and studies on the pharmacokinetics.

PubMed

Wang, Yuanchao; Wu, Qiong; Cheng, Meirong; Cai, Cheng

2011-04-15

A novel method for simultaneous determination of atenolol, metoprolol and esmolol was proposed by capillary electrophoresis (CE) separation and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection. Poly-β-cyclodextrin (Poly-β-CD) was used as an additive in the running buffer to improve the separation of three analytes. The conditions for CE separation, ECL detection and effect of Poly-β-CD were investigated in detail. The three β-blockers with very similar structures were well separated and detected under the optimum conditions. The linear ranges of the standard solution for atenolol and esmolol were 2.5-125 μmol/L with a detection limit (S/N=3) of 0.5 μmol/L, and for metoprolol was 0.5-25 μmol/L with a detection limit of 0.1 μmol/L. For three β-blockers from spiked aqueous and urine samples, the accuracy and precision including intraday and interday experiments were performed by calculating the recovery, the relative standard deviations of the ECL intensity and the migration time, respectively. The developed method was applied to the determination of metoprolol content in commercial pharmaceutical, and the analytical results are in good agreement with the nominal value with recoveries in the range of 98.7-105%. The proposed method was also applied to the monitoring of pharmacokinetics for metoprolol in human body. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Application of classical isothermal adsorption models in heavy metal ions/ diatomite system and related problems].

PubMed

Zhu, Jian; Wu, Qing-Ding; Wang, Ping; Li, Ke-Lin; Lei, Ming-Jing; Zhang, Wei-Li

2013-11-01

In order to fully understand adsorption nature of Cu2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ onto natural diatomite, and to find problems of classical isothermal adsorption models' application in liquid/solid system, a series of isothermal adsorption tests were conducted. As results indicate, the most suitable isotherm models for describing adsorption of Pb2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ onto natural diatomite are Tenkin, Tenkin, Langmuir, Tenkin, Freundlich and Freundlich, respectively, the adsorption of each ion onto natural diatomite is mainly a physical process, and the adsorption reaction is favorable. It also can be found that, when using classical isothermal adsorption models to fit the experimental data in liquid/solid system, the equilibrium adsorption amount q(e) is not a single function of ion equilibrium concentration c(e), while is a function of two variables, namely c(e) and the adsorbent concentration W0, q(e) only depends on c(e)/W(0). Results also show that the classical isothermal adsorption models have a significant adsorbent effect, and their parameter values are unstable, the simulation values of parameter differ greatly from the measured values, which is unhelpful for practical use. The tests prove that four-adsorption-components model can be used for describing adsorption behavior of single ion in nature diatomite-liquid system, its parameters k and q(m) have constant values, which is favorable for practical quantitative calculation in a given system.

Tunable photoluminescent metal-organic-frameworks and method of making the same

DOEpatents

Nenoff, Tina M.; Sava Gallis, Dorina Florentina; Rohwer, Lauren E.S.

2017-08-22

The present disclosure is directed to new photoluminescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The newly developed MOFs include either non rare earth element (REE) transition metal atoms or limited concentrations of REE atoms, including: Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Y, Ru, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Ir, Pb, Bi, that are located in the MOF framework in site isolated locations, and have emission colors ranging from white to red, depending on the metal concentration levels and/or choice of ligand.

Chemical studies of differentiated meteorites. I - Labile trace elements in Antarctic and non-Antarctic eucrites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paul, Rick L.; Lipschutz, Michael E.

1990-01-01

Element contents of Ag, Au, Bi, Cd, Co, Cs, Ga, In, Rb, Sb, Se, Te, Tl, U, and Zn were analyzed, using RNAA, in 25 Antarctic and nine non-Antarctic eucrites to determine whether these two populations differ significantly in thermal history and derive from the same or different eucrite parent body. Data for these 15 elements indicate that basaltic Antarctic and non-Antarctic eucrite populations reflect the same genetic processes and, hence, come from the same parent asteroid.

Development of a stability-indicating CE assay for the determination of amlodipine enantiomers in commercial tablets.

PubMed

Fakhari, Ali Reza; Nojavan, Saeed; Haghgoo, Soheila; Mohammadi, Ali

2008-11-01

A simple, accurate, precise and sensitive method using CD for separation and stability indicating assay of enantiomers of amlodipine in the commercial tablets has been established. Several types of CD were evaluated and best results were obtained using a fused-silica capillary with phosphate running buffer (100 mM, pH 3.0) containing 5 mM hydroxypropyl-alpha-CD. The method has shown adequate separation for amlodipine enantiomers from its degradation products. The drug was subjected to oxidation, hydrolysis, photolysis and heat to apply stress conditions. The range of quantitation for both enantiomers was 5-150 microg/mL. Intra- and inter-day RSD (n=6) was <4%. The limit of quantification that produced the requisite precision and accuracy was found to be 5 microg/mL for both enantiomers. The LOD for both enantiomers was found to be 0.5 microg/mL. Degradation products produced as a result of stress studies did not interfere with the detection of enantiomers and the assay can thus be considered stability indicating.

Optimization of operating parameters for gas-phase photocatalytic splitting of H2S by novel vermiculate packed tubular reactor.

PubMed

Preethi, V; Kanmani, S

2016-10-01

Hydrogen production by gas-phase photocatalytic splitting of Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) was investigated on four semiconductor photocatalysts including CuGa1.6Fe0.4O2, ZnFe2O3, (CdS + ZnS)/Fe2O3 and Ce/TiO2. The CdS and ZnS coated core shell particles (CdS + ZnS)/Fe2O3 shows the highest rate of hydrogen (H2) production under optimized conditions. Packed bed tubular reactor was used to study the performance of prepared photocatalysts. Selection of the best packing material is a key for maximum removal efficiency. Cheap, lightweight and easily adsorbing vermiculate materials were used as a novel packing material and were found to be effective in splitting H2S. Effect of various operating parameters like flow rate, sulphide concentration, catalyst dosage, light irradiation were tested and optimized for maximum H2 conversion of 92% from industrial waste H2S. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical performance of Ni0.8Cu0.2/Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 cermet anodes with functionally graded structures for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell fueled with syngas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, Michihiro; Iwami, Makoto; Takeuchi, Mizue; Nishimoto, Shunsuke; Kameshima, Yoshikazu

2018-06-01

The electrochemical performance of layered Ni0.8Cu0.2/Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 (GDC) cermet anodes is investigated for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) at 600 °C using humidified (3% H2O) model syngas with a molar ratio of H2/CO = 3/2 as the fuel. From the results obtained, the electrochemical performance of the functionally graded multi-layered anodes is found to be superior to the mono-layered anodes. The test cell with a bi-layered anode consisting of 100 mass% Ni0.8Cu0.2/0 mass% GDC (10M/0E) and 70 mass% Ni0.8Cu0.2/30 mass% GDC (7M/3E) exhibits high power density. The test cell with a tri-layered anode consisting of 10M/0E, 7M/3E, and 50 mass% Ni0.8Cu0.2/50 mass% GDC (5M/5E) exhibits an even higher power density, suggesting that 10M/0E and 5M/5E layers contribute to the current collecting part and active part, respectively.

Assessment of metals bioavailability to vegetables under field conditions using DGT, single extractions and multivariate statistics

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The metals bioavailability in soils is commonly assessed by chemical extractions; however a generally accepted method is not yet established. In this study, the effectiveness of Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGT) technique and single extractions in the assessment of metals bioaccumulation in vegetables, and the influence of soil parameters on phytoavailability were evaluated using multivariate statistics. Soil and plants grown in vegetable gardens from mining-affected rural areas, NW Romania, were collected and analysed. Results Pseudo-total metal content of Cu, Zn and Cd in soil ranged between 17.3-146 mg kg-1, 141–833 mg kg-1 and 0.15-2.05 mg kg-1, respectively, showing enriched contents of these elements. High degrees of metals extractability in 1M HCl and even in 1M NH4Cl were observed. Despite the relatively high total metal concentrations in soil, those found in vegetables were comparable to values typically reported for agricultural crops, probably due to the low concentrations of metals in soil solution (Csoln) and low effective concentrations (CE), assessed by DGT technique. Among the analysed vegetables, the highest metal concentrations were found in carrots roots. By applying multivariate statistics, it was found that CE, Csoln and extraction in 1M NH4Cl, were better predictors for metals bioavailability than the acid extractions applied in this study. Copper transfer to vegetables was strongly influenced by soil organic carbon (OC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC), while pH had a higher influence on Cd transfer from soil to plants. Conclusions The results showed that DGT can be used for general evaluation of the risks associated to soil contamination with Cu, Zn and Cd in field conditions. Although quantitative information on metals transfer from soil to vegetables was not observed. PMID:23079133

Anti-inflammatory activities of Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi) and San-Miao-San supplements in MRL/lpr mice for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Cai, Zhe; Wong, Chun Kwok; Dong, Jie; Jiao, Delong; Chu, Man; Leung, Ping Chung; Lau, Clara Bik San; Lau, Ching Po; Tam, Lai Shan; Lam, Christopher Wai Kei

2016-01-01

Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi; LZ) and San-Miao-San (SMS) are Chinese medicines (CMs) used to treat inflammatory ailments and numbing syndrome/arthralgia syndrome (Bi Zheng), respectively. Given that the main symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) include inflammation of the joints, joint pain, edema and palpitations of the heart because of problems associated with Bi Zheng, it was envisaged that LZ and SMS could be used as potential treatments for this autoimmune disease. This study aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of a combination formulation containing LZ and SMS (LZ-SMS) in SLE mice. Female adult Balb/c mice of 20-24 weeks of age were used as normal mice (n = 10), whereas female MRL/lpr mice of 12-24 weeks of age were divided into three groups (n = 10 in each group), including mild, moderate and severe SLE mice groups. The clinical characteristics of the SLE and Babl/c mice (i.e., body weight, joint thickness, lupus flare, proteinuria, leukocyturia and lymphadenopathy) were assessed. The plasma concentrations of anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) and anti-double stranded DNA antibody (anti-ds-DNA) were analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, whereas the concentration of several key cytokines (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IL-2, IL-27, IL-12P70, IL-17A and IL-21) were analyzed by a Luminex multiplex assay. The gene expression profiles for differentiation of the T helper (Th) lymphocytes in splenic CD4(+) Th cells were assessed by RT-qPCR. Flow cytometry was used to measure the percentages of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) Treg cells and CD19(+)CD5(+)CD1d(+)IL-10(+) regulatory B (Breg) cells (IL-10(+) Bregs). Concentrations of anti-ds-DNA in the plasma samples collected from the LZ-SMS-treated (500 mg/kg/day oral administration for 7 days followed with 50 mg/kg/day intraperitoneal administration for 7 days), moderate and severe SLE mice decreased significantly compared with the PBS treated mice (P < 0.05). The gene expression levels of the induced regulatory T (iTreg) and natural Treg (nTreg) cells were significantly higher than those of the Th17, Th1 and "conventional Th cells vs. Treg cells" regulated genes following the LZ-SMS treatment (P < 0.05). The percentages of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) Treg cells collected from the splenic, thymic and peripheral blood cells, as well as the percentages of IL-10(+) Bregs collected from the splenic and thymic cells increased significantly in the LZ-SMS-treated SLE mice (P < 0.05) compared with the untreated PBS group. The ratio of the percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) Treg cells to the percentage of CD4(+)CD25(-) effector T cells collected from the splenic, thymic and peripheral blood cells in LZ-SMS-treated moderate and severe SLE mice increased significantly compared with the untreated PBS group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, a comparison with the PBS treatment group revealed significant decreases in the concentrations of several inflammatory cytokines, including IL-21, IL-10 and IL-17A (P < 0.05), as well as significant increases in the concentrations of IL-2 and IL-12P70 in the LZ-SMS treated SLE mice (P < 0.05). LZ-SMS treatment led to significant increases in the percentages of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) Treg and IL-10(+) Breg cells, together with a reduction in the plasma concentrations of several inflammatory cytokines and the down-regulated expression of the corresponding cytokine related genes in SLE mice. The clinical characteristics of the LZ-SMS-treated SLE mice also improved significantly.

Structural stability of bismuth-based superconductors under heterovalent substitution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonoldi, L.; Calestani, G. L.; Francesconi, M. G.; Salsi, G.; Sparpaglione, M.; Zini, L.

1995-02-01

The stability of the three CuO 2 layers phase of BiPbSrCaCuO superconducting system (BSCCO) with the addition of several rare-earth (RE) oxides is considered. It is shown that if a trivalent (Y, Nd, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er) or tetravalent (Ce) cation is nominally substituted “ab initio” on the Ca site, the higher- Tc phase of this system (the 2223 phase) does not form, at least for dopant molar concentration larger than or equal to 0.032 in the nominal formula of the 2223 phase. If RE oxides are added to a preformed 2223, a solid-state reaction at a temperature of about 840°C takes place giving rise to a substituted (Bi 2- yPb y)Sr 2Ca 1- xRE xCu 2O 8 compound plus other oxides. The synthesis of RE doped 2223 phase was attempted in different ways without success. We argue that this is due to thermodynamic rather than kinetic factors. A possible explanation of 2223 instability under doping in the calcium site with a higher-valence ion is proposed. It highlights the difference with the Bi 2Sr 2CaCu 2O 8 structural stability under the same doping conditions.

Investigation of Optical Nonlinearities in Bi-Doped Se-Te Chalcogenide Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Preeti; Sharma, Ambika

2015-03-01

The present paper reports the nonlinear optical properties of chalcogenide Se85- x Te15Bi x (0 ≤ x ≤ 5) thin films. The formulation proposed by Boling, Fournier, and Snitzer and Tichy and Ticha has been used to compute the nonlinear refractive index n 2. The two-photon absorption coefficient β 2, and first- and third-order susceptibilities [ χ (1) and χ (3)] are also reported. The nonlinear refractive index n 2 is well correlated with the linear refractive index n and Wemple-DiDomenico (WDD) parameters, in turn depending on the density ρ and molar volume V m of the system. The density of the system is calculated experimentally by using Archimedes' principle. The linear optical parameters, viz. n, WDD parameters, and optical bandgap E g, are measured experimentally using ellipsometric curves obtained by spectrophotometry. The composition-dependent behavior of n 2 is analyzed on the basis of various parameters, viz. density, bond distribution, cohesive energy (CE), and optical bandgap E g, of the system. The variation of n 2 and β 2 with changing bandgap E g is also reported. The values of n 2 and χ (3) of the investigated chalcogenides are compared with those of pure silica, oxide, and other Se-based glasses.

Bimetallic Nanoparticles as Efficient Catalysts: Facile and Green Microwave Synthesis

PubMed Central

Blosi, Magda; Ortelli, Simona; Costa, Anna Luisa; Dondi, Michele; Lolli, Alice; Andreoli, Sara; Benito, Patricia; Albonetti, Stefania

2016-01-01

This work deals with the development of a green and versatile synthesis of stable mono- and bi-metallic colloids by means of microwave heating and exploiting ecofriendly reagents: water as the solvent, glucose as a mild and non-toxic reducer and polyvinylpirrolidone (PVP) as the chelating agent. Particle size-control, total reaction yield and long-term stability of colloids were achieved with this method of preparation. All of the materials were tested as effective catalysts in the reduction of p-nitrophenol in the presence of NaBH4 as the probe reaction. A synergistic positive effect of the bimetallic phase was assessed for Au/Cu and Pd/Au alloy nanoparticles, the latter showing the highest catalytic performance. Moreover, monoand bi-metallic colloids were used to prepare TiO2- and CeO2-supported catalysts for the liquid phase oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfufural (HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The use of Au/Cu and Au/Pd bimetallic catalysts led to an increase in FDCA selectivity. Finally, preformed Pd/Cu nanoparticles were incorporated into the structure of MCM-41-silica. The resulting Pd/Cu MCM-41 catalysts were tested in the hydrodechlorination of CF3OCFClCF2Cl to CF3OCF=CF2. The effect of Cu on the hydrogenating properties of Pd was demonstrated. PMID:28773672

Bounding Analysis of Effects of Fractionation of Radionuclides inFallout on Estimation of Doses to Atomic Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-04

140 Sm-156 Y-91m Rh - 103m Cd-115 Te-129 La-141 Eu-156 Y-91 Ru-105 In-115m I-130 Ce-141 Eu-157 Sr-92 Rh -105m Sn-121 Te-131m Ce-143 Gd-159 Y-92 Rh ...Tc-99m 6.02 h R 1.09E+00n (0.886) Ru-103 39.35 d V 2.04E-07 9.65E-01 6.81E-12 Rh - 103m 56.119 m V 1.00E+00n (0.997) 1.00E+00 Ru-105 4.44 h...08 1.24E-08 9.09E-09 Rh - 103m 6.36E-09 1.34E-08 1.23E-08 9.07E-09 Ru-105 1.20E-02 5.36E-02 4.05E-02 3.22E-02 2.90E-10 1.30E-09 9.79E-10 7.78E-10

Experimental hookworm infection and gluten microchallenge promote tolerance in celiac disease.

PubMed

Croese, John; Giacomin, Paul; Navarro, Severine; Clouston, Andrew; McCann, Leisa; Dougall, Annette; Ferreira, Ivana; Susianto, Atik; O'Rourke, Peter; Howlett, Mariko; McCarthy, James; Engwerda, Christian; Jones, Dianne; Loukas, Alex

2015-02-01

Celiac disease (CeD) is a common gluten-sensitive autoimmune enteropathy. A gluten-free diet is an effective treatment, but compliance is demanding; hence, new treatment strategies for CeD are required. Parasitic helminths hold promise for treating inflammatory disorders, so we examined the influence of experimental hookworm infection on the predicted outcomes of escalating gluten challenges in CeD subjects. A 52-week study was conducted involving 12 adults with diet-managed CeD. Subjects were inoculated with 20 Necator americanus larvae, and escalating gluten challenges consumed as pasta were subsequently administered: (1) 10 to 50 mg for 12 weeks (microchallenge); (2) 25 mg daily + 1 g twice weekly for 12 weeks (GC-1g); and (3) 3 g daily (60-75 straws of spaghetti) for 2 weeks (GC-3g). Symptomatic, serologic, and histological outcomes evaluated gluten toxicity. Regulatory and inflammatory T cell populations in blood and mucosa were examined. Two gluten-intolerant subjects were withdrawn after microchallenge. Ten completed GC-1g, 8 of whom enrolled in and completed GC-3g. median villous height-to-crypt depth ratios (2.60-2.63; P = .98) did not decrease as predicted after GC-1g, and the mean IgA-tissue transglutaminase titers declined, contrary to the predicted rise after GC-3g. quality of life scores improved (46.3-40.6; P = .05); celiac symptom indices (24.3-24.3; P = .53), intra-epithelial lymphocyte percentages (32.5-35.0; P = .47), and Marsh scores were unchanged by gluten challenge. Intestinal T cells expressing IFNγ were reduced following hookworm infection (23.9%-11.5%; P = .04), with corresponding increases in CD4(+) Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (0.19%-1.12%; P = .001). Necator americanus and gluten microchallenge promoted tolerance and stabilized or improved all tested indices of gluten toxicity in CeD subjects. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Endometrial Cancer-Associated FGF18 Expression Is Reduced by Bazedoxifene in Human Endometrial Stromal Cells In Vitro and in Murine Endometrium

PubMed Central

Flannery, Clare A.; Fleming, Andrew G.; Choe, Gina H.; Naqvi, Hanyia; Zhang, Margaret; Sharma, Anu

2016-01-01

Endometrial cancer develops during exposure to estrogen unopposed by progesterone. Traditional formulations for menopausal hormone therapy include a progestin in women with a uterus. However, progestin exposure increases breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. Alternatives to progestin include bazedoxifene (BZA), a selective estrogen receptor modulator, which prevents estrogen induced endometrial hyperplasia in clinical trials. Molecular mechanisms responsible for BZA's antiproliferative effect are not fully elucidated. We profiled endometrial adenocarcinoma, hyperplasia, and normal proliferative endometrium for differential expression in genes known to be regulated by estrogens or progesterone. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)18, a paracrine growth factor promoting epithelial proliferation, was significantly increased in adenocarcinoma. Progesterone represses FGF18 by inducing heart and neural crest derivatives expressed transcript 2 (HAND2) in stromal cells. Notably, we confirmed lower HAND2 mRNA in adenocarcinoma, along with higher FGF tyrosine kinase receptor 2 and E74-like factor 5, collectively promoting FGF18 activity. We hypothesized BZA reduces epithelial proliferation by inhibiting FGF18 synthesis in stromal cells. To determine whether BZA regulates FGF18, we treated primary stromal cells with BZA or vehicle. In vitro, BZA reduced FGF18, but did not affect, HAND2. CD1 female mice received either BZA, conjugated estrogen (CE), or combined BZA/CE for 8 weeks. CE-treated mice had nearly 3-fold higher FGF18 expression. In contrast, BZA-treated mice, alone or with CE, had similar FGF18 as controls. Unexpectedly, BZA, alone or with CE, reduced HAND2 more than 80%, differing from progesterone regulation. Reduction of FGF18 is a potential mechanism by which BZA reduces endometrial proliferation and hyperplasia induced by estrogens. However, BZA works independently of HAND2, revealing a novel mechanism for progestin-free hormone therapy in postmenopausal women. PMID:27267714

Lack of enhanced photocatalytic formation of iodine on particulate semiconductor mixtures.

PubMed

Karunakaran, C; Anilkumar, P; Vinayagamoorthy, P

2012-12-01

Under UV-A light illumination, formation of iodine from iodide ion on the surfaces of anatase TiO(2), ZnO, Fe(2)O(3), CeO(2), MoO(3), Bi(2)O(3), and Nb(2)O(5) increases with the concentration of iodide ion, airflow rate and light intensity and conform to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model. Measurement of the particle size of the semiconductor oxides by light scattering method and deduction of the same from the determined specific surface area show that the oxide particles agglomerate in suspension. However, mixtures of any two listed particulate semiconductors do not show enhanced photocatalytic formation of iodine indicating absence of interparticle charge transfer. The results are rationalized. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fundamental studies of chalcogenide nanocrystals, carbonaceous nanoparticles, and chromatographic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Jared Scott

2011-12-01

The development of novel nanomaterials and the understanding of their fundamental physical and chemical properties represent an exciting area of research. These materials are continuously being sought for ever-increasing applications; finding their way into uses that influence mankind on a daily basis. Combining elements from traditional nanoparticle characterization with electrophoretic-based techniques, this dissertation presents the analysis of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) generated from a novel source (candle soot) as well as a unique perspective on the reactivity and degradation process of magic-sized cadmium chalcogenide nanocrystals. One potential application of CNPs is their use as an alternative fluorophore in a separation-based sensor system. Laser-induced-fluorescence (LIF) is a commonly used manner of detection in this type of platform, but is limited in many cases by problems associated with the fluorophore. Carbon-based nanoparticles have the potential to improve upon traditional fluorophores in applications that make use of LIF as the detection scheme. CNPs were extracted from the carbonaceous material produced by the incomplete combustion of a candle. The soot was submitted to an oxidizing treatment and extraction/filtration procedures rendering watersoluble luminescent species. Electron microscopy was used to identify globular, amorphous structures in the nanometer size-range. An aqueous suspension of CNPs demonstrated excellent stability in terms of its electronic properties, showing little change in absorption and emission spectra upon storage under ambient conditions over a two-year period. Capitalizing on the strengths of capillary electrophoresis (CE) as a characterization technique, we have analyzed the negatively-charged CNPs in terms of charge and size by studying the influence of variable CE conditions on the resulting separation. Separations at different pH revealed a highly complex mixture of CNPs, containing species with large electrophoretic mobilities under a wide range of pH values. The mobility of these nanoparticles as a function of ionic strength was compared to classical electrokinetic theory, suggesting that the species are small, highly charged particles with appreciable zeta potentials, even at low pH. In an attempt to reduce the complexity of the CNP solution, two molecular-weight based fractionation techniques were employed and evaluated. Traditional dialysis and ultracentrifugation filtration techniques were modified to generate multiple CNPs fractions based on size. Analysis of the fractions by absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy as well as CE revealed specific characteristics for a given sized-fraction. Namely, a strong correlation between the size of the CNPs and their luminescent emission was observed. CE was utilized to characterize each fraction and to ultimately judge the effectiveness of the fractionation techniques. The characterization of the persistence and degradation of magic-sized CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) after their removal from the original reaction mixture and dispersion into basic aqueous solutions was performed by absorption spectroscopy. NCs degraded after dilution into aqueous NaOH, resulting in red-shifted excitonic absorption bands and eventual flocculation. Dilution of NCs into basic aqueous solutions of cysteinate resulted in degradation via a different mechanism with an absence of flocculation; kinetics varied with concentration of cysteinate. The chemical fate of NCs after dilution into basic aqueous solutions containing both Cd2+ and cysteinate varied with the cysteinate-to-Cd 2+ molar ratio, which determined the relative solute mole fractions of various Cd2+-cysteinate complexes. CdSe NCs persisted on long timescales only when dispersed in solutions containing [Cd(cysteinate) 3]4-. Equilibria are presented to account for the observed spectral changes after dilution of CdSe into various basic media. Cadmium(II)-cysteinate complex-formation equilibria influenced the temporal persistence of the nanocrystals; the pathway through which CdSe NCs degraded depended on the concentration of free, uncoordinated cysteinate. These findings indicate that solution-phase chemistry can determine whether NCs remain intact upon removal from their original reaction mixtures. Departing from the analysis of nanomaterials, an additional chapter focuses on the evaluation of a new chromatographic packing material. Two chromatographic columns packed with superficially porous packing material, Kinetex(TM) 1.7 mum and 2.6 mum C18 particles were evaluated in terms of their physical properties and performance characteristics. These columns were compared to a column packed with a sub-2 mum totally porous material and to a Halo(TM) column packed with 2.7 mum C18 superficially porous packing. The columns packed with superficially porous particles displayed a comparably narrower size distribution, which is narrower than the distribution of the totally porous sub-2 mum particles. Physical characteristics of the Kinetex(TM) particles were evaluated in terms of surface area, pore diameter, and specific pore volume. Total, external, internal and shell porosities among the four different columns were evaluated and compared. The specific permeability for the Kinetex columns showed values close to those predicted by the Kozeny-Carman equation. All four columns were evaluated in terms of their chromatographic performance and compared using the Knox equation. The columns packed with the 2.6 mum and 2.7 mum superficially porous materials showed reduced plate heights below 2, while the sub-2 mum particles showed values of 2.2 and above.

Characterization of mixed-conducting barium cerate-based perovskites for potential fuel cell applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukundan, R.

Chemical modifications of barium cerium gadolinium oxide through the substitution of Bi, Tb, Pr, Nb and Ta were attempted in an effort to increase the p-type or n-type conductivity, and to develop new mixed-conducting electrodes that are chemically compatible with the Ba(Cesb{1-x}Gdsb{x})Osb{3-x/2} electrolyte. The structure, oxygen non-stoichiometry, electronic and ionic-conductivity of several compositions in the doped-barium cerate systems were studied by X-ray diffraction, TGA, DC and AC conductivity, and EMF measurements. The cathodic overpotential of the mixed (electronic/ionic) conducting compositions in this system, on a Ba(Cesb{0.8}Gdsb{0.2})Osb{2.9} electrolyte, were also studied using Current Interruption and AC impedance techniques. The substitution of Bi into Ba(Cesb{0.9}Gdsb{0.1})Osb{2.95} lead to a significant increase in the electronic conductivity, and a total conductivity of about 0.94 S/cm was obtained for Ba(Bisb{0.5}Cesb{0.4}Gdsb{0.1})Osb3 at 800sp°C in air. However, the concentration of oxygen-ion vacancies and hence the ionic conductivity decreased due to the oxidation of Bi to the 5sp{+} state. Compositions in the Ba(Bisb{0.5}Cesb{x}Gdsb{0.5-x})Osb3 system also exhibited significant oxygen non-stoichiometry depending upon the ordering of the B-site cations and the relative concentrations of Ce and Gd. However, the absence of any detectable EMF in the non-stoichiometric compositions implied that the oxygen vacancies are strongly associated with the Bisp{3+} cations. Although highly conductive, chemically stable compositions were prepared in the Ba(Bisb{x}Cesb{y}Gdsb{1-(x+y)})Osb{3-d} system, their ionic conductivities were low. The mixed-conduction properties of Ba(Cesb{1-x}Gdsb{x})Osb{3-d} were enhanced under cathode conditions (600-800sp°C in air) by the substitution of Ce by Tb and Pr. While the substitution of Tb resulted in a decrease in the total conductivity, Pr induced a significant increase in the total conductivity at high Pr levels (≥40 mole%) due to an enhancement of the electronic conductivity. The Ba(Prsb{0.8}Gdsb{0.2})Osb{2.9} sample was found to have the best mixed-conducting properties of all the perovskites evaluated, sigmasb{T}=0.75 S/cm in air at 800sp°C, tsb{H+}=0.15 in a wet argon//dry argon gradient, and tsb{0.2-}≈ 0.05 in a dry air//dry argon gradient. The cathodic overpotentials of the mixed-conducting Pr-doped barium cerates were low, and decreased with increasing ionic and electronic conductivity of the electrode. The lowest overpotential was obtained for the Ba(Prsb{0.8}Gdsb{0.2})Osb{2.9}, cathode, and at low current densities was comparable to that of an optimized porous Pt-electrode. While the substitution of Nb and Ta for Ce lead to an enhancement in the electronic conductivity under reducing conditions associated with the increased reduction of Cesp{4+} to Cesp{3+}, the ionic-conductivity of these perovskites was low. There was no evidence for any protonic conductivity in the 15 mole% Nb and Ta substituted barium cerates. Moreover the anodic overpotential and the anode resistance of these perovskites on a Ba(Cesb{0.8}Gdsb{0.2})Osb{2.9} electrolyte were both high.

Lanthanide contraction effect on crystal structures of lanthanide coordination polymers with cyclohexanocucurbit[6]uril ligand

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheng, Li-Mei; Liu, Jing-Xin, E-mail: jxliu411@ahut.edu.cn

A series of compounds based on the macrocyclic ligand cyclohexanocucurbit[6]uril (Cy6Q[6]) with formulas (Ln(H{sub 2}O){sub 6}Cy6Q[6])·2(CdCl{sub 4})·H{sub 3}O·xH{sub 2}O [isomorphous with Ln=La (1), Ce (2), Pr (3) and Nd (4), x=11 (1), 11 (2), 10 (3) and 11 (4)], (Sm(H{sub 2}O){sub 5}Cy6Q[6])·2(CdCl{sub 4})·H{sub 3}O·10H{sub 2}O (5) and (Ln(H{sub 2}O){sub 5}(NO{sub 3})@Cy6Q[6])·2(CdCl{sub 4})·2H{sub 3}O·xH{sub 2}O [isomorphous with Ln=Gd (6), Tb (7) and Dy (8), x=8 (6), 6 (7) and 6 (8)], have been successfully synthesized by the self-assembly of Cy6Q[6] with the corresponding lanthanide nitrate under hydrochloric acid aqueous solution in the presence of CdCl{sub 2}. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses revealedmore » that compounds 1–8 all crystallize in monoclinic space group P2{sub 1}/c, and display 1D coordination polymer structures. The lanthanide contraction effect on the structures of 1–8 has also been investigated and discussed in detail. In contrast, the reaction of Cy6Q[6] with the Ho(NO){sub 3}, Tm(NO){sub 3}, Yb(NO){sub 3} under the same conditions resulted in the compounds 9–11 with formulas Cy6Q[6]·2(CdCl{sub 4})·2H{sub 3}O·xH{sub 2}O [isomorphous with x=10 (9), 10 (10), and 9 (11)], in which no lanthanide cations are observed. The structural difference of these compounds indicates that the Cy6Q[6] may be used in the separation of lanthanide cations. - Graphical abstract: The reaction of cyclohexanocucurbit[6]uril with lanthanide ions (La{sup 3+}, Ce{sup 3+}, Pr{sup 3+}, Nd{sup 3+}, Sm{sup 3+}, Gd{sup 3+}, Tb{sup 3+}, Dy{sup 3+}, Ho{sup 3+}, Tm{sup 3+} and Yb{sup 3+}) under hydrochloric acid in the presence of CdCl{sub 2} resulted in eleven compounds, which demonstrate interesting lanthanide contraction effect and provide a means of separating lanthanide ions. - Highlights: • Eleven compounds of the Ln{sup 3+} with the Cy6Q[6] were synthesized and described. • Compounds 1-8 demonstrate interesting lanthanide contraction effect. • In solid-state structures of compounds 9-11, no lanthanide ions were observed. • This study provides a means of separating lanthanides cations.« less

Gut microbiota-derived lipopolysaccharide uptake and trafficking to adipose tissue: implications for inflammation and obesity.

PubMed

Hersoug, L-G; Møller, P; Loft, S

2016-04-01

The composition of the gut microbiota and excessive ingestion of high-fat diets (HFD) are considered to be important factors for development of obesity. In this review we describe a coherent mechanism of action for the development of obesity, which involves the composition of gut microbiota, HFD, low-grade inflammation, expression of fat translocase and scavenger receptor CD36, and the scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR-BI). SR-BI binds to both lipids and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria, which may promote incorporation of LPS in chylomicrons (CMs). These CMs are transported via lymph to the circulation, where LPS is transferred to other lipoproteins by translocases, preferentially to HDL. LPS increases the SR-BI binding, transcytosis of lipoproteins over the endothelial barrier,and endocytosis in adipocytes. Especially large size adipocytes with high metabolic activity absorb LPS-rich lipoproteins. In addition, macrophages in adipose tissue internalize LPS-lipoproteins. This may contribute to the polarization from M2 to M1 phenotype, which is a consequence of increased LPS delivery into the tissue during hypertrophy. In conclusion, evidence suggests that LPS is involved in the development of obesity as a direct targeting molecule for lipid delivery and storage in adipose tissue. © 2015 World Obesity.

Photofission of 197Au and 209Bi at intermediate energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haba, H.; Sakamoto, K.; Igarashi, M.; Kasaoka, M.; Washiyama, K.; Matsumura, H.; Oura, Y.; Shibata, S.; Furukawa, M.; Fujiwara, I.

2003-01-01

Recoil properties and yields of radionuclides formed in the photofission of 197Au and 209Bi by bremsstrahlung of end-point energies ( E 0) from 300 to 1100 MeV have been investigated using the thick-target thick-catcher method. The kinetic energies T of the residual nuclei were deduced based on the two-step vector model and discussed by comparing with the reported results on protoninduced reactions as well as those on photospallation. The charge distribution was reproduced by a Gaussian function with the most probable charge Zp expressed by a linera function of the product mass number A and with the A-independent width FWHM CD. Based on the charge distribution parameters, the symmetric mass yield distribution with the most probable mass A p of 92 m.u. and the width FWHM MD of 39 m.u. was obtained for 197Au at E 0≥600 MeV. The A p value for 209Bi was larger by 4 m.u. than that for 197Au and the FWHM MD was smaller by 6 m.u. A comparison with the calculations using the Photon-induced Intranuclear Cascade Analysis 3 code combined with the Generalized Evaporation Model code (PICA3/GEM) was also performed.

Optical Laser Technology, Specifically CD-ROM (Compact Disc - Read Only Memory) and Its Application to the Storage and Retrieval of Information.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

RESOLUTION TEST CHART NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARIS-1963-A gT~ ILE CE NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California ;.CTE THESIS uEOIB OPTICAL LASER... usedin it xr~awsd SECURITY CLASSIFICATION Of ’-IS5 PACTF All other edtoni are obsolete 0’ NC TA? 7RI UNCLASSIFIED S3CUNTY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PA69 (WhI...where the resulting mixture of text, color graphics, animation , and audio can be achieved. This technology is in the formative stages, however it is

The Unexplored Domains of the s-Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roederer, Ian

2016-10-01

Understanding the origin of the elements is one of the major challenges of modern astrophysics. Abundance measurements in late-type stars are used to test nucleosynthesis models, and the models in turn reveal the nature of the progenitor star(s) that produced the metals observed today. Elements listed along the bottom two-thirds of the periodic table are produced by neutron-capture reactions, such as the r-process or s-process. Previous studies have expanded the chemical inventory of individual r-process-enhanced stars to >50 elements per star. Here, we propose to do the same for an s-process-enhanced star.We propose new high-resolution STIS/E230H observations (2024-2301 Angstroms) of the star HD 196944, the UV-brightest s-process-enhanced metal-poor star in the sky. Lines of Se I, Mo II, Cd I, Cd II, Sn I, Sb I, Te I, Yb II, W II, Re II, Os II, Pt I, Pb II, and Bi I should be detectable in these observations because of the high spectral resolution and S/N. No star offers the opportunity to simultaneously detect all of these elements, and several of them could be detected for the first time. We will combine these NUV detections with optical detections to test many specific predictions of the s-process nucleosynthesis models in a way that has not been possible until now. This is particularly timely, for example, because s-process models have recently been shown to be uncertain at the termination point around Pb-Bi.

Aerosol composition and its sources at the King Sejong Station, Antarctic peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Vinit K.; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Hong, Sungmin; Lee, Khanghyun

The annual cycles of major metals and ions in suspended particulate matters (SPM) have been investigated at a costal site of the Antarctic Peninsula in order to elucidate temporal variations as well as major source processes responsible for their formation. The measurements had been performed from January 2000 to December 2001 at the Korean Antarctic research station, 'King Sejong' (62°13' S, 58°47' W). The observed time series of important aerosol components showed clear seasonal variation patterns, while the mean elemental concentrations (e.g., 1875 (Al), 10.3 (Ba), 0.3 (Bi), 1.3 (Cd), 1.7 pg m -3 (Co)) were generally compatible with those reported previously. The presence of high EF values with respect to both mean crustal and seawater composition (such as Bi, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, V, and Zn), however, suggests a possibly important role of anthropogenic processes in this remote site. In contrast, the concentrations of ionic species were not clearly distinguishable from those of other Antarctic sites; but the consideration of ionic mass balance between cations and anions pointed out the uniqueness of their source/sink processes in the study area. The major source processes of those aerosol components were also investigated using a series of statistical analyses. The overall results of our study indicated the dominance of several processes (or sources) such as sea-salt emission, secondary aerosol formation, and anthropogenic pollution from both local and distant sources.

Thiol-ene chemistry guided preparation of thiolated polymeric nanocomposite for anodic stripping voltammetric analysis of Cd2+ and Pb2+.

PubMed

Su, Zhaohong; Liu, Ying; Zhang, Yi; Xie, Qingji; Chen, Li; Huang, Yi; Fu, Yingchun; Meng, Yue; Li, Xuejiao; Ma, Ming; Yao, Shouzhuo

2013-02-21

We report on the thiol-ene chemistry guided preparation of a novel thiolated polymeric nanocomposite involving polyaniline (PANI), a functionalized thiol, e.g., sulfur-rich 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMcT), and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for the sensitive differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetric determination of Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Briefly, the thiol-ene reaction of a thiol with oxidized PANI that was chemically synthesized in the presence of solution-dispersed acidified MWCNTs yielded a thiolated polymeric nanocomposite of thiol-PANI/MWCNTs. The thiols examined include DMcT, 1,6-hexanedithiol and β-mercaptoethanol. Quartz crystal microbalance, cyclic voltammetry, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy were used for film characterization and process monitoring. Under the optimized conditions, the obtained Bi/Nafion/DMcT-PANI/MWCNTs/GCE can sensitively sense Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) with limits of detection of 0.01 and 0.04 μg L(-1), respectively.

Major, minor, trace and rare earth elements in sediments of the Bijagós archipelago, Guinea-Bissau.

PubMed

Carvalho, Lina; Figueira, Paula; Monteiro, Rui; Reis, Ana Teresa; Almeida, Joana; Catry, Teresa; Lourenço, Pedro Miguel; Catry, Paulo; Barbosa, Castro; Catry, Inês; Pereira, Eduarda; Granadeiro, José Pedro; Vale, Carlos

2018-04-01

Sixty sediment samples from four sites in the Bijagós archipelago were characterized for fine fraction, loss on ignition, major, minor and trace elemental composition (Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Ti, P, Zr, Mn, Cr, Sr, Ba, B, V, Li, Zn, Ni, Pb, As, Co, U, Cu, Cs and Cd), and the elements of the La-Lu series. Element concentrations were largely explained by the Al content and the proportion of fine fraction content, with the exception of Ca and Sr. Sediments showed enhanced Ti, U, Cr, As and Cd concentrations with respect to estimated upper crust values, most likely mirroring a regional signature. Rare earth elements were in deficit relatively to the North American Shale Composite (NASC), mainly in coarser material. No pronounced Ce-anomaly was observed, while Eu-anomalies were positive in most analyzed sediments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polarized Trafficking of AQP2 Revealed in Three Dimensional Epithelial Culture

PubMed Central

Rice, William L.; Li, Wei; Mamuya, Fahmy; McKee, Mary; Păunescu, Teodor G.; Lu, Hua A. Jenny

2015-01-01

In renal collecting duct (CD) principal cells (PCs), vasopressin (VP) acts through its receptor, V2R, to increase intracellular cAMP leading to phosphorylation and apical membrane accumulation of the water channel aquaporin 2 (AQP2). The trafficking and function of basolaterally located AQP2 is, however, poorly understood. Here we report the successful application of a 3-dimensional Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial model to study polarized AQP2 trafficking. This model recapitulates the luminal architecture of the CD and bi-polarized distribution of AQP2 as seen in kidney. Without stimulation, AQP2 is located in the subapical and basolateral regions. Treatment with VP, forskolin (FK), or 8-(4-Chlorophenylthio)-2′-O-methyladenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate monosodium hydrate (CPT-cAMP) leads to translocation of cytosolic AQP2 to the apical membrane, but not to the basolateral membrane. Treating cells with methyl-β-cyclodextrin (mβCD) to acutely block endocytosis causes accumulation of AQP2 on the basolateral membrane, but not on the apical membrane. Our data suggest that AQP2 may traffic differently at the apical and basolateral domains in this 3D epithelial model. In addition, application of a panel of phosphorylation specific AQP2 antibodies reveals the polarized, subcellular localization of differentially phosphorylated AQP2 at S256, S261, S264 and S269 in the 3D culture model, which is consistent with observations made in the CDs of VP treated animals, suggesting the preservation of phosphorylation dependent regulatory mechanism of AQP2 trafficking in this model. Therefore we have established a 3D culture model for the study of trafficking and regulation of both the apical and basolaterally targeted AQP2. The new model will enable further characterization of the complex mechanism regulating bi-polarized trafficking of AQP2 in vitro. PMID:26147297