Control of nanocrystal surface defects for efficient charge extraction in polymer-ZnO photovoltaic systems J. Appl. Phys. 112, 066103 (2012) Experimental surface-enhanced Raman scattering response of two-dimensional finite arrays of gold nanopatches Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 111606 (2012) Nano-hillock formation in diamond-like carbon induced by swift heavy projectiles in the electronic stopping regime: Experiments and atomistic simulations Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 113115 (2012) Mass transport and thermal stability of TiN/Al2O3/InGaAs nanofilms

Nanocrystalline ceria particles have been prepared by mixing aqueous solutions of cerium nitrate and hexamethylenetetramine at room temperature. The smallest size of nanoparticles synthesized is 2 nm. For each batch prepared, a narrow size distribution is found with a standard deviation less than ±15%. A transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigation shows that these particles are single crystals having either an octahedral shape with eight {111} surfaces, or with an additional {200} surface-truncated octahedral shape. In-situ ultraviolet-visible light absorption has been performed to measure the absorption edge and to monitor the growth of nanoparticles. The results from light absorption correlate well with those of the TEM images, providing an in-situ method to measure the particle size during synthesis.

Fructus mume (F. mume) has been used as a medicinal food in Japan and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects in inflammatory bowel disease and macrophage-mediated inflammation. We investigated the effects of F. mume extracts on cognitive dysfunction in rats with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion was induced in male Wister rats by bilateral common artery occlusion (BCCAo). Daily administration of F. mume extracts was started on day 20 after post-BCCAo and continued for 40 days. The status of hippocampus-dependent memory was evaluated in control rats, rats with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, and rats with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion that were administered F. mume. The levels of microglial activation were measured in the hippocampus and the fimbria of hippocampus, and expression levels of hippocampal mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) were examined. Rats that received chronic cerebral hypoperfusion showed spatial memory impairments relative to the control rats; these impairments were reduced by daily administration of F. mume. Administration of F. mume mitigated the microglial activation and alterations of hippocampal MAPK and NF-κB signaling in the rats with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. These results indicate that F. mume may possess therapeutic potential for the prevention of vascular dementia via inhibition of inflammatory processes.

times higher than state-of-art lithiumion batteries (LIB). [1] However, highly porous S 8 cathode [2] and superabundant electrolyte (e.g., E/S ratio >10 µL mg −1 for coin cells and >3 µL mg −1 for pouch cells) [3] are often cited in the literature to reach satisfactory sulfur utilization and cycling numbers. In contrast, E/S in LIB is only ≈0.3 µL mg −1 . [3e] A high E/S drastically reduces the Li-S full-cell gravimetric energy density. [1c,4] For example, when E/S > 10 µL mg −1 , the energy density of full-cell cannot be more than 200 Wh kg −1 even with S 8 loading of 6 mg cm −2 , 75 wt% S 8 in the cathode and 80% sulfur utilization (1337 mAh g −1 ), as shown in Figure S1a in the Supporting Information. [5] Fundamentally, ether-based liquid electrolyte phase serves two purposes in such S 8 cathode, as illustrated in Figure 1: a) it serves as the "waterways" for the long-range transport of Li + and b) it dissolves lithium polysulfide (LiPS) and boosts the redox kinetics in contact with conductive carbon black, [3b,6] as local sulfur mobility (LSM) [7] is often required to mediate the redox reaction. However, global sulfur mobility (GSM) is undesirable because it leads to sulfur crossover to the anode or layering of electronically insulating phases within the cathode. [7,8] To fulfill the above-mentioned two electrolyte functions in S 8 cathode, one must carefully and rationally engineer the electrolyte/electrode pore space distributions within the cathode. Inspired by the plant leaf illustrated in Figure 1, to support function (a), end-to-end canal "waterways" are essential for the long-range mass transport of Li + over a length scale of 10 1 µm; On the other hand, to support function (b), multiconnected capillary network at a length scale of 10 1 -10 2 nm are also needed because the conductive carbon nanoparticles are dispersed at such length scale, and LSM is needed at such 10 1 -10 2 nm length scale for the solubilized LiPS to waft to the nearest conductive carbon particle to sustain redox reactions: such local consumptions also help shut down GSM and eliminate insulator-dense-layering (without porosity or carbon black) tendencies within the cathode. [7,8] Here we want to emphasize that the electrode pores are completely different from sulfur-host pores, which were generally elaborately constructed to induce sulfur impregnation. The sulfur-host porosity needs to be big in order to load in more sulfur. [9] They also need to be highly tortuous and less connected in order to suppress GSM. [10] However, these rules are Lean electrolyte (small E/S ratio) is urgently needed to achieve high practical energy densities in Li-S batteries, but there is a distinction between the cathode's absorbed electrolyte (AE) which is cathode-intrinsic and total added electrolyte (E) which depends on cell geometry. While total pore volume in sulfur cathodes affects AE/S and performance, it is shown here that pore morphology, size, connectivity, and fill factor all matter. Compared to conventional thermally dried sulfur cathod...

Two new 2-phenoxychromones 1 and 2 and two prenylflavonoids 3 and 4 along with 12 known compounds (5-16) were isolated from the CH2Cl2-soluble fraction of a methanol extract of Epimedium koreanum. Compounds 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, and 15 exhibit inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production with IC50 values ranging from 16.8 to 49.3 μM. Compounds 1, 4, 7, and 12 also showed inhibitory effects on interleukin-1β production with IC50 values ranging from 8.6 to 38.9 μM in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Bioactivity-guided isolation of a methanolic extract of Euphorbia fischeriana led to the isolation of four new abietane-type diterpenoids, fischeriolides A-D (1-4), together with 11 known diterpenoids. Their structures were elucidated based on the interpretation of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic and HRESIMS data. The absolute configuration of compound 3 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and electronic circular dichroism methods. Compounds 5-9 exhibited inhibitory effects on LPS-induced nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 values in the range 4.9-12.6 μM.

Three new prenylated isoflavones, 5,7-dihydroxy-6-(2''-hydroxy-3''-methylbut-3''-enyl)-4'-methoxylisoflavone (1), 5,4'-dihydroxy-6-(3''-methylbut-2''-enyl)-2'''-(4'''-hydroxy-4'''-methylethyl)-3'''-methoxydihydrofurano-[4''',5''';7,8]isoflavone (2), and 5,4'-dihydroxy-8-(3''-methylbut-2''-enyl)-2'''-(4'''-hydroxy-4'''-methylethyl)furano-[4''',5''';6,7]isoflavone (3), a benzylated dihydroflavonol, 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-8-p-hydroxybenzyldihydroflavonol (4), and eight known flavonoids (5-12) were isolated from the fruits of Cudrania tricuspidata. The structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of MS and (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopic data, including 2D NMR experiments. Compounds 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12 inhibited LPS-induced nitric oxide production, with IC(50) values of 11.8-41.8 microM.

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