Oxide Synthesis Research Articles

The dynamics of immunological parameters in early stages after bilateral lung transplantation in patients with various pulmonary pathology

Background. The diseases leading to the need for lung transplantation include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, idiopathic pulmonary hypertension, histiocytosis X, and sarcoidosis. Primary lung transplant dysfunction is a frequent complication after transplantation and represents a multifactorial injury of the transplanted lung, its pathogenesis being associated with a severe hypoxemia of the lung transplant and diffused damage to the alveoli. The clinical presentation is in many ways similar to an acute respiratory distress syndrome, which pathogenesis is primarily effected by the activation of immune system cells. The cytokine production by immunocompetent cells, the synthesis of reactive oxygen and nitrous oxide, being the mediators of inflammation, trigger inflammatory processes in the lungs; the immunoglobulin synthesis derangements also lead to the development of inflammatory abnormalities in the lungs and a poor transplantation outcome.The objective was to study the immunological response in the lung transplant recipients suffering from the underlying disease of various etiology and to determine the immunological predictors of adverse outcome in the early period after bilateral lung transplantation.Material and methods. Twenty nine patients were examined within 2 weeks after lung transplantation: Group 1 comprised 10 patients with cystic fibrosis (6 women, 4 men) aged 27.8 ± 2.7 years; Group 2 included 19 patients (7 women, 12 men) at the age of 38.5 ± 10.4 years having other lung diseases. Mortality was 10% (1 patient) in Group 1, and 52.5% (10 patients) in Group 2. The patients were followed-up according to the standard protocol of postoperative treatment and immunosuppression therapy shemes. Immunological monitoring included the lymphocyte phenotyping, and the assessment of phagocytic activity of neutrophils, the HCT-test, the blood levels of immunoglobulins (Ig) A, M, G, circulating immune complexes, and C-reactive protein. Statistical significance was assessed at p <0.05.Results. On day 5, the T-lymphocyte count in patients of Group 1 was 674 cells/μL (Me), which was 26.7% lower than lower limit of the reference range, but 2.5 times higher than that in patients of Group 2 (266 cells/μL). The number of T-lymphocytes in patients of the 2nd group was recorded at 71.1% below the lower limit of the reference interval (p < 0.05). The blood level of IgA (Me) in patients of Group 1 was within the normal range (Ме– 1.9 g/L), the blood level of IgA (Me) in patients of Group 2 was 1.4 g/L, which was 26.3% lower than below the lower limit of the reference values and lower than in Group 1 (p < 0.05).By day 13, the count of T-lymphocytes in Group 1 had increased 2.2 times compared to day 5, reaching the reference values (Me), and made 1479 cells/μL. In the 2nd group, there was a 1.5-fold increase in T-lymphocyte count (Me 408 cells/μL), which was 3.7 times lower than the lower limit of the reference range and lower than in the 1st group (p < 0.05). The level of IgA in patients of the 1st group increased by 20.8% and amounted to 2.4 g/L (Me), and in patients of the 2nd group, the level of IgA for 2 weeks remained almost unchanged (Me 1.5 g/L ) and was 1.7 times lower than in the 1st group (p < 0.05).Conclusions. On day 5 after transplantation, the patients with cystic fibrosis demonstrated the increase in the T-lymphocyte count and IgA level by 2.5 and 1.4 times, respectively, compared to the patients with other lung diseases. By the end of week 2, T-lymphocyte and IgA values in patients with cystic fibrosis, unlike patients with other lung diseases, had reached the reference range. The T-lymphocyte count and the concentration of IgA below the reference range in the first 2 weeks after lung transplantation were the immunological predictors of adverse outcome.

Synthesis of polyfluorenes by oxidative polymerization, their characterization and implementation in organic solar cells

Polyfluorene materials have demonstrated to be important components in the fabrication of organic solar cell devices, in both: the active and electron transport layers. The oxidative synthesis as well as optical and electrical properties of new polyfluorene copolymers containing 2,2′-(9,9-dioctyl-9H-fluorene-2,7-diyl) bistiophene and 3-alkylthiophene, alkyl = hexyl (PA1) and octyl (PA2) or 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) (PM) were investigated. Changes in the HOMO–LUMO energy gap promoted for the insertion of EDOT ring were studied in thick film by using cyclic-voltammetry measurements and compared with the optical properties analyzed by UV–Visible spectroscopy. DFT calculations were used to investigate the possible electronic density distribution and conformational parameter for repetition units into the polymeric structure. Finally, these polymer were preliminary evaluated as donor materials into organic solar cells with architecture ITO/PEDOT:PSS/co-polymer:PC71BM/Field’s metal. Photovoltaic devices showed a very acceptable open circuit voltage (Voc) value, up to 0.92 V.

Evidence for a protective role for the rs805305 single nucleotide polymorphism of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 2 (DDAH2) in septic shock through the regulation of DDAH activity

BackgroundDimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 2 (DDAH2) regulates the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) through the metabolism of the endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA). Pilot studies have associated the rs805305 SNP of DDAH2 with ADMA concentrations in sepsis. This study explored the impact of the rs805305 polymorphism on DDAH activity and outcome in septic shock.MethodsWe undertook a secondary analysis of data and samples collected during the Vasopressin versus noradrenaline as initial therapy in septic shock (VANISH) trial. Plasma and DNA samples isolated from 286 patients recruited into the VANISH trial were analysed. Concentrations of L-Arginine and the methylarginines ADMA and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) were determined from plasma samples. Whole blood and buffy-coat samples were genotyped for polymorphisms of DDAH2. Clinical data collected during the study were used to explore the relationship between circulating methylarginines, genotype and outcome.ResultsPeak ADMA concentration over the study period was associated with a hazard ratio for death at 28 days of 3.3 (95% CI 2.0–5.4), p < 0.001. Reduced DDAH activity measured by an elevated ADMA:SDMA ratio was associated with a reduced risk of death in septic shock (p = 0.03). The rs805305 polymorphism of DDAH2 was associated with reduced DDAH activity (p = 0.004) and 28-day mortality (p = 0.02). Mean SOFA score and shock duration were also reduced in the less common G:G genotype compared to heterozygotes and C:C genotype patients (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively).ConclusionsPlasma ADMA is a biomarker of outcome in septic shock, and reduced DDAH activity is associated with a protective effect. The polymorphism rs805305 SNP is associated with reduced mortality, which is potentially mediated by reduced DDAH2 activity.Trial registrationISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN20769191. Registered on 20 September 2012.

Synthesis of Graphene Oxide Grafted with Epoxidized Natural Rubber via Aminosilane Linkage

Graphene oxide was synthesized from graphite by Hummer method and connected with (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane to form graphene oxide-aminosilane (GO-Si) linkage. The solution was centrifuged and washed with acetone to remove unreacted aminosilane before grafting with epoxidized natural rubber (ENR). ENR dissolved in toluene solution was mixed with GO-Si particle and dried at room temperature. Then, it was grafted to form graphene oxide grated with ENR via aminosilane linkage (GO-Si-ENR) by heat treatment. GO-Si-ENR was washed in toluene to remove unconnected ENR molecule. The synthesized GO particle in each step was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The possible reaction mechanism was proposed in this research. The aim of this synthesis is to improve natural rubber - graphene interfacial interaction thus the dispersion of GO and GO-Si-ENR particle in natural rubber matrix by solvent mixing process was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Serum Levels of Asymmetric and Symmetric Dimethylarginine in Women with Vitamin D Deficiency and History of Pregnancy Loss - A Pilot Study.

SummaryBackgroundVitamin D deficiency has been reported to be associated with pregnancy loss. Asymmetric dimethyl-L-arginine (ADMA) and symmetric dimethyl-L-arginine (SDMA) are arginine analogues that have direct and indirect effects on nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and endothelial dysfunction. This study aimed to evaluate ADMA and SDMA levels among women with history of pregnancy loss compared to women without history of pregnancy loss and all participants were suffering from vitamin D deficiency.MethodsTo investigate the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and ADMA and SDMA, both groups of women were experiencing vitamin D deficiency. All women enrolled in this study had a vitamin D level below 75 nmol/L and were not pregnant. ADMA and SDMA levels were investigated in 28 women without a history of pregnancy loss and 19 women with a history of pregnancy loss.ResultsNo statistically significant differences were found in ADMA and SDMA levels among the two groups. The correlation analysis showed that vitamin D deficiency was not significantly inversely correlated with ADMA and SDMA in women without a history of pregnancy loss, but was significantly correlated with SDMA in women with a history of pregnancy loss.ConclusionsVitamin D deficiency, in women with or without a history of failed clinical pregnancies, has no effect on the circulating levels of ADMA and SDMA. Further studies are needed to investigate any possible link between these parameters.

Ferromagnetic Nanowires for Nonreciprocal Millimeter-Wave Applications: Investigations of Artificial Ferrites for Realizing High-Frequency Communication Components

As far back as the 1850s, workers applying decorative and anticorrosive coatings of metallic surfaces used a technique [1] that would later be referred to as anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) synthesis. About 100 years later, the morphologies of such coatings were investigated and found to consist of highly ordered/quasiregular arrays of high aspect ratio nanopores [2]. During the same decade, nuclear scientists detected the tracks of energetic heavy ions in polymer membranes, and, by the 1960s, chemical etching of ion tracks was used as a standard nuclear diagnostic [3], [4]. Although track-etched polymer membranes offer arrays of nanopores with uniform diameters, the nanopore spacing is random. In the mid-1970s, ferromagnetic nanowires (FMNW

Micellization behavior of anionic gemini surfactants-templated manufacture of cerium oxide nanoparticles

A series of anionic gemini surfactants (GS) were synthesized from the reactant of N, N-dimethylaminoethanol (DMEA) with dicarboxylic acid diester (DADE), after the DADE was synthesized from pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and fatty alcohol. Through rational design, benzene ring was introduced into the molecular structure to work as spacer group; carboxylic acid ammonium salt with hydroxyl as functional hydrophilic head group, and double-alkyl chain performed as hydrophobic tail chains. Then, surface active properties and micellization behavior were investigated respectively. It is found that these novel molecular structure dramatically improved the surface active properties, including critical micelle concentration (CMC: 10−3 mol/L), surface tension (γmin: 26.5 mN/m), conductivity and absorption at interface. Moreover, GS were able to form intermolecular hydrogen bonds, which, together with rigid spacer group, greatly affected the micellization behavior in bulk solution. More importantly, the self-assembly of aggregation with different morphologies can be controlled via adjustment to solution concentration or tail chain length. Finally, GS were applied as soft templates for the shape controllable synthesis of cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles, and CeO2 nanoparticles in diverse shapes were eventually obtained and verified, such as dorayaki shape (double-pancake shape), rod-cluster shape, lamellar shape, butterfly shape and dendrite shape.

Engineering of CYP76AH15 can improve activity and specificity towards forskolin biosynthesis in yeast

BackgroundForskolin is a high-value diterpenoid produced exclusively by the Lamiaceae plant Coleus forskohlii. Today forskolin is used pharmaceutically for its adenyl-cyclase activating properties. The limited availability of pure forskolin is currently hindering its full utilization, thus a new environmentally friendly, scalable and sustainable strategy is needed for forskolin production. Recently, the entire biosynthetic pathway leading to forskolin was elucidated. The key steps of the pathway are catalyzed by cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs), which have been shown to be the limiting steps of the pathway. Here we study whether protein engineering of the substrate recognition sites (SRSs) of CYPs can improve their efficiency towards forskolin biosynthesis in yeast.ResultsAs a proof of concept, we engineered the enzyme responsible for the first putative oxygenation step of the forskolin pathway: the conversion of 13R-manoyl oxide to 11-oxo-13R-manoyl oxide, catalyzed by the CYP76AH15. Four CYP76AH15 variants—engineered in the SRS regions—yielded at least a twofold increase of 11-oxo-13R-manoyl oxide when expressed in yeast cells grown in microtiter plates. The highest titers (5.6-fold increase) were observed with the variant A99I, mutated in the SRS1 region. Double or triple CYP76AH15 mutant variants resulted in additional enzymes with optimized performances. Moreover, in planta CYP76AH15 can synthesize ferruginol from miltiradiene. In this work, we showed that the mutants affecting 11-oxo-13R-manoyl oxide synthesis, do not affect ferruginol production, and vice versa.The best performing variant, A99I, was utilized to reconstruct the forskolin biosynthetic pathway in yeast cells. Although these strains showed increased 11-oxo-manoyl oxide production and higher accumulation of other pathway intermediates compared to the native CYP76AH15, lower production of forskolin was observed.ConclusionsAs demonstrated for CYP76AH15, site-directed mutagenesis of SRS regions of plant CYPs may be an efficient and targeted approach to increase the performance of these enzymes. Although in this work we have managed to achieve higher efficiency and specificity of the first CYP of the pathway, further work is necessary in order to increase the overall production of forskolin in yeast cells.

Cyclosporin A attenuating morphine tolerance through inhibiting NO/ERK signaling pathway in human glioblastoma cell line: the involvement of calcineurin.

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is known to have an immunosuppressive action. However, it is also attracting attention due to its effects on the nervous system, such as inhibiting the development and expression of morphine-induced tolerance and dependence through unknown mechanisms. It has been shown that CsA modulates the nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) activation, which are potentially involved in signaling pathways in morphine-induced tolerance in cellular models. Therefore, the current study was designed to evaluate the modulatory role of CsA on the MOR tolerance, by targeting the downstream signaling pathway of NO and ERK using an in vitro model. For this purpose, T98G cells were pretreated with CsA, calcineurin autoinhibitory peptide (CAIP), and NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) 30 min before 18 h exposure to MOR. Then, we analyzed the intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels and also the expression of phosphorylated ERK and nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) proteins. Our results showed that CsA (1 nM, 10 nM, and 100 nM) and CAIP (50 µM) have significantly reduced cAMP and nitrite levels as compared to MOR-treated (2.5 µM) T98G cells. This clearly revealed the attenuation of MOR tolerance by CsA. The expression of nNOS and p-ERK proteins were down-regulated when the T98G cells were pretreated with CsA (1 nM, 10 nM, and 100 nM), CAIP (50 µM), and L-NAME (0.1 mM) as compared to MOR. In conclusion, the CsA pretreatment had a modulatory role in MOR-induced tolerance, which was possibly mediated through NO/ERK signaling pathway.

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone) Containing Phenyl Phosphine Oxide

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone) Containing Phenyl Phosphine Oxide

Synthesis of Ordered Mesoporous Ru-MgZr Composite Oxide Catalysts for Isomerization of Linoleic Acid

Synthesis of Ordered Mesoporous Ru-MgZr Composite Oxide Catalysts for Isomerization of Linoleic Acid

Toward the Identification of Intensified Reaction Conditions Using Response Surface Methodology: A Case Study on 3-Methylpyridine N-Oxide Synthesis

Identification of inherently safer and intensified reaction conditions is a vital step for transformation of traditional batch/semibatch synthesis to continuous operation. Accelerating reactions is challenged by several safety and efficiency issues including thermal runaway risk, side reactions, final product degradation, and reactor overpressure. This work demonstrates the use of response surface methodology to identify inherently safer and more efficient intensified reaction conditions for 3-methylpyridine N-oxidation performed in a semibatch pressure-resistant isothermal calorimeter. The experimental conditions were selected to screen various operating-variable combinations using Box–Behnken design of experiments. Regression models were developed correlating the catalyst amount, oxidizer dosing-rate, and reaction temperature with reactor pressure and N-oxide yield; good agreement with experimental data obtained in the present study and from literature was achieved. Results indicate that, even when cond...

Rosiglitazone ameliorates palmitic acid-induced cytotoxicity in TM4 Sertoli cells

The Sertoli cell is the only somatic cell within the seminiferous tubules, and is vital for testis development and spermatogenesis. Rosiglitazone (RSG) is a member of the thiazolidinedione family and is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) agonist. It has been reported that RSG protects various types of cells from fatty acid-induced damage. However, whether RSG serves a protective role in Sertoli cells against palmitic acid (PA)-induced toxicity remains to be elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of RSG on PA-induced cytotoxicity in Sertoli cells. MTT assay and Oil Red O staining revealed that RSG ameliorated the PA-induced decrease in TM4 cell viability, which was accompanied by an alleviation of PA-induced lipid accumulation in cells. In primary mouse Sertoli cells, RSG also showed similar protective effects against PA-induced lipotoxicity. Knockdown of PPARγ verified that RSG exerted its protective role in TM4 cells through a PPARγ-dependent pathway. To evaluate the mechanism underlying the protective role of RSG on PA-induced lipotoxicity, the present study analyzed the effects of RSG on PA uptake, and the expression of genes associated with both fatty acid oxidation and triglyceride synthesis. The results demonstrated that although RSG did not affect the endocytosis of PA, it significantly elevated the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT)-1A, a key enzyme involved in fatty acid oxidation, which indicated that the protective effect of RSG may have an important role in fatty acid oxidation. On the other hand, the expression of CPT1B was not affected by RSG. Moreover, the expression levels of diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase (DGAT)-1 and DGAT2, both of which encode enzymes catalyzing the synthesis of triglycerides, were not suppressed by RSG. The results indicated that RSG reduced PA-induced lipid accumulation by promoting fatty acid oxidation mediated by CPT1A. The effect of RSG in protecting cells from lipotoxicity was also found to be specific to Sertoli cells and hepatocytes, and not to other cell types that do not store excess lipid in large quantities, such as human umbilical vein endothelial cells. These findings provide insights into the cytoprotective effects of RSG on Sertoli cells and suggest that PPARγ activation may be a useful therapeutic method for the treatment of Sertoli cell dysfunction caused by dyslipidemia.

A low-cost green approach for synthesis of lead oxide from waste lead ash for use in new lead-acid batteries

Abstract This paper proposes a novel method relating to the recycling of waste lead ash originated from procedure of lead alloy production. The spent lead ash was first disposed by acetic acid leaching system, where lead ash structure wrapping impurities would be destroyed. The synthesis of lead oxide products was conducted at a lower temperature of 90 °C. The effect of molar ratio of CH3COOH to lead content of the ash on leaching efficiency was studied through the acetic acid leaching system. The results demonstrate that 84.6% of lead could be obtained in the leaching solution, while merely 0.7% of Fe blend in solution within a leaching time of 120 min. In the stage of lead oxide synthesis from leaching solution, the yield of lead oxide products could reach up to 94.4% when the molar ratio of NaOH to lead in filtrate was 2.5. This novel green method could shed light on the reuse of lead from exhausted ash with a much more convenient and environmentally friendly procedure.

PO-095 Effects of dynamic foot stimulation on GSK-3 beta signaling pathway in rat soleus muscle under hindlimb unloading

Objective It is known that under simulated microgravity GSK-3 beta phosphorylation (Ser 9) is decreased [Mirzoev et al., 2016] which is associated with the activation of its kinase activity. GSK-3 beta activation may lead to NFATc1 export from myonuclei resulting in a slow-to-fast myosin shift in soleus muscle and may cause a decrease in muscle oxidative capacity and protein synthesis [Glass, 2003, Theeuwes et al, 2017].&#x0D; It was demonstrated that GSK-3 beta Ser 9 phosphorylation is decreased in response to nitric oxide synthase inhibition [Martins et al., 2011]. Under unloading conditions, the content of NO as well as nitric oxide synthase is attenuated in rat soleus muscle [Tidball et al., 1998; Lomonosova et al, 2011]. Dynamic foot stimulation (DFS) of the soles of the feet results in an increase of neuromuscular activation [Muller et al., 2005] of the lower limb muscles and prevents nitric synthase content decrease during 7-day exposure to dry immersion [Moukhina et al, 2004; Shenkman et al., 2004]. The aim of our study was to analyze the effect of rat dynamic foot stimulation during early unloading on GSK-3 beta phosphorylation and some of its downstream targets.&#x0D; Methods Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to vivarium control, 1-day unloading and 1-day&#x0D; unloading with DFS. The pressure stimulation protocol mimicked the normal animal walking (104 mm Hg pressure, 4 Hz frequency and 250 ms signal duration) for a total of 20 min followed by a 10-min rest interval for 4 hours.&#x0D; Results We found that 1-day unloading caused a significant decrease (p˂ 0.025) in NFATc1 nuclear content as well as slow myosin (MHC I (beta) isoform) mRNA expression. In the 1-day unloading group, the level of glycogen synthase 1 phosphorylation (Ser 641), which is a direct GSK-3 beta target, was significantly higher than that in the control group, although a decrease in GSK-3 beta Ser 9 phosphorylation in the 1-day unloaded group was not statistically significant compared to the control group. However, in the DFS-treated unloaded rats the level of GSK-3 beta phosphorylation was significantly higher than in the untreated unloaded rats. NFATc1 nuclear content, slow myosin mRNA expression and glycogen synthase 1 phosphorylation (Ser 641) did not differ from the control group. The glycogen content in soleus muscles of both unloaded groups was higher than in the control group, which is in accordance with previous studies [Henriksen and Tischler, 1988], but in DFS subjected unloaded group the glycogen content was higher compared to the untreated unloaded group.&#x0D; Conclusions Thus, we found that dynamic foot stimulation during 1-day hindlimb unloading leads to GSK-3 beta inactivation and prevention of both NFATc1 myonuclei export and the decrease in MyHC I beta expression.&#x0D; The study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research grant #17-29-1029 and Basic Research Program of the IBMP, RAS. The authors express their deep gratitude to Prof. Inessa B. Kozlovskaya for useful recommendations concerning the design of the study.

PO-153 The metabolic changes in the hippocampus of an atherosclerotic rat model and the regulation of exercise

Objective atherosclerosis has been associated with the progression of cognitive impairment and dementia. Several features, such as high oxygen consumption, a large content of peroxidation-sensitive polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and a strong dependency on the supply of glucose make the brain vulnerable to even small metabolic changes. The hippocampus is closely related to memory and learning function, and prone to ischemic injury. However, using metabolomics technology to explore metabolites of hippocampus from atherosclerosis animals is rarely reported. We aim to reveal the metabolic changes during atherosclerosis, and clarify the possible role of exercise in regulating hippocampus metabolism.&#x0D; Methods we established a rat model of atherosclerosis(n=18) along with control group (n=10). The model group was assigned into the AS group (n=8) and the TAS group (n=8), which was intervened by running exercise for 4 weeks. A Y maze test was performed to evaluate initial memory. Metabolomics based on GC-MS was applied to detect small molecules metabolites in rat hippocampus.&#x0D; Results we found that the AS and TAS group both showed elevation in HDL, meanwhile decrement in TC and LDL after 4 weeks’ intervention. The behavioral test showed rats from AS group entered less frequently into and spent less time in the novel arm than rats from C group (P&lt;0.01), while other indexes showed no difference. Compared to the C group, metabolites including xylulose 5-phosphate, threonine, succinate and nonanoic acid were markedly elevated, whereas methyl arachidonic acid and methyl stearate decreased in the AS group. Meanwhile, the levels of succinic acid, branched chain amino acids, nonanoic acid and desmosterol decreased, whereas methyl arachidonic acid, methyl stearate, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate elevated in the hippocampus of the TAS group in comparison with the AS group.&#x0D; Conclusions A series of metabolic changes implicated in the hippocampus of atherosclerotic rats, including a decrease in anaerobic glycolysis and TCA cycle, an activation of pentose phosphate pathway, and a disturbance in fatty acid oxidation and cholesterol synthesis, which could lead to insufficient ATP in the hippocampus and related to the behavioral changes of atherosclerotic rats, while running exercise may take part in regulating metabolism to normal state in the hippocampus of atherosclerotic rats.

Synthesis and Characterization of Advanced Nanomaterials: Tin-Doped Indium Oxide (ITO) and Platinium Deposited on Tin-Doped Indium Oxide (Pt/ITO).

This article describes the synthesis and characterization of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) and platinum nanoparticles deposited on ITO. For different calcination temperatures, the tin-doped indium oxide nanoparticles (ITO NPs) were synthesized successfully by a nonaqueous sol-gel method with indium acetylacetonate and tin bis(acetylacetonate) dichloride in oleylamine as the precursors. The ITO sample that calcinated at 500 °C exhibited a spherical morphology with a narrow range of the particle size distribution (15-20 nm). Moreover, the electrical conductivity of the sample (1.242 S/cm) was higher than many different non-carbon supports. In addition, 20% platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) were also deposited uniformly on the ITO supports via chemical reduction process using NaBH4 as the reducing agent. The size of Pt NPs was about 5 nm and the crystalline structure of ITO supports remained unchanged.

Synthesis, Structural, Optical and Dielectric Studies on Carbon Dot-Zinc Oxide Nanocomplexes

In the present manuscript, we have reported the synthesis, structural, optical, AC conductivity and dielectric studies of carbon dot-zinc oxide (CDZO) nanocomplexes. CDZO nanocomplexes were synthesized by the wet chemical method. The refinement of X-ray powder diffraction data reveals that the sample possesses hexagonal structure of ZnO. The low intensity diffraction peaks corresponding to carbon come to existence, it is suggested that phase segregation has occurred in the CDZO nanoparticles. The strong absorption band observed in the UV region for the prepared samples can be attributed to the band edge absorption. Dielectric property and AC conductivity have been studied as a function of frequency (100[Formula: see text]Hz and 1[Formula: see text]kHz) of the applied AC signal in the temperature range 30[Formula: see text]C to 150[Formula: see text]C. The result showed that AC conductivity increases with increase of temperature. Dielectric loss and DC conductivity increase with increase of temperature.

The Fabrication of Titanium Dioxide-Tin Oxide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Photoanodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

This research studied the preparation of titanium dioxide (TiO2) composite films with the incorporation of tin oxide and reduced graphene oxide (SnO2-RGO) for uses as photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The experimental procedure started with the synthesis of graphene oxide by Hummer's method, followed by the preparation of SnO2-RGO composite materials by hydrothermal process. The resultant SnO2-RGO was sequentially mixed with TiO2 to prepare the composite films by doctor-blade method. The results indicated that the addition of graphene oxide into SnO2 could reduce the band gap, avoid the agglomeration, and improve the dispersion of tin oxide particles (SnO2). According to the efficiency tests of the obtained photoanodes, a small amount of RGO could significantly affect the DSSC’s performance. Without RGO, TiO2-SnO2 photoanodes exhibited very poor performance. This could be due to low dye-adsorption capability and low electron transfer ability. The addition of excess amount of RGO in photoanode could, however, lead to negative effects such as charge trapping and lower solar cell efficiency.

Adsorption of asphaltenes on mixed oxide synthesized by auto-combustion method

The oil classified as heavy is the one with the largest number of deposits at present. However, these deposits are usually difficult to exploit since they contain a high concentration of asphaltenes which cause problems in the refineries at the time of extraction. Different strategies were used to decrease the effects of asphaltenes, being the most effective the use of adsorbents based on metal oxides. This is because metal oxides prevent the re-precipitation of asphaltenes under oil extraction; these methods can be easy implemented in modern refineries.In this work, we propose the synthesis of mixed oxide (Ni(3/2)xFe2-xO4) by self-combustion technique, being then used as an effective asphaltene adsorbent. Its asphaltene adsorption capacity was compared with nickel oxide and hematite, which were synthesized by controlled precipitation. The oxides were characterized by the techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR); their morphological characterization was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The capacity of adsorption of asphaltenes was determined with the technique of UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results show that the Ni(3/2)xFe2-xO4 is a good adsorbent being compared with hematite and nickel oxide, both for asphaltenes with ether and amino groups. The mixed oxide shows a mayor affinity to asphaltenes containing amino groups, being compared with the hematite and nickel oxide; in addition, the mixed oxide has a low affinity to petroleum, which makes it selective to asphaltenes.