Effects of Zn, Al and Ti substitution on the electrochemical properties of LiNiO2 synthesized by the combustion method

LiNi_{1 ? y} Ti _y O₂ (0.000 ≤ y ≤ 0.100) and LiNi_0.990M_0.010O2 (M = Zn, Al, and Ti) were synthesized by the combustion method. The effects of Zn, Al and Ti substitution for Ni of LiNiO₂ on the electrochemical properties of LiNiO₂ were investigated. LiNi_0.995Ti_0.005O₂ has the largest first discharge capacity (188.1 mA h/g) among the Ti-substituted samples. LiNi_0.990Ti_0.010O₂ has a relatively large first discharge capacity (185.5 mA h/g) and a relatively good cycling performance. Among LiNi_0.990M_0.010O₂ (M = Ni, Zn, Al, and Ti), LiNiO₂ has the largest discharge capacities at a rate of 0.1 C from n = 1(189.3 mA h/g) to n = 10. LiNi_0.990Al_0.010O₂ has the lowest discharge capacities from n = 1 to n = 10, but it has the best cycling performance. LiNi_0.990Zn_0.010O₂ showed poor crystallinity, LiNi_0.990Ti_0.010O₂ showed high cation mixing, and LiNi_0.990Al_0.010O₂ had good crystallinity and showed low cation mixing. Fewer occurrence of phase transitions and the least change of the ?dx/|dV| vs. voltage curve at the second cycle from the curve at the first cycle of LiNi_0.990Al_0.010O₂ suggest that Al substitution stabilizes the structure and leads to a good cycling performance.     

Synthesis and properties of near IR induced self-healable polyurethane/graphene nanocomposites

A series of self-healable polyurethane (SHPU)/modified graphene (MG) nanocomposites were synthesized from poly(tetramethylene glycol) (PTMG) and 4,4′-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) with minute amounts (0–1 wt%) of MG which was chemically modified graphene oxide (GO) with phenyl isocyanate and reduced in the presence of phenylhydrazine.     

Quantitative determination of duloxetine and its metabolite in rat plasma by HPLC‐MS/MS

The major metabolite of duloxetine is a glucuronide conjugate of 4‐hydroxy duloxetine (4‐HD). However, interestingly, there have been no reports determining concentrations of 4‐HD and no fully validated method has been established for measuring duloxetine and 4‐HD in rat plasma. We developed a method for the simultaneous quantification of duloxetine and its metabolite in rat plasma using high‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Duloxetine and 4‐HD were analyzed on a reverse‐phase C₁₈ analytical column after protein precipitation of the plasma sample with methanol, using carbamazepine as an internal standard. The isocratic mobile phase of 5 mm ammonium acetate–methanol (4:6, v/v) was eluted at 0.4 mL/min. Quantification was performed on a triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometer using electrospray ionization, and the ion transition monitored in selective reaction monitoring mode. The coefficient of variation for assay precision was <18.0%, and the accuracy was 84.0–118.0%. This method was successfully used to measure the concentrations of duloxetine and its metabolite in plasma following the oral administration of a single 40 mg/kg dose in rats. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Syntheses and reactivity of the diselenido molybdenum-manganese complex CpMoMn(CO)5(mu-Se2)

Reaction of CpMoMn(CO)(8) with elemental selenium and Me(3)NO in the absence of light yielded the diselenido complex CpMoMn(CO)(5)(mu-Se(2)), 2. Compound 2 contains a bridging diselenido ligand lying perpendicular to the Mo-Mn bond, Mo-Mn = 2.8421(10) A. In the presence of room light, the reaction yielded the tetranuclear metal complex Cp(2)Mo(2)Mn(2)(CO)(7)(mu(3)-Se)(4), 3 (36% yield), and 2 (7% yield). Compound 2 reacted with ethylene to yield the ethanediselenato complex CpMoMn(CO)(5)(mu-SeCH(2)CH(2)Se), 4, by insertion of ethylene into the Se-Se bond. Compound 2 also reacted with (PPh(3))(2)Pt(PhC(2)Ph) and CpCo(CO)(2) to yield the complexes CpMoMnPt(PPh(3))(2)(CO)(5)(mu(3)-Se)(2), 5, and Cp(2)CoMoMn(CO)(5)(mu(3)-Se)(2), 6, respectively, by insertion of the metal groupings CpCo and Pt(PPh(3))(2) into the Se-Se bond of 2. The oxo compound Cp(2)CoMo(O)Mn(CO)(5)(mu(3)-Se)(2), 7, was obtained from 6 by decarbonylation at molybdenum by using Me(3)NO. The molecular structures of the complexes 2-7 were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses.     

High levels of soluble herpes virus entry mediator in sera of patients with allergic and autoimmune diseases

Herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) is a newly discovered member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily that has a role in herpes simplex virus entry, in T cell activation and in tumor immunity. We generated mAb against HVEM and detected soluble HVEM (SHVEM) in the sera of patients with various autoimmune diseases. HVEM was constitutively expressed on CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, CD19(+) B cells, CD14(+) monocytes, neutrophils and dendritic cells. In three-way MLR, mAb 122 and 139 were agonists and mAb 108 had blocking activity. An ELISA was developed to detect sHVEM in patient sera. sHVEM levels were elevated in sera of patients with allergic asthma, atopic dermatitis and rheumatoid arthritis. The mAbs discussed here may be useful for studies of the role of HVEM in immune responses. Detection of soluble HVEM might have diagnostic and prognostic value in certain immunological disorders.     

Phagocytosis of serum- and IgG-opsonized zymosan particles induces apoptosis through superoxide but not nitric oxide in macrophage J774A.1

Phagocytosis of serum- and IgG-opsonized zymosan (SOZ and IOZ, respectively) particles into J774A.1 macrophages induced apoptosis of the cells, accompanied by the expression of p21(WAF1), one of cyclin-dependent protein kinase (CDK) inhibitors. Furthermore, phagocytosis of SOZ and IOZ particles into macophages induced superoxide formation. Tat-superoxide dismutase (SOD), which is readily transduced into the cells using Tat-domain, protected the cells from the apoptosis induced by phagocytosis of SOZ and IOZ particles. lipopolysaccharide (LPS) /interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) also caused the apoptosis of the cells. However, Tat-SOD could not protect the cells from LPS/IFN-gamma induced apoptosis, suggesting that apoptosis mechanisms involved are different from each other. In the present study, we determined the amounts of nitric oxide (NO) produced by SOZ, IOZ, and LPS/IFN-gamma, and found that SOZ and IOZ did not induce the generation of NO in macrophages, whereas LPS/ IFN-gamma did. The apoptosis due to phagocytosis was accompanied with the release of cytochrome c from mitochondrial membrane to cytosolic fraction. Furthermore, SOZ and IOZ induced the cleavage of procasapase-3 (35 kDa) to give rise to an active caspase-3 (20 kDa), which was blocked by Tat- SOD but not by 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide (PTIO), a scavenger of NO. On the other hand, LPS/IFN-gamma caused the activation of procaspase-3, which was blocked by PTIO but not by Tat-SOD. Taken together, phagocytosis of SOZ and IOZ particles induced apoptosis through superoxide but not NO in macrophages, accompanied with the release of cytochrome c and the activation of caspase-3.     

New disulfido molybdenum-manganese complexes exhibit facile addition of small molecules to the sulfur atoms

The reaction of Mn(2)(CO)(7)(mu-S2) (1) with [CpMo(CO)(3)](2) (Cp = C(5)H(5)) and [Cp*Mo(CO)(3)](2) (Cp* = C(5)(CH(3))(5)) yielded the new mixed-metal disulfide complexes CpMoMn(CO)(5)(mu-S2) (2) and Cp*MoMn(CO)(5)(mu-S2) (3) by a metal-metal exchange reaction. Compounds 2 and 3 both contain a bridging disulfido ligand lying perpendicular to the Mo-Mn bond. The bond distances are Mo-Mn = 2.8421(10) and 2.8914(5) A and S-S = 2.042(2) and 1.9973(10) A for 2 and 3, respectively. A tetranuclear metal side product CpMoMn(3)(CO)(13)(mu3-S)(mu4-S) (4) was also isolated from the reaction of 1 with [CpMo(CO)(3)](2). Compounds 2 and 3 react with CO to yield the dithiocarbonato complexes CpMoMn(CO)(5)[mu-SC(=O)S] (5) and Cp*MoMn(CO)(5)[mu-SC(=O)S] (6) by insertion of CO into the S-S bond. Similarly, tert-butylisocyanide was inserted into the S-S bond of 2 and 3 to yield the complexes CpMoMn(CO)(5)[mu-S(C=NBu(t))S] (7) and Cp*MoMn(CO)(5)[mu-S(C=NBu(t))S] (8), respectively. Ethylene and dimethylacetylene dicarboxylate also inserted into the S-S bond of 2 and 3 at room temperature to yield the ethanedithiolato ligand bridged complexes CpMoMn(CO)(5)(mu-SCH(2)CH(2)S) (9), Cp*MoMn(CO)(5)(mu-SCH(2)CH(2)S) (10), CpMoMn(CO)(5)[mu-SC(CO(2)Me)=C(CO(2)Me)S] (11), and Cp*MoMn(CO)(5)[mu-SC(CO(2)Me)=C(CO(2)Me)S] (12). Allene was found to insert into the S-S bond of 2 by using one of its two double bonds to yield the complex CpMoMn(CO)(5)[mu-SCH(2)C(=CH(2))S] (13). The molecular structures of the new complexes 2-7 and 9-13 were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses.