Microcrystalline germanium thin films prepared by the reactive RF sputtering method

We focus on thin film microcrystalline germanium (μc-Ge) as narrow gap semiconductor materials for high infrared sensitivity and consider applying it to thermo-photo-voltaic (TPV). The μc-Ge films were prepared on glass substrates by the reactive RF sputtering method with Ar and H₂ gas mixtures. We could successfully produce photosensitive μc-Ge films. Higher crystallinity structures do not always result in better carrier properties. Probably, the amorphous portions between crystalline grains have important roles to suppress the grain boundary defects. We applied the μc-Ge to i-layers of pin structure devices, and observed the photovoltaic effect for the first time.     

Transparent Ta3N5 Photoanodes for Efficient Oxygen Evolution toward the Development of Tandem Cells

Photoelectrochemical water splitting is regarded as a promising approach to the production of hydrogen, and the development of efficient photoelectrodes is one aspect of realizing practical systems. In this work, transparent Ta₃N₅ photoanodes were fabricated on n‐type GaN/sapphire substrates to promote O₂ evolution in tandem with a photocathode, to realize overall water splitting. Following the incorporation of an underlying GaN layer, a photocurrent of 6.3 mA cm^?2 was achieved at 1.23 V vs. a reversible hydrogen electrode. The transparency of Ta₃N₅ to wavelengths longer than 600 nm allowed incoming solar light to be transmitted to a CuInSe₂ (CIS), which absorbs up to 1100 nm. A stand‐alone tandem cell with a serially‐connected dual‐CIS unit terminated with a Pt/Ni electrode was thus constructed for H₂ evolution. This tandem cell exhibited a solar‐to‐hydrogen energy conversion efficiency greater than 7 % at the initial stage of the reaction.     

Onion (Allium cepa L.)-Derived Nanoparticles Inhibited LPS-Induced Nitrate Production,However, Their Intracellular Incorporation by Endocytosis Was Not Involved in This Effect on RAW264 Cells

The aim of this study was to evaluate the involvement of nanoparticles prepared from Allium cepa L. as anti-inflammatory agents. In the present study, we identified nanoparticles from Allium cepa L. using the ultracentrifugation exosome purification method. The nanoparticles were referred to as 17,000× g and 200,000× g precipitates, and they contained quercetins, proteins, lipids, and small-sized RNA. The nanoparticles inhibited nitric oxide production from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264 cells without cytotoxic properties. Cellular incorporation was confirmed by laser microscopic observation after PKH26 staining. The inhibition of caveolae-dependent endocytosis and macropinocytosis significantly prevented the incorporation of the nanoparticles but had no effect on the inhibition of nitric oxide in RAW264 cells. Collectively, the identified nanoparticles were capable of inhibiting the LPS response via extracellular mechanisms. Taken together, the way of consuming Allium cepa L. without collapsing the nanoparticles is expected to provide an efficient anti-inflammatory effect.     

Improvement of the distortion of aerial displays and proposal for utilizing distortion to emulate three-dimensional aerial image

Optical Review - This paper evaluates the spatial distortion of aerial image and proposes a novel optical design to utilize the distortion as visual expression. Our optical system is based on...     

Synthesis,reactivity, in vitro boron neutron capture therapy assay,and molecular docking of fluorocyclocarboxyboranylamine

The one-pot reaction of Me₃NBH₂CN with Et₃O⁺BF₄⁻ followed by addition of BF₃·Et₂O and water produces a trimethylamine derivative of fluorocyclocarboxyboranylamine, Me₃NBH₂C(O₂BF₂NH₂) ( 1 ) in 36.0% yield. Compound 1 undergoes exchange reaction between the exo-Me₃N moiety and piperidine or pyridine to produce the corresponding piperidine-substituted fluorocyclocarboxyboranylamine ( 2 ) or pyridine-substituted fluorocyclocarboxyboranylamine ( 3 ) in 51.2% or 42.4% yields, respectively. The new compounds were characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹B, and ¹⁹F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy; and elemental analyses and the crystal structure of 1 was determined to confirm its molecular geometry. The in vitro killing effects of 1 , along with its toxicity measurements and molecular docking interactions with matrix metalloproteinases showed a potential promise of such species as both boron neutron capture therapy and boron neutron capture synovectomy agents in the treatment of tumors and rheumatoid arthritis, respectively, in the presence of slow neutrons.