Flexible asymmetric supercapacitor based on MnO2 honeycomb structure

By controlling the electroplating time of solution containing Mn(Ac)₂, the MnO₂ nanosheets were self-assembled to the honeycomb structure and showed an excellent electrochemical performance in 1 mol/L Na₂SO₄ electrolyte. Via pairing with activated carbon as negative electrode, the capacitor could deliver a maximum energy density of 43.84 Wh/kg and a maximum power density of 6.62 kW/kg.     

Growth kinetics of CaF2 in a pH-stat fluidized-bed crystallizer

In this study, experiments were first conducted in a stirred vessel to establish the metastable region of calcium fluoride, using a pH-stat apparatus for controlling the pH value of solution. The effects of pH value on the solubility and metastable region were observed. Then, operating variables, including supersaturation, superficial velocity, pH value, seed size, and types of seed and solution, that influenced the crystal growth of the same system were investigated in a fluidized-bed crystallizer. The crystal growth rates were determined from the consumption rates of fluoride ions. The growth kinetics was explored by using the two-step growth model. The effectiveness factor was used to judge whether a controlling step was existing. The kinetics of crystal growth in a lean bed and a dense bed was also discussed.     

Synthesis and crystal structure of [{V3(μ-Cl)4(μ 3-Cl) (μ 3-OH)(thf)2(teeda)}2]·2(thf) (teeda = N,N,N′N′-tetraethylethane-1,2-diamine)

The title complex was prepared from the reaction of [V₂(-Cl)₃(thf)₃]₂[Zn₂Cl₆] with N,N,NN-tetraethylethane-1,2-diamine (teeda) in refluxing thf and its crystal structure exhibits two triangulo-[V₃(-Cl)₃(-Cl)( ₃-OH)(thf)₂(teeda)]⁺ cations bridged by two chlorides. The molecular structure (monoclinic, space group P2 ₁/n, Z = 2, a = 11.8005(7) Å, b = 18.7492(14) Å, c= 15.6253(9) Å, = 103.600(4) shows each vanadium site in a distorted octahedral geometry. V1 and V2 have two thf molecules bounded in cis configuration, and V3 completes the hexa-coordination with the diamine teeda. Main bond distances are 2.5149(12) Å for V(1)--Cl(1), 2.062(3) Å for V(1)- ₃-O(3), 2.5554(12) Å for V(1)- ₃-Cl(4), 2.140(3) Å for V(1)–O(1)(thf), 2.243(4) Å for V(3)–N(1)(teeda), and 3.0437(9) for V(1)···V(2).     

New serotonin 5-HT(6) ligands from common feature pharmacophore hypotheses

Serotonin 5-HT6 receptor antagonists are thought to play an important role in the treatment of psychiatry, Alzheimer's disease, and probably obesity. To find novel and potent 5-HT6 antagonists and to provide a new idea for drug design, we used a ligand-based pharmacophore to perform the virtual screening of a commercially available database. A three-dimensional common feature pharmacophore model was developed by using the HipHop program provided in Catalyst software and was used as a query for screening the database. A recursive partitioning (RP) model which can separate active and inactive compounds was used as a filtering system. Finally a sequential virtual screening procedure (SQSP) was conducted, wherein both the common feature pharmacophore and the RP model were used in succession to improve the results. Some of the hits were selected based on druglikeness, ADME properties, structural diversity, and synthetic accessibility for real biological evaluation. The best hit compound showed a significant IC50 value of 9.6 nM and can be used as a lead for further drug development.     

On the convergence of hybrid polynomial approximation to higher derivatives of rational curves

In this paper, we derive the bounds on the magnitude of l  th (l=2,3)$(l=2,3)$ order derivatives of rational Bézier curves, estimate the error, in the _L∞$L_{\infty }$ norm sense, for the hybrid polynomial approximation of the l  th (l=1,2,3)$(l=1,2,3)$ order derivatives of rational Bézier curves. We then prove that when the hybrid polynomial approximation converges to a given rational Bézier curve, the l  th (l=1,2,3)$(l=1,2,3)$ derivatives of the hybrid polynomial approximation curve also uniformly converge to the corresponding derivatives of the rational curve. These results are useful for designing simpler algorithms for computing tangent vector, curvature vector and torsion vector of rational Bézier curves.     

Conductivity and FTIR studies on PEO-LiX [X: CF3SO3(-), SO4(2-)] polymer electrolytes

Polymer electrolytes based on poly(ethylene oxide)-lithium triflate (PEO-LiCF3SO3) and poly(ethylene oxide)-lithium sulphate (PEO-Li2S4) were prepared by using solution casting method. Measurements of conductivity and dielectric were carried out on these films as a function of frequency at various temperatures. It was observed that PEO-LiCF3SO3 polymer electrolytes have higher conductivity. The interaction between PEO and Li salts were studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR).     

A novel and selective assay for the quantitative analysis of molybdenum(VI) at nanogram level by resonance light scattering quenching technique

A novel method is designed for the direct determination of trace amounts of molybdenum(VI) in tap water, human hair, and Chinese herbal medicine by means of decreasing resonance light scattering (RLS) technique. The characteristics of RLS spectra, the effective factors, and optimum conditions of the reaction were studied. In the medium of hydrochloric acid (pH 2.38), Mo(VI), dibromohydroxyphenylfluorone (DBHPF), and Triton X-100 react to form a complex, resulting in significant decreasing RLS signals of DBHPF-Triton X-100. The decreasing RLS intensity at 583.0 nm is proportional to the concentration of Mo(VI) up to 8.0 ng mL(-1). The detection limit is 0.013 ng mL(-1). The method is simple, reproducible, with reaction rapidity and stability of complexes formed. Moreover, the high selectivity and sensitivity of this method permits its direct determination of molybdenum(VI) in tap water, human hair, and Chinese herbal medicine and the results are in agreement with those obtained by the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) method.     

Protective effects of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors on narrow-band ultraviolet B-irradiated epidermal Ia+ Langerhans cells and Thy-1+ dendritic epidermal T cells in mice

Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors are known to be used as chemopreventative agents against certain malignancies. Thus far, there has been very limited information on whether COX-2 inhibitors protect against chronic narrow-band UVB (NB-UVB)-induced immunosuppression. The present study investigated the effect of nonselective and specific COX-2 inhibitors, indomethacin and celecoxib, on epidermal Ia+ Langerhans cells (LCs) and Thy-1+ dendritic epidermal T cells (DETCs) in mice irradiated with NB-UVB. Sixty female BALB/c mice were divided randomly into the control group (sham) and the experimental groups (irradiated with NB-UVB for 17 weeks, further divided into five groups according to the diets containing different concentrations of either COX-2 inhibitors). Alterations in the density and morphology of epidermal Ia+ LCs and Thy-1+ DETCs in mice were documented using fluorescence microscopy. Chronic NB-UVB irradiation substantially decreased the density and altered the morphology of the epidermal Ia+ LCs and Thy-1+ DETCs in control mice. The dietary supplementation of both COX-2 inhibitors displayed a dosage-dependent protective effect on the murine dendritic cells irradiated by NB-UVB. In conclusion, COX-2 inhibitors protected against chronic NB-UVB-induced density and morphologic changes in epidermal Ia+ LCs and Thy-1+ DETCs in mice.     

Solvothermal Syntheses and Magnetic Properties of Two New Coordination Polymers with Mixed Ligands

Two new coordination polymers, [Ni(H₂O)(BDC)(bpp)]_n ( 1 ) and [Co(mBDC)(bpp)]_n ( 2 ) (BDC = 1,4‐benzene dicarboxylate anion; bpp = 4,4′‐trimethylene dipyridine; mBDC = 1,3‐benzene dicarboxylate anion), were synthesized by solvothermal reaction and structurally characterized. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction showed that 1 consists of an inclined interpenetration of 1D nets generating an overall 3D entanglement and compound 2 of 1D chains. The luminescent and magnetic properties of both compounds in the solid state were also investigated. Crystal data: 1 : orthorhombic, Pnna; a = 18.3648(6), b = 13.6854(4), c = 16.2307(5) Å, V = 4079.3(2) ų, and Z = 8. Crystal data: 2 : triclinic, ; a = 8.6966(4), b = 10.1093(4), c = 11.8334(4) Å, α = 68.263(1)°, β = 82.895(1)°, γ = 78.370(1)°, V = 945.16(7) ų, and Z = 2.