Preparation of a nanoporous CaCO3-coated TiO2 electrode and its application to a dye-sensitized solar cell.

A nanoporous CaCO3 overlayer-coated TiO2 thick film was prepared by the topotactic thermal decomposition of Ca(OH)2, and its performance as an electrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell was investigated. As compared to bare TiO2, nanoporous CaCO3-coated TiO2 provided higher specific surface area and, subsequently, a larger amount of dye adsorption; this in turn increased short-circuit current (Jsc). Furthermore, the CaCO3 coating demonstrated increased impedance at the TiO2/dye/electrolyte interface and increased the lifetime of the photoelectrons, indicating the improved retardation of the back electron transfer, which increases Jsc, open-circuit voltage (Voc), and fill factor (ff).

The globular tail domain of myosin Va functions as an inhibitor of the myosin Va motor.

The actin-activated ATPase activity of full-length mammalian myosin Va is well regulated by Ca2+, whereas that of truncated myosin Va without the C-terminal globular tail domain (GTD) is not. Here, we have found that exogenous GTD is capable of inhibiting the actin-activated ATPase activity of GTD-deleted myosin Va. A series of truncated constructs of myosin Va further showed that the entire length of the first coiled-coil (coil-1) of the tail domain is critical for GTD-dependent regulation of myosin Va and that deletion of 58 residues from the C-terminal end of coil-1 markedly hampered regulation.

Preparation of nanoporous MgO-coated TiO2 nanoparticles and their application to the electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells.

Sol-gel-derived Mg(OH)(2) gel was coated onto TiO(2) nanoparticles, and the subsequent thermal topotactic decomposition of the gel formed a highly nanoporous MgO crystalline coating. The specific surface area of the electrode that was prepared from the core-shell-structured TiO(2) nanoparticles significantly increased compared with that of the uncoated TiO(2) electrode. The increase in the specific surface area of the MgO-coated TiO(2) electrode was attributed to the highly nanoporous MgO coating layer that resulted from the topotactic reaction.

Influence of hydration status in normal subjects: fractional analysis of parameters of Tc-99m DTPA and Tc-99m MAG3 renography.

Rationale And Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of hydration status upon renogram patterns and renal physiological parameters and clarify the differences between DTPA and MAG3 studies in normal volunteers.

Material And Methods: The study populations were 22 kidneys of 11 volunteers with no history of hypertension or renal disease with normal serum creatinine levels. They were 6 men and 5 women aged from 24 to 48 yrs (mean age: 33.

In situ observation of the stability of anatase nanoparticles and their transformation to rutile in an acidic solution.

Thermodynamic stability of anatase nanoparticles and their transformation behaviors to rutile phase in an acidic solution was investigated in situ at two different peptization temperatures using a freeze-drying method. When peptized at 30 degrees C, the initial product was anatase with a significantly distorted atomic structure, a significant amount of hydroxyl group and Ti3+ ions, and, thus, a thermodynamically unstable state. The instability of 30 degrees C-peptized anatase was responsible for a suitable transformation to rutile later via dissolution of the anatase to form a titanium hydroxylate, followed by reprecipitation into rutile.

Correlation between dispersion properties of TiO2 colloidal sols and photoelectric characteristics of TiO2 films.

TiO2 film for use as dye-sensitized solar cell was prepared using the TiO2 colloidal sols (unpeptized sol and peptized sol). The optical properties and photocurrent-voltage characteristics of the resultant films were investigated. The optical transmittance of TiO2 thin film prepared from the peptized colloidal sol was over 90%, while that of TiO2 film from the unpeptized sol was under 80%.

Crystallization behaviors of nanosized MgO particles from magnesium alkoxides.

The effects of the size of the alkoxy group on the thermal decomposition behavior of magnesium alkoxides (magnesium methoxide and ethoxide) and the crystallization behavior of MgO was investigated using thermogravimetry, Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. As the size of the alkyl group increased, the decomposition temperature decreased and resultant MgO crystallization of the alkoxide precursor was enhanced. In an inert N(2) atmosphere, the decomposition temperature of magnesium ethoxide was about 260 degrees C, which was lower than that of magnesium methoxide by approximately 70 degrees C.