Engineering Surface Architectures for Improved Durability in III-V Photocathodes.

GaInP has shown promise as the wide bandgap top junction in tandem absorber photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting devices. Among previously reported dual-junction PEC devices with a GaInP top cell, those with the highest performance incorporate an AlInP window layer (WL) to reduce surface recombination and a thin GaInP capping layer (CL) to protect the WL from corrosion in electrolytes. However, the stability of these III-V systems is limited, and durability continues to be a major challenge broadly in the field of PEC water splitting.

A Spin Coating Method To Deposit Iridium-Based Catalysts onto Silicon for Water Oxidation Photoanodes.

Silicon has shown promise for use as a small band gap (1.1 eV) absorber material in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. However, the limited stability of silicon in acidic electrolyte requires the use of protection strategies coupled with catalysts.

A Ratiometric Sensor Using Single Chirality Near-Infrared Fluorescent Carbon Nanotubes: Application to In Vivo Monitoring.

Advances in the separation and functionalization of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) by their electronic type have enabled the development of ratiometric fluorescent SWCNT sensors for the first time. Herein, single chirality SWCNT are independently functionalized to recognize either nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), or no analyte (remaining invariant) to create optical sensor responses from the ratio of distinct emission peaks. This ratiometric approach provides a measure of analyte concentration, invariant to the absolute intensity emitted from the sensors and hence, more stable to external noise and detection geometry.

Effects of oleic acid and macrophage recruitment on cholesterol efflux in cell culture and in vivo.

Background And Aim: Monounsaturated fatty acids in diets are beneficial for the plasma lipoprotein profile, but studies in cell culture point out that they may also be detrimental by inhibiting cholesterol efflux to apo AI.

Methods And Results: In the present study we used mouse peritoneal macrophages, loaded with cholesterol and upregulated by cyclic AMP or by LXR/RXR ligands and compared the effect of oleic acid on cholesterol efflux to 3 different acceptors. Inhibition of cholesterol efflux by oleic acid ranged from 10 to 25% with HDL or 2.

Lower macrophage recruitment and atherosclerosis resistance in FVB mice.

The aim of this study was to compare some aspects of cholesterol accretion and cholesterol efflux in cellular components of the aortic wall derived from mice resistant or susceptible to atherosclerosis, FVB or C57BL, respectively. Cholesterol efflux, from cholesterol loaded smooth muscle cells or elicited macrophages, to apo A-I or HDL was similar in the two strains under basal conditions, and after cAMP or LXR upregulation. Recruitment of peritoneal macrophages, 3 days after thioglycollate injection, was 65% lower in FVB than in C57BL mice, commensurate with a 40% reduction in MCP-1 in peritoneal lavage.