Atomic layer deposition with rotary reactor for uniform hetero-junction photocatalyst, g-CN@TiO core-shell structures.

A heterojunction of TiO grown on g-CN particles is demonstrated using atomic layer deposition (ALD), equipped with a specifically designed rotary reactor for maintaining stable mechanical dispersion of g-CN particles during ALD. The photocatalytic activity of the g-CN@ALD-TiO core-shell composites was examined using the degradation of rhodamine B dye under visible light irradiation. The optimal composite with 5 ALD cycles of TiO exhibited the highest photocatalytic reaction rate constant among the composites with a range of ALD cycles from 2 to 200 cycles, which was observed to be 3 times higher than that of pristine g-CN and 2 times higher than that of g-CN@TiO composite prepared using a simple impregnation method.

Pamidronate Down-regulates Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha Induced Matrix Metalloproteinases Expression in Human Intervertebral Disc Cells.

Background: N-containing bisphosphonates (BPs), such as pamidronate and risedronate, can inhibit osteoclastic function and reduce osteoclast number by inducing apoptotic cell death in osteoclasts. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effect of pamidronate, second generation nitrogen-containing BPs and to elucidate matrix metallo-proteinases (MMPs) mRNA expression under serum starvation and/or tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) stimulation on metabolism of intervertebral disc (IVD) cells in vitro.

Methods: Firstly, to test the effect of pamidronate on IVD cells in vitro, various concentrations (10(-12), 10(-10), 10(-8), and 10(-6) M) of pamidronate were administered to IVD cells.