Reductive C(sp)-C(sp) homo-coupling of benzyl or allyl halides with H using a water-soluble electron storage catalyst.

This paper reports the first example of a reductive C(sp)-C(sp) homo-coupling of benzyl/allyl halides in aqueous solution by using H as an electron source {turnover numbers (TONs) = 0.5-2.3 for 12 h}.

C-H Arylation of Benzene with Aryl Halides using H and a Water-Soluble Rh-Based Electron Storage Catalyst.

This paper reports the first example of C-H arylation of benzene under mild conditions, using H as an electron source {turnover numbers (TONs)=0.7-2.0 for 24 h}.

Thermal and Chemical Stabilization of Silver Nanoplates for Plasmonic Sensor Application.

Thermal and chemical stabilities of silver nanoplates (AgPLs), which are triangle plate-shaped silver nanoparticles, were improved by coating with titanium oxide. The titanium oxide layer prepared by a dip-coating method was certainly advantageous for the improvement of thermal stability. Furthermore, the overlayering of titanium oxide by a spray pyrolysis method was quite useful for improving the chemical stability against I(-) exposure.

Podocyte injury-driven intracapillary plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 accelerates podocyte loss via uPAR-mediated β1-integrin endocytosis.

Podocyte-endothelial cell cross-talk is paramount for maintaining the filtration barrier. The present study investigated the endothelial response to podocyte injury and its subsequent role in glomerulosclerosis using the podocyte-specific injury model of NEP25/LMB2 mice. NEP25/LMB2 mice showed proteinuria and local podocyte loss accompanied by thrombotic microangiopathy on day 8.

Temperament and character as predictors of recurrence in remitted patients with major depression: a 4-year prospective follow-up study.

The aim of the present study was to examine whether the specific personality traits, Harm-Avoidance (HA) and Self-Directedness (SD) as measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), were predictive for subsequent depressive episodes in remitted patients with major depressive disorders (MDDs) over a 4-year follow-up. A total of 109 inpatients with MDD participated in this study. The subjects completed the TCI when they were assessed to be in remission.

Effects of silver nanoparticles with different sizes on photochemical responses of polythiophene-fullerene thin films.

Effects of size and coverage density of silver nanoparticles (AgPs) on the fluorescence emission and fluorescence lifetime of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) thin films were investigated. AgPs of 64 nm diameter showed greater effects on the fluorescence decay process of P3HT films as compared with 7 nm AgPs. The fluorescence lifetime (FL) of P3HT decreased from 0.

Gold cluster-nanoparticle diad systems for plasmonic enhancement of photosensitization.

Quantum-sized gold clusters are deposited on TiO2 both as a photosensitizer and catalyst, and coupled to plasmonic gold nanoparticles as a light harvesting antenna. Photocurrent enhancement was observed for Au25(SG)18 and Au38(SG)24 but not for Au102(SG)44 (SG = glutathione). The maximum enhancement factor of ~9 is reached at 900 nm.

Gold nanorods embedded in titanium oxide film for sensing applications.

We succeeded in fabricating a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor comprising gold nanorods (AuNRs) that were immobilized in a thin film of titanium oxide. First, AuNRs were electrostatically immobilized onto a glass substrate; then, dip-coating of the thin titanium oxide film was carried out. These procedures were realized to prepare well-dispersed AuNRs onto a substrate with a uniform titanium oxide layer.

Electropolymerized polythiophene photoelectrodes with density-controlled gold nanoparticles.

A polythiophene thin film was fabricated on gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-deposited indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrodes with electropolymerization, whereas AuNPs were predeposited on the ITO surface. A photocurrent via photoexcited polythiophene increased with AuNPs which was attributed to the localized surface plasmon resonance. Investigation of the AuNP-density dependence on the relative enhancement of photocurrent revealed the maximum effect at 14% of AuNP-density, while 68% of AuNP-density exhibited smaller photocurrent than the polythiophene electrode without AuNPs.

Enhancement of dye-sensitized photocurrents by gold nanoparticles: effects of dye-particle spacing.

Photocurrents of a ruthenium dye-TiO(2) system are enhanced by gold nanoparticles (100 or 40 nm diameter) embedded in TiO(2). As dye-particle spacing decreases to 10 nm, enhancement factor and intensity of localized electric fields at the TiO(2) surface increase. A further decrease in the spacing suppresses the enhancement.

Anisotropic light absorption by localized surface plasmon resonance in a thin film of gold nanoparticles studied by visible multiple-angle incidence resolution spectrometry.

Anisotropic light absorptions via localized surface plasmon resonance in a gold-evaporated film parallel (in-plane; IP) and perpendicular (out-of-plane; OP) to the film surface are studied using visible multiple-angle incidence resolution spectrometry (Vis-MAIRS). When the thin film was aged for eighteen days, the time-dependent Vis-MAIRS IP spectra exhibited significantly different variation from that of the OP spectra: the IP spectra exhibited a large shift to the shorter wavelength side, whereas the OP spectra were explained by a linear combination of three-constituent spectra. The surface topographical analysis of the film revealed that a continuous film coalesced to form aggregates of metal particles.

Electrodeposition of thermally stable gold and silver nanoparticle ensembles through a thin alumina nanomask.

Hemispheric gold or silver nanoparticle (Au and AgNP) ensembles were electrodeposited on a smooth ITO electrode through a thin Al(2)O(3) nanomask. The nanomask reduced the deviation in the particle size and interparticle distance. The absorption peak based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the AuNP ensemble redshifted with increasing environmental refractive index, suggesting that the ensemble would be used as a LSPR sensor for chemical analysis and bioanalysis.

Oxidation of methanol and formaldehyde to CO2 by a photocatalyst with an energy storage ability.

A TiO(2)-Ni(OH)(2) bilayer photocatalyst is known as a photocatalyst with energy storage abilities. Oxidative energy from the UV-irradiated TiO(2) underlayer can be stored in the Ni(OH)(2) overlayer. We investigated oxidation and mineralization of methanol and formaldehyde by the stored oxidative energy by mean of gas chromatography.

Plasmon-resonance-based generation of cathodic photocurrent at electrodeposited gold nanoparticles coated with TiO2 films.

Reversed photoresponse: Indium tin oxide (ITO)/Au nanoparticle (NP)/TiO(2) electrodes (see picture) exhibit cathodic photocurrents and positive photopotentials under visible light, whereas ITO/TiO(2)/Au NP electrodes show an inverted response. This behavior indicates that electron transfer occurs from the plasmon-excited Au NPs to the TiO(2) film. An enhanced O(2) photoreduction activity is found for ITO/Au NP/TiO(2)/Pt electrodes.

Remote energy storage in Ni(OH)2 with TiO2 photocatalyst.

Oxidative energy generated by UV-irradiated TiO2 photocatalyst was stored in Ni(OH)2 that was 12.5-50 microm apart from the TiO2. It is likely that active oxygen species generated on TiO2 diffused into the gas phase and oxidized Ni(OH)2.

Oxidative energy storage ability of a TiO2-Ni(OH)2 bilayer photocatalyst.

A TiO2-coated indium tin oxide electrode was further coated with Ni(OH)2 by electrodeposition to obtain a TiO2-Ni(OH)2 bilayer film. Upon irradiation of the bilayer film with UV light in a pH 10 buffer, the Ni(OH)2 layer was oxidized, and it turned from colorless to brown; oxidative energy was stored in the layer. The potential of the oxidative energy thus stored was about +0.