Evidence for cytostatic effect of cyclophosphamide on human vein endothelial cells in cancer therapy: Preliminary in vitro results.

In cancer therapy, a number of drugs with different mechanisms of action are in clinical use, which act directly after administration without metabolism, while others only become active in the metabolites produced in the liver. Such drugs/metabolites - especially when administered parenterally - interact in high concentrations with the endothelium. Whether this induces adverse responses of the endothelial cells (EC) is barely studied for many medicaments.

On the homogenization of the acoustic wave propagation in perforated ducts of finite length for an inviscid and a viscous model.

The direct numerical simulation of the acoustic wave propagation in multiperforated absorbers with hundreds or thousands of tiny openings would result in a huge number of basis functions to resolve the microstructure. One is, however, primarily interested in effective and so homogenized transmission and absorption properties and how they are influenced by microstructure and its endpoints. For this, we introduce the surface homogenization that asymptotically decomposes the solution in a macroscopic part, a boundary layer corrector close to the interface and a near-field part close to its ends.

Evidence for Chemical and Electronic Nonuniformities in the Formation of the Interface of RbF-Treated Cu(In,Ga)Se with CdS.

We report on the initial stages of CdS buffer layer formation on Cu(In,Ga)Se (CIGSe) thin-film solar cell absorbers subjected to rubidium fluoride (RbF) postdeposition treatment (PDT). A detailed characterization of the CIGSe/CdS interface for different chemical bath deposition (CBD) times of the CdS layer is obtained from spatially resolved atomic and Kelvin probe force microscopy and laterally integrating X-ray spectroscopies. The observed spatial inhomogeneity in the interface's structural, chemical, and electronic properties of samples undergoing up to 3 min of CBD treatments is indicative of a complex interface formation including an incomplete coverage and/or nonuniform composition of the buffer layer.

High-temperature charge density wave correlations in LaBaCuO without spin-charge locking.

Although all superconducting cuprates display charge-ordering tendencies, their low-temperature properties are distinct, impeding efforts to understand the phenomena within a single conceptual framework. While some systems exhibit stripes of charge and spin, with a locked periodicity, others host charge density waves (CDWs) without any obviously related spin order. Here we use resonant inelastic X-ray scattering to follow the evolution of charge correlations in the canonical stripe-ordered cuprate LaBaCuO across its ordering transition.

Girsanov reweighting for path ensembles and Markov state models.

The sensitivity of molecular dynamics on changes in the potential energy function plays an important role in understanding the dynamics and function of complex molecules. We present a method to obtain path ensemble averages of a perturbed dynamics from a set of paths generated by a reference dynamics. It is based on the concept of path probability measure and the Girsanov theorem, a result from stochastic analysis to estimate a change of measure of a path ensemble.

X-ray Emission Spectroscopy of Proteinogenic Amino Acids at All Relevant Absorption Edges.

Nonresonant N K, O K, C K, and S L X-ray emission spectra of the 20 most common proteinogenic amino acids in their solid zwitterionic form are reported. They represent a comprehensive database that can serve as a reliable basis for the X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XES) studies of peptides and proteins. At the most important N and O K edges, clear similarities and differences between the spectra of certain amino acids are observed and associated with the specific chemical structure of these molecules and their functional groups.

Selective Deposition of an Ultrathin Pt Layer on a Au-Nanoisland-Modified Si Photocathode for Hydrogen Generation.

Platinum, being the most efficient and stable catalyst, is used in photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices. However, a minimal amount of Pt with maximum catalytic activity is required to be used to minimize the cost of production. In this work, we use an environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and less Pt-consuming method to prepare PEC devices for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).

Ionic Referencing in Surface Plasmon Microscopy: Visualization of the Difference in Surface Properties of Patterned Monomolecular Layers.

An approach for visualization of patterned monomolecular layers in surface plasmon microscopy (SPM) is suggested. The development of hidden image in SPM is achieved by referencing of images obtained in the presence of electrolytes with a high molar refraction of either anions or cations. A formation of diffuse layer near the charged surface areas leads to the redistribution of ions.

Formation of a K-In-Se Surface Species by NaF/KF Postdeposition Treatment of Cu(In,Ga)Se Thin-Film Solar Cell Absorbers.

A NaF/KF postdeposition treatment (PDT) has recently been employed to achieve new record efficiencies of Cu(In,Ga)Se (CIGSe) thin film solar cells. We have used a combination of depth-dependent soft and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy as well as soft X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy to gain detailed insight into the chemical structure of the CIGSe surface and how it is changed by different PDTs. Alkali-free CIGSe, NaF-PDT CIGSe, and NaF/KF-PDT CIGSe absorbers grown by low-temperature coevaporation have been interrogated.

Soft X-ray Spectroscopy of a Complex Heterojunction in High-Efficiency Thin-Film Photovoltaics: Intermixing and Zn Speciation at the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se Interface.

The chemical structure of the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se interface in high-efficiency photovoltaic devices is investigated using X-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopy, as well as soft X-ray emission spectroscopy. We find that the Ga/(Ga+In) ratio at the absorber surface does not change with the formation of the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se interface. Furthermore, we find evidence for Zn in multiple bonding environments, including ZnS, ZnO, Zn(OH), and ZnSe.

Synthesis of Dispersible Mesoporous Nitrogen-Doped Hollow Carbon Nanoplates with Uniform Hexagonal Morphologies for Supercapacitors.

In this study, dispersible mesoporous nitrogen-doped hollow carbon nanoplates have been synthesized as a new anisotropic carbon nanostructure using gibbsite nanoplates as templates. The gibbsite-silica core-shell nanoplates were first prepared before the gibbsite core was etched away. Dopamine as carbon precursor was self-polymerized on the hollow silica nanoplates surface assisted by sonification, which not only favors a homogeneous polymer coating on the nanoplates but also prevents their aggregation during the polymerization.

Plasmonic detection and visualization of directed adsorption of charged single nanoparticles to patterned surfaces.

It has recently been shown that surface plasmon microscopy (SPM) allows single nanoparticles (NPs) on sensor surfaces to be detected and analyzed. The authors have applied this technique to study the adsorption of single metallic and plastic NPs. Binding of gold NPs (40, 60 and 100 nm in size) and of 100 nm polystyrene NPs to gold surfaces modified by differently ω-functionalized alkyl thiols was studied first.

Detection and Quantification of Single Engineered Nanoparticles in Complex Samples Using Template Matching in Wide-Field Surface Plasmon Microscopy.

An ultrasensitive analytical method for direct detection of single nanoparticles in complex environment is described. The method relies on the wide-field surface plasmon microscopy (SPM). The suppression of matrix effects is achieved by image analysis based on the template matching.

Effective dynamics along given reaction coordinates, and reaction rate theory.

In molecular dynamics and related fields one considers dynamical descriptions of complex systems in full (atomic) detail. In order to reduce the overwhelming complexity of realistic systems (high dimension, large timescale spread, limited computational resources) the projection of the full dynamics onto some reaction coordinates is examined in order to extract statistical information like free energies or reaction rates. In this context, the effective dynamics that is induced by the full dynamics on the reaction coordinate space has attracted considerable attention in the literature.

Cerium(III) Complex Modified Gold Electrode: An Efficient Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Exploring efficient and inexpensive electrocatalysts for the oxidation of water is of great importance for various electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies. In the present study, a new water-soluble [Ce(III)(DMF) (HSO4)3] complex was synthesized and characterized by UV-vis, photoluminescence, and high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques. Owing to classic 5d → 4f transitions, an intense photoluminescence in the UV region was observed from the water-soluble [Ce(III)(DMF) (HSO4)3] complex.

Investigation of the Ionic Hydration in Aqueous Salt Solutions by Soft X-ray Emission Spectroscopy.

Understanding the molecular structure of the hydration shells and their impact on the hydrogen bond (HB) network of water in aqueous salt solutions is a fundamentally important and technically relevant question. In the present work, such hydration effects were studied for a series of representative salt solutions (NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, MgCl2, and KBr) by soft X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) and resonant inelastic soft X-ray scattering (RIXS). The oxygen K-edge XES spectra could be described with three components, attributed to initial state HB configurations in pure water, water molecules that have undergone an ultrafast dissociation initiated by the X-ray excitation, and water molecules in contact with salt ions.

Electrically controlled variation of receptor affinity.

A concept of virtual sensor array based on electrically controlled variation of affinity properties of the receptor layer is described. It was realized on the base of integrated electrochemical chemotransistor containing polyaniline as the receptor layer. Electrical control of the redox state of polyaniline was performed in five-electrode configuration containing four electrodes for conductivity measurements and one Ag/AgCl reference electrode.

Long-term outcomes after event-free cardioverter defibrillator implantation: comparison between patients discharged within 24 h and routinely hospitalized patients in the German DEVICE registry.

Aims: To analyse the long-term safety of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in patients discharged within 24 h or after 2- 5-day hospitalization, respectively, after complication-free implantation, in circumstances of actual care.

Methods And Results: Patients in the multicentre, nationwide German DEVICE registry were contacted 12-15 months after their first ICD implantation or device replacement. Data were collected on complications, potential arrhythmic events, syncope, resuscitation, ablation procedures, cardiac events, hospitalizations, heart failure status, change of medication, and quality of life.

Individual Detection and Electrochemically Assisted Identification of Adsorbed Nanoparticles by Using Surface Plasmon Microscopy.

The increasing production and application of nanoparticles necessitates a highly sensitive analytical method for the quantification and identification of these potentially hazardous materials. We describe here an application of surface plasmon microscopy for the individual detection of each adsorbed nanoparticle and for visualization of its electrochemical conversion. Whereas the adsorption rate characterizes the number concentration of nanoparticles, the potential at which the adsorbed nanoparticles disappear during an anodic potential sweep characterizes the type of material.

Isotope Effects in the Resonant Inelastic Soft X-ray Scattering Maps of Gas-Phase Methanol.

The electronic structure of gas-phase methanol molecules (H3COH, H3COD, and D3COD) at atmospheric pressure was investigated using resonant inelastic soft X-ray scattering (RIXS) at the O K and C K edges. We observe strong changes of the relative emission intensities of all valence orbitals as a function of excitation energy, which can be related to the symmetries of the involved orbitals causing an angularly anisotropic RIXS intensity. Furthermore, all observed emission lines are subject to strong spectator shifts of up to -0.

The isotype ZnO/SiC heterojunction prepared by molecular beam epitaxy--A chemical inert interface with significant band discontinuities.

ZnO/SiC heterojunctions show great potential for various optoelectronic applications (e.g., ultraviolet light emitting diodes, photodetectors, and solar cells).

Unveiling the Hybrid n-Si/PEDOT:PSS Interface.

Unlabelled: We investigated the buried interface between monocrystalline n-type silicon (n-Si) and the highly conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (

Pedot: PSS), which is successfully applied as a hole selective contact in hybrid solar cells. We show that a post-treatment of the polymer films by immersion in a suitable solvent reduces the layer thickness by removal of excess material. We prove that this post-treatment does not affect the functionality of the hybrid solar cells.

Impact of Annealing-Induced Intermixing on the Electronic Level Alignment at the In2S3/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin-Film Solar Cell Interface.

The interface between a nominal In2S3 buffer and a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) thin-film solar cell absorber was investigated by direct and inverse photoemission to determine the interfacial electronic structure. On the basis of a previously reported heavy intermixing at the interface (S diffuses into the absorber; Cu diffuses into the buffer; and Na diffuses through it), we determine here the band alignment at the interface. The results suggest that the pronounced intermixing at the In2S3/CIGSe interface leads to a favorable electronic band alignment, necessary for high-efficiency solar cell devices.

[Potential of cooperative learning in project development : Relevance of cooperative participation procedure for the further development of generation-appropriate accomodation in structurally weak rural areas].

Background: A joint initiative of existing senior care organizations, the municipality of Meyenburg and the state of Brandenburg was further developed by affiliation of an institute of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (ABV) in cooperation with members of the architecture and social work departments in 2014.

Material And Methods: A cooperative process between different players was central to create an appropriate structure of services for this region.

Results: Cooperative projects are necessary to establish new forms of generation-appropriate living and care concepts in rural areas.

Potassium Postdeposition Treatment-Induced Band Gap Widening at Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ Surfaces--Reason for Performance Leap?

Direct and inverse photoemission were used to study the impact of alkali fluoride postdeposition treatments on the chemical and electronic surface structure of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) thin films used for high-efficiency flexible solar cells. We find a large surface band gap (E(g)(Surf), up to 2.52 eV) for a NaF/KF-postdeposition treated (PDT) absorber significantly increases compared to the CIGSe bulk band gap and to the Eg(Surf) of 1.