Roll-Pressed Silicon Anodes with High Reversible Volumetric Capacity Achieved by Interfacial Stabilization and Mechanical Strengthening of a Silicon/Graphene Hybrid Assembly.

Application of Si anodes is hindered by severe capacity fading due to pulverization of Si particles during the large volume changes of Si during charge/discharge and repeated formation of the solid-electrolyte interphase. To address these issues, considerable efforts have been devoted to the development of Si composites with conductive carbons (Si/C composites). However, Si/C composites with high C content inevitably show low volumetric capacity because of low electrode density. For practical applications, the volumetric capacity of a Si/C composite electrode is more important than gravimetric capacity, but volumetric capacity in pressed electrodes is rarely reported. Herein, a novel synthesis strategy is demonstrate for a compact Si nanoparticle/graphene microspherical assembly with interfacial stability and mechanical strength achieved by consecutively formed chemical bonds using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and sucrose. The unpressed electrode (density: 0.71 g cm-3 ) shows a reversible specific capacity of 1470 mAh g-1 with a high initial coulombic efficiency of 83.7% at a current density of 1 C-rate. The corresponding pressed electrode (density: 1.32 g cm-3 ) exhibits high reversible volumetric capacity of 1405 mAh cm-3 and gravimetric capacity of 1520 mAh g-1 with a high initial coulombic efficiency of 80.4% and excellent cycling stability of 83% over 100 cycles at 1 C-rate.

Isodon japonicus inhibits mast cell-mediated immediate-type allergic reactions.

The effect of aqueous extract of Isodon japonicus Hara (Labiatae) (IJAE) on mast cell-mediated immediate-type allergic reactions was investigated. IJAE inhibited systemic allergic reaction induced by compound 48/80. When IJAE was pretreated at the same concentrations with systemic allergic reaction test, the plasma histamine levels were reduced in a dose-dependent manner. IJAE also inhibited local allergic reaction activated by anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE antibody. IJAE dose-dependently inhibited the histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells (RPMC) activated by compound 48/80 or anti-DNP IgE. IJAE inhibited the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin (IL)-6 in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187-stimulated human mast cell line (HMC-1) cells. In addition, the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in HMC-1 cells was inhibited by IJAE. These results indicate that IJAE may be beneficial in the regulation of immediate-type allergic reaction.