Boosting Photocatalytic Performance of Inactive Rutile TiO2 Nanorods under Solar Light Irradiation: Synergistic Effect of Acid Treatment and Metal Oxide Co-catalysts.

In the present work, we accomplish the boosting of photocatalytic performance by the synergistic effect of acid treatment and transition metal oxide co-catalysts on molten salt rutile TiO2 nanorods. FT-IR and XPS (oxygen deconvolution) results confirmed that the amount of hydroxyl groups increased on the surface of rutile TiO2 nanorods (TO-NRs) after acid treatment. HR-TEM analysis revealed fine dispersion of metal oxide on the surface of acid treated TiO2 nanorods (ATO-NRs). The photocatalytic activities of as-prepared (TO-NRs), acid treated (ATO-NRs), metal oxide loaded (MTO-NRs), and both acid treated and metal oxide loaded (MATO-NRs) nanorods were compared based on the rate kinetics and dye degradation efficiencies. Cobalt oxide (1 wt %) loaded and 1.0 M acid treated TiO2 nanorods (Co/ATO-NR) exhibited the higher photocatalytic degradation efficiency for Orange-II dye degradation and inactivation of S. typhimurium pathogen compared to other photocatalysts under solar irradiation. Photoelectrochemical analysis demonstrated that the charge transfer process in Co/ATO-NR is significantly higher than that in the untreated samples. The improved photocatalytic activity of inactive TO-NRs might be due to enhanced charge transfer of finely dispersed metal oxides on the OH-rich surface of acid treated TiO2 nanorods.

Novel D-π-A structured Zn(II)-porphyrin dyes containing a bis(3,3-dimethylfluorenyl)amine moiety for dye-sensitised solar cells.

A high solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency of 7.22% was achieved with a short circuit current (J(sc)) of 15.30 mA cm(-2), an open circuit voltage (V(oc)) of 669 mV and a fill factor (FF) of 0.71 for the 2Flu-ZnP-CN-COOH dye with a multi-functional co-adsorbent, under 100 mW cm(-2) AM 1.5 G simulated light.

S2 emission from chemically modified BODIPYs.

Novel boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivatives having significant absorption and emission in the longer wavelength region were synthesized. BODIPY showed anomalous S(2) emission from the second excited (S(2)) state at shorter wavelength. The photodynamics of the S(2) state was investigated by fluorescence up-conversion and transient absorption spectroscopic measurements. The decay time of the S(2) emission was dependent on the internal conversion and the intersystem crossing process. The assignments of transitions were supported by a theoretical calculation based on the time-dependent density functional theory.

Sonographic abnormalities in idiopathic restless legs syndrome (RLS) and RLS in Parkinson's disease.

We aimed to investigate and compare sonographic abnormalities in the substantia nigra (SN) in patients with idiopathic restless legs syndrome (iRLS), those with RLS and Parkinson's disease (RLS-PD), those with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD), and healthy controls. Study participants totaled 60 patients with RLS (41 iRLS, 19 RLS-PD), 25 iPD patients, and 35 age-matched healthy controls. Comparing all groups, the SN region's echogenicity area in the iRLS patients was significantly decreased compared with that in the PD-RLS, iPD, and control groups (p < 0.0001), and the PD-RLS group demonstrated a significantly increased echogenicity area compared with the control group (p < 0.05) and iRLS group (p < 0.0001). We found that the RLS-PD group's sonological results and clinical findings were different from those of the iRLS group.

Early Dorsal Midbrain Syndrome Mimicking an Adie's Tonic Pupil.

BACKGROUND: While tonic pupils have been attributed to various diseases, including syphilis, herpes zoster, orbital trauma, temporal arteritis, endometriosis, and paraneoplastic syndromes, obstructive hydrocephalus has not been implicated. CASE REPORT: A 36-year-old woman visited a neurology department with a 7-day history of throbbing headache and blurred vision in both eyes. She had early dorsal midbrain syndrome mimicking an Adie's tonic pupil, and cholinergic supersensitivity was demonstrated using topical 0.125% pilocarpine. Brain MRI revealed obstructive hydrocephalus at the level of the aqueduct of Sylvius, and her symptoms resolved 4 days after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We report a patient with early dorsal midbrain syndrome that was initially believed to represent a tonic pupil on the basis of pharmacologic testing. The findings in our patient suggested that early dorsal midbrain syndrome mimicking an Adie's tonic pupil can be caused by obstructive hydrocephalus compressing the Edinger-Westphal nucleus.

Preparation of radioactive core-shell type 198Au@SiO2 nanoparticles as a radiotracer for industrial process applications.

Silica-coated gold nanoparticles produced by gamma-ray irradiation were bombarded with neutrons in a nuclear reactor in order to activate gold nuclides into Au-198 emitting gamma radiation of 0.412-1.088 MeV. The particle size ranges from 20 to 200 nm. The physical integrity of the particles was examined by TEM before and after the neutron irradiation and the silica-gold particles were not affected in terms of structural appearance under gamma radiation environment. The gamma emitting NPs can be utilized as a tracer in petrochemical and refinery industrial processes where the internal temperature is extremely high and the conventional organic radioactive labeled compound would be decomposed.

Psychogenic gait disorders after mass school vaccination of influenza a.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Psychogenic movement disorders (PMD) after war or mass vaccination was reported and well known disease entity already. However, we have seldom been met those patients because we don't have any chance to experience of those events. Recently, influenza A (H1N1) spreads around world, and many countries have a program of mass vaccination of H1N1. Although PMD in adult is well characterized, childhood-onset PMD has not been extensively studied. CASE REPORTS: We present four children of psychogenic gait disorders (PGDs) after mass school vaccination of H1N1. They had fluctuating weakness and their prognosis was good. We confirmed all patients as PGD by placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Our four cases have two common characteristics. One is that all were young and their prognosis was good. And the other is that all were induced their abnormal gait symptoms after mass school vaccination. We observed that mass PMD has a different characteristics comparing to personal PMD, and PMD in children is differ from adult onset PMD.

Common carotid artery agenesis: duplex ultrasonographic findings.

BACKGROUND: Agenesis of the common carotid artery (CCA) resulting in separation of the origin of the external carotid artery (ECA) and internal carotid artery (ICA) from the aortic arch is rare. Fewer than 25 cases have been reported, and correlative ultrasound data were available for only 1 of them. CASE REPORT: A 52-year-old woman visited the hospital with a 3-day history of vertigo and headache. Color-coded duplex ultrasonography performed to evaluate the carotid and vertebral arteries revealed a normal configuration on the left side. However, the right CCA could not be found; instead, there were two vessels of approximately equal size in close proximity to each other. The cerebral angiographic findings were consistent with the ultrasonographic findings. The ECA and ICA originated directly from the brachiocephalic trunk, and the ECA arose proximal to the ICA. CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasonographic findings revealed absence of the CCA, the ECA and ICA originating separately from the aortic arch. Color-coded duplex ultrasonography appears to be an effective and sensitive method for detecting absence of the CCA. These findings should help to further our understanding of the embryologic development of the carotid arteries.

Synthesis of Pt-Ru@PThB catalyst by gamma-irradiation and NaBH(4) as reducing agent.

Pt-Ru particles were loaded onto spherical polythiophene balls (PThB) and new catalysts, Pt-Ru@PThBs, were prepared. Pt and Ru ions were subjected to chemical reduction using NaBH(4) as reducing agent or gamma-irradiation in the presence of PThBs. The size, morphology, and composition of Pt-Ru@PThB catalysts were determined by transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and elemental analysis. TEM images of the Pt-Ru@PThB catalysts clearly provide evidences that Pt-Ru alloy nanoparticles are dispersed onto the surface of PThBs. The electrocatalytic efficiency of Pt-Ru@PThB was tested for electrochemical oxidation of carbon monoxide as well as for methanol. Pt-Ru@PThB catalyst prepared by gamma-irradiation exhibits the enhanced electrocatalytic oxidation of CO and methanol. We envisage that Pt-Ru@PThB catalysts are suited for direct methanol fuel cells.

A case of congenital soft tissue chondroma.

Soft tissue chondromas are rare benign tumors unrelated to bone that arise primarily in the distal extremities, especially in the fingers of middle-aged adults. We report an extremely rare case of congenital soft tissue chondroma, arising in the left great toe of a new-born infant. The present case is, to our knowledge, the first to be described in the dermatologic literature and the second reported case of congenital soft tissue chondroma.