Electrochemical properties of nickel-aluminum layered double hydroxide/carbon composite fabricated by liquid phase deposition

Nickel-aluminum layered double hydroxide/carbon (Ni-Al LDH/C) composites have been fabricated using a mixed solution of {Al(NO₃)₃·9H₂O and H₃BO₃} as fluoride scavengers in the liquid phase deposition (LPD) process. The amount of divalent Ni²⁺ substituted by trivalent Al³⁺ within the lattice of α-Ni(OH)₂ was controlled by the concentration of Al(NO₃)₃·9H₂O solution. X-ray diffraction studies reveal pure phase Ni-Al LDH, isostructural and isomorphic to α-Ni(OH)₂ with higher interlayer distance. The electrochemical properties of the cathode materials containing 0, 8.6, 13.8, 17.8, 21.3 and 23.4 Al% were evaluated by the means of charge-discharge and cyclic voltammetry measurements. The overall comparison indicates that Ni-Al LDH/C composites have higher electrochemical performance than pure α-Ni(OH)₂/C composite. The cathode with 17.8 Al% exhibits the best performance at 1 C compared to other Al³⁺ contents; a much lower voltage plateau, well separated from the oxygen evolution at the end of the charging as well as a single flat and high discharge plateau with a discharge capacity of 376.9 mAh g_comp⁻¹. Short term durability test for 80 cycles showed that the electrode containing 13.8 Al% has the highest discharge rate at 2 C. The range of Al substitution 13.8-17.8 Al% provides a good electrochemical response.     

Factors affecting variability in gaseous and particle microenvironmental air pollutant concentrations in Hong Kong primary and secondary schools

School-age children are particularly susceptible to exposure to air pollutants. To quantify factors affecting children's exposure at school, indoor and outdoor microenvironmental air pollutant concentrations were measured at 32 selected primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong. Real-time PM₁₀, PM_2.5, NO_2, and O₃ concentrations were measured in 76 classrooms and 23 non-classrooms. Potential explanatory factors related to building characteristics, ventilation practice, and occupant activities were measured or recorded. Their relationship with indoor measured concentrations was examined using mixed linear regression models. Ten factors were significantly associated with indoor microenvironmental concentrations, together accounting for 74%, 61%, 46%, and 38% of variations observed for PM_2.5, PM₁₀, O_3, and NO₂ microenvironmental concentrations, respectively. Outdoor concentration is the single largest predictor for indoor concentrations. Infiltrated outdoor air pollution contributes to 90%, 70%, 75%, and 50% of PM_2.5, PM₁₀, O_3, and NO₂ microenvironmental concentrations, respectively, in classrooms during school hours. Interventions to reduce indoor microenvironmental concentrations can be prioritized in reducing ambient air pollution and infiltration of outdoor pollution. Infiltration factors derived from linear regression models provide useful information on outdoor infiltration and help address the gap in generalizable parameter values that can be used to predict school microenvironmental concentrations.     

MOVAS Cells: A Versatile Cell Line for Studying Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Cholesterol Metabolism

Cholesterol metabolism is paramount to cells. Aberrations to cholesterol metabolism affects cholesterol homeostasis, which may impact the risk of several diseases. Recent evidence has suggested that vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) cholesterol metabolism may play a role in atherosclerosis. However, there is scant in vitro mechanistic data involving primary VSMC that directly tests how VSMC cholesterol metabolism may impact atherosclerosis. One reason for this lack of data is due to the impracticality of gene manipulation studies in primary VSMC, as cultured primary VSMC become senescent and lose their morphology rapidly. However, there are no immortalized VSMC lines known to be suitable for studying VSMC cholesterol metabolism. The purpose of this study was to determine whether MOVAS cells, a commercially available VSMC line, are suitable to use for studying VSMC cholesterol metabolism. Using immunoblotting and immunofluorescence, we showed that MOVAS cells express ABCA1, ABCG1, and SREBP-2. We also determined that MOVAS cells efflux cholesterol to apoAI and HDL, which indicates functionality of ABCA1/ABCG1. In serum-starved MOVAS cells, SREBP-2 target gene expression was increased, confirming SREBP-2 functionality. We detected miR-33a expression in MOVAS cells and determined this microRNA can silence ABCA1 and ABCG1 via identifying conserved miR-33a binding sites within ABCA1/ABCG1 3′UTR in MOVAS cells. We showed that cholesterol-loading MOVAS cells results in this cell line to transdifferentiate into a macrophage-like cell, which also occurs when VSMC accumulate cholesterol. Our characterization of MOVAS cells sufficiently demonstrates that they are suitable to use for studying VSMC cholesterol metabolism in the context of atherosclerosis.     

Transglutaminases Are Active in Perivascular Adipose Tissue

Transglutaminases (TGs) are crosslinking enzymes best known for their vascular remodeling in hypertension. They require calcium to form an isopeptide bond, connecting a glutamine to a protein bound lysine residue or a free amine donor such as norepinephrine (NE) or serotonin (5-HT). We discovered that perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) contains significant amounts of these amines, making PVAT an ideal model to test interactions of amines and TGs. We hypothesized that transglutaminases are active in PVAT. Real time RT-PCR determined that Sprague Dawley rat aortic, superior mesenteric artery (SMA), and mesenteric resistance vessel (MR) PVATs express TG2 and blood coagulation Factor-XIII (FXIII) mRNA. Consistent with this, immunohistochemical analyses support that these PVATs all express TG2 and FXIII protein. The activity of TG2 and FXIII was investigated in tissue sections using substrate peptides that label active TGs when in a catalyzing calcium solution. Both TG2 and FXIII were active in rat aortic PVAT, SMAPVAT, and MRPVAT. Western blot analysis determined that the known TG inhibitor cystamine reduced incorporation of experimentally added amine donor 5-(biotinamido)pentylamine (BAP) into MRPVAT. Finally, experimentally added NE competitively inhibited incorporation of BAP into MRPVAT adipocytes. Further studies to determine the identity of amidated proteins will give insight into how these enzymes contribute to functions of PVAT and, ultimately, blood pressure.     

Correction to: Relaxation Dynamics of Ethanol and N-Butanol in Diesel Fuel Blends from Terahertz Spectroscopy

Journal of Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves -     

城市街道视域景观指数与邻里尺度特征效应

城市街道景观指数提取为城市街景研究量化途径之一。结合已有指数,提出用全景静态图的不同数据类型,分类计算视域景观指数的优化方法;提出基于计算机视觉尺度不变特征转换(SIFT)的关键点邻域尺度区间频数;采用层次聚类分析指数不同的邻里尺度最优簇数、贡献度,确定分布特征重要指数组成;探索不同指数作用于不同邻里尺度的特征效应。研究发现视域景观指数具有不同邻里尺度效应。研究指数中城市街道空间的绿视率和天空开阔度(空间组成层面)、关键点邻域尺度(0,10]和(10,20]区间频数(对象尺度层面),以及色彩丰富度指数(颜色层面)是构成城市街道分布特征的重要特征指数。通过确定不同邻里尺度城市街道特征分布,可以为城市街道空间的景观质量提升、量化管理和城市微更新提供参照。