Shape design of cerium oxide nanoparticles for enhancement of enzyme mimetic activity in therapeutic applications

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CONPs), widely used in catalytic applications owing to their robust redox reaction, are now being considered in therapeutic applications based on their enzyme mimetic properties such as catalase and super oxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic activities. In therapeutic applications, the emerging demand for CONPs with low cytotoxicity, high cost efficiency, and high enzyme mimetic capability necessitates the exploration of alternative synthesis and effective material design. This study presents a room temperature aqueous synthesis for low-cost production of shape-selective CONPs without potentially harmful organic substances, and additionally, investigates cell viability and catalase and SOD mimetic activities. This synthesis, at room temperature, produced CONPs with particular planes: {111}/{100} nanopolyhedra, {100} nano/submicron cubes, and {111}/{100} nanorods that grew in [110] longitudinal direction. Enzymatic activity assays indicated that nanopolyhedra with a high concentration of Ce⁴⁺ ions promoted catalase mimetic activity, while nanocubes and nanorods with high Ce³⁺ ion concentrations enhanced SOD mimetic activity. This is the first study indicating that shape and facet configuration design of CONPs, coupled with the retention of dominant, specific Ce valence states, potentiates enzyme mimetic activities. These findings may be utilized for CONP design aimed at enhancing enzyme mimetic activities in therapeutic applications.

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Erosion coupled dynamic mesh analysis for location of maximum erosion in 90-degree bends for gas-solid flows

The progressive change in the surface geometry of the component due to erosive wear affects the correct estimation of erosive wear performance and service life of the components handling particulate flows. The current study focuses on determining the change in the location of higher erosion on the bend surface during the pneumatic conveying of solids with continuous geometric modification due to erosive wear. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based erosion-coupled dynamic mesh methodology is adopted to simulate the time-dependent surface modification of the 90° bend geometry due to erosive wear. Available experimental data are used to validate the numerical results. Further, the erosion distribution and the location of the maximum erosion for different flow velocities, particle sizes, and bend radius ratios with the increase in solid throughput are investigated. It has been found that the modification in the bend geometry due to erosion influences the location of the maximum erosion. The increase in thickness loss due to erosion increases the variation in the location of the maximum erosion. Furthermore, an equation for predicting the location of maximum erosion of bend geometry is obtained based on the bend radius ratio and the thickness loss.     

Memory effects of all‐solution‐processed oxide thin‐film transistors using ZnO nanoparticles

Abstract— Non‐volatile memory effects of an all‐solution‐processed oxide thin‐film transistor (TFT) with ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) as the charge‐trapping layer are reported. The device was fabricated by using a soluble MgInZnO active channel on a ZrHfO^x gate dielectric. ZnO NPs were used as the charge‐trapping site at the gate‐insulator—channel interface, and Al was used for source and drain electrodes. Transfer characteristics of the device showed a large clockwise hysteresis, which can be used to demonstrate its memory function due to electron trapping in the ZnO NP charge‐trapping layer. This memory effect has the potential to be utilized as a memory application on displays and disposable electronics.     

Effect of micro-electrode geometry on NO2 gas-sensing characteristics of one-dimensional tin dioxide nanostructure microsensors

Electrodes with micro-gaps are fabricated by using dc-sputtering and FIB techniques. SnO₂ nanowires are deposited on the micro-gap (1-30 μm) by suspension dropping method to fabricate a micro-gas sensor. The sensing ability of various SnO₂ micro-gap sensors is measured. A comparison between sensors reveals that the short-gap electrode has numerous advantages in terms of reliability, high sensitivity and detection of low concentrations of NO₂, while the large-gap electrode is relatively sensitive for high concentrations. Conductance measurements are carried out at different surface temperatures and NO₂ concentrations in order to investigate the effects that the gap size has on the overall sensor conductance. The results suggest that the interface between the electrode and sensitive layer has a very important role for the sensing mechanism of tin dioxide gas sensors.     

Structural and properties of nanocrystalline WO3/TiO2-based humidity sensors elements prepared by high energy activation

Nanocrystalline WO₃/TiO₂-based powders have been prepared by the high energy activation method with WO₃ concentration ranging from 1 to 10 mol%. The samples were thermal treated in a microwave oven at 600 °C for 20 min and their structural and micro-structural characteristics were evaluated by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, EXAFS measurements at the Ti K-edge, and transmission electron microscopy. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms and H₂ Temperature Programmed Reduction were also carried out for physical characterization. The crystallite and particle mean sizes ranged from 30 to 40 nm and from 100 to 190 nm, respectively. Good sensor response was obtained for samples with at least 5 mol% WO₃ activated for at least 80 min. Ceramics heat-treated in microwave oven for 20 min have shown similar sensor response as those prepared in conventional oven for 120 min, which is highly cost effective. These results indicate that WO₃/TiO₂ ceramics can be used as a humidity sensor element.     

Structural and electrical properties of mixed oxides of manganese and vanadium: A new semiconductor oxide thermistor material

Binary oxides of manganese and vanadium have been synthesized by solid state sintering, in which the mass ratio of the individual components Mn₂O₃ and VO₂ have been varied from 90:10 to 5:95. The bulk ceramic samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The initial compositions either rich in Mn₂O₃ or in equi-proportion by mass with VO₂ yield β-Mn₂V₂O₇ or a new crystalline form of Mn₂V₂O₇, with unit cell parameters: a = 7.73091 Å, b = 6.640788 Å, c = 6.70779 Å α = γ = 90° and β = 98.7086° which is designated as γ-Mn₂V₂O₇. The compositions, richer in VO₂ produce MnV₂O₆ co-existing with V₂O₅ the proportion of which increases with increase in VO₂. The surface microanalysis shows a spherical-granular morphology in Mn₂V₂O₇ structure and plate/rod-like structures co-existing with granular morphology in case of MnV₂O₆ together with V₂O₅. The electrical parameters of the negative temperature coefficient thermistors were determined. Depending on the constituent oxide composition, the NTC thermistors showed room temperature resistivity in the range of 6.52 × 10² to 6.1 × 10⁶ Ω-cm. The thermistor constant and activation energy are in the range of 0.12–0.458 eV and 1393–4801 K, respectively.     

基于单元的孤立点检测算法改进及应用

研究基于单元的孤立点检测算法,给出数据空间的单元格划分及数据对象分配算法。针对该算法中阈值M设置的不足,对算法进行改进并应用于纳税行为的分析。与其他孤立点检测算法对比的结果表明,该算法不仅能有效挖掘纳税行为中的孤立点,还能确定孤立点的位置,有利于对纳税行为的分析。     

形状特征局部操作在实体造型中的实现

文章介绍了实体造型中形状特征的局部操作,研究了包含形状特征描述的数据结构,分析了形状特征的分类、框架、特征间的联系及有关操作,分析了欧拉运算及实现思路,在此基础上对实体造型进行局部操作,提高了造型中的运算效率,也对特征造型作了相应的探讨。     

Modeling of organism’s adaptive reaction to environmental changes

A multicellular organism is shown to be a community of special self-regulated cells with rigid and flexible regulating links, and a long-term adaptive trend of its system reaction to environmental changes is due to changes in the consumer gradients of groups of cells functioning against the imbalance between synthesis and decay of microstructures. __________ Translated from Kibernetika i Sistemnyi Analiz, No. 1, pp. 136–147, January–February 2008.