Enhanced Electrocatalytic Performance of One-Dimensional Metal Nanowires and Arrays Generated via an Ambient, Surfactantless Synthesis

One-dimensional (1-D) metal (Ag, Au, and Pt) nanowires and their corresponding arrays have been synthesized using an ambient, surfactantless synthesis technique. The potential applicability of such crystalline, highly purified 1-D samples for practical uses was specifically demonstrated in their manifestation as electrocatalysts for an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Specifically, Pt 1-D nanostructures possessed a higher ORR activity as compared with that of Pt nanoparticles alone. Ag and Au nanowires also evinced reasonable ORR activity in alkaline solution

Size-Dependent Enhancement of Electrocatalytic Performance in Relatively Defect-Free, Processed Ultrathin Platinum Nanowires

We report on the synthesis, characterization, and electrocatalytic performance of ultrathin Pt nanowires with a diameter of less than 2 nm. An acid-wash protocol was employed in order to yield highly exfoliated, crystalline nanowires with a diameter of 1.3 ± 0.4 nm. The electrocatalytic activity of these nanowires toward the oxygen reduction reaction was studied in relation to the activity of both supported and unsupported Pt nanoparticles as well as with previously synthesized Pt nanotubes. Our ultrathin, acid-treated, unsupported nanowires displayed an electrochemical surface area activity of 1.45 mA/cm2, which was nearly 4 times greater than that of analogous, unsupported platinum nanotubes and 7 times greater than that of commercial supported platinum nanoparticles

Enhanced Electrocatalytic Performance of Processed, Ultrathin, Supported Pd–Pt Core–Shell Nanowire Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

We report on the synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical performance of novel, ultrathin Pt monolayer shell–Pd nanowire core catalysts. Initially, ultrathin Pd nanowires with diameters of 2.0 ± 0.5 nm were generated, and a method has been developed to achieve highly uniform distributions of these catalysts onto the Vulcan XC-72 carbon support. As-prepared wires are activated by the use of two distinctive treatment protocols followed by selective CO adsorption in order to selectively remove undesirable organic residues. Subsequently, the desired nanowire core–Pt monolayer shell motif was reliably achieved by Cu underpotential deposition followed by galvanic displacement of the Cu adatoms. The surface area and mass activity of the acid and ozone-treated nanowires were assessed, and the ozone-treated nanowires were found to maintain outstanding area and mass specific activities of 0.77 mA/cm2 and 1.83 A/mgPt, respectively, which were significantly enhanced as compared with conventional commercial Pt nanoparticles, core–shell nanoparticles, and acid-treated nanowires. The ozone-treated nanowires also maintained excellent electrochemical durability under accelerated half-cell testing, and it was found that the area-specific activity increased by ∼1.5 fold after a simulated catalyst lifetime

Challenging sexual violence on campus : an evidence-based approach

The role of HEIs in changing attitudes to gender-based violence (GBV) is crucial to the Scottish Government's strategic vision outlined in its national strategy Equally Safe . Women comprise over half of all Scottish students and make up 45% of the academic workforce. A third of all sexual offences in Scotland involve female victims aged 18, over a third of sexual offenders are aged 17-25 and 4% of women in Scotland have experienced serious sexual assault since age 16. Despite the significance of these figures there is a growing evidence base which points to women's well-being in the educational sector being traditionally 'marginalised' in research and policy . This research is developing a national HEI toolkit, Equally Safe in Higher Education (ESHE) at the University of Strathclyde. This will generate baseline data on GBV across a whole HEI campus by piloting a mixed mode research methodology. This will be the first Scottish dataset on GBV across a whole campus cohort; including student-student and staff-student abuse. This baseline data is crucial for informing the development of effective responses, preventative measures and the provision of support. The survey methodology will address five research questions related to GBV: prevalence, attitudes, disclosure rates, service uptake and perceptions of campus safety. This paper will outline the context, aims and objectives of ESHE, methodology and preliminary findings from the pilot survey

Additional file 3: Figure S2. of Aldolase B inhibits metastasis through Ten–Eleven Translocation 1 and serves as a prognostic biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma

(A) Exact copy number of ALDOB mRNA in 1 ng RNA from HCC cell lines (upper). The ALDOB protein level in HCC cell lines by western blot (lower). (B) Exact copy number of ALDOA mRNA in 1 ng RNA from HCC cell lines (upper). The ALDOA protein level in HCC cell lines by western blot (lower). (C) The ALDOB protein level in ALDOB stably expressing cell lines and in paired controls as measured by western blot. (D) The relative expression of ALODA in ALDOB expressing cell lines compares to controls. The expression levels of the genes were analyzed by RT-PCR and normalized to β-actin. (TIFF 10926 kb

Additional file 6: Figure S5. of Aldolase B inhibits metastasis through Ten–Eleven Translocation 1 and serves as a prognostic biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma

(A&B) The GO biological process analysis of up-regulated genes (A) and down-regulated genes (B) in SMMC-ALDOB cells compared with controls. (C&D) The Parthway analysis of up-regulated genes (C) and down-regulated genes (D) in SMMC-ALDOB cells compared with controls. (TIFF 670 kb

Additional file 4: Figure S3. of Aldolase B inhibits metastasis through Ten–Eleven Translocation 1 and serves as a prognostic biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma

The scratch wound healing assays and Transwell migration assays showed that the overexpression of ALDOB inhibits cell migratory properties in the HCC cell line LM6 (A-D). The representative results and statistical analysis are shown. Scale bars, 200 μM. (E) The growth curves of SMMC-ALD and its controls in CCK8 assay. (F) Images of the tumors that developed in the mouse models after subcutaneous injection of SMMC-ALDOB and SMMC-GFP cells. (TIFF 6500 kb

Additional file 2: Table S1-S3. of Aldolase B inhibits metastasis through Ten–Eleven Translocation 1 and serves as a prognostic biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma

Clinical characteristics of 313 HCC patients according to ALDOB expression. Table S2. Univariate analysis of outcomes of 314 patients with HCC. Table S3. The list of primers and siRNA sequences used in study. (DOCX 19 kb