3 research outputs found
The template-assisted electrodeposition of platinum nanowires for catalytic applications
Template-assisted electrodeposition technique was applied to synthesize platinum nanowires (Pt NWs) on polycarbonate templates (PCT) with pore diameters of 15, 50, and 100 nm for catalytic applications. Influences of sulfuric acid added to the electrolyte, different potential scanning rates and different pore diameters of templates on the electrodeposition process of Pt NWs were investigated by electrochemical techniques, including voltammetry and chronoamperometry methods. It was confirmed that at lower scan rates and in acidic solutions, electrodeposition of platinum on templates with larger pores is controlled by diffusion. The potential range for deposition of Pt NWs was determined and the potentiostatic technique was utilized by applying various potentials of different durations to fabricate the NWs. The morphological characteristics of Pt NWs were examined using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was shown that the growth of Pt NWs on PCT 50 nm followed a pine-tree pattern, while the Pt NWs grew spherically on PCT 100 nm. The uniform and compact shape of Pt NWs was verified by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The catalytic activities of the prepared Pt NWs with the same exchanged charge density for hydrogen adsorption/desorption and methanol oxidation reactions were determined by the cyclic voltammetry (CV) testing, and the superior electrocatalytic performance was detected for Pt NWs prepared on PCT 50 nm. This enhanced catalytic activity was attributed to the higher surface-to-volume ratio, larger electrochemical active surface area and higher density of exposed active sites accessible on the pine-tree morphology of these Pt NWs compared to the spherical structure of Pt NWs fabricated on PCT 100 nm. This makes Pt NWs prepared on PCT 50 nm to be a promising catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs)
99 mTc-MIBI washout as a complementary factor in the evaluation of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) using myocardial perfusion imaging
Rapid technetium-99 m methoxyisobutylisonitrile
(99 mTc-MIBI) washout has been shown to
occur in impairedmyocardia. This study is based on the
hypothesis that scintigraphy can be applied to calculate
the myocardial 99 mTc-MIBI washout rate (WR) to
diagnose and evaluate heart failure severity and other
left ventricular functional parameters specifically in
idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) patients.
Patients with IDCMP (n = 17; 52.65 ± 11.47 years)
and normal subjects (n = 6; 49.67 ± 10.15 years)were
intravenously administered 99 mTc-hexakis-2-methoxyisobutylisonitrile
(99 mTc-MIBI). Next, early and
delayed planar data were acquired (at 3.5-h intervals),
and electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated myocardial perfusion
single photon emission computed tomography
(SPECT) was performed. The 99 mTc-MIBI WR was
calculated using early and delayed planar images.
Left ventricular functional parameters were also analyzed
using quantitative gated SPECT (QGS) data. In
target group, myocardial WRs (29.13 ± 6.68%) were
significantly higher than those of control subjects
(14.17 ± 3.31%; P\0.001). The 99 mTc-MIBI
WR increased with the increasing severity of the
NYHA functional class (23.16 ± 1.72% for class I,
30.25 ± 0.95%for class II, 32.60 ± 6.73%for class III,
and 37.50 ± 7.77% for class IV; P = 0.02). The WR
was positively correlated with the end-diastolic volume
(EDV) index (r2 = 0.216; b = 0.464; P = 0.02
[ml/m2], the end-systolic volume (ESV) index (r2 =
0.234; b = 0.484; P = 0.01 [ml/m2]), the summed
motion score (SMS) (r2 = 0.544; b = 0.738;
P = 0.00), and the summed thickening score (STS)
(r2 = 0.656; b = 0.810; P = 0.00); it was negatively
correlated with the left ventricular ejection fraction
(LVEF) (r2 = 0.679; b = –0.824; P = 0.00). It can be
concluded that 99 mTc-MIBI scintigraphy might be a
valuable molecular imaging tool for the diagnosis and
evaluation of myocardial damage or dysfunction
severity