Preparation of Organic-Inorganic Nano-Composite Electrolyte Membrane for Intermediate-Temperature PEFCs

ナノダイナミクス国際シンポジウム 平成22年1月21日(木) 於長崎大学Nagasaki Symposium on Nano-Dynamics 2010 (NSND2010), January 21, 2010, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan, Invited Lectur

Rapid Synthesis and Charge?Discharge Properties of LiMnPO4 Nanocrystallite-embedded Porous Carbons

LiMnPO4 nanocrystallite-embedded porous carbons were successfully synthesized within a few minutes by a microwave-heating process. The nanocomposites showed higher charge?discharge capacity and better rate capability than bulk-LiMnPO4 particles synthesized in a similar manner without porous carbons

Anti-fibrotic efficacy of nintedanib in pulmonary fibrosis via the inhibition of fibrocyte activity

Background: Nintedanib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is specific for platelet-derived growth factor receptors (PDGFR), fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR), has recently been approved for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Fibrocytes are bone marrow-derived progenitor cells that produce growth factors and contribute to fibrogenesis in the lungs. However, the effects of nintedanib on the functions of fibrocytes remain unclear. Methods: Human monocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy volunteers. The expression of growth factors and their receptors in fibrocytes was analyzed using ELISA and Western blotting. The effects of nintedanib on the ability of fibrocytes to stimulate lung fibroblasts were examined in terms of their proliferation. The direct effects of nintedanib on the differentiation and migration of fibrocytes were also assessed. We investigated whether nintedanib affected the accumulation of fibrocytes in mouse lungs treated with bleomycin. Results: Human fibrocytes produced PDGF, FGF2, and VEGF-A. Nintedanib and specific inhibitors for each growth factor receptor significantly inhibited the proliferation of lung fibroblasts stimulated by the supernatant of fibrocytes. Nintedanib inhibited the migration and differentiation of fibrocytes induced by growth factors in vitro. The number of fibrocytes in the bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis model was reduced by the administration of nintedanib, and this was associated with anti-fibrotic effects. Conclusions: These results support the role of fibrocytes as producers of and responders to growth factors, and suggest that the anti-fibrotic effects of nintedanib are at least partly mediated by suppression of fibrocyte function

Direct synthesis of novel homogeneous nanocomposites of Li2MnSiO4 and carbon as a potential Li-ion battery cathode material

Homogeneous nanocomposites of nanocrystalline Li2MnSiO 4 and carbon as well as a carbon nanotubes-embedded nanocomposite are synthesized directly by a novel method using organic-inorganic hybrid polymers which consist of covalently bonded phenolic oligomer and siloxane parts. The nanocomposites show superior charge-discharge performance at room temperature in spite of low carbon contents

Proton Conducting Membrane Prepared from Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Precursor for Intermediate Temperature Fuel Cells

Proton conducting membranes were prepared by using epoxy-resin-silica hybrid polymer as flexible matrix and Cs-doped phosphotungstic acid PWA (Cs-PWA) as proton conducting networks. Cs-PWA was well dispersed and the membranes exhibited good flexibility. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the membranes were stable at temperatures up to about 230°C. Proton conductivity of the membrane with a weight ratio of Cs-PWA/E201=1.6 were about 8.1×10.4 Scm.1 at 160°C and 80% relative humidity. Their conductivity was improved by increasing volume fraction of Cs-PWA, which was successful after Cs-PWA was ground to nano-sized particles.ナノダイナミクス国際シンポジウム 平成20年1月51日(木) 於長崎大学Nagasaki Symposium on Nano-Dynamics 2009 (NSND2009), January 27, 2027, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan, Poster Presentatio