Metal chloride cathode for a battery

A method of fabricating a rechargeable battery is disclosed which includes a positive electrode which contains a chloride of a selected metal when the electrode is in its active state. The improvement comprises fabricating the positive electrode by: providing a porous matrix composed of a metal; providing a solution of the chloride of the selected metal; and impregnating the matrix with the chloride from the solution

Thin metal electrode for AMTEC

An electrode having higher power output is formed of a thin, porous film (less than 1 micrometer) applied to a beta-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE). The electrode includes an open grid, current collector such as a series of thin, parallel, grid lines applied to the thin film and a plurality of cross-members such as loop of metal wire surrounding the BASE tube. The loops are electrically connected by a bus wire. The overall impedance of the electrode considering both the contributions from the bulk BASE and the porous electrode BASE interface is low, about 0.5 OHM/cm.sup.2 and power densities of over 0.3 watt/cm.sup.2 for extended periods

Neuroinflammation, Mast Cells, and Glia: Dangerous Liaisons

The perspective of neuroinflammation as an epiphenomenon following neuron damage is being replaced by the awareness of glia and their importance in neural functions and disorders. Systemic inflammation generates signals that communicate with the brain and leads to changes in metabolism and behavior, with microglia assuming a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Identification of potential peripheral-to-central cellular links is thus a critical step in designing effective therapeutics. Mast cells may fulfill such a role. These resident immune cells are found close to and within peripheral nerves and in brain parenchyma/meninges, where they exercise a key role in orchestrating the inflammatory process from initiation through chronic activation. Mast cells and glia engage in crosstalk that contributes to accelerate disease progression; such interactions become exaggerated with aging and increased cell sensitivity to stress. Emerging evidence for oligodendrocytes, independent of myelin and support of axonal integrity, points to their having strong immune functions, innate immune receptor expression, and production/response to chemokines and cytokines that modulate immune responses in the central nervous system while engaging in crosstalk with microglia and astrocytes. In this review, we summarize the findings related to our understanding of the biology and cellular signaling mechanisms of neuroinflammation, with emphasis on mast cell-glia interactions

Role of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in liver diseases

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) form the wall of the hepatic sinusoids. Unlike other capillaries, they lack an organized basement membrane and have cytoplasm that is penetrated by open fenestrae, making the hepatic microvascular endothelium discontinuous. LSECs have essential roles in the maintenance of hepatic homeostasis, including regulation of the vascular tone, inflammation and thrombosis, and they are essential for control of the hepatic immune response. On a background of acute or chronic liver injury, LSECs modify their phenotype and negatively affect neighbouring cells and liver disease pathophysiology. This Review describes the main functions and phenotypic dysregulations of LSECs in liver diseases, specifically in the context of acute injury (ischaemia-reperfusion injury, drug-induced liver injury and bacterial and viral infection), chronic liver disease (metabolism-associated liver disease, alcoholic steatohepatitis and chronic hepatotoxic injury) and hepatocellular carcinoma, and provides a comprehensive update of the role of LSECs as therapeutic targets for liver disease. Finally, we discuss the open questions in the field of LSEC pathobiology and future avenues of research