Hydrothermal synthesis of rutile-anatase TiO2 nanobranched arrays for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

Rutile-anatase TiO2 nanobranched arrays were prepared in two sequential hydrothermal-synthesis steps. The morphologies and crystalline nanostructures of the samples were investigated by controlling growth time and the concentration of the titanium precursor. All samples were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. It was found that treating the surfaces of rutile TiO2 nanorods with aqueous TiCl4 solutions allows the anatase TiO2 nanobranches to grow perpendicular to the main rutile TiO2 nanorods attached to the FTO glass. Irregularly shaped, dense TiO2 structures formed in the absence of TiCl4 treatment. A light-to-electricity conversion efficiency of 3.45% was achieved using 2.3 μm tall TiO2 nanobranched arrays in a dye-sensitized solar cell. This value is significantly higher than that observed for pure rutile TiO2 nanorods. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparationand Characterization of Rutile-anatase Hybrid TiO2 Thin Film by Hydrothermal Synthesis

rutile TiO2 nanorods were grown on fluorinated tin oxide (FTO) glass by hydrothermal synthesis, followed bydeposition of an anatase TiO2 film. This new method of anatase TiO2 growth avoided the use of a seed layer that is usually requiredin hydrothermal synthesis of TiO2 electrodes. The dense anatase TiO2 layer was designed to behave as the electron-generating layer,while the less dense rutile nanorods acted as electron-transfer pathwaysto the FTO glass. In order to facilitate the electron transfer,the rutile phase nanorods were treated with a TiCl4 solution so that the nanorods were coated with the anatase TiO2 film after heattreatment. Compared to the electrode consisting of only rutile TiO2, the power-conversion efficiency of the rutile-anatase hybridTiO2 electrode was found to be much higher. The total thickness of the rutile-anatase hybrid TiO2 structures were around 4.5-5.0μm, and the highest power efficiency of the cell assembled with the structured TiO2 electrode was around 3.94%..TRU

The effect of autogenous tooth bone graft material without organic matter and type I collagen treatment on bone regeneration

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study is to examine the effect of particulate autogenous tooth graft removed with organic matter and type I collagen addition on bone regeneration and to validate the possibility of useful allograft material for jaw defects. Material and methods Autogenous tooth bone maker (Korean Dental Solution® KOREA) made particulate autogenous tooth not including organic matter. We used to the developed tooth grafts for experiment. Cell adhesion test with hemacytometer and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (Supra40 VP®, Carl Zeiss, Germany) analysis about the particulate autogenous tooth and type I collagen were performed. Rabbits were divided into three groups: bone graft with organic matter (OM) removing particulate autogenous tooth group, bone graft with OM removing particulate autogenous tooth and type I collagen group, and a control group. Bone grafting was performed in rabbit’s calvaria. The rabbits were sacrificed at different interval at 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks after bone grafting for the histopathologic observation and observed the effect of bone regeneration by SEM, H-E & Masson stains, osteocalcin IHC staining. Result In vitro cytopathological study showed affinity for cells, cell attachment pattern, and cell proliferation in the order of control group, OM-removed and collagen-treated group, OM-removed particulate autogenous tooth group. The results of the degree of mineralization were opposite to those of the previous cell experimental results, and the OM-removed group, OM-removed group and collagen-treated group were relatively higher than the control group. Histopathologic analysis showed that vascularization and neonatal bone formation were higher in particulate autogenous tooth group with removing OM and with addition of collagen than control group and group of OM removed only. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that osteocalcin (OSC) expression was not observed in the control group, but at 4 weeks groups, OSC expression was observed the OM removed and OM-removed-collagen-treated particulate autogenous tooth, and the degree of expression was somewhat stronger in group of the OM removed and collagen additionally treated particulate autogenous tooth. Conclusion Particles that do not contain organic matter, the saint tooth, was responsible for sufficient bone graft material through the role of space maintenance and bone conduction, and further improved bone formation ability through additional collagen treatment. Therefore, research on various extracellular substrates and autologous bone grafting materials is necessary, and through this, it is possible to lay the foundation for a new type of autologous bone grafting material with excellent academic and technical utility

Maribacter litopenaei sp. nov., isolated from the intestinal tract of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated HL-LV01 T , was isolated from the intestinal tract content of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei . The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain HL-LV01 T showed that the strain was clearly a member of the genus Maribacter . According to the phylogenetic analyses, strain HL-LV01 T was most closely related to the species Maribacter flavus KCTC 42508 T with 98.2 % sequence similarity. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain HL-LV01 T and M. flavus KCTC 42508 T were 80.6 % and 23.0 %, respectively, indicating different genomic species in the genus Maribacter . Strain HL-LV01 T showed optimal growth at 35 °C, pH 7.0, and 2.5 % (w/v) sea salts. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C 15 : 0 (32.5 %), iso-C 17 : 0 3-OH (22.3 %), and iso-C 15 : 1 G (15.5 %). The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone-6. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified aminolipids, and seven unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of the strain was 39.8 mol%. The comprehensive phylogenetic, genomic, phenotypic, and chemotaxonomic results indicate that strain HL-LV01 T is distinct from validly published species of the genus Maribacter . Hence, we propose strain HL-LV01 T as a novel species belonging to the genus Maribacter , for which the name Maribacter litopenaei sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HL-LV01 T (= KCCM 90498 T = JCM 35709 T )

Anti-Adipogenic Effects on 3T3-L1 Cells and Zebrafish by Tanshinone IIA

Tanshinone IIA is a diterpene quinone isolated from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza bunge that has traditionally been used in China for the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders. Although there is recent evidence showing that tanshinone IIA has an anti-obesity effect, its underlying mechanism of anti-obesity effect is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effect of tanshinone IIA on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and zebrafish. Notably, tanshinone IIA at 10 μM concentration greatly reduced lipid accumulation and triglyceride (TG) contents during 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation, suggesting its anti-adipogenic effect. On mechanistic levels, tanshinone IIA reduced the expression levels of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α (C/EBP-α), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and perilipin A but also the phosphorylation levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3/5 (STAT-3/5) in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. In addition, tanshinone IIA strongly inhibited leptin and resistin mRNA expression in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. Importantly, the tanshinone IIA’s lipid-reducing effect was also seen in zebrafish. In sum, these findings demonstrate that tanshinone IIA has anti-adipogenic effects on 3T3-L1 cells and zebrafish, and its anti-adipogenic effect on 3T3-L1 cells is largely attributable to the reduced expression and/or phosphorylation levels of C/EBP-α, PPAR-γ, FAS, perilipin A, and STAT-3/5

Influence of Dental Titanium Implants with Different Surface Treatments Using Femtosecond and Nanosecond Lasers on Biofilm Formation

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of different surface treatments (machined; sandblasted, large grit, and acid-etched (SLA); hydrophilic; and hydrophobic) on dental titanium (Ti) implant surface morphology, roughness, and biofilm formation. Four groups of Ti disks were prepared using distinct surface treatments, including femtosecond and nanosecond lasers for hydrophilic and hydrophobic treatments. Surface morphology, wettability, and roughness were assessed. Biofilm formation was evaluated by counting the colonies of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), and Prevotella intermedia (Pi) at 48 and 72 h. Statistical analysis was conducted to compare the groups using the Kruskal–Wallis H test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (α = 0.05). The analysis revealed that the hydrophobic group had the highest surface contact angle and roughness (p p < 0.05). At 48 h, the lowest bacterial counts were observed in the SLA group for Aa and the SLA and hydrophobic groups for Pg and Pi. At 72 h, low bacterial counts were observed in the SLA, hydrophilic, and hydrophobic groups. The results indicate that various surface treatments affect implant surface properties, with the hydrophobic surface using femtosecond laser treatment exerting a particularly inhibitory effect on initial biofilm growth (Pg and Pi)