Promotion of oxygen reduction by a bio-inspired tethered iron phthalocyanine carbon nanotube-based catalyst

Electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction are a critical component that may dramatically enhance the performance of fuel cells and metal-air batteries, which may provide the power for future electric vehicles. Here we report a novel bio-inspired composite electrocatalyst, iron phthalocyanine with an axial ligand anchored on single-walled carbon nanotubes, demonstrating higher electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction than the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst as well as exceptional durability during cycling in alkaline media. Theoretical calculations suggest that the rehybridization of Fe 3d orbitals with the ligand orbitals coordinated from the axial direction results in a significant change in electronic and geometric structure, which greatly increases the rate of oxygen reduction reaction. Our results demonstrate a new strategy to rationally design inexpensive and durable electrochemical oxygen reduction catalysts for metal-air batteries and fuel cells.close34

Organ preservation surgery for laryngeal cancer

The principles of management of the laryngeal cancer have evolved over the recent past with emphasis on organ preservation. These developments have paralleled technological advancements as well as refinement in the surgical technique. The surgeons are able to maintain physiological functions of larynx namely speech, respiration and swallowing without compromising the loco-regional control of cancer in comparison to the more radical treatment modalities. A large number of organ preservation surgeries are available to the surgeon; however, careful assessment of the stage of the cancer and selection of the patient is paramount to a successful outcome. A comprehensive review of various organ preservation techniques in vogue for the management of laryngeal cancer is presented

ICAR: endoscopic skull‐base surgery

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Competing energy scales in doped C-60

Superconductivity in doped C60 compounds is the result of several interactions of similar energy scales: the electron-phonon coupling, the conduction electron band width, and the on-ball Coulomb repulsion. The relative importance of these interactions dictates the appropriateness of electron-phonon, electron-electron or Mott-Hubbard models to describe the superconducting state. Several experiments are reviewed from which it is concluded that besides electron-phonon coupling, electron correlations need to be incorporated for a description of the superconducting state