Redox functionality mediated by adsorbed oxygen on a Pd-oxide film over a Pd(100) thin structure: A first-principles study

Stable oxygen sites on a PdO film over a Pd(100) thin structures with a (sqrt{5} times sqrt{5}) R27^circ surface-unit cell are determined using the first-principles electronic structure calculations with the generalized gradient approximation. The adsorbed monatomic oxygen goes to a site bridging two 2-fold-coordinated Pd atoms or to a site bridging a 2-fold-coordinated Pd atom and a 4-fold-coordinated Pd atom. Estimated reaction energies of CO oxidation by reduction of the oxidized PdO film and N_2O reduction mediated by oxidation of the PdO film are exothermic. Motion of the adsorbed oxygen atom between the two stable sites is evaluated using the nudged elastic band method, where an energy barrier for a translational motion of the adsorbed oxygen may become sim 0.45 eV, which is low enough to allow fluxionality of the surface oxygen at high temperatures. The oxygen fluxionality is allowed by existence of 2-fold-coordinated Pd atoms on the PdO film, whose local structure has similarity to that of Pd catalysts for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling. Although NO_x (including NO_2 and NO) reduction is not always catalyzed only by the PdO film, we conclude that there may happen continual redox reactions mediated by oxygen-adsorbed PdO films over a Pd surface structure, when the influx of NO_x and CO continues, and when the reaction cycle is kept on a well-designed oxygen surface.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, submitted to J. Phys. Condens. Matte

Acoustic Microscope Image from Round Shape Specimen

Due to high frequency of applying ultrasonics up to 1GHz, acoustic microscope has estimate microstructural features with higher resolving power comparing other acoustic methods in laboratories[1]~[5]. However in industrial fields, acoustic microscope have not widely applied now. One of the reason of it is that acoustic microscope can’t be measure round surface specimen because it has been developed as flat surface specimen measurement system which requires high accurate linear scanning of acoustic lens[5]

Consumption of an omega-3 fatty acids product, INCELL AAFA™, reduced side-effects of CPT-11 (irinotecan) in mice

INCELL AAFA™, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid product containing a high concentration of long chain fatty acids, was tested for its ability to ameliorate the harmful side effects of CPT-11 chemotherapy including: leukopenia, anaemia, asthenia, weight loss and liver involvement. Four groups of mice were fed an AIN-76 diet modified to contain: 10% w/w corn oil (CO), 0% AAFA™; 9% CO, 1% AAFA™; 8% CO, 2% AAFA™; or 7% CO, 3% AAFA™. After 2 weeks on the diets, half of the mice received CPT-11 chemotherapy (60 mg kg−1 q 4 days, i.v.) the rest of the mice received vehicle for 2 weeks. It was found that 2% AAFA™ in the diet of the CPT-11 treated mice: decreased apoptotic figures in the duodenal crypts; markedly suppressed the inflammatory eicosanoid, prostaglandin E2 in the liver; prevented liver hypertrophy; improved white blood cell counts; significantly increased red blood cell counts; decreased numbers of CPT-11 induced immature red blood cell and micronuclei in red blood cells of the peripheral blood; increased eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in liver cell membranes and maintained normal grooming behaviour. Thus 2% AAFA™ in the diet reduced the side effects of CPT-11 treatment in mice