Enhanced oxygen reduction activity of platinum subnanocluster catalysts through charge redistribution.

Single-size platinum Pt6 subnanoclusters exhibit superior mass-specific and surface-specific activities for the oxygen reduction reaction. The enhanced activity is attributed to polarized electron distributions based on rigorous structure characterization by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and density functional theory.

Gold-titanium(IV) oxide plasmonic photocatalysts prepared by a colloid-photodeposition method: correlation between physical properties and photocatalytic activities.

Colloidal gold (Au) nanoparticles were prepared and successfully loaded on titanium(IV) oxide (TiO(2)) without change in the original particle size using a method of colloid photodeposition operated in the presence of a hole scavenger (CPH). The prepared Au nanoparticles supported on TiO(2) showed strong photoabsorption at around 550 nm due to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Au and exhibited a photocatalytic activity in mineralization of formic acid in aqueous suspensions under irradiation of visible light (>ca. 520 nm). A linear correlation between photocatalytic activity and the amount of Au loaded, that is, the number of Au nanoparticles, was observed, indicating that the activity of Au/TiO(2) plasmonic photocatalysts can be controlled simply by the amount of Au loading using the CPH method and that the external surface area of Au nanoparticles is a decisive factor in mineralization of formic acid under visible light irradiation. Very high reaction rates were obtained in samples with 5 wt % Au or more, although the rate tended to be saturated. The CPH method can be widely applied for loading of Au nanoparticles on various TiO(2) supports without change in the original size independent of the TiO(2) phase. The rate of CO(2) formation also increased linearly with increase in the external surface area of Au. Interestingly, the TiO(2) supports showed different slopes of the plots. The slope is important for selection of TiO(2) as a material supporting colloidal Au nanoparticles.

Metal-polymer hybrid colloidal particles with an eccentric structure.

We have synthesized metal-polymer hybrid colloidal particles characterized by an eccentric structure by precipitation polymerization in the presence of metal colloids. The key to the formation of an eccentric core-shell structure was to introduce metal colloids a few minutes after (rather than before) starting the polymerization. The hybrid particles were uniform in size, and each one of them contained only one metal nanoparticle at its surface after the experimental procedures had been optimized. This method could be extended to a number of different metal colloids stabilized by small molecules, and the yield was found to be more or less independent of the size of the metal nanoparticles. In addition, the position of the metal nanoparticle in the hybrid particle could be controlled by changing the concentration of cross-linker, and the overall size of the hybrid particles could be altered by solvent treatment. Because of the simplicity of this procedure, it should be possible to use it for the large-scale production of colloidal particles having a hybrid, complex structure.

A facile synthesis of asymmetric hybrid colloidal particles.

This paper describes a simple approach to the synthesis of asymmetric, hybrid colloidal particles by precipitation polymerization. The key is to introduce Au or Ag colloids 2 min after (rather than before) starting the polymerization. The hybrid particles were uniform in size, and each one of them only contained one Au (or Ag) nanoparticle in its surface. Due to the simplicity of this procedure, it should be possible to use it for large-scale production. This method can be extended to metal nanoparticles other than Au and Ag and with a range of sizes, as long as they have appropriate stabilizers on the surface.

Heterodimeric particle assemblies: preparation of anisotropically connected spherical silica particles via surface-bound gold nanoparticles.

Assemblies of heterodimeric particles were prepared through selective coupling of two kinds of spherical silica particles of different sizes by connection with gold nanoparticles attached anisotropically to the particles.

[Clinical approach to improve quality of life of disabled children: introductory remarks].

This symposium, discussed clinical approaches to improve the quality of life for severely disabled children including the management of feeding and breathing problems, school life and grief care. Pediatric neurologists should be health care professionals for them, consider improving their quality of life at both home and school, help them to decide which information from different professionals is appropriate. In order to improve their quality of life, feeding and breathing problems are often the most important. Furthermore, we have to promote discussion and co-operation with school teachers, especially about so-called medical care.

Worldwide distribution and broader clinical spectrum of muscle-eye-brain disease.

Muscle-eye-brain disease (MEB), an autosomal recessive disorder prevalent in Finland, is characterized by congenital muscular dystrophy, brain malformation and ocular abnormalities. Since the MEB phenotype overlaps substantially with those of Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD) and Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS), these three diseases are thought to result from a similar pathomechanism. Recently, we showed that MEB is caused by mutations in the protein O-linked mannose beta1,2-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 1 (POMGnT1) gene. We describe here the identification of seven novel disease-causing mutations in six of not only non-Finnish Caucasian but also Japanese and Korean patients with suspected MEB, severe FCMD or WWS. Including six previously reported mutations, the 13 disease-causing mutations we have found thus far are dispersed throughout the entire POMGnT1 gene. We also observed a slight correlation between the location of the mutation and clinical severity in the brain: patients with mutations near the 5' terminus of the POMGnT1 coding region show relatively severe brain symptoms such as hydrocephalus, while patients with mutations near the 3' terminus have milder phenotypes. Our results indicate that MEB may exist in population groups outside of Finland, with a worldwide distribution beyond our expectations, and that the clinical spectrum of MEB is broader than recognized previously. These findings emphasize the importance of considering MEB and searching for POMGnT1 mutations in WWS or other congenital muscular dystrophy patients worldwide.