Waking qEEG in older adults with insomnia and its associations with sleep reactivity and dysfunctional beliefs about sleep.

Sleep quality often deteriorates with age, and insomnia among the elderly increases the risks of both physical and psychiatric disorders. To elucidate the mechanisms and identify useful diagnostic biomarkers for insomnia in the elderly, the current study investigated the associations of waking brain activity patterns with susceptibility to stress-induced insomnia (sleep reactivity) and dysfunctional beliefs about sleep, major factors precipitating and maintaining insomnia, respectively. Forty-five participants aged 60 years or older with insomnia completed self-reported measures assessing depression, anxiety, sleep quality, dysfunctional beliefs about sleep, and sleep reactivity. Participants were then examined by quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) during wakefulness, and spectral analysis was conducted to examine associations of regional frequency band power with these insomnia-precipitating and -maintaining factors. Dysfunctional beliefs about sleep were significantly correlated with higher beta/high-beta frequency band powers, while sleep reactivity was correlated with higher theta and delta frequency band powers. These findings suggest that sleep reactivity of older adults is associated with widespread cortical deactivation leading to poor stress coping, while their dysfunctional beliefs about sleep are associated with hyperactivation which is related to cognitive processes. These associations suggest that cognitive inflexibility and maladaptive stress-coping contribute to insomnia among the elderly.

Confinement-Induced Isosymmetric Metal-Insulator Transition in Ultrathin Epitaxial V2O3 Films.

Dimensional confinement has shown to be an effective strategy to tune competing degrees of freedom in complex oxides. Here, we achieved atomic layered growth of trigonal vanadium sesquioxide (V2O3) by means of oxygen-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. This led to a series of high-quality epitaxial ultrathin V2O3 films down to unit cell thickness, enabling the study of the intrinsic electron correlations upon confinement. By electrical and optical measurements, we demonstrate a dimensional confinement-induced metal-insulator transition in these ultrathin films. We shed light on the Mott-Hubbard nature of this transition, revealing a vanishing quasiparticle weight as demonstrated by photoemission spectroscopy. Furthermore, we prove that dimensional confinement acts as an effective out-of-plane stress. This highlights the structural component of correlated oxides in a confined architecture, while opening an avenue to control both in-plane and out-of-plane lattice components by epitaxial strain and confinement, respectively.

Comparison of Prophylactic Effects between Localized Biomimetic Minocycline and Systematic Amoxicillin on Implants Placed Immediately in Infected Sockets.

This study evaluated the prophylactic effect of localized biomimetic minocycline and systemic amoxicillin on immediate implant placement at infected extraction sites. Twelve mongrels with six implants each were randomly assigned to five groups: uninfected negative control (Group N); infected with oral complex bacteria (Group P); infected and treated with amoxicillin one hour before implant placement (Group A); infected and treated with minocycline during implant placement (Group B); and infected and treated with amoxicillin one hour before implant placement and with minocycline during implant placement (Group C). Radiographic bone level, gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), papillary bleeding index (PBI), and removal torque (RT) were recorded. There was no significant difference between Groups A, B, and C for bone loss. Group A showed the highest RT, the lowest PBI, and significantly lower GI and PD values than Group P. Group B exhibited significantly higher RT value than Group N and significantly smaller PD value than Group P at 6 w postoperatively. Localized minocycline could improve implant success by reducing bone loss and increasing RT and systemic amoxicillin could maintain the stability of the peri-implant soft tissue. However, combined use of these two antibiotics did not augment the prophylactic effect.

Intra-sinus rigid fixation of a resorbable barrier membrane to repair a large perforation of the sinus membrane: a technical note.

A resorbable barrier membrane is commonly used for the repair of perforated sinus membranes during sinus lifting surgeries. However, repairing largescale perforations poses challenges for clinicians as the protection and isolation of graft material remain uncertain. With this technique, we aimed to prevent graft material loss and subsequent sinus-related complications using intra-sinus rigid fixation of the resorbable barrier membrane in cases with a large perforation of the sinus membrane.

Fatigue and somatization in shift-workers: Effects of depression and sleep.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the differences in fatigue and somatization between shift and non-shift workers and explored the effects of sleep and depression on fatigue and somatization in shift workers. METHODS: In total, 4543 shift workers and 2089 non-shift workers completed self-reported questionnaires. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and Somatization subscale of the Symptom Checklist 90-item version (SCL-SOM) were used to measure depression, sleep quality, fatigue, and somatization, respectively. Fatigue and somatization were compared between shift and non-shift workers after controlling for different sets of covariates. RESULTS: Compared to non-shift workers, shift workers reported higher FSS (mean difference: 2.19 ± 0.30, p < 0.01) and SCL-SOM (mean difference: 1.77 ± 0.21, p < 0.01) scores after controlling for age, gender, presence of medical illness, occupational category, monthly income, length of service, and weekly working hours. The between-group difference in FSS score was no longer significant after additionally controlling for CES-D (p = 0.15) or PSQI (p = 0.18). The between-group difference in SCL-SOM score showed only non-significant trends after additionally controlling for CES-D (p = 0.09) or PSQI (p = 0.07). The group difference in SCL-SOM scores disappeared after controlling for both CES-D and PSQI scores (p = 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Shift workers had higher fatigue and somatization levels than non-shift workers and the group difference was associated with disturbed sleep and depressed mood in shift workers.

Ingestion and excretion dynamics of microplastics by black soldier fly larvae and correlation with mouth opening size.

Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae (Hermetia illucens) are voracious feeders that can be reared on food waste streams originating from the food industry and retailers. Because these food waste streams are automatically being unpacked in substantial amounts, they can contain microplastics, potentially jeopardising the larvae's chemical safety when applied as compound feed ingredients. During this study, the dynamics of ingestion and excretion of microplastics by BSF larvae reared on substrates containing different contents (wMP = 0.00, 0.01, 0.10, 0.50, 1.00, 3.00%) of fluorescent blue-labelled microplastics (median size, Dv(50) = 61.5 µm) were monitored. To correlate the particle size with their uptake, larval mouth opening dimensions were measured during the rearing process. In conclusion, it appeared that ingestion of microplastics by BSF larvae depends on initial particle load, mouth size, and consequently also age. The larvae took up between 131 (wMP = 0.01%) and 4866 (wMP = 3.00%) particles leading to bioaccumulation factors (BAF) between 0.12 (wMP = 3.00%) and 1.07 (wMP = 0.01%). Larvae also appeared to excrete the microplastics, lowering the BAFs to values between 0.01 (wMP = 3.00%) and 0.54 (wMP = 0.01%).

Growth and Characterization of Ultrathin Vanadium Oxide Films on HOPG.

Integration of graphene into various electronic devices requires an ultrathin oxide layer on top of graphene. However, direct thin film growth of oxide on graphene is not evident because of the low surface energy of graphene promoting three-dimensional island growth. In this study, we demonstrate the growth of ultrathin vanadium oxide films on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface, which mimics the graphene surface, using (oxygen-assisted) molecular beam epitaxy, followed by a post-annealing. The structural properties, surface morphology, and chemical composition of the films have been systematically investigated by in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction during the growth and by ex situ techniques, such as atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Crystalline monolayer vanadium oxide can be achieved on HOPG by systematically tuning the deposition time of V atoms and by subsequent annealing at 450 °C in controlled atmospheres. Increasing the partial pressure of O2 during the deposition seems to decrease the mobility of V atoms on the graphitic surface of HOPG and promote the formation of a two-dimensional (2D) vanadium oxide. The obtained oxide layers are found to be polycrystalline with an average grain size of 15 nm and to have a mixed-valence state with mainly V5+ and V4+. Moreover, XPS valence band measurements indicate that the vanadium oxide is insulating. These results demonstrate that a 2D insulating vanadium oxide can be grown directly on HOPG and suggest vanadium oxide as a promising candidate for graphene/oxide heterostructures.

Carbon Nanotube Fibers Decorated with MnO2 for Wire-Shaped Supercapacitor.

Fibers made from CNTs (CNT fibers) have the potential to form high-strength, lightweight materials with superior electrical conductivity. CNT fibers have attracted great attention in relation to various applications, in particular as conductive electrodes in energy applications, such as capacitors, lithium-ion batteries, and solar cells. Among these, wire-shaped supercapacitors demonstrate various advantages for use in lightweight and wearable electronics. However, making electrodes with uniform structures and desirable electrochemical performances still remains a challenge. In this study, dry-spun CNT fibers from CNT carpets were homogeneously loaded with MnO2 nanoflakes through the treatment of KMnO4. These functionalized fibers were systematically characterized in terms of their morphology, surface and mechanical properties, and electrochemical performance. The resulting MnO2-CNT fiber electrode showed high specific capacitance (231.3 F/g) in a Na2SO4 electrolyte, 23 times higher than the specific capacitance of the bare CNT fibers. The symmetric wire-shaped supercapacitor composed of CNT-MnO2 fiber electrodes and a PVA/H3PO4 electrolyte possesses an energy density of 86 nWh/cm and good cycling performance. Combined with its light weight and high flexibility, this CNT-based wire-shaped supercapacitor shows promise for applications in flexible and wearable energy storage devices.

Efficient Direct Band-Gap Transition in Germanium by Three-Dimensional Strain.

Complementary to the development of highly three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits in the continuation of Moore's law, there has been a growing interest in new 3D deformation strategies to improve the device performance. To continue this search for new 3D deformation techniques, it is essential to explore beforehand, using computational predictive methods, which strain tensor leads to the desired properties. In this work, we study germanium (Ge) under an isotropic 3D strain on the basis of first-principles methods. The transport and optical properties are studied by a fully ab initio Boltzmann transport equation and many-body Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE) approach, respectively. Our findings show that a direct band gap in Ge could be realized with only 0.70% triaxial tensile strain (negative pressure) and without the challenges associated with Sn doping. At the same time, a significant increase in the refractive index and carrier mobility, particularly for electrons, is observed. These results demonstrate that there is a huge potential in exploring the 3D deformation space for semiconductors, and potentially many other materials, to optimize their properties.

Spherical core-shell alumina support particles for model platinum catalysts.

γ- and δ-alumina are popular catalyst support materials. Using a hydrothermal synthesis method starting from aluminum nitrate and urea in diluted solution, spherical core-shell particles with a uniform particle size of about 1 µm were synthesized. Upon calcination at 1000 °C, the particles adopted a core-shell structure with a γ-alumina core and δ-alumina shell as evidenced by 2D and 3D electron microscopy and 27Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The spherical alumina particles were loaded with Pt nanoparticles with an average size below 1 nm using the strong electrostatic adsorption method. Electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed a homogeneous platinum dispersion over the alumina surface. These platinum loaded alumina spheres were used as a model catalyst for bifunctional catalysis. Physical mixtures of Pt/alumina spheres and spherical zeolite particles are equivalent to catalysts with platinum deposited on the zeolite itself facilitating the investigation of the catalyst components individually. The spherical alumina particles are very convenient supports for obtaining a homogeneous distribution of highly dispersed platinum nanoparticles. Obtaining such a small Pt particle size is challenging on other support materials such as zeolites. The here reported and well-characterized Pt/alumina spheres can be combined with any zeolite and used as a bifunctional model catalyst. This is an interesting strategy for the examination of the acid catalytic function without the interference of the supported platinum metal on the investigated acid material.

Inhibition of Photoconversion Activity in Self-Assembled ZnO-Graphene Quantum Dots Aggregated by 4-Aminophenol Used as a Linker.

The aggregation of zinc oxide nanoparticles leads to an increased absorbance in the ultraviolet-visible region by an induced light scattering effect. Herein, we demonstrate the inhibition of photoconversion activity in ZnO-graphene core-shell quantum dots (QD) (ZGQDs) agglomerated by 4-aminophenol (4-AP) used as a linker. The ZnO-graphene quantum dots (QD) aggregates (ZGAs) were synthesized using a facile solvothermal process. The ZGAs revealed an increased absorbance in the wavelengths between 350 and 750 nm as compared with the ZGQDs. Against expectation, the calculated average photoluminescence lifetime of ZGAs was 7.37 ns, which was 4.65 ns longer than that of ZGQDs and was mainly due to the high contribution of a slow (τ2, τ3) component by trapped carriers in the functional groups of graphene shells and 4-AP. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells and photodetectors (PDs) were fabricated to investigate the influence of ZGAs on the photoconversion activity. The photocurrent density of PEC cells with ZGAs was obtained as 0.04 mA/cm2 at 0.6 V, which was approximately 3.25 times lower than that of the ZGQDs. The rate constant value of the photodegradation value of rhodamine B was also decreased by around 1.4 times. Furthermore, the photoresponsivity of the PDs with ZGAs (1.54 µA·mW-1) was about 2.5 times as low as that of the PDs with ZGQDs (3.85 µA·mW-1). Consequently, it suggests that the device performances could be degraded by the inhibition phenomenon of the photoconversion activity in the ZGAs due to an increase of trap sites.

The effect of water spray on the release of composite nano-dust.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the collection efficiency of water spray on the release of airborne composite particles during grinding of composite materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Composite sticks (L:35 mm × W:5.4 mm × H:1.6 mm) of seven commercial dental composites were ground with a rough diamond bur (grain size 100 µm, speed 200,000 rpm). All experiments were performed in an enclosed 1-m3 chamber with low particulate background (< 1,000 #/cm3), and airborne particles were evaluated based on their electrical mobility. The number size distribution was determined by scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). Particles were collected by an electrostatic precipitator (ESP), and were ultramorphologically and chemically analyzed by a transmission electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDS). RESULTS: SMPS measurements confirmed that both dry and wet grinding generated high concentrations of nanoparticles particles with the highest concentration recorded during the last minute of grinding (1.80 × 106 - 3.29 × 106#/cm3), after which a gradual decline in particle concentration took place. Nevertheless, grinding with water spray resulted in a significant reduction of the number of released particles (5.6 × 105 - 1.37 × 106#/cm3). The smallest particle diameter was recorded during the last minute of grinding followed by a continuous growth for every next measurement. TEM of composite dust revealed a high concentration of particles varying in both size and shape. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of whether the water cooling spray system was used during bur manipulation of composite materials, predominately nanoparticles were released. However, the particle concentrations were significantly decreased with water spray. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Since water spray might not be sufficient in nanoparticle collection, special care should be taken to prevent inhalation of composite dust.

Umbilical cord/placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells inhibit fibrogenic activation in human intestinal myofibroblasts via inhibition of myocardin-related transcription factor A.

BACKGROUND: The lack of anti-fibrotic agents targeting intestinal fibrosis is a large unmet need in inflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Previous studies have found that perinatal tissue (umbilical cord, UC; placenta, PL)-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) reduce fibrosis in several organs. However, their effects on human intestinal fibrosis are poorly understood. This study investigated the anti-fibrogenic properties and mechanisms of MSCs derived from UC and PL (UC/PL-MSCs) on human primary intestinal myofibroblasts (HIMFs). METHODS: The HIMFs were treated with TGF-ß1 and co-cultured with UC/PL-MSCs. We used a small molecular inhibitor CCG-100602 to examine whether serum response factor (SRF) and its transcriptional cofactor myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) are involved in TGF-ß1-induced fibrogenic activation in HIMFs. The anti-fibrogenic mechanism of UC/PL-MSCs on HIMFs was analyzed by detecting the expression of RhoA, MRTF-A, and SRF in HIMFs. RESULTS: UC/PL-MSCs reduced TGF-ß1-induced procollagen1A1, fibronectin, and α-smooth muscle actin expression in HIMFs. This anti-fibrogenic effect was more apparent in the UC-MSCs. TGF-ß1 stimulation increased the expressions of RhoA, MRTF-A, and SRF in the HIMFs. TGF-ß1 induced the synthesis of procollagen1A1, fibronectin, and α-smooth muscle actin through a MRTF-A/SRF-dependent mechanism. Co-culture with the UC/PL-MSCs downregulated fibrogenesis by inhibition of RhoA, MRTF-A, and SRF expression. CONCLUSIONS: UC/PL-MSCs suppress TGF-ß1-induced fibrogenic activation in HIMFs by blocking the Rho/MRTF/SRF pathway and could be considered as a novel candidate for stem cell-based therapy of intestinal fibrosis.

Engineered Three-Dimensional Microenvironments with Starch Nanocrystals as Cell-Instructive Materials.

Naturally, cells reside in three-dimensional (3D) microenvironments composed of biopolymers that guide cellular behavior via topographical features as well as through mechanical and biochemical cues. However, most studies describing the influence of topography on cells' behavior are performed on rigid and synthetic two-dimensional substrates. To design systems that more closely resemble native microenvironments, herein we develop 3D nanocomposite hydrogels consisting of starch nanocrystals (SNCs) embedded in a gelatin matrix. The incorporation of different concentrations of SNCs (0.05, 0.2, and 0.5 wt %) results in an increase of compressive modulus when compared to hydrogels without SNCs, without affecting the swelling ratio, thus providing a tunable system. Confirming the cytocompatibility of the novel composites, the viability of encapsulated L929 fibroblasts is >90% in all hydrogels. The cellular metabolic activity and DNA content are similar for all formulations and increase over time, indicating that the fibroblasts proliferate within the hydrogels. After 4 d of culture, Live/Dead staining and F-actin/nuclei staining show that the encapsulated fibroblasts develop an elongated morphology in the hydrogels. On the other hand, encapsulated chondrogenic progenitor ATDC5 cells also maintain a viability around 90% but display a round morphology, especially in the hydrogels with SNCs, indicating a potential application of the materials for cartilage tissue engineering. We believe that topographical and mechanical cues within 3D microenvironments can be a powerful tool to instruct cells' behavior and that the developed gelatin/SNC nanocomposite warrants further study.

Simultaneous growth of three-dimensional carbon nanotubes and ultrathin graphite networks on copper.

A new way to simultaneously grow carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and ultrathin graphite on copper (Cu) foils has been investigated. This one-step growth process yields three-dimensional networks of CNTs on graphitic layers (3D CNTs/G) on Cu foils. Their synthesis conditions and growth mechanism are discussed in detail taking their structural properties into account. Individual CNTs and the 3D CNTs/G networks by means of an in-situ conductive atomic force microscope inside a scanning electron microscope are electrically characterized. Time-resolved photoluminescence demonstrated fast charge transfer and high carrier collection efficiency superior to two-dimensional ultrathin graphite only. Their facile and tunable growth and excellent electrical properties show that the 3D CNTs/G are strongly attractive for various applications such as solar cells, sensors, supercapacitors, photovoltaics, power generation, and optoelectronics.

Giant proximity effect in single-crystalline MgB2 bilayers.

Although giant proximity effect (GPE) can shed important information on understanding superconducting pairing mechanisms and superconducting electronics, reports on the GPE are few because the fabrication of the junctions with GPE is technologically difficult. Here, we report a GPE in the single-crystalline MgB2 bilayers (S'/S), where the S' is the damaged MgB2 layer by cobalt (Co)-ion irradiation and the S is the undamaged MgB2 layer. Superconducting properties of the S' is remarkably degraded by the irradiation, whereas those of the S is uninfluenced by the irradiation. The degraded superconductivity in the S' is fully recovered by increasing the thickness of undamaged MgB2 layer S despite almost ten times larger thickness ~ 95 nm of S' than the superconducting coherence length ξab(0) ~ 8.5 nm of the S, indicating a presence of GPE in the S'/S MgB2 bilayers. A diffusion of electrons in the S' into the S can reduce a pair breaking scattering in the S', and the similar electronic structures of S' and S layers and a finite attractive electron-electron interaction in the S' are thought to be origins of unpredicted GPE between the same superconducting materials. Both upper critical field (µ0Hc2) and in-field critical current density (Jc) of S'/S bilayers show a significant enhancement, representing a strong correlation between S' and S. These discoveries provide the blue print to the design of the superconducting multilayers for fundamental researches on the mechanism of the GPE as well as their technological applications.

Treatment for gastric 'indefinite for neoplasm/dysplasia' lesions based on predictive factors.

BACKGROUND: Gastric 'indefinite for neoplasm/dysplasia' (IFND) is a borderline lesion that is difficult to diagnose as either regenerative or neoplastic. There is a need for guidance in the identification of a subset of patients, who have an IFND lesion with a higher risk of malignant potential, to enable risk stratification and optimal management. AIM: To determine the clinical and pathologic factors for the accurate diagnosis of gastric IFND lesions. METHODS: In total, 461 gastric lesions diagnosed via biopsy as IFND lesions were retrospectively evaluated. Endoscopic resection (n = 134), surgery (n = 22), and follow-up endoscopic biopsy (n = 305) were performed to confirm the diagnosis. The time interval from initial biopsy to cancer diagnosis was measured, and diagnostic delays were categorized as > 2 wk, > 2 mo, > 6 mo, and > 1 year. The IFND lesions presenting as regenerating atypia (60%) or atypical epithelia (40%) at initial biopsy were adenocarcinomas in 22.6%, adenomas in 8.9%, and gastritis in 68.5% of the cases. RESULTS: Four clinical factors [age ≥ 60 years (2.445, 95%CI: 1.305-4.580, P = 0.005), endoscopic size ≥ 10 mm (3.519, 95%CI: 1.891-6.548, P < 0.001), single lesion (5.702, 95%CI: 2.212-14.696, P < 0.001), and spontaneous bleeding (4.056, 95%CI: 1.792-9.180, P = 0.001)], and two pathologic factors [atypical epithelium (25.575, 95%CI: 11.537-56.695, P < 0.001], and repeated IFND diagnosis [6.022, 95%CI: 1.822-19.909, P = 0.003)] were independent risk factors for gastric cancer. With two or more clinical factors, the sensitivity and specificity for carcinoma were 91.3% and 54.9%, respectively. Ten undifferentiated carcinomas were initially diagnosed as IFND. In the subgroup analysis, fold change (5.594, 95%CI: 1.458-21.462, P = 0.012) predicted undifferentiated or invasive carcinoma in the submucosal layers or deeper. Diagnostic delays shorter than 1 year were not associated with worse prognoses. Extremely well-differentiated adenocarcinomas accounted for half of the repeated IFND cases and resulted in low diagnostic accuracy even on retrospective blinded review. CONCLUSION: More than two clinical and pathologic factors each had significant cut-off values for gastric carcinoma diagnosis; in such cases, endoscopic resection should be considered.

Low-temperature activation of carbon black by selective photocatalytic oxidation.

Carbon black is chemically modified by selective photocatalytic oxidation, removing amorphous carbon and functionalizing the graphitic fraction to produce porous, graphitized carbon black, commonly used as an adsorbent in chromatography. In contrast to pyrolytic treatments, this photocatalytic modification proceeds under mild reaction conditions using oxygen, nitric oxide, water vapor and a titanium dioxide photocatalyst at 150 °C. The photo-oxidation can be performed both with the photocatalyst in close proximity (contact mode) or physically separated from the carbon. Structural analysis of remotely photo-oxidized carbon black reveals increased hydrophilic properties as compared to pyrolysis at 700 °C in a N2 atmosphere. Carbon black photo-oxidation selectively mineralizes sp3-hybridized carbon, leading to enhanced graphitization. This results in an overall improved structural ordering by enriching carbon black with sp2-hybridized graphitic carbon showing decreased interplanar distance, accompanied by a twofold increase in the specific surface area. In addition, the photo-oxidized material is activated by the presence of oxygen functionalities on the graphitic carbon fraction, further enhancing the adsorptive properties.

Characterization and Photocatalytic Performance of Potassium-Doped Titanium Oxide Nanostructures Prepared via Wet Corrosion of Titanium Microspheres.

Potassium doped titanium oxide (KTiOx) nanowires were prepared by the wet corrosion process (WCP) and their photocatalytic effects were systematically characterized. For the synthesis of KTiOx, the potassium hydroxide concentration of the WCP was varied in order to obtain nanostructures with different surface area and surface charge. Structural and crystalline properties of KTiOx were studied by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Chemical composition was determined by X-ray fluorescence and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Photocatalytic performance was investigated as a function of the surface area, pH, and crystalline structures by studying the degradation of methylene blue, cardiogreen, and azorubine red dyes upon UV irradiation. The negatively charged crystalline KTiOx nanostructures with high surface area showed significantly higher photocatalytic degradation compared to their TiOx counterpart. They also showed high efficiency for recovery and re-use. Annealing KTiOx nanostructures improved structural properties leading to well-ordered layered structures and improved photocatalysis. However, annealing at temperatures higher than 600 °C yielded formation of rutile grains at the surface of nanowires, significantly affecting the photocatalytic performance. We believe that KTiOx nanostructures produced by WCP are very promising for photocatalysis, especially due to their high photocatalytic efficiency as well as their potential for re-use and durability.

Electron Microscopy Investigation of Coated Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes Prepared by Reactive Ball Milling.

Homogeneous and stable inorganic coating of SiO2, Al2O3 and TiO2 was obtained on the surface of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) by mechanically mixing them with precursor compounds in a planetary ball mill and by subsequent hydrolysis. Detailed studies by means of transmission and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the milling time as well as the number of balls significantly affects the homogeneity of the layer formed. Our results demonstrate that planetary ball milling can be an effective and low-cost process for the production of homogenous coating of oxides on MWNTs in a large-scale.