Local Heating Induced Single-Crystalline Phase Control in Electrochemical Synthesis of Nanomaterials.

Development of synthetic strategies selectively yielding single crystals is desired owing to the facet-dependent chemical reactivities. Recent advances in electrochemical materials synthesis yielded nanomaterials that are surfactant-free, however, typically in polycrystalline forms. In this work, an electrochemical synthetic strategy selectively yielding single-crystalline nanoparticles by implementation of surface-selective heating of the working electrode is developed. Single crystals of copper, silver, gold, and platinum are afforded, and the crystallinity verified by electron diffraction and chemical reactivity studies. Notably, Cu (100) surface prepared by electrochemical synthesis yielded high single product selectivity when applied to electrochemical CO2 reduction catalysis.

Attenuation of Cigarette Smoke-Induced Emphysema in Mice by Apolipoprotein A-1 Overexpression.

Chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and proteolysis participate primarily in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)/emphysema. COPD is a highly prevalent smoking-related disease for which no effective therapy exists to improve the disease course. Although apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA1) has antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties as well as cholesterol efflux potential, its role in cigarette smoke (CS)-induced emphysema has not been determined. Therefore, we investigated whether human ApoA1 transgenic (TG) mice, with conditionally induced alveolar epithelium to overexpress ApoA1, are protected against the CS-induced lung inflammatory response and development of emphysema. In this study, ApoA1 levels were significantly decreased in the lungs of patients with COPD and in the lungs of mice exposed to CS. ApoA1 TG mice did not develop emphysema when chronically exposed to CS. Compared with the control TG mice, ApoA1 overexpression attenuated lung inflammation, oxidative stress, metalloprotease activation, and apoptosis in CS-exposed mouse lungs. To explore a plausible mechanism of antiapoptotic activity of ApoA1, alveolar epithelial cells (A549) were treated with CS extract (CSE). ApoA1 prevented CSE-induced translocation of Fas and downstream death-inducing signaling complex into lipid rafts, thereby inhibiting Fas-mediated apoptosis. Taken together, the data showed that ApoA1 overexpression attenuated CS-induced lung inflammation and emphysema in mice. Augmentation of ApoA1 in the lung may have therapeutic potential in preventing smoking-related COPD/emphysema.

Chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy preceding T-cell lymphoma: differentiation between primary neurolymphomatosis and paraneoplastic neuropathy.

A 49-year-old man presented with progressive asymmetric weakness and pain. Electrodiagnostic tests and nerve biopsy suggested chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy refractory to immune-modulating therapy. The patient's symptoms were aggravated, and he was finally diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma based on the findings of the second 18F-2 fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography/CT performed 16 months after symptom onset. The patient received intravenous chemotherapy, but died 2 months later because of lymphoma progression. A clinical suspicion of neurolymphomatosis and early diagnosis are important for proper management.

Electropolymerization in a confined nanospace: synthesis of PEDOT nanoparticles in emulsion droplet reactors.

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is an important material widely used in electronics for its hole conducting property. A novel strategy for the synthesis of nanoparticulate PEDOT was developed by emulsion droplet electrochemistry. Taking advantage of the space confinement in emulsions, PEDOT nanoparticles were size controllable without use of a separate template. Potential applications were investigated by implementing the PEDOT nanoparticle decorated electrodes as a supercapacitor and a hole transport layer in an organic light emitting diode.

Surfactant-free electrochemical synthesis of metallic nanoparticles via stochastic collisions of aqueous nanodroplet reactors.

Stochastic collisions of aqueous nanodroplets (AnDs) on a microelectrode were observed in situ by electrochemistry. Reduction of Cu2+ ions enclosed in the reacting AnDs resulted in surfactant-free synthesis of copper nanoparticles on the electrode surface. The particle size distribution was reasonably controllable by the modulation of electrode voltage. The versatility of the synthetic method was established by its application in synthesizing nanoparticles of silver and cobalt oxyhydroxide.