isolating-primary-melanocyte-like-cells-from-the-mouse-heart

Isolating Primary Melanocyte-like Cells from the Mouse Heart

We identified a novel population of melanocyte-like cells (also known as cardiac melanocytes) in the hearts of mice and humans that contribute to atrial ...

preparation-evaluation-hybrid-composites-chemical-fuel-multi-walled

Preparation and Evaluation of Hybrid Composites of Chemical Fuel and Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes in the Study of Thermopower Waves

When a chemical fuel at a certain position in a hybrid composite of the fuel and a micro/nanostructured material is ignited, chemical combustion occurs ...

University of Pennsylvania 

Korea University

In this study, cutaneous role of IL-4 in UVB-induced apoptosis was investigated using transgenic mice with skin-specific expression of IL-4 (IL-4 Tg mice). The transgenic mice did not show any gross clinical abnormalities. However, epidermis was thickened and increased MHC class II positive cells were detected as well as enhanced expression of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 and TNF-alpha in skin. In addition, histological analysis revealed increased infiltration of lymphocytes, acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, and parakeratosis in skin of IL-4 Tg mice. The physiological effect of IL-4 overexpression in skin against environmental stimulus such as UVB was investigated by irradiating wild-type and IL-4 Tg mice with UVB followed by evaluation of apoptosis. The result demonstrated suppressed apoptosis in epidermis of IL-4 Tg mice compared with wild-type mice. To further assess anti-apoptotic function of IL-4 in keratinocytes, stable cell clones were made where IL-4 was constitutively overexpressed and examined for UVB-induced apoptosis. The results showed that apoptosis was remarkably decreased in IL-4 over-expressing cell clones compared with that in mock transfected cells. Collectively, data presented here shows that IL-4 has an inhibitory effect against UVB-induced apoptosis in keratinocytes, suggesting that IL-4 may be an important regulator in cutaneous immunity against UVB.

IL-4 suppresses UVB-induced apoptosis in skin.

Thermopower wave is a new concept of energy conversion from chemical to thermal to electrical energy, produced from the chemical reaction in well-designed hybrid structures between nanomaterials and combustible fuels. The enhancement and optimization of energy generation is essential to make it useful for future applications. In this study, we demonstrate that simple solution-based synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures, such as nanorods and nanoparticles are capable of generating high output voltage from thermopower waves. In particular, an astonishing improvement in the output voltage (up to 3 V; average 2.3 V) was achieved in a ZnO nanorods-based composite film with a solid fuel (collodion, 5% nitrocellulose), which generated an exothermic chemical reaction. Detailed analyses of thermopower waves in ZnO nanorods- and cube-like nanoparticles-based hybrid composites have been reported in which nanostructures, output voltage profile, wave propagation velocities, and surface temperature have been characterized. The average combustion velocities for a ZnO nanorods/fuel and a ZnO cube-like nanoparticles/fuel composites were 40.3 and 30.0 mm/s, while the average output voltages for these composites were 2.3 and 1.73 V. The high output voltage was attributed to the amplified temperature in intermixed composite of ZnO nanostructures and fuel due to the confined diffusive heat transfer in nanostructures. Moreover, the extended interfacial areas between ZnO nanorods and fuel induced large amplification in the dynamic change of the chemical potential, and it resulted in the enhanced output voltage. The differences of reaction velocity and the output voltage between ZnO nanorods- and ZnO cube-like nanoparticles-based composites were attributed to variations in electron mobility and grain boundary, as well as thermal conductivities of ZnO nanorods and particles. Understanding this astonishing increase and the variation of the output voltage and reaction velocity, precise ZnO nanostructures, will help in formulating specific strategies for obtaining enhanced energy generation from thermopower waves.

Advanced Thermopower Wave in Novel ZnO Nanostructures/Fuel Composite.

Thermopower waves are a recently developed energy conversion concept utilizing dynamic temperature and chemical potential gradients to harvest electrical energy while the combustion wave propagates along the hybrid layers of nanomaterials and chemical fuels. The intrinsic properties of the core nanomaterials and chemical fuels in the hybrid composites can broadly affect the energy generation, as well as the combustion process, of thermopower waves. So far, most research has focused on the application of new core nanomaterials to enhance energy generation. In this study, we demonstrate that the alignment of core nanomaterials can significantly influence a number of aspects of the thermopower waves, while the nanomaterials involved are identical carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Diversely structured, large-area CNT/fuel composites of one-dimensional aligned CNT arrays (1D CNT arrays), randomly oriented CNT films (2D CNT films), and randomly aggregated bulk CNT clusters (3D CNT clusters) were fabricated to evaluate the energy generation, as well as the propagation of the thermal wave, from thermopower waves. The more the core nanostructures were aligned, the less inversion of temperature gradients and the less cross-propagation of multiple thermopower waves occurred. These characteristics of the aligned structures prevented the cancellation of charge carrier movements among the core nanomaterials and produced the relative enhancement of the energy generation and the specific power with a single-polarity voltage signal. Understanding this effect of structure on energy generation from thermopower waves can help in the design of optimized hybrid composites of nanomaterials and fuels, especially designs based on the internal alignment of the materials. More generally, we believe that this work provides clues to the process of chemical to thermal to electrical energy conversion inside/outside hybrid nanostructured materials.

Investigation of the effect of the structure of large-area carbon nanotube/fuel composites on energy generation from thermopower waves.

Thermopower waves, which occur during combustion within hybrid structures formed from nanomaterials and chemical fuels, result in a self-propagating thermal reaction and concomitantly generate electrical energy from the acceleration of charge carriers along the nanostructures. The hybrid structures for thermopower waves are composed of two primary components: the core thermoelectric material and the combustible fuel. So far, most studies have focused on investigating various nanomaterials for improving energy generation. Herein, we report that the composition of the chemical fuel used has a significant effect on the power generated by thermopower waves. Hybrid nanostructures consisting of mixtures of picric acid and picramide with sodium azide were synthesized and used to generate thermopower waves. A maximum voltage of ∼2 V and an average peak specific power as high as 15 kW kg(-1) were obtained using the picric acid/sodium azide/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) array composite. The average reaction velocity and the output voltage in the case of the picric acid/sodium azide were 25 cm s(-1) and 157 mV, while they were 2 cm s(-1) and 3 mV, in the case of the picramide/sodium azide. These marked differences are attributable to the chemical and structural differences of the mixtures. Mixing picric acid and sodium azide in deionized water resulted in the formation of 2,4,6-trinitro sodium phenoxide and hydrogen azide (H-N3), owing to the exchange of H(+) and Na(+) ions, as well as the formation of fiber-like structures, because of benzene π stacking. The negative enthalpy of formation of the new compounds and the fiber-like structures accelerate the reaction and increase the output voltage. Elucidating the effects of the composition of the chemical fuel used in the hybrid nanostructures will allow for the control of the combustion process and help optimize the energy generated from thermopower waves, furthering the development of thermopower waves as an energy source.

Hayoung Hwang

Penn Cardiovascular Institute,
Perelman School of Medicine,
Penn Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine

University of Pennsylvania

Isolating Primary Melanocyte-like Cells from the Mouse Heart

Preparation and Evaluation of Hybrid Composites of Chemical Fuel and Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes in the Study of Thermopower Waves

Hayoung Hwang

Penn Cardiovascular Institute,Perelman School of Medicine,Penn Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine

University of Pennsylvania

Isolating Primary Melanocyte-like Cells from the Mouse Heart

Preparation and Evaluation of Hybrid Composites of Chemical Fuel and Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes in the Study of Thermopower Waves

Penn Cardiovascular Institute,
Perelman School of Medicine,
Penn Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine