Method of production of pure hydrogen near room temperature from aluminum-based hydride materials

The present invention provides a cost-effective method of producing pure hydrogen gas from hydride-based solid materials. The hydride-based solid material is mechanically processed in the presence of a catalyst to obtain pure gaseous hydrogen. Unlike previous methods, hydrogen may be obtained from the solid material without heating, and without the addition of a solvent during processing. The described method of hydrogen production is useful for energy conversion and production technologies that consume pure gaseous hydrogen as a fuel

A solvent-free regioselective iodination route of ortho-carboranes

Tetraiodo-ortho-carborane based X-ray contrast agents can be readily prepared in a high yield, fast, clean, regioselective fashion by a solvent-free reaction of ortho-carboranes with iodine in sealed tubes.Vaca Puga, A.; Teixidor, F.; Kivekas, R.; Sillanpaa, R.; Viñas, C. (2006). A solvent-free regioselective iodination route of ortho-carboranes. Dalton Transactions. (41):4884-4885. doi:10.1039/b612465hS488448854

Luminescence properties of mechanochemically synthesized lanthanide containing MIL-78 MOFs

Three metal–organic framework (MOF) compounds, Ln0.5Gd0.5{C6H3(COO)3}; Ln = Eu, Tb, and Dy with a MIL-78 structure, have been synthesized by a solvent-free mechanochemical method from stoichiometric mixtures of benzene 1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid, C6H3(COOH)3, also known as trimesic acid, and the respective lanthanide carbonates, Ln2(CO3)3·xH2O, Ln = Eu, Gd, Tb and Dy. MIL-78 (Ln0.5Gd0.5) shows the characteristic red, green, and yellow luminescence of Eu3+, Tb3+, and Dy3+, respectively. Efficient intramolecular energy transfer from the ligand triplet state to the excited states of Ln3+ ions can be observed. The lifetimes and quantum yields of these compounds are studied and discussed in detail. Among the three compounds, the Tb3+ containing compound shows the longest lifetime and highest quantum yield due to a smaller contribution from non-radiative decay pathways and better matching of the lowest triplet energy level of the benzenetricarboxylate ligand and the resonance level of Tb3+

Manipulating the stability of crystallographic and magnetic sub-lattices: A first-order magnetoelastic transformation in transition metal based Laves phase

A first-order magnetoelastic transition (FOMT) is found near the triple point between ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases in the magneto-chemical phase diagram of (Hf1-xNbx)Fe2 Laves phase system. We show that bringing different magnetic states to the edge of stability, both as a function of the chemical composition and under the influence of external stimuli, such as temperature, pressure and magnetic field, is essential to obtain and control FOMTs. Temperature dependent X-ray diffraction experiments reveal a discontinuity in the lattice parameter a and the unit cell volume without the change in the crystal symmetry at the FOMT. Under applied pressure, the transition temperature drastically shifts downward at a remarkable rate of −122 K/GPa. It is this first-order magnetic transition that leads to a negative thermal expansion (NTE) with average ΔV/(VΔT) ≈ −15 × 10−6 K−1 observed over a 90 K broad temperature range, which is uncommon for magnetoelastic NTE materials. Density functional theory calculations and microstructural analyses demonstrate that the unusual broadness of the FOMT originates from phase separation between ferro- and antiferromagnetic phases, which in turn is rooted in partial segregation of Hf and Nb and a peculiar microstructure. This new understanding of the composition-structure-property relationships in transition metal based Laves phases is an essential step toward a better control and more precise tailoring of rich functionalities in this group of material

Multi-principal element transition metal dichalcogenides via reactive fusion of 3D-heterostructures

Transition metal dichalcogenides combining multiple principal elements in their structures are synthesized via mechanochemical exfoliation and spontaneous reassembly of binary precursors into 3D-heterostructures that are converted into single-phase layered materials by high-temperature reactive fusion. Physical and chemical events enabling these transformations are summarized in the form of a conceivable reaction mechanism

Mechanochemical reactions and hydrogen storage capacities in MBH4–SiS2 systems (M=Li or Na)

The hydrogen storage properties, and phase compositions of mechanochemically prepared mixtures of xMBH4-SiS2 (x = 2–8), where M = Li or Na, were investigated using gas sorption analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, and infrared and solid-state NMR spectroscopic methods. The 2LiBH4:1SiS2 system forms an amorphous product that releases ca. 4.3 wt % of H2 below 385 °C with a Tonset of 88 °C without detectable diborane emission. The dehydrogenated sample reversibly absorbs 1.5 wt % of H2 at 385 °C under 160 bar pressure. The H2 release from materials with varying LiBH4:SiS2 ratios peaks at 8.2 wt % for the 6LiBH4:1SiS2 composition, with a reversible hydrogen storage capacity of 2.4 wt %. The H2 desorption capacities of the Li-containing systems surpass those of Na-containing systems. Solid-state NMR studies indicate that products of mechanochemical reactions in the LiBH4SiS2 system consist of one-dimensional chains of edge-sharing SiS4/2 tetrahedra in which the non-bridging S-ends are terminated with Li+, which are further coordinated to the [BH4]− anions. A variety of possible polymorphs in the LiSiS-(BH4) composition space have been identified using first principles and thermodynamic modeling that supports the likelihood of formation of such novel complexes

CCR7 Immune Cell Receptor Expression in Inflammatory Breast Cancer

https://openworks.mdanderson.org/sumexp22/1011/thumbnail.jp

Lipocalin 2 promotes inflammatory breast cancer tumorigenesis and skin invasion

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an aggressive form of primary breast cancer characterized by rapid onset and high risk of metastasis and poor clinical outcomes. The biological basis for the aggressiveness of IBC is still not well understood and no IBC-specific targeted therapies exist. In this study, we report that lipocalin 2 (LCN2), a small secreted glycoprotein belonging to the lipocalin superfamily, is expressed at significantly higher levels in IBC vs non-IBC tumors, independently of molecular subtype. LCN2 levels were also significantly higher in IBC cell lines and in their culture media than in non-IBC cell lines. High expression was associated with poor-prognosis features and shorter overall survival in IBC patients. Depletion of LCN2 in IBC cell lines reduced colony formation, migration, and cancer stem cell populations in vitro and inhibited tumor growth, skin invasion, and brain metastasis in mouse models of IBC. Analysis of our proteomics data showed reduced expression of proteins involved in cell cycle and DNA repair in LCN2-silenced IBC cells. Our findings support that LCN2 promotes IBC tumor aggressiveness and offer a new potential therapeutic target for IBC

Mechanochemical recovery of Co and Li from LCO cathode of lithium-ion battery

Increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) that serve as power source for diverse electronic devices, electrical propulsion systems and other applications, calls for economical and environmentally benign recycling of spent LIBs and recovery of critical elements such as Co and Li from rapidly growing volumes of battery wastes. The presented study explores mechanochemical extraction of Co and Li from lithium cobaltate (LiCoO2), which serves as cathode material in commercial LIBs. Our investigation reveals that solvent-free mechanochemical processing can successfully convert pure, reagent grade LiCoO2 into metallic Co and Li-derivatives that are suitable for the further recovery of Li. We also show that the proposed approach can be successfully applied to reclaiming these critical elements from commercial LIBs. Due to its magnetic nature, metallic Co is easy to separate from non-magnetic components of mechanochemically generated powder mixtures using an appropriate magnetic separation technique, while Li can be reclaimed as Li2CO3 after an additional liquid-phase processing. The recovery rates achieved during our experiments with pure LiCoO2 are ∼90% for Co and ∼70% for Li

High-Fat Diet, but Not Duration of Lactation, Increases Mammary Gland Lymphatic Vessel Function and Subsequent Growth of Inflammatory Breast Cancer Cells

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) presents as rapid-onset swelling and breast skin changes caused by tumor emboli in the breast and breast skin lymphatics. IBC has been linked with obesity and duration of breastfeeding, but how these factors affect IBC tumor progression is not clear. We modeled the simultaneous effects of diet and weaning in mice on in vivo lymphatic function; on IBC tumor growth; and on aspects of the mammary gland microenvironment before and after IBC (SUM149) xenograft inoculation. We hypothesized that weaning status and diet would have synergistic effects on lymphatic function and the breast microenvironment to enhance IBC tumor growth. Changes in lymphatic structure and function were characterized with in vivo near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging. Mice were fed either a high-fat diet (HFD; 60 kcal%) or a normal/low-fat diet (LFD; 10 kcal%), bred twice, and subjected to either normal-duration nursing (NW) or forced weaning (FW). SUM149 IBC tumors were implanted at 14 months; images were obtained before and after implantation. Multiparous mice fed HFD showed increased pre-tumor lymphatic pulsing in both the FW and NW groups relative to mice fed LFD. HFD promoted tumor growth independent of weaning time (P = 0.04). Pre-tumor lymphatic pulsing was associated with tumor volume at 8 weeks (P = 0.02) and was significantly correlated with expression of the lymphatic tracking ligand CCL21 (P = 0.05, Table 1). HFD significantly increased the numbers of monocyte-derived IBA1+, CD163+, and CD11c+ cells (P \u3c 0.0001, P \u3c 0.0001, P = 0.0005) in the contralateral, non-tumor-bearing mammary gland. Numbers of lymphangiogenic podoplanin+/IBA1+ macrophages were increased in the ducts of HFD and FW mice (all P \u3c 0.003). HFD in nulliparous mice had a similar increase in lymphatic pulsing at 14 weeks (P = 0.006), indicating that this functional change was independent of parity. We conclude that HFD induced increases in mammary gland lymphatic function, assessed as pulsing rate before tumor initiation, and correlated with inflammation in the mammary gland and increased SUM149 tumor growth. The relationship between diet, lymphatic pulsing, and tumor growth warrants further investigation