Nanostructured silver is known to yield the highest signal enhancement factors in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, but its low chemical stability towards oxidation presents a challenge in the realization of Ag-based SERS substrates with long operating lifetime. Here, a study of the long-term stability of silver dendrites as SERS substrates is ...

Carbon-modified BiVO(4) microtubes embedded with Ag nanoparticles (BVO@C/Ag MTs) were obtained by a two-step fabrication route. First, the BiVO(4)@carbon core-shell microtubes (BVO@C MTs) were fabricated by using BiVO(4) microtubes (BiVO(4) MTs) as a hard-template through a hydrothermal approach. Next, small Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with well-dispersed distribution were assembled inside ...

Pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) has been well established as a facile method to produce nanoparticles from bulk materials, but it is still insufficient for fabricating anisotropic and complex nanostructures, especially without the use of surfactants. Here, we demonstrate that silver (Ag) nanosheets can be produced by pulsed excimer ...

Abstract GC/OligoThiophene/Ag(NP) hybrid interfaces are synthesized and characterized: GC is the glassy carbon surface, OligoThiophene stands for a bithiophene moiety (or 4-Br-Bithiophene grafted interlinked polymer), Ag(NP) stands for silver nanoparticles. The hybrid interface preparation is a three steps procedure: first the electrode surface is functionalized through the combination of electrochemical ...

This Letter presents a crystalline silicon thin film solar cell model with Si nanowire arrays surface decoration and metallic nanostructure patterns on the back reflector. The nanostructured Ag back reflector can significantly enhance the absorption in the near-infrared spectrum. Furthermore, by inserting a ZnO:Al layer between the silicon substrate and ...

A steric hindrance colloidal microspheres approach (SHCMA) has been developed for the fabrication of ordered Pt or Pt/Ag nanoparticles composite interconnected hollow hemispheres via colloidal lithography and physical vapor deposition. Monolayer ordered silica or silica/Ag nanoparticles composite microspheres partly embedded into the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were used as template, and Pt ...

Near-infrared surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectra were collected of thin multilayer films of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) / silver (Ag) / AZO on BK-7 glass in the Kretschmann configuration in air, with the silver layer thickness varying from 5 nm to 50 nm. The SPR results were interpreted by modeling ...

A simple chemical solution route for the synthesis of large-scale high-quality Ag nanoparticle functionalized molybdenum oxide nanowire at room temperature has been developed. In the synthesis, the protonated amine was intercalated into the molybdenum bronze layers to reduce the electrostatic force of the lamellar structures, and then the Ag nanoparticle ...

This paper addresses the growth of nano-structured MgZnO thin films by sol-gel spin coating method which will be used as a template layer to grow carbon nanotubes. The nano-structured MgZnO films were deposited on platinized (100) silicon substrates. In this work, we focused on the effect of aging and Mg ...

Here we demonstrate that, in the dealloying process of Au-Ag nanorods, temperature is the key parameter for producing porous Au nanorods with tunable ligament sizes. The vertically aligned Au-Ag alloy nanorods were first synthesized by the electrochemical co-deposition of Au and Ag onto anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane templates. Porous ...

It was found that the Ag electrode layer in a TEM specimen of an inverted polymer solar cell structure of Ag/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/TiO2/ITO/glass was broken down into particles as time passed. In order to investigate the cause of Ag particle formation and the effect of the degradation on the performance of solar ...

A simple, sensitive and label-free method for microRNA (miRNA) biosensing was described using oligonucleotide encapsulated silver nanoclusters (Ag-NCs) as effective electrochemical probe. The functional oligonucleotide probe integrates both recognition sequence for hybridization and template sequence for in situ synthesis of Ag-NCs, which appears to possess exceptional metal mimic enzyme property ...

The synthesis of Ag, Au and Ag-Au bimetallic nanoparticles using Piper pedicellatum C.DC leaf extract is demonstrated here. The rapid formation of stable Ag and Au nanoparticles has been found using P. pedicellatum C.DC leaf extract in aqueous medium at normal atmospheric condition. Competitive reduction of Ag(+) and Au(3+) ions ...

Metal nanoparticles are efficient antennas for light. If embedded in a semiconductor material, they can enhance light absorption in the semiconductor, due to the strong plasmonic near-field coupling. We use numerical simulations to calculate the absorption enhancement in the semiconductor using Ag nanoparticles with diameters in the range 5-60 nm ...

We present a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate featured by large-scale homogeneously distributed Ag nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) with sub-10 nm gaps assembled on a two-layered honeycomb-like TiO(2) film. The two-layered honeycomb-like TiO(2) film was achieved by a two-step anodization of pure Ti foil, with its upper layer consisting of hexagonally arranged shallow ...

A novel method immunosensor based on chemically functionalized Fe(3)O(4)/Ag/Au nanocomposite was developed. Fe(3)O(4)/Ag seeds were coated with Au and Fe(3)O(4)/Ag/Au nanocomposites were obtained. The nanocomposites could be obtained without violent stirring and the operation was easy and convenient. The magnetic nanocomposites can be easily immobilized on Au film of the ...

Using dielectric-constant (ε) matching of metal-oxide (MO) with Ag film, highly transparent MO/Ag electrodes are demonstrated. At the large-ε MO/Ag interface, surface-plasmon was suppressed and the film showed increased optical-transmittance (>70%). OLEDs fabricated using large-ε MO/Ag electrodes show 1.38 times greater luminance than that of devices with small-ε MO/Ag.

This work is the first presentation of the synthesis of few-layer graphene decorated with gold and silver nanoparticles (Gr-Au-Ag) by chemical vapor deposition over a catalytic system formed of bimetallic Au-Ag nanoclusters supported on MgO and with methane used as the source of carbon. The sheetlike morphology of the graphene ...

Ag(+) ions are greatly toxic to a lot of algae, fungi, viruses and bacteria, which can also induce harmful side-effects to environments and human health. Herein we report an ultra-sensitive method for the selective detection of Ag(+) ions with electrochemical technique based on Ag(+)-assisted isothermal exponential degradation reaction. In the ...

Both Brugada Syndrome (BrS) and progressive cardiac conduction defect (PCCD) are associated respectively with diffuse and discrete alterations in conduction pathways affected by ageing and sex. This study assessed for contributions of such processes to the mechanism of conduction changes in Scn5a(+/-) and WT hearts stratified by age (3 and ...

Silver (Ag) nanoparticles were synthesized on the surface of graphene sheet by the simultaneous reduction of Ag+ and graphene oxide (GO) in the presence of simple reducing agent, hydrazine hydrate (N2H4 x H2O). Both the Ag+ and GO were reduced and Ag+ was nucleated onto graphene. GO flakes were prepared ...

About 30% of individuals over the age of 65, and 50% over age 80, fall at least once per year [1]. Fall-related injuries cost the Canadian health care system $2.8 billion annually [2]. Risk for falls in older adults is commonly assessed in the clinical environment using tools such as ...

The authors investigated Si solar cell with the inclusion of nano-Ag dots using the ink-jet printer. These nano-Ag dots were used for the Ohmic contact layer on phospho-silicate glass layer, which was not removed after the formation of Si emitter layer by phosphorus diffusion process. The SiNx layer deposited on ...

Increased physical activity and exercise have been found to reduce falls and decrease mortality and age-related morbidity in older adults. However, a large percentage of this population fail to achieve the necessary levels of activity needed to support health living. In this work, we present a mobile app developed on ...

Mobile computing devices (e.g., smartphones and tablets) that have low-friction surfaces require well-directed fingertip forces of sufficient and precise magnitudes for proper use. Although general impairments in manual dexterity are well-documented in older adults, it is unclear how these sensorimotor impairments influence the ability of older adults to dexterously manipulate ...

Mitochondrial DNA mutations and associated defects in cytochrome c oxidase (COX) are proposed to play an important role in human ageing; however there have been limited studies on the frequency of these defects in normal mouse ageing. Here we compare COX-deficiency in two epithelial tissues; the colon and the ciliary ...

Aging decreases oxidative phosphorylation through cytochrome oxidase (COX) in cardiac interfibrillar mitochondria (IFM) in 24-month old (aged) rats compared to 6-month old adult Fischer 344 rats, whereas subsarcolemmal mitochondria (SSM) located beneath the plasma membrane remain unaffected. Immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) reveals in aged rats a 25% reduction in cardiac COX ...

Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) is a drug-metabolizing enzyme expressed in the brain that also metabolizes endogenous neural compounds (e.g., catecholamines) and inactivates neurotoxins (e.g., 1-methyl-4-thenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; MPTP). Genetically poor CYP2D6 metabolizers are at higher risk for developing Parkinson's disease (PD), a risk that increases with exposure to pesticides. As age is ...

Michaelides, MA, Parpa, KM, Henry, LJ, Thompson, GB, and Brown, BS. Assessment of physical fitness aspects and their relationship to firefighters' job abilities. J Strength Cond Res 25(4): 956-965, 2011-The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between various fitness parameters and firefighting performance on an "Ability Test" ...

Recent reports suggest that vitamin D status influences musculoskeletal health; yet, there are limited data in adult men. This study investigated whether serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration was associated with lean body mass, muscle strength and physical performance in men. Population-based, observational survey. 1219 black, Hispanic and white randomly selected ...

Converging evidence suggests a central role for dysfunction of the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Underlying mechanisms may include altered GABAergic function. Expression of somatostatin (SST), an inhibitory neuropeptide localized to a subset of GABA neurons, has been shown to be lower ...

Abnormally high concentrations of glutamate in brain fluids have been shown to be neurotoxic and correlate with a poor neurological outcome following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Since brain fluid glutamate can be reduced by scavenging blood glutamate, the purpose of this study was to investigate factors that may potentially influence ...

Both males and females of Baeopterogyna mihalyiiMatile, 1975 are recorded from northern Greece. Females are described for the first time providing photographs of the general facies and terminalia. In contrast to the single congener with stenopterous females - Baeopterogyna nudipes Vockeroth, 1972 - Baeopterogyna mihalyii is shown to have normally ...

this study evaluated the effect of different aging methods on the repair bond strength and failure types of a microhybrid and a nanohybrid composite. disk-shaped microhybrid (Quadrant Anterior Shine-QA) and nanohybrid (Tetric EvoCeram-TE) resin composite specimens (N = 192, n = 12/per group) were photopolymerized and randomly assigned to one ...

Danon disease is a rare X-linked myopathy that is characterized clinically by a triad of cardiomyopathy, skeletal myopathy, and cognitive impairment. The purpose of this investigation was to quantify functional performance, muscle weakness, and quadriceps activation in individuals with Danon disease as compared with healthy individuals. Four males (ages 10-34 ...

Aging is associated with loss of endurance; however, aging is also associated with decreased fatigue during maximal isometric contractions. The aims of this study were to examine the relationship between age and walking endurance (WE) and maximal isometric fatigue (MIF) and to determine which metabolic/fitness components explain the expected age ...

To test the relationship between gonadal status and objective measures and determinants of physical performance in older men and their determinants. The study included 455 ≥ 65 year older men of InCHIANTI study, Italy, with complete data on testosterone levels, hand grip strength, cross-sectional muscle area (CSMA), short physical performance ...

Cross-sectional study. To compare the hip strength of sedentary females with either unilateral or bilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) to a control group of sedentary females of similar demographics without PFPS. It has been suggested that hip muscle weakness may be an important factor in the etiology of young female ...

Ramp isometric contractions determine peak torque (PT) and neuromuscular activation (NA), and ballistic contractions can be used to evaluate rate of torque development (RTD) and electrical mechanical delay (EMD). The purposes of this study were to assess the number of sessions required to stabilize ramp and ballistic PT and to ...

To compare muscle strength (MS) and motor function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) receiving steroids for different times against the natural evolution of DMD described by Scott et al. 90 patients with DMD (aged 5- 12 years), receiving steroids for one to seven years, were evaluated by Medical ...

The Nintendo Wii Fit is a new product that is purported to improve balance, strength, flexibility, fitness and general well-being. Currently, there are no controlled trials published to support such claims. The aim of this research was to determine the feasibility of Wii Fit in improving balance, strength, flexibility and ...

Purpose: To evaluate age and secular changes in strength of rural Zapotec adults in Oaxaca between 1978 and 2000. Methods: Grip strength, height and weight were measured in 1978 (n = 247, 19-82 years) and 2000 (n = 407, 19-89 years); 35 males and 52 females were measured in both years. MANCOVA was used ...

The purposes of the present study were to determine the patterns of age-related changes in 1) height (HT), body weight (BW), fat-free weight (FFW), and absolute isokinetic peak torque (PT); and 2) isokinetic PT covaried separately for HT, BW, FFW, and HT and BW combined in young wrestlers. One hundred ...

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that eating a meal reduces tongue strength and endurance in healthy old and young adults. It was predicted that older adults would show greater declines in tongue endurance while demonstrating higher perceived effort, longer meal durations, and clinical signs of ...

BACKGROUND: US Army soldiers engage in strenuous activities and must maintain fitness and body weight to retain their jobs. Anecdotal reports suggest that the use of dietary supplements (DSs) by soldiers may reflect their unique occupational requirements and the complexity of their job and family responsibilities. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the ...

The present study aimed investigate the age and gender influence on maximal molar bite force and at outlining the criteria for normal masticatory muscle development in a sample of 177 Brazilian Caucasian dentate individuals aged 7-80 years divided into five age groups: I (7-12 years), II (13-20 years), III (21-40 ...

The skeletal muscle fibre is a syncitium where each myonucleus regulates the gene products in a finite volume of the cytoplasm, i.e., the myonuclear domain (MND). We analysed aging- and gender-related effects on myonuclei organization and the MND size in single muscle fibres from six young (21-31 years) and nine ...

This study aimed to clarify the difference in hand grip power in elderly males and females. The subjects were 15 elderly males (mean age 65.6±2.5 years, mean height 165.7±6.0cm, mean mass 63.9±5.5kg) and 15 elderly females (mean age 65.0±2.6 years, mean height 155.2±5.3cm, mean mass 56.5±7.3kg). Peak velocity was measured ...

Fast bowling is fundamental to all forms of cricket. The purpose of this study was to identify parameters that contribute to high ball release speeds in cricket fast bowlers. We assessed anthropometric dimensions, concentric and eccentric isokinetic strength of selected knee and shoulder muscle groups, and specific aspects of technique ...

Clinical features of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) include slowly progressive distal muscle weakness, atrophy and sensory loss. Upper-limb involvement results in reduced manual dexterity interfering with the execution of daily activities. To identify which hand function impairments are determinants of manual dexterity in CMT1A. In a cross-sectional, observational study, ...