Low-work-function active metals are commonly used as cathode in polymer solar cells (PSCs), but sensitivity of the active metals towards moisture and oxygen results in poor stability of the devices. Therefore, solution-proceessable and stable cathode buffer layer is of great importance for the application of PSCs. Here we demonstrate high performance PSCs by employing as-prepared zirconium acet...

A new form of nanoporous material, metal intercalated covalent organic framework (MCOF) is proposed and its energy storage property revealed. Employing density functional and thermodynamical analysis, we find that stable, chemically active, porous materials could form by stacking covalent organic framework (COF) layers with metals as a gluing agent. Metal acts as active sites, while its aggrega...

Composting is the best-known processes for biological stabilization of sewage sludge, municipal solid waste and other biodegradable wastes. Prepared compost can be used as a soil conditioner in agricultural applications. However, the presence of non-biodegradable and high level of toxic heavy metals in the compost frequently hinders agricultural land application. Uptake of heavy metals by plant...

The rate of consumption of dithiothreitol (DTT) is increasingly used to measure the oxidative potential of particulate matter (PM), which has been linked to the adverse health effects of PM. While several quinones are known to be very reactive in the DTT assay, it is unclear what other chemical species might contribute to the loss of DTT in PM extracts. To address this question, we quantify the...

The catalytic and optical properties of metal nanoparticles can be combined to create platforms for light-driven chemical energy storage and enhanced in-situ reaction monitoring. However, the heavily damped plasmon resonances of many catalytically active metals (e.g. Pt, Pd) prevent this dual functionality in pure nanostructures. The addition of catalytic metals at the surface of efficient plas...

The pathogenesis of gastric mucosal injury is still poorly understood. Recent reports implicate redox active metals and reactive oxygen species as mediators of gastric damage induced by ethanol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Attempts were made therefore to prevent gastric injury using chelators and the antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase. These attempts, at best, wo...

A wide range of research activities have been carried out so far on benzimidazole and pyridine derivatives to evaluate their Antiviral, Anticancer, Anticonvulsant, Anthelmintic Activity and many promising results are obtained with respect to the anticancer activity. Out of the various ligands used, the alkylating agents are found to be highly active with respect to cancer chemotherapy. Nitrogen...

The potential effects of proposed lead-zinc mining in an ecologically sensitive area were assessed by studying a nearby mining district that has been exploited for about 30 y under contemporary environmental regulations and with modern technology. Blood and liver samples representing fish of three species (largescale stoneroller, Campostoma oligolepis, n=91; longear sunfish, Lepomis megalotis, ...

Background: L1 retrotransposons are the most active mobile DNA elements in human genome. Unregulated L1 retrotransposition may have deleterious effect by disrupting vital genes and inducing genomic instabilities. Therefore, human cells control L1 elements by silencing their activities through epigenetic mechanisms. It has been shown that cell division and heavy metals stimulate the frequency of...

The diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT) technique is an in situ passive sampling method that is designed to accumulate labile metal species in environmental systems. DGTs were applied for the determination of time integrated concentrations of low level dissolved metals in waters in areas of ecological concern. The data revealed heavy metal contamination of waters and tracked the contaminatio...