Manipulating the Kondo effect by quantum confinement has been achieved by placing magnetic molecules on silicon-supported nanostructures. The Kondo resonance of individual manganese phthalocyanine (MnPc) molecules adsorbed on the top of Pb islands was studied by scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Oscillating Kondo temperatures as a function of film thickness were observed and attributed to the formation of the thickness-dependent quantum-well states in the host Pb islands. The present approach provides a technologically feasible way for single spin manipulation by precise thickness control of thin films.

Electrocatalysts for anode or cathode reactions are at the heart of electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices. Molecular design of carbon based nanomaterials may create the next generation electrochemical catalysts for broad applications. Herein, we present the synthesis of a three-dimensional (3D) nanostructure with a large surface area (784 m(2) g(-1)) composed of nitrogen doped (up to 8.6 at.%) holey graphene. The holey structure of graphene sheets (~25% of surface area is attributed to pores) engenders more exposed catalytic active edge sites. Nitrogen doping further improves catalytic activity, while the formation of the 3D porous nanostructure significantly reduces graphene nanosheet stacking and facilitates the diffusion of reactants/electrolytes. The three factors work together, leading to superb electrochemical catalytic activities for both hydrazine oxidation (its current generation ability is comparable to that of 10 wt% Pt-C catalyst) and oxygen reduction (its limiting current is comparable to that of 20 wt% Pt-C catalyst) with four-electron transfer processes and excellent durability.

The electronic structure and properties of PuO2 and Pu2O3 have been studied from first principles by the all-electron projector-augmented-wave method. The local density approximation+U and the generalized gradient approximation+U formalisms have been used to account for the strong on-site Coulomb repulsion among the localized Pu 5f electrons. We discuss how the properties of PuO2 and Pu2O3 are affected by the choice of U as well as the choice of exchange-correlation potential. Also, oxidation reaction of Pu2O3, leading to formation of PuO2, and its dependence on U and exchange-correlation potential have been studied. Our results show that by choosing an appropriate U, it is promising to correctly and consistently describe structural, electronic, and thermodynamic properties of PuO2 and Pu2O3, which enable the modeling of redox process involving Pu-based materials possible.

Esteya vermicola, as the first recorded endoparasitic fungus of pinewood nematodes, exhibits great potential as a biological agent against nematodes. However, only two strains of this species have been described so far. In this study, we identified a novel endoparasitic fungal strain, CNU 120806, isolated from infected nematodes in forest soil samples during a survey of nematophagous fungi in Korea. This strain showed similar morphological characteristics and infection mode with the two previously described strains of E. vermicola. All strains are characterized by the ability to produce two types of conidiogenous cells and conidia, and to parasitize nematodes with lunate adhesive conidia. Moreover, the CNU 120806 strain showed 100% identity with E. vermicola CBS 115803 when their partial sequences of 28S rRNA gene were compared. Molecular phylogenetic analysis further identified CNU 120806 as a strain of E. vermicola, by clustering CNU 120806 and E. vermicola CBS 115803 into a single subclade. Culture medium influenced the proportion of dimorphic CNU 120806 conidia, and further changed the adhesive and mortality rates of nematodes. The CNU 120806 strain exhibits high infection activity against nematodes on nutrient-rich PDA medium. Almost all tested nematodes were killed within 8 approximately 10 days after inoculation. This study provides justification for further research of E. vermicola, and the application and formulation of this fungus as a bio-control agent against nematodes.

The (111), (110), and (001) surfaces properties of PuO 2 are studied by using density-functional theory+U method. The total-energy static calculations determine the relative order of stability for low-index PuO 2 surfaces, namely, O-terminated (111) > (110) > defective (001) > polar (001).The effect of thickness is shown to modestly modulate the surface stability and chemical activity of the (110) (111) is found to be the most stable surface. Whereas under O-reducing conditions, the on-surface O-vacancy of C V = 1/9 is stable, and for high reducing conditions, the (111) surface with nearly one monolayer subsurface oxygen removed (C V = 8/9) becomes most stable.