An amperometric detector formed of highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles embedded in a graphite-like carbon film electrode for sugar determination

We achieved improved detection limits for sugars by developing a novel thin film containing 0.8% highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles in disordered graphite-like carbon (Ni-NDC) as a detection electrode for high-performance liquid chromatography. The Ni-NDC film was prepared in one step by a simple radio frequency (rf) sputtering method at a temperature below 200 degrees C. We characterized the film by XPS, TEM, and AFM analysis and found that the average Ni nanoparticle size was 3 nm and that the film consisted of a mixture of Ni, NiO, Ni2O3, and Ni(OH)2. We studied the electrochemical detection of sugars using the 0.8% Ni-NDC film electrode. The film electrode had excellent electrocatalytic ability and good stability compared with a Ni-bulk electrode with regard to the electrooxidation of sugars. We employed the Ni-NDC film as an HPLC detection electrode. We achieved a good separation of four sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose) at a relatively low constant detection potential (0.40 V vs Ag/AgCl) and a linearity of over 3 orders of magnitude. We obtained improved detection limits for the investigated sugars, namely, 20, 25, 50, and 37 nM for glucose, fructose, sucrose, and lactose, respectively. This is at least 1 order of magnitude lower than the detection limits obtained with a Ni-bulk electrode with the same measurement condition. The Ni-NDC film electrode also showed good reproducibility with a relative standard deviation of 1.75% for 40 consecutive injections of glucose in a flow system.     

Correlation between 1/f noise and semiconductor laser degradation

The origin of the increase in residual spectral linewidth during device degradation is experimentally and theoretically clarified in a multiple quantum well (MQW) distributed feedback (DFB) laser. Non-radiative recombination current increases during device degradation and causes 1/f noise to increase. This current 1/f noise is the origin of the increase in the residual spectral linewidth. Through these degradation behaviours, a model showing a correlation between 1/f noise and the semiconductor laser degradation is proposed.     

Possible essentiality of docosahexaenoic acid in Japanese monkey neonates: Occurrence in colostrum and low biosynthetic capacity in neonate brains

The importance of mother's milk as a source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in Japanese monkey neonates was investigated. The DHA content in monkey colostrum total lipids was 2.2%, similar to or slightly higher than in humans. A comparison of the biosynthetic capacity of brain microsomes from monkeys of different age (up to 10 years) showed that chain elongation/desaturation of linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in neonates was significantly less pronounced than in adults. In particular, the formation of DHA, which is the product of Δ4 desaturase, was negligible. These results suggest that milk is an important source of DHA in Japanese monkey neonates.     

A three-dimensional fourth-order finite-difference time-domainscheme using a symplectic integrator propagator

A new explicit fourth-order finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) scheme for three-dimensional electromagnetic field simulation is proposed in this paper. A symplectic integrator propagator, which is also known as a decomposition of the exponential operator or a general propagation technique, is directly applied to Maxwell's equations in the scheme. The scheme is nondissipative and saves memory. The Courant stability limit of the scheme is 30% larger than that of the standard FDTD method. The perfectly matched layer absorbing boundary condition is applicable to the scheme. A specific eigenmode of a waveguide is successfully excited in the scheme. Stable and accurate performance is demonstrated by numerical examples     

Self‐Assembly of Multiple Stacked Nanorings by Vertically Correlated Droplet Epitaxy

Fabrication of advanced artificial nanomaterials is a long‐term pursuit to fulfill the promises of nanomaterials. In the last ten years, Droplet Epitaxy has been emerging as a versatile fabrication method for various complex nanomaterials, but there is a lack of growth protocol to control the growth vertically. Here we report a vertically correlated Droplet Epitaxy growth method. We find that the nanodroplets form preferable on the preexisting nanorings, which enables fabrication of vertically aligned nanostructures by Droplet Epitaxy. Nucleation thermodynamics and growth kinetics have been proposed to explain the vertically correlated Droplet Epitaxy. Heterojunctions can be realized at nanoscale by the presented method. In addition, the nucleation thermodynamics of nanodroplets observed in this article will allow site‐controlled fabrication of nanostructures.     

Effect of buffered hydrofluoric acid etching on LCD glass substrates

Buffered hydrofluoric (BHF) acid was used in a TFT manufacturing process as a typical wet chemical agent. Hazing of an LCD glass substrate surface was sometimes observed after BHF chemical treatment during manufacturing. The haze consists of many micro‐sized hillocks on the substrate surface. This paper describes the formation and suppression mechanism of a typical LCD glass substrate made of Corning code 1737 glass. The hillocks were observed on an etched glass surface when NH₄F was added with HF as the buffered solution. Among the reaction products, ammonium‐based crystals were partially soluble in the etching solution. These ammonium‐based crystals were formed during BHF etching by masking an area of glass surface until the crystals were dissolved in the etching solution. In addition, hillocks composed of glass substrate material were detected on the masked area. The hillock density contour as the function of HF and NH₄F concentration was drawn for an etching rate of from about 0.03 to 0.13 μm/min. Hazing was effectively suppressed by dilution or agitation of BHF.     

Biochemical intervention of ergothioneine-rich edible mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) extract inhibits melanosis in crab (Chionoecetes japonicus)

We investigated the effects of decreasing phenoloxidase (PO) activity and prophenoloxidase (proPO) gene expression on the inhibition of postharvest melanosis formation in the red queen crab, Chionoecetes japonicus. The cDNA of proPO from hemocytes of C. japonicus was partially cloned and sequenced. Immersion of live crabs in a 1.0% ergothioneine (ESH)-rich mushroom extract (Flammulina velutipes; ME) solution resulted in significant inhibition of haemolymph PO activity and a reduction of the proPO gene expression in hemocytes that consequently controlled melanosis in the crabs during ice storage. Treatments with a 0.05% w/v sodium sulphite solution or a 0.05% w/v 4-hexyl-1,3-benzenediol solution had similar positive effects as the treatment with a 1.0% ME solution in vivo. In vitro experiments showed that authentic l-(+)-ESH inhibited PO activity and decreased proPO gene expression in crab hemocytes. Thus, the application of ESH-rich ME can be a novel alternative to synthetic melanosis-inhibiting agents to control postharvest melanosis in crabs.     

Design criteria for highly-efficient operation of 1.3-μmInP-based strained-layer multiple-quantum-well lasers at elevatedtemperatures

We derive a basic design rule for highly-efficient operation of 1.3-μm InP-based strained-layer (SL) multiple-quantum-well (MQW) lasers at elevated temperatures on the basis of a self-consistent numerical approach including the Poisson equation and effective-mass equations. Following the derived design rule, high-efficiency (0.55 W/A at 363 K) and high-power (over 35 mW at 363 K) InP-based SL-MQW lasers have been fabricated     

Expression of autocrine motility factor receptor correlates with disease progression in human gastric cancer

Up-regulation of autocrine motility factor receptor (AMF-R) expression has been shown to be associated with invasion and metastasis of experimental tumour systems and human neoplasms. Monoclonal antibodies against AMF-R (gp78) were used to stain 221 primary gastric cancer specimens, and level of expression was examined in relation to pathological stage and prognostic values. In 125 out of 221 (56.6%) patients, gp78 was detected. Expression of gp78 was associated with macroscopic type, lymphatic and venous invasions, and lymph node and peritoneal metastasis. The level of gp78 expression in the cancer specimens was associated with histopathological stage and grade of tumour penetration. Positive gp78 expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis (P < 0.001). This significant relationship remained among patients in stage II and III. The results suggest that gp78 expression could be used as a prognostic marker in gastric cancer patients.