A novel MONOS nonvolatile memory device ensuring 10-year dataretention after 107 erase/write cycles

A highly reliable nonvolatile memory device suitable for high-density electrically erasable and programmable read only memories (EEPROMs) is described. A metal-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (MONOS) structure whose top oxide is fabricated by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on the nitride is proposed. This CVD oxide is densified by pyrogenic annealing and has stoichiometric SiO₂ characteristics. Its potential barrier, which prevents stored charges from decaying through the top oxide to the gate, thus becomes sharper than that of the thermally grown top oxide used in the conventional MONOS structure. For comparison between the proposed MONOS, conventional MONOS, and MNOS structures, three devices were fabricated on the same process line. The 16.7-nm nitride thickness in combination with a top oxide thickness of 4.0 nm results in a gate capacitance equivalent to that of the conventional NMOS structure with a 23.5-nm nitride thickness. Moreover, an asymmetric erase/write programming voltage has been adapted to the MONOS device operation by considering both erased-state degradation and written-state retention. At 85 °C, the proposed MONOS device has 10⁷-cycle endurance with 10-year data retention     

Growth factors increase pericellular proteoglycans independently of their mitogenic effects on A10 rat vascular smooth muscle cells

Several reports suggest that serotonin2A (5HT2A) receptors and this receptor-mediated phosphatidyl inositol (PI) hydrolysis signal transduction system are altered in platelets of depressed patients. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins[1,4,5]P3), an important component of the PI signaling system, plays a crucial role in various physiological processes by releasing Ca2+ from intracellular stores after binding with Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors. To examine the role of Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors in depression, we determined [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding sites and expressed protein levels of Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors in platelets of depressed patients (n=15) and normal control subjects (n=17). We observed that the mean Bmax of [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding to Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors was significantly higher in platelets of depressed subjects compared with normal control subjects, whereas there was no significant difference in K(D) between these two groups. The immuno-detectable expressed level of Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor protein was also significantly increased in depressed patients in contrast to the levels of normal control subjects. Moreover, a significant correlation was observed in Bmax and the protein level of Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors. The increase in the number of [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding sites in platelets of depressed subjects appears to be due to an increase in the amount of Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor proteins. These results suggest that Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression.     

Oxide thin-film electroluminescent devices and materials

This report reviews newly developed oxide phosphors shown to be promising as the emitting layer of thin-film electroluminescent (TFEL) devices. Since the first report of a high-luminance TFEL device using a Mn-activated Zn₂SiO₄ (Zn₂SiO₄:Mn) phosphor, high-luminance multicolor-emitting TFEL devices have been fabricated using various oxide phosphors activated with Eu or Mn. In addition, many oxides that consist of binary and ternary compounds and multicomponent oxides have been developed and shown to be promising as a host material for TFEL phosphors. This report focuses on Mn-activated Y₂O₃-based oxide phosphors: a binary compound and various ternary compounds and multicomponent oxides, composed of Y₂O₃ in combination with another binary compound such as Ga₂O₃ or GeO₂. TFEL devices of which every constituent was an oxide material were fabricated using oxide phosphor thin films deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition or a sol–gel process. High luminances and luminous efficiencies comparable to those of TFEL devices using ZnS:Mn sulfide phosphor were realized using Mn-activated Y₂O₃-based oxide phosphors. Luminances above 7000 cd/m² (1 kHz-driving voltage) and luminous efficiencies of approximately 10 lm/W (60 Hz driving voltage) were obtained in yellow emitting TFEL devices fabricated using a Y₂O₃:Mn, a ((Y₂O₃)_0.6–(GeO₂)_0.4):Mn or a ((Y₂O₃)_0.5–(Ga₂O₃)_0.5):Mn thin film and driven by an ac sinusoidal wave voltage. Also, a high luminance above 1000 cd/m² for green emission was obtained in a ((Y₂O₃)_0.3–(Ga₂O₃)_0.7):Mn TFEL device driven at 1 kHz.     

Phosphofructokinase interacts with molecular chaperonins GroEL and GroES

OBJECTIVE: The present investigation was designed to provide the first empirical examination of the effects of clonidine, a selective alpha 2-adrenergic agonist, on sexual arousal in women with and without prior sympathetic nervous system [SNS] stimulation by exercise. The purpose was to help elucidate the influence of adrenergic mechanisms on sexual function in women. METHODS: Thirty sexually functional women participated in two experimental sessions in which subjective (self-report) and physiological (vaginal photoplethysmograph) sexual responses to erotic stimuli were measured after either clonidine (0.2 mg) or placebo administration in a randomized, double-blind, crossover protocol. Before viewing the experimental films, 15 subjects engaged in 20 minutes of intense exercise designed to elicit significant SNS activation. RESULTS: Clonidine significantly decreased vaginal pulse amplitude, vaginal blood volume, and subjective sexual responses to the erotic films in subjects who were in a state of heightened (via exercise), but not baseline (no exercise) SNS arousal. CONCLUSIONS: Clonidine can significantly inhibit subjective and physiological sexual arousal in women. These findings have implications for deriving an etiological theory of sexual function in women and for understanding the effects of psychotherapeutic drugs on female sexual function.     

IL-12 promotes the adhesion of NK cells to endothelial selectins under flow conditions

This study examined the adhesive interactions of peripheral blood NK cells with P- and E-selectin and analyzed the effect of IL-12 on the binding of NK cells to these selectins. P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) is expressed on most resting and IL-12-activated NK cells. However, the percentage of resting NK cells bound to P-selectin-IgG was 15%, and that of activated NK cells bound to P-selectin-IgG was 65%. Furthermore, the number of IL-12-activated NK cells bound to P-selectin-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was significantly higher than that of resting NK cells under flow conditions. These interactions were abolished by the incubation of these NK cells with anti-PSGL-1 (PL-1) mAb. Thus, PSGL-1/P-selectin interaction is important in the binding of resting and activated NK cells to P-selectin. NK cells express sialyl-Lewis(x) (sLe(x)) structure recognized by anti-sLe(x) mAb (KM-93), and IL-12 activation of NK cells increased the mean fluorescence intensity of KM-93-reactive NK cells. Adhesion of IL-12-activated NK cells to E-selectin-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was stronger than that of resting NK cells under flow conditions. These interactions were reduced markedly by incubation with anti-sLe(x) mAb. Thus, sLe(x) is the major ligand of resting and activated NK cells for E-selectin. These findings indicate that IL-12 stimulation of NK cells promotes their adhesion activity to endothelial selectins.     

Dietary docosahexaenoic acid increases cerebral acetylcholine levels and improves passive avoidance performance in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

We have recently shown that inferior performance in passive avoidance task is accompanied with decreased hippocampal choline (Ch) in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) compared with normotensive control Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). We also reported that dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) suppresses the development of hypertension and stroke-related behavioral changes, resulting in the prolongation of the life span of SHRSP. In this study, we examined the effect of dietary DHA on the cerebral acetylcholine (ACh) levels and learning performance in passive avoidance tasks in SHRSP. The arachidonic acid decreased and the DHA increased in plasma lipids dose dependently with dietary DHA treatments, which decreased the systolic blood pressure in SHRSP. Dietary DHA significantly restored the significantly inferior learning performance in passive avoidance response observed in control SHRSP (DHA 0%). Furthermore, the hippocampal ACh levels were correlated positively with the total response latency in passive avoidance tasks. These results suggest that cholinergic dysfunction in the brain of control SHRSP is responsible, at least in part, for the impaired learning ability and the dietary DHA ameliorates this performance failure.     

Hemodynamic follow-up of cardiac allografts from poisoned donors

BACKGROUND: The current shortage of donor organs, combined with an increasing demand for cardiac allografts, means that extended donor criteria are becoming more and more accepted. The use of cardiac allografts for transplantation from donors after acute poisoning is still under discussion; few data are currently available in the medical literature. We describe our experience with 19 orthotopic heart transplant recipients of organs from donors after acute intoxication with different agents. METHODS: Between March 1989 and December 1997, 883 orthotopic heart transplantations were performed at our transplant unit. Within this group, we accepted donor hearts after ethanol intoxication (n=1), benzodiazepine (n=1), alkylphosphate (E 605) in combination with beta-blocker intoxication (n=1), carbon monoxide poisoning (n=5), digitalis (n=1), digitalis/glibenclamide (n=1), chlormethiazole (n=1), propoxyphene (n=1), alkylphosphate (E 605) (n=1), insulin (n=2), neprobamate/ thiocyacide/flurazepam (n=1), paracetamol (n=1), carbamazepine (n=1), and cyanide (n=1) intoxication. At the time of organ explantation, hemodynamic data were available from all patients. RESULTS: Early mortality in this group was 11%; cumulative survival after 5 years was 74%. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our limited experience, cardiac allografts from donors exposed to different kinds of poisons can be transplanted in selected cases. If the donor organ is not hemodynamically compromised, showing regular filling pressures on low or mild inotropic support just before explantation, and if there are no electrocardiographic changes in combination with elevation of the transaminases, cardiac allograft transplantation seems to be a safe and life-saving procedure.