Synthesis and characterization of poly(4‐diphenylaminostyrene)‐Poly(9‐vinylanthracene) binary block copolymer

Block copolymerization of plural types of monomers offers a new opportunity for the preparation of a variety of multifunctional polymers. Poly(4‐diphenylaminostyrene) (PDAS)‐poly(9‐vinylanthracene) (PVAN) binary block copolymer (PDAS‐PVAN) was synthesized by (living) anionic polymerization using the benzyllithium/N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylethylenediamine system. The photoluminescence emission of PDAS‐PVAN was enhanced by the fluorescence resonance energy transfer from PDAS block to PVAN block in PDAS‐PVAN. The hole drift mobility of the copolymer was controllable by the amount of triphenylamino groups in the polymer chain. The optical and electrical properties of PDAS‐PVAN were adjustable through the polymer chain structure. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

An Analysis of Differentially Expressed Coding and Long Non-Coding RNAs in Multiple Models of Skeletal Muscle Atrophy

The loss of skeletal muscle mass (muscle atrophy or wasting) caused by aging, diseases, and injury decreases quality of life, survival rates, and healthy life expectancy in humans. Although long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in skeletal muscle formation and differentiation, their precise roles in muscle atrophy remain unclear. In this study, we used RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) to examine changes in the expression of lncRNAs in four muscle atrophy conditions (denervation, casting, fasting, and cancer cachexia) in mice. We successfully identified 33 annotated lncRNAs and 18 novel lncRNAs with common expression changes in all four muscle atrophy conditions. Furthermore, an analysis of lncRNA–mRNA correlations revealed that several lncRNAs affected small molecule biosynthetic processes during muscle atrophy. These results provide novel insights into the lncRNA-mediated regulatory mechanism underlying muscle atrophy and may be useful for the identification of promising therapeutic targets.     

Conformational analysis for hydrated ethylene oxide oligomer models by quantum chemical calculations

Hydrate effects on the conformations of ethylene oxide oligomers (EO-x, x = 1–8 mers) were examined using quantum chemical calculations (QCC). Conformational analyses were carried out by RHF/6-31G. The models were constructed by locating a water molecule to each ether–oxygen in the structures optimized for non-hydrate oligomers. Hydrate ratio, h (h = H₂O_mol/O_{mol in oligomer}), was set from 0 to 1.0. The six type conformations with repeated units of O–C, C–C and C–O bonds were examined. Conformational energy, E _c (HF), was calculated as difference between the energy of oligomer with water molecules and that of non-hydrogen and/or hydrogen bonding water molecules. Hydrate energies for each conformer, ∆μ _h (kcal/m.u., based on E _c in non-hydrate state), were negative and linearly decreased with the increase of h values, and such effects with the increase of h values were weaken with increasing x values. These results were consistent with our previous results calculated using the permittivity, ε (ε = 0–80.1), by QCC. In non-hydrate (h = 0), the (ttt) _x conformers were the most stable independent of x. However, in hydrate states (h = 0.44–0.67), the (tg⁺t) _x conformers were the most stable independent of x values, and in h = 1, the (tg⁺t)₈ conformer (8-mer) was most stable [∆E _c(g) = −1.3 kcal/m.u., ∆E _c(g): energy difference between a given oligomer and the (ttt) _x oligomer]. These results supported the experimental those based on NMR analyses using dimethoxyethane and triglyme solutions. Molecular lengths (l) of (tg⁺t) _x , (tg⁺g⁻) _x and (g⁺g⁺g⁺) _x conformers having higher x values significantly decreased with increasing h values. Such contraction with hydration, however, was independent of ΔE _c(g) values of each conformer.     

Bio-inspired wing-folding mechanism of micro air vehicle (MAV)

Over the past few years, many researchers have shown an interest in micro air vehicle (MAV), since it can be used for rescue mission and investigation of danger zone which is difficult for human being to enter. In recent years, many researchers try to develop high-performance MAVs, but a little attention has been given to the wing-folding mechanism of wings. When the bird and the flying insects land, they usually fold their wings. If they do not fold their wings, their movement area is limited. In this paper, we focused on the artificial wing-folding mechanism. We designed a new artificial wing that has link mechanism. With the wing-folding mechanism, the wing span was reduced to 15%. In addition, we set feathers separately on the end of wings like those of real birds. The wings make thrust force by the change of the shape of the feathers. However, the wings could not produce enough lift force to lift it. Therefore, we have come to the conclusion that it is necessary to optimize the wings design to get stronger lift force by flapping.     

Conformational analyses for alanine oligomer during hydration by quantum chemical calculation (QCC)

The structure and association energy of hydrated l-alanine pentamers at the hydration rate (h) of 0–1 were calculated by quantum chemical calculation (QCC) using the density functional theory [B3LYP/6-31G(d, p)] method for three kinds of stable conformers (β-extended: t?/t+, PP_II-like: g?/g+, α-helix: g?/g?) converged by convergent calculations from l-alanine pentamers in gas phase. Water molecules are mainly inserted between intramolecular hydrogen bond of CO–HN in PP_II-like and α-helix conformers and attached to the CO group in β-extended conformer. α-Helix conformer turns to PP_II-like conformer at higher hydration rate. The association energy decreased with the increase of the hydration rate, indicating that the conformers were stabilized by the hydration. It was found that PP_II-like conformer, which was the most stable in the anhydrate state, was also the most stable in the hydrate state. This structure corresponds to a middle structure of PP_II (g?/t+) and β-extended (t?/t+) structures. These results obtained by energy calculation using QCC support the experimental results by Eker et al. and Graf et al., who reported that alanine oligomer exhibited a mixture of PP_II and β-extended structure in aqueous solution.     

ERD analysis method in motor imagery brain–computer interfaces for accurate switch input

Motor imagery brain–computer interface (MIBCI) can control computers using MI. However, input accuracy is low, partly owing to individual variability in event-related desynchronization (ERD) detection among different subjects. In an earlier study, we determined that using a max power in the mu-band method, i.e., the peak trace method (PTM), is effective for ERD detection. In this study, we compare the PTM to the band power method to determine the most effective method for ERD detection during MI tasks. Experimental results indicate that we could detect ERD using the PTM; however, MI-state estimation was difficult. We also found that the PTM might be effective for ERD detection in subjects with MI experience.     

A vision-taste interference model and the EEG measurement

Taste cognition can be interfered with by visual information, but the mechanism by which this happens has not been clarified. We assumed an interference model in the processes of taste and vision information. The model was tested with frequency analysis on EEG and using the switch response time. The tasks were matched/miss-matched between taste and vision information about orange juice and apple juice. There were changes in the α waves that originated in the visual processing of a juice package, and changes in the β waves that originated in the taste processing. There is the possibility of a parallel processing mechanism in the vision-taste interference.     

The origin, migration and morphology of the primordial germ cells in the chick embryo

Chick primordial germ cells (PGCs) which separated from the "germinal crescent" entoderm in the period from stages 4 to 8 circulated mostly through the developing blood vessels from stage 10 onward and finally migrated into the gonad. The PGCs making their appearance up to this stage were generally spherical in profile, about 14 mum in diameter. Some of the PGCs in contrast, did not enter the blood vessels but remained in the tissue (mesenchyme) of the embryo proper (tissue PGCs) and possessed pseudopodial processes, suggesting their migration by means of amoeboid movements. The circulating PGCs emerged from blood vessels in the vicinity of developing gonads by three days (gonadal PGCs). The principal mechanism responsible for the subsequent migration of gonadal PGCs is assumed to be amoeboid movements as in the case of tissue PGCs. Notable amounts of PAS-positive glycogen were demonstrated in the cytoplasm of PGCs in all stages obsreved. They also contained yolk and lipids intracytoplasmically, the former dissipating in relatively early stages of development. Electron microscopic observation revealed the electron-opaque, "fragmented nucleolus" in the large nucleus (8 mum in diameter), which represented another prominent feature of chick PGCs. PGCs contained a well-developed Golgi complex and endoplasmic reticulum.     

NMR characterization of styrene–divinylbenzene gel beads in swollen state using chloroform as probe

Styrene—divinylbenzene copolymer gel beads in a swollen state were characterized with a proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-NMR) using chloroform as a probe. The signal of chloroform was observed as doublet peaks and the peak at higher magnetic field was assigned to chloroform inside the gel beads and the other at lower magnetic field to one outside the gel beads. NMR parameters such as signal chemical shift, intensity, line width, and shape were investigated in relation to the characteristics of gel beads such as the swelling ratio, the diameter, pore size, and crosslinking density. The relative intensity of the signal due to chloroform inside the gel beads increased with the amount of diluent used in preparation of the beads. With the decrease of the diameter of the beads, two signals became closer, because the rate of exchange between the solvent molecules inside and outside increased. The pore size also influenced the shape of the doublet peaks. As the pore size increased, the two peaks overlapped due to the decrease of the portion of chloroform that interacts with the polymer matrix. The crosslinking density did not influence the peak shape although the dynamics of chloroform were affected by the crosslinking density. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.