Effects of α-lipoic acid supplementation on malondialdehyde contents and superoxide dismutase in rat skeletal muscles

This study investigated the effects of α-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and superoxide dismutase (SOD) protein expression in rat skeletal muscles under non-exercising condition. Fourteen Sprague-Dawley male rats at the age of 6 weeks were randomly divided into 2 groups CS, (normal diet group, n=7) and AS (0.5% ALA supplemented diet group, n=7), and keep non-exercising condition for 4 weeks. The muscle MDA concentration of the AS group was significantly lower than that of the CS group in the both soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles. The expressions of Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD proteins in the soleus muscle were significantly higher in the AS group than that in the CS group. From these results, ALA supplementation under non-exercising condition had a role in increasing of antioxidant enzymes in skeletal muscle types of rats.     

Intravitreal Injection of Liposomes Loaded with a Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Promotes Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival in a Mouse Model of Optic Nerve Crush

Various neuroprotective agents have been studied for the treatment of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) diseases, but issues concerning the side effects of systemically administered drugs and the short retention time of intravitreally injected drugs limit their clinical applications. The current study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of intravitreally injected trichostatin A (TSA)-loaded liposomes in a mouse model of optic nerve crush (ONC) and determine whether TSA-loaded liposomes have therapeutic potential in RGC diseases. The histone deacetylase inhibitor, TSA, was incorporated into polyethylene glycolylated liposomes. C57BL/6J mice were treated with an intravitreal injection of TSA-loaded liposomes and liposomes loaded with a lipophilic fluorescent dye for tracking, immediately after ONC injury. The expression of macroglial and microglial cell markers (glial fibrillary acidic protein and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1), RGC survival, and apoptosis were assessed. We found that the liposomes reached the inner retina. Their fluorescence was detected for up to 10 days after the intravitreal injection, with peak intensity at 3 days postinjection. Intravitreally administered TSA-loaded liposomes significantly decreased reactive gliosis and RGC apoptosis and increased RGC survival in a mouse model of ONC. Our results suggest that TSA-loaded liposomes may help in the treatment of various RGC diseases.     

Performances of Liquid‐Exfoliated Transition Metal Dichalcogenides as Hole Injection Layers in Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanosheets, including MoS₂, WS₂, and TaS₂, are used as hole injection layers (HILs) in organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). MoS₂, WS₂, and TaS₂ nanosheets are prepared using an exfoliation by ultrasonication method. The thicknesses and sizes of the TMD nanosheets are measured to be 3.1–4.3 nm and more than 100 nm, respectively. The work functions of the TMD nanosheets increase from 4.4–4.9 to 4.9–5.1 eV following ultraviolet/ozone (UVO) treatment. The turn‐on voltages at 10 cd m^?2 for UVO‐treated TMD‐based devices decrease from 7.3–12.8 to 4.3–4.4 V and maximum luminance efficiencies increase from 5.74–9.04 to 12.01–12.66 cd A^?1. In addition, this study confirms that the stabilities of the devices in air can be prolonged by using UVO‐treated TMDs as HILs in OLEDs. These results demonstrate the great potential of liquid‐exfoliated TMD nanosheets for use as HILs in OLEDs.     

Production of γ-aminobutyric acid during fermentation of Gastrodia elata Bl. by co-culture of Lactobacillus brevis GABA 100 with Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4

Gastrodia elata Bl. (GE) is a traditional herbal medicine used for the prevention of cerebrovascular disease and for the regulation of one’s blood pressure. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is known to be beneficial for preventing neurological disorders and hypertension. The objective of this study was to develop fermented GE products containing high levels of GABA. The optimal medium conditions for the production of GABA during fermentation were as follows: an initial pH of 6.5, 3% (w/v) l-monosodium glutamate, 10% (w/v) freeze-dried GE powder, and 0.5% (w/v) yeast extract. The production of GABA was further enhanced by the co-culture of Lactobacillus brevis GABA 100 with Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4. During fermentation, high amounts of organic acids and GABA were produced, while gastrodin, the main polyphenol compound of GE, was completely converted to 4-hydroxybenzylalcohol. The fermented GE product with GABA was successfully produced by optimizing the fermentation conditions.     

Bias-stress stability of low-voltage p-channel and n-channel organic thin-film transistors on flexible plastic substrates

The bias-stress stability of low-voltage organic p-channel and n-channel thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on five promising organic semiconductors and fabricated on flexible polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrates has been investigated. In particular, it has been studied to which extent the bias-stress-induced decay of the on-state drain current of the TFTs is affected by the choice of the semiconductor and by the gate-source and drain-source voltages applied during bias stress. It has been found that for at least some of the organic p-channel TFTs investigated in this study, the bias-stress stability is comparable to that of a-Si:H and metal-oxide TFTs, despite the fact that the organic TFTs were fabricated at significantly lower process temperatures, which is important in view of the fabrication of these devices on plastic substrates.     

Modeling alpha-particle-induced accelerated soft error rate in semiconductor memory

This paper presents an analytic integral model for the accelerated soft error rate (ASER). The model took into account the physical and structural parameters as four alpha incident angles and an angular function. Two angles were related to charge collection and another two angles and an angular function were related to measurement configuration and how much alpha flux arrived. The model was verified by measuring ASER in 8 M static RAM. The model could explain ASER characteristics of saturation, exponential dependence, and vanishing with the power supply voltage. The model also reproduced an extraordinary phenomenon that there is a maximum in ASER with respect to the thickness of the capping layer on the static RAM.     

Preparation of stable dispersions of chemically reduced graphene oxide through noncovalent interactions with poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)-grafted pluronic copolymer

Stable dispersions of chemically reduced graphene oxide (RGO) were prepared by simple noncovalent interaction with poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm)-grafted Pluronic (NGP). Prepared NGP/RGO assembly solutions showed temperature-dependent optical absorbance change below or above their lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Interestingly, LCSTs of NGP/RGO assemblies were unaffected compared with LCSTs of pristine NGPs regardless of the degree of PNIPAAm grafting in NGPs probably because noncovalent anchoring between PNIPAAm chains and RGO plates in NGP/RGO assembly is weak. This supports that PNIPAAm grafting on Pluronic occurred preferentially in hydrophilic PEO segments because hydrophobic PPO segments of NGP must be strongly anchoring on hydrophobic surface of RGO plates while PEO segments will be extended from RGO surface to aqueous medium.