Study of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of ZnO films by non-thermal plasma jet at atmospheric pressure

Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using a non-thermal plasma jet was applied to deposition of ZnO films. Using vaporized bis(octane-2,4-dionato)zinc flow crossed by the plasma jet, the deposition rate was as high as several tens of nm/s. From the results of infrared spectra, the films deposited at the substrate temperature T_sub = 100 °C contained a significant amount of carbon residue, while the films prepared at T_sub = 250 °C showed less carbon fraction. The experimental results confirmed that the plasma jet decomposed bis(octane-2,4-dionato)zinc in the gaseous phase and on the substrate, and that there should be the critical T_sub to form high-quality ZnO films in the range from 100 to 250 °C.     

Production technology of large-area multicrystalline silicon solar cells

In 1996 a conversion efficiency of 17.1% had been obtained on 15 cm×15 cm mc-Si solar cell. In this paper, large-scale production technology of the high-efficiency processing will be discussed. Enlarging reactive ion etching (RIE) equipment size, technology of passivation, and fine contact grid with low resistance by screenprinted metallization, which is firing through PECVD SiN, have been investigated.     

Downregulation of miR-122-5p Activates Glycolysis via PKM2 in Kupffer Cells of Rat and Mouse Models of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has pathological characteristics similar to those of alcoholic hepatitis, despite the absence of a drinking history. The greatest threat associated with NASH is its progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The pathophysiology of NASH is not fully understood to date. In this study, we investigated the pathophysiology of NASH from the perspective of glycolysis and the Warburg effect, with a particular focus on microRNA regulation in liver-specific macrophages, also known as Kupffer cells. We established NASH rat and mouse models and evaluated various parameters including the liver-to-body weight ratio, blood indexes, and histopathology. A quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis of the NASH rat model livers revealed the activation of glycolysis. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry results indicated that the expression of pyruvate kinase muscle 2 (PKM2), a rate-limiting enzyme of glycolysis, was upregulated in the liver tissues of both NASH models. Moreover, increases in PKM2 and p-PKM2 were observed in the early phase of NASH. These observations were partially induced by the downregulation of microRNA122-5p (miR-122-5p) and occurred particularly in the Kupffer cells. Our results suggest that the activation of glycolysis in Kupffer cells during NASH was partially induced by the upregulation of PKM2 via miR-122-5p suppression.     

Mutated KIT Tyrosine Kinase as a Novel Molecular Target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

KIT is a type-III receptor tyrosine kinase that contributes to cell signaling in various cells. Since KIT is activated by overexpression or mutation and plays an important role in the development of some cancers, such as gastrointestinal stromal tumors and mast cell disease, molecular therapies targeting KIT mutations are being developed. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), genome profiling via next-generation sequencing has shown that several genes that are mutated in patients with AML impact patients’ prognosis. Moreover, it was suggested that precision-medicine-based treatment using genomic data will improve treatment outcomes for AML patients. This paper presents (1) previous studies regarding the role of KIT mutations in AML, (2) the data in AML with KIT mutations from the HM-SCREEN-Japan-01 study, a genome profiling study for patients newly diagnosed with AML who are unsuitable for the standard first-line treatment (unfit) or have relapsed/refractory AML, and (3) new therapies targeting KIT mutations, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and heat shock protein 90 inhibitors. In this era when genome profiling via next-generation sequencing is becoming more common, KIT mutations are attractive novel molecular targets in AML.     

Fabrication of transparent TiO2 film with high adhesion by using self-assembly methods: Application to super-hydrophilic film

A transparent and super-hydrophilic TiO₂ film with high adhesion was prepared by simple self-assembly methods from aqueous solution at low temperature. The excellent adherence of TiO₂ films was accomplished by introducing a buffer layer with sulfonate-modified surfaces and nanoasperity. Moreover, the structure and morphology of the films were successfully controlled by deposition temperature and the pH of precursor solution. By optimizing the several parameters of solution as well as the surface functionality of the substrate, the nano-structured TiO₂ film with high adhesion showed a water contact angle of below 5° and the relative transmittance to slide glass of over 90%. The fabricated TiO₂ film deposited under the optimized condition is not removed from substrate after several Scotch tape (STT) tests and immersing into several kinds of solvent.     

Fabrication and flow-sensor application of flexible thermal MEMS device based on Cu on polyimide substrate

A Cu on polyimide (COP) substrate was proposed as a MEMS material, and the fabrication process for a flexible thermal MEMS sensor was developed. The COP substrate application to MEMS devices has the advantage that typical MEMS structures fabricated in a SOI wafer in the past—such as a diaphragm, a beam, a heater formed on a diaphragm—can also be easily produced in the COP substrate in the flexible fashion. These structures can be used as the sensing element in various physical sensors, such as flow, acceleration, and shear stress sensors. A flexible thermal MEMS sensor was produced by using a lift-off process and sacrificial etching of a copper layer on the COP substrate. A metal film working as a flow sensing element was formed on a thin polyimide membrane produced by the sacrificial etching. The fabricated flexible thermal MEMS sensor was used as a flow sensor, and its characteristics were evaluated. The obtained sensor output versus the flow rate curve closely matched the approximate curve derived using King’s law. The rising and falling response times obtained were 0.50 and 0.67 s, respectively.

     

Helical Antimicrobial Peptide Foldamers Containing Non-proteinogenic Amino Acids

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are potential novel therapeutic drugs against microbial infections. Most AMPs function by disrupting microbial membranes because of their amphipathic properties and ordered secondary structures. In this minireview, we describe recent efforts to develop helical AMP foldamers containing non-proteinogenic amino acids, such as α,α-disubstituted α-amino acids, β-amino acids, γ-amino acids, side-chain stapling and N-alkyl glycines.     

Development of Amphipathic Antimicrobial Peptide Foldamers Based on Magainin 2 Sequence

Magainin 2 ( Mag 2 ), which is isolated from the skin of frogs, is a representative antimicrobial peptide (AMP), exerts its antimicrobial activity via microbial membrane disruption. It has been reported that both the amphipathicity and helical structure of Mag 2 play an important role in its antimicrobial activity. In this study, we revealed that the sequence of 17 amino acid residues in Mag 2 (peptide 7 ) is required to exert sufficient activity. We also designed a set of Mag 2 derivatives, based on enhancement of helicity and/or amphipathicity, by incorporation of α,α-disubstituted amino acid residues into the Mag 2 fragment, and evaluated their preferred secondary structures and their antimicrobial activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. As a result, peptide 11 formed a stable helical structure in solution, and possessed potent antimicrobial activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria without significant cytotoxicity.     

THE CHARACTERISTIC EFFECTS OF VARIOUS IRON SULFIDE CATALYSTS IN COAL LIQUEFACTION

In order to investigate the effective mechanism of pyrite catalyst, coal liquefaction was conducted using a 500 ml autoclave. When the chemical structure characteristics of products and product yields are considered as a whole, deoxygenation and dealkylation are found to be enhanced in the presence of pyrite catalyst. Further, it is surmised that depolymerization is faster than the removal of heteroatoms.     

High‐luminous‐efficacy structure for plasma tubes

Abstract— The plasma‐tube‐array display is expected to become a wall‐sized display with very high luminous efficacy. The cell design for high luminous efficacy was investigated. Also, discharging in the plasma tube was observed in order to investigate the structure for high luminous efficacy. As the result, a high luminous efficacy of 5.4 lm/W was achieved.