Diffuse optical tomography with spectral constraints and wavelength optimization

We present an algorithm that explicitly utilizes the wavelength dependence of tissue optical properties for diffuse optical tomography. We have previously shown that the method gives superior separation of absorption and scattering. Here the technique is described and tested in detail, and optimum wavelength sets for a broad range of chromophore combinations are discovered and analyzed.     

Enhanced performance of organic electroluminescence diodes with a 2-TNATA:C60 hole injection layer

C60-doped 2-TNATA (4,4′,4″-tris(2-naphthylphenylamino)triphenylamine) as a hole injection material and NPD (4,4′bis[N-(1-naphthyl)-N-phenyl-amino]biphenyl) as a hole transport material are used to fabricate OLEDs via vacuum deposition process in this study. C60-doped 2-TNATA film was treated by means of thermal annealing and in situ electromagnetic field. According to AFM, SEM, XRD, and Raman spectra results, by both thermal annealing and in situ electromagnetic field treatments, the smoothened surface and the closely packed morphology of 2-TNATA:C60 film was obtained without any evidences of crystalline nature after those treatments. The treatments eventually lead to enhancing the current density and efficiency of the multi-layered ITO/2-TNATA:C60 (5% doped) (70 nm)/NPD (30 nm)/Alq₃ (50 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (100 nm) devices by facilitating hole injection/transport in the multi-layered organic devices. Consequently, thermal annealing treatment for the 2-TNATA:C60 film is preferred rather than in situ electromagnetic field treatment so as to improve the overall performance of the organic light-emitting diodes in this study.     

Lipid-lowering effects of Zanthoxylum schinifolium Siebold & Zucc. seed oil (ZSO) in hyperlipidemic rats and lipolytic effects in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Food Science and Biotechnology - On the basis of the antiatherosclerotic effect of Zanthoxylum schinifolium, the therapeutic potential of Zanthoxylum schinifolium seed oil (ZSO) was tested in terms...     

Effects of water activity on pigments in dried laver (Porphyra) during storage

Degradation of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and phycobilins in dried laver (Porphyra) was studied during storage at water activities (Aw) of 0.112, 0.316, 0.484, 0.747, or 0.890 in the dark at 40°C for 15 days. The chlorophyll, carotenoid, and phycobilin contents were determined using HPLC and spectrophotometry. The chorophyll a, carotenoid, and phycobilin contents in dried laver decreased with storage time in the dark, and degradation was increased and accelerated as the Aw value increased. Among pigments, chlorophyll a was degraded at the highest rate, and differences in degradation rates among pigments became greater as the Aw value increased. Phycoerythrin was more stable than phycocyanin. Changes in the Aw value affected degradation of phycocyanin and chlorophyll more than phycoerythrin or carotenoids. Control of the Aw value can improve the color stability of dried laver in the dark.     

Chemistry and reactions of reactive oxygen species in foods

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed enzymatically, chemically, photochemically, and by irradiation of food. They are also formed by the decomposition and the inter-reactions of ROS. Hydroxy radical is the most reactive ROS, followed by singlet oxygen. Reactions of ROS with food components produce undesirable volatile compounds and carcinogens, destroy essential nutrients, and change the functionalities of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Lipid oxidation by ROS produces low molecular volatile aldehydes, alcohols, and hydrocarbons. ROS causes crosslink or cleavage of proteins and produces low molecular carbonyls from carbohydrates. Vitamins are easily oxidized by ROS, especially singlet oxygen. The singlet oxygen reaction rate was the highest in ss-carotene, followed by tocopherol, riboflavin, vitamin D, and ascorbic acid.     

Effects of light and lipids on chlorophyll degradation

Stability of chlorophylls was studied in a system of paraffin oil with added oleic acid or triolein under 1,700 lx and in the dark. Chlorophyll contents were determined using HPLC. Sample oxidation was evaluated using the headspace oxygen content based on GC and the peroxide value. The chlorophyll content decreased with time and was higher and decreased faster under light than in the dark. Singlet oxygen was involved in chlorophyll degradation under light. Chlorophyll degradation was lower and slower in samples with added lipids than in samples without lipids. Protection of chlorophyll from photodegradation was greater using triolein than using oleic acid. Oxidation was slightly higher in samples with added lipids than in samples without lipids, however, there was no significant (p>0.05) difference between samples with added oleic acid or triolein. Decreased chlorophyll degradation under light by lipids is due to competition between lipids and chlorophyll for singlet oxygen.     

Expression and localization of two-pore domain K(+) channels in bovine germ cells

Two-pore domain K(+) (K(2P)) channels that help set the resting membrane potential of excitable and nonexcitable cells are expressed in many kinds of cells and tissues. However, the expression of K(2P) channels has not yet been reported in bovine germ cells. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that K(2P) channels are expressed in the reproductive organs and germ cells of Korean cattle. RT-PCR data showed that members of the K(2P) channel family, specifically KCNK3, KCNK9, KCNK2, KCNK10, and KCNK4, were expressed in the ovary, testis, oocytes, embryo, and sperm. Out of these channels, KCNK2 and KCNK4 mRNAs were abundantly expressed in the mature oocytes, eight-cell stage embryos, and blastocysts compared with immature oocytes. KCNK4 and KCNK3 were significantly increased in eight-cell stage embryos. Immunocytochemical data showed that KCNK2, KCNK10, KCNK4, KCNK3, and KCNK9 channel proteins were expressed at the membrane of oocytes and blastocysts. KCNK10 and KCNK4 were strongly expressed and distributed in oocyte membranes. These channel proteins were also localized to the acrosome sperm cap. In particular, KCNK3 and KCNK4 were strongly localized to the post-acrosomal region of the sperm head and the equatorial band within the sperm head respectively. These results suggest that K(2P) channels might contribute to the background K(+) conductance of germ cells and regulate various physiological processes, such as maturation, fertilization, and development.     

Hydrogen-induced transformation superplasticity in zirconium

Commercially-pure zirconium is alloyed and dealloyed repeatedly with hydrogen at 810 °C, thereby cyclically triggering phase transformations between hydrogen-free α-Zr and hydrogen-alloyed β-Zr. Under an externally applied tensile stress, the internal mismatch stresses produced by the α-β transformations are biased, resulting in the accumulation of strain increments after each chemical cycle in the direction of the applied stress. Two key parameters, i.e., half-cycle time and applied stress, are examined to determine their effects on the strain increments. A tensile strain of 133% is achieved without fracture after multiple chemical cycles, demonstrating for the first time transformation superplasticity in zirconium induced by isothermal hydrogen cycling.