Functional Dysregulations in CA1 Hippocampal Networks of a 3-Hit Mouse Model of Schizophrenia

For a better translation from treatment designs of schizophrenia to clinical efficiency, there is a crucial need to refine preclinical animal models. In order to consider the multifactorial nature of the disorder, a new mouse model associating three factors (genetic susceptibility—partial deletion of the MAP6 gene, early-life stress—maternal separation, and pharmacological treatment—chronic Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol during adolescence) has recently been described. While this model depicts a schizophrenia-like phenotype, the neurobiological correlates remain unknown. Synaptic transmission and functional plasticity of the CA1 hippocampal region of male and female 3-hit mice were therefore investigated using electrophysiological recordings on the hippocampus slice. While basal excitatory transmission remained unaffected, NMDA receptor (NMDAr)-mediated long-term potentiation (LTP) triggered by theta-burst (TBS) but not by high-frequency (HFS) stimulation was impaired in 3-hit mice. Isolated NMDAr activation was not affected or even increased in female 3-hit mice, revealing a sexual dimorphism. Considering that the regulation of LTP is more prone to inhibitory tone if triggered by TBS than by HFS, the weaker potentiation in 3-hit mice suggests a deficiency of intrinsic GABA regulatory mechanisms. Indeed, NMDAr activation was increased by GABA_A receptor blockade in wild-type but not in 3-hit mice. This electrophysiological study highlights dysregulations of functional properties and plasticity in hippocampal networks of 3-hit mice, one of the mechanisms suspected to contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. It also shows differences between males and females, supporting the sexual dimorphism observed in the disorder. Combined with the previously reported study, the present data reinforce the face validity of the 3-hit model that will help to consider new therapeutic strategies for psychosis.     

Geometric error measurement of spiral bevel gears using a virtual gear model for STEP-NC

Geometric error measurement is required to evaluate the grade of the manufactured gears. Due to the complexity of the spiral bevel gear, direct measurement with the physical part has been conducted in a very limited way. In this paper, we present an indirect measurement based on the virtual gears model (VGM), obtained by NUBS fitting of the surface points measured by CMM (coordinate measuring machine). By comparing the VGM with CAD model (soft-master model), various errors such as tooth profile error and tooth trace error can be automatically measured. The developed method is simple and robust without requiring a special measuring device, and hence it can be applied for the industrial practice as a means for measuring the tooth profile and tooth trace errors which cannot be measured by the conventional method. Further, the model-based method can be incorporated on the advanced CNC controller based on the new CAM–CNC interface scheme of STEP-NC [STEP (standard for transfer and exchange of product model data) based data model for CAM and CNC interface] as an on-line inspection module. Algorithmic details together with experimental validation results are given.     

Korean Red Ginseng Improves Astrocytic Mitochondrial Function by Upregulating HO-1-Mediated AMPKα–PGC-1α–ERRα Circuit after Traumatic Brain Injury

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) exerts beneficial effects, including angiogenesis and energy metabolism via the peroxisome proliferator-activating receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α)–estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) pathway in astrocytes. However, the role of Korean red ginseng extract (KRGE) in HO-1-mediated mitochondrial function in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is not well-elucidated. We found that HO-1 was upregulated in astrocytes located in peri-injured brain regions after a TBI, following exposure to KRGE. Experiments with pharmacological inhibitors and target-specific siRNAs revealed that HO-1 levels highly correlated with increased AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) activation, which led to the PGC-1α-ERRα axis-induced increases in mitochondrial functions (detected based on expression of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 (MTCO2) and cytochrome c as well as O₂ consumption and ATP production). Knockdown of ERRα significantly reduced the p-AMPKα/AMPKα ratio and PGC-1α expression, leading to AMPKα–PGC-1α–ERRα circuit formation. Inactivation of HO by injecting the HO inhibitor Sn(IV) protoporphyrin IX dichloride diminished the expression of p-AMPKα, PGC-1α, ERRα, MTCO2, and cytochrome c in the KRGE-administered peri-injured region of a brain subjected to TBI. These data suggest that KRGE enhanced astrocytic mitochondrial function via a HO-1-mediated AMPKα–PGC-1α–ERRα circuit and consequent oxidative phosphorylation, O₂ consumption, and ATP production. This circuit may play an important role in repairing neurovascular function after TBI in the peri-injured region by stimulating astrocytic mitochondrial biogenesis.     

Poly(methyl methacrylate) toughening with refractive index‐controlled core–shell composite particles

Poly(butylacrylate‐co‐styrene)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) core–shell composite particles having different refractive indexes were prepared by a two‐stage consecutive emulsion polymerization. The refractive index of the core phase was controlled by varying the incorporated amount of divinylbenzene (DVB) which acted as a crosslinking agent as well as a refractive index enhancer. The blends of these core–shell composite particles with PMMA showed an impact strength increment of about three times compared with that of the pure PMMA. However, as the amount DVB increased, the impact strength showed a tendency toward decreasing. This was caused by the loss of the elastic property of the core phase. The toughened PMMA blended with core–shell composite particles having the core crosslinked with 1 wt % DVB showed the best transparency. However, the transparency was rather decreased, as the difference of the refractive index between the core phase and the pure PMMA increased. This suggested that in the case of using the core–shell composite particles as a toughening agent for PMMA the matching of the refractive index of the core phase with that of the pure PMMA was one of key factors in maintaining the transparency of the toughened PMMA. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 71: 1607–1614, 1999     

Graft copolymerization of mixtures of acrylic acid and acrylamide onto polypropylene film

Liquid phase ultraviolet irradiation in the presence of benzophenone as a photosensitizer and barium hydroxide as a pH controller were used to graft the mixtures of acrylic acid and acrylamide to a polypropylene surface. The surface of the grafted polypropylene samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy‐attenuated total reflectance, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and a contact angle meter. The pH value of the reaction medium that produced the graft with equal molar ratio was found to be ∼ 3.77. The optimal reaction condition was found at a monomer feed of 25%, a reaction time of 30 min, and a benzophenone concentration of 1%. Surface tension of the samples increased to a value of 40 dyn cm⁻¹ due to the graft of the hydrophilic monomers. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 251–256, 1999     

Separation of CO2 by 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol aqueous solution in microporous hydrophobie hollow fiber contained liquid membrane

The absorption of CO₂ from a mixture of CO₂/N₂ gas was carried out using a flat-stirred vessel and the polytetrafluoroethylene hollow fiber contained aqueous 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) solution. The reaction of CO₂ with AMP was confirmed to be a second order reversible reaction with fast-reaction region. The mass transfer resistance in the membrane side obtained from the comparison of the measured absorption rates of CO₂ in a hollow fiber contained liquid membrane with a flat-stirred vessel corresponded to about 90% of overall-mass-transfer resistance. The mass transfer coefficient of hollow fiber phase could be evaluated, which was independent of CO₂ loading.     

Esterification of lauric acid with isopropyl alcohol by tricaprylylmethylammonium chloride as a catalyst in a liquid-liquid heterogeneous system

Experiments were performed on the esterification of lauric acid with isopropyl alcohol by tricaprylylmethylammonium chloride in a stirred vessel with a flat liquid-liquid interface. The observed initial rate of reaction was used to analyze the reaction mechanism combined with the catalyst, and to evaluate the several kinds of reaction rate constant, from which equilibrium constants were expressed as a function of reaction temperature. The analysis of reaction kinetics indicated that the reaction was between a very slow and slow reaction regime.     

Copolymer derived from dihexyl-2H-benzimidazole and carbazole for organic photovoltaic cells

A new accepter unit, dihexyl-2H-benzimidazole, was prepared and utilized for the synthesis of the conjugated polymers containing electron donor-acceptor pair for OPVs. Dihexyl-2H-benzimidazole unit was designed to substitute the BT unit of PCDTBT. A new series of copolymers with carbazole as the electron-rich unit and dihexyl-2H-benzimidazole as the electron-deficient unit are synthesized. To obtain absorption in the longer wavelength region, bithiophene units without any alkyl group are incorporated as one of the monomers, which may result in low solubility of the polymers. In dihexyl-2H-benzimidazole, sulfur at 2-position of BT unit was replaced with dialkyl substituted carbon, while keeping the 1,2-quinoid form, to improve the solubility of the polymers. The spectra of the solid films show absorption bands with maximum peaks at 446-457 nm and the absorption onsets at 527-539 nm, corresponding to bandgaps of 2.30-2.35 eV. Under white light illumination (AM 1.5 G, 100 mW/cm²), the devices with PCBBTHBIs:PCBM layers showed open-circuit voltages (V_OC) of 0.13-0.23 V, short-circuit current densities (J_SC) of 3.52-5.69 mA/cm², and fill factors (FF) of 0.36-0.40, giving power-conversion efficiencies of 0.21-0.47%.     

Bubble Dynamics,Flow, and Heat Transfer during Flow Boiling in Parallel Microchannels

Significant efforts have recently been made to investigate flow boiling in microchannels, which is considered an effective cooling method for high-power microelectronic devices. However, a fundamental understanding of the bubble motion and flow reversal observed during flow boiling in parallel microchannels is lacking in the literature. In this study, complete numerical simulations are performed to further clarify the boiling process by using the level-set method for tracking the liquid–vapor interface which is modified to treat an immersed solid surface. The effects of contact angle, wall superheat, and the number of channels on the bubble growth, reverse flow, and heat transfer are analyzed.     

Highly Stretchable or Transparent Conductor Fabrication by a Hierarchical Multiscale Hybrid Nanocomposite

As is frequently seen in sci‐fi movies, future electronics are expected to ultimately be in the form of wearable electronics. To realize wearable electronics, the electric components should be soft, flexible, and even stretchable to be human‐friendly. An important step is presented toward realization of wearable electronics by developing a hierarchical multiscale hybrid nanocomposite for highly flexible, stretchable, or transparent conductors. The hybrid nanocomposite combines the enhanced mechanical compliance, electrical conductivity, and optical transparency of small CNTs (d ≈ 1.2 nm) and the enhanced electrical conductivity of relatively bigger Ag nanowire (d ≈ 150 nm) backbone to provide efficient multiscale electron transport path with Ag nanowire current backbone collector and local CNT percolation network. The highly elastic hybrid nanocomposite conductors and highly transparent flexible conductors can be mounted on any non‐planar or soft surfaces to realize human‐friendly electronics interface for future wearable electronics.