High-power long-wavelength (λ~11.5 μm) quantum cascadelasers operating above room temperature

High-temperature operation (T=320 K) of quantum cascade lasers has been extended to 11.5-μm wavelengths with high performances. Peak-pulsed optical power of 55 mW is obtained at 300 K with a high T ₀=172 K, in good agreement with our theoretical model     

Characteristics of body-tied triple-gate pMOSFETs

Body-tied triple-gate pMOSFETs were fabricated using bulk Si wafers and characterized. Process steps to implement the devices are explained briefly. Device characteristics of the triple-gate pMOSFETs were compared with those of the conventional planar channel device. While maintaining low off-leakage currents and threshold voltages similar to those of planar pMOSFETs in the parallel arrayed 30 000 transistors, the body-tied triple-gate MOSFETs showed about 74 mV/dec of subthreshold swing (92 mV/dec for conventional devices) and a drain-induced barrier lowering of 34 mV/V (92 mV/V for conventional devices). It was also addressed that I/sub SUB//I/sub D/ of the body-tied triple-gate is lower than that of the planar channel device.     

A study on the temperature dependence of epoxy/BaTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> composite embedded capacitor films

In this study, the temperature dependence of capacitance, one of the most important properties of embedded capacitor films (ECFs), was investigated. The temperature dependence of the capacitance of ECFs was determined by the temperature dependence of the dielectric constant and thickness, and among these, the main factor was the dielectric constant of ECFs. The dielectric constant of ECFs was determined by that of epoxy and BaTiO₃ powders. Below 130°C, the dielectric constant of ECFs increased as temperature increased, and was mainly affected by an epoxy matrix. However, above 130°C (the Curie temperature of BaTiO₃), the increased rate of the dielectric constant of ECFs started decreasing. This was due to the fact that BaTiO₃ powder undergoes a phase transition from a tetragonal to a cubic structure, and its dielectric constant decreases at 130°C. The dielectric constant of BaTiO₃ powder was obtained from measured dielectric constants of ECF and application of the Lichtenecker logarithmic rule.     

Improvement of the production of foreign proteins using a heterologous secretion vector system in Bacillus subtilis: effects of resistance to glucose-mediated catabolite repression

To improve protein production, a heterologous secretion vector system was constructed with the aid of the amyR2 region. The operator sequence (amyO) of the amyR2 region on the secretion vector was changed through site-directed mutagenesis to eliminate carbon-source-mediated catabolite repression. Three substitutional (AG, G5, G10), one deletional (delta HH), and one insertional (AGHF) mutant promoters were obtained. The expression level and the degree of catabolite repression of amyR2 and the mutant promoters were examined with a single copy system using an integrational promoter probe vector, pDH32. Under glucose-free culture conditions, expression levels from all mutant promoters except HH were 1.4 to 1.5 fold higher than that from amyR2. While the expression of the amyR2 promoter was repressed by 90% in the presence of 2% glucose, expression levels of the mutant promoters were repressed by only 1% to 50%. To evaluate the advantage of the mutant promoters in production of foreign proteins by the heterologous secretion system, beta-lactamase and human pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (hPSTI) were expressed by the mutant promoters. When B. subtilis LKS87 was used as a host strain, the production of the target proteins using the respective mutant promoter was increased by about 1.5 fold under glucose-free culture conditions. Under the high glucose culture conditions, secretion of target proteins produced from the mutant promoters increased 1.5 to 2 fold, whereas those by the amyR2 promoter were reduced to between 50% and 60%. The additive effect of degUh mutation on protein production was not observed under high glucose culture conditions. In addition, such culture conditions inhibited proteolytic degradation of secreted target proteins after the stationary growth phase even in B. subtilis LKS88 (degUh mutant). Thus, our results indicated that the mutant promoters, which are resistant to glucose-mediated catabolite repression, are very useful for over-production of foreign proteins under the high glucose culture conditions using the heterologous expression-secretion system in B. subtilis.     

Pharmaceutical rejection by membranes for wastewater reclamation and reuse.

Various membranes, which have different materials and nominal molecular weight cut-offs (MWCO), were compared in terms of rejection of ibuprofen and removal of effluent organic matter (EfOM) from membrane bioreactor (MBR), because pharmaceutical compounds contain a potential risk and EfOM is the precursor of carcinogenic disinfection by-products when reusing for drinking water source. To provide equivalent comparison with respect to hydrodynamic condition, mass transfer parameter, J0/k ratio, was used. A tight-UF membrane with a molecular weight cut off of 8,000 daltons exhibited 25 approximately 95% removal efficiencies of ibuprofen with a molecular weight of 206 with and without presence of EfOM(MBR). EfOM(MBR) caused the reduction of ibuprofen removal efficiency for UF membrane. Rejection of EfOM(MBR) by UF and NF membranes ranged 29 approximately 47% and 69 approximately 86%, respectively. UF membrane could successfully remove ibuprofen at lower J0/k ratio range (< or = 1) in organic free water but could not efficiently reject ibuprofen with a relatively hydrophilic EfOM(MBR) (SUVA < or = 3).     

Temperature-sensitive neuromuscular transmission in Kv1.1 null mice: role of potassium channels under the myelin sheath in young nerves

In mammalian myelinated nerves, the internodal axon that is normally concealed by the myelin sheath expresses a rich repertoire of K channel subtypes thought to be important in modulating action potential propagation. The function of myelin-covered K channels at transition zones, however, has remained unexplored. Here we show that deleting the voltage-sensitive potassium channel Kv1.1 from mice confers a marked temperature-sensitivity to neuromuscular transmission in postnatal day 14 (P14)-P21 mice. Using immunofluorescence and electrophysiology, we examined contributions of four regions of the peripheral nervous system to the mutant phenotype: the nerve trunk, the myelinated segment preceding the terminal, the presynaptic terminal membrane itself, and the muscle. We conclude that the temperature-sensitive neuromuscular transmission is accounted for solely by a deficiency in Kv1.1 normally concealed in the myelinated segments just preceding the terminal. This paper demonstrates that under certain situations of physiological stress, the functional role of myelin-covered K channels is dramatically enhanced as the transition zone at the neuromuscular junction is approached.