Surface modification of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxthiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) films by atmospheric-pressure argon plasma for organic thin-film solar cells

Highly-conductive poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) films obtained by the addition of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and the argon plasma exposure were used as a transparent conductive anode (TCA) for copper-phthalocyanine (CuPc)/C60 organic thin-film solar cells (OSCs). The CuPc/C60 OSCs on as-grown DMSO added PEDOT:PSS layer showed a power efficiency of 0.6%, whereas it was improved markedly to 1.34% after the atmospheric-pressure argon plasma exposure, which was comparable to that formed on indium-tin-oxide layer. Effects of the DMSO addition and the argon plasma exposure in the spin-coated PEDOT:PSS films is demonstrated in terms of the in-depth characterization of optical and electrical properties.     

HYDRATION AND PHASE SEPARATION OF TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE WATER-SOLUBLE POLYMERS

Collapse of a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) chain upon heating and phase diagrams of aqueous PNIPAM solutions with very fiat LCST phase separation line are theoretically studied on the basis of cooperative dehydration (simultaneous dissociation of bound water molecules in a group of correlated sequence), and compared with the experimental observation of temperature-induced coil-globule transition by light scattering methods. The transition becomes methanol is also studied from the viewpoint of competitive hydrogen bonds between polymer-water and polymer-methanol.The downward shift of the cloud-point curves (LCST cononsolvency) with the mole fraction of methanol due to the competition is calculated and compared with the experimental data. Aqueous solutions of hydophobically-modified PNIPAM carrying short alkyl chains at both chain ends (telechelic PNIPAM) are theoretically and experimentally studied. The LCST of these solutions is found to shift downward along the sol-gel transition curve as a result of end-chain association (association-induced phase separation), and separate from the coil-globule transition line. Associated structures in the solution, such as flower micelles, mesoglobules and higher fractal assembly, are studied by USANS with theoretical modeling of the scattering function.     

Effects of arginine on hair damage via oxidative coloring process

Different kinds of silicones were incorporated directly into permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes. To ensure that the silicone was deposited to the hair fibers Si deposition was measured. Hair treated with a silicone free control or the silicone modified hair dyes was tested for color and lightness change (fading) by washing the treated tresses several times and measuring the color change. In a second experiment, hair treated with permanent hair dye was treated with UV radiation to show if silicones can reduce the color change initiated by UV light. The influence of the silicones to dry combing forces of permanent dyed hair untreated and treated with UV was also investigated. The tests showed that dimethiconol/dimethicone mixtures can reduce the washout of hair colorant clearly and silicone resins like trimethylsiloxysilcate or propylphenylsilsesquioxane are able to decrease the color change occurred by UV radiation in dyed hair.     

Suppression of higher harmonics resonance in a distribution system

There are many PWM control devices, which are higher harmonics current sources, in distribution systems, and higher harmonics cause overcurrents by parallel resonance. To avoid overcurrents, it is necessary to suppress resonance. In this paper, a new suppression method, which uses the effect of source connected points in resonance circuits, is proposed. First it shows that the optimal point, which gives a minimum current amplification degree, is orthogonal to the static condenser voltage. Then, using the eigenvector of the state equation, the participation factor is defined. When the participation factor is zero, the orthogonality condition is introduced. Therefore, the optimal point is obtained with the participation factor. Finally, numerical investigation shows that multiple optimal points usually exist. Therefore, we can choose the most advantageous point as a source‐connected node. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 182(1): 18–29, 2013; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.22307     

Ex Vivo Expanded and Activated Natural Killer Cells Prolong the Overall Survival of Mice with Glioblastoma-like Cell-Derived Tumors

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the leading malignant intracranial tumor and is associated with a poor prognosis. Highly purified, activated natural killer (NK) cells, designated as genuine induced NK cells (GiNKs), represent a promising immunotherapy for GBM. We evaluated the anti-tumor effect of GiNKs in association with the programmed death 1(PD-1)/PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint pathway. We determined the level of PD-1 expression, a receptor known to down-regulate the immune response against malignancy, on GiNKs. PD-L1 expression on glioma cell lines (GBM-like cell line U87MG, and GBM cell line T98G) was also determined. To evaluate the anti-tumor activity of GiNKs in vivo, we used a xenograft model of subcutaneously implanted U87MG cells in immunocompromised NOG mice. The GiNKs expressed very low levels of PD-1. Although PD-L1 was expressed on U87MG and T98G cells, the expression levels were highly variable. Our xenograft model revealed that the retro-orbital administration of GiNKs and interleukin-2 (IL-2) prolonged the survival of NOG mice bearing subcutaneous U87MG-derived tumors. PD-1 blocking antibodies did not have an additive effect with GiNKs for prolonging survival. GiNKs may represent a promising cell-based immunotherapy for patients with GBM and are minimally affected by the PD-1/PD-L1 immune evasion axis in GBM.     

Three‐site mechanism and molecular weight: Time dependency in liquid propylene batch polymerization using a MgCl2‐supported Ziegler‐Natta catalyst

This article demonstrates that the molecular weight of propylene homopolymer decreases with time, and that the molecular weight distribution (MWD) narrows when a highly active MgCl₂‐supported catalyst is used in a liquid pool polymerization at constant H₂ concentration and temperature. To track the change in molecular weight and its distribution during polymerization, small portions of homo polymer samples were taken during the reaction. These samples were analyzed by Cross Fractionation Chromatograph (CFC), and the resulting data were treated with a three‐site model. These analyses clearly showed that the high molecular weight fraction of the distribution decreases as a function of time. At the same time, the MWD narrows because the weight‐average molecular weight decreases faster than the number‐average molecular weight. A probable mechanism based on the reaction of an external donor with AlEt₃ is proposed to explain these phenomena. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 81: 1035–1047, 2001     

Carbon Nitride Loaded with an Ultrafine,Monodisperse, Metallic Platinum-Cluster Cocatalyst for the Photocatalytic Hydrogen-Evolution Reaction

For the realization of a next-generation energy society, further improvement in the activity of water-splitting photocatalysts is essential. Platinum (Pt) is predicted to be the most effective cocatalyst for hydrogen evolution from water. However, when the number of active sites is increased by decreasing the particle size, the Pt cocatalyst is easily oxidized and thereby loses its activity. In this study, a method to load ultrafine, monodisperse, metallic Pt nanoclusters (NCs) on graphitic carbon nitride is developed, which is a promising visible-light-driven photocatalyst. In this photocatalyst, a part of the surface of the Pt NCs is protected by sulfur atoms, preventing oxidation. Consequently, the hydrogen-evolution activity per loading weight of Pt cocatalyst is significantly improved, 53 times, compared with that of a Pt-cocatalyst loaded photocatalyst by the conventional method. The developed method is also effective to enhance the overall water-splitting activity of other advanced photocatalysts such as SrTiO₃ and BaLa₄Ti₄O₁₅.     

Tantalum-gate thin-film SOI nMOS and pMOS for low-powerapplications

The threshold voltages of thin-film fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) nMOS and pMOS have been controlled by employing tantalum (Ta) as the gate materials. Ta-gate FDSOI MOSFET's have excellent threshold voltage control for 1.0 V application on low impurity concentration SOI layers in both nMOS and pMOS. The low-temperature processing after the gate oxidation step leads to good on/off characteristics in Ta-gate SOI MOSFET's because of no reaction between Ta gate electrode and SiO₂ gate insulator. This technology makes it possible to drastically decrease the number of the process steps for CMOS fabrication, because the same gate material is available for both nMOS and pMOS     

Usefulness of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for treatment of fulminant myocarditis and circulatory collapse

Prognosis for fulminant myocarditis with cardiogenic shock refractory to conventional therapy is poor. This report describes mechanical circulatory support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as an effective alternative for treating fulminant myocarditis with circulatory collapse.     

Monocytes from mobilized stem cells inhibit T cell function

The conserved Trp residue within helix 5 of the N-lobe of human serum transferrin (hTF/2N, 40 kDa) has been mutated to Tyr. NMR and CD spectra and energy calculations show that the mutation causes little perturbation of the overall structure of hTF/2N although the chelating agent Tiron removed Fe3+ from the mutant protein about three times faster than from wild-type hTF/2N. 1H-NMR resonances of residues in the Leu122-Trp128-Ile132 hydrophobic patch are assigned both by ring current calculations and with the aid of the mutation. [1H, 15N]-NMR resonances for 11 of the 14 Tyr residues were observed in the spectra of 15N-Tyr-hTF/2N and a resonance for Tyr128 was assignable in spectra of the mutant. The 15N resonance of Y128 was sensitive to oxalate and Ga3+ binding, and Ga3+ binding perturbed 15N resonances for most of the Tyr residues. Since these are well distributed over the N-lobe, it can be concluded that metal-induced structural changes are not merely local to the binding site.