Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha controls the hepatic CYP4A induction adaptive response to starvation and diabetes

The hepatic CYP4A enzymes are important fatty acid and prostaglandin omega-hydroxylases that are highly inducible by fibric acid hypolipidemic agents and other peroxisome proliferators. Induction of the CYP4A enzymes by peroxisome proliferators is mediated through the nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha). Fatty acids have recently been identified as endogenous ligands of PPARalpha, and this receptor has been implicated in the regulation of lipid homeostasis. In the present report we characterized the induction of the hepatic CYP4A genes in rats during the altered lipid metabolism associated with starvation and diabetes. The mRNA levels of CYP4A1, CYP4A2, and CYP4A3 were induced 7-17-fold in the livers of fasted animals and 3-8-fold in the livers of diabetic animals. This was accompanied by corresponding changes in CYP4A protein levels and arachidonic and lauric acid omega-hydroxylase activity. Interestingly, feeding animals after the fasting period caused as much as an 80% suppression of CYP4A mRNA levels, whereas CYP4A protein levels and functional activity returned to control values. A second PPARalpha-responsive gene, acyl-CoA oxidase, was also induced in rat liver by diabetes and fasting. By using PPARalpha-deficient mice, we unambiguously demonstrated that PPARalpha is strictly required for hepatic CYP4A induction by starvation and diabetes. Similarly, induction of hepatic thiolase and bifunctional enzyme also required expression of PPARalpha. This represents the first evidence for the pathophysiologically induced activation of a nuclear receptor.     

Evidence indicating that the extracellular loops of the mouse MC5 receptor do not participate in ligand binding

Inulin ethers carrying primary amino groups have many potential applications. O-(Aminopropyl)inulin is obtained from O-(cyanoethyl)inulin by reduction of the nitrile groups. Heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation using Raney-cobalt as the catalyst resulted in only partial conversion of the O-cyanoethyl into O-aminopropyl groups. Complete conversion of the nitriles to primary amines was achieved by a homogeneous reduction with an excess of sodium borohydride and cobaltous chloride or with metals in liquid ammonia-methanol. Optimal results were obtained with the latter method; 83% of the substituents were converted into primary amines and 17% were lost by dealkylation.     

Small Molecule Host Materials for Solution Processed Phosphorescent Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

Solution processed phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been actively developed due to merits of high quantum efficiency of phosphorescent materials and simple fabrication processes of solution processed OLEDs. The device performances of the solution processed phosphorescent OLEDs have been greatly improved in the last 10 years and the progress of the device performances was made by the development of small molecule host materials for solution processes. A hybrid host of polymer and small molecules, a single small molecule host and a mixed host of small molecule hosts have effectively enhanced the quantum efficiency of the solution processed phosphorescent OLEDs. Therefore, this paper reviews recent developments in small molecule host materials for solution processed phosphorescent OLEDs and provides future directions for the development of the small molecule host materials.     

Transparent organic bistable memory devices using a low resistance transparent electrode

Pure polymer-based transparent organic bistable memory devices (TOBDs) were developed using transparent WO₃/Ag/WO₃(WAW) as a low resistance electrode. A device structure of indium tin oxide/polyphenylenevinylene/Al/WAW was used for the fabrication of TOBDs. PPV, as an active organic material without metal nanoparticles, was spin coated on a WAW electrode, which was followed by the deposition of an Al/WAW layer on PPV for bistability in PPV OBDs. PPV based transparent OBDs showed a high transparency and on/off ratio of 53% and 1000, respectively.     

A deterministic channel simulation model for spatially correlatedRayleigh fading

We propose a deterministic vector channel simulation model for generating the fading waveforms that satisfy not only rigorous temporal correlation but also arbitrary spatial correlation by means of Doppler phase difference sampling. The proposed method is more efficient than the conventional pseudonoise (PN) filtered Gaussian model with coloring process in evaluating the laboratory level performance of the mobile communication systems employing adaptive arrays or space diversity     

Air stable and low temperature evaporable Li3N as a n type dopant in organic light-emitting diodes

N doped organic light-emitting diodes were developed by using Li₃N as a n type dopant in electron transport layer. Driving voltage was greatly lowered by using Li₃N doped electron transport layer and combination of MoO₃ doped hole transport layer with Li₃N doped electron transport layer gave high quantum efficiency of 15% and low driving voltage of 4 V at 1000 cd/m² in green phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes. Decomposition of Li₃N during evaporation into Li and N₂ was found to be responsible for n doping effect of Li₃N.     

Experimental Investigations of Protection Schemes for Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Masks in Carrier Systems Against Horizontal Aerosol Flow

In extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL), conventional pellicles are unavailable for protecting the EUVL masks, since they highly absorb the EUV radiation. One of the serious challenges is therefore to prevent particulate contamination of the EUVL masks. In this paper, EUVL mask protection schemes proposed by Asbach were experimentally challenged against horizontal aerosol flow simulating particle transport from the side during mask handling, shipping, and storage at atmospheric pressure. The protection schemes include mounting the critical surface facing down, using a cover plate with particle trap, and applying electrophoresis or thermophoresis. Both electrophoresis and thermophoresis showed very good protection capabilities. Electrophoresis, however, might be counterproductive due to the unknown particle charge polarity in real situations. A particle trap, on which contaminant particles can deposit before they reach the critical surface, could then be used to collect all particles irrespective of their polarity with a sufficiently high electric field but might not work against zero-charged particles. On the other hand, thermophoresis acts on all particles and transports them in the same direction. Therefore, the upside-down mounting and thermophoresis with the cover plate and particle trap are considered the promising protection schemes for the EUVL mask carrier systems     

Development of a method based on ESR spectroscopy for the identification of irradiated beef,pork, and chicken meats

The electron spin resonance (ESR) spintrapping method for the detection of irradiated beef, pork, and chicken was studied using a α-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone (POBN) spin trapper in the dose of 0.5–7 kGy. Irradiation caused a significant increase in the ESR signal intensity of samples with hyperfine coupling constants of a ^N=1.57 mT and a ^H=0.25 mT, which correspond to lipid-derived radicals. In contrast, un-irradiated samples exhibited a weak ESR signal with no hyperfine coupling constants. The irradiation-induced lipid radical stability vs. temperature was also studied at room temperature, −4 and −18°C using 3 kGy irradiated beef. Temperature did not affect ESR signal intensity or the hyperfine coupling constants. To investigate the applicability of the proposed procedure for pork and chicken, a comparison of the spectra at the hyperfine coupling constants confirmed the presence of lipid-derived radicals in the samples.     

Simplified p-i-n organic light-emitting diodes using an universal ambipolar material

A simplified p-i-n organic light-emitting diode with only one organic material in the emitting layer and the charge transport layer was developed. A blue light-emitting material, 2-methyl-9,10-di(2-naphthyl) anthracene (MADN), was used as a host in the light-emitting layer, a hole transport material and an electron transport material. P type and n type dopants were doped into the MADN and the p-doped and n-doped MADN layers were used as charge transport layers to fabricate p-i-n type devices. The p-i-n type simple blue device with the MADN in all organic layers showed better power efficiency than the conventional organic light-emitting diodes.     

Statistical Lagrangian particle tracking approach to investigate the effect of thermophoresis on particle deposition onto a face-up flat surface in a parallel airflow

Thermophoresis can affect the particulate contamination of wafers and photomasks. Thermophoretic effect on particle deposition velocity in the cleanroom environment has been intensively investigated for the free-standing wafer situated perpendicular to the top-down airflow, but it has been examined by few studies for the wafers or photomasks in the parallel airflow. In this study, the particle deposition velocity onto a face-up flat surface under the influence of thermophoresis was numerically investigated, when the face-up flat surface was exposed to the parallel airflow. Statistical Lagrangian Particle Tracking (SLPT) model with the aid of commercial codes, i.e. FLUENT and DPM, was employed. The SLPT model was validated by comparing the numerically obtained particle deposition velocities with the theoretically predicted data, with and without considering the thermophoresis, and found to produce correct results. The effects of temperature difference (between the face-up flat surface and the ambient air), parallel airflow velocity, and particle density on the particle deposition velocity onto the face-up flat surface in the parallel airflow were investigated using the SLPT model, when the temperature of the face-up flat surface was either higher or lower than the ambient temperature.