Fabrication and current-voltage characterization of a ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate/AlGaN∕GaN field effect transistor

We demonstrated ferroelectricfield effect transistors (FFETs) with hysteretic I-V characteristics in a modulation-doped field effect transistors(MODFET)AlGaN∕GaN platform with ferroelectricPb(Zr,Ti)O3 between a GaN channel and a gate metal. The pinch-off voltage was about 6–7V comparable to that of conventional Schottky gate MODFET. Counterclockwise hysteresis appeared in the transfer characteristics with a drain current shift of ∼5mA for zero gate-to-source voltage. This direction is opposite and much more pronounced than the defect induced clockwise hysteresis in conventional devices, which suggests that the key factor contributing to the counterclockwise hysteresis of the FFET is the ferroelectric switching effect of the lead zirconate titanate gate

전립선 선암종에서 Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase 유전자형에 따른 CpG 섬 좌, LINE-1 및 Alu의 메틸화 양상 분석

Background : Genetic polymorphism of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), in association with the influence of MTHFR upon DNA methylation, may cause differences of the methylation profile of cancer. Thus, we investigated the relationship between the methylation status of prostate adenocarcinoma and the genetic polymorphism of MTHFR. Methods : We examined 179 cases of prostate adenocarcinoma for determining the genotypes of MTHFR 677 and 1298, the methylation status of 16 CpG island loci and the methylation levels of the LINE-1 and Alu repeats with using polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism, methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and combined bisulphite restriction analysis, respectively. Results : There was a higher proportion of the CT genotype of MTHFR 677 in the prostate adenocarcinoma than that in the normal control. The TT genotype of MTHFR 677 showed the highest frequency of methylation in six out of nine major CpG island loci, and these were which were frequently hypermethylated in prostate adenocarcinoma. The CT type showed the lowest methylation levels of LINE-1 and Alu among the MTHFR 677 genotypes. Interestingly, the CC type of MTHFR 1298 demonstrated favorable prognostic factors. Conclusions : Our study is the first to examine the methylation profile of prostate adenocarcinoma according to the MTHFR genotypes. The differences of the cancer risk, the genomic hypomethylation and the prognosis between the MTHFR genotypes in prostate adenocarcinoma should be further explored.Johansson M, 2007, CANCER CAUSE CONTROL, V18, P1169, DOI 10.1007/s10552-007-9055-zHubner RA, 2007, INT J CANCER, V120, P1027, DOI 10.1002/ijc.22440Cho NY, 2007, J PATHOL, V211, P269, DOI 10.1002/path.2106Pereira TV, 2006, CANCER EPIDEM BIOMAR, V15, P1956, DOI 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-06-0334Larsson SC, 2006, GASTROENTEROLOGY, V131, P1271, DOI 10.1053/j.gastro.2006.08.010Cadieux B, 2006, CANCER RES, V66, P8469, DOI 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-06-1547Graziano F, 2006, INT J CANCER, V118, P628, DOI 10.1002/ijc.21397Karpf AR, 2005, CANCER RES, V65, P8635, DOI 10.1158/0008-5472Kono S, 2005, CANCER SCI, V96, P535, DOI 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2005.00090.xLe Marchand L, 2005, CANCER EPIDEM BIOMAR, V14, P1198Friso S, 2005, CURR DRUG METAB, V6, P37Weisenberger DJ, 2005, NUCLEIC ACIDS RES, V33, P6823, DOI 10.1093/nar/gki987Chalitchagorn K, 2004, ONCOGENE, V23, P8841, DOI 10.1038/sj.onc.1208137Cicek MS, 2004, CANCER EPIDEM BIOMAR, V13, P1331Castro R, 2004, J MED GENET, V41, P454, DOI 10.1136/jmg.2003.017244Kim YI, 2004, CANCER EPIDEM BIOMAR, V13, P511Yang AS, 2004, NUCLEIC ACIDS RES, V32, DOI 10.1093/nar/gnh032Nelson WG, 2003, NEW ENGL J MED, V349, P366Gaudet F, 2003, SCIENCE, V300, P489Bariol C, 2003, AM J PATHOL, V162, P1361Shen HB, 2001, INT J CANCER, V95, P332, DOI 10.1002/1097-0215(20010920)95:53.0.CO2-9Kimura F, 2000, PROSTATE, V45, P225Weisberg I, 1998, MOL GENET METAB, V64, P169Esteller M, 1997, CARCINOGENESIS, V18, P2307Blount BC, 1997, P NATL ACAD SCI USA, V94, P3290Ma J, 1997, CANCER RES, V57, P1098Chen J, 1996, CANCER RES, V56, P4862FROSST P, 1995, NAT GENET, V10, P111

Mobilization of genomic islands of Staphylococcus aureus by temperate bacteriophage

The virulence of Staphylococcus aureus, in both human and animal hosts, is largely influenced by the acquisition of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Most S. aureus strains carry a variety of MGEs, including three genomic islands (νSaα, νSaβ, νSaγ) that are diverse in virulence gene content but conserved within strain lineages. Although the mobilization of pathogenicity islands, phages and plasmids has been well studied, the mobilization of genomic islands is poorly understood. We previously demonstrated the mobilization of νSaβ by the adjacent temperate bacteriophage ϕSaBov from strain RF122. In this study, we demonstrate that ϕSaBov mediates the mobilization of νSaα and νSaγ, which are located remotely from ϕSaBov, mostly to recipient strains belonging to ST151. Phage DNA sequence analysis revealed that chromosomal DNA excision events from RF122 were highly specific to MGEs, suggesting sequence-specific DNA excision and packaging events rather than generalized transduction by a temperate phage. Disruption of the int gene in ϕSaBov did not affect phage DNA excision, packaging, and integration events. However, disruption of the terL gene completely abolished phage DNA packing events, suggesting that the primary function of temperate phage in the transfer of genomic islands is to allow for phage DNA packaging by TerL and that transducing phage particles are the actual vehicle for transfer. These results extend our understanding of the important role of bacteriophage in the horizontal transfer and evolution of genomic islands in S. aureus

Subclinical Hypothyroidism has Little Influences on Muscle Mass or Strength in Elderly People

Sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle mass, affects the muscle strength and muscle quality, and these changes decrease functional capacity. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction increases with age, and changes in thyroid hormone level lead to neuromuscular deficits. We investigated the effects of subclinical hypothyroidism on the muscle mass, strength or quality in elderly people. One thousand one hundred eighteen subjects aged ≥65 yr were randomly selected from a local population and classified into a euthyroid (280 men and 358 women), subclinically hypothyroid (61 men and 75 women), or overtly hypothyroid (7 men and 16 women) group. Although women with subclinical hypothyroidism had a higher prevalence of sarcopenia, defined according to the ratio of appendicular skeletal muscle mass to the square of height, muscle mass, strength or quality did not differ in relation to thyroid status in men or in women. Multivariate analysis including age, diabetes, hypertension, acute coronary event, alcohol, smoking, presence of pain, physical activity score, and lipid profile, showed that thyroid-stimulating hormone level was not associated with muscle mass, strength or quality. In conclusion, subclinical hypothyroidism has little influences on muscle mass, strength or quality, and may not be associated with sarcopenia

Impact of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Individual Components on the Presence and Severity of Angiographic Coronary Artery Disease

∙The authors have no financial conflicts of interest. Purpose: Metabolic syndrome (MS) has been reported as a potential risk factor of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aims of this study were to assess whether there was a relationship between MS score and CAD angiographic severity, and to assess the predictive value of individual components of MS for CAD. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 632 patients who underwent coronary angiography for suspected CAD (394 men, 61.0 ± 10.6 years of age). MS was defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program criteria with the waist criterion modified into a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25 kg/m 2. The MS score defined as the number of MS components. CAD was defined as> 50% luminal diameter stenosis of at least one major epicardial coronary artery. CAD angiographic severity was evaluated with a Gensini scoring system. Results: Of the patients, 497 (78.6%) had CAD and 283 (44.8%) were diagnosed with MS. The MS score was significantly related to the Gensini score. High fasting blood glucos

Cetaceans evolution:insights from the genome sequences of common minke whales

Background: Whales have captivated the human imagination for millennia. These incredible cetaceans are the only mammals that have adapted to life in the open oceans and have been a source of human food, fuel and tools around the globe. The transition from land to water has led to various aquatic specializations related to hairless skin and ability to regulate their body temperature in cold water. Results: We present four common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) genomes with depth of ×13 ~ ×17 coverage and perform resequencing technology without a reference sequence. Our results indicated the time to the most recent common ancestors of common minke whales to be about 2.3574 (95% HPD, 1.1521 - 3.9212) million years ago. Further, we found that genes associated with epilation and tooth-development showed signatures of positive selection, supporting the morphological uniqueness of whales. Conclusions: This whole-genome sequencing offers a chance to better understand the evolutionary journey of one of the largest mammals on earth

Discutindo a educação ambiental no cotidiano escolar: desenvolvimento de projetos na escola formação inicial e continuada de professores

A presente pesquisa buscou discutir como a Educação Ambiental (EA) vem sendo trabalhada, no Ensino Fundamental e como os docentes desta escola compreendem e vem inserindo a EA no cotidiano escolar., em uma escola estadual do município de Tangará da Serra/MT, Brasil. Para tanto, realizou-se entrevistas com os professores que fazem parte de um projeto interdisciplinar de EA na escola pesquisada. Verificou-se que o projeto da escola não vem conseguindo alcançar os objetivos propostos por: desconhecimento do mesmo, pelos professores; formação deficiente dos professores, não entendimento da EA como processo de ensino-aprendizagem, falta de recursos didáticos, planejamento inadequado das atividades. A partir dessa constatação, procurou-se debater a impossibilidade de tratar do tema fora do trabalho interdisciplinar, bem como, e principalmente, a importância de um estudo mais aprofundado de EA, vinculando teoria e prática, tanto na formação docente, como em projetos escolares, a fim de fugir do tradicional vínculo “EA e ecologia, lixo e horta”.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Composition and temperature dependent electronic structures of NiS2-xSex alloys: First-principles dynamical mean-field theory approach

We investigate the evolution of the electronic structure of NiS2-xSex alloys with varying temperature and composition x by using the combined approach of density-functional theory and dynamical mean-field theory. Adopting realistic alloy structures containing S and Se dimers, we map their electronic correlation strength on the phase diagram and observe the metal-insulator transition (MIT) at the composition x = 0.5, which is consistent with the experimental measurements. The temperature dependence of the local magnetic susceptibility is found to show a typical Curie-Weiss-like behavior in the insulating phase while it shows a constant Pauli-like behavior in the metallic phase. A comparison of the electronic structures for NiS2 and NiSe2 in different lattice structures suggests that the MIT in this alloy system can be classified as of bandwidth-control type, where the change in the hybridization strength between Ni d and chalcogen p orbitals is the most important parameter.113Nsciescopu

Genomic characteristics of cfr and fexA carrying Staphylococcus aureus isolated from pig carcasses in Korea

Abstract The emergence of transferable linezolid resistance genes poses significant challenges to public health, as it does not only confer linezolid resistance but also reduces susceptibility to florfenicol, which is widely used in the veterinary field. This study evaluated the genetic characteristics of linezolid-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from pig carcasses and further clarified potential resistance and virulence mechanisms in a newly identified sequence type. Of more than 2500 strains isolated in a prior study, 15 isolated from pig carcasses exhibited linezolid resistance (minimum inhibitory concentration ≥ 8 mg/L). The strains were characterized in detail by genomic analysis. Linezolid-resistant S. aureus strains exhibited a high degree of genetic lineage diversity, with one strain (LNZ_R_SAU_64) belonging to ST8004, which has not been reported previously. The 15 strains carried a total of 21 antibiotic resistance genes, and five carried mecA associated with methicillin resistance. All strains harbored cfr and fexA, which mediate resistance to linezolid, phenicol, and other antibiotics. Moreover, the strains carried enterotoxin gene clusters, including the hemolysin, leukotoxin, and protease genes, which are associated with humans or livestock. Some genes were predicted to be carried in plasmids or flanked by ISSau9 and the transposon Tn554, thus being transmittable between staphylococci. Strains carrying the plasmid replicon repUS5 displayed high sequence similarity (99%) to the previously reported strain pSA737 in human clinical samples in the United States. The results illustrate the need for continuous monitoring of the prevalence and transmission of linezolid-resistant S. aureus isolated from animals and their products