Silicon nanowire devices

Transport measurements were carried out on 15–35 nm diameter silicon nanowires grown using SiH4 chemical vapor deposition via Au or Zn particle-nucleated vapor-liquid-solid growth at 440°C. Both Al and Ti/Au contacts to the wires were investigated. The wires, as produced, were essentially intrinsic, although Au nucleated wires exhibited a slightly higher conductance. Thermal treatment of the fabricated devices resulted in better electrical contacts, as well as diffusion of dopant atoms into the nanowires, and increased the nanowire conductance by as much as 10^4. Three terminal devices indicate that the doping of the wires is p type

Spontaneous patterning of quantum dots at the air-water interface

Nanoparticles deposited at the air-water interface are observed to form circular domains at low density and stripes at higher density. We interpret these patterns as equilibrium phenomena produced by a competition between an attraction and a longer-ranged repulsion. Computer simulations of a generic pair potential with attractive and repulsive parts of this kind, reproduce both the circular and stripe patterns. Such patterns have a potential use in nanoelectronic applications

Parallel fabrication and single-electron charging of devices based on ordered, two-dimensional phases of organically functionalized metal nanocrystals

A parallel technique for fabricating single-electron, solid-state capacitance devices from ordered, two-dimensional closest-packed phases of organically functionalized metal nanocrystals is presented. The nanocrystal phases were prepared as Langmuir monolayers and subsequently transferred onto Al-electrode patterned glass substrates for device construction. Alternating current impedance measurements were carried out to probe the single-electron charging characteristics of the devices under both ambient and 77 K conditions. Evidence of a Coulomb blockade and step structure reminiscent of a Coulomb staircase is presented

BIOMECHANICAL TRAITS ANALYSIS WHEN PERFORMING OF JUDO UCHIMATA BY POSTURE AND VOLUNTARY RESISTANCE LEVELS OF UKE

The purpose of this study was to analyze the biomechanical traits variables when performing uchimata (inner thigh reaping throw) by voluntary resistance levels (VRL) and two postures of uke (defender, receiver) in Judo. The postures of uke were shizenhontai (straight natural posture:NP) and jigohontai (straight defensive posture:DP), VRL of uke were 0% and 100%, respectively. The biomechanical variables were temporal (total time-required: TR), postures and COG during performing uchimata. It's important for jUdoists to prepare for individual analysis. prescription and countermeasures because they have experienced several variables when performing techniques according to opponent's postures and VRL in biomechanical aspects

Comparison of MRI features and surgical outcome among the subtypes of focal cortical dysplasia

AbstractPurposeFocal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is the most common pathological diagnosis in patients who have undergone surgical treatment for intractable neocortical epilepsy. However, presurgical identification of MRI abnormalities in FCD patients remains difficult, and there are no highly sensitive imaging parameters available that can reliably differentiate among FCD subtypes. The purpose of our study was to investigate the surgical outcome in FCD patients with identifiable MRI abnormalities and to evaluate the prognostic role of the various MRI features and the characteristics of FCD pathology.MethodsWe retrospectively recruited epilepsy patients who had undergone surgical treatment for refractory epilepsy with focal MRI abnormalities and the pathological diagnosis of FCD. We evaluated the surgical outcome according to the pathological subtypes, and studied the prognostic roles of various MRI features. We used recently proposed three-tiered FCD classification system which included FCD type III when FCD occurs in association with other potentially epileptogenic pathologies.ResultsA total of 69 patients were included, and 68.1% of patients became seizure free. Patients with FCD type III had a lower chance for achieving seizure freedom (7/15) than in patients with isolated FCD (FCD types I and II) (40/54, p=0.044). Cortical thickness and blurring of gray–white matter junction were more common in isolated FCD than in FCD type III, but most MRI features failed to differentiate between FCD types I and II, and only the transmantle sign was specific for FCD type II. We failed to find a prognostic value of specific MRI abnormalities of prognostic value in terms of post-epilepsy surgery outcome in FCD patients.ConclusionsOur study showed that patients with FCD III have poor surgical outcome. Typical MRI features of isolated FCD such as cortical thickness and blurring of gray–white matter junction were less common in FCD type III and only transmantle sign was helpful in differentiating between FCD types I and II

Overexpression of transglutaminase 2 accelerates the erythroid differentiation of human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cell line through PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

AbstractTransglutaminase 2 (TG2) is a GTP-binding protein with transglutaminase activity. Despite advances in the characterization of TG2 functions and their impact on cellular processes, the role of TG2 in Human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cell line is still poorly understood. To understand the biological significance of TG2 during the differentiation of K562 cells, we established and characterized K562 cells that specifically express TG2. Non-transfected K562 cells showed the increase of membrane-bound-TG2 level after 3 days in the response to Hemin and all trans-retinoic acid (tRA), indicating that membrane recruitment of TG2 is occurred during the erythroid differentiation. However, membrane recruitment of TG2 in TG2-transfected cells revealed within earlier time period, compared with that in vector-transfected cells. The ability of membrane-bound-TG2 to be photoaffinity-labeled with [α-32P]GTP was also increased in TG2-transfected cells. TG2-transfected cells activated Akt phosphorylation and inactivated ERK1/2 phosphorylation, compared with vector-transfected cells. Furthermore, phosphorylation of CREB, one of the Akt substrates, was increased in TG2-transfected cells and this phenomenon was confirmed by RT-PCR analysis of several marker genes related with erythroid lineage in the absence of PI3K specific inhibitor, Wortmannin, indicating that PI3K/Akt signaling pathway also involved in the differentiation of the cell. Finally, as results of benzidine positive staining as well as hemoglobinization analysis, overexpression of TG2 revealed acceleration of the erythroid differentiation of K562 cells. Taken together, there was no increased TG2 expression level in the response of Hemin/tRA and delayed differentiation in vector transfected cells than in TG2-transfected cells, suggesting that suppression of TG2 expression may retard the erythroid differentiation of K562 cells. Therefore, our study may give a new insight for another aspect of the development of this disease