A novel MONOS memory with high-κ HfLaON as charge-storage layer

MIS capacitors with a high-κ HfLaON or HfLaO gate dielectric are fabricated by using a reactive sputtering method to investigate the applicability of the films as a novel charge-storage layer in a metaloxidenitrideoxidesilicon nonvolatile memory device. Experimental results indicate that the MIS capacitor with a HfLaON gate dielectric exhibits a large memory window, high program/erase speed, excellent endurance property, and reasonable retention. The involved mechanisms for these promising characteristics with HfLaON are thought to be in part from nitrogen incorporation leading to higher density of traps with deeper levels and, thus, higher trapping efficiency, stronger HfN and LaN bonds, and more stable atomic structure and HfLaONSiO 2 interface, as compared to the HfLaO dielectric. © 2011 IEEE.published_or_final_versio

Gold Nanorods Embedded in Polymeric Film for Killing Bacteria by Generating Reactive Oxygen Species with Light

: For the first time, anisotropic gold nanorods (AuNRs) were embedded with a photosensitizer dye (crystal violet) in polyurethane (PU) matrix to create the effective antimicrobial film, capable of killing Gram-negative bacteria on its surface when exposed to white light. The dye, when activated with white light, interacts with the AuNRs to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which kill bacteria. With a proper control of the aspect ratio (2.1−2.4) and coating of the AuNRs, the film can be tuned to reduce the bacteria population of one to four orders of magnitude (1-log to 4- log) under 11 klux of light, for an exposure to light between 1 to 3 h. Particularly it could reduce 104 cfu/cm2 to the level of 1−5 cfu/cm2 in 3 h of light exposure. This was a desired performance for use on hospital surfaces. In addition, the system showed antimicrobial effect only when exposed to light, which eliminated the concern for a cumulative toxic effect on subjects exposed to the material for a long period of time and limited the time given to the bacteria to develop resistance against the system. Furthermore, this process of sterilization could be carried out by a commercially available white light lamp, which when in use did not interrupt the normal routine operation of the environment

Nanomechanical sensors: Measuring a response in blood

Nanomechanical cantilevers can determine the concentration of active drugs in human serum

Deformation of the Fermi surface in the extended Hubbard model

The deformation of the Fermi surface induced by Coulomb interactions is investigated in the t-t'-Hubbard model. The interplay of the local U and extended V interactions is analyzed. It is found that exchange interactions V enhance small anisotropies producing deformations of the Fermi surface which break the point group symmetry of the square lattice at the Van Hove filling. This Pomeranchuck instability competes with ferromagnetism and is suppressed at a critical value of U(V). The interaction V renormalizes the t' parameter to smaller values what favours nesting. It also induces changes on the topology of the Fermi surface which can go from hole to electron-like what may explain recent ARPES experiments.Comment: 5 pages, 4 ps figure

Chemical physics: The standing of a mature discipline

It is always promising and enticing to start a new editorial task in the scientific arena and the launch of the Chemistry Central Journal is no exception. The different thematic sections making up this journal are quite representative of the whole chemistry enterprise. However, one of them has a special relevance. In fact, Chemical Physics (CP) is the most general and it embodies a wide diversity of issues. Of particular importance at the launch of this groundbreaking new journal is the confidence of the Section Editor in BioMed Central (owners of Chemistry Central) as publishers, and from Chemistry Central to its Editorial Board. I feel deeply grateful for this new assignment and I hope to be able to perform a thorough job in editing this section. Below, I make my request to you as potential authors and reviewers

Therapeutic effects of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate on acute lung injury in rabbits

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is an early characteristic of multiple organ dysfunction, responsible for high mortality and poor prognosis in patients. The present study aims to evaluate therapeutic effects and mechanisms of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on ALI.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Alveolar-arterial oxygen difference, lung tissue edema and compromise, NF-κB activation in polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN), and systemic levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFa) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in rabbits induced by the intravenous administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and treated with PDTC. Production of TNFa and IL-8, activation of Cathepsin G, and PMNs adhesion were also measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The intravenous administration of PDTC had partial therapeutic effects on endotoxemia-induced lung tissue edema and damage, neutrophil influx to the lung, alveolar-capillary barrier dysfunction, and high systemic levels of TNFa and ICAM-1 as well as over-activation of NF-κB. PDTC could directly and partially inhibit LPS-induced TNFa hyper-production and over-activities of Cathepsin G. Such inhibitory effects of PDTC were related to the various stimuli and enhanced through combination with PI3K inhibitor.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>NF-κB signal pathway could be one of targeting molecules and the combination with other signal pathway inhibitors may be an alternative of therapeutic strategies for ALI/ARDS.</p

Mucosal Application of gp140 Encoding DNA Polyplexes to Different Tissues Results in Altered Immunological Outcomes in Mice

Increasing evidence suggests that mucosally targeted vaccines will enhance local humoral and cellular responses whilst still eliciting systemic immunity. We therefore investigated the capacity of nasal, sublingual or vaginal delivery of DNA-PEI polyplexes to prime immune responses prior to mucosal protein boost vaccination. Using a plasmid expressing the model antigen HIV CN54gp140 we show that each of these mucosal surfaces were permissive for DNA priming and production of antigen-specific antibody responses. The elicitation of systemic immune responses using nasally delivered polyplexed DNA followed by recombinant protein boost vaccination was equivalent to a systemic prime-boost regimen, but the mucosally applied modality had the advantage in that significant levels of antigen-specific IgA were detected in vaginal mucosal secretions. Moreover, mucosal vaccination elicited both local and systemic antigen-specific IgG(+) and IgA(+) antibody secreting cells. Finally, using an Influenza challenge model we found that a nasal or sublingual, but not vaginal, DNA prime/protein boost regimen protected against infectious challenge. These data demonstrate that mucosally applied plasmid DNA complexed to PEI followed by a mucosal protein boost generates sufficient antigen-specific humoral antibody production to protect from mucosal viral challenge