Hydrothermal–galvanic couple synthesis of directionally oriented BaTiO3 thin films on TiN-coated substrates

AbstractBaTiO3 films were synthesized on TiN-coated Si substrate below 100°C by a hydrothermal–galvanic couple technique in barium contained alkaline solutions. X-ray diffraction and electron backscatter diffraction results show that the BaTiO3 thin films were directionally oriented grown on the TiN/Si substrates, i.e., (111) BaTiO3 over (111) TiN. The surface morphologies revealed that BaTiO3 nucleated and grew over the TiN surface with a single layer. From kinetic analyses, the growth rates of BaTiO3 films prepared by the hydrothermal–galvanic couple technique were faster than a hydrothermal method. The galvanic effects were confirmed by investigating the induced currents and energies. The galvanic currents were generated and controlled by both the dissolution of TiN and the formation of BaTiO3. The output electric energies increased rapidly with the reaction time and leveled off at the full coverage of BaTiO3

Potassium {4-[(3S,6S,9S)-3,6-dibenzyl-9-isopropyl-4,7,10-trioxo-11–oxa-2,5,8-triazadodecyl]phenyl}trifluoroborate

[[abstract]]The reported compound 4 was synthesized and fully characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, 11B NMR, 19F NMR, and high resolution mass spectrometry.[[booktype]]電子版[[countrycodes]]CH

ΔFosB Regulates Gene Expression and Cognitive Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer\u27s Disease.

Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) is characterized by cognitive decline and 5- to 10-fold increased seizure incidence. How seizures contribute to cognitive decline in AD or other disorders is unclear. We show that spontaneous seizures increase expression of ΔFosB, a highly stable Fos-family transcription factor, in the hippocampus of an AD mouse model. ΔFosB suppressed expression of the immediate early gene c-Fos, which is critical for plasticity and cognition, by binding its promoter and triggering histone deacetylation. Acute histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition or inhibition of ΔFosB activity restored c-Fos induction and improved cognition in AD mice. Administration of seizure-inducing agents to nontransgenic mice also resulted in ΔFosB-mediated suppression of c-Fos, suggesting that this mechanism is not confined to AD mice. These results explain observations that c-Fos expression increases after acute neuronal activity but decreases with chronic activity. Moreover, these results indicate a general mechanism by which seizures contribute to persistent cognitive deficits, even during seizure-free periods

High aspect ratio nanoimprinted grooves of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) control the length and direction of retraction fibers during fibroblast cell division

Retraction fibers (RFs) determine orientation of the cell division axis and guide the spreading of daughter cells. Long and unidirectional RFs, which are especially apparent during mitosis of cells in three-dimensional (3D) environments, enable improved control over cell fate, following division. However, 3D gel environments lack the cues necessary for predetermining the orientation of RFs to direct tissue architecture. While patterning of focal adhesion regions by microcontact printing can determine orientation of the RFs through enhancing focal adhesion numbers along particular directions, the RFs remain short due to the two-dimensional culture environment. Herein, the authors demonstrate that nanoimprinted grooves of polylactic acid glycolic acid (PLGA) with a high aspect ratio (A.R. of 2.0) can provide the cues necessary to control the direction of RFs, as well as enable the maintenance of long and unidirectional RFs as observed within 3D cultures, while the same is not possible with PLGA grooves of lower A.R. (1.0 or lower). Based on enhanced levels of contact guidance of premitotic fibroblast protrusions at high A.R. grooves and deeper levels of focal adhesion due to filopodia extensions into these grooves, it is suggested that submicron (800 nm width) PLGA grooves with A.R. of 2 are capable of supporting mechanical forces from cell protrusions to a greater depth, thereby enabling the maintenance of the protrusions as long and unidirectional RFs during cell division. Given the scalability and versatility of nanoimprint techniques, the authors envision a platform for designing nanostructures to direct tissue regeneration and developmental biology.This is the publisher’s final pdf. The article is copyrighted by the American Vacuum Society and published by Springer. It can be found at: http://link.springer.com/journal/13758See supplementary material at http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.4936589 for movies on cell trajectories during division on the grooves, as well as for alignment and elongation of pre-mitotic protrusions on PLGA grooves

Identification of a New Peptide for Fibrosarcoma Tumor Targeting and Imaging In Vivo

A 12-mer amino acid peptide SATTHYRLQAAN, denominated TK4, was isolated from a phage-display library with fibrosarcoma tumor-binding activity. In vivo biodistribution analysis of TK4-displaying phage showed a significant increased phage titer in implanted tumor up to 10-fold in comparison with normal tissues after systemic administration in mouse. Competition assay confirmed that the binding of TK4-phage to tumor cells depends on the TK4 peptide. Intravenous injection of 131I-labeled synthetic TK4 peptide in mice showed a tumor retention of 3.3% and 2.7% ID/g at 1- and 4-hour postinjection, respectively. Tumor-to-muscle ratio was 1.1, 5.7, and 3.2 at 1-, 4-, and 24-hour, respectively, and tumors were imaged on a digital γ-camera at 4-hour postinjection. The present data suggest that TK4 holds promise as a lead structure for tumor targeting, and it could be further applied in the development of diagnostic or therapeutic agent

Association of Suicide Risk With Headache Frequency Among Migraine Patients With and Without Aura

Background: Migraines with aura have been associated with suicide in adolescents and young adults, but the association between suicide and migraine frequency has not been determined. This study investigated suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among patients with varying frequencies of migraines, with and without auras.Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed 528 patients aged between 20 and 60 years from a headache outpatient clinic in Taiwan. All patients completed a set of questionnaires, including a demographic questionnaire, the Migraine Disability Assessment questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Suicide risk was evaluated by self-reported lifetime suicidal ideation and attempts. Patients were divided into low-frequency (1–4 days/month), moderate-frequency (5–8 days/month), high-frequency (9–14 days/month), and chronic (≥15 days/month) migraine groups. The association between migraine frequency and suicidality was investigated using multivariable linear regression and logistic regression.Results: The rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were the highest for chronic migraine with aura (ideation: 47.2%; attempts: 13.9%) and lowest in migraine-free controls (2.8%). Migraine frequency was an independent risk factor for suicidal ideation and attempts in patients with aura (both Ptrend < 0.001), but not in patients without auras. Migraine aura and depression were associated with higher risks of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in patients with migraine.Conclusion: High migraine frequency has a correlation with high suicide risk in patients who experience an aura, but not in other patients with migraine

Sexually transmitted disease surveillance 2007

Division of STD Prevention."December 2008."Also available via the World Wide Web as an html or an Acrobat .pdf file (7.3 MB, 194 p.).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2007. At lanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; December 2008

Impacts of Coulomb Interactions on the Magnetic Responses of Excitonic Complexes in Single Semiconductor Nanostructures

We report on the diamagnetic responses of different exciton complexes in single InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) and quantum rings (QRs). For QDs, the imbalanced magnetic responses of inter-particle Coulomb interactions play a crucial role in the diamagnetic shifts of excitons (X), biexcitons (XX), and positive trions (X−). For negative trions (X−) in QDs, anomalous magnetic responses are observed, which cannot be described by the conventional quadratic energy shift with the magnetic field. The anomalous behavior is attributed to the apparent change in the electron wave function extent after photon emission due to the strong Coulomb attraction by the hole in its initial state. In QRs, the diamagnetic responses of X and XX also show different behaviors. Unlike QDs, the diamagnetic shift of XX in QRs is considerably larger than that of X. The inherent structural asymmetry combined with the inter-particle Coulomb interactions makes the wave function distribution of XX very different from that of X in QRs. Our results suggest that the phase coherence of XX in QRs may survive from the wave function localization due to the structural asymmetry or imperfections

Urinary levels of organophosphate flame retardants metabolites in a young population from Southern Taiwan and potential health effects

BackgroundOrganophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are widely distributed in the environment and their metabolites are observed in urine, but little is known regarding OPFRs in a broad-spectrum young population from newborns to those aged 18 years.ObjectivesInvestigate urinary levels of OPFRs and OPFR metabolites in Taiwanese infants, young children, schoolchildren, and adolescents within the general population.MethodsDifferent age groups of subjects (n=136) were recruited from southern Taiwan to detect 10 OPFR metabolites in urine samples. Associations between urinary OPFRs and their corresponding metabolites and potential health status were also examined.ResultsThe mean level of urinary Σ10 OPFR in this broad-spectrum young population is 2.25 μg/L (standard deviation (SD) of 1.91 μg/L). Σ10 OPFR metabolites in urine are 3.25 ± 2.84, 3.06 ± 2.21, 1.75 ± 1.10, and 2.32 ± 2.29 μg/L in the age groups comprising of newborns, 1-5 year-olds, 6-10 year-olds, and 11-18 year-olds, respectively, and borderline significant differences were found in the different age groups (p=0.125). The OPFR metabolites of TCEP, BCEP, DPHP, TBEP, DBEP, and BDCPP predominate in urine and comprise more than 90% of the total. TBEP was highly correlated with DBEP in this population (r=0.845, p<0.001). The estimated daily intake (EDI) of Σ5OPFRs (TDCPP, TCEP, TBEP, TNBP, and TPHP) was 2,230, 461, 130, and 184 ng/kg bw/day for newborns, 1-5 yr children, 6-10 yr children, and 11-17 yr adolescents, respectively. The EDI of Σ5OPFRs for newborns was 4.83-17.2 times higher than the other age groups. Urinary OPFR metabolites are significantly correlated with birth length and chest circumference in newborns.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first investigation of urinary OPFR metabolite levels in a broad-spectrum young population. There tended to be higher exposure rates in both newborns and pre-schoolers, though little is known about their exposure levels or factors leading to exposure in the young population. Further studies should clarify the exposure levels and factor relationships