α-Synuclein Transgenic Drosophila As a Model of Parkinson's Disease and Related Synucleinopathies

α-Synuclein (α-Syn) is a major component of protein inclusions known as Lewy bodies, which are hallmarks of synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease (PD). The α-Syn gene is one of the familial PD-causing genes and is also associated with an increased risk of sporadic PD. Numerous studies using α-Syn expressing transgenic animals have indicated that α-Syn plays a critical role in the common pathogenesis of synucleinopathies. Drosophila melanogaster has several advantages for modeling human neurodegenerative diseases and is widely used for studying their pathomechanisms and therapies. In fact, Drosophila models expressing α-Syn have already been established and proven to replicate several features of human PD. In this paper, we review the current research on synucleinopathies using α-Syn Drosophila models and, moreover, explore the possibilities of these models for comprehensive genetic analyses and large-scale drug screening towards elucidating the molecular pathogenesis and developing therapies for synucleinopathies

Time-of-flight analysis of charge mobility in a Cu-phthalocyanine-based discotic liquid crystal semiconductor

We used a time-of-flight method to study the charge carrier mobility properties of a molecular-aligned discotic liquid crystal semiconductor based on Cu-phthalocyanine. The heated isotropic-phase semiconductor material was sandwiched between transparent electrodes coated onto glass substrates without conventional alignment layers. This was then cooled, and a discotic liquid crystal semiconductor cell was obtained, which we used to make mobility measurements. The material had a fixed molecular alignment due to the supercooling of the hexagonal columnar mesophase. It was clarified that the carrier mobility for electrons was as high as it was for holes at room temperature. The maximum value of negative charge mobility reached 2.60x10(-3) cm(2)/V s, although negative carrier mobility is often much lower than positive carrier mobility in other organic semiconductors, including conventional Cu-phthalocyanine vacuum-deposited films.ArticleAPPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS. 85(16):3474-3476 (2004)journal articl

Time-of-flight analysis of charge mobility in a Cu-phthalocyanine-based discotic liquid crystal semiconductor

We used a time-of-flight method to study the charge carrier mobility properties of a molecular-aligned discotic liquid crystal semiconductor based on Cu-phthalocyanine. The heated isotropic-phase semiconductor material was sandwiched between transparent electrodes coated onto glass substrates without conventional alignment layers. This was then cooled, and a discotic liquid crystal semiconductor cell was obtained, which we used to make mobility measurements. The material had a fixed molecular alignment due to the supercooling of the hexagonal columnar mesophase. It was clarified that the carrier mobility for electrons was as high as it was for holes at room temperature. The maximum value of negative charge mobility reached 2.60x10(-3) cm(2)/V s, although negative carrier mobility is often much lower than positive carrier mobility in other organic semiconductors, including conventional Cu-phthalocyanine vacuum-deposited films.ArticleAPPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS. 85(16):3474-3476 (2004)journal articl

The Effect of Hybrid Photovoltaic Thermal Device Operating Conditions on Intrinsic Layer Thickness Optimization of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells

Historically, the design of hybrid solar photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems has focused on cooling crystalline silicon (c-Si)-based photovoltaic (PV) devices to avoid temperature-related losses. This approach neglects the associated performance losses in the thermal system and leads to a decrease in the overall exergy of the system. Consequently, this paper explores the use of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) as an absorber material for PVT in an effort to maintain higher and more favourable operating temperatures for the thermal system. Amorphous silicon not only has a smaller temperature coefficient than c-Si, but also can display improved PV performance over extended periods of higher temperatures by annealing out defect states from the Staebler-Wronski effect. In order to determine the potential improvements in a-Si:H PV performance associated with increased thicknesses of the i-layers made possible by higher operating temperatures, a-Si:H PV cells were tested under 1 sun illumination (AM1.5) at temperatures of 25oC (STC), 50oC (representative PV operating conditions), and 90 oC (representative PVT operating conditions). PV cells with an i-layer thicknesses of 420, 630 and 840 nm were evaluated at each temperature. Results show that operating a-Si:H-based PV at 90 oC, with thicker i-layers than the cells currently used in commercial production, provided a greater power output compared to the thinner cells operating at either PV or PVT operating temperatures. These results indicate that incorporating a-Si:H as the absorber material in a PVT system can improve the thermal performance, while simultaneously improving the electrical performance of a-Si:H-based PV

Eco-friendly 3D Printing Mortar with Low Cement Content: Investigation on Printability and Mechanical Properties

The conventional approach to achieving optimal printability and buildability in 3D printing mortar relies heavily on cement, which is both costly and environmentally detrimental due to substantial carbon emissions from its production. This study aims to mitigate these issues by investigating the viability of slag as a partial substitute for cement, with the goal of developing an eco-friendly alternative. The newly formulated mortar, featuring a 30% reduction in cement content (from 830 to 581 kg/m3) and the inclusion of 0.10% micro-fibers, exhibits properties comparable to conventional 3D printing mortar. The research is structured into two parts: Part 1 focuses on determining the optimal fiber content, while Part 2 delves into the investigation of fiber-reinforced mortar with reduced cement content for 3D printing. Criteria were established to ensure mortar flow at 115%, initial printable time below 60 minutes, and 7-day compressive strength exceeding 28 MPa. Part 1 results indicate that a fiber content of 0.1% by volume meets the specified requirements. In Part 2, it was observed that increasing the slag replacement percentage extended the initial printable time and time gap. However, even at a 30% replacement rate, the initial printable time remained within the acceptable range, partially attributed to the presence of fibers in the mix. Additionally, higher slag content led to increased flow and reduced filament height in the mixes. Notably, all formulations surpassed the 7-day compressive strength threshold. These findings underscore the potential of slag as a sustainable alternative to cement in 3D printing fiber-reinforced mortar, offering promising prospects for environmentally friendly construction practices