Effect of lattice distortions on the electron and thermal transport properties of transparent oxide semiconductor Ba1-xSrxSnO3 solid solution films

La-doped ASnO3 (A = Ba, Sr) have great potential as advanced transparent oxide semiconductors due to their large optical bandgap and relatively high electron mobility. The bandgap of Ba1-xSrxSnO3 solid solution increases from 3.2 eV (BaSnO3) to 4.6 eV (SrSnO3) with x. However, the increase in the bandgap is accompanied by reductions in the electrical conductivity. The versatility in the changes in the electrical properties are not trivial, and the property optimization has been challenging. Here we propose a simple metric for quantifying the transport properties of ASnO3. We investigated the electron/thermal transport properties of Ba1-xSrxSnO3 solid solution films and their relationship with the lattice distortion. The results suggest that the all transport properties of Ba1-xSrxSnO3 are dominated by the lattice distortion. This phenomenon is attributed to the distortions in the SnO6 octahedron, which consists the conduction band

Melatonin enhances vertical bone augmentation in rat calvaria secluded spaces

Background: Melatonin has many roles, including bone remodeling and osseointegration of dental implants. The topical application of melatonin facilitated bone regeneration in bone defects. We evaluated the effects of topical application of melatonin on vertical bone augmentation in rat calvaria secluded spaces. Material and Methods: In total, 12 male Fischer rats were used and two plastic caps were fixed in the calvarium. One plastic cap was filled with melatonin powder and the other was left empty. Results: Newly generated bone at bone defects and within the plastic caps was evaluated using micro-CT and histological sections. New bone regeneration within the plastic cap was increased significantly in the melatonin versus the control group. Conclusions: Melatonin promoted vertical bone regeneration in rat calvaria in the secluded space within the plastic cap

Characterization and hydrodesulfurization activity of CoMo catalysts supported on sol-gel prepared Al2O3

A series of CoMo/Al2O3 catalysts was prepared by impregnation on a series of alumina powders synthesized by the sol-gel method with different hydrolysis ratios R (defined as [H2O] / [aluminum-tri-sec-butoxide (ASB)]; R = 3, 4, ..., 12, 13). The oxide precursors were characterized and subsequently tested in the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of thiophene, dibenzothiophene (DBT), and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT). Mainly due to their large pore diameters of ca. 6 nm, the catalysts prepared from the alumina with hydrolysis ratio R = 7 ~ 10 showed higher HDS activity compared with the activities of the other prepared catalysts. The effect of the pore diffusional limitation was more significant than expected, due to the ink-bottle shape of the pores of the prepared catalysts with hydrolysis ratio R 10. Due to highly dispersed CoMo active phase, the HDS activity of the prepared catalysts with hydrolysis ratio R = 8 and 9 for thiophene was similar to that of a reference industrial catalyst that was designed and manufactured for deep HDS of diesel fuel fractions. Furthermore, the HDS activity of the prepared catalysts with hydrolysis ratio R > 5 for DBT was higher than that of the reference industrial catalyst. For 4,6-DMDBT, however, the reference industrial catalyst showed higher HDS activity compared with the activities of the prepared catalysts. Relatively high HDS activity was observed for the prepared catalysts with R = 9 and 10 with cylindrical pore shape and with a high proportion of strong acid sites. The strong acidity supposedly enhanced the hydrogenation activity of the catalysts that was essential for the HDS of 4,6-DMDBT

Vitrification of Germinal Vesicle Stage Oocytes

In order to cryopreserve germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes, we first need to develop a novel container for keeping large quantities of GV oocytes, because of collecting them as cumulus oocytes complexes (COCs) that have bigger size and larger volume than oocytes themselves, and second modify a protocol for optimizing vitrification of them. In this mini-review, we describe our recent progress for attaining these objectives. When 65 bovine COCs having GV oocytes could be placed on a sheet of nylon mesh, and plunged directly into liquid nitrogen for vitrification, the recovery rate was significantly higher compared with that in 15 ones on the electron microscope (EM) grid as a control, followed by obtaining the resultant cleavage and developmental rates after in vitro fertilization and culture (IVFC) without significant difference. Using bovine and murine oocytes, we found that a step-wise manner to expose them with the vitrification solution increased rates of in vitro maturation, subsequent development to blastocysts and hatching/hatched blastocysts after IVFC. Our results show that nylon mesh is an alternative material for cryopreserving large quantities of bovine GV oocytes, and that a step-wise exposure to cryoprotectants may have befit for decreasing disadvantage during vitrification

Differential distribution of NMDA receptor subunit mRNA in the rat cochlear nucleus

The distribution and expression of mRNAs for different subunits of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) were examined in the cochlear nucleus (CN) of the rat using radioactive in situ hybridization methods. Heavy labeling for NMDAR1 subunit mRNA was observed in all major CN neuronal types with lower labeling for NMDAR2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D mRNA. Silver grain counting was used to compare expression of different NMDAR2 subunits between six of the major CN cell types. Small cells of the small cell cap/shell area had the highest expression of NMDAR2A–C subunit mRNAs of the cell types assessed. These small cells as well as fusiform and corn cells of the dorsal cochlear nucleus had higher NMDAR2C than other NMDAR2 subunits, providing these neuron types with a distinct expression pattern or profile. The other three cell types assessed, spherical bushy cells, granule cells, and octopus cells had relatively equivalent levels of NMDAR2A–C subunit expressions, providing a second distinct profile. NMDAR2D mRNA had low expression in all six cell types assessed. Microsc. Res. Tech. 41:217–223, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/35182/1/5_ftp.pd

A bacterial platform for fermentative production of plant alkaloids

The secondary metabolites of higher plants include diverse chemicals, such as alkaloids, isoprenoids and phenolic compounds (phenylpropanoids and flavonoids). Although these compounds are widely used in human health and nutrition, at present they are mainly obtained by extraction from plants and extraction yields are low because most of these metabolites accumulate at low levels in plant cells. Recent advances in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering have enabled tailored production of plant secondary metabolites in microorganisms, but these methods often require the addition of expensive substrates. Here we develop an Escherichia coli fermentation system that yields plant alkaloids from simple carbon sources, using selected enzymes to construct a tailor-made biosynthetic pathway. In this system, engineered cells cultured in growth medium without additional substrates produce the plant benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, (S)-reticuline (yield, 46.0 mg l−1 culture medium). The fermentation platform described here offers opportunities for low-cost production of many diverse alkaloids