Polymer field-effect transistors by a drawing method

We demonstrated the polymer field-effect transistors (FETs) utilizing regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene)s (P3AT) films prepared by a drawing method. The P3AT film exhibited large optical dichroic ratio, which originated in the polymer backbones aligned to the drawing direction. In-plane anisotropy and enhancement of FET characteristics have been observed that are caused by molecular alignment. In the case of poly(3-dodecylthiophene), the hole mobility along the drawing direction was enhanced by a factor of 25 compared with that of spin-coated film

Determination by ultrafiltration of the fraction of unbound estradiol and its variation in peritoneal fluid during the menstrual cycle.

An ultrafiltration method employing a Centrifree filter for determining the unbound fraction of estradiol was studied. Centrifugation was performed under conditions similar to those in vivo. Good correlation was recognized between this method and the equilibrium dialysis. This method was employed to determine the unbound fraction of estradiol in the serum and the peritoneal fluid of 26 infertility patients classified according to their menstrual dates. The total estradiol and progesterone contents in the peritoneal fluid were high after ovulation. There was no significant difference in the percentage of unbound estradiol in the serum among various groups. In the peritoneal fluid, however, the percentage of unbound estradiol for the day 12-14 patients was 4.5 +/- 0.2% in contrast with 3.8 +/- 0.4% for the day 15-18 group (p less than 0.05) and 3.5 +/- 0.1% (p less than 0.05) for the day 19-28 group. Moreover, the fraction (4.5%) of unbound estradiol in the peritoneal fluid of a patient with luteinized unruptured follicle (LUF) syndrome was comparable with that of patients in the follicular phase. The difference between the percentage of unbound estradiol in the peritoneal fluid before and after ovulation is considered to be due to the transudation of follicular estradiol in the follicular phase and the exudation of estradiol from the corpus luteum into the peritoneal cavity in the luteal phase.</p

Highly polarized polymer light-emitting diodes utilizing friction-transferred poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) thin films

Polarized polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) have been constructed utilizing friction-transferred poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) thin films. The friction transfer technique allows oriented PFO to be deposited directly onto an indium tin oxide anode without an alignment layer such as polyimide. Polarized absorption and photoluminescence spectra revealed that the polymer backbones are highly aligned in the friction direction. We fabricated PLEDs consisting of friction-transferred PFO as an emissive layer, vacuum-deposited bathocuproine as an electron transport and hole-blocking layer, and a vacuum-deposited LiF/Al cathode. Highly polarized blue emission with an integrated polarization ratio of 31 and a luminance of up to 300 cd/m2 was observed from the PLEDs

Highly polarized polymer light-emitting diodes utilizing friction-transferred poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) thin films

Polarized polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) have been constructed utilizing friction-transferred poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) thin films. The friction transfer technique allows oriented PFO to be deposited directly onto an indium tin oxide anode without an alignment layer such as polyimide. Polarized absorption and photoluminescence spectra revealed that the polymer backbones are highly aligned in the friction direction. We fabricated PLEDs consisting of friction-transferred PFO as an emissive layer, vacuum-deposited bathocuproine as an electron transport and hole-blocking layer, and a vacuum-deposited LiF/Al cathode. Highly polarized blue emission with an integrated polarization ratio of 31 and a luminance of up to 300 cd/m2 was observed from the PLEDs

Polymer field-effect transistors by a drawing method

We demonstrated the polymer field-effect transistors (FETs) utilizing regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene)s (P3AT) films prepared by a drawing method. The P3AT film exhibited large optical dichroic ratio, which originated in the polymer backbones aligned to the drawing direction. In-plane anisotropy and enhancement of FET characteristics have been observed that are caused by molecular alignment. In the case of poly(3-dodecylthiophene), the hole mobility along the drawing direction was enhanced by a factor of 25 compared with that of spin-coated film

GIANT CHLOROPLAST 1 Is Essential for Correct Plastid Division in Arabidopsis

AbstractPlastids are vital plant organelles involved in many essential biological processes [1, 2]. Plastids are not created de novo but divide by binary fission mediated by nuclear-encoded proteins of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic origin [3–7]. Although several plastid division proteins have been identified in plants [8–17], limited information exists regarding possible division control mechanisms. Here, we describe the identification of GIANT CHLOROPLAST 1 (GC1), a new nuclear-encoded protein essential for correct plastid division in Arabidopsis. GC1 is plastid-localized and is anchored to the stromal surface of the chloroplast inner envelope by a C-terminal amphipathic helix. In Arabidopsis, GC1 deficiency results in mesophyll cells harbouring one to two giant chloroplasts, whilst GC1 overexpression has no effect on division. GC1 can form homodimers but does not show any interaction with the Arabidopsis plastid division proteins AtFtsZ1-1, AtFtsZ2-1, AtMinD1, or AtMinE1. Analysis reveals that GC1-deficient giant chloroplasts contain densely packed wild-type-like thylakoid membranes and that GC1-deficient leaves exhibit lower rates of CO2 assimilation compared to wild-type. Although GC1 shows similarity to a putative cyanobacterial SulA cell division inhibitor, our findings suggest that GC1 does not act as a plastid division inhibitor but, rather, as a positive factor at an early stage of the division process

Highly efficient polarized polymer light-emitting diodes utilizing oriented films of beta-phase poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene)

Uniaxially oriented films of beta-phase poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) were realized by a friction-transfer technique followed by thermal annealing and vapor treatments. Absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra show the characteristics of beta-phase: an additional absorption peak at 433 nm and redshifted PL peaks compared with those of the usual nematic (N) phase. We fabricated polarized polymer light-emitting diodes utilizing oriented films of beta-phase PFO. Highly polarized beta-phase emission with an integrated polarization ratio of 51 was observed from the devices. The efficiency of the devices based on beta-phase reached 2.0 cd/A, which is two times higher than that based on N-phase

Increased Rac1 activity and Pak1 overexpression are associated with lymphovascular invasion and lymph node metastasis of upper urinary tract cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and lymph node metastasis are conventional pathological factors associated with an unfavorable prognosis of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract (UC-UUT), but little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying LVI and nodal metastasis in this disease. Rac1 small GTPase (Rac1) is essential for tumor metastasis. Activated GTP-bound Rac1 (Rac1 activity) plays a key role in activating downstream effectors known as Pak (21-activated kinase), which are key regulators of cytoskeletal remolding, cell motility, and cell proliferation, and thus have a role in both carcinogenesis and tumor invasion.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We analyzed Rac1 activity and Pak1 protein expression in matched sets of tumor tissue, non-tumor tissue, and metastatic lymph node tissue obtained from the surgical specimens of 108 Japanese patients with UC-UUT.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Rac1 activity and Pak1 protein levels were higher in tumor tissue and metastatic lymph node tissue than in non-tumor tissue (both <it>P </it>< 0.0001). A high level of Rac1 activity and Pak1 protein expression in the primary tumor was related to poor differentiation (<it>P </it>< 0.05), muscle invasion (<it>P </it>< 0.01), LVI (<it>P </it>< 0.0001), and lymph node metastasis (<it>P </it>< 0.0001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that an increase of Rac1 activity and Pak1 protein was associated with a shorter disease-free survival time (<it>P </it>< 0.01) and shorter overall survival (<it>P </it>< 0.001). Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that high Rac1 activity, Pak1 protein expression and LVI were independent prognostic factors for shorter overall and disease-free survival times (<it>P </it>< 0.01) on univariate analysis, although only Pak1 and LVI had an influence (<it>P </it>< 0.05) according to multivariate analysis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings suggest that Rac1 activity and Pak1 are involved in LVI and lymph node metastasis of UC-UUT, and may be prognostic markers for this disease.</p

Three-dimensional 4K resolution video microscope in an orbitozygomatic approach for skull base tumor

Background: The authors propose that the newly developed three-dimensional 4K resolution (3D-4K) video microscope, Orbeye™, can be a user-friendly alternative tool for performing orbitozygomatic craniotomy and tumor removal. It was officially approved in Japan in October 2017.Case description: A 38-year-old, otherwise healthy, woman presented with left impaired visual acuity, motor aphasia, headache, and vomiting. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the presence of a large left sphenoid ridge meningioma with marked perifocal edema and mass effect. Using Orbeye™, en bloc orbitozygomatic craniotomy and skull base tumor removal were safely performed. It enabled us to perform the procedure, and to share the operative image owing to the realistic 3D perception of the operative field, its excellent illumination, and viewing angle. Especially, the lower viewing angle appeared to be extremely difficult to obtain using conventional methods. The patient resumed her daily life, and a postoperative MRI showed total removal of the tumor.Conclusions: Orbeye™ has overcome shortcomings of the operative microscope. It has a user-friendly design, and surgeons’ intraoperative fatigue and stress appear to be decreased. It is useful for observers to understand the skull base technical nuances using the 3D-4K image