• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2012.08a
• /
• pp.186-186
• /
• 2012

This report investigates a new synthetic route and the size-dependent optical and electrical properties of PbS nanocrystal quantum dots (NQDs) in diameters ranging between 1.5 and 6 nm. Particularly we synthesize ultra-small sized PbS NQDs having extreme quantum confinement with 1.5~2.9 nm in diameter (2.58~1.5 eV in first exciton energy) for the first time by adjusting growth temperature and growth time. In this region, the Stokes shift increases as decreasing size, which is testimony to the highly quantum confinement effect of ultra-small sized PbS NQDs. To find out the electrical properties, we fabricate self-assembled films of PbS NQDs using layer by layer (LBL) spin-coating method and replacing the original ligands with oleic acid to short ligands with 1, 2-ethandithiol (EDT) in the course. The use of capping ligands (EDT) allows us to achieve effective electrical transport in the arrays of solution processed PbS NQDs. These high-quality films apply to Schottky solar cell made in an glass/ITO/PbS/LiF/Al structure and thin-film transistor varying the PbS NQDs diameter 1.5~6 nm. We achieve the highest open-circuit voltage (＜0.6 V) in Schottky solar cell ever using PbS NQDs with first exciton energy 2.58 eV.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.35 no.6
• /
• pp.623-634
• /
• 2019

Little known the connections between soybeans mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) gene expression and the rhizomicrobiome upon invasion of the root pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. To address this lack of knowledge, we assessed the rhizomicrobiome and root transcriptome sequencing of wild and cultivated soybean during the invasion of F. oxysporum. Results indicated F. oxysporum infection enriched Bradyrhizobium spp. and Glomus spp. and induced the expression of more MAPKs in the wild soybean than cultivated soybean. MAPK gene expression was positively correlated with Pseudomonadaceae but negatively correlated with Sphingomonadaceae and Glomeraceae in both cultivated and wild soybean. Specifically, correlation profiles revealed that Pseudomonadaceae was especially correlated with the induced expression of GmMAKKK13-2 (Glyma.14G195300) and GmMAPK3-2 (Glyma.12G073000) in wild and cultivated soybean during F. oxysporum invasion. Main fungal group Glomeraceae was positively correlated with GmMAPKKK14-1 (Glyma.18G060900) and negatively correlated with GmRaf6-4 (Glyma.02G215300) in the wild soybean response to pathogen infection; while there were positive correlations between Hypocreaceae and GmMAPK3-2 (Glyma.12G073000) and between Glomeraceae and GmRaf49-3 (Glyma.06G055300) in the wild soybean response, these correlations were strongly negative in the response of cultivated soybean to F. oxysporum. Taken together, MAPKs correlated with different rhizomicrobiomes indicating the host plant modulated by the host self-immune systems in response to F. oxysporum.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.455-465
• /
• 2022

Objective: To compare the reproducibility and performance of quantitative metrics between ZOOMit and conventional intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of early- and mid-stage Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Materials and Methods: Twenty-two patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 52.0 ± 10.8 years; male:female, 2:20) with early- or mid-stage SS and 20 healthy controls (46.9 ± 14.6 years; male:female, 7:13) were prospectively enrolled in our study. ZOOMit IVIM and conventional IVIM MRI were performed simultaneously in all individuals using a 3T scanner. Quantitative IVIM parameters - including tissue diffusivity (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D^*), and perfusion fraction (f) - inter- and intra-observer reproducibility in measuring these parameters, and their ability to distinguish patients with SS from healthy individuals were assessed and compared between ZOOMit IVIM and conventional IVIM methods, appropriately. MR gland nodular grade (MRG) was also examined. Results: Inter- and intra-observer reproducibility was better with ZOOMit imaging than with conventional IVIM imaging (ZOOMit vs. conventional, intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.897-0.941 vs. 0.667-0.782 for inter-observer reproducibility and 0.891-0.968 vs. 0.814-0.853 for intra-observer reproducibility). Significant differences in ZOOMit f, ZOOMit D^*, D^*, conventional D^*, and MRG between patients with SS and healthy individuals (all p < 0.05) were observed. ZOOMit D^* outperformed conventional D^* in diagnosing early- and mid-stage SS (area under receiver operating curve, 0.867 and 0.658, respectively; p = 0.002). The combination of ZOOMit D^*, MRG, and ZOOMit f as a new diagnostic index for SS, increased diagnostic area under the curve to 0.961, which was higher than that of any single parameter (all p < 0.01). Conclusion: Considering its better reproducibility and performance, ZOOMit IVIM may be preferred over conventional IVIM MRI, and may subsequently improve the ability to diagnose early- and mid-stage SS.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.9
• /
• pp.1257-1261
• /
• 2006

Pleiomorphic adenoma gene-like1 (PLAGL1) encodes a zinc-finger (ZF) protein with seven ZFs of the C2H2-type which is a regulator of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, and also regulates the secretion of insulin. In both human and mouse, PLAGL1 is a candidate gene for tumor suppressor and transient neonatal diabetes mellitus (TNDM). In this study, a 2,238 bp fragment covering the complete coding region was obtained and deposited to GenBank (accession number: DQ288899). The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) indicated that PLAGL1 was expressed almost equally in heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, stomach, small intestine, skeletal muscle, fat, uterus and ovary. Comparing the sequences of Large White and Meishan pigs, a C-T transition in exon 6 was found. The polymorphism could be detected by TaqI and was genotyped in five purebreds (Large White, Landrace, Meishan, Tongcheng and Bamei). Association analysis was performed between the polymorphism and carcass traits in 276 pigs of a "Large White${\times}$Meishan" F2 resource population. As a consequence, significant associations of the genotypes with shoulder backfat thickness (SFT) and internal fat rate (IFR) were observed. Pigs with TT genotype had low SFT and high IFR compared with TC or CC genotypes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.857-864
• /
• 2009

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of interaction between $1{\alpha}$-hydroxycholecalciferol ($1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$) and phytase on growth performance, parameters of tibia and plasma, and meat quality of 1- to 21-d-old broilers. Two hundred and forty male, 1-d-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to 20 cages, with 12 chicks per cage. Five treatments were designed, with four cages each. A 2${\times}$2 factorial experiment was designed to test 0 and 5 ${\mu}g/kg$ of $1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$ in combination with 0 and 500 U/kg of phytase. A basal diet was formulated to contain 2.9 g/kg of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP), and the control diet was formulated to contain a normal level of NPP (4.5 g/kg). Results showed that $1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$ alone increased tibia ash, contents of calcium and phosphate, breaking strength, concentrations of plasma calcium and phosphate, and water-holding capacity of breast and thigh meat, while it decreased growth of broilers. Phytase alone improved performance and tibia quality. Although growth of broilers was lower than that of the positive control when the diet was supplemented with $1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$ and phytase, tibia quality was significantly improved by the addition of $1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$ and phytase. These data suggest that interaction between $1{\alpha}$-OH $D_3$ and phytase at 2.9 g/kg of dietary NPP could significantly increase bone quality of 1- to 21-d-old broilers, while not improving growth performance.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.9
• /
• pp.4607-4611
• /
• 2012

Objective: Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecologic malignancy. Identification of potential biomarkers of EC would be helpful for the detection and monitoring of malignancy, improving clinical outcomes. Methods: The Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis method was used to identify prognostic markers for EC in this study. Moreover, underlying molecular mechanisms were characterized by KEGG pathway enrichment and transcriptional regulation analyses. Results: Seven gene co-expression modules were obtained, but only the turquoise module was positively related with EC stage. Among the genes in the turquoise module, COL5A2 (collagen, type V, alpha 2) could be regulated by PBX (pre-B-cell leukemia homeobox 1)1/2 and HOXB1(homeobox B1) transcription factors to be involved in the focal adhesion pathway; CENP-E (centromere protein E, 312kDa) by E2F4 (E2F transcription factor 4, p107/p130-binding); MYCN (v-myc myelocytomatosis viral related oncogene, neuroblastoma derived [avian]) by PAX5 (paired box 5); and BCL-2 (B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2) and IGFBP-6 (insulin-like growth factor binding protein 6) by GLI1. They were predicted to be associated with EC progression via Hedgehog signaling and other cancer related-pathways. Conclusions: These data on transcriptional regulation may provide a better understanding of molecular mechanisms and clues to potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of EC.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.12 no.8
• /
• pp.1263-1272
• /
• 1999

The effects of carnitine in diets with or without added fat (5% lard or soybean oil) were evaluated in 72 Large White ${\times}$ Landrace ${\times}$ Duroc pigs weaned at 35 days of age. Pigs were fed a 1.30% lysine corn-soybean basal diet+15% dried whey+4% fish meal with carnitine at 0 or 50 mg/kg and either 0% added fat, 5% soybean oil or 5% lard for 6 weeks in a $2{\times}3$ factorial trial (6 treatments, 3 pens per treatment, 4 pigs per pen). Addition of carnitine increased average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) in the second two weeks of the six-week trial and overall, but had no significant effect on feed per gain (F/G). Lard alone depressed ADG (p<0.05) in the last two weeks of the trial and overall, but the ADG for pigs fed lard+carnitine was similar to the control. Lard reduced feed intake in the first two weeks of the trial (p<0.05). Carnitine reduced the percentage of pigs with poor (ADG<375 g/d) growth (15 vs 40%; p<0.05). The greater uniformity of growth was most evident in low-weaning-weight pigs in the second period (16 vs 62%, p<0.005). Addition of fat did not produce any positive effect on uniformity and had no interaction with carnitine on uniformity. Carnitine addition increased serum total carnitione and short-chain acyl-carnitine levels (p<0.05), but did not modify free carnitine levels. Serum carnitine levels were lower at weaning than at 14, 28, or 39 days after weaning (p<0.05). Carnitine increased serum protein levels on day 14 (p<0.05). Addition of fat in the form of soybean oil or lard did not improve piglet growth performance. Addition of 50 mg/kg of carnitine to the diet of weanling pigs enhanced postweaning performance.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.6 no.8
• /
• pp.939-951
• /
• 2010

A low-cost wireless sensor network (WSN) solution with highly expandable super and simple nodes was developed. The super node was designed as a sensing unit as well as a receiving terminal with low energy consumption. The simple node was designed to serve as a cheaper alternative for large-scale deployment. A 12-bit ADC inputs and DAC outputs were reserved for sensor boards to ease the sensing integration. Vibration and thermal field tests of the Chi-Lu Bridge were conducted to evaluate the WSN's performance. Integral acceleration, temperature and tilt sensing modules were constructed to simplify the task of long-term environmental monitoring on this bridge, while a star topology was used to avoid collisions and reduce power consumption. We showed that, given sufficient power and additional power amplifier, the WSN can successfully be active for more than 7 days and satisfy the half bridge 120-meter transmission requirement. The time and frequency responses of cables shocked by external force and temperature variations around cables in one day were recorded and analyzed. Finally, guidelines on power characterization of the WSN platform and selection of acceleration sensors for structural health monitoring applications were given.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.415-422
• /
• 2016

Background: Rare ginsenosides in Panax quinquefolius L. have strong bioactivities. The fact that it is hard to obtain large amounts of rare ginsenosides seriously restricts further research on these compounds. An easy, fast, and efficient method to obtain different kinds of rare ginsenosides simultaneously and to quantify each one precisely is urgently needed. Methods: Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was used to extract nine kinds of rare ginsenosides from P. quinquefolius L. In this article, rare ginsenosides [20(S)-Rh1, 20(R)-Rh1, Rg6, F4, Rk3, 20(S)-Rg3, 20(R)-Rg3, Rk1, and Rg5] were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. The quantity information of rare ginsenosides was analyzed by HPLC-UV at 203 nm. Results: The optimal conditions for MAE were using water as solvent with the material ratio of 1:40 (w/v) at a temperature of $145^{\circ}C$, and extracting for 15 min under microwave power of 1,600 W. Seven kinds of rare ginsenosides [20(S)-Rh1, 20(R)-Rh1, Rg6, F4, Rk3, Rk1, and Rg5] had high extraction yields, but those of 20(S)-Rg3 and 20(R)-Rg3 were lower. Compared with the conventional method, the extraction yields of the nine rare ginsenosides were significantly increased. Conclusion: The results indicate that rare ginsenosides can be extracted effectively by MAE from P. quinquefolius L. in a short time. Microwave radiation plays an important role in MAE. The probable generation process of rare ginsenosides is also discussed in the article. It will be meaningful for further investigation or application of rare ginsenosides.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
• /
• v.10 no.6
• /
• pp.203-207
• /
• 2009

We have investigated the effect of ambient gases on the structural, electrical, and optical characteristics of ITO thin films intended for use as anode contacts in OLED (organic light emitting diodes) devices. These ITO thin films are deposited by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering under different ambient gases (Ar, Ar+$O_2$, and Ar+$H_2$) at $300{^{\circ}C}$. In order to investigate the influences of the oxygen and hydrogen, the flow rate of oxygen and hydrogen in argon mixing gas has been changed from 0.5 sccm to 5 sccm and from 0.01 sccm to 0.25 sccm, respectively. The intensity of the (400) peak in the ITO thin films increased with increasing $O_2$, flow rate whilst the (400) peak was nearly invisible in an atmosphere of Ar+$H_2$. The electrical resistivity of the ITO thin films increased with increasing $O_2$ flow rate, whereas the electrical resistivity decreased sharply under an Ar+$H_2$ atmosphere and was nearly similar regardless of the $H_2$ flow rate. The change of electrical resistivity with changes in the ambient gas composition was mainly interpreted in terms of the charge carrier mobility rather than the charge carrier concentration. All the films showed an average transmittance of over 80% in the visible range. The OLED device was fabricated with different ITO substrates made with the configuration of ITO/$\alpha$-NPD/DPVB/$Alq_3$/LiF/Al in order to elucidate the performance of the ITO substrate. Current density and luminance of OLED devices with ITO thin films deposited in Ar+$H_2$ ambient gas is the highest among all the ITO thin films.