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In June 2016, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan announced a program "EXTEND2016" on the implementation of testing and assessment for endocrine active chemicals, consisting of a two‐tiered strategy. The aim of the Tier 1 screening and the Tier 2 testing is to identify the impacts on the endocrine system and to characterize the adverse effects to aquatic animals by endocrine disrupting chemicals detected in the aquatic environment in Japan. For the consistent assessment of the effects on reproduction associated with estrogenic, anti‐estrogenic, androgenic, and/or anti‐androgenic activities of chemicals throughout Tier 1 screening to Tier 2 testing, a unified test species, Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes), has been used. For Tier 1 screening, the in vivo Fish Short‐Term Reproduction Assay (OECD test guideline No. 229) was conducted for 17 chemicals that were nominated based on the results of environmental monitoring, existing knowledge obtained from a literature survey, and positive results in reporter gene assays using the estrogen receptor of Japanese medaka. In the 17 assays using Japanese medaka, adverse effects on reproduction (i.e., reduction in fecundity and/or fertility) were suggested for 10 chemicals, and a significant increase of hepatic vitellogenin in males, indicating estrogenic (estrogen receptor agonistic) potency, was found for eight chemicals at the concentrations in which no overt toxicity was observed. Based on these results, and the frequency and the concentrations detected in the Japanese environment, estrone, 4‐nonylphenol (branched isomers), 4‐tert‐octylphenol, triphenyl phosphate, and bisphenol A were considered as high priority candidate substances for the Tier 2 testing. For Tier 1 screening, the Fish Short‐Term Reproduction Assay (OECD TG 229) using Japanese medaka was conducted for 17 chemicals nominated based on the results of environmental monitoring, literature survey, and results in reporter gene assays using Japanese medaka estrogen receptor. Adverse effects on reproduction were suggested for 10 out of 17 chemicals. Based on these results, and the frequency and the concentrations detected in the Japanese environment, estrone, 4‐nonylphenol (branched isomers), 4‐tert‐octylphenol, triphenyl phosphate, and bisphenol A were considered as high priority candidate substances for the Tier 2 testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD), the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOE) added Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) to the test guideline fish short‐term reproduction assay (FSTRA) developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) using fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). The FSTRA was designed to detect endocrine disrupting effects of chemicals interacting with the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis (HPG axis) such as agonists or antagonists on the estrogen receptor (Esr) and/or the androgen receptor (AR) and steroidogenesis inhibitors. We conducted the FSTRA with Japanese medaka, in accordance with OECD test guideline number 229 (TG229), for 16 chemicals including four Esr agonists, two Esr antagonists, three AR agonists, two AR antagonists, two steroidogenesis inhibitors, two progesterone receptor agonists, and a negative substance, and evaluated the usability and the validity of the FSTRA (TG229) protocol. In addition, in vitro reporter gene assays (RGAs) using Esr1 and ARβ of Japanese medaka were performed for the 16 chemicals, to support the interpretation of the in vivo effects observed in the FSTRA. In the present study, all the test chemicals, except an antiandrogenic chemical and a weak Esr agonist, significantly reduced the reproductive status of the test fish, that is, fecundity or fertility, at concentrations where no overt toxicity was observed. Moreover, vitellogenin (VTG) induction in males and formation of secondary sex characteristics (SSC), papillary processes on the anal fin, in females was sensitive endpoints to Esr and AR agonistic effects, respectively, and might be indicators of the effect concentrations in long‐term exposure. Overall, it is suggested that the in vivo FSTRA supported by in vitro RGA data can adequately detect effects on the test fish, O. latipes, and probably identify the mode of action (MOA) of the chemicals tested. Fish short‐term reproduction assay (OECD, TG229) with Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) was conducted for 16 reference chemicals including 4 estrogen receptor (Esr) agonists, 2 Esr antagonists, 3 androgen receptor (AR) agonists, 2 AR antagonists, 2 steroidogenesis inhibitors, 2 progesterone receptor agonists, and a negative substance, and confirmed the usability and the validity of the TG229 protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the effects of gallium nitrogen (GaN) surface treatments and work functions of the contact metals on the electrical properties between metal contacts and p-GaN. Partial removal of the contamination layer; Effects of metal work functions; Dependence of contact resistances on metal work functions.

No explicit π-π interaction term has been incorporated in the conventional molecular dynamics (MD) simulation programs in spite of its significant role in the folding of biomolecules and the clustering of organic chemicals. In this article, we propose a technique to emphasize the effect of π-π interactions using a function of energy and implement it into an MD simulation program. Several trial calculations show that the π-π incorporated program gives improved results consistent with experimental data on atom geometry and has no unfavorable interference with the conventional computational framework. This indicates an importance of the explicit consideration of π-π interactions in MD simulation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.J Comput Chem 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refractory NiGe ohmic contacts which have excellent thermal stability and smooth surface have been developed. To apply these contacts to the future very large scale integration GaAs devices, reduction of the contact resistance (R) of the NiGe contacts is mandatory. In the present paper, in order to obtain a guideline for the R reduction, the formation mechanism of the NiGe contacts was investigated. The NiGe contacts were found to have two different ohmic contact formation mechanisms. These mechanisms suggested that facilitation of heavy doping at the GaAs surface and/or in the Ge layer was very effective to reduce the R values of the NiGe contacts. Experimentally, the R reduction was demonstrated by adding a small amount of third elements. Direct doping elements (Sn, Sb, and Te) and indirect doping elements (Pd, Pt, Au, Ag, and Cu) were chosen as the third elements. In additon, the effect of addition of In, which forms alow barrier layer between metal and GaAs, was investigated. The contact resistance of these NiGe-based contacts were close to 0.3 Ω mm, and they provided smooth surface and shallow reaction depth. Finally, the NiGe-based contacts were compared with the conventional AuGeNi contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]