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Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) microdisplays have attracted considerable attention owing to their low power consumption, rapid response, high contrast ratio, and self-luminescence. To expand the use of OLED microdisplays, high luminance and vivid color are required. Herein, we developed a high-luminance, low-voltage, three-wavelength, top-emitting white OLED (WOLED) using a silicon substrate for complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor-based, full-color microdisplay applications. Optimal thickness of the emitting layer and thickness and position of the interlayer were determined to improve device performance. The device exhibited luminance of ∼4,200 cd/m2 at 3.3 V, and the maximum luminance reached 170,000 cd/m2 at 11.4 V. In addition, red, green, and blue color filters were deposited onto the WOLED after the thin-film encapsulation process to verify feasibility of the device for full-color microdisplay applications. The color gamut of the developed WOLED with color filters was 136% compared to sRGB. The maximum luminance and color gamut of the developed device is among the highest values obtained to date for OLED microdisplays.

As sessile organisms, plants are exposed to constantly changing environments that are often stressful for their growth and development. To cope with these stresses, plants have evolved complex and sophisticated stress-responsive signaling pathways regulating the expression of transcription factors and biosynthesis of osmolytes that confer tolerance to plants. Signaling peptides acting like phytohormones control various aspects of plant growth and development via cell-cell communication networks. These peptides are typically recognized by membrane-embedded receptor-like kinases, inducing activation of cellular signaling to control plant growth and development. Recent studies have revealed that several signaling peptides play important roles in plant responses to abiotic stress. In this mini review, we provide recent findings on the roles and signaling pathways of peptides that are involved in coordinating plant responses to abiotic stresses, such as dehydration, high salinity, reactive oxygen species, and heat. We also discuss recent developments in signaling peptides that play a role in plant adaptation responses to nutrient deficiency stress, focusing on nitrogen and phosphate deficiency responses.

Background Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MEK 1/2) are central components of the RAS signalling pathway and are attractive targets for cancer therapy. These agents continue to be investigated in KRAS mutant colon cancer but are met with significant resistance. Clinical investigations have demonstrated that these strategies are not well tolerated by patients. Methods We investigated a biomarker of response for MEK inhibition in KRAS mutant colon cancers by LC-MS/MS analysis. We tested the MEK inhibitor in PIK3CA wild(wt) and mutant(mt) colon cancer cells. In addition, we tested the combinational effects of MEK and TNKS inhibitor in vitro and in vivo. Results We identified β-catenin, a key mediator of the WNT pathway, in response to MEK inhibitor. MEK inhibition led to a decrease in β-catenin in PIK3CA wt colon cancer cells but not in mt. Tumour regression was promoted by combination of MEK inhibition and NVP-TNS656, which targets the WNT pathway. Furthermore, inhibition of MEK promoted tumour regression in colon cancer patient-derived xenograft models expressing PIK3CA wt. Conclusions We propose that inhibition of the WNT pathway, particularly β-catenin, may bypass resistance to MEK inhibition in human PIK3CA mt colon cancer. Therefore, we suggest that β-catenin is a potential predictive marker of MEK inhibitor resistance.

BackgroundThe renoprotective effect of water intake remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the relationship between water intake and renal impairment in the Korean general population, focusing on individual differences in body fluid distribution and risk of chronic dehydration.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2008–2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Adult participants who had body weight and serum creatinine data and had answered 24-h recall nutritional survey were included. Four water intake groups were defined by daily total water intake per body weight: lowest (2) according to water intake.ResultsIn total of 50,113 participants, 3.9% had renal impairment. The risk of renal impairment gradually decreased as water intake increased. After adjustment of sodium intake, the trend of renoprotective effect was remained in low-moderate and high-moderate water intake group compared to low intake group, whereas no significant impact was observed with the highest water intake due to concurrent intake of high sodium. In subgroup analysis, the renoprotective effect of water intake was significant in the participants with elderly, male and daily sodium intake over 2 g/day.ConclusionsHigh daily water intake is renoprotective. Our data may provide an important basis for determining the amount of water intake needed to prevent renal impairment, considering variations in body weight, body composition and risk of chronic dehydration.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant properties of 70% methanolic extracts and the correlation between several antioxidant activities in selected Umbelliferae plants, based on total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). For Umbelliferae plants extracts, the IC50 of DPPH radical (100 μM) quenching activities for extract, TPC, and TFC were 39∼179 μg dry weight (DW)/mL, 14.08∼38.11 μg TPC/mL, and 0.36∼1.51 μg TFC/mL, respectively. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of extracts ranged from 11.44 to 42.88 mg Trolox equivalent (TE)/g DW extract, whereas ORAC for TPC and TFC was 47.40∼240.19 mg TE/g and 0.72∼11.22 g TE/g, respectively. The TPC had a superior linear correlation (r2=0.817) with 2,2’-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) values. Of the 14 Umbelliferae plant extracts, Sanicula rubiflora, Sanicula chinensis, Torilis japonica, Torilis scabra, and Angelica fallax showed the strongest antioxidant activity.

This study was designed to investigate the antiobesity effects of Salvia plebeia R. Br. ethanolic extracts (SPE) in mice fed high-fat diets (HFD). Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to four groups: normal diet (Chow), high-fat diet (HFD, 45% fat), HFD+SPE 200 (200 mg/kg b.w.), and HFD+SPE 400 (400 mg/kg b.w.). Extracts were administered orally every day for 8 weeks. Increases in body/fat weight and feed efficiency ratio were monitored in all mice. In addition, obesity resulting from feeding HFD to the mice was confirmed by the increase of glucose level, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein-c, leptin, and adiponectin in blood. The SPE-treated mice gained less body and mesenteric/subcutaneous adipose tissues weights and had lower TG, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, leptin, and glucose level in serum, compared to the HFD group. Moreover, histopathological examinations revealed that the size of adipocytes in liver and adipose tissue was significantly decreased by SPE, compared to the HFD group. The expression of adipogenesis transcription factors (e.g., peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α) and lipogenesis-related target genes (adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein 2, lipoprotein lipase, fatty acid synthase, and sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1c) in HFD-induced obese mice was decreased by SPE treatment. These results suggest that SPE attenuates the fat accumulation in HFD-induced obese mice by suppressing the expressions of genes related to adipogenesis and lipogenesis activity. Therefore, SPE could be developed as a potential therapy for reduction of body weight and antiobesity intervention.

Bioconversion of aglycone-formed isoflavones from glycoside-formed isoflavones by commercial lactic acid bacteria in fermented soybean paste was evaluated. Enterococcus faecium KCTC 13410 showed the most resistant capacity and Lactobacillus acidophilus KCTC 3925 had a sensitive susceptibility at a high NaCl concentration (13.2%) in fermented soybean paste. Among the 5 strains tested, Lac. acidophilus KCTC 3925 showed the highest relative ratio of aglycone-formed isoflavones to total isoflavones in fermented soybean paste. Production of exopolysaccarides (EPS) by lactic acid bacteria was compared using de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe medium containing 1% sucrose at 37°C for 48 h. Among the 5 lactic acid bacteria, Lac. acidophilus KCTC 3925 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus KCTC 3929 were investigated to produce EPS. Based on the results concerning growing susceptibility and conversion of aglycone-formed isoflavones/EPS production, it is anticipated that Lac. acidophilus KCTC 3925 may be used for preparation of Cheonggukjang, which contains relative low NaCl content.

Methanol ingestion is neurotoxic in humans due to its metabolites, formaldehyde and formic acid. Here, we compared the cytotoxicity of methanol and its metabolites on different types of cells. While methanol and formic acid did not affect the viability of the cells, formaldehyde (200-800 μg/mL) was strongly cytotoxic in all cell types tested. We investigated the effects of formaldehyde on oxidative stress, mitochondrial respiratory functions, and apoptosis on the sensitive neuronal SK-N-SH cells. Oxidative stress was induced after 2 h of formaldehyde exposure. Formaldehyde at a concentration of 400 μg/mL for 12 h of treatment greatly reduced cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels. Confocal microscopy indicated that the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was dose-dependently reduced by formaldehyde. A marked and dose-dependent inhibition of mitochondrial respiratory enzymes, viz., NADH dehydrogenase (complex I), cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV), and oxidative stress-sensitive aconitase was also detected following treatment with formaldehyde. Furthermore, formaldehyde caused a concentration-dependent increase in nuclear fragmentation and in the activities of the apoptosis-initiator caspase-9 and apoptosis-effector caspase-3/-7, indicating apoptosis progression. Our data suggests that formaldehyde exerts strong cytotoxicity, at least in part, by inducing oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and eventually apoptosis. Changes in mitochondrial respiratory function and oxidative stress by formaldehyde may therefore be critical in methanol-induced toxicity.

With an increase in awareness of water scarcity, water reuse has received significant attention. The reuse of sewage has attracted attention, because sufficient amounts of sewage can be obtained even in a drought. As a large amount of algae has been generated owing to the lack of oxygen due to global warming, concerns about phosphorus have rapidly increased. This study explores the removal of phosphorous in treated sewage and shows how sewage can be reused. A combined electrocoagulation (EC) and membrane filtration process was used in order to remove turbidity, particulate matter, colloids, and total coliforms, illustrating the suitability of sewage reuse. The optimal EC conditions for phosphorus removal were determined including the electrode type and spacing, reaction time, temperature, voltage, and current. Optimal conditions for the membrane process, such as pressure and time, were also established. Analysis of zeta potential and distribution of particle size demonstrated the coagulation treat...

For improvement of physicochemical and sensory characteristics, Moru wine was cleared by adding activated carbon. As a preliminary assay, we tested the clarifying effect of activated carbon, bentonite, and silica gel on Moru wine. Among tested fining agents, the activated carbon showed the highest removal of proteins from Moru wine. Clarification by activated carbon improved the characteristics of protein content, chromaticity of Moru wine, and did not affect ethanol content, pH, soluble solids, electrical conductivity, and mineral content. Improvement of color and acidity in Moru wine resulted from the diminishment of protein and phenolic content by activated carbon.

Lactobacillus plantarum KCTC 3928 was evaluated for use in Doenjang fermentation with four-fold approaches. Firstly, amino acids-profile of L. plantarum KCTC 3928 was investigated using MRS growth medium and found that this strain was the arginine pathway-deficient strain. Secondly, cell growth of L. plantarum KCTC 3928 in the sterilized Doenjang was carried out to determine susceptibility to inhibition by high concentration of salt (13.2%) in Doenjang. Thirdly, optimum addition ratio of L. plantarum KCTC 3928 and Doenjang upon investigation were 12.5 mg of cells and 10 g of Doenjang. Finally, conversion efficiency from glycoside isoflavone to aglycone isoflavone in Doenjang by L. plantarum KCTC 3928 was measured. The results indicate that L. plantarum KCTC 3928 can be used for low-salt Doenjang and Cheonggukjang fermentations.

Lignocellulosic biomass was used for thousands of years as animal feed and is now considered a great sugar source for biofuels production. It is composed mostly of secondary cell walls built with polysaccharide polymers that are embedded in lignin to reinforce the cell wall structure and maintain its integrity. Lignin is the primary material responsible for biomass recalcitrance to enzymatic hydrolysis. During plant development, deep reductions of lignin cause growth defects and often correlate with the loss of vessel integrity that adversely affects water and nutrient transport in plants. The work presented here describes a new approach to decrease lignin content while preventing vessel collapse and introduces a new strategy to boost transcription factor expression in native tissues. We used synthetic biology tools in Arabidopsis to rewire the secondary cell network by changing promoter-coding sequence associations. The result was a reduction in lignin and an increase in polysaccharide depositions in fibre cells. The promoter of a key lignin gene, C4H, was replaced by the vessel-specific promoter of transcription factor VND6. This rewired lignin biosynthesis specifically for vessel formation while disconnecting C4H expression from the fibre regulatory network. Secondly, the promoter of the IRX8 gene, secondary cell wall glycosyltransferase, was used to express a new copy of the fibre transcription factor NST1, and as the IRX8 promoter is induced by NST1, this also created an artificial positive feedback loop (APFL). The combination of strategies—lignin rewiring with APFL insertion—enhances polysaccharide deposition in stems without over-lignifying them, resulting in higher sugar yields after enzymatic hydrolysis.

Wild grape extract (WGE) was added into hwajeon at different concentrations (0, 5, 15, 30, 50% of water). The resulting hwajeon were analyzed for their physicochemical and sensory properties. With increasing concentrations of WGE, the pH of dough and hwajeon decreased, and their degrees brix and color intensity increased, presumably due to the presence of tartaric acid, sugar, and anthocyanin in the WGE. The WGE-enriched hwajeon showed higher hardness, gumminess, and chewiness than control hwajeon, which might have been because the sugar and tartaric acid in the WGE partially inhibited starch gelatinization during heat processing. Nevertheless, all the sensory properties and preference were higher in WGE-enriched hwajeon than controls, which could be partially attributed to the fact of that the WGE-enriched hwajeon retained relatively higher moisture. It is suggested that WGE-enriched hwajeon with high preference could be prepared without loss of hwajeon quality.

In the early stage, the CT complexes in the form of a single crystal were investigated with respect to their bulk properties such as crystal structure, electrical conductivity, and optical properties. With many techniques such as LB-film, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and self-assembled monolayers (SAM), having been applied in this research field, the properties of CT complexes with a mono- or multi-layer have been intensively investigat-ed.

Semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were selectively interacted with tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) moiety self-assembled on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate by charge-transfer interaction. The charge-transfer phenomena between two molecules were elucidated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Raman spectroscopy. CV measurement of TTF-modified ITO substrate as a working electrode presented the difference between heat-treated system and untreated one. The two redox potentials, which are typically related to redox behavior of TTF, were shown in the unheated system during both oxidation and reduction cycles, while the two oxidation peaks were disappeared in the heated system. Raman spectra indicated that the intensities of RBM originated from metallic SWCNTs were much reduced in the heat-treated system, while there were little change in the unheated one. These results revealed that only semiconducting SWNTs were selectively adsorbed on the TTF moiety self-assembled on ITO when the system with heat treatment.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a primary global food cereal. However, when compared to wheat, rice has poor food processing qualities. Dough that is made from rice flour has low viscoelasticity because rice seed lacks storage proteins that are comparable to gluten protein from wheat. Thus, current research efforts aim to improve rice flour processing qualities through the transgenic expression of viscoelastic proteins in rice seeds. In this study, we characterized the transgenic expression of wheat glutenin subunits in rice seeds. The two genes 1Dx5_KK and 1Dy10_JK, which both encode wheat high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits that confer high dough elasticity, were cloned from Korean wheat cultivars KeumKang and JoKyung, respectively. These genes were inserted into binary vectors under the control of the rice endosperm-specific Glu-B1 promoter and were expressed in the high-amylose Korean rice cultivar Koami (Oryza sativa L.). Individual expression of both glutenin subunits was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analyses performed using T3 generation of transgenic rice seeds. The subcellular localization of 1Dx5_KK and 1Dy10_JK in the rice seed endosperm was confirmed by immunofluorescence analysis, indicating that the wheat glutenin subunits accumulate in protein body-II and novel protein body types in the rice seed. These results contribute to our understanding of engineered seed storage proteins in rice.

DEAD-box RNA helicases have been implicated to have a function during stress adaptation processes, but their functional roles in plant stress responses remain to be clearly elucidated. Here, we assessed the expression patterns and functional roles of two RNA helicases, AtRH9 and AtRH25, in Arabidopsis thaliana under abiotic stress conditions. The transcript levels of AtRH9 and AtRH25 were up-regulated markedly in response to cold stress, whereas their transcript levels were down-regulated by salt or drought stress. Phenotypic analysis of the transgenic plants and T-DNA-tagged mutants showed that the constitutive overexpression of AtRH9 or AtRH25 resulted in the retarded seed germination of Arabidopsis plants under salt stress conditions. AtRH25, but not AtRH9, enhanced freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis plants. Both AtRH9 and AtRH25 complemented the cold-sensitive phenotype of BX04 Escherichia coli mutant cells, but AtRH25 had much more prominent complementation ability than AtRH9. An in vitro nucleic acid binding assay showed that AtRH9 binds equally to all homoribopolymers, whereas AtRH25 binds preferentially to poly(G). Taken together, these results demonstrate that AtRH9 and AtRH25 impact on the seed germination of Arabidopsis plants under salt stress conditions, and suggest that the difference in cold tolerance capability between AtRH9 and AtRH25 arises from their different nucleic acid-binding properties.

Despite the fact that glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins (GRPs) have been implicated in the responses of plants to environmental stresses, their physiological functions and mechanisms of action in stress responses remain largely unknown. Here, we assessed the functional roles of GRP7, one of the eight GRP family members in Arabidopsis thaliana, on seed germination, seedling growth, and stress tolerance under high salinity, drought, or cold stress conditions. The transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing GRP7 under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter displayed retarded germination and poorer seedling growth compared with the wild-type plants and T-DNA insertional mutant lines under high salinity or dehydration stress conditions. By contrast, GRP7 overexpression conferred freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis plants. GRP7 is expressed abundantly in the guard cells, and has been shown to influence the opening and closing of the stomata, in accordance with the prevailing stress conditions. GRP7 is localized to both the nucleus and the cytoplasm, and is involved in the export of mRNAs from the nucleus to the cytoplasm under cold stress conditions. Collectively, these results provide compelling evidence that GRP7 affects the growth and stress tolerance of Arabidopsis plants under high salt and dehydration stress conditions, and also confers freezing tolerance, particularly via the regulation of stomatal opening and closing in the guard cells.

A derivative of EDT-TTF (ethylenedithio-tetrathiafulvalene) with decylphosphonic acid was prepared and formed as its self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on the surface of indium-tin oxide (ITO) glass. The formation of the SAM was characterized by UV-vis and micro-Raman spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry and atomic force microscopy. Cyclic voltammetry of the surface-modified ITO (SM-ITO) electrode showed two reversible peaks at E 1 1/2 = 0.658 V and E 1 1/2 = 0.944 V due to the redox processes of EDT-TTF moiety on the SAM. Cyclic voltammogram of TCNQ (7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) with the SM-ITO electrode shows two redox couples, one at E 1 1/2 = 0.287 V corresponding to the TCNQ/TCNQ ·- process and the other at E 1 1/2 = 0.963 V corresponding to the [EDT-TTF]/[EDT-TTF] ·+ one.

The CO2 was investigated as an alternative refrigerant to replace HFC (hydrofluorocarbons) refrigerant in air conditioning systems due to the environmental concerns. Because new compressors with CO2 are going to be operated under the high pressure, the tribology of sliding surfaces in the compressor becomes very important. To develop new compressor, especially rotary type, the friction and wear characteristics of sliding surfaces between a vane and a roller in the rotary compressor were evaluated in this paper. Several hard coatings, such as TiN, CrN and WC/C, were applied on vane surfaces in order to improve the tribological characteristics, and their performances were evaluated experimentally. Two types of lubricants were used, namely POE (polyol ester) oil and PAG (polyalkylene glycol) oil. The vane-on-disk type sliding tests were performed with an exclusive high pressure wear tester. From the tests, wear volumes of vane surfaces applied various coatings were compared. Test results showed that WC/C and CrN coatings showed good tribological properties. Also, the results of the sliding tests showed that using PAG oil has an advantage over POE oil in CO2 environment.

Glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins (GR-RBPs) have been implicated to play roles in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in plants under various stress conditions, but the functional roles of GR-RBPs under stress conditions remain to be verified. Here, we examine the biological roles of a GR-RBP, designated atRZ-1a, in Arabidopsis thaliana under stress conditions. atRZ-1a was expressed ubiquitously in various Arabidopsis organs including stems, roots, leaves, flowers, and siliques. The transcript level of atRZ-1a increased markedly by cold stress, whereas its expression was marginally downregulated by drought stress or abscisic acid treatment. Germination and seedling growth of the loss-of-function mutants were retarded remarkably compared with those of the wild type under cold stress. In contrast, the transgenic Arabidopsis plants that overexpress atRZ-1a displayed earlier germination and better seedling growth than the wild type under cold stress. Moreover, the atRZ-1a-overexpressing transgenic Arabidopsis plants were more freezing tolerant than the wild-type plants. Heterologous expression of atRZ-1a in Escherichia coli demonstrated that the E. coli cells expressing atRZ-1a displayed much higher growth rate than the non-transformed cells after cold shock. These results provide evidence that atRZ-1a affects seed germination and seedling growth under low temperature and plays a role in the enhancement of freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis plants.

The effects of interaction between nonpremixed flames on the enlargement of blowout velocity are experimentally investigated. Nozzle separation distances, fuel flow rates, number of nozzles, and array shapes are considered to make flame interaction. Four types of nozzle arrays, which are arranged in diamond, cross, matrix, and circle shapes, are used. Interacting flame has two distinct characteristics compared with a single jet flame—higher blowout velocity and constant turbulent liftoff heights. There are optimum nozzle separation distances for the augmentation of blowout limit. Blowout velocities for the small-diameter multiple jets are higher than a single large-diameter nozzle with the same area. The flames are not extinguished even in choking conditions at the nozzle exit when there is not a nozzle at the center of optimally spaced matrix- or circle-shaped configurations. Flow visualization shows that the enhanced stability in the case without a center nozzle is due to recirculation within the fuel j...

The MET proto-oncogene product, which is the receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), has been implicated in tumorigenesis and metastatic progression. Point mutations in MET lead to the aberrant activation of the receptor in many types of human malignancies, and the deregulated activity of MET has been correlated with tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. MET has therefore attracted considerable attention as a potential target in anticancer therapy. Here, we report that a novel MET kinase inhibitor, NPS-1034, inhibits various constitutively active mutant forms of MET as well as HGF-activated wild-type MET. NPS-1034 inhibited the proliferation of cells expressing activated MET and promoted the regression of tumors formed from such cells in a mouse xenograft model through anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic actions. NPS-1034 also inhibited HGF-stimulated activation of MET signaling in the presence or absence of serum. Furthermore, when tested on 27 different MET variants, NPS-1034 inhibited 15 of the 17 MET variants that exhibited autophosphorylation with nanomolar potency; only the F1218I and M1149T variants were not inhibited by NPS-1034. Notably, NPS-1034 inhibited three MET variants that are resistant to the MET inhibitors SU11274, NVP-BVU972, and PHA665752. Together, these results suggest that NPS-1034 can be used as a potent therapeutic agent for human malignancies bearing MET point mutations or expressing activated MET.

Recently, we reported that an ethanol extract of Iris nertschinskia induces p53-dependent apoptosis in the MCF7 human breast cancer cell line. However, the detailed mechanisms were not fully explored. Here, we demonstrate another aspect of the activity of I. nertschinskia in breast cancer cells. We compared the response to an ethanol extract of I. nertschinskia in two different human breast cancer cell lines, Hs578Tand MDA-MB231, respectively with relatively low and high AKT1/2 activity by trypan blue exclusion assay and FACS analysis. Knockdown of endogenous AKT1 or AKT2 in breast cancer cells by RNA interference determined the sensitivity to I. nertschinskia ethanol extract compared to control cells. The I. nertschinskia ethanol extract induced cell death in a manner that depended on the level of phosphorylated AKT1/2 protein and was associated with a significant increase in the sub-G1 cell population, indicative of apoptosis. Our results indicate that an ethanol extract of I. nertschinskia differentially induces cell death in breast cancer cells depending on their level of phosphorylated AKT1/2.

Two rubber particle protein genes and one latex gene in fig tree (Ficus carica) have been isolated and their expression following various abiotic stress treatments have been investigated. The two major proteins that are tightly associated with the catalytically active rubber particles have been sequenced to be peroxidase (POX) and trypsin inhibitor (TRI). A cDNA encoding a basic class I chitinase (CHI) has also been isolated from the fig tree latex. Wounding treatment strongly induced the expression of the three stress-related genes. Among the abiotic stresses investigated, drought treatment greatly induced the expression of POX, whereas the expression of CHI and TRI decreased after the same treatment. Cold treatment reduced slightly the transcript levels of the thee genes, and NaCl reduced marginally the expression of CHI. The expression of POX, CHI, and TRI was induced by jasmonic acid and abscisic acid, by jasmonic acid, and by salicylic acid, respectively. Different expression of the stress-related genes following various abiotic stress or plant hormone treatments suggests that a crosstalk exists between the signal transduction pathways elicited by abiotic stresses and hormones in plants. Our present results showing the expression of stress-related proteins on the surface of rubber particles and latex in F. carica also imply the possible role of rubber particles and latex in defense in rubber-producing plant species.

We observed that single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) was aligned in the presence of TTF. This alignment was induced by a specific interaction between SWNT and tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), a well-known organic donor. The interaction between the two molecules can be explained by a charge-transfer, which was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. The binding energies of S (2P1/2) and S (2P3/2) were shifted from 163.0 eV and 164.1 eV to 163.9 eV and 165.1 eV, respectively. In Raman spectra of the SWNT-TTF, three peaks of SWNT in radial breathing mode were also upshifted by 4–5 cm−1. The charge-transfer interaction also contributed in modifying the electronic structure of SWNT and furthermore enhanced the electrical conductivity of SWNT. A more conductive thin film was fabricated using the SWNT-TTF. Four-probe measurement revealed that the surface resistance of the SWNT-TTF film was reduced to 4.359 Ω at room temperature while that of SWNT film was 6.894 Ω. These results enable carbon nanotubes to be utilized more for practically for industrial applications in fabricating peculiar nano-sized building blocks.

The steam generator in the nuclear power plants is a kind of heat exchanger, which is composed of bundles of long and slender pipes. The tubes are supported by anti-vibration bar to reduce the vibration, caused by the water flows for cooling purpose. The wear damage due to this vibration is called as the fretting wear, which should be minimized for the safe operation of plants. The hard coatings are very effective to reduce the amount of wear. In this paper, the coatings of TiN and CrN were deposited on the tube material to protect the fretting surfaces. The tube-on-flat type tester was used for fretting wear tests. The wear amounts of the coated tubes were decreased depending on coating thickness. CrN coating was very effective to reduce the wear. In case of TiN the wear amounts were dependent on the coating thickness. Thick coating of TiN was very effective for wear resistance.Copyright © 2007 by ASME

Despite the fact that cold shock domain proteins (CSDPs) and glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins (GRPs) have been implicated to play a role during the cold adaptation process, their importance and function in eukaryotes, including plants, are largely unknown. To understand the functional role of plant CSDPs and GRPs in the cold response, two CSDPs (CSDP1 and CSDP2) and three GRPs (GRP2, GRP4 and GRP7) from Arabidopsis thaliana were investigated. Heterologous expression of CSDP1 or GRP7 complemented the cold sensitivity of BX04 mutant Escherichia coli that lack four cold shock proteins (CSPs) and is highly sensitive to cold stress, and resulted in better survival rate than control cells during incubation at low temperature. In contrast, CSDP2 and GRP4 had very little ability. Selective evolution of ligand by exponential enrichment (SELEX) revealed that GRP7 does not recognize specific RNAs but binds preferentially to G-rich RNA sequences. CSDP1 and GRP7 had DNA melting activity, and enhanced RNase activity. In contrast, CSDP2 and GRP4 had no DNA melting activity and did not enhance RNAase activity. Together, these results indicate that CSDPs and GRPs help E.coli grow and survive better during cold shock, and strongly imply that CSDP1 and GRP7 exhibit RNA chaperone activity during the cold adaptation process.