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The outstanding multifunctionality of ferroelectric oxides has opened up new fields in microelectronics. However, the high crystallization temperature of the ferroelectric oxides limits their integ...

Chemiresistive electronic nose (CEN) composed of villi-like nanostructures (VLNs) of SnO2 and WO3, and Au-functionalized VLNs was fabricated by applying electron-beam evaporation in a glancing angle deposition mode. The VLNs-based CEN with a back-heater (212 °C) shows high responses with low detection limits of parts per billion (ppb)-levels for NO and NH3 vapors at 80% relative humidity atmosphere. The enhanced sensitivities in a high humidity condition turn out to be attributed to the spillover effect by the Au nanoparticles and a large surface-to-volume ratio in porous VLNs. Employing Au NPs on VLNs leads to the increase of O− ions via the spillover effect which impedes the adsorption of water molecules, maintaining the enhanced responses against environmental humidity. Consequently, high responses for NO and NH3 vapors maintain even in the high humidity condition. Herein, with the principal component analysis (PCA), we demonstrate highly selective detection of NO and NH3 vapors against C2H5OH, CO, C7H8, C6H6, and CH3COCH3 vapors. These results open up wide applications of the VLNs-based CEN as an inexpensive and non-invasive diagnostic tool for asthma and kidney disorder.

Display Omitted GaN MOS with ALD HfAlOx/Ru with (NH4)2Sx pre-treatment.Better roughness, higher VBD, and smaller frequency dependence using (NH4)2Sx.(NH4)2Sx suppresses interfacial oxide regrowth on the GaN substrate.The Dit can be reduced further with longer treatment time. The effects of ammonium poly-sulfide, (NH4)2Sx, treatment on the surface of GaN metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) device with nano-laminated atomic layer deposition (ALD) HfAlOx gate dielectric and Ru gate electrode were investigated and compared with HCl pre-treatment. Compared with sample without sulfur (S) passivation, S-passivated sample shows improved surface roughness, increased capacitance, higher breakdown voltage, smaller frequency dependence, lower interface state density (Dit). It is found that (NH4)2Sx can remove native oxide and passivate the surface and interface states. Surface oxidation is suppressed due to higher strength in the NS bonds than that of the NO bonds. Further improvement is observed with increasing (NH4)2Sx treatment time.

The piezoelectric energy generation properties of transparent flexible devices (TFD) based on PbZr 0.52 Ti 0.48 O 3 (PZT) films, which were fabricated by laser lift-off (LLO) process, were studied for a piezoelectric energy harvester. Through the introduction of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates, TFDs were implemented, respectively. The TFDs based on PZT films generated an AC-type output signal and output power of 8.4 nW/cm 2 , at periodically bending and releasing motion. In addition, inverted output signals were observed when the manufactured TFDs were connected to the measuring equipment in reverse and were bended to the reverse direction, demonstrating that the generating signals originated from the piezoelectric effect of TFDs. The experimental results clearly showed that the TFDs based PZT film have potential for use in next generation of electronic devices applications such as flexible devices, transparent electronics, and energy harvester.

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) nanotubes fabricated by template-assisted method using sol–gel solution infiltration are applied for energy harvester. To fabricate PZT nanotubes, an anodic aluminum oxide is used for the template, and as-prepared PZT solution dropped on the surface of the AAO is infiltrated by vacuum pump into the pores in the AAO. The template including PZT solution is dried at 80 °C for 1 min and dried again at 300 °C for 10 min, and then it treated at 650 °C for 30 min to anneal PZT and form the expected perovskite phase. The fabricated nanotubes were mixed with PDMS polymer composite and polyimide films coated Pt/Ti were used for electrodes. Finally, it demonstrated that the energy harvester could generate the output power of 37 nW/cm2.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Selaginella tamariscina (P.Beauv.) Spring is a traditional medicinal plant used to treat various human diseases, including cancer, in Asia. The detailed molecular mechanism underlying the anti-cancer effects of this plant and the anti-cancer action of the combinatorial treatment of S. tamariscina and doxorubicin have not yet been investigated. Aim of the study We evaluated the inhibitory activity of S. tamariscina extract (STE) and its major compound, amentoflavone, on human aldo-keto reductase family 1B10 (AKR1B10), which is a detoxification enzyme involved in drug resistance, to evaluate their anti-cancer effects and their potential as adjuvant agents for doxorubicin cancer chemotherapy. Materials and methods We tested the AKR1B10 inhibitory activity of STE and amentoflavone via an in vitro biochemical assay using recombinant human AKR1B10. We tested the anti-proliferative activity in A549, NCI-H460, SKOV-3, and MCF-7 human cancer cells, which contain different expression levels of AKR1B10, and determined the combination index to evaluate whether the addition of STE and amentoflavone is synergistic or antagonistic to the anti-cancer action of doxorubicin. We finally evaluated the in vivo anti-tumor effects of STE in a nude mouse xenograft model of A549 cells. Results STE and amentoflavone potently inhibited human AKR1B10 and synergistically increased the doxorubicin anti-proliferative effect in A549 and NCI-H460 human lung cancer cells that express a high level of AKR1B10 mRNA and protein. STE also significantly inhibited A549 tumor growth in animal experiments. Conclusion Our results suggest that STE and amentoflavone could be potential anti-cancer agents that target AKR1B10 and might be candidate adjuvant agents to boost the anti-cancer effect of doxorubicin.

Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10) belongs to a superfamily of NADPH-dependent aldo-keto reductases and is considered a biomarker of several cancers. Inhibition of recombinant human AKR1B10 (rhAKR1B10) was assayed using 31 seaweed extracts, among which, an Eisenia bicyclis extract was selected for further study. To identify the compounds in E. bicyclis responsible for inhibitory effects on rhAKR1B10, five compounds were isolated by bioactivity-guided fractionation and isolation. Among them, phlorofucofuroeckol-A (PFF-A), isolated from an ethyl acetate fraction, exhibited the greatest inhibition of rhAKR1B10. The inhibitory rate of PFF-A against rhAKR1B10 was 61.41% at 10 μM, with an IC50 of 6.22 μM. Enzyme kinetic analyses revealed non-competitive inhibition with a K D of 2.76 μM. These results indicate that PFF-A from E. bicyclis may be a promising anticancer agent.

This study was performed to investigate the effects of laying productivity and egg quality according to providing germinated and fermented soybean (GFS) as feed additive. Among the strain, we selected Monascus purpureus KCCM 12002 so that inoculated in soybean and fermented for 48 h at 20 o C. A total of two-hundred forty 70-wk-old Hy-Line Brown layers were divided into four groups (4 treatment×6 replication×10 birds each) and fed diets containing 0 (as control) (T1), 0.5% (T2), 1.0% (T3) or 2.0% GFS (T4) for 6 wk. The laying productivity, egg quality and blood property in the egg yolk were experimented. There were no significant differences in the laying productivity, relative liver and spleen weights, egg yolk color and eggshell strength among another groups. The eggshell color, eggshell thickness and haugh unit significantly increased in the GFS-supplemented group (p

This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary low grade soybean, fermented with Aspergillus oryzae (FSB 1) or Bacillus subtilis var. natto (FSB 2), on egg production and quality, fat and cholesterol content, and the fatty acid (FA) profile of eggs by lipid layer. A total of 18 Hi-Line strain layers, 22 wk of age, were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments: no fermented soybean (control), control with 15% FSB 1 (C + FSB 1), and control with 15% FSB 2 (C + FSB 2). The rate of egg production and egg weight were evaluated between two periods: one was from the 1st to 4th wk and the other was from the 5th to 8th wk. At the 8th wk, a total of 30 eggs were randomly selected from each treatment group and analyzed for physical quality, fat content, fatty acid composition and cholesterol content. The results showed that egg production was increased in hens fed with diets containing fermented soybeans from the 5th to 8th wk period (p 0.05). Egg weight and other physical properties did not vary between treatment groups (p>0.05). Egg yolks among different treatment groups were similar in fat content, but egg yolks in the C + FSB 1 and C + FSB 2 groups had lower oleic acid (p

Inulin fructotransferase (IFTase), a member of glycoside hydrolase family 91, catalyzes depolymerization of beta-2,1-fructans inulin by successively removing the terminal difructosaccharide units as cyclic anhydrides via intramolecular fructosyl transfer. The crystal structures of IFTase and its substrate-bound complex reveal that IFTase is a trimeric enzyme, and each monomer folds into a right-handed parallel beta-helix. Despite variation in the number and conformation of its beta-strands, the IFTase beta-helix has a structure that is largely reminiscent of other beta-helix structures but is unprecedented in that trimerization is a prerequisite for catalytic activity, and the active site is located at the monomer-monomer interface. Results from crystallographic studies and site-directed mutagenesis provide a structural basis for the exolytic-type activity of IFTase and a functional resemblance to inverting-type glycosyltransferases.

The BaM6PI gene encoding a mannose-6-phosphate isomerase (M6PI, EC 5.3.1.8) was cloned from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DSM7 and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The enzyme activity of BaM6PI was optimal at pH and temperature of 7.5 and 70 degrees C, respectively, with a k(cat)/K-m of 13,900 s(-1) mM(-1) for mannose-6-phosphate (M6P). The purified BaM6PI demonstrated the highest catalytic efficiency of all characterized M6PIs. Although M6PIs have been characterized from several other sources, BaM6PI is distinguished from other M6PIs by its wide pH range and high catalytic efficiency for M6P. The binding orientation of the substrate M6P in the active site of BaM6PI shed light on the molecular basis of its unusually high activity. BaM6PI showed 97% substrate conversion from M6P to fructose-6-phosphate demonstrating the potential for using BaM6PI in industrial applications.

Antimycin A (AMA) damages the mitochondria through inhibition of mitochondrial electron transport. In this study, exposure of L6 rat skeletal muscle cells to AMA induced a decrease in ATP content, followed by a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, leading to apoptosis. We evaluated the protective effects of water and ethanol extracts of Nelumbo nucifera seeds on L6 cells with AMA-induced oxidative stress. We found that the extracts reduced cellular apoptosis; preserved the mitochondrial membrane potential; protected mitochondrial ATP production; inhibited p53, Bax, and caspase 3 activities; and induced Bcl-2 production. Our results suggested that AMA induced apoptosis in L6 cells via impairment of mitochondrial function. N. nucifera extracts protected the cells from this mitochondria-mediated cell death.

Antimycin A (AMA) damages mitochondria by inhibiting mitochondrial electron transport and can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS formation, aging, and reduction of mitochondrial biogenesis contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction. The present study sought to investigate extracts ofScutellaria baicalensisand its flavonoids (baicalin, baicalein, and wogonin), whether they could protect mitochondria against oxidative damage. The viability of L6 cells treated with AMA increased in the presence of flavonoids and extracts ofS. baicalensis. ATP production decreased in the AMA treated group, but increased by 50% in cells treated with flavonoids (except wogonin) and extracts ofS. baicalensiscompared to AMA-treated group. AMA treatment caused a significant reduction (depolarized) in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), whereas flavonoid treatment induced a significant increase in MMP. Mitochondrial superoxide levels increased in AMA treated cells, whereas its levels decreased when cells were treated with flavonoids or extracts ofS. baicalensis. L6 cells treated with flavonoids and extracts ofS. baicalensisincreased their levels of protein expression compared with AMA-treated cells, especially water extracts performed the highest levels of protein expression. These results suggest that theS. baicalensisextracts and flavonoids protect against AMA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction by increasing ATP production, upregulating MMP, and enhancing mitochondrial function.

Pathogenic bacteria synthesize and secrete toxic low molecular weight compounds as virulence factors. These microbial toxins play essential roles in the pathogenicity of bacteria in various hosts, and are emerging as targets for antivirulence strategies. Toxoflavin, a phytotoxin produced by Burkholderia glumae BGR1, has been known to be the key factor in rice grain rot and wilt in many field crops. Recently, toxoflavin-degrading enzyme (TxDE) was identified from Paenibacillus polymyxa JH2, thereby providing a possible antivirulence strategy for toxoflavin-mediated plant diseases. Here, we report the crystal structure of TxDE in the substrate-free form and in complex with toxoflavin, along with the results of a functional analysis. The overall structure of TxDE is similar to those of the vicinal oxygen chelate superfamily of metalloenzymes, despite the lack of apparent sequence identity. The active site is located at the end of the hydrophobic channel, 9 Å in length, and contains a Mn(II) ion interacting with one histidine residue, two glutamate residues, and three water molecules in an octahedral coordination. In the complex, toxoflavin binds in the hydrophobic active site, specifically the Mn(II)-coordination shell by replacing a ligating water molecule. A functional analysis indicated that TxDE catalyzes the degradation of toxoflavin in a manner dependent on oxygen, Mn(II), and the reducing agent dithiothreitol. These results provide the structural features of TxDE and the early events in catalysis.