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Background Patients with end-stage liver disease frequently experience acute kidney injury (AKI) after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) have increasingly been accepted as a predictor of AKI in clinical settings. This study investigated the predictive role of intraoperative BNP levels in the early development of AKI after LDLT. Patients and methods Adult patients (≥19 years old) who had undergone elective LDLT from January 2011 to December 2017 were classified into the non-AKI and AKI groups according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria. Serum levels of BNP were measured three times in the preanhepatic, anhepatic, and neohepatic phases. Perioperative data in recipients and donors were analyzed retrospectively. Results Sixty-one patients (22.4%) suffered from AKI immediately after LDLT. Severity according to AKI stage was as follows: 28 patients in stage 1 (10.3%), 18 patients in stage 2 (6.6%), and 15 patients in stage 3 (5.5%). In the neohepatic phase, both BNP levels and proportions of patients with high BNP levels (≥100 pg/mL) were higher in the AKI group than in the non-AKI group. Only BNP levels in the non-AKI and AKI stage 1 groups significantly decreased from the preanhepatic phase to the neohepatic phase; those in AKI stages 2 and 3 groups did not. In particular, BNP levels of all AKI stage 3 patients increased to more than 100 pg/mL, and the proportion of patients with high levels also increased significantly through the surgical phases in the AKI stage 3 group. In multivariate analyses, BNP levels in the neohepatic phase were significantly associated with early development of AKI after LDLT, as well as the total amount of packed red blood cells in transfusions and total duration of graft ischemia. Conclusions Monitoring serum levels of BNP is useful for predicting the early development of AKI after LDLT.

We report on the effect of silver (Ag) nanoparticles on the optical transmittance and electrical conductivity of indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conducting layer deposited on p -GaN layer of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The sheet resistance of ITO and the series resistance of LEDs were decreased due to the increased electrical conductivity of ITO by Ag nanoparticles, compared with those of the LEDs with a bare ITO only. The ITO transmittance was also improved by localized surface plasmon resonance between the incident light and the randomly distributed Ag nanoparticles on ITO. The optical output power of LEDs with Ag nanoparticles on ITO was increased by 16% at 20 mA of injection current.

We report the selective growth and in-situ transfer of graphene on a gallium nitride layer in solution using patterned SiO2 supporting layers. The line-patterned multilayer graphene was selectively transferred onto a gallium nitride target substrate without producing the damage and defect in the graphene. Furthermore, the transfer yield of in-situ transferred graphene was greatly increased compared to that by the conventional transfer method and the adhesion of transferred graphene was also improved by in-situ transfer in solution. © 2015 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.0051512jss] All rights reserved.

We develop a localized surface plasmon (LSP)-enhanced CdSe/ZnS green quantum dot (QD) light-emitting diode (LED) containing Au nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a ZnO electron transport layer. Au NPs blended in ZnO solution are directly spin coated onto the QD emissive layer to provide strong coupling between LSPs in Au NPs and excitons in QDs, greatly enhancing the electroluminescence (EL). Photoluminescence (PL) and EL intensities are greatly enhanced by 4.12 and 4.33-fold, respectively. Maximum PL and EL enhancement ratios of 4.47 and 4.54 are observed at 535 and 532 nm, respectively, and these are similar to the LSP resonance wavelength of 536 nm for Au NPs in ZnO films. The results indicate that the EL enhancement of the QD-LED is attributed to strong resonance coupling between excitons in the QDs and LSPs in the Au NPs in ZnO films.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). In this study, we investigated perioperative factors, including oxygen content, related to the postoperative development of AKI after LDLT. The perioperative data of 334 patients were reviewed retrospectively. We identified the postoperative development of AKI based on the Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria. Perioperative variables, including oxygen content, were compared between patients with and without AKI. Potentially significant variables in a univariate analysis were evaluated by multivariate analysis. Postoperative AKI developed in 76 patients (22.7%). Univariate analysis revealed that preoperative factors (body mass index [BMI], diabetes mellitus, C-reactive protein) and intraoperative factors (severe postreperfusion syndrome, packed red blood cell transfusion, furosemide, and oxygen content at the anhepatic phase, 5 minutes and 1 hour after graft reperfusion, and at peritoneal closure) of recipients were significant. The multivariate analysis showed that oxygen content 5 minutes after graft reperfusion, BMI, and furosemide administration were independently associated with postoperative AKI. In conclusion, postoperative AKI was independently associated with oxygen content 5 minutes after graft reperfusion, BMI, and furosemide administration. Meticulous ventilator care and transfusion should be required to maintain sufficient oxygen content immediately after graft reperfusion in patients who undergo LDLT.

Emergence agitation is common after septorhinoplasty, and postoperative pain is the main risk factor for this condition. Infraorbital and infratrochlear nerve block have been reported to facilitate pain management in patients after nasal procedures. The effect of peripheral nerve block on the incidence of emergence agitation has not been evaluated. Sixty-six patients that were scheduled for septorhinoplasty were assigned to receive bilateral infraorbital and infratrochlear nerve block with either 8 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine (Block group) or isotonic saline (Sham Block group). The incidence of emergence agitation was evaluated using the Riker sedation-agitation scale. Analgesic consumption, hemodynamic parameters, postoperative pain scores, adverse events, and patient satisfaction with analgesia were evaluated. The incidence of emergence agitation was lower in the Block group than in the Sham Block group (6 (20.0%) versus 20 (62.5%), p = 0.002). The mean intraoperative remifentanil consumption was lower in the Block group than in the Sham Block group (0.074 &plusmn, 0.014 &mu, g/kg/min. versus 0.093 &plusmn, 0.019 &mu, g/kg/min., respectively, p &lt, 0.0001), as was the proportion of patients that needed postoperative tramadol administration and median postoperative pain score at 0&ndash, 2 h after surgery (9 (30.0%) versus 21 (65.6%), p = 0.011, 3.0 (2.0&ndash, 4.0) versus 4.0 (3.0&ndash, 4.0), p &lt, 0.0001, respectively). Hemodynamic parameters and the incidence of adverse events were similar between the two groups. The median patient satisfaction score with respect to analgesia was higher in the Block group than in the Sham Block group (3.5 (3.0&ndash, 4.0) versus 3.0 (3.0&ndash, 4.0), respectively, p = 0.034). The preoperative bilateral infraorbital and infratrochlear nerve block decreased the incidence of emergence agitation after septorhinoplasty.

Transparent mesoporous silica plates doped with rare-earth metal oxide were prepared using solvent-evaporation method based on the self-organization between structure-directing agent and silicate in a non-aqueous solvent. A triblock copolymer, Pluronic (F127 or P123), was used as the structure-directing agent, while tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was used as a silica source. The pore diameter and the surface area of the mesoporous silica plate prepared with the optimized conditions were ca 40 A and 600 m2 g(-1), respectively, for both structure-directing agent. Rare-earth metal oxides (Eu, Tb, Tm oxide) in mesochannel were formed via one-step synthetic route based on the preparation method of a silica plate. Optical properties of rare-earth metal oxide-doped mesoporous silica plates were investigated by UV irradiation and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Under the exitation wavelength of 254 nm, the doped mesoporous silica plates emitted red, green and blue for Eu, Tb and Tm oxides, respectively. Rare-earth metal oxide-doped mesoporous silica plates showed enhanced PL intensity compared to that of the bulk rare-earth metal oxide.

In this paper, a method of moving path control of an automatic guided vehicle in an indoor environment through recognition of marker images using vision sensors is presented. The existing AGV moving control system using infrared-ray sensors and landmarks have faced at two critical problems. Since there are many windows in a crematorium, they are going to let in too much sunlight in the main hall which is the moving area of AGVs. Sunlight affects the correct recognition of landmarks due to refraction and/or reflection of sunlight. The second one is that a crematorium has a narrow indoor environment compared to typical industrial fields. Particularly when an AVG changes its direction to enter the designated furnace the information provided by guided sensors cannot be utilized to estimate its location because the rotating space is too narrow to get them. To resolve the occurrences of such circumstances that cannot access sensing data in a WSN environment, a relative distance from marker to an AGV will be used as fingerprinting used for location estimation. Compared to the existing fingerprinting method which uses RSS, our proposed method may result in a higher reliable estimation of location. Our experimental results show that the proposed method proves the correctness and applicability. In addition, our proposed approach will be applied to the AGV system in the crematorium so that it can transport a dead body safely from the loading place to its rightful destination.

Background: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rapidly progressing and fatal disease for which liver transplantation (LT) is the only treatment. Posttransplant mechanical ventilation tends to be more prolonged in patients with ALF than in other LT patients. The present study examined the clinical effects of prolonged posttransplant mechanical ventilation (PMV), and identified risk factors for PMV following LT for ALF. Methods: We reviewed data of patients undergoing LT for ALF between January 2005 and June 2011. After grouping patients according to administration of PMV (≥ 24 h), donor and recipient perioperative variables were compared between the groups with and without PMV. Potentially significant factors (P < 0.1) from the univariate intergroup comparison were entered into a multivariate logistic regression to establish a predictive model for PMV. Results: Twenty-four (25.3%) of 95 patients with ALF who received PMV had a higher mortality rate (29.2% vs 11.3%, P = 0.038) and longer intensive care unit stay (12.9 ± 10.4 vs 7.1 ± 2.7 days, P = 0.012) than patients without PMV. The intergroup comparisons revealed worse preoperative hepatic conditions, more supportive therapy, and more intraoperative fluctuations in vital signs and less urine output in the with- compared with the without-PMV group. The multivariate analysis revealed that preoperative hepatic encephalopathy (≥ grade III), intraoperative blood pressure fluctuation, and oliguria (< 0.5 ml/kg/h) were independent risk factors for PMV. Conclusions: PMV was associated with deleterious outcomes. Besides care for known risk factors including hepatic encephalopathy, meticulous attention to managing intraoperative hemodynamic circulatory status is required to avoid PMV and improve the posttransplant prognosis in ALF patients. (Korean J Anesthesiol 2013; 65: 228-236)

Objectives: Magnesium has protective effects in ischaemia-reperfusion injury, and is involved in immunomodulation. We investigated the effects of magnesium pretreatment on the secretion of T helper (Th) cytokines and on the severity of post-reperfusion syndrome (PRS) in patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Methods: forty patients were allocated to two groups of 20 (magnesium and saline groups). Blood samples for cytokine analysis were collected before infusion of the study solution at the end of anhepatic phase (time point 1), as well as five min and 30 min after allograft reperfusion (time points 2 and 3, respectively). Levels of cytokines were quantified using a sandwich enzyme immunoassay test kit. Results: The duration of PRS was shorter in the magnesium group (p = 0.038). The level of interferon (IFN)-γ released from Th1 was lower in the magnesium group at time point 3 (p = 0.009). Of the cytokines released from Th2 cells, interleukin (IL)-6 was present in higher concentrations in the magnesium group at time points 2 and 3 (p

Amphiphobic organic–inorganic hybrid coating materials have been prepared by sol–gel technique in two steps. In the first step, fluorinated polymethylhydrosiloxane precursor was synthesized by hydr...

Objective: This retrospective study investigated the predictive role of serum phosphorus concentration for acute renal failure (ARF), defined by the Risk Injury Failure Loss End-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) criteria, after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Methods: Perioperative factors, including serum phosphorus concentrations, in LDLT recipients without pre-existing renal dysfunction were retrospectively analysed and compared between patients with or without post-LDLT ARF. Results: A total of 45 patients out of 350 (12.9%) met the RIFLE ARF criteria and experienced significantly higher postoperative mortality, longer intensive care unit stay and more frequent graft dysfunction than those patients without post-LDLT ARF. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that a serum phosphorus concentration ≥ 4.5 mg/dl on postoperative day 1 (relative risk [RR] 5.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.56, 11.03), a preoperative model for end-stage liver disease score = 20 points (RR 4.17, 95% CI 2.04, 8.52), and packed red blood cell transfusion ≥ 10 units (RR 2.55, 95% CI 1.13, 5.88) were independent risk factors for post-LDLT ARF. Conclusions: Hyper -phosphataemia on postoperative day 1 could be an early and simple indicator of ARF occurrence after LDLT.

We report on the effect of an AlGaN interlayer with a low Al composition, which is inserted between multiple quantum wells (MQWs) and an AlGaN electron blocking layer (EBL) in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The band diagram shows that this interlayer reduces the hole barrier height between the last GaN barrier in MQWs and the AlGaN EBL to enhance the hole injection. The optical output power at 20 mA of LEDs with interlayer is increased by 20% more than that of LEDs without an interlayer. This improvement is attributed to the enhanced radiative recombination rate, which is due to a more uniform hole distribution and higher hole concentration in MQWs.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and efficacy of infusion of terlipressin during living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). METHODS: Patients undergoing LDLT with low systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) and pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI) ( n = 41) were randomly allocated into control ( n = 20) and terlipressin groups ( n = 21). Terlipressin was infused at 1.0 – 4.0 μg/kg per h in the terlipressin group during surgery. Controls received generally accepted inotropic and vasopressor agents. RESULTS: Terlipressin infusion induced significantly higher SVRI and PVRI at 60 min after drug infusion, produced significantly greater hourly urine output during the anhepatic phase, and was related to significantly shorter stays in the postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) compared with control treatment (mean ± SD ICU stay 5.7 ± 1.5 versus 6.9 ± 1.5 days, respectively). Patients given a terlipressin infusion > 2.0 μg/kg per h during the preanhepatic phase had a median ICU stay of < 6 days (sensitivity 90.0%; specificity 89.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Terlipressin infusion improved low SVRI and PVRI during LDLT and may have contributed to better renal function and shorter ICU stays.

Background:Currently, 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists are indicated to slow gastrointestinal motility in the diarrhea-predominant subtype of irritable bowel syndrome. They are commonly used to prevent or treat postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and opioid-induce

Background Liver graft regeneration is orchestrated by specific and sequential stimuli, including hepatocyte growth factors, cytokines, and catecholamines. We evaluated the association between preoperative serum cytokines and early liver graft regeneration in human living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Patients and methods We retrospectively reviewed the data of adult patients who underwent LDLT from January 2010 to December 2014. Serum cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-2, 6, 10, 12, 17, interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured in the recipients 1 day before surgery and on postoperative day (POD) 7. Liver graft volume was estimated using abdominal computed tomography images of the donors and recipients. Results In total, 226 patients were analyzed in this study. Median preoperative levels of serum cytokines were as follows: IL-2, 0.1 (0.1–1.6) pg/mL; IL-6, 7.3 (0.1–30.2) pg/mL; IL-10, 0.5 (0.1–11.0) pg/mL; IL-12, 0.1 (0.1–0.1) pg/mL; IL-17, 2.0 (0.1–16.4) pg/mL; IFN-γ, 3.2 (0.1–16.0) pg/mL; and TNF-α, 9.8 (5.4–17.9) pg/mL. Higher preoperative serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α, dichotomized at the median, were associated with increased relative liver volumes by POD 7. Multivariate analysis revealed that higher levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-α were independently associated with increased graft volume during the first 1 week after LDLT, based on the lower levels of those cytokines. Conclusions IL-6 and TNF-α were important mediators of the success of early graft regeneration in patients who underwent LDLT.

Novel digital memory devices were fabricated with a thermally and dimensionally stable polyimide containing carbazole moieties in its side groups by using a simple and conventional solution coating process. The devices exhibit excellent unipolar ON and OFF switching behavior. With very low power consumption, the devices can be repeatedly written, read, and erased in air. The ON/OFF current ratio of the devices is high up to 1011. The high ON/OFF switching ratio and stability of the devices, as well as their repeatable writing, reading, and erasing capability with low power consumption, open up the possibility of the mass production of high performance non-volatile memory devices at low cost.

Recent increases in the demand for mobile devices have stimulated the development of nonvolatile memory devices with high performance. In this Communication, we describe the fabrication of low-cost, high-performance, digital nonvolatile memory devices based on semiconducting polymers, poly(o-anthranilic acid) and poly(o-anthranilic acid-co-aniline). These memory devices have ground-breaking and novel current-voltage switching characteristics. The devices are switchable in a very low voltage range (which is much less than those of all other devices reported so far) with a very high ON/OFF current ratio (which is on the order of 10 5 ). The low critical voltages have the advantage for nonvolatile memory device applications of low operation voltages and hence low power consumption. With this very low power consumption, the devices demonstrate in air ambient to have very stable ON- and OFF-states without any degradation for a very long time (which has been confirmed up to one year so far) and to be repeatedly written, read and erased. Our study proposes that the ON/OFF switching of the devices is mainly governed by a filament mechanism. The high ON/OFF switching ratio and stability of these devices, as well as their repeatable writing, reading and erasing capability with low power consumption, opens up the possibility of the mass production of high performance digital nonvolatile polymer memory devices with low cost. Further, these devices promise to revolutionize microelectronics by providing extremely inexpensive, lightweight, and versatile components that can be printed onto plastics, glasses or metal foils.

Gap junction channels formed with connexins directly link to the cytoplasm of adjacent cells and have been implicated in intercellular signaling. Connexin 37 (Cx37) is expressed in the gas-exchange region of the lung. Recently, Cx37 has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disease. However, no data are available on the role of Cx37 in allergic airway inflammatory disease. In the present study, we used a murine model of ovalbumin (OVA)- induced allergic airway disease and primary murine epithelial cells to examine the change of Cx37 in allergic airway disease. These mice develop the following typical pathophysiological features of asthma: airway hyperresponsiveness, airway inflammation, and increased IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, eotaxin, and RANTES levels in lungs. Cx37 protein and mRNA expression were decreased in OVA-induced allergic airway disease. Immunoreactive Cx37 localized in epithelial layers around the bronchioles in control mice, which dramatically disappeared in allergen-induced asthmatic lungs. Moreover, the levels of Cx37 protein in lung tissues showed significantly negative correlations with airway inflammation, airway responsiveness, and levels of Th2 cytokines in lungs. These findings indicate that change of Cx37 may be associated with the asthma phenotype.

We report on the characteristics of localized surface plasmon (LSP)-enhanced near-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (NUV-LEDs) fabricated by using colloidal silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs). Colloidal Ag NPs were deposited on the 20 nm thick p-GaN spacer layer using a spray process. The optical output power of NUV-LEDs with colloidal Ag NPs was increased by 48.7% at 20 mA compared with NUV-LEDs without colloidal Ag NPs. The enhancement was attributed to increased internal quantum efficiency caused by the resonance coupling between excitons in the multiple quantum wells and the LSPs in the Ag NPs.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of a lumbosacral spine phantom to improve novices' proficiency in performing ultrasound-guided facet joint injection and medial branch block. Design and Setting Prospective study in a university hospital. Subjects In total, 30 participants with no experience of spinal ultrasonography were included and were allocated to one of two groups (control group, N = 10 and training group, N = 20). Methods A lumbosacral spine phantom was prepared using a lumbosacral spine model embedded in a mixture of gelatin and psyllium husk. All participants were tested (test-1) following a basic education introductory program. Participants in the control group were then tested again after 1 week (test-2). Those in the training group received a further 3-h training, individually, and were tested again after 1 week (test-2). Results The mean performance scores on test-1 were 57.6 ± 6.0 in the control group and 57.3 ± 6.7 in the training group; and at test-2, 61.0 ± 8.6 and 91.7 ± 4.9 ( P < 0.001), respectively. The median time of performance at test-1 was 158.3 ± 41.9 seconds in the control group and 185.3 ± 68.1 seconds in the training group; and at test-2, 146.9 ± 38.9 seconds and 69.9 ± 22.0 seconds ( P < 0.001), respectively. In the training group, the mean self-rating level of proficiency scores were 2.2 ± 1.0 at pretraining, and 6.8 ± 0.8 at post-training, respectively ( P < 0.001). Conclusion Training using a gelatin-based spine phantom helped novices to acquire the skills necessary to perform ultrasound-guided lumbar facet joint injections and medial branch blocks.

PH3 Ion shower implantation (ISI) and rapid thermal anneal (RTA) are examined for applications in the source and drain (S/D) formation of a fully depleted (FD) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). After the PH3 ISI, oxide capping by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) prior to the RTA not only prevents dopant out-diffusion, but also improves activation efficiency. In oxide capping case, the dopants diffuse more. However, it is confirmed that lower sheet resistance and less dopant diffusion can be achieved by decreasing the thermal budget with oxide capping, compared with the case of RTA without oxide capping. We extract the dopant lateral diffusion length and the lateral abruptness experimentally for a 40-nm-thick SOI from the electrical characteristics of an FD SOI MOSFET. Under the annealing conditions of 900°C for 20 s with oxide capping, the sheet resistance, the lateral diffusion length and the lateral abruptness for a 40-nm-thick SOI are 250 Ω/sq, 35 nm and 5.7 nm/dec, respectively.

The flammability of eight halogen-free styrene resins and one halogen-containing styrene resin was characterized by UL 94 VB, LOI and cone calorimeter tests. Their burning behaviour was also measured when exposed to three external ignition sources (methenamine tablet, candle, paper ball). Five resins were used for 19″ monitor housings and the others for 25″ TV. The LOI values of UL 94 V-2, V-1 and V-0 rated resins were higher than that of HB. The heat release rate decreased as the UL 94 ratings increased from HB to V-0. When these resins were exposed to three external ignition sources, UL 94 V-1 and V-0 rated resins showed a self-extinguishing property after removal of the fire and did not cause fire growth in either 19″ monitor or the 25″ TV housings in all cases. However, UL 94 V-2 and HB rated resins were easily ignited and spread fire by dripping burning trickles. The burning rate of V-2 resin was slower than that of HB. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

To enhance the catalytic activity of metal−terpyridyl complexes toward transesterification of an RNA model [(2-hydroxypropyl)-p-nitrophenyl phosphate, HPNPP], the conformation of terpyridyl moietie...

Catalytic activity of Cu(II) ion complexed to terpyridine in hydrolysis of polyadenylic acid is considerably enhanced upon attachment to poly(ethylenimine) (PEI), especially at pH 6.5. This is attributed to cationic microenvironments created on PEI backbone and, possibly, to the general acid action of the ammonium ions of PEI.

An epitaxial CoSi 2 thin film was grown from a 20 nm Co/5 nm Ti bilayer by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at 900°C and subjected to BF 2 − implantation followed by a second RTA at 900°C for the formation of the shallow p + —n junction. The B redistribution studied by secondary ion mass spectrometry was dependent upon the as-deposited B profile. For the 30 keV, 10 15 cm −2 implantation, the as-deposited B concentration at the CoSi 2 /Si interface was 10 17 cm −3 and the shallow junction of 35 nm depth was formed after 300 s anneal. For the 50 and 80 keV implantations, the interfacial concentration was higher than 10 18 cm −3 and the shallow junctions of 60 and 100 nm depth were formed after 60 and 10 s anneal, respectively.

To test the concept of self-optimization of own binding site by a metal ion, host molecules for Ni(II) ion were built on poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) by using the ethylenediamine portions of PEI and 2-carboxypyrazinyl (CP) group. Two derivatives of PEI containing CP were prepared: one by random acylation of PEI with pyrazine-2,5-dicarboxylic acid mono-(2,5-dioxo-pyrrolidin-1-yl) ester (PC-DP), and the other by acylation of PEI with PC-DP in the presence of Ni(II) ion. Between these two CP derivatives of PEI, Ni(II) binding ability was more than 10 3 times greater for the latter. Optimization by Ni(II) ion of its own binding site built on the polymer was attributed to the preassemblage of PC -DP and PEI with Ni( II ion and the subsequent attack at PC-DP by an amino group of PEI located in an optimal position.

We demonstrate localized surface plasmon (LSP)-enhanced near-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (NUV-LEDs) using silver (Ag) and platinum (Pt) nanoparticles (NPs). The optical output power of NUV-LEDs with metal NPs is higher by 20.1% for NUV-LEDs with Ag NPs and 57.9% for NUV-LEDs with Pt NPs at 20 mA than that of NUV-LEDs without metal NPs. The time-resolved photoluminescence (TR-PL) spectra shows that the decay times of NUV-LEDs with Ag and Pt NPs are faster than that of NUV-LEDs without metal NPs. The TR-PL and absorbance spectra of metal NPs indicate that the spontaneous emission rate is increased by resonance coupling between excitons in the multiple quantum wells and LSPs in the metal NPs. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America

This paper presents, for the first time, the Active Width Modulation (AWM) technology which compensates a string resistance with the active widths of local Y selectors for the purpose of increasing the number of cells-per-string (CPS). The AWM is demonstrated using 58 nm 512 Mb PRAM with 32 CPS instead of 8 CPS [1], which can reduce the chip size by 4.3%. Also, the systematic variability of a program current, ΔI PGM , is reduced from 17.8% to 0.82%, and that of a write energy, ΔE PGM , from 47.9% to 2.0%. Both write endurance and disturbance of >1M cycles are achieved for 512 Mb PRAM. The AWM can be further applied to increase CPS to 64 or 128, together with the reduction of a reset current, I RESET , for sub-40 nm PRAM technology and so on.

Summary Serum phosphorus is greatly affected by liver surgeries, but its change after liver transplantation has not yet been clarified. We investigated the predictive role of serum phosphorus for early allograft dysfunction (EAD) after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Perioperative factors, including serum phosphorus level, of 304 patients who underwent LDLT were retrospectively studied and compared between patients with and without EAD after LDLT. Potentially significant factors (P

We report high-efficiency blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with air voids embedded in GaN. The air void structures were created by the lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) of GaN using a tungsten mask. The optical output power was increased by 60% at an injection current of 20 mA compared with that of conventional LEDs without air voids. The enhancement is attributed to improved internal quantum efficiency because the air voids reduce the threading dislocation and strain in the LEO GaN epilayer. A ray-tracing simulation revealed that the path length of light escaping from the LED with air voids is much shorter because the air voids efficiently change the light path toward the top direction to improve the light extraction of the LED.

Pregabalin exhibits potent anticonvulsant, analgesic, and anxiolytic activity in animal models. However, few studies have evaluated pregabalin's potential peripheral effects on neuropathic pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the peripheral analgesic effects of pregabalin in a rat model of neuropathic pain.Male Sprague-Dawley rats were prepared by ligating the left L5 and L6 spinal nerves to produce neuropathic pain. Sixty rats with neuropathic pain were randomly assigned to six groups. Normal saline (control) and pregabalin (10, 20, 30, and 50 mg.kg(-1)) were administered to the plantar surface of the affected left hind paw. Pregabalin (50 mg.kg(-1)) was administered into the unaffected contralateral paw in order to determine its systemic effect. Responses to mechanical, cold, and heat stimulation were recorded at 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 min after drug administration. Rotarod performance was measured to detect drug-induced side effects, including sedation and reduced motor coordination.Saline injected into the affected paw and a pregabalin dose of 50 mg.kg(-1) injected into the contralateral paw showed no differences for mechanical, cold, and heat allodynia. Administration of pregabalin to the affected left hind paw in the dose range of 10-50 mg.kg(-1) resulted in a dose-dependent increase in thresholds to mechanical, cold, and heat stimulation.Peripherally administered pregabalin attenuates mechanical, cold, and heat allodynia in a rat model of neuropathic pain.

This paper reviews monitoring and error prediction of PLC-program using Neural Network. In the PLC-device controlled manufacturing line, PLC-program holds place of underlying component. It becomes controlling mechanism. The level of automation in the production line relies on control mechanism practiced. In the modern manufacturing, PLC devices can handle whole production line given that structured and smart PLC-program is executed. In other words, PLC-program can manage whole process structure consisting set of procedures. We present a method to monitor PLC-program and PLC error prediction it using neural network. The neural network method being predictive in nature, it rigorously can monitor process signals from sensors, sensed during operation of PLC devices or execution of PLC-program. Subsequently, a neural network algorithm practiced for the analysis of signals. In this way, thorough monitoring of PLC-program can find possible errors from temporal parameters (e.g. Voltage, bias etc). In addition, possible alterations in program and irregularities can be minimized. That can result, easily to use in fault detection, maintenance, and decision support in manufacturing organization. Similarly, it can lessen down-time of machines and prevent possible risks.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the pathogenesis of airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness. Recent studies have demonstrated that antioxidants are able to reduce airway inflammation and hyperreactivity in animal models of allergic airway disease. A newly developed antioxidant, small molecular weight thiol compound, N-acetylcysteine amide (AD4) has been shown to increase cellular levels of glutathione and to attenuate oxidative stress related disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. However, the effects of AD4 on allergic airway disease such as asthma are unknown. We used ovalbumin (OVA)-inhaled mice to evaluate the role of AD4 in allergic airway disease. In this study with OVA-inhaled mice, the increased ROS generation, the increased levels of Th2 cytokines and VEGF, the increased vascular permeability, the increased mucus production, and the increased airway resistance in the lungs were significantly reduced by the administration of AD4. We also found that the administration of AD4 decreased the increases of the NF-kappaB and hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) levels in nuclear protein extracts of lung tissues after OVA inhalation. These results suggest that AD4 attenuates airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness by regulating activation of NF-kappaB and HIF-1alpha as well as reducing ROS generation in allergic airway disease.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a mediator of airway inflammation and remodelling in asthma. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) plays pivotal roles in diverse biological processes, including tissue remodelling and repair in a number of chronic lung diseases. However, there are few studies elucidating the interactions between VEGF and TGF-beta(1) in allergic airway disease. A murine model of allergic airway disease was used to define the mechanism by which VEGF induces subepithelial fibrosis and to investigate a potential relationship between VEGF and TGF-beta(1) and the mechanisms by which VEGF signalling regulates TGF-beta(1) expression in allergic airway disease. The ovalbumin (OVA)-inhaled murine model revealed the following typical pathophysiological features of allergic airway disease in the lungs: increased numbers of inflammatory cells of the airways, airway hyperresponsiveness, increased peribronchial fibrosis, and increased levels of VEGF and TGF-beta(1). Administration of VEGF inhibitors reduced the pathophysiological signs of allergic airway disease and decreased the increased TGF-beta(1) levels and peribronchial fibrosis, including phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activity after OVA inhalation. In addition, the increased TGF-beta(1) levels and collagen deposition after OVA inhalation were decreased by administration of PI3K inhibitors. These results suggest that inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor attenuates peribronchial fibrosis, at least when mediated by regulation of transforming growth factor-beta(1) expression through phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway in a murine model of allergic airway disease.

Recently, GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have found many applications, including automobile headlights, full-color displays, traffic light lamps, and solid-state lightings. However, the light extraction efficiency of GaN-based LEDs is limited by the total internal reflection of light at the interface between the LED structure and air caused by the large refractive index difference between the GaN film (n=2.5) and air (n=1). Photons with an incident angle lower than the critical angle of 23° are reflected from the interface, leading to low light extraction efficiency. Although the light extraction efficiency has been increased by using indium tin oxide (ITO) as a transparent conducting layer (TCL), further improvements in the TCL performance and the optical output power are still required to realize high efficiency LEDs. In this study, we demonstrate that the ITO layer with Ag nanoparticles can be used as an optically and electrically high performing TCL for LEDs. The transmittance of the ITO layer was improved by the resonance between incident light in the ITO layer and localized surface plasmons (LSPs) at the ITO-Ag interface. The optical output power and electrical characteristics of LEDs were improved by the Ag nanoparticles deposited on the ITO layer of the LEDs. Figure 1(a) shows a schematic diagram of blue LED with Ag nanoparticles deposited on ITO TCL. The LEDs with a blue emission at 465 nm were grown on a c-plane (0001) patterned sapphire substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. After growth of a GaN nucleation layer, a 2 μm-thick undoped GaN layer and a 2 μm-thick n-GaN layer were grown at 1025 °C. Then, multiple quantum wells, consisting of five periods of undoped InGaN wells and GaN barriers, were grown at 750 °C, followed by growth of a 200 nm-thick p-GaN layer at 980 °C. To fabricate the LEDs, the p-GaN layer was etched by an inductively coupled plasma etching process to expose the n-GaN layer for an n-type ohmic contact. Then, a 150 nm-thick ITO layer was deposited on p-GaN layer as a TCL by electron-beam evaporation. To investigate the effect of the Ag nanoparticles on the ITO layer, LEDs with Ag nanoparticles deposited on ITO layer were also fabricated. To form Ag nanoparticles, an Ag layer with different film thickness was deposited on the ITO layer by electron-beam evaporation, and then annealed at 500 °C for 1 min in a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) system. This was followed by deposition of Cr/Au on the n-GaN layer to form an n-pad electrode and on the ITO layer to form a p-pad electrode. Figure 1(a) also shows atomic force microscopy (AFM) image of the ITO layer with Ag nanoparticles after RTA processing. The surface of an as-deposited Ag layer on the ITO layer is smooth and featureless. However, the thin Ag layer is transformed into nanoparticles, and the particle size is increased by thermal annealing via the Ostwald ripening process. Figure 1(b) shows the optical output power of the blue LEDs with different density and size of Ag nanoparticle deposited on the ITO TCLs as a function of injection current. As shown in Fig. 1(b), the optical output powers of the LEDs with Ag nanoparticles on top of the ITO TCL are higher than that of the LED with the bare ITO TCL. In particular, the optical output power of an LED with Ag nanoparticles (1 nm-thick Ag layer) is increased by 16% at an injection current of 20 mA compared to that of the LED without Ag nanoparticles and the enhancement is increased with increasing the density of Ag nanoparticles. This improvement is mainly attributed to the increased transmittance of ITO by the resonance of the light with the LSPs in the randomly distributed Ag nanoparticles. The electrical properties of the LEDs are also improved by the enhanced conductivity of the ITO TCL caused by the Ag nanoparticles. These results indicate that the Ag nanoparticles/ITO with high transmittance and low resistivity can be used as a high efficiency TCL for LEDs. Figure 1