Human infections with Trichinella spiralis and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are common, as T. spiralis infections are re-emerging in various parts of the world and RSV infections remain a threat for infants. Yet, studies investigating the relationship pertaining to the two are severely lacking. In particular, immune response induction via RSV and T. spiralis remain largely elusive. Here, we investigated the resistance against T. spiralis infection induced upon primary infection with RSV. RSV, notorious for causing severe inflammatory reaction in the lungs, were intranasally infected, followed with a T. spiralis infection in mice. Our results revealed that primary RSV infection in mice significantly raised T. spiralis-specific and total IgE, IgG and its subclass antibody responses upon T. spiralis challenge infection (RSV-Ts). Blood eosinophil levels were decreased in RSV-Ts, accompanied with significant increase in both Th1 and Th2 cytokines. Antibodies generated against RSV in RSV-infected mice were found to react with T. spiralis excretory/secretory antigen, showing several bands determined through immunoblotting. RSV-Ts also had a marked reduction of T. spiralis worm burden in diaphragm. These results indicate that immune responses induced by RSV infection contribute to resistance against subsequent T. spiralis infection.

Using immunostaining methodology, we traced the axonal projection of FMRFamide (Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2)-like immunoreactive (LI) medial neurosecretory cells (MNCs) and lateral neurosecretory cells (LNCs) from the brain into the ventral nerve cord (VNC) and retrocerebral complex in Bombyx mori (L.) (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). Of the seven pairs of FMRFamide-LI MNCs, one pair extended its axons from the brain pars intercerebralis into the VNC ipsilateral connective where they appeared to terminate. The axons of the remaining MNCs ran through decussation in the brain median region and contralateral nervi corporis cardiaci (NCC) I out of the brain, and eventually innervated the contralateral corpus cardiacum (CC). Axons from the single pair of FMRFamide-LI LNCs projected into the ipsilateral NCC II fused with NCC I without decussation in the brain, and finally terminated in the CC. These results suggest that transport of the FMRFamide-like neuropeptide from may be related to the modulation of functions such as gut contraction in MNCs terminating in the VNC, and regulation of production and/or secretion of specific hormones such as juvenile hormone in MNCs and LNCs terminating in the CC.

This study was performed to suggest convenient equations for quantifying Fe and K within the illite structure using relative intensities for the illite basal reflections. The 002/005 and 003/005 ratios were available for Fe and K quantifications, and equations could be derived as the following: CFe=(ln I002/005−1.807 ln I003/005+1.29)/(1.241 ln I003/005−3.843), CK=−(ln I002/005+0.121 ln I003/005−2.592)/(1.308 ln I003/005+1.984). The equations may obtain Fe and K contents within ca. ±0.05 atoms per half-unit cell, if incident radiation loss is minimized and basal reflection modification caused by expandable layers is eliminated. © 2004 International Centre for Diffraction Data.

This study examined basal peak irrationalities according to boundary conditions of the hectorite basal diffraction unit (BDU), which were recognized as the total assembly of 2:1 phyllosilicate layer plus interlayer material. The hectorite basal profiles were computer-simulated using the three kinds of BDU settings identified from the middle of octahedral sheets in the nearest neighbor (centrosymmetric model), the middle of interlayers in the nearest neighbor (centrosymmetric model), and a basal oxygen plane to the margin of interlayer in contact with the next phyllosilicate layer (non-centrosymmetric model). In the results of simulations, irrationality and asymmetry of the hectorite basal peaks relied straightforwardly on the BDU scattering modulations for the non-Bragg angles containing information on the synergic scattering events of phyllosilicate layer and interlayer material. Among the concerned BDU boundaries, the non-centrosymmetric model more effectively represented the real hectorite profile than the two previously reported centrosymmetric models.

This study attempted to quantify the interstratificational broadening of the randomly interstratified illite/smectite (random I∕S) basal reflection and to evaluate the percentage of the interstratified illite layers (%I) from the result. The interstratificational broadening was quantified using the distributional discrepancy (D) defined as D=[∑t∣ft(obs)−ft(ref)∣]∕2, where ft(obs) is the frequency of a crystallite containing thickness, t (the number of layers), measured from a basal reflection broadened by interstratifications, and ft(ref) is the frequency for a basal reflection with no interstratificational broadening. The basal reflections at 5.2° 2θ under glycolation and 8.84° 2θ under thermal dehydration provided the ft(obs) and ft(ref) of random I∕S. The linear relation, D=2.17%I+2.49(0⩽%I⩽30), was obtained from simulations for SWy-2 (Wyoming, USA).

We evaluated the effects of the two main kiwifruit cultivars (gold kiwifruit (GOK) and green kiwifruit (GRK)) and their active phenolic compound, quercetin, on H2O2-induced inhibition of gap-junction intercellular communication (GJIC) in WB-F344 rat liver epithelial cells. We found that both GOK and GRK protect WB-F344 cells from H2O2-induced inhibition of GJIC. The extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2)–connexin 43 (Cx43) signalling pathway is crucial for the regulation of GJIC, and both GOK and GRK blocked the H2O2-induced phosphorylation of Cx43 and ERK1/2 in WB-F344 cells. Quercetin alone attenuated the H2O2-mediated ERK1/2–Cx43 signalling pathway and consequently reversed H2O2-mediated inhibition of GJIC in WB-F344 cells. A free radical-scavenging assay using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl showed that the scavenging activity of quercetin was higher than that of a synthetic antioxidant, butylated hydroxytoluene, per mol, suggesting that the chemopreventive effect of quercetin on H2O2-mediated inhibition of ERK1/2–Cx43 signalling and GJIC may be mediated through its free radical-scavenging activity. Since the carcinogenicity of reactive oxygen species such as H2O2 is attributable to the inhibition of GJIC, GOK, GRK and quercetin may have chemopreventive potential by preventing the inhibition of GJIC.

We have developed new gene expression-regulating polymer that can activate transgene expression in response to target intracellular signals. Here, we tried applying sonoporation system to this gene regulation system to enhance the gene expression efficacy. Sonoporation is the method for effective gene transfection in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, the method might enhance the transfection efficiency in our polymer and realize an efficient and safe gene delivery system. Results suggested that the combination of our polymer and sonoporation could improve the gene expression compared to the system using only our polymer that transfers genes into cells via endocytosis. It also kept the ability of the gene regulation responding to cellular signals.

To improve the IPD reliability of NAND flash memory, plasma oxidation was introduced as the post-treatment process of ONO (Oxide/Nitride/Oxide) IPD. The LP-CVD SiO2 modified by plasma oxidation showed the excellent electrical properties. e.g., low leakage current, high breakdown voltage etc. By the analysis of Tof-SIMS and XRR, we could observe the several changes of physical characteristics such as the reduction of impurities (H, N etc.), the increase of oxide density, and the improvement of oxide surface roughness. We found out the appropriate treatment condition to be able to densify oxide layer without the addition of ONO Equivalent Oxide Thickness (EOT). The LP-CVD SiO2 prepared by plasma oxidation was used for the ONO IPD of 50nm NAND flash device and also compared with the conventional LP-CVD SiO2 in the aspect of the IPD reliability.

The growth of Ga1-xMnxN and Ga1-xFexN nanostructures was carried out by MOCVD. Introduction of transition metals (TM) Mn and Fe in GaN nanostructures enhanced the nucleation of the nanostructures resulting in reduced lateral dimensions and increased nanostructure density. The Ga1-xMnxN nanostructures showed hysteresis behavior at 5K. Room temperature ferromagnetism was obtained in the Ga1-xFexN nanostructures unlike its bulk counterpart. This paper presents the growth and magnetization study of Ga1-xTMxN nanostructures. These structures could be used to enhance the efficiency of spintronic devices.

Optoelectronics related to GaN-based semiconductors (i.e., InGaN, GaN, and AlGaN) are new technologies that have the potential to far exceed the energy efficiencies of incandescent and fluorescent lighting sources. Among the GaN-based optoelectronic devices like light emitting diode (LED) and laser diode (LD), the GaN-based LEDs are of interest for the next generation illumination because of the representative characteristics such as small, highly radiant, reliably long, and fast responding, compared with the existing general lighting systems.

Achievement of high luminous intensity by flip-chip LED (FCLED) with Ag-metallic reflector or using top emitting LED (TELED) with highly transparent ITO contact is required to improve the external quantum efficiency (EQE) and light output of GaN-based LEDs. However, since the work function of Ag and ITO is lower than 5.0 eV, it is difficult to produce low-resistance p-ohmic electrode with Ag-metallic reflector or ITO only.

In this study, in order to develop new ohmic contact materials having low contact resistance and high transmittance, transparent nanoparticles-embedded p-ohmic electrode, Mg-doped indium oxide (MIO) (3 nm)/indium tin oxide (ITO) (400 nm) ohmic contact for high brightness TELEDs for solid-state lighting, was suggested. The MIO/ITO contact become ohmic with specific contact resistances of 2.64 × 10-3 Ωcm2 and give transmittance higher than 94.6 % at a wavelength of 450 nm when annealed at 630 °C for 1 min in air. GaN-based LEDs fabricated with the annealed MIO/ITO p-contact layer give a forward-bias voltage of about 3.38 V at injection current of 20 mA. It is further shown that the output power of the LEDs with the MIO/ITO contact is enhanced by about 1.86 times at 20 mA as compared with that of LEDs with the conventional Ni/Au contact.

Group III-nitride compound semiconductors (e.g. AlN-GaN-InN) have generated considerable interest for use in advanced optoelectronic device structures. The fabrication of multi-tandem solar cells, high-speed optoelectronics and solid state lasers operating at higher energy wavelengths will be made possible using (Ga1-y-xAlyInx)N heterostructures due to their robustness against radiation and the wide spectral application range. To date, the growth of indium rich (In1-xGax)N films and heterostructures remains a challenge, primarily due to the large thermal decomposition pressures in indium rich group III-nitride alloys at the optimum growth temperatures. In order to control the partial pressures during the growth process of InN and related alloys, a unique high-pressure chemical vapor deposition (HPCVD) system with integrated real-time optical monitoring capabilities has been developed. We report initial results on InN layers grown at temperatures as high as ∼850°C with reactor pressures around 15 bar. Such process conditions are a major step towards the fabrication of indium rich group III-nitride heterostructures that are embedded in wide band gap group III-nitrides. Real-time optical characterization techniques are applied in order to study the gas phase kinetics and surface chemistry processes during the growth process.

For an ammonia to TMI precursor flow ratio below 500, multiple phases with sharp XRD features are observed. Structural analysis perform by Raman scattering techniques indicates that the E2 high mode improves as NH3:TMI ratio is decreased to below 500. Optical characterization of these InN layers indicates that the absorption edge shifts from down from 1.85 eV to 0.7 eV. This shift seems to be caused by a series of localized absorption centers that appear as the indium to nitrogen stoichiometry varies. This contribution will correlate the process parameters to results obtained by XRD, Raman spectroscopy and optical spectroscopy, in order to assess the InN film properties.

Dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS) show promise as materials that can exhibit ferromagnetism at room temperature (RT). However, the nature of ferromagnetism in this material system must be well understood in order to allow intelligent design of RT spintronic devices. This work investigates the magnetic properties of the as-grown films and the effect of Mn incorporation on crystal integrity and device performance. Ga1-xMnxN films were grown by MOCVD on c-plane sapphire substrates with varying thickness and Mn concentration. Homogenous Mn incorporation throughout the films was verified with Secondary Ion Mass

Spectroscopy (SIMS), and no macroscopic second phases (MnxNy) were detected using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Superior crystalline quality in the MOCVD-grown films relative to Mn-implanted GaN epilayers was confirmed via Raman spectroscopy. Vibrating sample magnetometry measurements showed an apparent room temperature ferromagnetic hysteresis in the as-grown epiayers. Similarly, a marked decrease in the magnetization was observed with annealing and silicon doping, as well as in post-growth annealed Mg-codoped samples. The observed decrease in muB per Mn with increasing Mn concentration is explained by Raman spectroscopy results, which show a decrease in long-range lattice ordering and an increase in nitrogen vacancy concentration with increasing Mn concentration. Magnetic and electron-spin paramagnetic resonance (EPR) data also show that the position of the Fermi level relative to the Mn2+/3+ level is the determining factor in magnetization. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) containing a Mn-doped active region have also been produced. Devices were fabricated with different Mn-doped active layer thicknesses, and I-V characteristics show that the devices become more resistive as thickness of the Mn-doped active layer increases. The magnetic and structural properties observed in this work will be used in conjunction with characteristics and magneto-optical of the Mn-containing devices to discuss the theoretical models of ferromagnetism in Ga1-xMnxN

Quantum dots (QDs) have been shown to improve the efficiency and optical properties of opto- electronic devices compared to two dimensional quantum wells in the active region. The formation of self-assembled GaN nanostructures on aluminum nitride (AlN) grown on sapphire substrates by Metal Organic Chemical Vapor deposition (MOCVD) was explored. This paper reports on the effect of in-situ activation in nitrogen atmosphere on MOCVD grown GaN nanostructures. The effect of introducing manganese in these nanostructures was also studied. Optically active nanostructures were successfully obtained. A blue shift is observed in the photoluminescence data with a decrease in nanostructure size.

Dual Multi-Quantum Well (MQW) region light emitting diodes (LEDs) for efficient pumping of multiple phosphors have been grown by Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD), for use in broadband, white solid state light sources. Blue (460 nm) and Violet/UV (∼400–420 nm) emitting MQW regions were incorporated into one device and show recombination mechanisms similar to single MQW region devices. The introduction of a decoupling region successfully separated the electroluminescent emissions, and two distinct emission peaks were observed. These devices can be used to pump a variety of phosphors designed for blue and UV sources, allowing for more design flexibility in color rendering and color temperature attributes of solid state light sources.