330 GHz FMCW Image Sensor for Homeland Security Applications

A single-pixel imaging remote sensor operating at 330 GHz is described. It is based on a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) and aimed at detection of concealed objects for ranges up to 40 m. The system consists of 2 horn-lens antennas integrated with a homodyne transceiver. The synthesized linear FMCW signal at X-band is multiplied by a factor of 32 to generate the transmitted signal. An intermediate frequency (IF) signal obtained in the output port of the 2-nd harmonic mixer is employed for image processing. Distance measurements were made by performing data acquisition unit based on LabView interface and resulting in a range resolution about 1 cm. Examples of 2D and 3D images reconstructed with this sensor are presented.     

Identification of New Non-BBB Permeable Tryptophan Hydroxylase Inhibitors for Treating Obesity and Fatty Liver Disease

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptophan) is a hormone that regulates emotions in the central nervous system. However, serotonin in the peripheral system is associated with obesity and fatty liver disease. Because serotonin cannot cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), we focused on identifying new tryptophan hydroxylase type I (TPH1) inhibitors that act only in peripheral tissues for treating obesity and fatty liver disease without affecting the central nervous system. Structural optimization inspired by para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA) resulted in the identification of a series of oxyphenylalanine and heterocyclic phenylalanine derivatives as TPH1 inhibitors. Among these compounds, compound 18i with an IC₅₀ value of 37 nM was the most active in vitro. Additionally, compound 18i showed good liver microsomal stability and did not significantly inhibit CYP and Herg. Furthermore, this TPH1 inhibitor was able to actively interact with the peripheral system without penetrating the BBB. Compound 18i and its prodrug reduced body weight gain in mammals and decreased in vivo fat accumulation.     

The Influence of Tyrosol-Enriched Rhodiola sachalinensis Extracts Bioconverted by the Mycelium of Bovista plumbe on Scopolamine-Induced Cognitive,Behavioral, and Physiological Responses in Mice

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive deficits, which are accompanied by memory loss and cognitive disruption. Rhodiola sachalinensis (RSE) is a medicinal plant that has been used in northeastern Asia for various pharmacological activities. We attempted to carry out the bioconversion of RSE (Bio-RSE) using the mycelium of Bovista plumbe to obtain tyrosol-enriched Bio-RSE. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Bio-RSE on the activation of the cholinergic system and the inhibition of oxidative stress in mice with scopolamine (Sco)-induced memory impairment. Sco (1 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) impaired the mice’s performance on the Y-maze test, passive avoidance test, and water maze test. However, the number of abnormal behaviors was reduced in the groups supplemented with Bio-RSE. Bio-RSE treatment improved working memory and avoidance times against electronic shock, increased step-through latency, and reduced the time to reach the escape zone in the water maze test. Bio-RSE dramatically improved the cholinergic system by decreasing acetylcholinesterase activity and regulated oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)). The reduction in nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling in the brain tissue due to scopolamine was restored by the administration of Bio-RSE. Bio-RSE also significantly decreased amyloid-beta 1–42 (Aβ1–42) and amyloid precursor protein (APP) expression. Moreover, the increased malondialdehyde (MDA) level and low total antioxidant capacity in Sco-treated mouse brains were reversed by Bio-RSE, and an increase in Nrf2 and HO-1 was also observed. In conclusion, Bio-RSE protected against Sco-induced cognitive impairment by activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling and may be developed as a potential beneficial material for AD.     

The Design of Linear-Phase FIR Multiple-Notch Filters with Variable Notch Frequencies

In this paper, a paradigm is developed to design the linear-phase FIR multiple-notch filters with variable notch frequencies. The design procedure can be proceeded through two steps: First, a linear-phase narrow-band low-pass filter met the given bandwidth and stopband ripple specifications is designed. Second, a tuning procedure is applied to the computed low-pass filter to yield the desired multiple-notch filter. When the notch frequencies are varied, the same tuning procedure can be employed to render the multiple-notch filter with the new set of the notch frequencies. The tuning procedure employed reduces the computational complexity of designing the multiple-notch filter with the new set of the notch frequencies. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of our scheme.     

Tomatidine-stimulated maturation of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes for modeling mitochondrial dysfunction

Human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) have been reported to exhibit immature embryonic or fetal cardiomyocyte-like phenotypes. To enhance the maturation of hESC-CMs, we identified a natural steroidal alkaloid, tomatidine, as a new substance that stimulates the maturation of hESC-CMs. Treatment of human embryonic stem cells with tomatidine during cardiomyocyte differentiation stimulated the expression of several cardiomyocyte-specific markers and increased the density of T-tubules. Furthermore, tomatidine treatment augmented the number and size of mitochondria and enhanced the formation of mitochondrial lamellar cristae. Tomatidine treatment stimulated mitochondrial functions, including mitochondrial membrane potential, oxidative phosphorylation, and ATP production, in hESC-CMs. Tomatidine-treated hESC-CMs were more sensitive to doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity than the control cells. In conclusion, the present study suggests that tomatidine promotes the differentiation of stem cells to adult cardiomyocytes by accelerating mitochondrial biogenesis and maturation and that tomatidine-treated mature hESC-CMs can be used for cardiotoxicity screening and cardiac disease modeling.Subject terms: Heart failure, Embryonic stem cells, Stem-cell differentiation     

Preparation of nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-lactide) biocomposite microspheres

Nano-hydroxyapatite (HA)/poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) composite microspheres with relatively uniform size distribution were prepared by a solid-in-oil-in-water (s/o/w) emusion solvent evaporation method. The encapsulation of the HA nanopaticles in microshperes was significantly improved by grafting PLLA on the surface of the HA nanoparticles (p-HA) during emulsion process. This procedure gave a possibility to obtain p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with uniform morphology and the encapsulated p-HA nanoparticle loading reached up to 40 wt% (33 wt% of pure HA) in the p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres. The microstructure of composite microspheres from core-shell to single phase changed with the variation of p-HA to PLLA ratios. p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with the diameter range of 2–3 μm were obtained. The entrapment efficiency of p-HA in microspheres could high up to 90 wt% and that of HA was only 13 wt%. Surface and bulk characterizations of the composite microspheres were performed by measurements such as wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).     

Multistage homotopy perturbation method for nonlinear reaction networks

In this paper, we present the multistage homotopy perturbation method for finding the solution of the chemical kinetics with nonlinear reactions. We develop a general scheme for finding the analytic solution of chemical reaction networks and apply it to motivating chemical examples such as the enzyme kinetics model and the Brusselator model. We illustrate the numerical result for the models and show the accuracy of the method.     

Synthesis and characterization of thermally crosslinkable hole‐transporting polymers for PLEDs

Two new thermally crosslinkable hole‐transporting polymers, X‐PTPA and X‐PCz, were synthesized via Yamamoto coupling reactions. The number‐averaged molecular weights (M_n) of X‐PTPA and X‐PCz were found to be 45,000 and 48,000, respectively, and therewith, polydispersity indices were of 1.8 and 1.7, respectively. Thermally crosslinked X‐PTPA and X‐PCz exhibit excellent solvent resistance and stable optoelectronic properties. The UV–visible maximum absorption peaks of X‐PTPA and X‐PCz in the thin film state are at 389 and 322 nm, respectively. The HOMO levels of X‐PTPA and X‐PCz are estimated to be ?5.27 and ?5.39 eV, respectively. Multilayered devices (ITO/crosslinked X‐PTPA or X‐PCz/SY‐PPV/LiF/Al) were fabricated with SY (SuperYellow) as the emitting layer. The maximum efficiency of the multilayered device with a crosslinked X‐PTPA layer is approximately three times higher than that of the device without a crosslinked X‐PTPA layer and much higher than that of the crosslinked X‐PCz device. This result can be explained by the observations that crosslinked X‐PTPA produces increased electron accumulation within the emitter, SY, and also efficient exciton formation due to improved charge balance. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 5111–5117     

Curing temperature- and concentration-dependent dielectric properties of cross-linked poly-4-vinylphenol (PVP)

In this paper, dielectric properties of various thick PVP films cured at temperatures between 125° C and 200 °C are investigated. The thicknesses of PVP films are adjusted by varying their concentration in PGMEA solvent from 10 wt% to 2.5 wt%. Through FT-IR, C–V, SEM, and AFM analyses, the optimum curing process temperatures (150 °C for 10 wt% and 7.5 wt% samples, and 175 °C for 5 wt% samples) where PET substrates can be thermally endured are proposed in terms of their low hysteresis voltage in the C–V curve (1–2 V in 10 wt% samples, below 1 V in 7.5 wt% samples, and 0.5 V in 5 wt% samples).