Effect of oxygen partial pressure on the performance of homojunction amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O thin-film transistors.

In this study, the homojunction thin-film transistors (TFTs) with amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) as active channel layers and source/drain electrodes were fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering. The effect of oxygen partial pressure on the phase, microstructure, optical and electrical properties of IGZO thin films was investigated. The results showed that amorphous IGZO thin films always exhibit a high transmittance above 90% and wide band gaps of around 3.9 eV. The resistivity increases as the IGZO thin films are deposited at a higher oxygen partial pressure due to the depletion of oxygen vacancies. In addition, the electrical behaviors in homojunction IGZO TFTs were analyzed. When the active channel layers were deposited with an oxygen partial pressure of 1.96%, the homojunction IGZO TFTs exhibited optimal transfer and output characteristics with a field-effect mobility of 13.68 cm2V-1s-1. Its sub-threshold swing, threshold voltage and on/off ratio are 0.6 V/decade, 0.61 V and 107, respectively.

Effect of fermentation bed on bacterial growth in the fermentation mattress material and cecum of ducks.

The composition of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract is closely related to the intestinal microenvironments and the exterior growth environments of host. In this study, 16S rDNA sequencing technology was adopted to investigate the influence of fermentation bed on the cecum microorganisms of ducks. Two feeding density treatment groups were set up, including group A (n = 4brids/m2) and group B (n = 6brids/m2). Samples were collected from the intermediate core fermentation layer (10-20 cm) of the fermented mattress materials and from the intestinal contents of ducks at 4, 6 and 8 weeks, respectively. Results showed that Bacteroidetes (20.12-27.17%) and Ruminococcaceae UCG-014 (2.97-10.1%) were the predominant microorganisms in duck cecum, while the Truepera (5.08-6.29%), Pricia (4.44-5.44%) and Luteimonas (3.62-4.99%) were the dominant microorganisms in fermentation mattress material. The cecum bacteria exhibited great difference among different growth periods of the ducks. Increasing the stocking density of ducks had a negative effect on the beneficial bacteria in the cecum. The microbial populations in fermentation mattress material were very different from that in the cecal. In summary, our findings can provide a scientific data for the rational use of fermentation bed feeding mode in poultry production.

In-Sn-Zn Oxide Nanocomposite Films with Enhanced Electrical Properties Deposited by High-Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering.

In-Sn-Zn oxide (ITZO) nanocomposite films have been investigated extensively as a potential material in thin-film transistors due to their good electrical properties. In this work, ITZO thin films were deposited on glass substrates by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) at room temperature. The influence of the duty cycle (pulse off-time) on the microstructures and electrical performance of the films was investigated. The results showed that ITZO thin films prepared by HiPIMS were dense and smooth compared to thin films prepared by direct-current magnetron sputtering (DCMS). With the pulse off-time increasing from 0 µs (DCMS) to 2000 µs, the films' crystallinity enhanced. When the pulse off-time was longer than 1000 µs, In2O3 structure could be detected in the films. The films' electrical resistivity reduced as the pulse off-time extended. Most notably, the optimal resistivity of as low as 4.07 × 10-3 Ω·cm could be achieved when the pulse off-time was 2000 µs. Its corresponding carrier mobility and carrier concentration were 12.88 cm2V-1s-1 and 1.25 × 1020 cm-3, respectively.

Increased Oxidative Damage of RNA in Early-Stage Nephropathy in db/db Mice.

To evaluate RNA oxidation in the early stage of diabetic nephropathy, we applied an accurate method based on isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadruple mass spectrometry to analyze the oxidatively generated guanine nucleosides in renal tissue and urine from db/db mice of different ages. We further investigated the relationship between these oxidative stress markers, microalbumin excretion, and histological changes. We found that the levels of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGuo) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo) were increased in the urine and renal tissue of db/db mice and db/db mice with early symptoms of diabetic nephropathy suffered from more extensive oxidative damage than lean littermate control db/m mice. Importantly, in contrast to the findings in db/m mice, the 8-oxoGuo levels in the urine and renal tissue of db/db mice were higher than those of 8-oxodGuo at four weeks. These results indicate that RNA oxidation is more apparent than DNA oxidation in the early stage of diabetic nephropathy. RNA oxidation may provide new insight into the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy, and urinary 8-oxoGuo may represent a novel, noninvasive, and easily detected biomarker of diabetic kidney diseases if further study could clarify its source and confirm these results in a large population study.

Analysis of the oxidative damage of DNA, RNA, and their metabolites induced by hyperglycemia and related nephropathy in Sprague Dawley rats.

We used a sensitive and accurate method based on isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (ID-LC-MS/MS) to determine the levels of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGsn) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosin (8-oxo-Gsn) in various tissue specimens, plasma, and urine of hyperglycemic Sprague Dawley rats induced by streptozotocin (STZ). The oxidative DNA and RNA damages were observed in various organs and the amounts of 8-oxo-dGsn and 8-oxo-Gsn derived from DNA and RNA were increased with hyperglycemic status. In contrast to the results of the nucleic acid samples derived from tissues, the levels of 8-oxo-Gsn in urine and plasma were significantly higher compared with that of 8-oxo-dGsn, which most likely reflected the RNA damage that occurs more frequently compared with DNA damage. For the oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia, 8-oxo-Gsn in urine may be a sensitive biomarker on the basis of the results in urine, plasma, and tissues. In addition, high levels of urinary 8-oxo-Gsn were observed before diabetic microvascular complications. Based on that the 8-oxo-dGsn was associated with diabetic nephropathy and RNA was more vulnerable to oxidative stress compared with DNA. We also propose that 8-oxo-Gsn is correlated with diabetic nephropathy and that 8-oxo-Gsn in urine could be a useful and sensitive marker of diabetic nephropathy.

[The purification of recombinated granulysin and the preparation of its monoclonal antibody].

AIM: To purify recombinated GNLY which is expressed by prokaryotic expression system, and to prepare the monoclonal antibody (mAb) against it. METHODS: The solvable protein was purified by affinity chromatography. And employing the fusion protein GNLY immuned BALB/c mice, using conventional hybridoma technology prepared the mAb against human GNLY. Then purified and determined for titer by indirect ELISA method, for antigenic epitopes by additive ELISA, for relative affinity index by sulfocyanate elution method, and analyzed for subclass, specificity and stability. RESULTS: We got the soluble reactive fusion GNLY, and its purity and content were 95%, 0.8 g/L, respectively. Four cell strains secreting mAb against human GNLY were screened, 6C8, 9C6, 5G7and5E5. Their neutralizing titers were 1:100-1:3 200 and (0.1 - 8) x 10(-4) in supernatant and ascites. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully purified the fusion protein of GNLY, and prepared the mAb against human GNLY, lying a certain foundation for its laboratory and clinical research.