Whole-body amino acid pattern of F-4 human growth hormone gene-transgenic red common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fed diets with different protein levels

F-4 generation of human growth hormone (hGH) gene-transgenic red common carp, and the non-transgenic controls were fed for 8 weeks on purified diets with 20%, 30% or 40% protein. Analysis of whole-body amino acids showed that the proportions of lysine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine and alanine, as percentages of body protein, increased significantly, while those of arginine, glutamic acid and tyrosine decreased, with increases in dietary protein level in at least one strain of fish. Proportions of the other amino acids were unaffected by the diets. The proportions of lysine and arginine were significantly higher, while those of leucine and alanine were lower in the transgenics than in the controls in at least one diet group. Proportions of the other amino acids were unaffected by strain. The results suggest that the whole-body amino acid profile of transgenic carp, when expressed as proportions of body protein, was in general, similar to that of the non-transgenic controls. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of MDMO-PPV capped PbS quantum dots and their application to solar cells

Poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV) capped PbS quantum dots about 3-6 nm in diameter were synthesized with a novel method. Unlike the synthesis of oleic acid capped PbS quantum dots, the reactions were carried out in solution at room temperature, with the presence of a capping ligand species, MDMO-PPV. The quantum dots were used to fabricate bulk heterojunction solar cells with an indium tin oxide (ITO)/polyethylenedioxythiophene/polystyrenesulphonate (PEDOT: PSS)/MDMO-PPV: PbS/Al structure. Current density-voltage characterization of the devices showed that after the addition of the MDMO-PPV capped PbS quantum dots to MDMO-PPV film, the performance was dramatically improved compared with pristine MDMO-PPV solar cells. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Localized-Surface-Plasmon Enhanced the 357 nm Forward Emission from ZnMgO Films Capped by Pt Nanoparticles

The Pt nanoparticles (NPs), which posses the wider tunable localized-surface-plasmon (LSP) energy varying from deep ultraviolet to visible region depending on their morphology, were prepared by annealing Pt thin films with different initial mass-thicknesses. A sixfold enhancement of the 357 nm forward emission of ZnMgO was observed after capping with Pt NPs, which is due to the resonance coupling between the LSP of Pt NPs and the band-gap emission of ZnMgO. The other factors affecting the ultraviolet emission of ZnMgO, such as emission from Pt itself and light multi-scattering at the interface, were also discussed. These results indicate that Pt NPs can be used to enhance the ultraviolet emission through the LSP coupling for various wide band-gap semiconductors.

The synthesis of MDMO-PPV capped PbS nanorods and their application in solar cells

Poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV) capped PbS nanorods about 100 nm in diameter and 400 nm in length were synthesized via a hydrothermal route in toluene and dimethylsulfoxide solution. By blending the PbS nanorods with the MDMO-PPV as the active layer, bulk heterojunction solar cells with an indium tin oxide (ITO)/polyethylenedioxythiophene/polystyrenesulphonate (PEDOT PSS)/MDMO-PPV PbS nanorods/Al structure were fabricated in a N-2 filled glove box, Current density-voltage characterization of the devices showed that the solar cells with PbS nanorods hybrid with MDMO-PPV as active layer were better in performance than the devices with the polymer only. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical characteristics of InAs quantum dots capped with short period GaAs/InAs superlattices and InGaAs combination layers

Long wavelength light emission was realized by capping InAs quantum dots (QDs) with short period GaAs/InAs superlattices (SLs) and an InGaAs strain-reducing layer (SRL). The optical properties were systematically investigated by photoluminescence tests. With increasing the periods of SLs, the emission wavelength of InAs QDs shifts from 1.27 to 1.53 mum. We explain the redshift as a result of the increased QD height with the SLs and the reduced strain in the dot caused by InGaAs SRL. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Rapid thermal annealing effects on structural and optical properties of self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots capped by InAlAs/InGaAs layers

Effects of rapid thermal annealing on the optical and structural properties of self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots capped by the InAlAs/InGaAs combination layers are studied by photoluminescence and transmission electron microscopy. The photoluminescence measurement shows that the photoluminescence peak of the sample after 850 degrees C rapid thermal annealing is blue shifted with 370meV and the excitation peak intensity increases by a factor of about 2.7 after the rapid thermal annealing, which indicates that the InAs quantum dots have experienced an abnormal transformation during the annealing. The transmission electron microscopy shows that the quantum dots disappear and a new InAlGaAs single quantum well structure forms after the rapid thermal annealing treatment. The transformation mechanism is discussed. These abnormal optical properties are attributed to the structural transformation of these quantum dots into a single quantum well.

Room-temperature, ground-state lasing for red-emitting vertically aligned InAlAs/AlGaAs quantum dots grown on a GaAs(100) substrate

The effect of the growth temperature on the properties of InAlAs/AlGaAs quantum dots grown on GaAs(100) substrates is investigated. The optical efficiency and structural uniformity are improved by increasing the growth temperature from 530 to 560 degreesC. The improvements of InAlAs/AlGaAs quantum-dot characteristics could be explained by suppressing the incorporation of oxygen and the formation of group-III vacancies. Furthermore, edge-emitting laser diodes with six quantum-dot layers grown at 560 degreesC have been fabricated. Lasing occurs via the ground state at 725 nm, with a room-temperature threshold current density of 3.9 kA/cm(2), significantly better than previously reported values for this quantum-dot systems. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.

Red luminescence from self-assembled InAlAs AlGaAs quantum dots with bimodal size distribution

Red-emitting at about 640 nm from self-assembled In0.55Al0.45As/Al0.5Ga0.5As quantum dots grown on GaAs substrate by molecular beam epitaxy are demonstrated, A double-peak structure of photoluminescence (PL) spectra from quantum dots was observed, and a bimodal distribution of dot sizes was also confirmed by an atomic force micrograph (AFM) image for uncapped sample. From the temperature and excitation intensity dependence of PL spectra, it is found that the double-peak structure of PL spectra from quantum dots is strongly correlated to the two predominant quantum dot families. Taking into account the quantum-size effect on the peak energy, it is proposed that the high (low) energy peak results from a smaller (larger) dot family, and this result is identical to the statistical distribution of dot lateral size from the AFM image.

Optical properties and electrical bistability of CdS nanoparticles synthesized in dodecanethiol

We reported the synthesis of CdS semiconductor nanoparticles using a simple one-pot reaction by thermolysis of cadmium acetylacetonate in dodecanethiol. Optical measurements of the as-obtained CdS nanoparticles revealed that their optical properties were closely related to surface effects. Based upon the cocktail of poly (N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) and CdS nanoparticles, a bistable device was fabricated by a simple solution processing technique. Such a device exhibited a remarkable electrical bistability, which was attributed to the electric field-assisted charge transfer between PVK and the CdS nanoparticles capped by dodecaethiol. The conduction mechanism changed from an injection-controlled current to a bulk-controlled one during switching from OFF-state to ON-state.

Effect of cryoprotectants on hatching rate of red seabream (Pagrus major) embryos

The objectives were to investigate the effect of cryoprotectants on the hatching rate of red seabream embryos. Heart-beat embryos were immersed in: five permeable cryoprotectants, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glycerol (Gly), methanol (MeOH), 1,2-propylene glycol (PG), and ethylene glycol (EG). in concentrations of 5-30% for 10, 30, or 60 min; and two non-permeable cryoprotectants: polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and sucrose (in concentrations of 5-20% for 10 or 30 min). The embryos were then washed and incubated in filtered seawater until hatching occurred. The hatching rate of the embryos treated with permeable cryoprotectants decreased (P < 0.05) with increased concentration and duration of exposure. In addition, PG was the least toxic permeable cryoprotectant, followed by DMSO and EG, whereas Gly and MeOH were the most toxic. At a concentration of 15% and 30 min exposure, the hatching rate of the embryos immersed in PG was 93.3 +/- 7.0% (mean +/- S.D.), however. in DMSO. EG, Gly. and MeOH, it was 82.7 +/- 10.4, 22.0 +/- 5.7, 0.0 +/- 0.0, and 0.0 +/- 0.0%, respectively. Hatching rate of embryos treated with PVP decreased (P < 0.05) with the increase of concentration and exposure time, whereas for embryos treated with sucrose, there was no significant decrease in comparison with the control at the concentrations used. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-formed InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot superlattice and direct observation on strain distribution in the capped superlattice

We have demonstrated a 20 period dislocation-free InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot superlattice which is self-formed by the strain from the superlattice taken as a whole rather than by the strain from the strained single layer. The island formation does not take place while growing the corresponding strained single layer. From the variation of the average dot height in each layer, the strain distribution and relaxation process in the capped superlattice have been examined. It is found that the strain is not uniformly distributed and the greatest strains occur at two interfaces between the superlattice and the substrate and the cap layer in the capped superlattice. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.

Long period grating for 3-5 mu m quantum-well infra-red photodetectors

By considering all possible high order diffracted waves, the authors calculate the coupling efficiency of long period gratings for 3-5 mu m quantum-well infra-red photodetectors (QWIPs) on the basis of the modal expansion model (MEM). A large coupling efficiency for 3-5 mu m QWIPs has been demonstrated. This greatly reduces the difficulties in fabricating 3-5 mu m grating coupled QWIPs and opens the way to fabricate high performance 3-5 mu m and two colour QWIPs image arrays.