Effect of lutein on the transport of Ca2+ across phospholipid bilayer and mitochondrial membrane

Lutein (3,3'-dihydroxy alpha-carotene), a xanthophyll present in plant chloroplasts, increases the permeability of phospholipid vesicles to Ca2+, even though the pigment does not bind the metal ion. Energy-dependent uptake of Ca2+ by mitochondria is inhibited by lutein, which permits a rapid efflux of the ion from Ca2+-loaded mitochondria. These results are consistent with the view that the deleterious action of lutein on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation results from its destabilizing action on membrane structure.

Electrical conduction in plasma polymerized thin films of γ-terpinene

Plasma polymerized c-terpinene (pp2GT) thin films are fabricated using RF plasma polymerization. MIM structures are fabricated and using the capacitive structures dielectric properties of the material is studied. The dielectric constant values are found to be in good agreement with those determined from ellipsometric data. At a frequency of 100 kHz, the dielectric constant varies with RF deposition power, from 3.69 (10 W) to 3.24 (75 W). The current density–voltage (J2V) characteristics of pp–GT thin films are investigated as a function of RF deposition power at room temperature to determine the resistivity and DC conduction mechanism of the films. At higher applied voltage region, Schottky conduction is the dominant DC conduction mechanism. The capacitance and the loss tangent are found to be frequency dependent. The conductivity of the pp2GT thin films is found to decrease from 1.39 3 10212 S/cm (10 W) to 1.02 3 10213 S/cm (75 W) and attributed to the change in the chemical composition and structure of the polymer. The breakdown field for pp–GT thin films increases from 1.48 MV/cm (10 W) to 2 MV/cm (75 W). A single broad relaxation peak is observed indicating the contribution of multiple relaxations to the dielectric response for temperature dependent J2V. The distribution of these relaxation times is determined through regularization methods. VC 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42318.

Analyzing hysteresis behavior of capacitance-voltage characteristics of IZO/C₆₀/pentacene/Au diodes with a hole-transport electron-blocking polyterpenol layer by electric-field-induced optical second-harmonic generation measurement

By using electric-field-induced optical second-harmonic generation (EFISHG) measurement, we analyzed hysteresis behavior of capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics of IZO/polyterpenol (PT)/C₆₀/pentacene/Au diodes, where PT layer is actively working as a hole-transport electron-blocking layer. The EFISHG measurement verified the presence of interface accumulated charges in the diodes, and showed that a space charge electric field from accumulated excess electrons (holes) that remain at the PT/C₆₀ (C₆₀/pentacene) interface is responsible for the hysteresis loop observed in the C-V characteristics.

Electron-blocking hole-transport polyterpenol thin films

The carrier blocking property of polyterpenol thin films derived from non-synthetic precursor is studied using Electric Field Induced Optical Second Harmonic Generation (EFISHG) technique that can directly probe carrier motion in organic materials. A properly biased double-layer MIM device with a structure of indium zinc oxide (IZO)/polyterpenol/C₆₀/Al shows that by incorporating the polyterpenol thin film, the electron transport can be blocked while the hole transport is allowed. The inherent electron blocking hole transport property is verified using Al/C₆₀/Alq3/polyterpenol/IZO and Al/Alq3/polyterpenol/IZO structures. The rectifying property of polyterpenol is very promising and can be utilized in the fabrication of many organic devices.

A high-density association screen of 155 ion transport genes for involvement with common migraine

The clinical overlap between monogenic Familial Hemiplegic Migraine (FHM) and common migraine subtypes, and the fact that all three FHM genes are involved in the transport of ions, suggest that ion transport genes may underlie susceptibility to common forms of migraine. To test this leading hypothesis, we examined common variation in 155 ion transport genes using 5257 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a Finnish sample of 841 unrelated migraine with aura cases and 884 unrelated non-migraine controls. The top signals were then tested for replication in four independent migraine case-control samples from the Netherlands, Germany and Australia, totalling 2835 unrelated migraine cases and 2740 unrelated controls. SNPs within 12 genes (KCNB2, KCNQ3, CLIC5, ATP2C2, CACNA1E, CACNB2, KCNE2, KCNK12, KCNK2, KCNS3, SCN5A and SCN9A) with promising nominal association (0.00041 < P < 0.005) in the Finnish sample were selected for replication. Although no variant remained significant after adjusting for multiple testing nor produced consistent evidence for association across all cohorts, a significant epistatic interaction between KCNB2 SNP rs1431656 (chromosome 8q13.3) and CACNB2 SNP rs7076100 (chromosome 10p12.33) (pointwise P = 0.00002; global P = 0.02) was observed in the Finnish case-control sample. We conclude that common variants of moderate effect size in ion transport genes do not play a major role in susceptibility to common migraine within these European populations, although there is some evidence for epistatic interaction between potassium and calcium channel genes, KCNB2 and CACNB2. Multiple rare variants or trans-regulatory elements of these genes are not ruled out.

Non-ohmic conduction and electrical switching under pressure of the charge transfer complexo-tolidine-iodine

The current voltage characteristics ofo-tolidine-iodine, with stoichiometry 1:1 grown from benzene, have been studied under high pressures upto 6 GPa atT=300 K andT=77 K. The characteristics show a pronounced deviation from ohmicity beyond a certain current for all pressures studied. At room temperature, beyond a threshold field the system switches from a low conductingOFF state to a high conductingON state with σON/σOFF ∼ 103. TheOFF state can be restored by the application of an a.c. pulse of low frequency. The temperature dependence of the two states studied indicates that theOFF state is semiconducting while theON state, beyond a certain applied pressure is metallic. The characteristics atT=77 K do not show any switching.

Effect of pressure on the electrical resistivity of bulk Ge20Te80 glass

An irreversible pressure induced semiconductor-to-metal transition in bulk Ge20Te80 glass is observed at about 5 GPa pressure. The high pressure phase has a face centered cubic structure with a lattice constant 6.42 A° as deduced by X-ray diffraction studies on the pressure quenched samples. The temperature and pressure dependence of the electrical resistivity confirms the observed transition to be a semiconductor-to-metal transition. The temperature dependence of thermo electric power is also reported.

Mechanisms of transmembrane cation transport studied by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Several molecules like ionophores, vitamins, ion-binding cyclic peptides, acidic phospholipids, surfactants are known to expose the inner side of vesicles, to the externally added cations. Whereas ionophores and certain other systems bring about these changes by a selective transport (influx) of the cation by specialized mechanisms known as the carrier and channel mechanism, other systems cause lysis and vesicle fusion. These systems have been successfully studied using1H,31 P and13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy after the demonstration, fifteen years ago, of the ability of paramagnetic lanthanide ions to distinguish the inside of the vesicle from the outside. The results of these ’nuclear magnetic resonance kinetics’ experiments are reviewed.

Linear description of electrical networks for computer analysis

A parentheses-free code is suggested for the description of two-terminal electrical networks for computer analysis.

Low-frequency electrical stimulation combined with a cooling vest improves recovery of elite kayakers following a simulated 1000-m race in a hot environment

This study compared the effects of a low-frequency electrical stimulation (LFES; Veinoplus® Sport, Ad Rem Technology, Paris, France), a low-frequency electrical stimulation combined with a cooling vest (LFESCR) and an active recovery combined with a cooling vest (ACTCR) as recovery strategies on performance (racing time and pacing strategies), physiologic and perceptual responses between two sprint kayak simulated races, in a hot environment (∼32 wet-bulb-globe temperature). Eight elite male kayakers performed two successive 1000-m kayak time trials (TT1 and TT2), separated by a short-term recovery period, including a 30-min of the respective recovery intervention protocol, in a randomized crossover design. Racing time, power output, and stroke rate were recorded for each time trial. Blood lactate concentration, pH, core, skin and body temperatures were measured before and after both TT1 and TT2 and at mid- and post-recovery intervention. Perceptual ratings of thermal sensation were also collected. LFESCR was associated with a very likely effect in performance restoration compared with ACTCR (99/0/1%) and LFES conditions (98/0/2%). LFESCR induced a significant decrease in body temperature and thermal sensation at post-recovery intervention, which is not observed in ACTCR condition. In conclusion, the combination of LFES and wearing a cooling vest (LFESCR) improves performance restoration between two 1000-m kayak time trials achieved by elite athletes, in the heat.

Regulating supply chains to protect road transport workers: An early assessment of the road safety remuneration tribunal

The Road Safety Remuneration Act 2012 (Cth) (the Act) explicitly enables the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal to make orders that can impose binding requirements on all the participants in the road transport supply chain, including consignors and consignees at the apex the chain, for the pay and safety of both employee and independent contractor drivers. The tribunal is also specifically empowered to make enforceable orders to reduce or remove remuneration related incentives and pressures that contribute to unsafe work practices in the road transport industry. Recently the tribunal handed down its first order. The article considers whether, and the degree to which, the tribunal has been willing to exercise its explicit power to impose enforceable obligations on consignors and consignees — such as large supermarket chains — at the apex of road transport supply chains. It examines the substance and extent of the obligations imposed by the tribunal, including whether the tribunal has exercised the full range of powers vested in it by the Act. We contend that the tribunal’s first order primarily imposes obligations on direct work providers and drivers without making large, powerful consignors and consignees substantively responsible for driver pay and safety. We argue that the tribunal’s first order could have more comprehensively fulfilled the objectives of the Act by more directly addressing the root causes of low pay and poor safety in the road transport industry.

Harvesting, packing, postharvest technology, transport and processing

This chapter provides updated information on avocado fruit quality parameters, sensory perception and maturity, production and postharvest factors affecting quality defects, disinfestation and storage (including pre-conditioning), predicting outturn quality and processing.