I-V characteristics of graphene nanoribbon/h-BN heterojunctions and resonant tunneling.

We present the first principle calculations of the electrical properties of graphene sheet/h-BN heterojunction (GS/h-BN) and 11-armchair graphene nanoribbon/h-BN heterojunction (11-AGNR/h-BN), which are carried out using the density functional theory (DFT) method and the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) technique. Since 11-AGNR belongs to the conductive (3n-1)-family of AGNR, both are metallic nanomaterials with two transverse arrays of h-BN, which is a wide-gap semi-conductor. The two h-BN arrays act as double barriers.

Exaggerated arsenic nephrotoxicity in female mice through estrogen-dependent impairments in the autophagic flux.

Gender is one of the essential factors in the development of various diseases and poisoning. Therefore, we herein examined gender differences in sodium arsenite (NaAsO2)-induced acute renal dysfunction. When male and female BALB/c mice were subcutaneously injected with NaAsO2 (12.

Immunohistochemical analysis on MMP-2 and MMP-9 for wound age determination.

We performed immunohistochemical study combined with morphometrical analyses in order to examine the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 using 55 human skin wounds of different ages: group I, 0-3 days (n = 16); II, 4-7 days (n = 11); III, 9-14 days (n = 16); and IV, 17-21 days (n = 12). Immunopositive reactions for MMP-2 were observed in all human skin specimens including uninjured skin as control. The number of MMP-2(+) macrophages was significantly increased in accordance with wound ages.

Thromboembolism during hormone therapy in Japanese women.

Japanese women are unaccustomed to taking hormone therapies such as oral contraceptives (OCs) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT); therefore, there are few studies associated with hormone treatment in Japan. This study focused on evaluating thromboembolism during hormone therapy in Japanese women. In February 2002, we mailed questionnaires regarding the monthly average number of patients who had received prescriptions for OCs and HRT, and the incidence of arterial and venous thromboemboli during hormone therapy for the last 10 years.

Studies on the Purification and Characterization of Human Urinary Plasminogen and Plasmin.

A new method is described for the preparation of highly purified human plasminogen and plasmin with specific activity of 32 CTA units per mg of protein. With this method, the purification of the urinary plasminogen + plasmin antigenic materials from patients with chronic glomerulonephritis, disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome and severe toxemia of pregnancy was performed, and the resulting highly purified proenzyme and enzyme were analyzed by immunoelectrophoresis, separative agar electrophoresis, gel filtration and SDS-gel electrophoresis.Our findings indicated that urinary plasmin reflects more closely the extent of intraglomerular fibrinolysis, while urinary plasminogen reflects non-selective proteinuria in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis or severe toxemia of pregnancy.