Organic Zener Diodes: Tunneling across the Gap in Organic Semiconductor Materials

Kleemann, Hans,Gutierrez, Rafael,Lindner, Frank,Avdoshenko, Stanislav,Manrique, Pedro D.,Lü,ssem, Bjö,rn,Cuniberti, Gianaurelio,Leo, Karl American Chemical Society 2010 Nano letters Vol.10 No.12

<P>Organic Zener diodes with a precisely adjustable reverse breakdown from −3 to −15 V without any influence on the forward current−voltage curve are realized. This is accomplished by controlling the width of the charge depletion zone in a pin-diode with an accuracy of one nanometer independently of the doping concentration and the thickness of the intrinsic layer. The breakdown effect with its exponential current voltage behavior and a weak temperature dependence is explained by a tunneling mechanism across the highest occupied molecular orbital−lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gap of neighboring molecules. The experimental data are confirmed by a minimal Hamiltonian model approach, including coherent tunneling and incoherent hopping processes as possible charge transport pathways through the effective device region.</P><P><B>Graphic Abstract</B> <IMG SRC='http://pubs.acs.org/appl/literatum/publisher/achs/journals/content/nalefd/2010/nalefd.2010.10.issue-12/nl102916n/production/images/medium/nl-2010-02916n_0005.gif'></P><P><A href='http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/nl102916n'>ACS Electronic Supporting Info</A></P>

Effects of Dietary Copper on Ruminal Fermentation, Nutrient Digestibility and Fibre Characteristics in Cashmere Goats

Zhang, Wei,Wang, Runlian,Zhu, Xiaoping,Kleemann, David O,Yue, Chungwang,Jia, Zhihai Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2007 Animal Bioscience Vol.20 No.12

Thirty-six 1.5 year-old Inner Mongolian White Cashmere wether goats (body weight $28.14{\pm}1.33$ kg) were used to determine the effects of dietary copper (Cu) concentration on ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility and cashmere fibre characteristics. Wethers were fed a basal diet (containing 7.46 mg Cu/kg DM) that was supplemented with either 0 (control), 10, 20 or 30 mg Cu/kg DM. To ensure full consumption, animals were fed restrictedly with 0.75 kg feed (DM) in two equal allotments per day. The results indicated that: (1) supplemental 10 mg Cu/kg DM in the basal diet significantly (p<0.05) decreased ruminal fluid pH value and total VFA concentrations were significantly (p<0.05) increased on all Cu treatment groups. (2) Cu supplementation had no influence on DM intake and digestibility of DM, CP and ADF (p>0.05); however, NDF digestibility of groups supplemented with 10 and 20 mg Cu/kg DM were significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). Apparent absorption and retention of copper were decreased with increasing level of supplementation. (3) 20 mg Cu/kg DM treatment significantly (p<0.05) improved cashmere growth rate, but cashmere diameter was not affected by Cu supplementation (p>0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of cashmere goats with Cu at the rate of 10 to 20 mg/kg DM in the basal diet resulted in some changed rumen fermentation and was beneficial for NDF digestibility, while supplementation of 20 mg Cu/kg DM improved cashmere growth. Collectively, the optimal supplemental Cu level for cashmere goats during the fibre growing period was 20 mg/kg DM (a total dietary Cu level of 27.46 mg/kg DM).

Effects of Chromium Yeast on Performance, Insulin Activity, and Lipid Metabolism in Lambs Fed Different Dietary Protein Levels

Yan, Xiaogang,Zhang, Wei,Cheng, Jianbo,Wang, Runlian,Kleemann, David O.,Zhu, Xiaoping,Jia, Zhihai Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2008 Animal Bioscience Vol.21 No.6

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of chromium (Cr), dietary crude protein (CP) level and potential interactions between these two factors on growth rate and carcass response, insulin activity and lipid metabolism in lambs. Forty-eight, 9-week-old weaned lambs (Dorper$\times$Small-tail Han sheep, mean initial body weight = $22.96kg{\pm}2.60kg$) were used in a $2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement of supplemental Cr (0 ppb, Cr0; 400 ppb, Cr1; or 800 ppb, Cr2 from chromium yeast) and CP levels (157 g/d to 171 g/d for each animal, LP; or 189 g/d to 209 g/d for each animal, HP). Growth data and blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of the feed trial, after which the lambs were killed. Both Cr additive groups and the HP group increased final weight and average daily gain, especially the Cr1 and HP group (p<0.01). HP increased pelvic fat weight (p<0.05), fat thickness of the 10th rib (p<0.05), longissimus muscle area (p<0.01) and rate of deposition of intramuscular fat (p<0.01). Supplemental Cr decreased the rate of deposition of intramuscular fat (p<0.05). Fasting insulin level and the ratio of insulin to glucose were lower with Cr1 than other groups, but with no significant difference. Glucose concentration was not affected by any treatment. Nonesterified fatty acids increased in the Cr1 (p<0.05) and HP (p<0.05) conditions and there was a significant $Cr{\times}CP$ interaction (p<0.05). Cr1 decreased triglycerides (p<0.05) and total cholesterol (p = 0.151) and HP increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p<0.05). Cr1 decreased lipoprotein lipase activity in subcutaneous adipose tissue (aLPL, p<0.05) and the ratio of aLPL to lipoprotein lipase activity in skeletal muscle (mLPL, p = 0.079). mLPL and hepatic lipase (hHL) were not affected by any treatment. In the present study, Cr had limited effects on growth rate and carcass response, whereas Cr and CP had some notable effects on plasma metabolites and enzyme activities. Cr has a potential effect on energy modulation between lipid and muscle tissue. In addition, few $Cr{\times}CP$ interactions were observed.

Effect of Supplemental Selenomethionine on Growth Performance and Serum Antioxidant Status in Taihang Black Goats

Yue, Wenbin,Zhang, Chunxiang,Shi, Liguang,Ren, Youshe,Jiang, Yusuo,Kleemann, D.O. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2009 Animal Bioscience Vol.22 No.3

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of supplemental selenomethionine (Se-Met) on growth performance and serum antioxidant status in Taihang Black goats. Fifty 16-week-old goats with an average body weight of 12.5${\pm}$0.5 kg were randomly assigned to five treatments fed a basal diet (0.049 mg Se/kg DM) supplemented with 0 (control), 0.10, 0.30, 0.50 and 1.00 mg of Se/kg DM (form Se-Met) for 80 days. Average daily gain and feed efficiency were higher (p<0.05) in the groups supplemented with 0.30 to 0.50 mg Se/kg DM compared with the control group. However, Se-Met supplementation had no influence on average daily feed intake (p>0.05). Se-Met supplementation significantly increased (p<0.01) the activity of glutathione peroxidase enzymes (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum. The group supplemented with 0.50 mg Se/kg DM had the highest activity of GSH-Px compared with other groups (p<0.05). Serum SOD activity was higher (p<0.05) in goats supplemented with both 0.30 and 0.50 mg Se/kg DM than in control goats and goats supplemented with 1.00 mg Se/kg DM. Serum glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration were significantly decreased (p<0.05) in goats supplemented with 0.30, 0.50 and 1.00 mg Se/kg DM compared with control values. These results indicated that Se-Met supplementation markedly improved the antioxidant status in goats. Blood Se concentration increased linearly (p<0.001) and quadratically (p<0.001) as the level of supplemental Se-Met increased. The concentration of Se in the control diet (0.049 mg Se/kg DM) did not satisfy the Se requirement in goats as indicated by reduced growth rate, feed efficiency, activities of GSH-Px and SOD in serum, and blood Se concentrations. In conclusion, it is recommended that 0.30 to 0.50 mg of Se/kg DM from Se-Met (total diet Se of 0.349 to 0.549 mg/kg DM) be supplied in the diet of Taihang Black goats to enhance growth performance and improve antioxidant status.

Imaging of pure spin-valley diffusion current in WS₂-WSe₂ heterostructures

Jin, Chenhao,Kim, Jonghwan,Utama, M. Iqbal Bakti,Regan, Emma C.,Kleemann, Hans,Cai, Hui,Shen, Yuxia,Shinner, Matthew James,Sengupta, Arjun,Watanabe, Kenji,Taniguchi, Takashi,Tongay, Sefaattin,Zettl, A American Association for the Advancement of Scienc 2018 Science Vol.360 No.6391

<P>Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) materials are promising for spintronic and valleytronic applications because valley-polarized excitations can be generated and manipulated with circularly polarized photons and the valley and spin degrees of freedom are locked by strong spin-orbital interactions. In this study we demonstrate efficient generation of a pure and locked spin-valley diffusion current in tungsten disulfide (WS2)-tungsten diselenide (WSe2) heterostructures without any driving electric field. We imaged the propagation of valley current in real time and space by pump-probe spectroscopy. The valley current in the heterostructures can live for more than 20 microseconds and propagate over 20 micrometers; both the lifetime and the diffusion length can be controlled through electrostatic gating. The high-efficiency and electric-field-free generation of a locked spin-valley current in TMDC heterostructures holds promise for applications in spin and valley devices.</P>

Inflammatory lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate upregulates C-reactive protein via C/EBPβ and potentiates breast cancer progression

Kim, E-S,Cha, Y,Ham, M,Jung, J,Kim, S G,Hwang, S,Kleemann, R,Moon, A Macmillan Publishers Limited 2014 Oncogene Vol.33 No.27

A crucial role of the inflammatory lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) in breast cancer aggressiveness has been reported. Recent clinical studies have suggested that C-reactive protein (CRP) has a role in breast cancer development. However, limited information is available on the molecular basis for the expression of CRP and its functional significance in breast cell invasion. The present study aimed to elucidate the molecular link between S1P and CRP during the invasive process of breast epithelial cells. This is the first report showing that transcription of CRP was markedly activated by S1P in breast cells. Our data suggest that not only S1P treatment but also the endogenously produced S1P may upregulate CRP in breast carcinoma cells. Transcription factors CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta and c-fos were required for S1P-induced CRP expression. Coupling of S1P<SUB>3</SUB> to heterotrimeric G<SUB>αq</SUB> triggered the expression of CRP, utilizing signaling pathways involving reactive oxygen species (ROS), Ca<SUP>2+</SUP> and extracellular signal-related kinases (ERKs). S1P-induced CRP expression was crucial for the transcriptional activation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 through ERKs, ROS and c-fos, leading to breast cell invasion. Using a xenograft mice tumor model, we demonstrated that S1P induced CRP expression both in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, our findings have revealed a molecular basis for S1P-induced transcriptional activation of CRP and its functional significance in the acquisition of the invasive phenotype of human breast epithelial cells under inflammatory conditions. Our findings may provide useful information on the identification of useful therapeutic targets for inflammatory breast cancer.