Betula platyphylla var.japonica Seed Oil: A rich source of linoleic acid

Component fatty acids of the oil extracted fromBetula platypbylla Sukatchev var.japonica Hara (Betulaceae) seeds were analyzed by gas liquid chromatography. The predominant fatty acid was linoleic acid (87%), and together with oleic and linolenic acids the 18-carbon unsaturated acids amounted to 97% of the total acids.     

On the study of hydrogen production from water using solar thermal energy

Theoretical thermal efficiency of hydrogen production by one-step water splitting utilizing solar heat at high temperatures is calculated. Carnot efficiency is assumed for the conversion of effective work input, and the solar collection efficiency is considered for the total energy input. The overall efficiency shows its maximum in the range of temperature between 1500 and 2700 K depending upon the solar concentration ratio and the method of product separation. The technical feasibility of direct splitting method is discussed on the basis of those calculated results.     

Estimation of annual pollutant loadings in two small catchments and examination of their differences caused by regional properties.

A series of runoff surveys was conducted for more than one year in two small catchments of the Kamo River basin (75.4 km2) and the Takano River basin (66.8 km2) in Kyoto, Japan, which adjoin each other, and may have the same precipitation pattern. The investigation consisted of a high-frequency periodic survey, a long-term regular survey and a storm event survey. The survey results were compared with the regional properties of the basins, and the following results were obtained. (1) Pollutant loadings were successfully estimated as two portions of base discharge and storm events discharge from the survey results. (2) Estimated annual loading of the sites was 2.9-4.5, 1.3-1.8, 17-27, 1.3-2.2, 0.076-0.97 t/km2/y, respectively for COD(Mn), DOC, SS, TN and TP. (3) 52-53% of the whole flow, which was caused by rainfall events, conveyed 81-87, 68-73, 92-95, 64-67, 76-81% of the whole loading, respectively for COD(Mn), DOC, SS, TN and TP. (4) Differences of regional properties in two basins cause different runoff patterns, but the differences in runoff patterns also depend on the rainfall patterns. In general, a more urbanized basin receives early and strong influence of precipitation on the storm event runoff.     

Adjuvant effects of fluoride on oral immunization of chickens

The present study was conducted to examine the antibody responses of chickens after oral immunization and the influence of sodium fluoride (NaF) on their immunological states. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as an antigen, and the response was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of serum samples, bile samples, and lachrymal fluids. Oral immunization of chickens with antigen alone hardly induced antibody responses in sera, bile samples or lachrymal fluids. Moreover, compared to control chickens, these orally immunized chickens exhibited a lower serum IgG response to subsequent parenteral immunization, suggesting that oral immunization induced immunological tolerance in chickens. A mucosal adjuvant, NaF, could abrogate oral tolerance and elicit an increase in antibody responses. Chickens, which received oral administration of antigen and NaF simultaneously, showed a significant rise in serum IgG antibody. Although there were variations among individual chickens and the titers were low, IgA antibodies were detected in bile samples and lachrymal fluids.     

Reversible and hierarchical composite gels with CdSe nanocrystals

To synthesize composite solid materials of metal salt and CdSe nanocrystals by a simple one-step method has been described. These solids can form stable gel in some organic solvent, such as benzene, cyclohexane and 1-butanol, especial in n-decane even below 0.1 wt/vol.%. Furthermore, these gels appear strong fluorescence which can be easily adjusted by the gel concentration. Temperature-dependent fluorescence spectra of composite gels suggested that the CdSe NCs aggregate together in gel state which would induce the energy transfer between nanocrystals and these aggregates could be reversibly disintegrated when gel was heated to form sol. TEM observations provided the further evidence of the energy transfer and suggested that the CdSe NCs were enchased regularly not only on the surface of self assembly of metal salt, but also embedded inside of self assembly in composite gel with small size nanocrystals. In contrast, in composite organogel with large nanocrystals they were only enchased on the edge of self assembly.     

Studies on fish scale collagen of Pacific saury (Cololabis saira)

We purified and characterized Type I collagen from the scales of the Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) and compared it with collagen from other organisms. Subunit composition of C. saira collagen (2α1 + α2) was similar to that of red sea bream (Pagrus major) and porcine collagen. C. saira collagen did not form a firm gel after neutralization of pH in solution. The temperature of denaturation (24–25 °C) of C. saira collagen was slightly lower than that of P. major collagen (26–27 °C). The contents of proline and hydroxyproline were lower in red sea bream and Pacific saury collagen than in porcine collagen. Circular dichroism spectra and Fourier-transformed infrared spectra showed that heat denaturation caused unfolding of the triple helices in all three collagens.     

Enhanced trace phosphate removal from water by zirconium(IV) loaded fibrous adsorbent

This study was investigated for the trace phosphate removal at high feed flow rate by ligand exchange fibrous adsorbent. The zirconium(IV) loaded bifunctional fibers containing both phosphonate and sulfonate were used as a highly selective ligand exchange adsorbent for trace phosphate removal from water. The precursory fiber of the bifunctional fibers was co-grafted by polymerization of chloromethylstyrene and styrene onto polyethylene coated polypropylene fiber and then bifunctional fibers were prepared by Arbusov reaction followed by phosphorylation and sulfonation. Phosphate adsorption experimental work was carried out in column approach. Phosphate adsorption increased with decreasing the pH of feed solutions. An increase in the feeds flow rate brings a decrease in both breakthrough capacity and total adsorption. The effect of competing anions on phosphate adsorption systems was investigated. The experimental findings reveal that the phosphate adsorption was not affected in the presence of competing anions such as chloride and sulfate despite the enhancement of the breakthrough points and total adsorption. Due to high selectivity to phosphate species, low concentration level of phosphate (0.22 mg/L) was removed at high feed flow rate of 450 h⁻¹ in space velocity. The adsorbed phosphate on the Zr(IV) loaded fibrous column was quantitatively eluted with 0.1 M NaOH solution and then the column was regenerated by 0.5 M H₂SO₄ for the next adsorption operation. During many adsorption-elution-regeneration cycles, no measurable Zr(IV) was found in the column effluents. Therefore, the Zr(IV) loaded bifunctional fibrous adsorbent is to be an effective means to treat wastewater to prevent eutrophication in the receiving water bodies for long time without any deterioration.     

Surface crystallization and second-order optical non-linearity in Gd2O3–Bi2O3–B2O3 glasses

Some ternary Gd₂O₃–Bi₂O₃–B₂O₃ glasses are prepared, and crystallization behavior and second harmonic intensity are examined to develop new non-linear optical crystallized glasses. The glasses with Gd₂O₃ contents of 8–14 mol% have large densities of over 6 g/cm³ and large refractive indices of ～ 1.9. Transparent surface crystallized glasses consisting of two kinds of crystalline phases with different morphologies, i.e. plate shape and needle shape crystals, are fabricated by heat-treatment at temperatures between glass transition and crystallization temperatures. From second harmonic generation microscope observations, micro-Raman scattering spectra and XRD analyses, plate shape crystals are determined to be non-linear optical Gd_xBi_1KxBO₃ and needle shape crystals are Bi₃B₅O₁₂ having no second-order optical non-linearity. Since crystallized glasses consisting of Gd_xBi_1KxBO₃ crystals exhibit relatively strong SHGs, they have a high potential for application to light control devices.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(ionic liquid)-grafted silica hybrid materials through surface radical chain-transfer polymerization and aqueous anion-exchange

Poly(ionic liquid)-grafted silica materials were firstly synthesized by polymerization of 1-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium bromide as a new ionic liquid monomer on mercaptopropylated silica by surface radical chain-transfer polymerization. The bromide counterion was exchanged with three other inorganic anions including tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, and trifuoromethanesulfonate through simple aqueous anion-exchange reaction. The obtained poly(ionic liquid)-grafted silica materials were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray fluorescence. The wettabilities of the materials with different counterions were verified by static water contact angle measurement. This kind of new materials may have some potential in applied fields such as used as a catalyst, an extractant, a chromatographic stationary phase, etc.     

A TEA‐CO2 laser oscillation by an inductive energy storage pulsed‐power generator using a wire‐fuse opening switch

We have carried out experiments on TEA‐CO₂ laser oscillation using the inductive energy storage pulsed‐power generator, which has a copper wire fuse as an opening switch. Maximum laser output energy of about 1 J/pulse was obtained in the case of a fuse length of 5 cm and energy storage inductance of 8 μH. The laser output energy depends on the energy storage inductance and the parameters of the fuse. In this paper, the dependencies of laser output energy on inductance and fuse length, and a comparison between the inductive and capacitive system were described. Furthermore the laser efficiency was discussed by calculating the electron energy distribution of laser main discharge region. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 132(1): 15–21, 2000