Anti-inflammatory effects of silkworm hemolymph on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages

Macrophages participate in several inflammatory pathologies such as sepsis and arthritis. We investigated the effect of silkworm hemolymph (SH) on the LPS-induced pro-inflammatory macrophages. SH inhibits LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells and murine peritoneal macrophages. The decreased NO was reflected as a decreased amount of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA and protein. It was also found that SH inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α production. To elucidate the mechanism by which SH inhibits NO production and iNOS expression, we investigated that SH suppressed IκB phosphorylation, which leads to the activation of NF-κB followed by degradation of IκB. This observation suggests that SH is a potential therapeutic modulator for inflammation-associated disorders.     

In vivo functional effects of Weissella confusa VP30 exopolysaccharides on loperamide-induced constipation in rats

Food Science and Biotechnology - In this work, the in vivo functionalities of milk fermented with Weissella confusa VP30 (VP30-EPS) and purified exopolysaccharide (pEPS) from the milk fermented...     

Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of soluble fulleropyrrolidine derivatives for organic solar cells

Organic solar cells made from bi-layer thin-film heterojunctions having poly((2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene)vinylene) (MEH-PPV) as an electron donor and fulleropyrrolidine derivatives as an electron acceptor were investigated. We synthesized soluble fulleropyrrolidine derivatives substituted different chain lengths for the organic solar cell. Due to the high solubility and sufficiently long chain length of fulleropyrrolidine derivatives, though those are monomers, a thin film (about 80–90 nm) could be fabricated individually by the spin-coating method. The fill factor of the bi-layer device was achieved to be 0.46, which is higher than that of the single-layer device by a polymer/fulleropyrrolidine derivative blend film of 0.37, due to the decrease of the recombination.     

Writing–erasing properties and characterizations of hybrid materials based on disperse red by sol–gel process

We investigated the synthesis and writing–erasing properties of three different hybrid materials (SGDR1, SGDR13 and SGDR19) based on disperse red by the sol–gel process. The sol–gel process was undergone using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as a precursor. Optical properties of three hybrid materials are compared as structurally similar materials (SGDR1, SGDR13 and SGDR19). The diffraction efficiency, reversible photoinduced process and writing–erasing properties of hybrid materials were measured as a function of time. The diffraction efficiencies of SGDR1, SGDR13, and SGDR19 films were observed up to a level of 0.65%, 0.24%, and 0.99%, respectively. AFM view of the surface relief grating on the SGDR19 film showed a depth of 15 nm and a surface distance of 2.50 μm.     

Optical-LSP Establishment and a QoS Maintenance Scheme Based on Differentiated Optical QoS Classes in OVPNs

A virtual private network (VPN) over Internet has the benefit of being cost-effective and flexible. However, it has difficulties providing sufficient QoS and adequate transmission capacity for high bandwidth services. Given the increasing demand for high bandwidth Internet and the demand for QoS assurances in a VPN over Internet, IP/generalized multi-protocol label switching (GMPLS) based on a control plane combined with a high-bandwidth, dense-wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical network is seen as a very favorable approach for realizing the future optical VPN (OVPN) over IP/GMPLS over DWDM. Within this architecture, providing QoS guaranteed multimedia services with a differentiated QoS guaranteed protocol framework with QoS recovery is one of the key issues to implement. Therefore, we suggest in this paper optical-label switched path (O-LSP) establishment and its QoS maintenance scheme based on differentiated optical QoS-service (DOQoS) classes. They are the key components for this DOQoS framework in assuring end-to-end QoS in an OVPN over IP/GMPLS over DWDM architecture.     

Valorization of chitosan into levulinic acid by hydrothermal catalytic conversion with methanesulfonic acid

As a potential renewable aquatic resource, chitosan is the second most abundant biopolymer. Methanesulfonic acid is a catalyst that is strongly acidic and biodegradable. We used chitosan and methanesulfonic acid to produce platform chemicals via an acid-catalyzed hydrothermal reaction. In the methanesulfonic acid-catalyzed hydrothermal conversion of chitosan, an optimal levulinic acid yield of 28.21±1.20% was achieved under the following conditions: 2% chitosan and 0.2 M methanesulfonic acid at 200 °C for 30 min. These results indicated that a combination of chitosan and methanesulfonic acid would be suitable for platform chemical production.     

Synthesis of poly(ethyl vinyl ethers) containing two dipolar electronic systems and their properties

Summary 5-Nitro-2-(2′-vinyloxyethoxy)benzylidenemalononitrile (2a), methyl 5-nitro-2-(2′-vinyloxyethoxy)benzylidenecyanoacetate (2b), 3-nitro-4-(2′-vinyloxyethoxy)benzylidenemalononitrile (4a), and methyl 3-nitro-4-(2′-vinyloxyethoxy)benzylidenecyanoacetate (4b) were prepared by the condensation of 5-nitro-2-(2′-vinyloxyethoxy)benzaldehyde (1) and 3-nitro-4-(2′-vinyloxyethoxy)benzaldehyde (3) with malononitrile or methyl cyanoacetate, respectively. Vinyl ether monomers 2a-b and 4a-b were polymerized with boron trifluoride etherate as a cationic initiator to yield poly(vinyl ethers) 5-6 having nitrooxybenzylidenemalononitrile and nitrooxycyanocinnamate, which is effective chromophore for second-order nonlinear optical applications. Polymers 5-6 were soluble in common organic solvents such as acetone and DMSO. T _g values of the resulting polymer were in the range of 70–81°C. Electrooptic coefficient (r₃₃) of the poled polymer films were in the range of 19–27 pm/V, which was improved by introducing of nitro group. Polymers 5–6 showed a thermal stability up to 300°C in TGA thermograms, which is acceptable for NLO device applications. Received: 24 November 1998/Revised version: 19 January 1999/Accepted: 29 January 1999     

Morphological and starch characteristics of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Japonica</Emphasis> rice mutant variety Seolgaeng for dry-milled flour

Producing good-quality, fine rice flour is more difficult than wheat flour because the rice grain is harder. The non-glutinous Japonica-type variety Seolgaeng, derived from N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) mutagenesis, and four other varieties, representing a range of amylose contents, were evaluated in this study. Dry-milled Seolgaeng rice flour exhibited an average particle size that is <70 μm, a more uniform particle-size proportion than other varieties. Moreover, we noted significant differences in the damaged starch content in flour from Seolgaeng compared to the other varieties (p<0.05). Seolgaeng flour showed a round starch structure, which would lead to better friability, finer particle size, and less damage to the endosperm during dry milling. Indeed, among all varieties evaluated in this study, dry-milled Seolgaeng flour had the finest particle size (averaging <70 μm) and exhibited less damaged starch. With its round starch granules, Seolgaeng is a suitable candidate for drymilled rice flour.     

Optimization of sub-0.1-μm offset Γ-shaped gate MHEMTs for millimeter-wave applications

We examine the effects of device scaling in both vertical and lateral dimensions for the metamorphic high electron mobility transistors (MHEMTs) on the DC and millimeter-wave electrical performances by using a hydrodynamic transport model. The well-calibrated hydrodynamic simulation for the sub-0.1-μm offset Γ-gate In_0.53Ga_0.47As/In_0.52Al_0.48As MHEMTs shows a reasonable agreement with the electrical characteristics measured from the fabricated 0.1 μm devices. We have calibrated all the parameters using the measurement data with various physical considerations to take into account the sophisticated carrier transport physics in sub-0.1-μm devices. Being simulated with these calibrated parameters, the optimum device performance is obtained at a source-drain spacing of 2 μm, a gate length of 0.05 μm, a barrier thickness of 10 nm and a channel thickness of 12 nm.