Photocatalytic Property and Electronic Structure of Lanthanide-based Oxysulfides

Lanthanide-based oxysulfides and sulfide, LnTaO_3.5S_0.5, Ln₁₀OS₁₄ (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm) and La₄In₅S₁₃, were successively synthesized by sulfurization in a flowing H₂S. The sulfurization decreased the band-gap energies from >4 eV to <3eV, because of the formation of occupied S3p orbitals on the top of valence band. In accordance with the small band gap, the H₂ evolution from a 0.01 M Na₂S and 0.01 M Na₂SO₃ solution system was observed under irradiation of light up to >500 nm. The rate of H₂ evolution under light irradiation of >500 nm increased in the order of Ni/LaTaO_3.5S_0.5 < Ru/La₁₀OS₁₄ < Pt/La₄In₅S₁₃.     

Lack of carcinogenicity of medium-viscosity liquid paraffin given in the diet to F344 rats

The carcinogenicity of medium-viscosity liquid paraffin was examined in Fischer 344 rats. Groups of 50 males and 50 females were given the material at dietary doses of 0 (control), 2.5 or 5% for 104 wk. Slight increases in food consumption and body weight were observed in both sexes of the 5% group. However, no significant differences between the control and treated groups were noted with regard to clinical signs, mortality and haematology findings. A variety of tumours developed in all groups, including the control group, but all the neoplastic lesions were histologically similar to those known to occur spontaneously in F344 rats, and no statistically significant increase in the incidence of any tumour type was found for either sex in the treated groups. Granulomatous inflammation in the mesenteric lymph nodes, considered to be a reaction to paraffin absorption, was observed with similar incidence and severity in both sexes of the 2.5 and 5% groups. Thus, it is concluded that under the present experimental conditions, the high dose, about 2000-200,000 times higher than the current temporary acceptable daily intake, does not have any carcinogenic potential in F344 rats. Furthermore, granulomatous inflammation observed in mesenteric lymph nodes were not associated with any development of neoplastic lesions.     

Stabilization of bioethanol recovery with silicone rubber‐coated ethanol‐permselective silicalite membranes by controlling the pH of acidic feed solution

In order to produce highly concentrated bioethanol by pervaporation using an ethanol‐permselective silicalite membrane, techniques to suppress adsorption of succinic acid, which is a chief by‐product of ethanol fermentation and causes the deterioration in pervaporation performance, onto the silicalite crystals was investigated. The amount adsorbed increased as the pH of the aqueous succinic acid solution decreased. The pervaporation performance also decreased with decreasing pH when the ternary mixtures of ethanol/water/succinic acid were separated. Using silicalite membranes individually coated with two types of silicone rubber, pervaporation performance was significantly improved in the pH range of 5 to 7, when compared with that of non‐coated silicalite membranes in ternary mixtures of ethanol/water/succinic acid. Moreover, when using a silicalite membrane double‐coated with the two types of silicone rubber, pervaporation performance was stabilized at lower pH values. In the separation of bioethanol by pervaporation using the double‐coated silicalite membrane, removal of accumulated substances having an ultraviolet absorption maximum at approximately 260 nm from the fermentation broth proved to be vital for efficient pervaporation. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

A novel tungsten light-shield structure for high-density CCD imagesensors

A novel tungsten light-shield structure has been developed. Tungsten film properties, the device configuration with the tungsten light-shield structure, and experimentally achieved results regarding device characteristics are described. Optical measurement clarified that tungsten film has a sufficiently low transmittance value for practical use for more than 200-nm-thick film and is stable up to 1000°C. The good step coverage and low reflectance, such as 20-40% for aluminum, required for light-shield film were also obtained. A tungsten light-shield structure was applied to a 1/2-in format 668(H)-pixel×575(V)-pixel charge coupled-device (CCD) image sensor. An extremely low smear value, less than 0.001%, was obtained for a 300-nm film thickness     

Melatonin inhibits naloxone-induced luteinizing hormone release in ovariectomized estrogen-primed rats

The present study aimed to examine the effect of melatonin on naloxone-induced luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion in ovariectomized estrogen-primed rats. A single intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of naloxone (mu opioid receptor blocker, 15 micrograms) or an intravenous (i.v.) injection of LH-releasing hormone (LHRH, 50 ng/kg) elicited a transient and significant increase in the serum LH concentration within 10 min. While an i.c.v. injection of 100 ng melatonin by itself did not change the basal LH release, it almost completely inhibited the naloxone-induced LH release. Melatonin (10 ng) also significantly reduced the effect of naloxone. However, an i.c.v. injection of 100 ng melatonin did not affect the LHRH-induced LH release. In separate experiments, the effect of melatonin on naloxone-induced pulsatile LH secretion was studied in estrogen-treated rats. A continuous i.v. infusion of naloxone (20 mg/kg/h) induced LH pulses in rats treated i.c.v. with saline. An i.c.v. administration of 100 ng melatonin, which by itself did not affect basal LH secretion, significantly reduced the frequency, but not the amplitude, of LH pulses induced by the naloxone infusion. These results show that melatonin has a suprapituitary site of action to inhibit naloxone-induced LH release, and suggest that melatonin has an effect in inhibiting the activity of the hypothalamic LHRH pulse generator, either directly or indirectly, in female rats.     

Synthesis of polyethylene oxide end‐capped with perfluoroalkyl groups/polystyrene prototype brushes

Polystyrene (PS)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) prototype brushes were prepared by alternating free‐radical copolymerization of methacryloyl‐terminated PS and α‐vinylbenzyl‐ω‐hydroxy or α‐vinylbenzyl‐ω‐perfluoroalkyl (R_f) PEO macromonomers with the addition of Lewis acid (SnCl₄). It was found from their dilute‐solution properties that PS/PEO end‐capped with R_f (PBR_f), and PS/PEO having OH groups at terminal ends (PBOH) prototype brushes formed a single molecule in benzene and aggregates in chloroform, respectively. However, the brush PBOH formed a single molecule in N,N‐dimethylformamide. Such aggregation behaviors seemed to be caused by the interaction between hydroxy groups of PEO chain ends. The brush PBOH was also converted into PBR_f‐type brush by chemical modification, using corresponding acid chloride. The substitution of R_f groups was ～70% due to slipping of terminal hydroxy groups into PEO internal domains. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 772–778, 2006     

Lysozyme requires fluctuation of the active site for the manifestation of activity

Mutations around His15 which lie far away from the active site,stimulated glycol chitin activity of lysozyme at physiologicaltemperature. Del-Argl4Hisl5 lysozyme, a mutant lysozyme whoseArgl4 and Hisl5 were deleted together, and has the highest activityamong these mutant lysozymes, had a similar binding abilityto a trimer of N-acetyl-glucosamine, a substrate analogue, relativeto native lysozyme. This suggests that the increased activitywas due to an increased k_cat in the catalysis reaction. TheH-D exchange rate of the N-1 proton in the Trp63 which is locatedin the active site cleft, was enhanced in the Del-Argl4Hisl5lysozyme, while 2-D proton NMR analysis revealed no conformationalchange around Trp63. We conclude that some sort of fluctuationat the active site might be required for the manifestation ofactivity. This theory is supported by the finding that the Del-Argl4Hisl5lysozyme showed a shift in temperature dependency of activityto lower temperatures compared with that of native lysozyme.     

Co‐injection molding of PVC with other thermoplastics: Processing,properties, and applications

Rigid poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was co‐injected with glass‐fiber‐reinforced PVC (GFR‐PVC), polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene copolymer (ABS), and polycarbonate (PC) by using the Mono‐sandwich co‐injection process. Up to three through‐thickness skin‐core morphologies were observed along the length of the sample. Near the gate, the core was always a single, continuous layer. In some cases, the core diverged into multiple or discontinuous layers. Farther from the gate, flow of the core ceased, leaving a skin‐only region. The skin and core layers were more uniformly distributed through the test plaque when injection speed was low. Adhesion between PVC and PP was poor. Skin and core layers delaminated, and mechanical properties were poor. The PVC adhered well to GFR‐PVC, ABS, and PC. No layer delamination occurred, and mechanical properties were intermediate between those of the skin and core components alone. Dropped dart impact energy was controlled more by the skin layer than the core. In rigid PVC/GFR‐PVC co‐injected samples, impact energy was 2.5 times greater when GFR‐PVC was the core than when GFR‐PVC was the skin.     

High oleic acid oil suppresses lung tumorigenesis in mice through the modulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase cascade

This study was undertaken to estimate the effect of dietary high oleic acid oil (OA) on 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)-induced lung tumorigenesis in mice. Diet containing 10% oil was fed to mice through experimental periods. On day 30 after NNK injection (100 mg/kg body weight, i.p.), the treatment increased the level of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) as well as proliferating cell nuclear antigen, a marker of cell proliferation in a high linoleic acid oil (LA)-fed group but not in an OA-fed group. The NNK treatment also induced the activation of an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) cascade (Erk, Mek and Raf-1) in an LA-fed group. On the other hand, OA feeding abolished the NNK-induced activation of the Erk cascade. In conjugation with these events, OA feeding reduced lung tumor incidence and tumor multiplicity (percentage of mice with tumors) in mice compared with LA feeding at the 20th experimental week. These results suggest that OA suppresses lung tumorigenesis and that this suppression is correlated with the inhibition of PGE₂ production and inactivation of the Erk cascade.