Electrical and magnetic properties of electro-oxidative polymerized poly(tris(thienylphenyl)amine)s

Electro-oxidative polymerized poly(tris(thienylphenyl)amine)s, which have the hyperbranched (dendritic) structure (PTPA) and linear type (PMeTPA), were investigated for their electrical and magnetic properties. The conductivity PTPA showed was almost one order higher than that of PMeTPA. From the solid state ESR measurements of the polymers, observation of ESR signal at g = 2.0027 and 2.0030 indicated the formation of a triphenylamine cation radical. The normalized magnetization plots (M/M_s) for PTPA and PMeTPA are close to the theoretical Brillouin curves for S = 1, indicating a magnetic interaction between the spin centers in PMeTPA. The spin concentrations determined by the M_s values of PTPA and PMeTPA were 7.3–7.4 and 1.3–1.4%, respectively. This large difference in the spin concentration of the polymers according to the structure resulted from a different spin conformation by the radical structure.     

Harmonious color model with fragrances

The purpose of this study was to create a harmonious color model with fragrance, depending on the similarity of impressions from the color and the fragrance. This study consisted of two experiments. Experiment 1, our objective was to extract dimensions in fragrance impressions and consider harmonious/disharmonious colors with each fragrance. One hundred subjects were asked to evaluate their impression of eight fragrances (by the Semantic Differencial method) and to select harmonious colors and disharmonious colors with each fragrance from color chart consisted of 18 colors. By factor analysis, MILD factor and CLEAR factor were extracted for the dimensions of fragrance impressions. Also, by multiple regression analysis, we could construct predictive formulas of harmonious/disharmonious color for fragrance. Experiment 2, we confirmed the predictive formulas in Experiment 1 reversibly. We asked 80 subjects to evaluate their impressions, degree of MILD and CLEAR, of 15 fragrances by the Visual Analog Scale. Subjects were also asked to select harmonious colors and disharmonious colors with each fragrance from 18‐color chart. To calculate the predictive rates of selection of harmonious/disharmonious colors with each fragrance, we applied the MILD and CLEAR scores of 15 fragrances to the predictive formulas in Experiment 1. We also calculated the correlation coefficient between those predictive rates and the actual rates of selection of harmonious/disharmonious colors that we get in Experiment 2. As a result, we found that the predictive formulas were quite accurate in most cases, suggesting that it is possible to develop a harmonious color model for fragrance. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 2012     

Changes in the cadmium content of rice during the milling process

Milled rice and bran were prepared from brown rice (Oryza sativa japonica) using a commercial scale rice-mill to investigate the changes in cadmium (Cd) content caused by the milling process. Rice sample solution was prepared by microwave digestion using HNO3 and HF, then analyzed by ICP-MS. Cd was measured at m/z 114 in interference correction with MoO and Sn. The digestion method was validated with 4 kinds of certified reference material of "rice flour". We found that the Cd content was reduced only slightly by the milling process. When the Cd concentration of brown rice was regarded as 100, the relative content of the milled rice was 97 (average of 6 samples). In addition, the reduction of the Cd content was only slight when milled rice was processed to "wash-free" rice. The relative Cd content of the bran was 139 when that of brown rice was regarded as 100. These results support the hypothesis that the Cd content is not greatly decreased by the milling process.     

Contamination levels and congener distributions of PCDDs, PCDFs and Co-PCBs in several fast foods in Japan

We determined the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) in three types of fast foods [(1) seventeen hamburgers and two hot dogs, (2) six portions of fried potatoes and (3) three chicken products] obtained from fast food shops or convenience stores in Japan. All samples tested showed low toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) levels of dioxins in the range of 0.001-0.083 pg-TEQ/g wet weight (0.006-0.053 pg-TEQ/g for hamburgers and hot dogs, 0.001-0.083 pg-TEQ/g for fried potatoes and 0.053-0.065 pg-TEQ/g for chicken products). The congener profile in hamburgers and hot dogs suggested that the total TEQ was mainly determined by Co-PCBs, especially by 3,3',4,4',5-PeCB (#126), which accounted for 44% of the total TEQ value. Findings for animal foods such as beef and cheese were consistent with this result. For fried potatoes, PCDD/Fs accounted for 94% of the total TEQ value, and 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF accounted for 32% of PCDD/Fs. Dioxins in the chicken products consisted of 3,3',4,4',5-PeCB (#126) and 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, which accounted for 23% and 21% of the total TEQ, respectively. If an adult (50 kg weight) eats 150 g of hamburger, 100 g of potatoes and 150 g of chicken, the daily intake is estimated to be 0.299 pg-TEQ/kg b.w./day using the average values (0.022, 0.028 and 0.059 pg-TEQ/g, respectively) obtained in this study. This value corresponds to 7.5% of the tolerable daily intake (TDI) for PCDD/Fs and Co-PCBs in Japan.     

Extended range near-infrared imaging of water and oil in facial skin

Recently, near-infrared (NIR) imaging has been applied to detecting changes in skin hydration using the water OH band centered near 1460 nm. However, assigning changes in the intensity of the OH band near 1460 nm to changes in the skin's water content is complicated. Consequently, detection of small changes in facial skin water content is difficult. For highly sensitive imaging of facial skin water and oil, a near-infrared unit with a large detection range that includes the CH(3) and CH(2) stretching vibration modes at 1700-1800 nm and the strongest water bands centered near 1920 nm is required. In this study, an extended range indium gallium arsenide near-infrared camera was combined with a diffuse-illumination unit specifically developed for facial skin analysis. Images of water and oil in facial skin were obtained in real time using a combination of interference filters, such as 1950 ± 56 nm for water OH, 1775 ± 50 nm for oil CH, and 1300 ± 40 nm for background reflections. Clear near-infrared images were obtained with little mirror reflection. The water and oil content of facial skin could be evaluated even around the eyes, nose, and sides of the cheeks, which are areas that are difficult to analyze using current commercial devices. Differences were detected in the time-dependent changes of water and oil content in facial skin images obtained after the application of different types of moisturizer. The distribution of both water and oil in the facial skin could be visualized at the same time, and the images could be used to evaluate skin type and skin conditions.     

Controlled structure and properties of silicate nanoparticle networks for incorporation of biosystem components

Inorganic nanoparticles are of technological interest in many fields. We created silicate nanoparticle hydrogels that effectively incorporated biomolecules that are unstable and involved in complicated reactions. The size of the silicate nanoparticles strongly affected both the physical characteristics of the resulting hydrogel and the activity of biomolecules incorporated within the hydrogel. We used high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to analyze in detail the hydrogel network patterns formed by the silicate nanoparticles. We obtained clear nanostructured images of biomolecule-nanoparticle composite hydrogels. The TEM images also showed that larger silicate nanoparticles (22 nm) formed more loosely associated silicate networks than did smaller silicate nanoparticles (7 nm). The loosely associated networks formed from larger silicate nanoparticles might facilitate substrate diffusion through the network, thus promoting the observed increased activity of the entrapped biomolecules. This doubled the activity of the incorporated biosystems compared with that of biosystems prepared by our own previously reported method. We propose a reaction scheme to explain the formation of the silicate nanoparticle networks. The successful incorporation of biomolecules into the nanoparticle hydrogels, along with the high level of activity exhibited by the biomolecules required for complicated reaction within the gels, demonstrates the nanocomposites' potential for use in medical applications.     

Comparison of sulfuric acid treatment and multi-layer silica gel column chromatography in cleanup methods for determination of PCDDs,PCDFs and dioxin-like PCBs in foods

Two typical cleanup methods, sulfuric acid treatment and multi-layer silica gel column chromatography, for the determination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dioxin-like PCBs) in seventeen food samples were examined and compared. Vegetables, fruits, cereals, fish, meat and dairy foods were extracted by conventional methods (shaking with acetone/n-hexane or with n-hexane after alkaline treatment). The extracts were cleaned up by sulfuric acid treatment or multi-layer silica gel column chromatography, followed by several column chromatographic steps. Of the samples treated, the vegetable, fruit and cereal samples could be directly applied to the multi-layer silica gel column after extraction. However, the samples containing fats and oils such as fish, meat and dairy foods needed to be treated several times with concentrated sulfuric acid before multi-layer column chromatography, because these samples plugged the column with oily residues. Both cleanup methods gave similar values of isomeric concentrations and showed similar efficiency of purification, and the recoveries ranged from 40 to 120%. These results are considered to provide useful data for the efficient analysis of dioxins in foods which have wide-ranging compositions.     

Construction of novel vectors for transformation of Lentinula edodes using a chitin synthase gene promoter

Novel vectors (pLCHS-hph and pChG-bar) containing expression unit driving hph as a selectable marker gene by chitin synthase gene promoter were constructed for Lentinula edodes transformation. Expression of the hph gene in random selected transformants was confirmed by RT-PCR method. Thus, both vectors are useful for L. edodes transformation.     

Flame retardancy and thermomechanical properties of the poly‐(glycidyloxypropyl) phenyl silsesquioxane/layered titanate nanocomposites

Poly‐(glycidyloxypropyl) phenyl silsesquioxane (PGPSQ) was combined with an organo‐layered titanate filler. The phase structure of the obtained composite was evaluated by XRD and TEM observations. Moreover, a burning test was carried out according to the UL‐94 test method. The extinguishing time of the nanocomposites was classified V‐0 even for the 1 wt % layered titanate content. Based on the results, it was clarified that the frame retardancy of the PGPSQ/organo‐layered titanate system was superior to the poly‐(glycidyloxypropyl) silsesquioxane (PGSQ)/organo‐layered titanate system, which was reported in a previous paper. In addition, the layered titanate as a filler also improved the ductility of the PGPSQ. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Determination of rosmarinic acid and luteolin in Perilla frutescens Britton (Labiatae)

An analytical method for measuring rosmarinic acid (RA) and luteolin (Lut), the major polyphenolic substances in Perilla frutescens Britton (Labiatae) was established. High‐performance liquid chromatography was used to determine the concentration of RA in perilla leaf solutions prepared by two successive extractions with water–acetone–hydrochloric acid (20:80:1, v/v/v). The concentration of Lut in solutions prepared by two successive extractions with ethanol–hydrochloric acid (100:1, v/v) was determined by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The mean concentrations of RA and Lut in the same samples of perilla leaves were 3.95 ± 0.42 and 0.039 ± 0.004 mg·g^?1, respectively, with the concentration of RA being 100 times greater than that of Lut. It was also demonstrated that there were seasonal changes in the RA concentration of perilla leaves collected from the same field and that RA levels varied between different growing areas. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry