Magnetovolume effects in manganese nitrides with antiperovskite structure

Magnetostructural correlations in antiperovskite manganese nitrides were investigated systematically for stoichiometric and solid solution Mn₃Cu_1?xA_xN (A = Co, Ni, Zn, Ga, Ge, Rh, Pd, Ag, In, Sn or Sb). This class of nitrides is attracting great attention because of their giant negative thermal expansion, which is achieved by doping Ge or Sn into the A site as a relaxant of the sharp volume contraction on heating (spontaneous volume magnetostriction ω_s) because of the magnetovolume effects. The physical background of large ω_s and mechanism of how the volume contraction becomes gradual with temperature are central concerns for the physics and applications of these nitrides. An entire dataset of thermal expansion, crystal structure and magnetization demonstrates that the cubic triangular antiferromagnetic state is crucial for large ω_s. The intimate relationship between ω_s and the magnetic structure is discussed in terms of geometrical frustration related to the Mn₆N octahedron and magnetic stress concept. The results presented herein also show that ω_s depends on the number of d electrons in the A atom, suggesting the important role of the d orbitals of the A atom. Not all the dopants in the A site, but the elements that disturb the cubic triangular antiferromagnetic state, are effective in broadening the volume change. This fact suggests that instability neighboring the phase boundary is related to the broadening. The relation between the gradual volume change and the local structure anomaly is suggested by recent microprobe studies.     

2-Arachidonoyl glycerol suppresses gastric emptying via the cannabinoid receptor 1-cholecystokinin signaling pathway in mice

2-Monoacylglycerol (2-MAG) is one of the digestion products of dietary lipids. We recently demonstrated that a 2-MAG, 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) potently stimulated cholecystokinin (CCK) secretion via cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) in a murine CCK-producing cell line, STC-1. CCK plays a crucial role in suppressing postprandial gastric emptying. To examine the effect of 2-AG on gastric emptying, we performed acetaminophen and phenol red recovery tests under oral or intraperitoneal administration of 2-AG in mice. Orally administered 2-AG (25 mg/kg) suppressed the gastric emptying rate in mice, as determined by the acetaminophen absorption test and phenol red recovery test. Intraperitoneal administration of a cholecystokinin A receptor antagonist (0.5 mg/kg) attenuated the gastric inhibitory emptying effect. In addition, both oral (10 mg/kg) and intraperitoneal (0.5 mg/kg) administration of a CB1 antagonist counteracted the 2-AG-induced gastric inhibitory effect. Furthermore, intraperitoneal 2-AG (25 mg/kg) suppressed gastric emptying. These results indicate that 2-AG exhibits an inhibitory effect on gastric emptying in mice, possibly mediated by stimulating both CCK secretion via CB1 expressed in CCK-producing cells and acting on CB1 expressed in the peripheral nerves. Our findings provide novel insights into the 2-MAG-sensing mechanism in enteroendocrine cells and the physiological role of 2-MAG.     

Composition of Corn Hull Dietary Fiber

The corn hull dietary fiber was decomposed into their components such as cellulose, hemicellulose-A, -B, -C, -other and lignin by the Siegel method, and their contents were 16%, 1%, 57%, 14% and 2%, respectivity. The components of ordinary corn fiber were insoluble in water, but several decomposed fractions were able to dissolved. The solubility in water of hemicellulose-B was well and of hemicellulose A was slightly, but other fractions were insoluble. Hemicellulose-A, -B, -C and -other fractions were made up of about 30% of arabinose and 50% of xylose. Uronic acid contents and solubility in water of each hemicellulose fraction were mutually related.     

Use of β-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase (HADH) activity to differentiate frozen from unfrozen fish and shellfish

 Further work on an enzymic method to differentiate frozen from unfrozen fish and shellfish is reported. The method is based on the release of the β-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase (HADH) from mitochondria during freezing. Enzymic activity was evaluated in fresh and frozen thawed samples from sole (Solea solea), sea bream (Pagellus centrodontus), hake (Merluccius merluccius), gilt headed bream (Sparus aurata), sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), salmon (Salmo salar), prawn (Penaeus japonicus) and Norwegian lobster (Nephrops norvegicus). Changes in the HADH activity of fresh and frozen thawed samples were compared after freezing at –196  °C for 15 min. Two values were obtained: U (by dividing: HADH activity of samples frozen at –196  °C, then thawed/HADH activity of unfrozen samples) and F (by dividing: HADH activity of samples frozen at –18  °C, thawed, then frozen at –196  °C /HADH activity of samples frozen at –18  °C, then thawed). Statistical analysis showed significant differences (P≤0.05) between both quotients for gilt headed bream, salmon, sea bream, sole and prawn, and an arbitrary limit was set at 2 to differentiate frozen thawed from unfrozen samples. The application of this limit made it possible to discriminate the unfrozen from the frozen thawed state of around 90% of the total samples analysed. Best results were obtained for prawn (100% of samples differentiated). In the present paper, a laboratory routine is proposed based on the comparison of the HADH activity of a sample analysed straight away and that of a sample frozen at –196  °C and then thawed. The reported method is simple and fast. The entire laboratory procedure can be performed in 45 min. Received: 20 July 1998 / Revised version: 2 November 1998     

传统大豆发酵食品的生理功能

本文综述了我国传统大豆发酵食品的各种功能性成分，总结了其生物调节功能，并针对我国传统大豆发酵食品的研究开发提出了一些建议。     

Volatile aroma components and antioxidant activities of the flavedo peel extract of unripe Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata)

The flavedo peel extracts of unripe Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata) fruits were extracted using steam distillation (SD) or a cold-press (CP) system. Volatile aroma content and composition were determined using gas chromatography (GC) and each compound was identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS). The major constituents of the extracts were monoterpene hydrocarbons (91.75-93.75%[709.32-809.05 mg/100 g of fresh flavedo peel]) including limonene (43.08-45.13%[341.46-379.81 mg/100 g of fresh flavedo peel]), γ-terpinene (27.88-29.06%[219.90-245.86 mg/100 g of fresh flavedo peel]), and p-cymene (8.13-11.02%[61.47-97.22 mg/100 g of fresh flavedo peel]). The extraction process used was determined to be a decisive factor that affects the composition of key citrus aroma components, as well as the antioxidant activities of the Shiikuwasha fruit. Antioxidant capabilities of the extracts were examined by assay of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity and β-carotene bleaching inhibition. The cold-press extraction system may better retain the total phenolic content of the flavedo peel and display superior antioxidant activities, compared to the steam distillation extraction method. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata) is a type of small citrus fruit, and has been used as raw material for beverage and food additive productions in Japan. It had a unique aroma composition in which the limonene content of its peels is lower than that of other commonly known citrus peels. The present study detailed the volatile aroma composition, as well as antioxidant capabilities of Shiikuwasha peel extracts of different extraction methods, that are cold-press and steam distillation methods. The results of this study may provide a basis for selection of Shiikuwasha peel extracts in food industry for citrus flavor production.     

Immunomagnetic flow cytometric detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B in raw and dry milk

A rapid and sensitive method for detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in raw and dry milk samples with the use of antibody-based immunomagnetic separation (IMS) in conjunction with flow cytometry (FCM) was developed. Sheep anti-SEB immunoglobulin G (IgG) was immobilized on Dynabeads M-280. The SEB initially binds to the capturing antibody, which is bound on the magnetic beads. The rabbit anti-SEB IgG binds to the captured toxin and is further labeled with a Cy5-labeled goat anti-rabbit IgG antibody. The percentage of the beads that were fluorescent was measured by FCM. FCM was carried out for 1 min, and the data obtained were expressed as histograms for particle size (forward light scatter) and histograms for fluorescence intensity. A peak corresponding to the magnetic beads was clearly distinguished from a peak derived from contaminating particles in the sample solution. In the absence of SEB, about 10% of the beads emitted fluorescence. The percentage of fluorescent beads and the fluorescence intensity increased with increasing SEB concentrations. For this IMS-FCM assay, the lower limits of detection for SEB were estimated to be 0.01 and 0.25 ng/ml for buffer and milk samples, respectively.     

Studies on analysis of terpene resin in imported chewing gums

We have developed an analytical method for terpene resins in chewing gum. The fraction including terpene resins was prepared by means of hexane extraction and two silica gel column chromatography treatments (hexane and ethyl acetate) from chewing gum. The terpene resin fraction was analyzed with LC/MS and IR. The terpene resins are mixtures of polymeric pinene and/or limonene, which have a monomer molecular weight of 136. The MS spectrum of the terpene resin peak on the LC/MS total ion chromatogram showed protonated molecular ion (M + H)+ peaks at intervals of m/z 136, characteristic of a complex mixture of polyterpenes. IR spectroscopy is a suitable technique to identify the terpene resin type, ie., pinene or limonene. When the method was applied to imported chewing gum sold in Japan, terpene resins were clearly detected.     

用体硅微加工工艺实现的微纳电械系统

1　Ｉｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎ　　ＭＥＭＳ (ＭｉｃｒｏＥｌｅｃｔｒｏＭｅｃｈａｎｉｃａｌＳｙｓｔｅｍ )ｂａｓｅｄｏｎｓｅｍｉｃｏｎｄｕｃｔｏｒｍｉｃｒｏｆａｂｒｉｃａｔｉｏｎｐｌａｙｓｉｍ ｐｏｒｔａｎｔｒｏｌｅｓｆｏｒｅｘａｍｐｌｅｉｎｔｈｅ ｐｅｒｉｐｈｅｒｙｏｆＩＴｓｙｓｔｅｍｓ.ＮＥＭＳ (ＮａｎｏＥｌｅｃｔｒｏＭｅｃｈａｎｉｃａｌＳｙｓ ｔｅｍ)ｃｏｎｔａｉｎｓｎａｎｏ＿ｓｃａｌｅｓｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅｓ.Ｓｏｐｈｉｓｔｉｃａｔｅｄａｎｄｈｉｇｈｐｅｒｆｏｒｍａｎｃｅｓｙｓｔｅｍｓｂａｓｅｄｏｎｔｈ…