Antioxidant activities of five different mulberry cultivars in Korea

Five major mulberry [Pachungsipyung (M-1), Whazosipmunja (M-2), Suwonnosang (M-3), Jasan (M-4) and Mocksang (M-5)] cultivated in Korea were assessed for their polyphenolic composition using spectrophotometric methodology, and tested for antioxidant potential by some different assays. The total polyphenol (TP) was found from 2235 to 2570 μg/g gallic acid equivalents, total anthocyanin (TA) content to vary from 1229 to 2057 μg/g, coloured anthocyanins (CA) from 126 to 190 μg/g, and total flavanol (TF) from 16.4 to 65.4 μg/g catechin equivalents except Mocksang (M-5). The ethanolic extract from mulberry fruit shows a rapid and concentration-dependent increase of antioxidant activity. Especially, the antioxidant activities of M-2 and M-4 are higher than those of the others in a hemoglobin-induced linoleic acid system. The reducing power compared with BHT was observed to high value in M-2, M-3 and M-4 extracts. Effectiveness in reducing powers was in a descending order of M-4>M-2>M-3>M-1>M-1. The DPPH-scavenging ability of the ethanolic extract from mulberry fruit was 60.0% at 200 and 212 μg of M-2 and M-4, respectively. M-2 and M-4 also showed sharply increase of hydroxyl scavenging ability with concentration of the extracts. IC₅₀ values in scavenging abilities on hydroxyl radicals were 30 mg and in a descending order of M-5>M-3>M-1>M-4>M-2. Superoxide anion-sacavenging activities of M-2, M-3 and M-4 showed 17.1, 14.5 and 14.8 SOD unit/mg, respectively.     

Effects of transglutaminase-induced cross-linking on properties of fish gelatin–nanoclay composite film

A nanoclay composite film was produced using warm water fish gelatin as a base material and its physical, mechanical, and molecular weight change properties were observed after treatment with microbial transglutaminase. The viscosity of the MTGase-treated gelatin solution (2% w/w) increased from 86.25 ± 1.77 (0 min) to 243 ± 12.37 cp (80 min). SDS–PAGE results indicated that the molecular weight of fish gelatin solutions increased after treatment with microbial transglutaminase. Tensile strength decreased from 61.60 ± 1.77 (0 min) to 56.42 ± 2.40 MPa (30 min), while E% increased from 13.94 ± 5.09 (0 min) to 15.78 ± 5.97% (30 min) at 2% (w/w) MTGase concentration. The oxygen permeability and water vapour permeability did not change as a function of treatment time at 2% (w/w) MTGase concentration. The incorporation of nanoclay inhibited the increase of oxygen permeability. Film colour values (L, a, and b) did not change, but haze values increased from 5.24 ± 0.40 (0 min) to 6.44 ± 0.94 (50 min). XRD and TEM results suggested that the nanoclay was exfoliated in fish gelatin film.     

Transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide through polycarbonate membrane

Sorption equilibria and permeation rates for oxygen and carbon dioxide in polycarbonate membrane were measured at different temperature between 30 and 60°C and at pressures up to 2.5 MPa. The pressure dependence of mean permeability coefficient to oxygen obeyed the conventional dual-mode mobility model, whereas that to carbon dioxide followed a modified dual-mode mobility model with concentration-dependent diffusivities, as that of polystyrene to the same gas did.     

Design and manufacture of a toroidal-type SMES for combination with real-time digital simulator (RTDS)

The authors designed and manufactured a toroidal-type superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) system. The toroidal-type SMES was designed using a 3D CAD program. The toroidal-type magnet consists of 30 double pancake coils (DPCs). The single pancake coils (SPCs), which constitute the double pancake coils, are arranged at an angle of 6° from each other, based on the central axis of the toroidal-type magnet. The cooling method used for the toroidal-type SMES is the conduction cooling type. When the cooling method for the toroidal-type SMES was designed, the two-stage Gifford–McMahon (GM) refrigerator was considered. The Bi-2223 HTS wire, which was made by soldering brass on both sides of the superconductor, is used for the magnet winding. Finally, the authors connected the toroidal-type SMES to a real-time digital simulator (RSCAD/RTDS) to simulate voltage sag compensation in a power utility.     

Nanoscale Joule heating, Peltier cooling and current crowding at graphene-metal contacts

The performance and scaling of graphene-based electronics is limited by the quality of contacts between the graphene and metal electrodes. However, the nature of graphene-metal contacts remains incompletely understood. Here, we use atomic force microscopy to measure the temperature distributions at the contacts of working graphene transistors with a spatial resolution of ~ 10 nm (refs 5-8), allowing us to identify the presence of Joule heating, current crowding and thermoelectric heating and cooling. Comparison with simulation enables extraction of the contact resistivity (150-200 Ω μm2) and transfer length (0.2-0.5 μm) in our devices; these generally limit performance and must be minimized. Our data indicate that thermoelectric effects account for up to one-third of the contact temperature changes, and that current crowding accounts for most of the remainder. Modelling predicts that the role of current crowding will diminish and the role of thermoelectric effects will increase as contacts improve.     

pH-sensitive photocatalytic activities of TiO2/poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) composite hydrogels

The pH-sensitive photocatalytic system was prepared by embedding TiO₂ into poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel. Two different type TiO₂/hydrogel composites, such as matrix and nanofiber, were prepared to investigate the morphological effects on the photocatalytic activity. TiO₂ was distributed uniformly in the composite hydrogel and kept the original anatase structure without any structural change. The photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ was evaluated based on the efficiency of photobleaching of dye. The photobleaching of dye was improved greatly as the pH was changed into basic condition and the larger surface area of hydrogel was available for TiO₂ by using nanofiber supports.     

A facile synthesis, in vitro and in vivo MR studies of d-glucuronic acid-coated ultrasmall Ln₂O₃ (Ln = Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, and Er) nanoparticles as a new potential MRI contrast agent

A facile one-pot synthesis of d-glucuronic acid-coated ultrasmall Ln(2)O(3) (Ln = Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, and Er) nanoparticles is presented. Their water proton relaxivities were studied to address their possibility as a new potential MRI contrast agent. We focused on the d-glucuronic acid-coated ultrasmall Dy(2)O(3) nanoparticle because it showed the highest r(2) relaxivity among studied nanoparticles. Its performance as a T(2) MRI contrast agent was for the first time proved in vivo through its 3 T T(2) MR images of a mouse, showing that it can be further exploited for the rational design of a new T(2) MRI contrast agent at high MR fields.     

Effect of Mn precursors on benzene oxidation with ozone over MnOx/MCM-41 at low temperature

Low temperature benzene oxidation in the presence of ozone on MnOx/MCM-41 catalysts has been studied. MnOx/MCM-41 catalysts were prepared from two different precursors, Mn(NO3)2 and Mn(CH3COO)2, and these samples were characterized by N2 sorption, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and temperature programmed reduction. The characterization results showed that the MnOx/MCM-41 prepared from Mn(CH3COO)2 had higher oxygen mobility and dispersion than the MnOx/MCM-41 from Mn(NO3)2. As a result, the MnOx/MCM-41 obtained from Mn(CH3COO)2 showed higher catalytic activity for the oxidation of benzene using ozone; however, without ozone, the catalytic activity was negligible.     

Crystal structure of zeolite X nickel(II) exchanged at pH 4.3 and partially dehydrated, Ni2(NiOH)35(Ni4AlO4)2(H3O)46Si101Al91O384

Complete Ni²⁺ exchange of a single crystal of zeolite X of composition Na₉₂Si₁₀₀Al₉₂O₃₈₄ per unit cell was attempted at 73°C with flowing aqueous 0.05 M NiCl₂ (pH=4.3 at 23°C). After partial dehydration at 23°C and ≈10⁻³ Torr for two days, its structure, now of composition Ni₂(NiOH)₃₅(Ni₄AlO₄)₂(H₃O)₄₆Si₁₀₁Al₉₁O₃₈₄ per unit cell, was determined by X-ray diffraction techniques at 23°C (space group Fd , a₀=24.788(5) Å). It was refined using all intensities; R₁=0.080 for the 236 reflections for which F_o>4σ(F_o), and wR₂=0.187 using all 1138 unique reflections measured. At four crystallographic sites, 45 Ni²⁺ ions were found per unit cell. Thirty of these are at two different site III′ positions. Twenty of those are close to the sides of 12-rings near O–Si–O sequences, where each coordinates octahedrally to two framework oxygens, to three water molecules which hydrogen bond to the zeolite framework, and to an OH⁻ ion. The remaining 10 are near O–Al–O sequences; only three members of a likely octahedral coordination sphere could be found. In addition, two Ni²⁺ ions are at site I, eight are at site I′, and five are at site II. Forty six H₃O⁺ ions per unit cell, 24 at site II′ and 22 at site II, each hydrogen bond triply to six rings of the zeolite framework. Each of the 22 H₃O⁺ ions also hydrogen bonds to a H₂O molecule that coordinates to a site III′ Ni²⁺ ion. Six of the eight sodalite cages each contain four H₃O⁺ ions at site II′; the remaining two each contains a tetrahedral orthoaluminate anion at its center. Each tetrahedral face of each orthoaluminate ion is centered by a site I′ Ni²⁺ ion to give two Ni₄AlO₄ clusters. The five site II Ni²⁺ ions each coordinate to a OH⁻ ion. With 46 H₃O⁺ ions per unit cell, the great tendency of hydrated Ni²⁺ to hydrolyze within zeolite X is demonstrated. With a relatively weak single-crystal diffraction pattern, with dealumination of the zeolite framework, and with an apparent decrease in long-range Si/Al ordering likely due to the formation of antidomains, this crystal like others treated with hydrolyzing cations appears to have been damaged by Ni²⁺ exchange and partial dehydration.