Reduction in microalbuminuria in diabetics by eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ethyl ester (1.8 g/d) was administered to 16 diabetic patients (5 insulin-dependent and 11 noninsulin-dependent diabetics) for 6 mon. EPA in total plasma fatty acids increased from 4.0±2.4 mol% (mean±SD) to 7.5±3.1 mol% (p<0.001). Albumin excretion, measured with spot urine, was significantly reduced from 65 to 36 mg/g creatinine (geometric means, p<0.001). Fasting blood sugar levels, glycohemoglobin, body weight and blood pressure did not change significantly during the study. There were also no significant changes in serum levels of creatinine, urea nitrogen, total cholesterol and triglycerides. Although no overt hemorrhage was observed in the patients, hematocrit was reduced from 42.6±2.8% to 41.0±3.9% (p<0.02). Ten other similar diabetic patients (4 insulin-dependent and 6 non-insulin-dependent diabetics) were followed as a reference group, not concomitantly, for 6 mon with neither EPA ethyl ester nor placebo. The parameters mentioned above were not changed significantly in this group during 6 mon. EPA administration might retard the appearance of overt diabetic nephropathy.     

On an analytical solution for two-dimensional diffusion of silicon self-interstitials during oxidation of silicon

An analytical solution for two-dimensional diffusion of silicon self-interstitials during the oxidation of silicon is presented. The lateral effect of oxidation enhanced diffusion of boron in silicon is explained by the solution, because the increment of diffusivity is proportional to the incremental concentration of interstitials. Agreement between theoretical and experimental increments of the diffusivity is excellent.     

Decomposition characteristics of biodegradable plastics made from sago starch‐extraction residue

Biodegradable plastics were synthesized for the effective use of sago starch‐extraction residue, which has been discarded as a waste. Two types of esterified sago starch‐extraction residue, P‐SP and L‐SP, were obtained. It had black color for P‐SP₁₆₀ (esterified by palm oil) to light yellow color for L‐SP₈₀ (esterified by lauric acid) and showed high carbon content, ranging from 399.3 to 537.1 g kg⁻¹. Biodegradable plastics from the residue, which had high esterification degree showed thermoplasticity and slower decomposition in Andisols in Japan and Inceptisols in Philippines. The esterification degrees of P‐SP₁₆₀ and L‐SP were 3.23 and 2.95 to 5.18 mmol g⁻¹, respectively. In addition, L‐SP₈₀ exhibited the most appropriate thermal softening behavior by heating. The cumulative decomposition of P‐SP₁₆₀ in Andisols and Inceptisols showed 16.7 and 32.8% of total carbon during 31 day of the incubation. On the other hand, the decomposition rates of L‐SP₈₀ in Andisols and Inceptisols were less than 10% of total carbon during 31 day of the incubation. The addition of triacetin as plasticizer to P‐SP₁₆₀ and L‐SP₈₀ remarkably influenced the decomposition rate of both molded P‐SP₁₆₀ and L‐SP₈₀. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Oil Binding Ability of Chlorinated and Heated Wheat Starch Granules and Their Use in Breadmaking and Pancake Baking

Chlorination and heat treatment of wheat flour changes the surface character of starch granules from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, and high oil binding ability of the starch granules can be observed. It was suggested that the hydrophobicity, in case of chlorination, was due to chemical modification of the starch granule surface proteins, and, in case of heat treatment, due to conformational changes of the proteins. This hydrophobicity could be also obtained by aging (233 days at room temperature). The hydrophobicity of starch granules in batter is highly related to the springiness of pancake. Heat treated wheat starch granules can encapsulate flavor through their oil binding ability.     

Ghosts of B‐type Wheat Starch Granules in Concentrated KI/I2 Solution

When B‐type (2.0–8.0 µm) wheat starch granules containing various amounts (2.1–25%) of amylose were treated with 25% KI/10% I₂ solution, low‐amylose (below 10% amylose) B‐type wheat starch granules changed to the ghost form. It is known that A‐type (25–35 µm) wheat starch granules change to the ghost form and show a typical double structure (a black‐brown central portion and red‐brown surrounding portion), however, the B‐type wheat starch ghosts did not show the same double structure but rather a simple (red‐brown portion) sack form. The relative ghost areas in the B‐type wheat starch granules were highly correlated to the amylose content (%), which was similar to the results of A‐type starch granules. This suggests that the amylose molecule in B‐type starch contributes to the structural stability of the starch granule.     

Morphological reason for enhancement of electrochemical double layer capacitances of various acetylene blacks by electrochemical polarization

Enhancement of electrochemical capacitance and morphological variations of various acetylene blacks caused by electrochemical polarization are presented. Acetylene blacks of different mean particle diameters were modified by air-oxidation and heat treatment to diversify the morphologies of the acetylene blacks before electrochemical polarization. The various acetylene blacks were electrochemically oxidized at 1.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for 10 s and the polarization step was repeated until the capacitance values did not change any longer. These polarization steps enhanced the capacitances of the acetylene blacks and the specific enhancement factors range from 2 to 5.5. Such an enhancement is strongly related to morphological modification as revealed by transmission electron microscopic observations. The electrochemical polarization resulted in formation of tiny graphene sheets on the wide graphitic carbon surfaces, which were most responsible for the observed capacitive enhancement. Although the pseudo-capacitance increased after polarization by forming oxygenated species on the surfaces, its contribution to the total capacitance was less than 10%. The mechanism of the formation of the tiny graphene sheets during the electrochemical oxidation is described schematically.     

Facile purification of tocopherols from soybean oil deodorizer distillate in high yield using lipase

Tocopherols have been purified from deodorizer distillate produced in the final deodorization step of vegetable oil refining by a process including molecular distillation. Deodorizer distillate contains mainly tocopherols, sterols, and free fatty acids (FFA); the presence of sterols hinders tocopherol purification in good yield. We found that Candida rugosa lipase recognized sterols as substrates but not tocopherols, and that esterification of sterols with FFA could be effected with negligible influence of water content. Enzymatic esterification of sterols with FFA was thus used as a step in tocopherol purification. High boiling point substances including steryl esters were removed from soybean oil deodorizer distillate by distillation, and the resulting distillate (soybean oil deodorizer distillate tocopherol concentrate; SODDTC) was used as a starting material for tocopherol purification. Several factors affecting esterification of sterols were investigated, and the reaction conditions were determined as follows: A mixture of SODDTC and water (4∶1, w/w) was stirred at 35°C for 24 h with 200 U of Candida lipase per 1 g of the reaction mixture. Under these conditions, approximately 80% of sterols was esterified, but tocopherols were not esterified. After the reaction, tocopherols and FFA were recovered as a distillate by molecular distillation of the oil layer. To enhance further removal of the remaining sterols, the lipase-catalyzed reaction was repeated on the distillate under the same reaction conditions. As a result, more than 95% of the sterols was esterified in total. The resulting reaction mixture was fractionated to four distillates and one residue. The main distillate fraction contained 65 wt% tocopherols with low contents of FFA and sterols. In addition, the residue fraction contained high-purity steryl esters. Because the process presented in this study includes only organic solvent-free enzymatic reaction and molecular distillation, it is feasible as a new industrial purification method of tocopherols. This work was presented at the Biocatalysis symposium in April 2000, held at the 91st Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Oil Chemists Society, San Diego, CA.