A novel hybrid adsorption heat pump water heater

A hybrid adsorption heat pump water heater has been studied for domestic use. It is a water heater with dual heat sources, and it combines the performances of adsorption heat pumps and conventional gas boilers. Moreover, functional adsorbent material‐zeolite (FAM‐Z02, Mitsubishi Chemicals) and water are a new adsorption pair for adsorption heat pumps. This article describes the operation, design, and performance analysis of one such water‐heating device. The experimental results showed that the hybrid water heater in the whole year has a stable COP even at low ambient temperature. The hybrid water heater can thus achieve high energy efficiency.     

Pyrolysis of sugarcane bagasse pretreated with sulfuric acid

Pyrolysis is a promising technique for the recovery of useful gas, tar, and solid products from biomass waste. However, the low tar yields obtained from lignocellulosic biomass are a significant drawback. To enhance tar yields, sugarcane bagasse, which is the most abundant agricultural waste in Fiji, was pretreated at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure using various sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) concentrations. Here, the ether bonds of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin were partially hydrolyzed. The pretreated samples were then pyrolyzed at 500 °C, and it was confirmed that H₂SO₄-pretreatment disrupted the bagasse cell structure, with the thermogravimetry and differential thermogravimetry results confirming that decomposition occurred at lower temperatures after pretreatment. In addition, tar yields were significantly enhanced from 5.6 wt% to 13.4 wt% for the untreated and 3 M H₂SO₄-pretreated samples respectively. The main components detected in this tar product were levoglucosan, andcellulose-and hemicellulose-derived products, whose proportions were increased following pretreatment. Thus, our work demonstrates that dilute acid pretreatment enhances tar production from sugarcane bagasse due to the production of shorter chain components via the partial hydrolysis of ether bonds.     

Profiling and Imaging of Phospholipids in Brains of Abcd1‐Deficient Mice

ABCD1 is a gene responsible for X‐linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X‐ALD), and is critical for the transport of very long‐chain fatty acids (VLCFA) into peroxisomes and subsequent β‐oxidation. VLCFA‐containing lipids accumulate in X‐ALD patients, although the effect of ABCD1‐deficiency on each lipid species in the central nervous system has not been fully characterized. In this study, each phospholipid and lysophospholipid species in Abcd1‐deficient mice brains were profiled by liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry. Among the phospholipid and lysophospholipid species that are significantly more enriched in Abcd1‐deficient mice brains, VLCFA were present in 75, 15, 5, 4, and 1 species of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingomyelin, lysophosphatidylcholine, and lysophosphatidylethanolamine, respectively. Most VLCFA were incorporated at the sn‐1 position of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. Among the phospholipid species that are significantly less enriched in Abcd1‐deficient mice brains, odd‐numbered saturated or mono‐unsaturated fatty acyl moieties are contained in all phosphatidylcholine species. In addition, a number of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylserine species contained highly unsaturated fatty acyl moieties. Intriguingly, 44:1 phosphatidylcholine with VLCFA was mainly distributed in the gray matter, such as the cortex, but not in the white matter in the cerebrum and cerebellum. These results show that ABCD1‐deficiency causes metabolic alternation of long‐chain fatty acids and VLCFA. Moreover, our results imply a molecular mechanism for the incorporation of saturated or monounsaturated VLCFA into the sn‐1 position of phospholipids, and also indicate that the distribution of phospholipids with VLCFA may correlate with the development of X‐ALD.     

Denatured-jacalin derivatives with selective recognition for O-linked glycosides (ST,T, Tn,and STn Type) on IgA1 hinge region

Immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) concentration in the plasma of patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) as the cause of renal failure is higher than that in the plasma of normal controls. IgA1 with abnormal sugars is considered to deposit in the glomerular mesangium, aggravating nephritis in IgAN. Jacalin is a lectin that recognizes sugars on IgA1. However, its selective-recognition for normal-type (ST type, NeuAc-α(2,3)-Gal-β(1,3)-GalNAc) and abnormal-type (T type, Gal-β(1,3)-GalNAc; Tn type, GalNAc; STn type, NeuAc-α(2,6)-GalNAc) sugars α-O-linked to serine/threonine in IgA1 is weak. Therefore, jacalin cannot be used for recognizing specific sugar types on IgA1. We attempted to develop a new recognition method for specific sugar types on IgA1 by utilizing the multirecognition capability of jacalin. Its binding abilities were regulated by heat denaturation with suitable template sugar (galactose or N-acetylgalactosamine). Further, we successfully prepared denatured-jacalin derivatives, which recognized ST-/T-type sugars on IgA1, by sugar-immobilized affinity chromatography. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of denatured-jacalin derivatives, showed the ratios of abnormal sugars on IgA1 in the plasma of IgAN patients and normal controls to be approximately 60% and 20%, respectively. The results proved that profiling of sugar types in IgAN can successfully be performed by solely using jacalin derivatives.     

Increased activity of Chromobacterium viscosum lipase in AOT reverse micelles in the presence of short chain methoxypolyethylene glycol

The activity of Chromobacterium viscosum lipase (glycerol‐ester hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.3) entrapped in AOT/isooctane and AOT/Tween 85/isooctane reverse micelles was significantly increased by the addition of short chain methoxypolyethylene glycols (MPEGs), taking the hydrolysis of olive oil as a model reaction. The molecular weight of MPEG had a strong effect on the lipase activity, and MPEG of nominal molecular weight 550 was found to be the most effective. To optimize the factors affecting enzymatic hydrolysis of olive oil in reverse micellar systems containing MPEG 550, the effect of various parameters, such as W_o (molar ratio of water to surfactant), pH, ionic strength, surfactant concentration and temperature were investigated. A kinetic model considering the substrate adsorption equilibrium between the bulk phase of organic solvent and the micellar phase was also successfully used to understand the enzyme activity in the presence of MPEG 550. Both the Michaelis constant and the substrate adsorption equilibrium constant were obviously reduced as compared with those obtained in the simple AOT reverse micellar system. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Production of eicosapentaenoic acid by a recombinant marine cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp.

The eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) synthesis gene cluster from an EPA-producing bacterium, Shewanella sp. SCRC-2738, was cloned into a broad-host range vector, pJRD215, and then introduced into a marine cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp. NKBG15041c, by conjugation. The transconjugant cyanobacteria produced 3.7±0.2% (2.24±0.13 mg/L) EPA (n-3) and 2.5 ±0.2% (1.49±0.06 mg/L) eicosatetraenoic acid (n-3) of the total fatty acids when the cells were cultured at 23°C at a light intensity of 1,000–1,500 Lux. The EPA and eico-satetraenoic acid contents of the cells were increased to 4.6±0.6% (3.86±1.11 mg/L) and 4.7±0.3% (3.86±0.82 mg/L), and 7.5±0.3% (1.76±0.10 mg/L) and 5.1±0.2% (1.19±0.06 mg/L) when they were cultured at low temperature (18°C) and at lower light intensity (40 Lux), respectively.     

Grain-boundary contamination and ductility loss in boron-doped Ni3Al

The effect of heat treatment on ductility loss in a boron-doped Ni₃Al was studied by tensile tests of alloy specimens exposed to contaminated environments. Specimens heat-treated extensively in evacuated quartz capsules at 1323 K exhibit only 3.3 pct ductility at 1033 K, whereas a previous study reported a tensile ductility of about 24 pet for specimens heat-treated in a high vacuum system. Aluminum oxide and silicon-contaminated regions were observed at and near external surfaces of capsule-annealed specimens. The reactions occurring during heat treatment are interpreted in terms of thermodynamics. An Auger electron spectroscopy study revealed oxygen penetration along grain boundaries during capsule annealing. Although the surface oxide layer and silicon contamination both contribute to some reductions in ductility, the major cause for embrittlement comes from oxygen penetration along grain boundaries.     

Blood cells with reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and cytosolic cytochrome C can survive and maintain clonogenicity given appropriate signals to suppress apoptosis

Reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential (Psim) and release of cytochrome c from mitochondria appear to be key events during apoptosis. Apoptosis was induced in IC.DP premast cells by the withdrawal of interleukin-3 (IL-3). Psim decreased by 12 hours and cytochrome c was detected in the cytosol at 18 hours. Despite these changes in the mitochondria after 18 hours of IL-3 deprivation, clonogenicity was unaffected when IL-3 was replenished at 18 hours. Activation of v-Abl tyrosine kinase (v-Abl TK) in IC.DP cells before IL-3 depletion led to increased levels of Bcl-XL, prevented reduction of Psim and the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, and suppressed apoptosis. Activation of v-Abl TK 18 hours after withdrawal of IL-3 when 相似文献