Physical,mechanical and thermal properties of cross laminated timber made with coconut wood

European Journal of Wood and Wood Products - The fundamental material properties of coconut wood cross-laminated timber (CLT) were experimentally evaluated with a focus on the effect of the...     

Effect of dietary CLA supplementation on renal inflammation in diabetic mice

Dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation was studied for diabetic renal inflammation improvement through modulation of inflammatory responses and oxidative stress. ICR mice were administrated alloxan (180 mg/kg, i.p.) once and fed an AIN-93G diet, or diets containing 0.5 or 1% CLA for 8 weeks. Dietary CLA supplementation did not change body weights or ameliorate fasting blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen, and kidney MDA levels. However, dietary CLA supplementation improved plasma creatinine levels and overall inflammatory response in diabetic nephropathy by modulation of phosphorylated inhibitory kappa B and the protein levels of interleukine-1β, inducible nitric oxide synthetase, and the c-reactive protein without regulation of blood glucose levels. CLA supplementation in diabetic mice did not restore the manganese superoxide dismutase antioxidant defense system. CLA supplementation was beneficial in diabetic nephropathy through regulation of inflammatory response and has potential as an antiinflammatory terapeutic in patients with mild diabetes and diabetic complications.     

Carpesium abrotanoides extract inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase expression induced by toll-like receptor agonists

Inflammation is a pathological and physiological process which is known to be involved in numerous diseases, while it is notable that a considerable proportion of chronic inflammatory diseases overlap with the development of cancer. One of the most important proteins for inflammatory responses is inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The present study investigated the effect of the extract of Carpesium abrotanoides L. (ECA) on inflammation by modulating iNOS expression induced by toll-like receptors (TLRs) agonists in murine macrophages. ECA suppressed iNOS expression induced by lipopolysaccharide (TLR4 agonist), macrophage-activating lipopeptide 2-kDa (TLR2 and TLR6 agonist), and polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid (TLR3 agonist). All the results suggest that ECA can modulate TLR signaling pathways and subsequent chronic inflammatory responses.     

Fractionation and quantification of phenolic antioxidants from Saeunamu (Ostrya japonica)

Saeunamu (Ostrya japonica), a natural plant in Jeju, was extracted and fractionated on a Sephadex LH-20 column, and their phenolic compounds and integral antioxidative capacity (IAC) were evaluated. Eight fractions were obtained, and the relative contents of ethanol fractions (F1-F6) and methanol fractions (F7, F8) were 64.0 and 33.1%, respectively. Total phenolics in the methanol fractions were high as 672.8 and 613.3 mg catechin equivalents (CE)/g in F8 and F7, compared with those in the ethanol fractions as 438.4 and 411.1 mg CE/g in F4 and F5, respectively. Only 4 phenolics such as protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, catechin, and quercetin were identified. Catechin was concentrated as 4.6 and 4.4 times in F7 and F8, and quercetin was 2.9 and 2.6 times in F5 and F6, respectively, compared with the unfractionated. IAC of water-soluble substances were high as 6.41 and 7.71 mmol ascorbic acid equivalents/g, and those of lipid-soluble substances were high as 2.50 and 2.41 mmol Trolox equivalents/g in F4 and F5, respectively. It was concluded that ethanol fractions (F4-F6) possessing strong IAC may be used as a natural source of antioxidants in functional food ingredients.     

Microwave-assisted biosynthesis of glycerol monolaurate in reverse microemulsion system: key parameters and mechanism

This study highlights the microwave-assisted biosynthesis of glycerol monolaurate catalyzed by Novozym 435 in reverse microemulsion system dispersed by Aerosol-OT. Optimization of key parameters including catalyst/surfactant loading and temperature showed that under microwave irradiation, 125.9 mol L⁻¹ (36 wt%) of glycerol monolaurate was achieved within 30 min, which had improved 150% compared with that of water bath under the same conditions (60 °C, 1 wt% enzyme, 5 wt% AOT). Also, a synergistic effect of microwave irradiation and Aerosol-OT on reaction and a decline of optimum temperature (from 70 to 60 °C) were observed in comparison with traditional heating. More importantly, further comparative studies on morphology and chemicophysical profiles of reaction system heated by different thermal modes revealed the following: (1) due to the volumetric and selective heating character of molecular heating, superiorly larger interface of reaction system was formed under microwave irradiation, directly accelerating the reaction course investigated; and (2) microwave irradiation more favored a less compact state of enzyme. And faster mobilities of lid structure of enzyme were evident under microwave irradiation. This enhancement might facilitate the transition of conformational states, which is of key importance for the activation of bioactivity of Novozym 435. Moreover, the stepwise changes in steady-state fluorescent profiles demonstrated that the thermal-induced variation was not two-state transition but involves intermediate states, which was further supported by activity measurements reflected in glycerol monolaurate yield.     

MEMS needle-type sensor array for in situ measurements of dissolved oxygen and redox potential

Microelectrodes are among the most accurate and reliable monitoring devices for measuring the dynamics of biofilm processes. This paper describes a novel needle-type microelectrode array (MEA) for simultaneous in situ measurements of dissolved oxygen (DO) and oxidation reduction potential (ORP) fabricated using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technologies. The MEA exhibits fast response times for both DO and ORP measurements and shows a substantial increase in DO sensitivity. To demonstrate the versatility of the new sensor, it was applied to the measurement of DO and ORP microprofiles in a multispecies biofilm. This work demonstrates that the MEA is able to monitor local concentration changes with a high spatial resolution and provide the versatility of the microelectrode technique needed for biofilm studies as well as the capability for repetitive measurements. In addition, the use of MEMS technologies and batch fabrication approaches enables integration, high consistency, high yields, and mass production. With further development, it may be possible to add additional sensors to the MEA (e.g., pH, phosphate) and integrate them with a reference electrode.     

Origins of primary and secondary organic aerosol in Atlanta: results of time-resolved measurements during the Atlanta Supersite Experiment

Time-resolved ambient particulate organic (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) data measured in Atlanta, GA, during the Atlanta Supersite Experiment (August3-September 1, 1999) were investigated to determine the temporal trends of atmospheric carbonaceous aerosol and to examine the relative contributions of primary and secondary OC to measured particulate OC. Mean 1-h average concentrations (ranges in parentheses) of PM2.5 OC, EC, and total carbon were 8.3 (3.6-15.8), 2.3 (0.3-9.6), and 10.6 (4.6-24.6) microg of C m(-3), respectively, based on Rutgers University/Oregon Graduate Institute in situ thermal-optical carbon analyzer measurements. Carbonaceous matter (organic material 40%; EC 8%) comprised approximately 48% of PM2.5 mass in Atlanta. Primary and secondary OC concentrations were estimated using an EC tracer method. Secondary OC contributed approximately 46% of measured particulate OC, and 1-h average contributions ranged up to 88%. Vehicle emissions appear to be the dominant contributors to measured EC and primary OC concentrations based on temporal patterns of EC, primary OC, and CO. This research suggests that secondary OC concentrations in Atlanta were influenced by (1) "fresh" secondary organic aerosol formed by photochemical reactions locally in the early afternoons as seen in the Los Angeles air basin and (2) "aged" secondary organic aerosol transported from upwind regions or formed on previous days. Nocturnal peaks in secondary OC and ozone concentrations were observed on several days. The most probable explanation for this is the favorable partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds to the particulate phase driven by temperature decreases and relative humidity increases at night and vertical transport of regional pollutants from above to ground level.