Transcriptional profiling in rats and an ex vivo analysis implicate novel beneficial function of egg shell membrane in liver fibrosis

Egg shell membrane (ESM) is a natural and safe food by-product from egg processing whilst there is little information about the role of ESM as a food component. Effects of dietary ESM on gene expression in rat liver were investigated through DNA microarray comprehensive analysis. The expression of smooth muscle-α-actin, which is a marker of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation, and integrin beta-like 1, decorin, asporin, lumican and collagen type 1 alpha 1, which are components of extracellular matrix (ECM) and involved in the up-regulation of HSCs activation and fibrosis, was found to be significantly down-regulated after 14 days of ESM treatment. Subsequently, serum obtained from rats given ESM diet also suppressed the expression of COL1A1 and COL1A2 in human hepatoma C3A cells. Our in vivo and ex vivo findings demonstrate that these gene alterations may contribute to the beneficial effect of ESM partially through down-regulation of c-jun and c-fos signal transduction thereby blunting HSCs activation and eventually preventing liver fibrosis. These outcomes not only provide novel information about the functional and nutritional availability of ESM, but also might contribute to the field of environmental protection.     

Salmon Protamine Decreases Serum and Liver Lipid Contents by Inhibiting Lipid Absorption in an In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion Model and in Rats

Protamine has been used as an antiheparin drug and a natural preservative in various food products. However, limited studies have evaluated the physicochemical and functional properties of protamine. Hence, we assessed the mechanisms underlying the inhibition of lipid absorption following salmon protamine intake in in vitro and in vivo studies. In initial experiments, a salmon protamine hydrolyzate (PH) was prepared using in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion suppressed pancreatic lipase activity and micellar cholesterol solubility. This PH had higher bile acid‐binding capacity and emulsion breakdown activity than casein hydrolyzate and l ‐arginine. However, the hypolipidemic functions of protamine were dramatically reduced by pancreatin digestion. In further experiments, groups of male Wistar rats were fed an AIN‐93G diet containing 5% (wt/wt) salmon protamine or a protamine amino acid mixture. After 4 wk of feeding with experimental diets, reductions in serum and liver triacylglycerol (TAG) and cholesterol contents were observed in the presence of protamine, reflecting inhibition of TAG, cholesterol, and bile acid absorption. These data suggest that the formation of insoluble PH–bile acid complexes is critical before the bile acid‐binding capacity is reduced. Therefore, dietary salmon protamine may ameliorate lifestyle‐related diseases such as hyperlipidemia and obesity.     

A thin layer including a carbon material improves the rate capability of an electric double layer capacitor

We present a new method to improve the rate capability of an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) using a thin polymer layer having a high concentration of carbon material on a current collector (CLC). A novel thermocuring coating composed of a glycol-chitosan, a pyromellitic acid and a conductive carbon powder can form stable CLC on a metal foil current collector simply by spreading and curing at 160 °C for a couple of minutes. We compared the performance of some demonstration EDLC cells using three kinds of current collector: a conventional aluminum oxide foil for EDLC, an aluminum foil and an aluminum foil with CLC. The cell with the CLC had a much higher rate capability than the cell without CLC. Only the CLC cell was able to discharge at a current density of 500C. This cell shows a slight deterioration in capacity in a high temperature, continuous charging, life test, and the CLC has a suppressing effect on the internal resistance increase of EDLCs. The use of a CLC film current collector is one of the most effective and simple methods for the improvement of EDLC rate performance. In particular, a current collector consisting of aluminum foil coupled with a CLC promises to be a low cost alternative to the aluminum oxide foil commonly used in EDLCs.     

Low Amplified Spontaneous Emission Threshold from Organic Dyes Based on Bis‐stilbene

Advanced organic laser dyes exhibiting high solubility and bipolar behavior are developed based on a structure combining bis‐stilbene with carbazole (BSBCz). The materials show high photoluminescence quantum yields and large radiative rate constants in solutions, crystals, and blend and neat films. The introduction of alkyl groups significantly improves the solubility of BSBCz, and solution‐processed films of the alkyl‐substituted derivatives exhibit amplified spontaneous emission thresholds as low as 0.59 µJ cm^?2, which is comparable to those of vacuum‐deposited BSBCz films. On the other hand, cyano‐substitution on BSBCz (BSBCz‐CN) increases electron‐accepting properties, resulting in a bathochromic shift of the emission wavelength and improved bipolar behavior. In a BSBCz‐CN‐doped film, a low ASE threshold of 0.63 µJ cm^?2 is achieved, which is one of the lowest values for organic laser dyes with green emission. In addition, organic light‐emitting diodes based on BSBCz‐CN neat films exhibit external quantum efficiencies of 1.8% and could withstand injection of high current densities of up to 500 A cm^?2 under pulse operation. These properties along with low excited‐state absorption cross sections make these materials an outstanding addition to the existing library of organic laser dyes, especially for consideration in electrically pumped lasers.     

At the Dawn of a New Era in Terahertz Technology

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT, Japan) started the Terahertz Project in April 2006. Its fundamental purpose in the next five years is to enable a nationwide technical infrastructure to be created for diverse applications of terahertz technology. The technical infrastructure includes the development of semiconductor devices such as terahertz quantum cascade lasers, terahertz-range quantum well photodetectors, and high-precision tunable continuous wave sources. It also includes pulsed terahertz measurement systems, modeling and measurement of atmospheric propagation, and the establishment of a framework to construct a materials database in the terahertz range including standardization of the measurement protocol. These are common technical infrastructure even in any terahertz systems. In this article, we report the current status of developments in these fields such as terahertz quantum cascade lasers (THz-QCLs) (with peak power of 30 mW, 3.1 THz), terahertz-range quantum well photodetectors (THz-QWPs) (tuned at 3 THz) an ultrawideband terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) system (with measurement range of from 0.1 to 15 THz), an example of a database for materials of fine art, and results obtained from measuring atmospheric propagation.     

Degradation Mechanism and Stability Improvement Strategy for an Organic Laser Gain Material 4,4′‐Bis[(N‐carbazole)styryl]biphenyl (BSBCz)

The organic material 4,4′‐bis[(N‐carbazole)styryl]biphenyl (BSBCz) is an excellent gain medium for laser devices. However, BSBCz laser output quickly degrades during photoexcitation, which is an issue that must be overcome before it can be used for practical applications. In this study, the photodegradation mechanisms of BSBCz are investigated with the aim of enhancing its excited‐state stability. The photodegradation of BSBCz is attributed to instability of the triplet excited states that would occasionally decompose into other species. This decomposition reduces absorption and introduces exciton quenchers. Incorporating the triplet managing material 9,10‐di(naphtha‐2‐yl)anthracene (ADN) into BSBCz films greatly improves photoluminescence and amplified spontaneous emission stability because of the effective removal of the unstable triplets by ADN. This triplet managing method makes it possible to increase operational stability for BSBCz‐based organic light‐emitting diodes. Therefore, these results will contribute toward the fabrication of stable optically and electrically pumped organic laser diodes.     

High volume nanoimprint lithography on III/V substrates: Imprint fidelity and stamp lifetime

Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) has developed from an emerging nanoreplication technology into a mature and industrially viable manufacturing technology. It is now by far the fastest and most cost-efficient nanoreplication method available. This technology has been successfully implemented in the manufacturing of High Brightness LED’s. However, manufacturing of HBLED’s in high volume using nanoimprint lithography faces a few particular challenges. Perhaps the most significant is to produce perfectly imprinted nanostructures on the epitaxially grown substrates with high quality and yield. This is especially important since the substrates are expensive and since the imprint step is close to the end of the production process. This means that the value of the processed substrates is very high. In this work, 8000 imprints were produced. Measured data from the imprinted substrates shows consistent results. It is also shown that the 8000 imprints have been performed using the same stamp without significant degradation. After 8000 imprints, the yield from the nanoimprint lithography step is 99.15%.     

Isolation of aryl-phosphate ester-degrading bacterium from leachate of a sea-based waste disposal site

An aryl-phosphate ester (APE)-degrading bacterium was isolated from the leachate of a sea-based waste disposal site. The isolated APE-degrading bacterial strain YS-57 grew well in a medium containing glucose and NaCl, and degraded two types of APE:tricresyl phosphate and triphenyl phosphate. The optimal temperature, pH, and NaCl concentration for the growth of strain YS-57 were 30 degrees C, 7.0, and 1.0%, respectively. Strain YS-57 grew at an APE concentration of 25 mg/l without being inhibited. APEs were degraded by the supernatant of the medium in which strain YS-57 was cultured, suggesting that the APE-degrading enzyme was released into the extracellular space in the logarithmic growth phase. The 16S rDNA sequence of strain YS-57 showed 95.6% similarity to that of Roseobacter gallaeciensis and the morphological properties were also comparable. Consequently, strain YS-57 was closely related to the genus Roseobacter.     

Localization of clavulons,prostanoids with antitumor activity,within the Okinawan soft coral <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clavularia viridis</Emphasis> (alcyonacea,clavulariidae): Preparation of a high-purity <Emphasis Type="Italic">Symbiodinium</Emphasis> faction using a protease and a detergent

To investigate the localization of clavulones (CV), prostanoids with antitumor activity, in the Okinawan soft coral Clavularia viridis, we developed a method for the isolation of Symbiodinium cells from the coral, i.e., treatment of a coral homogenate with a protease, pronase F, and a detergent, Nonidet P-40. The conditions for the treatment were optimized by monitoring the morphology microscopically and the amount of chlorophyll in the Symbiodinium fraction (SymF) optically. To evaluate the purity of SymF and a Symbiodinium-free coral fraction (CorF), we analyzed them for proteins and lipids using cultivated Symbiodinium as a reference. TLC of lipids revealed that SymF contained a greater amount of glycolipids, whereas CorF comprised mostly phospholipids. SDS-PAGE of proteins in SymF and CorF revealed their distinct profiles. Thus, we could obtain each fraction with high purity; we reached the conclusion that CV and arachidonic acid, their possible precursor, are localized exclusively in the insoluble fraction of host coral cells.     

Equivalent lightness of colored objects of equal munsell chroma and of equal munsell value at various illuminances

Equivalent lightness was determined for 26 colored surfaces by heterochromatic brightness matching with a grey scale. The illuminance for observation was varied from 0.01 to 1000 lx to cover scotopic, mesopic, and photopic vision, and the equivalent lightness-versus-log illuminance curve was obtained for every stimulus. The shape of the curves did not change if the surfaces had the same Munsell hue and chroma. It differed significantly if they had different hues or different chroma. The curves were interpreted in terms of achromatic lightness and chromatic lightness, which are both subject to change with illuminance level. The achromatic lightness was assumed to follow the Purkinje shift and the chromatic lightness monotonically increased with illuminance. The chromatic lightness was larger for larger Munsell chroma within a single hue.