The influence of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids on kidney phospholipid composition and on eicosanoid production in aging rats

Changes in eicosanoid production may contribute to some of the complications of the aging process such as atherosclerosis and glomerular sclerosis. Polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-6 and n-3 series are precursors of eicosanoids. We fed diets containing safflower oil as a source of n-6 fatty acids, fish oil as a source of n-3 fatty acids or beef tallow as a source of saturated fats to three groups of normal rats from 2–18 months of age. We demonstrated incorporation of the n-3 fatty acids, 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 into kidney phospholipids. Feeding of the diet containing n-3 fatty acids was associated with a markedly decreased giomerular production of PGE, 6-keto-PGF_1α and TXB₂. It also decreased the aortic production of 6-keto-PGF_1α and platelet production of TXB₂. No significant effect of n-6 fatty acids on dienoic eicosanoid production was observed. There were no adverse effects on kidney function as measured by urinary protein excretion and serum creatinine levels or on renal morphology by any diet. A diet enriched in n-3 fatty acids for 18 months remains effective in decreasing dienoic eicosanoids in the aging rat.     

Application of an enteric coat increases the resistance to gastric juices for swallowable biosensors

This paper describes a biosensor with an immobilized-electron mediator that was covered with an enteric coat to generate a swallowable biosensor. Ferrocene-attached poly-l-lysine was crosslinked with glucose oxidase and bovine serum albumin by glutaraldehyde on a Au- or Pt-disc electrode, or a screen-printed electrode. The electrode was dip-coated to generate the enteric coat. The glucose sensor with enteric coat retained its activity under anaerobic conditions after 3 h of artificial gastric juice treatment. Mixing the enteric coat solution with plasticizer resulted in an enhanced stability of the coat. The proposed method is useful to construct the swallowable biosensor for non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring.     

Longitudinally excited N(2) lasers without high-voltage switches

We have developed novel excitation circuits without high-voltage switches for two longitudinally excited N(2) lasers (wavelength: 337 nm). One uses a single tube without a trigger and the other uses a tandem tube with a trigger. In both systems, the discharge tube acts as a switch. In the single-tube system, the laser output energy was 125.8 microJ and the efficiency was 0.16% at 18 Torr (2.4 kPa) when a slow-rising voltage pulse of -28 kV was applied (rise time: 21.3 micros). In the tandem-tube system, the laser output energy was 259.4 microJ and the efficiency was 0.11% at 18 Torr when a slow-rising voltage pulse of -48 kV was applied (rise time: 27 micros).     

Synthesis and Polymerization of 7,7-Bromo-8,8-dicyano-quinodimethane

Summary 7,7-Dibromo-8,8-dicyanoquinodimethane (1) was synthesized successfully as orange needles. Its homopolymerization and copolymerization with styrene were investigated. 1 polymerized with AIBN and triethylamine, but not with BF₃·Et₂O. 1 copolymerized with styrene in a random fashion and Q and e values were estimated to be 336 and +1.45, indicating a highly conjugative, electron-accepting monomer. Received: 29 March 2001 / Accepted: 12 April 2001     

Effects of 3D structure of silsesquioxane moieties on the thermal and optical properties of transparent epoxy/silsesquioxane hybrid materials

Transparent and colorless epoxy/silsesquioxane (SQ) hybrids were prepared by modifying bisphenol-A epoxy resin with two SQ type epoxy resins having different 3D structures, that is, double-decker SQ and cage SQ type epoxy resins. To compare these two hybrids, the cured resin modified with the imperfect ladder SQ epoxy resin was also prepared. The effects of the 3D-structure of the SQ moieties on the thermomechanical, optical and dielectric properties of the cured epoxy/SQ hybrids were investigated. Thus, the refractive index and dielectric constant of the hybrids significantly decreased with an increase in the contents of the SQ moieties. This is due to the introduction of Si atoms with a low atomic polarity and large intermolecular space that was estimated from the difference between the volume of the space surrounded by “Connolly surface” and the van der Waals volume of the SQ moieties. The glass transition temperature, T _g, also decreased with the introduction of the SQ moieties, due to the increase in the intermolecular space. Thus, it was concluded that the performance of the epoxy/SQ hybrids depends not only on the SiO_3/2 content, but also on the 3D structure of the SQ moieties.     

Anhydrous proton-conducting electrolyte membranes based on hyperbranched polymer with phosphonic acid groups for high-temperature fuel cells

The two different molecular weight hyperbranched polymers (HBP(L)-PA-Ac and HBP(H)-PA-Ac) with both phosphonic acid group as a functional group and acryloyl group as a cross-linker at the chain ends were successfully synthesized as a new thermally stable proton-conducting electrolyte. The cross-linked electrolyte membranes (CL-HBP-PA) were prepared by their thermal polymerizations using benzoyl peroxide and their ionic conductivities under dry condition and thermal properties were investigated. The ionic conductivities of the low molecular weight CL-HBP(L)-PA membrane and the high molecular weight CL-HBP(H)-PA membrane were found to be 1.2 × 10⁻⁵ and 2.6 × 10⁻⁶ S cm⁻¹, respectively, at 150 °C under dry condition, and showed the Vogel–Tamman–Fulcher (VTF) type temperature dependence. Both membranes were thermally stable up to 300 °C, and they had suitable thermal stability as electrolyte membranes for the high-temperature fuel cells under dry condition. Fuel cell measurements using a single membrane electrode assembly cell with both cross-linked membranes were successfully performed.     

Melting behavior and thermal conductivity of solid sodium-concrete reaction product

This study revealed melting behavior and thermal conductivity of four samples generated by sodium-concrete reaction (SCR). We prepared the samples using two methods such as firing mixtures of sodium (Na) and grinded concrete powder, and sampling depositions after the SCR experiments. In the former, the mixing ratios were determined from the past experiment. The latter simulated the more realistic conditions such as the temperature history and the distribution of Na and concrete. The thermogravimetry-differential thermal analyzer (TG-DTA) measurement showed the temperatures of the onset of the melting (solidus temperatures) were 865–942°C, but those of the samples containing metallic Na could not be clarified. In the two more realistic samples, the compression moldings in a furnace were observed. The observation revealed the softening temperature was 800–840°C and the solidus temperature was 840–850°C, which was 10–20°C lower than the TG-DTA results. The thermodynamics calculation of FactSage 7.2 revealed the solidus temperature was caused by melting of the some components such as Na₂SiO₃ and/or Na₄SiO₄ and NaAlO₂. Moreover, the thermal conductivity was λ ~ 1–3 W/m-K, which was comparable to xNa₂O - (1 - x)SiO₂ (x = 0.5, 0.33, and 0.25), and that at 700°C was explained by NBO/T of Equation (1).     

Synthesis and polymerization of amphiphilic itaconate monomer and some properties of the polymer

A β-2-methoxyethyl α-3-[tris(trimethylsiloxy)silyl]propyl itaconate (1) was synthesized successfully as a novel amphiphilic itaconate monomer, and its radical homopolymerization and copolymerization with styrene (St) were investigated. The polymerization rate (Rp) is expressed with Rp = k[1]^2.73[AIBN]^0.51. Overall activation energy in the radical homopolymerization was determined to be 52.9 kJ/mol. The 1 copolymerized with St in bulk in a highly alternating tendency. The Q, e values of the 1 were obtained to be 1.05 and 0.69, respectively, and the 1 was found to be a conjugative and electron-accepting monomer. Membranes containing the 1 unit, prepared by the copolymerization of 1 with N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) and by the terpolymerization of 1, NVP, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, showed higher oxygen permeability than corresponding ones without the 1 unit, and also they have better transparency than membranes containing 3-[tris(trimethylsiloxy)silyl]propyl methacrylate unit.     

Thermal and mechanical properties of uranium nitride prepared by SPS technique

Nitride fuel is a promising nuclear fuel in fast breeder reactor (FBR) or accelerator-driven subcritical reactor (ADSR) system. In this study, high-density UN pellets were prepared by Spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The sample density strongly depended on the sintering temperature and pressure, and the pellets with 90% of theoretical density were easily obtained with low sintering temperature and short sintering time without any milling process. The grain size and pore size were much smaller compared with those for samples prepared by conventional sintering process. Despite of the small grain size, the thermal conductivity remains the high value. The SPS process permits easy densification of nitrides without any deterioration of thermal and mechanical properties, considered to be suitable as a preparation method of nitride fuels.