A novel method of modifying poly(ethylene terephthalate) fabric using supercritical carbon dioxide

For the modification of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabric, a type of epoxy compound, glycerol polyglycidyl ether (GPE), was impregnated as a cross‐linking agent into PET fabric by means of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂), then, a series of immobilization processes were implemented, including the pad‐dry‐cure process and the solution process to finish the GPE‐PET fabric with natural functional agents (sericin, collagen, or chitosan). Chloroform was found to be an effective cosolvent, as evidenced by the mass transfer of GPE to PET during the treatment with scCO₂. Chemical analyses by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that GPE can penetrate the surface of the PET fabric in scCO₂ pretreatment process, and natural functional agents (sericin, collagen, or chitosan) can also be immobilized on the surface of the GPE‐PET fabric especially for the method of pad‐dry‐cure. The nitrogen content in the modified PET fabrics was calculated accurately and confirmed by combustion analysis. The modified PET fabric displayed improvements in surface wettability, moisturization efficiency, and antibacterial characteristics against S. aureus, which demonstrated that the feasibility of this design for immobilizing natural functional agents (sericin, collagen, or chitosan) onto the surface of the PET fabric. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Purified Canola Lutein Selectively Inhibits Specific Isoforms of Mammalian DNA Polymerases and Reduces Inflammatory Response

In the screening of DNA polymerase (pol) inhibitor, we isolated lutein, a carotenoid, from the crude (unrefined) pressed oil of canola (low erucic acid rapeseed, Brassica napus L.). Commercially prepared carotenoids such as lutein (1), zeaxanthin (2), β-cryptoxanthin (3), astaxanthin (4), canthaxanthin (5), β-carotene (6), lycopene (7), capsanthin (8), fucoxanthin (9) and fucoxanthinol (10), were investigated for the inhibitory activities of pols. Compounds 1, 2 and 8 exhibited strong inhibition of the activities of mammalian pols β and λ, which are DNA repair- and/or recombination-related pols. On the other hand, all carotenoids tested had no influence on the activity of a mammalian pol α, which is a DNA replicative pol. Lutein (1) was the strongest pol inhibitor of mammalian pols β and λ in the prepared ten carotenoids tested, but did not influence of the activities of mammalian pols α, γ, δ and ε. The tendency for pols β and λ inhibition by these carotenoids showed a positive correlation with the suppression of TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate)-induced inflammation. These results suggest that cold pressed unrefined canola/rapeseed oil, or other oils with high levels of lutein and other carotenoids, may be useful for their anti-inflammatory properties.     

β-Sitosteryl (6'-O-linoleoyl)-glucoside of soybean (Glycine max L.) crude extract inhibits Y-family DNA polymerases

In the screening of selective DNA polymerase (pol) inhibitors, we isolated an acylated steryl glycoside, β-sitosteryl (6'-O-linoleoyl)-glucoside (compound 1), from the waste extract of soybean (Glycine max L.) oil. This compound exhibited a marked ability to inhibit the activities of eukaryotic Y-family pols (pols η, ι and κ), which are repair-related pols. Among mammalian Y-family pols, the activity of mouse pol κ was most strongly inhibited by compound 1, with an IC(50) value of 10.2 μM. On the other hand, compound 1 had no effect on the activities of other eukaryotic pols such as A-family (pol γ), B-family (pols α, δ, and ε), or X-family (pols β, λ and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase) pols. In addition, compound 1 had no effect on prokaryotic pols or other DNA metabolic enzymes such as calf primase of pol α, T7 RNA polymerase, T4 polynucleotide kinase, or bovine deoxyribonuclease I. Compound 1 consists of 3 groups: β-sitosteryl (compound 2), linoleic acid (compound 3), and D-glucose (compound 4). Compound 3 inhibited the activities of all mammalian pols tested, but compounds 2 and 4 did not have any effect on the tested pols. Kinetic studies showed that the inhibition of pol κ activity by compound 1 was noncompetitive with both the DNA template-primer and nucleotide substrate, whereas compound 3-induced inhibition was competitive with the DNA template-primer and noncompetitive with the nucleotide substrate. The relationship between the structure of compound 1 and the selective inhibition of eukaryotic Y-family pols is discussed.     

SELECTIVE REMOVAL OF CESIUM FROM HIGHLY CONCENTRATED SODIUM NITRATE NEUTRAL SOLUTIONS BY POTASSIUM NICKEL HEXACYANOFERRATE(II)-LOADED SILICA GELS

ABSTRACT

Potassium nickel hexacyanoferrate(II) (KNiFC)-loaded silica gels were prepared by successive impregnation of macro pores with Ni(NO₃)₂, and K₄Fe(CN)₆ solutions. The KNiFC precipitates uniformly dispersed in the matrix of silica gel, and the loading percentage of KNiFC increased with the number impregnation cycles. The uptake of Cs⁺ on KNiFC-loaded silica gels (SLFC) attained equilibrium within 2 d, and relatively large distribution coefficients of Cs⁺, K_d,cs, above 10⁴ cm³/g, were obtained even in the presence of 5 M NaNO₃. The ion exchange of K⁺ Cs⁺ in SLFC followed a Langmuir-type isotherm and the maximum uptake amount of Cs⁺ was estimated to be 0.305 mmol/g. The breakthrough curve of Cs⁺ through a column packed with SLFC exhibited a favorable S-shaped profile. This exchanger proved to be effective for the selective removal of radioactive cesium from neutral waste solutions containing highly concentrated NaNO₃.     

Analysis of seasonal change for water conditions in Lake Hosenko,Japan, using ALOS AVNIR‐2 data

This letter reports the development of a technique to understand the water conditions appearing in the Advanced Land Observing Satellite Advanced Visible and Near Infrared Radiometer type‐2 (ALOS AVNIR‐2) data using fuzzy c‐means. Also, waters of Lake Hosenko, into which the Tamagawa hot spring flows, were analyzed because the lake contains amorphous iron hydroxide. On the basis of the experimental results for the months of September and May data obtained by the proposed method, it is found that seasonal differences in the water surface conditions of the lake are caused by the changes in the amount of water as well as the water temperature. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Characteristics of the high malic acid production mechanism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae sake yeast strain No. 28

We characterized a high malic acid production mechanism in sake yeast strain No. 28. No considerable differences in the activity of the enzymes that were involved in malic acid synthesis were observed between strain No. 28 and its parent strain, K1001. However, compared with strain K1001, which actively took up rhodamine 123 during staining, the cells of strain No. 28 were only lightly stained, even when cultured in high glucose concentrations. In addition, malic acid production by the respiratory-deficient strain of K1001 was 2.5-fold higher than that of the wild-type K1001 and wild-type No. 28. The findings of this study demonstrated that the high malic acid production by strain No. 28 is attributed to the suppression of mitochondrial activity.     

Establishment of evaluation method to determine effects of veterinary medicinal products on manure fermentation using small-scale composting apparatus

To evaluate on a laboratory scale the influence of veterinary medicinal products (VMPs) excreted into feces on manure fermentation, we have developed an evaluation method that uses a small-scale composting apparatus. Each run is of approximately 3 kg scale and the operation can be conducted in an environmentally controlled laboratory. The main evaluation parameter is calorific value generated by aerobic fermentation. At the sulfadimethoxine (SDM) trial, the volume of CO(2) generated during fermentation and the disappearance of the inhibitory effect of immature manure on sprouting (using Komatsuna (Brassica rapa var. perviridis)) were measured. In addition, DNA of 16S rRNA was extracted from a manure sample and subjected to denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The results suggest that the presence of such VMPs in feces affected the microbial community in manure fermentation, and indicate that the evaluation method may be used as a standard method to evaluate the effect of VMPs on the microbial community. Using the method, we obtained data of the influence of five VMPs approved for stockbreeding in Japan on swine manure fermentation. Erythromycin (EM) affected the calorific value even at a relatively low concentration (105 mg/3 kg manure). In contrast, oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC), norfloxacin (NFLX), and tylosin tartrate (TS) had no effect at that concentration. These VMPs also affected the increase of fermentation temperature when added at high concentrations.     

Development of porous plug phase separator and superfluid film flow suppression system for the Soft X-ray Spectrometer onboard ASTRO-H

ASTRO-H is the sixth Japanese astronomy satellite scheduled for launch in 2014. The Soft X-ray Spectrometer instrument is onboard ASTRO-H. This is a 6 × 6 array of X-ray microcalorimeters with an energy resolution of <7 eV at 0.5–10 keV. Superfluid liquid helium is utilized as a part of the cooling system. To retain the liquid helium in the tank under zero-gravity, a porous plug phase separator made of sintered stainless is used. Since the vapor mass flow rate is only 29 μg/s, any additional superfluid film loss influences the lifetime of the liquid helium. Therefore, a film flow suppression system consisting of an orifice, a heat exchanger, and knife edge devices is adopted based on the design used for the X-ray Spectrometer onboard Suzaku. The film flow will be suppressed to <2 μg/s, sufficiently smaller than the vapor flow rate. In the present investigation, the design and ground experiments of a helium vent system composed of the porous plug and film flow suppression system are presented. The results show that the phase separation and the film flow suppression are satisfactorily achieved.     

Effects of metal ions (Cu,Fe and Fe) on HPLC analysis of catechins

Catechins [(−)-epicatechin (EC), (−)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (−)-epicatechin gallate (ECG) and (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)] were analysed by HPLC using an ODS column, an electrochemical detector (0.75 V vs. Ag/AgCl) and an eluting solvent composed of water containing buffer (84% v/v), acetonitrile (12% v/v) and ethylacetate (4% v/v) in the presence of metal ions (Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺). HPLC peaks were affected by metal ions: the peak intensities of ECG and EGCG decreased, but the peak intensities of EC and EGC were not affected seriously. Fe²⁺ most markedly decreased the peak intensities of EGCG. EDTA was added to mask metal ions and an optimum condition was proposed. The effects of the metal ions on HPLC analysis are discussed from the viewpoints of metal complex formation with catechins and oxidation of catechins on the basis of ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectrophotometry, electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV).