口服透明质酸对小鼠佐剂性关节炎的作用

目的:探讨口服透明质酸(HA)对小鼠佐剂性关节炎(AA)的治疗作用。方法:将40只6周龄的雄性小鼠随机分成4个小组,正常组、模型组、HA组和双氯芬酸钠组。通过给模型组、HA组和双氯芬酸钠组小鼠右后足注射弗氏完全佐剂(FCA)建立佐剂性关节炎模型,经连续4周口服透明质酸进行治疗后,分别对小鼠的体质量、足跖厚度进行测量,观察小鼠膝关节肿胀程度并评分,同时采用酶联免疫吸附实验(ELISA)检测小鼠血清中白介素-1(IL-1)和HA的含量。结果:口服HA能显著降低小鼠足跖厚度和关节炎指数,同时血清中IL-1和HA含量亦显著降低;并且各项指标与双氯芬酸钠无显著性差异。结论:口服透明质酸能有效地缓解小鼠膝关节的肿胀,降低血清中IL-1的含量,增强活动能力,因而对小鼠佐剂性关节炎具有良好的治疗作用。     

食用沙拉酱对部分血脂指标的影响

目的:通过试食实验,评价沙拉酱对人体部分血脂指标影响的效果。方法:采用自身对照设计的方法。47例18～22岁青年健康男性参与为期70d的试食实验。在不影响试食者饮食习惯的前提下,每日提供15g沙拉酱。分别在实验前及试食过程中的30、60、70d后分别进行检测。并于实验结束后37d再进行一次检测,以观察试食者在食用沙拉酱后血脂指标的变化。结果:试食至30d,试食者低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)含量显著下降(P<0.01)。试食至60d,血清总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)的含量显著上升(P<0.01),LDL-C值显著下降(P<0.01)。试食至70d,TC、TG含量显著上升(P<0.01)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)含量显著上升(P<0.01)。结论:在实验所指定的剂量下,沙拉酱未对人体血脂造成不良影响。值得注意的是,试食至50d时,由于节日原因,试食者饮食结构发生突变,饮酒和动物性脂肪摄入较多,导致第60天及第70天检测所得数据中TC和TG等有异常变化,证明饮食结构的变化直接影响血脂指标的变化。本次试食实验的数据表明,沙拉酱对提高HDL-C含量、降低LDL-C含量具有一定的促进作用。     

Effects of Amino Acids and Peptide on Lipid Oxidation in Emulsion Systems

We investigated the effects of amino acids and peptide on lipid oxidation in emulsion systems. For comparative purposes, we also tested the antioxidant activity of ferulic acid, a typical phenolic antioxidant. Histidine and cysteine retarded lipid oxidation (the amount of thiobarbituric acid [TBA]-reactive substances reached approximately 13 and 18 μM after 7 days, respectively), whereas arginine, methionine, and tryptophan did not inhibit the progression of oxidation. Soy peptide also inhibited lipid oxidation. Ferulic acid was found to be the most effective suppressor of lipid oxidation (TBA-reactive substances were suppressed to <3 μM over 7 days). The antioxidant activities of soy peptide and ferulic acid were related to the purity of the emulsifier used. The radical scavenging activities of soy peptide and ferulic acid were closely related to their inhibitory effects on lipid oxidation. However, this was not the case for amino acids. Decreases in the turbidity of emulsions were closely related to increases in TBA values.     

Application of citric acid as natural adhesive for wood

The development of natural adhesives derived from nonfossil resources is very important for the future. Besides, it is desirable to be safe adhesives without using harmful chemical substances. In this study, application of citric acid as a natural adhesive was investigated. Citric acid powder and bark powder obtained from Acacia mangium were used as raw materials. Citric acid powder was mixed with the bark powder, and the resulting powder mixture was poured into a metal mold. The mold was hot‐pressed at 180°C and 4 MPa for 10 min, and a bark molding was then obtained. The specific modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity values of the molding containing 20 wt % citric acid were 18.1 MPa and 4.9 GPa, respectively. The molding did not decompose during a repeated boiling treatment. To clarify the effect of tannin on the adhesiveness of molding, bark was separated into tannin and residue. The molding was not obtained while using the tannin due to the marked fluidity, whereas it was obtained while using the residue, the same as while using the bark. It was considered that components other than tannin contributed to the adhesiveness. Based on the results of Fourier transform infrared spectra, the formation of ester linkages between carboxyl groups derived from citric acid and hydroxyl groups in the bark was confirmed. Accordingly, citric acid brought an adhesion by chemical bonding, and it could be used as a safe natural adhesive. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Resistances to UV-C irradiation of Salmonella Typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus in wet and dried suspensions on surface with egg residues

To clarify the effects of food sediments on ultraviolet-C (254 nm) sanitation in food-related environments, we examined the resistance of pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella Typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus) cells, in wet and dried suspensions adhered with 1.5-15% w/v egg albumen, 1.5-15% yolk or 3.0-30% whole egg solutions, against UV-C irradiation. Bacterial suspensions (0.1 ml of 8 log CFU/ml) were put on 47 mmφ glass dishes and dried at room temperature (20-24 °C) for 180 min in a bio safety cabinet with ventilation. Viable S. Typhimurium and S. aureus cells in distilled water decreased during the drying period from 7.2 to 3.2 and from 8.0 to 6.5 log CFU/dish, respectively,. On the other hand, the bacteria cells were protected from drying by egg compounds, even by the lowest concentration. The UV-C treatment (0.16 mW/cm² for 10 min) showed a clear bactericidal effect in the absence of egg compounds. However, the bactericidal effect was inhibited by 15% yolk and 30% whole egg. Results in this study suggested that the small food sediment protect bacteria on the surfaces from dryness and UV-C irradiation and it might introduce cross contamination.     

VIDEO BASED ESTIMATION OF PEDESTRIAN WALKING DIRECTION FOR PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION SYSTEM

Pedestrian protection has played an important role for driver assistance systems.Our aim is to develop a video based driver assistance system for the detection of the potentially dangerous situation be...     

Transport-Coefficient Dependence of Current-Induced Cooling Effect in a Two-Dimensional Electron Gas

The dependence of the current-induced cooling effect on the electron mobility??? _e is explored for a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) subjected to a perpendicular magnetic field. We calculate the distributions of the electrochemical potentials and the temperatures under a magnetic field, fully taking account of thermoelectric and thermomagnetic phenomena. Whereas the electrochemical potential and the electric current remain qualitatively unchanged, the temperature distribution exhibits drastic mobility dependence. The lower-mobility system has cold and hot areas at opposite corners, which results from the heat current brought about by the Ettingshausen effect in the vicinity of the adiabatic boundaries. The cooling effect is intensified by an increase in??? _e. Intriguingly, the cold and hot areas change places with each other as the mobility??? _e is further increased. This is because the heating current on the adiabatic edges due to the Righi?CLeduc effect exceeds that due to the Ettingshausen effect in the opposite direction.     

Combination effect of phospholipids and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on rat cholesterol metabolism

This study evaluated phospholipids (PLs) containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) for their specific inherent effects and effects due to a combination of the presence of glycerophosphate structure and n-3 PUFAs on cholesterol metabolism in rats. Rats were fed a diet of AIN-93G containing soybean oil (SO, 7%), SO (5.8%)+fish oil (1.2%), SO (5.2%)+soybean PLs (1.8%), SO (5.2%)+PLs containing n-3 PUFAs (1.8%), and SO (4.0%)+fish oil (1.2%)+soybean PLs (1.8%). Diets with PLs containing n-3 PUFAs, and soybean PLs in combination with fish oil, resulted in decreased serum and liver cholesterol levels through enhancement of fecal cholesterol excretion and suppression of liver sterol regulatory element binding protein-2 mRNA expression compared with the diet containing soybean oil alone. This study shows that soybean PLs with added triacylglycerol that included n-3 PUFAs have the same effects on cholesterol metabolism as PLs containing n-3 PUFAs, and that these could be of benefit to people.     

Temperature dependence for anammox bacteria enriched from freshwater sediments

The anoxic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process has been regarded as an attractive alternative process to treat wastewater containing high ammonium concentrations. By the implementation of anammox process at moderately low temperatures (<25°C), the anammox process will be applied to more various industrial wastewater treatments. In this study, we established enrichment cultures of anammox bacteria from freshwater sediments by using an up-flow column reactor equipped with porous polyester nonwoven fabric at moderately low temperatures. Their nitrogen conversion rates reached 0.07-0.26kg-N/m(3)/d. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene from enrichment cultures revealed the presence of various anammox bacteria affiliated with unknown anammox bacteria as well as known anammox candidates, i.e., Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis and Candidatus Brocadia fulgida, Candidatus Scalindua wagneri. Anammox bacterial populations were influenced by enrichment conditions, i.e., seed sediments and temperature.