Development of an oral immunoadjuvant from cheonggukjang that is efficacious for both mucosal and systemic immunity

Immunological properties of a 50% ethanol/aqueous extract of cheonggukjang (CGJ), a fermented soybean product, were investigated as a potent, orallyavailable, and cost-effective immunoadjuvant. Different from cholera toxin, a widely used experimental oral adjuvant with effects limited to mucosal immunity in the gut, oraladministration of the CGJ extract had positive effects on both mucosal and systemic immunity. Administration of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) with the CGJ extract resulted in hyper-production of KLH-specific IgA in the gut and KLH-specific IgG in the serum. Oral-administration of the CGJ extract resulted in promotion of both Th1 and Th2 immune responses, thus eliminating concerns over an imbalanced Th1 and Th2 immune bias that is often observed upon administration of other commonly used immunoadjuvants. Ethanol/aqueous extraction of CGJ resulted in enrichment of polyphenolic compounds, including flavonoids, providing a potential extra health benefit.     

Physicochemical and Gelatinization Properties of Starches Separated from Various Rice Cultivars

Morphological, viscoelastic, hydration, pasting, and thermal properties of starches separated from 10 different rice cultivars were investigated. Upon gelatinization, the G′ values of the rice starch pastes ranged from 37.4 to 2057 Pa at 25 °C, and remarkably, the magnitude depended on the starch varieties. The rheological behavior during gelatinization upon heating brought out differences in onset in G′ and degree of steepness. The cultivar with high amylose content (Goami) showed the lowest critical strain (γ_c), whereas the cultivars with low amylose content (Boseokchal and Shinseonchal) possessed the highest γ_c. The amylose content in rice starches affected their pasting properties; the sample possessing the highest amylose content showed the highest final viscosity and setback value, whereas waxy starch samples displayed low final viscosity and setback value. The onset gelatinization temperatures of the starches from 10 rice cultivars ranged between 57.9 and 64.4 °C. The amylose content was fairly correlated to hydration and pasting properties of rice starches but did not correlate well with viscoelastic and thermal characteristics. The combined analysis of hydration, pasting, viscoelastic, and thermal data of the rice starches is useful in fully understanding their behavior and in addressing the processability for food applications.     

Effects of Al2O3 on the properties and densification of 8YSZ after pulsed current activated sintering

Dense 8YSZ was subjected to pulsed current activated sintering (PCAS) within 1 min of 8YSZ nanopowder preparation using a co-precipitation method. Sintering was accomplished by combining a pulsed current and mechanical pressure. Highly dense 8YSZ with a relative density of up to 99% was produced under simultaneous application of a pressure of 80 MPa and the pulsed current. The effects of the addition of Al₂O₃ on the sintering behavior, mechanical properties, and ionic conductivities of 8YSZ were investigated.     

Pulsed current activated combustion synthesis and consolidation of ultrafine NbSi2 from mechanically activated powders

Dense ultrafine NbSi₂ was synthesized using the pulsed current activated combustion synthesis (PCACS) method within 2 min and in one step from mechanically activated powders of Nb and 2Si. Simultaneous combustion synthesis and densification were accomplished under the combined effects of a pulsed current and mechanical pressure. Highly dense NbSi₂ with a relative density of up to 98 % was produced under simultaneous application of a 60 MPa pressure and a pulsed current. The average grain size and mechanical properties (hardness and fracture toughness) of the compound were investigated.     

The relationships between interfacial friction and the conformational order of organic thin films

This report describes studies of the relationships between the structures of organic monolayers and their molecular-scale frictional properties. Several distinct self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were formed by the adsorption of a series of spiroalkanedithiols and a single structurally related normal alkanethiol. Measurements of hexadecane wettability, infrared vibrational spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the films possessed a wide range of interfacial structures and conformational orders. Atomic force microscopy was used to measure the frictional properties of the well-characterized SAMs on the molecular scale. Comparison of the frictional data with structural information derived from complementary analytical techniques revealed a high correlation between the conformational order of the films and the observed frictional response.     

Fabrication and characterization of a Ni-YSZ anode support using high-frequency induction heated sintering (HFIHS)

Ni-YSZ cermet anode supports solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) were fabricated by high-frequency induction heated sintering (HFIHS) under 60 MPa pressure with powders synthesized by the glycine nitrate process (GNP) as well as mechanically mixed commercial powders. The HFIHS method created a uniformly porous microstructure without abnormal grain growth compared to the conventional sintering method. Samples sintered by HFIHS show higher strength and electrical conductivity than conventionally sintered samples, even though they have similar porosity.     

Analysis of fracture mechanisms of ultrathin glass for flexible cover window under pen drop conditions

The fracture mechanism of a chemically strengthened ultrathin glass (UTG) for the cover window of flexible display devices was investigated under pen loading conditions for the first time to better understand the UTG impact resistance characteristics. High-speed camera analysis, fracture fragment analysis, and finite element modeling were employed to investigate the fracture mechanism of the UTG under pen drop conditions. A pen-on-plate (POP) test was also employed to examine the fracture characteristics under static loading condition, and its results were compared with those of the pen drop test (PDT) to find a correlation between the static and dynamic loading conditions. The correlation found between the POP and PDT tests indicates that a quantitative estimation of contact displacement under PDT can be obtained by measuring the first ring crack size, to more easily determine the impact resistance characteristics of UTG.     

Properties and pulsed current activated consolidation of nanostuctured MgSiO3-MgAl2O4 composites

Nanocrystalline materials have received much attention as advanced engineering materials with improved physical and mechanical properties. As nanomaterials possess high strength, high hardness, excellent ductility and toughness, undoubtedly, more attention has been paid for the application of nanomaterials. Nanopowders of MgO, Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ were made by high energy ball milling. The simultaneous synthesis and consolidation of nanostuctured MgAl₂O₄-MgSiO₃ composites from milled 2MgO, Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ powders was investigated by the pulsed current activated sintering process. The advantage of this process is that it allows very quick densification to near theoretical density and inhibition of grain growth. Highly dense nanostructured MgAl₂O₄-MgSiO₃ composites were produced with a simultaneous application of 80 MPa pressure and a pulsed current of 2000A within 1min. The fracture toughness of MgAl₂O₄-Mg₂SiO₄ composites sintered from 60 mol%MgO-20 mol%Al₂O₃-20mol%SiO₂ powders milled for 4 h was 3.2MPa·m^1/2. The fracture toughness of MgAl₂O₄-MgSiO₃ composite is higher than that of monolithic MgAl₂O₄.