Biodegradation of poly(lactic acid)—cassava bagasse composites produced by injection molding

Neat poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and PLA/cassava bagasse (CB) composites were used to produce seedling tubes by extrusion and injection molding. The tubes were buried in simulated soil, and their biodegradation was investigated by weight loss, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). After 180 days, the composites' biodegradation was higher than neat PLA material, and the higher the CB content, the higher the biodegradation, which caused fissures and voids in the material. The biodegradation of PLA/CB composites increased the phosphorus content in the soil after 180 days. Composites of PLA with CB, an abundant agro-industrial residue in Brazil, are promising because they can reduce the environmental impact due to CB's proper destination, and the composites' costs and biodegradation are faster than pure PLA material. Both the faster biodegradation of the tube and the higher P content are advantageous for seedling tubes.     

Hydrogen production through dry reforming of biogas using a porous electrochemical cell: Effects of a cobalt catalyst in the electrode and mixing of air with biogas

This paper reports the performance of porous Gd-doped ceria (GDC) electrochemical cells with Co metal in both electrodes (cell No. 1) and with Ni metal in the cathode and Co metal in the anode (cell No. 2) for CO₂ decomposition, CH₄ decomposition, and the dry reforming reaction of a biogas with CO₂ gas (CH₄ + CO₂ → 2H₂ + 2CO) or with O₂ gas in air (3CH₄ +?1.875CO₂ +?1.314O₂ → 6H₂ +?4.875CO +?0.7515O₂). GDC cell No. 1 produced H₂ gas at formation rates of 0.055 and 0.33?mL-H₂/(min?m²-electrode) per 1?mL-supplied gas/(min?m²-electrode) at 600?°C and 800?°C, respectively, by the reforming of the biogas with CO₂ gas. Similarly, cell No. 2 produced H₂ gas at formation rates of 0.40?mL-H₂/(min?m²) per 1?mL-supplied gas/(min?m²) at 800?°C from a mixture of biogas and CO₂ gas. The dry reforming of a real biogas with CO₂ or O₂ gas at 800?°C proceeded thermodynamically over the Co or Ni metal catalyst in the cathode of the porous GDC cell. Faraday's law controlled the dry reforming rate of the biogas at 600?°C in cell No. 2. This paper also clarifies the influence of carbon deposition, which originates from CH₄ pyrolysis (CH₄ → C + 2H₂) and disproportionation of CO gas (2CO → C + CO₂), on the cell performance during dry reforming. The dry reforming of a biogas with O₂ molecules from air exhibits high durability because of the oxidation of the deposited carbon by supplied air.     

Suitable fixation condition for rat liver using microwave irradiation and its application to the immunohistochemistry of glutamate dehydrogenase

In 50 patients auditory threshold and brain stem evoked potential studies were carried out before and after myelography. Due to the analysis of amplitudes and latencies of auditory brain stem measurements, significant functional disorders of the hearing organ and the auditory pathway could be demonstrated. In most of the patients these functional disorders were found to be subclinical, whereas 12 patients showed alterations extending from a subjectively slight hearing loss to an audiometrically objectified acute hearing loss depending on its intensity in each case. The reasons of these functional disorders could not be clarified. An open cochlear aqueduct through which perilymph enters the subarachnoidal space leading to a secondary endolymphatic hydrops can be considered as the cause in cases where manifest symptoms develop. The changes in brain stem audiometry can be additionally explained by changes in osmolality of the inner ear fluids which may lead to the development of an endolymphatic hydrops.     

Erythroid potentiating activity of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases on the differentiation of erythropoietin-responsive mouse erythroleukemia cell line, ELM-I-1-3, is closely related to its cell growth potentiating activity

The erythroid-potentiating activity (EPA) of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) was re-examined using ELM-I-1-3, a mouse erythroleukemia cell line, which responded well to erythropoietin. Depletion of pre-existing TIMP-1 from fetal calf serum in culture medium using monoclonal antibody suppressed erythropoietin-induced differentiation as measured by the induction of hemoglobin, commitment assay and globin mRNAs. The removal of TIMP-1 also suppressed the proliferation of ELM-I-1-3 as measured by cell number and de novo DNA synthesis. These changes were reversed by the addition of purified TIMP-1 to the culture medium. Anti-TIMP-1 antibody also blocked both hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA)-induced erythroid differentiation and the proliferation of both ELM-I-1-3 and Friend erythroleukemia cells. Considering previous reports analyzing the chemical induction of Friend mouse erythroleukemia cell differentiation, our results suggest that erythropoietin- or HMBA-induced erythroid differentiation might also be coupled with cell proliferation. Our 3H thymidine-uptake experiment shows that TIMP-1 removal was also effective in the inhibition of cell growth of various other cell lines in addition to erythroleukemia cell lines. These results suggest that EPA action of TIMP-1 on erythroid leukemia cell lines is closely related to its activity to promote the cell growth of various cell lines and cells including erythroleukemia cell lines.     

Lectin-like characteristics of recombinant human interleukin-1beta recognizing glycans of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor

We found that 35S-labeled recombinant human interleukin-1beta (rhIL-1beta) binds phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-treated human placental alkaline phosphatase, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-treated trypanosome surface variant glycoproteins, and urinary uromodulin immobilized on plates or immobilized on CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. The interaction between rhIL-1beta and these glycoproteins was lectin-like, since it was inhibited in the presence of specific saccharides, i.e. mannose 6-phosphate or synthetic Ac-NH.CH2.CH2. PO4--->6Manalpha1-->(+/-2Manalpha1-->+/-6Manalpha1-->) propyl at about 1 microM. On the other hand, a wide variety of compounds including biantennary sugar chains derived from these glycoproteins as well as ethanolamine phosphate, inositol phosphate, mannose 6-sulfate, mannose 1-phosphate, glucose 6-phosphate, and mannitol 6-phosphate did not show any inhibitory effect at concentrations up to 1 mM. These results indicate that rhIL-1beta interacts with these glycoproteins via the mannose 6-phosphate diester of glycans on the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. Furthermore, when monolayers of polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney cells on polycarbonate filter membranes were incubated with 35S-rhIL-1beta in either the apical or basolateral chamber, 35S-interleukin-1beta was found to bind specifically to the apical membranes with a Ka value of 4.6 x 10(7) M-1, and the specific interaction was inhibited by 1 microM mannose 6-phosphate. Since the mannose 6-phosphate diester moiety exists only in the GPI glycans on plasma membranes, it was evident that interleukin-1beta can directly interact with the mannose 6-phosphate diester component of the intact glycan of GPI anchors on plasma membranes.     

DNA damage induced by m-phenylenediamine and its derivative in the presence of copper ion

We have previously reported that long-term priming of human polymorphonuclear neutrophilic granulocytes (PMN) with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) increased the fMLP-stimulated calcium influx. We now show that also after short-term incubation with IFN-gamma, PMN calcium metabolism is modulated. Single adherent cells in three different calcium-containing buffers (high, normal, and low [Ca2+]) were stimulated with the bacterial peptide fMLP or the Ca-ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin (Tg) after about 5 min preincubation with IFN-gamma. The results of this protocol indicated that IFN-gamma increases both calcium influx and calcium sequestration. Store dependent Ca2+ influx, directly measured on readdition of calcium to Tg-treated cells incubated in EGTA buffer, was significantly enhanced in IFN-gamma-treated cells. This effect of IFN-gamma was enhanced by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin A. Strikingly, in low extracellular calcium concentrations, IFN-gamma induced calcium transients in 20%-60% of the cells. The proportion of PMN responding with Ca2+ transients increased with decreasing extracellular calcium concentration. Average lagtime from addition of IFN-gamma to a response that could be measured was 7.3 sec, and average increase in [Ca2+] above the basal level was 790 nM. These IFN-gamma-induced transients could not be depressed by herbimycin A. Thus, IFN-gamma can increase capacitative calcium influx, induce calcium transients, and possibly affect calcium sequestration in human PMN.     

Dispersion compensation with SBS-suppressed fibre phase conjugator using synchronised phase modulation

204 km, 10 Gbit/s standard optical fibre transmission is successfully demonstrated using the mid-span spectral inversion technique with a stimulated Brillouin scattering suppressed fibre phase conjugator, proposed recently by Tani and Yamashita. Transmission performance has been improved compared with a conventional phase conjugator.