Isolation of antimicrobial agent from the marine algae Cystoseira hakodatensis

Cystoseira hakodatensis is an unutilised brown algae belonging to family Sargassaceae. A crude methanol extract from the algae showed inhibitory effects on the growths of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus licheniformis. To isolate the major antimicrobial agent, a sequential active‐guided isolation procedure was applied: liquid–liquid extraction, column chromatography and bio‐autography. A marked antimicrobial agent (active α) was isolated in hydrophobic fraction and was determined to phenolics without carbohydrates and proteins by phytochemical test. Regarding the antimicrobial potential, the isolated active α showed better inhibitory effects against B. cereus and B. licheniformis at 2 and 4 times of lower concentrations (62.5 and 31.3 μg mL^?1) in comparison with epigallocatechin gallate. These results showed that C. hakodatensis is a potential source of antimicrobial agent capable of preventing the growth of the two bacteria.     

An analysis of shielding against DC magnetic fields generated by electric railways. Evaluation of effective permeability of fine structure

This paper describes an effective analysis of magnetic shielding based on homogenization. The analyses become time‐consuming if the problems include the magnetic substances having fine structure. The homogenization of the structure makes it possible to analyze effectively the magnetic fields. The authors introduce a method to estimate the effective permeability of the homogenized substance. This method can be applied to any periodic structure made of magnetic substance. The magnetic shielding effects by the structures against direct‐current (DC) fields generated by electric railways are analyzed by using the present method. As a result, it is found that the overhead way and the protective fence near the railway work as a magnetic shield, whose effects can be improved by appropriate arrangement of those constructions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 160(4): 7–15, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20310     

A study of urinary dolichols as a biological marker for alcohol abuse. Report 2: Comparison of urinary dolichols/creatinine concentrations among non-drinkers, moderate-drinkers and heavy-drinkers

We report here the comparison of urinary dolichols/creatine (D/Cr) concentration ratios in male non-drinkers, moderate-drinkers and heavy drinkers at admission and during hospitalization, and also discuss its usefulness as a biological marker for alcohol abuse. Urine samples were collected from the following four experimental groups: non-(male and female) and moderate-drinker (male) volunteers, and alcoholic heavy-drinking patients (male) at admission for psychiatric treatment and after 9-15 days hospitalization (informed consent was obtained). Urinary dolichols were determined by high performance liquid chromatography after BondElutC18 (500 mg) extraction. Due to significant differences in urinary D/Cr concentrations between male and female groups in non-drinkers and because the heavy-drinkers available for this study were exclusively male, comparison of the value of urinary D/Cr concentration ratios was subsequently limited to male only. There were no statistical differences in urinary D/Cr concentrations in the male among non-drinkers, moderate-drinkers and heavy-drinkers at admission. The accuracy of urinary D/Cr as a biological marker for alcohol abuse, calculated using the mean +/- 2 s.d. in non- and moderate-drinkers as the normal range, is only 33.3% in heavy-drinkers at admission, while their value of gamma-GTP in serum was 88.3%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Additional proof of reduction of ethanol absorption from rat intestine in vivo by high acetaldehyde concentrations

We investigated intestinal ethanol absorption in rats pretreated with saline, cyanamide, 4-methylpyrazole and cyanamide + 4-methylpyrazole. The value of the absorption rate constant in the cyanamide-pretreated group with high acetaldehyde levels was the lowest among the four groups, but there were no significant differences among the remaining groups. We found that high acetaldehyde concentration itself clearly reduces intestinal ethanol absorption.     

Partial scan design and test sequence generation based on reduced scan shift method

This paper presents a partial scan algorithm, calledPARES (PartialscanAlgorithm based onREduced Scan shift), for designing partial scan circuits. PARES is based on the reduced scan shift that has been previously proposed for generating short test sequences for full scan circuits. In the reduced scan shift method, one determines proch FFs must be controlled and observed for each test vector. According to the results of similar analysis, PARES selects these FFs that must be controlled or observed for a large number of test vectors, as scanned FFs. Short test sequences are generated by reducing scan shift operations using a static test compaction method. To minimize the loss of fault coverage, the order of test vectors is so determined that the unscanned FFs are in the state required by the next test vector. If there are any faults undetected yet by a test sequence derived from the test vectors, then PARES uses a sequential circuit test generator to detect the faults. Experimental results for ISCAS'89 benchmark circuits are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of PARES.     

Authorship and citation patterns in Management Science in comparison with operational research

The authorship and citation patterns in the journal titled Management Science (MS) are analysed. The purpose of the analysis is to examine the competitive relation of MS with OR (operational research or operations research). The analysis is focused on the use of mathematical methods, because MS entered the management research area by using mathematical methods developed by OR and because the use of mathematical methods in real management is facing difficulties. The relationship of MS with information systems (IS) and organisation research (Org) is analysed in regard to the competition of MS with OR. The analysis reveals the intermediate character of MS; that is, MS is less prone to mathematical methods and is more inclined towards IS and Org than OR is. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

STRUCTURE FORMATION OF COATED FILMS WITH DISPERSED PIGMENTS DURING DRYING

In the drying of coated films with dispersed pigments, such as floppy disks, the structure of the film is formed during the drying process and depends on the drying condition. It is important to understand the structure formation during drying for the design of the dryer and die better quality of the product. We measured die drying characteristics of the film and determined the structure of dried film experimentally. A qualitative model for the structure formation during drying of the coated film is suggested.     

Growth of Al2O3 whiskers by vapour-phase reactions

Needle-like or wool-like Al₂O₃ whiskers can be grown on a substrate by the hydrolysis of aluminium fluoride vapour. Effects of the growth conditions on the morphology of the crystals and growth processes of the whisker were investigated, and the optimum growth condition of whiskers was examined. Adequate vapour pressure conditions of the reactant gases for the growth of the wool-like whisker were found to be . Aluminium oxyfluoride was assumed to be the most probable intermediate species for the growth of Al₂O₃ whiskers. A variety of crystal morphologies are also shown and described with respect to the experimental conditions.