Chia seeds as a source of natural lipid antioxidants

Chia (Salvia sp) seeds were investigated as a source of natural lipid antioxidants. Methanolic and aqueous extracts of defatted chia seeds possessed potent antioxidant activity. Analysis of 2 batches of chia-seed oils demonstrated marked difference in the fatty acid composition of the oils. In both batches, the oils had high concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The major antioxidant activity in the nonhydrolyzed extract was caused by flavonol glycosides, chlorogenic acid (7.1 × 10⁻⁴ mol/kg of seed) and caffeic acid (6.6 × 10⁻³ m/kg). Major antioxidants of the hydrolyzed extracts were flavonol aglycones/kaempferol (1.1 × 10⁻³ m/kg), quercetin (2.0 × 10⁻⁴ m/kg) and myricetin (3.1 × 10⁻³ m/kg); and caffeic acid (1.35 × 10⁻² m/kg). Two methods were used to measure antioxidant activities. Both were based on measuring bleaching ofβ-carotene in the coupled oxidation ofβ-carotene and linoleic acid in the presence of added antioxidants.     

MgATP-induced conformational changes in a single myosin molecule observed by atomic force microscopy: periodicity of substructures in myosin rods

This paper discusses the conformational changes in a single myosin molecule directly observed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The myosin molecules were pretreated in rigor solutions without MgATP or in relaxed solutions with various concentrations of MgATP. The images of these molecules were obtained using a tapping mode AFM. The results indicate that the orientation of the myosin's heads and tail strongly depend on the MgATP concentration. Without using MgATP, almost all of the myosin molecules are in the extended form; however, when MgATP is used, the molecules bend according to the level of MgATP concentration. The mean-square end-to-end distance of the myosin molecules is significantly shorter with p[MgATP] = 4 than with p[MgATP] = 6. The rod region did not show the same level of intensity along their length in the extended form. The rods exhibited clusters of discontinuity, which were identified as substructures. The size of these substructures change at intervals that are multiples of 14.3-14.5 nm, which reflects the periodicity of the alpha-helical coiled coils. The substructure clusters also correspond to the myosin crossbridge spacing in muscles (14.3 or 43 nm). These results suggest that the myosin's head bends in conjunction with the bending or tilting in the helical substructures. Conformational changes of the myosin molecule induced by MgATP seem to mimic the molecular motions in a muscle's force generation process.     

100-Gb/s DQPSK Transmission Experiment Without OTDM for 100G Ethernet Transport

In order to realize a future 100-Gb Ethernet (100 GbE) transport, 100-Gb/s transmission without 100-GHz-class electronics and optical time-division-multiplexing technique was demonstrated. By using a differential quadrature phase-shift-keying (DQPSK) modulation format and commercially available electronics, 2- and 50-km transmissions of 100-Gb/s signal were successfully achieved over a standard single mode fiber. The receiver sensitivity, chromatic dispersion, and differential group delay tolerances of 100-Gb/s DQPSK signal were also evaluated. Through these evaluations, the possibility of DQPSK modulation for future 100-GbE transport is verified     

459 km, 2.4 Gbit/s four wavelength multiplexing optical fibre transmission experiment using six Er-doped fibre amplifiers

A 2.4 Gbit/s, four WDM optical fibre transmission experiment over 459 km using six Er-doped fibre amplifiers in the 1.55 mu m wavelength region is presented. The results confirm the possibility of WDM multiple optical amplifier repeater transmission systems.<>     

5 Gbit/s, 233 km optical fiber transmission experiment employingfive semiconductor laser amplifiers

A directly modulated 1.519-μm distributed-feedback laser signal was transmitted over 233 km of single-mode fiber consisting of dispersion shifted fiber and conventional step-index fiber to minimize the dispersion penalty. The power penalty after the transmission was 0.25 dB. The results show the effectiveness of an optical amplifier repeater system for high-speed long-haul fiber optic transmission     

2.4 Gbit/s 100 km penalty-free conventional fibre transmission experiments using GaInAsP electroabsorption modulator

The superior characteristics of a semiconductor modulator for a multi-Gbit/s and long-haul fibre transmission are confirmed for the first time. A 2.4 Gbit/s over 100 km conventional single-mode fibre transmission has been successfully achieved by using a GaInAsP electroabsorption modulator. No power penalty was observed even under 1700 ps/nm chromatic fibre dispersion.<>     

Field testing on nonsalt solar ponds

A new type of nonsalt solar pond was investigated by field testing. The roof of the solar pond was formed using a transparent double film. Three kinds of tests were carried out under the following conditions: (1) insulating pellets were packed between the layers of the transparent double film of the roof at sunset; (2) the water surface of the pond was insulated using only the two transparent films; (3) the water surface of the pond was covered by the double film with the top surface blackened on which solar energy can be collected, while pond water was circulated using a solar cell powered submerged water pump. The warm water stored in the solar pond by the above methods was utilized as a heat source for a gas engine powered heat pump used to heat a greenhouse. In this report, the results of the field tests on the above solar ponds and greenhouse heating system are discussed. Also the utility of a combination plant using a solar pond and underground borehole storage system is evaluated.Important conclusions on performance are as follows: (1) collection efficiencies of these solar ponds become 9–54% corresponding to the weather conditions and pond temperatures; (2) maximum temperature of the pond water under weather conditions at Osaka is about 80°C; (3) the solar pond can be effectively utilized for heating a greenhouse; (4) the combination plant using the solar pond and the underground storage layer can store heat of 1119 MJ m⁻² yr⁻¹.     

12300 ps/nm, 2.4 Gb/s nonregenerative optical fiber transmissionexperiment and effect of transmitter phase noise

A nonregenerative optical transmission experiment with a chromatic dispersion of more than 10000 ps/nm is reported. Externally intensity-modulated 2.4 Gb/s optical signals were transmitted over 710 km of nondispersion-shifted optical fiber using ten Er-doped fiber amplifiers with a total net optical gain of 125 dB. Although the total chromatic dispersion amounted to 12300 ps/nm, the power penalty observed was as small as 0.5 dB, and an error floor was not observed. The effect of transmitter phase noise associated with fiber chromatic dispersion was experimentally investigated     

Self oscillation phenomena of turbulent jets in a channel

A new method based on the Coanda effect for self oscillation of a circular jet bounded by rectangular enclosure is suggested. The experiments in both air and water reveal regions of stable oscillation wherein relationships are obtained between the Strouhal number and the shape factor of the channel. This oscillation method can also be used to mix different liquids in a vessel. For such applications, an improvement of mixing by oscillation is shown by means of a residual concentration diagram for a salt solution.