Molecular Depolymerization of Moist Sweet Potato Starch Melt by Shearing Force under an Elevated Temperature

Sweet potato starch (SPS) with 20 or 25% moisture was heated and then fused at 150°C for 15 min under pressurization at 30–500 Kg/cm². At the same time, the heated SPS melt was extruded through a capillary tube under specified pressure in order to give shearing force. Thus, intact SPS, heated SPS and heated sheared SPS specimen were prepared and examined. The heated and heated sheared SPS did not contain any pyrolysis products because their spectrum profiles were the same as that of intact SPS. By heating and shearing, the intact SPS molecule was depolymerized into small molecules including a few amount of glucose. This finding was revealed by means of molecular weight estimation by viscometry and by gel filtration. The shearing toward SPS melt markedly stimulated the depolymerization while the effect of only heating on depolymerization of SPS was modulate in comparison with heated shearing. Water solubilities of intact SPS, heated SPS and heated sheared SPS with 20% moisture were 0.07, 3.5 and 51.5% respectively, and also the degrees of gelatinization of 1.8% for intact starch increased markedly to 29% for heated SPS and 80–95% (depending on the pressure at extrusion) for heated sheared SPS.     

Crystal modulation of tungsten oxide gels and films prepared by the sol-gel process using 2,4-pentanedione as an organic ligand

Tungsten oxide gels and films were prepared by the sol-gel process using 2,4-pentanedione (PTN) as an organic ligand. WO₃ powders were obtained by peeling the films from the quartz glass substrates. The crystal structure of both the gels prepared with and without PTN and fired at 700 °C was monoclinic. WO₃ powders peeled from film samples prepared both with and without PTN showed only the monoclinic crystal structure, whereas the crystal phases of both types of films were cubic and a mixture of cubic and monoclinic crystals, respectively. These results indicate that the cubic crystals of the WO₃ in the films were transformed to the monoclinic crystals of the powders after the films were peeled from the quartz glass substrates. It is concluded that the cubic crystals in the films are transformed to stable monoclinic crystals by the peeling process, whereas PTN and the quartz glass substrate can control the crystal phase of WO₃ films selectively to form the cubic structure.     

Primary biliary cirrhosis associated with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

A case of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) associated with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is reported. The patient is a 59-year-old man. When he was 49 years old, he was diagnosed with ITP and received steroid therapy that successfully increased platelet numbers. However, the steroid therapy failed to normalize the elevated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. Ten years after this episode, he suffered from general itching and malaise and exhibited a gradual increase of serum biliary enzyme levels. Immunologically, IgM was increased and anti-mitochondrial antibody was positive. Histological findings of liver needle biopsy showed chronic non-suppurative destructive cholangitis, confirming the diagnosis of PBC. To date, very few PBC cases associated with ITP have been reported. Our case is the second one in Japan. PBC and ITP in our patient seemed to develop simultaneously, but the effect of steroid therapy on the two conditions was different. This result suggests that the autoimmune process may have been different in PBC and ITP in the present patient.     

Rational use of urban underground space for surface and subsurface activities in Japan

This paper, based on research by the Japan National Land Policy Institute (NaLPI), describes various forms of urban underground space use and the proper use of underground space. The paper discusses images that people working above-ground and below-ground hold about underground space, as measured by their responses to a questionnaire survey; and suggests ways to alleviate concerns people have about underground spaces (e.g., related to health, fear of being underground, and safety).     

Relationship between response to interferon therapy and detection of hepatitis C virus RNA by differential flotation centrifugation

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a method of instruction gaining increased attention and implementation in medical education. In PBL there is increased emphasis on the development of problem-solving skills, small group dynamics, and self-directed methods of education. A weekly PBL conference was started by a university consultation psychiatry team. One active consultation service problem was identified each week for study. Multiple computerized and library resources provided access to additional information for problem solving. After 1 year of the PBL conference, an evaluation was performed to determine the effectiveness of this approach. We reviewed the content of problems identified, and conducted a survey of conference participants. The most common types of problem categories identified for the conference were pharmacology of psychiatric and medical drugs (28%), mental status effects of medical illnesses (28%), consultation psychiatry process issues (20%), and diagnostic issues (13%). Computerized literature searches provided significant assistance for some problems and less for other problems. The PBL conference was ranked the highest of all the psychiatry resident educational formats. PBL appears to be a successful method for assisting in patient management and in resident and medical student psychiatry education.     

New Solar Cell Power Supply System Using a Boost Type Bidirectinal DC-DC Converter

A new solar cell power supply system is presented, in which the boost type bidirectional dc-dc converter and the simple control circuit with a small monitor solar cell are employed to track the maximum power point of the solar array. It is confirmed by the experiment that the new system has sufficiently precise tracking operation performance and satisfactorily high power efficiency. Also, a comparison of the power efficiencies is made theoretically, as well as experimentally, on the new and the conventional solar cell power supply systems. As a result, it is revealed that the new system is superior to the conventional one in the power efficiency.     

Hydrogenation of oleic acid to 9-octadecen-1-ol with rhenium-tin catalyst

A new supported bimetallic catalyst, rhenium-tin, is able to reduce oleic acid to 9-octadecen-1-ol (cis andtrans isomers) with appreciable yield under mild hydrogenation conditions. This paper reports investigations on the effects of catalyst preparation methods, types of support, catalyst raw materials, mole ratio of the metals, activation and reaction conditions on the activity and selectivity of the catalyst. Catalyst derived from the combination of ammonium perrhenate and stannic chloride on alumina gave the best performance, and the presence of tin in the catalyst is essential for the preservation of the olefinic bond of the oleic acid during hydrogenation.