Antiatherogenic effects of the antioxidant BO-653 in three different animal models

Antioxidants have been proposed to have antiatherogenic potential by their inhibition of low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. Here, we report an antioxidant, BO-653 (2,3-dihydro-5-hydroxy-2, 2-dipentyl-4,6-di-tert-butylbenzofuran), designed to exhibit antioxidative potency comparable to that of alpha-tocopherol, but yet possess a high degree of lipophilicity comparable to that of probucol. BO-653 exhibits a high affinity for LDL and is well distributed in aortic vessels in vivo. In atherosclerosis models of rabbits and mice, BO-653 has been shown to be able to suppress the formation of atherosclerotic lesions without untoward side effects. Specifically, there was no reduction of high density lipoprotein levels. This antioxidant provides additional evidence in support of the oxidized-LDL hypothesis, and itself is a promising candidate antioxidant for clinical use.     

Lack of evidence for the transmission of JC polyomavirus between human populations

Human polyomavirus JC virus (JCV), the causative agent of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, is ubiquitous in humans, infecting children asymptomatically then persisting in renal tissue. Since JCV DNA can readily be detected from urine, it should be a useful tool with which to study the mode of virus transmission in humans. Based on this notion, we examined the extent to which JCV was transmitted from the American to Japanese populations in Okinawa Island, Japan. (A population of about 50 000 American soldiers and families have been stationed in Okinawa since 1945.) Four JCV types (A to D) were identified in American populations in U.S.A., whereas only type B was prevalent in elder Japanese in Okinawa who had reached adulthood by 1945. Thus, types A, C, and D served as indicators of the transmission of JCV from American to Japanese populations. We then examined whether types A, C, and D were detectable in Japanese in Okinawa aged 30-50 years who may have been in contact with Americans during childhood. However, all the 125 isolates from the younger Japanese population were type B without exception. From this finding, we concluded that JCV is rarely transmitted between human populations.     

0.1-μm gate-length superconducting FET

A superconducting field-effect transistors (FET) with a 0.1-μm-length gate electrode was fabricated and tested at liquid-helium temperature. Two superconducting electrodes (source and drain) were formed on the same Si substrate surface with an oxide-insulated gate electrode by a self-aligned fabrication process. Superconducting current flowing through the semiconductor (Si) between the two superconducting electrodes (Nb) was controlled by a gate-bias voltage     

Identification of phenolic compounds isolated from pigmented rices and their aldose reductase inhibitory activities

Two anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-O-β-glucoside and peonidin-3-O-β-glucoside) and other phenolic (ferulic acid) were, respectively isolated from black and pigmented brown rices (Oryza sativa L. japonica) and their complete structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses (H NMR, C NMR and MALDI MASS). The HPLC profile of anthocyanins extracted from black rice showed cyanidin-3-O-β-glucoside as the first peak (85%) and peonidin 3-O-β-d-glucoside as the second (15%), while that of pigmented brown rice showed ferulic acid as the first peak (85.7%) and tocols as the second (14.3%). Several tocols were isolated and identified from the unsaponifiable fractions of both rices having some difference on their structures and amounts. The aldose reductase inhibitory activity of isolated compounds was in the following decreasing order: cyanidin-3-glucoside > quercetin > ferulic acid > peonidin-3-glucoside > tocopherol.     

Incline compensation control using an air-spring type active isolated apparatus

In order to avoid the deformation of main body supported by air-spring type active isolated apparatus, a pressure feedback was previously introduced for its isolated apparatus. The primal purpose of this feedback was to suppress the deformation of the main body by controlling air-spring force. Furthermore the author recognize that the incline of the main body due to XY stage scanning will be easily compensated by utilizing that the driving mechanism of air-spring with the pressure feedback becomes an astatic system. If the incline of the main body is effectively corrected, the precise scanning of XY stage is expected because the disturbance for the control loop of XY stage is removed.Firstly, this paper briefly shows the principle of the pressure feedback which provides a basis for the incline compensation. Secondly, the feed-forward scheme for its compensation is clarified. Finally, the experimental results of the incline compensation are shown.     

Coherent Phase Diagram for Spinodal Decomposition in the Tetragonal Titanium Dioxide—Tin Oxide System

A microscopic calculation was carried out for spinodal decomposition in the tetragonal TiO₂—SnO₂ system by taking into account the contribution of the elastic free energy. Necessary elastic constants for the solid solutions and the elastic free energy of modulated structure were calculated in terms of interatomic potentials. A coherent phase diagram was obtained unambiguously from the calculated elastic free energy by using the interaction parameter determined by the experimental binodal line. The results were compared with the calculation based on the regular-solution model.     

Performance analysis of the SOFC–MGT hybrid system with gasified biomass fuel

Analysis of electricity generation efficiency of the biomass SOFC–MGT hybrid system has been made for several cases of different composition of fuel relevant to typical air-, oxygen- and steam-blown biomass gasification processes. Reference case for comparison is the one where pure methane is used as fuel. In the analysis, multi-stage model for internal reforming SOFC module developed previously has been used with some modification. It is found that efficiency achieved for all the three cases of different types for biomass fuel is reasonably high and so that the biomass SOFC–MGT hybrid system is promising. However, in all the three cases, efficiency is lower than the counterpart of pure methane case, both in the SOFC module and in the hybrid system. Among the biomass fuel cases, efficiency is found to be highest with steam-blown biomass fuel both for the SOFC module and for the hybrid system. The lowest efficiency is found in the case of air-blown fuel. In addition, effects of higher steam content in the biomass fuel and variety in composition of biomass fuel for each gasifying agent are also studied.     

Technology choice and CDM projects in China: case study of a small steel company in Shandong Province

Corporate motives and strategies of both investing and hosting country affect the outcomes of a clean development mechanism (CDM) project—who introduces what technology to whom—and result in large differences in economic viability and the CO₂ emission reductions. This is particularly true for steel industry in which steel making consists of many detailed and complex processes, a given strategy could produce cumulative effects of the individual technologies used, leading to large energy savings overall. The objective of this study is to demonstrate some analytical methods that can be used to quantitatively evaluate the impacts of technology selection on the profit performance of CDM projects. Specifically, in this study we analyze a CDM project to introduce energy saving technology from Japan to a small steel manufacturer in China's Shandong Province, and conduct a simulation of the quantitative relationships between various technology options and profitability. Based on these results, we examine the environmental and economic significance of technology selection for CDM projects. To take this further, we then reconsider the profitability of a project as typical FDI activity (i.e., without the CDM), and by comparing this outcome with the CDM case, we clarify the significance and potential of the CDM.