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The Urogenital Sub-committee and the Surveillance Committee of the Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and the Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology conducted the second nationwide surveillance of the antimicrobial susceptibility of Chlamydia trachomatis. In this second surveillance study, clinical urethral discharge specimens were collected from patients with urethritis in 26 hospitals and clinics from May 2016 to July 2017. Based on serial cultures, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) could be determined for 41 isolates; the MICs (MIC90) of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, tosufloxacin, sitafloxacin, doxycycline, minocycline, erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin and solithromycin were 2 μg/ml (2 μg/ml), 1 μg/ml (0.5 μg/ml), 0.25 μg/ml (0.25 μg/ml), 0.125 μg/ml (0.063 μg/ml), 0.125 μg/ml (0.125 μg/ml), 0.25 μg/ml (0.25 μg/ml), 0.031 μg/ml (0.031 μg/ml), 0.25 μg/ml (0.125 μg/ml), and 0.016 μg/ml (0.008 μg/ml), respectively. In summary, this surveillance project did not identify any strains resistant to fluoroquinolone, tetracycline, or macrolide agents in Japan. In addition, the MIC of solithromycin was favorable and lower than that of other antimicrobial agents. However, the MIC of azithromycin had a slightly higher value than that reported in the first surveillance report, though this might be within the acceptable margin of error. Therefore, the susceptibility of azithromycin, especially, should be monitored henceforth.

NO2 sorption ability of cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) timbers was evaluated using a new measuring system that was developed in our previous study. Four drying conditions were applied, namely natural drying and three kinds of kiln-drying at 45, 60, and 105 °C. Aeration experiments were conducted using discoid specimens which had a thickness in the longitudinal direction of 1.5 mm, and a diameter of 10 mm. The moisture content was conditioned to 0 or 9 ± 1.0% in each drying condition. As a result, the NO2 sorption ability declined as the drying temperature increased. Based on the analysis of extractives, it was shown that the extractives content had a high correlation with the contribution ratio of extractives in the NO2 sorption volume of the specimens that were dried below 60 °C. Therefore, it was elucidated that the specimen dried naturally has the greatest NO2 sorption ability. Furthermore, the result of the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) indicated that abietadiene influenced the NO2 sorption ability. Also, the NO2 sorption volume was high especially at the initial stage, which is higher under the condition with moisture.

The Japanese Surveillance Committee conducted a second nationwide surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of uropathogens responsible for acute uncomplicated cystitis (AUC) in premenopausal patients aged 16–40 years old at 31 hospitals throughout Japan from March 2015 to February 2016. In this study, the susceptibility of causative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus saprophyticus) for various antimicrobial agents was investigated by isolation and culturing of organisms obtained from urine samples. In total, 324 strains were isolated from 361 patients, including E. coli (n = 220, 67.9%), S. saprophyticus (n = 36, 11.1%), and K. pneumoniae (n = 7, 2.2%). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 20 antibacterial agents for these strains were determined according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) manual. At least 93% of the E. coli isolates showed susceptibility to fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins, whereas 100% of the S. saprophyticus isolates showed susceptibility to fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides. The proportions of fluoroquinolone-resistant and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli strains were 6.4% (13/220) and 4.1% (9/220), respectively. The antimicrobial susceptibility of K. pneumoniae was retained during the surveillance period, while no multidrug-resistant strains were identified. In summary, antimicrobial susceptibility results of our second nationwide surveillance did not differ significantly from those of the first surveillance. Especially the numbers of fluoroquinolone-resistant and ESBL-producing E. coli strains were not increased in premenopausal patients with AUC in Japan.

This study examined the influence of moisture content (MC) on NO2 sorption ability of cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) wood using the specimens with different MCs. Four MC conditions were applied, namely 0%, 8.6%, 12.7% and 16.5%, based on the differences of bonding condition of water molecule in the wood substances. As a result, the NO2 sorption volume increased drastically due to the presence of water, and as the MC increased, the NO2 sorption volume increased slightly. The NO generation volume and nitric acid concentration in the specimens were evaluated after an aeration test, and it was strongly indicated that the NO2 reacted with water in the specimen, and that the NO generation volume increased as the content of multilayer adsorbed water increased. The nitric acid seemed to be formed by the reaction between NO2 and water, and it was then held in the specimen. Based on the NO2 sorption volume calculated using the NO generation volume, it was shown that the NO2 sorption after 12-h aeration was caused mainly by the reaction between NO2 and water. Furthermore, the presence of both water and extractives contributed to the NO2 sorption in the initial period, and the presence of water contributed greatly to the NO2 sorption over the long term.

We developed a new system for measuring the NO2 sorption ability of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) wood by referring to Japanese Industrial Standard for JIS R 1701-1 (Test method for air purification performance of photocatalytic materials, Japanese Standard Association, Tokyo, 2004). Aeration experiments were conducted using plated specimen, particle specimen, discoid specimen and wood powder with consideration of aeration condition and surface area which can contact with NO2 gas. In the plated specimen, the NO2 sorption ability was greatly affected by the thickness of longitudinal direction, and high NO2 sorption ability of the transverse section was observed within a thickness range from the surface to ca. 3 mm. The average NO2 sorption volume for discoid specimen for 5 h was approx. five times larger than that those for the plated and particle specimens, which the thickness of longitudinal direction was 1.5 mm. This means that the NO2 sorption effect was especially high under the condition where the NO2 gas passed through tracheid. Also, it was suggested that the interface area between NO2 gas and specimen influenced to the NO2 sorption ability. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the NO2 sorption volume in discoid specimen and the grain size below 0.25–0.50 mm of wood powder reached the greatest.

In recent years, highly antimicrobial properties of cedar heartwood essential oil against the wood-rotting fungi and pathogenic fungi have been reported in several papers. Antimicrobial properties against oral bacteria by hinokitiol contained in Thujopsis have been also extensively studied. The relation of naturally derived components and human immune system has been studied in some previous papers. In the present study, we focused on Japanese cedar, which has the widest artificial afforestation site in the country among various tree species. Extract oil was obtained from mixture of sapwood and heartwood of about 40-year cedar grown in Oguni, Kumamoto, Japan. We examined the influence of extract components from Japanese cedar woods on the expression of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) during heating, and on the micronucleus formation induced by the treatment of bleomycin as a DNA damaging agent. Cell lines used in this study were human fetal glial cells (SVGp12) and human glioma cells (MO54). Remarkable suppression of the Hsp70 expression induced by heating at 43°C was detected by the treatment of cedar extract in both SVGp12 and MO54 cells. We also found that cedar extract had an inhibitory tendency to reduce the micronucleus formation induced by bleomycin. From these results, the extract components from Japanese cedar woods would have an inhibitory effect of the stress response as a suppression of the heat-induced Hsp70 expression, and might have a reductive effect on carcinogenicity.

Converting biomass waste to high value-added product, such as biocomposite, tends to attract the interest of researcher and industry. Reducing the utilization of synthetic resin adhesives becomes one of the important points, considering the safe global environment. Binderlessboard is a product whose bonding depends mainly on the chemical composition of the raw materials. The aim of this research was to develop bio-based composites made from bamboo biomass waste materials. This report focused on the physical and mechanical properties of the particleboards. To improve the properties of the boards, the possibility of using citric acid was investigated and discussed. Petung bamboo particles (Dendrocalamus asper Backer) were used in this research. The contents of citric acid were ranged in 0% (binderlessboard), 10%, and 20% based on dried particles. The dimension of the boards was 25 x 25 x 0.7 cm, with the target density was 0.9 g/cm3. The particleboards were hot pressed at 200ºC and 220ºC for 10 and 15 min. The physical and mechanical properties of those particleboards were then evaluated based on Japanese Industrial Standard A 5908 for particleboard. The results showed that the physical and mechanical properties of the boards improved significantly by adding the citric acid. The bamboo particleboards obtained had good properties, with the spesific IB, specific MOR and specific MOE values under the optimum condition of 20 wt % citric acid content and 200ºC hot press were 0.44 MPa, 15.1 MPa and 4.6 GPa, respectively. It stated that bamboo particleboards bonded using citric acid had high performance on mechanical properties and good dimensional stability.

Summary: Robin sequence is a congenital anomaly, first described by Pierre Robin as a triad of micrognathia, upper airway obstruction and glossoptosis. The most significant airway management technique is the use of distraction osteogenesis to advance the mandible. On the other hand, late complications such as permanent dentition loss and malformation of the damaged teeth have been reported. Therefore, long-term follow-up after mandibular distraction is important. In our case report, we describe 17 years of follow-up after mandibular distraction performed in a 4-month-old male infant with Robin sequence. The patient was a male with a cleft palate. The tracheotomy and tongue–lip adhesion was performed 1 month after birth, because the percutaneous oxygen saturation decreased to 70% during feeding and crying. However, postoperative X-ray examination revealed that he could not obtain sufficient airway after the operation. For the purpose of closing the tracheotomy early, we performed bilateral mandibular distraction at the age of 4 months. The bilateral corticotomy was performed on the mandibular body and an internal traction device was placed. The mandible was bilaterally lengthened by 17.5 mm, and expansion of the airway was confirmed by X-ray. A cleft palate operation was performed at the age of 17 months. At the age of 3 years, the tracheostomy orifice closed and speech/language training and orthodontics were begun. Dental panoramic radiographs showed favorable mandibular growth. No additional operation has been performed. Finally, his orthodontic treatment was completed without any complications at age 17.

International audience; The kinetics of several poplar (Populus alba L.) wood properties during thermal modification conducted in conventional oven with air recirculation were analysed and modelled in this paper. A wide range of properties was assessed, such as: equilibrium moisture content, sorption diagram, shrinkage coefficients , specific shrinkage coefficients, mass loss, modulus of elasticity, strength and colour. The tests were executed at different temperatures ranging from 90 °C to 180 °C and with different durations. The time-temperature equivalency was checked and property modifications over time analysed through master curves in order to obtain a general model connecting together properties, treatment temperature and duration. Different activation energies arising from each property evolution with treatment temperature and duration are provided showing that every modification could occur with different kinet-ics.

Background Wood is a valuable material for interiors, and the psychophysiological relaxation effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from wood chips and essential oils have been reported. However, few studies have identified the odors in full-scale wooden environment, and also, differences in gender have not been clarified. In this study, we aimed to confirm the effects of VOCs emitted from interior wood walls in both human male and female participants. Methods We used Japanese cedar timber and analyzed VOCs in the experimental rooms with and without Japanese cedar timber by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The physiological effects were measured using neuroendocrinological and immunological parameters in saliva. A questionnaire was used to evaluate the subjective responses to each odor in the experimental rooms. Results The main compound emitted from Japanese cedar timber was δ-cadinene, and the total volume of VOCs in the wood condition (presence of VOCs emitted from Japanese cedar) was 282.4 (μg/m3). Significant differences between genders in salivary parameters were shown that there were decreases of α-amylase in wood condition and increases of cortisol in the control (absence of VOCs) condition in female participants compared to male participants. The results demonstrated that VOCs in the experimental room with Japanese cedar timber tend to suppress the activation of the sympathetic nervous activity and non-VOCs of Japanese cedar in the control room increase cortisol in female participants. Conclusions These results suggest that an indoor environment with wood interior materials has the potential to be useful for health management, especially women’s health.

Applications of remote sensing by microwaves have become widely adopted in forest management, but microwave backscattering mechanisms in plantations remain poorly understood. This study attempts to understand backscattering characteristics under different forest structural conditions in plantation forests of fast-growing acacia trees in Sumatra, Indonesia. A general four-component scattering power decomposition method was applied to ALOS PALSAR data collected from 2007 to 2010 to see the variations of acacia plantation. The yearly variation in decomposition powers was compared to forest inventory data with visual assessments of stand conditions. The results were highly consistent with the field-measured data. Based on the variation patterns of decomposition powers, we can identify the presence of understory and distinguish between damaged and well-grown stands. The PALSAR data analysis can also reveal partial damages within a forest compartment, even minor damage in younger forests. This in-depth study indicates that changes in forest stand composition and the growth and degradation of plantation forests can be monitored by transitions in the polarimetric parameters.

For the purpose of technology development to control the humidity conditioning performance of slit material made from Japanese cedar, the effects of the groove shape of slit samples, air convection, and heat treatment on moisture adsorption and desorption properties were studied. The results obtained are as follows. The moisture adsorption and desorption rates of slit samples were increased with increase of end grain area of them. However, the moisture adsorption and desorption rates were not increased with increase of depth of concave, although the end grain area was increased. On the other hand, reduced rates of the slit samples with deep concave were increased by air convection. The increase ratios of moisture adsorption and desorption rates were larger in samples with deep concave. Equilibrium moisture content was decreased with increase of heat treatment temperature. Pore volume of micropores smaller than 0.6 nm was decreased with increases of heat treatment temperature. Compromise position of processing condition for slit material should be sought considering production and labor costs, drying conditions, and installation environment in addition to results obtained in this study.

The development of biobased adhesives without harmful chemical agents is very important for the future. In this study, citric acid was used as a wood adhesive. Citric acid (2-hydroxy-1,2,3...

Objectives To investigate the presence of microorganisms related to urethritis in the oral cavity of male patients with urethritis and the efficacies of antimicrobials for urethritis on microorganisms in the oral cavity. Methods Ninety-two male patients with urethritis and 17 male controls participated to this study at 12 urology clinics in Japan between March 2014 and March 2015. The first voided urine (FVU) and oral wash fluid (OWF) specimens were collected from the participants. The microorganisms in both FVU and OWF specimens were detected by nucleic acid amplification tests at the first and follow-up visit. The efficacies of antimicrobials were evaluated after 1–4 weeks treatment completion. Results In a total of 92 male patients with urethritis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, Trichomonas vaginalis and Gardnerella vaginalis were detected from OWF specimens of 12%, 3%, 9%, 0%, 12%, 3%, 3% and 15% patients, respectively. From control males, no microorganism was detected from OWF specimens. Among 46 patients who could be evaluated for antimicrobial efficacies at the follow-up visit, 5 in FVU specimens failed by azithromycin (AZM), and 10 failed in OWF specimens (7 by AZM, 2 by tetracycline, 1 by spectinomycin; p = 0.002). Especially, a high prevalence of G. vaginalis remained positive after treatment for urethritis in the oral cavity. Conclusion Microorganisms related to urethritis were detected in the oral cavity of male patients with urethritis. Antimicrobials that focused on urethritis, especially AZM regimen seem to be less effective for microorganisms in the oral cavity.

A natural adhesive composed of only citric acid and sucrose was recently proposed, and its detailed bonding performance has been researched in some wood-based materials. In this study, the effects of board density and press temperature on the physical properties of particleboard were investigated. As physical properties, the bending properties, internal bond strength and thickness swelling of the boards were evaluated. When the density was changed from 0.4 to 1.0 g/cm3 under a press temperature of 200 °C and a press time of 10 min, the board with a density of 0.8 g/cm3 had the best physical properties. When the board was manufactured at press temperatures ranging from 140 to 240 °C for a press time of 10 min and a target density of 0.8 g/cm3, the board manufactured at 200 °C had the best physical properties. The physical properties of the board with a density of 0.8 g/cm3 manufactured at 200 °C met the type 18 requirements of the Japanese industrial standard for particleboard (JIS A 5908). The results obtained from Fourier transform infrared spectra suggested that the ester linkages resulting from the reaction between citric acid and wood and/or sucrose were the main adhesion mechanism and resulted in particleboard with excellent physical properties.

Wood has been used since ancient times as a building material around the world. One of the characteristics of wood is volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which indicates the relaxant effects on human body. In this study, we attempt to evaluate the psychophysiological responses to VOCs emitted from interior walls containing Japanese cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica ). Japanese cedar is the most commonly planted in forests and the timber has often been used as an interior material in Japan. The evaluation indices of the participants are arithmetic performance, subjective assessments of VOC, salivary stress markers, and temporal changes in heart rate and autonomic nerve activity. We found that the inhalation of air containing VOCs emitted from Japanese cedar interior walls suppresses the increase in salivary α-amylase activity and chromogranin A secretion. And it causes participants to feel that the odor is pleasant. The present study thus indicated that VOCs emitted from Japanese cedar walls affect the autonomic nervous system and emotion. Therefore, we suggested that an interior containing Japanese cedar can help people maintain an optimum living environment.

The development of a natural adhesive composed of materials derived from non-fossil resources is a very important issue. In this study, only citric acid and sucrose were used as adhesive materials for particleboard. A water solution in which citric acid and sucrose were dissolved was used as an adhesive, and the manufacture of particleboard with a target density of 0.8 g/cm[3] was attempted under a press condition of 200℃ for 10 min. The optimum mixture ratio of citric acid and sucrose and the optimum resin content was 25–75 and 30 wt%, respectively. The modulus of rupture (MOR) and the modulus of elasticity in bending were 20.6 MPa and 4.6 GPa, respectively. The internal bond strength (IB) was 1.6 MPa, indicating that the adhesive had excellent bond strength. The thickness swelling (TS) after water immersion for 24 h at 20 °C was 11.9 %. The board did not decompose even under more severe accelerated treatments. This meant that the adhesion had good water resistance. The MOR, IB and TS of the board were comparable to or higher than the requirement of the 18 type of JIS A 5908 (2003). Consequently, there is a possibility that a mixture of citric acid and sucrose can be used as a natural adhesive for particleboard.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is one of the most important pathogens causing sexually transmitted infection, and strains that are resistant to several antimicrobials are increasing. To investigate the trends of antimicrobial susceptibility among N. gonorrhoeae strains isolated from male patients with urethritis, a Japanese surveillance committee conducted the first nationwide surveillance. The urethral discharge was collected from male patients with urethritis at 51 medical facilities from April 2009 to October 2010. Of the 156 specimens, 83 N. gonorrhoeae strains were tested for susceptibility to 18 antimicrobial agents. The prevalence of β-lactamase-producing strains and chromosomally mediated resistant strains were 7.2 % and 16.5 %, respectively. None of the strains was resistant to ceftriaxone, but the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ceftriaxone for 7 strains (8.4 %) was 0.125 μg/ml. One strain was resistant to cefixime (MIC 0.5 μg/ml). The MICs of fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and tosufloxacin, showed a bimodal distribution. The MIC of sitafloxacin was lower than those of the three fluoroquinolones listed here, and it was found that the antimicrobial activity of sitafloxacin was stronger than that of the fluoroquinolones. The MIC of azithromycin in 2 strains was 2 μg/ml, but no high-level resistance to macrolides was detected.

Genital chlamydial infection is a principal sexually transmitted infection worldwide. Chlamydia trachomatis can cause male urethritis, acute epididymitis, cervicitis, and pelvic inflammatory disease as sexually transmitted infections. Fortunately, homotypic resistant C. trachomatis strains have not been isolated to date; however, several studies have reported the isolation of heterotypic resistant strains from patients. In this surveillance study, clinical urethral discharge specimens were collected from patients with urethritis in 51 hospitals and clinics in 2009 and 38 in 2012. Based on serial cultures, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) could be determined for 19 isolates in 2009 and 39 in 2012. In 2009 and 2012, the MICs (MIC90) of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, tosufloxacin, sitafloxacin, doxycycline, minocycline, erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin were 2 μg/ml and 1 μg/ml, 0.5 μg/ml and 0.5 μg/ml, 0.125 μg/ml and 0.125 μg/ml, 0.063 μg/ml and 0.063 μg/ml, 0.125 μg/ml and 0.125 μg/ml, 0.125 μg/ml and 0.125 μg/ml, 0.016 μg/ml and 0.016 μg/ml, and 0.063 μg/ml and 0.063 μg/ml, respectively. In summary, this surveillance project did not identify any resistant strain against fluoroquinolone, tetracycline, or macrolide agents in Japan.

This paper describes the features of binderless particleboard manufactured from sugarcane bagasse, under a high pressing temperature of 200–280 °C. Mechanical properties [i.e., modulus of rupture (MOR) and elasticity (MOE) in dry and wet conditions, internal bonding strength (IB)] and dimensional stability [i.e., thickness swelling (TS)] of the board were evaluated to investigate the effect of high pressing temperature. Recycled chip binderless particleboards were manufactured under the same conditions for comparison, and particleboards bonded with polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (PMDI) resin were manufactured as reference material. The target density was 0.8 g/cm3 for all of the boards. The results showed that the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of both types of binderless boards were improved by increasing the pressing temperature. Bagasse showed better performance than that of recycled chip as a raw material in all evaluations. Bagasse binderless particleboard manufactured at 260 °C had an MOE value of 3.5 GPa, which was equivalent to the PMDI particleboard, and a lower TS value of 3.7 % than that of PMDI particleboard. The MOR retention ratio under the dry and wet conditions was 87.0 %, while the ratio for the PMDI particleboard was only 54.6 %. The obtained results showed the possibility of manufacturing high-durability binderless particleboard, with good dimensional stability and water resistance, which previously were points of weakness for binderless boards. Manufacturing binderless boards under high temperature was effective even when using particles with poor contact area, and it was possible to express acceptable properties to allow the manufacture of particleboards. Further chemical analysis indicated a contribution of a saccharide in the bagasse to the improvement of the board properties.

A decomposition scheme was applied to ALOS/PALSAR data obtained from a fast-growing tree plantation in Sumatra, Indonesia to extract tree stem information and then estimate the forest stand volume. The scattering power decomposition of the polarimetric SAR data was performed both with and without a rotation matrix and compared to the following field-measured forest biometric parameters: tree diameter, tree height and stand volume. The analytical results involving the rotation matrix correlated better than those without the rotation matrix even for natural scattering surfaces within the forests. Our primary finding was that all of the decomposition powers from the rotated matrix correlated significantly to the forest biometric parameters when divided by the total power. The surface scattering ratio of the total power markedly decreased with the forest growth, whereas the canopy and double-bounce scattering ratios increased. The observations of the decomposition powers were consistent with the tree growth characteristics. Consequently, we found a significant logarithmic relationship between the decomposition powers and the forest biometric parameters that can potentially be used to estimate the forest stand volume.

This paper deals with the kinetics of the color changes of cellulose during heat treatment. The color of cellulose heated at 90–180°C was measured by a spectrophotometer and expressed by CIELAB color parameters. The values of L* decreased and those of a*, b* and Δ E* ab increased at all the treatment temperatures. Several kinetic models, namely, the zero-order, first-order, second-order and autocatalytic model, were applied to the changes in the color values. Furthermore, the results of kinetic analysis using the best-fit model were compared to the results obtained from conventional kinetic models. It was suggested that the kinetic analysis using the best-fit model was the better way to accurately predict color changes during heat treatment. The values of apparent activation energy calculated from the changes of L*, a*, b* and Δ E* ab were 125, 124, 118 and 120 kJ/mol, respectively. These values were similar to the reported values calculated from other chemical or mechanical properties.

Development of natural adhesives that do not depend on fossil resources is very important for the future of wood-based materials. We recently found that citric acid can be used as a natural adhesive for wood-based moulding. In this study, we investigated the effects of moulding temperature on the characterization of wood-based moulding bonded with citric acid. Wood powder obtained from Acacia mangium was mixed with 20 percent (by weight) citric acid, and the powder mixture was moulded at a temperature ranging from 140°C to 220°C. The press pressure and heating time were set at 4 MPa and 10 minutes, respectively. The bending properties were affected by the moulding temperature, and the moulding fabricated at 180°C showed excellent values. The average impact strength of the moulding at 180°C was 1.1 kJ/m2. Water resistance increased with moulding temperature, and good resistance against boiling water was achieved. Thermal properties were also clearly increased with moulding temperature. However, fe...

The wood-based moldings were fabricated by using only citric acid as an adhesive. The mechanical properties, water resistances, thermal properties and chemical structure were investigated. Wood powder obtained from Acacia mangium was mixed with citric acid under certain weight ratios (0-40 wt%), and each powder mixture was molded using two types of metal molds at 200 °C and 4MPa for 10 min. The modulus of rupture (MOR) and the modulus of elasticity (MOE) values of the wood-based molding containing 20wt% citric acid were 35.8 MPa and 5.4 GPa, respectively. The maximum impact strength was 0.94 kJ/m2 with the same citric acid content. The water resistance increased with increasing citric acid content, and the good resistance to boiling water was also recognized. However, some elution of substances derived from citric acid was observed at high levels of citric acid, causing a decrease in the thermal properties. The ester linkages were detected by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), indicating that the citric acid reacted with the wood. Our results demonstrated that citric acid brings about good adhesiveness for fabricating the wood-based molding.

This study examined the effects of moisture content (MC) on the manufacture of cement-bonded particleboard (CBP) using supercritical CO2 in the curing process. Significant correlations were found between MC and the performance of CBP: the internal bond strength, modulus of rupture, and modulus of elasticity values of CBP achieved their maximums, when the MC of boards was approximately 30%. This finding indicated that during the curing phase of manufacturing CBP, a MC of about 30%, which is nearly equal to the water–cement (w/c) ratio of about 0.34, contributes to improved mechanical properties. However, the mechanical properties decreased when the MC was below 30%, which had a negative effect on board performance, indicating that carbon dioxide could not fully react and no carbonation occurred during the curing process. Maintaining a MC of approximately 30% as an ordinary condition of the cement required in the curing of CBP could promote the reaction of carbon dioxide to form calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which leads to increased final strength of CBP. Both X-ray diffractometry and thermal gravimetry observation agreed well with these results and clarified that the increase of CaCO3 content caused by carbonation with increased MC of boards contributed to improving the mechanical properties of CBP.

The development of natural adhesives derived from nonfossil resources is very important for the future. Besides, it is desirable to be safe adhesives without using harmful chemical substances. In this study, application of citric acid as a natural adhesive was investigated. Citric acid powder and bark powder obtained from Acacia mangium were used as raw materials. Citric acid powder was mixed with the bark powder, and the resulting powder mixture was poured into a metal mold. The mold was hot-pressed at 180°C and 4 MPa for 10 min, and a bark molding was then obtained. The specific modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity values of the molding containing 20 wt % citric acid were 18.1 MPa and 4.9 GPa, respectively. The molding did not decompose during a repeated boiling treatment. To clarify the effect of tannin on the adhesiveness of molding, bark was separated into tannin and residue. The molding was not obtained while using the tannin due to the marked fluidity, whereas it was obtained while using the residue, the same as while using the bark. It was considered that components other than tannin contributed to the adhesiveness. Based on the results of Fourier transform infrared spectra, the formation of ester linkages between carboxyl groups derived from citric acid and hydroxyl groups in the bark was confirmed. Accordingly, citric acid brought an adhesion by chemical bonding, and it could be used as a safe natural adhesive. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012

This study examined the effects of supercritical CO2 treatment on the curing and degradation of cementbonded particleboard (CBP). Significant correlations were found between the supercritical CO2 treatment and mechanical properties during both curing and degradation processes. Internal bond (IB) strength, modulus of rupture (MOR), and modulus of elasticity (MOE) values of CBP achieved their maximums by supercritical CO2 treatment in 30 min. These conditions indicated that supercritical CO2 treatment accelerates the curing process rapidly and enhances the mechanical properties of the CBP. However, these values decreased in treatment from 60 min to 10 days and had a negative effect on board performance, indicating that supercritical CO2 treatment over a longer time span leads to degradation of the CBP. Furthermore, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), thermal gravimetry (TG-DTG), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation clarified that the mechanisms of degradation are directly affected by the mineralogical composition of the system, in par ticular, by the calcium carbonate content as caused by carbonation.

The use of low-grade logs to build spirally wound laminated veneer lumber (LVL) has been studied and improved from the point of view of the gluing process, fiber orientation angle, and end joint of the LVL. The butt joint appears to be the fracture point when the column is submitted to a compressive or bending load. Owing to the complexity of cylindrical LVL, we used a finite element method to simulate the mechanical behavior of part of its wall. This part was small enough to be considered flat but was representative of the structure, especially in the area of the butt joint. This allowed us to test the validity of different settings of the parameters involved in the manufacturing process. To feed data for this model, we used the results established for the linear and nonlinear behavior of raw hinoki in Part I of this series of articles. We then used this numerical model to improve the quality of the butt joint by testing different settings of the joint. We show that reducing the butt joint gap under 0.5 mm, which requires only a few changes in the production line, provides an important increase in the modulus of upture and nonnegligible improvement of the modulus of elasticity compared to that for a ≥ 1 mm butt joint gap.

The weak point of cylindrical laminated veneer lumber (LVL) when its structure, used as a column in buildings, is submitted to compressive or flexural loads is the butt joint. To improve the understanding of the behavior of this complex structure, a finite elements analysis was used, which required linear and nonlinear mechanical properties to be input in the model. This article is the first of a series of reports concerning the determination of such properties, in this case hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa), which has been chosen for the purpose of the study. We used various methods to establish the elastic coefficients, viscoelastic parameters in three orthotropic directions, and plastic behavior in a direction parallel to the grain. As there are few references about the mechanical properties of this species, even in the elastic domain, we had to use a statistical model based on density to discuss the results obtained in the elastic domain. Then a finite element method model of a standard four-point bending test was set up to verify that the nonlinear mechanical models used for computation give accurate results that match those of the experiments.

We evaluated performance of Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay (real-time PCR, Abbott Japan) for detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by real-time PCR in 88 female patients with cervicitis symptoms seen at gynecological clinics and 100 male patients with urethritis symptoms seen at urological or dermatology clinics in Kitakyushu, Japan. Endocervical swab and first-voided urine (FVU) specimens were then collected from women and FVU specimens from men. Detection rates of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae by real-time PCR in the 3 types of specimens were compared to those by ProbeTec ET assay (ProbeTec, BD Diagnostic System). The overall positive concordance between real-time PCR and ProbTec were 97.1% (66/68) for C. trachomatis and 100% (33/33) for N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatis detection yielded 3 discordant results in endocervical specimens and 1 discordant result in male FVU by real-time PCR and ProbTec. Three of 4 reexamined using Aptime Combo 2 Assay (Fuji Rebio Inc.) were positive for C. trachomatis. Endocervical swab and FVU specimen results for C. trachomatis were discordant in 3 cases in real-time PCR and 4 in ProbeTec. Subjects with 2 or more positive endocervical awab results in female or male FVU specimens were assumed to be "true positive" for C. trachomatis. The sensitivities of real-time PCR for detecting C. trachomatis was 94.4% in endocervical swabs, 77.8% in female FVU and 97.4% in the male FVU. The sensitivities for real-time PCR for detectig N. gonorrhoeae was 100% in all 3 specimen types. Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay was useful for detecting C. trachomatis using endocervical swabs or male FVU specimens and for detecting N. gonorrhoeae using endocervical swabs and all FVU specimens.

The effects of a Maillard reaction between glucose and chitosan on the resultant chitosan films and the bonding properties of chitosans with different molecular weights were investigated. In film preparation, chitosan and glucose were dissolved in 1% acetic acid and dried in a Petri dish at 50°C. The bonding properties of the Maillard-reacted chitosan in three-ply plywood were evaluated by a tensile shear test. The weight, color, free amino groups, insoluble fraction, and thermal properties of the film changed significantly as the amount of added glucose increased. However, few differences in these properties due to the use of chitosan of different molecular weights were observed. The effect of glucose addition on the tensile strength of the film differed for chitosans of different molecular weights. Improvement of the strength by 10 wt% glucose addition was observed in low-molecular-weight chitosans. The dry- and wet-bond strengths were significantly enhanced with increasing glucose addition for low-molecular-weight chitosans. In addition, good bond strength was maintained even in 1% acetic acid solution. It was thus clarified that the bonding properties of low-molecular-weight chitosan were improved markedly by the environmentally safe method of glucose addition.

Liver resection is a widely preferred treatment modality for hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). This study aimed to compare the survival impact of anatomical resection with that of limited resection, in patients with single HCCs no larger than 5 cm in diameter.A cohort study was carried out on 209 consecutive patients who underwent hepatic resection for a single HCC no larger than 5 cm in diameter between January 1994 and March 2007 at Osaka City General Hospital.The cumulative 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates in the anatomical resection group (n = 111) were 71 and 40%, respectively, both of which were significantly better than the 48 and 25% seen in the limited resection group (n = 98) (P = 0.0043 and P = 0.0232, respectively). Better effects of the anatomical resection on both overall and disease-free survival were seen in patients having HCC larger than 2 cm in diameter and in patients with moderately or poorly differentiated HCC. But no significant difference in either overall or disease-free survival was seen between the groups in patients with a HCC 2 cm or less in diameter or in the patients with well-differentiated HCC. Using Cox's regression model, anatomical resection was confirmed to be an independent favorable factor for both overall and disease-free survival.Anatomical resection is therefore recommended for histologically advanced single HCCs ranging from 2 to 5 cm in diameter.

The development of high-performance non-wood lignocellulosic board without using synthetic adhesives derived from fossils resources is very important for the future. In this study, the characterization of bagasse particleboard bonded with chitosan was investigated. The 4 wt % chitosan-acetic acid solution was sprayed onto bagasse rind particles at a 2–10 wt % chitosan solid content based on the dry particles. Particleboards with target densities of 0.75 and 0.9 g/cm3 were manufactured using a steam-injection press. The steam pressure and total pressing time were 1 MPa (180°C) and 7 min, respectively. The addition of 2–4 wt % of chitosan was the most effective in the bending properties. The high-density board bonded with a 4 wt % addition of chitosan showed a good result in the internal bond strength test. Furthermore, the board had favorable dimensional stability in dilute acetic acid as well as in a cyclic accelerated aging test. Judging from the analysis of bagasse extract-added chitosan films, it was suggested that chitosan reacted with extract from bagasse during steam-injection pressing. The reaction seemed to contribute to the board's good resistance to dilute acid. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009

To investigate the changes in microstructures of wood with elapsed time in the environment, CO2 adsorption onto dry wood was measured at ice-water temperature (273 K) for samples aged from 0.1 years to over 1000 years. The micropore size distribution was obtained using the Horvath-Kawazoe method. Micropores smaller than 0.6 nm in wood decreased in number with elapsed time in the environment, and a negative correlation was found between cumulative pore volume for pores smaller than 0.6 nm and elapsed time in the environment. Cumulative pore volume in the 1000-year sample was almost half of that in the 0.1- year sample. Micropores smaller than 0.6 nm in wood with a few decades or more of elapsed time increased in number after rewetting and drying. Consequently, microstructures of wood with longer time elapsed in the environment were considered to be more stable, because of longer-term thermal motion and possibly more repeated moisture adsorption and desorption and/or temperature variation in the environment.

This study investigated the effects of mild steam treatment (0.1 MPa for 2 h) of natural bio-based fibers and orientation (0° and 90°) of those fibers in various fiberboards. Ramie bast, pineapple leaf, and sansevieria fiber bundles were used as materials. The composite fiberboards were prepared using phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin. To investigate the effect of mild steam treatment on wettability, contact angles of PF resin to the fiber were measured. The mechanical properties of the boards were examined as well as their dimensional stability. The contact angle data showed that mild steam treatment was effective in improving the wettability of fibers. Unioriented steam-treated boards showed better performance of internal bond (IB), moduli of rupture (MOR) and elasticity (MOE), thickness swelling (TS), and water absorption (WA) than other boards. Unioriented steam-treated sansevieria board with longitudinal fiber direction showed higher average values of MOR (403 MPa), MOE (39.2 GPa), and IB (1.33 MPa) and lower values of TS (5.15%) and WA (8.68%) than other boards. The differences in the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of boards were found mainly due to the differences in the ratios of fiber fraction of the boards to the density of the fiber bundles.

The effect of ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation on the color and chemical structure of water-cured polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate (PMDI) was investigated using a UV long-life fade meter. Control treatment was performed without UV light irradiation using a thermohygrostat for comparison. Two kinds of resin were used in this study: that to which only water had been added, and resin to which a small amount of polyol and water had been added. In addition, lauan (Shorea spp.) wood was used as a reference. The photodegradation of the resins over a period of up to 300 h was observed using a colorimeter and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. When the resins were treated with UV light, the color difference (ΔE*ab) of the resins increased signifi cantly in a short time, and then reached a near-constant value. For lightness, L* decreased rapidly for a few hours and then decreased gradually. The color darkened compared with that of the wood used. When treatment was performed without UV light irradiation, ΔE*ab and ΔL* of the resins showed negligible change. Based on the results of FT-IR analysis, severe degradation such as cleavage of the main chemical bond was hardly observed under UV light irradiation irrespective of the type of resin.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of 1 g ceftriaxone in the treatment of urethritis, cervicitis and pharyngeal infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) including the oral cephem-resistant strain with chimera penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP-2) (cefozopran-resistant N. gonorrhoeae, CZRNG). Methods: From September 2004 to November 2006, 67 patients (27 male and 40 female) who had genital infection and/or pharyngeal infection caused by N. gonorrhoeae were enrolled in this study at five participating centers in Japan. To detect the chimera PBP-2 gene, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using established primers against the altered penA of CZRNG isolates. All patients received a single 1 g dose of ceftriaxone. Efficacy was evaluated only in those who returned for examination and culture for N. gonorrhoeae between 3 and 14 days after the treatment. Results: CZRNG isolates detected by PCR accounted for 41.7% (20/48) of urogenital infections and 60.0% (15/25) of pharyngeal infections in the treatment efficacy evaluable cases. 37 of 39 CZRNG isolates (94.9%) were multi-drug resistant isolates that had simultaneous resistance to penicillin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin. Nineteen patients had N. gonorrhoeae isolates in the urogenital area and pharynx simultaneously. Ceftriaxone treatment eradicated all N. gonorrhoeae isolates from 48 patients with genitourinary infection and 25 patients with pharyngeal infection. Conclusions: We report for the first time that ceftriaxone is effective in patients with gonococcal urethritis, cervicitis, and pharyngeal infection caused by CZRNG that has chimera PBP-2.

A new procedure has been developed to treat wood with aqueous solutions, microemulsions or other fluids using a roller-press. Green lumber is used which eliminates the need for predrying before treatment. Compressing the green wood to 50–60% of its thickness in a roller-press submerged in a phenol formaldehyde solution resulted in weight gains of 40% resin with an antishrink efficiency of 80%. Specimen length, thickness, compression rate and feed speed were studied, and Japanese cedar, spruce and Douglas fir were successfully treated at different initial wood moisture contents.

This study focused on the effects of treatments of alkali, mild steam, and chitosan on the surface morphology, fiber texture, and tensile properties of pineapple, ramie, and sansevieria fiber bundles. The fibers were treated with NaOH (2%), mild steam (0.1 MPa), and chitosan solutions (4% and 8%). The properties of these treated fibers were characterized and compared with the untreated fibers. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to observe the surface morphology of those fibers. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy was used to observe the fiber textures. Tensile properties of the treated and untreated fibers were also recorded. SEM micrographs showed that the surfaces of the NaOH-treated fibers were more damaged than those of the steam-treated fibers. The 4% chitosan solution covered the fiber surface more uniformly than the 8% chitosan solution. The steam-treated fibers had higher values of degree of crystallinity, crystallite orientation factor, and crystallite size than the NaOHtreated fibers. Ramie fiber showed greater mechanical properties than the other fibers. The values of tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and toughness of the steamtreated fibers, which were similar to those of the 4% chitosan-coated fibers, were higher than those for the other treatments.