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Among decentralized small-scale biomass energy sources with the potential to revitalize local communities, combined heat and power (CHP) from gasification is promising in terms of its high power generation efficiency. Still, it has yet to achieve operational stability, in part due to the variation in the moisture content of the woodchips used as fuel. In this study, a technical and economic evaluation was performed to establish a center for the efficient production of high-quality dry woodchips within a sawmill and to determine the technical characteristics and economic viability of a system using gasification CHP, wood waste-fired boilers or an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) as heat sources. The results showed that the net present values (NPVs) of gasified CHP, wood waste-fired boilers and ORC were −186 million, −402 million, and −103 million JPY, respectively. None of them were deemed profitable. Therefore, a sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the impact of low-quality wood prices, dry woodchips, heavy oil A, and the grid electricity charge on the NPV. The improvement of the low-quality wood price and dry woodchips sales price was effective for heat supply by gasification CHP and ORC turbines, and their combination was effective for woodchip-fired boilers.

Rubber seed oil (RSO) is a well-known non-edible oil currently not commercially used because no major application has been identified. Recently, studies of biodiesel produced from RSO have been reported. However, RSO biodiesel production potential and fossil diesel substitution potential have not been clarified. We report here estimates of the biodiesel production potential from rubber seed in natural-rubber-producing countries, with a combination of statistical data and original experimental data. The result shows that Indonesia has a RSO production potential of 889 098 tons/year as the highest country. In Nigeria, 15.1% of current fossil diesel consumption can potentially be replaced by biodiesel produced from an annual output of RSO locally. The usage of RSO for producing biodiesel is one option of reducing the biodiesel production dependency upon edible oil in these countries. The development of biodiesel production using RSO could play an important role in the natural-rubber-producing countries, such...

Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels were first characterized on neurons, where they are classically implicated in sensory functions; however, research in recent decades has shown that many of these channels are also expressed on nonneuronal cell types. Emerging findings have highlighted the role of TRP channels in the skin, where they have been shown to be important in numerous cutaneous functions. Of particular interest is TRPV3, which was first described on keratinocytes. Its functional importance was supported when its gain-of-function mutation was linked to Olmsted syndrome, which is characterized by palmoplantar keratoderma, periorifacial hyperkeratosis, diffuse hypotrichosis and alopecia, and itch. Despite these exciting results, we have no information about the role and functionality of TRPV3 on keratinocytes at the cellular level. In this study, we identified TRPV3 expression both on human skin and cultured epidermal keratinocytes. TRPV3 stimulation was found to function as a Ca

This paper reports a novel approach for biodiesel production from canola oil in supercritical tert-butyl methyl ether (MTBE) without the addition of a catalyst. Using this technique, canola oil was reacted with MTBE to generate fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and glycerol tert-butyl ether. No glycerol was obtained as a by-product in this reaction. The effects of temperature, pressure, and reaction time on product yield were investigated in supercritical MTBE. A FAME yield of 0.94 was obtained in a short reaction time of 12 min at 400 °C, with a molar ratio of MTBE-to-oil of 40:1, and under a pressure of 10 MPa. The kinetics of the reaction was first order, and the activation energies and pre-exponential factors were calculated from the temperature dependence of the reaction rate constants.

Rice straw has attracted significant interest in Japan as a potential raw material for biorefineries. Combination of hot-compressed water treatment (HCWT) and wet disk milling (WDM) was investigated to improve the enzymatic digestibility of rice straw and enhance sugar recovery yield. Rice straw, cut to3 mm, was autoclaved at 121, 135, and 150 °C for 60 min, and subsequently treated by wet disk milling. WDM with HCWT at 135 °C for 60 min produced maximum xylose and glucose yields of 79% and 90%, respectively, at 10 FPU/g-substrate cellulase loading. Autoclaving at 150 °C leaked a 35% arabinose effluence in the liquid phase. Hydrolysis via WDM with HCWT required a lower enzyme loading (5 FPU/g-substrate) than either pretreatment process in isolation for70% xylose and 80% glucose yield. Economical analysis indicate that enzymes cost for ethanol production is reduced by 19-67% by WDM with HCWT.

Bioethanol produced from carbon neutral and renewable biomass resources is an attractive process for the mitigation of greenhouse gases from vehicle exhaust. This study investigated energy utilization during bioethanol production from lignocellulose while avoiding competition with food production from corn and considering the potential mitigation of greenhouse gases. Process design and simulations were performed for bioethanol production using concentrated sulfuric acid. Mass and heat balances were obtained by process simulations, and the heat recovery ratio was determined by pinch analysis. An energy saving of 38% was achieved. However, energy supply and demand were not effectively utilized in the temperature range from 95 to 100 °C. Therefore, a heat pump was used to improve the temperature range of efficient energy supply and demand. Results showed that the energy required for the process could be supplied by heat released during the process. Additionally, the power required was supplied by surplus power generated during the process. Thus, pinch analysis was used to improve the energy efficiency of the process.

リグノセルロース系バイオマスを原料としたエタノール製造では，糖化前処理技術の経済性向上が求められている。この前処理技術の一つとして，水熱反応や湿式微粉砕を組み合わせるメカノケミカル法が検討されている。しかしながら，この方法は湿式方式のため，プロセス後段の発酵終了時のエタノール濃度が低くなり，蒸留工程での投入エネルギーを多く必要とすることが懸念されている。一方，脱水工程を導入した場合，水熱反応で溶解した糖類の損失が懸念される。そこで，前処理と酵素糖化の間に脱水工程を導入するシステムについて，エタノール製造全体におけるコストとプロセスエネルギーの評価をした。その結果，脱水工程の導入は9～17％のコスト削減効果，ならびに43～57％のプロセスエネルギーを削減する効果のあることが確認できた。

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by dopaminergic (DA) neuronal cell loss in the substantia nigra. Although the entire pathogenesis of PD is still unclear, both environmental and genetic factors contribute to neurodegeneration. Epidemiologic studies show that prevalence of PD is lower in smokers than in nonsmokers. Nicotine, a releaser of dopamine from DA neurons, is one of the candidates of antiparkinson agents in tobacco. To assess the protective effect of nicotine against rotenone-induced DA neuronal cell toxicity, we examined the neuroprotective effects of nicotine in rotenone-induced PD models in vivo and in vitro. We observed that simultaneous subcutaneous administration of nicotine inhibited both motor deficits and DA neuronal cell loss in the substantia nigra of rotenone-treated mice. Next, we analyzed the molecular mechanisms of DA neuroprotective effect of nicotine against rotenone-induced toxicity with primary DA neuronal culture. We found that DA neuroprotective effects of nicotine were inhibited by dihydro-beta-erythroidine (DHbetaE), alpha-bungarotoxin (alphaBuTx), and/or PI3K-Akt/PKB (protein serine/threonine kinase B) inhibitors, demonstrating that rotenone-toxicity on DA neurons are inhibited via activation of alpha4beta2 or alpha7 nAChRs-PI3K-Akt/PKB pathway or pathways. These results suggest that the rotenone mouse model may be useful for assessing candidate antiparkinson agents, and that nAChR (nicotinic acetylcholine receptor) stimulation can protect DA neurons against degeneration.

The economic impacts, CO2 emission, and change in industrial structures using rice husk power plant in Japan were investigated using input-output table of Japan. The direct and second economic impacts by investment to the rice husk power plant sector were 1.5 times higher than that to the power sector. The flow of money shifted to the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector during introduction rice husk power plant. Increasing rate of using rice husk power plant induce the high-value added and the low CO2 emission society with a very little change in industrial structure.

Astrocytes, one of the predominant types of glial cells, function as both supportive and metabolic cells for the brain. Under cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced oxidative conditions, astrocytes accumulate and activate in the ischemic region. DJ-1 has recently been shown to be a sensor of oxidative stress in living cells. However, the function of astrocytic DJ-1 is still unknown. In the present study, to clarify the effect of astrocytic DJ-1 protein under massive oxidative insult, we used a focal ischemic rat model that had been subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and reperfusion. We then investigated changes in the distribution of DJ-1 in astrocytes, DJ-1 release from cultured astrocytes, and the effects of recombinant DJ-1 protein on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced death in normal and DJ-1-knockdown SH-SY5Y cells and on in vitro scavenging of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) by electron spin resonance spectrometry. At 24 h after 2-h MCAO and reperfusion, an infarct lesion was markedly observed using magnetic resonance imaging and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. In addition, reactive astrocytes enhanced DJ-1 expression in the penumbral zone of the ischemic core and that DJ-1 protein was extracellularly released from astrocytes by H2O2 in in vitro primary cultures. Although DJ-1-knockdown SH-SY5Y cells were markedly vulnerable to oxidative stress, treatment with glutathione S-transferase-tagged recombinant human DJ-1 protein (GST-DJ-1) significantly inhibited H2O2-induced cell death. In addition, GST-DJ-1 protein directly scavenged•OH. These results suggest that oxidative stress induces the release of astrocytic DJ-1 protein, which may contribute to astrocyte-mediated neuroprotection.

The effects of the addition of a metal ion in a Ni supported Ga2O3 photocatalyst on the photocatalytic overall splitting of H2O were investigated. The addition of Ca, Cr, Zn, Sr, Ba and Ta ions were effective in improving the photocatalytic activity. Particularly, the addition of the Zn ion improved the photocatalytic activity remarkably. The states of the photocatalyst after the addition of Zn ion are discussed.

We have researched and simulated the BTL (biomass to liquid process) in which woody biomass is converted to transportation liquid fuels. In the present study, methanol (MeOH) was considered as a liquid fuel. The BTL-MeOH was designed and the environmental and economic analysis of the process was performed from the viewpoint of CO2 emission and capital and operating costs. A case study focusing on heat and power resources was conducted. The result revealed that the process required an independent case of heat and power for CO2 reduction; however, the cost of this was high due to the cogeneration with a steam turbine. Therefore, the introduction of a low-cost cogeneration, e.g., with a gas turbine, was required for commercialization.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is caused by neuronal cell death. Although a precursor of dopamine and inhibitors of dopamine degradation have been used for PD therapy, cell death progresses during treatment. DJ-1, a causative gene product of a familial form of PD, PARK7, plays roles in transcriptional regulation and anti-oxidative stress, and loss of its function is thought to result in the onset of PD. Superfluous oxidation of cysteine at amino acid 106 (C106) of DJ-1 renders DJ-1 inactive, and such oxidized DJ-1 has been observed in patients with the sporadic form of PD. In this study, we isolated compounds that bind to the region at C106 by a virtual screening. These compounds prevented oxidative stress-induced death of SH-SY5Y cells, embryonic stem cell-derived dopaminergic cells and primary neuronal cells of the ventral mesencephalon, but not that of DJ-1-knockdown cells of SH-SY5Y and NIH3T3 cells, indicating that the effect of the compounds is specific to DJ-1. These compounds inhibited production of reactive oxygen species and restored activities of mitochondrial complex I and tyrosine hydroxylase that had been compromised by oxidative stress. These compounds prevented dopaminergic cell death in the substantia nigra and restored movement abnormality in 6-hydroxyldopamine-injected PD model rats. One mechanism of action of these compounds is prevention of superfluous oxidation of DJ-1, and the compounds passed through the blood-brain barrier in vitro. Taken together, the results indicate that these compounds should become fundamental drugs for PD therapy.

Poultry manure can be completely gasified in supercritical water. In this paper, the behavior of the seven inorganic elements, N, Ca, K, P, S, Cl and Si in layer poutlry manure during supercritical water gasification has been studied to analyze the potential of the by-products of poultry manure gasification for recycling. The inorganic elements in the starting poultry manure, and in the solid and liquid phases after reaction, were quantitatively analyzed. Furthermore, the experimental data were confirmed with thermodynamic equilibrium calculations using computer software. Following gasification the elements N, K and Cl partitioned almost completely into the liquid phase, Ca, P and Si partitioned almost completely into the solid phase, and S partitioned between both phases.

DJ-1 has recently been shown to be responsible for onset of familial Parkinson’s disease (PD), PARK7. DJ-1 has been shown to play roles in transcriptional regulation and anti-oxidative stress, and loss of its function is thought to trigger onset of PD. In this study, a recombinant DJ-1 protein was administrated into the brain of PD model rats that had been injected to 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in the left substantia nigra. PD phenotypes, including dopaminergic neuron death in the substantia nigra, decrease in dopamine, and dopamine transporter levels in the striatum, and motor abnormality, were dramatically improved by wild-type DJ-1 but not L166P DJ-1, a mutant form of DJ-1 found in PD patients. Furthermore, production of reactive oxygen species and cell death induced by 6-OHDA in SH-SY5Y cells and mesencephalic neurons were inhibited by addition of the recombinant DJ-1. These findings suggest that DJ-1 is a therapeutic target for PD.

Banana leaf wax was quantified and assessed to determine the feasibility of its utilization as agricultural residue. Banana leaf wax was extracted using hexane reflux. Musa liukiuensis yielded 0.58% wax, M. acuminata 1.05%, and M. chiliocarpa 1.41% (dry basis). The melting point of banana leaf wax was determined by differential scanning calorimetry, which indicated higher values than commercial natural waxes. Color evaluation revealed that M. acuminata leaf wax was whiter than commercial natural wax. The banana leaf wax had tolerance against organic solvent systems. Using thin-layer chromatography analysis, we identified the components of the M. chiliocarpa leaf wax as being similar to those of carnauba wax. The M. chiliocarpa leaf wax was analyzed after saponification using gas chromatography. The predominant acid was C22, and the major alcohols were C28 and C30. The results demonstrated that the banana leaf wax is a potential source of natural wax for industrial material and is expected to be used extensively.

Biomass being world’s largest renewable fuel source is now considered as the best alternate for fossil fuels owing to the CO2 saving nature as well as more economical as compared to fossil fuels. Although, some pretreatment process is required in order to utilize the raw biomass for power generation. There are various systems to generate power but combined heat and power (CHP) generation has proved to be the most beneficial method to generate electricity as well as heat by recovering the surplus heat to make an overall efficiency of up to 90 %. Various types of CHP systems have been discussed and compared for their working and efficiency along with their applications in different dwellings depending upon their power capacities. Moreover, biomass CHP systems have been thoroughly overviewed for their economic, energy, and environmental aspects.

Dewatered sewage sludge (approximately 80% water, but with low fluidity) was liquidized by hydrothermal treatment in order to make coal-water paste (CWP) for use in a pressurized-fluidized-bed-combustion (PFBC) power plant. Prediction of the viscosity of the dewatered sewage sludge during batch reactor hydrothermal liquefaction is important in order to avoid inputting excess energy. A single parameter, the severity parameter, has been used to predict viscosity during the hydrothermal process. The relationship between the viscosity of the slurry made from dewatered sewage sludge and the severity value was investigated. Viscosity reduction was associated with an increase in the severity value and was dependent on reaction temperature and time. It was concluded that predicting the viscosity of dewatered sewage sludge during the hydrothermal process by means of the severity parameter is possible. This method is expected to provide a useful guideline for choosing reaction conditions based on prediction of the viscosity of the sludge slurry during the hydrothermal process.

2-(5,5-Dimethyl-2-oxo-2-λ 5 -[1,3,2]dioxaphosphinan-2-yl)-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2 H -pyrroline N -oxide {2-(5,5-dimethyl-2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinan-2-yl)-3,4-dihydro-2-methyl-2 H -pyrrole N -oxide, G-CYPMPO} as the stable crystals having gauche conformation was successfully synthesized as a novel 5-diethoxyphosphoryl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N -oxide (DEPMPO)-type spin trap agent. However, the function of G-CYPMPO in vivo is still unclear. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of G-CYPMPO in an in vivo model of Parkinson's disease (PD). Rats were microinjected with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 32 nmol) in the presence or absence of G-CYPMPO (0.4, 1.2, 4 nmol). We investigated behavioral and histochemical parameters in this rat model of PD. In addition, to examine the effects of G-CYPMPO against oxidative stress, we used electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry. Intranigral injection of 6-OHDA alone induced a massive loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Co-microinjection of G-CYPMPO significantly prevented 6-OHDA-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration and behavioral impairments. Immunoreactivities for glial markers, such as cluster of differentiation antigen-11b (CD11b) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), were notably detected in the SNpc of rats injected with 6-OHDA alone. These immunoreactivities were markedly suppressed by the co-microinjection of G-CYPMPO, similar to the results in vehicle-treated rats. In addition, G-CYPMPO directly trapped hydroxyl radical ( OH) generated from 6-OHDA and Fe 2+ in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that G-CYPMPO attenuates 6-OHDA-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration in a rat model of PD, and is a useful tool for biological research.

Pramipexole, an agonist for dopamine (DA) D2/D3-receptors, has been used to treat both early and advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, we examined the effect of pramipexole on DA neurons in a PD model of C57BL/6 mice, which were treated with rotenone (30 mg/kg, p.o.) daily for 28 days. Pramipexole (1 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected daily 30 min before each oral administration of rotenone. Chronic oral administration of rotenone caused a loss of DA neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), motor deficits and the up-regulation of alpha-synuclein immunoreactivity in some surviving DA neurons. Pramipexole inhibited rotenone-induced DA neuronal death and motor deficits, and reduced immunoreactivity for alpha-synuclein. In addition, pramipexole inhibited the in vitro oligomerization of human wild-type alpha-synuclein by H(2)O(2)plus cytochrome c. To examine the neuroprotective effect of pramipexole against oxidative stress, we used a DJ-1-knockdown SH-SY5Y cell line and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry. Simultaneous treatment with H(2)O(2) and pramipexole resulted in the significant protection of DJ-1-knockdown cells against cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. A high concentration of pramipexole directly scavenged hydroxyl radical (*OH) generated from H(2)O(2) and Fe(2+). Furthermore, pramipexole increased Bcl-2 immunoreactivity in DA neurons in the SNpc. These results suggest that pramipexole may protect DA neurons against exposure to rotenone by chronic oral administration, and this effect is mediated by multiple functions including scavenging of *OH and induction of Bcl-2 protein.

Although a loss-of-function type mutation was identified in familial Parkinson’s disease PARK7, the wild-type of DJ-1 is known to act as an oxidative stress sensor in neuronal cells. Recently, we found a DJ-1 modulator UCP0054278 by in silico virtual screening. In this study, we determined the neuroprotective effects of UCP0054278 against focal ischemia-induced neurodegeneration in rats. Hydrogen peroxide–induced cell death and the production of reactive oxygen species were significantly inhibited by UCP0054278 in normal SH-SY5Y cells, but not in DJ-1–knockdown cells. These results suggest that UCP0054278 interacts with endogenous DJ-1 and then exhibits antioxidant and neuroprotective responses. Keywords:: DJ-1 modulator, anti-oxidative effect, neuroprotection

A new method for suspending a fine, activated carbon catalyst in a biomass feedstock used for a supercritical water gasification (SCWG) continuous reactor is proposed. In a previous study, the organic matter in poultry manure was shown to be completely converted into gases such as H 2 , CO 2 and CH 4 using SCWG. In practice, however, since the feedstock is not only composed of organic matter, but also contains inorganic material, water and catalyst, products such as gas, solid and liquid are produced during SCWG. The aim of this work was to investigate SCWG by-product utilization. This paper describes fundamental studies on the recovery of materials from SCWG products to develop a novel and simple recycling process that utilizes the by-products. A major portion of the activated carbon, monetite and ammonium sulfate can be isolated from the SCWG effluent.

The light-induced hyperpolarization of the photoreceptor results in a decrease in extracellular potassium ion concentration, [K+]∘. A decrease in [K+]∘ in the photoreceptor layer was caused by injecting a small amount of K+ -free Ringer's solution in the isolated frog retina, and the distribution of the field potential as induced by K+ -free Ringer's solution was mapped. The depth profile of the response resembled that of the slow PIII component of the electroretinogram. These results support the notion that the slow PIII is generated by the Muller cells as they hyperpolarize in response to a light-induced decrease in [K+]∘ in the photoreceptor layer.

Recent studies have reported that smokers tend to be less susceptible to Parkinson's disease (PD) and the stimulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is considered to confer a neuroprotective effect. Galantamine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and an allosteric potentiating ligand for nAChRs. However, the effects of galantamine and nicotine on dopaminergic neurons remain unclear. This study evaluated the neuroprotective effects of galantamine and nicotine in a rat 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced hemiparkinsonian model. 6-OHDA with or without galantamine and/or nicotine were injected into unilateral substantia nigra of rats. Although methamphetamine-stimulated rotational behavior and dopaminergic neuronal loss induced by 6-OHDA were not inhibited by galantamine alone, those were moderately inhibited by nicotine alone. In addition, 6-OHDA-induced neuronal loss and rotational behavior were synergistically inhibited by co-injection of galantamine and nicotine. These protective effects were abolished by mecamylamine, an nAChR antagonist. We further found that alpha7 nAChR was expressed on both tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunopositive and TH-immunonegative neurons in the SNpc. A combination of galantamine and nicotine greatly suppressed 6-OHDA-induced reduction of TH-immunopositive/alpha7 nAChR-immunopositive neurons. These results suggest that galantamine synergistically enhances the neuroprotective effect of nicotine against 6-OHDA-induced dopaminergic neuronal loss through an allosteric modulation of alpha7 nAChR activation.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is caused by neuronal cell death. Although a precursor of dopamine and inhibitors of dopamine degradation have been used for PD therapy, cell death progresses during treatment. DJ-1, a causative gene product of a familial form of PD, PARK7, plays roles in transcriptional regulation and anti-oxidative stress, and loss of its function is thought to result in the onset of PD. Superfluous oxidation of cysteine at amino acid 106 (C106) of DJ-1 renders DJ-1 inactive, and such oxidized DJ-1 has been observed in patients with the sporadic form of PD. In this study, we isolated compounds that bind to the region at C106 by a virtual screening. These compounds prevented oxidative stress-induced death of SH-SY5Y cells, embryonic stem cell-derived dopaminergic cells and primary neuronal cells of the ventral mesencephalon, but not that of DJ-1-knockdown cells of SH-SY5Y and NIH3T3 cells, indicating that the effect of the compounds is specific to DJ-1. These compounds inhibited production of reactive oxygen species and restored activities of mitochondrial complex I and tyrosine hydroxylase that had been compromised by oxidative stress. These compounds prevented dopaminergic cell death in the substantia nigra and restored movement abnormality in 6-hydroxyldopamine-injected PD model rats. One mechanism of action of these compounds is prevention of superfluous oxidation of DJ-1, and the compounds passed through the blood-brain barrier in vitro. Taken together, the results indicate that these compounds should become fundamental drugs for PD therapy.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is primarily characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway. Previous studies have demonstrated that chronic systemic exposure of Lewis rats to rotenone produced many features of PD, and cerebral tauopathy was also detected in the case of severe weight loss. The present study was designed to assess the neurotoxicity of rotenone after daily oral administration for 28 days at several doses in C57BL/6 mice. In addition, we examined the protective effects of 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) on nigral dopamine (DA) neurons in rotenone-treated mice. 4-PBA was injected intraperitoneally daily 30 min before each oral administration of rotenone. Chronic oral administration of rotenone at high doses induced specific nigrostriatal DA neurodegeneration, motor deficits and the up-regulation of alpha-synuclein in the surviving DA neurons. In contrast to the Lewis rat model, cerebral tauopathy was not detected in this mouse model. 4-PBA inhibited rotenone-induced neuronal death and decreased the protein level of alpha-synuclein. These results suggest that this rotenone mouse model may be useful for understanding the mechanism of DA neurodegeneration in PD, and that 4-PBA has a neuroprotective effect in the treatment of PD.

Serofendic acid was recently identified as a neuroprotective factor from fetal calf serum. This study was designed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of an intranigral microinjection of serofendic acid based on behavioral, neurochemical and histochemical studies in hemi-parkinsonian rats using 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Rats were injected with 6-OHDA in the presence or absence of serofendic acid, or were treated with serofendic acid on the same lateral side, at 12, 24 or 72 h after 6-OHDA lesion. Intranigral injection of 6-OHDA alone induced a massive loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunopositive neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Either simultaneous or 12 h post-administration of serofendic acid significantly prevented both dopaminergic neurodegeneration and drug-induced rotational asymmetry. Immunoreactivities for oxidative stress markers, such as 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), were markedly detected in the SNpc of rats injected with 6-OHDA alone. These immunoreactivities were markedly suppressed by the co-administration of serofendic acid, similar to the results in vehicle-treated control rats. In addition, serofendic acid inhibited 6-OHDA-induced alpha-synuclein expression and glial activation in the SNpc. These results suggest that serofendic acid protects against 6-OHDA-induced SNpc dopaminergic neurodegeneration in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

Photocatalytic decomposition of H2O over NiO-loaded Ga2O3, one of the oxides with a d10 electron configuration, was confirmed. Without pretreatment, both H2 and O2 have been continuously produced i...

Three banana varieties were used to recover waxes from banana leaves. Wax yields ofMusa liukiuensis, M. acuminata and M. chilicarpa were 0.58%, 1.05% and 1.41% per dry weight,respectively. The melting point of banana waxes were 78 - 82 C, were higher than commercialnatural waxes except carunauba wax. The components of M. chilicarpa were similar to carunaubawax by thin layer chromatography analysis. Fatty acids with carbon numbers ranging from C14 toC30 were detected in M. chilicarpa leaf wax after saponification. C22 fatty acid was most abundant inthese fatty acids.

Photocatalytic decomposition of H2O over NiO-loaded Ga2O3, one of the oxides with a d10 electron configuration, was confirmed. Without pretreatment, both H2 and O2 have been continuously produced i...

To present evidence for a type IV collagen alpha5 chain (alpha5[IV]) abnormality in the anterior lens capsule of a patient with anterior lenticonus associated with Alport syndrome.The anterior lens capsule obtained from a 54-year-old man with anterior lenticonus associated with Alport syndrome was examined ultrastructurally and stained immunohistochemically for the alpha chains of type IV collagen, alpha1(IV) to alpha6(IV). A search was also made for a mutation in the COL4A5 complementary DNA encoding the alpha5(IV) chain by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction of illegitimate transcripts.The anterior lens capsule of the patient was much thinner than that of normal subjects and lacked the alpha3(IV) to alpha6(IV) chains immunohistochemically, while control specimens stained positively for all of the alpha(IV) chains. The patient had a C-to-T transition at nucleotide 5231 causing a nonsense mutation, R1677X, in the COL4A5 complementary DNA.Our findings demonstrated that normal anterior lens capsules express all of the alpha(IV) chains and that a patient with anterior lenticonus associated with Alport syndrome had a mutation in the COL4A5 gene resulting in the lack of immunoreactivity to alpha3(IV) to alpha6(IV) chains in the anterior lens capsule. Clinical Relevance This study showed abnormal composition of alpha(IV) chains in the anterior lens capsule of a patient with anterior lenticonus caused by a nonsense mutation in the COL4A5 gene. Further investigation of the phenotype-genotype relationship will provide a better understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of anterior lenticonus.

Corrosion of Inconel 600 (I-600) in concentrated NaOH (1-20M) solutions was studied under various temperatures (50-140°C) and potentials. The solution treated (1050°C, 15min) and sensitized (650°C 10hrs) specimens were used. The results are as follows:(1) The polarization curves for the both specimens showed no change in electrochemical behavior in various corrosive environmental conditions at 50°C. However, the both specimens showed three peaks at higher temperatures than 50°C. The solution treated specimen showed a slightly low current density in the primary passive region and a slightly high current density in the secondary anodic peak, compared with those of the sensitized specimen.(2) The films formed on the specimen surface during corrosion tests in 20M NaOH solution at 140°C were made of NiO, Cr2O3 and Fe3O4.(3) The tests of crevice corrosion of I-600 and carbon steel (S15C) showed that general corrosion took place on the solution treated specimen, but the intergranular corrosion under the oxide films took place and it propagated to the crevice in the sensitized specimen.

口腔癌に対し, 機能保存を目的とした化学療法および放射線療法の併用による治療後, 残存した腫瘍に対し通常初診時の占拠範囲に周囲の正常組織を含めて切除している。今回, 進展した歯肉癌症例に対しBMP療法および放射線の併用療法を施行し, 著しい効果を認めたが臨床的に腫瘍の残存が疑われたため, 初診時の腫瘍占拠部のみの切除にとどめ良好な結果をえた症例を経験した。摘出物の病理組織所見では, 原発巣部は瘢痕化し腫瘍組織の残存は認められなかったため併用療法が有効であったことになる。しかし高齢者や全身状態の不良な症例・進展例で, 臨床的に一部小範囲に腫瘍の残存が疑われる場合の手術に際しては, 口腔領域では容易に直視直達が可能であることからも, 臨床所見に基ずき切除範囲を狭める縮小手術の可能性を本例は示唆しているものと考えられ今後も十分な経過観察を行って行く予定である。