Delignification of cell walls of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chamaecyparis obtusa</Emphasis> during alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation

To clarify the behavior of whole lignins in wood cell walls during alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation, the delignification process from cell walls in normal and compression woods of Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl. (Cupressaceae) was observed using ultraviolet and transmission electron microscopies. The lignin content conspicuously decreased to around 10% after 35min in normal wood. The lignin content in compression wood finally leveled off at aroumd 10% after 50min. In gel filtration of oxidation products in ethyl acetate, a high molecular weight fraction was prominent in extracts from the early stage of the reaction. As the oxidation progressed, the high molecular weight fraction became less prominent in both normal and compression wood. Changes in the weights of cell wall residues during reaction indicated that approximately half of the components other than lignin were also removed from the cell walls. This shows that the majority of lignin with relatively high molecular weight is removed from the cell walls together with polysaccharides in the early stage of the reaction and that further oxidative degradation occurs in solution in later stages. Only a small amount of the lignin with low molecular weight could be analyzed by gas chromatography.Parts of this report were presented at the 47th (Kochi, April 1997) and 48th (Shizuoka, April 1998) Annual Meetings of the Japan Wood Research Society, and at the Lignin Symposium, Sapporo, October 1997     

New approaches to wood bonding A base-activated lignin adhesive system

Current knowledge of wood surface characteristics and surface modification are briefly reviewed and the postulated effects of chemical activation are summarized. It was found that aqueous sodium hydroxide can effectively activate wood surfaces to give strong dry autohesive bonds, but only low wet strength was obtained. However, excellent dry and wet wood bond strengths, equivalent to phenol-formaldehyde bonded samples, were obtained when methylolated lignin was used in combination with 3N sodium hydroxide activation. Several mechanisms of base activation are suggested, including enhanced wood surface contact and reactivity.     

Reddish coloration of Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis) procyanidins during heat treatment and effect on antioxidant and antiinfluenza viral activities

To investigate the effects of processing Chinese quince fruit on the denaturation of phenolics and their food functions, fruit phenolic extracts were heated together with organic acid for up to 12 h. Chinese quince phenolic (mostly procyanidins) solution subjected to heat treatment changed from almost colorless, pale yellow, to a reddish color. Before heat treatment, the absorption spectra of polymeric procyanidins were observed only around 280 nm; after heat treatment, absorption occurred between 400 and 600 nm, which is related to the reddish color appearance. Thioacidolysis of denatured reddish phenolics showed that (-)-epicatechin subunits decreased during heat treatment and, in contrast, cyanidin increased. In addition, novel substances that could not be degraded by thioacidolysis were formed. Meanwhile, antioxidant activities, assessed by linoleic acid peroxidation, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Folin-Ciocalteu, and FRAP methods, increased during heat treatment. The antiinfluenza viral activity of denatured reddish phenolics was inferior to that of intact fruit phenolics; however, they retained moderate activity. These results indicate that red coloration of fruit products of Chinese quince was mainly due to the spectral (i.e. structural) changes of procyanidins accompanied with formation of cyanidin. Increasing the length of heat treatment increased the antioxidant capacity of phenolics, and the resultant reddish phenolics retained moderate antiinfluenza viral activity.     

Isolation and characterization of a low molecular weight peptide contained in sourdough

To investigate a sourdough-specific peptide, low molecular weight peptides were extracted from sourdough. The peptide fraction was subjected to two kinds of chromatography to separate the peptides. Reverse-phase chromatography of the peptide fraction in the sourdough showed certain specific peptides. The specific peptide fraction was further separated by gel filtration chromatography. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis identified one of the peptides as VPFGVG (six-mer). This sequence was estimated to occur at the 287-292 position of a low molecular weight glutenin subunit. The peptide (designed as SDP1) was produced by proteases derived from wheat flour. SDP1 showed angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, and the 50% inhibitory peptide concentration (IC50) was 336 microM. It is possible that the SDP1 peptide partially confers ACE inhibitory activity in sourdough.     

Prediction of bending stiffness and moment carrying capacity of sugi cross-laminated timber

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels consist of several layers of lumber stacked crosswise and glued together on their faces. Prototype sugi CLT floor panels were manufactured and bending tests were carried out under the different parameters of lumber modulus of elasticity (MOE), number of layers, thickness of lumber and thickness of CLT panels. On the basis of above tests, bending stiffness and moment carrying capacity were predicted by Monte Carlo method. MOE of lumber was measured by using grading machine and tensile strength of lumber was assumed to be 60 % of bending strength based on the obtained bending test. Bending stiffness EI of CLT panels could be estimated by adopting composite theory and equivalent section area. Experimental moment carrying capacity showed 12 % higher value than the calculated moment carrying capacity by average lumber failure method, and also showed 45 % higher value than the calculated moment carrying capacity by minimum lumber failure method due to the reinforcement of the outer layer by the neighboring cross layer.     

Bioavailability of amino acids chelated and glass embedded zinc to rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, fingerlings

A 2 × 4 factorial experiment was conducted to determine the bioavailability of zinc (Zn) from amino acids chelated (Zn–Am) and glass embedded Zn (Zn–Gl) as sources for rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss , fed practical type diets. Two levels of Zn (20 and 40 mg kg⁻¹) were supplemented to the diets using either zinc sulphate (Zn–Sf), zinc methionine (Zn–Mt), Zn–Am or Zn–Gl. Rainbow trout with an average weight of 2 g were fed the experimental diets for 15 weeks. Growth and feed gain ratio (FGR) were not significantly influenced by the dietary Zn content and forms. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity for both levels of Zn–Am was significantly higher than that of Zn–Sf and Zn–Gl at 20 mg supplementation. In another experiment, fish of about 95 g were fed the same experimental diets to determine the absorption of Zn and it was found to be significantly higher from Zn–Am compared with the rest. Retention from Zn–Am at 20 mg was significantly higher than the rest, excluding Zn–Sf. The results suggest that the availability of Zn from Zn–Am might be superior among the sources compared.     

Subcutaneous Soft Tissue Sarcoma with Rhabdoid Features in a Dog

A nine-year-old male beagle dog had a white spherical mass in the subcutis of the left lumbar region. Microscopically, spindle to oval cells diffusely proliferated in the fibrous and myxoid stroma. Many neoplastic cells showed rhabdoid features or vacuolated cytoplasm. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for vimentin and S100 and partly positive for neuron-specific enolase and glial fibrillary acidic protein but were negative for von Willebrand factor, desmin and α-smooth muscle actin. Ultrastructurally, the neoplastic cells had abundant cytoplasmic processes and desmosome-like structures. Cytoplasmic inclusions of rhabdoid-featured cells in HE sections were composed of aggregates of intermediate filaments, and cytoplasmic vacuoles were identified as an invagination of cytoplasm. Although malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor was suggested according to these results, the present case was diagnosed as a soft tissue sarcoma with rhabdoid features due to a lack of identification of the basal lamina under electron microscopy.     

An evaluation of one example of biotope roof in Japan: Plant development and invertebrate colonisation after 8 years

Biotope roofs in Japan are usually intensive green roofs that primarily include native plants and food plants for invertebrates and a pond and stones to create a wide range of habitats. The study aimed to evaluate the survivability of planted species, and colonisation by plants and invertebrates on a biotope roof and to suggest an appropriate planting design and maintenance scheme to optimize biodiversity benefits. An intensive green roof (150 m², substrate depth of 50 cm) was installed in 2002 on the ninth storey of a building at Chiba University, Japan. Twelve species of trees, 18 species of shrubs and 8 species of forbs (mainly native species) were planted and volcanic stones were used as mulch and to create habitats for invertebrates. No maintenance and no irrigation were applied for almost 8 years. A limited number of tree species, such as Myrica rubra and Cinnamomum camphora could grew well without maintenance and irrigation at a substrate depth of 50 cm. Overall, shrubs grew successfully and a high density planting seemed effective in increasing wind resistance. Most forbs disappeared, probably because of drought and competition with these colonising plants. Eleven plant species spontaneously colonised resulting in domination by Solidago altissima and Miscanthus sinensis. These two species were too aggressive, and selective weeding is required for species richness. In an invertebrate study, 46 species in 11 orders were observed and the highest number of invertebrate species was observed in the pond and shady areas.