Properties of crosslinked waterborne polyurethane adhesives with modified melamine: Effect of curing time, temperature, and HMMM content

A series of crosslinked waterborne polyurethane (WBPU) adhesives were prepared by prepolymer synthesis. Modified melamine, hexamethoxymethyl melamine (HMMM) was used as the crosslinking agent. It was elucidated by FTIR and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy that the crosslinking reaction occurred between the polyurethane carboxyl acid salt groups and the HMMM methoxy groups. The hydrophobicity of the WBPU films increased after HMMM crosslinking. As the HMMM content was increased (increasing mole ratio of HMMM/dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA)), the water uptake (%) of the film decreased, and the water contact angle increased. The thermal stability, tensile strength, and initial modulus increased with increasing HMMM content up to an optimum value (mole ratio of HMMM/DMPA=0.5) at which point the maximum thermal stability, tensile strength, and initial modulus were recorded. The adhesive strength was found to be dependent on HMMM content, curing time, and temperature. The adhesive strength of crosslinked WBPU in the case of optimum HMMM content (8.46 wt%) was only slightly affected after immersing adhesive bonded nylon fabrics in water (for up to 2 days).     

Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors (MMPIs) from Marine Natural Products: the Current Situation and Future Prospects

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of more than twenty five secreted and membrane-bound zinc-endopeptidases which can degrade extracellular matrix (ECM) components. They also play important roles in a variety of biological and pathological processes. Matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors (MMPIs) have been identified as potential therapeutic candidates for metastasis, arthritis, chronic inflammation and wrinkle formation. Up to present, more than 20,000 new compounds have been isolated from marine organisms, where considerable numbers of these naturally occurring derivatives are developed as potential candidates for pharmaceutical application. Eventhough the quantity of marine derived MMPIs is less when compare with the MMPIs derived from terrestrial materials, huge potential for bioactivity of these marine derived MMPIs has lead to large number of researches. Saccharoids, flavonoids and polyphones, fatty acids are the most important groups of MMPIs derived from marine natural products. In this review we focus on the progress of MMPIs from marine natural products.     

The effects of intravenous administration of amino acids and glucose on the milk production of dairy cows consuming diets based on grass silage

Two experiments, using intravenous infusion of nutrients, were carried out with the aim of separating milk production responses due to the provision of amino acids as precursors of milk protein synthesis from those due to the provision of amino acids as glucose precursors. Diets were based on grass silage of restricted fermentation and barley‐based supplements because it has been suggested that these diets might provide insufficient glucose precursors to meet the needs of lactose synthesis. The silages used in the experiments were of similar lactic acid contents [62 and 63 g kg^–1 dry matter (DM)] but of different water‐soluble carbohydrate (WSC) contents (206 and 20 g kg^–1 DM in Experiments 1 and 2 respectively). In Experiment 1, four dairy cows were given the following treatments in a 4 × 4 Latin square arrangement with periods of 10 d: (1) basal diet (Basal), (2) Basal plus jugular infusion of 182 g d^–1 of amino acids simulating casein (TAA), (3) Basal plus 101 g d^–1 of essential amino acids (EAA), being the essential amino acid component of the TAA treatment and (4) Basal plus 101 g d^–1 of essential amino acids plus 50 g d^–1 of glucose (EAA + G), being the glucose equivalent of the non‐essential amino acid component of treatment TAA. All infusions increased (P < 0·05) the concentration of milk protein compared with Basal but only for TAA was the increase in the yield of milk protein statistically significant (P < 0·05), amounting to 68 g d^–1. Both TAA and EAA reduced (P < 0·05) the concentration of milk fat. There was no difference between EAA and EAA + G treatments. In Experiment 2, five dairy cows were given the following treatments in a 5 × 5 Latin square design with periods of 7 d: (1) basal diet (Basal), (2) Basal plus 182 g d^–1 of amino acids simulating casein (TAA), (3) Basal plus 182 g d^–1 of non‐essential amino acids as in casein (NEAA), (4) Basal plus 100 g d^–1 of glucose (G100) and (5) basal plus 230 g d^–1 of glucose (G230). G100 supplied the glucose equivalent of NEAA whereas G230 supplied the caloric equivalent of NEAA. Again, only for TAA was the increase in yield of milk protein statistically significant (P < 0·05), amounting to 83 g d^–1. Neither glucose treatment caused any statistically significant (P > 0·05) effect on the yield of milk protein nor the yield of milk lactose. It is concluded that, in both experiments, the primary nutritional limitation on milk protein output was the supply of amino acids as precursors of milk protein, there being no evidence to support a primary limitation due to glucose supply.     

Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (20/80) blend. I. Miscibility and crystallization behavior

The miscibility and crystallization behavior of the blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and ethylene/vinyl acetate(20/80) copolymer (EVAc80) have been studied using a differential scanning calorimeter and a polarizing microscope equipped with a heating stage. From the melting point depression, the values of interaction energy densityB were calculated to be −1.3004 (cal/cm³) and the Flory-Huggins interaction parameterχ ₁₂ was found to be −0.0818 at 445.6 K. With increasing concentration of EVAc80, the radial growth rate of spherulite was reduced drastically. The FT-IR analysis of samples quenched from the melt to various temperatures showed increasing content ofβ-phase with increasing amount of blended EVA80 along with lower quenching temperature.     

Estimation of residual strain and stress in interply hybrid composite using fiber bragg grating sensor

Residual stress and strain buildup in the hybrid carbon/phenolic (CP) composite was estimated using embedded fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. Two different carbon fabrics made from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and rayon fibers were used. The partially delaminated hybrid composite was fabricated for the real-time and nondestructive estimation of the residual stress and strain during the cure process. The strain measured by FBG sensors embedded in the delaminated region was assumed to represent the thermal deformation of each reinforcing lamina. After the cure process was finished, PAN-based (PC) and rayon-based (RC) carbon laminae were under compression and tension, respectively, in in-plane direction because the strain of RC was 4.4 times lager than that of PC. The residual stresses of PC and RC laminae under the assumption of elasticity were −16.9 and 7.92 MPa, respectively. The experimental results showed good agreements with those by FEM analysis.     

Polyelectrolyte multilayer coated nanofibrous mats: Controlled surface morphology and cell culture

We reported the controlled surface morphologies and the cell culture of polyelectrolyte multilayer coated nylon 6 fibrous mats with different number of layers. Polyelectrolyte multilayer coated nylon 6 fibers were successfully prepared by an alternative deposition of alginic acid sodium salt and chitosan via a Layer-by-Layer (LbL) electrostatic self-assembly. The surface morphology, stiffness, and hydrophilicity of polyelectrolyte multilayer coated nylon 6 fibrous mats could be finely tuned by regulating the number of polyelectrolyte nanocoating. It was observed that the morphology of polyelectrolyte multilayer coated nylon 6 fibers was uniform and smooth, indicating a dense and harder nanocoating of polyelectrolytes onto nylon 6 fibers. Compared to pure nylon 6 fibrous mat (tensile strength ～10.6±1 MPa), the tensile strength of polyelectrolyte coated nylon 6 fibrous mats was largely increased to 35.2±2 MPa for 5 bilayers coated fiber mats. In addition, it was found that at an initial stage after 1 day of cell culturing, the electrospun nylon 6 fibrous mats coated with 5 bilayer of alginic acid and chitosan show the highest cell affinity (good adhesion), while the electrospun nylon 6 fibrous mats coated with 10 bilayer show the lowest cell affinity. After cell seeding for 3 days, it was observed that rate of proliferation is enhanced by increasing the number of bilayer up to 3 bilayers (good proliferation), and then drastically decreased with further increasing the number of bilayer.     

Genetic characterization of popcorn hybrids based on SNP genotyping and development of rapid ARMS based primers

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - In South Korea, popcorn consumption may have boomed in recent years but little has changed little for farmers or breeders. The majority of popcorn sold...     

Identification of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis> locus core sequences determining self-incompatibility and <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis> multigene family from draft genome sequences of radish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Raphanus sativus</Emphasis> L.)

The S core and its flanking sequences were identified from two independent draft genome sequences of radish (Raphanus sativus L.). After gap-filling with PCR, the S core regions and full-length S receptor kinase (SRK) genes from two radish genomes were obtained. Phylogenetic analysis of the SRK genes clearly showed that one S core region belonged to the class I S haplotypes, but the other was included in the class II S haplotypes. Three sequences showing homology with known transposable elements were identified in the core regions, and one intact copia-type long terminal repeat (LTR)-retrotransposon containing a 4125-bp open reading frame (ORF) was identified in the class I S haplotype. A total of 61 genes showing homology with the SRK genes were identified from two draft genome sequences. Among them, the RsKD1 showed the highest homology with the SRK genes. There was 90% nucleotide sequence identity between the RsKD1 and RsSRK1 genes in the kinase domains. The phylogenetic tree of SRK genes and 13 most closely related homologs showed that all homologs were more closely related to the class II SRK genes than to the class I SRKs. Physical mapping of radish SRK-homologous genes and their B. rapa orthologs showed that two radish homologs and their B. rapa orthologs were tightly linked to the SRK genes in radish and B. rapa genomes. Sequence information about multiple SRK-homologs identified in this study would be helpful for designing reliable primer pairs for faithful PCR amplification of the SRK alleles, leading to improvement of the S haplotyping system in radish breeding programs.     

Characterization of an EMS-induced soybean mutant with an increased content of Af saponin and a new component Ab-δ in the seed hypocotyl

Saponins are one of the components present in the soybean seeds that have various functional properties. The chemical structures and concentration of soyasaponins affect the taste of the processed soyfood, thereby limiting its industrial applications. Therefore, it is important to understand saponin biosynthesis to explore natural and artificial variation in the saponin components, which can be modified to suit its application. The objective of the present study was to identify and characterize an EMS-induced soybean mutant with an altered saponin composition from a pool of 892 M4 lines. The mutant PE1905 showed an increased content of saponin Af (336.0%). The content of saponin Ab, DDMP-αg, and DDMP-βg was decreased in the mutant PE1905 by 89.3, 24.8, and 63.1%, respectively compared to the wild-type Pungsannamul. Additionally, four new components were detected in the mutant PE1905 that were absent in the wild type. Of these, the compound 4 (designated as Ab-δ) had the highest concentration, and therefore it was further characterized by HPLC and LC-PDA/MS/MS analysis to know the chemical structure, and molecular weight and formula. Considering these details, along with the alterations in the saponin Af and Ab concentrations, it was presumed that the Ab-δ acts as a precursor for the synthesis of saponin Af and Ab. Thus, we predicted a biosynthetic pathway from the Ab-δ to Ab saponin. The inheritance analysis showed that the concentration of saponin Ab-δ is controlled by a single recessive gene in the mutant PE1905. The results from the present study would be helpful in understanding the mechanisms behind altered seed saponin composition in soybeans.     

Evaluation of Physiological Functionalities and Anti-inflammatory Activity on <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> Cultured Adventitious Root of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Platycodon grandiflorum</Emphasis>

This study was executed to evaluate the phenolic content, DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging rate, nitrite scavenging rate, and anti-inflammatory activity from in vitro cultured adventitious root extract of different Platycodon grandiflorum(PG) variety. Total polyphenol and flavonoid content showed the highest amount in adventitious root extract of tetraploid PG, and followed by green petal, double petal and diploid PG extract. The DPPH radical scavenging activity showed that the increase was proportional to the concentration, especially, the scavenging activity at a concentration of 10 mg mL^-1 was higher than 80%. The ABTS radical scavenging activity was not significantly different among the PG varieties at the concentration of 5 mg mL^-1 or more, and generally showed high scavenging activity. The nitrite scavenging activity was affected by pH, at pH of 1.2, the scavenging effect of all of the extracts tested observed higher than that of the other two pH ranges. The cytotoxicity of PG extract at various concentrations, the survival rate of RAW 264.7 cell was more than 90% at a concentration of 200 μg mL^-1 or less, and it was confirmed that the macrophage cell showed little toxicity. After PG extract pretreatment at 50, 100, and 200 μg mL^-1, LPS-treated experimental group significantly inhibited NO production in a dose-dependent manner. The dose-response trends followed quadratic regressions in all PG varieties. The PG extracts showed a considerable range of influence on cytokine secretion. The effect of adventitious root extracts of PG against inflammatory mediators TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β production showed the most significant anti-inflammatory activity.