Manufacture and properties of Miscanthus–wood particle composite boards

Miscanthus sacchariflorus straw was used as a raw material for the manufacture of Miscanthus–wood particle composite board with Douglas-fir particles in ratios of 100/0, 80/20, 60/40, 40/60, 20/80, and 0/100. A commercial phenol–formaldehyde resin was used as a binder at 9 and 11 % for target densities of 0.50 and 0.65 g/cm³, respectively. The effects of the Miscanthus/wood particle ratio on the composite board properties were investigated. In addition, the density profile was also examined to improve the understanding of the composite board manufacturing process. Results indicate that the internal bonding value increased drastically in the board containing up to 50 % wood particles, providing a valuable parameter for subsequent research. The board properties were greatly improved with increasing density and binder addition level.     

Signature of superfluid density in the single-particle excitation spectrum of Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta)

We report that the doping and temperature dependence of photoemission spectra near the Brillouin zone boundary of Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta)exhibit unexpected sensitivity to the superfluid density. In the superconducting state, the photoemission peak intensity as a function of doping scales with the superfluid density and the condensation energy. As a function of temperature, the peak intensity shows an abrupt behavior near the superconducting phase transition temperature where phase coherence sets in, rather than near the temperature where the gap opens. This anomalous manifestation of collective effects in single-particle spectroscopy raises important questions concerning the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity.     

A "silent" polymorphism in the MDR1 gene changes substrate specificity

Synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) do not produce altered coding sequences, and therefore they are not expected to change the function of the protein in which they occur. We report that a synonymous SNP in the Multidrug Resistance 1 (MDR1) gene, part of a haplotype previously linked to altered function of the MDR1 gene product P-glycoprotein (P-gp), nonetheless results in P-gp with altered drug and inhibitor interactions. Similar mRNA and protein levels, but altered conformations, were found for wild-type and polymorphic P-gp. We hypothesize that the presence of a rare codon, marked by the synonymous polymorphism, affects the timing of cotranslational folding and insertion of P-gp into the membrane, thereby altering the structure of substrate and inhibitor interaction sites.     

Photoinduced generation of 2,3-butanedione from riboflavin

The volatile compound formation from riboflavin solution of a phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH 6.5) under light for 15 h was studied by SPME-GC and SPME-GC/MS analysis. Only one major compound in the riboflavin solution was formed and increased as the light exposure time increased. The light-exposed riboflavin solution had a buttery odor. The compound of riboflavin solution under light was analyzed by gas chromatography and olfactometry. The major volatile compound eluted from the gas chromatograph had a buttery odor. The buttery odor compound was positively identified as 2,3-butanedione by a combination of gas chromatographic retention time, mass spectrum, and odor evaluation of authentic 2,3-butanedione. The addition of sodium azide, a singlet oxygen quencher, to riboflavin solution minimized the formation of the buttery odor compound. Singlet oxygen was involved in the formation of the buttery odor. The 2,3-butanedione was produced from the reaction between riboflavin and singlet oxygen. Singlet oxygen was formed from triplet oxygen by riboflavin photosensitization mechanism. This is the first reported oxidation reaction between riboflavin and singlet or triplet in food and biological systems.     

Detection of antifungal activity in Anemarrhena asphodeloides by sensitive BCT method and isolation of its active compound

Antifungal activity was detected from Anemarrhena asphodeloides by the Bio-Cell Tracer (BCT) method. An active fraction was separated by silica gel column chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC. The molecular weight was determined by GC-MS, and the molecular structure was analyzed by IR, (1)H NMR, and (13)C NMR. The isolated compound was found to be identical to nyasol, (Z)-1, 3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4-pentadiene, which formerly appeared in the literature without any remark on the antifungal activity. This compound showed antimicrobial activity against 38 strains of fungi and five strains of bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranged from 12.5 to 200 microg mL(-)(1), except for two strains based on the broth dilution method.     

Effect of gentamicin on CD3+ T-lymphocyte proliferation for treatment of equine recurrent uveitis: An in vitro study

Objective

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of gentamicin on CD3+ T-lymphocyte proliferation and cell viability using an in vitro cell culture model as a means of investigating the mechanism of action of low-dose intravitreal gentamicin injection.

Animals Studied

Three adult horses with no evidence of ophthalmic or systemic disease.

Procedure

Peripheral blood lymphocytes were treated with gentamicin at concentrations 37.5 μg/mL, 112.5 μg/mL, 187 μg/mL, 375 μg/mL, or 750 μg/mL then stimulated to proliferate with concanavalin A (ConA). 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and carboxyfluoroscein succinimidyl ester (CSFE) were used as markers of cell viability and cell proliferation, respectively. Following 5-day culture, live cell counts and CSFE fluorescent intensity data were collected via automated cell count and flow cytometry. The experimental design was duplicated using preservative-free gentamicin and a proprietary brand formulation. Statistical analysis was performed using two-way ANOVA with Tukey's multiple comparison test.

Results

No statistically significant comparisons in CD3+ T-lymphocyte live cell counts and geometric mean fluorescent intensity of CSFE were identified between gentamicin concentrations or formulations.

Conclusions

Gentamicin had no effect on equine peripheral blood CD3+ T-lymphocyte cell viability and proliferation in concentrations ranging from “safe” to “retinotoxic” in relation to intravitreal injection volumes. Low-dose intravitreal gentamicin may not suppress the Th1- and Th17-mediated immune response.     

Comparative enzymatic hydrolysis of phytate in various animal feedstuff with two different phytases

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DS11 phytase (DS11 phytase) and Aspergillus ficuum phytase (AF phytase) activities were investigated by measuring the release of phosphate from phytate in animal feedstuff such as wheat bran, corn meal, soybean meal and rice flour at pH 5 and 7. In all the tested feedstuff, the enzymatic activity of DS11 phytase was more active at pH 7, but that of AF phytase was more active at pH 5. From these results, the phytate in the gastrointestinal tract could be degraded in the small intestine or stomach by DS11 or AF phytase, respectively. In conclusion, the results presented in this paper indicated that different combination ratios of DS11 and AF phytase, depending on the kind of feedstuff, might effectively induce more enzymatic activity both in the stomach and small intestine in terms of the pH of the gastrointestinal tract.     

Evaluation of immunochromatographic assay for serodiagnosis of Brucella canis

Canine brucellosis is a contagious disease with venereal and oral modes of transmission that produces late abortion in females, epididymides and prostates in males. Diagnosis is difficult because of unstable serum antibody titers that vary from individual to individual as well as between different methods used for their detection. The objective of this work was to evaluate the clinical utility of the immunochromatographic assay (ICA) for serodiagnosis of dogs suspected of having brucellosis, and results were compared with those obtained for hemoculture (HC) and the rapid screening agglutination with 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME RSAT). The all experimentally infected dogs were positive in ICA, HC and 2-ME RSAT from 5 weeks, 7 weeks, and 3 weeks after infection, respectively. Also, among dogs selected from 10 different breed kennels occurred brucellosis, 24.8%, 39.5% and 39.1% of dogs tested were detected as positive with HC, 2-ME RSAT and ICA, respectively. The kappa value between 2-ME RSAT and ICA was 0.89. The results of this study showed that sensitivity and specificity of the ICA are comparable with those obtained using conventional serological and bacteriological test for brucellosis. In conclusion, the ICA kit provides a handy and accurate tool for the rapid serodiagnosis of canine brucellosis.     

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—ENDOMETRIAL MINERALIZATION IN A DOG

A 9‐year‐old intact female mixed breed dog was presented for mammary gland tumor surgery, and preoperative radiographs showed a tubular soft tissue opacity mass with multifocal mineralization in the caudoventral abdominal cavity. Subsequent ultrasonography demonstrated uterine dilation with echogenic fluid and endometrial acoustic shadowing consistent with mineralization. Resection of mammary gland tumors and ovariohysterectomy were performed. Pyometra was diagnosed on cytologic examination of uterine fluid. Histopathology of the uterine tissue confirmed a diagnosis of cystic endometrial hyperplasia with uterine mineralization.