Stress-induced increase in the amounts of maysin and maysin derivatives in world premium natural compounds from centipedegrass

The red leaves of centipedegrass are known to produce compounds with stronger antibiotic effects than those produced by green leaves. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify if stress methods (e.g., gamma irradiation, UV-B irradiation, and wounding) could effectively convert green leaves to red leaves, and thereby increase the production of maysin and maysin derivatives that have been known for antibiotic properties. Our results showed differential concentration changes for different compounds using these stress methods. The concentrations of luteolin increased from 0.014% to 0.019%, 0.022%, and 0.028% following gamma irradiation, UV-B irradiation, and wounding, respectively. The concentration of isoorientin increased from 0.898% to 1.938% and 2.538%, while the concentration of mixed rhamnosylisoorientin and orientin increased from 0.303% to 0.474% and 0.690%, following UV-B irradiation and wounding, respectively. Gamma irradiation produced concentrations of isoorientin, rhamnosylisoorientin, and orientin similar to those found in red leaves. The concentrations of derhamnosylmaysin increased from 0.004% to 0.009%, 0.015%, and 0.024% by gamma irradiation, UV-B irradiation, and wounding, respectively. The concentration of maysin increased from 0.515% to 0.714%, 0.583%, and 0.777% by gamma irradiation, UV-B irradiation, and wounding, respectively, while the concentration of luteolin-6-C-boivinopyranoside increased from 0.324% to 0.834%, 0.979%, and 1.493% by gamma irradiation, UV-B irradiation, and wounding, respectively. According to these results, wounding and gamma irradiation are promising methods for increasing the concentrations of maysin and maysin derivatives.     

Molecular structure development of metallocene‐catalyzed linear low density polyethylene under ultrasonic irradiation

In this work, the effect of ultrasonic irradiation on molecular structure development of metallocene‐catalyzed linear low density polyethylene (mLLDPE) was studied. GPC results show that ultrasonic irradiation have influence on molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of mLLDPE. Molecular weight of mLLDPE decreases slightly at the initial 30 s of ultrasonic irradiation and then increases obviously; its distribution becomes wider with the increase of ultrasonic irradiation time. The power and frequency of ultrasonic irradiation have the distinct influence on molecular weight and its distribution of mLLDPE. DSC results show that ultrasonic irradiation has distinct influence on multiple step crystallizing behaviors of mLLDPE because of the change of branched chain in mLLDPE molecules. Thermal stability of mLLDPE is improved greatly because of micro‐crosslinking structure in mLLDPE molecule, which is formed in the presence of ultrasonic irradiation. A possible mechanism for molecular structure development of mLLDPE in the presence of ultrasonic irradiation is also proposed in this paper. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2121–2129, 2005     

Parameterization of daily solar global ultraviolet irradiation

Daily values of solar global ultraviolet (UV) B and UVA irradiation as well as erythemal irradiation have been parameterized to be estimated from pyranometer measurements of daily global and diffuse irradiation as well as from atmospheric column ozone. Data recorded at the Meteorological Observatory Potsdam (52 degrees N, 107 m asl) in Germany over the time period 1997-2000 have been used to derive sets of regression coefficients. The validation of the method against independent data sets of measured UV irradiation shows that the parameterization provides a gain of information for UVB, UVA and erythemal irradiation referring to their averages. A comparison between parameterized daily UV irradiation and independent values of UV irradiation measured at a mountain station in southern Germany (Meteorological Observatory Hohenpeissenberg at 48 degrees N, 977 m asl) indicates that the parameterization also holds even under completely different climatic conditions. On a long-term average (1953-2000), parameterized annual UV irradiation values are 15% and 21% higher for UVA and UVB, respectively, at Hohenpeissenberg than they are at Potsdam. Daily global and diffuse irradiation measured at 28 weather stations of the Deutscher Wetterdienst German Radiation Network and grid values of column ozone from the EPTOMS satellite experiment served as inputs to calculate the estimates of the spatial distribution of daily and annual values of UV irradiation across Germany. Using daily values of global and diffuse irradiation recorded at Potsdam since 1937 as well as atmospheric column ozone measured since 1964 at the same site, estimates of daily and annual UV irradiation have been derived for this site over the period from 1937 through 2000, which include the effects of changes in cloudiness, in aerosols and, at least for the period of ozone measurements from 1964 to 2000, in atmospheric ozone. It is shown that the extremely low ozone values observed mainly after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 have substantially enhanced UVB irradiation in the first half of the 1990s. According to the measurements and calculations, the nonlinear long-term changes observed between 1968 and 2000 amount to +4%, ..., +5% for annual global irradiation and UVA irradiation mainly because of changing cloudiness and + 14%, ..., +15% for UVB and erythemal irradiation because of both changing cloudiness and decreasing column ozone. At the mountain site, Hohenpeissenberg, measured global irradiation and parameterized UVA irradiation decreased during the same time period by -3%, ..., -4%, probably because of the enhanced occurrence and increasing optical thickness of clouds, whereas UVB and erythemal irradiation derived by the parameterization have increased by +3%, ..., +4% because of the combined effect of clouds and decreasing ozone. The parameterizations described here should be applicable to other regions with similar atmospheric and geographic conditions, whereas for regions with significantly different climatic conditions, such as high mountainous areas and arctic or tropical regions, the representativeness of the regression coefficients would have to be approved. It is emphasized here that parameterizations, as the one described in this article, cannot replace measurements of solar UV radiation, but they can use existing measurements of solar global and diffuse radiation as well as data on atmospheric ozone to provide estimates of UV irradiation in regions and over time periods for which UV measurements are not available.     

The revival of electron beam irradiation curing of epoxy resin—materials characterization and supportive cure studies

Polymeric composite manufacturing is a large, rapidly growing and energy consuming industry, where there is an obvious and compelling need for innovative curing technologies conforming to energy efficiency and environmental protection trends. This has led to many research efforts to consider, or in some cases re‐consider, irradiation curing of polymer composites. However, there is still a stifling lack of knowledge of the fundamental mechanisms to obtain homogeneity in the irradiation curing of composites. The key issue of the irradiation curing process, i.e. homogeneous curing affected by electron beam dose and initiator concentration for an epoxy resin is the focus of this paper. The temperature profiles, microstructure, curing degree gradient, and thermomechanical properties of electron beam‐ irradiated epoxy resin were profiled and analyzed, and the results indicated that curing degree in the epoxy resin showed a relatively steady region and an accelerated decrease along the depth direction. It is revealed that there existed an optimal range of concentration of the initiator for irradiation curing of an epoxy resin system. The inhomogeneity in the irradiation‐induced crosslinking structure could be abated by adopting the properly applied irradiation energy and the matching between the irradiation dose and the concentration of the initiator. It can be deduced that for most of the composite products with large thickness, layer upon layer irradiation or irradiation from two sides could be more efficient to obtain a homogeneous crosslinking structure. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simultaneous calibration of TLDs using the ICRU slab and photon beams

Adoption of the ICRU slab enables several dosimeters to be calibrated simultaneously. In order to allow use of identical conversion coefficients, these dosimeters should be exposed to the same irradiation conditions to within a given tolerance, account being taken of both incident and backscattered radiations. In the present study evaluation has been made of the variation in irradiation conditions for simultaneous irradiation of multiple numbers of TLDs, examination also being made of suitable gap sizes between TLDs. For simultaneous irradiation of four TLDs, a 5 cm gap is required to ensure approximate identical irradiation conditions. Approximate identical irradiation conditions have not been found possible when making simultaneous irradation of nine TLDs.     

Gamma-Irradiation-Induced Degradation of the Water-Soluble Polysaccharide from Auricularia polytricha and Its Anti-Hypercholesterolemic Activity

The water-soluble polysaccharides (APPs) isolated from the edible mushroom Auricularia polytricha were irradiated by γ-ray at doses of 10, 100, and 1000 kGy. The effect of gamma irradiation on the degradation of the polysaccharide was investigated. After irradiation treatment, the viscosity and molecular weight of APPs decreased with the increase in the irradiation dose. The changes in the enthalpy of APPs after irradiation treatment were observed. Meanwhile, SEM showed that R-APPs were crushed into fragments and the surfaces became smooth and wrinkled after irradiation. In further spectrum analysis, it was found that the glycoside bonds of the polysaccharides were broken and accompanied by the formation of double bonds. This suggested that gamma irradiation could cause the depolymerization and oxidation of polysaccharides. In addition, irradiated APPs could reduce the body weight of hyperlipidemia mice. The levels of serum and liver TC, TG, and serum LDH-c significantly decreased in hyperlipidemia mice after treatment by irradiated APPs. It indicated that gamma irradiation significantly improved the anti-hypolipidemic activity of APPs. The relationship between the physicochemical properties and hypolipidemic activity of polysaccharides was interpreted, which provides a theoretical basis for the further development of APP products. Gamma irradiation is a viable technology for macromolecular modification for degradation.     

Korrekturen bei Neutronenaktivierungsanalytischen Elementbestimmungen bei Wechselndem Bestrahlungszyklus und Verwendung der Mono-standard-methode

The described method is suitable for the determination of about 20 trace-elements by neutron activation analysis and radiochemical group separation with one standard (flux-monitor) instead of the simultaneous irradiation of the elements investigated. The activity of the flux-monitor delivers the correction-factor, under the same irradiation conditions (neutron spectrum), between the irradiation of a complete standard-set and the different irradiations of unknown samples. The FRN (Research Reactor Neuherberg) is not working continuously so that it is necessary to add different irradiation times of some hours to our routine irradiation time of 24 hours. The correction factors for these complicated working conditions in neutron activation analysis are mathematically described and discussed.      

Compact ILU-type electron accelerators as a base for industrial 4-sided irradiation systems for cable and tubes

The ILU-type industrial electron accelerators are developed in BINP sins 1967. Their energy range is 0.7–4.0 MeV at beam power of 20–50 kW. The comparison of the irradiation results after bilateral and four-sided irradiation of cables and tubes is given. It is shown that the required electron energy and beam power in the case of four-sided irradiation are sufficiently lower than in the case of bilateral irradiation, resulting in an increase of productive rate of the process and improvement of treatment quality. The installations for four-sided irradiation of cables and tubes are based on the industrial electron accelerators type ILU.     

Gp91phox‐derived Reactive Oxygen Species/Urocortin 2/Corticotropin‐releasing Hormone Receptor Type 2 Play an Important Role in Long‐term Ultraviolet A Eye Irradiation‐induced Photoaging

Photoaging is induced by long‐term ultraviolet A (UVA) eye irradiation. However, the mechanism of skin damage due to UVA eye irradiation is still not well understood. In this study, we used C57BL/6j and gp91phox knockout (gp91phox^?/?) mice for the long‐term effects of UVA irradiation. The eye or dorsal skin of the mice was locally exposed to UVA for 12 months. The reactive oxygen species (ROS), gp91phox, corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH), urocortin 2, and CRH receptor (CRHR) type 1 and type 2 levels in the brain and mast cell tryptase and histamine levels in the dorsal skin all increased after UVA irradiation. The levels of CRH, urocortin 2, CRHR type 1 and type 2 in the brain also increased more after UVA eye irradiation than after UVA skin irradiation. Moreover, photoaging of the UVA eye irradiation mice was not induced following the administration of a ROS inhibitor in the brain. In addition, in gp91phox^?/? mice, photoaging by UVA eye irradiation was not induced. These results indicate that long‐term UVA eye irradiation led to increased gp91phox‐derived ROS in the brain and the increased expression of urocortin 2 and CRHR type 2, resulting in photoaging; however, further studies are needed to confirm these findings.     

Oscillatory Reaction of a Pendant Drop in a Liquid–Air System under Microwave Irradiation

A Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction in a pendant drop under microwave radiation was observed under nonstirring conditions. The period decreased as the irradiation power and time were increased because the droplet temperature increased. Moreover, the color change of the solution during the oscillatory reaction depended on the irradiation power and time although the droplet temperature returned to room temperature quickly. Irradiation at higher powers or longer times suspended the oscillatory reaction. However, for moderate irradiation powers or times, the oscillatory reaction stopped after irradiation because the concentration distribution of the reagents became homogeneous. After a time, the oscillatory reaction restarted because a concentration gradient developed again. Accordingly, the effect of the microwave irradiation history continued because the oscillatory reaction stopped even after the irradiation was stopped. This is because the rotation of the polar molecule caused by the irradiation produced a flat concentration distribution for the reagents through increased molecular diffusion.     

Thermal and mechanical properties of UV irradiated collagen/chitosan thin films

The thermal and mechanical properties of collagen/chitosan blends before and after UV irradiation have been investigated using thermal analysis and mechanical (Instron) techniques. Comparisons were made with the thermal and mechanical properties of both collagen and chitosan films. Air-dried collagen, chitosan and collagen/chitosan films were exposed to UV irradiation (wavelength 254 nm) for different time intervals. Thermal properties of collagen/chitosan blends depend on the composition of the blend and are not significantly altered by UV irradiation.Mechanical properties such as ultimate tensile strength and ultimate percentage of elongation were much better for collagen films than for collagen/chitosan films. The results have shown that the mechanical properties of the blends were greatly affected by the duration of UV irradiation. Ultimate tensile strength and ultimate percentage elongation decreased after UV irradiation of the blend. Increasing UV irradiation leads to an increase in Young's modulus of the collagen/chitosan blend.     

Regulation of neurite outgrowth by intermittent irradiation of visible light

The effect of neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells on collagen-coated glass plates under intermittent light irradiation at 525 nm and 0.4 mW/cm2 of intensity was investigated. Neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells was significantly suppressed when PC12 cells were cultivated under intermittent light irradiation with a total irradiation time of more than 2 min/h. No temperature increase was observed in the culture medium under either continuous or intermittent light irradiation. Therefore, suppression of neurite outgrowth under light irradiation was not due to the increase of temperature in the culture medium, but rather the effect of light on the PC12 cells, especially the signal transmittance of light to PC12 cells. The light irradiation interval also affected the neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells when the total irradiation time was constant. A high extension ratio of neurite outgrowth was observed under a long time interval of nonirradiation between light irradiations (1 min of irradiation every hour) as compared with frequent light irradiation intervals (5 s of irradiation every 5 min) with the same total irradiation period per hour. The neurite outgrowth ratio was thought to be dependent on the light intensity, the total time of light irradiation in the intermittent light irradiation, and the interval of light irradiation in the intermittent light irradiation.     

KMgF3 及KMgF3∶Eu2+晶体的射线辐照效应

KMgF3∶Eu晶体中Eu3+→Eu2+的转换率在低浓度掺杂时接近100%, 完全转换的饱和掺杂摩尔分数为0.29%. 实验条件下, KMgF3晶体的X射线1 h辐照损伤可在约100 h后恢复; KMgF3∶Eu2+晶体经X射线辐照后, 360 nm锐峰发射强度略有降低. 不同剂量的γ射线辐照, KMgF3晶体热释光曲线的各个温度峰强度变化明显不同, 即使小剂量辐照, 造成的损伤也较难恢复, 如γ射线辐照剂量为103 Gy时, 辐照损伤的恢复时间约需30 d. KMgF3∶Eu2+晶体360 nm锐峰发射强度随γ射线辐照剂量增大而呈线性降低.     

Effect of Electron Beam Irradiation on the Properties of High Styrene Rubber/Styrene Butadiene Rubber Blends

High styrene rubber (HSR)/styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) blends at different ratios were exposed to various doses of electron beam irradiation. The effect of irradiation dose and blend ratios on the mechanical properties and shape memory characteristics in terms of strain fixation) rate (R_f) and strain recovery rate (R_r) was investigated. The results revealed that rich styrene blends displayed higher tensile strength and hardness than low styrene content blends at all irradiation doses. However, elongation at break, and toughness were lower for rich styrene content. Also, it was observed that for most specimens, the tensile strength, elongation at break and hardness increases up to100 kGy. Increasing irradiation doses resulted in slight deterioration in some mechanical properties only for low styrene content at150 kGy. According to the normalized tensile stress at 25% elongation, it was found that the contribution of irradiation in enhancing the mechanical properties is higher for rich butadiene blends. On the other hand, it was observed that rich styrene content blends possess higher R_f and R_r at all the irradiation doses and stretching temperatures. However, the increase of irradiation dose decreases R_f values; the extent of this decrease depends on the blend ratios. Conversely, for all blends, R_r were increased by increasing irradiation dose and styrene content ratios.     

Application of gamma irradiation for inhibition of food allergy

This study was carried out to evaluate the application of food irradiation technology as a method for reducing food allergy. Milk β-lactoglobulin, chicken egg albumin, and shrimp tropomyosin were used as model food allergens for experiments on allergenic and molecular properties by gamma irradiation. The amount of intact allergens in an irradiated solution was reduced by gamma irradiation depending upon the dose. These results showed that epitopes on the allergens were structurally altered by radiation treatment and that the irradiation technology can be applied to reduce allergenicity of allergic foods.     

Theoretical analysis of the Rose-Fowler-Vaisberg model

Results of numerical calculations based on the Rose-Fowler-Vaisberg model of radiation-induced conductivity in a case polymer upon long (10⁴ s) irradiation at doses of 5 × 10⁵–10⁷ Gy are reported. Two irradiation modes were considered: (1) preliminary irradiation and irradiation repeated at variable times after the end of the first irradiation and (2) probing the virgin and irradiated polymer with a standard pulse of ionizing radiation. It was shown that the properties of radiation-induced conductivity, such as its overshoot kinetics, a considerable difference between current transients for the initial and the repeated irradiation, extremely long annealing times of dose effects, and the absence of a steady state, are naturally explained in terms of this model (with allowance for the generation of radiation-induced traps as regards the last property). The Rose-Fowler-Vaisberg theory should be considered at present a well-approved semiempirical model of radiation-induced conductivity in polymers.     

Use of maximum temperature for correction of alanine dosimetry in electron beams

Alanine dosimetry is well characterized for irradiation temperature response. In use, alanine absorbed dose response is corrected for the irradiation temperature. The temperature used to correct alanine dosimetry absorbed dose response in electron beams has historically been the mean temperature occurring during irradiation (Sharpe and Miller, 2009). At lower absorbed doses, the change in temperature is relatively low; thus the absorbed dose response correction due to temperature is small. However, industrial electron beam processing often requires higher absorbed dose measurements where the change in temperature can be very large and the corresponding dose response correction for alanine becomes significant. This paper compares the impact of the temperature correction based on the use of a mean irradiation temperature (Sharpe and Miller, 2009) versus the use of a maximum irradiation temperature on the absorbed dose measurement. The results of this comparison indicate that the use of a mean temperature correction for higher absorbed doses measured with temperature corrected alanine dosimetry introduces a bias in the absorbed dose estimate.     

含环三磷腈衍生物的辐照交联聚乙烯基复合材料的制备及阻燃性能

将具有阻燃剂和辐照敏化剂双重功能的含烯丙基环三磷腈（CP-Allyl）,通过熔融共混的方式引入到由低密度聚乙烯和乙烯-醋酸乙烯共聚物组成的基体中,制备了一系列基于有机-无机阻燃复配剂的新型无卤阻燃聚乙烯基复合绝缘材料。进一步通过100～190 kGy剂量下的电子束辐照,实现了复合材料的辐照交联,并建立了辐照剂量与交联度以及材料性能的关系。研究结果表明,含有功能性环三磷腈衍生物的辐照交联复合材料具有优良的力学强度、阻燃性和电绝缘性能。力学强度在14.5 MPa以上,极限氧指数为28.2%～32.4%,电阻达到2.47×1012Ω以上,因而有希望在电线电缆领域获得应用。     

Polymer evolution of a sulfonated polysulfone membrane as a function of ion beam irradiation fluence

Ion beam irradiation was used to modify the surface of a sulfonated polysulfone water treatment membrane. A beam of 25 keV H⁺ ions with three irradiation fluences (1 × 10¹³ ions/cm², 5 × 10¹³ ions/cm², and 1 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm²) was used for membrane irradiation. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analyses were performed on the virgin and irradiated membranes in order to determine the changes to chemical structure incurred by ion beam irradiation. The results show that some of the sulphonic and CH bonds were broken and new CS bonds were formed after irradiation. Atomic force microscope (AFM) analyses show that membrane roughness decreased after irradiation. A significant increase in flux after ion beam irradiation was also observed, while the amount of cake accumulation on the membrane was decreased after ion beam irradiation. Hydrophobicity, pore size distribution and selectivity of the membrane were not affected by ion beam irradiation.     

Li+3 ion beam irradiation induced changes in the thermodynamic and electrical parameters of 4-n-(nonyloxy) benzoic acid

Li⁺³ ion beam irradiation studies on 4-n-(nonyloxy) benzoic acid (NOBA) have been carried out. Thermodynamic measurements demonstrate that all the phase transition temperatures are depressed for low value of irradiation fluence as compared to those for the pure NOBA and thereafter increase linearly with increase in irradiation fluence. It has also been observed that the temperature range of N and SmC phases in the heating and cooling cycles is improved due to irradiation. Dielectric investigations show that both the transverse as well as the longitudinal components of the dielectric permittivity are increased as compared with those of the pure sample due to irradiation. The observed change in the thermodynamic and dielectric parameters is attributed to the increased concentration of NOBA monomers over the NOBA dimers due to fragmentation of the hydrogen bonding in some of the NOBA dimers.