Eicosapentaenoic acid release from the red alga Pachymeniopsis lanceolata by enzymatic degradation

Forty-eight species of seaweeds from Japanese waters were screened for the valuable polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The eight species that contained the highest levels of these compounds were analyzed in detail. Of all species tested the red alga Pachymeniopsis lanceolata contained the highest EPA concentration, and it was present as both the free and bound forms. EPA constituted 38.7% of total fatty acids, and polar lipids were the main constituent of the total lipids in P. lanceolata. EPA was obtained from the marine algae P. lanceolata by enzymatic hydrolysis of the total lipids extract using phospholipase A₂(PLA₂). The release of EPA reached a plateau after 10 min of enzymatic treatment. These results suggest that P. lanceolata is a useful natural source of EPA and that PLA₂ treatment is a convenient method for obtaining EPA from the red alga.     

Recent lean NOx catalyst technologies for automobile exhaust control

The current status of our development work on lean NO_x catalysts for application to future gasoline and diesel engines is described. As a result of further improvements in fuel economy, the temperature of exhaust gas will be lower and there will be smaller quantities of hydrocarbons (HCs) in the exhaust of future engines. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the activity of lean NO_x catalysts at lower temperatures and achieve higher selectivity of the NO_x–HC reaction. Utilizing precious metal catalysts is one effective way of improving catalyst activity at lower temperatures, and HC adsorption and reforming are two key technologies for improving the catalyst selectivity for the NO_x–HC reaction.     

Transcutaneous application of carbon dioxide improves contractures after immobilization of rat knee joint

Objective: Joint contractures are a major complication following joint immobilization. However, no fully effective treatment has yet been found. Recently, carbon dioxide (CO₂) therapy was developed and verified this therapeutic application in various disorders. We aimed to verify the efficacy of transcutaneous CO₂ therapy for immobilization-induced joint contracture. Method: Twenty-two Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups: caged control, those untreated after joint immobilization, and those treated after joint immobilization. The rats were treated with CO₂ for 20 min once a daily either during immobilization, (prevention) or during remobilization after immobilization (treatment). Knee extension motion was measured with a goniometer, and the muscular and articular factors responsible for contractures were calculated. We evaluated muscle fibrosis, fibrosis-related genes (collagen Type 1α1 and TGF-β1) in muscles, synovial intima''s length, and fibrosis-related proteins (Type I collagen and TGF-β1) in the joint capsules. Results: CO₂ therapy for prevention and treatment improved the knee extension motion. Muscular and articular factors decreased in rats of the treatment group. The muscular fibrosis of treated rats decreased in the treatment group. Although CO₂ therapy did not repress the increased expression of collagen Type 1α1, the therapy decreased the expression of TGF-β1 in the treatment group. CO₂ therapy for treatment improved the shortening of the synovial membrane after immobilization and decreased the immunolabeling of TGF-β1 in the joint capsules. Conclusions: CO₂ therapy may prevent and treat contractures after joint immobilization, and appears to be more effective as a treatment strategy for the deterioration of contractures during remobilization.     

Effects of Early Physical Therapist-supervised Walking on Clinical Outcomes after Liver Resection: Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Objective: The study aimed to demonstrate the significance of early postoperative physical therapy interventions on clinical outcomes by determining the influence of the distance walked under the supervision of a physical therapist in the early postoperative period after liver cancer. Methods: All consecutive patients who underwent surgery for liver cancer between April 2018 and March 2020 were eligible for enrollment in the study. The total walking distance during physical therapy till the third postoperative day was examined. The clinical outcomes comprised duration of postoperative hospital stay, time to independent walking, and occurrence of postoperative complications. For data analysis, the patients were divided into two groups: those who walked more than the median total distance (the long-distance group) and those who walked less than the median distance (the short-distance group). We used propensity score matching to match the background characteristics between the groups. Results: Of the 65 patients who were eligible, 14 patients were included in the two groups each, after matching. The long-distance walking group had a significantly shorter hospital stay (9.0 days vs. 11.0 days, p=0.008) and a shorter time to independent walking (3.5 days vs. 7.5 days, p=0.019) than the short-distance walking group. There were no significant differences in postoperative complications between the two groups (7.1% vs. 42.8%, p=0.08). Conclusion: In the early postoperative period after liver cancer surgery, increasing the walking distance under the supervision of a physical therapist is important for improving clinical outcomes. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm the findings of this study.     

The determination of vanadium in steel samples by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry after precipitation with 4-caprinoyl-3-methyl-1-phenyl-5-pyrazolone

Vanadium(V) is quantitatively precipitated from aqueous solution with 4-caprinoyl-3-methyl-1-phenyl-5-pyrazolone at pH 1, and collected as a film on a membrane for x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The limit of detection is ca. 2 μg of vanadium. The procedure gave satisfactory results on standard steels containing 0.003–0.091% vanadium.     

Exact scale invariance of composite-field coupling constants

We show that the coupling-constant of a quantum-induced composite field is scale invariant due to its compositeness condition. It is first demonstrated in next-to-leading order in 1/N in typical models, and then we argue that it holds exactly.     

Examination of intermolecular interaction as a result of cogrinding actarit and β-cyclodextrin

In this study, investigations were performed in regard to the possibility of complexation of actarit (ACT) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) for improving the solubility and dissolution rate. Complexes of β-CD and ACT (ACT/β-CD molar ratio = 1/1) were prepared using the cogrinding method. Formation of an ACT/β-CD inclusion complex by cogrinding was confirmed using powder X-ray diffraction measurement. The powder X-ray diffraction of the ground mixture (ACT/β-CD = 1/1) showed a halo pattern. The diffraction pattern of the ground mixture after storage at RH 82 %, 40 °C exhibited new diffraction peaks at 2θ = 11.6º and 17.8º, and differed from those of ACT and β-CD crystals. In vitro studies showed that the solubility and dissolution rate of ACT were significantly improved by complexation with β-CD with respect to the drug alone. In ¹H-NMR measurement, changes in chemical shift (1H) suggested that the drug phenyl moiety was included in the cavities of β-CD mainly by hydrophobic interaction, and that the primary hydroxy side of β-CD was tightly associated with each drug. The results show clear evidence of intermolecular interaction between β-CD and ACT.     

Total synthesis of (±)-dysibetaine CPa

The cyclopropane-containing amino acid, dysibetaine CPa, isolated from Micronesian marine sponge, has been synthesized in 4.53% total yield over 12 steps starting from maleic anhydride to study the biological function in detail, by taking advantage of electron-withdrawing 4-nitrophenyl group.