Synthesis of morph-genetic materials derived from biological structures by rapid, high temperature conversion represents a novel technology of advanced materials processing. The resulting morph-genetic materials exhibit unique macro- and microscopic cellular morphologies. In addition, based on the porous character of some natural plants, there is a further possibility of compounding the resulting morph-genetic materials with molten metal or polymer to produce morph-genetic composites with interpenetrating networks. Thus, the morph-genetic materials will be endowed with new use values, such as good mechanical properties, and friction behaviors, etc.
Woodceramics, a substance based on woody materials carbonized at elevated temperatures after impregnating with phenolic resin, have been developed as a new kind of porous carbonaceous material. To expand the industrial application, we attempted to produce amorphous carbon films were RF magnetron sputtering using woodceramics as its target. As a result, typical amorphous carbon films were successfully produced using woodceramics, and the films were characterized by X-ray diffractometry, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The films produced were composed of carbon turbostratic structure or amorphous whose electron configurations consisted of sp2 and sp3. The ratio of sp3 bonding in the films were about 53% just after the sputtering, but the number increased to about 82% after etching the material using argon ions. Fundamental mechanical properties such as hardness and friction coefficient were also measured and taken into account.
Various food by-products as well as before and after fermentation of fermented feed for dairy cattle in Aomori Prefecture were evaluated. The fermented feeds evaluated were: Aomori-Semi-TMR (AST), Aomori-TMR (AOT), Michinoku-WET (MTW), Aomori-WET (AOW). Food by-products produced in Aomori that are used as ingredients for fermented feeds, i.e. Tofu by-product (TFB), Apple juice pulp (AJP), Soy sauce cake (SSC), Mushroom bed (MRB) and other feed ingredients and food by-products used as ingredient coming from outside Aomori, i.e. Brewers wet grains (BWG), Wheat straw (WHS), Beet pulp (BEP) were also evaluated. In situ studies were conducted on two rumen fistulated Holstein cows using nylon bags containing 5g (as fed basis) of each time point in the ventral rumen of each cow for 3, 6, 9,12 and 24 hours, respectively. Comparison on the in situ rate of disappearance of before and after fermentation of the fermented feeds indicated that DM and NDF were not significantly different while CP was significantly different in AOW (P<0.05). Comparison on the rumen parameters of before and after fermentation of fermented feeds indicated that DM was significantly different from potential degradable fraction, rapid potential degradable fraction and degradation rate constant (P<0.05) while CP was significantly different on degradation rate constant (P<0.05). Before and after fermentation of fermented feeds using food by-products varied in their ruminal DM, CP and NDF degradation.
α-Thujaplicin, a minor component of Aomori Hiba (Thujopsis dolabrata SIEB. et ZUCC. var. hondai MAKINO), showed rather strong antifungal activity against seven kinds of plant-pathogenic fungi, their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) being in the range of 12.0—50.0 μg/ml. α-Thujaplicin and hinokitiol (the major component of Aomori Hiba) also showed clear antibacterial activity against Legionella pneumophila SG 1 and L. pneumophila SG 3, and their MICs are in the range of 6.25—50 μg/ml. This compound showed strong insecticidal activity against Reticulitermes speratus [50%-lethal concentration (LC50): 0.02 g/m2], and it also had clear acaricidal activity against Dermatophagoides farinae (LC50: 0.66 g/m2). At 24 h after treatment, α-thujaplicin at 0.63 μg/ml inhibited the cell growth of murine P388 lymphocytic leukemia by 78%, and its cytotoxic activity at a concentration higher than 0.63 μg/ml was as high as that of vincristine, used as a positive control. On the other hand, the cytotoxic effect of α-thujaplicin at 0.63 μg/ml was weaker than that of vinblastine. In this respect, the strong cytotoxic effect of α-thujaplicin on murine P388 lymphocytic leukemia cell line should be emphasized, considering that it has recently been found to be low in toxicity to mice.
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