Study of 400 MHz microwave conduction loss effect for a hydrolysis reaction by thermostable ß-Glucosidase HT1.

Microwave irradiation at different frequencies gave molecular selective effects, namely higher frequency microwave effects for waters while lower frequency effects for ions. We already reported that 2.45 GHz and 5.80 GHz microwave irradiation gave different results for a hydrolysis reaction by thermostable ß-Glucosidase HT1. Here, we designed and made a reactor, employed 400 MHz microwave irradiation, and studied the effectiveness of 400 MHz microwave for HT1 reaction, then 400 MHz and 2.45 GHz had the ability to accelerate HT1 reaction. In consideration of the general mechanism of enzymatic glycoside hydrolysis, our results would be reasonable if ions are key reaction species because 400 MHz microwave activated ions selectively. In addition, the phenomenon that 400 MHz microwave would not affect water molecules by dielectric heating might contribute the enzyme stability. This report should support that microwave is not only a tool to heat reactions efficiently but also can bring unique effects for reactions.

Electromagnetic Relationship between Microwaves and Flow Reactor Systems.

One of the important points in handling microwaves is that the order of magnitude is decimeter order. Laboratory equipment is not too big for wavelength, so intensity nonuniformity may occur. Another important point is that microwave propagation changes with material parameter changes. To heat material in the planned shape, the consideration with electromagnetism about the equipment and the system will be necessary. Herein, the phenomena which should be considered when a flow reactor is irradiated with a microwave is described.

Epidemic nodular facial myxomatous dermatitis in juvenile Cranwell's horned frogs Ceratophrys cranwelli.

In 2017, approximately 40 out of 100 captive Cranwell's horned frogs Ceratophrys cranwelli from several facilities in Japan exhibited protruding facial lesions. Histopathological examination was performed on 6 specimens with such lesions randomly selected from 2 facilities. Lesions consisted of scattered stellate to spindle-shaped cells without atypia in an abundant myxoid matrix and occasional lymphocytic infiltrates. Maxillary bone was resorbed. No etiological organisms were detected using light microscopy or metagenomic analysis of the lesions. Macroscopic and histological assessments indicate that the lesions are associated with nodular facial myxomatous dermatitis, which has never been reported in amphibians.

Selective, Scalable Synthesis of C60-Fullerene/Indene Monoadducts Using a Microwave Flow Applicator.

The synergy of continuous processing and microwave heating technologies has unlocked scalable (g/h), safe and efficient reaction conditions for synthesis of fullerene/indene-based organic photovoltaic acceptor materials in a nonchlorinated solvent with levels of productivity unparalleled by previous syntheses. The microwave flow reactor sustains high temperature while employing short residence times, reaction conditions which uniquely allow the selective synthesis of fullerene/indene monoadducts. Design of experiments analysis revealed residence time as the most crucial factor for conversion and selectivity control.

Fluorescence fingerprint as an instrumental assessment of the sensory quality of tomato juices.

BACKGROUND: Sensory analysis is an important standard for evaluating food products. However, as trained panelists and time are required for the process, the potential of using fluorescence fingerprint as a rapid instrumental method to approximate sensory characteristics was explored in this study. RESULTS: Thirty-five out of 44 descriptive sensory attributes were found to show a significant difference between samples (analysis of variance test). Principal component analysis revealed that principal component 1 could capture 73.84 and 75.28% variance for aroma category and combined flavor and taste category respectively. Fluorescence fingerprints of tomato juices consisted of two visible peaks at excitation/emission wavelengths of 290/350 and 315/425 nm and a long narrow emission peak at 680 nm. The 680 nm peak was only clearly observed in juices obtained from tomatoes cultivated to be eaten raw. The ability to predict overall sensory profiles was investigated by using principal component 1 as a regression target. Fluorescence fingerprint could predict principal component 1 of both aroma and combined flavor and taste with a coefficient of determination above 0.8. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this study indicate the potential of using fluorescence fingerprint as an instrumental method for assessing sensory characteristics of tomato juices.

Method of determining the optimal dilution ratio for fluorescence fingerprint of food constituents.

Quantitative determination by fluorescence spectroscopy is possible because of the linear relationship between the intensity of emitted fluorescence and the fluorophore concentration. However, concentration quenching may cause the relationship to become nonlinear, and thus, the optimal dilution ratio has to be determined. In the case of fluorescence fingerprint (FF) measurement, fluorescence is measured under multiple wavelength conditions and a method of determining the optimal dilution ratio for multivariate data such as FFs has not been reported. In this study, the FFs of mixed solutions of tryptophan and epicatechin of different concentrations and composition ratios were measured. Principal component analysis was applied, and the resulting loading plots were found to contain useful information about each constituent. The optimal concentration ranges could be determined by identifying the linear region of the PC score plotted against total concentration.

Efficiency of 2.45 and 5.80 GHz microwave irradiation for a hydrolysis reaction by thermostable ß-Glucosidase HT1.

Microwave irradiation at different frequencies gave unique results for the hydrolyses of glycosyl bonds by ß-Glucosidase HT1. With the observed relative complex permittivity data for the reaction buffer, 2.45 GHz microwave radiation affected both waters and ions, while 5.80 GHz only affected waters. We, here, propose that would be one of the unique "microwave nonthermal effects".

Tomato FRUITFULL homologs regulate fruit ripening via ethylene biosynthesis.

Certain MADS-box transcription factors play central roles in regulating fruit ripening. RIPENING INHIBITOR (RIN), a tomato MADS-domain protein, acts as a global regulator of ripening, affecting the climacteric rise of ethylene, pigmentation changes, and fruit softening. Previously, we showed that two MADS-domain proteins, the FRUITFULL homologs FUL1 and FUL2, form complexes with RIN. Here, we characterized the FUL1/FUL2 loss-of-function phenotype in co-suppressed plants. The transgenic plants produced ripening-defective fruits accumulating little or no lycopene. Unlike a previous study on FUL1/FUL2 suppressed tomatoes, our transgenic fruits showed very low levels of ethylene production, and this was associated with suppression of the genes for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase, a rate-limiting enzyme in ethylene synthesis. FUL1/FUL2 suppression also caused the fruit to soften in a manner independent of ripening, possibly due to reduced cuticle thickness in the peel of the suppressed tomatoes.

Optimization of excitation-emission band-pass filter for visualization of viable bacteria distribution on the surface of pork meat.

A novel method of optically reducing the dimensionality of an excitation-emission matrix (EEM) by optimizing the excitation and emission band-pass filters was proposed and applied to the visualization of viable bacteria on pork. Filters were designed theoretically using an EEM data set for evaluating colony-forming units on pork samples assuming signal-to-noise ratios of 100, 316, or 1000. These filters were evaluated using newly measured EEM images. The filters designed for S/N = 100 performed the best and allowed the visualization of viable bacteria distributions. The proposed method is expected to be a breakthrough in the application of EEM imaging.

Delftia acidovorans bacteremia caused by bacterial translocation after organophosphorus poisoning in an immunocompetent adult patient.

A 46-year-old woman was transferred to our emergency unit because of impaired consciousness and respiratory failure with the history of excessive pesticide intake. The patient was hypersalivative and had bilateral pupillary miosis. Laboratory results showed markedly decreased cholinesterase. She was intubated and treated in the intensive care unit with the diagnosis of organophosphorus poisoning. The patient had persisted diarrhea, with a high fever and stomach tenderness on day 10. Whole-body contrast enhanced computed tomography revealed a swollen, enhanced small intestinal wall, and blood culture identified Delftia acidovorans. She was diagnosed as D. acidovorans bacteremia, probably caused by bacterial translocation based on the clinical presentation and the exclusion of other sources, and treated well with a total of 8 days of antibiotic therapy. So far as we know, this is the first case of D. acidovorans bacteremia that was presumably caused by bacterial translocation after organophosphorus poisoning in an immunocompetent adult patient.

Co-infection with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia after corticosteroid therapy.

A 95-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic hepatitis C virus infection was treated for acute lung injury caused by Chlamydophila pneumoniae with antibiotics and high-dose corticosteroids. In total, 7,500 mg methylprednisolone and 680 mg prednisolone were administered over 21 days. However, respiratory failure progressed, and chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed bilateral ground-glass opacity and cavity-forming consolidation in the right upper lobe. Despite intensive therapy, the patient died of multiple organ failure on day 7. CT-guided necropsy was performed, and pathological examination revealed invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and P. jirovecii pneumonia are both life-threatening opportunistic fungal infections. Co-infection of these organisms is rare but possible if the patient is in an extremely immunocompromised state. Short-term but high-dose systemic corticosteroid therapy was considered to be the risk factor in this case. We should pay more attention to immunocompromised hosts who might be suffering from co-infection of opportunistic infections. Moreover, we need to consider preventive measures in such high-risk cases.

[Surgical treatment of traumatic aortic rupture].

This report focuses on 3 cases of traumatic aortic dissection or rupture at the isthmus. We selected 3 different methods of treatment. In the 1st case, we performed an emergency operation with graft replacement of the proximal descending aorta. In the 2nd case, we performed elective graft replacement 5 months after the rupture under careful blood pressure control. Thirdly, we performed emergency stent grafting at the isthmus, the rupture site. All cases were successfully treated, but it remains difficult to select the method of treatment for multisystem disorder. Our current strategy for traumatic rupture at the isthmus is immediate stent grafting. It will also be a very useful procedure for multisystem trauma.

[Aortic valve-sparing operation for chronic dissecting aneurysm of the sinus of valsalva associated with redissection in a young woman who experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest].

A 38-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because she experienced cardiopulmonary arrest at her wedding;her cardiac beats were resumed 20 min after cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed by her relatives and hotel staffs. Enhanced computed tomography revealed acute aortic redissection in chronic dissecting aneurysm in the right sinus of Valsalva, which was believed to have occurred in the 4th month of pregnancy 2 years before. Echocardiography showed moderate aortic regurgitation. We performed aortic valve-sparing operation and ascending aortic replacement with partial remodeling of the right sinus of Valsalva. She returned to work 2 months later without high-order dysfunction.

Nonthermal acceleration of protein hydration by sub-terahertz irradiation.

The collective intermolecular dynamics of protein and water molecules, which overlap in the sub-terahertz (THz) frequency region, are relevant for expressing protein functions but remain largely unknown. This study used dielectric relaxation (DR) measurements to investigate how externally applied sub-THz electromagnetic fields perturb the rapid collective dynamics and influence the considerably slower chemical processes in protein-water systems. We analyzed an aqueous lysozyme solution, whose hydration is not thermally equilibrated. By detecting time-lapse differences in microwave DR, we demonstrated that sub-THz irradiation gradually decreases the dielectric permittivity of the lysozyme solution by reducing the orientational polarization of water molecules. Comprehensive analysis combining THz and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies suggested that the gradual decrease in the dielectric permittivity is not induced by heating but is due to a slow shift toward the hydrophobic hydration structure in lysozyme. Our findings can be used to investigate hydration-mediated protein functions based on sub-THz irradiation.

Coronary computed tomography angiography-based coronary risk stratification in subjects presenting with no or atypical symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) findings of positive vessel remodeling and low-attenuation plaque, referred to as computed tomography-verified high-risk plaque (CT-HRP), have been reported to be associated with the development of subsequent acute coronary syndromes. The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of coronary CTA for coronary risk re-stratification of patients with asymptomatic and atypical chest symptoms. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 1,139 subjects (M/F 602/537; mean age, 61.5±9.3 years) who were either asymptomatic or presented with atypical chest symptoms underwent coronary 64- or 320-slice multidetector computed tomography angiography and Agatston score. Age, sex, coronary risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidemia, and smoking were investigated as predictors for CT-HRP on multivariate analysis using logistic regression analysis. CT-HRP was observed in 72 patients (6.3%). Based on Framingham risk scores (FRS), CT-HRP was observed in 0/94 subjects (0.0%) in the low-risk group, 35/806 (4.3%) in the intermediate-risk group, and 37/239 (15.5%) in the high-risk group. On logistic regression analysis significant predictors for CT-HRP in intermediate- and high-risk subjects were male sex (odds ratio [OR] 2.829; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.460-5.479, P=0.0021), DM (OR 2.418; 95% CI 1.420-4.116, P=0.0011), and current smoking (OR 1.922; 95% CI 1.096-3.371, P=0.0160). CT-HRP prevalence for Agatston scores >500 and >250 was lower in the intermediate- and high-risk groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In asymptomatic subjects and those presenting with atypical chest pain who have a more than an intermediate risk, coronary CTA is contributory to FRS. Male sex, DM and smoking were independent predictors of vulnerable plaque in the more than intermediate-risk group.

Changes in the texture and viscoelastic properties of bread containing rice porridge during storage.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of rice porridge on the texture and viscoelastic properties of bread during storage. Three types of bread, wheat flour bread, 15% rice flour bread, and 15% rice porridge bread, were prepared. After baking and storing the bread for 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h at room temperature, we measured the texture and viscoelastic properties of the bread crumbs by texture profile analysis (TPA) and creep test. The 15% rice porridge bread showed a significantly higher specific volume and maintained softer crumbs than the other two types (p<0.05). It also had a slightly stickier texture than the others. It can be concluded that rice porridge improves the specific volume, texture, and viscoelastic properties of bread crumbs during storage.

Visualization of gluten and starch distributions in dough by fluorescence fingerprint imaging.

A novel method combining imaging techniques and fluorescence fingerprint (FF) data measurement was developed to visualize the distributions of gluten and starch in dough without any preprocessing. Fluorescence images of thin sections of gluten, starch, and dough were acquired under 63 different combinations of excitation and emission wavelengths, resulting in a set of data consisting of the FF data for each pixel. Cosine similarity values between the FF of each pixel in the dough and those of gluten and starch were calculated. Each pixel was colored according to the cosine similarity value to obtain a pseudo-color image showing the distributions of gluten and starch. The dough sample was then fluorescently stained for gluten and starch. The stained image showed patterns similar to the pseudo-color FF image, validating the effectiveness of the FF imaging method. The method proved to be a powerful visualization tool, applicable in fields other than food technology.

Predicting the buckwheat flour ratio for commercial dried buckwheat noodles based on the fluorescence fingerprint.

A rapid method for predicting the buckwheat flour ratio of dried buckwheat noodles was developed by using the fluorescence fingerprint and partial least squares regression. Fitting the calibration model to validation datasets showed R(2)=0.78 and SEP=12.4%. The model was refined for a better fit by deleting several samples containing additional ingredients. The best fit was finally obtained (R(2)=0.84 and SEP=10.4%) by deleting the samples containing vinegar, green tea, seaweed, polysaccharide thickener, and yam. This result demonstrates that a calibration model with high accuracy could be constructed based on samples similar in material composition. The developed methodology requires no complex preprocessing, enables rapid measurement with a small sample amount, and would thus be suitable for practical application to the food industry.

Visualization and quantification of three-dimensional distribution of yeast in bread dough.

A three-dimensional (3-D) bio-imaging technique was developed for visualizing and quantifying the 3-D distribution of yeast in frozen bread dough samples in accordance with the progress of the mixing process of the samples, applying cell-surface engineering to the surfaces of the yeast cells. The fluorescent yeast was recognized as bright spots at the wavelength of 520 nm. Frozen dough samples were sliced at intervals of 1 microm by an micro-slicer image processing system (MSIPS) equipped with a fluorescence microscope for acquiring cross-sectional images of the samples. A set of successive two-dimensional images was reconstructed to analyze the 3-D distribution of the yeast. The average shortest distance between centroids of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) yeasts was 10.7 microm at the pick-up stage, 9.7 microm at the clean-up stage, 9.0 microm at the final stage, and 10.2 microm at the over-mixing stage. The results indicated that the distribution of the yeast cells was the most uniform in the dough of white bread at the final stage, while the heterogeneous distribution at the over-mixing stage was possibly due to the destruction of the gluten network structure within the samples.

Multiple cutaneous pleomorphic leiomyosarcoma in a dog.

A male dog developed multiple cutaneous masses at 15 different sites between the ages of 11.5 and 13-years. The masses were surgically removed and histopathologically examined. In gross appearance, the cut surfaces of the masses were white with partially red areas. Microscopy revealed that the tumors were located at the dermis and were composed of spindle cells and pleomorphic cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, accompanying giant cells. These cells were occasionally arranged in bundles with minimal stromal collagen. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the neoplastic cells were strongly positive for vimentin, partially positive for smooth muscle actin and desmin, and negative for cytokeratin. Based on these pathological findings, the tumor was diagnosed as multiple cutaneous pleomorphic leiomyosarcoma.