Antifungal activity of simply fractionated organosolv lignin against Trametes versicolor.

In an effort to achieve sustainable development goals, a reevaluation of the materials used in wooden buildings must be done, including the preservatives used to treat the materials. Since typical wood preservatives use toxic heavy metals, their handling and use can contaminate the environment. Therefore, substances such as lignin-derived components have been investigated as bio-based preservatives. Organosolv treatment is a promising technique for separating components of lignocellulosic biomass, which enables the utilization of each component. The present report describes components of lignocellulose with antifungal effects that were recovered after organosolv treatment using water and 1-butanol solvent at 473 K for 2 h, followed by simple solvent fractionation. The organosolv lignin was divided into three fractions: n-hexane soluble, ethyl acetate soluble, and ethyl acetate insoluble, yielding 23 wt%, 52 wt% and 13 wt%, respectively. Antifungal activity was determined using an agar plate method. White rot fungi (Trametes versicolor) was dispersed on the agar plate with a cellulose disc containing each lignin-derived fraction obtained from Japanese cedar. Results showed inhibition of fungal growth over the cellulose disc containing the n-hexane soluble fraction. To examine the effect in greater detail, the chemical structure of the n-hexane-soluble fraction on the antifungal activity was investigated. The content of phenolic hydroxyl group in n-hexane-soluble fraction was the highest (4.6 mmol/g), and the results from the chemical modification suggested that the functional group was required for antifungal action. In addition, the n-hexane-soluble fraction imparted some water resistance. The procedures used for cedar as a feedstock were applied to another type of biomass-bagasse-and its fractions showed antifungal activity similar to those of Japanese cedar.

Effect of Central Venous Nutrition Infusion, Intravenous Fat Emulsion, and Therapeutic Agents on the Particle Size of Fat Emulsion for Simultaneous Administration of Three Drugs.

BACKGROUND: In Japan, therapeutic agents are often administered through the side tube of a central venous line or mixed with a total parenteral nutrition (TPN) infusion. This is expected to result in the mixture of three drugs in the infusion line: the infusion product for TPN, the fat emulsion, and the therapeutic agent. Therefore, we investigated whether various therapeutic agents affect the particle size of the fat emulsion. METHODS: In model of administration A, the TPN infusion formulation was administered through the main tube, and the fat emulsion and therapeutic agents were simultaneously administered through the side tube; 21 therapeutic agents were used. In model of administration B, the TPN infusion formulation mixed with therapeutic agents was administered through the main tube, and the fat emulsion was simultaneously administered through the side tube; 20 therapeutic agents were used. The number of fine particles for each particle size range in the mixed solution was measured over time using a light-shielding automatic fine-particle measuring device. RESULTS: In model A, the number of fine particles in the fat emulsion changed rapidly for five therapeutic agents and slowly for two therapeutic agents. In model B, this change occurred drastically for five therapeutic agents and slowly for one therapeutic agent. CONCLUSIONS: Some therapeutic agents may contribute to fat particle aggregation. Therefore, these therapeutic agents should not be concurrently administered with fat emulsions.

Healthy life expectancy of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients aged 75years and older.

OBJECTIVES: Healthy life expectancy, an extension of the concept of life expectancy, is a summary measure of population health that takes into account the mortality and morbidity of a population. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively analyze the self-reliance survival times of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and twelve patients aged 75years or older with primary OSCC were included and examined at Shinshu University Hospital. To investigate healthy life expectancy, OSCC patients older than 75years were divided into 3 groups: 75-79, 80-84, and older than 85years. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the median times of healthy life expectancy. The Log-rank test was used to test significant differences between actual curves. RESULTS: The median self-reliance survival times of patients aged 75-79, 80-84, and older than 85years were 5.7, 1.6, and 1.4years, respectively. Most patients with early stage cancers underwent curative treatments and showed a health expectancy of more than 5years. In patients with advanced cancers, health expectancy was poor (less than one year), except among patients aged 75-79years who underwent standard treatments. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that in patients with advanced cancers, health expectancy was poor (less than 1year), except among patients aged 75-79years who underwent standard treatments. In elderly patients, healthy life expectancy (self-reliance survival time) may be one of the measures of patient prognosis as well as overall survival times.

Synthesis and catalytic performance of Ti-MCM-68 for effective oxidation reactions.

Microporous titanosilicate Ti-MCM-68 (Ti-MSE) was successfully synthesized by post-synthetic isomorphous substitution of Ti for Al and proved to be a high-performance catalyst, in particular showing superior performance to TS-1, Ti-BEA, and Ti-MWW for phenol oxidation using H(2)O(2) as an oxidant.