天然高分子を用いた電気二重層キャパシタ用電解質の調製及びキャラクタリゼーション

関西大

Preparation and characterization of nonaqueous electrolyte from natural polymers for electric double-layer capacitors [論文要旨及び審査の要旨]

関西大

Synthesis and Characterization of Nanofiber of Oxidized Cellulose from Nata De Coco

Oxidized cellulose (OC) nanofiber was successfully prepared from the dry sheet of Nata De Coco (DNDC) using the mixture system of HNO3/H3PO4–NaNO2 for the first time. The carboxyl content of the OC was investigated at different conditions (HNO3/H3PO4 ratios, reaction times, and reaction temperatures). The results revealed that the carboxyl content of the OC increased along with the reaction time, which yielded 0.6, 14.8, 17.5, 20.9, 21.0, and 21.0% after 0, 6, 12, 36, and 48 hours, respectively. The reaction yields of the OC ranged between 79% and 85% when using HNO3/H3PO4 ratio of 1 : 3, 1.4% wt of NaNO2 at 30°C at different reaction times. From the structural analysis, the OC products showed a nanofibrous structure with a diameter of about 58.3–65.4 nm. The Fourier transform infrared spectra suggested the formation of carboxyl groups in the OC after oxidation reaction. The crystallinity and crystalline index decreased with an increase of reaction time. The decrease of crystallinity from oxidation process agreed with the decrease of degree of polymerization from the hydrolysis of β-1,4-glycosidic linkages in the cellulose structure. The thermal gravimetric analysis results revealed that the OC products were less thermally stable than the raw material of DNDC. In addition, the OC products showed blood agglutinating property by dropping blood on the sample along with excellent antibacterial activity

Seed Priming with Pectic-Oligosaccharides Improved Seed Germination and Growth of Chili

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of pectic-oligosaccharides (POSs) obtained from oxidative degradation of pomelo peel with H2O2 under alkaline conditions on seed germination and growth of chili using the seed priming technique. Two types of POSs (POS-I and POS-II) with different size distributions were prepared. Chili seeds were soaked in 500 ppm of POS solutions for 16 h at two temperatures, 30 and 50 °C, with moderate shaking, and then air-dried. The primed seeds were planted on wet filter paper in a Petri dish at 30 °C for 9 d and the effects of priming on germination and growth were observed. Priming of seeds with POS at 30 °C increased the germination percentage and vigor index at 9 d after sowing by 16.7–20.5% and 16.0–25.5%, respectively, whereas root and shoot length did not differ from the hydropriming. However, there were no significant differences in all growth parameters between POS-I and POS-II treatments. Seedling length and the vigor index of seeds primed with POS at 30 °C (29.3–31.0 mm, 2693.9–2914.0) were also significantly higher than those of non-primed seeds (22.9 mm, 2062). Priming the seeds at 50 °C had an adverse effect on seed germination, i.e., the germination percentage was reduced by 24.4–31.9% compared to seeds primed at 30 °C. It also resulted in a significant reduction in chili seed growth, possibly due to the inactivation of some enzymes in chili seeds

Effects of anti-gonadotropin-releasing factor vaccination and administration age on the meat characteristics of pork loins from finishing gilts

This pilot study evaluated the effects of anti-gonadotropin-releasing factor (anti-GnRF) vaccination and administration age on gilts (female pigs), with a specific focus on meat characteristics, including nutritional composition, meat quality, and the muscle histology of pork loins. A total of 66 Duroc × (Landrace × Large White) gilts were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: (1) intact gilts; (2) immunized gilts receiving a typical vaccination at 12 and 16 weeks of age; and (3) immunized gilts receiving early vaccination at 9 and 13 weeks of age, which is the earliest schedule recommended by the manufacturer. The pigs were slaughtered at the market age of 24 weeks, with meat samples collected from all of the groups for analysis, including meat samples from intact gilts (MIG), meat from gilts vaccinated at 12 and 16 weeks (MV12/16), and meat from gilts vaccinated at 9 and 13 weeks (MV9/13). Meat from the immunized gilts had significantly higher intramuscular fat (IMF) content than MIG (P < 0.05), accompanied by changes in the fatty acid profile—excluding polyunsaturated fatty acid—without adverse effects on meat quality or muscle histology. No significant differences were observed between the MV12/16 and MV9/13 samples. These findings suggest that anti-GnRF vaccination enhances the IMF content in pork without affecting meat quality or muscle structure. In addition, the administration age did not influence the chemical composition, meat quality, or muscle histology. An early vaccination schedule provides a practical approach to improve gilt production management, facilitating easier pig handling, efficient vaccination administration, and enhanced IMF deposition