4.EAFES International Congress in Mokpo, Korea

Inha UniversityForestry Research InstituteProject Number 14404021, Peport of Research Project ; Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research(B)(2), from April 2002 to March 2006, Edited by Muramoto,Ken-ichiroKamata, NaotoKawanishi, TakuyaKubo, MamoruLiu, JiyuanLee, Kyu-Sung , 人工衛星データ活用のための東アジアの植生調査、課題番号14404021, 平成14年度～平成17年度科学研究費補助金, 基盤研究（B)(2)研究成果報告書, 研究代表者：村本, 健一郎, 金沢大学自然科学研究科教

Base-treated juniper fiber media for removing heavy metals in stormwater runoff

The viability of base-treated juniper fiber (BTJF) media for removing toxic heavy metals (Cd2+, Cu2-, Pb2+, Zn2+) in stormwater runoff was investigated. The sorption ability of the BTJF for all metals was much higher than that of untreated juniper. The affinity sequence of both materials, BTJF and untreated juniper, was Pb> Cu> Zn≥ Cd. This order is explained by the hydrolysis constants for each metal. A metal desorption and column regeneration test using 0. 1 M nitric acid showed that the metal sorption capacity declined slightly from 136.3 to 119.2 μmole/g in the first two cycles and then more significantly at the third and fourth regeneration, 72.3 and 83.1 μmole/g, respectively. Based on the hydraulic conductivity test of BTJF of different size classes, it can be deduced that there is no major headloss-related disadvantage in using BTJF instead of sand as stormwater filter media if the particle size of the BTJF is similar to that for sand

Effects of carbohydrate, branched-chain amino acids, and arginine in recovery period on the subsequent performance in wrestlers

Many athletes need to participate in multiple events in a single day. The efficient post-exercise glycogen recovery may be critical for the performance in subsequent exercise. This study examined whether post-exercise carbohydrate supplementation could restore the performance in the subsequent simulated wrestling match. The effect of branched-chain amino acids and arginine on glucose disposal and performance was also investigated. Nine well-trained male wrestlers participated in 3 trials in a random order. Each trial contained 3 matches with a 1-hr rest between match 1 and 2, and a 2-hr rest between match 2 and 3. Each match contained 3 exercise periods interspersed with 1-min rests. The subjects alternated 10-s all-out sprints and 20-s rests in each exercise period. At the end of match 2, 3 different supplementations were consumed: 1.2 g/kg glucose (CHO trial), 1 g/kg glucose + 0.1 g/kg Arg + 0.1 g/kg BCAA (CHO+AA trial), or water (placebo trial). The peak and average power in the 3 matches was similar in the 3 trials. After the supplementation, CHO and CHO+AA trial showed significantly higher glucose and insulin, and lower glycerol and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations than the placebo trial. There was no significant difference in these biochemical parameters between the CHO and CHO+AA trials. Supplementation of carbohydrate with or without BCAA and arginine during the post-match period had no effect on the performance in the following simulated match in wrestlers. In addition, BCAA and arginine did not provide additional insulinemic effect

Hydrous ferric oxide incorporated diatomite for remediation of arsenic contaminated groundwater

Two reactive media zerovalent iron (ZVI, Fisher Fe0) and amorphous hydrous ferric oxide (HFO)-incorporated porous, naturally occurring aluminum silicate diatomite designated as Fe (25)-diatomite]], were tested for batch kinetic, pH-controlled differential column batch reactors (DCBRs), in small- and large-scale column tests (about 50 and 900 mL of bed volume) with groundwater from a hazardous waste site containing high concentrations of arsenic (both organic and inorganic species), as well as other toxic or carcinogenic volatile and semivolatile organic compounds (VOC/SVOCs). Granular activated carbon (GAC) was also included as a reactive media since a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) at the subject site would need to address the hazardous VOC/SVOC contamination as well as arsenic. The groundwater contained an extremely high arsenic concentration (341 mg L-1) and the results of ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS) analysis showed that the dominant arsenic species were arsenite (45.1) and monomethyl arsenic acid (MMAA, 22.7), while dimethyl arsenic acid (DMAA) and arsenate were only 2.4 and 1.3, respectively. Based on these proportions of arsenic species and the initial As-to-Fe molar ratio (0.15 molAs molFe-1), batch kinetic tests revealed that the sorption density (0.076 molAs molFe-1) for Fe (25)-diatomite seems to be less than the expected value (0.086 molAs molFe-1) calculated from the sorption density data reported by Lafferty and Loeppert (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2005, 39, 2120-2127), implying that natural organic matters (NOMs) might play a significant role in reducing arsenic removal efficiency. The results of pH-controlled DCBR tests using different synthetic species of arsenic solution showed that the humic acid inhibited the MMAA removal of Fe (25)-diatomite more than arsenite. The mixed system of GAC and Fe (25)-diatomite increased the arsenic sorption speed to more than that of either individual media alone. This increase might be deduced by the fact that the addition of GAC could enhance arsenic removal performance of Fe (25)-diatomite through removing comparably high portions of NOMs. Small- and large-scale column studies demonstrated that the empty bed contact time (EBCT) significantly affected sorpton capacities at breakthrough (C = 0.5 C 0) for the Fe0/sand (50/50, w/w) mixture, but not for GAC preloaded Fe (25)-diatomite. In the large-scale column tests with actual groundwater conditions, the GAC preloaded Fe (25)-diatomite effectively reduced arsenic to below 50 μg L-1 for 44 days; additionally, most species of VOC/SVOCs were also simultaneously attenuated to levels below detection. © 2007 American Chemical Society

A continuous pilot-scale system using coal-mine drainage sludge to treat acid mine drainage contaminated with high concentrations of Pb, Zn, and other heavy metals

A series of pilot-scale tests were conducted with a continuous system composed of a stirring tank reactor, settling tank, and sand filter. In order to treat acidic drainage from a Pb-Zn mine containing high levels of heavy metals, the potential use of coal-mine drainage sludge (CMDS) was examined. The pilot-scale tests showed that CMDS could effectively neutralize the acidic drainage due to its high alkalinity production. A previous study revealed that calcite and goethite contained in CMDS contributed to dissolutive coprecipitation and complexation with heavy metals. The continuous system not only has high removal efficiencies (97.2-99.8), but also large total rate constants (K total, 0.21-10.18h -1) for all heavy metals. More specifically, the pilot system has a much higher Zn(II) loading rate (45.3gm -3day -1) than other reference systems, such as aerobic wetland coupled with algal mats and anoxic limestone drains. The optimum conditions were found to be a CMDS loading of 280gL -1 and a flow rate of 8Lday -1, and the necessary quantity of CMDS was 91.3gL -1day -1, as the replacement cycle of CMDS was determined to be 70 days. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Time and Amplitude of Afterpulse Measured with a Large Size Photomultiplier Tube

We have studied the afterpulse of a hemispherical photomultiplier tube for an upcoming reactor neutrino experiment. The timing, the amplitude, and the rate of the afterpulse for a 10 inch photomultiplier tube were measured with a 400 MHz FADC up to 16 \ms time window after the initial signal generated by an LED light pulse. The time and amplitude correlation of the afterpulse shows several distinctive groups. We describe the dependencies of the afterpulse on the applied high voltage and the amplitude of the main light pulse. The present data could shed light upon the general mechanism of the afterpulse.Comment: 11 figure

Nonlinear Dynamical Stability of Newtonian Rotating White Dwarfs and Supermassive Stars

We prove general nonlinear stability and existence theorems for rotating star solutions which are axi-symmetric steady-state solutions of the compressible isentropic Euler-Poisson equations in 3 spatial dimensions. We apply our results to rotating and non-rotating white dwarf, and rotating high density supermassive (extreme relativistic) stars, stars which are in convective equilibrium and have uniform chemical composition. This paper is a continuation of our earlier work ([28])

New Mechanism of Hepatic Fibrogenesis: Hepatitis C Virus Infection Induces Transforming Growth Factor β1 Production through Glucose-Regulated Protein 94

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the leading causes of chronic liver inflammatory disease (hepatitis), which often leads to more severe diseases, such as liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver fibrosis, in particular, is a major pathogenic consequence of HCV infection, and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) plays a key role in its pathogenesis. Several HCV proteins have been suggested to either augment or suppress the expression of TGF-beta 1 by HCV-infected cells. Here, we report that TGF-beta 1 levels are elevated in HCV-infected hepatocytes cultured in vitro and in liver tissue of HCV patients. Notably, the level of TGF-beta 1 in media from in vitro-cultured HCV-infected hepatocytes was high enough to activate primary hepatic stellate cells isolated from rats. This indicates that TGF-beta 1 secreted by HCV-infected hepatocytes is likely to play a key role in the liver fibrosis observed in HCV patients. Moreover, we showed that HCV E2 protein triggers the production of TGF-beta 1 by HCV-infected cells through overproduction of glucose-regulated protein 94 (GRP94).open1177sciescopu

High-speed polarization sensitive optical frequency domain imaging with frequency multiplexing

Polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) provides a cross-sectional image of birefringence in biological samples that is complementary in many applications to the standard reflectance-based image. Recent ex vivo studies have demonstrated that birefringence mapping enables the characterization of collagen and smooth muscle concentration and distribution in vascular tissues. Instruments capable of applying these measurements percutaneously in vivo may provide new insights into coronary atherosclerosis and acute myocardial infarction. We have developed a polarization sensitive optical frequency domain imaging (PS-OFDI) system that enables high-speed intravascular birefringence imaging through a fiber-optic catheter. The novel design of this system utilizes frequency multiplexing to simultaneously measure reflectance of two incident polarization states, overcoming concerns regarding temporal variations of the catheter fiber birefringence and spatial variations in the birefringence of the sample. We demonstrate circular cross-sectional birefringence imaging of a human coronary artery ex vivo through a flexible fiber-optic catheter with an A-line rate of 62 kHz and a ranging depth of 6.2 mm