Spreadsheet simulation of one-dimensional unsteady-state nonisothermal moisture diffusion in wood in the transverse direction

<p>A spreadsheet for the numerical simulation of one-dimensional unsteady-state nonisothermal moisture diffusion in solid wood in the transverse direction below the fiber saturation point was developed in this work. Calculations for solving a pair of partial differential equations describing the moisture diffusion based on a finite-difference method were performed. Experimental validations revealed that the spreadsheet provides predictions of moisture diffusion in wood as accurately as a commercial simulation software package does. This spreadsheet simulation can help people involved in manufacturing, utilizing, or researching wood products to implement a simple and convenient numerical simulation of moisture diffusion in wood without any special skill and any specific software.</p

Reinvestigation of the Stereochemistry of the <i>C</i>‑Glycosidic Ellagitannins, Vescalagin and Castalagin

The stereochemistry of the <i>C</i>-glycosidic ellagitannins, vescalagin and castalagin, has been reinvestigated using computational methods. DFT calculations of their ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra, as well as TDDFT calculations of the ECD spectra of their des-hexahydroxydiphenoyl analogues, revealed that the structure of the triphenoyl moiety of vescalagin and castalagin should be revised

New Metabolites of <i>C</i>‑Glycosidic Ellagitannin from Japanese Oak Sapwood

Two unusual ellagitannin metabolites, quercusnins A (<b>3</b>) and B (<b>4</b>), have been isolated from the sapwood of <i>Quercus crispula</i>, and their structures determined by spectroscopic methods, as well as DFT calculations of ¹H and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of the possible four diastereomers. Treatment of the major ellagitannin species, vescalagin, with Shiitake mushroom (<i>Lentinula edodes</i>) gave <b>3</b>, which indicated that these unique ellagitannins were the fungal metabolites of ellagitannins

Western blot analysis of the influence of polyphenols on SEA production.

<p>(A) hydrolyzable tannins and (B) procyanidins. Values represent the mean ± SD for three independent experiments. * represents <i>p</i> < 0.05 compared to control, and ** represents <i>p</i> < 0.01 compared to control.</p

Transepithelial Transport of Theasinensins through Caco‑2 Cell Monolayers and Their Absorption in Sprague–Dawley Rats after Oral Administration

The aim of this study is to illustrate the <i>in vivo</i> and <i>in vitro</i> absorption of theasinensins B and A that are (−)-epigallocatechin-3-<i>O</i>-gallate (EGCG)–(−)-epigallocatechin (EGC) dimer and EGCG dimer, respectively, and their transport pathway across the intestinal membrane. Our animal study by a single oral administration to rats demonstrated the intact absorption of theasinensins into the blood system, which was estimated to be a >10-fold lower absorption amount than EGCG. The <i>in vitro</i> absorption study indicated that theasinensins can be transported across Caco-2 cell monolayers, while their permeability coefficients were also >10-fold lower than those of EGCG and EGC. Transport experiments using cytochalasin D or quercetin as a tight junction (TJ) modulator and a non-saturable permeation revealed that theasinensins were transported across Caco-2 cells in a TJ paracellular diffusion route. In conclusion, the dimers of condensed catechins, theasinensins B and A, can be absorbed intact into rat blood and transported across Caco-2 cell monolayers probably through a TJ paracellular pathway

Mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC (mg/mL)) in test samples against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> C-29.

<p>Mean minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC (mg/mL)) in test samples against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> C-29.</p

Direct reactivity of polyphenols to SEA.

<p>(A) hydrolyzable tannins (0.25 mg/mL) and (B) procyanidins (0.25–0.50 mg/mL). Values represent the mean ± SD for three independent experiments. * represents <i>p</i> < 0.05 compared with the control. (); final concentration (mg/mL).</p

Affinity interaction of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) and hydrolyzable tannins.

<p>1; eugeniin, 2; castalagin, 3; punicalagin, 4; pedunculagin, 5; corilagin, 6; geraniin, 7; penta-galloyl-glucose, 8; sanguiin H-6, and 9; tannic acid. For the definition affinity interaction unit (AIU), see the <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0157082#sec002" target="_blank">Materials and methods</a> section.</p

Stereochemistry of the Black Tea Pigments Theacitrins A and C

Theacitrins A–C are yellow pigments of black tea that are produced by oxidative coupling of gallocatechins, i.e., flavan-3-ols with pyrogallol-type B-rings. However, their stereostructures have not yet been determined. In this study, DFT calculations of NMR chemical shifts of theacitrin C (<b>1</b>) and TDDFT calculations of the ECD spectra of theacitrinin A (<b>5</b>), a degradation product of theacitrin C (<b>1</b>), were used to determine the stereostructure of the theacitrins. Furthermore, the preparation of theacitrins A (<b>4</b>) and C (<b>1</b>) by enzymatic oxidation of an epigallocatechin (<b>7</b>) and epigallocatechin-3-<i>O</i>-gallate (<b>2</b>) mixture confirmed their structural relationship

Growth effect of polyphenols on SEA-producing strain.

<p>(A) hydrolyzable tannins and (B) procyanidins. Values represent the mean ± SD for three independent experiments. The final concentration of polyphenol (mg/mL) is indicated between brackets.</p