PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FIBERS IN THE FLAX PLANT, LINUM USITATISSIMUM L., GROWN UNDER DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

ArticleJOURNAL OF THE FACULTY OF TEXTILE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, SHINSHU UNIVERSITY. SERIES. E, AGRICULTURE AND SERICULTURE 10: 1-7(1979)departmental bulletin pape

Measurement of Secondary Products During Oxidation Reactions of Terpenes and Ozone Based on the PTR-MS Analysis: Effects of Coexistent Carbonyl Compounds

Continuous measurements using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) can be used to describe the production processes of secondary products during ozone induced oxidation of terpenes. Terpenes are emitted from woody building materials, and ozone is generated from ozone air purifiers and copy machines in indoor environments. Carbonyl compounds (CCs) are emitted by human activities such as smoking and drinking alcohol. Moreover, CCs are generated during ozone oxidation of terpenes. Therefore, coexistent CCs should affect the ozone oxidation. This study has focused on the measurement of secondary products during the ozone oxidation of terpenes based on the use of PTR-MS analysis and effects of coexistent CCs on oxidized products. Experiments were performed in a fluoroplastic bag containing α-pinene or limonene as terpenes, ozone and acetaldehyde or formaldehyde as coexistent CCs adjusted to predetermined concentrations. Continuous measurements by PTR-MS were conducted after mixing of terpenes, ozone and CCs, and time changes of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) concentrations were monitored. Results showed that, high-molecular weight intermediates disappeared gradually with elapsed time, though the production of high-molecular weight intermediates was observed at the beginning. This phenomenon suggested that the ozone oxidation of terpenes generated ultrafine particles. Coexistent CCs affected the ozone oxidation of α-pinene more than limonene

High-resolution sequence stratigraphy in an incised-valley system on the basis of sedimentary organic matter, sulfur content and fossil diatom: An example from Miocene to Pliocene Tatsunokuchi Formation, Iwate Prefecture, Northeast Japan

This paper discusses relationship among depositional environments, origin of the sedimentary organic matter and diatom fossil assemblage, combined with sequence stratigraphy in an incised-valley system. Interpretation of the environments and their changes was based on sedimentary facies, total sulfur (TS) content, and diatom assemblages. The quantity and composition of organic matter were estimated for the environmental interpretation on the basis of the total organic carbon (TOC) content, reflected-light fluorescent microscopy, and stable carbon isotope ratios of the organic matter (δ13Corg). The Miocene to Pliocene Ishibane, Tatsunokuchi and Motohata formations in northeast Japan consist of estuarine and fluvial deposits that were formed during a rise and fall of sea level. The proportions of vitrinite and cutinite that are coarse-grained and terrestrial in origin are relatively high in fluvial deposits of the lowstand systems tract. The proportion of marine alginite, TOC content, and δ13Corg values increase upward in estuary deposits of the transgressive systems tract. This implies the increase in the influence of the sea and the estuarine bottom conditions becoming anoxic. The proportions of vitrinite and cutinite increase upward in the highstand systems tract, whereas the δ13Corg values and TOC content decrease upward. These reflect the strong influence of river discharge. Variations of diatom fossil assemblage of fresh water, brackish water, intertidal, coastal marine and open marine species indicate the same repetitions of transgression and regression in the Tatsunokuchi Formation. Therefore, the transgressive systems tract in the Tatsunokuchi Formation includes four cycles of transgression and regression, while highstand systems tract shows one cycle of transgression and regression. / 岩手県南部の北上市に分布する中新統～鮮新統の石羽根，竜の口，本畑層は，エスチュアリーと河川環境での堆積を示している．また，1回の海水準上昇と引き続く低下で堆積した地層で，低海水準期堆積体，海進期堆積体，高海水準期堆積体に区分できる．その周期は約100万年と推定できる．河川成堆積物からなる低海水準期堆積体では陸源有機物片を多く含み，有機物は低い安定炭素同位体比（δ13Corg）を示す．引き続くエスチュアリー環境を示す海進期堆積体では，上方に向かって，海棲有機物が増え，δ13Corgの値が大きくなり，さらに全有機炭素量も増加する傾向にある．海進初期ではこれらは，小さな増減を4回繰り返しているが，やがて最大海進面に向かって安定して増加するようになる．最大海進面より上位の高海水準期堆積体では陸源有機物量が増大し，δ13Corgと全有機炭素量は減少し，陸域からの物質供給が増加したことが示される．珪藻化石の淡水種，汽水種，潮間帯種，沿岸性種，外洋種の比率変化も同一の海進海退の繰り返しを竜の口層中に記録している．したがって，竜の口層の海進期堆積体は短周期の4回の海進海退と引き続く海進から構成され，一方，高海水準期堆積体は1回の海退を示す．これらは数10万年周期の海水準変動に対応するかもしれない．ArticleJournal of the Sedimentological Society of Japan. 70(2):63-69 (2011)journal articl

Estimation of Uncertainty in Tracer Gas Measurement of Air Change Rates

Simple and economical measurement of air change rates can be achieved with a passive-type tracer gas doser and sampler. However, this is made more complex by the fact many buildings are not a single fully mixed zone. This means many measurements are required to obtain information on ventilation conditions. In this study, we evaluated the uncertainty of tracer gas measurement of air change rate in n completely mixed zones. A single measurement with one tracer gas could be used to simply estimate the air change rate when n = 2. Accurate air change rates could not be obtained for n ≥ 2 due to a lack of information. However, the proposed method can be used to estimate an air change rate with an accuracy of <33%. Using this method, overestimation of air change rate can be avoided. The proposed estimation method will be useful in practical ventilation measurements

Development of a Combined Real Time Monitoring and Integration Analysis System for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

A combined integration analysis and real time monitoring (Peak Capture System) system was developed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Individual integration analysis and real time monitoring can be used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze VOCs in the atmosphere and in indoor environments and determine the variation in total VOC (TVOC) concentration with time, respectively. In the Peak Capture System, real time monitoring was used to predict future elevations in the TVOC concentration (peak), and this was used an indicator of when to collect (capture) ambient air samples for integration analysis. This enabled qualitative and quantitative analysis of VOCs when the TVOC concentration was high. We developed an algorithm to predict variation in the TVOC concentration, and constructed an automatic system to initiate air sampling for integration analysis. With the system, auto-sampling and analysis of VOCs in a conventional house were conducted. In comparison with background concentrations, the results of peak analysis enabled identification of compounds whose concentration rose. This also enabled an evaluation of possible VOC emission sources

Effects of expiratory muscle training for elderly patients under long-term care

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an expiratory muscle training （EMT）program on swallowing, tongue pressure and thickness, labial closure force, spirometry, and respiratory pressure in elderly patients under long-term care. The subjects were twenty elderly inpatients without dementia or dysphagia, who were under long-term care at the health facility of a hospital in Tokushima prefecture. They were randomly assigned to one of the two groups, the sham EMT group and the active EMT group. The improvement rates of SVC, %FVC, PEF, %PEF, MEP, %MEP and MIP were significantly different between two groups （p< 0.01）. The EMT program was well-tolerated and led to improvements in respiratory function and muscle strength other than swallowing indices in elderly patients under long-term care. These results may contribute to the prevention and treatment of aspiration pneumonia in elderly individuals under long-term care

Acetaldehyde Removal from Indoor Air through Chemical Absorption Using L-Cysteine

The irreversible removal of acetaldehyde from indoor air via a chemical reaction with amino acids was investigated. To compare effectiveness, five types of amino acid (glycine, l-lysine, l-methionine, l-cysteine, and l-cystine) were used as the reactants. First, acetaldehyde-laden air was introduced into aqueous solutions of each amino acid and the removal abilities were compared. Among the five amino acids, l-cysteine solution showed much higher removal efficiency, while the other amino acids solutions didn’t show any significant differences from the removal efficiency of water used as a control. Next, as a test of the removal abilities of acetaldehyde by semi-solid l-cysteine, a gel containing l-cysteine solution was put in a fluororesin bag filled with acetaldehyde gas, and the change of acetaldehyde concentration was measured. The l-cysteine-containing gel removed 80% of the acetaldehyde in the air within 24 hours. The removal ability likely depended on the unique reaction whereby acetaldehyde and l-cysteine rapidly produce 2-methylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid. These results suggested that the reaction between acetaldehyde and l-cysteine has possibilities for irreversibly removing toxic acetaldehyde from indoor air