Anion dependence of camel-shape capacitance at the interface between mercury and ionic liquids studied using pendant drop method

The electrocapillarity and zero-frequency differential capacitance, Cd, have been studied using pendant drop method, at the Hg interface of an ionic liquid (IL), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide, [C2mim+][TFSA−], and have been compared with those of [C2mim+]BF, an IL with the common cation and a different anion, to focus on the anion dependence of zero-frequency Cd. The Hg interface of [C2mim+][TFSA−], the IL of the larger anion in the present study, exhibits greater zero-frequency Cd than that of [C2mim+]BF, the IL of the smaller anion. This behavior contradicts a simple expectation in which larger ion leads to smaller Cd. This apparent contradiction is explained by proximity of the charged moiety of TFSA− to the electrode surface compared with that of BF. The potential dependence of zero-frequency Cd for the two ILs both exhibits one-hump camel shape around the potential of zero charge (Epzc), which has been predicted to be specific behavior of the electrical double layer of ILs by theory and simulation. The humps are located at potentials more negative than Epzc. From a mean-field lattice-gas theory for the EDL in ILs, this negative shift can be interpreted that the charged moiety for C2mim+ is more easily condensed in the EDL than those for BF and TFSA−

Kinetics of Heterogeneous Liquid Phase Reaction : Simultaneous Mass Transfer and Chemical Reaction

The solution of the over-all rate of reaction for a steady state mass transfer accompanied by a (l+ｫ)-th order irreversible reaction was derived by applying an approximate concentration distribution model for the heterogeneous liquid phase reaction which might proceed in a diffusion film and homogeneous mixed bulk liquid of finite volume. The numerically calculated diagrams showing the functional relation between the over-all rate of reaction and the reaction conditions such as the resistances to diffusion and chemical reaction, liquid volume and the inter facial contact area, etc. were presented. The authors made clear the conditions for the five states of over-all reaction rate which were different in comparative magnitude in the resistances to diffusion and chemical reaction, and interpreted the various types of rate controlling step by comparing the reaction conditions and the concentration distribution of reactants both in diffusion film and bulk liquid

Response of Insulin Secretion to Small Amount of Meal on Low Carbohydrate Diet (LCD)

Diabetic nutritional therapy has been changing from Calorie Restriction (CR) to a Low Carbohydrate diet (LCD). Authors et al. have developed LCD medically and socially through the Japan LCD promotion association (JLCDPA), and proposed meal tolerance test (MTT) using LCD breakfast. For our research protocol, healthy subjects (n=8, M/F=4/4, BMI 20.5kg/m2) received 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and MTT, and changes in blood glucose and immunoreactive insulin (IRI) were measured. LCD meal included energy 307kcal, protein 13.8g, fat 23.9g, and carbohydrate 5.7g. The results from 0-30 min in average showed: i) 75gOGTT; 87.3-124.6mg/dL, 4.9-41.4μU/mL, ii) LCD; 90.3-84.3mg/dL, 5.4-12.2μU/mL, respectively. Decreased glucose may be from enough ability to secrete insulin to a glucose stimulus. These results would become reference data for future diabetic research

A Trial of Analysis Method for Insulin Secretion Response to Carbohydrate Loading

Authors et al. have continued diabetic practice and research for long, and started Low Carbohydrate Diet (LCD) first in Japan. We developed social LCD movement by Japanese LCD Promotion Association (JLCDPA), and proposed petite-, standard-, super LCDs with carbohydrate 40%, 26%, 12%, respectively. Methods included 9 healthy medical staffs and two exams of 75g Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) and Meal Tolerance Test (MTT). MTT means super-LCD breakfast with carbohydrate 6g. Results showed that blood glucose / immunoreactive insulin (IRI) at 0-30 min on average changed 88.0-130.6 mg/dL/5.1-46.5 μU/mL for GTT, and 90.1-86.3 mg/dL/4.8-12.5 μU/mL for MTT. IRI responses in GTT and MTT were calculated by 3 methods, which are i) increment (delta), ii) Area Under the Curves (AUC), iii) Multiple (times) of basal value. Both data from GTT and MTT showed significant correlation in i) and ii) (p<0.05), but not significant in iii) (p=0.07, n=9). These results suggested that insulin secretion in MTT would be enough and relatively excessive for 6g of carbohydrate, leading to relatively decreased glucose at 30 min. Current analyses methods will become some reference for future development of diabetic research

Plastid Genome-Based Phylogeny Pinpointed the Origin of the Green-Colored Plastid in the Dinoflagellate Lepidodinium chlorophorum

Unlike many other photosynthetic dinoflagellates, whose plastids contain a characteristic carotenoid peridinin, members of the genus Lepidodinium are the only known dinoflagellate species possessing green alga-derived plastids. However, the precise origin of Lepidodinium plastids has hitherto remained uncertain. In this study, we completely sequenced the plastid genome of Lepidodinium chlorophorum NIES-1868. Our phylogenetic analyses of 52 plastid-encoded proteins unite L. chlorophorum exclusively with a pedinophyte, Pedinomonas minor, indicating that the green-colored plastids in Lepidodinium spp. were derived from an endosymbiotic pedinophyte or a green alga closely related to pedinophytes. Our genome comparison incorporating the origin of the Lepidodinium plastids strongly suggests that the endosymbiont plastid genome acquired by the ancestral Lepidodinium species has lost genes encoding proteins involved in metabolism and biosynthesis, protein/metabolite transport, and plastid division during the endosymbiosis. We further discuss the commonalities and idiosyncrasies in genome evolution between the L. chlorophorum plastid and other plastids acquired through endosymbiosis of eukaryotic photoautotrophs