Preparation and characterization of an imogolite/chitosan hybrid with pyridoxal-5'-phosphate as an interfacial modifier.

Imogolite/chitosan hybrid films were prepared using pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) as an interfacial modifier. Thermogravimetric analysis and spectroscopic measurements revealed that the phosphate group of PLP was adsorbed on the imogolite. Furthermore, rheological measurements suggested that the PLP-modified imogolites (PLP-imogolite) had strong interactions with chitosan in solution.

Preparation of an (inorganic/organic) hybrid hydrogel from a peptide oligomer and a tubular aluminosilicate nanofiber.

'Imogolite', a tubular inorganic nanotube surface, was modified with a peptide oligomer to prepare a hybrid hydrogel. The formation of the gels was confirmed by conducting a vial inversion test and rheological measurements. The surface modification of imogolite with the peptide oligomer was verified by performing thermogravimetric analysis and circular dichroism measurements.

Structure and Properties of Hybrid Film Fabricated by Spin-Assisted Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Sacran and Imogolite Nanotubes.

A free-standing (biomacomolecule/synthetic inorganic nanotubes) hybrid film was fabricated through an alternative layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of sacran and imogolite nanotubes. Sacran is a natural polysaccharide extracted from the cyanobacterium , while imogolite is a natural tubular aluminosilicate clay found in volcano ash. The hybrid film thickness increased linearly with the number of the bilayers, because of the interaction between the negatively charged surface of sacran and the positively charged surface of imogolite.

Ionic liquid induces flexibility and thermoplasticity in cellulose film.

It is still challenging to melt-process cellulose. In this paper, we proposed a method for the formation of thermally processable flexible cellulose films via gelation from its solution in ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride; BMIMCl). Cotton, as a source of cellulose, was dissolved (5 wt%) in BMIMCl and subsequently placed in different amounts of water.

Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Films Fabricated from Cellulose Fibers and Imogolite Nanotubes.

Owing to the increasing environmental awareness, nanocellulose/natural clay composites with improved mechanical performance have attracted growing interest due to their eco-friendly properties. In this study, hybrid films composed of cellulose fibers (CFs) and imogolite nanotubes (natural aluminosilicate nanotubes) were fabricated. We mainly studied the structure, density, and properties of the hybrid materials.

Effects of self-reported calorie restriction on correlations between SIRT1 polymorphisms and body mass index and long-term weight change.

SIRT1 acts as a cellular sensor to detect energy availability and modulates fat and glucose metabolism. This study assessed the effects of self-reported calorie restriction (CR) and exercise on correlations between SIRT1 polymorphisms and body mass index (BMI) and long-term weight change. This cross-sectional study enrolled 4023 subjects aged 35-69years (1847 men and 2176 women) selected from participants in the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study.

Validity of a food frequency questionnaire in a population with high alcohol consumption in Japan.

Background And Objectives: Alcohol consumption has a relatively large impact on energy intake in drinkers, and several studies reported different dietary habits from non-drinkers. However, few studies have investigated the influence of alcohol consumption on the validity of the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). To investigate its influence, we conducted a validity test in a population with high alcohol consumption.

Intracellular periodontal pathogen exploits recycling pathway to exit from infected cells.

Although human gingival epithelium prevents intrusions by periodontal bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis, the most well-known periodontal pathogen, is able to invade gingival epithelial cells and pass through the epithelial barrier into deeper tissues. We previously reported that intracellular P. gingivalis exits from gingival epithelial cells via a recycling pathway.

Fabrication and characterization of polysaccharide ion gels with ionic liquids and their further conversion into value-added sustainable materials.

A review of the fabrication of polysaccharide ion gels with ionic liquids is presented. From various polysaccharides, the corresponding ion gels were fabricated through the dissolution with ionic liquids. As ionic liquids, in the most cases, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride has been used, whereas 1-allyl-3methylimidazolium acetate was specifically used for chitin.

Stereochemistry-dependent, mechanoresponsive supramolecular host assemblies for fullerenes: a guest-induced enhancement of thixotropy.

Self-assembly behaviors of a series of systems (G1, G2, and G3) possessing same organic building blocks based on a substituted anthracene have been investigated in decalin. G2 and G3 are dominated by head-to-tail (ht) and head-to-head (hh) type dimers of G1, respectively. G1 gives a thermoresponsive gel that behaves ideally, showing frequency-independent elastic and viscous moduli.

Weak gel of chitin with ionic liquid, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide.

This paper reports the formation of weak gel of chitin with an ionic liquid, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (IL). When a mixture of 5% (w/w) chitin with IL was heated at 100 degrees C for 48h, the clear liquid was obtained. The experimental process was observed by the CCD camera view and the SEM analysis.

Abnormal viscosity increment observed for an ionic liquid by dissolving lithium chloride.

The effect of adding an inorganic salt, lithium chloride, and water on the viscosity of an ionic liquid, 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BmimCl), was investigated by shear stress measurements with a rheometer. The shear rate dependence of the viscosity showed shear thinning behavior, which implies that some structure should exist in the liquid and the structure should change at high shear rates. Addition of LiCl enhances the viscosity of BmimCl.

Heat-set gel-like networks of lipophilic Co(II) triazole complexes in organic media and their thermochromic structural transitions.

A novel class of thermally responsive supramolecular assemblies is formed from the lipophilic cobalt(II) complexes of 4-alkylated 1,2,4-triazoles. When an ether linkage is introduced in the alkylchain moiety, a blue gel-like phase is formed in chloroform, even at very low concentration (ca. 0.