These results strongly suggest that dietary beta-carotene prevents the expression of metalloproteinase-9 (at least in part), by inhibiting the photodynamic action involving

the formation of 5 alpha-hydroperoxide in the skin. Intake of beta-Carotene therefore appears to be helpful in slowing down ultraviolet-A -induced photoaging in human skin by acting as a O-2 ((1)Delta(g)) quencher.”
“In this article, the effects of atmospheric plasma treatment on the microstructural, chemical, and mechanical behavior of epoxy-bonded polycyanurate composites are investigated. Adhesive bond strength of plasma-treated specimens exhibited strength increases of over 35% to that of peel-ply and solvent-wiped surface Selleckchem NSC 23766 preparation techniques. The improvements were as much as 50% greater than those obtained using abrasive surface preparation techniques. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed an increase in the surface concentration of oxygen as a function of plasma Elafibranor supplier treatment passes. However, the levels were substantially lower than that of epoxy composites treated under identical conditions. In addition, the concentration of carboxyl groups (O-C=O), which have been associated with improved adhesive strength in epoxy-based composites, was shown to saturate in cyanate ester composites after a much lower exposure period

than what was observed when treating epoxies. The effect of plasma surface treatment on the surface morphology of selleck products the cyanate ester composite was also studied using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Atomic force microscopy analysis showed a progressive increase in surface roughness with treatment; however, this increase only translated into a marginal increase in surface area and is not believed to contribute significantly to adhesive strength. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 120: 921-931, 2011″
“To improve the yield

of 1,3-dihydroxyacetone(DHA) and the bioconversion rate of glycerol by Gluconobacter oxydans(G. oxydans), He-Ne laser irradiation technology was employed in this work. Under the optimal irradiation doses of 21 mW, 21 min, mutant G. oxydans GM51 with high DHA production capacity and stable heredity was obtained through tolerance tests to glycerol and DHA. Activity of the key enzyme, glycerol dehydrogenase, in GM51 was 5.01 U/mL after 30h culture, 75.17% higher than that in the wild (2.86 U/mL) with the same initial glycerol concentration of 100 g/L The culture time of GM51 had been shortened by 16 h (conventional culture time is 58 h). DHA yield of CM51 was up to 91.5%, increased by 77.6% with an improvement of DHA productivity from 1.29 to 2.29 g L(-1) h(-1) when cultivated in 7 L bioreactor. Moreover, comparative studies on kinetics of the mutant and wild further confirmed the decrease in inhibitory of substrate and product through He-Ne laser irradiation.