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Konjac is a traditional Japanese food with a peculiar texture, and it has been suggested that its main ingredient, konjac glucomannan (KGM), ameliorates metabolic disorders such as diabetes and hypercholesteremia. We have found that feeding with pulverized KGM (PKGM) prevents skin inflammation in a murine model of atopic dermatitis. Here, we show that dietary PKGM suppresses allergic rhinitis-like symptoms in mice upon immunization and nasal sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA). The PKGM-fed mice showed a much lower frequency of sneezing than in control animals. We also found that PKGM supplementation exclusively suppressed OVA-specific IgE response without affecting IgG1/IgG2a responses as well as systemic Th1/Th2 cytokine production. These results suggest that PKGM can be a beneficial foodstuff in preventing nasal allergy such as seasonal pollinosis.

Langmuir monolayers of an amphiphilic spiropyran, 1',3'-dihydro-3',3'-dimethyl-6-nitro-1'-octadecyl-8-docosanoyloxymethylspiro[1-benzopyran-2,2'-indole] (SP1822) on pure water at 30 °C was investigated by measurements of surface pressure–area (π–A) isotherms and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The π–A isotherm shows a phase transition at 7.5 mN m−1. The BAM image reveals drastic morphological changes accompanying the phase transition. Many circular domains appear on uniform monolayers. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of as-deposited Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films suggest that the circular domains consist of bilayers. In addition, monolayers are transformed into bilayers during deposition, which result in the formation of further larger circular domains. Furthermore, the relationship between photochemical property and morphology in the SP1822 LB films was characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy and AFM. We have demonstrated that whether J-aggregates are formed upon irradiation with UV light at room temperature is strongly dependent on the morphology of the SP1822 LB films before irradiation.

AbstractLangmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of an amphiphilic diacetylene (DA) complexed with polyallyamine (PAA) were fabricated. Textural structures were observed in the AFM images, while the surface was covered with small grains after the heat treatment at temperatures higher than 100°C. The polymerization of DA proceeded by the irradiation with UV light before the heat treatment whereas only a small fraction of DA polymerized after the heat treatment. The LB films of polymerized DA complexed with PAA showed better stability against heat treatment than the ones without PAA.

AbstractPhotochemical reactions of an amphiphilic spiropyran (SP) have been investigated in single-layer LB films. The SP LB films were prepared from a pure water subphase at 30°C. When these LB films were irradiated with UV light at room temperature, SP was converted into photomerocyanine (PMC), followed by the formation of J-aggregate of PMC. In situ AFM observations revealed the presence of large circular domains with diameters of 10–20 μm and height of 4–5 nm before irradiation. Irregularly-shaped structures were evident in the center of most of the domains. On irradiation with UV light, dendritic structures spread radially from the irregularly-shaped structures and developed within the domains. The morphological change was not observed in the domains without the irregularly-shaped structures.

AbstractHybrid alternate layered films of transition metal dichalcogenides and amphiphilic compounds were prepared by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. The conductivity at room temperature depended on the transition metal dichalcogenide species, showing the highest value for the hybrid LB films of MoS2system. This methodology was successfully applied to the fabrication of the hybrid LB films using various organic amphiphiles such as cyanine dyes, phthalocyanines, azobenzene, and ferrocene derivatives. The conductivity depended on the interlayer spacing: the conductivity decreased with increasing interlayer spacing of the film. The highest electrical conductivity of the hybrid LB films was over 100 Scm−.

As a basis for designing a forced-hydraulic-jump-type stilling basin, the pressure magnitude on the upstream and downstream faces of a continuous-vertical sill has been investigated experimentally, and the nature of the pressure distribution on the faces of the sill has been discussed. Furthermore, an experimental formula for the drag force acting on the sill has been proposed considering the characteristics of the flow condition over the sill.

J-aggregate formation was observed in single-layer Langmuir–Blodgett films of an amphiphilic spiropyran when they were irradiated with UV light at room temperature. We have revealed that tree-like structures with many branches are formed, accompanying the J-aggregate formation, which consist of a number of crystalline J-aggregates.

As-grown Ba2YCu3Oxthin films (\lesssim100 nm) have been prepared by rf magnetron sputtering deposited on Si(100) with buffer layers of YSZ and Y2O3/YSZ. Epitaxial growth of Ba2YCu3Oxthin films is confirmed by ion channeling measurements along the (100) directions of the Si substrate showing a ?minof 60% on YSZ/Si, and 6% on Y2O3/YSZ/Si using 2.0 MeV He+. The as-grown films have critical current densities of 104A/cm2on YSZ/Si and 106A/cm2on Y2O3/YSZ/Si at 77 K. Our results indicate that the superconducting properties of the films are limited primarily by the value of lattice mismatch between the Ba2YCu3Oxand buffer layers.