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Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum), a traditional Taiwanese crop enriched with phenolic compounds and betalain pigments, is associated with various health benefits, including antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects. This study analysed the phytochemical content and antioxidant capacity of extracts from both the hull and kernel of Djulis. The hull extract, which contained higher levels of flavonoids and exhibited superior antioxidant activity compared to the kernel extract, was selected for further in vivo studies. These experiments showed that oral administration of the Djulis hull crude extract significantly mitigated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute liver injury (ALI) in mice by increasing the activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx), reducing plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and enhancing liver levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4). Additionally, the extract demonstrated potential in inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway, a critical signalling pathway in inflammation and apoptosis, offering insights into its protective mechanisms. These findings underscore Djulis hull's potential as a functional food ingredient for ALI prevention and propose a valuable application for agricultural by-products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyester tire cord is often used as reinforcement in the production of chloroprene rubber (CR) composite materials. This study investigated the influences of polyester tire cord layers and arrangement directions on the mechanical properties and vibration isolation of CR composite materials. The experimental results indicate that the optimal molding condition for bonding tire cord with CR composites is 170°C for 30 min, which enables tire cord-reinforced CR composites to exhibit maximum pull-out strength. The compression set, tensile strength, and tear strength of CR composites increased with the increasing number of tire cord layers, and the stretching direction parallel to the arrangement direction of the tire cord produced optimal reinforcement effect. Moreover, the storage modulus of CR composites is better than that of pure CR at low temperature, although it reduced the tan delta at glass transition temperature. Regarding the vibration isolation properties, the transmissibility ratio decreased at resonance frequency, while the damping ratio increased when the CR is reinforced with increasing number of tire cord layers.

Polyester tire cord is used as reinforcement for making chloroprene rubber (CR) composite materials. This study investigated the influences of polyester tire-cord layers and arrangement direction on the mechanical properties of CR composite materials. The experimental results indicate that the optimal temperature and heating time for CR vulcanization are 170°C and 35 min, respectively. This processing condition enabled CR to achieve rapid vulcanization and exhibit optimal mechanical properties. The hardness and compression stiffness of the CR composites increased with increasing tire-cord layers. This phenomenon reduced the occurrence of creep under long-term loading but increased the compression set. In addition, when the arrangement direction of the tire cord and the stretching direction of CR were perpendicular, crack formation and growth easily developed, which reduced the bending-fatigue resistance of CR.

This study explores the possibility of using stiffness-based method and cubic spline interpolation to locate the damaged storey of a building during a strong earthquake, and corresponding stiffness matrix of structure often change in the earthquake process. The time series model of a building is established from the full structural dynamic responses. Next, the coefficient matrix of the time series model could be solved by recursive least squares (RLS) algorithms. Then, the model parameters of a building are calculated by the coefficient matrix of time series model. Finally, the identified natural frequencies and mode shapes of structure that corrected by cubic spline interpolation would be used to construct the stiffness matrix of a building. Then, the damage location of a building could be detected by the identified stiffness matrix of a building. The effectiveness of the proposed procedure is verified using numerically simulated earthquake responses of the finite element model of a six-storey frame.

Since the chemical composition of wood is closely related to its mechanical properties, chemical analysis techniques such as near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy provide a reasonable non-destructive method for predicting wood strength. In this study, we used NIR spectra with principal component analysis (PCA) to reveal that vacuum hydrothermal (VH) treatment causes degradation of hemicellulose as well as the amorphous region of cellulose, resulting in lower hydroxyl and acetyl group content. These processes increase the crystallinity of the luanta fir wood (Cunninghamia konishii Hayata), which, in turn, effectively increases its compressive strength (σc,max), hardness, and modulus of elasticity (MOE). The PCA results also revealed that the primary factors affecting these properties are the hemicellulose content, hydroxyl groups in the cellulose amorphous region, the wood moisture content, and the relative lignin content. Moreover, the ratios of performance deviation (RPDs) for the σc,max, shear strength (σs,max), hardness, and modulus of rupture (MOR) models were 1.49, 1.24, 1.13, and 2.39, indicating that these models can be used for wood grading (1.0 < RPD < 2.5). Accordingly, NIR can serve as a useful tool for predicting the mechanical properties of VH-treated wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antrodia salmonea (AS) is a fungus, which belongs to a fungal family of Taiwanofungus salmoneus with the features of anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer. Recent studies have shown that AS has anti-cancer functions in ovarian and breast cancer. However, the effects of AS on prostate cancer (PCa) proliferation remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the role of AS in PCa proliferation through apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation in PCa cell lines. Our results showed that Antrodia salmonea extract (ASE) inhibited PCa cells growth with a dose-dependent manner. In addition, ASE decreased the anchorage-independent growth formation ability in PC3 cells. Moreover, ASE-induced cell growth inhibition in PCa cells (DU145, PC3) was correlated to decreased cell cycle-related proteins such as cyclin A/B and cyclin-dependent kinase CDK1/2/4, and increased cell cycle inhibitor proteins p21. Besides, ASE decreased the total protein level of epidermal growth factor receptor and its downstream signaling pathways Akt and Erk in both PCa cells. We found that apoptotic markers such as cleaved-PARP protein levels increased significantly in DU145 cells indicating ASE might induce apoptosis. In conclusion, our results suggest that ASE may have the ability to induce PCa cell death through regulating cell cycle arrest and apoptosis pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the interlayer effect, dynamic mechanical properties, hysteresis behavior, and dynamic antivibration properties of PEL (polypropylene oxide-polyethylene oxide copolymer with LiCI[O.sub.4] 20 wt%) for modified PU (mPU) blends with clay and organoclay of varying amounts. The results show that the d-spacing between the layers of clay and organoclay ranges between 1.78-1.88 nm in the presence of PEL. The dynamic mechanical analysis indicates that the presence of clay and organoclay increases the vibration isolators of the nanocomposites under 20°C. It is found that organically modified clay significantly improves the antivibration performance of the blends based on the compressive vibration hysteresis effect. From the results of the dynamic antivibration test, the dynamic ratio of the blends decreases with the addition of clay or organoclay. In addition, clay is better than organoclay in enhancing the vibration isolation of the mPU blends. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 45:539-548, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers, INTRODUCTION Polymers exhibit uniquely high damping behavior in their glass transition zone due to conversion of mechanical vibration into heat energy through friction between molecular chains and heat dissipation [1]. [...]