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The conversion of methanol into hydrocarbons over ZSM-5 zeolites has been studied with a special emphasis on improving the selectivity to aromatic hydrocarbons. The introduction of zinc or gallium cations to ZSM-5 appreciably increased the yield of or selectivity for aromatic hydrocarbons. Thus, under the reaction conditions of 700 K, methanol pressure of 40 kPa and W / F = 9.0g h mol-l, the yields of aromatic hydrocarbons over H-ZSM-5, Ga-ZSM-5, and Zn-ZSM-5 were 40.3, 48.2 and 67.4 YO, respectively. Over Zn-ZSM-5 the distribution of aromatic products on a molar basis was as follows; benzene (5.8%), toluene (28.O%), xylenes + ethylbenzene (45.6 %) and C9+(20.6 Yo). The reaction conditions were optimized to obtain the highest yield of aromatic hydrocarbons over Zn-ZSM-5. The yield of aromatics increased with temperature up to 700 K, but a further temperature increase led to the decomposition of methanol to carbon oxides. The selectivity for aromatics gave a maximum of 70% at a methanol partial pressure of 22 kPa. The yield of aromatic hydrocarbons increased with the degree of cation-exchange of H-ZSM-5 with Zn-cations, indicating the essential role of zinc species in the enhancement of the selectivity to aromatics. It is concluded that the zinc species has a capability of efficiently converting alkene intermediates to aromatic hydrocarbons.

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To assess the efficiency of tocotrienols against oxidative damage, we have demonstrated in a model-system nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, that tocotrienol administration reduced the accumulation of protein carbonyl (a good indicator of oxidative damage during aging) and consequently extended the mean life span (LS), but not the maximum LS. Conversely, alpha-tocopherol acetate did not affect these parameters. As a way to evaluate the protective ability of tocotrienols against oxidative stress, the life spans of animals administrated tocotrienols before or after exposure to ultraviolet B-induced oxidative stress were measured. Ultraviolet B irradiation shortened the mean LS of animals, whereas preadministration of tocotrienols recovered the mean LS to that of unirradiated animals. Interestingly, postadministration also extended the mean LS more than that of unirradiated animals, and administration through the LS conferred greater protection. Thus, the administration of tocotrienols to animals results in a reduction of oxidative stress risks. These data indicated that tocotrienols merit further investigation as possible agents for antiaging and oxidative stress prevention. In addition, they suggest that C. elegans will continue to provide provocative clues into the mechanisms of aging.

Dielectric studies were performed on crystallized and amorphous polydimethylsiloxane which had been characterized by differential thermal analysis and polarized light microscopy. The crystallized specimen displayed one relaxation near 160 K at 1 kHz while the amorphous specimen showed absorption peaks at 155 and 165 K. For the latter material the high‐temperature peak was not due to a true relaxation but resulted from crystal nucleation at 160 K and the subsequent growth of spherulites. The low‐temperature peak at 155 K resulted from the relaxation associated with the glass transition. A sharp decrease of dielectric constant was observed for both specimens at the melting point (235 K). For the dielectric relaxation associated with the glass transition in crystallized specimens, the values of the dispersion amplitude, the apparent activation energy at 160 K, and the half‐width of the absorption curve are 0.43 and 29 kcal/mole, and 5.6 decades, respectively, which are in marked contrast to the corresponding values of 0.82, 18, and 2.2 for amorphous specimens.

We focused on determining the most accurate and convenient genotyping methods and most appropriate single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) among four such polymorphisms associated with interleukin-28B (IL-28B) in order to design tailor-made therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. 4%) patients, the four SNPs were not in LD. Eight of nine (88.9%) patients whose rs8099917 was homozygous for the major allele were virological responders, even though one or more of the other SNPs were heterozygous. The HP, TaqMan, and Invader methods were suitable to determine the SNPs associated with IL-28B. The rs8099917 polymorphism should be the best predictor for the response to the PEG-IFN/RBV treatment among Japanese chronic hepatitis C patients.