Corn fibre xylan (CX) shows high resistance to enzymatic hydrolysis due to its densely decorated side chains. To find enzymes capable of hydrolyzing CX, we isolated a bacterial strain (named H2C) from soil, by enrichment culture using non-starch polysaccharides of corn as the sole carbon source. Analysis based on the 16S rRNA sequence placed strain H2C within genus Paenibacillus. Enzymes were purified from supernatant of culture broth of strain H2C based on solubilizing activities toward CX. Four enzymes, Xyn5A, Xyn10B, Xyn11A, and Xyn30A, were successfully identified, which belong to glycoside hydrolase (GH) families, 5, 10, 11, and 30, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis classified Xyn5A in subfamily 35 of GH family 5, a subfamily of unknown function. Their activities toward beechwood xylan and/or wheat arabinoxylan indicated that these enzymes are β-1,4-xylanases. They showed high solubilizing activities toward a feed material, corn dried distiller’s grains with solubles, compared to five previously characterized xylanases. Abbreviations : CX: corn fibre xylan; DDGS: corn dried distiller’s grains with solubles

The rheology of liquids affects their ease of pouring. In this study, the subjects evaluated the feeling of pouring liquids with various viscosities. The situation was recorded with a high-speed camera and force plate. The score for ease of pouring water and 5 wt% thickened aqueous solution was 8.9 ± 1.5 and 2.1 ± 1.6 respectively, demonstrating that the score decreased with increasing viscosity. The three stages of the pouring process, namely the flowing state in which the liquid flows out vigorously (I), the yarning state in which the liquid flows out to stretch (II), and the dripping state in which the liquid flows out as droplets (III) were observed. The duration of state II extended as the viscosity increased. These findings can be useful for the development of characteristic containers and beverages.

No abstract

Osteoma is non-odontogenic tumor consisting of hyperplasia of compact or cancellous bone. It occurs more frequently in the maxilla than in the mandible, and it often arises unilaterally in the molar or canine region of the maxilla. This article presents a case of peripheral cancellous osteoma occurring bilaterally in the molar region of the maxilla.A 64-year-old woman visited our hospital because of a swelling on the palatal side of the alveolus in the bilateral maxillary molar regions. Bone-like hard tumors were observed bilaterally on the palatal side of the alveolus in the upper wisdom tooth regions. On panoramic X-ray film, radiopaque tumors were observed in the regions. We excised the tumors under local anesthesia. The tumors were diagnosed pathologically as peripheral cancellous osteomas. The patient is making satisfactory progress without any recurrence in either region of the maxilla.