Toray Industries Research Articles

Carbon Fiber Makers Merge

Japan’s Toray Industries, the world’s largest producer of carbon fibers, has reached an agreement to purchase U.S. carbon fiber maker Zoltek for $584 million. The purchase will give Toray, which sells mostly aerospace-grade fiber, a stake in the growing industrial carbon fiber business. The deal also vindicates the strategy of activist investor Jeffry N. Quinn, who has been pushing Zoltek to explore ways to boost its stock price since March. Toray says it is buying Zoltek, which had sales of $186 million last year, to gain entry into the rising market for carbon fiber used to make wind turbine blades and automotive parts. The Japanese firm has about $1 billion in annual sales of mostly aerospace-grade carbon fibers, whose light weight and high strength are an asset in fuel-efficient airliners such as Boeing’s Dreamliner. When the deal is completed in late 2013 or early 2014, Zoltek will become a subsidiary ...

SAT0390 Microrna Expression Profile in Fibromyalgia Patients: A Pilot Matched Case Control Study

BackgroundFibromyalgia (FM) is a clinical syndrome characterized by musculoskeletal pain and tenderness. Diagnosis is mainly based on exclusion of other resembling diseases since validated biological tests are still lacking. Identification...

The Effect of Aldosterone on the miRNA Content of a Murine Inner Medullary Collecting Duct Cell

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of small noncoding RNAs that have been shown to regulate gene expression by inhibiting translation or targeting specific mRNAs for degradation. miRNAs play important roles in the regulation of metabolism in the healthy cell and in the pathogenesis of many diseases including diabetic nephropathy and hypertension‐related renal disease.Aldosterone is the major known hormone responsible for sodium retention in the kidney collecting duct. Our working hypothesis is that aldosterone action alters the miRNA content in the inner medullary collecting duct resulting in increased translation and stabilization of mRNAs involved in sodium reabsorption.Here we report the miRNA landscape in mIMCD‐3 cells using Toray 3D‐GeneTM miRNA microarray analysis to evaluate 1080 miRNAs. Microarray analysis identified 35 highly expressed miRNAs, as well as several miRNAs whose levels appear to be affected by the presence of aldosterone. Two aldosterone responsive miRNAs affected levels of serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1and sodium/potassium‐transporting ATPase subunit beta‐1 mRNA. Argonaute pull‐down experiments also demonstrated that endothelin‐1 mRNA is a target of the RNA‐induced silencing complex indicating miRNA action on this transcript.This work was supported by NIH NIDDK 1RO1DK082680 to B.D.C and C.S.W. and a 5T32DK076541–04 pre‐doctoral fellowship to M.E.J. Additional funding support and miRNA microarrays were provided by Toray Industries, Inc.

Thrombin-cleaved Fragments of Osteopontin Are Overexpressed in Malignant Glial Tumors and Provide a Molecular Niche with Survival Advantage

Osteopontin (OPN), which is highly expressed in malignant glioblastoma (GBM), possesses inflammatory activity modulated by proteolytic cleavage by thrombin and plasma carboxypeptidase B2 (CPB2) at a highly conserved cleavage site. Full-length OPN (OPN-FL) was elevated in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from all cancer patients compared with noncancer patients. However, thrombin-cleaved OPN (OPN-R) and thrombin/CPB2-double-cleaved OPN (OPN-L) levels were markedly increased in GBM and non-GBM gliomas compared with systemic cancer and noncancer patients. Cleaved OPN constituted ∼23 and ∼31% of the total OPN in the GBM and non-GBM CSF samples, respectively. OPN-R was also elevated in GBM tissues. Thrombin-antithrombin levels were highly correlated with cleaved OPN, but not OPN-FL, suggesting that the cleaved OPN fragments resulted from increased thrombin and CPB2 in this extracellular compartment. Levels of VEGF and CCL4 were increased in CSF of GBM and correlated with the levels of cleaved OPN. GBM cell lines were more adherent to OPN-R and OPN-L than OPN-FL. Adhesion to OPN altered gene expression, in particular genes involved with cellular processes, cell cycle regulation, death, and inflammation. OPN and its cleaved forms promoted motility of U-87 MG cells and conferred resistance to apoptosis. Although functional mutation of the RGD motif in OPN largely abolished these functions, OPN(RAA)-R regained significant cell binding and signaling function, suggesting that the SVVYGLR motif in OPN-R may substitute for the RGD motif if the latter becomes inaccessible. OPN cleavage contributes to GBM development by allowing more cells to bind in niches where they acquire anti-apoptotic properties.

Boron removal with UTC-series reverse osmosis filtration

This study compared performance on boron rejection in seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membrane filtration in a high pressure cross-flow cell. Real seawaters were sampled at the north, east and south coast of Taiwan and the intake ports of SWRO plants in Penghu and Matsu islands. Four types of flat-sheet RO membranes (SG from GE Osmonics and UTC80, UTC80A, and UTC80S from Toray Industries) were tested. Permeate flux, feed flow rate and boron concentrations at room temperature were recorded over testing time. The UTC-series membranes have better performance on both boron and sodium rejection than SG membrane at all tested pH's. Test data sets were available for the first time using SWRO membrane for boron rejection from seawaters in Taiwan.

Single-molecule Study on the Decay Process of the Football-shaped GroEL-GroES Complex Using Zero-mode Waveguides

It has been widely believed that an asymmetric GroEL-GroES complex (termed the bullet-shaped complex) is formed solely throughout the chaperonin reaction cycle, whereas we have recently revealed that a symmetric GroEL-(GroES)(2) complex (the football-shaped complex) can form in the presence of denatured proteins. However, the dynamics of the GroEL-GroES interaction, including the football-shaped complex, is unclear. We investigated the decay process of the football-shaped complex at a single-molecule level. Because submicromolar concentrations of fluorescent GroES are required in solution to form saturated amounts of the football-shaped complex, single-molecule fluorescence imaging was carried out using zero-mode waveguides. The single-molecule study revealed two insights into the GroEL-GroES reaction. First, the first GroES to interact with GroEL does not always dissociate from the football-shaped complex prior to the dissociation of a second GroES. Second, there are two cycles, the "football cycle " and the "bullet cycle," in the chaperonin reaction, and the lifetimes of the football-shaped and the bullet-shaped complexes were determined to be 3-5 s and about 6 s, respectively. These findings shed new light on the molecular mechanism of protein folding mediated by the GroEL-GroES chaperonin system.

Thermomechanical experiment and analysis on shape recovery properties of shape memory polymer influenced by fiber reinforcement

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are currently investigated as potential materials for large deployable space structures [1–3]. The thermomechanical properties of these polymers significantly change on reaching their glass transition temperature, which yields the excellent feature of shape fixity and shape recovery [4]. As another aspect, the modulus of these materials is not sufficient since they are polymeric materials. In actual applications, the fiber reinforcement is effective for ensuring the sustainability of the deployed structures. However, while the fiber reinforcement has advantages for increasing the stiffness, it has a negative influence on the shape recovery behavior of SMPs. Experimental studies for shape memory polymer composite were conducted by Gall et al. [5, 6] for SiC powder-reinforced nanocomposite, Ohki et al. [7] for short-glass-fiber reinforcement, and Lan et al. [8] for SMP reinforced with plain-weave fabrics, and the increase of residual strain after shape recovery process was confirmed. In order to maximize both the stiffness and shape-recovery behavior of fiber-reinforced SMPs, it is essential to know how the fibers block the shape recovery behavior of polymers. However, the mechanism was not modeled. Therefore, we focus on the mechanism underlying the degradation of shape recovery behavior due to fiber reinforcement. To investigate this mechanism, we first conducted thermomechanical cycle tests for pure SMP and SMP reinforced with short-carbon fibers. We used polyurethane series of thermoset SMP, Diary MP-5510 (curing temperature 100 C), provided by SMP Technologies Inc. The cured polymer has a glass transition temperature of 55 C, and the temperature range of glass transition between glassy state and rubbery state is 30 C. Short carbon fibers T700S (Toray Industries Inc.) were embedded in the polymer. The fibers with approximately 5 mm length were randomly embedded in the prepolymer before curing, and the weight fraction of fibers was set to 0, 2, and 4 wt%. It should be noted that the bundle of carbon fibers (12,000 fibers) was embedded and not dispersed in these model experiments, as also modeled later. After curing, strip specimens were cut out (approximately 40 mm gauge length, 20 mm width, and 2 mm thickness in average). The following thermomechanical cycle was applied to these specimens using a tensile test machine (INSTRON 5566), as shown in Fig. 1:

Effectiveness of early start of direct hemoperfusion with polymyxin B-immobilized fiber columns judging from stabilization in circulatory dynamics in surgical treatment patients

Background:Septic shock remains a major cause of multiple organ failure and is associated with a high mortality rate. In 1994, direct hemoperfusion using a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (PMX; Toray Industries Inc., Tokyo Japan) was developed in Japan and has since been used for the treatment of septic shock arising from endotoxemia.Materials and Method:We treated 36 patients with septic shock using direct hemoperfusion with PMX. The patients were analyzed in two groups based on whether they had undergone surgery prior to DHP-PMX treatment (surgical group: surgical treatment before DHP-PMX, medical group: no surgical treatment). In surgical group, DHP-PMX was started within three hours after the surgical treatment. Various factors were measured before and after DHP-PMX.Results:The mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score was 27.4 ± 8.8, and the mean sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score was 11.8 ± 4.9 before DHP-PMX. The SOFA score was significantly higher (P = 0.0091) and the PaO2/FiO2 ratio (P/F ratio) was significantly lower (P = 0.0037) in medical group than in surgical group prior to DHP-PMX. A chi-square test showed that the survival rate in surgical group was significantly better than in medical group (P = 0.0027). The survival rate of surgical group (84.2%) was judged to be very good because the predicated survival rate based on the APACHE II score (25.0) was only 46.5%. On the other hand, the survival rate of medical group (35.3%) was almost equal to that predicted by the APACHE II score (30.6; predicted survival rate, 27.4%).Conclusion:The results of this study suggest the utility of early DHP-PMX in surgical group.

Apheresis of activated leukocytes with an immobilized polymyxin B filter

It was assumed that pathologic activation of neutrophils and monocytes is associated with sepsis, acute lung injury/ARDS, and multiple organ failure, and that removal of these cells from the circulation could reduce leukocyte-dependent tissue injury. Cartridges containing polymyxin B (PMX) immobilized to fibers (Toraymyxin; Toray Industries, Tokyo, Japan) have been developed for selective adsorption of circulating endotoxin in patients with Gram-negative bacterial infection, and this treatment has proven to be highly effective. This study examined the effect of direct hemoperfusion through filters with immobilized PMX direct-hemoperfusion (DHP) on leukocyte function and plasma levels of cytokines in patients with septic shock.

Increase in systolic blood pressure and improvement in laboratory parameters following polymyxin B-immobilized fiber treatment in septic shock

Direct hemoperfusion using a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (DHP-PMX; Toray Industries Inc., Tokyo, Japan) was first developed in 1994 and has since been used for the treatment of septic shock.

Toray supplies membranes for the world's largest RO sea-water desalination plant

Japan's Toray Industries Inc has received an order from Hyflux Ltd to supply reverse osmosis (RO) membranes for what is claimed will be the world's largest membrane-based desalination plant. The membranes will be delivered during 2010.

TORAY TAPS CHINA

IN BEIJING late last month, Japan’s Toray Industries and China National BlueStar held a ceremonial ground-breaking for a $73 million plant that will produce reverse-osmosis membranes for water purification. The venture, owned 50.1% by Toray and 49.9% by BlueStar, is based on a simple principle: The Japanese side provides the technology, and the Chinese side contributes a local sales network. Whereas Toray is a world-class inventor and producer of water treatment membranes, BlueStar is one of China’s largest chemical conglomerates. “I hope that our technology can provide solutions to some of China’s water shortages and environmental challenges,” Sadayuki Sakakibara, president and chief executive of Toray, said at the event. China is probably the world’s most dynamic market for companies active in water treatment (C&EN, May 11, page 18). Its planned fix for the growing water shortages plaguing the northern part of the country has long been to build huge canals to divert water from the ...

Toray adds further RO elements to its product range

Japan's Toray Industries Inc and Toray Membrane USA (TMUS) have introduced two new reverse osmosis (RO) membrane elements with low-energy consumption for sea-water desalination. It is also offering two low-fouling elements for the treatment of brackish water.

Toray establishes water treatment R&D centre at NEWRI in Singapore

Toray Industries Inc of Tokyo, Japan, has established a laboratory at Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) based in Singapore. It has been set up to conduct research into water treatment technology.

Study of an A/O Submerged Membrane Bioreactor for Oil Refinery Wastewater Treatment

A 55-day experimental study was conducted to investigate the treatment process of oil refinery wastewater using submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology. The results showed that the removal rates for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) were stable and averaged 92%. The average removal rates for NH3-N, oil, and turbidity were shown to be 93.7%, 75.3%, and 94.6%, respectively. The removal rates for total phosphorus (TP), total suspended solids (TSS), suspended solids (SS), and phenol were shown to be greater than 98.5%, 97.9%, 93.8%, and 99.9%, respectively. This demonstrated that MBR technology had superior treatment effect on the above contaminants. During the 55-day operation, there was no trace of contamination on the membrane. This illustrated that the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) flat sheet membrane manufactured by Toray Industries (Tokyo, Japan) had the ability to resist contamination. Foundation idem: Cooperation idem of P.R. China and Japan (No. 16254002); Foundation of China Petroleum & Natural Gas Company (No. 196135).

HOMOGENIZED CREEP BEHAVIOR OF CFRP LAMINATES AT HIGH TEMPERATURE

In this study, creep behavior of a CFRP laminate subjected to a constant stress is analyzed based on the time-dependent homogenization theory developed by the present authors. The laminate is a unidirectional carbon fiber/epoxy laminate T800H/#3631 manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc. Two kinds of creep analyses are performed. First, 45° off-axis creep deformation of the laminate at high temperature (100°C) is analyzed with three kinds of creep stress levels, respectively. It is shown that the present theory accurately predicts macroscopic creep behavior of the unidirectional CFRP laminate observed in experiments. Then, high temperature creep deformations at a constant creep stress are simulated with seven kinds of off-axis angles, i.e., θ = 0°, 10°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 90°. It is shown that the laminate has marked in-plane anisotropy with respect to the creep behavior.

A Novel Vascular Reconstruction Technique for Limb Salvage Surgery Using Temporary Bypass Tubes

Sir: The techniques and concepts of limb salvage for soft-tissue sarcoma of the lower limb involving major vessels have been substantially developed in recent years.1–3 We present a novel vascular reconstruction technique for limb salvage surgery using temporary bypass tubes. A temporary bypass tube (Anthron; Toray Industries, Tokyo, Japan) has been designed for use before excision of soft-tissue sarcoma involving major vessels in the extremities. The tube is constructed of polyvinylchloride coated with a heparinized hydrophilic polymer (Anthron).4 The rate of heparin release from the polymer is 10–2 U/cm2/minute, sufficient to prevent intracatheter coagulation without requiring administration of systemic anticoagulants. Both ends of the tube are tapered to facilitate insertion of the bypass tube into vessels. Nambisan and Karakoisis2 showed the standard steps in extensive resection of sarcoma of the extremity involving major vessels. After proximal and distal exposure of the vessels, dissection around the muscles to be removed along with the tumor is undertaken, and the origins and insertions of these muscles are divided. The last step in resection, following heparinization, is to clamp and divide the vessels proximally and distally. We used to perform the operation in the same manner described by Nambisan and Karakoisis.2 However, we encountered several cases in which control of hemorrhage from soft tissue surrounding the tumor was difficult. We therefore attempted to use temporary bypass tubes before and during extirpation of the whole tumor (Fig. 1). This procedure provided an almost bloodless field during dissection. This bypass procedure using an Anthron tube served as a pneumatic tourniquet to which we have become accustomed, facilitating reductions in hemorrhage, easy dissection, and time savings. Finally, this maneuver provides a lower incidence of infection, which can be quite high during extensive resections that require prolonged surgery. However, the tube courses beyond the operative field, and the natural warp of the tube serves to keep the tube away from the tumor still connected around abundant soft tissue. This facilitates handling during tumor dissection. After extirpation of the tumor keeping with bypass, the contralateral greater saphenous vein is harvested. Vascular defects are reconstructed using vein grafts (Fig. 2). During vein harvesting and graft preparation, there was no concern regarding limb ischemia.Fig. 1.: A large liposarcoma in the anterior region of the right thigh (asterisk). Anthron bypass tubes were substituted for the superficial femoral artery (single arrowhead) and vein (double arrowheads).Fig. 2.: After extirpation of the tumor keeping with bypass, the contralateral greater saphenous vein is harvested. Vascular defects of the superficial femoral artery vein were reconstructed using vein grafts.The tapered type tube can maintain blood flow at 230 ml/minute under a 20-cm H2O blood pressure discrepancy. Given the high blood flow through the femoral artery, holding the inserted tube and vessels by anchoring them with thick silk sutures and clamping them with bulldog forceps is a key step to achieving success in this procedure. No thrombus formation in the catheter was detected after use and no complications attributable to the catheter were observed. Limb salvage surgery using the Anthron bypass tube facilitates reductions in ischemia time, operation time, and infection rate. We have proposed a new technique with which to obtain a bloodless operative field in the proximal extremity using the bypass tube. This technique appears useful for resecting tumors with adequate surgical margins and achieving local control of the disease. Noriaki Kikuchi, M.D., Ph.D. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Toshihisa Osanai, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Takashi Tsuchiya, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Yamagata University School of Medicine Hiroshi Orui, M.D., Ph.D. National Sanatorium of Yamagata Clinic Toshihiko Ogino, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Yamagata University School of Medicine Yamagata, Japan

Endotoxin adsorption method may affect serum procalcitonin

When septic patients progress to endotoxin shock, they present a high mortality rate. The mortality rate of septic patients with multiple organ failure has been reported to be 30–80%. The endotoxin adsorption method (PMX-DHP: Toray Industries, Inc., Tokyo, Japan) has been used for treatment of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock primarily caused by Gram-negative infections in Japan. We also reported that PMX-DHP removed plasma endotoxin and improved hemodynamic parameters in clinical trials [1]. The purpose of this study was to assess the changes of procalcitonin (PCT) values during PMX-DHP.

Relationship between the use of polymyxin B-immobilized fiber for hemofiltration and some laboratory parameters (endocannabinoids, high mobility group box-1 protein and oxidative stress) in severe pneumonia patients

Septic shock remains a major cause of multiple organ failure, with a high mortality rate, and severe pneumonia is one of the major causes of septic shock. The existence of a relationship between lung injury and the serum level of F2-isoprostane, as a known oxidative stress marker, was recently reported. The technique of direct hemoperfusion (DHP) with a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (PMX; Toray Industries Inc., Tokyo Japan) was developed in Japan in 1994, and it has been used for the treatment of endotoxemia in septic shock. Reduction of the serum levels of several endotoxins following PMX has been recognized.

Clinical Responses and Improvement of Some Laboratory Parameters Following Polymyxin B–Immobilized Fiber Treatment in Septic Shock

Direct hemoperfusion using a polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (PMX; Toray Industries Inc., Tokyo, Japan) was first developed in 1994 and has since been used for the treatment of septic shock. Positive clinical data, such as an increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and an improved Pao2/Fio2 ratio, have also been reported. We treated 27 septic shock patients using DHP-PMX. The patients were separated into two groups for analysis: those whose Pao2/Fio2 ratio increased after DHP-PMX (9 cases) and those whose Pao2/Fio2 ratio did not increase after DHP-PMX (18 cases). The patients were also separated into two other groups for analysis: those whose SBP increased by more than 30 mm Hg immediately after DHP-PMX (15 cases) and those whose SBP did not increase by more than 30 mm Hg after DHP-PMX (12 cases). The Pao2/Fio2 ratio increased significantly after DHP-PMX in the groups showing improved 2AG and PAI-1 levels (p = 0.0040). The SBP increased significantly in the group showing improved HMGB-1 levels (p < 0.0001). We observed a relationship between hemodynamic improvement and increase of the serum HMGB-1 levels and between improvement of respiratory functions and increase of the serum 2-AG and PAI-1 levels in septic shock patients treated with DHP-PMX.