Institute of Traditional Japanese Architecture

The aim of this paper is to examine the shear resistance mechanism of seismic retrofitting by external reinforcement，which consist of divided thin steel plates and continuous fiber sheets with grout mortar layer，for existing RC short columns．This paper mainly describes the shear effectiveness by the ribs of steel plates in a short columns．In order to investigate the above objects，lateral loading tests were conducted for the six specimens with two types of fiber sheets，with different of ribs width and the steel materials．The test results show that this method is very effective in enhancing the shear strength by ribs of providing steel plates，and a shear resistance which consists of elements of a lateral ribs and fiber sheet was supposed．Based on these results，the study indicates that the shear capacity can be estimated using the design guideline for ultimate shear strength issued by AIJ in 1990.

In this paper, new seismic retrofitting methods by external reinforcement is proposed. Main objectives of this technique is to increase the flexural strength of existing RC columns detailing weak column and strong beam joint type in RC connection and to ensure the seismic performance subjected to large deformation under cyclic lateral loads. The proposed methods herein is the combined the steel plates and continuous fiber sheets with grout mortar layer. Furthermore, additional external longitudinal bar through the beam-column joint which is encased in mortar layer. These members are connected with the existing RC columns together with bonded anchor.In order to investigate the increasing flexural strength, the lateral cyclic loading tests were conducted for the five specimens with two different joint type of exterior and interior columns which the different mechanical properties of beam were planned, and respectively, compared them with the original RC frame. Test results shows that this method was very effective in enhancing the flexural strength of column. But its strength for all specimens of interior columns were almost similar, because hysteresis characteristics were hardly affected by mechanical properties of beam.

We previously found that a methanolic extract of the stems of Sambucus sieboldiana inhibited bone resorption in organ culture. In this study, we further fractionated the methanol extract guided by the activity towards bone resorption stimulated by parathyroid hormone (PTH) in vitro. The ethyl acetate fraction (EtOAc Fr.) of the methanolic extract inhibited PTH-stimulated bone resorption of neonatal mouse bones, and the inhibitory activity was more potent than those of other fractions. Oral administration of the EtOAc Fr. (50 and 100 mg/kg/d) to ovariectomized (OVX) rat prevented the decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar (L2-4) vertebra, indicating that the EtOAc Fr. is effective in vivo. Furthermore, the EtOAc Fr. (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg/d) decreased the serum calcium level elevated in low calcium dietary rats. The phenolic constituents of the EtOAc fraction were examined for their inhibitory effect on bone resorption stimulated by PTH in neonatal mouse bone. Among them, vanillic acid, vanillin and coniferyl alcohol showed significant inhibitory effects on bone resorption. Of the compounds examined, vanillic acid was found to have a significant inhibitory effect on the decrease of BMD in OVX mice. Therefore, the EtOAc Fr. of S. sieboldiana showed a suppressive effect on bone resorption in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the inhibitory effects of the EtOAc Fr. on bone resorption may be at least partly due to the inhibitory action of vanillic acid.

From a human intestinal bacterium, Eubacterium sp. A-44, which is capable of hydrolyzing saikosaponins to saikogenins, two glycosidases, beta-D-glucosidase and a novel type of beta-D-fucosidase, were isolated and characterized as saikosaponin-hydrolyzing beta-D-glucosidase and prosaikogenin-hydrolyzing beta-D-fucosidase. Relative to the hydrolyzing activities toward saikosaponins a, b1 and b2, the beta-D-glucosidase showed lower ability to hydrolyze saikosaponin d, but no ability to hydrolyze saikosaponin c or prosaikogenins. By Sephacryl S-300 column chromatography, the molecular weight of prosaikogenin-hydrolyzing beta-D-fucosidase was estimated to be about 130 kDa. The beta-D-fucosidase could hydrolyze prosaikogenins A and F, but not prosaikogenins D and G or saikosaponins. Relative to p-nitrophenyl beta-D-fucoside-hydrolyzing activity, this enzyme had 32.0% and 22.2% of its hydrolyzing ability toward p-nitrophenyl beta-D-glucoside and p-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactoside, respectively. p-Nitrophenyl beta-D-fucoside-hydrolyzing activity was inhibited by D-fucose, and was weakly inhibited by D-glucose, D-glucono delta-lactone, D-galactose and D-galactono delta-lactone. By combining these two glycosidases, saikosaponins a and b1 were converted to their saikogenins via the corresponding prosaikogenins.