Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase and Diabetes Complications

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can result in microvascular complications such as neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, and cerebral small vessel disease, and contribute to macrovascular complications, such as heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, and large vessel stroke. T2DM also increases the risks of depression and dementia for reasons that remain largely unclear. Perturbations in the cytochrome P450-soluble epoxide hydrolase (CYP-sEH) pathway have been implicated in each of these diabetes complications. Here we review evidence from the clinical and animal literature suggesting the involvement of the CYP-sEH pathway in T2DM complications across organ systems, and highlight possible mechanisms (e.g., inflammation, fibrosis, mitochondrial function, endoplasmic reticulum stress, the unfolded protein response and autophagy) that may be relevant to the therapeutic potential of the pathway. These mechanisms may be broadly relevant to understanding, preventing and treating microvascular complications affecting the brain and other organ systems in T2DM.     

Photokatalytische Systeme. XXXIV. Über die Photoreduktion von Carboxylato(cuproin)kupfer(II)-Chelaten in Alkoholen

Photocatalytic Systems. XXXIV. On the Photoreduction of Carboxylato(cuproine) Copper (II) Chelates in Alcohols In contrast to the behaviour in nonpolar aprotic solcents, the photolysis of cuproine copper(II) chelates of the type Cu(N N) (RCOO)₂ (R  CH₃, C(CH₃)₃; N N = sterically hindered heterocyclic 1, 2-diimine ligand) in alcohols does not lead to formation of free radicals. A two-step mechanism with non-radicalic intermediates is derived from e.s.r. spin trapping and microsecond flash photolysis experiments.     

Production of D-lyxose from D-glucose by microbial and enzymatic reactions

D-arabitol was first prepared from D-glucose using Candida famata R28. The reaction gave 5.0% D-arabitol from 10.0% D-glucose. D-arabitol was then almost completely converted to D-xylulose using Acetobacter aceti IFO 3281. Finally, D-lyxose was prepared from D-xylulose enzymatically using L-ribose isomerase from toluene-treated cells of Acinetobacter sp. strain DL-28. The isomerization reaction progressed steadily and the concentration of D-xylulose increased from 1.0 to 10.0%. About 70% of D-xylulose was converted to D-lyxose in all cases. Separation of residual D-xylulose from the reaction mixture is very difficult to achieve by column chromatography, but D-xylulose could be selectively degraded easily using Saccharomyces cerevisiae IFO 0841. The product was crystallized and was confirmed to be D-lyxose by HPLC, 13C-NMR spectra, IR spectra analysis, and optical rotation measurement.     

Relations between compliances of inhomogeneities having the same shape but different elastic constants

The contributions of inhomogeneities having the same shape but different elastic constants, to the overall elastic properties are interrelated. The utility of these relations lies, in particular, in the possibility to extend available results for pores or rigid inclusions to inhomogeneities of arbitrary elastic properties. The relations are exact for ellipsoids and approximate for non-ellipsoidal shapes. The constructed approximation also constitutes approximate connection between the first Eshelby’s problem (the eigenstrain problem) and the second one (the inhomogeneity problem), for non-ellipsoidal shapes. It also yields approximate formulas for the contribution of a non-ellipsoidal inhomogeneity to effective elastic properties.     

Exposure of Mice to Thirdhand Smoke Modulates In Vitro and In Vivo Platelet Responses

Smoking is a risk factor for a variety of deleterious conditions, such as cancer, respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease. Thrombosis is an important and common aspect of several cardiovascular disease states, whose risk is known to be increased by both first- and secondhand smoke. More recently, the residual cigarette smoke that persists after someone has smoked (referred to as thirdhand smoke or THS) has been gaining more attention, since it has been shown that it also negatively affects health. Indeed, we have previously shown that 6-month exposure to THS increases the risk of thrombogenesis. However, neither the time-dependence of THS-induced thrombus formation, nor its sex dependence have been investigated. Thus, in the present study, we investigated these issues in the context of a shorter exposure to THS, specifically 3 months, in male and female mice. We show that the platelets from 3-month THS-exposed mice exhibited enhanced activation by agonists. Moreover, we also show that mice of both sexes exposed to THS have decreased tail bleeding as well as decreased thrombus occlusion time. In terms of the role of sex, intersex disparities in thrombus development and hemostasis as well as in platelet aggregation were, interestingly, observed. Together, our findings show that exposing mice to THS for 3 months is sufficient to predispose them to thrombosis; which seems to be driven, at least in part, by an increased activity in platelets, and that it does not manifest equally in both sexes.     

Microstructure developed in the surface layer of Ti-6Al-4V alloy after sliding wear in vacuum

Microstructural changes in the surface layer of Ti-6Al-4V alloy after sliding wear in vacuum have been studied by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). The wear rates of Ti-6Al-4V alloy in vacuum were measured under different sliding velocities and loads. The experimental results showed that a severely deformed layer with a grain size of 50–100 nm and thickness about 70 μm was formed underneath the worn surface. Under the slower sliding velocities, the substructure of the layer had a high dislocation density, while under higher sliding velocities, twins were found to exist in the substructure. A process by which the deformed layer formed has been proposed and the deformation of materials at the contacting spots of the Ti-6Al-4V sample is discussed.     

Analysis of the drude model in metallic films

A method, believed to be new, to simulate Drude parameters for collective oscillation of the free carriers in metallic films is proposed. Plasma resonance frequency and relaxation were simulated simultaneously from both the real and the imaginary parts of the dielectric function of a metallic film after consideration of their correlation in the Drude model. As examples, the contributions of the electrons in Ag films and of the free carriers in metallic silicide, NbSi(2) and TaSi(2), films have been studied.     

Rotor resonances of high-speed permanent-magnet brushless machines

For high-speed machines, in particular, it is very important to accurately predict natural frequencies of the rotor at the design stage so as to minimize the likelihood of failure. Finite-element analysis and experimental measurements are used to establish the natural frequencies and modes of the rotor of a high-speed permanent-magnet brushless motor, and to assess the influence of leading design parameters, such as the active length, the shaft diameter and extension, the bearings, and the material properties.