Role of dietary lignans in the reduction of breast cancer risk

Lignans are a large group of fiber-associated phenolic compounds widely distributed in edible plants. Some of the ingested plant lignans are converted by intestinal microbiota to enterolignans, enterodiol (END) and enterolactone (ENL), the latter of which has been thought to be the major biologically active lignan, and suggested to be associated with low risk of breast cancer. In line with this, administration of plant lignans which are further metabolized to ENL, or ENL as such, have been shown to inhibit or delay the growth of experimental mammary cancer. The mechanism of anticarcinogenic action of ENL is not yet fully understood, but there is intriguing evidence for ENL as a modulator of estrogen signaling. These findings have generated interest in the use of lignans as components of breast cancer risk reducing functional foods. Identification of target groups, who would benefit most, is of pivotal importance. Therefore, further identification and validation of relevant biomarkers, which can be used as indicators of lignan or ENL action and breast cancer risk reduction at different stages of the disease, are of importance.     

Optimization of 1,2,5‐Thiadiazole Carbamates as Potent and Selective ABHD6 Inhibitors

At present, inhibitors of α/β‐hydrolase domain 6 (ABHD6) are viewed as a promising approach to treat inflammation and metabolic disorders. This article describes the development of 1,2,5‐thiadiazole carbamates as ABHD6 inhibitors. Altogether, 34 compounds were synthesized, and their inhibitory activity was tested using lysates of HEK293 cells transiently expressing human ABHD6 (hABHD6). Among the compound series, 4‐morpholino‐1,2,5‐thiadiazol‐3‐yl cyclooctyl(methyl)carbamate (JZP‐430) potently and irreversibly inhibited hABHD6 (IC₅₀=44 nM ) and showed ～230‐fold selectivity over fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and lysosomal acid lipase (LAL), the main off‐targets of related compounds. Additionally, activity‐based protein profiling indicated that JZP‐430 displays good selectivity among the serine hydrolases of the mouse brain membrane proteome. JZP‐430 has been identified as a highly selective, irreversible inhibitor of hABHD6, which may provide a novel approach in the treatment of obesity and type II diabetes.     

Catalysis in VOC Abatement

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are harmful to environment and human health. Catalytic oxidation has been used in VOC abatement for over 60 years, and it has proven to be an effective technology. A large variety of VOCs set high demands for the treatment, and therefore catalytic oxidation needs still to be developed further. This paper reviews current aspects and future research needs related to VOCs and catalytic VOC treatment concentrating on solvent-based, chlorinated and sulphur-containing VOCs.     

Effect of protein‐loading on properties of wet‐spun poly(L,D‐lactide) multifilament fibers

Protein‐loaded multifilament fibers were fabricated by the wet‐spinning method. The polymers which were tested included poly(L,D ‐lactide) [P(L,D )LA], L/D ratio 96/4 and poly(L,DL ‐lactide) [P(L,DL )LA], L /DL ratio 70/30. The polymers were dissolved in dichloromethane and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was dissolved in water, respectively. The solutions were mixed together using a probe sonicator to form a polymer‐protein emulsion. This emulsion was extruded to an ethanol spin bath. The fibers possessed a distinct sheath‐core structure, where the inner core was porous and the outer sheath was smooth. The diameters of the filaments were in the range of 46 and 70 μm. The tenacity values of the filaments were between 7 and 17 MPa. In vitro drug release rate of the P(L,DL )LA 70/30 filament was faster than that of the P(L,D )LA 96/4 filament. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Gravure printing of conductive particulate polymer inks on flexible substrates

A roto-gravure printing technique has been developed for conductive lines on paper and plastic films. Rotary-screen-printing was used to make comparative prints. The inks contained metal particles in an organic medium and were cured in temperatures of 70–120 °C, limited by the substrate durability. The following conductor line properties were characterised for different substrates: resistance, yield as a function of line width, coil inductance, folding endurance, adhesion, printed antenna properties and maximum current density. A printed resistance down to 50 mΩ/□ was obtained, with conductor lines 4–7 μm thick. Minimum line resolution and resistance were affected by smoothness of substrates. Adhesion properties were adequate for the studied components.     

GaAs buried heterostructure vertical cavity top-surface emittinglasers

Room-temperature continuous wave (CW) operation was achieved using GaAs buried heterostructure vertical cavity top-surface emitting lasers with both GaAlAs/AlAs and SiO₂/TiO₂ distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs). One-step organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) and two-step liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) growth techniques has been developed. In order to improve the reflectivity of both DBRs, the Bragg wavelength was designed to correspond with a longer mode than the lasing mode under pulsed conditions, and a sufficiently flat planar surface was formed by LPE growth. The threshold current was 17.4 mA, and an output power of up to 0.84 mW was obtained. The lasing wavelength was about 911 nm. A 5×6 common voltage array was used as a trial structure for a two-dimensional array consisting of the buried heterostructure top-surface emitting laser diodes     

Exploring consumer adoption of mobile payments – A qualitative study

This paper presents a qualitative study on consumer adoption of mobile payments. The findings suggest that the relative advantage of mobile payments is different from that specified in adoption theories and include independence of time and place, availability, possibilities for remote payments, and queue avoidance. Furthermore, the adoption of mobile payments was found to be dynamic, depending on certain situational factors such as a lack of other payment methods or urgency. Several other barriers to adoption were also identified, including premium pricing, complexity, a lack of critical mass, and perceived risks. The findings provide foundation for an enhanced theory on mobile payment adoption and for the practical development of mobile payment services.     

Comparative performance of a thermal denuder and a catalytic stripper in sampling laboratory and marine exhaust aerosols

The performance of a thermal denuder (thermodenuder—TD) and a fresh catalytic stripper (CS) was assessed by sampling laboratory aerosol, produced by different combinations of sulfuric acid, octacosane, and soot particles, and marine exhaust aerosol produced by a medium-speed marine engine using high sulfur fuels. The intention was to study the efficiency in separating non-volatile particles. No particles could be detected downstream of either device when challenged with neat octacosane particles at high concentration. Both laboratory and marine exhaust aerosol measurements showed that sub-23 nm semi-volatile particles are formed downstream of the thermodenuder when upstream sulfuric acid approached 100 ppbv. Charge measurements revealed that these are formed by re-nucleation rather than incomplete evaporation of upstream aerosol. Sufficient dilution to control upstream sulfates concentration and moderate TD operation temperature (250°C) are both required to eliminate their formation. Use of the CS following an evaporation tube seemed to eliminate the risk for particle re-nucleation, even at a ten-fold higher concentration of semi-volatiles than in case of the TD. Particles detected downstream of the CS due to incomplete evaporation of sulfuric acid and octacosane aerosol, did not exceed 0.01% of upstream concentration. Despite the superior performance of CS in separating non-volatile particles, the TD may still be useful in cases where increased sensitivity over the traditional evaporation tube method is needed and where high sulfur exhaust concentration may fast deplete the catalytic stripper adsorption capacity.

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