α-tocopherol affects the urinary and biliary excretion of 2,7,8-trimethyl-2(2′-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman, γ-tocopherol metabolite, in rats

In this study, we investigated a change in the excretory content of 2,7,8-trimethyl-2(2′-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman (γ-CEHC), a γ-tocopherol (γ-Toc) metabolite, in rat urine and bile by using a new high-performance liquid chromatography-elelectrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) method. In this determination, CEHC [α- and γ-CEHC, where α-CEHC-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2(2′-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychioman] in the biological specimens were treated with 3 N methanolic HCl to hydrolyze conjugates and to promote esterification. The methylated samples were extracted by n-hexane/water (1∶2). The analyses of the methyl esters of α-CEHC and γ-CEHC were performed by an HPLC-ECD using an ODS-3 column at 35°C. The mobile phase was acetonitrile/water (45∶55, vol/vol) containing 50 mM sodium perchlorate. After rat urine and bile samples, respectively, were methylated as described above, methylated biliary metabolites were identified by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry as methyl esters of γ-CEHC. Furthermore, we examined the differences in the excretion of γ-CEHC between rat urine and bile after an oral administration of γ-Toc or α- +γ-Toc by the above HPLC method. In the γ-Toc group, each vitamin E-deficient rat was given 0.5 mL of a stripped corn oil preparation containing 10 mg of γ-Toc. In the α- +γ-Toc group, the rat was given 10 mg of α-Toc and 10 mg of γ-Toc. The content of γ-CEHC in rat urine from the α- +γ-Toc group was increased more in comparison to the γ-Toc group at 18–36 h after oral administration. Moreover, the content of γ-CEHC in rat bile in the α- +γ-Toc group was increased more in comparison to the γ-Toc group at 6–18 h after oral administration. Therefore, we have suggested that γ-CEHC was shifted mainly to urinary excretion after γ-CEHC had been excreted into the bile. Furthermore, we assume that α-Toc may affect the metabolism of γ-Toc to γ-CEHC in the body.     

Multiresidue method for determination of pesticides in fruits and vegetables by GC/MS (SCAN) and LC/MS (SIM)

A rapid multiresidue method has been developed for determination of many pesticides in fruits and vegetables using GC/MS and LC/MS. The method of analysis was the same as that reported by Kakimoto et al. in 2003 except for the use of LC/MS. Good recoveries in the range of 70-120% were obtained for 70 (32 by GC/MS, 38 by LC/MS) of 113 pesticides spiked at 0.1 microg/g into fruits and vegetables. For screening purposes, the method could be appiled to 82 pesticides. Considering the report by Kakimoto et al. in 2004, 177 pesticides were suitable for screening by this method. The limits of detection were 0.001-0.015 microg/g (by GC/MS) and < 0.001-0.010 microg/g (by LC/MS). The calibration curves were linear for most pesticides, with correlation coefficients of 0.976-1.000 (by GC/MS) and 0.968-1.000 (by LC/MS). The values obtained for fruits and vegetables naturally contaminated with pesticides by this method were nearly equal to those by the official method.     

An extended use of the instrumentality theory of attitude for obtaining self-acceptance measures.

Information was obtained from 81 undergraduates regarding the importance of their personal goals and their perceptions of the extent to which each of their positive and negative personal characteristics is helpful or harmful to the attainment of those goals. Ss' scores for the California Psychological Inventory and peer ratings were used as criteria. The instrumentality/valence model scores correlated significantly with the criteria, but the valence alone did not make a contribution to the correlations. Reasons for nonsignificant correlation of the valence and the implications of the findings for the assessment of self-acceptance are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Aggregation behavior of dabsylated poly(ε-L-lysine) in aqueous DMSO solution

Summary Side chain amino groups of microbial Poly(ε-L-lysine) (ε-PL) were chemically modified with an amino labeling reagent, 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene-4’-sulfonyl chloride (dabsyl chloride) to give dabsylated ε-PL (Dabs-ε-PL). Aggregation behavior of Dabs-ε-PL in aqueous DMSO solution was studied through UV-Vis and CD spectra. In DMSO solution, Dabs-ε-PL shows a symmetric visible absorption at 450 nm, corresponding to the azobenzene chromophore in the monomeric state. Upon addition of water to the DMSO solution, the λ_max is shifted to around 400 nm. CD spectra were detected in the region of the blue shifted band: a pair of CD signals of opposite sign appears with a crossover point related to the shifted λ_max. Similar trends were also observed for UV-Vis and CD spectra of dabsylated oligo(ε-L-lysine)mers. These spectroscopic results indicate that side chain azo chromophores of Dabs-ε-PL form H-aggregates and are disposed according to a chiral arrangement with right handedness in aqueous DMSO solution.     

Shock-Compaction of Nano-Sized Diamond Powder, as Examined by Microstructural Analysis

Nano-sized diamond powder, shock-compacted in the present study, showed neither grain growth nor graphitization, but the compact was fragmented and not strongly consolidated. In contrast, a mixture of the nano-sized powder and submicrometer-sized diamond powder consolidated into a disk with 93 % of theoretical density and a Vickers micro-hardness of 25 GPa also exhibited no grain growth and showed interparticle bonds only among large particles. Although the samples obtained were neither hard nor strong, microstructural analyses and considerations based on the shock-compaction theories and models clarified issues surrounding the shock-compaction method of producing nanocrystalline materials. Both the propriety and the limitation of these theories and models are discussed in this paper.     

VCD Studies on Chiral Characters of Metal Complex Oligomers

The present article reviews the results on the application of vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy to the study of stereochemical properties of chiral metal complexes in solution. The chiral characters reflecting on the vibrational properties of metal complexes are revealed by measurements of a series of β-diketonato complexes with the help of theoretical calculation. Attention is paid to the effects of electronic properties of a central metal ion on vibrational energy levels or low-lying electronic states. The investigation is further extended to the oligomers of β-diketonato complex units. The induction of chiral structures is confirmed by the VCD spectra when chiral inert moieties are connected with labile metal ions. These results have demonstrated how VCD spectroscopy is efficient in revealing the static and dynamic properties of mononuclear and multinuclear chiral metal complexes, which are difficult to clarify by means of other spectroscopes.     

An in vivo murine model for screening cranial bone regenerative materials: testing of a novel synthetic collagen gel

Rapid and efficient animal models are needed for evaluating the effectiveness of many new candidate bone regenerative materials. We developed an in vivo model screening for calvarial bone regeneration in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mice, in which materials were overlaid on the periosteum of the calvaria in a 20 min surgery and results were detectable in 1 week. Intraperitoneal LPS injection reduced spontaneous bone formation, and local application of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) increased the bone-forming activities of osteoblasts. A novel synthetic collagen gel, alkali-treated collagen (AlCol) cross-linked with trisuccinimidyl citrate (TSC), acted as a reservoir for basic substances such as bFGF. The AlCol–TSC gel in conjunction with bFGF activated osteoblast activity without the delay in osteoid maturation caused by bFGF administration alone. The AlCol–TSC gel may slow the release of bFGF to improve the imbalance between osteoid formation and bone mineralization. These findings suggest that our model is suitable for screening bone regenerative materials and that the AlCOl–TSC gel functions as a candidate reservoir for the slow release of bFGF.     

Effect of oral administration of heat-killed Lactobacillus brevis SBC8803 on total and ovalbumin-specific immunoglobulin E production through the improvement of Th1/Th2 balance

We examined the effect of 59 strains of heat-killed Lactobacillus brevis on interleukin (IL)-12 and interferon (IFN)-gamma production from mouse Peyer's patch (PP) cells. L. brevis has a great variety of strains that induce the production of these cytokines. Some L. brevis strains, which were selected for their ability to induce a strong Th1 immune response, inhibited both total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and antigen specific IgE production, and improved the Th1/Th2 balance by enhancing IL-12 and IFN-gamma and inhibiting IL-4 production from ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mouse splenocytes. Based on the results of this screening, we selected L. brevis SBC8803 as a potent inhibitor of IgE production, and investigated the effect of oral administration of heat-killed SBC8803 on IgE production in OVA-sensitized mice. OVA-sensitized mice were fed SBC8803 0% (control), 0.05%, or 0.5% added diet for 4 weeks during the period of the experiment. Total and OVA-specific IgE in the serum of mice, which were fed the 0.5% added diet, was significantly lower than that of the control diet fed mice. The IFN-gamma/IL-4 value, which represents the Th1/Th2 balance, from the 0.5% added diet fed mice splenocytes was also significantly higher than that of the control diet fed mouse splenocytes. Histamine release from OVA-sensitized mice into sera that were induced by the intraperitoneal antigen challenge decreased following the oral administration of SBC8803. The inhibition of IgE production and histamine secretion by the oral administration of heat-killed SBC8803 was probably due to the improvement of the Th1/Th2 balance toward Th1 dominance.