Effect of a low-fat diet enriched with oleic acid on postprandial lipemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of a low-fat diet enriched with oleic acid to those of a low-fat diet enriched with linoleic acid on fasting lipids, postprandial lipemia, and oxidative susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). In a 3-wk randomized crossover study, eight patients with type 2 DM were given an experimental low-fat diet enriched with either oleic acid or linoleic acid. The oleic-acid-enriched diet contained 5, 15, and 5% energy from saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and the linoleic-acid-enriched diet contained 5, 5, and 15% energy from saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively. In addition to evaluating the fasting lipids and oxidative susceptibility of LDL, we evaluated postprandial lipemia using an oral fat load at the end of each 3-wk dietary phase. There were no significant differences in fasting lipid profile or lag time of LDL oxidation between the two experimental dietary phases. The average and maximal increments of remnant-like particle (RLP) cholesterol levels during oral fat load were significantly higher after the oleic-acid-enriched dietary phase than after the linoleic-acid-enriched dietary phase. The area under the curve of RLP cholesterol was also significantly larger after the oleicacid-enriched dietary phase than after the linoleic-acid-enriched dietary phase. These results suggest that the oleic-acidenriched diet was associated with increased formation of postprandial chylomicron remnants compared with the linoleicacid-enriched diet.     

Improving the mechanical properties of isosorbide copolycarbonates by varying the ratio of comonomers

Polycarbonates were synthesized by transesterification polymerization of isosorbide, bisphenol A, and diphenyl carbonate in the presence of n‐BuSn(?O)OH as the catalyst. The polymers were prepared by varying the ratio of the two monomers. The polymers exhibited good thermal stability, rigidity, and strength. The storage moduli for the polymers were 2.6 to 3.2 GPa at 25°C and increased with increasing isosorbide content. The dynamic mechanical analysis indicated that the storage moduli (E′) of the polymers are constant to higher temperatures than that of bisphenol A polycarbonate. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Immunological Effects of Oenothein B,an Ellagitannin Dimer,on Dendritic Cells

Oenothein B is a unique macrocyclic ellagitannin dimer that has been found in various medicinal plants belonging to Onagraceae, Lythraceae, and Myrtaceae, with diverse biological activities. The immunological effects of tannins in terms of cytokine-release from macrophages and monocytes have been discussed, while the effects on other immunocompetent cells have been the subject of minimal investigation. We evaluated the immunomodulatory effects induced by tannin treatment in human dendritic cells (DCs), which play a critical role in the initial immune response, by measuring the changes in cytokine production, cell differentiation, and cell viability. Oenothein B showed significant down-regulation of the expression of cell surface molecules, CD1a and CD83, suggesting the inhibition of DC differentiation and/or maturation. The suppressive effect on DCs was associated with the induction of apoptosis without the activation of caspase-3/7, 8, and 9, and this was supported by the morphological features indicating significant nuclear condensation. Oenothein B also markedly suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β and IL-6, in a dose-dependent manner. These data may, in part, be able to explain the traditional use of tannin-containing medicinal plants for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.     

Thrombospondin-1 in Urological Cancer: Pathological Role,Clinical Significance,and Therapeutic Prospects

Angiogenesis is an important process for tumor growth and progression of various solid tumors including urological cancers. Thrombospondins (TSPs), especially TSP-1, are representative “anti”-angiogenic molecules and many studies have clarified their pathological role and clinical significance in vivo and in vitro. In fact, TSP-1 expression is associated with clinicopathological features and prognosis in many types of cancers. However, TSP-1 is a multi-functional protein and its biological activities vary according to the specific tumor environments. Consequently, there is no general agreement on its cancer-related function in urological cancers, and detailed information regarding regulative mechanisms is essential for a better understanding of its therapeutic effects and prognostic values. Various “suppressor genes” and “oncogenes” are known to be regulators and TSP-1-related factors under physiological and pathological conditions. In addition, various types of fragments derived from TSP-1 exist in a given tissue microenvironment and TSP-1 derived-peptides have specific activities. However, a detailed pathological function in human cancer tissues is not still understood. This review will focus on the pathological roles and clinical significance of TSP-1 in urological cancers, including prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and urothelial cancer. In addition, special attention is paid to TSP-1-derived peptide and TSP-1-based therapy for malignancies.     

Effect of helix-coil transition on association behavior of both-ends hydrophobically-modified water-soluble polypeptide

Dodecyl and dodecanoyl groups (C12) are attached at the chain ends of poly[N⁵-(2-hydroxyethyl) l-glutamine] (PHEG), and association behavior of this both-ends hydrophobically modified water soluble polypeptide (C12-PHEG-C12) has been investigated by means of light scattering measurements. Water/ethylene glycol (EG) mixed solvents were used as selective solvent for PHEG block, and PHEG changed its structure from random-coil state to α-helix with increasing EG content in the mixed solvent (W_EG). When W_EG is less than 0.5, flower-like micelle with C12 associated core and PHEG corona in loop conformation was suggested to be formed. Increase of W_EG from 0.5 to 0.6 induced drastic increase of association number and size of the associate, in which many C12 associated cores may be connected by PHEG in bridge conformation. This structure change of associate is considered to be driven by the increase of helix content of PHEG with W_EG, which enhances the possibility to form bridge conformation because of its rigidity. Solution preparation method, i.e. order of addition of solvent, was found to influence the structure of associate, although its effect on the helix content of PHEG was negligible.     

Fracture Energies of Tape-Cast Silicon Nitride with β-Si3N4 Seed Addition

The fracture energies of the tape-cast silicon nitride with and without 3 wt% rod-like β-Si₃N₄ seed addition were investigated by a chevron-notched-beam technique. The material was doped with Lu₂O₃–SiO₂ as sintering additives for giving rigid grain boundaries and good heat resistance. The seeded and tape-cast silicon nitride has anisotropic microstructure, where the fibrous grains grown from seeds were preferentially aligned parallel to the casting direction. When a stress was applied parallel to the fibrous grain alignment direction, the strength measured at 1500°C was 738 MPa, which was almost the same as room temperature strength 739 MPa. The fracture energy of the tape-cast Si₃N₄ without seed addition was 109 and 454 J/m² at room temperature and 1500°C, respectively. On the contrary, the fracture energy of the seeded and tape-cast Si₃N₄ was 301 and 781 J/m² at room temperature and 1500°C, respectively, when a stress was applied parallel to the fibrous gain alignment. The large fracture energies were attributable primarily to the unidirectional alignment fibrous Si₃N₄ grains.     

Differences in Sterol Composition between Male and Female Gonads of Dominant Limpet Species

The present study demonstrated here for the first time that there are statistically significant differences in sterol composition between male and female gonads of the dominant limpets Cellana grata and Cellana toreuma, which are intertidal gastropods. Among 11 different sterols identified in this study, unusually high levels (11.2–19.8% of total sterols) of the Δ⁸-sterols 5α-cholest-8-en-3β-ol (zymostenol) and 5α-cholesta-8,24-dien-3β-ol (zymosterol), which have never been reported in aquatic invertebrate gonads, were present in only the male gonads.     

Water Vapor Adsorption and Desorption on Materials Hydrothermally Solidified from Clay Minerals

Water vapor isotherms were examined and ¹H-magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-MAS NMR) analysis was conducted to determine the amount of water vapor adsorbed and desorbed on hydrothermally solidified materials derived from clay minerals. The amount of water vapor adsorbed and desorbed decreased with increasing mesopore volume of the materials, which disagreed with the estimation obtained using the Kelvin equation. Water vapor was physisorbed on alumina-like sites in the materials. An increase in the binding energy between water vapor and the materials led to an improvement in the water vapor adsorption–desorption properties of materials.     

Room temperature aging behavior of Ti-Nb-Mo-based superelastic alloys

The effect of room temperature (RT) aging on the superelasticity of Ti-Nb-Mo-based superelastic alloys is investigated. The results show that annealing at relatively low temperatures such as 973 K after severe cold rolling results in poor resistance to the effect of RT aging. The transformation stress increases considerably due to the formation of an isothermal ω phase at RT. Addition of Sn is partially effective in suppressing the RT aging effect in the specimens annealed at 973 K. The RT aging effect is suppressed by increasing the annealing temperature, due to the annihilation of lattice defects or non-equilibrium vacancies introduced during cold rolling, which are responsible for accelerating the diffusion process, however, superelasticity is reduced by annealing at higher temperatures, due to a decrease in the critical stress for slip deformation (σ_CSS). The specimen annealed at 1173 K followed by aging at 773 K exhibits stable superelasticity with a high resistance to the effect of RT aging. Annealing at 1173 K causes the annihilation of lattice defects or non-equilibrium vacancies, while aging at 773 K induces precipitation of the α phase, which in turn causes an increase in σ_CSS, and further enhances the resistance to the RT aging effect by enriching the matrix with β-stabilizing elements.     

Degradation behavior of moduli in extruded pure magnesium during low- to giga-scale cyclic tension fatigue

The mechanical properties of extruded pure magnesium during cyclic tension fatigue in the low- to giga-scale regime at room temperature have been investigated using ultrasonic reflection methods with longitudinal and shear waves. The acoustic velocities and calculated Young’s and shear moduli decreased by a large percentage with an increase in the number of cycles in all cycle modes due to growth of grain boundary voids. The eventual degradation of the properties was largest during giga-cycle fatigue, in which the moduli decreased by ～9%. The elastic behavior depended on the drive stress and the number of cycles rather than on fatigue time. Longitudinal and shear wave propagation characteristics and investigations of a grain boundary before and after fatigue using electron backscatter diffraction based on field-emission scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam transmission electron microscopy revealed that the largest boundary void gap width was less than several nanometers (almost closed). The Poisson’s ratio and bulk modulus were affected notably by the void gap, in which the threshold corresponds to the longitudinal wave amplitude. Other damage phase data were determined using scanning electron microscopy, Vickers hardness, and surface roughness tests under progressive fatigue; these results also indicated slight grain boundary degradation.