Identification of novel metabolites of butadiene monoepoxide in rats and mice

Differences in the metabolism of 1,3-butadiene (Bd) in rats and mice may account for the observed species difference in carcinogenicity. Previous studies of the metabolic fate of Bd have identified epoxide formation as a key metabolic transformation which gives 1, 2-epoxy-3-butene (BMO), although some evidence of aldehyde metabolites is reported. In this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats and male B6C3F1 mice received single doses of [4-14C]BMO at 1, 5, 20, and 50 mg/kg of body weight (0.014, 0.071, 0.286, and 0.714 mmol/kg of body weight). Analysis of urinary metabolites indicated that both species preferentially metabolize BMO by direct reaction with GSH when given by ip administration. The excretion of (R)-2-(N-acetyl-L-cystein-S-yl)-1-hydroxybut-3-ene (IIa), 1-(N-acetyl-L-cystein-S-yl)-2-(S)-hydroxybut-3-ene (IIb), 1-(N-acetyl-L-cystein-S-yl)-2-(R)-hydroxybut-3-ene (IIc), and (S)-2-(N-acetyl-L-cystein-S-yl)-1-hydroxybut-3-ene (IId) accounted for 48-64% of urinary radioactivity in rats and 46-54% in mice. The metabolites originating from the R-stereoisomer of BMO (IIc and IId) predominated over those arising from the S-stereoisomer (IIa and IIb) in both species. IIc was formed preferentially in mice and IId in rats. The corresponding mercaptoacetic acids, S-(1-hydroxybut-3-en-2-yl)mercaptoacetic acid (IIf) and S-(2-hydroxybut-3-en-1-yl)mercaptoacetic acid (IIg), were identified only in mouse urine (ca. 20% of the recovered radioactivity). 4-(N-Acetyl-L-cystein-S-yl)-1,2-dihydroxybutane (Ia), a metabolite derived from hydrolysis of BMO, accounted for 10-17% of the radioactivity in rat and 6-10% in mouse urine. 4-(N-Acetyl-L-cystein-S-yl)-2-hydroxybutanoic acid (Ib), 3-(N-acetyl-L-cystein-S-yl)propan-1-ol (Ic), and 3-(N-acetyl-L-cystein-S-yl)propanoic acid (Id), also derived from the hydrolysis of BMO, were only present in the rat. Metabolites of 1,2,3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB) were not detected after administration of BMO in rat or mouse urine. This study showed both quantitative and qualitative differences in the metabolism of BMO with varying doses and between species. The data aid in the safety evaluation of Bd and contribute to the interpretation of mathematical models developed for quantitative risk assessment and extrapolation of animals to humans.     

The mosaic nature of the eukaryotic nucleus

The phylogenies for each of the protein-coding genes from the Methanococcus jannaschii genome were surveyed to determine the history of the major groups of life. For each gene, homologous sequences from other archaea, eucarya, and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were collected and aligned, and a phylogeny was reconstructed with a maximum-likelihood algorithm. The majority of significant phylogenies favor the eucarya and the archaca as sister groups. A smaller, but still substantial, portion of these significant phylogenies favor an eucarya/Gram-negative clade. These results indicate that support for the early history of life is not unequivocal. A chimeric origin of eukaryotes or an ancient, massive horizontal transfer of genes from Gram-negative bacteria to eucarya can explain many of the observed phylogenies.     

Physiological identification of the targets of cartwheel cells in the dorsal cochlear nucleus

The integrative contribution of cartwheel cells of the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) was assessed with intracellular recordings from anatomically identified cells. Recordings were made, in slices of the cochlear nuclei of mice, from 58 cartwheel cells, 22 fusiform cells, 3 giant cells, 5 tuberculoventral cells, and 1 cell that is either a superficial stellate or Golgi cell. Cartwheel cells can be distinguished electrophysiologically from other cells of the cochlear nuclei by their complex spikes, which comprised two to four rapid action potentials superimposed on a slower depolarization. The rapid action potentials were blocked by tetrodotoxin (n = 17) and were therefore mediated by voltage-sensitive sodium currents. The slow spikes were eliminated by the removal of calcium from the extracellular saline (n = 3) and thus were mediated by voltage-sensitive calcium currents. The spontaneous and evoked firing patterns of cartwheel cells were distinctive. Cartwheel cells usually fired single and complex spikes spontaneously at irregular intervals of between 100 ms and several seconds. Shocks to the DCN elicited firing that lasted tens to hundreds of milliseconds. With the use of these distinctive firing patterns, together with a pharmacological dissection of postsynaptic potentials (PSPs), possible targets of cartwheel cells were identified and the function of the connections was examined. Not only cartwheel and fusiform cells, but also giant cells, received patterns of synaptic input consistent with their having originated from cartwheel cells. These cell types responded to shocks of the DCN with variable trains of PSPs that lasted hundreds of milliseconds. PSPs within these trains appeared both singly and in bursts of two to four, and were blocked by 0.5 or 1 microM strychnine (n = 4 cartwheel, 4 fusiform, and 2 giant cells), indicating that cartwheel cells are likely to be glycinergic. In contrast with cartwheel cells, which are weakly excited by glycinergic input, glycinergic PSPs consistently inhibited fusiform and giant cells. Tuberculoventral cells and the putative superficial stellate cell received little or no spontaneous synaptic activity. Shocks to the DCN evoked synaptic activity that lasted approximately 5 ms. These cells therefore probably do not receive input from cartwheel cells. In addition, the brief firing of tuberculoventral cells and of the putative superficial stellate cell in response to shocks indicates that these cells are unlikely to contribute to the late, glycinergic synaptic potentials observed in cartwheel, fusiform, and giant cells.     

Do you believe in repressed memories?

A survey of 613 undergraduates investigated beliefs about and experience with repressed memories. The results indicated that participants (a) had some degree of belief in repressed memories; (b) felt that therapy sometimes leads to false memories being implanted; (c) felt, to some degree, that repressed memory evidence should be allowed in court; and (d) had experience with repressed memories, either personally or through media coverage. Also, the gender of the participants affected many of the ratings (e.g., women had greater belief in and more personal experience with such memories than men). The implications of these results for professionals and laypeople are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dynamic exergy analysis for capacity expansion of regional power-generation systems: Case study of far West Texas

The global electricity supply from non-hydro renewables, mainly wind and solar, is currently growing at a high rate, and it is expected that this trend persists. In the near-to-medium term, the power produced by breakthrough fossil fuel technologies might also grow intensively. These expansion patterns can be optimized in a regional context, which translates into a multidimensional problem. As part of the solution, a procedure to determine maximum allowable growth rates for alternative power-generation technologies is developed and exemplified in this paper. The model applies a dynamic exergy analysis based on the cumulative exergy-consumption concept, expanded to include emissions abatement. A Gompertz sigmoid growth is assumed and constrained by both exergetic self-sustenance and regional energy resource availability. Far West Texas is the selected study region. The deployment of alternative technologies (wind turbines, photovoltaics, hybrid solar thermal parabolic troughs, and solid oxide fuel cells) to meet the regional power demand is projected assuming backup capacity by a conventional technology (natural gas combined cycle). The results show that during the next decades the new capacity demand may largely be met by deploying alternative technologies, with a cost in primary resources that can be minimized through a proper allowance for exergy reinvestment.     

EXTRACTION OF NICKEL FROM AQUEOUS SULFATE SOLUTION INTO BIS(2,2,4-TRIMETHYLPENTYL)PHOSPHINIC ACID,CYANEX 272TM -EQUILIBRIUM AND KINETIC STUDIES

ABSTRACT

Equilibrium and kinetic studies have been carried out on the extraction of nickel from sulfate solutions using bis(2,2,4 trimethylpentyl) phosphinic acid HDTMPP, “Cyanex 272tm”- It was found that nickel extraction in HDTMPP was favored by the presence of sodium in the organic phase and that equilibrium nickel concentration could be written in terms of the pre-equilibrated extractant concentration

Kinetic studies were carried out using the rising drop method, reaction orders were determined with respect to the aqueous phase nickel concentration, Ni²⁺, the aqueous phase sodium concentration, Na ⁺ the pH, the organic phase dimer concentration ------ and the organic phase sodium salt concentration ---- In addition, it was found that the extraction kinetics could be explained in terms of an aqueous phase interfacial reaction accompanied by diffusion through the interface. Mass transfer coefficient values were determined indicating extraction rates for metal extraction into HDTMPP were the same order of magnitude as those found for HDEHP.     

Microwave irradiation enhances the in vitro antifungal activity of citrus by‐product aqueous extracts against Alternaria alternata

The effect of two lemon by‐product aqueous extracts at different concentrations (14, 7, 3.5 and 1 mg mL^?1) was tested against the in vitro growth of Alternaria alternata. Prior to extraction, one batch of by‐product was dehydrated by freeze‐drying (untreated by‐product), while the other batch was treated by microwave irradiation in conjunction with freeze‐drying (microwave‐treated by‐product). High‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed for the identification of individual phenolic compounds with potent antifungal activities. Both lemon by‐product aqueous extracts inhibited the mycelial growth and suppressed the spore germination of the fungus in a concentration‐dependent manner. In general, the extracts obtained from the microwave‐treated lemon by‐product displayed enhanced antifungal activity than those obtained from the untreated one. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that both lemon by‐product extracts affected the hyphal morphology of the fungus. The antifungal activity of the extracts was attributed to their phenolic acid and ascorbic acid contents.     

Physical,Barrier, and Antioxidant Properties of Pea Starch-Guar Gum Biocomposite Edible Films by Incorporation of Natural Plant Extracts

Active food packaging based on pea starch and guar gum (PSGG) films containing natural antioxidants (NAs) was developed. Four kinds of NAs (epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), blueberry ash (BBA) fruit extract, macadamia (MAC) peel extract, and banana (BAN) peel extract) were added into the PSGG-based films as antioxidant additive. The effects of these compounds at different amounts on the physical and antioxidant characteristics of the PSGG film were investigated. The antioxidant activity was calculated with three analytical assays: DPPH radical scavenging ability assay, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), and ferric reducing activity power (FRAP). EGCG-PSGG films showed higher antioxidant activity, followed by BBA-PSGG, MAC-PSGG, and BAN-PSGG films, at all concentrations (0.75–3 mg/mL) and with all procedures tested. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of films showed a concentration dependency. The results revealed that addition of NAs made the PSGG film darker and less transparent. However, the moisture barrier was significantly improved when NAs were incorporated into the film. The FTIR spectra were examined to determine the interactions between polymers and NAs. The results suggested that incorporation of EGCG, BBA, MAC, and BAN into PSGG films have great potential for use as active food packaging for food preservation.