New Evidence for Cross Talk between Melatonin and Mitochondria Mediated by a Circadian-Compatible Interaction with Nitric Oxide

Extending our previous observations, we have shown on HaCat cells that melatonin, at ~10⁻⁹ M concentration, transiently raises not only the expression of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) mRNA, but also the nNOS protein synthesis and the nitric oxide oxidation products, nitrite and nitrate. Interestingly, from the cell bioenergetic point of view, the activated NO-related chemistry induces a mild decrease of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) efficiency, paralleled by a depression of the mitochondrial membrane potential. The OXPHOS depression is apparently balanced by glycolysis. The mitochondrial effects described have been detected only at nanomolar concentration of melatonin and within a time window of a few hours’ incubation; both findings compatible with the melatonin circadian cycle.     

A Look at the IBM Application Development Facility (ADF-II)

The IBM ADF-II is a promising and powerful tool for online application development Using ADF-II, programmers code logical transactions, not programs—this results in long-term benefits that include the smooth transition to DBMS capabilities and new types of computers that will upgrade the entire set of applications.     

13C NMR study of presence of uron structures in amino adhesives and relation with wood‐based panels performance

The chemical structure of amino adhesives produced by the strongly acid process was investigated by ¹³C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. This technique allowed the identification of functional groups and its quantitative determination. Concentration of cyclic polymeric structures (urons) was shown to be related with adhesive performance and with particleboard physico‐mechanical properties and formaldehyde content. Higher urons concentration presented lower viscosity and reactivity. Particleboards produced with resins with lower urons concentration presented lower formaldehyde content, but also lower internal bond strength. Wood‐based panels produced fulfilled E1 class requirements for formaldehyde emissions, indicating that strongly acid process is an alternative to the conventional alkaline–acid process. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 4500–4507, 2013     

Influence of the calcium concentration in the presence of organic phosphorus on the physicochemical compatibility and stability of all-in-one admixtures for neonatal use

Background  

Preterm infants need high amounts of calcium and phosphorus for bone mineralization, which is difficult to obtain with parenteral feeding due to the low solubility of these salts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical compatibility of high concentrations of calcium associated with organic phosphate and its influence on the stability of AIO admixtures for neonatal use.     

The Potential of Asiatic Acid in the Reversion of Cyclophosphamide-Induced Hemorrhagic Cystitis in Rats

The purpose of this study was to determine if asiatic acid may act efficiently in the model of cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced cystitis in rats. We performed experiments after administration of CYP (single dose 200 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), asiatic acid (30 mg/kg/day for 14 consecutive days, by oral gavage), or CYP plus asiatic acid, during which conscious cystometry, measurements of urothelium thickness and bladder edema, as well as selected biomarkers analyses were conducted. In rats that received asiatic acid together with CYP, a drop in bladder basal pressure, detrusor overactivity index, non-voiding contraction amplitude, non-voiding contraction frequency, and the area under the pressure curve were observed, when compared to the CYP group. Furthermore, a significant increase in threshold pressure, voided volume, intercontraction interval, bladder compliance, and volume threshold to elicit NVC were found in that group accordingly. Administration of the asiatic acid successfully restored concentrations of biomarkers both in bladder urothelium (BDNF, CGRP, OCT-3, IL-1β, IL-6, NGF, nitrotyrosine, malondialdehyde, TNF-α, SV2A, SNAP23, SNAP25, PAC-1, ORM1, occludin, IGFBP-3, HB-EGF, T–H protein, Z01, and HPX) and detrusor muscle (Rho kinase and VAChT) in CYP-treated rats. Finally, asiatic acid significantly decreased urothelium thickness and bladder oedema. Asiatic acid proved to be a potent and effective drug in the rat model of CYP-induced cystitis.     

Absolute emission quantum yield determination of self-assembled mesoporous titania films grafted with a luminescent zinc complex

A luminescent zinc complex was successfully incorporated to mesostructured porous titania films through a grafting process. The resulting films show an intense blue-emission increasing with functionalization time. The emission quantum yield of these newly synthesized films was quantitatively and accurately determined by measurements carried by an integrating sphere.     

Adaptation in very old age: Exploring the role of resources, beliefs, and attitudes for centenarians' happiness.

When individuals reach very old age, accumulating negative conditions represent a serious challenge to their capacity to adapt and are likely to reduce the quality of life. By examining happiness and its determinants in centenarians, this study investigated the proposal that psychological resilience may come to an end in extremely old age. Data from the population-based Heidelberg Centenarian Study indicated high levels of happiness. Basic resources (i.e., job training, cognition, health, social network, extraversion) explained a substantial proportion of variance in happiness, but some resource effects were mediated through self-referent beliefs (e.g., self-efficacy) and attitudes toward life (e.g., optimistic outlook). Results challenge the view that psychological resilience reaches a critical limit or that the self-regulatory adaptation system loses its efficiency in very advanced age. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)