Lipid-Lowering Effect of Eriocitrin, the Main Flavonoid in Lemon Fruit, in Rats on a High-Fat and High-Cholesterol Diet

ABSTRACT:  Eriocitrin (eriodictyol 7- O -β-rutinoside) is the main flavonoid in lemon fruit. In this study, eriocitrin was investigated for its lowering effect on serum and hepatic lipids in high-fat and high-cholesterol fed rats. Rats in the control group ( N = 6) were fed a 20% lard and 1% cholesterol diet for 21 d, and rats in the 0.35% eriocitrin group ( N = 6) and 0.70% eriocitrin group ( N = 6) were fed a diet supplemented with eriocitrin 0.35% and 0.70%, respectively. The content of hepatic total cholesterol and triglyceride in the eriocitrin group was no different from that of the control group. The total cholesterol, VLDL+LDL, triglyceride, and phospholipid in the serum of the 0.35% eriocitrin group showed significantly lower concentrations than the control group ( P < 0.05), although there was no difference in the HDL concentrations among the groups. The lowering effect of eriocitrin for serum total cholesterol was thought to be caused by a decrease in VLDL+LDL. The 0.35% eriocitrin group was shown to have a significant increase in excretion of fecal bile acid ( P < 0.05) and a tendency for enhanced hepatic m-RNA levels of LDL receptor in comparison with the control group.     

Stylized highlights for cartoon rendering and animation

We propose a new highlight shader for the 3D objects used in cel animation. Without using a texture-mapping technique, our shader makes highlight shapes and animations in a cartoon style. Our shader makes an initial highlight shape using Blinn's (1977) traditional specular model. It then interactively modifies the initial shape through geometric, stylistic, and Boolean transformations for the highlight until we get our final desired shape. Moreover, once these operations specify highlight shapes for each keyframe, our shader automatically generates the highlight animation. In other words, our shader offers a new definition of highlighting 3D objects for cel animation.     

Changes in lipid peroxide level in retinal pigment epithelial cells in vitro upon addition of linoleic acids or linoleic acid hydroperoxides under varying concentrations of oxygen

BACKGROUND: Plasma prolactin response to fenfluramine, a serotonergic agent, is typically blunted in moderately to severely depressed adults when compared to healthy controls. It is not clear, however, whether this dysregulation represents an acute change during symptomatic depression or a chronic disturbance. METHODS: In the current study, the prolactin responses to D,L-fenfluramine (weight-adjusted oral dose) of 29 adults who had a history of at least one major depressive episode (DSM-III-R criteria), but not during the past year, were compared to the prolactin responses of 58 age-, sex-, and socioeconomic status-matched adults without a lifetime history of major depression. RESULTS: Individuals with a positive history of major depression had significantly lower peak prolactin responses than controls. This finding was not attributable to weight, fenfluramine bioavailability, or baseline prolactin levels. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first investigation to compare men and women with a history of depression but not depressed at the time of the fenfluramine challenge to a similar group of healthy controls. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that central serotonergic activity is persistently disturbed in adults who experience depressive episodes.     

Microbial synthesis and properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate)

Microbial synthesis of copolymers of [R]-3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB), P(3HB-co-4HB), by Alcaligenes eutrophus, Alcaligenes latus, and Comamonas acidovorans from various carbon sources has been studied. The copolyester compositions varied from 0 to 100 mol% 4HB, depending on the microorganism and the combination of carbon substrates supplied. The thermal and physical properties of compositions with 0–100 mol% 4HB were investigated. The copolyesters represented a wide variety of polymeric materials, from hard crystalline plastic to very elastic rubbers, depending on composition. The copolyester films with high 4HB fractions (64–100 mol% 4HB) exhibited the characteristics of a thermoplastic elastomer, and the tensile strength increased from 17 to 104 MPa as the 4HB fraction increased. The enzymatic degradation of P(3HB-co-4HB) films was studied in an aqueous solution of extracellular polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) depolymerase from Alcaligenes faecalis or lipase from Rhizopus delemer. The erosion rate of P(3HB-co-4HB) films was strongly dependent on the copolymer composition. In addition, environmental degradation of P(3HB-co-4HB) films in sea water was investigated.     

Effects of ionomer content and oxygen permeation of the catalyst layer on proton exchange membrane fuel cell cold start-up

We have verified the effectiveness of ionomer as a carrier of oxygen to improve cold start-up of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Galvanostatic cold start was performed on proton exchange membrane fuel cells to evaluate the effect of ionomer content in the catalyst layer on the durability of power generation at −30 °C. Cell voltage and internal resistance were measured, and polarization analysis was conducted to evaluate the cell voltage reduction. Cold start-up durability improved significantly with higher ionomer content in the catalyst layer because of higher oxygen permeation of ice formed in the catalyst layer. These results enable robust design of membrane electrode assemblies for cold start-up.     

Influence of humidification on deterioration of gas diffusivity in catalyst layer on polymer electrolyte fuel cell

The effect of water on polymer electrolyte fuel cell degradation was examined with humidity as a parameter. Polymer electrolyte fuel cells were subjected to long-term operation of 10 000 h to examine the relation between decline in cell voltage and degradation of the catalyst layers or gas diffusion layers. The diffusion overpotential increased during long-term operation at relatively high humidification of 81% RH, but only in the catalyst layer and not in the gas diffusion layer. At low humidification of 52% RH, the increase in diffusion overpotential was small, indicating that the increase was more likely to occur under high humidification. Post-analysis of the catalyst layer revealed that the membrane electrode assembly had increased diffusion overpotential during operation under high humidification, as a result of the sharp decline in porosity. The increase of diffusion overpotential in the catalyst layer was also investigated by the observation of the degradation due to the oxidation of the Pt-carbon supports. However, it was found that the oxidation of carbon support which had increased diffusion overpotential was small.     

Comparison of clinical features and prognosis of cardiac sarcoidosis and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

In the present study, clinical findings of 15 patients with cardiac sarcoidosis presenting as dilated cardiomyopathy were compared with those of 30 consecutive patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The sarcoidosis patients had different clinical features, including female predominance, a high incidence of grave conduction disturbance and abnormal wall thickness, uneven wall motion abnormalities, and perfusion defects preferentially affecting the anteroseptal and apical regions, and poor prognosis compared with those with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.     

Effect of age on plasma bile acids and lipid components in the rat

With increasing age, total plasma bile acid contents increased in rats over a period of 11 months, and also total plasma cholesterol and carcass fat contents increased in the same manner. Plasma showing high bile acid levels at 11 months was found by means of high performance liquid chromatography to contain cholic acid as one of the major components, chenodeoxycholic acid and trace deoxycholic acid. These results suggest that there are close relationships between the plasma bile acids and age-dependent changes of lipid components in the rat.     

Enzymatic assay method for measuring mizoribine levels in serum

A sensitive and specific method for assaying serum mizoribine levels that can be applied to general automatic clinical analyzers was developed. Regression analysis of the enzymatic assay (y) vs. the HPLC method (x) produced the following relation: y=0.964x+0.090 (n=262, Sy, x=6.37 ng/mL).