Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) type 2 is caused by heterozygous inactivating mutations in the gene encoding glucokinase (GCK), a pivotal enzyme for glucose homeostasis. In the pancreas GCK regulates insulin secretion, while in the liver it promotes glucose utilization and storage. We showed that silencing the DrosophilaGCK orthologs Hex-A and Hex-C results in a MODY-2-like hyperglycemia. Targeted knock-down revealed that Hex-A is expressed in insulin producing cells (IPCs) whereas Hex-C is specifically expressed in the fat body. We showed that Hex-A is essential for insulin secretion and it is required for Hex-C expression. Reduced levels of either Hex-A or Hex-C resulted in chromosome aberrations (CABs), together with an increased production of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). This result suggests that CABs, in GCK depleted cells, are likely due to hyperglycemia, which produces oxidative stress through AGE metabolism. In agreement with this hypothesis, treating GCK-depleted larvae with the antioxidant vitamin B6 rescued CABs, whereas the treatment with a B6 inhibitor enhanced genomic instability. Although MODY-2 rarely produces complications, our data revealed the possibility that MODY-2 impacts genome integrity. 相似文献
The mechanisms governing the solubilizing interactions between zwitterionic/anionic mixed surfactant systems at different
molar fractions of the zwitterionic surfactant (Xzwitter) and neutral or electrically charged unilamellar liposomes were investigated. The mixed systems were formed by N-dodecyl-N,N-dimethylbetaine
and sodium dodecyl sulfate in the presence of piperazine-1,4-bis-(2-ethanesulfonic acid) buffer at pH 7.20. Unilamellar liposomes formed by egg phosphatidylcholine, in some cases together
with stearylamine or phosphatidic acid, were used. Solubilization was detected as a decrease in static light-scattering of
liposomes. Two parameters were regarded as corresponding to the effective surfactant/lipid molar ratios (Re) at which the
surfactant system (i) saturated the liposomes, Resat, and (ii) led to a total solubilization of liposomes, Resol. From these parameters the bilayer/aqueous medium surfactant partition coefficients for the saturation (Ksat) and complete bilayer solubilization (Ksol) were determined. When Xzwitter was 0.40, The Re and K parameters showed a maximum, whereas the critical micellar concentration (CMC) of these systems exhibited
a minimum, regardless of the electrical charge of bilayers. Given that the ability of the surfactant systems to saturate or
solubilize liposomes is inversely related to the Resat and Resol parameters, these capacities appear to be directly correlated with the CMC of the mixed systems. The similarity of both Ksat and Ksol (particularly for Xzwitter=0.2–0.8) suggests that a similar partition equilibrium governs both the saturation and the complete solubilization of bilayers,
the free surfactant concentration (Sa,Sb), remaining almost constant with similar values to the CMC for each mixed system studied. 相似文献
Water Resources Management - To reduce the impact of droughts and increase the resilience of regional water systems, various competing demands, such as hydropower, supply, irrigation and river... 相似文献
Zusammenfassung Mittels verschiedener Untersuchungen wurden Aussagen über das Migrationsverhalten von Acetaldehyd aus Polyethylenterephthalat (PET) getroffen. Die Analyse des Acetaldehyds erfolgte durch Kopfraum-Gaschromatographie mit Flammenionisationsdetektion. Die Bestimmung des Restgehaltes an Acetaldehyd in neuen PET-Flaschen ergab Werte um 6,3 mg/kg, woraus sich eine maximal mögliche Migratmenge von etwa 200 (g/L errechnen läßt. Migrationsstudien bei verschiedenen Temperaturen zeigten die für das Verpakkungssystem typischen Zeitverläufe. Die Diffusion des Acetaldehyds aus dem Kunststoff erreichte bei einer Inkubationstemperatur von 40 °C nach ca. 4 Tagen ein konstantes Niveau, welches ca. 10% des ermittelten Restgehaltes an Acetaldehyd beträgt. Bei einer Temperaturerhöhung um 20 °C kam es zu einer Erhöhung dieses Niveaus auf das 5fache. Die Versuchsergebnisse der Bestimmung des Acetaldehyds in Getränken zeigte, daß in der Praxis nur mit einer geringen Migration zu rechnen ist, die bei den kohlensäurehaltigen Erfrischungsgetränken wegen des intensiven Eigengeschmacks ohne Belang ist. Eine Geschmacksbeeinträchtigung könnte sich höchstens bei Mineral- und Sodawässern ergeben, wenn diese längerfristig, wie sich aus den Migrationsstudien ableiten läßt, Temperaturen um 40 °C ausgesetzt werden.
Study of the migration of acetaldehyde from PET bottles into soft drinks containing carbonic acid
Summary The migration of acetaldehyde from polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) under various conditions was analysed by headspace gas chromatography and flame ionisation detection. The residual amounts of new PET bottles were about 6.3 mg/kg with a migration value of 200 g/1. On studying the migration at different temperatures and times, behaviour curves characteristic of packing materials made from plastics are obtaind. The amount of acetaldehyde diffusing from PET at a temperature of 40° C reached a constant level after 4 days which was about 10% of the residual value of acetaldehyde. On increasing the temperature by 20° C, this level was raised up to 50%. The results of the analysis of acetaldehyde in soft drinks containing carbonic acid show that the migration in fact is not sufficiently high to influence the taste of these soft drinks. A negative effect on the taste may be recognized with mineral waters and soda when they are exposed to higher temperatures (e.g. 40° C or more) over a longer period of time.
Two types of sunflower protein isolates have been obtained from prepress and solvent extracted sunflower meal. The first was
obtained by precipitation (at the isoelectric point) of the alkaline extract of the meal, and washing the curd with water.
In the second, the alkaline extraction was carried out in the presence of sodium sulfite, and the curd was washed with water,
ethanol and acetone. Both isolates were air-dried and then dried under vacuum at 50 C. From the total lipids, obtained with
86% ethanol, the neutral lipids were separated using a column of Florisil. The lipids studied were those of the two isolates
mentioned above as well as those of the original meal. The following types of compounds were separated, identified and quantified:
hydrocarbons, waxes, methyl esters, triglycerides, free fatty acids, diglycerides, free sterols, and hydroxy fatty acids. 相似文献
Dietary fish oil supplements have been shown to have benefits in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), other inflammatory diseases, and
in cardiovascular disease. As with any medical advice, variability will exist with regard to adherence and consequent biochemical
or pharmacophysiologic effects. The aim was to explore the utility of plasma phospholipid EPA as a measure of n−3 PUFA intake
and response to standardized therapeutic advice given in an outpatient or office practice setting, to increase dietary n−3
PUFA, including a fish oil supplement. Patients with early RA were given verbal and written advice to alter their dietary
n−3 PUFA intake, including ingestion of 20 mL of bottled fish oil on juice daily. The advice included instructions to increase
n−3 PUFA and to avoid foods rich in n−6 PUFA. Every 3 mon, blood samples were obtained for analysis of plasma phospholipid
FA. Plasma phospholipid EPA was used as the primary index of n−3 PUFA intake. A diverse response was seen, with about one-third
of patients achieving a substantial elevation of plasma phospholipid EPA over the 12-mon study period. A third had little
change, with the remainder achieving intermediate levels. Data obtained longitudinally from individual patients indicated
that substantial elevations of EPA (>5% total plasma phospholipid FA) could be maintained for more than 3 yr. Plasma phospholipid
EPA is a convenient measure of adherence to advice to take a dietary n−3 PUFA-rich fish oil supplement. This measure may prove
a useful adjunct to intention to treat analyses in determining the effect of dietary fish oil supplements on long-term outcomes
in arthritis and other chronic inflammatory diseases. It may also provide a guide to the effectiveness of therapeutic and
preventive messages designed to increase n−3 PUFA intake. 相似文献
Hydrological responses corresponding to the agricultural land use alterations are critical for planning crop management strategies, water resources management, and environmental evaluations. However, accurate estimation and evaluation of these hydrological responses are restricted by the limited availability of detailed crop classification in land use and land cover. An innovative approach using state-of-the-art Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model is utilized by setting up the crop-specific vegetation parameterization and analyse the effect of uniform and heterogeneous agricultural land use over the hydrological responses of the basin, in the Kangsabati River Basin (KRB). Thirteen year simulations (1998–2010) based on two different scenarios i.e., single-crop in agricultural land use (SC-ALU) and multi-crop in agricultural land use (MC-ALU) patterns are incorporated in the model and calibrated (1998–2006) and validated (2007–2010) for the streamflow at Reservoir and Mohanpur in the KRB. The results demonstrated that the VIC model improved the estimates of hydrological components, especially surface runoff and evapotranspiration (ET) at daily and monthly timescales corresponding to MC-ALU than SC-ALU (NSC?>?0.7). Grid-scale ET estimates are improved after incorporating heterogeneous agricultural land use (NSC?>?0.55 and R2?>?0.55) throughout the period of 1998–2010. This study improves our understanding on how the change in agricultural land use in the model settings alters the basin hydrological characteristics, and to provide model-based approaches for best management practices in irrigation scheduling, crop water requirement, and management strategies in the absence of flux towers, eddy covariance, and lysimeters in the basin.
The self-assembling properties, stability, and dynamics of hybrid nanocarriers (gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized with cysteine-based peptides) in solution are studied through a series of classical molecular dynamics simulations based on a recently parametrized reactive force field. The results reveal, at the atomic level, all the details regarding the peptide adsorption mechanisms, nanoparticle stabilization, aggregation, and sintering. The data confirm and explain the experimental findings and disclose aspects that cannot be scrutinized by experiments. The biomolecules are both chemisorbed and physisorbed; self-interactions of the adsorbates and formation of stable networks of interconnected molecules on the AuNP surfaces limit substrate reconstructions, protect the AuNPs from the action of the solvent, and prevent direct interactions of the gold surfaces. The possibility of agglomeration of the functionalized nanoparticles, compared with the sintering of the bare supports in a water solution, is demonstrated through relatively long simulations and fast steered dynamics. The analysis of the trajectories reveals that the AuNPs were well stabilized by the peptides. This prevented particle sintering and kept the particles far apart; however, part of their chains could form interconnections (crosslinks) between neighboring gold vehicles. The excellent agreement of these results with the literature confirm the reliability of the method and its potential application to the modeling of more complex materials relevant to the biomedical sector.
This paper examines different technologies that can be applied in the design and development of a ground control station for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) equipped with multimodal interfaces. Multimodal technologies employ multiple sensory channels/modalities for information transmission as well as for system control. Examples of these technologies could be haptic feedback, head tracking, auditory information (3D audio), voice control, tactile displays, etc. The applicability and benefits of those technologies is analyzed for a task consisting in the acknowledgement of alerts in an UAV ground control station composed by three screens and managed by a single operator. For this purpose, several experiments were conducted with a group of individuals using different combinations of modal conditions (visual, aural and tactile). 相似文献