Anti-Obesity Effects of Matoa (Pometia pinnata) Fruit Peel Powder in High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats

Fruit peels, pericarps, or rinds are rich in phenolic/polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant properties and potentially beneficial effects against obesity and obesity-related non-communicable diseases. This study investigated the anti-obesity effects of matoa (Pometia pinnata) and salak (Salacca zalacca) fruit peel. Neither matoa peel powder (MPP) nor salak peel powder (SPP) affected the body weight, visceral fat weight, or serum glucose or lipid levels of Sprague–Dawley rats when included as 1% (w/w) of a high-fat diet (HFD). However, MPP significantly decreased the hepatic lipid level. MPP at a dose of 3% (w/w) of the HFD decreased body weight, visceral fat, and serum triglyceride levels as well as the hepatic lipid content. The inhibitory effect of MPP on hepatic lipid accumulation was not enhanced when its concentration was increased from 1% to 3% of the HFD. The anti-obesity effect of matoa was partly explained by the inhibitory effect of the matoa peel extract on fatty acid-induced secretion of ApoB-48 protein, a marker of intestinal chylomicrons, in differentiated Caco-2 cell monolayers. We identified hederagenin saponins that are abundant in MPP as potential anti-obesity substances. These results will contribute towards the development of functional foods with anti-obesity effects using the matoa fruit peel.     

2′,4′-BNA/LNA with 9-(2-Aminoethoxy)-1,3-diaza-2-oxophenoxazine Efficiently Forms Duplexes and Has Enhanced Enzymatic Resistance**

Artificial nucleic acids are widely used in various technologies, such as nucleic acid therapeutics and DNA nanotechnologies requiring excellent duplex-forming abilities and enhanced nuclease resistance. 2′-O,4′-C-Methylene-bridged nucleic acid/locked nucleic acid (2′,4′-BNA/LNA) with 1,3-diaza-2-oxophenoxazine (BNAP ( B^H )) was previously reported. Herein, a novel B^H analogue, 2′,4′-BNA/LNA with 9-(2-aminoethoxy)-1,3-diaza-2-oxophenoxazine (G-clamp), named BNAP-AEO ( B^AEO ), was designed. The B^AEO nucleoside was successfully synthesized and incorporated into oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs). ODNs containing B^AEO possessed up to 10⁴-, 152-, and 11-fold higher binding affinities for complementary (c) RNA than those of ODNs containing 2′-deoxycytidine ( C ), 2′,4′-BNA/LNA with 5-methylcytosine ( L ), or 2′-deoxyribonucleoside with G-clamp ( P^AEO ), respectively. Moreover, duplexes formed by ODN bearing B^AEO with cDNA and cRNA were thermally stable, even under molecular crowding conditions induced by the addition of polyethylene glycol. Furthermore, ODN bearing B^AEO was more resistant to 3′-exonuclease than ODNs with phosphorothioate linkages.     

A powerful route minimization heuristic for the vehicle routing problem with time windows

We suggest an efficient route minimization heuristic for the vehicle routing problem with time windows. The heuristic is based on the ejection pool, powerful insertion and guided local search strategies. Experimental results on the Gehring and Homberger’s benchmarks demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms previous approaches and found 18 new best-known solutions.     

Detection of diminished response to cold pressor test in smokers: Assessment using phase-contrast cine magnetic resonance imaging of the coronary sinus

Purpose

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the reproducibility for measuring the cold pressor test (CPT)-induced myocardial blood flow (MBF) alteration using phase-contrast (PC) cine MRI, and to determine if this approach could detect altered MBF response to CPT in smokers.

Materials and methods

After obtaining informed consent, ten healthy male non-smokers (mean age: 28 ± 5 years) and ten age-matched male smokers (smoking duration ≥ 5 years, mean age: 28 ± 3 years) were examined in this institutional review board approved study. Breath-hold PC cine MR images of the coronary sinus were obtained with a 3 T MR imager with 32 channel coils at rest and during a CPT performed after immersing one foot in ice water. MBF was calculated as coronary sinus flow divided by the left ventricular (LV) mass which was given as a total LV myocardial volume measured on cine MRI multiplied by the specific gravity (1.05 g/mL).

Results

In non-smokers, MBF was 0.86 ± 0.25 mL/min/g at rest, with a significant increase to 1.20 ± 0.36 mL/min/g seen during CPT (percentage change of MBF (?MBF (%)); 39.2% ± 14.4%, p < 0.001). Inter-study reproducibility for ?MBF (%) measurements by different MR technologist was good, as indicated by the intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.93 and reproducibility coefficient of 10.5%. There was no significant difference between smokers and non-smokers for resting MBF (0.85 ± 0.32 mL/min/g, p = 0.91). However, ?MBF (%) in smokers was significantly reduced (-4.0 ± 32.2% vs. 39.2 ± 14.4%, p = 0.011).

Conclusion

PC cine MRI can be used to reproducibly quantify MBF response to CPT and to detect impaired flow response in smokers. This MR approach may be useful for monitoring the sequential change of coronary blood flow in various potentially pathologic conditions and for investigating its relationship with cardiovascular risk.     

化学计量的氧化钠团簇阳离子结构的离子迁移质谱法研究

本文通过离子迁移质谱法研究了氧化钠团簇阳离子(Na_nO_m⁺,n≤11)的稳定结构. 质谱结果表明化学计量组成Na(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺ (n=3、5、7、9和11)系列是稳定的,并且NaO(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺ (n=5、7、9和11)系列作为二级稳定系列. 为了获得这些团簇离子的结构,通过离子迁移率测量实验测定离子和氦缓冲气体之间的碰撞截面. 同时计算了这些组合物优化结构的理论碰撞截面. 结果表明,Na(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺和NaO(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺的结构除了n=9之外,其它具有相似结构框架. Na(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺所有的化合键位于钠和氧之间. 另一方面,NaO(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺中除了Na-O键之外,还存在一个O-O氧键,表明NaO(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺具有过氧化物离子(O₂^2-)作为Na(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺的氧化物离子(O^2-) 的替代物. Na(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺和NaO(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺两种稳定系列都是闭壳组合物. 这些闭壳特征对氧化钠簇阳离子的稳定性具有强烈影响.     

The Supposition for the Kochen and Specker Theorem Using Sum rule and Product rule

We investigate a hidden-variable theory introduced by Kochen and Specker. The “hidden” results of measurements are either 1 or − 1. We suppose the validity of Sum rule and Product rule. Kochen and Specker suppose the two operations Sum rule and Product rule commute with each other. It is shown that the two operations Sum rule and Product rule do not commute with each other when we want to avoid the Kochen and Specker paradox. Otherwise we encounter the Kochen and Specker paradox. We mention the supposition for Greenberger, Horne, and Zeilinger paradox. It is discussed that only Product rule is necessary for the paradox. We give up the two paradoxes if (1) Sum rule and Product rule do not commute with each other and (2) Product rule is not valid.

     

Dynamic dendrimer at electrified interface: potential dependent adsorption-desorption and reorientation of a 4-pyridyl-modified PAMAM dendrimer

Potential-dependent dynamic adsorption-desorption and reorientation of a 4-pyridyl modified PAMAM G2 dendrimer at a Au(111) electrode has been demonstrated.     

The synthesis of isoquinoline alkaloid and its related compounds using alanine derivatives as chiral auxiliaries

Chiral 1-substituted isoquinoline derivatives, which were obtained by the reaction using alanine derivatives as chiral auxiliaries, were transformed to (S)-2,3,9,10,11-pentamethoxyhomoprotoberberine (7) and a synthetic intermediate for O-methylkreysigine (9) in good yields and high stereoselectivity. The corresponding chiral allyl derivative of isoquinoline was transformed to a pyrrolidinoisoquinoline (16) in a highly enantioselective manner.