The Donor-Dependent and Colon-Region-Dependent Metabolism of (+)-Catechin by Colonic Microbiota in the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem

The intestinal absorption of dietary catechins is quite low, resulting in most of them being metabolized by gut microbiota in the colon. It has been hypothesized that microbiota-derived metabolites may be partly responsible for the association between catechin consumption and beneficial cardiometabolic effects. Given the profound differences in gut microbiota composition and microbial load between individuals and across different colon regions, this study examined how microbial (+)-catechin metabolite profiles differ between colon regions and individuals. Batch exploration of the interindividual variability in (+)-catechin microbial metabolism resulted in a stratification based on metabolic efficiency: from the 12 tested donor microbiota, we identified a fast- and a slow-converting microbiota that was subsequently inoculated to SHIME, a dynamic model of the human gut. Monitoring of microbial (+)-catechin metabolites from proximal and distal colon compartments with UHPLC-MS and UPLC-IMS-Q-TOF-MS revealed profound donor-dependent and colon-region-dependent metabolite profiles with 5-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone being the largest contributor to differences between the fast- and slow-converting microbiota and the distal colon being a more important region for (+)-catechin metabolism than the proximal colon. Our findings may contribute to further understanding the role of the gut microbiota as a determinant of interindividual variation in pharmacokinetics upon (+)-catechin ingestion.     

Local velocity measurements in a thermally-stratified sodium mixing layer using a permanent-magnet probe

Mean and fluctuating velocities have been measured in a sodium mixing layer experiment, i.e. in a fluid with very low Prandtl number (Pr10⁻²), with a miniature permanent-magnet velocity probe in the presence of strong temperature gradients. A mathematical model for the probe, based upon Faraday's law of induction and including thermoelectric as well as inertia effects due to the finite response time of thermocouples, is presented together with a new dynamic method to compensate for these effects. The sensitivity of the four different probes used in this experiment is in the range of 81–65 (μV/ms⁻¹). Electrical pertubations arising from large-scale thermoelectric effects inside the test section and their influence on the velocity signal are also discussed. The electronic measurement system, combining low noise and high resolution, was specially developed to match the experimental requirements. With this system it was possible to measure velocity RMS-values down to 1 mm/s corresponding to a voltage of 100 nV, and mean velocities with an accuracy of about 6 mm/s. This paper deals with the peculiarities of the measurement technique and its performance, but does not analyze the experimental results, which will be presented in a separate publication.     

Extending Time Profile of Morphine‐Induced Analgesia Using a Chitosan‐Based Molecular Imprinted Polymer Nanogel

Chitosan‐based molecular imprinted polymer (CS‐MIP) nanogel is prepared in the presence of morphine template, fully characterized and used as a new vehicle to extend duration of morphine analgesic effect in Naval Medical Research Institute mice. The CS‐MIP nanogel with ≈25 nm size range exhibits 98% loading efficiency, and in vitro release studies show an initial burst followed by an extended slow release of morphine. In order to study the feasibility of CS‐MIP nanogel as morphine carrier, 20 mice are divided into two groups randomly and received subcutaneous injection of morphine‐loaded CS‐MIP and morphine (10 mg kg^?1) dissolved in physiologic saline. Those received injection of morphine‐loaded CS‐MIP show slower and long lasting release of morphine with 193 min effective time of 50% (ET50) analgesia compared to 120 min ET50 in mice received morphine dissolved in physiologic saline. These results suggest that CS‐MIP nanogel can be a possible strategy as morphine carrier for controlled release and extension of its analgesic efficacy.

     

Conformational study of a strained tolanophane by dynamic 1H NMR spectroscopy and computational methods

The existence of a short C–H ⋯ π (alkyl–alkyne) interaction in the structure of a strained and relatively rigid tolanophane is expected to hinder the rotation about the C–C sp³ single bond. Variable-temperature NMR experiments (performed in three solvents, CDCl₃, THF-d₈, and acetone-d₆) and ab initio density functional calculations were carried out to investigate its dynamic nature. An energy barrier of 48.6 kJ/mol is determined at coalescence (210 K) with acetone-d₆ which is in good agreement with calculation result (54 kJ/mol). Correspondence: Hossein Reza Darabi, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Research Center of Iran, Pajoohesh Blvd., km 17, Karaj Hwy, 14968-13151 Tehran, Iran.     

More radiative corrections for β-decay

A calculation is performed of a hitherto ignored “radiative” correction to neutron β-decay. Conventional electromagnetism does not allow η → 3π decay; the mechanism responsible for this decay will lead to a correction to β-decay not taken into account by the standard O(α/π) coreection of one-photon exchange. While an order of magnitude estimate indicates this correction could in principle compete with the one-photon-exchange correction, explicit calculation puts it at three orders of magnitude down. Thus the agreement between the Cabibbo cosθ and the sinθ obtained from ΔS = 1 decays remains unspoilt.     

Starved Water Hydrolysis of Different Precursors and its Influence on the Properties of Precipitated Zirconia

The chemical composition of zirconia gels precipitated from methanol solutions with excess, stoichiometric or deficient amounts of water as well, as the phase composition of fine ZrO₂ powders obtained by thermal treatment of gels prepared by this method, were investigated. It was observed that both the stoichiometry and crystalline phase formation during thermal treatment of zirconia gels are strongly influenced by the amount of water added to the initial reaction mixture. Heating the hydrated zirconia gels in an inert oxygen-free atmosphere produced a black nonstoichiometric oxide. The degree of nonstoichiometry of zirconia and its microstructure are influenced by the initial conditions in the reaction mixture. The X-ray patterns of thermally treated samples prepared with a substoichiometric amount of water show power lines of monoclinic and tetragonal zirconia, while after the same thermal treatment to 700°C, those prepared with excess water in the initial methanol solution, show mainly tetragonal diffraction lines.     

Catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol by means of nanostructured polymeric Schiff base complexes

Polymeric Schiff base ligands were synthesized using 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde (L²), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (L⁴), and 5-aminoisophthalic acid. The nanostructured complexes were then synthesized using Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Mn³⁺. The ligands and complexes thus synthesized were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The thermal stability of the complexes was confirmed using TGA. The synthesized complexes were used as catalysts in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol in an aqueous phase in the presence of sodium borohydride. In this work, the catalytic reactivity of nanostructured complexes was compared using the rate constant (k) of the reaction. The reaction time for the reduction of 4-NP was 5–14 min for different complexes. The catalytic system based on Ni²⁺/2-hydroxybenzaldehyde was the most active and displayed reusability in the reduction of 4-NP.     

A catalytic synthesis of dihydrofuran-3(2H)-imine skeletons from isocyanides,terminal alkynes,and oxiranes

In this catalytic multicomponent reaction, the nucleophilicity of terminal alkynes and isocyanides towards oxiranes has been explored. The reaction outcome depends highly on solvent, bases, and catalysts sources. An array of terminal alkynes, isocyanides, and oxiranes has been examined to explore the of this transformation. The reactions proceeded through S_N2 path and in regioselective manner.     

Kochen-Specker Theorem in Krein Space

The well known Kochen-Specker’s theorem (Kochen and Specker J. Math. Mech. 17:59–87, 1967) is devoted to the problem of hidden variables in quantum mechanics. In the paper we present a geometric proof for an indefinite analogy of Kochen-Specker’s theorem. On the real three-dimensional Krein space there exists unique two-valued probability measure.