Deficiency of sex hormones does not affect 17-ß-estradiol-induced coronary vasodilation in the isolated rat heart

The relaxation of coronary arteries by estrogens in the coronary vascular beds of naive and hypertensive rats has been well described. However, little is known about this action in gonadectomized rats. We investigated the effect of 17-ß-estradiol (E2) in coronary arteries from gonadectomized rats, as well as the contributions of endothelium-derived factors and potassium channels. Eight-week-old female and male Wistar rats weighing 220-300 g were divided into sham-operated and gonadectomized groups (n=9−12 animals per group). The baseline coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) was determined, and the vasoactive effects of 10 μM E2 were assessed by bolus administration before and after endothelium denudation or by perfusion with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), indomethacin, clotrimazole, L-NAME plus indomethacin, L-NAME plus clotrimazole or tetraethylammonium (TEA). The CPP differed significantly between the female and sham-operated male animals. Gonadectomy reduced the CPP only in female rats. Differences in E2-induced relaxation were observed between the female and male animals, but male castration did not alter this response. For both sexes, the relaxation response to E2 was, at least partly, endothelium-dependent. The response to E2 was reduced only in the sham-operated female rats treated with L-NAME. However, in the presence of indomethacin, clotrimazole, L-NAME plus indomethacin or L-NAME plus clotrimazole, or TEA, the E2 response was significantly reduced in all groups. These results highlight the importance of prostacyclin, endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor, and potassium channels in the relaxation response of coronary arteries to E2 in all groups, whereas nitric oxide may have had an important role only in the sham-operated female group.

The effects of water and sucrose contents on the physicochemical properties of non-directly expanded rice flour extrudates

Rice flour was processed by extrusion cooking in the presence of variable contents of water and sucrose. The process was carried out in a twin-screw extruder under the conditions given by a centre rotational experimental design of second order. The effects of the independent variables, water content (27.9 to 42.1%), and sucrose content (0.1 to 19.9%) on the physicochemical properties of the extrudates were investigated. The water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), volumetric expansion index (VEI), and bulk density (BD) were determined as dependent variables. BD was determined for samples before and after frying. An increase in water contents resulted in higher WAI and VEI, and lower WSI and BD for extrudates before and after frying. Higher sucrose levels led to increased values of WAI and VEI and to reduced values of WSI and BD. Both independent variables had significant influence on the physicochemical properties of rice flour extrudates. However, the sucrose content was the most significant. The interaction between these two independent variables and their quadratic effect were also important for the responses studied.

Effect of sugar and water contents on non-expanded cassava flour extrudates

The effects of sucrose and water contents on cassava flour processed by extrusion at varied concentrations of sucrose (0-20% w/w) and water (28-42% w/w) were studied by applying response surface methodology. The extrusion of the mixtures was performed in a twin screw extruder fitted to a torque rheometer. The specific mechanical energy (SME) dissipated inside a conical twin-screw extruder was measured. Water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI) and paste viscosity readings (cold viscosity (CV), peak viscosity (PV), breakdown (BD) and set back (SB)) during a gelatinization-retrogradation cycle measured in a Rapid Visco Analyzer were determined on non-directly extruded products. The results indicated that SME and WSI decreased as a function of water and sucrose contents. WAI and pasting properties were influenced by water content. A non antiplasticizing effect of the sucrose content was observed on pasting properties, suggesting that sucrose did not reduce the availability of water available for gelatinizing cassava flour during the extrusion process. The nature of the optimum point was characterized as a saddle point for WAI, WSI, PV and BD, whereas SME showed a maximum and CV and SB a minimum. The results indicated to be valuable for the production of non-expanded cassava flour extrudates with desirable functional properties for specific end users.

Chemical composition and nutritive value of hot pepper seed (Capsicum annuum) grown in Northeast Region of China

Chemical composition and nutritive value of hot pepper seeds (Capsicum annuum) grown in Northeast Region of China were investigated. The proximate analysis showed that moisture, ash, crude fat, crude protein and total dietary fiber contents were 4.48, 4.94, 23.65, 21.29 and 38.76 g/100 g, respectively. The main amino acids were glutamic acid and aspartic acid (above 2 g/100 g), followed by histidine, phenylalanine, lysine, arginine, cysteine, leucine, tryptophan, serine, glycine, methionine, threonine and tyrosine (0.8-2 g/100 g). The contents of proline, alanine, valine and isoleucine were less than 0.8 g/100 g. The fatty acid profile showed that linoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid and linolenic acid (above 0.55 g/100 g) as the most abundant fatty acids followed lauric acid, arachidic acid, gondoic acid and behenic acid (0.03-0.15 g/100 g). Analyses of mineral content indicated that the most abundant mineral was potassium, followed by magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, sodium and manganese. The nutritional composition of hot pepper seeds suggested that they could be regarded as good sources of food ingredients and as new sources of edible oils.

The effects of mutated cationic amino acid transporter y+LAT1 at the cellular and systemic level

y+LAT1 is a transmembrane protein that, together with the 4F2hc cell surface antigen, forms a transporter for cationic amino acids in the basolateral plasma membrane of epithelial cells. It is mainly expressed in the kidney and small intestine, and to a lesser extent in other tissues, such as the placenta and immunoactive cells. Mutations in y+LAT1 lead to a defect of the y+LAT1/4F2hc transporter, which impairs intestinal absorbance and renal reabsorbance of lysine, arginine and ornithine, causing lysinuric protein intolerance (LPI), a rare, recessively inherited aminoaciduria with severe multi-organ complications. This thesis examines the consequences of the LPI-causing mutations on two levels, the transporter structure and the Finnish patients’ gene expression profiles. Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) confocal microscopy, optimised for this work, the subunit dimerisation was discovered to be a primary phenomenon occurring regardless of mutations in y+LAT1. In flow cytometric and confocal microscopic FRET analyses, the y+LAT1 molecules exhibit a strong tendency for homodimerisation both in the presence and absence of 4F2hc, suggesting a heterotetramer for the transporter’s functional form. Gene expression analysis of the Finnish patients, clinically variable but homogenic for the LPI-causing mutation in SLC7A7, revealed 926 differentially-expressed genes and a disturbance of the amino acid homeostasis affecting several transporters. However, despite the expression changes in individual patients, no overall compensatory effect of y+LAT2, the sister y+L transporter, was detected. The functional annotations of the altered genes included biological processes such as inflammatory response, immune system processes and apoptosis, indicating a strong immunological involvement for LPI.

Timing of di-ammonium phosphate addition to fermenting chardonnay must : effect on nitrogen utilization, ethyl-carbamate formation, and CAR1 expression by yeast /

The maximum amount of ethyl carbamate (EC), a known animal carcinogen produced by the reaction of urea and ethanol, allowed in alcoholic beverages is regulated by legislation in many countries. Wine yeast produce urea by the metabolism of arginine, the predominant assimilable amino acid in must. This action is due to arginase (encoded by CARl). Regulation of CARl, and other genes in this pathway, is often attributed to a well-documented phenomenon known as nitrogen catabolite repression. The effect of the timing of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) additions on the nitrogen utilization, regulation of CARl, and EC production was investigated. A correlation was found between the timing of DAP addition and the utilization of nitrogen. When DAP was added earlier in the fermentations, less amino nitrogen and more ammonia nitrogen was sequestered from the media by the cells. It was also seen that early DAP addition led to more total nitrogen being used, with a maximal difference of ~25% between fermentations where no DAP was added versus addition at the start of the fermentation. The effect of the timing ofDAP addition on the expression of CARJ during fermentation was analyzed via northern transfer and the relative levels of CARl expression were determined. The trends in expression can be correlated to the nitrogen data and be used to partially explain differences in EC formation between the treatments. EC was quantified at the end of fermentation by GC/MS. In Montrachet yeast, a significant positive correlation was found between the timing of DAP addition, from early to late, and the final EC concentration m the wine (r = 0.9226). In one of the fermentations, EC levels of 30.5 ppb was foimd when DAP was added at the onset of fermentation. A twofold increase (69.5 ppb) was observed when DAP was added after 75% of the sugars were metabolized. When no DAP was added, the ethyl carbamate levels are comparable at a value of 38 ppb. In contrast, the timing of DAP additions do not affect the level EC produced by the yeast ECU 18 in this manner. The study of additional yeast strains shows that the effect of DAP addition to fermentations is strain dependent. Our results reveal the potential importance of the timing of DAP addition to grape must with respect to EC production, and the regulatory effect of DAP additions on the expression of genes in the pathway for arginine metabolism in certain wine yeast strains.

Factors affecting DNA uptake by mammalian cells

The ability to introduce DNA and express custom DNA sequences in bacteria opened the door for improvements in a large number of fields including agriculture, pharmacology, medicine, nutrition, etc. The ability to introduce foreign DNA sequences into mammalian cells in an efficient manner would have a large impact on therapeutic applications especially gene therapy. The methods in use today suffer from low efficiencies and sometimes toxicity. In this work a number of factors were evaluated for their effect onONA uptake efficiency. The factors studied included exposure to sublethal concentration of hydrogen peroxide which have been show to lead to destabilisation ofthe lysosomes. These exposures have proven to be very toxic to cells when combined with either the calcium phosphate or the lipofectAMINE® transfection methods. Another factor evaluated was exposure to Electro-Magnetic Fields (EMF). This was fuelled by the fact that EMF have been shown to mediate a number of effects on cell structure and/or physiology. EMF exposure by itself was not sufficient to induce the cells to pick up the DNA, therefore its effect on calcium phosphate and lipofectAMINE® was tested. Although some positive results were obtained, the variability of these results exceeded by far any observed enhancements which discouraged any further work on EMF. Also tested was the possible effect the presence of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) sequence might have on DNA uptake (based on previous results in this lab). It was found that the presence ofCMV in the DNA sequence does not enhance uptake or slow down degradation of the internalised DNA. The final factor tested was the effect of basic amino acids on transfection efficiency. It was found that arginine can enhance DNA uptake by about 170% v/ith calcium phosphate and about 200% with LipofectAMINE®. A model was proposed to explain the effect of arginine as well as the lack of effect from other amino acids.

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California. This historical building (2 floors, 17,862 sq.ft.), completed in 1913 is named in honor of George N. Reeves, president of the university from 1942 to 1956. It is listed in the National Registry for Historical Buildings and houses the Kathleen Muth Reading Center, College of Lifelong Learning, and the School of Education. Originally constructed to serve Orange Union High School, it was designed along with its twin building by Santa Ana architect Frank Eley. Acquired by Chapman College in 1954.

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California. This historical building (2 floors, 17,862 sq.ft.), completed in 1913 is named in honor of George N. Reeves, president of the university from 1942 to 1956. It is listed in the National Registry for Historical Buildings and houses the Kathleen Muth Reading Center, College of Lifelong Learning, and the School of Education. Originally constructed to serve Orange Union High School, it was designed along with its twin building by Santa Ana architect Frank Eley. Acquired by Chapman College in 1954. Stamped on the back: Taylor Publishing Co. Job Number 30232 - Pict. No. 4 - Page No. 56 - Chapman College - Orange, Calif.

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California. This historical building (2 floors, 17,862 sq.ft.), completed in 1913 is named in honor of George N. Reeves, president of the university from 1942 to 1956. It is listed in the National Registry for Historical Buildings and houses the Kathleen Muth Reading Center, College of Lifelong Learning, and the School of Education. Originally constructed to serve Orange Union High School, it was designed along with its twin building by Santa Ana architect Frank Eley. Acquired by Chapman College in 1954.

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California

Reeves Hall and part of Roosevelt Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California. This historical building (2 floors, 17,862 sq.ft.), completed in 1913 is named in honor of George N. Reeves, president of the university from 1942 to 1956. It is listed in the National Registry for Historical Buildings and houses the Kathleen Muth Reading Center, College of Lifelong Learning, and the School of Education. Originally constructed to serve Orange Union High School, it was designed along with its twin building by Santa Ana architect Frank Eley. Acquired by Chapman College in 1954.

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California. This historical building (2 floors, 17,862 sq.ft.), completed in 1913 is named in honor of George N. Reeves, president of the university from 1942 to 1956. It is listed in the National Registry for Historical Buildings and houses the Kathleen Muth Reading Center, College of Lifelong Learning, and the School of Education. Originally constructed to serve Orange Union High School, it was designed along with its twin building by Santa Ana architect Frank Eley. Acquired by Chapman College in 1954.

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California. This historical building (2 floors, 17,862 sq.ft.), completed in 1913 is named in honor of George N. Reeves, president of the university from 1942 to 1956. It is listed in the National Registry for Historical Buildings and houses the Kathleen Muth Reading Center, College of Lifelong Learning, and the School of Education. Originally constructed to serve Orange Union High School, it was designed along with its twin building by Santa Ana architect Frank Eley. Acquired by Chapman College in 1954.

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California,1979

Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California, June, 1979. This historical building (2 floors, 17,862 sq.ft.), completed in 1913 is named in honor of George N. Reeves, president of the university from 1942 to 1956. It is listed in the National Registry for Historical Buildings and houses the Kathleen Muth Reading Center, College of Lifelong Learning, and the School of Education. Originally constructed to serve Orange Union High School, it was designed along with its twin building by Santa Ana architect Frank Eley. Acquired by Chapman College in 1954.

Helicopter landing near Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California

Helicopter landing near Reeves Hall, Chapman College, Orange, California. This historical building (2 floors, 17,862 sq.ft.), completed in 1913 is named in honor of George N. Reeves, president of the university from 1942 to 1956. It is listed in the National Registry for Historical Buildings and houses the Kathleen Muth Reading Center, College of Lifelong Learning, and the School of Education. Originally constructed to serve Orange Union High School, it was designed along with its twin building by Santa Ana architect Frank Eley. Acquired by Chapman College in 1954.