Modulation of the pharmacological effects of enzymatically-active PLA 2 by BTL-2, an isolectin isolated from the Bryothamnion triquetrum red alga

Background. An interaction between lectins from marine algae and PLA 2 from rattlesnake was suggested some years ago. We, herein, studied the effects elicited by a small isolectin (BTL-2), isolated from Bryothamnion triquetrum, on the pharmacological and biological activities of a PLA 2 isolated from rattlesnake venom (Crotalus durissus cascavella), to better understand the enzymatic and pharmacological mechanisms of the PLA 2 and its complex. Results. This PLA2 consisted of 122 amino acids (approximate molecular mass of 14 kDa), its pI was estimated to be 8.3, and its amino acid sequence shared a high degree of similarity with that of other neurotoxic and enzymatically-active PLA2s. BTL-2 had a molecular mass estimated in approximately 9 kDa and was characterized as a basic protein. In addition, BTL-2 did not exhibit any enzymatic activity. The PLA2 and BTL-2 formed a stable heterodimer with a molecular mass of approximately 24-26 kDa, estimated by molecular exclusion HPLC. In the presence of BTL-2, we observed a significant increase in PLA2 activity, 23% higher than that of PLA2 alone. BTL-2 demonstrated an inhibition of 98% in the growth of the Gram-positive bacterial strain, Clavibacter michiganensis michiganensis (Cmm), but only 9.8% inhibition of the Gram-negative bacterial strain, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv passiflorae (Xap). PLA2 decreased bacterial growth by 27.3% and 98.5% for Xap and Cmm, respectively, while incubating these two proteins with PLA2-BTL-2 inhibited their growths by 36.2% for Xap and 98.5% for Cmm. PLA2 significantly induced platelet aggregation in washed platelets, whereas BTL-2 did not induce significant platelet aggregation in any assay. However, BTL-2 significantly inhibited platelet aggregation induced by PLA2. In addition, PLA 2 exhibited strong oedematogenic activity, which was decreased in the presence of BTL-2. BTL-2 alone did not induce oedema and did not decrease or abolish the oedema induced by the 48/80 compound. Conclusion. The unexpected results observed for the PLA2-BTL-2 complex strongly suggest that the pharmacological activity of this PLA2 is not solely dependent on the presence of enzymatic activity, and that other pharmacological regions may also be involved. In addition, we describe for the first time an interaction between two different molecules, which form a stable complex with significant changes in their original biological action. This opens new possibilities for understanding the function and action of crude venom, an extremely complex mixture of different molecules. © 2008 Oliveira et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Modulation of insulin secretion by physical training during recovery from protein malnutrition in rats

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine insulin secretion in rats submitted to protein restriction and nutritional recovery associated or not to physical training. Methods: The experiment was designed in two sets of five weeks each. In the first set the rats were fed a nonnal-protein diet(17%-control group) or a low-protein diet (6%-malnourished group) for five weeks. After this, all animals were fed the 17% protein diet and separated into four groups: sedentary control(SC); trained eontrol(TC); sedentary recovered(SR) and trained recovered(TR). TC and TR rats performed swimming exercise. Results: The results indicated efficiency of the 6% protein diet in producing signs of malnutrition, as reduction in body weight gain and serum albumin levels, as well as liver fat. Serum insulin in the fed state and insulin secretion by isolated pancreatic islets in response to glucose were Keduced,but peripheral sensitivity to insulin was increased and glucose tolerance was not changed in the protein deficient rats, indicating adaptation to malnutrition. Diet protocol for nutritional recovery was efficient in repairing body weight gain, serum albumin and liver fat levels of the previously malnourished rats. Glucose induced insulin release by pancreatic islets remained low after nutritional recovery. Insulin secretion by the islets isolated from rats submitted to exercise training during nutritional recovery was improved when compared with the sedentary animals. Conclusion: This indicates that exercise training may be useful in the treatment of protein calorie malnutrition, concerning to glucose induced insulip secretion.

On the photonic dispersion of periodic superlattices made of left-handed materials

Studies of the band gap properties of one-dimensional superlattices with alternate layers of air and left-handed materials are carried out within the framework of Maxwell's equations. By left-handed material, we mean a material with dispersive negative electric and magnetic responses. Modeling them by Drude-type responses or by fabricated ones, we characterize the n(ω) = 0 gap, i.e., the zeroth order gap, which has been predicted and detected. The band structure and analytic equations for the band edges have been obtained in the long wavelength limit in case of periodic, Fibonacci, and Thue-Morse superlattices. Our studies reveal the nature of the width of the zeroth order band gap, whose edge equations are defined by null averages of the response functions. Oblique incidence is also investigated, yielding remarkable results. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Tri-state Space Vector Modulation for Three-phase integrated inverters

The aim of this work is to present a modified Space Vector Modulation (SVM) suitable for Tri-state Three-phase inverters. A standard SVM algorithm and the Tri-state PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) are presented and their concept are mixed into the novel SVM. The proposed SVM is applied to a three-phase tri-state integrated Boost inverter, intended to Photovoltaic Energy Applications. The main features for this novel SVM are validated through simulations and also by experimental tests. The obtained results prove the feasibility of the proposal. © 2011 IEEE.

Integrated single-stage converters with Tri-state modulation suitable for photovoltaic systems

The aim of this work is to present two topological simplified converters named Tri-state Boost and Tri-state Buck-Boost integrated single-phase inverters. An important operation capability can be achieved for these converters using a Tri-state Modulation control scheme. This is the inductive power decoupling and the independent input output control. These features are directly related with the photovoltaic micro-converter needs, improving efficiency, cost and mainly lifetime. These features for the proposed modulation are confirmed through experimental results. © 2011 IEEE.

Optimal low-cost transfer to L4 and L5 lagrangian points based on G-family of periodic orbits

An alternative transfer strategy to send spacecrafts to stable orbits around the Lagrangian equilibrium points L4 and L5 based in trajectories derived from the periodic orbits around LI is presented in this work. The trajectories derived, called Trajectories G, are described and studied in terms of the initial generation requirements and their energy variations relative to the Earth through the passage by the lunar sphere of influence. Missions for insertion of spacecrafts in elliptic orbits around L4 and L5 are analysed considering the Restricted Three-Body Problem Earth- Moon-particle and the results are discussed starting from the thrust, time of flight and energy variation relative to the Earth. Copyright© (2012) by the International Astronautical Federation.

Anisotropy in the transport properties of type II superconducting films with periodic pinning

Using numerical simulations, we analyze the anisotropy effects in the critical currents and dynamical properties of vortices in a thin superconducting film submitted to hexagonal and Kagomé periodical pinning arrays. The calculations are performed at zero temperature, for transport currents parallel and perpendicular to the main axis of the lattice, and parallel to the diagonal axis of the rhombic unit cell. We show that the critical currents and dynamic properties are anisotropic for both pinning arrays and all directions of the transport current. The anisotropic effects are more significant just above the critical current and disappear with higher values of current and both pinning arrays. The dynamical phases for each case and a wide range of transport forces are analyzed. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

On the periodic solutions of a class of duffing differential equations

In this work we study the periodic solutions, their stability and bifurcation for the class of Duffing differential equation mathematical equation represented where C > 0, ε > 0 and Λ are real parameter, A(t), b(t) and h(t) are continuous T periodic functions and ε is sufficiently small. Our results are proved using the averaging method of first order.

Myenteric denervation in gastric carcinogenesis: Differential modulation of nitric oxide and annexin-A1

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Hydrostatic and [001] uniaxial pressure on anatase TiO2 by periodic B3LYP-D* calculations

The effect of high hydrostatic and [001] uniaxial pressures on TiO 2 anatase was studied under the framework of periodic calculations with the inclusion of DFT-D2 dispersion potential adjusted for this system (B3LYP-D*). The role of dispersion in distorted unit cells was evaluated in terms of lattice parameters, elastic constants, equation of state, vibrational properties, and electronic properties (band structure and density of states). A more reliable description at high pressures was achieved because the B3LYP-D* presented an improvement in all properties for undistorted bulk over conventional B3LYP and B3LYP-D. From density of states analysis, we observed that the contribution of crystalline orbitals to the edge of valence and conduction bands changed within applied pressure. The studied distortions can give some insight into behavior of electronic and structural properties due to local stress in anatase bulk from doping, defects, and physical tensions in nanometric forms. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Strain- and electric field-induced band gap modulation in nitride nanomembranes

The hexagonal nanomembranes of the group III-nitrides are a subject of interest due to their novel technological applications. In this paper, we investigate the strain- and electric field-induced modulation of their band gaps in the framework of density functional theory. For AlN, the field-dependent modulation of the bandgap is found to be significant whereas the strain-induced semiconductor-metal transition is predicted for GaN. A relatively flat conduction band in AlN and GaN nanomembranes leads to an enhancement of their electronic mobility compared to that of their bulk counterparts. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Critical currents and melting temperature of a two-dimensional vortex lattice with periodic pinning

The critical current and melting temperature of a vortex system are analyzed. Calculations are made for a two-dimensional film at finite temperature with two kinds of periodic pinning: hexagonal and Kagomé. A transport current parallel and perpendicular to the main axis of the pinning arrays is applied and molecular dynamics simulations are used to calculate the vortex velocities to obtain the critical currents. The structure factor and displacements of vortices at zero transport current are used to obtain the melting temperature for both pinning arrays. The critical currents are higher for the hexagonal pinning lattice and anisotropic for both pinning arrays. This anisotropy is stronger with temperature for the hexagonal array. For the Kagomé pinning lattice, our analysis shows a multi stage phase melting; that is, as we increase the temperature, each different dynamic phase melts before reaching the melting temperature. Both the melting temperature and critical currents are larger for the hexagonal lattice, indicating the role for the interstitial vortices in decreasing the pinning strength. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

A fast cholinergic modulation of the primary acoustic startle circuit in rats

Cochlear root neurons (CRNs) are the first brainstem neurons which initiate and participate in the full expression of the acoustic startle reflex. Although it has been suggested that a cholinergic pathway from the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body (VNTB) conveys auditory prepulses to the CRNs, the neuronal origin of the VNTB-CRNs projection and the role it may play in the cochlear root nucleus remain uncertain. To determine the VNTB neuronal type which projects to CRNs, we performed tract-tracing experiments combined with mechanical lesions, and morphometric analyses. Our results indicate that a subpopulation of non-olivocochlear neurons projects directly and bilaterally to CRNs via the trapezoid body. We also performed a gene expression analysis of muscarinic and nicotinic receptors which indicates that CRNs contain a cholinergic receptor profile sufficient to mediate the modulation of CRN responses. Consequently, we investigated the effects of auditory prepulses on the neuronal activity of CRNs using extracellular recordings in vivo. Our results show that CRN responses are strongly inhibited by auditory prepulses. Unlike other neurons of the cochlear nucleus, the CRNs exhibited inhibition that depended on parameters of the auditory prepulse such as intensity and interstimulus interval, showing their strongest inhibition at short interstimulus intervals. In sum, our study supports the idea that CRNs are involved in the auditory prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex, and confirms the existence of multiple cholinergic pathways that modulate the primary acoustic startle circuit. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Periodic compression of an adiabatic gas: Intermittency-enhanced Fermi acceleration

A gas of non-interacting particles diffuses in a lattice of pulsating scatterers. In the finite-horizon case with bounded distance between collisions and strongly chaotic dynamics, the velocity growth (Fermi acceleration) is well described by a master equation, leading to an asymptotic universal non-Maxwellian velocity distribution scaling as v∼t. The infinite-horizon case has intermittent dynamics which enhances the acceleration, leading to v∼t ln t and a non-universal distribution. © Copyright EPLA, 2013.

Simvastatin treatment increases nitrite levels in obese women: Modulation by T-786C polymorphism of eNOS

Objective and Subjects: Evidence indicates an impairment of nitric oxide (NO) in obesity. Statins present pleiotropic effects independently of cholesterol-lowering, including increasing of eNOS expression and antioxidant effects. We evaluated the effects of simvastatin treatment at 45 days on circulating nitrite (NO marker) and TBARS-MDA levels in obese women without comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia). Moreover, we verified whether obese women carrying the C variant of T-786C polymorphism located in eNOS may have increased levels of nitrite after treatment compared to TT genotype. Results: After simvastatin treatment, while the plasma nitrite levels increased 42% (P = 0.0008), the TBARS-MDA levels reduced 58% (P = 0.0069). We observed increased levels of nitrite in both groups of genotypes (TT vs. TC + CC); however, rise in C-allele carriers was 60% comparing with 44% in TT. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated a restoration of nitrite levels in obese women treated with simvastatin, which is modulated by T-786C polymorphism. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.