κ-Opioid Signaling in the Lateral Hypothalamic Area Modulates Nicotine-Induced Negative Energy Balance

Several studies have reported that nicotine, the main bioactive component of tobacco, exerts a marked negative energy balance. Apart from its anorectic action, nicotine also modulates energy expenditure, by regulating brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis and white adipose tissue (WAT) browning. These effects are mainly controlled at the central level by modulation of hypothalamic neuropeptide systems and energy sensors, such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In this study, we aimed to investigate the kappa opioid receptor (κOR)/dynorphin signaling in the modulation of nicotine’s effects on energy balance. We found that body weight loss after nicotine treatment is associated with a down-regulation of the κOR endogenous ligand dynorphin precursor and with a marked reduction in κOR signaling and the p70 S6 kinase/ribosomal protein S6 (S6K/rpS6) pathway in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). The inhibition of these pathways by nicotine was completely blunted in κOR deficient mice, after central pharmacological blockade of κOR, and in rodents where κOR was genetically knocked down specifically in the LHA. Moreover, κOR-mediated nicotine effects on body weight do not depend on orexin. These data unravel a new central regulatory pathway modulating nicotine’s effects on energy balance.     

Description of the thermodynamic properties and fluid-phase behavior of aqueous solutions of linear,branched, and cyclic amines

The SAFT-γ Mie group-contribution equation of state is used to represent the fluid-phase behavior of aqueous solutions of a variety of linear, branched, and cyclic amines. New group interactions are developed in order to model the mixtures of interest, including the like and unlike interactions between alkyl primary, secondary, and tertiary amine groups (NH₂, NH, N), cyclic secondary and tertiary amine groups (cNH, cN), and cyclic methine-amine groups (cCHNH, cCHN) with water (H₂O). The group-interaction parameters are estimated from appropriate experimental thermodynamic data for pure amines and selected mixtures. By taking advantage of the group-contribution nature of the method, one can describe the fluid-phase behavior of mixtures of molecules comprising those groups over broad ranges of temperature, pressure, and composition. A number of aqueous solutions of amines are studied including linear, branched aliphatic, and cyclic amines. Liquid–liquid equilibria (LLE) bounded by lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) have been reported experimentally and are reproduced here with the SAFT-γ Mie approach. The main feature of the approach is the ability not only to represent accurately the experimental data employed in the parameter estimation, but also to predict the vapor–liquid, liquid–liquid, and vapor–liquid–liquid equilibria, and LCSTs with the same set of parameters. Pure compound and binary phase diagrams of diverse types of amines and their aqueous solutions are assessed in order to demonstrate the main features of the thermodynamic and fluid-phase behavior.     

Loliolide,a New Therapeutic Option for Neurological Diseases? In Vitro Neuroprotective and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of a Monoterpenoid Lactone Isolated from Codium tomentosum

Parkinsons Disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide, and is characterized by a progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Without an effective treatment, it is crucial to find new therapeutic options to fight the neurodegenerative process, which may arise from marine resources. Accordingly, the goal of the present work was to evaluate the ability of the monoterpenoid lactone Loliolide, isolated from the green seaweed Codium tomentosum, to prevent neurological cell death mediated by the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on SH-SY5Y cells and their anti-inflammatory effects in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Loliolide was obtained from the diethyl ether extract, purified through column chromatography and identified by NMR spectroscopy. The neuroprotective effects were evaluated by the MTT method. Cells’ exposure to 6-OHDA in the presence of Loliolide led to an increase of cells’ viability in 40%, and this effect was mediated by mitochondrial protection, reduction of oxidative stress condition and apoptosis, and inhibition of the NF-kB pathway. Additionally, Loliolide also suppressed nitric oxide production and inhibited the production of TNF-α and IL-6 pro-inflammatory cytokines. The results suggest that Loliolide can inspire the development of new neuroprotective therapeutic agents and thus, more detailed studies should be considered to validate its pharmacological potential.     

Color preferences for different topics in connection to personal characteristics

Studies on color preferences are dependent on the topic and the relationships with personal characteristics, particularly personality, but these are seldom studied in one population. Therefore a questionnaire was collected from 1095 Dutch people asking for color preferences about different topics and relating them to personal characteristics. Color preferences regarding different topics show different patterns and significant differences were found between gender, age, education and personality such as being technical, being emotional or being a team player. Also, different colors were mentioned when asked for colors that stimulate to be quiet, energetic, and able to focus or creative. Probably, due to unconsciousness of contexts, many people had no color preference, a result that in the literature seldom is mentioned. Blue was the overall favorite color; however, most males chose for blue (25%) while most females had no color preference (18%). Black was the overall favorite color for clothing, mainly chosen by females (40%), while males primarily chose blue (27%). For building interiors subjects preferred white. For moods, subjects preferred white for being quiet or being able to focus, red for being energetic and had no color preference for being creative. It is concluded that color preferences are dependent upon the topic, and personal characteristics. The findings are important for architects, interior designers, fashion designers and product designers to have a basic idea of preferred colors for different objects by different types of people. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 40, 62–71, 2015     

Cable tray FIRE tests simulations in open atmosphere and in confined and mechanically ventilated compartments with the CALIF3S/ISIS CFD software

Fire hazard in nuclear power plants (NPPs) is particularly often investigated as potential cause of safety equipment failure and confinement loss. Many fire events recorded in NPPs involve electric cables, widely used throughout facilities. IRSN is developing the CALIF3S/ISIS computational fluid dynamics software devoted to fire simulation in large‐scale confined and mechanically ventilated compartments. This paper presents two aspects of the CALIF3S/ISIS code ability to simulate fires. The first one concerns vertical and horizontal spreading of a cable tray fire in open atmosphere using an approach based on the FLASH‐CAT cable fire spread model. Resorting to the suitable parameters of the FLASH‐CAT model based on video fire analyses of tests enables to properly compute the heat release rate of the fire. The second aspect concerns the ability to simulate the evolution and consequences of fires in confined and mechanically ventilated compartments. For these cases, the heat release rate measured during the corresponding experiment is used as input data for the calculations. The predicted evolutions of pressure or gas temperatures are in relatively good accordance with the experiments. The major discrepancy concerns gas concentrations in the fire room which is attributed to a lack of information about the properties of the fuel material.     

Morphology and Stability of Edible Lycopene-Containing Micro- and Nanocapsules Produced Through Electrospraying and Spray Drying

Food and Bioprocess Technology - In this work, lycopene was encapsulated through electrospraying and spray drying (using a microporous membrane cap) within different edible biopolymeric matrices....     

Palladium Nanoparticles in Water: A Reusable Catalytic System for the Cycloetherification or Benzannulation of α‐Allenols

A convenient ligand‐free catalytic system has been developed for the chemoselective cyclization reaction of various α‐allenol derivatives by palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) in an aqueous reaction medium.

     

On the use of ball milling to develop PHBV–graphene nanocomposites (I)—Morphology,thermal properties,and thermal stability

In the first part of this work, novel nanocomposites based on poly (3‐hydroxybutyrate co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and functionalized graphene nanosheets (FGS) were prepared through ball milling. As revealed by morphological characterization, this blending methodology was able to allow proper nanofiller dispersion and distribution into the matrix. Thermal properties were studied under non‐isothermal and isothermal conditions and the addition of FGS into PHBV matrix, although no changes in crystallization mechanism were observed, it modified the crystallization kinetics leading to increased crystallinity. Thermal stability analysis revealed that FGS affected the mechanism of oxidative thermal degradation and had no effect on thermal degradation by pyrolysis. Furthermore, an analysis of isothermal degradation kinetics showed that FGS speeded up the degradation rate. The Sestak‐Berggren model was used as a model to explain the isothermal degradation behavior of the obtained materials in good agreement with the experimental data. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42101.