Exercise training intensity/volume affects plasma and tissue adiponectin concentrations in the male rat

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of exercise training intensity/volume on plasma total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin and tissue total adiponectin concentrations. Thirty-two, eight week-old male Wistar rats (185 ± 5 g) were randomly assigned to one of four groups: high intensity (HI: 34 m/min ∼%80-%85 VO₂max), moderate intensity (MI: 28 m/min ∼%70-%75 VO₂max), low intensity (LI: 20m/min ∼ %50-%55 VO₂max), and sedentary control (SED). Experimental groups completed a 12-week exercise program of treadmill running at 0° slope, 1 h/day, 5 days/week. Since frequency and duration of exercise were identical among training groups, the volume of training was highest in the HI group followed by the MI and LI groups. Compared with SED animals, fasting plasma total and HMW adiponectin and adipose tissue total adiponectin concentrations were significantly higher in the HI and MI groups, but total adiponectin concentrations in liver and soleus muscle were not significantly lower than the SED rats. There were significantly lower plasma total testosterone levels in the HI group vs. SED group. Plasma total and HMW adiponectin were negatively correlated with HOMA-IR and insulin whereas total adiponectin was inversely related to TNF-α and HMW adiponectin was negatively correlated with total testosterone. Thus, data suggest there is a dose effect for exercise training intensity and accompanying volume for the adaptation of adipose tissue and circulating total and HMW adiponectin concentrations, whereas the changes of adiponectin concentrations in skeletal muscle and liver tissue may depend on the body's energy balance in the recovery period.     

The Effects of Zataria multiflora Boiss Essential Oil and Nisin on Chemical Characteristics of Rainbow Trout Fillet Stored at 4?°C

This study evaluated the effects of Zataria multiflora essential oil (EO) and nisin on fresh rainbow trout fillets during storage at 4?°C. Treatments included the following: A (control samples without EO and nisin), E₁ (treated samples with 0.2% EO), E₂ (treated samples with 0.4% EO), N (treated samples with 150?IU nisin/g), E₁N (treated samples with 0.2% EO and nisin) and E₂N (treated samples with 0.4% EO and nisin). Chemical and oxidation changes were investigated in this study as the functions of treatment and storage time. E₁N and E₂N had better effects on oxidation changes and maintaining values of peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid than A, E₁, E₂ and N treatments. Lower total volatile base nitrogen was found in E₂N than in other treatments during storage time.     

Rapid synthesis of new block copolyurethanes derived from l-leucine cyclodipeptide in reusable molten ammonium salts: novel and efficient green media for the synthesis of new hydrolysable and biodegradable copolyurethanes

This study concerns the synthesis of novel multi block polyurethane (PU) copolymers containing cyclodipeptide, taking the advantage of ionic liquids (ILs) under microwave irradiation. For this, l-leucine anhydride cyclodipeptide (LACP) was prepared and then a new class of poly(ether-urethane-urea)s (PEUUs) was synthesized in molten ammonium type ILs. ILs were used as reaction media and PUs were prepared via two-step polymerization method. In the first step, 4,4′-methylene-bis-(4-phenylisocyanate) (MDI) was reacted with LACP to produce isocyanate-terminated oligo(imide-urea) as hard segment (NCO-OIU). Chain extension of the aforementioned pre-polymer with polyethyleneglycol (PEG) of molecular weights of 1000 (PEG-1000) was the second step to furnish a series of new PEUUs. These multiblock copolymers are thermally stable, soluble in amide-type solvents, hydrolysable and biodegradable. PEUUs prepared in ILs under microwave irradiation showed more phase separation and crystallinity than PEUUs prepared under conventional method. The protocol presented here has the merits of environmentally benign, simple operation, convenient work-up, short reaction time and good yields without using volatile organic solvents, and catalysts. Ammonium type reaction media were air and water stable, and relatively cheap, which makes them suitable for application. The results demonstrate that they can be easily separated into water and reused without losing activity. Reusability of tetrabutylammonium bromide as reaction media makes the method a cost effective and environmentally benign method under microwave irradiation. Thus, we could prepare environmentally friendly polymers via environmentally benign method.     

Potential of Indigenous Plant Species for the Phytoremediation of Arsenic Contaminated Land in Kurdistan (Iran)

To evaluate the potential of the indigenous plant species for Arsenic (As) phytoremediation, a total of 138 plant samples and 138 soil samples from rooting zones were collected from two As-contaminated areas in Kurdistan, western Iran. The areas were the Sari Gunay Gold Mine (SG) and Ali Abad Village (AA). The soil of both areas naturally contains As, with mining activities at SG. Soil and plant samples were collected at five sites in the SG (SG1 to SG5) and at two sites in the AA (AA1 and AA2). Soil samples were analyzed for total and water-soluble As concentration, as well as for the main soil physical and chemical properties such as electrical conductivity (Ec), pH, organic carbon (C_org.), available phosphorus (P_ava.), and soil texture. Plant samples were analyzed for As concentration in their shoots and roots.

The average total and water–soluble As concentrations in soil were 751.6 and 6.2 ppm at SG and 920.8 and 8.0 ppm at AA, respectively. The highest root and shoot As concentration was found in Juncus inflexus (751.5 ppm) at AA2 and in Astragalus gossypinus (158.7 ppm) at AA1, respectively. With regard to phytoremediation strategies, Acantholimon brachystachyum, Astragalus gossypinus, Stipa barbata, and Ephedra major with a high translocation factor (TF) can be potentially used for As phytoextraction. However, Juncus inflexus, Phragmites australis, Bromus tomentellus, and Elymus sp., which show high bioconcentration factor (BCF) and low TF, are suggested as good candidates for As phytostabilization. In general, the TF values of terrestrial plants were higher than those of amphibious plants; meanwhile, BCF values showed the opposite behavior.     

6-Substituted amiloride derivatives as inhibitors of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator for use in metastatic disease

The oral K+-sparing diuretic amiloride shows anti-cancer side-activities in multiple rodent models. These effects appear to arise, at least in part, through moderate inhibition of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA, K_i = 2.4 µM), a pro-metastatic trypsin-like serine protease that is upregulated in many aggressive solid malignancies. In applying the selective optimization of side-activity (SOSA) approach, a focused library of twenty two 6-substituted amiloride derivatives were prepared, with multiple examples displaying uPA inhibitory potencies in the nM range. X-ray co-crystal structures revealed that the potency increases relative to amiloride arise from increased occupancy of uPA’s S1β subsite by the appended 6-substituents. Leading compounds were shown to have high selectivity over related trypsin-like serine proteases and no diuretic or anti-kaliuretic effects in rats. Compound 15 showed anti-metastatic effects in a xenografted mouse model of late-stage lung metastasis.     

Synthesis and structural determination of new octaethylporphyrin iron(III) complexes containing cyanamide derivatives as axial ligand

The reactions of heme, [OEPFeCl] where OEP is the dianion of octaethylporphyrin, with phenylcyanamide (pcyd) ligands have been studied. Four new porphyrin complexes, [OEPFe(L)] (L = pcyd (2), 2-Clpcyd (3), 2-Mepcyd (4), 2,4-Me₂pcyd (5)), have been isolated and characterized by spectroscopic methods. ¹H NMR spectroscopy reveals that the species [OEPFe(L)] are paramagnetic and iron is five-coordinate. The structure of [OEPFe(pcyd)] (2) has been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The four Fe-N, bond distances have average values of 2.062 Å. The average displacement of the iron(III) atom from the mean porphinato core is 0.45 Å. Electrochemical of [OEPFe(L)] (L = pcyd (2), 2-Clpcyd (3), 2-Mepcyd (4), 2,4-Me₂pcyd (5)) have been studied by cyclic voltammetry.     

The Accumulation of Zinc and Nickel in Irankoh Indigenous Plant Species on a Contaminated Land

The accumulation of heavy metals by plants determines both the micronutrient content and the toxic metal content of our food. A field survey of higher terrestrial plants growing on a metalliferous site of the Iranian arid mountain in Isfahan was conducted to identify species accumulating exceptionally large concentrations of Zn and Ni in shoots and roots. Plant samples were collected from Irankoh areas near the Bama Pb and Zn mine. Sampling was carried out in Spring 2004 and analyzed for DTPA (Diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid) extractable Zn and Ni by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Mean total and available Zn in the studied soils were 259.7 μgg^?1 and 5.067 μgg^?1, respectively. Soil total and available Ni were relatively low (58.9 μgg^?1 and 0.143 μgg^?1 respectively). Zinc concentrations were considerably high in shoots of Stachys inflate, Ebenus stellata, and Astragalus glaucanthus (556.88, 508.8, and 449.53 μgg^?1, respectively). Nickel concentrations were markedly high in shoots of Teucrium polium, Alyssum bracteatum, and Ebenus stellata (13.21, 10.98, and 8.84 μgg^?1, respectively). Zinc translocation factor (TF or shoot/root concentration ratio) was higher than Ni TF in most plant species. Zinc and Ni enrichment factors and shoot/root concentration ratios were also significantly high in Stachys inflate, Ebenus stellata, Astragalus glaucanthus Teucrium polium, Stipa barbata, Bromus tectorum, and Alyssum bracteatum. Results suggest that these plants could be good candidates for use in the revegetation and phytoremediation of Zn and Ni contaminated lands in arid regions.     

Theoretical investigations on the hydrolysis pathway of tin verdoheme complexes: elucidation of tin’s ring opening inhibition role

In order to obtain a better molecular understanding of inhibitory role of tin metal in the verdoheme ring opening process, hydrolysis of three possibly six, five, and four coordinate verdoheme complexes of tin(IV) and (II) have been studied using DFT method. The results of calculations indicate that, in excellent accord with experimental reports, hydrolysis of different possibly coordinated tin(IV) and (II) verdohemes does not lead to the opening of the macrocycle. Contrary to iron and zinc verdohemes, in five and four coordinate verdoheme complexes of tin(IV) and (II), formation of open ring helical complexes of tin are unfavorable both thermodynamically and kinetically. In these pathways, coordination of hydroxide nucleophile to tin metal due to the highly charged, exclusive oxophilicity nature of the Sn center, and high affinity of Sn to increase coordination state are proposed responsible as inhibiting roles of tin via the ring opening. While, in saturated six coordinate tin(IV) and (II) verdoheme complexes the ring opening of tin verdohemes is possible thermodynamically, but it is not predicted to occur from a kinetics point of view. In the six coordinate pathway, tin plays no coordination role and direct addition of hydroxide nucleophile to the positive oxo-carbon centers and formation of closed ring hydroxy compounds is proposed for preventing the verdoheme ring opening. These key points and findings have been corroborated by the results obtained from atomic charge analysis, geometrical parameters, and molecular orbital calculations. In addition, the results of inhibiting ring opening reaction of tin verdoheme complexes could support the great interest of tin porphyrin analogues as pharmacologic means of chemoprevention of neonatal jaundice by the competitive inhibitory action of tin porphyrins on heme oxygenase.