Transport properties of asymmetric-top molecules

Kinetic theory of gases is extended from linear molecules to asymmetric tops. The integration over the velocity of the centre of mass is carried out explicitly and the results are expressed in a form suitable for classical evaluation. These results can also be employed for spherical and symmetric tops.

Castration reduces blood pressure and autonomic venous tone in male spontaneously hypertensive rats

OBJECTIVE

The development of arterial hypertension is sexually dimorphic. Venous tone is elevated in the spontaneously hypertensive rat model of hypertension. This study tested the hypothesis that endogenous androgens exacerbate venous tone in the developmental stages of spontaneous hypertension.

METHODS

Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were subjected to sham operation, castration or castration + testosterone treatment. Ten-week-old SHR rats were instrumented for the measurement of arterial and venous pressure. A balloon catheter was advanced into the right atrium. Mean circulatory filling pressure (MCFP), an index of venous tone, was calculated. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and MCFP were recorded from conscious rats. Postsynaptic adrenergic responsiveness was assessed by constructing cumulative dose-response curves to norepinephrine (NE). Baseline values and responsiveness to NE were obtained before and after autonomic blockade.

RESULTS

MAP and MCFP were significantly reduced in castrated (MAP, 130 +/- 4 mmHg; MCFP, 5.5 +/- 0.2 mmHg) versus sham-operated SHRs (MAP, 149 +/- 5 mmHg; MCFP, 6.7 +/- 0.3 mmHg) or castrated + testosterone-treated SHRs (MAP, 145 +/- 6 mmHg; MCFP, 7.1 +/- 0.4 mmHg). Ganglion blockade abolished these differences in MAP and MCFP. Infusion of NE caused dose-dependent increases in MAP and MCFP. The MAP responses in castrated SHRs were displaced to the right of those for sham and castrated + testosterone-treated SHRs. This was not evident in the venous circulation, where there were no marked differences in the NE dose-MCFP response curves.

CONCLUSION

Accordingly we conclude that endogenous male sex steroids contribute to the elevated arterial and venous pressures observed in the SHR.

Effects of a combination of recombinant human growth hormone with metformin on glucose metabolism and body composition in patients with metabolic syndrome

Abdominal obesity and insulin resistance are central findings in metabolic syndrome. Since treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) can reduce body fat mass in patients with organic GH deficiency, rhGH therapy may also have favourable effects on patients with metabolic syndrome. However, due to the highly increased risk for type 2 diabetes in these patients, strategies are needed to reduce the antagonistic effect of rhGH against insulin. We conducted a 18-month randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the effect of rhGH in combination with metformin (Met) in patients with metabolic syndrome. 25 obese men (55 +/- 6 years, BMI 33.4 +/- 2.9 kg/m (2)) with mildly elevated fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels at screening (6.1-8.0 mmol/l) were included. All patients received metformin (850 mg twice daily) either alone or in combination with rhGH (daily dose 9.5 microg/kg body weight). An oGTT was performed at baseline, after 6 weeks, and after 3, 6, 12, and 18 months of therapy. Glucose disposal rate (GDR) was measured by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp at 0 and 18 months and body composition was measured by DEXA every 6 months. In the Met + GH group, IGF-I increased from 146 +/- 56 microg/l to 373 +/- 111 microg/l (mean +/- SD) after 3 months and remained stable after that. BMI did not change significantly in either group during the study. Total body fat decreased by -4.3 +/- 5.4 kg in the Met + GH group and by -2.7 +/- 2.9 kg in the Met + Placebo group (differences between the two groups: p = n. s.). Waist circumference decreased in both groups (Met + GH: 118 +/- 8 cm at baseline, 112 +/- 10 cm after 18 months; Met + Placebo: 114 +/- 7 cm vs. 109 +/- 8 cm; differences between the two groups: p = 0.096). In the Met + GH group, FPG increased significantly after 6 months (5.9 +/- 0.7 vs. 6.7 +/- 0.4 mmol/l; p = 0.005), but subsequently decreased to baseline levels (18 months: 5.8 +/- 0.2 mmol/l). FPG remained stable in the Met + Placebo group until 12 months had elapsed, and then slightly decreased (baseline: 6.2 +/- 0.3, 18 months: 5.5 +/- 0.6 mmol/l, p = 0.02). No significant changes were seen in either group regarding glucose and insulin AUC during oGTT or HbA (1c) levels. GDR at 18 months increased by 20 +/- 39% in Met + GH-group and decreased by -11 +/- 25% in the Met + Placebo group (differences between the two groups: p = 0.07). In conclusion, treatment of patients with metabolic syndrome and elevated FPG levels did not cause sustained negative effects on glucose metabolism or insulin sensitivity if given in combination with metformin. However, since our data did not show significant differences between the two treatment groups with respect to body composition or lipid metabolism, future studies including larger numbers of patients will have to clarify whether the positive effects of rhGH on cardiovascular risk factors that have been shown in patients with GH deficiency are also present in patients with metabolic syndrome, and are additive to the effects of metformin.

Cross-site differences in foraging behavior of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus)

Researchers have identified a variety of cross-site differences in the foraging behavior of free-ranging great apes, most notably among chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and more recently orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), that are not due to obvious genetic or ecological differences. These differences are often referred to as "traditions." What is not known is whether this high level of interpopulation variation in behavior is limited to hominoids. In this study, we use long-term data from three Costa Rican field sites that are geographically close and similar ecologically to identify potential foraging traditions in white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus). Foraging traditions are predicted in Cebus because of many behavioral and morphological convergences between this genus and the great apes. The processing techniques used for the same food species were compared across sites, and all differences found were classified as present, habitual, or customary. Proximity data were also analyzed to determine if social learning mechanisms could explain variation in foraging behavior. Of the 61 foods compared, we found that 20 of them are processed differently by capuchins across sites. The differences involve pound, rub, tap, "fulcrum," "leaf-wrap," and "army ant following." For most of the differences with enough data to analyze, the average proximity score of the "matched" dyads (two individuals within a group who shared a "different" processing technique) was statistically higher than the average proximity score of the remaining "unmatched" dyads.

Gestational diabetes mellitus: a kitchen table approach

The issue of gestational diabetes mellitus within disadvantaged communities is being addressed by Healthy Start for Mom & Me, a highly collaborative and multi-faceted prenatal nutrition program targeting at-risk women and teens in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The program s kitchen table approach focuses on the core concepts of education, community participation, and capacity-building to develop effective methods for community-based practice in this population. A qualitative case study of the program was conducted in 1999. This study showed that health education practices in the program are sensitive to marginalized women s needs and enhance service providers understanding of the context of participants lives. Community dietitians roles in this prenatal program are evolving, and are significant for other dietitians charting a new course of community-based practice.

Alu insertion polymorphisms for the study of human genomic diversity

Genomic database mining has been a very useful aid in the identification and retrieval of recently integrated Alu elements from the human genome. We analyzed Alu elements retrieved from the GenBank database and identified two new Alu subfamilies, Alu Yb9 and Alu Yc2, and further characterized Yc1 subfamily members. Some members of each of the three subfamilies have inserted in the human genome so recently that about a one-third of the analyzed elements are polymorphic for the presence/absence of the Alu repeat in diverse human populations. These newly identified Alu insertion polymorphisms will serve as identical-by-descent genetic markers for the study of human evolution and forensics. Three previously classified Alu Y elements linked with disease belong to the Yc1 subfamily, supporting the retroposition potential of this subfamily and demonstrating that the Alu Y subfamily currently has a very low amplification rate in the human genome.

Large-scale analysis of the Alu Ya5 and Yb8 subfamilies and their contribution to human genomic diversity

We have utilized computational biology to screen GenBank for the presence of recently integrated Ya5 and Yb8 Alu family members. Our analysis identified 2640 Ya5 Alu family members and 1852 Yb8 Alu family members from the draft sequence of the human genome. We selected a set of 475 of these elements for detailed analyses. Analysis of the DNA sequences from the individual Alu elements revealed a low level of random mutations within both subfamilies consistent with the recent origin of these elements within the human genome. Polymerase chain reaction assays were used to determine the phylogenetic distribution and human genomic variation associated with each Alu repeat. Over 99 % of the Ya5 and Yb8 Alu family members were restricted to the human genome and absent from orthologous positions within the genomes of several non-human primates, confirming the recent origin of these Alu subfamilies in the human genome. Approximately 1 % of the analyzed Ya5 and Yb8 Alu family members had integrated into previously undefined repeated regions of the human genome. Analysis of mosaic Yb8 elements suggests gene conversion played an important role in generating sequence diversity among these elements. Of the 475 evaluated elements, a total of 106 of the Ya5 and Yb8 Alu family members were polymorphic for insertion presence/absence within the genomes of a diverse array of human populations. The newly identified Alu insertion polymorphisms will be useful tools for the study of human genomic diversity.

Competitive formation of helical cycloocta- and cyclododecapyrroles

In connection with a study aimed at the evaluation of electronic effects in spiro-dicorrole (1a) and its binuclear Ni(II) complex (1b) we became interested in gem-dimethyl-substituted cyclotetrapyrrole (2a) and the corresponding Ni(II) complex (2b). Attempts to prepare 2a as the 12,13,16,17-tetraethyl-2,3,7, 8-tetramethyl derivative (5) by an acid-catalyzed (1 + 1) condensation of dimethyldipyrrylmethane 3 and diformylbipyrrole 4 resulted in the formation of the (2 + 2) and (3 + 3) condensation products, i.e., the cyclooctapyrrole 6 and the cyclododecapyrrole 7, respectively, rather than in that of the desired gem-dimethyl cyclotetrapyrrole. The cyclododecapyrrole 7, isolated as the major product, is among the largest cyclopolypyrroles known to date. These two new macrocycles have been structurally characterized by variable temperature 1D and 2D NMR experiments, as well as by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In solution both the cyclooctapyrrole 6 and cyclododecapyrrole 7 exhibit dynamic behavior. At 337 K 6 adopts a D(2)-symmetric conformation, whereas at 196 K two equivalent C(2) conformers that interconvert through the D(2)-symmetric intermediate are observed. The energy barrier for the interconversion process between these two degenerate conformers is found to be 10.6 kcal mol(-)(1). The solution dynamics of 7 could be described in an analogous manner, with the time-averaged conformation at 378 K displaying D(3)(h)() symmetry. X-ray analyses showed that for both macrocycles, 6 and 7, the solid state structures were nearly identical to the low-temperature solution conformers.

Corroles with group 15 ions. 2. Synthesis and characterization of octaethylcorroles containing a phosphorus central atom

The synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, and electrochemistry of five new phosphorus corroles are reported. The investigated complexes contain alkyl, aryl, oxo, or hydrido axial ligands and are represented as (OEC)P(H)2, (OEC)P(CH3)2, (OEC)P(C6H5)2, (OEC)P=O, and [(OEC)P(CH3)]+ClO4-, where OEC is the trianion of octaethylcorrole. The products of electrooxidation and/or electroreduction were also characterized by UV-vis and ESR spectroscopy. Correlations are shown to exist between reversible half-wave potentials for the first oxidation and first reduction of each compound and the combined electronegativity of the central ion and the axial ligand(s). The electrochemical HOMO-LUMO gap, defined as the difference between first reduction and first oxidation, was found to be independent of the electron-transfer site and similar in magnitude to the value generally observed for metalloporphyrins with planar macrocycles, i.e., 2.25 +/- 0.15 V.

Corroles with group 15 metal ions. Synthesis and characterization of octaethylcorroles containing As, Sb, and Bi ions in +3, +4, and oxidation states

The synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, and electrochemistry of As, Sb, and Bi corroles are reported. The investigated complexes are represented by [(OEC)AsV(CH3)]+ClO4- and (OEC)M where M = As(III), Sb(III), or Bi(III) and OEC is the trianion of octaethylcorrole. The products of each redox reaction are characterized by UV-vis and ESR spectroscopy. The first one-electron oxidations of (OEC)As and (OEC)Sb are metal-centered and result in the formation of [(OEC)AsIV]+ and [(OEC)SbIV]+. A second one-electron oxidations generates [(OEC)AsV]2+ and [(OEC.)SbIV]2+, the latter of which is slowly converted to a Sb(V) corrole, [(OEC)SbV]2+. The first one-electron oxidation of (OEC)Bi leads only to the Bi(III) pi-cation radical, but a second one-electron oxidation is proposed to give a Bi(IV) complex, [(OEC)Bi]2+. The first reduction of [(OEC)AsV(CH3)]+ClO4- is accompanied by loss of the sigma-bonded methyl ligand and formation of an As(III) complex.