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The design and synthesis of catalysts loaded with active components has attracted considerable attention in current research owing to their exceptional catalytic performance. In this study, the focus was on the utilization of tin‐loaded ZA molecular sieves, possessing remarkable adsorption properties, alongside the catalytic activity of tin. These catalysts were successfully prepared and employed for the synthesis of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) from lactic acid derived from non‐food biomass. By modifying the treatment of ZA molecular sieves, the properties of tin‐loaded ZA molecular sieves were adjusted. The resulting catalysts exhibited a high tin capacity ranging from 2.29% to 2.81% and featured abundant mesoporous structures, providing a surface area of up to 341.2 m2 g−1. Regarding the preparation of PLA, our findings demonstrated that ZA‐III‐Sn2+ as a catalyst yielded PLA with a higher weight‐average molecular weight (Mw) up to 2.57 × 104 g mol−1 and a higher yield of 65.3% compared to other catalysts. Moreover, the most optimal catalytic effect was achieved by adding the catalyst in three separate stages. Moreover, the amount of catalyst, reaction temperature and reaction time were found to influence both the molecular weight and yield of PLA. This study not only provides a valuable strategy for the preparation of loaded catalysts for PLA production but also offers new insights into the overall preparation process of PLA. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sugar transporter protein (STP) family has been shown to play important roles in plant growth, development, and stress response. However, it has not been studied in cotton compared to other major crops. In this study, we identified 90 STP genes from four cotton species, performed bioinformatic analysis, and focused on the role of GhSTP18 in salt stress. According to our results, cotton STP proteins were divided into four subgroups according to the phylogenetic tree. A synteny analysis suggested that whole‐genome duplication (WGD) and segmental duplication were key drivers in the expansion of the STP gene family. The transcriptomic data analysis showed that 29 GhSTP genes exhibited sink‐specific expression. Quantitative real time‐polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) analyses revealed that expression of GhSTP18 was induced by salt treatment, heat treatment, cold treatment, and drought treatment, and continuously increased during a salt stress time course. Notably, GhSTP18 encodes a plasma membrane‐localized galactose transporter. Suppression of GhSTP18 transcription by a virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) assay reduced sensitivity to salt stress in cotton, indicating that GhSTP18 negatively regulates plant salt tolerance. These results provide an important reference and resource for further studying and deploying STP genes for cotton improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological evolution of TMB‐5/ethylene–vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymer blends under biaxial‐stretching field and its effect on the crystallization and gas barrier properties of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) were investigated. iPP/TMB‐5/EVOH ternary blends with TBM‐5 selectively distributed in the EVOH phase were prepared through a multistage stretching extrusion, which combined an assembly of layer multiplying elements (LMEs) with an extruder. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the biaxial‐stretching field in LMEs transformed the TMB‐5/EVOH phase into platelets along the extrusion direction. Differential scanning calorimetry and X‐ray diffraction results indicated that the TMB‐5 particles were distributed in the EVOH phase and no β crystals formed in as‐extruded samples. Especially, the TMB‐5 was released from the EVOH phase into iPP in the annealing process and induced the formation of β crystals. Compared with that of pure iPP, the oxygen permeability coefficient of iPP containing aligned TMB‐5/EVOH platelets decreased more than three times. The enhanced barrier properties resulted from the increased tortuosity of the diffusion pathway caused by the orientated high‐aspect‐ratio platelets. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a monolayer of TiX2 (X = S, Se) is used to suppress the shuttle effect of polysulfides, thereby accelerating the kinetic process of lower‐order polysulfides. The results show that the adsorption energies of the studied TiX2 for Na2Sn are all better than those of common electrolytes, and the effect of adsorption on the structure of Na2Sn is negligible. The calculated results show that the anchoring behavior of TiX2 to Na2Sn has no effect on the metallic properties of pristine TiX2. On the other hand, the introduction of this material can reduce the diffusion barrier energy of Na2S and improve the utilization rate of sulfur more effectively. In conclusion, TiX2 has suitable adsorption strength, enhances electrical conductivity, and promotes the oxidative decomposition process of polysulfides. It can be theoretically demonstrated that TiS2 is better than TiSe2 in improving the performance of sodium–sulfur batteries and is more suitable as an anchoring material (AM) for sodium–sulfur batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the geometric and electronic structure of four gas molecules, including CH4, CH2O, CH3Cl and C6H6, on pristine and Cu/Ni‐modified C3N monolayer are investigated by using First principles. The calculations show that the Cu/Ni‐doping can effectively strengthen the gas adsorption ability of C3N. Upon gas‐C3N configuration, the adsorption energies are CH2O (0.11 eV) > C6H6 (0.09 eV) > CH3Cl (0.08 eV) > CH4 (0.05 eV). For Cu‐C3N configuration, the adsorption energies are C6H6 (3.26 eV) > CH3Cl (3.24 eV) > CH4 (3.22 eV) > CH2O (3.13 eV). For Ni‐C3N configuration, the adsorption energies are CH2O (1.48 eV) > C6H6 (0.66 eV) > CH3Cl (0.39 eV) > CH4 (0.11 eV). It is worth mentioning that the magnetic moment is reduced to 0 µB when CH2O are adsorbed on Cu/Ni‐C3N, and the maximum charge transfer is 0.71 e, 0.62 e, respectively. Moreover, its optical properties of adsorption of Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) gas molecules are studied. It can be found that the two main absorption peaks locate at 3.0 × 105 cm−1 nm and 2.8 × 105 cm−1 nm at the range of ultraviolet and visible light. The calculated results provide the theoretical reference for Cu‐C3N‐based VOCs sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure that regenerative braking energy is fully utilized by traction trains in the whole railway power supply systems, an effective utilization scheme of the regenerative braking energy based on power regulation with a genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed in this paper. This scheme consists of railway power conditioners (RPCs), energy transfer converters (ETCs) and a central controller. A RPC connects the two power arms of each TS, and an ETC connects the two power arms of each section post (SP). The RPCs and ETCs are controlled to transfer the regenerative braking power distributed by the central controller, which is calculated by the GA. The detailed calculation steps are described. Moreover, the principle and control strategies of the negative sequence current compensation by the RPCs are given based on the optimization results of the GA. Finally, optimization calculations and hardware in loop (HIL) experiments were performed. The results show that the utilization rate of regenerative braking energy is about 93.3% and the three‐phase current imbalance is reduced by about 98.6% in the case system with the proposed scheme. This result verifies the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was to compare tonsillectomy with intraoperative suturing (TIS) and tonsillectomy without intraoperative suturing (TsIS) in preventing postoperative tonsillectomy hemorrhage (PTH). Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was followed. Articles compare TIS and TsIS in preventing PTH were included. The quality of eligible studies was assessed with the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale (NOS) by two independent investigators. Random effect models were used to determine odds ratio (OR) with 95% CIs. Results: A total of 15 studies were analyzed. The pooled results showed the PTH rate was lower in the TIS group (OR = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.47–0.88). The TIS group had a lower primary and secondary PTH rate than the TsIS group with OR values of 0.44 (95% CI, 0.30–0.64) and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.54–0.90), respectively. However, suturing did not show an advantage in reducing the risk of returning to the operation room for hemostasis (OR = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.13–2.47). Adults might benefit from the intraoperative suturing procedure (OR = 0.31; 95% CI, 0.16–0.60). Patients with more than three stitches on each side had a lower PTH rate (OR: 0.44; 95% CI, 0.32–0.60). Suturing the tonsillar fossa and pillars simultaneously could reduce the PTH rate (OR = 0.47; 95% CI, 0.34–0.64). Conclusions: Intraoperative suturing is a good strategy for preventing PTH. More multicenter randomized controlled studies should be conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of this procedure. Level of Evidence: 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Huanglong travertine landscape, which is located on the eastern edge of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau, is a World Natural Heritage Site with important tourism, aesthetic and scientific research value. However, no convincing travertine sedimentary age data have been reported for this area, and these late Cenozoic terrestrial carbonates have not been effectively included in studies of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau geological environment. In this study, U‐series dating of the travertines was carried out using a multi‐collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer to determine a time series for travertine deposition in the Dawan Valley (only a mountain away from Huanglong). The analyses of the processes operating during travertine deposition as the trench system evolved are performed based on a comprehensive study of the geological setting, structure and glacial landforms. The results suggest that travertine deposition in the Dawan Valley started at ca 13 ka and had begun to wane by the early Holocene (ca 7 ka). At the same time, the Huanglong Valley travertines began to be deposited on a large scale in response to a hydrological transition event. This event might reflect tectonic activity in particular, or possibly earthquakes or glacial retreat caused by climate warming. The findings reported here provide age data for late Cenozoic geological and environmental events such as climate variations and continental activity on the eastern margin of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. It also presents new insights for research on glaciation, tectonic activity and seismicity; however, depositional breaks and forcing factors need to be explored further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying and mapping trans‐boundary ecosystem service (ES) flows can help identify dependencies and responsibilities for promoting economic development and environmental sustainability between nations, but few studies have focused on ES flows beyond national boundaries.Our case‐study region—Central Asia—hosts one of the largest dryland areas in the world, and this ecosystem is vulnerable to climate variability and anthropogenic impacts. Understanding ES supply, demand and flows is essential for supporting human wellbeing, livelihoods and economic development.In this study, we mapped the supply, demand and flows of four ES including freshwater provision, food provision, carbon sequestration and cultural (recreation) services between the five Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan for the year 2016. We quantified the spatial patterns in ES supply and demand at local and regional scales, driven by environmental heterogeneity and socio‐economic development, and revealed complex telecoupling of ES flows between nations. Kazakhstan provided the greatest amount of ES to other countries, especially food provision and carbon sequestration, while Uzbekistan was the biggest ES beneficiary, especially from freshwater and food provision services.Our analysis of trans‐boundary ES flows helps to understand the complex telecoupling and rich interdependencies between people and nature between different countries. This information is essential for policy making to balance human and ecological needs, enhance the management of natural capital, and sustain ES provision in our metacoupled world. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Net primary productivity (NPP) is an essential indicator of ecosystem function and sustainability and plays a vital role in the carbon cycle, especially in arid and semiarid grassland ecosystems. Quantifying trends in NPP and identifying the contributing factors are important for understanding the relative impacts of climate change and human activities on grassland degradation. For our case‐study of Kyrgyzstan, we quantified from 2000 to 2014 the spatial and temporal patterns in climate‐driven potential NPP (NPPP) using the Zhou Guangsheng model specifically developed for Asian grasslands, and actual NPP (NPPA) using the globally calibrated MOD17A3 NPP data product. By calculating the difference between NPPP and NPPA, we inferred human‐induced NPP (NPPH) and thereby characterized changes in grassland NPP attributable to anthropogenic activities. The results showed that grassland NPPA in Kyrgyzstan experienced a slight decrease over time at an average rate of −0.87 g C·m−2·yr−1 but patterns varied between provinces. Nearly 60% of Kyrgyzstan's grasslands experienced degradation mostly in the northern parts of the country, while grassland NPPA increased over more than 40% of the study area, occurring mostly in the south. Climate change, in particular change in precipitation was the dominant factor driving grassland degradation in the north but human pressures also contributed. In the south, however, human activities were associated with extensive areas of grassland recovery. The results provide important contextual understanding for supporting policy for grassland conservation and restoration under future climate change and intensifying human pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ependymomas, especially intracranial ependymomas, are rare neoplasms of the CNS. The clinical courses of patients with intracranial ependymomas can be quite variable. At present, data on parkinsonism caused by ependymomas are scarce. Case presentation: A 13‐year‐old girl presented with parkinsonism symptoms of clumsiness in her left leg and hand. Her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at age 30, nine years previously. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a lesion in the temporal lobe with long‐T1 signal, mixed‐T2 signal. The patient was taken in for a right tumorectomy and was diagnosed as having an ependymoma postoperatively. The patient's symptoms fully resolved in the postoperative phase. Conclusion: The case describes the mechanism of intracranial ependymoma involving parkinsonism symptoms. Our findings suggest that in some patients presenting with atypical PD symptoms the underlying cause should not be overlooked; MRI examination is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

p21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1) is a member of the highly conserved family of serine/threonine protein kinases regulated by Ras-related small G-proteins, Cdc42/Rac1. It has been previously demonstrated to be involved in cardiac protection. Based on recent studies, this review provides an overview of the role of Pak1 in cardiac diseases including disrupted Ca2+ homoeostasis-related cardiac arrhythmias, adrenergic stress- and pressure overload-induced hypertrophy, and ischaemia/reperfusion injury. These findings demonstrate the important role of Pak1 mediated through the phosphorylation and transcriptional modification of hypertrophy and/or arrhythmia-related genes. This review also discusses the anti-arrhythmic and anti-hypertrophic, protective function of Pak1 and the beneficial effects of fingolimod (an FDA-approved sphingolipid drug), a Pak1 activator, and its ability to prevent arrhythmias and cardiac hypertrophy. These findings also highlight the therapeutic potential of Pak1 signalling in the treatment and prevention of cardiac diseases.Linked Articles: This article is part of a themed section on Spotlight on Small Molecules in Cardiovascular Diseases. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.8/issuetoc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key points The role of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase 1 (PMCA1) in Ca2+ homeostasis and electrical stability in atrial tissue has been investigated at both organ and cellular levels in mice with cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of PMCA1 (PMCA1cko), The PMCA1cko hearts became more susceptible to atrial arrhythmic stress conditions than PMCA1loxP/loxP hearts., PMCA1 deficiency alters cellular Ca2+ homeostasis under both baseline and stress conditions., PMCA1 is required for maintaining cellular Ca2+ homeostasis and electrical stability in murine atria under stress conditions., Abstract To determine the role of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase 1 (PMCA1) in maintaining Ca2+ homeostasis and electrical stability in the atrium under physiological and stress conditions, mice with a cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of PMCA1 (PMCA1cko) and their control littermates (PMCA1loxP/loxP) were studied at the organ and cellular levels. At the organ level, the PMCA1cko hearts became more susceptible to atrial arrhythmias under rapid programmed electrical stimulation compared with the PMCA1loxP/loxP hearts, and such arrhythmic events became more severe under Ca2+ overload conditions. At the cellular level, the occurrence of irregular-type action potentials of PMCA1cko atrial myocytes increased significantly under Ca2+ overload conditions and/or at higher frequency of stimulation. The decay of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger current that followed a stimulation protocol was significantly prolonged in PMCA1cko atrial myocytes under basal conditions, with Ca2+ overload leading to even greater prolongation. In conclusion, PMCA1 is required for maintaining Ca2+ homeostasis and electrical stability in the atrium. This is particularly critical during fast removal of Ca2+ from the cytosol, which is required under stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the study of heart rate variability (HRV) as a measure of cardiac autonomic responsiveness. Topics discussed include determination of HRV by heart rate; association of autonomic nerve activity with HRV; and relationship between high frequency power and heart rate. It notes that the data was collected from healthy conscious human, athletically trained conscious human, and conscious human exposed to autonomic blockade.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) and human adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells (hATMSCs) have the potential to differentiate into cardiomyocytes, making them promising therapeutic candidates for treating damaged cardiac tissues. Currently, however, the differentiated cells induced from hUCMSCs or hATMSCs can hardly display functional characteristics similar to cardiomyocytes. In this study, we have investigated the effects of bioactive lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) on cardiac differentiations of hUCMSCs and hATMSCs in condition medium composed of cardiac myocytes culture medium or 5-azacytidine. Cardiac differentiations were identified through immunofluorescence staining, and the results were observed with fluorescence microscopy and confocal microscopy. Synergistic effects of S1P and condition medium on cell viability were evaluated by MTT assays. Functional characteristics similar to cardiomyocytes were evaluated through detecting calcium transient. The differentiated hUCMSCs or hATMSCs in each group into cardiomyocytes showed positive expressions of cardiac specific proteins, including α-actin, connexin-43 and myosin heavy chain-6 (MYH-6). MTT assays showed that suitable differentiation time was 14 days and that the optimal concentration of S1P was 0.5 μM. Moreover, incorporation of S1P and cardiac myocytes culture medium gave rise to calcium transients, an important marker for displaying in vivo electrophysiological properties. This feature was not observed in the S1P-5-azacytidine group, indicating the possible lack of cellular stimuli such as transforming growth factor-beta, TGF-β. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islet amyloid deposition is increasingly seen as a pathogenic feature of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with the deposits containing the unique amyloidogenic peptide islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP, also known as amylin). The fibril precursors of IAPP contribute to its cytotoxicity on pancreatic β cells and be important in causing β-cell dysfunction in T2DM. However, the development of effective this study, inhibitors against the toxicity of IAPP has been extremely challenging. We have found that pre-incubation with geniposide dose-dependently prevented human IAPP (hIAPP)-induced cell damage in INS-1E cells, and bacitracin, an inhibitor of IDE activity, prevented significantly the protective effects of geniposide in pancreatic INS-1E cells significantly. Geniposide induced the expression of insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE), a key degrading protein of hIAPP, but had no significant effect on the aggregation of hIAPP. These findings indicate that geniposide prevents hIAPP-induced cytotoxicity in INS-1E cells involving upregulation of IDE expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a novel water-soluble phytostanol anolog, disodium ascorbyl phytostanyl phosphate (DAPP), on plasma lipid levels and red blood cell fragility in hamsters fed atherogenic diets. For 4 wk, 50 male Golden Syrian hamsters were fed a semipurified diet without added cholesterol (noncholesterol, group 1), or a semipurified diet with 0.25% cholesterol (cholesterol-control, group 2). Groups 3–5 were fed the cholesterol-control diet with an addition of 1% phytostanols (diet 3), 0.71% DAPP (DAPP 0.7%, diet 4), or 1.43% DAPP (DAPP 1.4%, diet 5). Diets 4 and 5 provided 0.5 and 1% phytostanols, respectively. Supplementation of 0.71 and 1.43% DAPP decreased plasma total cholesterol concentrations by 34 ( P<0.001) and 46% ( P<0.001), respectively, in comparison with the cholesterol-control group, whereas free stanols reduced ( P=0.007) plasma cholesterol concentrations by 14%. Similarly, non-HDL-cholesterol concentrations were reduced by 39 ( P<0.001) and 54% ( P<0.001) in hamsters supplemented with DAPP 0.7% and DAPP 1.4%, respectively, relative to the cholesterol-control group. The hypocholesterolemic effect of DAPP 1.4% was threefold stronger than that of free stanols. In hamsters supplemented with DAPP 1.4%, plasma TG concentrations were 45% lower ( P=0.018) than in cholesterol-control-fed hamsters, whereas no such beneficial effect was observed in the free stanol group. Erythrocyte fragility was unaffected by DAPP or free phytostanols. Results of the current study demonstrate that DAPP lowers cholesterol more efficiently than free stanols, without an adverse effect on erythrocyte fragility in hamsters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholesterol absorption is frequently determined using the plasma dual stable-isotope ratio method (PDSIRM). However, this method involves intravenous injection of stableisotope-labeled cholesterol with simultaneous oral administration of differently labeled cholesterol, which results in high study costs and involves additional ethical considerations. The objective of the present study was to validate a simpler singleisotope method for determining cholesterol absorption against PDSIRM by using data from two previous studies. Enrichments of carbon-13 (13C) and deuterium in red blood cells were analyzed by using differential isotope ratio MS. The area under the curve of 13C-enrichment in the plasma free-cholesterol pool was found to be significantly correlated with cholesterol absorption measured by using PDSIRM for study 1 ( r=0.85, P<0.0001) and study 2 ( r=0.81, P<0.0001). Average 13C-enrichment correlated with the area under the curve of 13C-enrichment in the plasma free cholesterol for both study 1 ( r=0.98, P<0.0001) and study 2 ( r=1.00, P<0.0001). Study 1 examined the efficacy and mechanisms of unesterified plant sterols and stanols on lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic men and women, while study 2 investigated the effects of phytosterol vs. phytostanol esters on plasma lipid levels and cholesterol kinetics in hyperlipidemic men. Experimental approaches to determine cholesterol absorption were identical between the two studies. Consequently, in both studies, correlations ( r=0.88, P<0.0001 for study 1, and r=0.82, P<0.0001 for study 2) were found between the average 13C-enrichment of plasma free cholesterol and cholesterol absorption measured by PDSIRM. These results suggest that a single-isotope-labeled cholesterol tracer approach can be used as a reliable noninvasive method to replace PDSIRM for examining changes in cholesterol absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Navy trains hundreds of thousands of students every year. For Navy training, yield management means offering the right school seats to the right customers (e.g. active duty, reservists, foreign nationals) at the right time to maximize fleet readiness. The yield management methods will permit the Navy to make the best use of its limited training resources. This paper discusses the yield management technologies that will be tightly integrated into the Navy's new on-line training seat reservation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the clinical applicability of heart rate variability (HRV) and the successes of HRV in clinical risk prediction. Topics discussed include a decrease in HRV in heart failure which act as a risk factor and a decrease in autonomic nerve activity; the association of increased autonomic nervous system and decreased heart rate.

Although several studies in humans and animals have reported the efficacy of berberine (BBR) on lipid metabolism, the dose response has not been well established. We determined the effect of BBR at different doses on plasma lipids and liver weight in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups and fed a normal control diet (NC), an atherogenic diet containing 2% cholesterol and 28% fat (AT), the AT diet supplemented with BBR at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight (BW)/d (ATB50), 100 mg/kg BW/d (ATB100), and 150 mg/kg BW/d (ATB150), respectively, for 8 wk. Results showed that the AT diet increased plasma cholesterol to 2.5 fold of the NC. BBR reduced plasma total cholesterol and nonHDL-cholesterol as compared with the AT, with maximal reduction being achieved by ATB100. BBR reduced plasma triacylglycerides up to 25% but did not reach significance due to large variations observed within the groups. The AT diet increased relative liver weight to body weight to 2.5-fold of the NC group and by contrast, BBR decreased the relative liver weight in a dose dependent pattern. The AT diet increased body weight relative to the NC, but this effect was combated by BBR supplementation. In summary, BBR is effective in reducing plasma cholesterol levels and liver weight, and tended to lower plasma triacylglycerides and body weight in hypercholesterolemic rats. Supported by a CIHR grant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to determine the effect and mechanisms of action of BBR on plasma insulin and glucose levels in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Male Wistar rats were injected with 50 mg/kg body weight of STZ to induce diabetes. The control rats were injected with the control vehicle solution. The fasting blood glucose was measured with an ACCU-Check on d 3 and d 14 after the STZ injection. Rats with fasting glucose over 20 mmol/L were considered diabetic and treated with 100mg/kg body weight BBR for 50 d. Results showed that BBR reduced the fasting blood glucose as compared with the diabetic control. The OGTT test demonstrated that BBR treatment tended to improve oral glucose tolerance by showing decreased blood glucose at 30-min after the oral glucose load. BBR slightly increased plasma insulin levels but did not reach statistical significance. BBR lowered dramatically the plasma total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerides, and free fatty acids. Real time PCR did not reveal significant effects of BBR on the expression of several genes associated with fatty acid and glucose metabolism in the liver or skeletal muscle. The results suggest that BBR has antihyperlipidaemic and antidiabetic effects in diabetic rats. This work was supported by the National Research Council of Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]