Gut hormone PYY(3-36) physiologically inhibits food intake

Food intake is regulated by the hypothalamus, including the melanocortin and neuropeptide Y (NPY) systems in the arcuate nucleus. The NPY Y2 receptor (Y2R), a putative inhibitory presynaptic receptor, is highly expressed on NPY neurons in the arcuate nucleus, which is accessible to peripheral hormones. Peptide YY(3-36) (PYY(3-36)), a Y2R agonist, is released from the gastrointestinal tract postprandially in proportion to the calorie content of a meal. Here we show that peripheral injection of PYY(3-36) in rats inhibits food intake and reduces weight gain. PYY(3-36) also inhibits food intake in mice but not in Y2r-null mice, which suggests that the anorectic effect requires the Y2R. Peripheral administration of PYY(3-36) increases c-Fos immunoreactivity in the arcuate nucleus and decreases hypothalamic Npy messenger RNA. Intra-arcuate injection of PYY(3-36) inhibits food intake. PYY(3-36) also inhibits electrical activity of NPY nerve terminals, thus activating adjacent pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons. In humans, infusion of normal postprandial concentrations of PYY(3-36) significantly decreases appetite and reduces food intake by 33% over 24 h. Thus, postprandial elevation of PYY(3-36) may act through the arcuate nucleus Y2R to inhibit feeding in a gut-hypothalamic pathway.     

Contact and hybrid zone hotspots and evolution of birds in the Middle East

The Middle East is an important contact zone for a considerable number of bird taxa from the western and eastern Palearctic and from the great Saharo-Sindian desert belt. Using WORLDMAP software, we analyzed the geographical distribution of secondary contact zones for parapatric species pairs of birds in the Middle East. We identified 56 species (29 species pairs) that make contact in the Middle East. The species pairs belong to three orders, i.e. Falconiformes, Piciformes, and Passeriformes. Almost half (46%) of these species pairs hybridize in their contact zones. Although contact zones occur over a large part of northern Middle East, spatially they were not evenly distributed. Contact zone richness was highest in the mountain ranges south of the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus. The hottest hotspots, where up to nine bird species pairs occur sympatrically, are situated in north-eastern Iran and Azerbaijan. We discuss the relevance of these hotspots for improving our understanding of the biogeography and evolution of the avifauna in the Middle East.     

Premature ageing in mice expressing defective mitochondrial DNA polymerase

Point mutations and deletions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) accumulate in a variety of tissues during ageing in humans, monkeys and rodents. These mutations are unevenly distributed and can accumulate clonally in certain cells, causing a mosaic pattern of respiratory chain deficiency in tissues such as heart, skeletal muscle and brain. In terms of the ageing process, their possible causative effects have been intensely debated because of their low abundance and purely correlative connection with ageing. We have now addressed this question experimentally by creating homozygous knock-in mice that express a proof-reading-deficient version of PolgA, the nucleus-encoded catalytic subunit of mtDNA polymerase. Here we show that the knock-in mice develop an mtDNA mutator phenotype with a threefold to fivefold increase in the levels of point mutations, as well as increased amounts of deleted mtDNA. This increase in somatic mtDNA mutations is associated with reduced lifespan and premature onset of ageing-related phenotypes such as weight loss, reduced subcutaneous fat, alopecia (hair loss), kyphosis (curvature of the spine), osteoporosis, anaemia, reduced fertility and heart enlargement. Our results thus provide a causative link between mtDNA mutations and ageing phenotypes in mammals.     

New Synthesis of Pt-Ru Nanoparticles on Surface Modified Carbon Vulcane XC-72 as an Effective Catalyst for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

1 Results Pt-Ru nanoparticles are synthesised on the surface oxidized carbon Vulcane XC-72 as catalyst support by chemically anchoring Pt and Ru onto the surface of modified carbon vulcane XC-72 (by refluxing in 70% HNO3 at 120 ℃ for 12 h to introduce surface functional groups) .The nanoparticles of Pt and Ru are synthesized by reduction of H2PtCl6 and K4Ru(CN)6 with sodium borohydride in a 5.5 buffer solution of sodium citrate,the complexation of citrate with metal ions is beneficial to the formati...     

Effects of intermediate Ni layer on mechanical properties of Al–Cu layered composites fabricated through cold roll bonding

Layered composites have attracted considerable interest in the recent literature on metal composites. Their mechanical properties depend on the quality of the bonding provided by the intermediate layers. In this study, we analyzed the mechanical properties and bond strengths provided by the nickel layer with respect to its thickness and nature (either powder or coating). The results suggest that bond strength decreases with an increase in the content of nickel powder. At 0.3vol% of nickel coating, we found the nature of nickel to be less efficient in terms of bond strength. A different picture arose when the content of nickel was increased and the bond strength increased in nickel coated samples. In addition, the results demonstrate that mechanical properties such as bend strength are strongly dependent on bond strength.     

Optimal Predictive Impedance Control in the Presence of Uncertainty for a Lower Limb Rehabilitation Robot

As an innovative concept, an optimal predictive impedance controller(OPIC) is introduced here to control a lower limb rehabilitation robot(LLRR) in the presence of uncertainty. The desired impedance law is considered to propose a conventional model-based impedance controller for the LLRR. However, external disturbances, model imperfection, and parameters uncertainties reduce the performance of the controller in practice. In order to cope with these uncertainties, an optimal predictive compensator is introduced as a solution for a proposed convex optimization problem, which is performed on a forward finite-length horizon. As a result, the LLRR has the desired behavior even in an uncertain environment. The performance and efficiency of the proposed controller are verified by the simulation results.     

Fabrication,microstructure, and optical properties of nanocrystalline transparent LAST glass ceramics containing CeO2

In the present research, the effect of CeO2 dopant on the fabrication of transparent lithium aluminosilicate titanate （LAST） glass ceramics was investigated. Nanocrystallineβ-quartz solid solution （s.s.） was observed to be the main phase crystallized in this system. Com-parable refractive indices of the glassy matrix andβ-quartz s.s., as well as the incorporation of very fine grains size were determined as the main reasons for retaining the transparency of the glass ceramics. CeO2 was introduced as a suitable optical agent, playing a role as a network modifier in the glass ceramics, because it does not accelerate the growth process and retards the extended growth of crystals. Optical investi-gations indicate that the Fermi energy level, direct and indirect band gaps, and Urbach energy decrease with increasing nanocrystal content in the glassy matrix of specimens, which can be related to the expansion of conduction band, the enhancement of ionic bonds in the crystal lat-tice, and the enhancement of structural arrangement degree, respectively.     

Kinetic modeling of copper bioleaching from low-grade ore from the Shahrbabak Copper Complex

The copper recovery from low-grade copper sulfide ore was investigated using microbial leaching. Several parameters substantially affect the bioleaching of copper; among them, pulp density and nutrient media were selected for investigation. The optimum conditions for copper recovery were a pulp density of 5 g/mL, a mixed-mineral salt medium of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans (70vol%) and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (30vol%), and 10vol% of inoculum. Under these conditions, the maximum bioleaching capacity of the medium for copper recovery was determined to be approximately 99%. The effect of pulp density on the kinetics of the bioleaching process was surveyed using both da Silva's method and constrained multilinear regression analysis. The kinetics of copper dissolution followed the shrinking core model, and the process was diffusion controlled at a pulp density of 5 g/mL. Nevertheless, at higher pulp densities, the process was controlled by chemical reaction.