No description available.

This thesis focuses on the link between condition, defined as the magnitude of fat reserves, and maturation in two sub-populations of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus L.). Histological, fatty acid (FA), univariate and multivariate analyses were used in a multi-scale approach to elucidate the relationship between body fat and maturity. Furthermore, the accuracy of commonly used proxies of condition and maturity was tested. No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that a threshold of fat must be exceeded for first maturation to occur; however, a size threshold was observed. During maturation, herring may be capable of both selectively incorporating certain FA into the ovary and also of synthesising FA within the ovary itself. Mesenteric fat was highly dynamic during maturation and likely plays a role in gonad development. Commonly used morphometric condition indices were not related to mesenteric fat and the relationship between morphometric indices and other more direct indices was dependent on maturity stage. Macroscopic maturity staging was unreliable and errors led to an under-estimation of the herring spawning stock biomass of up to 26%. A gonadosomatic index was validated which was able to discern between immature, mature and recovering fish more accurately than macroscopic staging. Few differences were found between North Sea autumn-spawning (NSAS) and Norwegian spring-spawning (NSS) herring in this study. The FA profiles of both sub-populations were similar over the maturity cycle and the effects of length and maturity stage on mesenteric fat were analogous for both populations. A photoperiod cue of first maturation was found for Atlantic herring. However, this cue differed between the subpopulations, with NSAS herring maturation being triggered by the spring equinox and NSS herring maturation being triggered later. A multi-scale approach was successfully employed to demonstrate that there is an intrinsic link between fat reserves and maturity in herring.

Des études récentes ont montré que l'anandamide, le principal ligand endogène des récepteurs aux cannabinoïdes CB1 et CB2, possède des effets analgésiques, antidépresseurs et anti-inflammatoires. Dans la perspective de traitement des maladies inflammatoires chroniques de l'intestin (MICI), notre approche a été de développer de nouveaux ligands sélectifs du récepteur CB2 permettant de moduler l’inflammation sans provoquer d’effets secondaires centraux, et de nouveaux inhibiteurs de la principale enzyme du métabolisme de l’anandamide, la fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Ainsi, sur la base des travaux antérieurs de notre groupe, une nouvelle série d’agonistes sélectifs du récepteur CB2 et deux nouvelles séries d'inhibiteurs de FAAH s’articulant autour de plusieurs hétérocycles différents ont été conçues, synthétisées et évaluées pour leur activité biologique. Les résultats pharmacologiques ont révélé des affinités sélectives pour le récepteur CB2 et des activités inhibitrices de la FAAH pour certains composés. Ces travaux ont permis d'établir des relations structure-activité essentielles pour la conception d’agoniste CB2 mais aussi pour la conception de composés prometteurs à double activités: agonistes CB2 / inhibiteurs FAAH. Enfin, deux composés agonistes sélectifs CB2 ont été évalués pour leurs propriétés anti-inflammatoires au niveau intestinal sur modèle murin de colite induite au DSS. / Recent investigations showed that anandamide, the main endogenous ligand of CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, possesses analgesic, antidepressant and anti-inflammatory effects. In the perspective to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), our approach was to develop new CB2-selective ligands which are able to modulate inflammation without triggering psychotropic effects, and new inhibitors of the main anandamide-degradation enzyme, the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Therefore, based on previous works in our group, a new series of CB2-selective agonists and two new series of FAAH inhibitors based on different scaffolds was designed, synthesized and evaluated for their biological activity. The pharmacological results showed CB2-selective agonist activities and FAAH-inhibitory activities for some compounds. This work helped to establish essential structure-activity relationships for the design of CB2-selective agonist but also for the design of promising multitarget compounds: CB2 agonists / FAAH inhibitors. Finally, two CB2-selective agonist compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory properties on DSS-induced colitis mouse model.

Ka-leung Kan. / Thesis (M.Sc.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong. / Bibliography: leaves 80-94.

No description available.

Proteins and fatty acids often exist in solutions containing biological matter that are treated with membranes. These proteins and fatty acids interact with each other as well as with the membranes thereby affecting the flux. Binding of fatty acids to proteins results in complexes that are much larger than fatty acid molecules. Exploitation of this size difference to remove difficult to separate fatty acids from aqueous solutions by ultrafiltration was investigated in this study. In addition, the fouling of membrane by the protein-fatty acid mixtures containing free dissolved fatty acids was studied using bovine albumin (BSA)-caprylic system. Binding of caprylic acid to native and pasteurized BSA was examined by diafiltering pre equilibrated fatty acid-BSA mixtures. The rate of mass transfer of fatty acid molecules through boundary film surrounding the protein molecules was estimated using a BSA solution as the adsorbent phase in an agitated column. A stirred cell fitted with a polyethersulfone membrane (30 kDa) was used for the diafiltrations. Accumulation of fatty acid in the BSA layers fouled on the membrane was also estimated. Binding studies indicate that a native BSA molecule (at pH 6.8) could bind 7 fatty acid molecules in specific binding cavities while approximately 44 molecules are bound onto the surface. When BSA was pasteurized the specific binding decreased from 7 to 2 indicating unfolding of the molecule. In addition, the total binding capacity decreased from 44 to 24 moles/BSA mole and the rate of mass transfer decreased from 4.5/min to 3.6/min, indicating heat induced aggregation of BSA. At alkaline pH levels fatty acid anion acts as an anionic surfactant stabilizing the molecular conformation of the protein and reducing fouling. When pH was lowered to 3, flux severely declined. Unusually large accumulation of fatty acid in the deposited protein layers (caprylic/BSA ~ 10,000 moles) occurred indicating capillary condensation of undissociated fatty acids in the protein layer. Agitated column studies showed that proteins could be used as an adsorbent to remove hard to separate dissolved fatty acids from aqueous solutions. The separated protein-fatty acid complex may be further processed to manufacture animal feed.

"October 2003" Bibliography: leaves 190-210. Ch. 1. Literature review -- Ch. 2. A practical approach to increasing intakes of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: use of novel foods enriched with n-3 fats -- Ch. 3. Effects of fatty acids on the incidence of arrhythmias in patients with implanted cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) -- Ch. 4. A pilot study to investigate the effects of n-3 fatty acids on inducible, sustained ventricular tachycardia in patients undergoing electrophysiology testing -- Ch. 5. Conclusions and future directions.

"October 2003" / Bibliography: leaves 190-210. / xxi, 210 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Medicine, 2003

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2005. / Supervisor: Paul Harrison. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-207).

Age-related changes in the pH of the medium, fatty acid composition and biosynthesis of fatty acids in various subcellular fractions have been studied in submerged cultures of P. chrysogenum harvested at pH's 7.2, 4.8, 4.4 and 3.8. 14C - labeled lauric and myristic acids were each incubated with cell fractions prepared by sonification and fractional centrifugation. Products were analyzed by thin layer chromatography, gas liquid scintillation spectrometry. Conversion of labeled precursors into longer chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids was employed as a measure of the activity of the various cell fractions.It was found that between pH 4.8 and 4.4 of the age of the culture a period of maximum fatty acid synthesis occured at the time when glucose was being taken up to a greatest extent from the medium and when cells start rapidly increasing in growth. This correlated to the increased rate of de novo synthesis in the soluble cytoplasmic fraction.The fermentation products, formic, acetic, proprionic, butyric and gluconic acid, produced at different time points of the age of the culture, accounted for the drop in the pH of the medium.