Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-99).

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is an environmental problem of a global scale. Passive remediation strategies utilizing the metabolism of sulfate-reducing bacteria have emerged as promising options for the mitigation of impacted AMD sites. In order to test the effect of varying complex and simple carbon sources on AMD remediation efficiency, pilot-scale bioreactors were constructed and exposed to AMD in situ over a ten-month period. Geochemical analyses suggested that the efficiency of AMD remediation depended more on the seasonal weather patterns of Southern Illinois, USA than the substrate composition of each bioreactor. Enrichment cultures targeting sulfate-reducing organisms yielded several isolates most closely related to members of the genera Desulfovibrio and Clostridium. Microbial community analysis was performed using fluorescent in situ hybridization, 16S rRNA gene targeted pyrosequencing, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results suggested that the depth from which samples were taken as well as the substrate composition impacted the microbial communities within each bioreactor. Over the course of the experiment the community changed from one similar to that of a bovine rumen to one more adapted to the acidic nature and high metal content of AMD. Community abundance based on 16S rRNA gene and dsrB gene copy number suggested an overall decrease in the bacterial population over the course of the study.

Overweight and obesity are becoming a major public health issue. Pancreatic lipase is a key enzyme to catalyze the hydrolysis of 50-70% of dietary fat in the digestive system. Inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity can block fat absorption in gastrointestinal tract, further control obesity incidence. On the other hand, a-glucosidase is also a key enzyme to hydrolysis polysaccharides and disaccharides into glucose in small intestine. Inhibition of a-glucosidase activity can block digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, further control metabolism disorders such as diabetes and obesity. Food legumes are widely used in people’s life with multiple pharmacological activities. The author extracted total phenolics and saponin components from 13 commonly consumed food legumes produced in China, did a systematic comparative study investigating their inhibitory effects against digestive enzymes (pancreatic lipase and a-glucosidase), and screened adzuki bean (Vigna angularis L.) as the further target bean. The results showed that the different concentrations of total phenolic extract from adzuki bean (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 mg/mL) inhibited hydrolysis of triolein about 24.1, 24.0, 30.7, and 36.3%, respectively, while different concentrations of total saponin extracts from adzuki bean (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 mg/mL) inhibited hydrolysis of triolein about 15.9, 23.5, 30.1, and 29.2%, respectively. On the other hand, phenolic extract of adzuki bean at the concentration from 0.25 to 1 mg/mL exhibited much more than 80% a-glucosidase inhibitory activity, while saponin extract of adzuki bean exhibited 56.4 to 68.7% a-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Based on the results of pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity, at the concentration of 1 mg/mL, phenolics extract and saponin extract of adzuki bean (mean 32.5%) and pinto bean (mean 27%) had the stronger inhibitory effects. Moreover, phenolics extract and saponin extract of adzuki bean (mean 79.25%) and pinto bean (mean 72.85%) also had the stronger inhibitory effects on a-glucosidase activity. In addition, adzuki bean is widely used and has diverse application in foods and drugs. In a word, it indicated that adzuki bean is one of the best target beans to further study anti-obesity and anti-diabetes effects via cell and animal models. Flavonoids and saponins in adzuki bean were obtained and characterized by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection and electro spray ionization-tandem multi-stage mass spectrometry in succession. Among 15 compounds identified, four flavonoids (catechin, vitexin-4.-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside) and six saponins (azukisaponin I, II, III, IV, V, and VI) in adzuki bean were further quantified by external calibration method using high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry with the program of time segment and extract ion chromatogram analysis. Animal model is a good way to intuitively evaluate the anti-obesity effect of adzuki bean. So the anti-obesity effects of adzuki bean in mice fed with a high-fat diet was investigated. ICR female mice were fed with a high fat diet administrated orally with different doses of adzuki bean extracts for eight weeks. Total extract, flavonoids and saponins of adzuki bean enhanced lipolysis (166.1%, 175.6%, and 152.6%, respectively). Compared to the final body weight (33.6 g) of the high-fat diet group, oral administration (300 mg/kg per day) of total extract, flavonoids and saponins of adzuki bean significantly reduced the final body weight of mice, and significantly decreased the adipose tissue accumulation. The adzuki bean intervention also significantly reduced the levels of serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and liver lipid. Adzuki bean demonstrated the anti-obesity effects on mice fed with a high fat diet, such effects may mediated through the inhibitory effects of flavonoids and saponins from adzuki bean on a-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase activities, and lipolysis enhancement effect of active components from adzuki bean. Obesity is characterized biologically at the cellular level by as an increase in the number of preadipocutes and an increase in the size of adipocytes differentiated from preadipocytes in adipose tissue. 3T3-L1 cell model was used to reveal the mechanism of anti-obesity effects of adzuki bean in the present study. The results showed that adzuki bean total extract, adzuki bean flavonoids, adzuki bean saponins, four mono flavonoides (catechin, vitexin-4.-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside) and six mono saponins (azukisaponin I, II, III, IV, V, and VI) exhibited inhibitory effect of proliferation of 3T3-L1 cells, and the inhibitory rate of proliferation of 3T3-L1 cells was about 20%. Mature adipocytes were stained by Oil Red O and the lipid accumulated exhibited red color, while the preadipocytes could not been stained. The data of the effects of adzuki bean samples on lipid accumulation during the differentiation period of 3T3-L1 cells revealed that azukisaponin II had the highest inhibitory effect (49.72%) with a dose dependent manner from 50 to 500 µg/mL. It indicated that adzuki bean may block the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells from preadipocytes to mature adipocytes which contribute to anti-obesity effects. Most of adzuki bean samples significantly blocked the triglyceride accumulation and enhanced lipolysis by increseaing the released of glycerol during differentiation of 3T3-L1 cell. Additionally, adzuki bean samples except catechin significantly inhibited glycerol-3-phosphase dehydrogenase activity in 3T3-L1 cells, which indicated that adzuki bean samples had the ability to inhibit triglyceride synthesis. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot methods were used to investigate the intervention effects of adzuki bean total extract, adzuki bean flavonoids, adzuki bean saponins, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, and azukisaponin II isolated from adzuki bean on the related gene expressions. These adzuki bean samples inhibited differentiation of 3T3-L1 cell by decreasing the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor . and CCATT/enhancer-binding protein a (major adipocyte transcription factors) at messenger ribonucleic acid level and protein level in adipocytes. Additional, they inhibited adipogenesis by decreasing the expression of fatty acid synthase, promoting lipolysis by increasing the expression of hormone-sensitive lipase and adipose triglyceride lipase, made energy balance by regulating the expression of leptin, adenosine monophosphate -activated protein kinase, and tumor necrosis factor a, and induced cell apoptosis by increasing the expression of bax and decresing the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2. These findings provide insight into the molecular mechanisums through regulation of the related gene expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. It also suggested that adzuki bean had a positive effect in prevention and treatment of adipogenesis-related obesity, and might be a good option of functional foods to control obesity.

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In this thesis, I wanted to design a lamp in collaboration with the lighting company Örsjö Belysning AB, that would contribute to stress-reduction and calmness both through visual and functional aspects. My focus in the study and the design process was on the lamps shape and light, where my primary inspiration was taken from the qualities of water. My lamp also had to fit into Örsjö Belysnings current assortment. My research showed that rounded shapes and adjustable light are two important factors for producing calmness and well-being for the user. The result of my work was a lamp with the name Harmoni. A LED floor lamp made of brass metal and acrylic plastic, with focus on rounded shapes, lightness, flexibility and symmetry. The lamp has a unique and adjustable light emission, that gives two different kinds of light from the same source. It functions both as a floor and a wall lamp in one.

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate the weight reduction advice in popular women's magazines. An apparent proliferation of articles on weight reducation in the mass media and women's magazines have been critized as faddist by some professionals. Regardless of this concern, a standardized method of evaluating any diet remains noexistent. To achieve the purpose the study was conducted in three parts: a Field Test, a Validity Study and a Reliability Study. An Article Evaluation form, which listed the negative characteristics of a faddist weight reduction article was constructed as the instrument. The characteristics were developed by reviewing various critiques of popular weight reduction regimens in the literature and selecting negative items from those critiques. The Article Evaluation was evaluated by requiring experts to rate the importance of each characteristic. Both forms were revised based on the results of the Field Test. The Validity Study was conducted by selecting 30 experts, at random, from a list of all experts who had authored or co-authored an article published in the 1979 issues in one of three professional journals in the nutrition field, and having them complete a revised Instrument Evaluation form. The Reliability Study consisted of having three local dietitians with Master of Science degrees rate the same eight articles from popular women's magazines using the revised Article Evaluation form. The data was analyzed using the Friedman Two-way Analysis of Varience (ANOVA). The results of the Validity Study indicated that all thirteen characteristics were either somewhat or very important. Based on this, it was concluded that the instrument was valid. The results of the Reliability Study indicated that, except for one characteristic,,there was no statistically significant difference at the .10 level (df=2) in the evaluations of the raters, therefore it was concluded that the instrument was reliable.

Charles University Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Biochemical Sciences Candidate: Petra Lakomá Supervisor: RNDr. Eva Novotná, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: The effect of alisertib and brigatinib on the activity of selected human carbonyl reducing enzymes Key words: brigatinib, alisertib, daunorubicin, inhibition, carbonyl-reducing enzymes Protein kinases are enzymes, whose main function is based on a transfer of phosphate group from ATP to protein substrate. This common posttranslational modification is involved in the regulation of intracellular processes and cell signaling. Altered expression of protein kinases is often coupled with a development of cancer. Inhibition of protein kinases may prevent cancer cell proliferation and induce their cell death. The main aim of the diploma thesis was to measure inhibition potential of protein kinase inhibitors, alisertib and brigatinib, against carbonyl-reducing enzymes. Overexpression of carbonyl-reducing enzymes in cancer cells may cause resistance to drugs followed by failure of chemotherapeutic therapy. In case of antracyclin chemotherapeutic daunorubicin, carbonyl-reducing enzymes reduce the carbonyl in C-13 giving rise a primary metabolite daunorubicinol, which has lower cytotoxic effect but higher cardiotoxicity. The effort to...

Intercept feeding was tested for its efficacy in reducing deer-vehicle collision frequency by diverting deer movement patterns away from highways using alfalfa hay as an attractant. Ratios of road kills in control vs. treatment zones of three highway segments indicated that feeding reduced collision frequency. Spotlighting counts of live deer were significantly higher (P

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