Overview of the PALM model system 6.0

In this paper, we describe the PALM model system 6.0. PALM (formerly an abbreviation for Parallelized Large-eddy Simulation Model and now an independent name) is a Fortran-based code and has been applied for studying a variety of atmospheric and oceanic boundary layers for about 20 years. The model is optimized for use on massively parallel computer architectures. This is a follow-up paper to the PALM 4.0 model description in Maronga et al. (2015). During the last years, PALM has been significantly improved and now offers a variety of new components. In particular, much effort was made to enhance the model with components needed for applications in urban environments, like fully interactive land surface and radiation schemes, chemistry, and an indoor model. This paper serves as an overview paper of the PALM 6.0 model system and we describe its current model core. The individual components for urban applications, case studies, validation runs, and issues with suitable input data are presented and discussed in a series of companion papers in this special issue.Peer reviewe

Functions of Danggui Buxue Tang, a Chinese Herbal Decoction Containing Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix, in Uterus and Liver are Both Estrogen Receptor-Dependent and -Independent

Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT), a herbal decoction containing Astragali Radix (AR) and Angelicae Sinensis Radix (ASR), has been used in treating menopausal irregularity in women for more than 800 years in China. Pharmacological results showed that DBT exhibited significant estrogenic properties in vitro, which therefore suggested that DBT could activate the nuclear estrogen receptors. Here, we assessed the estrogenic properties of DBT in an ovariectomized in vivo rat model: DBT was applied to the ovariectomized rats for 3 days. The application of DBT did not alter the weight of uterus and liver, as well as the transcript expression of the proliferation markers including the estrogen receptors alpha and beta. However, DBT stimulated the transcript expression of the estrogen responsive genes. In addition, the inductive role of DBT on the expression of members of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor family in uterus and liver of ovariectomized rats was confirmed. These responses of DBT however were clearly distinct from the response pattern detectable here for 17 beta-estradiol. Therefore, DBT exhibited weak, but significant, estrogenic properties in vivo; however, some of its activities were independent of the estrogen receptor. Thus, DBT could be an exciting Chinese herbal decoction for an alternative treatment of hormone replacement therapy for women in menopause without subsequent estrogenic side effects

A novel combined approach to detect androgenic activities with yeast based assays in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We describe the construction and validation of novel test systems for detecting androgenic activities using a combination of the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. By applying the reporter enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP) the incubation time could be reduced to only 24 h if compared to the classical p-galactosidase reporter (48 h). Both yeast systems were validated by analyzing the effects of seven androgens as well as five anti-androgens. One androgen (stanozolol) could be detected ten times more sensitive in S. cerevisiae than in S. pombe. Three of the five anti-androgenic substances showed no or only a slight effect in both yeast assays. The other two anti-androgens could be detected much better in S. pombe. Additionally, we could show that both yeast assays tolerated 10% urine within the media and still were capable to detect dihydrotestosterone at a concentration of 10(-8) M suggesting the use of the assays for applied doping pre-screening. In summary, the novel androgen-sensitive yeast assays have a large potential for various applications, e.g. as pre-screening in doping analysis or cattle feeding. A combination of both assays, exploiting these two phylogenetic very different yeasts, allows detection of the activity of a wide range of androgenic substances. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Constituents from Cistus salvifolius (Cistaceae) Activate Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-gamma but Not -delta and Stimulate Glucose Uptake by Adipocytes

A number of medicinal/culinary herbs have been reported to improve glucose metabolism and to yield hypoglycemic effects in patients with diabetes. Since stimulation of insulin sensitivity appears to be a potential mechanism, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma is a likely target molecule for small lipophilic compounds derived from endogenous metabolism and nutrition. Functionally, PPAR gamma integrates the control of energy, lipid, and glucose homeostasis. In addition, PPAR delta activity is involved in energy expenditure. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate whether PPAR gamma and PPAR delta as well as the stimulation of glucose uptake is activated by botanical products. Cistus salvifolius (Cistaceae) has been identified as a candidate botanical in a preliminary screening of extracts from medicinal plants of Greek flora. In a bioguided approach, crude extracts, fractions and in the end purified compounds have been evaluated for PPAR gamma and PPAR delta specific activities using cell-based transactivation assays. Glucose uptake was measured by nonradioactive 2-[ N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxyglucose (2-NBDG) uptake. Concerning PPAR gamma several extracts induced reporter gene activity, and clear dose-response patterns (0.1-100 mu g/mL) could be established in the case of the cyclohexane and dichloromethane extracts. Isolation of individual compounds from the cyclohexane extract revealed that at least 6 out of 7 compounds isolated were active with trans-cinnamic acid showing a clear dose-response pattern. In contrast, they were found to be inactive on PPAR delta. The same compounds, however, were also active in stimulating glucose uptake into 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In summary, the bioguided fractionation of Cistus salvifolius yields PPAR gamma stimulating metabolites with differing chemical natures. In conclusion, PPAR gamma represents a candidate molecule for the mediation of improvement of glucose metabolism by botanical/nutritional products

LC-MS- and ¹H NMR-Based Metabolomic Analysis and in Vitro Toxicological Assessment of 43 <i>Aristolochia</i> Species

Species of <i>Aristolochia</i> are used as herbal medicines worldwide. They cause aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN), a devastating disease associated with kidney failure and renal cancer. Aristolochic acids I and II (<b>1</b> and <b>2</b>) are considered to be responsible for these nephrotoxic and carcinogenic effects. A wide range of other aristolochic acid analogues (AAAs) exist, and their implication in AAN may have been overlooked. An LC-MS- and ¹H NMR-based metabolomic analysis was carried out on 43 medicinally used <i>Aristolochia</i> species. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of 28 <i>Aristolochia</i> extracts were measured in human kidney (HK-2) cells. Compounds <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> were found to be the most common AAAs. However, AA IV (<b>3</b>), aristolactam I (<b>4</b>), and aristolactam BI (<b>5</b>) were also widespread. No correlation was found between the amounts of <b>1</b> or <b>2</b> and extract cytotoxicity against HK-2 cells. The genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of the extracts could be linked to their contents of <b>5</b>, AA D (<b>8</b>), and AA IIIa (<b>10</b>). These results undermine the assumption that <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> are exclusively responsible for the toxicity of <i>Aristolochia</i> species. Other analogues are likely to contribute to their toxicity and need to be considered as nephrotoxic agents. These findings facilitate understanding of the nephrotoxic mechanisms of <i>Aristolochia</i> and have significance for the regulation of herbal medicines

Outpatient behavior therapy for juveniles and young adults with alcohol problems Second year treatments outcome

UuStB Koeln(38)-8106313 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman