Inhibition of food intake in obese subjects by peptide YY3-36

Background: The gut hormone fragment peptide YY3-36 (PYY) reduces appetite and food intake when infused into subjects of normal weight. In common with the adipocyte hormone leptin, PYY reduces food intake by modulating appetite circuits in the hypothalamus. However, in obesity there is a marked resistance to the action of leptin, which greatly limits its therapeutic effectiveness. We investigated whether obese subjects were also resistant to the anorectic effects of PYY.Methods: We compared the effects of PYY infusion on appetite and food intake in 12 obese and 12 lean subjects in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. The plasma levels of PYY, ghrelin, leptin, and insulin were also determined.Results: Caloric intake during a buffet lunch offered two hours after the infusion of PYY was decreased by 30 percent in the obese subjects (P<0.001) and 31 percent in the lean subjects (P<0.001). PYY infusion also caused a significant decrease in the cumulative 24-hour caloric intake in both obese and lean subjects. PYY infusion reduced plasma levels of the appetite-stimulatory hormone ghrelin. Endogenous fasting and postprandial levels of PYY were significantly lower in obese subjects (the mean [+/-SE] fasting PYY levels were 10.2+/-0.7 pmol per liter in the obese group and 16.9+/-0.8 pmol per liter in the lean group, P<0.001). Furthermore, the fasting PYY levels correlated negatively with the body-mass index (r=-0.84, P<0.001).Conclusions: We found that obese subjects were not resistant to the anorectic effects of PYY. Endogenous PYY levels were low in the obese subjects, suggesting that PYY deficiency may contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity

Uptake of iron and its effect on grain refinement of pure magnesium by zirconium

The uptake of iron by molten magnesium from uncoated new mild steel crucibles at temperatures 680°C, 730°C, and 780°C has been investigated. It was shown that the uptake of iron was sluggish at 680°C and the use of 0.05% zirconium addition could effectively suppress the increase in iron content within the first 2 h of holding at temperature. Rapid and severe uptake of iron was observed at 780°C. As a consequence, it was found that the grain refinement of pure magnesium achieved by 1% zirconium addition nearly vanished after 60 min hold at 780°C due to the depletion of soluble zirconium. The uptake of iron at 730°C was conspicuous but it was still controllable by use of 0.05% zirconium addition within the first 60 min of holding at temperature. The work conducted using an aluminium titanite crucible and a boron nitride coated mild steel crucible at 730°C further confirmed the highly detrimental influence of the uptake of iron on the grain refinement of pure magnesium by zirconium. The characteristic zirconium rich coring structures developed from circular to rosette like when the melt was held at 730°C in an uncoated mild steel crucible, while no such evolution was observed when held in an aluminium titanite crucible at the same temperature. Recommendations to minimise the consumption of zirconium by the uptake of iron were made based on the results obtained from this investigation. The mechanism of grain refinement of magnesium by a low concentration of zirconium is discussed

Superparasitism Drives Heritable Symbiont Epidemiology and Host Sex Ratio in a Wasp

Heritable microbial symbionts have profound impacts upon the biology of their arthropod hosts. Whilst our current understanding of the dynamics of these symbionts is typically cast within a framework of vertical transmission only, horizontal transmission has been observed in a number of cases. For instance, several symbionts can transmit horizontally when their parasitoid hosts share oviposition patches with uninfected conspecifics, a phenomenon called superparasitism. Despite this, horizontal transmission, and the host contact structures that facilitates it, have not been considered in heritable symbiont epidemiology. Here, we tested for the importance of host contact, and resulting horizontal transmission, for the epidemiology of a male-killing heritable symbiont (Arsenophonus nasoniae) in parasitoid wasp hosts. We observed that host contact through superparasitism is necessary for this symbiont’s spread in populations of its primary host Nasonia vitripennis, such that when superparasitism rates are high, A. nasoniae almost reaches fixation, causes highly female biased population sex ratios and consequently causes local host extinction. We further tested if natural interspecific variation in superparasitism behaviours predicted symbiont dynamics among parasitoid species. We found that A. nasoniae was maintained in laboratory populations of a closely related set of Nasonia species, but declined in other, more distantly related pteromalid hosts. The natural proclivity of a species to superparasitise was the primary factor determining symbiont persistence. Our results thus indicate that host contact behaviour is a key factor for heritable microbe dynamics when horizontal transmission is possible, and that ‘reproductive parasite’ phenotypes, such as male-killing, may be of secondary importance in the dynamics of such symbiont infections

Pore Structure of Surfactant Modified Montmorillonites

A series of organoclays with different surfactant arrangements were prepared by ion exchange. The resulting organoclays were investigated using a combination of characterization techniques, including XRD, FTIR, TG and N2 adsorption-desorption. In the present study, the pores within the organoclays were discussed on the basis of the microstructural parameters, including BET-N2 surface area, pore volume, pore size, surfactant loading and distribution. The results show that both BET-N2 surface area and pore volume decrease from low to high packing density of the surfactant as the average pore size increases. Two basic organoclay models were proposed for hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMAB) modified montmorillonites: 1) the surfactant mainly occupied the clay interlayer and 2) both the clay interlayer space and external surface were modified by surfactant. This study demonstrates that the pore structure of the resulting organoclays has a significant influence on the sorption efficiency and mechanism of p-nitrophenol onto the organoclays

Phenomenology of production and decay of spinning extra-dimensional black holes at hadron colliders

We present results of CHARYBDIS2, a new Monte Carlo simulation of black hole production and decay at hadron colliders in theories with large extra dimensions and TeV-scale gravity. The main new feature of CHARYBDIS2 is a full treatment of the spin-down phase of the decay process using the angular and energy distributions of the associated Hawking radiation. Also included are improved modelling of the loss of angular momentum and energy in the production process as well as a wider range of options for the Planck-scale termination of the decay. The new features allow us to study the effects of black hole spin and the feasibility of its observation in such theories

Mycoprotein reduces energy intake and postprandial insulin release without altering glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine concentrations in healthy overweight and obese adults: a randomised-controlled trial

Dietary mycoprotein decreases energy intake in lean individuals. The effects in overweight individuals are unclear, and the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the effect of mycoprotein on energy intake, appetite regulation, and the metabolic phenotype in overweight and obese volunteers. In two randomised-controlled trials, fifty-five volunteers (age: 31 (95 % CI 27, 35) years), BMI: 28·0 (95 % CI 27·3, 28·7) kg/m2) consumed a test meal containing low (44 g), medium (88 g) or high (132 g) mycoprotein or isoenergetic chicken meals. Visual analogue scales and blood samples were collected to measure appetite, glucose, insulin, peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Ad libitum energy intake was assessed after 3 h in part A (n 36). Gastric emptying by the paracetamol method, resting energy expenditure and substrate oxidation were recorded in part B (n 14). Metabonomics was used to compare plasma and urine samples in response to the test meals. Mycoprotein reduced energy intake by 10 % (280 kJ (67 kcal)) compared with chicken at the high content (P=0·009). All mycoprotein meals reduced insulin concentrations compared with chicken (incremental AUClow (IAUClow): -8 %, IAUCmedium: -12 %, IAUChigh: -21 %, P=0·004). There was no significant difference in glucose, PYY, GLP-1, gastric emptying rate and energy expenditure. Following chicken intake, paracetamol-glucuronide was positively associated with fullness. After mycoprotein, creatinine and the deamination product of isoleucine, α-keto-β-methyl-N-valerate, were inversely related to fullness, whereas the ketone body, β-hydroxybutyrate, was positively associated. In conclusion, mycoprotein reduces energy intake and insulin release in overweight volunteers. The mechanism does not involve changes in PYY and GLP-1. The metabonomics analysis may bring new understanding to the appetite regulatory properties of food.</p