In order to bring the treatment of historical bronze monuments in line with proper engineering practice and cultural heritage regulations, the standardisation of artificially aged surfaces that are ...comparable with natural ones is still to take place. In this aim, this investigation reports a comparative study of corroded quaternary bronze samples produced by accelerated ageing tests, simulating the unsheltered and sheltered exposure conditions mainly affecting outdoor bronze monuments. The effects of run off in a dropping test (unsheltered simulation) and the exposure to stagnant acid rain in a wet & dry test (sheltered simulation) on a bronze surface were studied. A multi-analytical approach was performed including conventional analytical methods, such as a microscopy examination coupled with elemental and structural analyses of the surface. In addition, a focused ion beam (FIB) was used to produce cross-sections in the size range up to a few tens of nanometres. It is evidenced that the corrosion layers, forming a nano-porous structure, are linked to a decuprification process marked by the preferential dissolution of Cu and Zn and the formation of a SnO species network within the barrier layer. A correlation between the tin content of the alloy and the corrosion amplitude is shown: the anodic areas are related to the lowest tin-content part of the alpha phase (in the centre of the dendrite), while the eutectoid areas (including the delta phase) are cathodic and therefore not attacked. The corroded samples artificially aged are well representative of natural corrosion structures observed on outdoor bronzes.
•Two artificial ageing processes well simulate outdoor patinas of as-cast bronze.•Distribution of chemical elements are detailed according to exposure conditions.•-Surface characterization with in situ FIB cross-section highlights decuprification phenomenon.•Alpha (Cu) solid solution is anodic towards (alpha + delta) eutectoid.•Nano-porosities are evidenced within patinas according to corrosion process.
Effect of Oxytocin on Hunger Discrimination Head, Mitchell A; Jewett, David C; Gartner, Sarah N ...
Frontiers in endocrinology (Lausanne),
05/2019, Letnik:
10
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Centrally and peripherally administered oxytocin (OT) decreases food intake and activation of the endogenous OT systems, which is associated with termination of feeding. Evidence gathered thus far ...points to OT as a facilitator of early satiation, a peptide that reduces the need for a meal that has already begun. It is not known, however, whether OT can diminish a feeling of hunger, thereby decreasing a perceived need to seek calories. Therefore, in the current project, we first confirmed that intraperitoneal (i.p.) OT at 0.3-1 mg/kg reduces food intake in deprived and non-deprived rats. We then used those OT doses in a unique hunger discrimination protocol. First, rats were trained to discriminate between 22- and 2-h food deprivation (hungry vs. sated state) in a two-lever operant procedure. After rats acquired the discrimination, they were food-restricted for 22 h and given i.p. OT before a generalization test session. OT did not decrease 22-h deprivation-appropriate responding to match that following 2-h food deprivation, thus, it did not reduce the perceived level of hunger. In order to better understand the mechanisms behind this ineffectiveness of OT, we used c-Fos immunohistochemistry to determine whether i.p. OT activates a different subset of feeding-related brain sites under 22- vs. 2-h deprivation. We found that in sated animals, OT induces c-Fos changes in a broader network of hypothalamic and brain stem sites compared to those affected in the hungry state. Finally, by employing qPCR analysis, we asked whether food deprivation vs. sated state have an impact on OT receptor expression in the brain stem, a CNS "entry" region for peripheral OT. Fasted animals had significantly lower OT receptor mRNA levels than their
-fed counterparts. We conclude that OT does not diminish a feeling of hunger before a start of a meal. Instead OT's anorexigenic properties are manifested once consumption has already begun which is-at least to some extent-driven by changes in brain responsiveness to OT treatment in the hungry vs. fed state. OT should be viewed as a mediator of early satiation rather than as a molecule that diminishes perceived hunger.
Goat's (GM) and cow's milk (CM) are dietary alternatives with select health benefits shown in human and animal studies. Surprisingly, no systematic analysis of palatability or preference for GM vs. ...CM has been performed to date. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation of short-term intake and palatability profiles of GM and CM in laboratory mice and rats. We studied consumption in no-choice and choice scenarios, including meal microstructure, and by using isocaloric milks and milk-enriched solid diets. Feeding results are accompanied by qPCR data of relevant genes in the energy balance-related hypothalamus and brain stem, and in the nucleus accumbens, which regulates eating for palatability. We found that GM and CM are palatable to juvenile, adult, and aged rodents. Given a choice, animals prefer GM- to CM-based diets. Analysis of meal microstructure using licking patterns points to enhanced palatability of and, possibly, greater motivation toward GM over CM. Most profound changes in gene expression after GM vs. CM were associated with the brain systems driving consumption for reward. We conclude that, while both GM and CM are palatable, GM is preferred over CM by laboratory animals, and this preference is driven by central mechanisms controlling eating for pleasure.
The natural 20:80 whey:casein ratio in cow's milk (CM) for adults and infants is adjusted to reflect the 60:40 ratio of human milk, but the feeding and metabolic consequences of this adjustment have ...been understudied. In adult human subjects, the 60:40 CM differently affects glucose metabolism and hormone release than the 20:80 CM. In laboratory animals, whey-adapted goat's milk is consumed in larger quantities. It is unknown whether whey enhancement of CM would have similar consequences on appetite and whether it would affect feeding-relevant brain regulatory mechanisms. In this set of studies utilizing laboratory mice, we found that the 60:40 CM was consumed more avidly than the 20:80 control formulation by animals motivated to eat by energy deprivation and by palatability (in the absence of hunger) and that this hyperphagia stemmed from prolongation of the meal. Furthermore, in two-bottle choice paradigms, whey-adapted CM was preferred against the natural 20:80 milk. The intake of the whey-adapted CM induced neuronal activation (assessed through analysis of c-Fos expression in neurons) in brain sites promoting satiation, but importantly, this activation was less pronounced than after ingestion of the natural 20:80 whey:casein CM. Activation of hypothalamic neurons synthesizing anorexigenic neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) was also less robust after the 60:40 CM intake than after the 20:80 CM. Pharmacological blockade of the OT receptor in mice led to an increase in the consumption only of the 20:80 CM, thus, of the milk that induced greater activation of OT neurons. We conclude that the whey-adapted CM is overconsumed compared to the natural 20:80 CM and that this overconsumption is associated with weakened responsiveness of central networks involved in satiety signalling, including OT.
The statin drug target, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), is strongly linked to body mass index (BMI), yet how HMGCR influences BMI is not understood. In mammals, studies of ...peripheral HMGCR have not clearly identified a role in BMI maintenance and, despite considerable central nervous system expression, a function for central HMGCR has not been determined. Similar to mammals, Hmgcr is highly expressed in the
brain. Therefore, genetic and pharmacological studies were performed to identify how central
regulates
energy metabolism and feeding behavior. We found that inhibiting
, in insulin-producing cells of the
(PI), the fly hypothalamic equivalent, significantly reduces the expression of insulin-like peptides, severely decreasing insulin signaling. In fact, reducing
expression throughout development causes decreased body size, increased lipid storage, hyperglycemia, and hyperphagia. Furthermore, the
induced hyperphagia phenotype requires a conserved insulin-regulated α-glucosidase,
(
). In rats and mice, acute inhibition of hypothalamic Hmgcr activity stimulates food intake. This study presents evidence of how central Hmgcr regulation of metabolism and food intake could influence BMI.
Application of protective coatings is the most widely used conservation treatment for outdoor bronzes. Eco-friendly and non-hazardous coatings are currently needed for conservation of outdoor bronze ...monuments. To fulfil this need, the M-ERA.NET European research project B-IMPACT (Bronze-IMproved non-hazardous PAtina CoaTings) aimed at assessing the protectiveness of innovative coatings for historical and modern bronze monuments exposed outdoors. In this project, two bronze substrates (historical Cu-Sn-Zn-Pb and modern Cu-Si-Mn alloys) were artificially patinated, by acid rain solution using dropping test and by "liver of sulphur" procedure (K2S aqueous solution) to obtain black patina, respectively. Subsequently, the application of several newly developed protective coatings was carried out and their performance was investigated by preliminary electrochemical tests. In the following steps of the work, the assessment of the best-performing coatings was carried out and their performance was compared to Incralac, one of the most widely used protective coatings in conservation practice. A multi-analytical approach was adopted, considering artificial ageing (carried out in representative conditions, including exposure to rain runoff, stagnant rain and UV radiation) and metal release, as well as visual aspect (so as to include aesthetical impact among the coating selection parameters) and morphological and structural evolution of the coated surfaces due to simulated outdoor exposure. Lastly, also the health impact of selected coatings was assessed by occupational hazard tests. The removability and re-applicability of the best-performing coatings were also assessed. The best alternatives to the conventional Incralac exhibited were: (i) fluoroacrylate blended with methacryloxy-propyl-trimethoxy-silane (FA-MS) applied on patinated Cu-Sn-Zn-Pb bronze and (ii) 3-mercapto-propyl-trimethoxysilane (PropS-SH) applied on patinated Cu-Si-Mn bronze.
Human and laboratory animal studies suggest that dietary supplementation of a free essential amino acid, l-tryptophan (TRP), reduces food intake. It is unclear whether an acute gastric preload of TRP ...decreases consumption and whether central mechanisms underlie TRP-driven hypophagia. We examined the effect of TRP administered via intragastric gavage on energy- and palatability-induced feeding in mice. We sought to identify central mechanisms through which TRP suppresses appetite. Effects of TRP on consumption of energy-dense and energy-dilute tastants were established in mice stimulated to eat by energy deprivation or palatability. A conditioned taste aversion (CTA) paradigm was used to assess whether hypophagia is unrelated to sickness. c-Fos immunohistochemistry was employed to detect TRP-induced activation of feeding-related brain sites and of oxytocin (OT) neurons, a crucial component of satiety circuits. Also, expression of OT mRNA was assessed with real-time PCR. The functional importance of OT in mediating TRP-driven hypophagia was substantiated by showing the ability of OT receptor blockade to abolish TRP-induced decrease in feeding. TRP reduced intake of energy-dense standard chow in deprived animals and energy-dense palatable chow in sated mice. Anorexigenic doses of TRP did not cause a CTA. TRP failed to affect intake of palatable yet calorie-dilute or noncaloric solutions (10% sucrose, 4.1% Intralipid or 0.1% saccharin) even for TRP doses that decreased water intake in thirsty mice. Fos analysis revealed that TRP increases activation of several key feeding-related brain areas, especially in the brain stem and hypothalamus. TRP activated hypothalamic OT neurons and increased OT mRNA levels, whereas pretreatment with an OT antagonist abolished TRP-driven hypophagia. We conclude that intragastric TRP decreases food and water intake, and TRP-induced hypophagia is partially mediated via central circuits that encompass OT.
A free essential amino acid, L-tryptophan (TRP), administered through a diet or directly into the gut, decreases food intake by engaging neural mechanisms. The ability of intragastric TRP to cross ...into the general circulation and through the blood-brain barrier, at least partly underlies hypophagia. It is unclear although, whether TRP's anorexigenic effects and accompanying neural processes occur in the absence of the initial action of TRP on the gut mucosa. Here, we addressed this issue by using a fundamental approach of examining effects of intraperitoneally administered TRP on feeding and neuronal activation in rats. We found that 30 mg/kg, intraperitoneal, TRP decreases deprivation-induced intake of standard chow and thirst-driven water intake. A 100 mg/kg dose was necessary to suppress consumption of palatable chow and of sucrose and saccharin solutions in nondeprived animals. Intraperitoneally TRP did not induce a conditioned taste aversion; thus, its anorexigenic effects were unrelated to sickness/malaise. c-Fos mapping in feeding-related brain sites revealed TRP-induced changes in the dorsal vagal complex, hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei and in the basolateral amygdala. TRP enhanced activation of hypothalamic neurons synthesizing an anorexigen, oxytocin (OT). Pharmacological blockade of the OT receptor with a blood-brain barrier -penetrant antagonist, L-368,899, attenuated TRP-induced decrease in deprivation-induced chow intake, but not in thirst-driven water consumption. We conclude that TRP triggers anorexigenic action and underlying neural responses even when it does not directly contact the gut mucosa. TRP requires OT to decrease energy intake, whereas OT is nonobligatory in TRP's effects on drinking behavior.
Urban networks are typically composed of a grid of arterial streets. Optimal control of the traffic signals in the grid system is essential for the effective operation of the network. In this paper, ...we present mathematical programming models for the development of optimal arterial-based progression schemes. Such schemes are widely used for traffic signal control in arterial streets. Under such a scheme, a continuous green band is provided in each direction along the artery at the desired speed of travel to facilitate the movement of through traffic along the arterial. Traditional schemes consist of uniform-width progressions. New approaches generate variable bandwidth progressions in which each directional road section is allocated an individually weighted weighted that can be adapted to the prevailing traffic flows on that link. Mixed-integer linear programming is used for the optimization. Simulation results indicate that this method can produce considerable gains in performance when compared with traditional progression methods. By introducing efficient computational techniques, this method also lends itself to a natural extension for incorporation in a dynamic traffic management system.
•An Asymmetrical Multi-BAND (AM-BAND) model is proposed for signal coordination.•The new model better utilizes available green times in each progression direction.•The proposed AM-BAND model is ...formulated as a mixed-integer linear program.•The AM-BAND model is applied to two arterials and demonstrates superior performance.
MAXBAND and MULTIBAND are two well-recognized methods for arterial signal control. In this paper, an Asymmetrical Multi-BAND (AM-BAND) model is developed by relaxing the symmetrical progression band requirement in MULTIBAND. Such a relaxation allows the AM-BAND model to better utilize the available green times in each direction and to provide additional opportunities for vehicular progression. Similar to MULTIBAND, the proposed AM-BAND model is formulated as a mixed-integer linear program. However, in AM-BAND the green bands in each directional section of the arterials do not have to be symmetrical with respect to the progression line. The performance of the AM-BAND model is evaluated for two arterial network data using the AIMSUN microscopic traffic simulation tool. The optimal signal coordination plans are computed by the IBM CPLEX Optimization Studio and compared with signal timing plans generated by AM-BAND, MULTIBAND, and MAXBAND. Simulation results indicate that the traffic signal coordination plans generated by AM-BAND can provide significant benefits compared to those generated by MAXBAND and MULTIBAND.
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