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Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a primary cause of dementia in the middle-aged and elderly worldwide. Animal models for AD are widely used to study the disease mechanisms as well as to test potential therapeutic agents for disease modification. Among the non-genetically manipulated neuroinflammation models for AD, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced animal model is commonly used. This review paper aims to discuss the possible factors that influence rats’ response following LPS injection. Factors such as dose of LPS, route of administration, nature and duration of exposure as well as age and gender of animal used should be taken into account when designing a study using LPS-induced memory impairment as model for AD.

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Composite catalysts composed of microporous HZSM-5 and mesoporous MCM-41/SBA-15 molecular sieve materials were synthesized using the seeding method. The mesoporous materials containing pure silica and aluminum were coated on the microporous HZSM-5 zeolite. The catalytic conversion of a mixture of palm-oil-based fatty acids to the liquid fuel containing a gasoline fraction and aromatics was studied over the composite catalysts. The reaction was conducted in a fixed-bed microreactor at a temperature of 723 K and weight hourly space velocity of 2.5 h-1. The maximum conversion of the fatty acids mixture was 98 wt % over the composite catalyst with 30 wt % coating of purely siliceous SBA-15 over HZSM-5. The maximum gasoline fraction yield of 44 wt % was obtained with a 20-wt %-pure-siliceous-MCM-41-coated HZSM-5 composite catalyst. The selectivity for the production of benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) aromatics in the organic liquid product was enhanced over the mesophase aluminum-containing composite catalysts, compared to the mesoporous MCM-41 or microporous HZSM-5 catalysts alone.

Catalytic cracking of palm-oil-based fatty acids mixtures (FAM) and used palm oil (UPO) was performed over composite catalysts (HZSM-5 and MCM-41/ZSM-5). The reaction was studied in the temperature range of 673−723 K and a weight hourly space velocity of WHSV = 2.5−4.5 h-1 in a fixed-bed microreactor. A lumped parameter model was proposed to represent the catalytic cracking kinetics of FAM and UPO. The sequential strategy was used to estimate the lumped kinetic constants for three-, four- and six-lump models. The role of the catalyst in the product distribution was determined from the kinetic model that was proposed. The conversion and yield of different products predicted by the six-lump model showed good agreement with the experimental data.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterised by symptoms of obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus. The pathophysiological mechanisms involved in MetS are complex and involved dysregulation of many biochemical and physiological regulatory mechanisms of the body. Elevated levels of low density lipoproteins like VLDL, and LDL with reduction of HDL seen in patients with MetS contribute to atherogenic dyslipedemia. Melatonin has been suggested to be effective in improving MetS through its anti-hyperlipidemic action. Melatonin reduced both adiposity, and body weight in experimental animal studies and also attenuated weight gain and obesityinduced metabolic alterations and this effect of melatonin is attributed to its anti-oxidative effects. Melatonin administration has been shown to inhibit insulin release by acting through both MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors present in pancreatic β-cells. Melatonin also increased insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in animals fed with either high fat or high sucrose diet. Melatonin exerts most of its beneficial actions by acting through MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors present in various tissues of the body and some of the metabolic actions of melatonin have been blocked by melatonin antagonist like luzindole. Ramelteon, the newly available melatonin agonist will also have more promising role in the control of MetS. The numbers of patents are available with regard to treatment of MetS. Drug related to antidepressant fluoxetine is used for treatment of MetS (US Patent No. 2008001400450). Anti-oxidants like S-adenosyl-methionine, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C have been found beneficial in treating MetS (US Patent No. 8063024). Melatonin being a powerful Antioxidant will have a promising role in treating patients with metabolic syndrome.