We report on an excellent anode-supported H(+) -SOFC material system using a triple conducting (H(+) /O(2-) /e(-) ) oxide (TCO) as a cathode material for H(+) -SOFCs. Generally, mixed ionic (O(2-) ) and electronic conductors (MIECs) have been selected as the cathode material of H(+) -SOFCs. In an H(+) -SOFC system, however, MIEC cathodes limit the electrochemically active sites to the interface between the proton conducting electrolyte and the cathode. New approaches to the tailoring of cathode materials for H(+) -SOFCs should therefore be considered. TCOs can effectively extend the electrochemically active sites from the interface between the cathode and the electrolyte to the entire surface of the cathode. The electrochemical performance of NBSCF/BZCYYb/BZCYYb-NiO shows excellent long term stability for 500 h at 1023 K with high power density of 1.61 W cm(-2) .

Recent findings have demonstrated that the branchedchain amino acid leucine can activate the translational regulators, phosphorylated heat-and acid-stable protein regulated by insulin (PHAS-I) and p70 S6 kinase (p70 s6k ), in an insulin-independent and rapamycin-sensitive manner through mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), although the mechanism for this activation is undefined. It has been previously established that leucine-induced insulin secretion by ␤-cells involves increased mitochondrial metabolism by oxidative decarboxylation and allosteric activation of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). We now show that these same intramitochondrial events that generate signals for leucine-induced insulin exocytosis are required to activate the mTOR mitogenic signaling pathway by ␤-cells. Thus, a minimal model consisting of leucine and glutamine as substrates for oxidative decarboxylation and an activator of GDH, respectively, confirmed the requirement for these two metabolic components and mimicked closely the synergistic interactions achieved by a complete complement of amino acids to activate p70 s6k in a rapamycinsensitive manner. Studies using various leucine analogs also confirmed the close association of mitochondrial metabolism and the ability of leucine analogs to activate p70 s6k . Furthermore, selective inhibitors of mitochondrial function blocked this activation in a reversible manner, which was not associated with a global reduction in ATP levels. These findings indicate that leucine at physiological concentrations stimulates p70 s6k phosphorylation via the mTOR pathway, in part, by serving both as a mitochondrial fuel and an allosteric activator of GDH. Leucine-mediated activation of protein translation through mTOR may contribute to enhanced ␤-cell function by stimulating growth-related protein synthesis and proliferation associated with the maintenance of ␤-cell mass. Diabetes 50:353-360, 2001

Cytokines released by both T lymphocytes and activated macrophages, in particular interleukin-1 (IL-1), have been implicated as immunological effector molecules that both inhibit insulin secretion from the pancreatic beta cell and induce beta-cell destruction. Recent findings have demonstrated that production of the free radical nitric oxide (NO), resulting from the expression of the cytokine-inducible isoform of NO synthase (iNOS), mediates these deleterious effects. The cellular mechanism responsible for inhibition of beta-cell function and destruction by NO involves, in part, inactivation of enzymes specifically localized to the beta-cell mitochondria that contain iron- sulfur centers or clusters. Intraislet release of IL-1 also inhibits beta-cell function by this same cellular mechanism involving the overproduction of NO. In addition, the cytokine, IL-1, induces the co-expression of both iNOS and the cytokine-inducible isoform of cyclooxygenase, COX-2. The expression of COX-2 results in the overproduction of the proinflammatory prostaglandins and thromboxanes. Furthermore, NO produced by iNOS directly stimulates the activities of both constitutive and inducible isoforms of COX, further augmenting the overproduction of these proinflammatory mediators, NO and prostaglandins, which may be important in initiating or maintaining the inflammatory response and destruction of the beta cell associated with autoimmune diabetes.

Amino acids have been identified as important signaling molecules involved in pancreatic ␤-cell proliferation, although the cellular mechanism responsible for this effect is not well defined. We previously reported that amino acids are required for glucose or exogenous insulin to stimulate phosphorylation of PHAS-I (phosphorylated heat-and acid-stable protein regulated by insulin), a recently discovered regulator of translation initiation during cell mitogenesis. Here we demonstrate that essential amino acids, in particular branched-chain amino acids (leucine, valine, and isoleucine), are largely responsible for mediating this effect. The transamination product of leucine, ␣-ketoisocaproic acid, also stimulates PHAS-I phosphorylation although the transamination products of isoleucine and valine are ineffective. Since amino acids are secretagogues for insulin secretion by ␤-cells, we investigated whether endogenous insulin secreted by ␤-cells is involved. Interestingly, branched-chain amino acids stimulate phosphorylation of PHAS-I independent of endogenous insulin secretion since genistein (10 M) and herbimycin A (1 M), two tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the insulin signaling pathway, exert no effect on amino acid-induced phosphorylation of PHAS-I. Furthermore, branched-chain amino acids retain their ability to induce phosphorylation of PHAS-I under conditions that block insulin secretion from ␤-cells. In exploring the signaling pathway responsible for these effects, we find that rapamycin (25 nM) inhibits the ability of branched-chain amino acids to stimulate the phosphorylation of PHAS-I and p70 s6 kinase, suggesting that the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway is involved. The branched-chain amino acid, leucine, also exerts similar effects on PHAS-I phosphorylation in isolated pancreatic islets. In addition, we find that amino acids are necessary for insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) to stimulate the phosphorylation of PHAS-I indicating that a requirement for amino acids may be essential for other ␤-cell growth factors in addition to insulin and IGF-I to activate this signaling pathway. We propose that amino acids, in particular branched-chain amino acids, may promote ␤-cell proliferation either by stimulating phosphorylation of PHAS-I and p70 s6k via the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway and/or by facilitating the proliferative effect mediated by growth factors such as insulin and IGF-I.

Autoimmune diabetes is characterized by an early infiltration of lymphocytes into and around islets, which is followed by selective destruction of the insulin-secreting beta-cell. Cytokines released during this inflammatory reaction have been implicated as effector molecules which mediate beta-cell destruction. In vitro treatment of rat islets with the cytokine IL-1 beta results in an inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion that is mediated by the overproduction of nitric oxide. IL-1 beta also stimulates the production of the cyclooxygenase (COX) product prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). In this study we have examined the effects of IL-1 beta on both inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and inducible cyclooxygenase (iCOX) expression, and the direct effects of nitric oxide on the activity of COX. Treatment of rat islets with 5 units/mL IL-1 beta induces a similar time-dependent production of both nitrite and PGE2. IL-1 beta-induced nitrite and PGE2 production is attenuated by the NOS inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (NMMA), but NMMA has no inhibitory effect on the expression of either iCOX or iNOS as determined by immunoprecipitation. Actinomycin D prevents IL-1 beta-induced iCOX and iNOS expression and the production of both nitrite and PGE2 by islets, suggesting that mRNA transcription is required for IL-1 beta-induced expression of both iNOS and iCOX. The effects of exogenous arachidonic acid on both constitutive COX (cCOX) and iCOX activity were also investigated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)