It has been claimed that deliberately making errors while studying, even when the correct answers are provided, can enhance memory for the correct answers, a phenomenon termed the derring effect. Such deliberate erring has been shown to outperform other learning techniques, including copying and underlining, elaborative studying with concept mapping, and synonym generation. To date, however, the derring effect has only been demonstrated by a single group of researchers and in a single population of participants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDistal acquired demyelinating symmetric (DADS) neuropathy is a form of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculopathy (CIDP) which can present many risks to patients undergoing anesthesia. There are currently no specific guidelines for the management of patients with any form of CIDP. This case report describes a 65-year-old male with DADS neuropathy who underwent elective total hip arthroplasty.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: In systemic sclerosis (SSc), a persistent tissue repair process leads to progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. The role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which characteristically initiate and regulate tissue repair, has not been fully evaluated. We undertook this study to investigate whether dividing metakaryotic MSCs are present in SSc skin and to examine whether exposure to the disease microenvironment activates MSCs and leads to transdifferentiation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA novel application of intramolecular base catalysis confers enhanced reaction rates for aminolysis ligations between peptide thioesters and peptides bearing N-terminal aspartate or glutamate residues. The broad scope of this process and its application in the total synthesis of the diabetes drug exenatide is demonstrated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is a paucity of chemical matter suitably poised for effective drug development. Improving the quality and efficiency of research early on in the drug discovery process has been a long standing objective for the drug industry and improvements to the accessibility and quality of compound screening decks might have a significant and positive impact. In the absence of specific molecular information that can be modeled and used predicatively we are far from identifying which small molecules are most relevant to emerging biological targets such as protein-protein interactions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Sports Physiol Perform
September 2009
Purpose: The aim of this work was to determine whether the consumption of pre-exercise high- or low-glycemic index (GI) meals has a beneficial effect on time trial performance.
Methods: Eight male cyclists were provided with either a high-GI or low-GI meal, providing 1 g x kg(-1) body mass of carbohydrate, 45 min before performing a 40-km time trial on a Velotron cyclePro.
Results: Time trial performance was significantly improved in the low-GI trial (92.
A novel ligation method for the synthesis of phosphopeptides and peptides is described, which utilises the inherent reactivity of a peptide bearing an N-terminal phosphoserine or phosphothreonine residue to facilitate amide bond formation with a range of C-terminal peptide thioesters.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study investigated the effects of low or high glycaemic index (GI) foods consumed prior to a 40 km time trial (TT) on metabolism and subsequent endurance performance. Ten male cyclists consumed high GI or low GI meals, providing 1 g kg(-1) body mass of carbohydrate, 45 min prior to the TT. The TT performance was significantly (p=0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe screening of a diversity-oriented synthesis library followed by structure-activity relationship investigations have led to the discovery of an anti-MRSA agent which operates as an inhibitor of Staphylococcus aureus dihydrofolate reductase.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThrough the synthesis of a focused library and SAR investigations, a more potent analogue of gemmacin (discovered in a previous diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) campaign), gemmacin B, was discovered.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiversity-oriented synthesis (DOS), which describes the synthesis of structurally diverse collections of small molecules, was developed, in part, to address combinatorial chemistry's shortfalls. In this paper, we hope to give an indication of what can be achieved using the DOS approach to library generation. We describe some of the most successful strategies utilized in DOS, with special focus on our own area of interest; DOS from simple, pluripotent starting materials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiastereomeric 2-methoxycyclopentyl analogues of a natural quorum sensing signaling molecule from Pseudomonas aeruginosa were synthesized and screened in pigment production assays with P. aeruginosa and Serratia strain ATCC39006.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFZ Kinder Jugendpsychiatr Psychother
September 2007
Objectives: Is the FRA a reliable and valid instrument? Are there any gender differences concerning math anxiety? Are there any developmental changes in this regard in the course of the early grades?
Methods: Together with the dyscalculia test TEDI-MATH, the FRA was presented to a total of 450 children from the first to the third grade of primary school (at least 40 girls and 40 boys per semester).
Results: The total scale has an internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) between 0.83 and 0.
Curr Opin Drug Discov Devel
November 2006
The search for new molecular entities in drug discovery and chemical genetic programs requires the screening of high-quality collections of structurally diverse small molecules. The design and synthesis of such collections remains a major challenge to synthetic chemists. Recent strategies and results are presented in the context of the chemical space being interrogated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOver the last decade or so, a wealth of research has established that bacteria communicate with one another using small molecules. These signals enable the individuals in a population to coordinate their behaviour. In the case of pathogens, this behaviour may include decisions such as when to attack a host organism or form a biofilm.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPseudomonas aeruginosa produces the quorum sensing signalling molecule N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (OdDHL). This natural product not only coordinates production of virulence factors by the bacterium, but also has immunomodulatory effects on the host organism. Immunomodulatory small molecules are valuable for immunology research and are potential therapeutics for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and immunosuppressive drugs following organ transplants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProduction of virulence factors and secondary metabolites is regulated in the phytopathogen Erwinia carotovora by quorum sensing involving N-acylated homoserine lactone (AHL) signaling molecules. Non-hydrolyzable AHL analogues were synthesized and screened in vivo. The biological activity of each compound was correlated with its ability to bind Erwinia AHL receptor proteins (LuxR homologues) in vitro.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses N-butyryl-L-homoserine lactone (BHL) and N-(3-oxododecanyl)-L-homoserine lactone (OdDHL) as small molecule intercellular signals in a phenomenon known as quorum sensing (QS). QS modulators are effective at attenuating P. aeruginosa virulence; therefore, they are a potential new class of antibacterial agent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBromopolystyrene beads with diameters of up to 600 microm have been derivatized completely, via bromine-magnesium exchange and interception with electrophiles, to yield high quality solid-supported reagents, scavengers and solid supports for use in diversity-oriented synthesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe crystal structures of anion complexes of two nitroaromatic functionalised isophthalamides are reported; the structures reveal assembly around anions in the solid-state and in the case of the fluoride complex of receptor 2, the formation of a double helix.
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