Conformational properties of inulin, levan and arabinan studied by molecular dynamics simulations.

Inulin, levan and arabinan are the polysaccharides that consist of exclusively furanose units. To date, their conformational features studied at the molecular scale have remained largely unexplained. To tackle this issue, we have performed a series of explicit-solvent molecular dynamics simulations, carried out within the furanose-dedicated force field.

Deciphering the conformational preferences of furanosides. A molecular dynamics study.

Furanoses are an important group of natural saccharides as well as the components of crucial biomolecules such as nucleic acids. Contrary to pyranoses, they exhibit much larger inherent flexibility which amplifies the difficulty in determining their conformational preferences. We carried out a series of molecular dynamics simulations oriented at systematic analysis of conformational properties of unfunctionalized furanose monosaccharides (all members of d-aldopento- and d-aldotetrofuranoses).

A GROMOS Force Field for Furanose-Based Carbohydrates.

The article describes a GROMOS force field parameter set for molecular dynamics simulations of furanose carbohydrates. The proposed united-atom force field is designed and validated with respect to the conformational properties of furanose mono-, di-, oligo-, and polymers in aqueous solvent. The set accounts for the possibility of arbitrary glycosidic linkage connectivity between units, O-alkylation, as well as of different anomery.

Abdominal fluid extravasation during hip arthroscopy.

Hip arthroscopy has gained popularity in recent years as an alternative to open treatment for several conditions including bursitis, acetabular labral tears, synovitis, arthritis, extraction of loose bodies, and femoroacetabular impingement. Complications during hip arthroscopy are rare in the current literature, but reports include venous thromboembolism, peripheral nerve injury, septic arthritis, instrument failure, and various problems associated with joint traction. Extravasation of fluid into the abdomen during hip arthroscopy is another rare but known complication.

Effects of gonadal sex steroids on sexual behavior in the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, upon arousal from hibernation.

Vespertilionid bats are thought to have a dissociated pattern of reproduction; mating occurs in autumn as well as during periodic arousals from hibernation when testes are regressed and ovaries are "in stasis." Sex steroid levels in both sexes are basal at this time. This pattern would indicate that sex steroids per se may not be activating sexual behavior.