Precise equilibrium structure determination of thiophene (c-CHS) by rotational spectroscopy-Structure of a five-membered heterocycle containing a third-row atom.

The rotational spectrum of thiophene (c-CHS) has been collected between 8 and 360 GHz. Samples of varying deuterium-enrichment were synthesized to yield all possible deuterium-substituted isotopologues of thiophene. A total of 26 isotopologues have been measured and least-squares fit using A- and S-reduced distorted-rotor Hamiltonians in the I representation.

Rotational Spectra of Three Cyanobutadiene Isomers (CHN) of Relevance to Astrochemistry and Other Harsh Reaction Environments.

Three cyanobutadiene isomers have been synthesized and their rotational spectra analyzed in the 130-375 GHz frequency range. These species, which are close analogues of known interstellar molecules and are isomers of the heterocyclic aromatic molecule pyridine (CHN), offer the opportunity of revealing important insights concerning the chemistry in astronomical environments. The conformers of -1-cyano-1,3-butadiene and -1-cyano-1,3-butadiene are observed, while both the and conformers of 4-cyano-1,2-butadiene are evident in the rotational spectra.

Structure of the zinc-finger antiviral protein in complex with RNA reveals a mechanism for selective targeting of CG-rich viral sequences.

Infection of animal cells by numerous viruses is detected and countered by a variety of means, including recognition of nonself nucleic acids. The zinc finger antiviral protein (ZAP) depletes cytoplasmic RNA that is recognized as foreign in mammalian cells by virtue of its elevated CG dinucleotide content compared with endogenous mRNAs. Here, we determined a crystal structure of a protein-RNA complex containing the N-terminal, 4-zinc finger human (h) ZAP RNA-binding domain (RBD) and a CG dinucleotide-containing RNA target.

Conserved transcriptomic profiles underpin monogamy across vertebrates.

Social monogamy, typically characterized by the formation of a pair bond, increased territorial defense, and often biparental care, has independently evolved multiple times in animals. Despite the independent evolutionary origins of monogamous mating systems, several homologous brain regions and neuropeptides and their receptors have been shown to play a conserved role in regulating social affiliation and parental care, but little is known about the neuromolecular mechanisms underlying monogamy on a genomic scale. Here, we compare neural transcriptomes of reproductive males in monogamous and nonmonogamous species pairs of mice, voles, parid songbirds, dendrobatid frogs, and species of cichlid fishes.

Millimeter-Wave Spectroscopy, X-ray Crystal Structure, and Quantum Chemical Studies of Diketene: Resolving Ambiguities Concerning the Structure of the Ketene Dimer.

The pure rotational spectrum of diketene has been studied in the millimeter-wave region from ∼240 to 360 GHz. For the ground vibrational state and five vibrationally excited satellites (ν, 2ν, 3ν, 4ν, and ν), the observed spectrum allowed for the measurement, assignment, and least-squares fitting a total of more than 10 000 distinct rotational transitions. In each case, the transitions were fit to single-state, complete or near-complete sextic centrifugally distorted rotor models to near experimental error limits using Kisiel's ASFIT.

Lipid accumulation from pinewood pyrolysates by Rhodosporidium diobovatum and Chlorella vulgaris for biodiesel production.

This study evaluated the suitability of pinewood pyrolysates as a carbon source for lipid production and cultivation of the oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium diobovatum and the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris. Thermal decomposition of pinewood and fractional condensation were used to obtain an oil rich in levoglucosan which was upgraded to glucose by acid hydrolysis. Blending of pyrolytic sugars with pure glucose in both nitrogen rich and nitrogen limited conditions was studied for R.

Butanol fermentation from microalgae-derived carbohydrates after ionic liquid extraction.

Lipid extracted algae (LEA) is an attractive feedstock for alcohol fuel production as it is a non-food crop which is largely composed of readily fermented carbohydrates like starch rather than the more recalcitrant lignocellulosic materials currently under intense development. This study compares the suitability of ionic liquid extracted algae (ILEA) and hexane extracted algae (HEA) for acetone, butanol, and ethanol (ABE) fermentation. The highest butanol titers (8.

Deep eutectic solvent pretreatment and subsequent saccharification of corncob.

Ionic liquid (ILs) pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass has attracted broad scientific interest, despite high costs, possible toxicity and energy intensive recycling. An alternative group of ionic solvents with similar physicochemical properties are deep eutectic solvents (DESs). Corncob residues were pretreated with three different DES systems: choline chloride and glycerol, choline chloride and imidazole, choline chloride and urea.

A seminar on gardens for the health of the skin.

This is a report on a seminar held on January 12, 2013, at the Regional Dermatology Training Centre in Tanzania, sponsored by the International Society of Dermatology as part of its Taskforce Program for Skin Care for All: Community Dermatology. There were four themes: (i) Gardens attached to health centers increase their attractiveness and result in increased attendance and, thus, increase the utilization of effective skin care interventions. Literature on the positive effect of greenery surrounding health centers on health and the environment is reviewed.

The effects of exogenous melatonin and melatonin receptor blockade on aggression and estrogen-dependent gene expression in male California mice (Peromyscus californicus).

Photoperiodic regulation of aggression has been well established in several vertebrate species, with rodents demonstrating increased aggression in short day photoperiods as compared to long day photoperiods. Previous work suggests that estrogens regulate aggression via rapid nongenomic pathways in short days and act more slowly in long days, most likely via genomic pathways. The current study therefore examines the role of melatonin in mediating aggression and estrogen-dependent gene transcription.

Sex differences in stress-induced social withdrawal: role of brain derived neurotrophic factor in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis.

Depression and anxiety disorders are more common in women than men, and little is known about the neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to this disparity. Recent data suggest that stress-induced changes in neurotrophins have opposing effects on behavior by acting in different brain networks. Social defeat has been an important approach for understanding neurotrophin action, but low female aggression levels in rats and mice have limited the application of these methods primarily to males.

Nongenomic effects of estradiol on aggression under short day photoperiods.

In several vertebrate species, the effects of estrogens on male aggressive behavior can be modulated by environmental cues. In song sparrows and rodents, estrogens modulate aggression in the nonbreeding season or winter-like short days, respectively. The behavioral effects of estrogens are rapid, which generally is considered indicative of nongenomic processes.

Biotechnological advances on penicillin G acylase: pharmaceutical implications, unique expression mechanism and production strategies.

In light of unrestricted use of first-generation penicillins, these antibiotics are now superseded by their semisynthetic counterparts for augmented antibiosis. Traditional penicillin chemistry involves the use of hazardous chemicals and harsh reaction conditions for the production of semisynthetic derivatives and, therefore, is being displaced by the biosynthetic platform using enzymatic transformations. Penicillin G acylase (PGA) is one of the most relevant and widely used biocatalysts for the industrial production of β-lactam semisynthetic antibiotics.

Sex differences in stress-induced social withdrawal: independence from adult gonadal hormones and inhibition of female phenotype by corncob bedding.

There is compelling evidence for important sex differences in behavioral and hormonal responses to psychosocial stress. Here we examined the effects of gonadal hormones on behavioral responses to social defeat stress in monogamous California mice (Peromyscus californicus). Three episodes of social defeat induced social withdrawal in intact females but not males.

Recent advances in bioprocessing application of membrane chromatography.

Compared to traditional chromatography using resins in packed-bed columns, membrane chromatography is a relatively new and immature bioseparation technology based on the integration of membrane filtration and liquid chromatography into a single-stage operation. Over the past decades, advances in membrane chemistry have yielded novel membrane devices with high binding capacities and improved mass transfer properties, significantly increasing the bioprocessing efficiency for purification of biomolecules. Due to the disposable nature, low buffer consumption, and reduced equipment costs, membrane chromatography can significantly reduce downstream bioprocessing costs.

Integrated development of an effective bioprocess for extracellular production of penicillin G acylase in Escherichia coli and its subsequent one-step purification.

An integrated bioprocess for effective production and purification of penicillin G acylase (PAC) was developed. PAC was overexpressed in a genetically engineered Escherichia coli strain, secreted into the cultivation medium, harvested, and purified in a single step by anion-exchange chromatography. The cultivation medium developed in this study had a sufficiently low conductivity to allow direct application of the extracellular fraction to the anion-exchange chromatography column while providing all of the required nutrients for sustaining cell growth and PAC overexpression.

Simultaneous clarification of Escherichia coli culture and purification of extracellularly produced penicillin G acylase using tangential flow filtration and anion-exchange membrane chromatography (TFF-AEMC).

Downstream purification often represents the most cost-intensive step in the manufacturing of recombinant proteins since conventional purification processes are lengthy, technically complicated, and time-consuming. To address this issue, herein we demonstrated the simultaneous clarification and purification of the extracellularly produced recombinant protein by Escherichia coli using an integrated system of tangential flow filtration and anion exchange membrane chromatography (TFF-AEMC). After cultivation in a bench-top bioreactor with 1L working volume using the developed host/vector system for high-level expression and effective secretion of recombinant penicillin G acylase (PAC), the whole culture broth was applied directly to the established system.

Developing an extended genomic engineering approach based on recombineering to knock-in heterologous genes to Escherichia coli genome.

Most existing genomic engineering protocols for manipulation of Escherichia coli are primarily focused on chromosomal gene knockout. In this study, a simple but systematic chromosomal gene knock-in method was proposed based on a previously developed protocol using bacteriophage λ (λ Red) and flippase-flippase recognition targets (FLP-FRT) recombinations. For demonstration purposes, DNA operons containing heterologous genes (i.

Educating women about breast cancer. An intervention for women with a family history of breast cancer.

Objective: To evaluate an "information aid" for women with a family history of breast cancer.

Design: Before-after descriptive study.

Setting: Family practices in Ontario.

Self-help groups: oncology nurses' perspectives.

During the past decade in North America, the number of self-help groups for cancer patients has grown dramatically. Nurses' knowledge and attitudes about self-help groups could influence their practice behaviours and the information they provide to cancer patients. However, little is known about oncology nurses' views regarding self-help groups.

Canadian family physicians and prostate cancer: a national survey.

A sample of family physicians was randomly selected from the membership database of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). Potential respondents were mailed a survey questionnaire, and a modified Dillman approach was utilized. A total of 964 completed questionnaires were received, providing a response rate of 50.