A natural food ingredient based on ergosterol: optimization of the extraction from Agaricus blazei, evaluation of bioactive properties and incorporation in yogurts.

In recent years, mycosterols have emerged as potential functional ingredients for the development of sterol-enriched food products and dietary supplements. Agaricus blazei is a mushroom rich in bioactive compounds. For commercial purposes, their fruiting bodies must obey rigid morphological criteria.

Copaiba Oil Decreases Oxidative Stress and Inflammation But not Colon Damage in Rats with TNBS-Induced Colitis.

Background: TNBS-induced colitis is an experimental immunopathology in rats that shares many features with human inflammatory bowel diseases. Copaiba oleoresin is extracted from plants of the genus Copaifera and is shown to reduce inflammation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the action of copaiba oil (C.

Immobilization of Aspergillus awamori β-glucosidase on commercial gelatin: An inexpensive and efficient process.

In this work, a β-glucosidase of Aspergillus awamori with a molecular weight of 180 kDa was produced in solid-state cultures using a mixture of pineapple crown leaves and wheat bran. Maximum production of the enzyme (820 ± 30 U/g substrate) was obtained after 8 days of culture at 28 °C and initial moisture of 80%. The crude enzyme was efficiently immobilized on glutaraldehyde cross-linked commercial gelatin.

Descriptive Analysis of Right and Left-sided Traumatic Diaphragmatic Injuries; Case Series from a Single Institution.

Objective: To investigate the presentation, management and outcomes of left and right-sided traumatic diaphragmatic injury (TDI) in a single level I trauma center.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted during a 7-year period from 2008 to 2015 in a level I trauma center in Qatar. We included all the patients who presented with TDIs during the study period.

Are Polydrug Users More Physically and Verbally Aggressive? An Assessment of Aggression Among Mono- Versus Polydrug Users in a University Sample.

Early research has revealed that patterns of aggression and antisocial behavior are present among polydrug users. Often missing from this discourse is the examination of whether polydrug users are quantitatively different from monodrug users in their use of aggression. Theoretical perspectives are often centered on the psychopharmacological effects of substance use on behavior.

The Multiplicative Complexity of 6-variable Boolean Functions.

The multiplicative complexity of a Boolean function is the minimum number of two-input AND gates that are necessary and sufficient to implement the function over the basis (AND, XOR, NOT). Finding the multiplicative complexity of a given function is computationally intractable, even for functions with small number of inputs. Turan et al.

Improved upper bounds for the expected circuit complexity of dense systems of linear equations over GF(2).

Minimizing the Boolean circuit implementation of a given cryptographic function is an important issue. A number of papers [1], [2], [3], [4] only consider cancellation-free straight-line programs for producing small circuits over GF(2). Cancellation is allowed by the Boyar-Peralta ( ) heuristic [5, 6].

Alcohol Screening in a National Referral Hospital: An Observational Study from Qatar.

BACKGROUND Alcohol consumption is a high-risk factor for several medical disorders and traffic accidents and poses a burden on outpatient clinics and emergency units. We aimed to assess the pattern of alcohol screening among patients in a multicultural setting in a national referral hospital in an Arab Middle-Eastern country. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted for patients who were screened with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in the Emergency Department (ED) in the period from January 2009 to December 2012.

Actions of p-synephrine on hepatic enzyme activities linked to carbohydrate metabolism and ATP levels in vivo and in the perfused rat liver.

p-Synephrine is one of the main active components of the fruit of Citrus aurantium (bitter orange). Extracts of the bitter orange and other preparations containing p-synephrine have been used worldwide to promote weight loss and for sports performance. The purpose of the study was to measure the action of p-synephrine on hepatic enzyme activities linked to carbohydrate and energy metabolism and the levels of adenine mononucleotides.

Second-Sphere Effects in Dinuclear FeZn Hydrolase Biomimetics: Tuning Binding and Reactivity Properties.

Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of two dinuclear FeZn complexes [FeZnLP1] (1) and [FeZnLP2] (2), in which LP1 and LP2 are conjugated systems containing one and two pyrene groups, respectively, connected via the diamine -HN(CH)NH- spacer to the well-known NO-donor HL ligand (HL = 2-bis{[(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]-6-[(2-hydroxybenzyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)]aminomethyl}-4-methylphenol). The complex [FeZnL1] (3), in which HL was modified to HL1, with a carbonyl group attached to the terminal phenol group, was included in this study for comparison purposes. Both complexes 1 and 2 were satisfactorily characterized in the solid state and in solution.

The Association between Heavy Episodic Drinking and Gender Orientation among U.S. College Students: The Significance of Masculinity.

Background: Heavy episodic drinking (HED) remains a public health concern among college students. Sex differences are routinely reported in the literature although some evidence of convergence in drinking patterns has been observed. The association between sex and gender-orientation in HED remains unclear because sex and gender are often conflated.

An unusual case of transpelvic impalement injury: A case-report.

Introduction: Impalement injury is a rare type of mechanical injury following forceful insertion of projecting object into the body. Careful planning for removal of the impaling object is essential to decrease the blood loss and preserve the function of the injured organ.

Presentation Of Case: A 27 year-old male fell from 4m height over a U shaped projecting up metallic bar.

A Near-Optimal Algorithm to Count Occurrences of Subsequences of a Given Length.

For ∈ ℤ, define Σ as the set of integers {0, 1, …, - 1}. Given an integer and a string of length ≥ over Σ , we count the number of times that each one of the distinct strings of length n over Σ occurs as a subsequence of . Our algorithm makes only one scan of and solves the problem in time complexity and space complexity + .

Development of a technique for psyllium husk mucilage purification with simultaneous microencapsulation of curcumin.

This study focused on evaluating a technique for the psyllium husk mucilage (PHM) purification with simultaneous microencapsulation of curcumin. PHM was extracted with water and purified with ethanol. For the mucilage purification and simultaneous microencapsulation, an ethanolic solution of curcumin was used.

Synthesis and characterization of Fe(μ-OH)Zn complexes: effects of a second coordination sphere and increase in the chelate ring size on the hydrolysis of a phosphate diester and DNA.

The synthesis and characterization of three ligands and their respective heterobinuclear FeZn complexes were carried out, with the goal of mimicking the active site of purple acid phosphatases (PAPs). The ligand 2-hydroxy-3-(((2-hydroxy-5-methyl-3-(((2-(pyridin-2-yl)ethyl)(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)methyl)benzyl)(pyridin-2ylmethyl)amino)methyl)-5-methylbenzaldehyde (HL) was synthesized and its complex (FeZnL) was used as a basis for comparison with similar complexes previously published in the literature. Subsequent modifications were conducted in the aldehyde group, where 1,2-ethanediamine and 1,4-diaminobutane were used as side chain derivatives.

Effects of in vitro digestion and in vitro colonic fermentation on stability and functional properties of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St. Hil.) beverages.

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a plant that grows naturally in South America. From its leaves and thin stems different kinds of beverages are prepared (chimarrão, tererê and tea mate), all of them rich in bioactive substances. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation on the stability of the polyphenols and on the antioxidant, antimicrobial and antitumoral activities of the yerba mate beverages.

Modeling the dynamics of chromosomal alteration progression in cervical cancer: A computational model.

Computational modeling has been applied to simulate the heterogeneity of cancer behavior. The development of Cervical Cancer (CC) is a process in which the cell acquires dynamic behavior from non-deleterious and deleterious mutations, exhibiting chromosomal alterations as a manifestation of this dynamic. To further determine the progression of chromosomal alterations in precursor lesions and CC, we introduce a computational model to study the dynamics of deleterious and non-deleterious mutations as an outcome of tumor progression.

Clinical and Radiological Presentations and Management of Blunt Splenic Trauma: A Single Tertiary Hospital Experience.

BACKGROUND Splenic injury is the leading cause of major bleeding after blunt abdominal trauma. We examined the clinical and radiological presentations, management, and outcome of blunt splenic injuries (BSI) in our institution. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective study of BSI patients between 2011 and 2014 was conducted.

The metabolic effects of diuron in the rat liver.

A systematic study on the effects of diuron on the hepatic metabolism was conducted with emphasis on parameters linked to energy metabolism. The experimental system was the isolated perfused rat liver. The results demonstrate that diuron inhibited biosynthesis (gluconeogenesis) and ammonia detoxification, which are dependent of ATP generated within the mitochondria.

Distribution, lipid-bilayer affinity and kinetics of the metabolic effects of dinoseb in the liver.

Dinoseb is a highly toxic pesticide of the dinitrophenol group. Its use has been restricted, but it can still be found in soils and waters in addition to being a component of related pesticides that, after ingestion by humans or animals, can originate the compound by enzymatic hydrolysis. As most dinitrophenols, dinoseb uncouples oxidative phosphorylation.

Single Versus Multiple Solid Organ Injuries Following Blunt Abdominal Trauma.

Background: We aimed to describe the pattern of solid organ injuries (SOIs) and analyze the characteristics, management and outcomes based on the multiplicity of SOIs.

Methods: A retrospective study in a Level 1 trauma center was conducted and included patients admitted with blunt abdominal trauma between 2011 and 2014. Data were analyzed and compared for patients with single versus multiple SOIs.

Recruitment of racial/ethnic minority older adults through community sites for focus group discussions.

Background: Despite a body of evidence on racial/ethnic minority enrollment and retention in research, literature specifically focused on recruiting racially/ethnically diverse older adults for social science studies is limited. There is a need for more rigorous research on methodological issues and the efficacy of recruitment methods. Cultural obstacles to recruitment of racial/ethnic minority older adults include language barriers, lack of cultural sensitivity of target communities on the part of researchers, and culturally inappropriate assessment tools.

Inhibition of -Amylases by Condensed and Hydrolysable Tannins: Focus on Kinetics and Hypoglycemic Actions.

The aim of the present study was to compare the in vitro inhibitory effects on the salivary and pancreatic -amylases and the in vivo hypoglycemic actions of the hydrolysable tannin from Chinese natural gall and the condensed tannin from The human salivary -amylase was more strongly inhibited by the hydrolysable than by the condensed tannin, with the concentrations for 50% inhibition (IC) being 47.0 and 285.4 M, respectively.

A reappraisal of the proposed metabolic and antioxidant actions of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in the liver.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was investigated for its metabolic actions in the perfused rat liver. Contrary to what is expected from an uncoupler, BHT up to 500 μM did not stimulate oxygen uptake nor did it inhibit gluconeogenesis from lactate. Transformation of fructose into glucose was also not affected by BHT; only lactate production was slightly increased at the concentration of 100 μM.

Cardiovascular and Metabolic Effects of ANGPTL3 Antisense Oligonucleotides.

Background: Epidemiologic and genomewide association studies have linked loss-of-function variants in ANGPTL3, encoding angiopoietin-like 3, with low levels of plasma lipoproteins.

Methods: We evaluated antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting Angptl3 messenger RNA (mRNA) for effects on plasma lipid levels, triglyceride clearance, liver triglyceride content, insulin sensitivity, and atherosclerosis in mice. Subsequently, 44 human participants (with triglyceride levels of either 90 to 150 mg per deciliter [1.