Engineering of family-5 glycoside hydrolase (Cel5A) from an uncultured bacterium for efficient hydrolysis of cellulosic substrates.

Cel5A, an endoglucanase, was derived from the metagenomic library of vermicompost. The deduced amino acid sequence of Cel5A shows high sequence homology with family-5 glycoside hydrolases, which contain a single catalytic domain but no distinct cellulose-binding domain. Random mutagenesis and cellulose-binding module (CBM) fusion approaches were successfully applied to obtain properties required for cellulose hydrolysis.

Incidence of Osteoporosis and Falls and Predictors of Fracture Risk in Postmenopausal Women.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of osteoporosis and falls and their consequences, and to identify predictors of fracture risk in the postmenopausal women.

Methods: A total of 687 postmenopausal women were recruited through a stratified convenience sampling. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain osteoporosis and fall history and details of their most recent fall.

[Depression of married and employed women based on social-role theory].

Purpose: This study was based on social-role theory, and purposes were to investigate (1) how depression and health determinants vary with married and employed women, and (2) what factors contribute to depression according to family cycle.

Methods: A stratified convenience sample of 765 married and employed women was recruited during May to August 2010. Study variables of depression, socio-demographic threatening factors, psycho-stimulating factors, and social-role related factors were measured via a structured questionnaire.

Student Experience and Satisfaction with Clinical Nursing Practice in Women's Health Nursing.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify students' experiences of performance and their satisfaction with clinical nursing practice in Women's health nursing.

Methods: Data was collected using questionnaire consisting of 104; 89,; and 82 nursing activities with 12; 10; and 7 domains for delivery floor, obstetric, and gynecologic wards retrospectively. Five hundred ninety nursing students from 10 four year and one three year colleges, were recruited and selected for data collection.

Combinatorial expression of bacterial whole mevalonate pathway for the production of beta-carotene in E. coli.

The increased synthesis of building blocks of IPP (isopentenyl diphosphate) and DMAPP (dimethylallyl diphosphate) through metabolic engineering is a way to enhance the production of carotenoids. Using E. coli as a host, IPP and DMAPP supply can be increased significantly through the introduction of foreign MVA (mevalonate) pathway into it.

Directing vanillin production from ferulic acid by increased acetyl-CoA consumption in recombinant Escherichia coli.

The amplification of gltA gene encoding citrate synthase of TCA cycle was required for the efficient conversion of acetyl-CoA, generated during vanillin production from ferulic acid, to CoA, which is essential for vanillin production. Vanillin of 1.98 g/L was produced from the E.

Differential selectivity of the Escherichia coli cell membrane shifts the equilibrium for the enzyme-catalyzed isomerization of galactose to tagatose.

An Escherichia coli galactose kinase gene knockout (DeltagalK) strain, which contains the l-arabinose isomerase gene (araA) to isomerize d-galactose to d-tagatose, showed a high conversion yield of tagatose compared with the original galK strain because galactose was not metabolized by endogenous galactose kinase. In whole cells of the DeltagalK strain, the isomerase-catalyzed reaction exhibited an equilibrium shift toward tagatose, producing a tagatose fraction of 68% at 37 degrees C, whereas the purified l-arabinose isomerase gave a tagatose equilibrium fraction of 36%. These equilibrium fractions are close to those predicted from the measured equilibrium constants of the isomerization reaction catalyzed in whole cells and by the purified enzyme.

Effects of heme oxygenase-1 inducer and inhibitor on experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis.

Purpose: Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) is an animal model of posterior uveitis and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a well-known anti-oxidant factor. However, there is no report a protective role of HO-1 on EAU in vivo. To verify that HO-1 is induced in EAU by interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP), that an HO-1 inducers ameliorates the associated inflammation, and that an HO-1 inhibitor exacerbates this inflammation.

An update on microbial carotenoid production: application of recent metabolic engineering tools.

Carotenoids are ubiquitous pigments synthesized by plants, fungi, algae, and bacteria. Industrially, carotenoids are used in pharmaceuticals, neutraceuticals, and animal feed additives, as well as colorants in cosmetics and foods. Scientific interest in dietary carotenoids has increased in recent years because of their beneficial effects on human health, such as lowering the risk of cancer and enhancement of immune system function, which are attributed to their antioxidant potential.

Post-translational modification of crystallins in vitreous body from experimental autoimmune uveitis of rats.

Experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) is a well-known animal model of posterior uveitis that is one of the major causes of blindness. EAU could be induced in susceptible animals (i.e.

Enhanced vanillin production from recombinant E. coli using NTG mutagenesis and adsorbent resin.

Vanillin production was tested with different concentrations of added ferulic acid in E. coli harboring plasmid pTAHEF containing fcs (feruloyl-CoA synthase) and ech (enoyl-CoA hydratase/aldolase) genes cloned from Amycolatopsis sp. strain HR104.

Increased beta-carotene production in recombinant Escherichia coli harboring an engineered isoprenoid precursor pathway with mevalonate addition.

When pT-LYCm4 containing lycopene synthetic genes was co-transformed with pSUcrtY or pSHcrtY containing crtY gene of Pantoea ananatis (P. ananatis) or Pantoea agglomerans (P. agglomerans), beta-carotene productions of 36 and 35 mg/L were obtained, respectively.

Characterization of ribose-5-phosphate isomerase of Clostridium thermocellum producing D-allose from D-psicose.

The rpiB gene, encoding ribose-5-phosphate isomerase (RpiB) from Clostridium thermocellum, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. RpiB converted D-psicose into D-allose but it did not convert D-xylose, L-rhamnose, D-altrose or D-galactose. The production of D-allose by RpiB was maximal at pH 7.

Engineering the lycopene synthetic pathway in E. coli by comparison of the carotenoid genes of Pantoea agglomerans and Pantoea ananatis.

The lycopene synthetic pathway was engineered in Escherichia coli using the carotenoid genes (crtE, crtB, and crtI) of Pantoea agglomerans and Pantoea ananatis. E. coli harboring the P.

Identification of crystallin family proteins in vitreous body in rat endotoxin-induced uveitis: Involvement of crystallin truncation in uveitis pathogenesis.

Endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) is an animal model of acute ocular inflammation. To characterize the mechanism of EIU, we analyzed the infiltration of proteins in the vitreous bodies of rats with EIU and normal rats using 2-DE and micro LC/LC-MS/MS. Twenty spots were identified in vitreous bodies of rats.

Enhanced lycopene production in Escherichia coli engineered to synthesize isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate from mevalonate.

To increase expression of lycopene synthetic genes crtE, crtB, crtI, and ipiHP1, the four exogenous genes were cloned into a high copy pTrc99A vector with a strong trc promoter. Recombinant Escherichia coli harboring pT-LYCm4 produced 17 mg/L of lycopene. The mevalonate lower pathway, composed of mvaK1, mvaK2, mvaD, and idi, was engineered to produce pSSN12Didi for an efficient supply of the lycopene building blocks, isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP).

Production of vanillin by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli.

E. coli was metabolically engineered to produce vanillin by expression of the fcs and ech genes from Amycolatopsis sp. encoding feruloyl-CoA synthetase and enoyl-CoA hydratase/aldolase, respectively.

Antibacterial effect of Phellinus linteus against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Methanol extract and its fractions (CHCl3, n-BuOH and H2O) of the fruit body of Phellinus linteus mushroom were investigated for antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The n-BuOH fraction showed a good antibacterial activity (MIC, 63-125 microg/ml) against all tested strains.

[Morphological Observations On Clonorchis Sinensis Obtained From Rats Treated With Praziquantel].

The present study was undertaken to observe the morphological changes of Clonorchis sinensis obtained from experimentally infected rats treated with praziquantel (Biltricide) which is a new anthelmintic agent with high activity against a broad spectrum of cestode and trematode species. For this study, the rats were infected experimentally with about 50 metacercariae of C. sinensis and were given praziquantel a single dose of 600 mg per kg of body weight at 5 weeks after infection.

Effect Of Oxantel/pyrantel Pamoate Tablets Against Intestinal Nematodes In Korea.

A total of 48 subjects harbouring Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm and/or Enterobius vermicularis were treated with oxantel/pyrantel pamoate tablets (100 mg of each) in a single dose of 20 mg base per kg of body weight. In all 37 cases of A. lumbricoides and 8 cases of A.