Beverage specific alcohol intake in a population-based study: Evidence for a positive association between pulmonary function and wine intake

Background  

Lung function is a strong predictor of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Previous studies suggest that alcohol exposure may be linked to impaired pulmonary function through oxidant-antioxidant mechanisms. Alcohol may be an important source of oxidants; however, wine contains several antioxidants. In this study we analyzed the relation of beverage specific alcohol intake with forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC) in a random sample of 1555 residents of Western New York, USA.     

Two fatty acids can replace one phospholipid in condensed complexes with cholesterol

We report that the monolayer phase diagram for binary mixtures of dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DMPE) and dihydrocholesterol (DChol) is largely unchanged when each phospholipid molecule is replaced by two myristic acid (MA) molecules or various mixtures of the lysophospholipid and myristic acid. The corresponding phase diagrams all show the formation of "condensed complexes" of DChol and lipid. The condensed complex stoichiometry is thus largely determined by the C14 fatty acid acyl chains, in this case about 4-4.6 per DChol molecule.     

Solution structure of Vps27 UIM-ubiquitin complex important for endosomal sorting and receptor downregulation

Monoubiquitylation is a well-characterized signal for the internalization and sorting of integral membrane proteins to distinct cellular organelles. Recognition and transmission of monoubiquitin signals is mediated by a variety of ubiquitin-binding motifs such as UIM, UBA, UEV, VHS and CUE in endocytic proteins. The yeast Vps27 protein requires two UIMs for efficient interactions with ubiquitin and for sorting cargo into multivesicular bodies. Here we show that the individual UIMs of Vps27 exist as autonomously folded alpha-helices that bind ubiquitin independently, non-cooperatively and with modest affinity. The Vps27 N-terminal UIM engages the Leu8-Ile44-Val70 hydrophobic patch of ubiquitin through a helical surface conserved in UIMs of diverse proteins, including that of the S5a proteasomal regulatory subunit. The Leu8-Ile44-Val70 ubiquitin surface is also the site of interaction for CUE and UBA domains in endocytic proteins, consistent with the view that ubiquitin-binding endocytic proteins act serially on the same monoubiquitylated cargo during transport from cell surface to the lysosome.     

Testicular fine needle aspiration cytology for the diagnosis of azoospermia and oligospermia

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate qualitative and quantitative cytologic features on testicular fine needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of azoospermia and oligospermia and to correlate cytologic and histologic diagnoses. STUDY DESIGN: In this prospective study, 50 infertile males selected from the infertility clinic of Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital were studied. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) smears from both testes of 27 azoospermic and 23 oligospermic patients (sperm count < 10 million per milliliter) were stained with May-Grünwald-Giemsa and Papanicolaou stain. Differential counting of 500 spermatogenic cells was done, and the number of Sertoli cells per 500 germ cells was determined for calculating the spermatic index and Sertoli cell index, respectively. FNAC and testicular biopsy were performed under local anesthesia as a minor surgical procedure. RESULTS: Six groups were identified on FNAC smears from azoospermic patients: I. normal spermatogenesis (8), II. hypospermatogenesis (2), III. maturation arrest (2), IV. Sertoli cells only (6), V. atrophic pattern (7), and VI. Leydig cell predominance (2). In oligospermic patients two groups were identified: I. those with normal spermatogenesis (4), and II. those with subnormal spermatogenesis (19). Correlation with histopathologic examination was seen in 81.5% azoospermic and 65.2% oligospermic patients. CONCLUSION: Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of testicular FNAC provides useful information on both azoospermic and oligospermic patients. FNAC performed under local anesthesia is an acceptable outpatient procedure that consistently yields sufficient diagnostic material in all patients.     

Chemical shift as a probe of molecular interfaces: NMR studies of DNA binding by the three amino-terminal zinc finger domains from transcription factor IIIA

We report the NMR resonance assignments for a macromolecular protein/DNA complex containing the three amino-terminal zinc fingers (92 amino acid residues) of Xenopus laevis TFIIIA (termed zf1-3) bound to the physiological DNA target (15 base pairs), and for the free DNA. Comparisons are made of the chemical shifts of protein backbone¹ H^N, ¹⁵N,¹³ C and¹³ C and DNA base and sugar protons of the free and bound species. Chemical shift changes are analyzed in the context of the structures of the zf1-3/DNA complex to assess the utility of chemical shift change as a probe of molecular interfaces. Chemical shift perturbations that occur upon binding in the zf1-3/DNA complex do not correspond directly to the structural interface, but rather arise from a number of direct and indirect structural and dynamic effects.     

Isolation and characterization of plant growth-promoting strain Pantoea NII-186. From Western Ghat Forest soil, India

Aims:  To isolate plant growth-promoting bacterium from Western Ghat forests in India.
Methods and Results:  A Gram-negative, rod shaped, cream white coloured strain Pantoea NII-186 isolated from Western Ghat soil sample. The taxonomic position of the bacterium was confirmed by sequencing of 16S rRNA and phylogenetic analysis. A strain grew at a wide range of temperature ranging from 5–40°C, but optimum growth was observed at 28–30°C. It showed multiple plant growth-promoting attributes such as phosphate solubilization activity, indole acetic acid (IAA) production, siderophore production and HCN production. It was able to solubilize (28 μg of Ca₃PO₄ ml⁻¹ day⁻¹), and produce IAA (59 μg) at 28°C. The solubilization of insoluble phosphate was associates with a drop in the pH of the culture medium. Pantoea sp. NII-186 tolerate to different environmental stresses like 5–40°C, 0–7% salt concentration and 4–12 pH range.
Conclusions:  The 16S rRNA gene sequence confirmed that the isolate NII-186 was belongs to Pantoea genus and showed considerable differences in physiological properties with previously reported species of this genus. Isolate NII-186 possessed multiple attributes of plant growth-promoting activity.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  Hence in the context it is proposed that Pantoea sp. NII-186, could be deployed as an inoculant to attain the desired plant growth-promoting activity in agricultural environment.     

Comparing Glaucoma Progression on 24-2 and 10-2 Visual Field Examinations

PurposeTo compare the rate of mean deviation (MD) change on 24-2 versus 10-2 VFs in treated glaucomatous eyes with 5 or more examinations.MethodsIn a retrospective study, 24-2 and 10-2 VFs of 131 glaucoma patients (167 eyes) who had undergone at least 5 VFs examinations during their follow-up were analyzed. All these patients had VF defects both on 24-2 and 10-2 VFs. Rates of MD change were calculated using best linear unbiased predictions (BLUP).ResultsMedian age, MD on 24-2 VF at baseline, number of VFs performed during follow-up and follow-up duration were 55 years, -16.9 dB, 9 and 9 years respectively. Median rate of MD change was significantly greater (p<0.001) on 10-2 VF (-0.26 dB/year; interquartile range [IQR]: -0.47, -0.11) compared to 24-2 VFs (-0.19 dB/year; IQR: -0.41, -0.03). Comparing the rates of MD change in eyes with different severities of VF loss (early [MD better than -6 dB], moderate [-6 dB to -12 dB], advanced [-12 to -20 dB] and severe [MD worse than -20 dB]) at baseline (based on the MD on 24-2 VF), median rate of MD change was comparable between 10-2 and 24-2 VFs in mild (-0.45 dB/year vs. -0.40 dB/year, P = 0.42) and moderate (-0.32 dB/year vs. -0.40 dB/year, P = 0.26) VF loss categories, while the same were significantly greater on 10-2 VFs in advanced (-0.28 dB/year vs. -0.21 dB/year, P = 0.04) and severe (-0.18 dB/year vs. -0.06 dB/year, P<0.001) VF loss categories.ConclusionsIn patients with VF defects both on 24-2 and 10-2 VFs, evaluating the rate of MD change on 10-2 VFs may help in better estimation of glaucoma progression, especially so in eyes with advanced glaucoma at baseline.     

Energetic salts from nitroformate ion

Development of new energetic salts is the key factor in replacing low performance compounds in conventional formulations of high explosives as well as propellants. Ten salts based on the nitroformate anion and various nitrogen-rich cations were designed and their geometric optimizations carried out using the density functional method. With reasonable oxygen balance (from ?36 % to 0 %), heats of formation (47–624 kJ mol^?1) and high densities (1.81–1.89 g cm^?3), the detonation velocity (D) and pressure (P) values of salts were calculated as 8.62–9.36 km s^?1 and 33.10–40.01 GPa, respectively. Lastly, the nitroformate salts studied in this work are of prospective interest as high performance explosives.

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Graphical Abstract Formation of nitroformate salt from nitroformate anion and a nitrogen-rich cation