beta-Carotene ethenolysis under promotion of well-defined ruthenium catalysts were examined as a novel method of synthesis of vitamin A derivatives. Efficient reaction was promoted by the second-generation Hoveyda catalyst. The products of ethenolysis in positions C15-C15', C11-C12, and C9-C10 were detected, but cleavage of the C11-C12 double bond predominated. Even better regioselectivity at t...

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen capable of growth at refrigeration temperatures. Membrane lipid fatty acids are major determinants of a sufficiently fluid membrane state to allow growth at low temperatures. L. monocytogenes was characterized by a fatty acid profile dominated to an unusual extent (> 95%) by branched-chain fatty acids, with the major fatty acids being anteiso-C15:...

Fourteen strains of Centers for Disease Control group DF-3 bacteria were examined for cellular fatty acid composition to evaluate their chemical relatedness to known bacterial species and groups. The fatty acids were liberated from whole cells by base hydrolysis, methylated, and analyzed by capillary gas-liquid chromatography. All group DF-3 strains possessed a distinct fatty acid profile which...

Complex behaviors often require coordinated movements of dissimilar motor structures. The underlying neural mechanisms are poorly understood. We investigated cycle-by-cycle coordination of two dissimilar feeding structures in Aplysia californica: the external lips and the internal radula. During feeding, the lips open while the radula protracts. Lip and radula motoneurons are located in the cer...

We developed elastic cationic liposomal vectors for transdermal siRNA delivery. These liposomes were prepared with 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP) as a cationic lipid and sodium cholate (NaChol) or Tween 80 as an edge activator. When NaChol or Tween 80 was included at 5, 10, and 15% (w/w) into DOTAP liposomal formulations (C5-, C10-, and C15-liposomes and T5-, T10-, and T15-lip...

PURPOSE The combination of intrathecal (IT) 5 microg sufentanil plus 1.25 mg bupivacaine is useful for inducing labour analgesia, albeit of short duration and slow onset. As a supplementation to this regimen, the effect of IT clonidine on the duration of analgesic action was investigated. METHODS Forty-eight healthy parturients were randomly assigned into three groups to receive 0 microg (gro...

The heterocyclic C15 apocarotenoid 1 was isolated from mated cultures of the strains F986 (+) and F921 (−) of Blakeslea trispora. This new compound formed during sexual interaction is a minor constituent of the culture media and its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic data, including 2D-NMR. A plausible biosynthetic pathway involving a double degradation of β-carotene, followed...

The fatty acids obtained from extractable lipids of the anaerobic sulfate bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans were identified. Saturated and monoenoic iso (C15-C19) and anteiso (C15, C17) fatty acids and saturated normal (C14-C18) and monoenoic normal (C16, C18) fatty acids were shown to be shown to be present by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Iso and anteiso beta-hydroxy fat...

A novel Gram-staining-negative, aerobic, non-motile, yellow-to-orange carotenoid-type-pigmented and rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain WP25T, was isolated from the intestine of a comb pen shell, Atrina pectinata, which was collected from the South Sea near Yeosu in Korea. The isolate grew optimally at 20 °C, at pH 7 and with 2% (w/v) NaCl. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain...

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate quality of life (QOL) in patients receiving palliative radiotherapy (RT) for advanced lung cancer/lung metastases using the EORTC QLQ-LC13 and the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL questionnaires. Methods Patients who received palliative RT for lung metastases or advanced lung cancer between November 2007 and October 2010 completed the EORTC QLQ-LC13 an...