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Sample records for women recognize trypsin

  1. Antibodies from malaria-exposed pregnant women recognize trypsin resistant epitopes on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes selected for adhesion to chondroitin sulphate A

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sharling, Lisa; Enevold, Anders; Sowa, Kordai M P

    2004-01-01

    of CSA binding and surface recognition of CSA selected parasites by serum IgG from malaria exposed pregnant women. Thus, the complete molecular definition of an antigenic P. falciparum erythrocyte surface protein that can be used as a malaria in pregnancy vaccine has not yet been achieved.......-specific antibodies induced as a result of pregnancy associated malaria (PAM). METHODS: Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) was used to measure the levels of adult Scottish and Ghanaian male, and Ghanaian pregnant female plasma immunoglobulin G (IgG) that bind to the surface of infected erythrocytes. P....... falciparum infected erythrocytes selected for adhesion to CSA were found to express trypsin-resistant VSA that are the target of naturally acquired antibodies from pregnant women living in a malaria endemic region of Ghana. However in vitro adhesion to CSA and HA was relatively trypsin sensitive. An improved...

  2. Aggregation of trypsin and trypsin inhibitor by Al cation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chanphai, P; Kreplak, L; Tajmir-Riahi, H A

    2017-04-01

    Al cation may trigger protein structural changes such as aggregation and fibrillation, causing neurodegenerative diseases. We report the effect of Al cation on the solution structures of trypsin (try) and trypsin inhibitor (tryi), using thermodynamic analysis, UV-Visible, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic methods and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Thermodynamic parameters showed Al-protein bindings occur via H-bonding and van der Waals contacts for trypsin and trypsin inhibitor. AFM showed that Al cations are able to force trypsin into larger or more robust aggregates than trypsin inhibitor, with trypsin 5±1 SE (n=52) proteins per aggregate and for trypsin inhibitor 8.3±0.7 SE (n=118). Thioflavin T test showed no major protein fibrillation in the presence of Al cation. Al complexation induced more alterations of trypsin inhibitor conformation than trypsin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Trypsin radioimmunoassay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scheithauer, R.; Wolf, F.; Tympner, F.

    1981-01-01

    In 29 patients with suspicion of pancreatic disease standard secretin-pancreozymin-test was performed parallel to trypsin determination by radioimmunoassay before and after stimulation with secretin. Mean serum trypsin in normal subjects was 175 ng BIT/ml (range 90-250), the maximum after stimulation being 20 minutes after secreting injection (range 110-550). Preliminary normal values are 270 ng BIT/ml for basal concentration and 650 ng BIT/ml for 20 min after secretin stimulation. In the group of normals there was no case of misinterpretation. In patients with several pathological parameters (n = 10) basal trypsin concentration was increased in 7 cases, the stimulated value was concordant with the definite diagnosis in every case. Significant advantage for diagnostics was derived in patients having had pancreatic diseases before, however being actually normal with respect to standard diagnostic parameters. All these patients revealed increased trypsin concentrations after stimulation and 50% of them showed increased basal values. Equivocal results were seen in patients with endstage pancreatitis as well as in case of obstruction during reduced secretion. (orig.) [de

  4. The kinetics of interaction of porcine - alpha-, and porcine - beta -trypsin with intact and modified soybean trypsin inhibitor (kunitz)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamid, M.A.

    1994-01-01

    The association of porcine trypsin with soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) resulted in characteristic changes in absorption spectrum, indicating an alteration of the micro environments of the enzyme chromophores as a consequence of the interaction. The rates of formation of the stable trypsin - inhibitor complexes from porcine - alpha - trypsin and soybean trypsin inhibitor and from porcine - beta - trypsin and either intact or modified soybean trypsin inhibitor were measured by mixing the equimolar concentration of the reactants in a Stopped - Flow apparatus at pH (4.5 to 10.0). The reaction of trypsin with soybean trypsin inhibitor was of first order with respect to the concentration of the reactants used. The rates of dissociation of the stable complexes, alpha - trypsin - soybean trypsin inhibitor, beta -trypsin - soybean trypsin inhibitor and beta -trypsin modified soybean trypsin inhibitor were also measured at pH (1.92 to 3.58). The values of first order rate constant, k/sub D/ obtained for the dissociation of all the three complexes were identical with one another. The kinetics results obtained for the porcine trypsin were compared with those of bovine trypsin system and it was suggested that the reaction mechanisms in both these systems were identical. (author)

  5. Bovine Pancreatic Trypsin Inhibitor-Trypsin Complex as a Detection System for Recombinant Proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borjigin, Jimo; Nathans, Jeremy

    1993-01-01

    Bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) binds to trypsin and anhydrotrypsin (an enzymatically inactive derivative of trypsin) with affinities of 6 x 10-14 and 1.1 x 10-13 M, respectively. We have taken advantage of the high affinity and specificity of this binding reaction to develop a protein tagging system in which biotinylated trypsin or biotinylated anhydrotrypsin is used as the reagent to detect recombinant fusion proteins into which BPTI has been inserted. Two proteins, opsin and growth hormone, were used as targets for insertional mutagenesis with BPTI. In each case, both domains of the fusion protein appear to be correctly folded. The fusion proteins can be specifically and efficiently detected by biotinylated trypsin or biotinylated anhydrotrypsin, as demonstrated by staining of transfected cells, protein blotting, affinity purification, and a mobility shift assay in SDS/polyacrylamide gels.

  6. Inga laurina trypsin inhibitor (ILTI) obstructs Spodoptera frugiperda trypsins expressed during adaptive mechanisms against plant protease inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado, Suzy Wider; de Oliveira, Caio Fernando Ramalho; Zério, Neide Graciano; Parra, José Roberto Postali; Macedo, Maria Lígia Rodrigues

    2017-08-01

    Plant protease inhibitors (PIs) are elements of a common plant defense mechanism induced in response to herbivores. The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, a highly polyphagous lepidopteran pest, responds to various PIs in its diet by expressing genes encoding trypsins. This raises the question of whether the PI-induced trypsins are also inhibited by other PIs, which we posed as the hypothesis that Inga laurina trypsin inhibitor (ILTI) inhibits PI-induced trypsins in S. frugiperda. In the process of testing our hypothesis, we compared its properties with those of selected PIs, soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (SKTI), Inga vera trypsin inhibitor (IVTI), Adenanthera pavonina trypsin inhibitor (ApTI), and Entada acaciifolia trypsin inhibitor (EATI). We report that ILTI is more effective in inhibiting the induced S. frugiperda trypsins than SKTI and the other PIs, which supports our hypothesis. ILTI may be more appropriate than SKTI for studies regarding adaptive mechanisms to dietary PIs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Free radical inactivation of trypsin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cudina, Ivana; Jovanovic, S.V.

    1988-01-01

    Reactivities of free radical oxidants, radical OH, Br2-anion radical and Cl 3 COO radical and a reductant, CO2-anion radical, with trypsin and reactive protein components were determined by pulse radiolysis of aqueous solutions at pH 7, 20 0 C. Highly reactive free radicals, radical OH, Br2-anion radical and CO2-anion radical, react with trypsin at diffusion controlled rates. Moderately reactive trichloroperoxy radical, k(Cl 3 COO radical + trypsin) preferentially oxidizes histidine residues. The efficiency of inactivation of trypsin by free radicals is inversely proportional to their reactivity. The yields of inactivation of trypsin by radical OH, Br2-anion radical and CO2-anion radical are low, G(inactivation) = 0.6-0.8, which corresponds to ∼ 10% of the initially produced radicals. In contrast, Cl 3 COO radical inactivates trypsin with ∼ 50% efficiency, i.e. G(inactivation) = 3.2. (author)

  8. Hydrogen exchange kinetics changes upon formation of the soybean trypsin inhibitor: trypsin complex

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woodward, C.K.; Ellis, L.M.

    1975-01-01

    The hydrogen exchange kinetics of the complex of trypsin--soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) have been compared to the calculated sum of the exchange kinetics for the inhibitor and trypsin measured separately. The exchange rates observed for the complex are substantially less than the sum of the exchange rates in the two individual proteins. These results cannot be accounted for by changes in intermolecular or intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The decrease in exchange rates in the complex are ascribed to changes in solvent accessibility in the component proteins. (U.S.)

  9. Smart PEGylation of trypsin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarafshani, Zoya; Obata, Toshihiro; Lutz, Jean-François

    2010-08-09

    Thermoresponsive oligo(ethylene glycol)-based copolymers were investigated for trypsin conjugation. These copolymers have been synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization of 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate (MEO(2)MA) with oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA(475), M(n) = 475 g.mol(-1)) at 60 degrees C in the presence of copper(I) chloride and 2,2'-bipyridyl. Two different ATRP initiators, containing succinimidyl ester moieties, were tested, namely, N-succinimidyl-2-bromopropionate and N-succinimidyl-2-bromoisobutyrate. In both cases, ATRP afforded well-defined polymers with a narrow molecular weight distribution and controlled chain-ends. However, the efficiency of initiation of the two initiators was lower than 1 and therefore the formed polymers exhibited a higher than expected mean degree of polymerization. Nevertheless, all types of polymers could be conjugated to trypsin. The conjugation reaction was performed in borax-HCl buffer. Sodium dodecyl sulfate poly(acrylamide) gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) indicated that polymer/enzyme conjugates were obtained in all cases. However, (co)polymers initiated by N-succinimidyl-2-bromopropionate led to the best conjugation results. The formed P(MEO(2)MA-co-OEGMA(475))-trypsin conjugates were found to be thermoresponsive and moreover exhibited a higher enzymatic activity than unmodified trypsin.

  10. HYDROLYSIS OF CHEESEWHEY PROTEINSWITH TRYPSIN, CHYMOTRYPSINAND CARBOXYPEPTIDASEA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. F. CUSTÓDIO

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available

    This work presents a method for adding value to cheese whey residues by whey proteins hydrolysis, using trypsin, chymotrypsin and carboxypeptidase A as catalysts. Sweet cheese whey was dialyzed and filtered in kaolin. Lactose and protein contents were analyzed after each step. The activities of bovine pancreas trypsin and chymotrypsin were measured at different pHs and temperatures. The optimal pH for the hydrolysis of whey proteins was 9.0 for both enzymes. Optima temperatures were 60ºC for trypsin, and 50ºC for chymotrypsin. Trypsin exhibited typical Michaelis-Menten behavior, but chymotrypsin did not. Electrophoretic analysis showed that neither trypsin nor chymotrypsin alone hydrolyzed whey proteins in less than three hours. Hydrolysis rates of -lactalbumin by trypsin, and of bovine serum albumin by chymotrypsin were low. When these enzymes were combined, however, all protein fractions were attacked and rates of hydrolysis were enhanced by one order of magnitude. The addition of carboxypeptidase A to the others enzymes did not improve the process yield.

  11. Radioimmunoassay of trypsin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stagg, B.H.; Wood, T.P.

    1979-01-01

    This review describes the development and application of a novel test to determine levels of human immunoreactive trypsin, an enzyme produced solely by the pancreas, in biological fluids. Being organ-specific, the assay of immunoreactive trypsin should be an ideal marker of pancreatic function, and this is supported by the results of a number of clinical and research investigations. Use of this assay in studies of chronic pancreatitis, juvenile-onset diabetes, and cystic fibrosis, has yielded much valuable data, and it is expected that further research will lead to and improved understanding of these and other conditions associated with the pancreas in health and disease. (author)

  12. Trypsin from the pyloric caeca of bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klomklao, Sappasith; Benjakul, Soottawat; Visessanguan, Wonnop; Kishimura, Hideki; Simpson, Benjamin K

    2007-12-01

    Trypsin was purified from the pyloric caeca of bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) by ammonium sulfate precipitation, acetone precipitation and soybean trypsin inhibitor-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. Bluefish trypsin migrated as a single band using both sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and native-PAGE and had a molecular mass of 28 kDa. The optima pH and temperature for the hydrolysis of benzoyl-dl-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) were 9.5 and 55 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme was stable over a broad pH range (7 to 12), but was unstable at acidic pH, and at temperatures greater than 40 degrees C. The enzyme was inhibited by specific trypsin inhibitors: soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI), N-p-tosyl-l-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) and the serine protease inhibitor phenylmethyl sulfonylfluoride (PMSF). CaCl2 partially protected trypsin against activity loss at 40 degrees C, but NaCl (0 to 30%) decreased the activity in a concentration dependent manner. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of trypsin was determined as IVGGYECKPKSAPVQVSLNL and was highly homologous to other known vertebrate trypsins.

  13. Laura: Soybean variety lacking Kunitz trypsin inhibitor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Srebrić Mirjana

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Grain of conventional soybean varieties requires heat processing to break down trypsin inhibitor's activity before using as food or animal feed. At the same time, protein denaturation and other qualitative changes occur in soybean grain, especially if the temperature of heating is not controlled. Two types of trypsin inhibitor were found in soybean grain the Kunitz trypsin inhibitor and the Bowman-Birk inhibitor. Mature grain of soybean Laura is lacking Kunitz trypsin inhibitor. Grain yield of variety Laura is equal to high yielding varieties from the maturity group I, where it belongs. Lacking of Kunitz-trypsin inhibitor makes soybean grain suitable for direct feeding in adult non ruminant animals without previous thermal processing. Grain of variety Laura can be processed for a shorter period of time than conventional soybeans. This way we save energy, and preserve valuable nutritional composition of soybean grain, which is of interest in industrial processing.

  14. Fish trypsins: potential applications in biomedicine and prospects for production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jesús-de la Cruz, Kristal; Álvarez-González, Carlos Alfonso; Peña, Emyr; Morales-Contreras, José Antonio; Ávila-Fernández, Ángela

    2018-04-01

    In fishes, trypsins are adapted to different environmental conditions, and the biochemical and kinetic properties of a broad variety of native isoforms have been studied. Proteolytic enzymes remain in high demand in the detergent, food, and feed industries; however, our analysis of the literature showed that, in the last decade, some fish trypsins have been studied for the synthesis of industrial peptides and for specific biomedical uses as antipathogenic agents against viruses and bacteria, which have been recently patented. In addition, innovative strategies of trypsin administration have been studied to ensure that trypsins retain their properties until they exert their action. Biomedical uses require the production of high-quality enzymes. In this context, the production of recombinant trypsins is an alternative. For this purpose, E. coli -based systems have been tested for the production of fish trypsins; however, P. pastoris -based systems also seem to show great potential in the production of fish trypsins with higher production quality. On the other hand, there is a lack of information regarding the specific structures, biochemical and kinetic properties, and characteristics of trypsins produced using heterologous systems. This review describes the potential uses of fish trypsins in biomedicine and the enzymatic and structural properties of native and recombinant fish trypsins obtained to date, outlining some prospects for their study.

  15. Interaction of gallic acid with trypsin analyzed by spectroscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hao Song

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The interactions between trypsin and gallic acid (GA were investigated by means of fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, resonance light scattering (RLS spectroscopy, synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy, and enzymatic inhibition assay. It was found that GA can cause the fluorescence quenching of trypsin during the process of formation of GA-trypsin complex, resulting in inhibition of trypsin activity (IC50 = 3.9 × 10−6 mol/L. The fluorescence spectroscopic data showed that the quenching efficiency can reach about 80%. The binding constants were 1.9371 × 104 L/mol, 1.8192 × 104 L/mol, and 1.7465 × 104 L/mol at three temperatures, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters revealed that hydrogen bonds, van der Waals, hydrophobic, and electrostatic interactions were involved in the binding process of GA to trypsin. Molecular modeling studies illustrated a specific display of binding information and explained most of the experiment phenomena. The microenvironments of tryptophan and tyrosine residue in trypsin were changed by the GA. Results indicated that GA was a strong quencher and inhibitor of trypsin.

  16. Enzymatic synthesis of gold nanoflowers with trypsin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Linmei; Weng Jian

    2010-01-01

    A one-step and eco-friendly approach for the room-temperature synthesis of trypsin-mediated three-dimensional (3D) gold nanoflowers (AuNFs) with high colloidal stability is demonstrated. To prepare AuNFs, ascorbic acid (AA) was quickly added into the premixed solution of HAuCl 4 and trypsin at pH = 5.0. The results show that the molar ratio and feeding order of reactant agents, pH and reaction time play important roles in the formation of NFs. The growth mechanism of AuNFs is suggested as three steps: (1) immobilization of AuCl 4 - ions with a positively charged trypsin template, (2) spontaneous reduction of AuCl 4 - ions with AA in situ and capping Au 0 by 12 cysteines of trypsin, (3) reduction of more AuCl 4 - ions on the Au nuclei formed in the initial stages and anisotropic growth into AuNFs.

  17. Design, chemical synthesis and kinetic studies of trypsin chromogenic substrates based on the proteinase binding loop of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor (CMTI-III).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lesner, A; Brzozowski, K; Kupryszewski, G; Rolka, K

    2000-03-05

    A series of trypsin chromogenic substrates with formula: Y-Ala-X-Abu-Pro-Lys-pNA, where X = Gly, Ala, Abu, Val, Leu, Phe, Ser, Glu and Y = Ac, H; pNA = p-nitroanilide was synthesized. The Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor CMTI-III molecule was used as a vehicle to design the trypsin substrates. To evaluate the influence of position P(4) on the substrate-enzyme interaction, kinetic parameters of newly synthesized substrates with bovine beta-trypsin were determined. The increasing hydrophobicity of the amino acid residue (Gly, Ala, Abu, Val) introduced in position P(4) significantly enhanced the substrate specificity (k(cat)/K(m)) which was over 8 times higher for the last residue than that for the first one. The introduction of residues with more hydrophilic side chain (Glu, Ser) in this position reduced the value of this parameter. These results correspond well with those obtained using molecular dynamics of bovine beta-trypsin with monosubstituted CMTI-I analogues, indicating that in both trypsin substrate and inhibitor position 4 plays an important role in the interaction with the enzyme. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

  18. Highly Stable Trypsin-Aggregate Coatings on Polymer Nanofibers for Repeated Protein Digestion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Byoung Chan; Lopez-Ferrer, Daniel; Lee, Sang-mok; Ahn, Hye-kyung; Nair, Sujith; Kim, Seong H.; Kim, Beom S.; Petritis, Konstantinos; Camp, David G.; Grate, Jay W.; Smith, Richard D.; Koo, Yoon-mo; Gu, Man Bock; Kim, Jungbae

    2009-04-01

    A stable and robust trypsin-based biocatalytic system was developed and demonstrated for proteomic applications. The system utilizes polymer nanofibers coated with trypsin aggregates for immobilized protease digestions. After covalently attaching an initial layer of trypsin to the polymer nanofibers, highly concentrated trypsin molecules are crosslinked to the layered trypsin by way of a glutaraldehyde treatment. This new process produced a 300-fold increase in trypsin activity compared with a conventional method for covalent trypsin immobilization and proved to be robust in that it still maintained a high level of activity after a year of repeated recycling. This highly stable form of immobilized trypsin was also resistant to autolysis, enabling repeated digestions of bovine serum albumin over 40 days and successful peptide identification by LC-MS/MS. Finally, the immobilized trypsin was resistant to proteolysis when exposed to other enzymes (i.e. chymotrypsin), which makes it suitable for use in “real-world” proteomic applications. Overall, the biocatalytic nanofibers with enzyme aggregate coatings proved to be an effective approach for repeated and automated protein digestion in proteomic analyses.

  19. Chitosan nanoparticles-trypsin interactions: Bio-physicochemical and molecular dynamics simulation studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salar, Safoura; Mehrnejad, Faramarz; Sajedi, Reza H; Arough, Javad Mohammadnejad

    2017-10-01

    Herein, we investigated the effect of the chitosan nanoparticles (CsNP) on the structure, dynamics, and activity of trypsin. The enzyme activity in complex with the nanoparticles slightly increased, which represents the interactions between the nanoparticles and the enzyme. The kinetic parameters of the enzyme, K m and k cat , increased after adding the nanoparticles, resulting in a slight increase in the catalytic efficiency (k cat /K m ). However, the effect of the nanoparticles on the kinetic stability of trypsin has not exhibited significant variations. Fluorescence spectroscopy did not show remarkable changes in the trypsin conformation in the presence of the nanoparticles. The circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy results also revealed the secondary structure of trypsin attached to the nanoparticles slightly changed. Furthermore, we used molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to find more information about the interaction mechanisms between the nanoparticles and trypsin. The root mean square deviation (RMSD) of Cα atoms results have shown that in the presence of the nanoparticles, trypsin was stable. The simulation and the calculation of the binding free energy demonstrate that the nonpolar interactions are the most important forces for the formation of stable nanoparticle-trypsin complex. This study has explicitly elucidated that the nanoparticles have not considerable effect on the trypsin. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. Chemical repair of trypsin-histidinyl radical

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jovanovic, S.V.; Ruvarac, I.; Jankovic, I.; Josimovic, L.

    1991-01-01

    Oxyl radicals, such as hydroxyl, alkoxyl and peroxyl, react with biomolecules to produce bioradicals. Unless chemically repaired by suitable antioxidants, these bioradicals form stable products. This leads to loss of biological function of parent biomolecules with deleterious biological results, such as mutagenesis and cancer. Consequently, the understanding of the mechanisms of oxyl radical damage to biomolecules and chemical repair of such damage is crucial for the development of strategies for anticarcinogenesis and radioprotection. In this study the chemical repair of the histidinyl radical generated upon the trichloromethylperoxyl radical reaction with trypsin vas investigated by gamma radiolysis. The trypsin histidinyl radical is a resonance-stabilized heterocyclic free radical which was found to be unreactive with oxygen. The efficacy of the chemical repair of the trypsin-histidinyl radical by endogenous antioxidants which are electron donors (e.g. 5-hydroxytryptophan, uric acid) is compared to that of antioxidants which are H-atom donors (e. g. glutathione). 9 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

  1. Chitosan nanoencapsulated exogenous trypsin biomimics zymogen-like enzyme in fish gastrointestinal tract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumari, Rakhi; Gupta, Subodh; Singh, Arvind R; Ferosekhan, S; Kothari, Dushyant C; Pal, Asim Kumar; Jadhao, Sanjay Balkrishna

    2013-01-01

    Exogenous proteolytic enzyme supplementation is required in certain disease conditions in humans and animals and due to compelling reasons on use of more plant protein ingredients and profitability in animal feed industry. However, limitations on their utility in diet are imposed by their pH specificity, thermolabile nature, inhibition due to a variety of factors and the possibility of intestinal damage. For enhancing the efficacy and safety of exogenous trypsin, an efficient chitosan (0.04%) nanoencapsulation-based controlled delivery system was developed. An experiment was conducted for 45 days to evaluate nanoencapsulated trypsin (0.01% and 0.02%) along with 0.02% bare trypsin and 0.4% chitosan nanoparticles against a control diet on productive efficiency (growth rate, feed conversion and protein efficiency ratio), organo-somatic indices, nutrient digestibility, tissue enzyme activities, hematic parameters and intestinal histology of the fish Labeo rohita. All the synthesized nanoparticles were of desired characteristics. Enhanced fish productive efficiency using nanoencapsulated trypsin over its bare form was noticed, which corresponded with enhanced (P<0.01) nutrient digestibility, activity of intestinal protease, liver and muscle tissue transaminases (alanine and aspartate) and dehydrogenases (lactate and malate), serum blood urea nitrogen and serum protein profile. Intestinal tissues of fish fed with 0.02% bare trypsin showed broadened, marked foamy cells with lipid vacuoles. However, villi were healthier in appearance with improved morphological features in fish fed with nanoencapsulated trypsin than with bare trypsin, and the villi were longer in fish fed with 0.01% nanoencapsulated trypsin than with 0.02% nanoencapsulated trypsin. The result of this premier experiment shows that nanoencapsulated trypsin mimics zymogen-like proteolytic activity via controlled release, and hence the use of 0.01% nanoencapsulated trypsin (in chitosan nanoparticles) over bare

  2. Chitosan nanoencapsulated exogenous trypsin biomimics zymogen-like enzyme in fish gastrointestinal tract.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rakhi Kumari

    Full Text Available Exogenous proteolytic enzyme supplementation is required in certain disease conditions in humans and animals and due to compelling reasons on use of more plant protein ingredients and profitability in animal feed industry. However, limitations on their utility in diet are imposed by their pH specificity, thermolabile nature, inhibition due to a variety of factors and the possibility of intestinal damage. For enhancing the efficacy and safety of exogenous trypsin, an efficient chitosan (0.04% nanoencapsulation-based controlled delivery system was developed. An experiment was conducted for 45 days to evaluate nanoencapsulated trypsin (0.01% and 0.02% along with 0.02% bare trypsin and 0.4% chitosan nanoparticles against a control diet on productive efficiency (growth rate, feed conversion and protein efficiency ratio, organo-somatic indices, nutrient digestibility, tissue enzyme activities, hematic parameters and intestinal histology of the fish Labeo rohita. All the synthesized nanoparticles were of desired characteristics. Enhanced fish productive efficiency using nanoencapsulated trypsin over its bare form was noticed, which corresponded with enhanced (P<0.01 nutrient digestibility, activity of intestinal protease, liver and muscle tissue transaminases (alanine and aspartate and dehydrogenases (lactate and malate, serum blood urea nitrogen and serum protein profile. Intestinal tissues of fish fed with 0.02% bare trypsin showed broadened, marked foamy cells with lipid vacuoles. However, villi were healthier in appearance with improved morphological features in fish fed with nanoencapsulated trypsin than with bare trypsin, and the villi were longer in fish fed with 0.01% nanoencapsulated trypsin than with 0.02% nanoencapsulated trypsin. The result of this premier experiment shows that nanoencapsulated trypsin mimics zymogen-like proteolytic activity via controlled release, and hence the use of 0.01% nanoencapsulated trypsin (in chitosan

  3. Trypsin Binding with Copper Ions Scavenges Superoxide: Molecular Dynamics-Based Mechanism Investigation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xin Li

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Trypsin is a serine protease, which has been proved to be a novel superoxide scavenger. The burst of superoxide induced by polychlorinated biphenyls can be impeded by trypsin in both wild type and sod knockout mutants of Escherichia coli. The experimental results demonstrated that the activities of superoxide scavenging of trypsin were significantly accelerated by Cu ions. Also, with the addition of Cu ions, a new β-sheet (β7 transited from a random coil in the Cu(II-trypsin (TP system, which was favorable for the formation of more contacts with other sheets of trypsin. Residue–residue network analysis and the porcupine plots proved that the Cu ion in trypsin strengthened some native interactions among residues, which ultimately resulted in much greater stability of the Cu(II-TP system. Moreover, compact and stable trypsin structures with Cu ions might be responsible for significantly provoking the activity of superoxide scavenging.

  4. FRET-based modified graphene quantum dots for direct trypsin quantification in urine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Poon, Chung-Yan; Li, Qinghua [Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong); Zhang, Jiali; Li, Zhongping [Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong); Research Center of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006 (China); Dong, Chuan [Research Center of Environmental Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006 (China); Lee, Albert Wai-Ming; Chan, Wing-Hong [Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong); Li, Hung-Wing, E-mail: hwli@hkbu.edu.hk [Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong)

    2016-04-21

    A versatile nanoprobe was developed for trypsin quantification with fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Here, fluorescence graphene quantum dot is utilized as a donor while a well-designed coumarin derivative, CMR2, as an acceptor. Moreover, bovine serum albumin (BSA), as a protein model, is not only served as a linker for the FRET pair, but also a fluorescence enhancer of the quantum dots and CMR2. In the presence of trypsin, the FRET system would be destroyed when the BSA is digested by trypsin. Thus, the emission peak of the donor is regenerated and the ratio of emission peak of donor/emission peak of acceptor increased. By the ratiometric measurement of these two emission peaks, trypsin content could be determined. The detection limit of trypsin was found to be 0.7 μg/mL, which is 0.008-fold of the average trypsin level in acute pancreatitis patient's urine suggesting a high potential for fast and low cost clinical screening. - Highlights: • A FRET-based biosensor was developed for direct quantification of trypsin. • Fast and sensitive screening of pancreatic disease was facilitated. • The direct quantification of trypsin in urine samples was demonstrated.

  5. In vitro assessment of phthalate acid esters-trypsin complex formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chi, Zhenxing; Zhao, Jing; Li, Weiguo; Araghi, Arash; Tan, Songwen

    2017-10-01

    In this work, interactions of three phthalate acid esters (PAEs), including dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), with trypsin have been studied in vitro, under simulated physiological conditions using multi-spectroscopic techniques and molecular modeling. The results show that these PAEs can bind to the trypsin, forming trypsin-PAEs complexes, mainly via hydrophobic interactions, with the affinity order of DMP > DEP > DBP. Binding to the PAEs is found to result in molecular deformation of trypsin. The modeling results suggest that only DBP can bind with the amino acid residues of the catalytic triad and S1 binding pocket of trypsin, leading to potential competitive enzyme inhibition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Interaction of methotrexate with trypsin analyzed by spectroscopic and molecular modeling methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yanqing; Zhang, Hongmei; Cao, Jian; Zhou, Qiuhua

    2013-11-01

    Trypsin is one of important digestive enzymes that have intimate correlation with human health and illness. In this work, the interaction of trypsin with methotrexate was investigated by spectroscopic and molecular modeling methods. The results revealed that methotrexate could interact with trypsin with about one binding site. Methotrexate molecule could enter into the primary substrate-binding pocket, resulting in inhibition of trypsin activity. Furthermore, the thermodynamic analysis implied that electrostatic force, hydrogen bonding, van der Waals and hydrophobic interactions were the main interactions for stabilizing the trypsin-methotrexate system, which agreed well with the results from the molecular modeling study.

  7. Comparative study of the binding of trypsin to caffeine and theophylline by spectrofluorimetry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Ruiyong, E-mail: wangry@zzu.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001 (China); Kang, Xiaohui [Department of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001 (China); Wang, Ruiqiang [The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052 (China); Wang, Rui; Dou, Huanjing; Wu, Jing; Song, Chuanjun [Department of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001 (China); Chang, Junbiao, E-mail: changjunbiao@zzu.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001 (China)

    2013-06-15

    The interactions between trypsin and caffeine/theophylline were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, UV–visible absorption spectroscopy, resonance light scattering and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy under mimic physiological conditions. The results revealed that the fluorescence quenching of trypsin by caffeine and theophylline was the result of the formed complex of caffeine–trypsin and theophylline–trypsin. The binding constants and thermodynamic parameters at three different temperatures were obtained. The hydrophobic interaction was the predominant intermolecular forces to stabilize the complex. Results showed that caffeine was the stronger quencher and bound to trypsin with higher affinity than theophylline. -- Highlights: ► The fluorescence of trypsin can be quenched by caffeine or theophylline via hydrophobic contacts. ► Caffeine binds to trypsin with higher affinity than theophylline. ► The influence of molecular structure on the binding aspects is reported.

  8. Comparative study of the binding of trypsin to caffeine and theophylline by spectrofluorimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Ruiyong; Kang, Xiaohui; Wang, Ruiqiang; Wang, Rui; Dou, Huanjing; Wu, Jing; Song, Chuanjun; Chang, Junbiao

    2013-01-01

    The interactions between trypsin and caffeine/theophylline were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, UV–visible absorption spectroscopy, resonance light scattering and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy under mimic physiological conditions. The results revealed that the fluorescence quenching of trypsin by caffeine and theophylline was the result of the formed complex of caffeine–trypsin and theophylline–trypsin. The binding constants and thermodynamic parameters at three different temperatures were obtained. The hydrophobic interaction was the predominant intermolecular forces to stabilize the complex. Results showed that caffeine was the stronger quencher and bound to trypsin with higher affinity than theophylline. -- Highlights: ► The fluorescence of trypsin can be quenched by caffeine or theophylline via hydrophobic contacts. ► Caffeine binds to trypsin with higher affinity than theophylline. ► The influence of molecular structure on the binding aspects is reported

  9. The trypsin-catalyzed hydrolysis of monomolecular films of lysylphosphatidylglycerol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gould, R.M.; Dawson, R.M.C.

    1972-01-01

    The hydrolysis by trypsin of the bacterial phospholipid, lysylphosphatidyl-glycerol has been studied at the air-water interface. High specific activity [14C]-lysylphosphatidylglycerol was prepared biosynthetically and the trypsin action followed by measuring the loss of surface radioactivity from a

  10. 21 CFR 524.2620 - Liquid crystalline trypsin, Peru balsam, castor oil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Liquid crystalline trypsin, Peru balsam, castor... NEW ANIMAL DRUGS § 524.2620 Liquid crystalline trypsin, Peru balsam, castor oil. (a)(1) Specifications... delivered to the wound site contains 0.12 milligram of crystalline trypsin, 87.0 milligrams of Peru balsam...

  11. Lectins as carriers: preparation and purification of a concanavalin A-trypsin conjugate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shier, W.T.

    1985-01-01

    The scheme for the preparation and purification of Con A-trypsin demonstrates the presence of Con A in the conjugate by affinity purification and by hemagglutination. The presence of Con A was demonstrated in two additional ways. The conjugate was prepared using trypsin labeled with iodine 125 and unlabeled Con A. The resulting conjugate containing 42,800 cpm/mg protein was used to demonstrate prolonged retention of the conjugated trypsin in mouse footpads. The presence of trypsin was also demonstrated in the conjugate by affinity chromatography and by the esterase activity characteristic of trypsin with tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester as substrate. Con A-trypsin was also assayed for proteolytic activity with a macromolecular substrate azocasein. A comparison of proteolytic activities with these two substrates indicated that 50-80% of the proteolytic activity observed with the small substrate is retained with macromolecular substrates

  12. Performance comparison of three trypsin columns used in liquid chromatography?

    OpenAIRE

    ?lechtov?, Tereza; Gilar, Martin; Kal?kov?, Kv?ta; Moore, Stephanie M.; Jorgenson, James W.; Tesa?ov?, Eva

    2017-01-01

    Trypsin is the most widely used enzyme in proteomic research due to its high specificity. Although the in-solution digestion is predominantly used, it has several drawbacks, such as long digestion times, autolysis, and intolerance to high temperatures or organic solvents. To overcome these shortcomings trypsin was covalently immobilized on solid support and tested for its proteolytic activity. Trypsin was immobilized on bridge-ethyl hybrid silica sorbent with 300 ? pores, packed in 2.1 ? 30 m...

  13. Effects of bisphenol S on the structures and activities of trypsin and pepsin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yan-Qing; Zhang, Hong-Mei

    2014-11-19

    The effects of bisphenol S on the structures and activities of trypsin and pepsin were investigated by various methods like UV-visible absorbance, fluorescence, circular dichroism, and molecular docking. The secondary and tertiary structures of trypsin and pepsin were altered by bisphenol S binding, which resulted in the loosening of the skeletons of trypsin and pepsin. In addition, bisphenol S induced microenvironmental changes around tyrosine and tryptophan residues of trypsin and pepsin. The activity experimental results showed that the activity of pepsin decreases obviously with the increasing concentration of BPS, while the activity of trypsin does not change remarkably. The binding and thermodynamic parameters obtained by molecular docking and fluorescence spectroscopy showed that the bindings of bisphenol S to trypsin and pepsin were spontaneous processes and hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions played a vital role in stabilizing the bisphenol S-trypsin and bisphenol S-pepsin complexes. The binding constants (K(A)) of bisphenol S with trypsin were 7.42 × 10(4) (298 K) and 5.91 × 10(4) L/mol (310 K), and those of pepsin were 5.78 × 10(4) (298 K) and 4.44 × 10(4) L/mol (310 K). Moreover, there was one main kind of binding site for bisphenol S on trypsin or pepsin.

  14. Inhibition of trypsin by condensed tannins and wine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonçalves, Rui; Soares, Susana; Mateus, Nuno; de Freitas, Victor

    2007-09-05

    Phenolic compounds are abundant vegetable secondary metabolites in the human diet. The ability of procyanidin oligomers and wine polyphenols to inhibit trypsin activity was studied using a versatile and reliable in vitro method. The hydrolysis of the chromogenic substrate N-benzoyl-d,l-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BApNA) by trypsin was followed by spectrophotometry in the presence and absence of condensed tannins and wine. A clear relationship between the degree of polymerization of procyanidins and enzymatic inhibition was observed. Trypsin activity inhibition was also detected in several types of wine. In general, the inhibition increased with the concentration of phenolic compounds in wines. These results may be relevant when considering these compounds as antinutritional factors, thereby contributing to a reduced absorption of nutrients.

  15. The sequence and X-ray structure of the trypsin from Fusarium oxysporum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rypniewski, W R; Hastrup, S; Betzel, C; Dauter, M; Dauter, Z; Papendorf, G; Branner, S; Wilson, K S

    1993-06-01

    The trypsin from Fusarium oxysporum is equally homologous to trypsins from Streptomyces griseus, Streptomyces erythraeus and to bovine trypsin. A DFP (diisopropylfluorophosphate) inhibited form of the enzyme has been crystallized from 1.4 M Na2SO4, buffered with citrate at pH 5.0-5.5. The crystals belong to space group P2(1) with cell parameters a = 33.43 A, b = 67.65 A, c = 39.85 A and beta = 107.6 degrees. There is one protein molecule in the asymmetric unit. X-ray diffraction data to a resolution of 1.8 A were collected on film using synchrotron radiation. The structure was solved by molecular replacement using models of bovine and S. griseus trypsins and refined to an R-factor of 0.141. The overall fold is similar to other trypsins, with some insertions and deletions. There is no evidence of the divalent cation binding sites seen in other trypsins. The covalently bound inhibitor molecule is clearly visible.

  16. Bioconjugation of trypsin onto gold nanoparticles: Effect of surface chemistry on bioactivity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hinterwirth, Helmut; Lindner, Wolfgang [Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Waehringerstrasse 38, 1090 Vienna (Austria); Laemmerhofer, Michael, E-mail: michael.laemmerhofer@uni-tuebingen.de [Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Waehringerstrasse 38, 1090 Vienna (Austria)

    2012-07-06

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Size and spacer affect bioactivity of nanoparticulate trypsin reactor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Increase of GNP's size increases activity of bound trypsin. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Increase of spacer length increases amount and activity of immobilized enzyme by factor 6. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Decrease of digestion time up to less than 1 h when trypsin immobilized onto GNPs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Reduced auto-digestion compared to trypsin in-solution. - Abstract: The systematic study of activity, long-time stability and auto-digestion of trypsin immobilized onto gold nanoparticles (GNPs) is described in this paper and compared to trypsin in-solution. Thereby, the influence of GNP's size and immobilization chemistry by various linkers differing in lipophilicity/hydrophilicity and spacer lengths was investigated with regard to the bioactivity of the conjugated enzyme. GNPs with different sizes were prepared by reduction and simultaneous stabilization with trisodium citrate and characterized by UV/vis spectra, dynamic light scattering (DLS), {zeta}-potential measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). GNPs were derivatized by self-assembling of bifunctional thiol reagents on the nanoparticle (NP) surface via dative thiol-gold bond yielding a carboxylic acid functionalized surface. Trypsin was either attached directly via hydrophobic and ionic interactions onto the citrate stabilized GNPs or immobilized via EDC/NHS bioconjugation onto the carboxylic functionalized GNPs, respectively. The amount of bound trypsin was quantified by measuring the absorbance at 280 nm. The activity of bound enzyme and its Michaelis Menten kinetic parameter K{sub m} and v{sub max} were measured by the standard chromogenic substrate N{sub {alpha}}-Benzoyl-DL-arginine 4-nitroanilide hydrochloride (BApNA). Finally, digestion of a standard protein mixture with the trypsin-conjugated NPs followed by analysis with

  17. Bioconjugation of trypsin onto gold nanoparticles: Effect of surface chemistry on bioactivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hinterwirth, Helmut; Lindner, Wolfgang; Lämmerhofer, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Size and spacer affect bioactivity of nanoparticulate trypsin reactor. ► Increase of GNP's size increases activity of bound trypsin. ► Increase of spacer length increases amount and activity of immobilized enzyme by factor 6. ► Decrease of digestion time up to less than 1 h when trypsin immobilized onto GNPs. ► Reduced auto-digestion compared to trypsin in-solution. - Abstract: The systematic study of activity, long-time stability and auto-digestion of trypsin immobilized onto gold nanoparticles (GNPs) is described in this paper and compared to trypsin in-solution. Thereby, the influence of GNP's size and immobilization chemistry by various linkers differing in lipophilicity/hydrophilicity and spacer lengths was investigated with regard to the bioactivity of the conjugated enzyme. GNPs with different sizes were prepared by reduction and simultaneous stabilization with trisodium citrate and characterized by UV/vis spectra, dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). GNPs were derivatized by self-assembling of bifunctional thiol reagents on the nanoparticle (NP) surface via dative thiol-gold bond yielding a carboxylic acid functionalized surface. Trypsin was either attached directly via hydrophobic and ionic interactions onto the citrate stabilized GNPs or immobilized via EDC/NHS bioconjugation onto the carboxylic functionalized GNPs, respectively. The amount of bound trypsin was quantified by measuring the absorbance at 280 nm. The activity of bound enzyme and its Michaelis Menten kinetic parameter K m and v max were measured by the standard chromogenic substrate N α -Benzoyl-DL-arginine 4-nitroanilide hydrochloride (BApNA). Finally, digestion of a standard protein mixture with the trypsin-conjugated NPs followed by analysis with LC–ESI-MS and successful MASCOT search demonstrated the applicability of the new heterogenous nano-structured biocatalyst. It could be shown that the

  18. Immobilization of trypsin on sub-micron skeletal polymer monolith

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yao Chunhe [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Qi Li, E-mail: qili@iccas.ac.cn [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Hu Wenbin [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wang Fuyi [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Yang Gengliang [College of Pharmacy, Hebei University, Baoding 071002 (China)

    2011-04-29

    A new kind of immobilized trypsin reactor based on sub-micron skeletal polymer monolith has been developed. Covalent immobilization of trypsin on this support was performed using the epoxide functional groups in either a one- or a multi-step reaction. The proteolytic activity of the immobilized trypsin was measured by monitoring the formation of N-{alpha}-benzoyl-L-arginine (BA) which is the digestion product of a substrate N-{alpha}-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE). Results showed that the digestion speed was about 300 times faster than that performed in free solution. The performance of such an enzyme reactor was further demonstrated by digesting protein myoglobin. It has been found that the protein digestion could be achieved in 88 s at 30 deg. C, which is comparable to 24 h digestion in solution at 37 {sup o}C. Furthermore, the immobilized trypsin exhibits increased stability even after continuous use compared to that in free solution. The present monolithic enzyme-reactor provides a promising platform for the proteomic research.

  19. Potential toxicity of phthalic acid esters plasticizer: interaction of dimethyl phthalate with trypsin in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yaping; Zhang, Guowen; Wang, Langhong

    2015-01-14

    Dimethyl phthalate (DMP) is widely used as a plasticizer in industrial processes and has been reported to possess potential toxicity to the human body. In this study, the interaction between DMP and trypsin in vitro was investigated. The results of fluorescence, UV–vis, circular dichroism, and Fourier transform infrared spectra along with cyclic voltammetric measurements indicated that the remarkable fluorescence quenching and conformational changes of trypsin resulted from the formation of a DMP–trypsin complex, which was driven mainly by hydrophobic interactions. The molecular docking and trypsin activity assay showed that DMP primarily interacted with the catalytic triad of trypsin and led to the inhibition of trypsin activity. The dimensions of the individual trypsin molecules were found to become larger after binding with DMP by atomic force microscopy imaging. This study offers a comprehensive picture of DMP–trypsin interaction, which is expected to provide insights into the toxicological effect of DMP.

  20. Orthosteric and Allosteric Regulation in Trypsin-Like Peptidases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kromann-Tofting, Tobias

    Trypsin-like serine peptidases play an important role in many physiological and pathophysiological processes, the latter including cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Binding of natural ligands to functional sites on the peptidase surface balances the level of activity and substrate specificity......-ray crystallography to determine crystal structures of active and inactive conformations of muPA, combined with biochemical analysis, elucidated an allosteric regulatory mechanism, which is now believed to be highly conserved in the trypsin-like serine peptidases. Targeting zymogen activation represents an attractive...

  1. Silica-supported Macroporous Chitosan Bead for Affinity Purification of Trypsin Inhibitor

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Feng Na XI; Jian Min WU; Ming Ming LUAN

    2005-01-01

    Macroporous cross-linking chitosan layer coated on silica gel (CTS-SiO2) was prepared by phase inversion and polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecular imprinting methods. Formation of macroporous surface was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and BET analysis.The prepared bead was activated by reacting with 1,2-ethylene diglycidyl ether for introducing epoxy groups, and trypsin could be efficiently immobilized on the bead as a biospecific ligand.The bead bearing trypsin was employed to purify trypsin inhibitor (TIs) from egg white as affinity adsorbent.

  2. Crystallization, data collection and processing of the chymotrypsin–BTCI–trypsin ternary complex

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Esteves, Gisele Ferreira; Teles, Rozeni Chagas Lima; Cavalcante, Nayara Silva; Neves, David; Ventura, Manuel Mateus [Laboratório de Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, 70910-900 Brasília-DF (Brazil); Barbosa, João Alexandre Ribeiro Gonçalves, E-mail: joao@lnls.br [Center for Structural Molecular Biology (CeBiME), Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), CP 6192, 13083-970 Campinas-SP (Brazil); Freitas, Sonia Maria de, E-mail: joao@lnls.br [Laboratório de Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, 70910-900 Brasília-DF (Brazil)

    2007-12-01

    A ternary complex of the proteinase inhibitor (BTCI) with trypsin and chymotrypsin was crystallized and its crystal structure was solved by molecular replacement. A ternary complex of the black-eyed pea trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor (BTCI) with trypsin and chymotrypsin was crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method with 0.1 M HEPES pH 7.5, 10%(w/v) polyethylene glycol 6000 and 5%(v/v) 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol as precipitant. BTCI is a small protein with 83 amino-acid residues isolated from Vigna unguiculata seeds and is able to inhibit trypsin and chymotrypsin simultaneously by forming a stable ternary complex. X-ray data were collected from a single crystal of the trypsin–BTCI–chymotrypsin ternary complex to 2.7 Å resolution under cryogenic conditions. The structure of the ternary complex was solved by molecular replacement using the crystal structures of the BTCI–trypsin binary complex (PDB code) and chymotrypsin (PDB code) as search models.

  3. Crystallization, data collection and processing of the chymotrypsin–BTCI–trypsin ternary complex

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esteves, Gisele Ferreira; Teles, Rozeni Chagas Lima; Cavalcante, Nayara Silva; Neves, David; Ventura, Manuel Mateus; Barbosa, João Alexandre Ribeiro Gonçalves; Freitas, Sonia Maria de

    2007-01-01

    A ternary complex of the proteinase inhibitor (BTCI) with trypsin and chymotrypsin was crystallized and its crystal structure was solved by molecular replacement. A ternary complex of the black-eyed pea trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor (BTCI) with trypsin and chymotrypsin was crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method with 0.1 M HEPES pH 7.5, 10%(w/v) polyethylene glycol 6000 and 5%(v/v) 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol as precipitant. BTCI is a small protein with 83 amino-acid residues isolated from Vigna unguiculata seeds and is able to inhibit trypsin and chymotrypsin simultaneously by forming a stable ternary complex. X-ray data were collected from a single crystal of the trypsin–BTCI–chymotrypsin ternary complex to 2.7 Å resolution under cryogenic conditions. The structure of the ternary complex was solved by molecular replacement using the crystal structures of the BTCI–trypsin binary complex (PDB code) and chymotrypsin (PDB code) as search models

  4. Carbohydrate as covalent crosslink in human inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jessen, T E; Faarvang, K L; Ploug, M

    1988-01-01

    The primary structure of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor is partially elucidated, but controversy about the construction of the polypeptide backbone still exists. We present evidence suggesting that inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor represents a novel plasma protein structure with two separate polypept...... polypeptide chains covalently crosslinked only by carbohydrate (chondroitin sulphate)....

  5. In vitro and in silico investigations of the binding interactions between chlorophenols and trypsin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Yan-Qing, E-mail: wyqing76@126.com [Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Wetland Bioresources and Environmental Protection, Yancheng City 224002, Jiangsu Province (China); Institute of Applied Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng City 224002, Jiangsu Province (China); Tan, Chun-Yun [Institute of Applied Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng City 224002, Jiangsu Province (China); Zhuang, Shu-Lin [Institute of Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (China); Zhai, Peng-Zhan; Cui, Yun; Zhou, Qiu-Hua; Zhang, Hong-Mei [Institute of Applied Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng City 224002, Jiangsu Province (China); Fei, Zhenghao [Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Wetland Bioresources and Environmental Protection, Yancheng City 224002, Jiangsu Province (China); Institute of Applied Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng City 224002, Jiangsu Province (China)

    2014-08-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Binding interactions of five chlorophenols with trypsin were investigated. • The number of chlorine atoms of chlorophenols partly affected the binding ability of them to trypsin. • Noncovalent interactions stabilized the trypsin–chlorophenols complexes. • There was the one main binding site of trypsin for chlorophenols. - Abstract: Being the first-degree toxic pollutants, chlorophenols (CP) have potential carcinogenic and mutagenic activity and toxicity. Since there still lacks studies on molecular interactions of chlorophenols with trypsin, one major binding target of many exogenous environmental pollutants, the binding interactions between five chlorophenols, 2-CP, 2,6-DCP, 2,4,6-TCP, 2,4,6-TCP, 2,3,4,6-TCP and PCP and trypsin were characterized by the combination of multispectroscopic techniques and molecular modeling. The chlorophenols bind at the one main site of trypsin and the binding induces the changes of microenvironment and global conformations of trypsin. Different number of chloride atoms significantly affects the binding and the binding constants K{sub A} ranks as K{sub A} (2-CP) < K{sub A} (2,6-DCP) ≈ K{sub A} (2,4,6-TCP) < K{sub A} (2,3,4,6-TCP) < K{sub A} (PCP). These chlorophenols interacts with trypsin mainly through hydrophobic interactions and via hydrogen bonding interactions and aromatic–aromatic π–π stacking interaction. Our results offer insights into the binding mechanism of chlorophenols with trypsin and provide important information for possible toxicity risk of chlorophenols to human health.

  6. Quantitative proteomics reveals the kinetics of trypsin-catalyzed protein digestion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Yanbo; Cheng, Kai; Mao, Jiawei; Liu, Fangjie; Liu, Jing; Ye, Mingliang; Zou, Hanfa

    2014-10-01

    Trypsin is the popular protease to digest proteins into peptides in shotgun proteomics, but few studies have attempted to systematically investigate the kinetics of trypsin-catalyzed protein digestion in proteome samples. In this study, we applied quantitative proteomics via triplex stable isotope dimethyl labeling to investigate the kinetics of trypsin-catalyzed cleavage. It was found that trypsin cleaves the C-terminal to lysine (K) and arginine (R) residues with higher rates for R. And the cleavage sites surrounded by neutral residues could be quickly cut, while those with neighboring charged residues (D/E/K/R) or proline residue (P) could be slowly cut. In a proteome sample, a huge number of proteins with different physical chemical properties coexists. If any type of protein could be preferably digested, then limited digestion could be applied to reduce the sample complexity. However, we found that protein abundance and other physicochemical properties, such as molecular weight (Mw), grand average of hydropathicity (GRAVY), aliphatic index, and isoelectric point (pI) have no notable correlation with digestion priority of proteins.

  7. Influence of Different Genotypes on Trypsin Inhibitor Levels and Activity in Soybeans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viktor A. Nedovic

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available This study describes the relationship between the two major trypsin inhibitors (TI in soybean, i.e., the Kunitz (KTI and Bowman-Birk (BBI trypsin inhibitors, as well as between them and the corresponding trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA. Twelve investigated soybean genotypes showed significant differences in TI levels and TIA. A very strong positive correlation was found between the levels of KTI and total BBI (r = 0.94, P < 0.05. No relationship was found between KTI, BBI or total TI and TIA. Based on this data, it appears that the levels of major TI in soybean are related. Understanding the relationship between trypsin inhibitors and their activities could be useful for further improvement of the health impacts of soy proteins.

  8. The use of poly(ethylene terephthalate)-poly(aniline) composite for trypsin immobilisation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Caramori, S.S. [Laboratorio de Quimica de Proteinas, Departamento de Bioquimica e Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Federal de Goias, Cx. Postal 131, 74001-970 Goiania-GO (Brazil)], E-mail: samanthabio@hotmail.com; Fernandes, K.F. [Laboratorio de Quimica de Proteinas, Departamento de Bioquimica e Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Federal de Goias, Cx. Postal 131, 74001-970 Goiania-GO (Brazil)], E-mail: katia@icb.ufg.br

    2008-08-01

    This paper presents trypsin immobilisation on strips of poly(ethylene terephthalate)-poly(aniline), activated with glutaraldehyde (PET-PANIG) composite. The photomicrography of the material showed changes corresponding to the chemical modifications produced in the steps of synthesis. The immobilisation process was very efficient under optimal conditions (18.6%). The immobilised and free enzyme presented the same pH and temperature optimum. PET-PANIG-trypsin was able to hydrolyse casein, albumin, gelatine, and skimmed milk. Km{sub app} value for PET-PANIG-trypsin was very close to Km of the free enzyme for casein. Immobilised trypsin showed higher stability than the free enzyme, with 100% activity after 14 days of storage at 4 deg. C and 100% operational stability after 4 cycles of use.

  9. Purification and characterization of a trypsin inhibitor from the seeds of Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyu, Junchen; Liu, Yuan; An, Tianchen; Liu, Yujun; Wang, Manchuriga; Song, Yanting; Zheng, Feifei; Wu, Dan; Zhang, Yingxia; Deng, Shiming

    2015-05-01

    A proteinaceous inhibitor against trypsin was isolated from the seeds of Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. by successive ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange, and gel-filtration chromatography. The trypsin inhibitor, named as AHLTI (A. heterophyllus Lam. trypsin inhibitor), consisted of a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of 28.5 kDa, which was confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel-filtration chromatography. The N-terminal sequence of AHLTI was DEPPSELDAS, which showed no similarity to other known trypsin inhibitor sequence. AHLTI completely inhibited bovine trypsin at a molar ratio of 1:2 (AHLTI:trypsin) analyzed by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, inhibition activity assay, and gel-filtration chromatography. Moreover, kinetic enzymatic studies were carried out to understand the inhibition mechanism of AHLTI against trypsin. Results showed that AHLTI was a competitive inhibitor with an equilibrium dissociation constant (Ki) of 3.7 × 10(-8) M. However, AHLTI showed weak inhibitory activity toward chymotrypsin and elastase. AHLTI was stable over a broad range of pH 4-8 and temperature 20-80°C. The reduction agent, dithiothreitol, had no obvious effect on AHLTI. The trypsin inhibition assays of AHLTI toward digestive enzymes from insect pest guts in vitro demonstrated that AHLTI was effective against enzymes from Locusta migratoria manilensis (Meyen). These results suggested that AHLTI might be a novel trypsin inhibitor from A. heterophyllus Lam. belonging to Kunitz family, and play an important role in protecting from insect pest. © The Author 2015. Published by ABBS Editorial Office in association with Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

  10. Characterization of trypsin-derived peptides acrylamide-adducted hemoglobin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Springer, D.L.; Goheen, S.C.; Edmonds, C.G.; McCulloch, M.; Sylvester, D.M.; Sander, C.; Bull, R.J.

    1991-01-01

    Even though there are a number of sources for human exposure to acrylamide, reliable biomarkers of exposure are not available. In an effort to develop such a biomarker, the authors are characterizing peptides derived from trypsin digests of acrylamide-adducted hemoglobin. For this, radiolabeled acrylamide was incubated with this, radiolabeled acrylamide was incubated with purified human hemoglobin (Ao) and decomposition products removed by dialysis. When the adducted hemoglobin was separated by reverse-phase HPLC, radioactivity eluted with the α and β subunits, suggesting covalent binding. Digestion of individual subunits with trypsin followed by reverse phase HPLC, indicated that most of the radioactivity associated with the α subunit co-eluted with a single peptide. Similar results were observed for the β subunit except that significant amounts of radioactivity eluted with the solvent front, suggesting that radioactivity was released by trypsin digestion. Currently, these preparation are under further characterization by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. This approach will aid in the identification of the adducted will aid in the identification of the adducted peptide and subsequent preparation of an acrylamide-specific antibody

  11. Salmon trypsin stimulates the expression of interleukin-8 via protease-activated receptor-2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larsen, Anett K.; Seternes, Ole-Morten; Larsen, Merethe; Aasmoe, Lisbeth; Bang, Berit

    2008-01-01

    In this study, we focus on salmon trypsin as an activator of inflammatory responses in airway cells in vitro. The rationale behind the investigation is that salmon industry workers are exposed to aerosols containing enzymes, which are generated during industrial processing of the fish. Knowing that serine proteases such as trypsin are highly active mediators with diverse biological activities, the stimulation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and interleukin (IL)-8 and the role of protease-activated receptors (PAR) in inflammatory signal mediation were investigated. Protease-activated receptors are considered important under pathological situations in the human airways, and a thorough understanding of PAR-induced cellular events and their consequences in airway inflammation is necessary. Human airway epithelial cells (A549) were exposed to trypsin isolated from fish (Salmo salar), and we observed that purified salmon trypsin could generate secretion of IL-8 in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PAR-2 activation by salmon trypsin is coupled to an induction of NF-κB-mediated transcription using a PAR-2 transfected HeLa cell model. Finally, we show that the release of IL-8 from A549 following stimulation with purified salmon trypsin is mediated through activation of PAR-2 using specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). The results presented suggest that salmon trypsin, via activation of PAR-2, might influence inflammation processes in the airways if inhaled in sufficient amounts

  12. Gamma rays induced mutation for low phytic acid and trypsin inhibitor content in soybean

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, S.K.; Manjaya, J.G.

    2017-01-01

    Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) is an important source of vegetable protein and is used as a food, feed and health supplement. However, consumption of soybean as food is limited because of the presence of many anti-nutritional factors. Trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid are two major anti-nutritional factors present in soybean that need to be removed for increasing the soybean consumption as food. Trypsin inhibitor is known to inhibit the trypsin/chymotrpsin activity and phytic acid reduces the bioavailability of essential micronutrients in digestive tract, resulting in adverse effect on health. Therefore, developing soybean cultivars having low trypsin inhibitors and phytic acid content is highly desirable. Soybean cultivar JS 93-05 was irradiated with 250 Gy gamma rays to induce mutation for various morphological and biochemical characters. A large number of mutants with altered morphological characters were identified. Ninety true breeding mutant lines in M6 generation were screened for trypsin inhibitor and phytic acid content. The phytic acid content was estimated using modified colorimetric method and trypsin inhibitor concentration was estimated using BAPNA as substrate in colorimetric method. The phytic acid content in the mutants varied from 7.59 to 24.14 mg g -1 . Two mutants lines TSG - 62 (7.59 mg g -1 ) and TSG - 66 (9.62 mg g -1 ) showed significant low phytic acid content as compared to the parent JS 93-05 (20.19 mg g -1 ). The trypsin inhibitor concentration in the mutants varied from 19.92 to 53.64 TIU mg -1 and one mutant line (TSG -14) was found with the lowest trypsin inhibitor concentration of 19.92 TIU mg -1 compared to parent JS 93-05 (50.90 TIU mg -1 ). The mutant lines identified in this study will serve as important genetic resources for developing low phytic acid and low trypsin inhibitor cultivars in soybean. (author)

  13. Rapid and Efficient Protein Digestion using Trypsin Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles under Pressure Cycles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Byoungsoo; Lopez-Ferrer, Daniel; Kim, Byoung Chan; Na, Hyon Bin; Park, Yong Il; Weitz, Karl K.; Warner, Marvin G.; Hyeon, Taeghwan; Lee, Sang-Won; Smith, Richard D.; Kim, Jungbae

    2011-01-01

    Trypsin-coated magnetic nanoparticles (EC-TR/NPs), prepared via a simple crosslinking of the enzyme to magnetic nanoparticles, were highly stable and could be easily captured using a magnet after the digestion was complete. EC-TR/NPs showed a negligible loss of trypsin activity after multiple uses and continuous shaking, while a control sample of covalently-attached trypsin on NPs resulted in a rapid inactivation under the same conditions due to the denaturation and autolysis of trypsin. Digestions were carried out on a single model protein, a five protein mixture, and a whole mouse brain proteome, and also compared for digestion at atmospheric pressure and 37 ºC for 12 h, and in combination with pressure cycling technology (PCT) at room temperature for 1 min. In all cases, the EC-TR/NPs performed equally as well or better than free trypsin in terms of the number of peptide/protein identifications and reproducibility across technical replicates. However, the concomitant use of EC-TR/NPs and PCT resulted in very fast (~1 min) and more reproducible digestions.

  14. Action of trypsin on structural changes of collagen fibres from sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zi-Qiang; Tuo, Feng-Yan; Song, Liang; Liu, Yu-Xin; Dong, Xiu-Ping; Li, Dong-Mei; Zhou, Da-Yong; Shahidi, Fereidoon

    2018-08-01

    Trypsin, a representative serine proteinase, was used to hydrolyse the collagen fibres from sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) to highlight the role of serine proteinase in the autolysis of sea cucumber. Partial disaggregation of collagen fibres into collagen fibrils upon trypsin treatment occurred. The trypsin treatment also caused a time-dependent release of water-soluble glycosaminoglycans and proteins. Therefore, the degradation of the proteoglycan bridges between collagen fibrils might account for the disaggregation of collagen fibrils. For trypsin-treated collagen fibres (72 h), the collagen fibrils still kept their structural integrity and showed characteristic D-banding pattern, and the dissolution rate of hydroxyproline was just 0.21%. Meanwhile, Fourier transform infrared analysis showed the collagen within trypsin-treated collagen fibres (72 h) still retaining their triple-helical conformation. These results suggested that serine proteinase participated in the autolysis of S. japonicus body wall by damaging the proteoglycan bridges between collagen fibrils and disintegrating the latter. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Trypsin diminishes the rat potency of polio serotype 3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    ten Have, R; Westdijk, J; Levels, L M A R; Koedam, P; de Haan, A; Hamzink, M R J; Metz, B; Kersten, G F A

    2015-11-01

    This study addresses observations made in view of testing in practice the guideline in the European Pharmacopoeia (EP) on omitting the rat potency test for release of polio containing vaccines. In general, use of the guideline is valid and the D-antigen ELISA can indeed be used as an in vitro alternative for the in vivo test. However, the set-up of the ELISA is crucial and should include detection of antigenic site 1 in polio serotype 3 as destruction of that site by trypsin results in a reduced rat potency. Antigenic site 1 in polio serotype 2 may also be modified by trypsin, but the cleavage of viral protein 1 (VP1) did not affect the rat potency. Therefore, any antigenic site, except site 1, can be used for detection of polio serotype 2. It is advised to include testing of the effect of trypsin treatment in the EP-guideline. This allows polio vaccine manufacturers to check whether their in-house ELISA needs improvement. Copyright © 2015 The International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Structure basis 1/2SLPI and porcine pancreas trypsin interaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fukushima, Kei; Kamimura, Takashi; Takimoto-Kamimura, Midori, E-mail: m.kamimura@teijin.co.jp [Teijin Institute for Bio-Medical Research, 4-3-2 Asahigaoka, Hino-shi, Tokyo 191-8512 (Japan)

    2013-11-01

    1/2SLPI is a C-terminal domain of SLPI (secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor) which inhibits various serine proteases broadly. The present study is the first X-ray structural report on how 1/2SLPI with P1 Leu strongly inhibits trypsin and how it can inhibit multiple serine proteases. SLPI (secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor) is a 107-residue protease inhibitor which inhibits various serine proteases, including elastase, cathepsin G, chymotrypsin and trypsin. SLPI is obtained as a multiple inhibitor in lung defense and in chronic airway infection. X-ray crystal structures have so far reported that they are full-length SLPIs with bovine α-chymotrypsin and 1/2SLPI (recombinant C-terminal domain of SLPI; Arg58–Ala107) with HNE (human neutrophil elastase). To understand the role of this multiple inhibitory mechanism, the crystal structure of 1/2SLPI with porcine pancreas trypsin was solved and the binding modes of two other complexes compared. The Leu residue surprisingly interacts with the S1 site of trypsin, as with chymotrypsin and elastase. The inhibitory mechanism of 1/2SLPI using the wide primary binding site contacts (from P2′ to P5) with various serine proteases is discussed. These inhibitory mechanisms have been acquired in the evolution of the protection system for acute inflammatory diseases.

  17. Label-free electrical determination of trypsin activity by a silicon-on-insulator based thin film resistor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neff, Petra A; Serr, Andreas; Wunderlich, Bernhard K; Bausch, Andreas R

    2007-10-08

    A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) based thin film resistor is employed for the label-free determination of enzymatic activity. We demonstrate that enzymes, which cleave biological polyelectrolyte substrates, can be detected by the sensor. As an application, we consider the serine endopeptidase trypsin, which cleaves poly-L-lysine (PLL). We show that PLL adsorbs quasi-irreversibly to the sensor and is digested by trypsin directly at the sensor surface. The created PLL fragments are released into the bulk solution due to kinetic reasons. This results in a measurable change of the surface potential allowing for the determination of trypsin concentrations down to 50 ng mL(-1). Chymotrypsin is a similar endopeptidase with a different specificity, which cleaves PLL with a lower efficiency as compared to trypsin. The activity of trypsin is analyzed quantitatively employing a kinetic model for enzyme-catalyzed surface reactions. Moreover, we have demonstrated the specific inactivation of trypsin by a serine protease inhibitor, which covalently binds to the active site of the enzyme.

  18. Biochemical Characterization of An Arginine-Specific Alkaline Trypsin from Bacillus licheniformis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Jin-Song; Li, Wei; Zhang, Dan-Dan; Xie, Min-Feng; Yang, Biao; Zhang, Rong-Xian; Li, Heng; Lu, Zhen-Ming; Xu, Zheng-Hong; Shi, Jin-Song

    2015-12-17

    In the present study, we isolated a trypsin-producing strain DMN6 from the leather waste and identified it as Bacillus licheniformis through a two-step screening strategy. The trypsin activity was increased up to 140 from 20 U/mL through culture optimization. The enzyme was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity with a molecular mass of 44 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the specific activity of purified enzyme is 350 U/mg with Nα-Benzoyl-L-arginine ethylester as the substrate. The optimum temperature and pH for the trypsin are 65 °C and pH 9.0, respectively. Also, the enzyme can be significantly activated by Ba(2+). This enzyme is relatively stable in alkaline environment and displays excellent activity at low temperatures. It could retain over 95% of enzyme activity after 180 min of incubation at 45 °C. The distinguished activity under low temperature and prominent stability enhance its catalytic potential. In the current work, the open reading frame was obtained with a length of 1371 nucleotides that encoded a protein of 456 amino acids. These data would warrant the B. licheniformis trypsin as a promising candidate for catalytic application in collagen preparation and leather bating through further protein engineering.

  19. Biochemical Characterization of An Arginine-Specific Alkaline Trypsin from Bacillus licheniformis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin-Song Gong

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In the present study, we isolated a trypsin-producing strain DMN6 from the leather waste and identified it as Bacillus licheniformis through a two-step screening strategy. The trypsin activity was increased up to 140 from 20 U/mL through culture optimization. The enzyme was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity with a molecular mass of 44 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the specific activity of purified enzyme is 350 U/mg with Nα-Benzoyl-l-arginine ethylester as the substrate. The optimum temperature and pH for the trypsin are 65 °C and pH 9.0, respectively. Also, the enzyme can be significantly activated by Ba2+. This enzyme is relatively stable in alkaline environment and displays excellent activity at low temperatures. It could retain over 95% of enzyme activity after 180 min of incubation at 45 °C. The distinguished activity under low temperature and prominent stability enhance its catalytic potential. In the current work, the open reading frame was obtained with a length of 1371 nucleotides that encoded a protein of 456 amino acids. These data would warrant the B. licheniformis trypsin as a promising candidate for catalytic application in collagen preparation and leather bating through further protein engineering.

  20. High-gradient magnetic affinity separation of trypsin from porcine pancreatin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hubbuch, Jürgen; Thomas, Owen R. T.

    2002-01-01

    We introduce a robust and scale-flexible approach to macromolecule purification employing tailor-made magnetic adsorbents and high-gradient magnetic separation technology adapted from the mineral processing industries. Detailed procedures for the synthesis of large quantities of low-cost defined......-scale studies approximate to95% of the endogenous trypsin present in a crude porcine pancreatin feedstock was recovered with a purification factor of approximate to4.1 at the expense of only a 4% loss in a-amylase activity. Efficient recovery of trypsin from the same feedstock was demonstrated at a vastly...

  1. Label-Free Fluorescent Detection of Trypsin Activity Based on DNA-Stabilized Silver Nanocluster-Peptide Conjugates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cai-Xia Zhuo

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Trypsin is important during the regulation of pancreatic exocrine function. The detection of trypsin activity is currently limited because of the need for the substrate to be labeled with a fluorescent tag. A label-free fluorescent method has been developed to monitor trypsin activity. The designed peptide probe consists of six arginine molecules and a cysteine terminus and can be conjugated to DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters (DNA-AgNCs by Ag-S bonding to enhance fluorescence. The peptide probe can also be adsorbed to the surface of graphene oxide (GO, thus resulting in the fluorescence quenching of DNA-AgNCs-peptide conjugate because of Förster resonance energy transfer. Once trypsin had degraded the peptide probe into amino acid residues, the DNA-AgNCs were released from the surface of GO, and the enhanced fluorescence of DNA-AgNCs was restored. Trypsin can be determined with a linear range of 0.0–50.0 ng/mL with a concentration as low as 1 ng/mL. This label-free method is simple and sensitive and has been successfully used for the determination of trypsin in serum. The method can also be modified to detect other proteases.

  2. Physical-chemical characterization and stability study of alpha-trypsin at ph 3.0 by differential scanning calorimetry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santos, A.M.C.; Santana, M.A.; Gomide, F.T.F.; Oliveira, J.S.; Vilas Boas, F.A.S.; Santoro, M.M.; Teixera, K.N. [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Inst. de Ciencias Biologicas (ICB). Dept. de Bioquimica e Imunologia; Miranda, A.A.C.; Biondi, I. [Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS), BA (Brazil). Dept. de Ciencias Biologicas; Vasconcelos, A.B.; Bemquerer, M.P. [EMBRAPA Recursos Geneticos e Biotecnologia, Brasilia, DF (Brazil). Parque Estacao Biologica (PqEB)

    2008-07-01

    Full text: {alpha}-Trypsin is a serine-protease with a polypeptide chain of 223 amino acid residues and six disulfide bridges. It is a globular protein with predominance of antiparallel {beta}-sheet secondary structure and it has two domains with similar structures. In the present work, a stability study of {alpha}-trypsin in the acid pH range was performed and physical-chemical denaturation parameters were measured by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The {alpha}-trypsin has a shelf-life (t{sub 95%}) of about ten months at pH 3.0 and 4 deg C and its hydrolysis into the {psi}-trypsin isoform is negligible during six months as monitored by mass spectrometry (Micromass Q-ToF). The observed {delta}H{sub cal}/{delta}H{sub vH} ratio is close to unity for {alpha}-trypsin denaturation, which suggests the occurrence of a two-state transition, devoid of molten-globule intermediates. At pH 3.0, {alpha}-trypsin unfolded with T{sub m} 325.9 K and {delta}H= 99.10 kcal mol{sup -1}, and the change in heat capacity between the native and unfolded forms of the protein was estimated to be 1.96 {+-} 0.18 kcal mol{sup -1} K{sup -1}. The stability of {alpha}-trypsin calculated at 298 K and at pH 3.0 was {delta}G{sub U} = 6.10 kcal mol{sup -1}. These values are in the range expected for a small globular protein. These results show that the thermodynamic parameters for unfolding of {beta}-trypsin do not change substantially after its conversion to {alpha}-trypsin.

  3. Radio-immuno-assay for trypsin in newborn-screening for cystic fibrosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sander, J.; Niehaus, C.

    1982-01-01

    In 4,956 infants the concentration of immunoreactive trypsin was measured in dried blood on filter paper using a double antibody radioimmuno assay. About 90% of all results were below 40 ng/ml. In 13 infants the concentration of immunoreactive trypsin exceeded 80 ng/ml. These infants were examined clinically, including sweationtophoresis. We found three children suffering from cystic fibrosis. One further child showing an elevated concentration of chloride in the sweat (60 mval/ml) could not be reexamined. The concentration of immunoreactive trypsin in the cystic fibrosis children was 230, 297, and in one case 108 ng/ml at the 76th day of life, whereas the values for the 9 other children were between 80 and 154 ng/ml. We believe these results justify to use this test for a much higher number of infants, especially because it is inexpensive and can easily be added to existing newborn screening programs for inborn errors of metabolism. (orig.) [de

  4. Expression intensity, gender and facial emotion recognition: Women recognize only subtle facial emotions better than men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, Holger; Kessler, Henrik; Eppel, Tobias; Rukavina, Stefanie; Traue, Harald C

    2010-11-01

    Two experiments were conducted in order to investigate the effect of expression intensity on gender differences in the recognition of facial emotions. The first experiment compared recognition accuracy between female and male participants when emotional faces were shown with full-blown (100% emotional content) or subtle expressiveness (50%). In a second experiment more finely grained analyses were applied in order to measure recognition accuracy as a function of expression intensity (40%-100%). The results show that although women were more accurate than men in recognizing subtle facial displays of emotion, there was no difference between male and female participants when recognizing highly expressive stimuli. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Mechanisms involved in the chemical inhibition of the Eosin-sensitized photooxidation of trypsin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rizzuto, F.; Spikes, J.D.

    1975-01-01

    A large series of compounds was screened for ability to protect trypsin from eosin-sensitized photodynamic inactivation. Eosin-sensitized photooxidation reactions of this type typically proceed via the triplet state of the dye and often involve singlet state oxygen as the oxidizing entity. In order to determine the mechanisms by which trypsin is protected from photoinactivation, a number of good protective agents (inhibitors) and some non-protective agents were selected for more detailed flash photolysis studies. Good inhibitors such as p-phenylenediamine, n-propyl gallate, serotonin creatinine sulfate and p-toluenediamine competed efficiently with oxygen and with trypsin for reaction with the triplet state of eosin. The inhibitors were shown to quench triplet eosin to the ground state and/or reduce triplet eosin to form the semireduced eosin radical and an oxidized form of the inhibitor. In the latter case, oxidized inhibitor could react by a reverse electron transfer reaction with the semireduced eosin radical to regenerate ground state eosin and the inhibitor. The good inhibitors also competed effectively with trypsin for oxidation by semioxidized eosin, thus giving another possible protective mechanism. Non-inhibitors such as halogen ions and the paramagnetic ions Co/sup + +/, Cu/sup + +/ and Mn/sup + +/ reacted only slowly with triplet and with semioxidized eosin. The primary pathway for the eosin-sensitized photooxidation of trypsin at pH 8.0 involved singlet oxygen, although semioxidized eosin may also participate.

  6. Overlapping binding sites for trypsin and papain on a Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor from Prosopis juliflora.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco, Octávio L; Grossi de Sá, Maria F; Sales, Maurício P; Mello, Luciane V; Oliveira, Adeliana S; Rigden, Daniel J

    2002-11-15

    Proteinase inhibitors are among the most promising candidates for expression by transgenic plants and consequent protection against insect predation. However, some insects can respond to the threat of the proteinase inhibitor by the production of enzymes insensitive to inhibition. Inhibitors combining more than one favorable activity are therefore strongly favored. Recently, a known small Kunitz trypsin inhibitor from Prosopis juliflora (PTPKI) has been shown to possess unexpected potent cysteine proteinase inhibitory activity. Here we show, by enzyme assay and gel filtration, that, unlike other Kunitz inhibitors with dual activities, this inhibitor is incapable of simultaneous inhibition of trypsin and papain. These data are most readily interpreted by proposing overlapping binding sites for the two enzymes. Molecular modeling and docking experiments favor an interaction mode in which the same inhibitor loop that interacts in a canonical fashion with trypsin can also bind into the papain catalytic site cleft. Unusual residue substitutions at the proposed interface can explain the relative rarity of twin trypsin/papain inhibition. Other changes seem responsible for the relative low affinity of PTPKI for trypsin. The predicted coincidence of trypsin and papain binding sites, once confirmed, would facilitate the search, by phage display for example, for mutants highly active against both proteinases. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  7. A novel poly(deep eutectic solvent)-based magnetic silica composite for solid-phase extraction of trypsin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Kaijia; Wang, Yuzhi; Li, Yixue; Lin, Yunxuan; Zhang, Haibao; Zhou, Yigang

    2016-01-01

    Novel poly(deep eutectic solvent) grafted silica-coated magnetic microspheres (Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS@PDES) were prepared by polymerization of choline chloride-itaconic acid (ChCl-IA) and γ-MPS-modified magnetic silica composites, and were characterized by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Then the synthetic Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS@PDES microspheres were applied for the magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of trypsin for the first time. After extraction, the concentration of trypsin in the supernatant was determined by a UV–vis spectrophotometer. Single factor experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of the extraction process, including the concentration of trypsin, the ionic strength, the pH value, the extraction time and the temperature. Experimental results showed the extraction capacity could reach up to 287.5 mg/g under optimized conditions. In comparison with Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS, Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS@PDES displayed higher extraction capacity and selectivity for trypsin. According to the regeneration studies, Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS@PDES microspheres can be recycled six times without significant loss of its extraction capacity, and retained a high extraction capacity of 233 mg/g after eight cycles. Besides, the activity studies also demonstrated that the activity of the extracted trypsin was well retained. Furthermore, the analysis of real sample revealed that the prepared magnetic microspheres can be used to purify trypsin in crude bovine pancreas extract. These results highlight the potential of the proposed Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS@PDES-MSPE method in separation of biomolecules. - Highlights: • A strategy for solid-phase extraction of trypsin based on poly(deep eutectic solvent) modified magnetic silica microspheres. • Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS@PDES showed higher extraction capacity

  8. Recognizing Suffering or Resistance? Honoring the Courage of Indigenous Quechua Women in Post Conflict Ayacucho, Peru

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliana Barrios Suarez

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Based on extensive field work in Ayacucho, the area most affected by the past armed conflict in Peru (1980–2000, this practice note outlines some of the contributions to justice and reconciliation made by Quechua women in post-conflict Ayacucho and hypothesizes a number of reasons why these contributions have not been recognized to the same extent as their suffering.

  9. Improved purification process of β- and α-trypsin isoforms by ion-exchange chromatography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre Martins Costa Santos

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this work was to improve the separation and yield of pure β- and α-trypsin isoforms by ion-exchange chromatography and to characterize some physical-chemical properties of these isoforms. Purification of trypsin isoforms was performed by ion-exchange chromatography in 0.1 mol/L tris-HC buffer, pH 7.10 at 4ºC. The sample loading, salt concentration, flow rate and pH of mobile phase were varied to determine their effects on the resolution of the separation. The resolution was optimized mainly between β- and α-trypsin. Pure isoforms were obtained by chromatographying 100 mg of commercial trypsin during seven days, yielding 51 mg of high purity β-trypsin and 13 mg of α-trypsin partially pure, with small amounts of contaminating of ψ-trypsin. Thus, time and resolution of purification were optimized yielding large amounts of pure active enzymes that are useful for several research areas and biotechnology.O propósito deste trabalho foi melhorar a separação e o rendimento das isoformas puras β- e α-tripsina por meio de cromatografia de troca iônica e caracterizar algumas propriedades físico-químicas dessas isoformas. A purificação de isoformas de tripsina foi realizada em SE Sephadex, com tampão tris-HCl, pH 7,10 a 4ºC. A quantidade de amostra, a concentração salina, o fluxo e o pH da fase móvel foram variados para determinar o efeito sobre a resolução da separação. A resolução foi otimizada principalmente entre β- e α-tripsina, utilizando o pH 7,10 a 4ºC. Isoformas puras foram obtidas a partir de 100 mg de tripsina comercial bovina depois de sete dias de cromatografia, fornecendo 51,0 mg de β-tripsina totalmente pura e 13,0 mg de α-tripsina parcialmente pura, com quantidades pequenas de contaminação por ψ-Tripsina. Assim, tempo e resolução da purificação foram otimizados redendo grandes quantidades de enzimas puras e ativas que são úteis em várias áreas de pesquisa e ciências biotecnológicas.

  10. A new protein inhibitor of trypsin and activated Hageman factor from pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnamoorthi, R; Gong, Y X; Richardson, M

    1990-10-29

    A protein inhibitor (CMTI-V; Mr 7106) of trypsin and activated Hageman factor (Factor XIIa), a serine protease involved in blood coagulation, has been isolated for the first time from pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) seeds by means of trypsin-affinity chromatography and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The dissociation constants of the inhibitor complexes with trypsin and Factor XIIa have been determined to be 1.6 x 10(-8) and 4.1 x 10(-8) M, respectively. The primary structure of CMTI-V is reported. The protein has 68 amino acid residues and one disulfide bridge and shows a high level of sequence homology to the Potato I inhibitor family. Furthermore, its amino terminus consists of an N-acetylates Ser. The reactive site has been established to be the peptide bond between Lys44-Asp45. The modified inhibitor which has the reactive site peptide bond hydrolyzed inhibits trypsin but not the Hageman factor.

  11. A novel poly(deep eutectic solvent)-based magnetic silica composite for solid-phase extraction of trypsin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Kaijia [State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 (China); Wang, Yuzhi, E-mail: wyzss@hnu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 (China); Li, Yixue; Lin, Yunxuan; Zhang, Haibao [State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082 (China); Zhou, Yigang [Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410083 (China)

    2016-11-23

    Novel poly(deep eutectic solvent) grafted silica-coated magnetic microspheres (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2}-MPS@PDES) were prepared by polymerization of choline chloride-itaconic acid (ChCl-IA) and γ-MPS-modified magnetic silica composites, and were characterized by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Then the synthetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2}-MPS@PDES microspheres were applied for the magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of trypsin for the first time. After extraction, the concentration of trypsin in the supernatant was determined by a UV–vis spectrophotometer. Single factor experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of the extraction process, including the concentration of trypsin, the ionic strength, the pH value, the extraction time and the temperature. Experimental results showed the extraction capacity could reach up to 287.5 mg/g under optimized conditions. In comparison with Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2}-MPS, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2}-MPS@PDES displayed higher extraction capacity and selectivity for trypsin. According to the regeneration studies, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2}-MPS@PDES microspheres can be recycled six times without significant loss of its extraction capacity, and retained a high extraction capacity of 233 mg/g after eight cycles. Besides, the activity studies also demonstrated that the activity of the extracted trypsin was well retained. Furthermore, the analysis of real sample revealed that the prepared magnetic microspheres can be used to purify trypsin in crude bovine pancreas extract. These results highlight the potential of the proposed Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2}-MPS@PDES-MSPE method in separation of biomolecules. - Highlights: • A strategy for solid-phase extraction of trypsin based on poly(deep eutectic solvent) modified magnetic silica

  12. Robust Trypsin Coating on Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers in Rigorous Conditions and Its Uses for Protein Digestion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahn, Hye-Kyung; Kim, Byoung Chan; Jun, Seung-Hyun; Chang, Mun Seock; Lopez-Ferrer, Daniel; Smith, Richard D.; Gu, Man Bock; Lee, Sang-Won; Kim, Beom S.; Kim, Jungbae

    2010-12-15

    An efficient protein digestion in proteomic analysis requires the stabilization of proteases such as trypsin. In the present work, trypsin was stabilized in the form of enzyme coating on electrospun polymer nanofibers (EC-TR), which crosslinks additional trypsin molecules onto covalently-attached trypsin (CA-TR). EC-TR showed better stability than CA-TR in rigorous conditions, such as at high temperatures of 40 °C and 50 °C, in the presence of organic co-solvents, and at various pH's. For example, the half-lives of CA-TR and EC-TR were 0.24 and 163.20 hours at 40 ºC, respectively. The improved stability of EC-TR can be explained by covalent-linkages on the surface of trypsin molecules, which effectively inhibits the denaturation, autolysis, and leaching of trypsin. The protein digestion was performed at 40 °C by using both CA-TR and EC-TR in digesting a model protein, enolase. EC-TR showed better performance and stability than CA-TR by maintaining good performance of enolase digestion under recycled uses for a period of one week. In the same condition, CA-TR showed poor performance from the beginning, and could not be used for digestion at all after a few usages. The enzyme coating approach is anticipated to be successfully employed not only for protein digestion in proteomic analysis, but also for various other fields where the poor enzyme stability presently hampers the practical applications of enzymes.

  13. Cytogenetic study of Ascaris trypsin inhibitor in cultured human ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2009-04-01

    Apr 1, 2009 ... Although the physical and chemical properties of Ascaris trypsin inhibitors ... male of Ascaris suum according to the method of Pudles and. Rola (1967). ..... inhibitor isolated from Ascaris resulted in the appearance of dominant ...

  14. Changing the inhibitory specificity and function of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor-V by site-directed mutagenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, L; Lee, I; Chen, G; Huang, J K; Gong, Y; Krishnamoorthi, R

    1995-02-27

    Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor-V (CMTI-V) is also a specific inhibitor of human blood coagulation factor beta-factor XIIa. A recombinant version of CMTI-V has allowed probing of roles of individual amino acid residues including the reactive site residue, lysine (P1), by site-directed mutagenesis. The K44R showed at least a 5-fold increase in inhibitory activity toward human beta-factor XIIa, while there was no change toward bovine trypsin. This result demonstrates that beta-factor-XIIa prefers an arginine residue over lysine residue, while trypsin is non-specific to lysine or arginine in its binding pocket. On the other hand, the specificity of CMTI-V could be changed from trypsin to chymotrypsin inhibition by mutation of the P1 residue to either leucine or methionine (K44L or K44M).

  15. ELISA analysis of soybean trypsin inhibitors in processed foods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandon, D L; Bates, A H; Friedman, M

    1991-01-01

    Soybean proteins are widely used in human foods in a variety of forms, including infant formulas, flour, protein concentrates, protein isolates, soy sauces, textured soy fibers, and tofu. The presence of inhibitors of digestive enzymes in soy proteins impairs the nutritional quality and possibly the safety of soybeans and other legumes. Processing, based on the use of heat or fractionation of protein isolates, does not completely inactivate or remove these inhibitors, so that residual amounts of inhibitors are consumed by animals and humans. New monoclonal antibody-based immunoassays can measure low levels of the soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI) and the Bowman-Birk trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor (BBI) and the Bowman-Birk foods. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the inhibitor content of soy concentrates, isolates, and flours, both heated and unheated; a commercial soy infant formula; KTI and BBI with rearranged disulfide bonds; browning products derived from heat-treatment of KTI with glucose and starch; and KTI exposed to high pH. The results indicate that even low inhibitor isolates contain significant amounts of specific inhibitors. Thus, infants on soy formula consume about 10 mg of KTI plus BBI per day. The immunoassays complement the established enzymatic assays of trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors, and have advantages in (a) measuring low levels of inhibitors in processed foods; and (b) differentiating between the Kunitz and Bowman-Birk inhibitors. The significance of our findings for food safety are discussed.

  16. Magnetic nanoparticles coated with polyaniline to stabilize immobilized trypsin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maciel, J. C., E-mail: jackeline-maciel@hotmail.com [Universidade Federal de Roraima (Brazil); Mercês, A. A. D.; Cabrera, M. [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo Asami (Brazil); Shigeyosi, W. T. [Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Departamento de Física (Brazil); Souza, S. D. de; Olzon-Dionysio, M.; Fabris, J. D. [Universidade Federal dos Vales de Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (Brazil); Cardoso, C. A. [Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Departamento de Física (Brazil); Neri, D. F. M. [Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (Brazil); Silva, M. P. C.; Carvalho, L. B. [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo Asami (Brazil)

    2016-12-15

    It is reported the synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles via the chemical co-precipitation of Fe {sup 3+} ions and their preparation by coating them with polyaniline. The electronic micrograph analysis showed that the mean diameter for the nanoparticles is ∼15 nm. FTIR, powder X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy were used to understand the chemical, crystallographic and {sup 57}Fe hyperfine structures for the two samples. The nanoparticles, which exhibited magnetic behavior with relatively high spontaneous magnetization at room temperature, were identified as being mainly formed by maghemite (γFe{sub 2}O{sub 3}). The coated magnetic nanoparticles (sample labeled “mPANI”) presented a real ability to bind biological molecules such as trypsin, forming the magnetic enzyme derivative (sample “mPANIG-Trypsin”). The amount of protein and specific activity of the immobilized trypsin were found to be 13±5 μg of protein/mg of mPANI (49.3 % of immobilized protein) and 24.1±0.7 U/mg of immobilized protein, respectively. After 48 days of storage at 4 {sup ∘}C, the activity of the immobilized trypsin was found to be 89 % of its initial activity. This simple, fast and low-cost procedure was revealed to be a promising way to prepare mPANI nanoparticles if technological applications addressed to covalently link biomolecules are envisaged. This route yields chemically stable derivatives, which can be easily recovered from the reaction mixture with a magnetic field and recyclable reused.

  17. Trypsin from unicorn leatherjacket (Aluterus monoceros) pyloric caeca: purification and its use for preparation of fish protein hydrolysate with antioxidative activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamani, Abbas; Benjakul, Soottawat

    2016-02-01

    Fish proteases, especially trypsin, could be used to prepare fish protein hydrolysates with antioxidative activities. In this study, trypsin from the pyloric caeca of unicorn leatherjacket was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI)-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. Hydrolysate from Indian mackerel protein isolate with different degrees of hydrolysis (20, 30 and 40% DH) was prepared using the purified trypsin, and antioxidative activities (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical-scavenging activities, ferric-reducing antioxidant power and ferrous-chelating activity) of the hydrolysate were determined. Trypsin was purified 26.43-fold with a yield of 13.43%. The purified trypsin had a molecular weight (MW) of 23.5 kDa and optimal activity at pH 8.0 and 55 °C. It displayed high stability in the pH range of 6.0-11.0 and was thermally stable up to 50 °C. Both SBTI (0.05 mmol L(-1)) and N-p-tosyl-L-lysine-chloromethylketone (5 mmol L(-1)) completely inhibited trypsin activity. Antioxidative activities of the hydrolysate from Indian mackerel protein isolate increased with increasing DH up to 40% (P unicorn leatherjacket pyloric caeca was identified as trypsin based on its ability to hydrolyze a specific synthetic substrate and the response to specific trypsin inhibitors. The purified trypsin could hydrolyze Indian mackerel protein isolate, and the resulting hydrolysate exhibited antioxidative activity depending on its DH. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  18. Why Ser and not Thr brokers catalysis in the trypsin fold.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelc, Leslie A; Chen, Zhiwei; Gohara, David W; Vogt, Austin D; Pozzi, Nicola; Di Cera, Enrico

    2015-02-24

    Although Thr is equally represented as Ser in the human genome and as a nucleophile is as good as Ser, it is never found in the active site of the large family of trypsin-like proteases that utilize the Asp/His/Ser triad. The molecular basis of the preference of Ser over Thr in the trypsin fold was investigated with X-ray structures of the thrombin mutant S195T free and bound to an irreversible active site inhibitor. In the free form, the methyl group of T195 is oriented toward the incoming substrate in a conformation seemingly incompatible with productive binding. In the bound form, the side chain of T195 is reoriented for efficient substrate acylation without causing steric clash within the active site. Rapid kinetics prove that this change is due to selection of an active conformation from a preexisting ensemble of reactive and unreactive rotamers whose relative distribution determines the level of activity of the protease. Consistent with these observations, the S195T substitution is associated with a weak yet finite activity that allows identification of an unanticipated important role for S195 as the end point of allosteric transduction in the trypsin fold. The S195T mutation abrogates the Na(+)-dependent enhancement of catalytic activity in thrombin, activated protein C, and factor Xa and significantly weakens the physiologically important allosteric effects of thrombomodulin on thrombin and of cofactor Va on factor Xa. The evolutionary selection of Ser over Thr in trypsin-like proteases was therefore driven by the need for high catalytic activity and efficient allosteric regulation.

  19. Development of a rapid high-efficiency scalable process for acetylated Sus scrofa cationic trypsin production from Escherichia coli inclusion bodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Mingzhi; Wu, Feilin; Xu, Ping

    2015-12-01

    Trypsin is one of the most important enzymatic tools in proteomics and biopharmaceutical studies. Here, we describe the complete recombinant expression and purification from a trypsinogen expression vector construct. The Sus scrofa cationic trypsin gene with a propeptide sequence was optimized according to Escherichia coli codon-usage bias and chemically synthesized. The gene was inserted into pET-11c plasmid to yield an expression vector. Using high-density E. coli fed-batch fermentation, trypsinogen was expressed in inclusion bodies at 1.47 g/L. The inclusion body was refolded with a high yield of 36%. The purified trypsinogen was then activated to produce trypsin. To address stability problems, the trypsin thus produced was acetylated. The final product was generated upon gel filtration. The final yield of acetylated trypsin was 182 mg/L from a 5-L fermenter. Our acetylated trypsin product demonstrated higher BAEE activity (30,100 BAEE unit/mg) than a commercial product (9500 BAEE unit/mg, Promega). It also demonstrated resistance to autolysis. This is the first report of production of acetylated recombinant trypsin that is stable and suitable for scale-up. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Immobilization of trypsin on miniature incandescent bulbs for infrared-assisted proteolysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ge, Huimin; Bao, Huimin; Zhang, Luyan; Chen, Gang, E-mail: gangchen@fudan.edu.cn

    2014-10-03

    Highlights: • Trypsin was immobilized on miniature incandescent bulbs via chitosan coating. • The bulbs acted as enzymatic reactors and the generators of infrared radiation. • The bulb bioreactors were successfully employed in infrared-assisted proteolysis. • The proteolysis could accomplish within 5 min with high sequence coverages. - Abstract: A novel efficient proteolysis approach was developed based on trypsin-immobilized miniature incandescent bulbs and infrared (IR) radiation. Trypsin was covalently immobilized in the chitosan coating on the outer surface of miniature incandescent bulbs with the aid of glutaraldehyde. When an illuminated enzyme-immobilized bulb was immersed in protein solution, the emitted IR radiation could trigger and accelerate heterogeneous protein digestion. The feasibility and performance of the novel proteolysis approach were demonstrated by the digestion of hemoglobin (HEM), cytochrome c (Cyt-c), lysozyme (LYS), and ovalbumin (OVA) and the digestion time was significantly reduced to 5 min. The obtained digests were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS with the sequence coverages of 91%, 77%, 80%, and 52% for HEM, Cyt-c, LYS, and OVA (200 ng μL{sup −1} each), respectively. The suitability of the prepared bulb bioreactors to complex proteins was demonstrated by digesting human serum.

  1. Chemically modified, immobilized trypsin reactor with improved digestion efficiency

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Freije, J.R.; Mulder, P.P.; Werkman, W.; Rieux, L.; Niederlander, H.A G; Verpoorte, Sabeth; Bischoff, Rainer

    2005-01-01

    Tryptic digestion followed by identification using mass spectrometry is an important step in many proteomic studies. Here, we describe the preparation of immobilized, acetylated trypsin for enhanced digestion efficacy in integrated protein analysis platforms. Complete digestion of cytochrome c was

  2. A trypsin inhibitor from rambutan seeds with antitumor, anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, and nitric oxide-inducing properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Evandro Fei; Ng, Tzi Bun

    2015-04-01

    Nephelium lappaceum L., commonly known as "rambutan," is a typical tropical tree and is well known for its juicy and sweet fruit which has an exotic flavor. Chemical studies on rambutan have led to the identification of various components such as monoterpene lactones and volatile compounds. Here, a 22.5-kDa trypsin inhibitor (N . lappaceum trypsin inhibitor (NLTI)) was isolated from fresh rambutan seeds using liquid chromatographical techniques. NLTI reduced the proteolytic activities of both trypsin and α-chymotrypsin. Dithiothreitol reduced the trypsin inhibitory activity of NLTI at a concentration of 1 mM, indicating that an intact disulfide bond is essential to the activity. NLTI inhibited HIV-1 reverse transcriptase with an IC50 of 0.73 μM. In addition, NLTI manifested a time- and dose-dependent inhibitory effect on growth in many tumor cells. NLTI is one of the few trypsin inhibitors with nitric oxide-inducing activity and may find application in tumor therapy.

  3. Study on transformation of cowpea trypsin inhibitor gene into ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Cowpea Trypsin Inhibitor (CpTI) gene was transferred into cauliflower by agrobacterium-mediated transformation method, and 14 transgenic cauliflower plants were obtained. Cotyledons and hypocotyls were used as explants. The putative transformants were assayed by PCR and Southern blotting analysis. The results ...

  4. Trypsin digest protocol to analyze the retinal vasculature of a mouse model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Jonathan C; Rollins, Stuart D; Fawzi, Amani A

    2013-06-13

    Trypsin digest is the gold standard method to analyze the retinal vasculature (1-5). It allows visualization of the entire network of complex three-dimensional retinal blood vessels and capillaries by creating a two-dimensional flat-mount of the interconnected vascular channels after digestion of the non-vascular components of the retina. This allows one to study various pathologic vascular changes, such as microaneurysms, capillary degeneration, and abnormal endothelial to pericyte ratios. However, the method is technically challenging, especially in mice, which have become the most widely available animal model to study the retina because of the ease of genetic manipulations (6,7). In the mouse eye, it is particularly difficult to completely remove the non-vascular components while maintaining the overall architecture of the retinal blood vessels. To date, there is a dearth of literature that describes the trypsin digest technique in detail in the mouse. This manuscript provides a detailed step-by-step methodology of the trypsin digest in mouse retina, while also providing tips on troubleshooting difficult steps.

  5. Atomic-scale investigation of the interactions between tetrabromobisphenol A, tetrabromobisphenol S and bovine trypsin by spectroscopies and molecular dynamics simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ding, Keke; Zhang, Huanxin; Wang, Haifei; Lv, Xuan; Pan, Liumeng; Zhang, Wenjing; Zhuang, Shulin

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The interaction of TBBPA/TBBPS with bovine trypsin was deciphered for the first time. • The fluorescence of bovine trypsin was quenched in a concentration-dependent mode. • TBBPA and TBBPS bind at the ANS binding site with distinct binding modes. • TBBPS has a higher binding affinity toward bovine trypsin than TBBPA. • Our in vitro and in silico approach is helpful to assess risk of TBBPA-related BFRs. - Abstract: Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and its replacement alternative tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS) are used widely as brominated flame retardants (BFRs). However, the potential risk of their effects on bovine trypsin remains largely unknown. We investigated the effects of TBBPA and TBBPS to bovine trypsin by the fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. They statically quenched the intrinsic fluorescence of bovine trypsin in a concentration-dependent mode and caused slight red-shifted fluorescence. The short and long fluorescence lifetime decay components of bovine trypsin were both affected, partly due to the disturbed microenvironmental changes of Trp215. The β-sheet content of bovine trypsin was significantly reduced from 82.4% to 75.7% and 76.6% by TBBPA and TBBPS, respectively, possibly impairing the physiological function of bovine trypsin. TBBPA and TBBPS bind at the 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonate (ANS) binding site with an association constant of 1.09 × 10 4 M −1 and 2.41 × 10 4 M −1 at 298 K, respectively. MD simulations revealed that van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bond interactions are dominant for TBBPA, whereas electrostatic interactions are critical for TBBPS. Our in vitro and in silico studies are beneficial to the understanding of risk assessment and future design of environmental benign BFRs.

  6. Influence of surface-imprinted nanoparticles on trypsin activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerreiro, António; Poma, Alessandro; Karim, Kal; Moczko, Ewa; Takarada, Jessica; de Vargas-Sansalvador, Isabel Perez; Turner, Nicholas; Piletska, Elena; de Magalhães, Cristiana Schmidt; Glazova, Natalia; Serkova, Anastasia; Omelianova, Aleksandra; Piletsky, Sergey

    2014-09-01

    Here, the modulation of enzyme activity is presented by protein-imprinted nanoparticles produced using a solid-phase approach. Using trypsin as target, binding of the nanoparticles to the enzyme results in its inhibition or in stabilization, depending on the orientation of the immobilized enzyme used during imprinting. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Thermostable trypsin conjugates immobilized to biogenic magnetite show a high operational stability and remarkable reusability for protein digestion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pečová, M.; Šebela, M.; Marková, Z.; Poláková, K.; Čuda, J.; Šafářová, K.; Zbořil, R.

    2013-03-01

    In this work, magnetosomes produced by microorganisms were chosen as a suitable magnetic carrier for covalent immobilization of thermostable trypsin conjugates with an expected applicability for efficient and rapid digestion of proteins at elevated temperatures. First, a biogenic magnetite was isolated from Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense and its free surface was coated with the natural polysaccharide chitosan containing free amino and hydroxy groups. Prior to covalent immobilization, bovine trypsin was modified by conjugating with α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrin. Modified trypsin was bound to the magnetic carriers via amino groups using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide and N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide as coupling reagents. The magnetic biomaterial was characterized by magnetometric analysis and electron microscopy. With regard to their biochemical properties, the immobilized trypsin conjugates showed an increased resistance to elevated temperatures, eliminated autolysis, had an unchanged pH optimum and a significant storage stability and reusability. Considering these parameters, the presented enzymatic system exhibits properties that are superior to those of trypsin forms obtained by other frequently used approaches. The proteolytic performance was demonstrated during in-solution digestion of model proteins (horseradish peroxidase, bovine serum albumin and hen egg white lysozyme) followed by mass spectrometry. It is shown that both magnetic immobilization and chemical modification enhance the characteristics of trypsin making it a promising tool for protein digestion.

  8. Buckwheat trypsin inhibitor with helical hairpin structure belongs to a new family of plant defence peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oparin, Peter B; Mineev, Konstantin S; Dunaevsky, Yakov E; Arseniev, Alexander S; Belozersky, Mikhail A; Grishin, Eugene V; Egorov, Tsezi A; Vassilevski, Alexander A

    2012-08-15

    A new peptide trypsin inhibitor named BWI-2c was obtained from buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) seeds by sequential affinity, ion exchange and reversed-phase chromatography. The peptide was sequenced and found to contain 41 amino acid residues, with four cysteine residues involved in two intramolecular disulfide bonds. Recombinant BWI-2c identical to the natural peptide was produced in Escherichia coli in a form of a cleavable fusion with thioredoxin. The 3D (three-dimensional) structure of the peptide in solution was determined by NMR spectroscopy, revealing two antiparallel α-helices stapled by disulfide bonds. Together with VhTI, a trypsin inhibitor from veronica (Veronica hederifolia), BWI-2c represents a new family of protease inhibitors with an unusual α-helical hairpin fold. The linker sequence between the helices represents the so-called trypsin inhibitory loop responsible for direct binding to the active site of the enzyme that cleaves BWI-2c at the functionally important residue Arg(19). The inhibition constant was determined for BWI-2c against trypsin (1.7×10(-1)0 M), and the peptide was tested on other enzymes, including those from various insect digestive systems, revealing high selectivity to trypsin-like proteases. Structural similarity shared by BWI-2c, VhTI and several other plant defence peptides leads to the acknowledgement of a new widespread family of plant peptides termed α-hairpinins.

  9. The immobilisation of trypsin and glucose oxidase onto natural rubber-g.co-HEMA - high energy radiation derived copolymeric support systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Devi, S.; Guthrie, J.T.; Beddows, C.G.

    1990-01-01

    Natural rubber has been grafted with 2-HEMA by three different methods each involving Co(60)γ-radiation as the initiation source. The grafted samples were used in the immobilisation of glucose oxidase and trypsin. Optimisation of immobilisation involving trypsin was studied with regard to the pH and the type of crosslinking agent. It was observed that the immobilised enzyme had superior stability over a wider pH range when compared to the free trypsin. The retention of activity demonstrated by the immobilised trypsin was significant. That of immobilised glucose oxidase was far from being satisfactory. (author)

  10. Trypsin from viscera of vermiculated sailfin catfish, Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus, Weber, 1991: its purification and characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villalba-Villalba, Ana Gloria; Ramírez-Suárez, Juan Carlos; Valenzuela-Soto, Elisa Miriam; Sánchez, Guillermina García; Ruiz, Gisela Carvallo; Pacheco-Aguilar, Ramón

    2013-11-15

    Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus viscera trypsin was purified by fractionation with ammonium sulphate, gel filtration, affinity and ion exchange chromatography (DEAE-Sepharose). Trypsin molecular weight was approximately 27.5kDa according to SDS-PAGE, shown a single band in zymography. It exhibited maximal activity at pH 9.5 and 40°C, using N-benzoyl-dl-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) as substrate. Enzyme was effectively inhibited by phenyl methyl sulphonyl fluoride (PMSF) (100%), N-α-p-tosyl-l-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) (85.4%), benzamidine (80.2%), and soybean trypsin inhibitor (75.6%) and partially inhibited by N-tosyl-l-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK) (10.3%), ethylendiaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (8.7%) and pepstatin A (1.2%). Enzyme activity was slightly affected by metal ions (Fe(2+)>Hg(2+)>Mn(2+)>K(+)>Mg(2+)>Li(+)>Cu(2+)). Trypsin activity decreased continuously as NaCl concentration increased (0-30%). Km and kcat values were 0.13mM and 1.46s(-1), respectively. Results suggest the enzyme have a potential application where room processing temperatures (25-35°C) or high salt (30%) concentration are needed, such as in fish sauce production. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. An unusual helix-turn-helix protease inhibitory motif in a novel trypsin inhibitor from seeds of Veronica (Veronica hederifolia L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conners, Rebecca; Konarev, Alexander V; Forsyth, Jane; Lovegrove, Alison; Marsh, Justin; Joseph-Horne, Timothy; Shewry, Peter; Brady, R Leo

    2007-09-21

    The storage tissues of many plants contain protease inhibitors that are believed to play an important role in defending the plant from invasion by pests and pathogens. These proteinaceous inhibitor molecules belong to a number of structurally distinct families. We describe here the isolation, purification, initial inhibitory properties, and three-dimensional structure of a novel trypsin inhibitor from seeds of Veronica hederifolia (VhTI). The VhTI peptide inhibits trypsin with a submicromolar apparent K(i) and is expected to be specific for trypsin-like serine proteases. VhTI differs dramatically in structure from all previously described families of trypsin inhibitors, consisting of a helix-turn-helix motif, with the two alpha helices tightly associated by two disulfide bonds. Unusually, the crystallized complex is in the form of a stabilized acyl-enzyme intermediate with the scissile bond of the VhTI inhibitor cleaved and the resulting N-terminal portion of the inhibitor remaining attached to the trypsin catalytic serine 195 by an ester bond. A synthetic, truncated version of the VhTI peptide has also been produced and co-crystallized with trypsin but, surprisingly, is seen to be uncleaved and consequently forms a noncovalent complex with trypsin. The VhTI peptide shows that effective enzyme inhibitors can be constructed from simple helical motifs and provides a new scaffold on which to base the design of novel serine protease inhibitors.

  12. Modifications outside the proteinase binding loop in Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III (CMTI-III) analogues change the binding energy with bovine beta-trypsin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaśkiewicz, A; Lis, K; Rózycki, J; Kupryszewski, G; Rolka, K; Ragnarsson, U; Zbyryt, T; Wilusz, T

    1998-10-02

    Five 26-peptide analogues of the trypsin inhibitor [Pro18]CMTI-III containing Leu or Tyr in position 7 and Val or Tyr in position 27: 1 (Leu7, Tyr27), 2 (Tyr7, Val27), 3 (Tyr7, Tyr27), 4 (Leu7, Val27) and 5 (Leu7, Ala18, Tyr27) were synthesized by the solid-phase method. Analogues 1-4 displayed Ka with bovine beta-trypsin of the same order of magnitude as the wild CMTI-III inhibitor, whereas for analogue 5, this value was lower by about 3 orders of magnitude. This indicated that for the analogues with Pro (but not with Ala) in position 18, the side-chain interactions between positions 7 and 27 did not play a critical role for the stabilization of the active structure. In addition, these results also suggest that Tyr7 is involved in an additional aromatic interaction with position 41 of the enzyme.

  13. A novel poly(deep eutectic solvent)-based magnetic silica composite for solid-phase extraction of trypsin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Kaijia; Wang, Yuzhi; Li, Yixue; Lin, Yunxuan; Zhang, Haibao; Zhou, Yigang

    2016-11-23

    Novel poly(deep eutectic solvent) grafted silica-coated magnetic microspheres (Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS@PDES) were prepared by polymerization of choline chloride-itaconic acid (ChCl-IA) and γ-MPS-modified magnetic silica composites, and were characterized by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Then the synthetic Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS@PDES microspheres were applied for the magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of trypsin for the first time. After extraction, the concentration of trypsin in the supernatant was determined by a UV-vis spectrophotometer. Single factor experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of the extraction process, including the concentration of trypsin, the ionic strength, the pH value, the extraction time and the temperature. Experimental results showed the extraction capacity could reach up to 287.5 mg/g under optimized conditions. In comparison with Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS, Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS@PDES displayed higher extraction capacity and selectivity for trypsin. According to the regeneration studies, Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS@PDES microspheres can be recycled six times without significant loss of its extraction capacity, and retained a high extraction capacity of 233 mg/g after eight cycles. Besides, the activity studies also demonstrated that the activity of the extracted trypsin was well retained. Furthermore, the analysis of real sample revealed that the prepared magnetic microspheres can be used to purify trypsin in crude bovine pancreas extract. These results highlight the potential of the proposed Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -MPS@PDES-MSPE method in separation of biomolecules. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Decreasing the amount of trypsin in in-gel digestion leads to diminished chemical noise and improved protein identifications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Mo; Liu, Yanhua; Yu, Kaiwen; Liu, Xiaoyun

    2014-09-23

    Pre-fractionation by gel electrophoresis is often combined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for large-scale profiling of complex protein samples. An essential component of this widely applied proteomic platform is in-gel protein digestion. In nearly two decades of practicing this approach, an extremely high level of trypsin has been utilized due to the consideration of slow enzyme diffusion into the gel matrix. Here we report that trypsin autolysis products contribute to the bulk of chemical noise in in-gel digestion and remarkably we found evidence that the amount of trypsin can be slashed by an order of magnitude with comparable digestion performance. By revising perhaps the most critical element of this decade-old digestion protocol, the proteomics community relying on gel separation prior to LC-MS analysis will benefit instantly from much lowered cost due to enzyme expenditure. More importantly, substantially reduced chemical noise (i.e., trypsin self-cleavage products) as a result of less enzyme usage translates into more protein identifications when limited amounts of samples are the interest of interrogation. In-gel digestion is one of the most widely used methods in proteomics. An exceedingly high level of trypsin has been utilized due to the consideration of slow enzyme diffusion into the gel matrix. This requirement has been faithfully kept in nearly two decades of practicing this approach. Here we report that trypsin concentration can be slashed by at least an order of magnitude while still providing comparable digestion performance. Thus the proteomics community relying on gel separation prior to LC-MS analysis will benefit instantly from much lowered enzyme cost. More importantly, substantially reduced chemical noise (i.e., trypsin autolysis products) due to less enzyme usage translates into ~30% more protein identifications when limited amounts of protein samples are analyzed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Trypsin level in gallbladder bile and ductitis and width of the cystic duct.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vracko, J; Wiechel, K L

    2000-01-01

    The change from laparotomy to laparoscopy for cholecystectomy has raised the question of how to manage concomitant bile duct stones. The present-day interest--and controversy--has focused on a transcystic approach reported to be feasible in 66-96% of cases, but without explaining the necessary prerequisite: the widening of the cystic duct. The cystic duct, wide mainly in patients with bile duct stones, has been reported to be highly variable: from strictured to very wide. The present study aims at comparing the trypsin level in the gallbladder bile and the cystic duct morphology and width in patients with and without bile duct stones. A prospective series of 63 gallstone patients, 30 with and 33 without bile duct stones (controls), underwent cholecystectomy and bile duct clearance. The study includes the trypsin level in the gallbladder bile, the width and morphology of the cystic duct, and the size of the gallstones. The patients with bile duct stones had, in contrast to the controls, higher trypsin levels in the gallbladder bile (P extraction feasible.

  16. Proteolytic and Trypsin Inhibitor Activity in Germinating Jojoba Seeds (Simmondsia chinensis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samac, D; Storey, R

    1981-12-01

    Changes in proteolytic activity (aminopeptidase, carboxypeptidase, endopeptidase) were followed during germination (imbibition through seedling development) in extracts from cotyledons of jojoba seeds (Simmondsia chinensis). After imbibition, the cotyledons contained high levels of sulfhydryl aminopeptidase activity (APA) but low levels of serine carboxypeptidase activity (CPA). CPA increased with germination through the apparent loss of a CPA inhibitor substance in the seed. Curves showing changes in endopeptidase activity (EPA) assayed at pH 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 during germination were distinctly different. EPA at pH 4, 5, 6, and 7 showed characteristics of sulfhydryl enzymes while activity at pH 8 was probably due to a serine type enzyme. EPA at pH 6 was inhibited early in germination by one or more substances in the seed. Activities at pH 5 and later at pH 6 were the highest of all EPA throughout germination and increases in these activities were associated with a rapid loss of protein from the cotyledons of the developing seedling.Jojoba cotyledonary extracts were found to inhibit the enzymic activity of trypsin, chymotrypsin, and pepsin but not the protease from Aspergillus saotoi. The heat-labile trypsin inhibitor substance(s) was found in commercially processed jojoba seed meal and the albumin fraction of seed proteins. Trypsin inhibitor activity decreased with germination.

  17. Detection of five tumor markers in lung cancer by trypsin digestion of sputum method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Min; Nong Tianlei; Liu Daying

    2011-01-01

    To explore the detection of five tumor markers by trypsin digestion of sputum in the diagnosis of lung cancer, the samples of sputum in patients with lung cancer and benign lung disease were digested by trypsin and used to measure five tumor markers. The results showed that the sputum were well digested by 6% trypsin at pH8 and no affect on the determination of tumor markers. The CEA, CA125, CA153, CA211 and NSE levels in lung cancer group were significantly higher than that of in benign group (P<0.05). The sputum CEA and CA125 levels were significantly higher than that of the serum levels (P<0.05). The detection of sputum CEA, CA125, CA153, CA211 and NSE levels have clinical value in the diagnosis of lung cancer. When combined with other diagnostic methods,it might be helpful for further diagnosis in non confirmed lung cancer patients. (authors)

  18. Bauhinia variegata var. variegata trypsin inhibitor: From isolation to potential medicinal applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fang, Evandro Fei; Wong, Jack Ho; Bah, Clara Shui Fern; Lin, Peng; Tsao, Sai Wah; Ng, Tzi Bun

    2010-01-01

    Here we report for the first time of a new Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor (termed BvvTI) from seeds of the Camel's foot tree, Bauhinia variegata var. variegata. BvvTI shares the same reactive site residues (Arg, Ser) and exhibits a homology of N-terminal amino acid sequence to other Bauhinia protease inhibitors. The trypsin inhibitory activity (K i , 0.1 x 10 -9 M) of BvvTI ranks the highest among them. Besides anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity, BvvTI could significantly inhibit the proliferation of nasopharyngeal cancer CNE-1 cells in a selective way. This may partially be contributed by its induction of cytokines and apoptotic bodies. These results unveil potential medicinal applications of BvvTI.

  19. A prospective randomized trial of Kotase ® (Bromelain + Trypsin) in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    International Journal of Medicine and Health Development. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS ... A prospective randomized trial of Kotase® (Bromelain + Trypsin) in the management of post-operative abdominal wounds at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Nigeria. Emmanuel R Ezeome, Aloy E Aghaji ...

  20. Influence of carbohydrates on the interaction of procyanidin B3 with trypsin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonçalves, Rui; Mateus, Nuno; De Freitas, Victor

    2011-11-09

    The biological properties of procyanidins, in particular their inhibition of digestive enzymes, have received much attention in the past few years. Dietary carbohydrates are an environmental factor that is known to affect the interaction of procyanidins with proteins. This work aimed at understanding the effect of ionic food carbohydrates (polygalacturonic acid, arabic gum, pectin, and xanthan gum) on the interaction between procyanidins and trypsin. Physical-chemical techniques such as saturation transfer difference-NMR (STD-NMR) spectroscopy, fluorescence quenching, and nephelometry were used to evaluate the interaction process. Using STD-NMR, it was possible to identify the binding of procyanidin B3 to trypsin. The tested carbohydrates prevented the association of procyanidin B3 and trypsin by a competition mechanism in which the ionic character of carbohydrates and their ability to encapsulate procyanidins seem crucial leading to a reduction in STD signal and light scattering and to a recovery of the proteins intrinsic fluorescence. On the basis of these results, it was possible to grade the carbohydrates in their aggregation inhibition ability: XG > PA > AG ≫ PC. These effects may be relevant since the coingestion of procyanidins and ionic carbohydrates are frequent and furthermore since these might negatively affect the antinutritional properties ascribed to procyanidins in the past.

  1. A colostrum trypsin inhibitor gene expressed in the Cape fur seal mammary gland during lactation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pharo, Elizabeth A; Cane, Kylie N; McCoey, Julia; Buckle, Ashley M; Oosthuizen, W H; Guinet, Christophe; Arnould, John P Y

    2016-03-01

    The colostrum trypsin inhibitor (CTI) gene and transcript were cloned from the Cape fur seal mammary gland and CTI identified by in silico analysis of the Pacific walrus and polar bear genomes (Order Carnivora), and in marine and terrestrial mammals of the Orders Cetartiodactyla (yak, whales, camel) and Perissodactyla (white rhinoceros). Unexpectedly, Weddell seal CTI was predicted to be a pseudogene. Cape fur seal CTI was expressed in the mammary gland of a pregnant multiparous seal, but not in a seal in its first pregnancy. While bovine CTI is expressed for 24-48 h postpartum (pp) and secreted in colostrum only, Cape fur seal CTI was detected for at least 2-3 months pp while the mother was suckling its young on-shore. Furthermore, CTI was expressed in the mammary gland of only one of the lactating seals that was foraging at-sea. The expression of β-casein (CSN2) and β-lactoglobulin II (LGB2), but not CTI in the second lactating seal foraging at-sea suggested that CTI may be intermittently expressed during lactation. Cape fur seal and walrus CTI encode putative small, secreted, N-glycosylated proteins with a single Kunitz/bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) domain indicative of serine protease inhibition. Mature Cape fur seal CTI shares 92% sequence identity with Pacific walrus CTI, but only 35% identity with BPTI. Structural homology modelling of Cape fur seal CTI and Pacific walrus trypsin based on the model of the second Kunitz domain of human tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and porcine trypsin (Protein Data Bank: 1TFX) confirmed that CTI inhibits trypsin in a canonical fashion. Therefore, pinniped CTI may be critical for preventing the proteolytic degradation of immunoglobulins that are passively transferred from mother to young via colostrum and milk. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Effects of soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor on the cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco, Octávio L; Dias, Simoni C; Magalhães, Claudio P; Monteiro, Ana C S; Bloch, Carlos; Melo, Francislete R; Oliveira-Neto, Osmundo B; Monnerat, Rose G; Grossi-de-Sá, Maria Fátima

    2004-01-01

    The cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, is an economically important pest of cotton in tropical and subtropical areas of several countries in the Americas, causing severe losses due to their damage in cotton floral buds. Enzymatic assays using gut extracts from larval and adult boll weevil have demonstrated the presence of digestive serine proteinase-like activities. Furthermore, in vitro assays showed that soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (SKTI) was able to inhibit these enzymes. Previously, in vivo effects of black-eyed pea trypsin chymotrypsin inhibitor (BTCI) have been demonstrated towards the boll weevil pest. Here, when neonate larvae were reared on an artificial diet containing SKTI at three different concentrations, a reduction of larval weight of up to 64% was observed for highest SKTI concentration 500 microM. The presence of SKTI caused an increase in mortality and severe deformities of larvae, pupae and adult insects. This work therefore represents the first observation of a Kunitz trypsin inhibitor active in vivo and in vitro against A. grandis. Bioassays suggested that SKTI could be used as a tool in engineering crop plants, which might exhibit increased resistance against cotton boll weevil.

  3. Effects of tannic acid on trypsin and leucine aminopeptidase activities in gypsy moth larval midgut

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mrdaković Marija

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The effects of allelochemical stress on genetic variations in the specific activities of gypsy moth digestive enzymes (trypsin and leucine aminopeptidase and relative midgut mass (indirect measure of food consumption, as well as variability in their plasticity, were investigated in fifth instar gypsy moths originating from two populations with different trophic adaptations (oak and locust-tree forests. Thirty-two full-sib families from the Quercus population and twenty-six full-sib families from the Robinia population were reared on an artificial diet with or without supplementation with tannic acid. Between population differences were observed as higher average specific activity of trypsin and relative midgut mass in larvae from the Robinia population. Significant broad-sense heritabilities were observed for the specific activity of trypsin in the control state, and for specific activity of leucine aminopeptidase in a stressful environment. Significantly lower heritability for relative midgut mass was recorded in larvae from the Robinia population reared under stressful conditions. Significant variability of trypsin plasticity in larvae from both populations and significant variability of leucine aminopeptidase plasticity in larvae from the Robinia population point to the potential for the evolution of enzyme adaptive plastic responses to the presence of stressor. Non-significant across-environment genetic correlations do not represent a constraint for the evolution of enzyme plasticity. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173027

  4. Bauhinia variegata var. variegata trypsin inhibitor: From isolation to potential medicinal applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fang, Evandro Fei; Wong, Jack Ho [School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR (China); Bah, Clara Shui Fern [Department of Food Science, Division of Sciences, University of Otago (New Zealand); Lin, Peng [School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR (China); Tsao, Sai Wah [Department of Anatomy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR (China); Ng, Tzi Bun, E-mail: b021770@mailserv.cuhk.edu.hk [School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR (China)

    2010-06-11

    Here we report for the first time of a new Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor (termed BvvTI) from seeds of the Camel's foot tree, Bauhinia variegata var. variegata. BvvTI shares the same reactive site residues (Arg, Ser) and exhibits a homology of N-terminal amino acid sequence to other Bauhinia protease inhibitors. The trypsin inhibitory activity (K{sub i}, 0.1 x 10{sup -9} M) of BvvTI ranks the highest among them. Besides anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity, BvvTI could significantly inhibit the proliferation of nasopharyngeal cancer CNE-1 cells in a selective way. This may partially be contributed by its induction of cytokines and apoptotic bodies. These results unveil potential medicinal applications of BvvTI.

  5. Bauhinia variegata var. variegata trypsin inhibitor: from isolation to potential medicinal applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Evandro Fei; Wong, Jack Ho; Bah, Clara Shui Fern; Lin, Peng; Tsao, Sai Wah; Ng, Tzi Bun

    2010-06-11

    Here we report for the first time of a new Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor (termed BvvTI) from seeds of the Camel's foot tree, Bauhinia variegata var. variegata. BvvTI shares the same reactive site residues (Arg, Ser) and exhibits a homology of N-terminal amino acid sequence to other Bauhinia protease inhibitors. The trypsin inhibitory activity (K(i), 0.1 x 10(-9)M) of BvvTI ranks the highest among them. Besides anti-HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity, BvvTI could significantly inhibit the proliferation of nasopharyngeal cancer CNE-1 cells in a selective way. This may partially be contributed by its induction of cytokines and apoptotic bodies. These results unveil potential medicinal applications of BvvTI. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Evaluation of the possible proteomic application of trypsin from Streptomyces griseus

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Štosová, T.; Šebela, M.; Řehulka, Pavel; Šedo, O.; Havliš, J.; Zdráhal, Z.

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 376, č. 1 (2008), s. 94-102 ISSN 0003-2697 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40310501 Keywords : MALDI-TOF MS * Streptomyces griseus * trypsin Subject RIV: CB - Analytical Chemistry, Separation Impact factor: 3.088, year: 2008

  7. Engineering of Yersinia Phytases to Improve Pepsin and Trypsin Resistance and Thermostability and Application Potential in the Food and Feed Industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Canfang; Yang, Peilong; Luo, Huiying; Huang, Huoqing; Wang, Yaru; Yao, Bin

    2017-08-30

    Susceptibility to proteases usually limits the application of phytase. We sought to improve the pepsin and trypsin resistance of YeAPPA from Yersinia enterocolitica and YkAPPA from Y. kristensenii by optimizing amino acid polarity and charge. The predicted pepsin/trypsin cleavage sites F89/K226 in pepsin/trypsin-sensitive YeAPPA and the corresponding sites (F89/E226) in pepsin-sensitive but trypsin-resistant YkAPPA were substituted with S and H, respectively. Six variants were produced in Pichia pastoris for catalytic and biochemical characterization. F89S, E226H, and F89S/E226H elevated pepsin resistance and thermostability and K226H and F89S/K226H improved pepsin and trypsin resistance and stability at 60 °C and low pH. All the variants increased the ability of the proteins to hydrolyze phytate in corn meal by 2.6-14.9-fold in the presence of pepsin at 37 °C and low pH. This study developed a genetic manipulation strategy specific for pepsin/trypsin-sensitive phytases that can improve enzyme tolerance against proteases and heat and benefit the food and feed industry in a cost-effective way.

  8. New active analogues of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III (CMTI-III) modified in the non-contact region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rózycki, J; Kupryszewski, G; Rolka, K; Ragnarsson, U; Zbyryt, T; Krokoszyńska, I; Wilusz, T

    1994-01-01

    Four new analogues of trypsin inhibitor CMTI-III(3-28) = [desArg1,desVal2,desGly29]CMTI-III which was recently shown to be fully active, were synthesized by the solid-phase method. The introduction of glycine in position 9 (peptide 1) and Gly-Pro-Gly (peptide 2) and Gly-Pro-Asn (peptide 3) in the regions 17-19 and 23-25, respectively, did not change the antitrypsin activity of all modified peptides. All of these substitutions are presumed to be outside the trypsin-binding loop as judged from the X-ray structure of the complex between beta-trypsin and the related inhibitor CMTI-I. Also the fourth analogue which was substituted in all the positions mentioned, exhibited the full activity.

  9. Bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor immobilized onto sepharose as a new strategy to purify a thermostable alkaline peptidase from cobia (Rachycentron canadum) processing waste.

    Science.gov (United States)

    França, Renata Cristina da Penha; Assis, Caio Rodrigo Dias; Santos, Juliana Ferreira; Torquato, Ricardo José Soares; Tanaka, Aparecida Sadae; Hirata, Izaura Yoshico; Assis, Diego Magno; Juliano, Maria Aparecida; Cavalli, Ronaldo Olivera; Carvalho, Luiz Bezerra de; Bezerra, Ranilson Souza

    2016-10-15

    A thermostable alkaline peptidase was purified from the processing waste of cobia (Rachycentron canadum) using bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) immobilized onto Sepharose. The purified enzyme had an apparent molecular mass of 24kDa by both sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and mass spectrometry. Its optimal temperature and pH were 50°C and 8.5, respectively. The enzyme was thermostable until 55°C and its activity was strongly inhibited by the classic trypsin inhibitors N-ρ-tosyl-l-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) and benzamidine. BPTI column allowed at least 15 assays without loss of efficacy. The purified enzyme was identified as a trypsin and the N-terminal amino acid sequence of this trypsin was IVGGYECTPHSQAHQVSLNSGYHFC, which was highly homologous to trypsin from cold water fish species. Using Nα-benzoyl-dl-arginine ρ-nitroanilide hydrochloride (BApNA) as substrate, the apparent km value of the purified trypsin was 0.38mM, kcat value was 3.14s(-1), and kcat/km was 8.26s(-1)mM(-1). The catalytic proficiency of the purified enzyme was 2.75×10(12)M(-1) showing higher affinity for the substrate at the transition state than other fish trypsin. The activation energy (AE) of the BApNA hydrolysis catalyzed by this enzyme was estimated to be 11.93kcalmol(-1) while the resulting rate enhancement of this reaction was found to be approximately in a range from 10(9) to 10(10)-fold evidencing its efficiency in comparison to other trypsin. This new purification strategy showed to be appropriate to obtain an alkaline peptidase from cobia processing waste with high purification degree. According with N-terminal homology and kinetic parameters, R. canadum trypsin may gathers desirable properties of psychrophilic and thermostable enzymes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Proteolytic and Trypsin Inhibitor Activity in Germinating Jojoba Seeds (Simmondsia chinensis) 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samac, Deborah; Storey, Richard

    1981-01-01

    Changes in proteolytic activity (aminopeptidase, carboxypeptidase, endopeptidase) were followed during germination (imbibition through seedling development) in extracts from cotyledons of jojoba seeds (Simmondsia chinensis). After imbibition, the cotyledons contained high levels of sulfhydryl aminopeptidase activity (APA) but low levels of serine carboxypeptidase activity (CPA). CPA increased with germination through the apparent loss of a CPA inhibitor substance in the seed. Curves showing changes in endopeptidase activity (EPA) assayed at pH 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 during germination were distinctly different. EPA at pH 4, 5, 6, and 7 showed characteristics of sulfhydryl enzymes while activity at pH 8 was probably due to a serine type enzyme. EPA at pH 6 was inhibited early in germination by one or more substances in the seed. Activities at pH 5 and later at pH 6 were the highest of all EPA throughout germination and increases in these activities were associated with a rapid loss of protein from the cotyledons of the developing seedling. Jojoba cotyledonary extracts were found to inhibit the enzymic activity of trypsin, chymotrypsin, and pepsin but not the protease from Aspergillus saotoi. The heat-labile trypsin inhibitor substance(s) was found in commercially processed jojoba seed meal and the albumin fraction of seed proteins. Trypsin inhibitor activity decreased with germination. PMID:16662104

  11. Bioinsecticidal activity of a novel Kunitz trypsin inhibitor from Catanduva (Piptadenia moniliformis) seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Ana C B; Massena, Fábio S; Migliolo, Ludovico; Macedo, Leonardo L P; Monteiro, Norberto K V; Oliveira, Adeliana S; Macedo, Francisco P; Uchoa, Adriana F; Grossi de Sá, Maria F; Vasconcelos, Ilka M; Murad, Andre M; Franco, Octavio L; Santos, Elizeu A

    2013-09-01

    The present study aims to provide new in vitro and in vivo biochemical information about a novel Kunitz trypsin inhibitor purified from Piptadenia moniliformis seeds. The purification process was performed using TCA precipitation, Trypsin-Sepharose and reversed-phase C18 HPLC chromatography. The inhibitor, named PmTKI, showed an apparent molecular mass of around 19 kDa, visualized by SDS-PAGE, which was confirmed by mass spectrometry MALDI-ToF demonstrating a monoisotopic mass of 19.296 Da. The inhibitor was in vitro active against trypsin, chymotrypsin and papain. Moreover, kinetic enzymatic studies were performed aiming to understand the inhibition mode of PmTKI, which competitively inhibits the target enzyme, presenting Ki values of 1.5 × 10(-8) and 3.0 × 10(-1) M against trypsin and chymotrypsin, respectively. Also, the inhibitory activity was assayed at different pH ranges, temperatures and reduction environments (DTT). The inhibitor was stable in all conditions maintaining an 80% residual activity. N-terminal sequence was obtained by Edman degradation and the primary sequence presented identity with members of Kunitz-type inhibitors from the same subfamily. Finally after biochemical characterization the inhibitory effect was evaluated in vitro on insect digestive enzymes from different orders, PmTKI demonstrated remarkable activity against enzymes from Anthonomus grandis (90%), Plodia interpuncptella (60%), and Ceratitis capitata (70%). Furthermore, in vivo bioinsecticidal assays of C. capitata larvae were also performed and the concentration of PmTKI (w/w) in an artificial diet required to LD50 and ED50 larvae were 0.37 and 0.3% respectively. In summary, data reported here shown the biotechnological potential of PmTKI for insect pest control. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  12. The role of proteases, endoplasmic reticulum stress and SERPINA1 heterozygosity in lung disease and alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Greene, Catherine M

    2012-02-01

    The serine proteinase inhibitor alpha-1 anti-trypsin (AAT) provides an antiprotease protective screen throughout the body. Mutations in the AAT gene (SERPINA1) that lead to deficiency in AAT are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. The Z mutation encodes a misfolded variant of AAT that is not secreted effectively and accumulates intracellularly in the endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes and other AAT-producing cells. Until recently, it was thought that loss of antiprotease function was the major cause of ZAAT-related lung disease. However, the contribution of gain-of-function effects is now being recognized. Here we describe how both loss- and gain-of-function effects can contribute to ZAAT-related lung disease. In addition, we explore how SERPINA1 heterozygosity could contribute to smoking-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and consider the consequences.

  13. Dual core quantum dots for highly quantitative ratiometric detection of trypsin activity in cystic fibrosis patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castelló Serrano, Iván; Stoica, Georgiana; Matas Adams, Alba; Palomares, Emilio

    2014-10-01

    We present herein two colour encoded silica nanospheres (2nanoSi) for the fluorescence quantitative ratiometric determination of trypsin in humans. Current detection methods for cystic fibrosis diagnosis are slow, costly and suffer from false positives. The 2nanoSi proved to be a highly sensitive, fast (minutes), and single-step approach nanosensor for the screening and diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, allowing the quantification of trypsin concentrations in a wide range relevant for clinical applications (25-350 μg L-1). Furthermore, as trypsin is directly related to the development of cystic fibrosis (CF), different human genotypes, i.e. CF homozygotic, CF heterozygotic, and unaffected, respectively, can be determined using our 2nanoSi nanospheres. We anticipate the 2nanoSi system to be a starting point for non-invasive, easy-to-use and cost effective ratiometric fluorescent biomarkers for recessive genetic diseases like human cystic fibrosis. In a screening program in which the goal is to detect disease and also the carrier status, early diagnosis could be of great help.We present herein two colour encoded silica nanospheres (2nanoSi) for the fluorescence quantitative ratiometric determination of trypsin in humans. Current detection methods for cystic fibrosis diagnosis are slow, costly and suffer from false positives. The 2nanoSi proved to be a highly sensitive, fast (minutes), and single-step approach nanosensor for the screening and diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, allowing the quantification of trypsin concentrations in a wide range relevant for clinical applications (25-350 μg L-1). Furthermore, as trypsin is directly related to the development of cystic fibrosis (CF), different human genotypes, i.e. CF homozygotic, CF heterozygotic, and unaffected, respectively, can be determined using our 2nanoSi nanospheres. We anticipate the 2nanoSi system to be a starting point for non-invasive, easy-to-use and cost effective ratiometric fluorescent biomarkers for

  14. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of Murraya koenigii trypsin inhibitor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shee, Chandan [Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247 667 (India); Singh, Tej P. [Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 100 029 (India); Kumar, Pravindra, E-mail: kumarfbs@iitr.ernet.in; Sharma, Ashwani K., E-mail: kumarfbs@iitr.ernet.in [Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247 667 (India)

    2007-04-01

    A Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor purified from the seeds of Murraya koenigii has been crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 8000 as the precipitating agent. A Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor purified from the seeds of Murraya koenigii has been crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 8000 as the precipitating agent. The crystals belong to the tetragonal space group P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 75.8, c = 150.9 Å. The crystals contain two molecules in the asymmetric unit with a V{sub M} value of 2.5 Å{sup 3} Da{sup −1}. Diffraction was observed to 2.65 Å resolution and a complete data set was collected to 2.9 Å resolution.

  15. Cold adaptation, ca2+ dependency and autolytic stability are related features in a highly active cold-adapted trypsin resistant to autoproteolysis engineered for biotechnological applications.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alvaro Olivera-Nappa

    Full Text Available Pig trypsin is routinely used as a biotechnological tool, due to its high specificity and ability to be stored as an inactive stable zymogen. However, it is not an optimum enzyme for conditions found in wound debriding for medical uses and trypsinization processes for protein analysis and animal cell culturing, where low Ca(2+ dependency, high activity in mild conditions and easy inactivation are crucial. We isolated and thermodynamically characterized a highly active cold-adapted trypsin for medical and laboratory use that is four times more active than pig trypsin at 10(° C and at least 50% more active than pig trypsin up to 50(° C. Contrary to pig trypsin, this enzyme has a broad optimum pH between 7 and 10 and is very insensitive to Ca(2+ concentration. The enzyme is only distantly related to previously described cryophilic trypsins. We built and studied molecular structure models of this trypsin and performed molecular dynamic calculations. Key residues and structures associated with calcium dependency and cryophilicity were identified. Experiments indicated that the protein is unstable and susceptible to autoproteolysis. Correlating experimental results and structural predictions, we designed mutations to improve the resistance to autoproteolysis and conserve activity for longer periods after activation. One single mutation provided around 25 times more proteolytic stability. Due to its cryophilic nature, this trypsin is easily inactivated by mild denaturation conditions, which is ideal for controlled proteolysis processes without requiring inhibitors or dilution. We clearly show that cold adaptation, Ca(2+ dependency and autolytic stability in trypsins are related phenomena that are linked to shared structural features and evolve in a concerted fashion. Hence, both structurally and evolutionarily they cannot be interpreted and studied separately as previously done.

  16. Low molecular weight squash trypsin inhibitors from Sechium edule seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laure, Hélen J; Faça, Vítor M; Izumi, Clarice; Padovan, Júlio C; Greene, Lewis J

    2006-02-01

    Nine chromatographic components containing trypsin inhibitor activity were isolated from Sechium edule seeds by acetone fractionation, gel filtration, affinity chromatography and RP-HPLC in an overall yield of 46% of activity and 0.05% of protein. The components obtained with highest yield of total activity and highest specific activity were sequenced by Edman degradation and their molecular masses determined by mass spectrometry. The inhibitors contained 31, 32 and 27 residues per molecule and their sequences were: SETI-IIa, EDRKCPKILMRCKRDSDCLAKCTCQESGYCG; SETI-IIb, EEDRKCPKILMRCKRDSDCLAKCTCQESGYCG and SETI-V, CPRILMKCKLDTDCFPTCTCRPSGFCG. SETI-IIa and SETI-IIb, which differed by an amino-terminal E in the IIb form, were not separable under the conditions employed. The sequences are consistent with consensus sequences obtained from 37 other inhibitors: CPriI1meCk_DSDCla_C_C_G_CG, where capital letters are invariant amino acid residues and lower case letters are the most preserved in this position. SETI-II and SETI-V form complexes with trypsin with a 1:1 stoichiometry and have dissociation constants of 5.4x10(-11)M and 1.1x10(-9)M, respectively.

  17. Efficiency of inactivation of trypsin inhibitory activity in some selected ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Trypsin inhibitor (TI) levels in the crop seeds varied between 0.0 in Adansonia digitata and 40.8 TIU/mg in Pterocarpus osun. Efficiency of inactivation of TI by autoclaving ranged from 58.1% in Millettia thonningii to 100% in Sesbania pachycarpa and Lonchocarpus. sericeus. It is concluded that the effect of heat treatment on ...

  18. Preparation and characterization of magnetic levan particles as matrix for trypsin immobilization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maciel, J.C. [Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Cidade Universitaria, 50670-901 Recife, PE (Brazil); Andrad, P.L. [Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Ciencia de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Cidade Universitaria, 50679-901 Recife, PE (Brazil); Neri, D.F.M., E-mail: davidfmneri@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal do Vale do Sao Francisco, 56304-205 Petrolina, PE (Brazil); Carvalho, L.B. [Departamento de Bioquimica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Cidade Universitaria, 50679-901 Recife, PE (Brazil); Cardoso, C.A. [Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, 13565-905 Sao Carlos, PE (Brazil); Calazans, G.M.T. [Departamento de Antibioticos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Cidade Universitaria, 50670-901 Recife, PE (Brazil); Albino Aguiar, J. [Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Cidade Universitaria, 50679-901 Recife, PE (Brazil); Silva, M.P.C. [Departamento de Bioquimica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Cidade Universitaria, 50679-901 Recife, PE (Brazil)

    2012-04-15

    Magnetic levan was synthesized by co-precipitating D-fructofuranosyl homopolysaccharide with a solution containing Fe{sup 2+} and Fe{sup 3+} in alkaline conditions at 100 Degree-Sign C. The magnetic levan particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), magnetization measurements, X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). Afterwards, magnetic levan particles were functionalized by NaIO{sub 4} oxidation and used as matrices for trypsin covalent immobilization. Magnetite and magnetic levan particles were both heterogeneous in shape and levan-magnetite presented bigger sizes compared to magnetite according to SEM images. Magnetic levan particles exhibited a magnetization 10 times lower as compared to magnetite ones, probably, due to the coating layer. XRD diffractogram showed that magnetite is the dominant phase in the magnetic levan. Infrared spectroscopy showed characteristics absorption bands of levan and magnetite (O-H, C-O-C and Fe-O bonds). The immobilized trypsin derivative was reused 10 times and lost 16% of its initial specific activity only. Therefore, these magnetic levan particles can be proposed as an alternative matrices for enzyme immobilization. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The magnetic levan particles presented larger size variation than magnetite particles due to the changes produced by coating. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The utilization of magnetic levan particles showed to be efficacious for immobilization of enzymes as trypsin. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Magnetic particles can be planned as other matrix for immobilization of biomolecule in various division processes in biotechnology.

  19. A capillary monolithic trypsin reactor for efficient protein digestion in online and offline coupling to ESI and MALDI mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spross, Jens; Sinz, Andrea

    2010-02-15

    We describe the preparation of a capillary trypsin immobilized monolithic enzyme reactor (IMER) for a rapid and efficient digestion of proteins down to the femtomole level. Trypsin was immobilized on a poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-acrylamide-co-ethylene glycol dimethycrylate) monolith using the glutaraldehyde technique. Digestion efficiencies of the IMER were evaluated using model proteins and protein mixtures as well as chemically cross-linked lysozyme regarding the addition of denaturants and increasing digestion temperature. The trypsin IMER described herein is applicable for the digestion of protein mixtures. Even at a 1000-fold molar excess of one protein, low-abundance proteins are readily identified, in combination with MS/MS analysis. An online setup of the IMER with reversed phase nano-HPLC separation and nano-ESI-MS/MS analysis was established. The great potential of the trypsin IMER for proteomics applications comprise short digestion times in the range of seconds to minutes, in addition to improved digestion efficiencies, compared to in-solution digestion.

  20. Trypsin as enhancement in cyclical tracheal decellularization: Morphological and biophysical characterization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giraldo-Gomez, D.M., E-mail: davidmauro2008@gmail.com [Posgrado en Ciencia e Ingeniería de Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad de Posgrado Edificio “C” 1er Piso, Circuito de Posgrados, Avenida Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, C.P. 04510, México D. F., México (Mexico); Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Circuito Exterior, Avenida Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, C.P. 04510, México D.F., México (Mexico); Leon-Mancilla, B. [Departamento de Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Edificio “D” Planta Baja, Circuito Interior, Avenida Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, C.P. 04510, México D.F., México (Mexico); Del Prado-Audelo, M.L. [Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Circuito Exterior, Avenida Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, C.P. 04510, México D.F., México (Mexico); and others

    2016-02-01

    There are different types of tracheal disorders (e.g. cancer, stenosis and fractures). These can cause respiratory failure and lead to death of patients. Several attempts have been made for trachea replacement in order to restore the airway, including anastomosis and implants made from synthetic or natural materials. Tracheal allotransplantation has shown high rejection rates, and decellularization has emerged as a possible solution. Decellularization involves the removal of antigens from cells in the organ or tissue, leaving a matrix that can be used as 3D cell-scaffold. Although this process has been used for tracheal replacement, it usually takes at least two months and time is critical for patients with tracheal disorders. Therefore, there is necessary to develop a tracheal replacement process, which is not only effective, but also quick to prepare. The aim of this research was to develop a faster trachea decellularization protocol using Trypsin enzyme and Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as decellularization agents. Three protocols of cyclic trachea decellularization (Protocols A, B, and C) were compared. Following Protocol A (previously described in the literature), 15 consecutive cycles were performed over 32 days. Protocol B (a variation of Protocol A) — EDTA being added — with 15 consecutive cycles performed over 60 days. Finally, Protocol C, with the addition of Trypsin as a decellularization agent, 5 consecutive cycles being performed over 10 days. For the three protocols, hematoxylin–eosin (H&E) staining and DNA residual content quantification were performed to establish the effectiveness of the decellularization process. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the changes in porosity and microarrays. To evaluate the structural matrices integrity, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and biomechanical test were used. None of the protocols showed significant alteration or degradation in the components of the extracellular matrix

  1. Purification, crystallization and X-ray characterization of a Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor protein from the seeds of chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, Urvashi; Suresh, C. G.

    2011-01-01

    The purification, characterization and crystallization of a trypsin inhibitor protein isolated from chickpea seeds are reported. A Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor protein (CPTI) purified from chickpea seeds was estimated to have a molecular mass of 18 kDa on SDS–PAGE. The IC 50 value of CPTI was determined to be 2.5 µg against trypsin. The inhibitory activity of CPTI is 114 TIU (trypsin inhibitory units) per milligram of protein, which is high compared with those of other known Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors from legumes. CPTI crystallized in three different orthorhombic crystal forms: P2 1 2 1 2 form A, P2 1 2 1 2 form B and P2 1 2 1 2 1 . The crystals of P2 1 2 1 2 form A, with unit-cell parameters a = 37.2, b = 41.2, c = 104.6 Å, diffracted to 2.0 Å resolution at the home source and to 1.4 Å on beamline BM14 at the ESRF. Data were also collected from crystals grown in the presence of iodine. The Matthews coefficient for these crystals was calculated to be 2.37 Å 3 Da −1 , corresponding to a solvent content of 42%. The other two crystal forms (P2 1 2 1 2 form B and P2 1 2 1 2 1 ) diffracted comparatively poorly

  2. Extraction of gelatin from salmon (Salmo salar) fish skin using trypsin-aided process: optimization by Plackett-Burman and response surface methodological approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, HuiYin; Dumont, Marie-Josée; Simpson, Benjamin K

    2017-11-01

    Gelatin from salmon ( Salmo salar ) skin with high molecular weight protein chains ( α -chains) was extracted using trypsin-aided process. Response surface methodology was used to optimise the extraction parameters. Yield, hydroxyproline content and protein electrophoretic profile via sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of gelatin were used as responses in the optimization study. The optimum conditions were determined as: trypsin concentration at 1.49 U/g; extraction temperature at 45 °C; and extraction time at 6 h 16 min. This response surface optimized model was significant and produced an experimental value (202.04 ± 8.64%) in good agreement with the predicted value (204.19%). Twofold higher yields of gelatin with high molecular weight protein chains were achieved in the optimized process with trypsin treatment when compared to the process without trypsin.

  3. Use of the neutron diffraction - H/D exchange technique to determine the conformational dynamics of trypsin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kossiakoff, A.A.

    1982-01-01

    Reported here are studies analyzing the extent and nature of the inherent conformational fluctuations in trypsin by neutron diffraction - hydrogen exchange techniques. The pattern of exchange investigates systematic relationships between exchangeable sites and the structural and chemical properties of the molecule. Our findings that pH 7, 20 0 and 1 year of soaking all sites of trypsin are fully exchanged except those which are especially well protected by the structure. Essentially all the sites in which the peptide hydrogens are bonded directly to water molecules - either in the bulk solvent regions or in interior clusters - are fully exchanged. 41 references, 10 figures

  4. Amino Acid Composition, Urease Activity and Trypsin Inhibitor Activity after Toasting of Soybean in Thick and Thin Layer

    OpenAIRE

    Krička, Tajana; Jurišić, Vanja; Voća, Neven; Ćurić, Duška; Brlek Savić, Tea; Matin, Ana

    2009-01-01

    The objective of this study was to determine amino acid content, urease activity and trypsin inhibitor activity in soybean grain for polygastric animals’ feed aft er toasting with the aim to introduce thick layer in toasting technology. Hence, soybean was toasted both in thick and thin layer at 130 oC during 10 minutes. In order to properly monitor the technological process of soybean thermal processing, it was necessary to study crude protein content, urease activity, trypsin inhibitor activ...

  5. Screening and purification of a novel trypsin inhibitor from Prosopis juliflora seeds with activity toward pest digestive enzymes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivakumar, S; Franco, O L; Tagliari, P D; Bloch, C; Mohan, M; Thayumanavan, B

    2005-08-01

    Several pests are capable of decreasing crop production causing severe economical and social losses. Aiming to find novel molecules that could impede the digestion process of different pests, a screening of alpha-amylase and trypsin-like proteinase inhibitors was carried out in Prosopis juliflora, showing the presence of both in dry seeds. Furthermore, a novel trypsin inhibitor, with molecular mass of 13,292 Da, was purified showing remarkable in vitro activity against T. castaneum and C. maculatus.

  6. Changes in antigenicity of porcine serum albumin in gamma-irradiated sausage extract by treatment with pepsin and trypsin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Koth-Bong-Woo-Ri; Song, Eu-Jin [Department of Food Science and Technology/Institute of Food Science, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-737 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, So-Young [Traditional Food Research Group, Korea Food Research Institute, Seongnam 463-746 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jin-Gyu [Radiation Food Science and Biotechnology, Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongup 580-185 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Ju-Woon [National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, Fisheries Economic Institute, Seoul 138-827 (Korea, Republic of); Byun, Myung-Woo [Department of Culinary Nutrition, Woosong University, Daejon 300-718 (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Dong-Hyun, E-mail: dhahn@pknu.ac.kr [Department of Food Science and Technology/Institute of Food Science, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-737 (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-11-15

    Pork is known as an allergenic food with porcine serum albumin (PSA, 66 kDa) representing the major allergen. This study was conducted to investigate the change in antigenicity of PSA in gamma-irradiated sausage extract treated with pepsin and trypsin. Sausage products (A and B) were irradiated at 1, 3, 10, and 20 kGy. After irradiation, sausage proteins were extracted and digested with pepsin (1:200, 30 min) and trypsin (1:300, 5, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min). The binding ability of PSA in extracts of the irradiated sausages (A and B) decreased by over 3 kGy relative to the binding ability of PSA in extracts of intact sausages and showed no notable differences when the dose of radiation ranged from 3 to 20 kGy. After treatment with pepsin and trypsin, the binding ability of PSA in extracts of the irradiated sausages was decreased more relative to that of intact sausages and showed no significant differences when the period of trypsin treatment is increased or when the dose of irradiation is increased. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) results indicated that there was no visible change in the intensity of the PSA band in extracts of the irradiated sausages. After pepsin and trypsin treatment, the intensity of PSA band faded with increasing doses of irradiation. In conclusion, antigenicity of PSA in pork sausages could be reduced by gamma irradiation. - Highlights: > Change in antigenicity of PSA in irradiated sausage extract (ISE) was examined. > Binding ability of PSA in ISE was decreased compared to intact extract. > Binding ability of PSA in ISE after enzyme treatments was also further decreased. > Intensity of PSA band in ISE after enzyme treatments became weak.

  7. Changes in antigenicity of porcine serum albumin in gamma-irradiated sausage extract by treatment with pepsin and trypsin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Koth-Bong-Woo-Ri; Song, Eu-Jin; Lee, So-Young; Park, Jin-Gyu; Lee, Ju-Woon; Byun, Myung-Woo; Ahn, Dong-Hyun

    2011-01-01

    Pork is known as an allergenic food with porcine serum albumin (PSA, 66 kDa) representing the major allergen. This study was conducted to investigate the change in antigenicity of PSA in gamma-irradiated sausage extract treated with pepsin and trypsin. Sausage products (A and B) were irradiated at 1, 3, 10, and 20 kGy. After irradiation, sausage proteins were extracted and digested with pepsin (1:200, 30 min) and trypsin (1:300, 5, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min). The binding ability of PSA in extracts of the irradiated sausages (A and B) decreased by over 3 kGy relative to the binding ability of PSA in extracts of intact sausages and showed no notable differences when the dose of radiation ranged from 3 to 20 kGy. After treatment with pepsin and trypsin, the binding ability of PSA in extracts of the irradiated sausages was decreased more relative to that of intact sausages and showed no significant differences when the period of trypsin treatment is increased or when the dose of irradiation is increased. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) results indicated that there was no visible change in the intensity of the PSA band in extracts of the irradiated sausages. After pepsin and trypsin treatment, the intensity of PSA band faded with increasing doses of irradiation. In conclusion, antigenicity of PSA in pork sausages could be reduced by gamma irradiation. - Highlights: → Change in antigenicity of PSA in irradiated sausage extract (ISE) was examined. → Binding ability of PSA in ISE was decreased compared to intact extract. → Binding ability of PSA in ISE after enzyme treatments was also further decreased. → Intensity of PSA band in ISE after enzyme treatments became weak.

  8. Frequency of inhibitors of daphnid trypsin in the widely distributed cyanobacterial genus Planktothrix

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rohrlack, T.; Christoffersen, K.; Friberg-Jensen, U.

    2005-01-01

    on the frequency of such compounds in the widely distributed cyanobacterial genus Planktothrix. Of the 89 Planktothrix strains analysed, about 70% produced inhibitors of daphnid trypsin. The strains tested positive represented three common Planktothrix species and were isolated from diverse localities...

  9. TsAg5, a Taenia solium cysticercus protein with a marginal trypsin-like activity in the diagnosis of human neurocysticercosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rueda, Analiz; Sifuentes, Cecilia; Gilman, Robert H; Gutiérrez, Andrés H; Piña, Ruby; Chile, Nancy; Carrasco, Sebastián; Larson, Sandra; Mayta, Holger; Verástegui, Manuela; Rodriguez, Silvia; Gutiérrez-Correa, Marcel; García, Héctor H; Sheen, Patricia; Zimic, Mirko

    2011-12-01

    Neurocysticercosis is an endemic parasitic disease caused by Taenia solium larva. Although the mechanism of infection is not completely understood, it is likely driven by proteolytic activity that degrades the intestinal wall to facilitate oncosphere penetration and further infection. We analyzed the publicly available T. solium EST/DNA library and identified two contigs comprising a full-length cDNA fragment very similar to Echinococcus granulosus Ag5 protein. The T. solium cDNA sequence included a proteolytic trypsin-like-domain in the C-terminal region, and a thrombospondin type-1 adherence-domain in the N-terminal region. Both the trypsin-like and adherence domains were expressed independently as recombinant proteins in bacterial systems. TsAg5 showed marginal trypsin-like activity and high sequence similarity to Ag5. The purified antigens were tested in a Western immunoblot assay to diagnose human neurocysticercosis. The sensitivity of the trypsin-like-domain was 96.36% in patients infected with extraparenchymal cysts, 75.44% in patients infected with multiple cysts, and 39.62% in patients with a single cyst. Specificity was 76.70%. The thrombospondin type-1 adherence-domain was not specific for neurocysticercosis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Effect of sorbitol and glycerol on the stability of trypsin and difference between their stabilization effects in the various solvents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pazhang, Mohammad; Mehrnejad, Faramarz; Pazhang, Yaghub; Falahati, Hanieh; Chaparzadeh, Nader

    2016-01-01

    The effect of glycerol and sorbitol on the stability of porcine pancreas trypsin was investigated in this work. Molecular dynamics simulation and thermostability results showed that trypsin has two flexible regions, and polyols (sorbitol and glycerol) stabilize the enzyme by decreasing the flexibility of these regions. Radial distribution function results exhibited that sorbitol and glycerol were excluded from the first water layer of the enzyme, therefore decrease the flexibility of the regions by preferential exclusion. Also, results showed that the stabilization effect of sorbitol is more than glycerol. This observation could be because of the larger decrease in the fluctuations of trypsin in the presence of sorbitol. We also examined the role of solvent's hydrophobicity in enzyme stabilization by sorbitol and glycerol. To do so, the thermostability of trypsin was evaluated in the presence of solvents with different hydrophobicity (methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and n-propanol) in addition to the polyols. Our results depicted that glycerol is a better stabilizer than sorbitol in the presence of hydrophobic solvents (n-propanol), whereas sorbitol is a better stabilizer than glycerol in the presence of hydrophilic solvents (methanol). © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  11. Systematic Design of Trypsin Cleavage Site Mutated Exendin4-Cysteine 1, an Orally Bioavailable Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenbo Sai

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Exendin-4 is a strong therapeutic candidate for the treatment of metabolic syndrome. Related receptor agonist drugs have been on the market since 2005. However, technical limitations and the pain caused by subcutaneous injection have severely limited patient compliance. The goal of the study is to investigate a biologically active exendin-4 analog could be administered orally. Using intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests, we discovered that exendin4-cysteine administered by oral gavage had a distinct hypoglycemic effect in C57BL/6J mice. Using Rosetta Design and Amber, we designed and screened a series of exendin4-cysteine analogs to identify those that retained biological activity while resisting trypsin digestion. Trypsin Cleavage Site Mutated Exendin4-cysteine 1 (TSME-1, an analog whose bioactivity was similar to exendin-4 and was almost completely resistant to trypsin, was screened out. In addition, TSME-1 significantly normalized the blood glucose levels and the availability of TSME-1 was significantly higher than that of exendin-4 and exendin4-cysteine. Collectively orally administered TSME-1, a trypsin-resistant exendin-4 analog obtained by the system, is a strong candidate for future treatments of type 2 diabetes.

  12. Conformational Network and Residence Time Estimation of Trypsin-Benzamidine Unbinding Pathways

    OpenAIRE

    Dickson, Alex; Lotz, Samuel D.

    2016-01-01

    In this poster we present results from molecular dynamics sampling of benzamidine unbinding from trypsin. We give background on the weighted ensemble technique used (WExplore) and the Markovian state model construction. Our network shows three unique unbinding pathways including a never before observed unbinding pathway. We also estimate residence time to within one order of magnitude to the experimental value.

  13. Radioimmunoassay of trypsin in dried blood importance for the neonatal detection of cystic fibrosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Travert, G.; Mustin, C.; Fernandez, Y.

    1981-01-01

    The demonstration of very high levels of immunoreactive trypsin in the blood of newborn infants with cystic fibrosis has provided a new way of detecting the disease soon after birth. A radioimmunoassay of trypsin in the eluate of blood dried on filter paper has now been developed. The sensitivity and accuracy of the method, as well as the good correlation observed between the values obtained and those of the conventional plasma assay, indicate that it is reliable and well adapted to the newborn. The new assay can easily be inserted into the present system of neonatal disease detection. A preliminary assessment of more than 5000 tests enables the authors to report an early diagnosis of proven cystic fibrosis and to discuss an essential aspect of mass-detection methods: the indicence of false-positive results [fr

  14. Trypsinization and the radiosensitivity of mitotic and log phase Chinese hamster V79 cells exposed to 250 kVp X-rays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reddy, N.M.S.; Stevenson, A.F.G.; Lange, C.S.

    1989-01-01

    The authors studied the influence of trypsin-induced morphological changes on the x-radiosensitivity of cells plated at either low (4-600/cm 2 ) or high (2 x 10 4 /cm 2 ) density and grown overnight before treatments. Trypsin treatment induced contraction and rounding of spread cells. The results suggest that: (1) trypsin-induced cell contraction affects the ability of cells to repair radiation damage, (2) spread cells are better able to repair potential lethal damage (PLD) than rounded cells, (3) immediate plating survival of cells in high-density cultures may not represent their intrinsic radiosensitivity and (4) cell-to-cell contact is not necessary for log phase cells to repair PLD. (author)

  15. High feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity in a cat with pancreatitis and hepatic lipidosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruner, J M; Steiner, J M; Williams, D A; Van Alstine, W G; Blevins, W

    1997-06-15

    A 1.5-year-old domestic shorthair cat was examined because of vomiting and icterus. Clinicopathologic abnormalities included high alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase activities and high total bilirubin concentration. During abdominal ultrasonography, the left limb and body of the pancreas appeared hypoechoic, and a small quantity of peritoneal effusion was seen. The liver was diffusely hyperechoic, with echogenicity similar to that of the spleen, indicating hepatic lipidosis. Feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity was high, suggesting that the cat also had pancreatitis. The cat was treated with crystalloid fluids and was fed a protein-restricted diet via a percutaneous endoscopically placed gastrostomy tube. The cat's condition continued to deteriorate despite medical treatment, and it was euthanatized. Necropsy confirmed the clinical suspicion of acute pancreatitis and hepatic lipidosis. This case suggests that measurement of trypsin-like immunoreactivity may be useful in cats suspected of having pancreatitis.

  16. Structural and Chemical Characterization of Silica Spheres before and after Modification by Silanization for Trypsin Immobilization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo F. Barbosa

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In the last decades, silica particles of a variety of sizes and shapes have been characterized and chemically modified for several applications, from chromatographic separation to dental supplies. The present study proposes the use of aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTS silanized silica particles to immobilize the proteolytic enzyme trypsin for the development of a bioreactor. The major advantage of the process is that it enables the polypeptides hydrolysis interruption simply by removing the silica particles from the reaction bottle. Silanized silica surfaces showed significant morphological changes at micro- and nanoscale level. Chemical characterization showed changes in elemental composition, chemical environment, and thermal degradation. Their application as supports for trypsin immobilization showed high immobilization efficiency at reduced immobilization times, combined with more acidic conditions. Indirect immobilization quantification by reversed-phase ultrafast high performance liquid chromatography proved to be a suitable approach due to its high linearity and sensitivity. Immobilized trypsin activities on nonmodified and silanized silica showed promising features (e.g., selective hydrolysis for applications in proteins/peptides primary structure elucidation for proteomics. Silanized silica system produced some preferential targeting peptides, probably due to the hydrophobicity of the nanoenvironment conditioned by silanization.

  17. The effect of bound to dialdehudecellulose protein concentration on the activity of immobilized trypsin after γ-irradiation and in process of storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belov, A.A.; Ryl'tsev, V.V.; Ignatyuk, T.E.; Filatov, V.N.

    1994-01-01

    It is found the complex effect of the bound enzyme concentration on the proteolytic activity of trypsin immobilized to dialdehydecellulose (preriodate oxidation) after γ-irradiation and in process of storage. It is shown the occurance of three stages of immobilized enzyme inactivation in process of immobilization and storage. The velocity of inactivation did not depend on bound trypsin concentration. The ratio of proteolytic activity of samples before and after γ-irradiation was increased with the increase of immobilized to carrier enzyme concentration and was not change (in range of experiment error) in process of storage. The results were compared with that of cryctlline trypsin

  18. Conformational flexibility in the catalytic triad revealed by the high-resolution crystal structure of Streptomyces erythraeus trypsin in an unliganded state

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blankenship, Elise; Vukoti, Krishna [Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Miyagi, Masaru, E-mail: mxm356@cwru.edu [Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Lodowski, David T., E-mail: mxm356@cwru.edu [Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States)

    2014-03-01

    This work reports the first sub-angstrom resolution structure of S. erythraeus trypsin. The detailed model of a prototypical serine protease at a catalytically relevant pH with an unoccupied active site is presented and is compared with other high-resolution serine protease structures. With more than 500 crystal structures determined, serine proteases make up greater than one-third of all proteases structurally examined to date, making them among the best biochemically and structurally characterized enzymes. Despite the numerous crystallographic and biochemical studies of trypsin and related serine proteases, there are still considerable shortcomings in the understanding of their catalytic mechanism. Streptomyces erythraeus trypsin (SET) does not exhibit autolysis and crystallizes readily at physiological pH; hence, it is well suited for structural studies aimed at extending the understanding of the catalytic mechanism of serine proteases. While X-ray crystallographic structures of this enzyme have been reported, no coordinates have ever been made available in the Protein Data Bank. Based on this, and observations on the extreme stability and unique properties of this particular trypsin, it was decided to crystallize it and determine its structure. Here, the first sub-angstrom resolution structure of an unmodified, unliganded trypsin crystallized at physiological pH is reported. Detailed structural analysis reveals the geometry and structural rigidity of the catalytic triad in the unoccupied active site and comparison to related serine proteases provides a context for interpretation of biochemical studies of catalytic mechanism and activity.

  19. Conformational flexibility in the catalytic triad revealed by the high-resolution crystal structure of Streptomyces erythraeus trypsin in an unliganded state

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blankenship, Elise; Vukoti, Krishna; Miyagi, Masaru; Lodowski, David T.

    2014-01-01

    This work reports the first sub-angstrom resolution structure of S. erythraeus trypsin. The detailed model of a prototypical serine protease at a catalytically relevant pH with an unoccupied active site is presented and is compared with other high-resolution serine protease structures. With more than 500 crystal structures determined, serine proteases make up greater than one-third of all proteases structurally examined to date, making them among the best biochemically and structurally characterized enzymes. Despite the numerous crystallographic and biochemical studies of trypsin and related serine proteases, there are still considerable shortcomings in the understanding of their catalytic mechanism. Streptomyces erythraeus trypsin (SET) does not exhibit autolysis and crystallizes readily at physiological pH; hence, it is well suited for structural studies aimed at extending the understanding of the catalytic mechanism of serine proteases. While X-ray crystallographic structures of this enzyme have been reported, no coordinates have ever been made available in the Protein Data Bank. Based on this, and observations on the extreme stability and unique properties of this particular trypsin, it was decided to crystallize it and determine its structure. Here, the first sub-angstrom resolution structure of an unmodified, unliganded trypsin crystallized at physiological pH is reported. Detailed structural analysis reveals the geometry and structural rigidity of the catalytic triad in the unoccupied active site and comparison to related serine proteases provides a context for interpretation of biochemical studies of catalytic mechanism and activity

  20. Preparation of polymer brushes grafted graphene oxide by atom transfer radical polymerization as a new support for trypsin immobilization and efficient proteome digestion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Cong; Zhao, Xinyuan; Zhang, Wanjun; Bai, Haihong; Qin, Weijie; Song, Haifeng; Qian, Xiaohong

    2017-08-01

    Highly efficient protein digestion is one of the key issues in the "bottom-up" strategy-based proteomic studies. Compared with the time-consuming solution-based free protease digestion, immobilized protease digestion offers a promising alternative with obviously improved sample processing throughput. In this study, we proposed a new immobilized protease digestion strategy using two kinds of polymer-grafted graphene oxide (GO) conjugated trypsin. The polymer brush grafted GO was prepared using in situ polymer growth on initiator-functionalized GO using surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) and characterized by AFM, TEM, TGA, and XPS. The polymer brush grafted GO supports three-dimensional trypsin immobilization, which not only increases the loading amount but also improves accessibility towards protein substrates. Both of the two types of immobilized trypsin provide 700 times shorter digestion time, while maintaining comparable protein/peptide identification scale compared with that of free trypsin digestion. More interestingly, combined application of the two types of immobilized trypsin with different surface-grafted polymers leads to at least 18.3/31.3% enhancement in protein/peptide identification compared with that obtained by digestion using a single type, indicating the potential of this digestion strategy for deeper proteome coverage using limited mass spectrometer machine hour. We expect these advantages may find valuable application in high throughput clinical proteomic studies, which often involve processing of a large number of samples. Graphical abstract Preparation of polymer brushes grafted and trypsin immobilized graphene oxide and its application in proteome digestion and mass spectrometry identification.

  1. Ecological costs and benefits correlated with trypsin protease inhibitor production in Nicotiana attenuata

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Glawe, G.A.; Zavala, J.A.; Kessler, A.; Van Dam, N.M.; Baldwin, I.T.

    2003-01-01

    Genotypes of the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata from different geographic regions in North America vary considerably in the level of constitutive and inducible trypsin protease inhibitors (TrypPIs), a potent direct defense, as well as in the production of herbivore-induced volatiles that function

  2. The refined 2.0 A X-ray crystal structure of the complex formed between bovine beta-trypsin and CMTI-I, a trypsin inhibitor from squash seeds (Cucurbita maxima). Topological similarity of the squash seed inhibitors with the carboxypeptidase A inhibitor from potatoes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bode, W; Greyling, H J; Huber, R; Otlewski, J; Wilusz, T

    1989-01-02

    The stoichiometric complex formed between bovine beta-trypsin and the Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor I (CMTI-I) was crystallized and its X-ray crystal structure determined using Patterson search techniques. Its structure has been crystallographically refined to a final R value of 0.152 (6.0-2.0 A). CMTI-I is of ellipsoidal shape; it lacks helices or beta-sheets, but consists of turns and connecting short polypeptide stretches. The disulfide pairing is CYS-3I-20I, Cys-10I-22I and Cys-16I-28I. According to the polypeptide fold and disulfide connectivity its structure resembles that of the carboxypeptidase A inhibitor from potatoes. Thirteen of the 29 inhibitor residues are in direct contact with trypsin; most of them are in the primary binding segment Val-2I (P4)-Glu-9I (P4') which contains the reactive site bond Arg-5I-Ile-6I and is in a conformation observed also for other serine proteinase inhibitors.

  3. Collagenolytic serine protease PC and trypsin PC from king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus: cDNA cloning and primary structure of the enzymes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebrikov Denis V

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In this paper, we describe cDNA cloning of a new anionic trypsin and a collagenolytic serine protease from king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus and the elucidation of their primary structures. Constructing the phylogenetic tree of these enzymes was undertaken in order to prove the evolutionary relationship between them. Results The mature trypsin PC and collagenolytic protease PC contain 237 (Mcalc 24.8 kDa and 226 amino acid residues (Mcalc 23.5 kDa, respectively. Alignments of their amino acid sequences revealed a high degree of the trypsin PC identity to the trypsin from Penaeus vannamei (approximately 70% and of the collagenolytic protease PC identity to the collagenase from fiddler crab Uca pugilator (76%. The phylogenetic tree of these enzymes was constructed. Conclusions Primary structures of the two mature enzymes from P. camtschaticus were obtained and compared with those of other proteolytic proteins, including some enzymes from brachyurans. A phylogenetic analysis was also carried out. These comparisons revealed that brachyurins are closely related to their vertebrate and bacterial congeners, occupy an intermediate position between them, and their study significantly contributes to the understanding of the evolution and function of serine proteases.

  4. Proton NMR studies of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitors: Evidence for pH-dependent conformational change and his25 - try27 interaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krishnamoorthi, R.; Chanlan Sun Lin; Yuxi Gong (Kansas State Univ., Manhattan (United States)); VanderVelde, D. (Univ. of Kansas, Lawrence (United States)); Hahn, K. (Univ. of Colorado, Denver (United States))

    1992-01-28

    A pH-dependent His25-Tyr27 interaction was demonstrated in the case of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitors (CMTI-I and CMTI-III) by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. pH titration, line widths, peak shapes, deuterium exchange kinetics, and two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) were employed to characterize a conformational change involving Tyr27, which was shown to be triggered by deprotonation of His25 around pH 6. A hydrogen bond is proposed to be formed between N{sub {epsilon}} of His25 and OH of Tyr27, as a distance between the atoms, His25 N{epsilon} and Tyr25 OH, of 3.02 {angstrom} is consistent with a model built with NOE-derived distance constraints. The presently characterized relative orientations of His25 and Tyr27 are of functional significance, as these residues make contact with the enzyme in the enzyme-inhibitor complex. Furthermore, trypsin assay and inhibitor-binding studies showed that conformations of trypsin and the squash inhibitor complex. Furthermore, trypsin assay and inhibitor-binding studies showed that conformations of trypsin and the squash inhibitor were functionally relevant only in the pH range 6-8. The pK{sub a} of His25 was determined and found to be influenced by Glu9/Lys substitution and by the hydrolysis of the reactive-site peptide bond between Arg5 and Ile6. As these sites are located far (>10 {angstrom}) from His25, the results point out conformational changes that are propagated to a distant site in the protein molecule.

  5. Comparison of various molecular forms of bovine trypsin: Correlation of infrared spectra with X-ray crystal structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prestrelski, S.J. (Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City Univ. of New York (USA)); Byler, D.M. (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Philadelphia, PA (USA)); Liebman, M.N. (AMOCO Technology Corporation, Naperville, IL (USA))

    1991-01-01

    Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy is a valuable method for the study of protein conformation in solution primarily because of the sensitivity to conformation of the amide I band (1700-1620 cm{sup {minus}1}) which arises from the backbone C{double bond}O stretching vibration. Combined with resolution-enhancement techniques such as derivative spectroscopy and self-deconvolution, plus the application of iterative curve-fitting techniques, this method provides a wealth of information concerning protein secondary structure. Further extraction of conformational information from the amide I band is dependent upon discerning the correlations between specific conformation types and component bands in the amide I region. In this paper the authors report spectra-structure correlations derived from conformational perturbations in bovine trypsin which arise from autolytic processing, zymogen activation, and active-site inhibition. IR spectra were collected for the single-chain ({beta}-trypsin) and once-cleaved, double-chain ({alpha}-trypsin) forms as well as at various times during the course of autolysis and also for zymogen, trypsinogen, and {beta}-trypsin inhibited with diisopropyl fluorophosphate. Spectral differences among the various molecular forms were interpreted in light of previous biochemical studies of autolysis and the known three-dimensional structures of the zymogen, the active enzyme, and the DIP-inhibited form. The spectroscopic results from these proteins in D{sub 2}O imply that certain loop structures may absorb in the region of 1655 cm{sup {minus}1}. They estimate that this approach to data analysis and interpretation is sensitive to changes of 0.01 unit or less in the relative integrated intensities of component bands in spectra whose peaks are well resolved.

  6. A Woman with a Plan: Recognizing Competencies for Ascent to Administration in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Paaige K.; Norwood, Kristen; Noe, Charlotte

    2013-01-01

    Despite progress, women are still disproportionally underrepresented in leadership positions in higher education. Women must contend with a glass ceiling, which we argue is constituted by discourses of impossibility and femininity. These discourses discourage women from recognizing their qualifications, continuing to develop skills, and making a…

  7. Quantification of trypsin with a radioimmunoassay in herring larvae (Clupea harengus L.) compared with a highly sensitive fluorescence technique to determine tryptic enzyme activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ueberschaer, B.; Pedersen, B.H.; Hjelmeland, K.

    1993-01-01

    Enzymatic activity and quantity of the protease trypsin were measured in individual herring larvae (Clupea harengus L.). The enzymatic activity assay was done by a fluorescence technique, and a radioimmunoassay was used for quantification of trypsin. The results are compared and the differences between the techniques discussed. Both methods have similar results, as high or low values in trypsin quantity were reflected in high or low values of tryptic activity. Quantity and activity were linearly and positively correlated, but small differences between methods were found at the lowest detection limits. Both techniques reflect the high variability between individual larvae. (orig.)

  8. Serum trypsin inhibitory capacity in hemodialysis patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hashemi, Mohammad; Mehrabifar, Hamid; Homayooni, Fatemeh; Naderi, Mohammad; Montazerifar, Farzaneh; Ghavami, Saeid

    2009-01-01

    It has been established that overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) occurs during hemodialysis causing oxidation of proteins. Alpha-1-antitrypsin is the major circulating anti-protease which contains methionine in the active site. The aim of the present study was to measure the level of serum trypsin inhibitory capacity (sTIC) in hemodialysis patients. This case-control study was performed in 52 hemodialysis patients and 49 healthy controls. sTIC was measured by enzymatic assay. The sTIC was significantly (P< 0.001) lower in hemodialysis patients (1.87 + - 0.67 micron mol/min/mL) than healthy controls (2.83 + - 0.44 micron mol/min/L). Reduction of sTIC may be due to the oxidation of methionine residue in the reactive site of alpha-1 antitrypsin. (author)

  9. Trypsin inhibitory activity of artemisinin and its biotransformed product

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shahwar, D.; Raza, M.A.

    2013-01-01

    Summary: Artemisinin (1 ), a sesquiterpene lactone is an important constituent of anti-malarial drugs. In the present study, it was extracted from aerial parts of Artemisia roxburghiana Besser. Biotransformation of artemisinin ( 1 ) was carried out in the culture of Aspergillus niger GC-4 which yielded 5-hydroxy artemisinin (2 ) The structures of 1-2 were confirmed through spectral studies. Both compounds were screened against trypsin using colorimetric method. The biotransformed product 2 showed significant protease inhibitory activity with 53.5 +- 1.6% inhibition and IC/sub 50/ = 0.29 +- 0.02 mM as compared to artemisinin (20.4 +- 0.3% inhibition). (author)

  10. Domestic Violence against Women: Recognize Patterns, Seek Help

    Science.gov (United States)

    Healthy Lifestyle Adult health Domestic violence is a serious threat for many women. Know the signs of an abusive relationship and how to leave a dangerous ... If this sounds familiar, you might be experiencing domestic violence. Domestic violence — also called intimate partner violence — occurs ...

  11. Purification, crystallization and X-ray characterization of a Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor protein from the seeds of chickpea (Cicer arietinum).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Urvashi; Suresh, C G

    2011-06-01

    A Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor protein (CPTI) purified from chickpea seeds was estimated to have a molecular mass of 18 kDa on SDS-PAGE. The IC(50) value of CPTI was determined to be 2.5 µg against trypsin. The inhibitory activity of CPTI is 114 TIU (trypsin inhibitory units) per milligram of protein, which is high compared with those of other known Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors from legumes. CPTI crystallized in three different orthorhombic crystal forms: P2(1)2(1)2 form A, P2(1)2(1)2 form B and P2(1)2(1)2(1). The crystals of P2(1)2(1)2 form A, with unit-cell parameters a = 37.2, b = 41.2, c = 104.6 Å, diffracted to 2.0 Å resolution at the home source and to 1.4 Å on beamline BM14 at the ESRF. Data were also collected from crystals grown in the presence of iodine. The Matthews coefficient for these crystals was calculated to be 2.37 Å(3) Da(-1), corresponding to a solvent content of 42%. The other two crystal forms (P2(1)2(1)2 form B and P2(1)2(1)2(1)) diffracted comparatively poorly.

  12. Human and bovine spinal disc mechanics subsequent to trypsin injection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeremy Alsup

    2017-10-01

    The Translational Potential of this Article: Preclinical testing of novel spinal devices is essential to the design validation and regulatory processes, but current testing techniques rely on cadaveric testing of primarily older spines with essentially random amounts of disc degeneration. The present work investigates the viability of using trypsin injections to create a more uniform preclinical model of disc degeneration from a mechanics perspective, for the purpose of testing spinal devices. Such a model would facilitate translation of new spinal technologies to clinical practice.

  13. Reactive-site hydrolyzed Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor-V: function, thermodynamic stability, and NMR solution structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, M; Gong, Y; Prakash, O; Krishnamoorthi, R

    1995-09-26

    Reactive-site (Lys44-Asp45 peptide bond) hydrolyzed Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor-V (CMTI-V*) was prepared and characterized: In comparison to the intact form, CMTI-V* exhibited markedly reduced inhibitory properties and binding affinities toward trypsin and human blood coagulation factor XIIa. The equilibrium constant of trypsin-catalyzed hydrolysis, Khyd, defined as [CMTI-V*]/[CMTI-V], was measured to be approximately 9.4 at 25 degrees C (delta G degrees = -1.3 kcal.mol-1). From the temperature dependence of delta G degrees, the following thermodynamic parameters were estimated: delta H degrees = 1.6 kcal.mol-1 and delta S degrees = 9.8 eu. In order to understand the functional and thermodynamic differences between the two forms, the three-dimensional solution structure of CMTI-V* was determined by a combined approach of NMR, distance geometry, and simulated annealing methods. Thus, following sequence-specific and stereospecific resonance assignments, including those of beta-, gamma-, delta-, and epsilon-hydrogens and valine methyl hydrogens, 809 interhydrogen distances and 123 dihedral angle constraints were determined, resulting in the computation and energy-minimization of 20 structures for CMTI-V*. The average root mean squared deviation in position for equivalent atoms between the 20 individual structures and the mean structure obtained by averaging their coordinates is 0.67 +/- 0.15 A for the main chain atoms and 1.19 +/- 0.23 A for all the non-hydrogen atoms of residues 5-40 and residues 48-67.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  14. Purification and characterization of a novel trypsin-like protease from green-seeded chickpea (Cicer arientum).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamsi, Tooba Naz; Parveen, Romana; Sen, Priyankar; Fatima, Sadaf

    2017-05-28

    The present study describes the purification and physicochemical and biochemical characterization of trypsin-like protease from green-seeded chickpea (Cicer arientum). The crude extract of chickpea trypsin (CpT) was obtained by homogenization followed by differential ammonium sulfate precipitation. The CpT was purified by ion-exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) column, pre-equilibrated with 20 mM tris-CaCl 2 buffer (pH 8.2) with a flow rate of 0.5 mL min -1 . The molecular weight and purity of ∼23 kDa of CpT were determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Activity of protease was determined using Nα-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide as chromogenic substrate and CpT purified showed a specific inhibitor activity of 26978.7697 U mg -1 , fold purity of 9.8, and the yield of 70.2%. The characterization was performed for thermal stability, pH profile, and effect of various inhibitors on enzymatic activity. The protein isolated showed stability in the neutral to mild alkaline pH range and thermostability up to 50°C. CpT confirmed its serine nature as it was appreciably inhibited by serine protease inhibitors (maximum 6%), whereas metalloprotease inhibitors barely affected the activity of the enzyme (85%). To the best of our knowledge, it is first reported on purification of protease with trypsin-like properties, from this source.

  15. Potentiometric determination of trypsin using a polymeric membrane polycation-sensitive electrode based on current-controlled reagent delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yan; Ding, Jiawang; Qin, Wei

    2012-12-01

    A potentiometric biosensor for the determination of trypsin is described based on current-controlled reagent delivery. A polymeric membrane protamine-sensitive electrode with dinonylnaphthalene sulfonate as cation exchanger is used for in situ generation of protamine. Diffusion of protamine across the polymeric membrane can be controlled precisely by applying an external current. The hydrolysis catalyzed with trypsin in sample solution decreases the concentration of free protamine released at the sample-membrane interface and facilitates the stripping of protamine out of the membrane surface via the ion-exchange process with sodium ions from the sample solution, thus decreasing the membrane potential, by which the protease can be sensed potentiometrically. The influences of anodic current amplitude, current pulse duration and protamine concentration in the inner filling solution on the membrane potential response have been studied. Under optimum conditions, the proposed protamine-sensitive electrode is useful for continuous and reversible detection of trypsin over the concentration range of 0.5-5UmL(-1) with a detection limit of 0.3UmL(-1). The proposed detection strategy provides a rapid and reagentless way for the detection of protease activities and offers great potential in the homogeneous immunoassays using proteases as labels. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. The use of trypsin-like blood activity as a marker of pulmonary fibrosis severity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. V. Rodionova

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Purpose – to determine changes in the trypsin-like blood activity and its relationship with acute phase indices of inflammation in patients with pulmonary fibrosis (PF as a marker of course severity and prognosis of the disease. Materials and Methods: The study included 18 patients: 15 (83% women and 3 (17% men, mean age 53±2.5 years. The control group included 15 practically healthy persons. All the examined patients (n=18 were divided into two groups: with mild or moderately severe PF – 8 (44.4% patients (group I, severe PF – 10 (55.6% of patients (group II. Duration of the disease - from 1 month. up to 4 years. Patients underwent clinic-laboratory and anthropometric studies, a mMRC questionnaire was used, blood saturation was measured, lung radiography in 2 projections, echocardiography, and if necessary a high-resolution computer tomography etc were performed. Results and discussion: More than half of the patients were overweight (44,4% or had obesity of І-ІІІ st. (27.8%. The severity of dyspnea according to mMRC scale was 3.0 (3.0-4.0 points in patients of group II and 2.5 (2.0-3.0 points in patients of group I. There was a decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP in group I and a tendency to increase in patients of group II. When analyzing the indicator of trypsin-like blood activity (TLA, it was found that the median TLA at the beginning of the observation was twice as high as in healthy individuals, direct correlation was established between the level of TLA and the severity of the disease course. After treatment the level of TLA decreased in group I patients. In the severe course of PF, the average TLA level remained high. The progredient course of LF is characterized by severe clinical symptoms, a significant increase in TLA, CRP, reduced O2 saturation, a lack of response to treatment and an unfavorable prognosis. The TLA index can be used as a biochemical marker of the severity of PF along with the CRPindex, O2 saturation and

  17. Activity of trypsin-like enzymes and gelatinases in rats with doxorubicin cardiomyopathy

    OpenAIRE

    Iu. А. Gordiienko; Ya. V. Babets; А. О. Kulinich; А. І. Shevtsova; G. О. Ushakova

    2014-01-01

    Activity of trypsin-like enzymes (ATLE) and gelatinases A and B were studied in the blood plasma and extracts from cardiac muscle, cerebral cortex and cerebellum of rats with cardiomyopathy caused by anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin against the background of preventive application of corvitin and α-ketoglutarate. ATLE significantly increased in blood plasma and extracts from cerebral cortex but decreased in extracts from cardiac muscle and cerebellum in doxorubicin cardiomyopathy (DCMP). ...

  18. Laue diffraction as a tool in dynamic studies: Hydrolysis of a transiently stable intermediate in catalysis by trypsin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singer, P.T.; Berman, L.E.; Cai, Z.; Mangel, W.F.; Jones, K.W.; Sweet, R.M. (Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)); Carty, R.P. (State Univ. of New York, Brooklyn, NY (United States). Dept. of Biochemistry); Schlichting, I. (Brandeis Univ., Waltham, MA (United States). Rosenstiel Basic Medical Science Center); Stock, A. (Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Piscataway, NJ (Un

    1992-01-01

    A transiently stable intermediate in trypsin catalysis, guanidinobenzyol-Ser-195 trypsin, can be trapped and then released by control of the pH in crystals of the enzyme. This effect has been investigated by static and dynamic white-beam Laue crystallography. Comparison of structures determined before and immediately after a pH jump reveals the nature of concerted changes that accompany activation of the enzyme. Careful analysis of the results of several structure determinations gives information about the reliability of Laue results in general. A study of multiple exposures taken under differing conditions of beam intensity, crystal quality, and temperature revealed information about ways to control damage of specimens by the x-ray beam.

  19. Laue diffraction as a tool in dynamic studies: Hydrolysis of a transiently stable intermediate in catalysis by trypsin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singer, P.T.; Berman, L.E.; Cai, Z.; Mangel, W.F.; Jones, K.W.; Sweet, R.M. [Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States); Carty, R.P. [State Univ. of New York, Brooklyn, NY (United States). Dept. of Biochemistry; Schlichting, I. [Brandeis Univ., Waltham, MA (United States). Rosenstiel Basic Medical Science Center; Stock, A. [Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Smalas, A. [Univ. of Tromso (Norway). Inst. of Mathematics and Physical Science

    1992-11-01

    A transiently stable intermediate in trypsin catalysis, guanidinobenzyol-Ser-195 trypsin, can be trapped and then released by control of the pH in crystals of the enzyme. This effect has been investigated by static and dynamic white-beam Laue crystallography. Comparison of structures determined before and immediately after a pH jump reveals the nature of concerted changes that accompany activation of the enzyme. Careful analysis of the results of several structure determinations gives information about the reliability of Laue results in general. A study of multiple exposures taken under differing conditions of beam intensity, crystal quality, and temperature revealed information about ways to control damage of specimens by the x-ray beam.

  20. Laue diffraction as a tool in dynamic studies: Hydrolysis of a transiently stable intermediate in catalysis by trypsin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singer, P.T.; Berman, L.E.; Cai, Z.; Mangel, W.F.; Jones, K.W.; Sweet, R.M.; Carty, R.P.; Smalas, A.

    1992-01-01

    A transiently stable intermediate in trypsin catalysis, guanidinobenzyol-Ser-195 trypsin, can be trapped and then released by control of the pH in crystals of the enzyme. This effect has been investigated by static and dynamic white-beam Laue crystallography. Comparison of structures determined before and immediately after a pH jump reveals the nature of concerted changes that accompany activation of the enzyme. Careful analysis of the results of several structure determinations gives information about the reliability of Laue results in general. A study of multiple exposures taken under differing conditions of beam intensity, crystal quality, and temperature revealed information about ways to control damage of specimens by the x-ray beam

  1. WOMEN IN FAMILY BUSINESS

    OpenAIRE

    Mr Anshu

    2012-01-01

    The role of women in family businesses is explored in the paper. Although recognized as generally very important players, the role of women is often defined as invisible in business decision-making, supportive in men’s traditional business domains and only rarelyadequately recognized and rewarded. The paper explores possible differences in the views of men and women who manage small family firms. Their attitudes opposing the traditional business roles ofwomen, different views on managerial, o...

  2. Immunoreactive trypsin and neonatalscreening for cystic fibrosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Travert, G.; Laroche, D.; Blandin, C.; Pasquet, C.

    1988-01-01

    Immunoreactive trypsin (IRT) was measured in dried blood spots from 160.822 five-day-old babies as a part of a regionwide neonatal screening program for cystic fibrosis. A second test was performed for 492 babies in whom blood IRT levels were found greater than 900 μg/l; retesting revealed persistent elevation in 55. Sweat testing confirmed cystic fibrosis in 43 babies, but results were normal in 12. During the course of this study, a total of 51 cystic fibrosis babies were identified: 43 by newborn screening, 6 because they had meconium ileus; so, early diagnosis was achieved in 49 cases out of 51. Two newborn babies did not have elevated IRT and they were missed by the screening test. Our results confirm that elevated blood IRT is characteristic of newborn babies with cystic fibrosis and show that this test has an excellent specificity (99.7%) and a good sensitivity (95%) when used as a neonatal screening test [fr

  3. Electronic structure of trypsin inhibitor from squash seeds in aqueous solution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Haoping

    2000-10-01

    The electronic structure of the trypsin inhibitor from seeds of the squash Cucurbita maxima (CMTI-I) in aqueous solution is obtained by ab initio, all-electron, full-potential calculations using the self-consistent cluster-embedding (SCCE) method. The reactive site of the inhibitor is explained theoretically, which is in agreement with the experimental results. It is shown that the coordinates of oxygen atoms in the inhibitor, determined by nuclear magnetic resonance and combination of distance geometry and dynamical simulated annealing, are systematically less accurate than that of other kinds of heavy atoms.

  4. Effects of black-eyed pea trypsin/chymotrypsin inhibitor on proteolytic activity and on development of Anthonomus grandis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco, Octávio L; dos Santos, Roseane C; Batista, João A N; Mendes, Ana Cristina M; de Araújo, Marcus Aurélio M; Monnerat, Rose G; Grossi-de-Sá, Maria Fátima; de Freitas, Sonia M

    2003-06-01

    The cotton boll weevil Anthonomus grandis (Boheman) is one of the major pests of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in tropical and sub-tropical areas of the New World. This feeds on cotton floral fruits and buds causing severe crop losses. Digestion in the boll weevil is facilitated by high levels of serine proteinases, which are responsible for the almost all proteolytic activity. Aiming to reduce the proteolytic activity, the inhibitory effects of black-eyed pea trypsin/chymotrypsin inhibitor (BTCI), towards trypsin and chymotrypsin from bovine pancreas and from midguts of A. grandis larvae and adult insects were analyzed. BTCI, purified from Vigna unguiculata (L.) seeds, was highly active against different trypsin-like proteinases studied and moderately active against the digestive chymotrypsin of adult insects. Nevertheless, no inhibitory activity was observed against chymotrypsin from A. grandis larval guts. To test the BTCI efficiency in vivo, neonate larvae were reared on artificial diet containing BTCI at 10, 50 and 100 microM. A reduction of larval weight of up to approximately 54% at the highest BTCI concentration was observed. At this concentration, the insect mortality was 65%. This work constitutes the first observation of a Bowman-Birk type inhibitor active in vitro and in vivo toward the cotton boll weevil A. grandis. The results of bioassays strongly suggest that BTCI may have potential as a transgene protein for use in engineered crop plants modified for heightened resistance to the cotton boll weevil.

  5. A novel dianionic amino acid ionic liquid-coated PEG 4000 modified Fe3O4 nanocomposite for the magnetic solid-phase extraction of trypsin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Qin; Wang, Yuzhi; Zhang, Hongmei; Xu, Kaijia; Wei, Xiaoxiao; Xu, Panli; Zhou, Yigang

    2017-11-01

    A novel magnetic extractant, PEG 4000 modified Fe 3 O 4 nanomaterial that coated with dianionic amino acid ionic liquid (Fe 3 O 4 @PEG@DAAAIL), was successfully synthesized and characterized. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and zeta potentials were used to confirm that the novel nanocomposite was successfully synthesized. Subsequently, the prepared Fe 3 O 4 @PEG@DAAAIL nanocomposite was used as the extractant for trypsin coupled with magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE). The concentrations of trypsin in the supernatant were detected by UV-vis spectrophotometer at 278nm. The extraction ability turned out to be better than the other four kinds of extractants prepared in this work. Furthermore, the influence of a series of factors, such as extraction time and temperature, initial trypsin concentration, the value of pH and ionic strength, was systematically investigated. Under the optimal extraction condition, the extraction capacity for trypsin could reach up to 718.73mg/g, absolutely higher than that of other adsorbents reported. This satisfactory extraction capacity could be maintained unchangeable after at least eight days, and kept over 90% of initial extraction capacity after eight recycles. What's more, the activity of trypsin after extraction retained 92.29% of initial activity, verifying the biocompatibility of the prepared extractant. Finally, the developed Fe 3 O 4 @PEG@DAAAIL-MSPE method was successfully applied to the real sample analysis with satisfactory results. All of above proves the potential value of Fe 3 O 4 @PEG@DAAAIL-MSPE in the analysis of biomass. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Trypsin- and low pH-mediated fusogenicity of avian metapneumovirus fusion proteins is determined by residues at positions 100, 101 and 294.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Bingling; Guan, Xiaolu; Liu, Yongzhen; Gao, Yanni; Wang, Yongqiang; Qi, Xiaole; Cui, Hongyu; Liu, Changjun; Zhang, Yanping; Gao, Li; Li, Kai; Gao, Honglei; Gao, Yulong; Wang, Xiaomei

    2015-10-26

    Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) are members of the genus Metapneumovirus in the subfamily Pneumovirinae. Metapneumovirus fusion (F) protein mediates the fusion of host cells with the virus membrane for infection. Trypsin- and/or low pH-induced membrane fusion is a strain-dependent phenomenon for hMPV. Here, we demonstrated that three subtypes of aMPV (aMPV/A, aMPV/B, and aMPV/C) F proteins promoted cell-cell fusion in the absence of trypsin. Indeed, in the presence of trypsin, only aMPV/C F protein fusogenicity was enhanced. Mutagenesis of the amino acids at position 100 and/or 101, located at a putative cleavage region in aMPV F proteins, revealed that the trypsin-mediated fusogenicity of aMPV F proteins is regulated by the residues at positions 100 and 101. Moreover, we demonstrated that aMPV/A and aMPV/B F proteins mediated cell-cell fusion independent of low pH, whereas the aMPV/C F protein did not. Mutagenesis of the residue at position 294 in the aMPV/A, aMPV/B, and aMPV/C F proteins showed that 294G played a critical role in F protein-mediated fusion under low pH conditions. These findings on aMPV F protein-induced cell-cell fusion provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying membrane fusion and pathogenesis of aMPV.

  7. Effect of radiation and soaking on trypsin inhibitor and protein content of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sattar, A.; Atta, S.; Akhtar, M.A.

    1990-01-01

    Composition of Ascochyta-blight resistant chickpea for proximate components, vitamins, energy and trypsin inhibitor, was determined. The influence of irradiation and soaking at ambient temperatures (25-35deg C) on trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA) and protein content of chickpea, was investigated. A significant linear relation (r = -0.960 to -0.987) was found between the loss of TIA and soaking time of irradiated and unirradiated seeds (p < 0.05) and the rate of loss increased with increasing radiation dose (0.25-1.00 kGy). However, effect of radiation alone was negligible. Maximum decrease (30.7%) in TIA (from 330.0 to 228.6 TiU/g) occurred during soaking for 12 h of 1.00 kGy sample. The protein contents increased from an initial value of 21.7% to 23.4% and 22.7% as a result of soaking for 12 h in tap and distilled waters, respectively. Radiation treatment exhibited little or no effect. (author)

  8. Modification of host erythrocyte membranes by trypsin and chymotrypsin treatments and effects on the in vitro growth of bovine and equine Babesia parasites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okamura, Masashi; Yokoyama, Naoaki; Takabatake, Noriyuki; Okubo, Kazuhiro; Ikehara, Yuzuru; Igarashi, Ikuo

    2007-02-01

    In the present study, we investigated the effects of protease pretreatments of host erythrocytes (RBC) on the in vitro growth of bovine Babesia parasites (Babesia bovis and B. bigemina) and equine Babesia parasites (B. equi and B. caballi). The selected proteases, trypsin and chymotrypsin, clearly modified several membrane proteins of both bovine and equine RBC, as demonstrated by SDS-PAGE analysis; however, the protease treatments also modified the sialic acid content exclusively in bovine RBC, as demonstrated by lectin blot analysis. An in vitro growth assay using the protease-treated RBC showed that the trypsin-treated bovine RBC, but not the chymotrypsin-treated ones, significantly reduced the growth of B. bovis and B. bigemina as compared to the control. In contrast, the growth of B. equi and B. caballi was not affected by any of these proteases. Thus, the bovine, but not the equine, Babesia parasites require the trypsin-sensitive membrane (sialoglyco) proteins to infect the RBC.

  9. Kinetic Dissection of the Pre-existing Conformational Equilibrium in the Trypsin Fold*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogt, Austin D.; Chakraborty, Pradipta; Di Cera, Enrico

    2015-01-01

    Structural biology has recently documented the conformational plasticity of the trypsin fold for both the protease and zymogen in terms of a pre-existing equilibrium between closed (E*) and open (E) forms of the active site region. How such plasticity is manifested in solution and affects ligand recognition by the protease and zymogen is poorly understood in quantitative terms. Here we dissect the E*-E equilibrium with stopped-flow kinetics in the presence of excess ligand or macromolecule. Using the clotting protease thrombin and its zymogen precursor prethrombin-2 as relevant models we resolve the relative distribution of the E* and E forms and the underlying kinetic rates for their interconversion. In the case of thrombin, the E* and E forms are distributed in a 1:4 ratio and interconvert on a time scale of 45 ms. In the case of prethrombin-2, the equilibrium is shifted strongly (10:1 ratio) in favor of the closed E* form and unfolds over a faster time scale of 4.5 ms. The distribution of E* and E forms observed for thrombin and prethrombin-2 indicates that zymogen activation is linked to a significant shift in the pre-existing equilibrium between closed and open conformations that facilitates ligand binding to the active site. These findings broaden our mechanistic understanding of how conformational transitions control ligand recognition by thrombin and its zymogen precursor prethrombin-2 and have direct relevance to other members of the trypsin fold. PMID:26216877

  10. Radiobiological studies of cells in multicellular spheroids using a sequential trypsinization technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giesbrecht, J.L.; Wilson, W.R.; Hill, R.P.

    1981-01-01

    The radiation response of V79 Chinese hamster cells grown as multicellular spheroids has been investigated by determining survival curves for treatment under a variety of different oxygen concentrations. Spheroids were irradiated under fully oxygenated conditions in air-equilibrated medium at 37 0 C, in medium exposed to lower oxygen tension (5% O 2 ) for times varying from 1 hr to 3 days, or under anoxic conditions. For comparison with the spheroids, using identical treatment conditions, V79 cells were grown in suspension as a subconfluent monolayer attached to Sephadex (microcarrier) beads and irradiated under fully oxygenated or anoxic conditions. The radiation response of cells at different depths within the spheroid was investigated by using a sequential trypsinization technique developed to remove eight or nine shells of cells successively from the spheroid surface. When irradiation was given under fully oxygenated conditions the outer few cell layers were more sensitive than the inner cells, a finding which is not understood. As expected the inner cells in spheroids irradiated in air (at 37 0 C) or in 5% O 2 are more resistant than the outer cells. For an acute exposure to 5% O 2 (1 hr) in the inner cells displayed full radiobiological hypoxia; however, for chronic exposures to low oxygen this was not the case. These results with the sequential trypsinization procedure suggest that the radiation response of cells in spheroids is more complex than anticipted

  11. Systematic and quantitative comparison of digest efficiency and specificity reveals the impact of trypsin quality on MS-based proteomics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burkhart, Julia Maria; Schumbrutzki, Cornelia; Wortelkamp, Stefanie; Sickmann, Albert; Zahedi, René Peiman

    2012-02-02

    Trypsin is the most frequently used proteolytic enzyme in mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Beside its good availability, it also offers some major advantages such as an optimal average peptide length of ~14 amino acids, and typically the presence of at least two defined positive charges at the N-terminus as well as the C-terminal Arg/Lys, rendering tryptic peptides well suited for CID-based LC-MS/MS. Here, we conducted a systematic study of different types of commercially available trypsin in order to qualitatively and quantitatively compare cleavage specificity, efficiency as well as reproducibility and the potential impact on quantitation and proteome coverage. We present a straightforward strategy applied to complex digests of human platelets, comprising (1) digest controls using a monolithic column HPLC-setup, (2) SCX enrichment of semitryptic/nonspecific peptides, (3) targeted MRM analysis of corresponding full cleavage/missed cleavage peptide pairs as well as (4) LC-MS analyses of complete digests with a three-step data interpretation. Thus, differences in digest performance can be readily assessed, rendering these procedures extremely beneficial to quality control not only the trypsin of choice, but also to effectively compare as well as optimize different digestion conditions and to evaluate the reproducibility of a dedicated digest protocol for all kinds of quantitative proteome studies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Studies on the regioselectivity and kinetics of the action of trypsin on proinsulin and its derivatives using mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, Qurra-tul-Ann Afza; Younas, Hooria; Akhtar, Muhammad

    2013-01-01

    Human M-proinsulin was cleaved by trypsin at the R(31)R(32)-E(33) and K(64)R(65)-G(66) bonds (B/C and C/A junctions), showing the same cleavage specificity as exhibited by prohormone convertases 1 and 2 respectively. Buffalo/bovine M-proinsulin was also cleaved by trypsin at the K(59)R(60)-G(61) bond but at the B/C junction cleavage occurred at the R(31)R(32)-E(33) as well as the R(31)-R(32)E(33) bond. Thus, the human isoform in the native state, with a 31 residue connecting C-peptide, seems to have a unique structure around the B/C and C/A junctions and cleavage at these sites is predominantly governed by the structure of the proinsulin itself. In the case of both the proinsulin species the cleavage at the B/C junction was preferred (65%) over that at the C/A junction (35%) supporting the earlier suggestion of the presence of some form of secondary structure at the C/A junction. Proinsulin and its derivatives, as natural substrates for trypsin, were used and mass spectrometric analysis showed that the k(cat.)/K(m) values for the cleavage were most favourable for the scission of the bonds at the two junctions (1.02±0.08×10(5)s(-1)M(-1)) and the cleavage of the K(29)-T(30) bond of M-insulin-RR (1.3±0.07×10(5)s(-1)M(-1)). However, the K(29)-T(30) bond in M-insulin, insulin as well as M-proinsulin was shielded from attack by trypsin (k(cat.)/K(m) values around 1000s(-1)M(-1)). Hence, as the biosynthetic path follows the sequence; proinsulin→insulin-RR→insulin, the K(29)-T(30) bond becomes shielded, exposed then shielded again respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Fundamentalist Protestant Christian Women: Recognizing Cultural and Gender Influences on Domestic Violence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foss, Louisa L.; Warnke, Melanie A.

    2003-01-01

    Multicultural, family process and structure, and gender concepts are used to provide a framework for understanding supports for and barriers to mental health experienced by abused fundamentalist Protestant Christian (FPC) women. For FPC women who are victims of domestic violence, these factors may intersect to prohibit or facilitate healthy life…

  14. Effect of detergents, trypsin, and bivalent metal ions on interfacial activation and functioning of phospholipase D.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madyarov, Sh R

    2014-07-01

    The effects of detergents, trypsin, and bivalent metal ions on production of phosphatidic and lysophosphatidic acids by the action of phospholipase D (PLD) on lecithin and lysolecithin were studied. It was found that these reaction products and dodecyl sulfate ions activate PLD, whereas other anionic detergents are less effective. A protective effect of the functioning enzyme against its hydrolytic inactivation by trypsin was found. Bivalent metal ions can be arranged in the following sequence by their ability to activate PLD in the hydrolysis of lecithin and lysolecithin: Ca2+>Sr2+>Ba2+>Mg2+. These results are considered in relation to a proposed mechanism of activation and functioning of PLD with the participation of clusters of phosphatidates and lysophosphatidates. Such Me2+-induced formation of rafts or microdomains from the products of hydrolysis of phospholipids can rationalize not only PLD activation and self-regulation, but also the action of this mechanism on other components and properties of biomembranes. PLD and other lipolytic enzymes can be classified as lateral vector enzymes.

  15. JcTI-I: a novel trypsin inhibitor from Jatropha curcas seed cake with potential for bacterial infection treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Helen P S; Oliveira, Jose T A; Sousa, Daniele O B; Morais, Janne K S; Moreno, Frederico B; Monteiro-Moreira, Ana Cristina O; Viegas, Ricardo A; Vasconcelos, Ilka M

    2014-01-01

    Jatropha curcas seed cake is a low-value by-product resulting from biodiesel production. The seed cake is highly toxic, but it has great potential for biotechnology applications as it is a repository of biomolecules that could be important in agriculture, medicine, and industry. To explore this potential, a novel trypsin inhibitor called JcTI-I was purified by fractionation of the crude extract with trichloroacetic acid (2.5%, v/v) followed by affinity chromatography (Trypsin-Sepharose 4B) and molecular exclusion (Sephacryl S-200). Non-reducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration showed that JcTI-I has approximately 20.0~kDa. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the intact molecular mass of JcTI-I is 10.252~kDa. Moreover, JcTI-I is a glycoprotein with 6.4% (m/m) carbohydrates, pI of 6.6, N-terminal sequence similarity around 60% to plant albumins and high stability to heat, pH, and salinity. JcTI-I presented antibacterial activity against the human pathogenic bacteria Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar choleraesuis and Staphylococcus aureus, with minimum inhibitory concentration less than 5~μg/mL. Furthermore, JcTI-I did have inhibitory activity against the serine proteases from the tested bacteria. Otherwise, no hemolytic activity of human erythrocytes and signs of acute toxicity to mice were observed for JcTI-I. The results demonstrate the benefits of J. curcas seed cake as a source of trypsin inhibitor with potential for biotechnological application as a new antimicrobial agent against human pathogenic bacteria.

  16. JcTI-I, a novel trypsin inhibitor from Jatropha curcas seed cake with potential for bacterial infection treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helen Paula S Costa

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Jatropha curcas seed cake is a low-value by-product resulting from biodiesel production. The seed cake is highly toxic, but it has great potential for biotechnology applications as it is a repository of biomolecules that could be important in agriculture, medicine and industry. To explore this potential, a novel trypsin inhibitor called JcTI-I was purified by fractionation of the crude extract with trichloroacetic acid (2.5%, v/v followed by affinity chromatography (Trypsin-Sepharose 4B and molecular exclusion (Sephacryl S-200. Non-reducing SDS-PAGE and gel filtration showed that JcTI-I has approximately 20.0 kDa. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the intact molecular mass of JcTI-I is 10.252 kDa. Moreover, JcTI-I is a glycoprotein with 6.4% (m/m carbohydrates, pI of 6.6, N-terminal sequence similarity around 60% to plant albumins and high stability to heat, pH and salinity. JcTI-I presented antibacterial activity against the human pathogenic bacteria Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar choleraesuis and Staphylococcus aureus, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC less than 5 µg/mL. Furthermore, JcTI-I did have inhibitory activity against the serine proteases from the tested bacteria. Otherwise, no hemolytic activity of human erythrocytes and signs of acute toxicity to mice were observed for JcTI-I. The results demonstrate the benefits of J. curcas seed cake as a source of trypsin inhibitor with potential for biotechnological application as a new antimicrobial agent against human pathogenic bacteria.

  17. Fragile X premutation in women: recognizing the health challenges beyond primary ovarian insufficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoyos, Luis R; Thakur, Mili

    2017-03-01

    Fragile X premutation carriers have 55-200 CGG repeats in the 5' untranslated region of the FMR1 gene. Women with this premutation face many physical and emotional challenges in their life. Approximately 20% of these women will develop fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI). In addition, they suffer from increased rates of menstrual dysfunction, diminished ovarian reserve, reduction in age of menopause, infertility, dizygotic twinning, and risk of having an offspring with a premutation or full mutation. Consequent chronic hypoestrogenism may result in impaired bone health and increased cardiovascular risk. Neuropsychiatric issues include risk of developing fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, neuropathy, musculoskeletal problems, increased prevalence of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances independent of the stress of raising an offspring with fragile X syndrome and higher risk of postpartum depression. Some studies have reported a higher prevalence of thyroid abnormalities and hypertension in these women. Reproductive health providers play an important role in the health supervision of women with fragile X premutation. Awareness of these risks and correlation of the various manifestations could help in early diagnosis and coordination of care and services for these women and their families. This paper reviews current evidence regarding the possible conditions that may present in women with premutation-sized repeats beyond FXPOI.

  18. Supplementation with a new trypsin inhibitor from peanut is associated with reduced fasting glucose, weight control, and increased plasma CCK secretion in an animal model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serquiz, Alexandre C; Machado, Richele J A; Serquiz, Raphael P; Lima, Vanessa C O; de Carvalho, Fabiana Maria C; Carneiro, Marcella A A; Maciel, Bruna L L; Uchôa, Adriana F; Santos, Elizeu A; Morais, Ana H A

    2016-12-01

    Ingestion of peanuts may have a beneficial effect on weight control, possibly due to the satietogenic action of trypsin inhibitors. The aim of this study was to isolate a new trypsin inhibitor in a typical Brazilian peanut sweet (paçoca) and evaluate its effect in biochemical parameters, weight gain and food intake in male Wistar rats. The trypsin inhibitor in peanut paçoca (AHTI) was isolated. Experimental diets were prepared with AIN-93G supplemented with AHTI. Animals had their weight and food intake monitored. Animals were anesthetized, euthanized, and their bloods collected by cardiac puncture for dosage of cholecystokinin (CCK) and other biochemical parameters. Supplementation with AHTI significantly decreased fasting glucose, body weight gain, and food intake. These effects may be attributed to increased satiety, once supplemented animals showed no evidence of impaired nutritional status and also because AHTI increased CCK production. Thus, our results indicate that AHTI, besides reducing fasting glucose, can reduce weight gain via food intake reduction.

  19. Teaching Women's History.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fain, George

    1995-01-01

    Argues that women's history should stress the broad sociological view of women's roles not only in politics but in mundane, day-to-day life throughout all of history, rather that reducing women's history to a few token figures. Notes that many college and secondary texts and testing materials have recognized the trend toward the inclusion of…

  20. Effect of traditional processing methods on the β-carotene, ascorbic acid and trypsin inhibitor content of orange-fleshed sweet potato for production of amala in Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusuf, Abbas Bazata; Fuchs, Richard; Nicolaides, Linda

    2016-05-01

    The aim of the work was to study the effect of traditional processing methods on the β-carotene, ascorbic acid and trypsin inhibitor contents of orange-fleshed sweet potato amala. The most common sweet potato in Nigeria is white or yellow fleshed, which is very low in provitamin A. However, efforts are underway to promote orange-fleshed sweet potato to improve provitamin A intake. This paper describes how orange-fleshed sweet potato slices were traditionally processed into amala, which is increasingly consumed in Nigeria. The study revealed that both the cold and hot fermentation methods resulted in increased vitamin A levels and lower vitamin C levels in orange-fleshed sweet potato. Further processing to make amala resulted in a fall in both vitamin A and C content. The study found an increase in trypsin inhibitor activity following the cold-water fermentation and a decrease following the hot-water fermentation compared to raw orange-fleshed sweet potato. Trypsin inhibitor activity in amala produced using both the cold and hot methods was below detectable levels. The results indicate that amala produced from traditionally fermented orange-fleshed sweet potato could be a good source of vitamins A and C for the rural poor and that the processing removes any potential negative effects of trypsin inhibitors. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  1. Preventing Unintended Pregnancy Among Young Sexually Active Women: Recognizing the Role of Violence, Self-Esteem, and Depressive Symptoms on Use of Contraception.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Deborah B; Zhao, Huaqing; Corrado, Rachel; Mastrogiannnis, Dimitrios M; Lepore, Stephen J

    2017-04-01

    Ineffective contraceptive use among young sexually active women is extremely prevalent and poses a significant risk for unintended pregnancy (UP). Ineffective contraception involves the use of the withdrawal method or the inconsistent use of other types of contraception (i.e., condoms and birth control pills). This investigation examined violence exposure and psychological factors related to ineffective contraceptive use among young sexually active women. Young, nonpregnant sexually active women (n = 315) were recruited from an urban family planning clinic in 2013 to participate in a longitudinal study. Tablet-based surveys measured childhood violence, community-level violence, intimate partner violence, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem. Follow-up surveys measured type and consistency of contraception used 9 months later. Multivariate logistic regression models assessed violence and psychological risk factors as main effects and moderators related to ineffective compared with effective use of contraception. The multivariate logistic regression model showed that childhood sexual violence and low self-esteem were significantly related to ineffective use of contraception (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.69, confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.18-6.17, and aOR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.28-0.93; respectively), although self-esteem did not moderate the relationship between childhood sexual violence and ineffective use of contraception (aOR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.08-1.84). Depressive symptoms were not related to ineffective use of contraception in the multivariate model. Interventions to reduce UP should recognize the long-term effects of childhood sexual violence and address the role of low self-esteem on the ability of young sexually active women to effectively and consistently use contraception to prevent UP.

  2. New analogues of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III (CMTI III) with simplified structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rolka, K; Kupryszewski, G; Rózycki, J; Ragnarsson, U; Zbyryt, T; Otlewski, J

    1992-10-01

    Seven new analogues of trypsin inhibitor CMTI III were obtained by solid-phase peptide synthesis. Three analogues contained only two, instead of three, disulfide bridges, whereas the molecules of the next four analogues were shortened at the N- and/or C-terminus. The elimination of one disulfide bridge in CMTI III induces a decrease in the association equilibrium constants by 6-7 orders of magnitude, whereas the removal of one, two or three amino-acid residues at the N- and/or C-terminus does not significantly affect the activity.

  3. Allium sativum Protease Inhibitor: A Novel Kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor from Garlic Is a New Comrade of the Serpin Family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shamsi, Tooba Naz; Parveen, Romana; Amir, Mohd; Baig, Mohd Affan; Qureshi, M Irfan; Ali, Sher; Fatima, Sadaf

    2016-01-01

    This study was aimed to purify and characterize the Protease inhibitor (PI) from a plant Allium sativum (garlic) with strong medicinal properties and to explore its phytodrug potentials. Allium sativum Protease Inhibitor (ASPI) was purified using ammonium sulphate fractionation and Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography on anion exchanger Hi-Trap DEAE column. The purified protein was analyzed for its purity and molecular weight by SDS PAGE. The confirmation of presence of trypsin inhibiting PI was performed by MALDI TOF-TOF and analyzed by MASCOT database. The ASPI was further investigated for its kinetic properties and stability under extreme conditions of pH, temperature and chemical denaturants. Secondary structure was determined by Circular Dichorism (CD) spectroscopy. ASPI of ~15 kDa inhibited trypsin and matched "truncated kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor (Glycine max)" in MASCOT database. The purified ASPI showed 30376.1371 U/mg specific activity with a fold purity of 159.92 and yield ~93%. ASPI was quite stable in the range of pH 2-12 showing a decline in the activity around pH 4-5 suggesting that the pI value of the protein as ASPI aggregates in this range. ASPI showed stability to a broad range of temperature (10-80°C) but declined beyond 80°C. Further, detergents, oxidizing agents and reducing agents demonstrated change in ASPI activity under varying concentrations. The kinetic analysis revealed sigmoidal relationship of velocity with substrate concentration with Vmax 240.8 (μM/min) and Km value of 0.12 μM. ASPI showed uncompetitive inhibition with a Ki of 0.08±0.01 nM). The Far UV CD depicted 2.0% α -helices and 51% β -sheets at native pH. To conclude, purified ~15 kDa ASPI exhibited fair stability in wide range of pH and temperature Overall, there was an increase in purification fold with remarkable yield. Chemical modification studies suggested the presence of lysine and tryptophan residues as lead amino acids present in the reactive sites. Therefore, ASPI

  4. Allium sativum Protease Inhibitor: A Novel Kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor from Garlic Is a New Comrade of the Serpin Family.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tooba Naz Shamsi

    Full Text Available This study was aimed to purify and characterize the Protease inhibitor (PI from a plant Allium sativum (garlic with strong medicinal properties and to explore its phytodrug potentials.Allium sativum Protease Inhibitor (ASPI was purified using ammonium sulphate fractionation and Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography on anion exchanger Hi-Trap DEAE column. The purified protein was analyzed for its purity and molecular weight by SDS PAGE. The confirmation of presence of trypsin inhibiting PI was performed by MALDI TOF-TOF and analyzed by MASCOT database. The ASPI was further investigated for its kinetic properties and stability under extreme conditions of pH, temperature and chemical denaturants. Secondary structure was determined by Circular Dichorism (CD spectroscopy.ASPI of ~15 kDa inhibited trypsin and matched "truncated kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor (Glycine max" in MASCOT database. The purified ASPI showed 30376.1371 U/mg specific activity with a fold purity of 159.92 and yield ~93%. ASPI was quite stable in the range of pH 2-12 showing a decline in the activity around pH 4-5 suggesting that the pI value of the protein as ASPI aggregates in this range. ASPI showed stability to a broad range of temperature (10-80°C but declined beyond 80°C. Further, detergents, oxidizing agents and reducing agents demonstrated change in ASPI activity under varying concentrations. The kinetic analysis revealed sigmoidal relationship of velocity with substrate concentration with Vmax 240.8 (μM/min and Km value of 0.12 μM. ASPI showed uncompetitive inhibition with a Ki of 0.08±0.01 nM. The Far UV CD depicted 2.0% α -helices and 51% β -sheets at native pH.To conclude, purified ~15 kDa ASPI exhibited fair stability in wide range of pH and temperature Overall, there was an increase in purification fold with remarkable yield. Chemical modification studies suggested the presence of lysine and tryptophan residues as lead amino acids present in the reactive sites

  5. Effects of gamma radiation on total phenolics, trypsin and tannin inhibitors in soybean grains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    de Toledo, T.C.F [Department of Agroindustry, Food and Nutrition Escola Superior de Agricultura ' Luiz de Queiroz' , Universidade de Sao Paulo (ESALQ/USP), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil)]. E-mail: tcftoled@esalq.usp.br; Canniatti-Brazaca, S.G. [Department of Agroindustry, Food and Nutrition, Escola Superior de Agricultura ' Luiz de Queiroz' , Universidade de Sao Paulo (ESALQ/USP), Av. Padua Dias, 11 Box 9, CEP 13418-900, Piracicaba, SP (Brazil)]. E-mail: sgcbraza@esalq.usp.br; Arthur, V. [Food Irradiation and Entomology Laboratory, Center for Nuclear Agriculture-CENA/USP, Av. Centenario 303, Caixa Postal 96, 13400-970, Piracicaba, SP (Brazil)]. E-mail: arthur@cena.usp.br; Piedade, S.M.S. [Department of Mathematic Sciences, Escola Superior de Agricultura ' Luiz de Queiroz' , Universidade de Sao Paulo (ESALQ/USP), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil)]. E-mail: soniamsp@esalq.usp.br

    2007-10-15

    The objective was determining possible radiation-induced alterations (with doses of 2, 4 and 8 kGy) in raw or cooked grains from five soybean cultivars through the analysis of some antinutrient. Total phenolic ranged from 2.46 to 10.83 mg/g, the trypsin inhibited from 18.19 to 71.64 UTI/g and tannins from 0.01 to 0.39 mg/g. All the antinutrient studied underwent reduction with increases in the doses and cooking process was effective too.

  6. Effects of gamma radiation on total phenolics, trypsin and tannin inhibitors in soybean grains

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Toledo, T. C. F.; Canniatti-Brazaca, S. G.; Arthur, V.; Piedade, S. M. S.

    2007-10-01

    The objective was determining possible radiation-induced alterations (with doses of 2, 4 and 8 kGy) in raw or cooked grains from five soybean cultivars through the analysis of some antinutrient. Total phenolic ranged from 2.46 to 10.83 mg/g, the trypsin inhibited from 18.19 to 71.64 UTI/g and tannins from 0.01 to 0.39 mg/g. All the antinutrient studied underwent reduction with increases in the doses and cooking process was effective too.

  7. Effects of gamma radiation on total phenolics, trypsin and tannin inhibitors in soybean grains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    de Toledo, T.C.F; Canniatti-Brazaca, S.G.; Arthur, V.; Piedade, S.M.S.

    2007-01-01

    The objective was determining possible radiation-induced alterations (with doses of 2, 4 and 8 kGy) in raw or cooked grains from five soybean cultivars through the analysis of some antinutrient. Total phenolic ranged from 2.46 to 10.83 mg/g, the trypsin inhibited from 18.19 to 71.64 UTI/g and tannins from 0.01 to 0.39 mg/g. All the antinutrient studied underwent reduction with increases in the doses and cooking process was effective too

  8. A Trypsin Inhibitor from Tamarind Reduces Food Intake and Improves Inflammatory Status in Rats with Metabolic Syndrome Regardless of Weight Loss

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabiana M. C. Carvalho

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Trypsin inhibitors are studied in a variety of models for their anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory bioactive properties. Our group has previously demonstrated the satietogenic effect of tamarind seed trypsin inhibitors (TTI in eutrophic mouse models and anti-inflammatory effects of other trypsin inhibitors. In this study, we evaluated TTI effect upon satiety, biochemical and inflammatory parameters in an experimental model of metabolic syndrome (MetS. Three groups of n = 5 male Wistar rats with obesity-based MetS received for 10 days one of the following: (1 Cafeteria diet; (2 Cafeteria diet + TTI (25 mg/kg; and (3 Standard diet. TTI reduced food intake in animals with MetS. Nevertheless, weight gain was not different between studied groups. Dyslipidemia parameters were not different with the use of TTI, only the group receiving standard diet showed lower very low density lipoprotein (VLDL and triglycerides (TG (Kruskal–Wallis, p < 0.05. Interleukin-6 (IL-6 production did not differ between groups. Interestingly, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α was lower in animals receiving TTI. Our results corroborate the satietogenic effect of TTI in a MetS model. Furthermore, we showed that TTI added to a cafeteria diet may decrease inflammation regardless of weight loss. This puts TTI as a candidate for studies to test its effectiveness as an adjuvant in MetS treatment.

  9. Inactivation Methods of Trypsin Inhibitor in Legumes: A Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avilés-Gaxiola, Sara; Chuck-Hernández, Cristina; Serna Saldívar, Sergio O

    2018-01-01

    Seed legumes have played a major role as a crop worldwide, being cultivated on about 12% to 15% of Earth's arable land; nevertheless, their use is limited by, among other things, the presence of several antinutritional factors (ANFs - naturally occurring metabolites that the plant produces to protect itself from pest attacks.) Trypsin inhibitors (TIs) are one of the most relevant ANFs because they reduce digestion and absorption of dietary proteins. Several methods have been developed in order to inactivate TIs, and of these, thermal treatments are the most commonly used. They cause loss of nutrients, affect functional properties, and require high amounts of energy. Given the above, new processes have emerged to improve the nutritional quality of legumes while trying to solve the problems caused by the use of thermal treatments. This review examines and discusses the methods developed by researchers to inactivate TI present in legumes and their effects over nutritional and functional properties. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  10. BstXI RFLP in the human inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor light chain gene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leveillard, T; Bourguignon, J; Sesbouee, R; Hanauer, A; Salier, J P; Diarra-Mehrpour, M; Martin, J P

    1988-03-25

    The 1.2 kb EcoRI/SmaI fragment of lambdaHuLITI2 was used as probe. lambdaHuLITI2 is a full length cDNA clone coding for human inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor light chain isolated from immunochemical screening of a lambdagt11 library. Its sequence coding for HI-30 and alpha-1-microglobulin is in agreement. BstXI identifies five invariant bands at 5.0 kb, 2.3 kb, 1.5 kb, 1.1 kb, and 0.7 kb and a diallelic polymorphism with DNA fragments at 2.0 kb or 1.7 kb.

  11. Violence against women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiva, M

    1999-01-01

    In India, violence against women is increasing and takes many forms while laws to protect women are ignored. Despite this fact, the new reproductive and child health program ignores sexual violence. Health personnel can respond by: 1) accepting the magnitude of the problem; 2) investigating the deaths of young women; 3) documenting findings; 4) ensuring that sexual abuse is recognized as a public health problem; 5) disseminating findings; 6) ensuring the protection of female field workers; 7) recognizing violence as an occupational health hazard; 8) facilitating the empowerment of women; 9) training women in self-defense; 10) ensuring that colleges and training institutes address violence as a women's health concern; 11) studying the psychological effects of violence; 12) collaborating with the National Commission for Women and the National Human Rights Commission; and 13) advocating for incorporation of sexual violence as a reproductive health issue in the national reproductive health program. In particular, domestic violence is a pervasive violation of women's human rights and has been resistant to social advances because of its "hidden" nature. Domestic violence exists because husbands believe they have an absolute right over the sexuality of their wives. Abusive husbands also abuse their daughters while sons learn violent behavior from their fathers. Crimes must be considered irrespective of whether they are committed outside or inside the home.

  12. Thermodynamic evaluation and modeling of proton and water exchange associated with benzamidine and berenil binding to ß-trypsin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.T. Pereira

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available Serine-proteases are involved in vital processes in virtually all species. They are important targets for researchers studying the relationships between protein structure and activity, for the rational design of new pharmaceuticals. Trypsin was used as a model to assess a possible differential contribution of hydration water to the binding of two synthetic inhibitors. Thermodynamic parameters for the association of bovine ß-trypsin (homogeneous material, observed 23,294.4 ± 0.2 Da, theoretical 23,292.5 Da with the inhibitors benzamidine and berenil at pH 8.0, 25ºC and with 25 mM CaCl2, were determined using isothermal titration calorimetry and the osmotic stress method. The association constant for berenil was about 12 times higher compared to the one for benzamidine (binding constants are K = 596,599 ± 25,057 and 49,513 ± 2,732 M-1, respectively; the number of binding sites is the same for both ligands, N = 0.99 ± 0.05. Apparently the driving force responsible for this large difference of affinity is not due to hydrophobic interactions because the variation in heat capacity (DCp, a characteristic signature of these interactions, was similar in both systems tested (-464.7 ± 23.9 and -477.1 ± 86.8 J K-1 mol-1 for berenil and benzamidine, respectively. The results also indicated that the enzyme has a net gain of about 21 water molecules regardless of the inhibitor tested. It was shown that the difference in affinity could be due to a larger number of interactions between berenil and the enzyme based on computational modeling. The data support the view that pharmaceuticals derived from benzamidine that enable hydrogen bond formation outside the catalytic binding pocket of ß-trypsin may result in more effective inhibitors.

  13. Toxicity to cotton boll weevil Anthonomus grandis of a trypsin inhibitor from chickpea seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de P G Gomes, Angélica; Dias, Simoni C; Bloch, Carlos; Melo, Francislete R; Furtado, José R; Monnerat, Rose G; Grossi-de-Sá, Maria F; Franco, Octávio L

    2005-02-01

    Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an important agricultural commodity, which is attacked by several pests such as the cotton boll weevil Anthonomus grandis. Adult A. grandis feed on fruits and leaf petioles, reducing drastically the crop production. The predominance of boll weevil digestive serine proteinases has motivated inhibitor screenings in order to discover new ones with the capability to reduce the digestion process. The present study describes a novel proteinase inhibitor from chickpea seeds (Cicer arietinum L.) and its effects against A. grandis. This inhibitor, named CaTI, was purified by using affinity Red-Sepharose Cl-6B chromatography, followed by reversed-phase HPLC (Vydac C18-TP). SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF analyses, showed a unique monomeric protein with a mass of 12,877 Da. Purified CaTI showed significant inhibitory activity against larval cotton boll weevil serine proteinases (78%) and against bovine pancreatic trypsin (73%), when analyzed by fluorimetric assays. Although the molecular mass of CaTI corresponded to alpha-amylase/trypsin bifunctional inhibitors masses, no inhibitory activity against insect and mammalian alpha-amylases was observed. In order to observe CaTI in vivo effects, an inhibitor rich fraction was added to an artificial diet at different concentrations. At 1.5% (w/w), CaTI caused severe development delay, several deformities and a mortality rate of approximately 45%. These results suggested that CaTI could be useful in the production of transgenic cotton plants with enhanced resistance toward cotton boll weevil.

  14. Role of trypsin in the replication of Avian metapneumovirus subtype C (strain MN-2a) and its entry into the Vero cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paudel, Sarita; Shin, Hyun-Jin

    2015-12-01

    To understand the molecular mechanisms of Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) and the requirements involved in the infection and fusion, trypsin treatment was done in the different stages of virus; before infection, during entry and after virus infection followed by aMPV infection. The growth kinetics of aMPV was compared in time dependent manner. The effect of trypsin was found in the later stage of aMPV infection increasing the numbers of infected cells with the significant higher titer of infectious virions to that of trypsin treated before infection, during entry and aMPV. A serine protease inhibitor reduced aMPV replication in a significant way, whereas cysteine peptidase (E-64), aspartic protease (pepstatin A), and metalloprotease (phosphoramidon) inhibitors had no effect on aMPV replication. Inoculation of aMPV on Vero cells expressing the membrane-associated protease TMPRSS2 resulted in higher virus titers than that inoculated on normal Vero cells and is statistically significant (p < 0.05). Also, an inhibitor of clathrin/caveolae-mediated endocytosis had no effect on virus progeny, indicating that aMPV does not use the endocytic pathway for entry but undergoes direct fusion. The effect of lysosomotropic agents was not significant, suggesting that aMPV does not require low-pH environment in endosomes to fuse its envelope with the plasma membrane. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Comparison of mesenchymal stem cells released from poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) copolymer film and by trypsinization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Lei; Liu Tianqing; Song Kedong; Jiang Lili; Wu Shuang; Guo Wenhua; Cheng Fang; Lu, Jian R

    2012-01-01

    Temperature-responsive platforms containing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) have been developed as an effective substitute for enzymatic treatment to recover adherent cells, but it remains unclear whether this alternative harvesting method tends to support stem cells preserving them being primitive. This study mainly investigated the biological properties of mesenchymal stem cells derived from rat bone marrow and human adipose tissue (BM-MSCs and AT-MSCs) after being cultured on PNIPAAm copolymer films and recovered by temperature drop, and compared the cells harvested from glass coverslips with trypsinization as controls. The experimental results demonstrated that after three serial passages, the released MSCs from thermal liftoff showed no significant differences in cell morphology, immunophenotype and osteogenesis for BM-MSCs or adipogenesis for AT-MSCs, but had higher viability, stronger proliferation and higher adipogenic differentiation for BM-MSCs or higher osteogenic differentiation for AT-MSCs compared with the trypsinization group. Besides, more proteins remained around or within the cell membranes upon temperature drop. It is concluded that cell detachment with more extracellular matrix proteins facilitates the maintenance of membrane proteins, and accordingly preserves MSC properties related to viability, proliferation and differentiation to some extent. This indicates that the PNIPAAm copolymer films and their matching cooling treatment can be used as effective alternatives to the existing culture substrates and traditional enzymatic digestion for MSCs. (paper)

  16. The assessment of the nutritional value of meals consumed by patients with recognized schizophrenia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stefańska, Ewa; Wendołowicz, Agnieszka; Lech, Magdalena; Wilczyńska, Karolina; Konarzewska, Beata; Zapolska, Joanna; Ostrowska, Lucyna

    2018-01-01

    As studies show, changes in diet - so important in the therapy of psychiatric disorders and related to changes in appetite and nutritional preferences, including avoiding of the consumption of specific groups of products and dishes - are much more frequent among patients affected by schizophrenia. The aim of the study was to assess the chosen nutritional habits, including the number and type of meals usually consumed during a day, snacking between meals and the energy value and content of the chosen nutrients in the diets of persons with recognized schizophrenia. The study was carried out in a group of 85 patients with recognized schizophrenia, and 70 healthy volunteers ranging in age from 18-65 years without mental or nutritional disorders. For the purpose of the study, we used a questionnaire containing questions on nutritional habits. A 24-hour diet recall was used in the quantitative nutritional assessment with the use of the computer program Dieta 5.0. Female patients with recognized schizophrenia were having 3 meals a day significantly more frequently as compared to healthy women. They were also having an afternoon snack much more frequently as compared to the control group. The food rations of female patients were characterized by a significantly higher energy value and the content of most of the assessed nutrients as compared to the food rations of healthy women. The food rations of men with recognized schizophrenia were characterized by a much lower energy intake and the content of the majority of assessed nutrients as compared to the food rations of healthy men. In all compared groups, we observed an energetic structure of food rations with the breakdown by specific meals that was inconsistent with the applicable recommendations. Despite of differences between the nutritional value of the meals of patients with recognized schizophrenia and those of healthy subjects, it seems advisable to involve patients with recognized schizophrenia in the education of

  17. Sporamin-mediated resistance to beet cyst nematodes (Heterodera schachtii Schm.) is dependent on trypsin inhibitory activity in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) hairy roots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Daguang; Thurau, Tim; Tian, Yanyan; Lange, Tina; Yeh, Kai-Wun; Jung, Christian

    2003-04-01

    Sporamin, a sweet potato tuberous storage protein, is a Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor. Its capability of conferring insect-resistance on transgenic tobacco and cauliflower has been confirmed. To test its potential as an anti-feedant for the beet cyst nematode (Heterodera schachtii Schm.), the sporamin gene SpTI-1 was introduced into sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) by Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation. Twelve different hairy root clones expressing sporamin were selected for studying nematode development. Of these, 8 hairy root clones were found to show significant efficiency in inhibiting the growth and development of the female nematodes whereas 4 root clones did not show any inhibitory effects even though the SpTI-1 gene was regularly expressed in all of the tested hairy roots as revealed by northern and western analyses. Inhibition of nematode development correlated with trypsin inhibitor activity but not with the amount of sporamin expressed in hairy roots. These data demonstrate that the trypsin inhibitor activity is the critical factor for inhibiting growth and development of cyst nematodes in sugar beet hairy roots expressing the sporamin gene. Hence, the sweet potato sporamin can be used as a new and effective anti-feedant for controlling cyst nematodes offering an alternative strategy for establishing nematode resistance in crops.

  18. Bifidobacterium breve C50 secretes lipoprotein with CHAP domain recognized in aggregated form by TLR2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scuotto, Angelo; Djorie, Serge; Colavizza, Michel; Romond, Pierre-Charles; Romond, Marie-Bénédicte

    2014-12-01

    Extracellular components secreted by Bifidobacterium breve C50 can induce maturation, high IL-10 production and prolonged survival of dendritic cells via a TLR2 pathway. In this study, the components were isolated from the supernatant by gel filtration chromatography. Antibodies raised against the major compounds with molecular weight above 600 kDa (Bb C50BC) also recognized compounds of lower molecular weight (200–600 kDa). TLR2 and TLR6 bound to the components already recognized by the antibodies. Trypsin digestion of Bb C50BC released three major peptides whose sequences displayed close similarities to a putative secreted protein with a CHAP amidase domain from B. breve. The 1300-bp genomic region corresponding to the hypothetical protein was amplified by PCR. The deduced polypeptide started with an N-terminal signal sequence of 45 amino acids, containing the lipobox motif (LAAC) with the cysteine in position 25, and 2 positively charged residues within the first 14 residues of the signal sequence. Lipid detection in Bb C50BC by GC/MS further supported the implication of a lipoprotein. Sugars were also detected in Bb C50BC. Close similarity with the glucan-binding protein B from Bifidobacterium animalis of two released peptides from Bb C50BC protein suggested that glucose moieties, possibly in glucan form, could be bound to the lipoprotein. Finally, heating at 100 °C for 5 min led to the breakdown of Bb C50BC in compounds of molecular weight below 67 kDa, which suggested that Bb C50BC was an aggregate. One might assume that a basic unit was formed by the lipoprotein bound putatively to glucan. Besides the other sugars and hexosamines recognized by galectin 1 were localized at the surface of the Bb C50BC aggregate. In conclusion, the extracellular components secreted by B. breve C50 were constituted of a lipoprotein putatively associated with glucose moieties and acting in an aggregating form as an agonist of TLR2/TLR6.

  19. Prolonged hypoxic culture and trypsinization increase the pro-angiogenic potential of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Jeppe Grøndahl; Frøbert, Ole; Pilgaard, Linda

    2011-01-01

    Transplantation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), including adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASC), is a promising option in the treatment of vascular disease. Short-term hypoxic culture of MSC augments secretion of anti-apoptotic and angiogenic cytokines. We hypothesized that prolonged hypoxic...... (1% and 5% oxygen) culture and trypsinization would augment ASC expression of anti-apoptotic and angiogenic cytokines and increase the angiogenic potential of ASC-conditioned media....

  20. Educators as Activists: Five Women from Chicago.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munro, Petra

    1995-01-01

    Maintains that during the early 20th century the work of women teacher activists brought issues of social reform to the forefront. Describes the work of five Chicago women who helped advance women's rights, women's suffrage, and other social reform efforts. Contends that their work has not be adequately recognized. (CFR)

  1. Wolbachia infection in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes alters blood meal excretion and delays oviposition without affecting trypsin activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pimenta de Oliveira, Sofia; Dantas de Oliveira, Caroline; Viana Sant'Anna, Mauricio Roberto; Carneiro Dutra, Heverton Leandro; Caragata, Eric Pearce; Moreira, Luciano Andrade

    2017-08-01

    Blood feeding in Aedes aegypti is essential for reproduction, but also permits the mosquito to act as a vector for key human pathogens such as the Zika and dengue viruses. Wolbachia pipientis is an endosymbiotic bacterium that can manipulate the biology of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, making them less competent hosts for many pathogens. Yet while Wolbachia affects other aspects of host physiology, it is unclear whether it influences physiological processes associated with blood meal digestion. To that end, we examined the effects of wMel Wolbachia infection in Ae. aegypti, on survival post-blood feeding, blood meal excretion, rate of oviposition, expression levels of key genes involved in oogenesis, and activity levels of trypsin blood digestion enzymes. We observed that wMel infection altered the rate and duration of blood meal excretion, delayed the onset of oviposition and was associated with a greater number of eggs being laid later. wMel-infected Ae. aegypti also had lower levels of key yolk protein precursor genes necessary for oogenesis. However, all of these effects occurred without a change in trypsin activity. These results suggest that Wolbachia infection may disrupt normal metabolic processes associated with blood feeding and reproduction in Ae. aegypti. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Optimizing electrode-attached redox-peptide systems for kinetic characterization of protease action on immobilized substrates. Observation of dissimilar behavior of trypsin and thrombin enzymes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anne, Agnès; Chovin, Arnaud; Demaille, Christophe

    2012-06-12

    In this work, we experimentally address the issue of optimizing gold electrode attached ferrocene (Fc)-peptide systems for kinetic measurements of protease action. Considering human α-thrombin and bovine trypsin as proteases of interest, we show that the recurring problem of incomplete cleavage of the peptide layer by these enzymes can be solved by using ultraflat template-stripped gold, instead of polished polycrystalline gold, as the Fc-peptide bearing electrode material. We describe how these fragile surfaces can be mounted in a rotating disk configuration so that enzyme mass transfer no longer limits the overall measured cleavage kinetics. Finally, we demonstrate that, once the system has been optimized, in situ real-time cyclic voltammetry monitoring of the protease action can yield high-quality kinetic data, showing no sign of interfering effects. The cleavage progress curves then closely match the Langmuirian variation expected for a kinetically controlled surface process. Global fit of the progress curves yield accurate values of the peptide cleavage rate for both trypsin and thrombin. It is shown that, whereas trypsin action on the surface-attached peptide closely follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics, thrombin displays a specific and unexpected behavior characterized by a nearly enzyme-concentration-independent cleavage rate in the subnanomolar enzyme concentration range. The reason for this behavior has still to be clarified, but its occurrence may limit the sensitivity of thrombin sensors based on Fc-peptide layers.

  3. The WHISK (Women's Health: Increasing the Awareness of Science and Knowledge) Pilot Project: Recognizing Sex and Gender Differences in Women's Health and Wellness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Lorece V; Dennis, Sabriya; Weaks, Francesca

    2013-09-01

    Women's health encompasses a continuum of biological, psychological, and social challenges that differ considerably from those of men. Despite the remarkable advances in science, women's health and sex differences research is slowly gaining recognition and acceptance. It is important that women's health gain attention as women are usually the gatekeepers of care for the family. Women's health and health outcomes are strongly influenced by sex and gender differences as well as geography. Around the world, the interplay of biology and culture brings about differences in men's and women's health, which have been largely overlooked. The Women's Health: Increasing the Awareness of Science and Knowledge (WHISK) Pilot Project was a multidisciplinary project aimed to increase the awareness of sex and gender differences in women's health and research among healthcare professionals. Theater expression and creative art were used to translate knowledge, enhance understanding, and increase the awareness of sex differences. Findings from this project clearly showed an apparent increase in knowledge and cultivation of new insights.

  4. Amino-acid sequences of trypsin inhibitors from watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris) and red bryony (Bryonia dioica) seeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otlewski, J; Whatley, H; Polanowski, A; Wilusz, T

    1987-11-01

    The amino-acid sequences of two trypsin inhibitors isolated from red bryony (Bryonia dioica) and watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris) seeds are reported. Both species represent different genera of the Cucurbitaceae family, which have not been previously investigated as a source of proteinase inhibitors. The sequences are unique but are very similar to those of other proteinase inhibitors which have been isolated from squash seeds. Based on structural homology we assume that the Arg5-Ile6 peptide bond represents the reactive site bond of both inhibitors.

  5. Maximum utilization of women's potentials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-01-01

    Balayan's Municipal Center for Women was created to recognize women's role in the family and community in nation-building; to support the dignity and integrity of all people, especially women, and fight against rape, incest, wife beating, sexual harassment, and sexual discrimination; to empower women through education; to use women as equal partners in achieving progress; to end gender bias and discrimination, and improve women's status; and to enact progressive legal and moral change in favor of women and women's rights. The organization's functions in the following areas are described: education and information dissemination, community organizing, the provision of economic and livelihood assistance, women's counseling, health assistance, legislative advocacy and research, legal assistance, women's networking, and monitoring and evaluation.

  6. Identification and transcription profiling of trypsin in Aedes taeniorhynchus (Diptera: Culicidae): developmental regulation, blood feeding, and permethrin exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Liming; Chen, Jian; Becnel, James J; Kline, Daniel L; Clark, Gary G; Linthicum, Kenneth J

    2011-05-01

    The cDNA of a trypsin gene from Aedes (Ochlerotatus) taeniorhynchus (Weidemann) was cloned and sequenced. The full-length mRNA sequence (890 bp) for trypsin from Ae. taeniorhynchus (AetTryp1) was obtained, which encodes an open reading frame of 765 bp (i.e., 255 amino acids). To detect whether AetTryp is developmentally regulated, a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to examine AetTrypl mRNA expression levels in different developmental stages of Ae. taeniorhynchus. AetTryp1 was expressed at low levels in egg, larval, and pupal stages, but was differentially expressed in adult Ae. taeniorhynchus, with highest levels found in 5-d-old female adults when compared with teneral adults. In addition, AetTryp1 mRNA expression differed between sexes, with expression levels much lower in males. However, in both males and females, there was a significant increase in AetTryp1 transcription levels as age increased and peaked in 5-d-old adults. AetTrypl expressed in 5-d-old female Ae. taeniorhynchus significantly increased after 30 min postblood feeding compared with the control. The AetTryp1 mRNA expression in 5-d-old female Ae. taeniorhynchus was affected by different concentrations of permethrin.

  7. Dioscorin, the major tuber storage protein of yam (Dioscorea batatas decne) with carbonic anhydrase and trypsin inhibitor activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, W C; Liu, J S; Chen, H J; Chen, T E; Chang, C F; Lin, Y H

    1999-05-01

    Dioscorin, the tuber storage protein of yam (Dioscorea batatas Decne), was purified successively by ammonium sulfate fractionation, DE-52 ion exchange chromatography, and Sephadex G-75 column. Two protein bands (82 and 28 kDa) were found under nonreducing conditions after SDS-PAGE; but only one band (32 kDa) was detected under reducing conditions. The first 21 amino acids in the N-terminal region of the 28 kDa form were VEDEFSYIEGNPNGPENWGNL, which was highly homologous to deductive sequence of dioscorin from cDNA of another yam species (Dioscoreacayenensis Lam) reported by Conlan et al. (Plant Mol. Biol. 1995, 28, 369-380). Hewett-Emmett and Tashian (Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 1996, 5, 50 -77) mentioned that, according to DNA alignments, dioscorin from yam (D. cayenensis) was alpha-carbonic anhydrase (alpha-CA) related. In this report, we found that the purified dioscorin showed both CA dehydration activity using sodium bicarbonate as a substrate and CA activity staining after SDS-PAGE. A polyclonal antibody, which was raised against trypsin inhibitor (TI), a storage protein of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam var. Tainong 57), cross-reacted with dioscorin, which also showed TI activity determined by both activity staining after SDS-PAGE and trypsin inhibition determination.

  8. Sleep disturbances and memory impairment among pregnant women consuming khat: An under-recognized problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md. Dilshad Manzar

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Khat (Catha edulis is a evergreen flowering shrub that is cultivated at high altitudes, especially in East Africa and the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. The plant contains alkaloids, of which cathinone and cathine have structural similarity and pharmacological action similar to amphetamines. The leaves are, therefore, consumed in some regions as a psychoactive stimulant due to cultural beliefs and misperceptions on the health benefits of khat consumption. This resulted in a growing prevalence of khat consumption among pregnant women. The myriad of physiological changes associated with pregnancy impairs sleep and memory. Moreover, khat has also been shown to have adverse effects on memory and sleep. Therefore, its use during pregnancy may further aggravate those impairments. The purpose of this mini-review is to summarize the changes in sleep and memory during pregnancy and the evidence supporting a relationship between khat consumption and neurocognitive deficits and sleep dysfunctions. The misperceptions of beneficial effects of khat, the high prevalence of consumption among pregnant women, and the possibility of under-reporting of khat abuse do necessitate the development of alternative methodologies to identify cases of unreported khat abuse in pregnant women. It is proposed that screening for sleep problems and memory deficits may help identify under-reported cases of khat abuse in pregnant women.

  9. Amino-acid sequence of two trypsin isoinhibitors, ITD I and ITD III from squash seeds (Cucurbita maxima).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilusz, T; Wieczorek, M; Polanowski, A; Denton, A; Cook, J; Laskowski, M

    1983-01-01

    The amino-acid sequences of two trypsin isoinhibitors, ITD I and ITD III, from squash seeds (Cucurbita maxima) were determined. Both isoinhibitors contain 29 amino-acid residues, including 6 half cystine residues. They differ only by one amino acid. Lysine in position 9 of ITD III is substituted by glutamic acid in ITD I. Arginine in position 5 is present at the reactive site of both isoinhibitors. The previously published sequence of ITD III has been shown to be incorrect.

  10. Activity of trypsin-like enzymes and gelatinases in rats with doxorubicin cardiomyopathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iu. А. Gordiienko

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Activity of trypsin-like enzymes (ATLE and gelatinases A and B were studied in the blood plasma and extracts from cardiac muscle, cerebral cortex and cerebellum of rats with cardiomyopathy caused by anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin against the background of preventive application of corvitin and α-ketoglutarate. ATLE significantly increased in blood plasma and extracts from cerebral cortex but decreased in extracts from cardiac muscle and cerebellum in doxorubicin cardiomyopathy (DCMP. In addition, a significant increase of activity of both gelatinases in plasma and tissue extracts was observed. Preventive administration of corvitin and α-ketoglutarate resulted in differently directed changes of activity of the above mentioned enzymes in heart and brain tissues. Obtained data confirm the hypothesis about activation of proteolysis under the influence of anthracycline antibiotics and testify to selective effect of corvitin and α-ketoglutarate on ATLE and gelatinases.

  11. Activity of trypsin-like enzymes and gelatinases in rats with doxorubicin cardiomyopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordiienko, Iu A; Babets, Ya V; Kulinich, A O; Shevtsova, A I; Ushakova, G O

    2014-01-01

    Activity of trypsin-like enzymes (ATLE) and gelatinases A and B were studied in the blood plasma and extracts from cardiac muscle, cerebral cortex and cerebellum of rats with cardiomyopathy caused by anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin against the background of preventive application of corvitin and α-ketoglutarate. ATLE significantly increased in blood plasma and extracts from cerebral cortex but decreased in extracts from cardiac muscle and cerebellum in doxorubicin cardiomyopathy (DCMP). In addition, a significant increase of activity of both gelatinases in plasma and tissue extracts was observed. Preventive administration of corvitin and α-ketoglutarate resulted in differently directed changes of activity of the above mentioned enzymes in heart and brain tissues. Obtained data confirm the hypothesis about activation of proteolysis under the influence of anthracycline antibiotics and testify to selective effect of corvitin and α-ketoglutarate on ATLE and gelatinases.

  12. Proton NMR studies of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitors: evidence for pH-dependent conformational change and His25-Tyr27 interaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnamoorthi, R; Lin, C L; Gong, Y X; VanderVelde, D; Hahn, K

    1992-01-28

    A pH-dependent His25-Tyr27 interaction was demonstrated in the case of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitors (CMTI-I and CMTI-III) by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. pH titration, line widths, peak shapes, deuterium exchange kinetics, and two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) were employed to characterize a conformational change involving Tyr27, which was shown to be triggered by deprotonation of His25 around pH 6. A hydrogen bond is proposed to be formed between N epsilon of His25 and OH of Tyr27, as a distance between the atoms, His25 N epsilon and Tyr27 OH, of 3.02 A is consistent with a model built with NOE-derived distance constraints. Both the X-ray [Bode, W., Greyling, J.H., Huber, R., Otlewski, J., & Wilusz, T. (1989) FEBS Lett. 242, 282-292] and NMR [Holak, T.A., Gondol, D., Otlewski, J., & Wilusz, T. (1989) J. Mol. Biol. 210, 635-648] structures of CMTI-I at low pH (4.7-5.3) rule out such an interaction between the two aromatic rings, as the ring planes are oriented about 10 A away from each other. The presently characterized relative orientations of His25 and Tyr27 are of functional significance, as these residues make contact with the enzyme in the enzyme-inhibitor complex. Furthermore, trypsin assay and inhibitor-binding studies showed that conformations of trypsin and the squash inhibitor were functionally relevant only in the pH range 6-8. The pKa of His25 was determined and found to be influenced by Glu9/Lys substitution and by the hydrolysis of the reactive-site peptide bond between Arg5 and Ile6.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  13. Prediction of trypsin/molecular fragment binding affinities by free energy decomposition and empirical scores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benson, Mark L.; Faver, John C.; Ucisik, Melek N.; Dashti, Danial S.; Zheng, Zheng; Merz, Kenneth M.

    2012-05-01

    Two families of binding affinity estimation methodologies are described which were utilized in the SAMPL3 trypsin/fragment binding affinity challenge. The first is a free energy decomposition scheme based on a thermodynamic cycle, which included separate contributions from enthalpy and entropy of binding as well as a solvent contribution. Enthalpic contributions were estimated with PM6-DH2 semiempirical quantum mechanical interaction energies, which were modified with a statistical error correction procedure. Entropic contributions were estimated with the rigid-rotor harmonic approximation, and solvent contributions to the free energy were estimated with several different methods. The second general methodology is the empirical score LISA, which contains several physics-based terms trained with the large PDBBind database of protein/ligand complexes. Here we also introduce LISA+, an updated version of LISA which, prior to scoring, classifies systems into one of four classes based on a ligand's hydrophobicity and molecular weight. Each version of the two methodologies (a total of 11 methods) was trained against a compiled set of known trypsin binders available in the Protein Data Bank to yield scaling parameters for linear regression models. Both raw and scaled scores were submitted to SAMPL3. Variants of LISA showed relatively low absolute errors but also low correlation with experiment, while the free energy decomposition methods had modest success when scaling factors were included. Nonetheless, re-scaled LISA yielded the best predictions in the challenge in terms of RMS error, and six of these models placed in the top ten best predictions by RMS error. This work highlights some of the difficulties of predicting binding affinities of small molecular fragments to protein receptors as well as the benefit of using training data.

  14. Measuring the Influence of Legally Recognized Partnerships on the Health and Well-Being of Same-Sex Couples: Utility of the California Health Interview Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irvin, Veronica L.; Sun, Qiankun; Breen, Nancy

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Purpose: This study explored the utility of the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) to compare health-related outcomes among gay men, lesbians, and heterosexuals who reported being in a legally recognized partnership. Methods: We regressed sexual identity and marriage/legally recognized partnership status on seven different outcomes related to health insurance coverage, medical services access and use, and general health and well-being using CHIS data collected between 2009 and 2013. Results: There were 1432 respondents who identified as gay, lesbian, or homosexual, and 67,746 who identified as heterosexual. The percentage of participants who reported being married/legally partnered was 54.06% for heterosexual women, 52.93% for heterosexual men, 38.83% for lesbians, and 23.56% for gay men. Legally partnered/married gay and lesbian respondents were more likely to have health insurance and use healthcare than their counterparts not in such partnerships; few trends were statistically significant. Gay men in legally recognized partnerships were more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to report continuous health insurance coverage, a usual medical care source, and at least one provider visit within the past 12 months. We found statistically significant poorer health status outcomes among lesbians in legally recognized partnerships compared to married heterosexual women. Conclusions: Lesbians in legally recognized partnerships did not fare as well as married heterosexual women. Gay men in legally recognized partnerships fared better than married heterosexual men on some measures. CHIS questionnaire structures limited our sample and analyses. We recommend that CHIS and other researchers ask partnered status-, marriage-, and sexual identity-related questions en bloc to ensure more robust representation, analyses, recommendations, and policy resolutions. PMID:28207297

  15. Gender Discrimination and Women's Development in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivakumar, M.

    2008-01-01

    Gender is a common term where as gender discrimination is meant only for women, because females are the only victims of gender discrimination. Females are nearly 50 percent of the total population but their representation in public life is very low. Recognizing women's right and believing their ability are essential for women's empowerment and…

  16. Detection of viral infection by immunofluorescence in formalin-fixed tissues, pretreated with trypsin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. M. Barth

    1988-06-01

    Full Text Available The presence of viral antigen in sections from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded human tissues was demonstrated by trypsin digestion followed by direct or indirect immunofluorescence. The specimens may be used for retrospective diagnosis. The immunofluorescence technique has to be adapted to the suspected virus infection on the basis of previous histopathology study. Variations of trypsin concentration time and temperature of incubation, expose different viral antigens and have to be previously tested for each unknown system. For measles virus detection in lung a stronger digestion has to be applied as compared to adenovirus or respiratory disease viruses in the same tisue. Flavivirus in liver tissue needs a weaker digestion. The reproducibility of the method makes it useful as a routine technique in diagnosis of virus infection.A presença de antígeno viral em cortes de tecidos humanos fixados em formol e emblocados em parafina foi demonstrada pela digestão com tripsina foi demonstrada pela ingestão com tripsina seguida de imunofluorescência direta ou indireta. Os espécimens podem ser utilizados para diagnoses retrospectivas. A técnica da imunofluorescência deve ser adaptada à infecção viral suspeita segundo diagnosie histopatológica prévia. Os parâmetros para a digestão do tecido pela tripsina, relacionados à concentração, duração de atuação e temperatura, expõem diferentes antígenos virais e devem ser previamente testados para cada sistema a ser estabelecido. Uma digestão mais intensa deve ser aplicada para a detecção do vírus do sarampo em tecido pulmonar do que para adenovírus ou vírus respiratório sincicial no mesmo tecido. Por outro lado, o vírus da febre amarela em tecido de fígado necessita de uma digestão mais fraca.

  17. Trypsin inhibitory activity in blood and cervical mucus of sheep following chronic gamma irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molnarova, M.; Arendarcik, J.; Pastorova, B.

    1982-01-01

    The effect was investigated of chronic gamma irradiation for a period of 7 days to a total dose of 6.7 Gy. A decrease was found in TIA (trypsin inhibition activity) of blood plasma to 73.6% of the value prior to irradiation. The low-molecular fraction of TIA increased to 194.6%. Later in the experiment the values decreased. The TIA dynamics of the cervical mucus had the reverse character. The values increased; at the 16th day after irradiation they increased up to 392% of the initial values. A comparison with previous experiments shows that acute local irradiation with an almost three-fold dose of the hypothalamo-pituitary area and of the ovaries does not induce significant changes in the blood plasma TIA. (M.D.)

  18. Women Teaching Girls: The Power and the Danger.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Maria

    1993-01-01

    Reviews recent research on the effects of women teachers on female students. Argues that dramatic shifts have occurred in the cultural and religious landscape as a result of feminism and the empowerment of women. Contends that women teachers must help female students to recognize and resist the false images of themselves and the world. (CFR)

  19. Immigrant Women and Partner Violence

    OpenAIRE

    KUUSELA, HANNA

    2011-01-01

    Violence against women is a global problem, which can be recognized in every society and culture. Both in Canada and Finland the research about violence against immigrant women has begun quite recently and therefore, there is still a lot we do not know about this phenomenon and thus a demand for research. Immigrant women face unique circumstances and are in a vulnerable position of being abused. They are not a homogeneous group, on the contrary, they have individual life experiences but they ...

  20. The modifier effects of chymotrypsin and trypsin enzymes on fluorescence lifetime distribution of "N-(1-pyrenyl)maleimide-bovine serum albumin" complex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Özyiğit, İbrahim Ethem; Karakuş, Emine; Pekcan, Önder

    2016-02-01

    Chymotrypsin and trypsin are the well known proteolytic enzymes, both of which are synthesized in the pancreas as their precursors - the inactive forms; chymotrypsinogen and trypsinogen - and then are released into the duodenum to cut proteins into smaller peptides. In this paper, the effects of activities of chymotrypsin and trypsin enzymes on fluorescence lifetime distributions of the substrat bovine serum albumin (BSA) modified with N-(1-pyrenyl)maleimide (PM) were examined. In the labeling study of BSA with PM, it is aimed to attach PM to the single free thiol (Cys34) and to all the free amine groups in accessible positions in order to produce excimers of pyrene planes of the possible highest amount to form the lifetime distributions in the widest range, that may show specifically distinguishing changes resulting from the activities of the proteases. The time resolved spectrofluorometer was used to monitor fluorescence decays, which were analyzed by using the exponential series method (ESM) to obtain the changes of lifetime distributions. After the exposure of the synthesized substrat PM-BSA to the enzymes, the fluorescence lifetime distributions exhibited different structures which were attributed to the different activities of the proteases.

  1. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of trypsin-like proteases from the gastric fluid of the marine crab Cancer pagurus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hehemann, Jan-Hendrik; Redecke, Lars; Perbandt, Markus; Saborowski, Reinhard; Betzel, Christian

    2007-01-01

    Two trypsins from the gastric fluid of the marine crab C. pagurus were purified and crystallized and X-ray data were collected to 0.97 and 3.2 Å resolution. The digestive fluid of the marine crab Cancer pagurus (Decapoda, Brachyura) contains highly stable proteases which display enhanced activity in aqueous mixtures of organic solvents. Three trypsins were isolated from the gastric fluid and two of them, C.p.TryII and C.p.TryIII, were purified to homogeneity by anion-exchange chromatography and crystallized by hanging-drop vapour diffusion. Diffraction data were collected at a synchrotron to 0.97 and 3.2 Å resolution, respectively. The crystal of C.p.TryII belongs to the orthorhombic space group P2 1 2 1 2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 52.06, b = 62.00, c = 71.66 Å. Based on the Matthews coefficient, one protein molecule per asymmetric unit is suggested. In contrast, crystals of C.p.TryIII, which belong to the cubic space group P2 1 3 with unit-cell parameters a = b = c = 215.4 Å, are assumed to contain 12 molecules per asymmetric unit

  2. Effects of acylation on the functional properties and in vitro trypsin digestibility of red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) protein isolate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Shou-Wei; Tang, Chuan-He; Wen, Qi-Biao; Yang, Xiao-Quan

    2009-01-01

    The effects of succinylation and acetylation on some functional properties and the in vitro trypsin digestibility of kidney bean protein isolate (KPI) were investigated. The extent of succinylation or acetylation progressively increased from 0% to 96% to 97%, as the anhydride-to-protein ratio increased from 0 to 1 g/g. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and zeta potential analyses indicated that acylation, especially succinylation, considerably increased the net charge and hydrodynamic radius of the proteins in KPI, especially vicilin. Acylation treatment at various anhydride-to-protein ratios (0.05 to 1 g/g) remarkably improved the protein solubility (PS) and emulsifying activity index (EAI) at neutral pH, but the improvement by succinylation was much better than that by acetylation. Succinylation resulted in a marked decrease in mechanical moduli of heat-induced gels of KPI, while the mechanical moduli were, on the contrary, increased by acetylation. Additionally, in vitro trypsin digestibility was improved by the acylation in an anhydride-type and level-dependent manner. The results suggest that the functional properties of KPI could be modulated by the chemical acylation treatment, using succinic or acetic anhydride at appropriate anhydride-to-protein ratios.

  3. Understanding binding affinity : A combined isothermal titration calorimetry/molecular dynamics study of the binding of a series of hydrophobically modified benzamidinium chloride inhibitors to trypsin

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Talhout, Reinskje; Villa, Alessandra; Mark, AE; Engberts, JBFN

    2003-01-01

    The binding of a series of p-alkylbenzamidinium chloride inhibitors to the serine proteinase trypsin over a range of temperatures has been studied using isothermal titration (micro)calorimetry and molecular dynamics simulation techniques. The inhibitors have small structural variations at the para

  4. Involving women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agbo, J

    1994-01-01

    I am a primary health care (PHC) coordinator working with the May Day Rural project, a local NGO involved in integrated approaches and programs with rural communities in the Ga District of the Greater-Accra region in Ghana. When we talk about the community development approach we must first and foremost recognize that we are talking about women, because in the developing world frequent childbirths mean that her burden of mortality is higher than a man's; her workload is extremely heavy--whether in gardening, farming, other household duties, caring for the sick, or the rearing of children; she has a key role in PHC and community development, because men are always looking for greener pastures elsewhere, leaving the women behind. Women's concerns are critical in most health care projects and women and children are their main beneficiaries. Why not include women in the management team, project design, implementation and evaluation processes? That is what the May Day Rural project is practicing, encouraging women's participation and creating a relationship of trust. full text

  5. Influence of Tableting on the Conformation and Thermal Stability of Trypsin as a Model Protein

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klukkert, Marten; Van De Weert, Marco; Fanø, Mathias

    2015-01-01

    was performed to determine the Tm as well as the folding reversibility after thermal denaturation of the reconstituted samples. It was found that compacted samples showed reduced activity accompanied by an altered secondary structure. Conformational changes that occur in the solid state were partially...... reversible upon tablet reconstitution. Aqueous-state IR spectroscopy combined with partial least squares was shown to be a powerful tool to follow irreversible structural changes and evaluate sample bioactivity. Besides its conformation, the thermal stability of trypsin was altered as a result of the applied...... compaction pressure, indicated by a reduced folding reversibility. In conclusion, this study reveals that tableting can have a negative impact on the biological quality of protein APIs....

  6. RAMA casein zymography: Time-saving and highly sensitive casein zymography for MMP7 and trypsin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasumitsu, Hidetaro; Ozeki, Yasuhiro; Kanaly, Robert A

    2016-11-01

    To detect metalloproteinase-7 (MMP7), zymography is conducted using a casein substrate and conventional CBB stain. It has disadvantages because it is time consuming and has low sensitivity. Previously, a sensitive method to detect MMP7 up to 30 pg was reported, however it required special substrates and complicated handlings. RAMA casein zymography described herein is rapid, sensitive, and reproducible. By applying high-sensitivity staining with low substrate conditions, the staining process is completed within 1 h and sensitivity was increased 100-fold. The method can detect 10 pg MMP7 by using commercially available casein without complicated handlings. Moreover, it increases detection sensitivity for trypsin. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Women and poverty: a demographic overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, J B

    1987-01-01

    In the current debate about causes and cures for poverty, much attention is given to women. Women are more likely than men to be poor, and once impoverished, to remain poor for longer periods of time than do men. In addition, a much greater responsibility for raising the next generation of adults belongs to poor women than to poor men. No individual policy response will alleviate poverty among women. Rather, a multi-faceted policy response that recognizes the wide diversity of their situations is necessary. This paper describes the diversity among poor women and suggests a series of appropriate policies.

  8. The Duty to Recognize Culture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Morten Ebbe Juul

    2012-01-01

    On Taylor and Honneth's theories of recognition and whether one can derive a "duty to recognize Culture" from these......On Taylor and Honneth's theories of recognition and whether one can derive a "duty to recognize Culture" from these...

  9. Two-dimensional NMR studies of squash family inhibitors. Sequence-specific proton assignments and secondary structure of reactive-site hydrolyzed Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnamoorthi, R; Gong, Y X; Lin, C L; VanderVelde, D

    1992-01-28

    The solution structure of reactive-site hydrolyzed Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III (CMTI-III*) was investigated by two-dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR) spectroscopy. CMTI-III*, prepared by reacting CMTI-III with trypsin which cleaved the Arg5-Ile6 peptide bond, had the two fragments held together by a disulfide linkage. Sequence-specific 1H NMR resonance assignments were made for all the 29 amino acid residues of the protein. The secondary structure of CMTI-III*, as deduced from NOESY cross peaks and identification of slowly exchanging hydrogens, contains two turns (residues 8-12 and 24-27), a 3(10)-helix (residues 13-16), and a triple-stranded beta-sheet (residues 8-10, 29-27, and 21-25). This secondary structure is similar to that of CMTI-I [Holak, T. A., Gondol, D., Otlewski, J., & Wilusz, T. (1989) J. Mol. Biol. 210, 635-648], which has a Glu instead of a Lys at position 9. Sequential proton assignments were also made for the virgin inhibitor, CMTI-III, at pH 4.71, 30 degrees C. Comparison of backbone hydrogen chemical shifts of CMTI-III and CMTI-III* revealed significant changes for residues located far away from the reactive-site region as well as for those located near it, indicating tertiary structural changes that are transmitted through most of the 29 residues of the inhibitor protein. Many of these residues are functionally important in that they make contact with atoms of the enzyme in the trypsin-inhibitor complex, as revealed by X-ray crystallography [Bode, W., Greyling, H. J., Huber, R., Otlewski, J., & Wilusz, T. (1989) FEBS Lett. 242, 285-292].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  10. Digestion of atopic allergens with trypsin α-chymotrypsin and pancreatic kallikrein, and influence of the allergens upon the proteolytic and esterolytic activity of these enzymes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Berrens, L.

    1968-01-01

    The action of bovine trypsin, α-chymotrypsin and pancreatic kallikrein upon a number of atopic allergens has been studied by pH-stat measurements during short-term incubation. Most atopic allergens proved chemically resistant towards these enzymes. Graphs of enzyme susceptibility vs. the ratio of

  11. Urinary trypsin inhibitor - an experimental and clinical study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berling, B.M.

    1991-01-01

    The urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) is an acid stable proteinase inhibitor present in blood and urine. It was purified from urine using affinity chromatography, ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Two forms of UTI were present in urine, A and B. A radioimmunoassay for measurement of UTI in urine and plasma was performed. The normal level of UTI in plasma and serum was about 2 mg/l. The normal excretion in urine was about 8 mg per 24 hours. The plasma and urine levels of UTI were studied in patients with acute pancreatitis and in patients undergoing cholecystectomy. Uremic patients had a marked increase of UTI in plasma compatible with decreased glomerular filtration. In samples from healthy persons as well as from patients only inhibitor A was found. Inhibitor B has recently been renamed bikunin because of its two Kunitz-type inhibiting domains. Inhibitor A might be called tetrakunin. Radioactively labeled UTI (inhibitor A) was injected intravenously in three male volunteers. The plasma half-life of 125 I UTI was 2 hours. Free biologically active inhibitor was found in the urine during the first four hours after injection. The organ distribution of intravenously injected 125 I UTI was studied in rats. Fifteen minutes after injection the major part of the radioactivity was found in the kidneys, suggesting that the kidneys are the primary site of UTI metabolism. Using immunohistochemical techniques UTI was found in the proximal tubules of the normal human kidney further indicating the tubular reabsorption and methabolisms of UTI

  12. Lol p XI, a new major grass pollen allergen, is a member of a family of soybean trypsin inhibitor-related proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Ree, R; Hoffman, D R; van Dijk, W; Brodard, V; Mahieu, K; Koeleman, C A; Grande, M; van Leeuwen, W A; Aalberse, R C

    1995-05-01

    Monoclonal antibodies were obtained against an unknown allergen from Lolium perenne grass pollen. The allergen had an apparent molecular mass of 18 kd on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Earlier immunoblotting studies had shown that carbohydrate-specific IgG antibodies recognize an antigen of similar size. We sought to characterize the allergen biochemically and immunologically. The amino acid sequence of the allergen was determined by automated Edman degradation, and its monosaccharide composition was determined by gas chromatographic analysis. A panel of 270 grass pollen-positive sera was assessed in a RAST with the purified allergen. Protease digestion (proteinase K) and chemical deglycosylation (trifluoromethane sulfonic acid) were used to distinguish between carbohydrate and peptide epitopes for IgE antibodies. The allergen was shown to be a glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 16 kd, of which 8% is carbohydrate. Its amino acid sequence shares 32% homology with soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) but lacks its active site. No homology was found with known grass pollen allergens, hence it was designated Lol p XI. A high degree of homology (44%) was found with a tree pollen allergen, Ole e I, the major allergen of olive pollen. More than 65% of grass pollen-positive sera had IgE against Lol p XI. IgE reactivity was demonstrated both with the carbohydrate moiety and the peptide backbone. Lol p XI is a new major grass pollen allergen carrying an IgE-binding carbohydrate determinant. Lol p XI is structurally related to the major allergen from olive pollen.

  13. Women in development : issues for economic and sector analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Women in Development Division

    1989-01-01

    This paper highlights issues and action plans concerning women in economic and sector analysis and in project design. The paper focuses on the majority of women who are poor. It emphasizes measures to include women in development that contribute to economic performance, poverty reduction, slower population growth, and other broad development objectives. The paper concludes that women already contribute far more economically than is usually recognized. By expanding women's economic choices, ou...

  14. Glycine-rich analogues of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor (CMTI-III) substituted by valine in position 27 display relatively low antitrypsin activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rózycki, J; Kupryszewski, G; Rolka, K; Ragnarsson, U; Zbytryt, T; Krokoszyńska, I; Otlewski, J

    1993-09-01

    Five new analogues of the trypsin inhibitor CMTI-III were synthesized by the solid-phase method. All analogues containing a valine residue in position 27 and glycine residues in some or all of the positions 9, 11, 14, 17, 19, 29 as well as in two cases a norleucine residue in position 8 displayed association equilibrium constants by 6-7 orders of magnitude lower than the native CMTI-III inhibitor.

  15. The modifier effects of chymotrypsin and trypsin enzymes on fluorescence lifetime distribution of "N-(1-pyrenyl)maleimide-bovine serum albumin" complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Özyiğit, İbrahim Ethem; Karakuş, Emine; Pekcan, Önder

    2016-02-05

    Chymotrypsin and trypsin are the well known proteolytic enzymes, both of which are synthesized in the pancreas as their precursors - the inactive forms; chymotrypsinogen and trypsinogen - and then are released into the duodenum to cut proteins into smaller peptides. In this paper, the effects of activities of chymotrypsin and trypsin enzymes on fluorescence lifetime distributions of the substrat bovine serum albumin (BSA) modified with N-(1-pyrenyl)maleimide (PM) were examined. In the labeling study of BSA with PM, it is aimed to attach PM to the single free thiol (Cys34) and to all the free amine groups in accessible positions in order to produce excimers of pyrene planes of the possible highest amount to form the lifetime distributions in the widest range, that may show specifically distinguishing changes resulting from the activities of the proteases. The time resolved spectrofluorometer was used to monitor fluorescence decays, which were analyzed by using the exponential series method (ESM) to obtain the changes of lifetime distributions. After the exposure of the synthesized substrat PM-BSA to the enzymes, the fluorescence lifetime distributions exhibited different structures which were attributed to the different activities of the proteases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Functional properties and in vitro trypsin digestibility of red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) protein isolate: Effect of high-pressure treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Shou-Wei; Tang, Chuan-He; Wen, Qi-Biao; Yang, Xiao-Quan; Li, Lin

    2008-10-15

    The effects of high-pressure (HP) treatment at 200-600MPa, prior to freeze-drying, on some functional properties and in vitro trypsin digestibility of vicilin-rich red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) protein isolate (KPI) were investigated. Surface hydrophobicity and free sulfhydryl (SH) and disulfide bond (SS) contents were also evaluated. HP treatment resulted in gradual unfolding of protein structure, as evidenced by gradual increases in fluorescence strength and SS formation from SH groups, and decrease in denaturation enthalpy change. The protein solubility of KPI was significantly improved at pressures of 400MPa or higher, possibly due to formation of soluble aggregate from insoluble precipitate. HP treatment at 200 and 400MPa significantly increased emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsion stability index (ESI); however, EAI was significantly decreased at 600MPa (relative to untreated KPI). The thermal stability of the vicilin component was not affected by HP treatment. Additionally, in vitro trypsin digestibility of KPI was decreased only at a pressure above 200MPa and for long incubation time (e.g., 120min). The data suggest that some physiochemical and functional properties of vicilin-rich kidney proteins can be improved by means of high-pressure treatment. Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Perspectives of digestive pest control with proteinase inhibitors that mainly affect the trypsin-like activity of Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.E. Pereira

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available The present study describes the main characteristics of the proteolytic activities of the velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, and their sensitivity to proteinase inhibitors and activators. Midguts of last instar larvae reared on an artificial diet were homogenized in 0.15 M NaCl and centrifuged at 14,000 g for 10 min at 4ºC and the supernatants were used in enzymatic assays at 30ºC, pH 10.0. Basal total proteolytic activity (azocasein hydrolysis was 1.14 ± 0.15 absorbance variation min-1 mg protein-1, at 420 nm; basal trypsin-like activity (N-benzoyl-L-arginine-p-nitroanilide, BApNA, hydrolysis was 0.217 ± 0.02 mmol p-nitroaniline min-1 mg protein-1. The maximum proteolytic activities were observed at pH 10.5 using azocasein and at pH 10.0 using BApNA, this pH being identical to the midgut pH of 10.0. The maximum trypsin-like activity occurred at 50ºC, a temperature that reduces enzyme stability to 80 and 60% of the original, when pre-incubated for 5 and 30 min, respectively. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride inhibited the proteolytic activities with an IC50 of 0.39 mM for azocasein hydrolysis and of 1.35 mM for BApNA hydrolysis. Benzamidine inhibited the hydrolysis with an IC50 of 0.69 and 0.076 mM for azocasein and BApNA, respectively. The absence of cysteine-proteinases is indicated by the fact that 2-mercaptoethanol and L-cysteine did not increase the rate of azocasein hydrolysis. These results demonstrate the presence of serine-proteinases and the predominance of trypsin-like activity in the midgut of Lepidoptera insects, now also detected in A. gemmatalis, and suggest this enzyme as a major target for pest control based on disruption of protein metabolism using proteinase inhibitors.

  18. Effect of trypsin inhibitor activity in soya bean on growth performance, protein digestibility and incidence of sub-clinical necrotic enteritis in broiler chicken flocks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palliyeguru, M W C D; Rose, S P; Mackenzie, A M

    2011-06-01

    1. The effect of three different levels of dietary trypsin inhibitor activity (achieved by varying the amount of non-toasted full fat soya bean in replacement for toasted full fat soya bean) on the incidence of spontaneously-occurring sub-clinical necrotic enteritis (NE) in broiler chickens was compared. A fourth dietary treatment compared the effect of a diet that used potato protein concentrate as the major protein source. The determined trypsin inhibitor activity increased with the increasing content of non-toasted soya bean: 1·90, 6·21, 8·46 and 3·72 mg/g for the three soya bean diets (0, 100 and 200 g of non-toasted soya bean/kg) and the potato protein diet respectively. 2. Although increasing amounts of the non-toasted full-fat soya bean increased the feed intakes of the birds, there was a marked reduction in protein digestibility, weight gain and feed conversion efficiency. 3. There was a linear increase in sub-clinical NE lesions in the duodenum, jejunum, mid small intestine and ileum with increasing non-toasted soya bean. Caecal Clostridium perfringens counts increased with the increasing dietary content of non-toasted soya bean. Serum α-toxin antibodies were higher in the birds fed the 200 g non-toasted soya bean/kg diet compared with the other diets. 4. The results demonstrated that variation in the amount of non-toasted dietary soya bean not only affects growth performance of broilers but also affects the incidence of sub-clinical necrotic enteritis in the flock. Ensuring the lowest possible trypsin-inhibitor activity in soya bean samples is a valuable tool to improve the health and welfare of birds and in reducing the financial losses from this disease.

  19. Growing women-owned businesses in Latin America and the ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The positive connection between women, their economic empowerment, the growth of economies, and communities' well-being is increasingly recognized worldwide. However, as global reports by a number of agencies demonstrate, in many contexts gender-specific barriers limit the full development of women's potential.

  20. Recognizing teen depression

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000648.htm Recognizing teen depression To use the sharing features on this page, ... life. Be Aware of the Risk for Teen Depression Your teen is more at risk for depression ...

  1. Identification of a trypsin-like site associated with acetylcholinesterase by affinity labelling with (/sup 3/H)diisopropyl fluorophosphate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Small, D.H.; Chubb, I.W.

    1988-07-01

    In addition to its ability to hydrolyze acetylcholine, purified eel acetylcholinesterase possesses a trypsin-like endopeptidase activity. The tryptic activity is associated with a serine residue at a site that is distinct from the esteratic site. To label both the esteratic and tryptic sites, the enzyme was incubated with the serine hydrolase inhibitor (/sup 3/H)diisopropyl fluorophosphate. This compound labelled the protein in a biphasic manner, with both slow and rapid labelling kinetics. The time course of the rapid phase was similar to the time course of inactivation of the esteratic activity. The time course of the slow phase was similar to the time course of inactivation of the tryptic activity. Labelling of the nonesteratic site was inhibited by the trypsin inhibitor N alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone. The total number of sites labelled by (/sup 3/H)diisopropyl fluorophosphate on eel acetylcholinesterase was 2.6 mol/280,000 g protein, whereas the number of tryptic sites was less (0.52 mol/280,000 g). The results suggest that a subpopulation of acetylcholinesterase molecules may possess tryptic activity. Extensive chromatography of the purified enzyme by ion-exchange and gel filtration failed to separate the labelled tryptic component from acetylcholinesterase. On sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, the labelled tryptic component comigrated with a polypeptide of 50,000 molecular weight, which is a major proteolytic digestion product derived from the intact acetylcholinesterase monomer. Because of its localization in many noncholinergic peptide-containing cells, acetylcholinesterase could act as a neuropeptide processing enzyme in these cells.

  2. Genital ulcers in women

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bruisten, Sylvia M.

    2003-01-01

    Women who are in a low socioeconomic status are most vulnerable to genital ulcer disease (GUD). GUD is recognized as an important co-factor for acquisition of HIV. GUD etiology has been elucidated in the past decade, with the availability of multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Worldwide, herpes

  3. Women's role in adapting to climate change and variability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvajal-Escobar, Y.; Quintero-Angel, M.; García-Vargas, M.

    2008-04-01

    Given that women are engaged in more climate-related change activities than what is recognized and valued in the community, this article highlights their important role in the adaptation and search for safer communities, which leads them to understand better the causes and consequences of changes in climatic conditions. It is concluded that women have important knowledge and skills for orienting the adaptation processes, a product of their roles in society (productive, reproductive and community); and the importance of gender equity in these processes is recognized. The relationship among climate change, climate variability and the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals is considered.

  4. Molecular glues for manipulating enzymes: trypsin inhibition by benzamidine-conjugated molecular glues† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthesis of TEG–BA, Gluen–BA, mGluen–BA and Gluen–Ph; 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MALDI-TOF MS, electronic absorption, and CD spectra; zeta potential distributions; SLS plots; DLS histograms; and related experimental procedures. See DOI: 10.1039/c5sc00524h Click here for additional data file.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mogaki, Rina

    2015-01-01

    Water-soluble bioadhesive polymers bearing multiple guanidinium ion (Gu+) pendants at their side-chain termini (Gluen–BA, n = 10 and 29) that were conjugated with benzamidine (BA) as a trypsin inhibitor were developed. The Gluen–BA molecules are supposed to adhere to oxyanionic regions of the trypsin surface, even in buffer, via a multivalent Gu+/oxyanion salt-bridge interaction, such that their BA group properly blocks the substrate-binding site. In fact, Glue10–BA and Glue29–BA exhibited 35- and 200-fold higher affinities for trypsin, respectively, than a BA derivative without the glue moiety (TEG–BA). Most importantly, Glue10–BA inhibited the protease activity of trypsin 13-fold more than TEG–BA. In sharp contrast, mGlue27–BA, which bears 27 Gu+ units along the main chain and has a 5-fold higher affinity than TEG–BA for trypsin, was inferior even to TEG–BA for trypsin inhibition. PMID:28706668

  5. Infectious Urethritis in Men and Women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meares, Edwin M.

    1975-01-01

    Acute and recurrent infectious urethritis in men and women is commonly seen by physicians. Since specific therapy varies widely with the type of urethritis present, the proper diagnosis must be clearly established if curative drug therapy is to be selected. It is valuable, therefore, to review the diagnosis and therapy of the various forms of infectious urethritis that are recognized today in both men and women. PMID:1199099

  6. Human and bovine spinal disc mechanics subsequent to trypsin injection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alsup, Jeremy; Bishop, Timothy; Eggett, Dennis; Bowden, Anton E

    2017-10-01

    To investigate the biomechanical effects of injections of a protease on the characteristics of bovine coccygeal and human lumbar disc motion segments. Mechanics of treated tissues were measured immediately after injection and 3 h after injection. Motion segments underwent axial rotation and flexion-extension loading. Stiffness and neutral zone parameters experienced significant changes over time, with bovine tissues more strongly affected than human cadaver tissues. This was true in both axial rotation and flexion-extension. The treatment type significantly affected the neutral zone measurements in axial rotation. Hysteresis parameters were impacted by control injections. The extrapolation of bovine coccygeal motion testing results to human lumbar disc mechanics is not yet practical. The injected treatment may have a smaller impact on disc mechanics than time in testing. Viscoelasticity of human lumbar discs may be impacted by any damage to the annulus fibrosis induced by needlestick. Preclinical testing of novel spinal devices is essential to the design validation and regulatory processes, but current testing techniques rely on cadaveric testing of primarily older spines with essentially random amounts of disc degeneration. The present work investigates the viability of using trypsin injections to create a more uniform preclinical model of disc degeneration from a mechanics perspective, for the purpose of testing spinal devices. Such a model would facilitate translation of new spinal technologies to clinical practice.

  7. "RecognizeCane" : The new concept of a cane which recognizes the most common objects and safety clues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scherlen, Anne-Catherine; Dumas, Jean Claude; Guedj, Benjamin; Vignot, Alexandre

    2007-01-01

    This paper introduces the new concept of an electronic cane for blind people. While some systems inform the subject only of the presence of the object and its relative distance, RecognizeCane is also able to recognize most common objects and environment clues to increase the safety and confidence of the navigation process. The originality of RecognizeCane is the use of simple sensors, such as infrared, brilliance or water sensors to inform the subject of the presence, for example, of a stairway, a water puddle, a zebra crossing or a trash can. This cane does not use an embedded vision system. RecognizeCane is equipped with several sensors and microprocessors to collect sensor data and extract the desired information about the close environment by means of a dynamic analysis of output signals.

  8. Effects of Mucuna pruriens protease inhibitors on Echis carinatus venom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hope-Onyekwere, Nnadozie Stanley; Ogueli, Godwin Ifeanyi; Cortelazzo, Alessio; Cerutti, Helena; Cito, Annarita; Aguiyi, John C; Guerranti, Roberto

    2012-12-01

    The medicinal plant Mucuna pruriens, with reputed anti-snake venom properties has been reported to contain a kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor. This study was undertaken to further evaluate the protease inhibitory potential of gpMuc, a multiform glycoprotein, and other protein fractions from M. pruriens seeds against trypsin, chymotrypsin, Echis carinatus snake venom, ecarin and thrombin. The results showed that gpMuc inhibited both trypsin and chymotrypsin activities and was thermally stable, maintaining its trypsin inhibitory activity at temperatures of up to 50°C. Its structural conformation was also maintained at pH ranges of 4-7. Immunoreactivity study confirms that it contains protease-recognizing epitope on one of its isoforms. The whole protein extract of M. pruriens seeds inhibited prothrombin activation by ecarin and whole E. carinatus venom, and also thrombin-like activity using chromogenic assay. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. [Comparative analysis of sensitivity of proteases (chymotrypsin and trypsin) and cholinesterases of different origin to some organophosphorus inhibitors].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozengart, E V

    2009-01-01

    The antichymotrypsin, antitrypsin, and anticholinesterase efficiencies of four homologous series of organophosphorus inhibitors are compared: O-ethyl-S-(n-alkyl)methylthiophosphonates, O-(n-alkyl)-S-(n-butyl)methylthiophosphonates, O-(n-alkyl)-S-beta-(ethylmercaptoethylene)methylthiophosphonates, and their methylsulfomethylates. As sources of a-chymotrypsin and trypsin, commercial compounds of Worthington Biochemical Corporation and Leningrad Myasokombinat were tested. Bimolecular constant of the reaction rate was used as the measure of antienzyme efficiency. In all cases, the antichymotrypsin efficiency was lower, while the antitrypsin--essentially higher than the anticholinesterase activity of the studied inhibitors. These differences were found to much depend both on the inhibitor structure and on nature of the cholinesterase compounds.

  10. Will women ever break the glass ceiling in medicine?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Achkar, Edgar

    2008-07-01

    Increased attention is being paid to women's working conditions in medicine. Few data are available regarding gender disparity in gastroenterology. It seems, however, that in general women are paid less than men and that their progress in academic practice tends to be slow. The GI community needs to recognize that gender disparity is not an imaginary issue and that action is necessary to attract women to gastroenterology by providing equal opportunities.

  11. Review: Disabled Addicted Women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farideh Hemmati

    2001-06-01

    Full Text Available Women have suffered from drug abuse for conturies, although formal Treatment assistance for women has been recognized as important only during the past few decades. The nature and underlying reasons for women's drug abuse differ from men’s behavior in many ways. It is finally understood that research on men will not simply translate into effective solutions for women as well. Here deal with the many issues that can arise in working with disabled women suffered from drug abuse because biologically, Culturally, and socially, their experience is different from that of men and other women and key theme For this discourse is that a woman who suffered from drug abuse is first and foremost a woman. Disabled women also have specific issues that must acknowledge and incorporate into the counseling, social work and other experince, so, here review is based on more than 25 years of the collective experience and firsthand knowledge of Monique Cohen and their Counselors at The CASPAR outpatient Clinic in Cambridge, Massachusett (2000 about women with drug abuse and alcoholism. The clinic Provides omprehensive substance abuse treatment to Individuals and Families struggling with either one or multiple addictions.

  12. A comparative study of family functioning, health, and mental health awareness and utilization among female Bedouin-Arabs from recognized and unrecognized villages in the Negev.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Krenawi, Alean; Graham, John R

    2006-02-01

    A good portion of geography is contested by the Israeli state and the country's Bedouin-Arab population. There are two categories of Bedouin villages: those areas that are "officially" recognized by the state and those that are not. In this article we determine utilization and awareness of health and mental health services among 376 Bedouin-Arab women in recognized and unrecognized villages in the Negev. Although there are differences between them, primary health care (PHC) services usually are available within recognized villages, accessible to those from unrecognized villages, and tend to precipitate user satisfaction. We conclude with various suggestions for improving health service delivery and making PHC and mental health delivery more accessible. Through this article we intend to help mental health practitioners on two levels: the policy level, regarding the design of mental health services for societies in transition, such as the Bedouin Arab, and the practical level by helping practitioners better appreciate the psychosocial status of women in Bedouin-Arab societies and the factors associated with Bedouin-Arab PHC utilization.

  13. Counseling Gifted Women: Becoming the Heroes of Our Own Stories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noble, Kathleen D.

    1989-01-01

    Many gifted women are unaware of or ambivalent about their potential, due to interpersonal obstacles, socio-cultural barriers, and intrapersonal factors. Guidelines and resources are offered for counseling gifted women to recognize and externalize cultural and familial devaluation and to envision new possibilities for personal fulfillment.…

  14. Higher Education for Women in Postwar America, 1945-1965

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eisenmann, Linda

    2006-01-01

    This history explores the nature of postwar advocacy for women's higher education, acknowledging its unique relationship to the expectations of the era and recognizing its particular type of adaptive activism. Linda Eisenmann illuminates the impact of this advocacy in the postwar era, identifying a link between women's activism during World War II…

  15. Recognizing Bedside Events Using Thermal and Ultrasonic Readings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danielsen Asbjørn

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Falls in homes of the elderly, in residential care facilities and in hospitals commonly occur in close proximity to the bed. Most approaches for recognizing falls use cameras, which challenge privacy, or sensor devices attached to the bed or the body to recognize bedside events and bedside falls. We use data collected from a ceiling mounted 80 × 60 thermal array combined with an ultrasonic sensor device. This approach makes it possible to monitor activity while preserving privacy in a non-intrusive manner. We evaluate three different approaches towards recognizing location and posture of an individual. Bedside events are recognized using a 10-second floating image rule/filter-based approach, recognizing bedside falls with 98.62% accuracy. Bed-entry and exit events are recognized with 98.66% and 96.73% accuracy, respectively.

  16. Women's health: selected topics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoorob, Roger J; Sidani, Mohamad; Williams, Jamila; Grief, Samuel N

    2010-06-01

    Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies have become increasingly popular for the treatment of a variety of conditions. The World Health Organization has recognized the value of traditional healing techniques, which are classified as CAM, for 30 years. In the United States nearly 50% of women use CAM for common medical conditions, significantly more than men. This pattern is frequently seen in the treatment of women's health conditions such as infertility, premenstrual syndrome, and menopause. This article provides an integrative approach for conditions commonly encountered in the primary care setting among women, discusses alternative therapies used to treat these health conditions, and provides an evidence-based summary of recommendations based on a review of the literature. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Intimate Partner Violence against Older Women in Germany: Prevalence and Associated Factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stockl, Heidi; Watts, Charlotte; Penhale, Bridget

    2012-01-01

    Violence against women is a recognized human rights and public health issue, with significant impacts on women's life and health. Until now, several studies, most of them relying on small scale samples, have explored the prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence against older women, whereas few have examined what actually puts…

  18. Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of trypsin inhibitors isolated from seeds of Cucurbitaceae plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sobczyk, K.; Markley, J.L.

    1986-01-01

    Two-dimensional NMR techniques were used to assign individual protons in two trypsin inhibitors isolated from squash seeds (Cucurbita maxima and C. pepo). The assignments of 1 H NMR signals from these unusually small proteins (29 amino acid residues) were based entirely on the sequences of the proteins plus the analysis of data from two-dimensional 1 H{ 1 H} chemical shift correlation spectroscopy (COSY), relayed COSY, and nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY). The pH dependence (pH range 1 to 12) of NMR chemical shifts has been analyzed in detail. The complex pH titration profiles exhibited by the 1 H peaks of His-25 and Tyr-27 may be interpreted in terms of side-chain interactions between these residues. The protons of Gly-26 demonstrate a well-resolved AB spin system. These results suggest that this region of the protein has restricted conformational freedom. The kinetics of amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange were measured as a function of pH. The exchange rate for all amide hydrogens is governed by acid/base catalysis

  19. Effect of irradiation and germination on trypsin inhibitor and protein content of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sattar, A.; Atta, S.; Akhtar, M.A.

    1990-01-01

    Effect of irradiation (0.005-0.20 kGy) and subsequent germination on trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA) and protein content of chickpea, was studied. The results revealed a significant linear relation (r = -0.981 to -0.992) between the loss of TIA and germination time, and the rate of TIA destruction increased with irradiation dose (p < 0.05). Maximum destruction (43.8%) of the TIA occurred on germination for 120 hr of 0.20 kGy sample (from 330.0 to 185.3 TIU/g). Initially protein content was 21.7% and the value significantly increased to maximum levels of 27.5% and 27.9% in distilled and tap water respectively during germination for 120 hr of 0.10 kGy sample (p < 0.05). Protein contents were not affected by irradiation

  20. Vitamin D status in Moroccan pregnant women and newborns ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Introduction: vitamin D insufficiency to pregnant women has been associated with a number of adverse consequences, and has been recognized as a public health concern. The aim of this study was to evaluate vitamin D status of Morrocan pregnant women and their newborns. Our study is being the first of its kind in ...

  1. Women's work in Guatemala.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonder, Bette R; Bazyk, Susan; Reilly, Bridget; Toyota, Jan

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to describe women's work in Maya communities in the Guatemala Highlands, along with some of the trends accompanying the rapid societal change there. Over the course of six years, observations and interviews focused on two specific groups of women. The first were traditional, home-based women, the second, teachers in a primary school. Resulting transcripts and field notes were analyzed by the researchers to identify themes related to the women's perspectives on work, the patterns of their work activities, and the importance of work in their lives. Women who had been interviewed were asked to reflect on the themes identified. All the women engaged in paid work activities and were responsible for obligatory tasks in the home. The traditional group preserved the tradition of weaving, but remained largely illiterate, while the emerging group was literate, but did not learn to weave. Cultural change is both positive and negative, as described by these women. It is important to understand the particular values of the culture, and to recognize that these may not conform to Western (that is to say U.S.) beliefs and practices.

  2. FDA Recognized Consensus Standards

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — This database consists of those national and international standards recognized by FDA which manufacturers can declare conformity to and is part of the information...

  3. Kinetic intermediates en route to the final serpin-protease complex: studies of complexes of α1-protease inhibitor with trypsin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maddur, Ashoka A; Swanson, Richard; Izaguirre, Gonzalo; Gettins, Peter G W; Olson, Steven T

    2013-11-01

    Serpin protein protease inhibitors inactivate their target proteases through a unique mechanism in which a major serpin conformational change, resulting in a 70-Å translocation of the protease from its initial reactive center loop docking site to the opposite pole of the serpin, kinetically traps the acyl-intermediate complex. Although the initial Michaelis and final trapped acyl-intermediate complexes have been well characterized structurally, the intermediate stages involved in this remarkable transformation are not well understood. To better characterize such intermediate steps, we undertook rapid kinetic studies of the FRET and fluorescence perturbation changes of site-specific fluorophore-labeled derivatives of the serpin, α1-protease inhibitor (α1PI), which report the serpin and protease conformational changes involved in transforming the Michaelis complex to the trapped acyl-intermediate complex in reactions with trypsin. Two kinetically resolvable conformational changes were observed in the reactions, ascribable to (i) serpin reactive center loop insertion into sheet A with full protease translocation but incomplete protease distortion followed by, (ii) full conformational distortion and movement of the protease and coupled serpin conformational changes involving the F helix-sheet A interface. Kinetic studies of calcium effects on the labeled α1PI-trypsin reactions demonstrated both inactive and low activity states of the distorted protease in the final complex that were distinct from the intermediate distorted state. These studies provide new insights into the nature of the serpin and protease conformational changes involved in trapping the acyl-intermediate complex in serpin-protease reactions and support a previously proposed role for helix F in the trapping mechanism.

  4. How Federal Government Policies Have Helped Women Earn College Degrees?

    OpenAIRE

    Rose, Deondra

    2014-01-01

    Scholars have long recognized that higher education brings knowledge and skills that translate into economic gains and enhanced political engagement, but little attention has been paid to the shifting impact of U.S. policies on college attendance by men and women. Once a male bastion, American higher education has become much more welcoming to women since the mid twentieth century. Starting in 1981, women earned the majority of bachelor’s degrees, and by 2003 U.S. colleges enrolled 1.3 women ...

  5. Iron Deficiency without Anemia: A Common Yet Under-Recognized Diagnosis in Young Women with Heavy Menstrual Bleeding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Stephen; Lang, Abigail; Sturm, Mollie; O'Brien, Sarah H

    2016-12-01

    To assess the proportion of iron deficiency that is not detected with a screening hemoglobin or complete blood count (CBC) alone in young women with heavy menstrual bleeding. Retrospective review of electronic medical records. Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. One hundred fourteen young women aged 9-19 years consecutively referred to a young women's hematology clinic with a complaint of heavy menstrual bleeding. Fifty-eight (50.9%) of all patients had ferritin iron deficiency. Of the 58 patients with iron deficiency, only 24 (41.4%) were anemic and 25 (46.3%) were microcytic. The sensitivity of hemoglobin alone and CBC alone for identifying women with ferritin iron deficiency if they were overweight or obese (odds ratio, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.25-6.29) compared with patients with normal body mass index. Age at presentation for heavy menstrual bleeding, presence of an underlying bleeding disorder, and median household income were not significantly associated with iron deficiency. In adolescents with heavy menstrual bleeding, fewer than half of iron deficiency cases are detected when screening is performed with hemoglobin or blood count alone. Measuring ferritin levels in at-risk patients might allow for earlier implementation of iron therapy and improvement in symptoms. Copyright © 2016 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. 46 CFR 42.05-60 - Recognized classification society.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Recognized classification society. 42.05-60 Section 42... FOREIGN VOYAGES BY SEA Definition of Terms Used in This Subchapter § 42.05-60 Recognized classification society. The term recognized classification society means the American Bureau of Shipping or other...

  7. 46 CFR 90.10-35 - Recognized classification society.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Recognized classification society. 90.10-35 Section 90... VESSELS GENERAL PROVISIONS Definition of Terms Used in This Subchapter § 90.10-35 Recognized classification society. The term recognized classification society means the American Bureau of Shipping or other...

  8. Two-dimensional NMR studies of squash family inhibitors. Sequence-specific proton assignments and secondary structure of reactive-site hydrolyzed Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krisnamoorthi, R.; Yuxi Gong; Chanlan Sun Lin (Kansas State Univ., Manhattan (United States)); VanderVelde, D. (Univ. of Kansas, Lawrence (United States))

    1992-01-28

    The solution structure of reactive-site hydrolyzed Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III (CMTI-III*) was investigated by two-dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance (2D NMR) spectroscopy. CMTI-III*, prepared by reacting CMTI-III with trypsin which cleaved the Arg5-Ile6 peptide bond, had the two fragments held together by a disulfide linkage. Sequence-specific {sup 1}H NMR resonance assignments were made for all the 29 amino acid residues of the protein. The secondary structure of CMTI-III*, as deduced from NOESY cross peaks and identification of slowly exchanging hydrogens, contains two turns, a 3{sub 10}-helix, and a triple-stranded {beta}-sheet. Sequential proton assignments were also made for the virgin inhibitor, CMTI-III, at pH 4.71, 30C. Comparison of backbone hydrogen chemical shifts of CMTI-III and CMTI-III* revealed significant changes for residues located far away from the reactive-site region as well as for those located near it, indicating tertiary structural changes that are transmitted through most of the 29 residues of the inhibitor protein. These chemical shift changes were relatively small compared to changes that occurred upon hydrolysis of the reactive-site peptide bond between Arg 5 and Ile6 in CMTI-III.

  9. Envisioning Women-Centered HIV Care: Perspectives from Women Living with HIV in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Nadia; Greene, Saara; Carter, Allison; Lewis, Johanna; Nicholson, Valerie; Kwaramba, Gladys; Ménard, Brigitte; Kaufman, Elaina; Ennabil, Nourane; Andersson, Neil; Loutfy, Mona; de Pokomandy, Alexandra; Kaida, Angela

    Women comprise nearly one-quarter of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Canada. Compared with men, women living with HIV experience inequities in HIV care and health outcomes, prompting a need for gendered and tailored approaches to HIV care. Peer and academic researchers from the Canadian HIV Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study conducted focus groups to understand women's experience of seeking care, with the purpose of identifying key characteristics that define a women-centered approach to HIV care. Eleven focus groups were conducted with 77 women living with HIV across Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia, Canada. Women envisioned three central characteristics of women-centered HIV care, including i) coordinated and integrated services that address both HIV and women's health care priorities, and protect against exclusion from care due to HIV-related stigma, ii) care that recognizes and responds to structural barriers that limit women's access to care, such as violence, poverty, motherhood, HIV-related stigma, and challenges to safe disclosure, and iii) care that fosters peer support and peer leadership in its design and delivery to honor the diversity of women's experiences, overcome women's isolation, and prioritize women's ownership over the decisions that affect their lives. Despite advances in HIV treatment and care, the current care landscape is inadequate to meet women's comprehensive care needs. A women-centered approach to HIV care, as envisioned by women living with HIV, is central to guiding policy and practice to improve care and outcomes for women living with HIV in Canada. Copyright © 2017 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Women and AIDS: introduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krieger, N; Margo, G

    1991-01-01

    Around the world, more and more women--principally poor women of color--are being diagnosed with and are dying of AIDS, the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Yet, effective and appropriate prevention programs for women are sorely missing from the global program to control AIDS. To help us understand why this gap exists, and what we must do to close it, the three articles in this issue focus on women and AIDS. Examining the situation in such countries as Zimbabwe and South Africa, as well as in other economically underdeveloped and developed regions, the authors argue that women with the least control over their bodies and their lives are at greatest risk of acquiring AIDS. For example, the high rate of infection among women in Africa cannot be understood apart from the legacy of colonialism (including land expropriation and the forced introduction of a migrant labor system) and the insidious combination of traditional and European patriarchal values. Only by recognizing the socioeconomic and cultural determinants of both disease and sexual behavior, and only by incorporating these insights into our AIDS prevention programs, will we be able to curb the spread of this lethal disease.

  11. Stennis observes Women's History Month

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    NASA John C. Stennis Space Center employees observed Women's History Month on March 17 with a panel discussion that featured accomplished women of the facility. The gathering featured (l to r): Pam Covington, manager of the NASA Office of External Affairs at Stennis; Mary Jones, assistant chief of staff with the Navy Meterology & Oceanography Command; and Lauren Underwood, senior research scientist with Science Systems and Applications, Inc. In addition to the panel discussion, the Stennis Diversity Council and Patriot Technologies also hosted a pair of 'lunch-and-learn' sessions focused on women's issues and history. The luncheons featured videos on Sally Hemings, the slave widely recognized as the mistress of President Thomas Jefferson; and several mothers of U.S. presidents.

  12. Child abuse in the context of intimate partner violence against women: the impact of women's depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms on maternal behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boeckel, Mariana G; Blasco-Ros, Concepción; Grassi-Oliveira, Rodrigo; Martínez, Manuela

    2014-05-01

    Intimate male partner violence against women has been recognized as an important public health problem, with a high impact on women's mental health, including depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. However, fathers who have been involved in intimate partner violence (IPV) have an increased probability of being violent toward their children. The aim of this study was to assess the relation between the mental health status of abused women, their partner's violence toward the children, and their maternal behavior.

  13. Gender Discrimination and Women's Development in India

    OpenAIRE

    sivakumar, marimuthu

    2008-01-01

    Gender is a common term where as gender discrimination is meant only for women, because females are the only victims of gender discrimination. Females are nearly 50 percent of the total population but their representation in public life is very low. Recognizing women’s right and believing their ability are essential for women’s empowerment and development. This study deals with gender discrimination in India, its various forms and its causes. Importance of women in development, legislation...

  14. Recruiting women smokers: the engineering of consent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandt, A M

    1996-01-01

    A range of social forces contributed to the effective recruitment of women to cigarette smoking in the crucial period between 1900 and 1940. Cigarette advertisers and public relations experts recognized the significance of women's changing roles and the rising culture of consumption, and worked to create specific meanings for the cigarette to make it appeal to women. The cigarette was a flexible symbol, with a remarkably elastic set of meanings; for women, it represented rebellious independence, glamour, seduction, and sexual allure, and served as a symbol for both feminists and flappers. The industry, with the help of advertisers and public relations experts, effectively engineered consent for women as smokers. The "engineering of consent" has a role to play in smoking cessation, since negative meanings for the cigarette can be engineered as well.

  15. Cloning and chromosomal assignment of a human cDNA encoding a T cell- and natural killer cell-specific trypsin-like serine protease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gershenfeld, H.K.; Hershberger, R.J.; Shows, T.B.; Weissman, I.L.

    1988-01-01

    A cDNA clone encoding a human T cell- and natural killer cell-specific serine protease was obtained by screening a phage λgt10 cDNA library from phytohemagglutinin-stimulated human peripheral blood lymphocytes with the mouse Hanukah factor cDNA clone. In an RNA blot-hybridization analysis, this human Hanukah factor cDNA hybridized with a 1.3-kilobase band in allogeneic-stimulated cytotoxic T cells and the Jurkat cell line, but this transcript was not detectable in normal muscle, liver, tonsil, or thymus. By dot-blot hybridization, this cDNA hybridized with RNA from three cytolytic T-cell clones and three noncytolytic T-cell clones grown in vitro as well as with purified CD16 + natural killer cells and CD3 + , CD16 - T-cell large granular lymphocytes from peripheral blood lymphocytes (CD = cluster designation). The nucleotide sequence of this cDNA clone encodes a predicted serine protease of 262 amino acids. The active enzyme is 71% and 77% similar to the mouse sequence at the amino acid and DNA level, respectively. The human and mouse sequences conserve the active site residues of serine proteases--the trypsin-specific Asp-189 and all 10 cysteine residues. The gene for the human Hanukah factor serine protease is located on human chromosome 5. The authors propose that this trypsin-like serine protease may function as a common component necessary for lysis of target cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells

  16. Assessment of Factors Affecting the Performance of Women Entrepreneurs in MSE in Polosara District of Ganjam, Odisha

    OpenAIRE

    Satyajit Roy; Priyanka Tripathy; P. K. Tripathy

    2017-01-01

    Entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as an important driver of economic growth, productivity, innovation and employment, and it is widely accepted as a key aspect of economic dynamism. Entrepreneur is the key factor of entrepreneurship and now women have been recognized as successful entrepreneurs as they have qualities desirable and relevant for entrepreneurship development. Entrepreneurship is a more suitable profession for women than regular employment in public and private sectors ...

  17. Perspectives on Violence Against Women: A Study of United States Nursing Textbooks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price-Glynn, Kim; Missari, Stacy

    2017-03-01

    This study examines conceptualizations of violence against women in U.S. nursing textbooks published from 1995 to 2005. Framing this pivotal decade, the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was passed and renewed. The American Nurses Association, the National League for Nursing, and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing also recognized violence against women as a health care priority. Sampling 107 generalist nursing textbooks from 1995 to 2005, the current study analyzes textbook terminologies, arguments, and protocols. Textbooks including violence were empirically tested for their application of gender neutral, symmetrical, and asymmetrical theoretical frameworks. Over 40% of generalist textbooks did not mention violence against women. Despite the VAWA in 1994 and broad recognition across national nursing organizations, textbooks did not change with regard to their treatment of violence over the next decade. The frameworks that nursing textbooks use may foster challenges for nurses in recognizing, supporting, and assisting women who are victims/survivors of violence. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(3):164-169.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

  18. Fish skin gelatin hydrolysates produced by visceral peptidase and bovine trypsin: Bioactivity and stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ketnawa, Sunantha; Benjakul, Soottawat; Martínez-Alvarez, Oscar; Rawdkuen, Saroat

    2017-01-15

    The peptidase from the viscera of farmed giant catfish was used for producing gelatin hydrolysates (HG) and compared with those produced from commercial bovine trypsin (HB). The degree of hydrolysis (DH) observed suggests that proteolytic cleavage rapidly occurred within the first 120min of incubation, and there was higher DH in HG than in HB. HG demonstrated the highest ACE-inhibitory activity, DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activity, and FRAP. HB showed the highest FRAP activity. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of HG was quite stable over the pH range of 1-11, but it increased slightly when the heating duration time reached 240min at 100°C. The ACE-inhibitory activity of HG showed the highest stability at a pH of 7, and it remained very stable at 100°C for over 15-240min. The visceral peptidase from farmed giant catfish could be an alternative protease for generating protein hydrolysates with desirable bioactivities. The resulting hydrolysates showed good stability, making them potential functional ingredients for food formulations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Women's Economic Rights and Entitlement on Separation and ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The courts have yet to recognize the productive nature of housework and acknowledge ... The only right that deserted, divorced or separated women have under Indian law is the right to maintenance for themselves and their ... Total funding.

  20. 26 CFR 1.1374-2 - Net recognized built-in gain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 11 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Net recognized built-in gain. 1.1374-2 Section 1...-in gain. (a) In general. An S corporation's net recognized built-in gain for any taxable year is the... considering only its recognized built-in gain, recognized built-in loss, and recognized built-in gain...

  1. 35 Years of Experience From the American Association for Women Radiologists: Increasing the Visibility of Women in Radiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spalluto, Lucy B; Arleo, Elizabeth K; Macura, Katarzyna J; Rumack, Carol M

    2017-03-01

    Women radiologists remain in minority, unchanged for the past several decades. In 1981, the American Association for Women Radiologists (AAWR) was founded to address the problems that women radiologists were experiencing in being subordinate to male radiologists in the workplace and at the national level in organizations with respect to political power and financial compensation, as well as additional issues unique to women in radiology. The AAWR defined goals to meet the needs of women in radiology: improve the visibility of women radiologists, advance the professional and academic standing of women in radiology, and identify and address issues faced by women in radiology. AAWR efforts have included providing opportunities for career development and award recognition, hosting educational programs at national meetings, and publishing numerous manuscripts on issues faced by women in radiology. The AAWR recognizes that although there has been significant progress in the standing of women in radiology over the past 35 years, there is much room for improvement. The AAWR will continue to advocate for the needs of women in radiology. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Spain. Women in the world.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galindo, E; Serrano, N

    1994-08-01

    Spanish women live almost 2 times longer today than did their great grandmothers (60-65 years vs. 35). Contraception is more accessible, resulting in fewer pregnancies and their complications. The National Health Service of Spain provides women and their families medical care. Yet, women's health risks continue. Class, race, and geography result in women having uneven access to medical care. Primary health care services are not a priority as are high- technology hospitals. Women, who already lead a busy life, still care for older people or people with disabilities. Many households have a very limited or no income and depend on welfare benefits or family. There are more women than men who are poor because women, many of whom are single, are raising large families and many live alone. Women are often the victims of violence and of domestic abuse (1993, 86 violent deaths and 200,000 cases of abuse by a partner). Spain has laws that protect women facing divorce and that allow abortion, but men have created the world order. Women suffer daily in a world which does not recognize rape and sexual harassment as war crimes (e.g., former Yugoslavia). In Seville, the Solidarity Network of Women in Black is a pacifist group working to stop violence. They plan on setting up links to publicly denounce and act against all aggression and to institutionalize women's right to full freedom. War is destroying women's lives.

  3. Organizational Informatization and Promoting the Active Participation of Women in the Workplace (Japanese)

    OpenAIRE

    USHIO Naomi; SHIMURA Kotaro

    2014-01-01

    There still has not been sufficient promotion of the active participation of women in the workplace in Japan. The main factors behind this situation are a uniform view of women and the failure to adopt a stance of inclusion. Accordingly, there is a need to establish the following systems and culture in order to promote the active participation of women in the workplace: (1) Recognize that "women" are composed of a diverse range of different individuals; and (2) Accept the diversity of women, ...

  4. The Status of Women in Physics in the U.S.: Progress and New Actions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Aihua

    2005-10-01

    The 2005 Chair of the American Physical Society Committee on the Status of Women in Physics describes the committee's recent activities to recognize distinguished women physicists, improve the climate for women in physics, and provide leadership training for women in physics. The committee's response to the Harvard University president's suggestion of innate gender differences as regards women's representation in math and science is also discussed, as well as some encouraging developments in the status of women in physics in the U.S.

  5. The Evolution of Women's Roles within the University and the Workplace

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webb, Joyce G.

    2010-01-01

    On April 20, 2010, United States President Barack Obama issued a proclamation declaring National Equal Pay Day. In the proclamation it was recognized that despite years of progress in the workforce, women are still not paid as much as men. The proclamation states: Throughout our Nation's history, extraordinary women have broken barriers to achieve…

  6. Violence against women: the physician's role.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmuel, E; Schenker, J G

    1998-10-01

    Violence against women is one reflection of the unequal power relationship between men and women in societies. Reflections of this inequality include marriage at a very young age, lack of information or choice about fertility control and forced pregnancy within marriage. The different forms of violence against women are: domestic violence and rape, genital mutilation or, gender-based violence by police and security forces, gender-based violence against women during armed conflict, gender-based violence against women refugees and asylum-seekers, violence associated with prostitution and pornography, violence in the workplace, including sexual harassment. Violence against women is condemned, whether it occurs in a societal setting or a domestic setting. It is not a private or family matter. The FIGO Committee for the Study of Ethical Aspects of Human Reproduction released statements to physicians treating women on this issue. Physicians are ethically obliged to inform themselves about the manifestations of violence and recognize cases, to treat the physical and psychological results of violence, to affirm to their patients that violent acts toward them are not acceptable and to advocate for social infrastructures to provide women the choice of seeking secure refuge and ongoing counselling.

  7. Out of the mire: faulkner's dualistic vision of women Out of the mire: faulkner's dualistic vision of women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gail L. Mortimer

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Critics of Faulkner have long recognized that his characterizations of women tend to reflect a mythic or primitive imagination. Rather than being fully rounded figures, his female characters are often stereotypes, incarnations of such qualities as fecundity, ideal beauty, serenity, sexual desire, death, or evil. Because we view them only through the (often troubled consciousness of his male characters and narrators, these characters attain a degree of reality determined by the quality of the male's awareness that they exist, and they embody characteristics that are essentially projections based on his own needs and anxieties. It is often not possible to determine whether particular perceptions of women should be assumed to be true only for the fictional character or for Faulkner as well. Critics of Faulkner have long recognized that his characterizations of women tend to reflect a mythic or primitive imagination. Rather than being fully rounded figures, his female characters are often stereotypes, incarnations of such qualities as fecundity, ideal beauty, serenity, sexual desire, death, or evil. Because we view them only through the (often troubled consciousness of his male characters and narrators, these characters attain a degree of reality determined by the quality of the male's awareness that they exist, and they embody characteristics that are essentially projections based on his own needs and anxieties. It is often not possible to determine whether particular perceptions of women should be assumed to be true only for the fictional character or for Faulkner as well.

  8. Differential modulation of binding loop flexibility and stability by Arg50 and Arg52 in Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor-V deduced by trypsin-catalyzed hydrolysis and NMR spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, M; Huang, Y; Prakash, O; Wen, L; Dunkelbarger, S P; Huang, J K; Liu, J; Krishnamoorthi, R

    1996-04-16

    The side chains of Arg50 and Arg52 iin Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor-V (CMTI-V) anchor the binding loop to the scaffold region [Cai, M., Gong, Y., Kao, J.L-F., & Krishnamoorthi, R. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 5201-5211]. The consequences of these hydrogen-bonding and electrostatic interactions on the conformational flexibility and stability of the binding loop were evaluated by trypsin-catalyzed hydrolysis of CMTI-V mutants, in which each of the arginines was individually replaced with Ala, Lys, or Gln by genetic engineering methods. All mutants exhibited significantly increased vulnerability to the protease attack at many sites, including the reactive-site (Lys44-Asp45 peptide bond), with the R50 mutants showing much more pronounced effects than the R52 counterparts. For CmTI-V and the mutants studied, a qualitative correlation was inferred between binding loop flexibility and retention time on a reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography C-18 column. The R50 mutants were found to be more flexible than the corresponding R52 versions. These results demonstrate that Arg50 contributes more to the stability and function of CMTI-V. The differing strengths of the hydrogen bonds made by Arg50 and Arg52 were characterized by determining the internal dynamics of their side chains at pH 5.0 and 2.5: 15N NMR longitudinal and transverse relaxation rates and 15N-1H nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) enhancements were measured for the main-chain and side-chain NH groups in 15N-labeled recombinant CMTI-V (rCMTI-V) and the model-free parameters [Lipari, G., & Szabo, A.(1982) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 104, 4546-59; 4559-4570] were calculated. At both pH 5.0 and 2.5, the arginines at positions 26, 47, 58 and 66 are found to be highly mobile, as the caluculated general order parameters, S2 values, of their NepsilonH groups fall in the range 0.03-0.18. The corresponding values for Arg50 amd Arg52 are 0.73 and 0.63, respectively, at pH 5.0, thus confirming that the two arginines are

  9. Women as Mendelians and Geneticists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richmond, Marsha L.

    2015-01-01

    After the rediscovery of Mendel's laws of heredity in 1900, the biologists who began studying heredity, variation, and evolution using the new Mendelian methodology—performing controlled hybrid crosses and statistically analyzing progeny to note the factorial basis of characters—made great progress. By 1910, the validity of Mendelism was widely recognized and the field William Bateson christened `genetics' was complemented by the chromosome theory of heredity of T. H. Morgan and his group in the United States. Historians, however, have largely overlooked an important factor in the early establishment of Mendelism and genetics: the large number of women who contributed to the various research groups. This article examines the social, economic, and disciplinary context behind this new wave of women's participation in science and describes the work of women Mendelians and geneticists employed at three leading experimental research institutes, 1900-1940. It argues that the key to more women working in science was the access to higher education and the receptivity of emerging interdisciplinary fields such as genetics to utilize the expertise of women workers, which not only advanced the discipline but also provided new opportunities for women's employment in science.

  10. Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Buckwheat Protein Isolates with Different Polyphenolic Content Modified by Limited Hydrolysis with Trypsin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao-Yan Wang

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Effects of limited hydrolysis with trypsin on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of buckwheat protein isolates (BPIs obtained with untreated and 2-propanol-extracted meal have been investigated and compared. The dephenolization treatment significantly improved the hydrolysis of BPI, which resulted in the gradual decrease in total and protein-bound polyphenolic content, but an increase in the free polyphenolic content. The hydrolysis of globulins was much easier than that of the albumins. The removal of polyphenols improved the hydrolysis of the albumin fraction. The modified BPIs with high polyphenolic content exhibited much higher DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power, but poorer ferrous ion chelating ability than those with low polyphenolic content. These results suggest that the limited hydrolysis is suitable for modification of the properties of buckwheat proteins.

  11. Failure to recognize preoperatively high-risk endometrial carcinoma is associated with a poor outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Cello, Annalisa; Rania, Erika; Zuccalà, Valeria; Venturella, Roberta; Mocciaro, Rita; Zullo, Fulvio; Morelli, Michele

    2015-11-01

    To evaluate the misdiagnosis between endometrial biopsy and definitive surgical pathology and to assess whether the failure in recognizing preoperatively high-risk endometrial carcinoma (EC) can impact oncological outcomes. A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate patients with EC diagnosed by preoperative endometrial biopsy who subsequently underwent surgical staging between 2006 and 2013 at our institution. In patients with a surgical diagnosis of high-risk EC, histotype and grade change between the endometrial biopsy and surgical specimen (discordance diagnosis) were evaluated and correlated to survival outcomes. Cox's regression model for multivariable analysis was used to evaluate the effect of several variables (age, stage, discordance in diagnosis, co-morbidities, frozen section, extensive surgical staging and adjuvant chemotherapy) on the survival rate. Data from 447 patients were reviewed. Among 109 women with surgical diagnosis of high-risk EC, 35 (32.1%) were preoperatively misdiagnosed. Of these 35 women, 24 (68.6%) cases were upgraded to grade 3, and 11 (3.4%) were upgraded to serous or clear cell type in the definitive specimen. The 5-year overall survival (OS; 70.2 vs. 86.8%; p=0.029), disease-specific survival (DSS; 72.5 vs. 88.2%; p=0.039) and recurrence free survival (RFS; 62.6 vs. 82.5%; p=0.024) were significantly lower in the high-risk EC patients who were preoperatively undiagnosed in the endometrial biopsy compared with patients with an appropriate preoperative histological diagnosis. Controlling for age, stage, co-morbidities, frozen section, extensive surgical staging and adjuvant chemotherapy, multivariable analysis revealed that discordance in diagnosis was associated with poorer survival outcomes. Failure to recognize preoperatively high-risk ECs is associated with worse outcomes. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Free-Choice Learning Suited to Women's Participation Needs in Environmental Decision-Making Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skanavis, Constantina; Sakellari, Maria

    2012-01-01

    United Nations mandates recognize the need to promote the full participation of women in environmental decision-making processes on the basis of gender equality. But, there remains a profound lack of effective women's participation in some sectors of environmental decision-making. Free-choice environmental learning offers an effective educational…

  13. Recognizing, Confronting, and Eliminating Workplace Bullying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, Peggy Ann; Gillespie, Gordon L; Fisher, Bonnie S; Gormley, Denise K

    2016-07-01

    Workplace bullying (WPB) behaviors negatively affect nurse productivity, satisfaction, and retention, and hinder safe patient care. The purpose of this article is to define WPB, differentiate between incivility and WPB, and recommend actions to prevent WPB behaviors. Informed occupational and environmental health nurses and nurse leaders must recognize, confront, and eliminate WPB in their facilities and organizations. Recognizing, confronting, and eliminating WPB behaviors in health care is a crucial first step toward sustained improvements in patient care quality and the health and safety of health care employees. © 2016 The Author(s).

  14. Recognizing textual entailment models and applications

    CERN Document Server

    Dagan, Ido; Sammons, Mark

    2013-01-01

    In the last few years, a number of NLP researchers have developed and participated in the task of Recognizing Textual Entailment (RTE). This task encapsulates Natural Language Understanding capabilities within a very simple interface: recognizing when the meaning of a text snippet is contained in the meaning of a second piece of text. This simple abstraction of an exceedingly complex problem has broad appeal partly because it can be conceived also as a component in other NLP applications, from Machine Translation to Semantic Search to Information Extraction. It also avoids commitment to any sp

  15. Synthesis of a wild-type and three mutant Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor-encoding genes by a single-strand approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Botes, D P; Qobose, M D; Corfield, V A

    1991-09-15

    A single-strand approach to gene assembly, based on a modification of an in vitro complementary oligodeoxyribonucleotide template-directed ligation of the desired sequence to a linearized vector [Chen et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 18 (1990) 871-878], is described. The gene coding for the wild-type Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor of 29 amino acid residues [Bode et al., FEBS Lett. 242 (1989) 285-292], as well as three mutant forms of the gene, in which two of the three disulfide bonds have been replaced singly or as a pair, have been synthesized in a single synthesis run with minimal manual intervention. Subsequent to ligation to pUC9 and in vivo gapped duplex repair by Escherichia coli, their sequences have been verified.

  16. Affirmative action and the Black women in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serote, P

    1994-02-01

    An overview was given of how affirmative action for Blacks and women in South Africa in fact marginalizes Black women. The definition of the problem influences the solution; affirmative action obscures the complex nature of discrimination experienced by Black women by class, role, and culture and focuses only on gender and race. Secondly, the power of White women and Black men supercede the power of Black women. Apartheid benefitted White women over Black men. Affirmative action, as shifting power between groups, would solidify White women's power. The debates have taken place within university and academic contexts, a place where Black women have been excluded and the dominant groups are White men, followed by White women, and then Black men. The debate in the private sector also is devoid of Black women's voices; multinationals began to hire and train Black male managers, and there was criticism that standards were falling. Recruitment of Black women is unknown, but only 1.1% of managers are Black. Visibility within the academic and private sector debates has excluded Black women. In the articulation of ideas, most literature has been written by White men. The intersection of power and privilege belongs to males and White women as part of the larger dominant ideology. Black women's marginalization means their issues will not be addressed. The people who stand to benefit the most from affirmative action are those who are in need of improved living conditions, literacy, and employment, or those excluded from jobs and position in spite of being qualified. Black women without a societal power base have no bargaining power. To insure that Black women benefit, there is need to treat Black women as a distinctive group with priority. There is also a need to examine the myths that have been spun around Black women, their needs, abilities, and controlling images. There is a need to integrate Black womens ideas into the mainstream and recognize that maybe Black women need

  17. Effect of enzyme location on activity and stability of trypsin and urease immobilized on porous membranes by using layer-by-layer self-assembly of polyelectrolyte

    OpenAIRE

    Guedidi, Sadika; Yürekli, Yılmaz; Deratani, André; Déjardin, Philippe; Innocent, Christophe; Altınkaya, Sacide; Roudesli, Sadok; Yemenicioğlu, Ahmet

    2010-01-01

    The layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly of polyelectrolyte is one of the simplest ways to immobilize enzyme on membrane. In this paper, the immobilization of trypsin (TRY) and urease (URE) on polyacrylonitrile based membranes using the LbL assembly technique was presented. The studied systems consisted in bilayered assemblies with the enzyme layer as the outer layer and trilayered assemblies with the enzyme layer as the inner sandwiched layer. The membrane pore size was chosen so that the smal...

  18. 76 FR 33419 - Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-08

    ... 232, 240, 249, et al. Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations; Proposed Rule #0;#0...-11] RIN 3235-AL15 Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations AGENCY: Securities and... rating organizations (``NRSROs''). In addition, in accordance with the Dodd-Frank Act, the Commission is...

  19. Sero-epidemiology of Toxoplasmosis among Pregnant Women in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    Background: The objective of this study was to determine the sero-prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and ... Conclusion: A significant proportion of pregnant women have been exposed to Toxoplasma gondii, with the ..... observation that food-borne transmission of T. gondii is increasingly recognized as a potentially.

  20. Recognizing Body Dysmorphic Disorder (Dysmorphophobia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varma, Anukriti; Rastogi, Rajesh

    2015-01-01

    Dysmorphophobia is a psychiatric condition which frequently presents in the clinics of dermatologists and plastic surgeons. This disorder (also called body dysmorphic disorder) is troublesome to the patient whilst being confusing for the doctor. This commonly undiagnosed condition can be detected by a few simple steps. Timely referral to a psychiatrist benefits most patients suffering from it. This article describes with a case vignette, how to recognize body dysmorphic disorder presenting in the dermatological or aesthetic surgery set up. Diagnostic criteria, eitiology, approach to patient, management strategy and when to refer are important learning points. The importance of recognizing this disorder timely and referring the patient to the psychiatrist for appropriate treatment is crucial. This article covers all aspects of body dysmorphic disorder relevant to dermatologists and plastic surgeons and hopes to be useful in a better understanding of this disorder. PMID:26644741

  1. 46 CFR 188.10-59 - Recognized classification society.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Recognized classification society. 188.10-59 Section 188... VESSELS GENERAL PROVISIONS Definition of Terms Used in This Subchapter § 188.10-59 Recognized classification society. This term means the American Bureau of Shipping or other classification society...

  2. A trypsin inhibitor from Tecoma stans leaves inhibits growth and promotes ATP depletion and lipid peroxidation in Candida albicans and Candida krusei

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leydianne Leite de Siqueira Patriota

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Tecoma stans (yellow elder has shown medicinal properties and antimicrobial activity. Previous reports on antifungal activity of T. stans preparations and presence of trypsin inhibitor activity from T. stans leaves stimulated the investigation reported here. In this work, we proceeded to the purification and characterization of a trypsin inhibitor (TesTI, which was investigated for anti-Candida activity. Finally, in order to determine the potential of TesTI as a new natural chemotherapeutic product, its cytotoxicity to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs was evaluated. TesTI was isolated from saline extract by ammonium sulphate fractionation followed by ion exchange and gel filtration chromatographies. Antifungal activity was evaluated by determining the minimal inhibitory (MIC and fungicide (MFC concentrations using fungal cultures containing only yeast form or both yeast and hyphal forms. Candida cells treated with TesTI were evaluated for intracellular ATP levels and lipid peroxidation. Cytotoxicity of TesTI to PBMCs was evaluated by MTT assay. TesTI (39.8 kDa, pI 3.41, Ki 43 nM inhibited similarly the growth of both C. albicans and C. krusei culture types at MIC of 100 µg/mL. The MFCs were 200 µg/mL for C. albicans and C. krusei. Time-response curves revealed that TesTI (at MIC was more effective at inhibiting the replication of C. albicans cells. At MIC, TesTI promoted reduction of ATP levels and lipid peroxidation in the Candida cells, being not cytotoxic to PBMCs. In conclusion, TesTI is an antifungal agent against C. albicans and C. krusei, without toxicity to human cells.

  3. Domestic violence against women in Kersa, Oromia region, eastern Ethiopia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shanko, W.; Wolday, M.; Assefa, N.

    2013-01-01

    Intimate partner violence is common in rural areas of Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and prevalence of domestic violence among women in Kersa district of Oromia region and identify the types, perpetuators and triggers for violence. A community-based cross...... husbands. Ever experience of domestic violence among women was significantly related to Amhara ethnicity and age group 30-49 years. Only 33 (19.9%) women who ever experienced violence had reported it to the legal authorities. Women's reasons for failing to report to the legal system were not wanting......-sectional interview-based survey was conducted in 2008 on 858 women of reproductive age. Only 39.7% of women reported that they recognized that violence against women was a problem in their area. Ever experience of violence by an intimate partner was reported by 166 women (19.6%) and 70.3% of the perpetuators were...

  4. Selective review of age-related needs of women with schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seeman, Mary V; Gupta, Rina

    2015-04-01

    Recognizing that needs differ between men and women with schizophrenia and that they vary over time, this review attempts to categorize the needs that are relevant to younger and to older women. This is a selective literature review focusing on topic areas the two authors determined to be most germane to women with schizophrenia. Articles were selected on the basis of currency, comprehensiveness, and study design. Particular attention was paid to the voices of the women themselves. There is considerable overlap between the needs of younger and older women with schizophrenia, but as a general rule, younger women require preventive strategies to stop the escalation of illness while older women require recovery interventions to regain lost hopes and abilities. There is clinical utility in cataloguing the needs of younger and older women with schizophrenia and conceptualizing interventions according to gender and age rather than viewing needed services along purely diagnostic lines.

  5. China's women leaders promote quality and equity in family planning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, S

    1995-08-01

    In China, key policy-makers at the highest levels of government recognize that the success of the family planning (FP) program depends upon improving the status of Chinese women. The highest ranking female government official, Peng Peiyun, a State Councilor and the Minister of the State Family Planning (FP) Commission, has initiated a new policy of improving the quality of service in the FP program. She recognizes that women who are gainfully employed and control their income are less likely to desire large families. One aspect of the effort to improve quality involves training FP personnel in interpersonal communication and counseling skills. The results of a pilot training program show that clients are pleased with the new approach and that use of FP services has increased. The FP Commission is also experimenting with programs which integrate all the needs of women and their families (FP, credit availability, old age support) in rural areas. Traditionally, sons provided for their elderly parents, so families with only one daughter are concerned about old age provision. Thus, national efforts are underway to develop social security systems. In the meantime, women at all levels, from grassroots FP acceptors to FP staff members and researchers are the major contributors to the innovations which will allow China to control its population growth.

  6. A hidden HIV epidemic among women in Vietnam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tran Hien

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The HIV epidemic in Vietnam is still concentrated among high risk populations, including IDU and FSW. The response of the government has focused on the recognized high risk populations, mainly young male drug users. This concentration on one high risk population may leave other populations under-protected or unprepared for the risk and the consequences of HIV infection. In particular, attention to women's risks of exposure and needs for care may not receive sufficient attention as long as the perception persists that the epidemic is predominantly among young males. Without more knowledge of the epidemic among women, policy makers and planners cannot ensure that programs will also serve women's needs. Methods More than 300 documents appearing in the period 1990 to 2005 were gathered and reviewed to build an understanding of HIV infection and related risk behaviors among women and of the changes over time that may suggest needed policy changes. Results It appears that the risk of HIV transmission among women in Vietnam has been underestimated; the reported data may represent as little as 16% of the real number. Although modeling predicted that there would be 98,500 cases of HIV-infected women in 2005, only 15,633 were accounted for in reports from the health system. That could mean that in 2005, up to 83,000 women infected with HIV have not been detected by the health care system, for a number of possible reasons. For both detection and prevention, these women can be divided into sub-groups with different risk characteristics. They can be infected by sharing needles and syringes with IDU partners, or by having unsafe sex with clients, husbands or lovers. However, most new infections among women can be traced to sexual relations with young male injecting drug users engaged in extramarital sex. Each of these groups may need different interventions to increase the detection rate and thus ensure that the women receive the care they

  7. Inibição da tripsina de bicho-mineiro do cafeeiro por um fator não-protéico presente em extratos de folhas de mamona Coffee leaf miner trypsin inhibition with castor bean leaf extracts mediated by a non-protein agent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guilherme Duarte Rossi

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Inibidores de tripsina representam uma estratégia de controle de insetos e, por isso, a identificação e caracterização desses inibidores são etapas muito importantes para que novas formas de controle de pragas sejam desenvolvidas. Os inibidores de tripsina atuam na digestão primária de proteínas e comprometem o processo digestivo por completo, reduzindo a disponibilidade de aminoácidos ao inseto. A incorporação de inibidores de tripsina na dieta de insetos-praga é uma forma de controle cuja eficácia foi verificada por diferentes autores. Este projeto foi conduzido a fim de se observar a eficiência de extratos de folhas de mamona na inibição "in vitro" de proteinases do tipo tripsina do bicho-mineiro do cafeeiro. Após testes realizados com os extratos de folhas de mamona não-fervidos e fervidos com e sem a adição de β-mercaptoetanol 0,2% (v/v e mediante precipitações com acetona, verificou-se que o inibidor é uma molécula termoresistente e não-protéica. Desta forma, iniciou-se um processo de purificação da molécula inibidora por meio de cromatografia de adsorção com posterior análise em espectrômetro de massas. Os resultados dos testes de inibição indicaram a presença de um inibidor de tripsina eficaz contra o bicho-mineiro do cafeeiro nos extratos de folhas de mamona capaz de inibir 2,48 + 0,15 UTI, o que representa aproximadamente 40% de inibição. Em testes realizados com tripsina bovina observou-se que o extrato de folhas de mamona não apresenta poder de inibição sobre essa enzima.Trypsin inhibitors stand for a strategy of insect control and, therefore, the identification and characterization of these inhibitors are very important steps for new forms of pest control to be developed. Trypsin inhibitors act in the primary digestion of proteins and endanger the digestive process wholly, reducing the availability of aminoacids to the insect. The incorporation of trypsin inhibitors in the diet of pest

  8. Recognizing Facial Slivers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilad-Gutnick, Sharon; Harmatz, Elia Samuel; Tsourides, Kleovoulos; Yovel, Galit; Sinha, Pawan

    2018-07-01

    We report here an unexpectedly robust ability of healthy human individuals ( n = 40) to recognize extremely distorted needle-like facial images, challenging the well-entrenched notion that veridical spatial configuration is necessary for extracting facial identity. In face identification tasks of parametrically compressed internal and external features, we found that the sum of performances on each cue falls significantly short of performance on full faces, despite the equal visual information available from both measures (with full faces essentially being a superposition of internal and external features). We hypothesize that this large deficit stems from the use of positional information about how the internal features are positioned relative to the external features. To test this, we systematically changed the relations between internal and external features and found preferential encoding of vertical but not horizontal spatial relationships in facial representations ( n = 20). Finally, we employ magnetoencephalography imaging ( n = 20) to demonstrate a close mapping between the behavioral psychometric curve and the amplitude of the M250 face familiarity, but not M170 face-sensitive evoked response field component, providing evidence that the M250 can be modulated by faces that are perceptually identifiable, irrespective of extreme distortions to the face's veridical configuration. We theorize that the tolerance to compressive distortions has evolved from the need to recognize faces across varying viewpoints. Our findings help clarify the important, but poorly defined, concept of facial configuration and also enable an association between behavioral performance and previously reported neural correlates of face perception.

  9. Application and bioactive properties of CaTI, a trypsin inhibitor from Capsicum annuum seeds: membrane permeabilization, oxidative stress and intracellular target in phytopathogenic fungi cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Marciele S; Ribeiro, Suzanna Ff; Taveira, Gabriel B; Rodrigues, Rosana; Fernandes, Katia Vs; Carvalho, André O; Vasconcelos, Ilka Maria; Mello, Erica Oliveira; Gomes, Valdirene M

    2017-08-01

    During the last few years, a growing number of antimicrobial peptides have been isolated from plants and particularly from seeds. Recent results from our laboratory have shown the purification of a new trypsin inhibitor, named CaTI, from chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds. This study aims to evaluate the antifungal activity and mechanism of action of CaTI on phytopathogenic fungi and detect the presence of protease inhibitors in other species of this genus. Our results show that CaTI can inhibit the growth of the phytopathogenic fungi Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and C. lindemuthianum. CaTI can also permeabilize the membrane of all tested fungi. When testing the inhibitor on its ability to induce reactive oxygen species, an induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) particularly in Fusarium species was observed. Using CaTI coupled to fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), it was possible to determine the presence of the inhibitor inside the hyphae of the Fusarium oxysporum fungus. The search for protease inhibitors in other Capsicum species revealed their presence in all tested species. This paper shows the antifungal activity of protease inhibitors such as CaTI against phytopathogenic fungi. Antimicrobial peptides, among which the trypsin protease inhibitor family stands out, are present in different species of the genus Capsicum and are part of the chemical arsenal that plants use to defend themselves against pathogens. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  10. Recognizing Multi-user Activities using Body Sensor Networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gu, Tao; Wang, Liang; Chen, Hanhua

    2011-01-01

    The advances of wireless networking and sensor technology open up an interesting opportunity to infer human activities in a smart home environment. Existing work in this paradigm focuses mainly on recognizing activities of a single user. In this work, we address the fundamental problem...... activity classes of data—for building activity models and design a scalable, noise-resistant, Emerging Pattern based Multi-user Activity Recognizer (epMAR) to recognize both single- and multi-user activities. We develop a multi-modal, wireless body sensor network for collecting real-world traces in a smart...... home environment, and conduct comprehensive empirical studies to evaluate our system. Results show that epMAR outperforms existing schemes in terms of accuracy, scalability and robustness....

  11. Women in Meteorology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemone, Margaret A.; Waukau, Patricia L.

    1982-11-01

    The names of 927 women who are or have been active in meteorology or closely related fields have been obtained from various sources. Of these women, at least 500 are presently active. An estimated 4-5% of the total number of Ph.D.s in meteorology are awarded to women. About 10% of those receiving B.S. and M.S. degrees are women.The work patterns, accomplishments, and salaries of employed women meteorologists have been summarized from 330 responses to questionnaires, as functions of age, family status, part- or full-time working status, and employing institutions. It was found that women meteorologists holding Ph.D.s are more likely than their male counterparts to be employed by universities. As increasing number of women were employed in operational meteorology, although few of them were married and fewer still responsible for children. Several women were employed by private industry and some had advanced into managerial positions, although at the present time, such positions remain out of the reach of most women.The subjective and objective effects of several gender-related factors have been summarized from the comments and responses to the questionnaires. The primary obstacles to advancement were found to be part-time work and the responsibility for children. Part-time work was found to have a clearly negative effect on salary increase as a function of age. prejudicated discrimination and rules negatively affecting women remain important, especially to the older women, and affirmative action programs are generally seen as beneficial.Surprisingly, in contrast to the experience of women in other fields of science, women Ph.D.s in meteorology earn salaries comparable of their employment in government or large corporations and universities where there are strong affirmative action programs and above-average salaries. Based on the responses to the questionnaire, the small size of the meteorological community is also a factor, enabling women to become recognized

  12. Do You Recognize This Parent?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallace, Edna

    1997-01-01

    Suggests effective ways to work with parents who may be permissive, busy, detached, overprotective, or negative. Recommends that child care professionals be sensitive and understanding, recognize other demands on parents' time and communicate competitively with them, use terms parents understand, accept various levels of parental involvement, be…

  13. Biochemical response of Anticarsia gemmatalis fed with soybean plants pulverized with the synthetic trypsin inhibitor benzamidine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oliveira, M.G.A.; Pilon, A.M.; Pilon, F.M.; Ribeiro, F.R.; Silva, F.C.; Ribon, A.O.B.; Reis, A.P.; Visotto, L.E. [Universidade Federal de Vicosa (UFV), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Dept. de Bioquimica e Biologia Molecular; Guedes, R.N.C. [Universidade Federal de Vicosa (UFV), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Dept. de Biologia Animal; Oliveira, J.A. [Universidade Federal de Vicosa (UFV), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Dept. de Quimica

    2008-07-01

    Full text: Insects are responsible for severe crop losses. New alternatives for pest control other than agrochemicals have been investigated. Protease inhibitors are one of the prime candidates effective against insect pests. In this work we studied the effect of the synthetic trypsin inhibitor benzamidine on the development of Anticarsia gemmatalis, an important pest of the soybean culture. Larvae were reared on soybean plants containing 0.00, 0.15, 0.30, 0.45, 0.60 and 0.75% (w/w) of benzamidine. After 6, 12, 24 and 48 h of feeding midgut extracts were prepared and assayed for enzymatic activity (proteolytic, amidasic and stearic). Benzamidine altered the activity patterns but was not able to totally abolish enzyme activity. The proteolytic, amidasic and stearic activity showed the higher time of inhibition in 48 h in concentration of 0,75%, the inhibition was the around 93%, 63.1% and 36.6%, respectively. We suggest that the presence of inhibitor has made insects to adapt and produce proteases which are insensitive to the action of benzamidine. (author)

  14. Biochemical response of Anticarsia gemmatalis fed with soybean plants pulverized with the synthetic trypsin inhibitor benzamidine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, M.G.A.; Pilon, A.M.; Pilon, F.M.; Ribeiro, F.R.; Silva, F.C.; Ribon, A.O.B.; Reis, A.P.; Visotto, L.E.; Guedes, R.N.C.; Oliveira, J.A.

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Insects are responsible for severe crop losses. New alternatives for pest control other than agrochemicals have been investigated. Protease inhibitors are one of the prime candidates effective against insect pests. In this work we studied the effect of the synthetic trypsin inhibitor benzamidine on the development of Anticarsia gemmatalis, an important pest of the soybean culture. Larvae were reared on soybean plants containing 0.00, 0.15, 0.30, 0.45, 0.60 and 0.75% (w/w) of benzamidine. After 6, 12, 24 and 48 h of feeding midgut extracts were prepared and assayed for enzymatic activity (proteolytic, amidasic and stearic). Benzamidine altered the activity patterns but was not able to totally abolish enzyme activity. The proteolytic, amidasic and stearic activity showed the higher time of inhibition in 48 h in concentration of 0,75%, the inhibition was the around 93%, 63.1% and 36.6%, respectively. We suggest that the presence of inhibitor has made insects to adapt and produce proteases which are insensitive to the action of benzamidine. (author)

  15. Equipping African American Clergy to Recognize Depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anthony, Jean Spann; Morris, Edith; Collins, Charles W; Watson, Albert; Williams, Jennifer E; Ferguson, Bʼnai; Ruhlman, Deborah L

    2016-01-01

    Many African Americans (AAs) use clergy as their primary source of help for depression, with few being referred to mental health providers. This study used face-to-face workshops to train AA clergy to recognize the symptoms and levels of severity of depression. A pretest/posttest format was used to test knowledge (N = 42) about depression symptoms. Results showed that the participation improved the clergy's ability to recognize depression symptoms. Faith community nurses can develop workshops for clergy to improve recognition and treatment of depression.

  16. Women and smoking: taking action on health; final report and evaluation

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1997-01-01

    "The three main goals for this project were: 1. To reduce smoking among women and girls by enabling them to recognize and reduce the barriers that prevent them from taking effective action on their health problems. 2...

  17. Defense.gov Special Report: Women's History Month 2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    effective action for advancing and recognizing women. Source March 9, 2015 Tulsi Gabbard was born in , Gabbard became one of the first two female combat veterans, the first Hindu, and the first woman of Samoan volunteered to deploy to Iraq. Gabbard continues to serve in the Hawaii National Guard's 29th Brigade Combat

  18. No increased systemic fibrinolysis in women with heavy menstrual bleeding

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wiewel-Verschueren, S.; Knol, H. M.; Lisman, T.; Bogchelman, D. H.; Kluin-Nelemans, J. C.; van der Zee, A.G.J.; Mulder, A.B.; Meijer, K.

    BackgroundBleeding disorders have been recognized as important etiologic or contributory factors in women with heavy menstrual bleeding. Fibrinolysis in the endometrium plays a role in heavy menstrual bleeding. It is unknown whether increased systemic fibrinolysis might also increase the risk of

  19. Women, conflict, and culture in former Yugoslavia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stojsavljevic, J

    1995-02-01

    The civil war in the former Yugoslavia has taken a toll on the women's movement which has disintegrated across male-defined nationalist borders. The women's movement in this area got its start during the Second World War but was disbanded under communism until women's groups began to form in the 1970s. Today the women's movement has lost the power to oppose the war and has been unable to prevent widespread violence perpetuated against women. Some feminists who have refused to embrace nationalism and patriotism have been vilified and have had to seek refuge abroad. Recently, however, hundreds of nongovernmental organizations have been formed to provide support to women and children victimized by the war. Women have been raped and impregnated as a strategy of male warfare, and raped women who refused an abortion were ostracized. War-related rape has yet to be fully recognized as an international human rights violation, and the issue is being used as political propaganda in the former Yugoslavia while it is ignored elsewhere. Sensationalist reporting of these rapes has further victimized women and made them unable to give voice to their trauma. War also increases women's suffering by destroying economic and social welfare systems. Oxfam is helping women record their testimonies of war and reconstruct the fabric of their societies through programs which provide income-generation and training in micro-enterprises. In addition, Oxfam is strengthening electronic communication and networking among women's groups throughout the region.

  20. Recognizing and Managing Interpersonal Conflict.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deane, Nancy; Hovland, Michael

    1993-01-01

    Practical advice is offered, to managers and supervisors at any level, on recognizing and analyzing interpersonal conflicts, managing such conflicts and making them productive, and ensuring that performance reviews result in progress for both supervisor and employee. Conflict is seen as inevitable, an opportunity to take action, and manageable.…

  1. Recognizing Prefixes in Scientific Quantities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sokolowski, Andrzej

    2015-01-01

    Although recognizing prefixes in physical quantities is inherent for practitioners, it might not be inherent for students, who do not use prefixes in their everyday life experiences. This deficiency surfaces in AP Physics exams. For example, readers of an AP Physics exam reported "a common mistake of incorrectly converting nanometers to…

  2. Monitoring of morphology and physical properties of cultured cells using a micro camera and a quartz crystal with transparent indium tin oxide electrodes after injections of glutaraldehyde and trypsin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Hyen-Wook; Ida, Kazumi; Yamamoto, Yuji; Muramatsu, Hiroshi

    2008-01-01

    For investigating the effects of chemical stimulation to cultured cells, we have developed a quartz crystal sensor system with a micro charge-coupled device (CCD) camera that enables microphotograph imaging simultaneously with quartz crystal measurement. Human hepatoma cell line (HepG2) cells were cultured on the quartz crystal through a collagen film. The electrode of the quartz crystal was made of indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrodes that enable to obtain a transparent mode photograph. Glutaraldehyde and trypsin were injected to the chamber of the cells, respectively. The response of the quartz crystal was monitored and microphotographs were recorded, and the resonance frequency and resonance resistance were analyzed with an F-R diagram that plotted the resonance frequency and resonance resistance. In the case of the glutaraldehyde injection, the cells responded in two steps that included the fast response of the cross-linking reaction and the successive internal change in the cells. In the case of the trypsin injection, the responses included two processes. In the first step, cell adhesion factors were cleaved and the cell structure became round, and in the next step, the cells were deposited on the quartz crystal surface and the surface of the cells was directly in contact with the quartz crystal surface

  3. “An Unexpected Sound”: Recognizing Diverse Voices in Postcolonial Literary Interpretation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanne Nystrom Janssen

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available This article explores expectations about the ways in which readers from each side of the colonial/colonized divide might approach texts. Pedagogical articles about world and postcolonial literature frequently classify readers in one of two categories—Western or non-Western. Since I teach women from a dozen Asian countries at the Asian University for Women in Chittagong, Bangladesh, I had imagined that my world literature students would embody expectations about readers from the developing world: that they would relate to the characters and themes in the course’s contemporary texts. When I began teaching Marjane Satrapi’s "Persepolis" (2003 last spring, however, I learned that my students’ responses to the text varied considerably from what I had expected. As a result, I began questioning my assumptions: why exactly did I expect certain responses from my students, and what is the significance of the alternate responses with which I was confronted? I argue that the assumed interpretive binary does not always exist. In addition to failing to recognize the diverse points of view that readers may bring to texts, the assumption frequently presupposes that postcolonial authors have imagined only Western readers as their audiences—a view that runs the risk of reinforcing oppositional lines of thinking rather than eradicating them. Using Persepolis as a case study, I propose avoiding the Western/non-Western binary when considering readers of literature, which requires paying greater attention to “minority” voices—an ironic assertion, considering the field’s alleged attention to diversity, heterogeneity, and cultural and historical specificity.

  4. Lifting as We Climb: Recognizing Intersectional Gender Violence in Law

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shreya Atrey

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper interrogates the meaning of lifting all women as we climb the ladder of gender equality and justice by recognizing that gender violence affects women differently. This is because violence against women is perpetrated not only on the basis of their gender or sex but also other identities of race, religion, caste, region, age, disability, nationality, sexual orientation etc. With reference to CEDAW jurisprudence and examples from India, I seek to explain this understanding with the help of a normative framework of ‘intersectional integrity’. The framework insists on considering claimants as a whole by tracing unique and shared patterns of gender violence when it is also based on other identities such as race, religion, caste, region, age, disability, nationality, and sexual orientation. I argue that applying the framework allows us to diagnose and address the nature of violence suffered on multiple identities, in a clear and comprehensive way. Este artículo cuestiona el sentido de levantar a todas las mujeres a medida que se asciende la escalera de la igualdad de género y la justicia, reconociendo que la violencia de género afecta a las mujeres de manera diferente. Esto se debe a que la violencia contra las mujeres se comete no sólo sobre la base de su género o sexo, sino también por su raza, religión, casta, región, edad, discapacidad, nacionalidad, orientación sexual, etc. Se pretende explicar esta afirmación con la ayuda de un marco normativo de “integridad interseccional”, a través de referencias a la jurisprudencia del CEDAW y ejemplos de la India. El marco insiste en considerar a las demandantes en su conjunto, trazando patrones únicos y compartidos de violencia de género cuando se basa también en otras identidades como raza, religión, casta, región, edad, discapacidad, nacionalidad, orientación sexual. Se sostiene que la aplicación del marco permite diagnosticar y abordar la naturaleza de la violencia

  5. Women's health: beyond reproductive years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laskar, Ananya Ray

    2011-01-01

    With changing demographic profile India has more older women than men as life expectancy for women is 67.57 as against 65.46 for men. Gender differences in the aging process reflect biological, economic, and social differences. Both social and health needs of the older women are unique and distinctive as they are vulnerable. The social problems revolve around widowhood, dependency, illiteracy and lack of awareness about the policies and programmes from which they can benefit. Among the medical problems, vision (cataract) and degenerative joint disease top the list, followed by neurological problems. Lifestyle diseases form another single-most important group of health problems in the elderly women. The risk of cardiovascular disease doubles with the outcome being poorer than men. The most common causes of death among women above the age of 60 years are stroke, ischemic heart disease and COPD. Hypertensive heart disease and lower respiratory tract infections contribute to mortality in these women. Common malignancies viz. Cervical, breast and uterus in women are specific to them and account for a sizeable morbidity and mortality. In a study done at Lady Hardinge medical college in Delhi, Hypertension (39.6%) and obesity (12-46.8%) were very common in postmenopausal women. Half or more women had high salt and fat intake, low fruit and vegetable intake and stress. There is a need to recognize the special health needs of the women beyond the reproductive age, to be met through strengthening and reorienting the public health services at all levels starting from primary health care to secondary till tertiary care level with adequate referral linkages. All policies and programs need to have a gender perspective. At present there is lack of sensitization and appropriate training of the health personnel in dealing with the needs of elderly. Women too need to be aware to adopt healthy lifestyle and seek timely care.

  6. Immune Cells in Blood Recognize Tumors

    Science.gov (United States)

    NCI scientists have developed a novel strategy for identifying immune cells circulating in the blood that recognize specific proteins on tumor cells, a finding they believe may have potential implications for immune-based therapies.

  7. Women's empowerment in Iran: a review based on the related legislations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janghorban, Roksana; Taghipour, Ali; Latifnejad Roudsari, Robab; Abbasi, Mahmoud

    2014-04-20

    Women's empowerment can be defined as a change in the circumstances of a woman's life, which enables her to raise her capacity to manage more enriched and rewarding life. Improvement in women's empowerment is a salient issue to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. National laws are influential factors in promoting women's empowerment. Lack of awareness of legal and constitutional provisions and failure to recognize it, is a factor that hinders the process of empowerment. This paper provides a review based on Iranian legislations which have considered various aspects of women's empowerment. Although this work has specifically dealt with women's needs, it encompasses a right-based approach to women's empowerment suggested by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities. However, there is still a great need for further inquiries in the area of legislations concerning women's empowerment around the world in general and Iran in particular.

  8. Upholding pregnant women's right to life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Rebecca J; Dickens, Bernard M

    2012-04-01

    Recent decisions of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and the High Court of Delhi have shown how the pregnancy-related deaths of individual women have been bases on which these authoritative tribunals have held Brazil, Paraguay, and India respectively accountable for avoidable maternal mortality not only in these cases, but also among their populations more generally. The right to life is the most fundamental of women's human rights, recognized in international human rights treaties and national laws. Failure of governments to apply their resources adequately to address, respect, and protect this right violates the law of human rights. These cases show, however, that governments may fail to allocate adequate resources to women's survival of pregnancy. Tribunals can build on the failures in individual cases to set standards of performance to which governments will legally be held to achieve safe motherhood. Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Child Care Teaching as Women's Work: Reflections on Experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Miai; Reifel, Stuart

    2010-01-01

    Child care teachers' experiences and their gendered understandings of their work were explored in this study. Two female child care teachers were interviewed individually and asked to describe their work as women's work. Analysis showed that teachers essentialized child care teaching, recognized the paradoxes of being a child care teacher,…

  10. [Women, gender, and the Constitution].

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-12-01

    Although all the constitutions of Latin America directly or indirectly acknowledge the juridical equality of the sexes, these patriarchal societies continue to maintain institutional power in male hands and to neutralize legal actions favoring women. International instruments such as the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, approved by the UN in 1979, have given a firmer basis to policies and actions to improve the status of women. Obstacles to full equality of Latin American women are rooted in economic and sociopolitical factors, but lack of true political will also plays a significant role. A number of new laws in the past several years as well as the new Constitution have improved the legal position of Colombian women. The new Constitution recognizes fundamental rights that may be claimed directly before a judge, and social, economic, and collective rights requiring legislative development. Article 43 of the new Constitution states that women will not be subjected to any form of discrimination. Another norm states that women will enjoy special assistance and protection before and after childbirth, in recognition of the social functions of maternity. Article 43 also states that women who are heads of households will receive special assistance, but the corresponding regulations have not yet been promulgated. The mechanism of tutelage has become an important recourse that has been used in several cases in which fundamental rights of women have been violated or threatened because of their sex. The order of tutelage has been used in cases of adolescents expelled from school for pregnancy and of abused wives, as well as to force recognition of the social and economic contributions of housework.

  11. Von Willebrand disease and other bleeding disorders in women: consensus on diagnosis and management from an international expert panel

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    James, Andra H.; Kouides, Peter A.; Abdul-Kadir, Rezan; Edlund, Mans; Federici, Augusto B.; Halimeh, Susan; Kamphuisen, Pieter W.; Konkle, Barbara A.; Martínez-Perez, Oscar; McLintock, Claire; Peyvandi, Flora; Winikoff, Rochelle

    2009-01-01

    Reproductive tract bleeding in women is a naturally occurring event during menstruation and childbirth. In women with menorrhagia, however, congenital bleeding disorders historically have been underdiagnosed. This consensus is intended to allow physicians to better recognize bleeding disorders as a

  12. Are women with severely symptomatic brugada syndrome different from men?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sacher, Frédéric; Meregalli, Paola; Veltmann, Christian; Field, Michael E.; Solnon, Aude; Bru, Paul; Abbey, Sélim; Jaïs, Pierre; Tan, Hanno L.; Wolpert, Christian; Lande, Gilles; Bertault, Valérie; Derval, Nicolas; Babuty, Dominique; Lacroix, Dominique; Boveda, Serge; Maury, Philippe; Hocini, Mélèze; Clémenty, Jacques; Mabo, Philippe; Lemarec, Hervé; Mansourati, Jacques; Borggrefe, Martin; Wilde, Arthur; Haïssaguerre, Michel; Probst, Vincent

    2008-01-01

    Women with Brugada Syndrome. INTRODUCTION: Spontaneous type-1 ECG has been recognized as a risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in Brugada syndrome (BrS), but studied populations predominantly consisted of men. We sought to investigate whether a spontaneous type-1 ECG pattern was also

  13. The Manhattan Project and its Effects on American Women Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fletcher, Samuel

    2008-04-01

    There have been many detailed historical accounts of the Manhattan Project, but few have recognized the technical role women scientists and engineers crucially played in the Project's success. Despite their absence from these prominent accounts, recent studies have revealed that, in fact, women participated in every non-combat operation associated with the Manhattan Project. With such extensive participation of women and such a former lack of historical attention upon them, little analysis has been done on how the Manhattan Project might have influenced the prospectus of women scientists after the war. This talk has two aims: 1) to recount some of the technical and scientific contributions of women to the Manhattan Project, and 2) to examine what effects these contributions had on the women's careers as scientists. In other words, I intend offer a preliminary explanation of the extent to which the Manhattan Project acted both as a boon and as a detriment to American women scientists. And finally, I will address what this historical analysis could imply about the effects of current efforts to recruit women into science.

  14. Autosomal-recessive posterior microphthalmos is caused by mutations in PRSS56, a gene encoding a trypsin-like serine protease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gal, Andreas; Rau, Isabella; El Matri, Leila

    2011-01-01

    heterogeneity of the trait. Using RT-PCR, PRSS56 transcripts were detected in samples derived from the human adult retina, cornea, sclera, and optic nerve. The expression of the mouse ortholog could be first detected in the eye at E17 and was maintained into adulthood. The predicted PRSS56 protein is a 603......Posterior microphthalmos (MCOP) is a rare isolated developmental anomaly of the eye characterized by extreme hyperopia due to short axial length. The population of the Faroe Islands shows a high prevalence of an autosomal-recessive form (arMCOP) of the disease. Based on published linkage data, we...... amino acid long secreted trypsin-like serine peptidase. The c.1066dupC is likely to result in a functional null allele, whereas the two point mutations predict the replacement of evolutionary conserved and functionally important residues. Molecular modeling of the p.Trp309Ser mutant suggests that both...

  15. Radiometric cytolysis inhibition assay, a new rapid test for neutralizing antibodies to intact and trypsin-cleaved poliovirus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hovi, T.; Roivainen, M.

    1989-01-01

    We have developed a new rapid test, the radiometric cytolysis inhibition assay (RACINA), for the determination of neutralizing poliovirus antibodies. HeLa cells prelabeled with 51 Cr, [ 3 H]leucine, or, preferentially, with [ 3 H]uridine are used as sensitive quantitative indicators of residual infectious virus. Both suspensions and monolayer cultures of the indicator cells can be used. Neutralization of a fraction of a high-titer virus preparation can be scored after the first replication cycle at 8 to 10 h. By lowering the incubation temperature to 30 degree C, the completion of the cytolysis due to the first replication cycle of poliovirus was delayed beyond 21 h. This makes it possible to use the RACINA, unlike the standard microneutralization assay, for measuring antibodies to trypsin-cleaved polioviruses. The RACINA was found to be as sensitive as and more reproducible than the standard microneutralization assay in the measurement of neutralizing poliovirus antibodies. The RACINA is a rapid and reliable test for neutralizing antibodies and in principle it may be applicable for quantitation of neutralizing antibodies to other cytolytic agents as well

  16. Women's Rights and Living Customary Law | CRDI - Centre de ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    This action-research project focuses on the interface between custom and rights in the context of a constitution that recognizes and protects both customary law and the Bill of Rights. It will explore how this interplay affects the rights - particularly land rights - of black women living in former "homeland areas" of South Africa.

  17. Networking in the Workplace: Implications for Women's Career Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jia

    2009-01-01

    Although the value of social capital for organization and individual career success is widely recognized, gender as a moderator in the building of social capital in organizational settings has not received adequate research attention. This chapter looks at how professional women use one aspect of social capital--networks--to assist with their…

  18. Legislation, women, and breastfeeding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibbons, G

    1987-01-01

    Governmental policies and legislation aimed at validating the dual role of women as mothers and wage earners can significantly strengthen breastfeeding promotion efforts. Examples of such laws and policies are maternity leave, breastfeeding breaks at the workplace, allowances for pregnant women and new mothers, rooming-in at hospitals, child care at the worksite, flexible work schedules for new mothers, and a national marketing code for breastmilk substitutes. The International labor Organization (ILO) has played an important role in setting international standards to protect working mothers. The ILO defines minimal maternity protection as encompassing: a compulsory period of 6 weeks' leave after delivery; entitlement to a further 6 weeks of leave; the provision during maternity leave of benefits sufficient for the full and healthy maintenance of the child; medical care by a qualified midwife or physician; authorization to interrupt work for the purpose of breastfeeding; and protection from dismissal during maternity leave. In many countries there is a lack of public awareness of existing laws or policies; i.e., working women may not know they are entitled to maternity leave, or pediatricians may not know that the government has developed a marketing code for breastmilk substitutes. Overall, the enactment and enforcement of legislation can ensure the longterm effectiveness of breastfeeding promotion by raising the consciousness of individuals and institutions, putting breastfeeding activities in the wider context of support for women's rights, recognizing the dual roles of women, and institutionalizing and legitimating support for breastfeeding.

  19. Serum inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor and matrix hyaluronan promote angiogenesis in fibrotic lung injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garantziotis, Stavros; Zudaire, Enrique; Trempus, Carol S; Hollingsworth, John W; Jiang, Dianhua; Lancaster, Lisa H; Richardson, Elizabeth; Zhuo, Lisheng; Cuttitta, Frank; Brown, Kevin K; Noble, Paul W; Kimata, Koji; Schwartz, David A

    2008-11-01

    The etiology and pathogenesis of angiogenesis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is poorly understood. Inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (IaI) is a serum protein that can bind to hyaluronan (HA) and may contribute to the angiogenic response to tissue injury. To determine whether IaI promotes HA-mediated angiogenesis in tissue injury. An examination was undertaken of angiogenesis in IaI-sufficient and -deficient mice in the bleomycin model of pulmonary fibrosis and in angiogenesis assays in vivo and in vitro. IaI and HA in patients with IPF were examined. IaI significantly enhances the angiogenic response to short-fragment HA in vivo and in vitro. lal deficiency Ieads to decreased angiogenesis in the matrigel model, and decreases lung angiogenesis after bleomycin exposure in mice. IaI is found in fibroblastic foci in IPF, where it colocalizes with HA. The colocalization is particularly strong in vascular areas around fibroblastic foci. Serum levels of IaI and HA are significantly elevated in patients with IPF compared with control subjects. High serum IaI and HA levels are associated with decreased lung diffusing capacity, but not FVC. Our findings indicate that serum IaI interacts with HA, and promotes angiogenesis in lung injury. IaI appears to contribute to the vascular response to lung injury and may lead to aberrant angiogenesis. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00016627).

  20. An individually randomized controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of the Women for Women International Programme in reducing intimate partner violence and strengthening livelihoods amongst women in Afghanistan: trial design, methods and baseline findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibbs, Andrew; Corboz, Julienne; Shafiq, Mohammed; Marofi, Frozan; Mecagni, Anna; Mann, Carron; Karim, Fazal; Chirwa, Esnat; Maxwell-Jones, Charlotte; Jewkes, Rachel

    2018-01-22

    Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is the most common form of violence in conflict and post-conflict settings, but there are few evaluations of interventions to prevent IPV in such settings. The Women for Women International (WfWI) intervention is a year-long combined economic and social empowerment intervention for marginalized women survivors of conflict. Primarily, it seeks to support women to achieve four key outcomes: women earn and save money; women improve their health and well-being; women influence decisions in their homes and communities; women connect to networks for support. The organization recognizes Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) as a significant barrier to women's empowerment and expects to see reduction in VAWG, and specifically IPV, as part of building women's social and economic empowerment. This program is being quantitatively evaluated through an individually randomized control trial amongst women in Afghanistan, with a 24-month follow up. A comparison of baseline characteristics of participants is also included as well as a discussion of implementation of the baseline research. There is a high demand amongst Afghan women for such interventions, and this posed challenges in completing the randomization and baseline. In addition, the complex security situation in Afghanistan also posed challenges. However, despite these issues, recruitment was successfully achieved and the arms were balanced on socio-demographic measures. The evaluation will contribute to the limited evidence base on interventions to prevent IPV in conflict-affected settings. NCT03236948 . Registered 28 July 2017, retrospectively registered.

  1. Recognizing Textual Entailment: Challenges in the Portuguese Language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gil Rocha

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Recognizing textual entailment comprises the task of determining semantic entailment relations between text fragments. A text fragment entails another text fragment if, from the meaning of the former, one can infer the meaning of the latter. If such relation is bidirectional, then we are in the presence of a paraphrase. Automatically recognizing textual entailment relations captures major semantic inference needs in several natural language processing (NLP applications. As in many NLP tasks, textual entailment corpora for English abound, while the same is not true for more resource-scarce languages such as Portuguese. Exploiting what seems to be the only Portuguese corpus for textual entailment and paraphrases (the ASSIN corpus, in this paper, we address the task of automatically recognizing textual entailment (RTE and paraphrases from text written in the Portuguese language, by employing supervised machine learning techniques. We employ lexical, syntactic and semantic features, and analyze the impact of using semantic-based approaches in the performance of the system. We then try to take advantage of the bi-dialect nature of ASSIN to compensate its limited size. With the same aim, we explore modeling the task of recognizing textual entailment and paraphrases as a binary classification problem by considering the bidirectional nature of paraphrases as entailment relationships. Addressing the task as a multi-class classification problem, we achieve results in line with the winner of the ASSIN Challenge. In addition, we conclude that semantic-based approaches are promising in this task, and that combining data from European and Brazilian Portuguese is less straightforward than it may initially seem. The binary classification modeling of the problem does not seem to bring advantages to the original multi-class model, despite the outstanding results obtained by the binary classifier for recognizing textual entailments.

  2. A survey of exposures related to recognized occupational contact dermatitis in Denmark in 2010

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carøe, Tanja Korfitsen; Ebbehøj, Niels; Agner, Tove

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Skin diseases are the most commonly recognized occupational diseases in Denmark, and occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) comprises ∼95% of all cases. OBJECTIVES: To prevent occupational contact dermatitis, it is important to specifically identify exposures and work routines related...... to outbreak of the disease. The aim of this study was to give an overview of exposures for patients with occupational contact dermatitis in Denmark in 2010, and relate this to line of work and disease severity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was a descriptive, register-based study including patients......, 1020 women and 484 men, were included in the study. Irritant contact dermatitis accounted for 70% of all cases; 68% of these were caused by wet work. Forty-six per cent of all patients were employed either in the healthcare sector, in cleaning, or as kitchen workers. Among contact allergies, the most...

  3. Effect of protracted whole-body gamma irradiation with 6.7 Gy and 4.8 Gy (700 and 500 R) on trypsin inhibition activity of blood, cervical mucus and on morphological structure of cervix in ewes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molnarova, M.; Arendarcik, J.; Molnar, P.

    1984-01-01

    The pattern of changes in the trypsin inhibition activities (TIA) of blood plasma, cervical mucus and the morphological structure of the cervix was studied in ewes exposed to 60 Co radiation for seven and five days, the radiation doses being 6.7 Gy and 4.8 Gy, respectively. During exposure, the group of ewes irradaited with 4.8 Gy was given the Roboran vitamin addition and following irradiation ampicillin (5250 mg). TIA was determined from retardation of the hydrolysis of the synthetic substrate N-alpha-tosyl-p-nitroanilide by bovine trypsin; the TIA was expressed as the percentage of inhibited trypsin. Almost all the studied TIA values of blood plasma and cervical mucus were increased in the irradiated animals, the range being from 103.1 to 155.0% of the levels for non-irradiated ewes. A reduction was recorded only in the total TIA of blood plasma in the group irradiated with a dose of 6.7 Gy (83.1% of the values for non-irradiated animals). In the group of animals irradiated with 4.8 Gy and non Roboran administered, the TIA of cervical mucus was observed to decrease to 92.4%. It was found during the study of changes in the proportion of glands in the stroma and changes in epithelium thickness in the mucous membrane of the cervix uteri that the irradiated ewes had the epithelium thickness reduced to 95.3% to 65.5% and that their stromal gland number decreased to 75.4% to 79.7% of that recorded in non-irradiated animals. It was only in the group given the Roboran supplement that an increase to 123.7% of the gland number for untreated ewes was recorded on the tenth day after termination of the irradiation

  4. Multidimensional Measurement of Poverty among Women in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batana, Yele Maweki

    2013-01-01

    Since the seminal work of Sen, poverty has been recognized as a multidimensional phenomenon. The recent availability of relevant databases renewed the interest in this approach. This paper estimates multidimensional poverty among women in fourteen Sub-Saharan African countries using the Alkire and Foster multidimensional poverty measures, whose…

  5. The power of women on April 27.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khumalo, B

    1994-04-01

    Women make up 54% of voters in South Africa. A delegation of 80 groups representing 2 million women under the Women' National Coalition delivered many research reports on women's issues (e.g., rape, violence, women's status, women workers' rights) to the Transitional Executive Council. If political parties want women to support them, they need to address the inequalities and discrimination women encounter at work, in their homes, and in society. The research findings were a result of 23 focus groups and will be used to draft a Women's Charter. The Coalition will use the Charter to bring about maximum equality within the constitutional framework. The research revealed that sexual harassment at work was more common than was recognized. Black women reported that men of all races in responsible positions seek sex for jobs or for promotion. 50% of women are raped. 1 of 6 women are beaten by their partner. In the past, women's groups were not well supported because White women tended to be satisfied with the status quo. Specifically, they had a servant, leisure time, and a high standard of living. Women are starting to understand that they can be forces of change. A common thread among the diversity of women in the research was a desire for control of their lives. Other issues emerging from the research were women and law, women at work, women and violence, and political awareness among women. The women call for changes in marital law to make sure that women are considered as majors. For example, they should be able to buy property and sign contracts. Women want equal pay for work of equal value, equal treatment when applying for a job. Women want society, including family members, not to ignore domestic violence. They also call on authorities and police to respond more vigorously to domestic violence. Women are becoming more involved in politics, locally, regionally, and nationally.

  6. Burnout: Recognize and Reverse.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anne, Samantha

    2014-07-01

    Physician burnout may be underrecognized and can cause significant detrimental effects on personal health and job satisfaction. Burnout has been associated with medical errors, alcohol and drug abuse, and neglect and abandonment of career goals. With self-awareness, development of coping mechanisms, and the adoption of a strong social and professional support network, burnout can be combated. This article focuses on recognizing characteristics of burnout and providing strategies to cope to avoid reaching a high degree of burnout. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.

  7. Functional abilities in aging women with Rett syndrome - the Danish cohort

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schönewolf-Greulich, Bitten; Stahlhut, Michelle; Larsen, Jane Lunding

    2017-01-01

    though the syndrome causes severe psychomotor disability, women with RTT can live long into adulthood. PURPOSE: We aim to describe what to expect from aging women with RTT regarding some of the basic functional abilities that are used in daily activities and that could have an impact on quality of life...... that can be difficult to recognize. Implications for rehabilitation 3/4 of aging RTT women are household ambulators - daily training of motor functions and focus on assisting the initiation of movements are needed lifelong to maintain walking ability and participation in daily activities More than half...... in these women. METHODS: A team of two medical doctors, a physiotherapist and an educational psychological adviser, performed clinical evaluations of 27 women with RTT in Denmark above 30 years of age and confirmed MECP2 mutation. RESULTS: We found that 63% of the women were able to walk outside their homes...

  8. Prevalence and Pattern of Back Pain among Pregnant Women ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Dr S.B. OLALEYE

    Back pain is (BP) is recognized as an important problem in pregnancy. The objectives of this study were to examine the prevalence and pattern of back pain. (BP) in pregnancy. A survey of 2,187 pregnant women attending ante-natal clinics in selected Medical facilities in Ibadan and Ogbomoso, Nigeria was carried out ...

  9. Evaluation of National Policy about Domestic Violence against Women in Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bahareh Fallahi

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available One of the unpleasant behaviors that threats women’ life and leads to various disquiets among family members is domestic violence. Prevention of this social dilemma and recognizing of its mechanism supposed as a vital and predictable fact in national policies. Into the bargain, it is enough necessary to determine the national policies for protecting women to meliorate mental health in society. The goal of current literature is looking at the factors that may contribute to domestic violence against women. Also, this paper evaluate position of women in constitute law, civil law and national policies in Iran with the purpose of women’ protect in the society.

  10. Drawing and Recognizing Chinese Characters with Recurrent Neural Network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xu-Yao; Yin, Fei; Zhang, Yan-Ming; Liu, Cheng-Lin; Bengio, Yoshua

    2018-04-01

    Recent deep learning based approaches have achieved great success on handwriting recognition. Chinese characters are among the most widely adopted writing systems in the world. Previous research has mainly focused on recognizing handwritten Chinese characters. However, recognition is only one aspect for understanding a language, another challenging and interesting task is to teach a machine to automatically write (pictographic) Chinese characters. In this paper, we propose a framework by using the recurrent neural network (RNN) as both a discriminative model for recognizing Chinese characters and a generative model for drawing (generating) Chinese characters. To recognize Chinese characters, previous methods usually adopt the convolutional neural network (CNN) models which require transforming the online handwriting trajectory into image-like representations. Instead, our RNN based approach is an end-to-end system which directly deals with the sequential structure and does not require any domain-specific knowledge. With the RNN system (combining an LSTM and GRU), state-of-the-art performance can be achieved on the ICDAR-2013 competition database. Furthermore, under the RNN framework, a conditional generative model with character embedding is proposed for automatically drawing recognizable Chinese characters. The generated characters (in vector format) are human-readable and also can be recognized by the discriminative RNN model with high accuracy. Experimental results verify the effectiveness of using RNNs as both generative and discriminative models for the tasks of drawing and recognizing Chinese characters.

  11. Recognizing Variable Environments The Theory of Cognitive Prism

    CERN Document Server

    Dong, Tiansi

    2012-01-01

    Normal adults do not have any difficulty in recognizing their homes. But can artificial systems do in the same way as humans? This book collects interdisciplinary evidences and presents an answer from the perspective of computing, namely, the theory of cognitive prism. To recognize an environment, an intelligent system only needs to classify objects, structures them based on the connection relation (not through measuring!), subjectively orders the objects, and compares with the target environment, whose knowledge is similarly structured. The intelligent system works, therefore, like a prism: when a beam of light (a scene) reaches (is perceived) to an optical prism (by an intelligent system), some light (objects) is reflected (are neglected), those passed through (the recognized objects) are distorted (are ordered differently). So comes the term 'cognitive prism'! Two fundamental propositions used in the theory can be informally stated as follow: an orientation relation is a kind of distance comparison relatio...

  12. Trans Women Doing Sex in San Francisco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Colin J; Weinberg, Martin S; Rosenberger, Joshua G

    2016-10-01

    This research investigates the sexuality of trans women (individuals who were assigned male status at birth who currently identify as women), by focusing on the "bodily techniques" (Crossley, 2006) they use in "doing" sexuality. The "doing sexuality" framework not only is modeled after the "doing gender" approach of West and Zimmerman (1987), but also utilizes the idea of "sexual embodiment" to emphasize the agency of trans women as they conceptualize and organize their sexuality in a socially recognized way. This is often difficult as they confront discrimination from medical and legal professionals as well as intimate partners who may find it difficult to adapt to the trans woman's atypical body and conception of gender. However, with a study group of 25 trans women from San Francisco, we found the study participants to be adept at overcoming such hurdles and developing techniques to "do" their sexuality. At the same time, we found trans women's agency constrained by the erotic habitus (Green, 2008) of the wider society. The interplay between innovation and cultural tradition provides an opportunity to fashion a more general model of "doing" sexuality.

  13. Various Approaches to Globalization of Women's Rights

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    محمد تقی رفیعی

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Globalization is an undeniable fact; however regarding to its complex dimensions assessing the concept is greatly difficult. Having a boundless world has always been discussed in globalization, thus, any discussion on globalizing women's rights, which is associated with the culture, tradition and moral values of a society, is controversial and momentous. First, regarding the terminology of globalization, the concept of globalization will be clarified. Then, three approaches of traditional, reformational and religional modernists, which approach the globalization of women's rights differently, will be defined and examined. These approaches recognize the globalization of women's rights in a way to achieve the same rules, which are enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW. Of course, all these approaches have religious attitudes toward the discussion, and atheist opinions are not subject to this study. Finally, it seems that, in conformity with the viewpoint derived from the new religinal modernists’ perspective and the great concern of the reformative approach in respect of protecting religious values, new mechanisms can be designated, which are not harmful to religious foundations on one hand, and pave the way for globalizing women's rights on the other.

  14. Super-Memorizers Are Not Super-Recognizers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ramon, M.; Miellet, S.; Dzieciol, A.M.; Konrad, B.N; Dresler, M.; Caldara, R.

    2016-01-01

    Humans have a natural expertise in recognizing faces. However, the nature of the interaction between this critical visual biological skill and memory is yet unclear. Here, we had the unique opportunity to test two individuals who have had exceptional success in the World Memory Championships,

  15. [4th World Conference on Women].

    Science.gov (United States)

    1995-06-01

    The World Platform of Action is a document prepared by the secretary of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) that acknowledges commitments made by the subscribing governments. In the final preparatory meeting for the Fourth International Conference on Women in Beijing, official delegations of the world's governments discussed the draft of the Platform of Action. Throughout the Platform, there is evidence of a retreat from concepts internationally recognized at other conferences. The Vatican, in alliance with countries like Honduras, Argentina, and Guatemala, and with fundamentalist religious groups, is largely responsible for the obstruction. The draft indicates which topics have failed to gain consensus and require discussion at the full Conference. The Platform is defined as an agenda for seeking empowerment of women, an objective necessitating removal of obstacles to active participation by women in all spheres of public life. The Platform defines the critical areas for action as the persistent increase in poverty among women, unequal access to education and training, unequal access to health care, violence against women and girls, effects of persecution and armed conflicts, unequal access to productive processes, and unequal power and influence in decision making at all levels. Insufficient mechanisms for promoting women, protection of the human rights of women, women and communication, and women and the environment are other priority topics. Problems are discussed in each of these areas, and objectives and concrete actions are proposed. The work describes the types of institutional changes that will be needed if the objectives are to be achieved; defines sex, gender, and other relevant terms; and analyses some of the strategic objectives in greater detail. The final section contains recommendations for women's groups and other lobbyists in Colombia to present to the government.

  16. Prevalence of trichomoniasis among pregnant women in Benin City

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frederick Olusegun Akinbo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Trichomonas vaginalis has been recognized as a cosmopolitan parasite of male and female genital tract. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic trichomoniasis among pregnant women in Benin City, Edo State. Materials and Methods: A total of 300 patients and subjects consisting of 250 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics and 50 non-pregnant apparently healthy subjects who served as controls were recruited in this study. The age ranged from 20 to 40 years. High vaginal swab was collected from each participant and T. vaginalis was diagnosed by microscopy. Results: An overall prevalence of 2.8% of trichomoniasis was observed among pregnant women. Gestational age and educational status of pregnant women were significantly associated with the prevalence of trichomoniasis. Conclusion: Asymptomatic T. vaginalis infection is common in pregnancy. We recommend routine screening for this infection in order to reduce the potential adverse pregnancy outcomes.

  17. Chronic Subdural Hematoma in Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hotta, Kazuko; Sorimachi, Takatoshi; Honda, Yumie; Matsumae, Mitsunori

    2017-09-01

    Sex differences in various diseases recently have been recognized as an important factor in the approach to more efficient preventive and therapeutic medicine. We clarified sex differences in the clinical characteristics of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) by comparing men and women with CSDH, as there is a well-known male predominance in the prevalence of CSDH. Clinical factors and computed tomography findings were investigated retrospectively in 490 consecutive patients admitted to our hospital between 2006 and 2015 who were diagnosed with CSDH. On univariate analysis, women were significantly older than men (P hematoma, and death as outcomes at discharge were significantly more frequent than in men (P < 0.05). In contrast, women had less frequent instances of good recovery and less alcohol intake (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated female sex as an independent predictor of consciousness disturbance at admission. Female sex also was identified as a predictor of death at discharge. We demonstrated sex differences in the clinical characteristics of CSDH. In the future, management of patients with CSDH with regard to sex differences in disease characteristics could be expected to improve the outcomes of women, which have been worse than in men. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Sex Differences in Music: A Female Advantage at Recognizing Familiar Melodies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miles, Scott A.; Miranda, Robbin A.; Ullman, Michael T.

    2016-01-01

    Although sex differences have been observed in various cognitive domains, there has been little work examining sex differences in the cognition of music. We tested the prediction that women would be better than men at recognizing familiar melodies, since memories of specific melodies are likely to be learned (at least in part) by declarative memory, which shows female advantages. Participants were 24 men and 24 women, with half musicians and half non-musicians in each group. The two groups were matched on age, education, and various measures of musical training. Participants were presented with well-known and novel melodies, and were asked to indicate their recognition of familiar melodies as rapidly as possible. The women were significantly faster than the men in responding, with a large effect size. The female advantage held across musicians and non-musicians, and across melodies with and without commonly associated lyrics, as evidenced by an absence of interactions between sex and these factors. Additionally, the results did not seem to be explained by sex differences in response biases, or in basic motor processes as tested in a control task. Though caution is warranted given that this is the first study to examine sex differences in familiar melody recognition, the results are consistent with the hypothesis motivating our prediction, namely that declarative memory underlies knowledge about music (particularly about familiar melodies), and that the female advantage at declarative memory may thus lead to female advantages in music cognition (particularly at familiar melody recognition). Additionally, the findings argue against the view that female advantages at tasks involving verbal (or verbalizable) material are due solely to a sex difference specific to the verbal domain. Further, the results may help explain previously reported cognitive commonalities between music and language: since declarative memory also underlies language, such commonalities may be

  19. Sex Differences in Music: A Female Advantage at Recognizing Familiar Melodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miles, Scott A; Miranda, Robbin A; Ullman, Michael T

    2016-01-01

    Although sex differences have been observed in various cognitive domains, there has been little work examining sex differences in the cognition of music. We tested the prediction that women would be better than men at recognizing familiar melodies, since memories of specific melodies are likely to be learned (at least in part) by declarative memory, which shows female advantages. Participants were 24 men and 24 women, with half musicians and half non-musicians in each group. The two groups were matched on age, education, and various measures of musical training. Participants were presented with well-known and novel melodies, and were asked to indicate their recognition of familiar melodies as rapidly as possible. The women were significantly faster than the men in responding, with a large effect size. The female advantage held across musicians and non-musicians, and across melodies with and without commonly associated lyrics, as evidenced by an absence of interactions between sex and these factors. Additionally, the results did not seem to be explained by sex differences in response biases, or in basic motor processes as tested in a control task. Though caution is warranted given that this is the first study to examine sex differences in familiar melody recognition, the results are consistent with the hypothesis motivating our prediction, namely that declarative memory underlies knowledge about music (particularly about familiar melodies), and that the female advantage at declarative memory may thus lead to female advantages in music cognition (particularly at familiar melody recognition). Additionally, the findings argue against the view that female advantages at tasks involving verbal (or verbalizable) material are due solely to a sex difference specific to the verbal domain. Further, the results may help explain previously reported cognitive commonalities between music and language: since declarative memory also underlies language, such commonalities may be

  20. Sex Differences in Music: A Female Advantage at Recognizing Familiar Melodies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael T Ullman

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Although sex differences have been observed in various cognitive domains, there has been little work examining sex differences in the cognition of music. We tested the prediction that women would be better than men at recognizing familiar melodies, since memories of specific melodies are likely to be learned (at least in part by declarative memory, which shows female advantages. Participants were 24 men and 24 women, with half musicians and half non-musicians in each group. The two groups were matched on age, education, and various measures of musical training. Participants were presented with well-known and novel melodies, and were asked to indicate their recognition of familiar melodies as rapidly as possible. The women were significantly faster than the men in responding, with a large effect size. The female advantage held across musicians and non-musicians, and across melodies with and without commonly associated lyrics, as evidenced by an absence of interactions between sex and these factors. Additionally, the results did not seem to be explained by sex differences in response biases, or in basic auditory or motor processes as tested in a control task. Though caution is warranted given that this is the first study to examine sex differences in familiar melody recognition, the results are consistent with the hypothesis motivating our prediction, namely that declarative memory underlies knowledge about music (particularly about familiar melodies, and that the female advantage at declarative memory may thus lead to female advantages in music cognition (particularly at familiar melody recognition. Additionally, the findings argue against the view that female advantages at tasks involving verbal (or verbalizable material are due solely to a sex difference specific to the verbal domain. Further, the results may help explain previously-reported cognitive commonalities between music and language: since declarative memory also underlies language

  1. Would we have had this crisis if women had been running the financial sector?

    OpenAIRE

    Staveren, Irene

    2010-01-01

    textabstractIntroduction In popular media and debates, both men and women sometimes utter the words that “if women had run the financial sector, we would not have found ourselves in this crisis” – or, the Lehman Sisters hypothesis. This paper will not go into the various views of sex and gender that may go behind this statement. But we do recognize the problem of natural fallacy here: if the statement would be based on a belief in some natural differences between women and men, it would imply...

  2. Women in global science advancing academic careers through international collaboration

    CERN Document Server

    Zippel, Kathrin

    2017-01-01

    Scientific and engineering research is increasingly global, and international collaboration can be essential to academic success. Yet even as administrators and policymakers extol the benefits of global science, few recognize the diversity of international research collaborations and their participants, or take gendered inequalities into account. Women in Global Science is the first book to consider systematically the challenges and opportunities that the globalization of scientific work brings to U.S. academics, especially for women faculty. Kathrin Zippel looks to the STEM fields as a case study, where gendered cultures and structures in academia have contributed to an underrepresentation of women. While some have approached underrepresentation as a national concern with a national solution, Zippel highlights how gender relations are reconfigured in global academia. For U.S. women in particular, international collaboration offers opportunities to step outside of exclusionary networks at home. International ...

  3. Postpartum Mood Disorders: Recognizing the symptoms

    OpenAIRE

    Misri, Shaila; Burgmann, Allan J.F.

    1992-01-01

    Adjusting to the role of mother, a creative and joyous change for most women, combines with simultaneous physiological and psychological changes to develop into psychiatric problems in some women. Three common syndromes during the postpartum period are postpartum blues, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis. Any postpartum condition should be diagnosed rapidly to prevent short- and long-term disorders.

  4. The roles of categorical and coordinate spatial relations in recognizing buildings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palermo, Liana; Piccardi, Laura; Nori, Raffaella; Giusberti, Fiorella; Guariglia, Cecilia

    2012-11-01

    Categorical spatial information is considered more useful for recognizing objects, and coordinate spatial information for guiding actions--for example, during navigation or grasping. In contrast with this assumption, we hypothesized that buildings, unlike other categories of objects, require both categorical and coordinate spatial information in order to be recognized. This hypothesis arose from evidence that right-brain-damaged patients have deficits in both coordinate judgments and recognition of buildings and from the fact that buildings are very useful for guiding navigation in urban environments. To test this hypothesis, we assessed 210 healthy college students while they performed four different tasks that required categorical and coordinate judgments and the recognition of common objects and buildings. Our results showed that both categorical and coordinate spatial representations are necessary to recognize a building, whereas only categorical representations are necessary to recognize an object. We discuss our data in view of a recent neural framework for visuospatial processing, suggesting that recognizing buildings may specifically activate the parieto-medial-temporal pathway.

  5. Antarctic skuas recognize individual humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Won Young; Han, Yeong-Deok; Lee, Sang-Im; Jablonski, Piotr G; Jung, Jin-Woo; Kim, Jeong-Hoon

    2016-07-01

    Recent findings report that wild animals can recognize individual humans. To explain how the animals distinguish humans, two hypotheses are proposed. The high cognitive abilities hypothesis implies that pre-existing high intelligence enabled animals to acquire such abilities. The pre-exposure to stimuli hypothesis suggests that frequent encounters with humans promote the acquisition of discriminatory abilities in these species. Here, we examine individual human recognition abilities in a wild Antarctic species, the brown skua (Stercorarius antarcticus), which lives away from typical human settlements and was only recently exposed to humans due to activities at Antarctic stations. We found that, as nest visits were repeated, the skua parents responded at further distances and were more likely to attack the nest intruder. Also, we demonstrated that seven out of seven breeding pairs of skuas selectively responded to a human nest intruder with aggression and ignored a neutral human who had not previously approached the nest. The results indicate that Antarctic skuas, a species that typically inhabited in human-free areas, are able to recognize individual humans who disturbed their nests. Our findings generally support the high cognitive abilities hypothesis, but this ability can be acquired during a relatively short period in the life of an individual as a result of interactions between individual birds and humans.

  6. Intervention with women in the context of prostitution: pedagogical take from different voices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Montserrat PAYÁ SÁNCHEZ

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This article tries to reflect the educational dimension of the work that social entities carry out with women in contexts of prostitution. For this purpose, we did a qualitative investigation across interviews, groups of discussion, participative observation and life histories, from three types of informants: specialists in the matter, professionals who work on the area directly with the women, and women in contexts of prostitution. The analysis of the information allows us to recognize the pedagogical content that underlies in the intervention that develops in this area. From this perspective, the results showed in this paper try to reveal the educational potential that practices and relationship that professionals establish with the women contain.

  7. Use of and attitudes and knowledge about pap smears among women in Kuwait.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Hammasi, Khadija; Samir, Ola; Kettaneh, Soania; Al-Fadli, Athari; Thalib, Lukman

    2009-11-01

    To estimate the lifetime prevalence of Pap smear among women in Kuwait and to assess their knowledge about and attitude toward Pap smears. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using a multistage cluster sampling method. We interviewed 299 women attending polyclinics in Kuwait using a self-administered questionnaire. Factors related to history of having a Pap smear, knowledge level, and willingness to participate in a screening program were evaluated. The lifetime prevalence of Pap smear was found to be 37% (95% CI 33-43). Forty-four percent of women in our study had a Pap smear only once in their lives. History of having at least one Pap smear was significantly related to such factors as age, total family income, marital status, history of cervical infection, and knowledge. The level of knowledge about cervical cancer varied among the participants. Forty-six percent of women were uncertain about the symptoms of cervical cancer. About half the women recognized cervical infection, smoking, and having multiple sexual partners as risk factors for cervical cancer; however, only 10% recognized early sexual intercourse as a risk factor. Willingness to participate in a future screening program varied significantly according to educational level, employment status, and total family income. Although cervical cancer incidence and mortality are relatively low in Kuwait, they may be underreported in the absence of a screening program. Moreover, lifetime prevalence of having a Pap smear was found to be considerably lower in Kuwait compared with developed countries.

  8. SPEECH ABOUT WOMEN IN MEDICAL EDUCATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simone Andrade Teixeira

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The medical discourse is recognized as an important vehicle for forming an opinion on health, on the bodies and sexualities. To what extent this discourse uses categories of social analysis such as gender, race, class, ethnicity, color and sexual orientation in the construction of knowledge about the different processes of health and illness related to women? A textbook on women's health provided to students of a medical school was examined by Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA, developed by Norman Fairclough. The gender perspective was also used in the analysis of the speech. The use of these tools of analysis shows that the medical discourse is still impregnated by gender cultural norms, focused almost exclusively on biological aspects and directed to a universal woman, white and heterosexual.

  9. Serum Inter–α-Trypsin Inhibitor and Matrix Hyaluronan Promote Angiogenesis in Fibrotic Lung Injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garantziotis, Stavros; Zudaire, Enrique; Trempus, Carol S.; Hollingsworth, John W.; Jiang, Dianhua; Lancaster, Lisa H.; Richardson, Elizabeth; Zhuo, Lisheng; Cuttitta, Frank; Brown, Kevin K.; Noble, Paul W.; Kimata, Koji; Schwartz, David A.

    2008-01-01

    Rationale: The etiology and pathogenesis of angiogenesis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is poorly understood. Inter-α-trypsin inhibitor (IaI) is a serum protein that can bind to hyaluronan (HA) and may contribute to the angiogenic response to tissue injury. Objectives: To determine whether IaI promotes HA-mediated angiogenesis in tissue injury. Methods: An examination was undertaken of angiogenesis in IaI-sufficient and -deficient mice in the bleomycin model of pulmonary fibrosis and in angiogenesis assays in vivo and in vitro. IaI and HA in patients with IPF were examined. Measurements and Main Results: IaI significantly enhances the angiogenic response to short-fragment HA in vivo and in vitro. lal deficiency Ieads to decreased angiogenesis in the matrigel model, and decreases lung angiogenesis after bleomycin exposure in mice. IaI is found in fibroblastic foci in IPF, where it colocalizes with HA. The colocalization is particularly strong in vascular areas around fibroblastic foci. Serum levels of IaI and HA are significantly elevated in patients with IPF compared with control subjects. High serum IaI and HA levels are associated with decreased lung diffusing capacity, but not FVC. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that serum IaI interacts with HA, and promotes angiogenesis in lung injury. IaI appears to contribute to the vascular response to lung injury and may lead to aberrant angiogenesis. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00016627). PMID:18703791

  10. Less is More: Membrane Protein Digestion Beyond Urea–Trypsin Solution for Next-level Proteomics*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xi

    2015-01-01

    The goal of next-level bottom-up membrane proteomics is protein function investigation, via high-coverage high-throughput peptide-centric quantitation of expression, modifications and dynamic structures at systems scale. Yet efficient digestion of mammalian membrane proteins presents a daunting barrier, and prevalent day-long urea–trypsin in-solution digestion proved insufficient to reach this goal. Many efforts contributed incremental advances over past years, but involved protein denaturation that disconnected measurement from functional states. Beyond denaturation, the recent discovery of structure/proteomics omni-compatible detergent n-dodecyl-β-d-maltopyranoside, combined with pepsin and PNGase F columns, enabled breakthroughs in membrane protein digestion: a 2010 DDM-low-TCEP (DLT) method for H/D-exchange (HDX) using human G protein-coupled receptor, and a 2015 flow/detergent-facilitated protease and de-PTM digestions (FDD) for integrative deep sequencing and quantitation using full-length human ion channel complex. Distinguishing protein solubilization from denaturation, protease digestion reliability from theoretical specificity, and reduction from alkylation, these methods shifted day(s)-long paradigms into minutes, and afforded fully automatable (HDX)-protein-peptide-(tandem mass tag)-HPLC pipelines to instantly measure functional proteins at deep coverage, high peptide reproducibility, low artifacts and minimal leakage. Promoting—not destroying—structures and activities harnessed membrane proteins for the next-level streamlined functional proteomics. This review analyzes recent advances in membrane protein digestion methods and highlights critical discoveries for future proteomics. PMID:26081834

  11. Less is More: Membrane Protein Digestion Beyond Urea-Trypsin Solution for Next-level Proteomics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xi

    2015-09-01

    The goal of next-level bottom-up membrane proteomics is protein function investigation, via high-coverage high-throughput peptide-centric quantitation of expression, modifications and dynamic structures at systems scale. Yet efficient digestion of mammalian membrane proteins presents a daunting barrier, and prevalent day-long urea-trypsin in-solution digestion proved insufficient to reach this goal. Many efforts contributed incremental advances over past years, but involved protein denaturation that disconnected measurement from functional states. Beyond denaturation, the recent discovery of structure/proteomics omni-compatible detergent n-dodecyl-β-d-maltopyranoside, combined with pepsin and PNGase F columns, enabled breakthroughs in membrane protein digestion: a 2010 DDM-low-TCEP (DLT) method for H/D-exchange (HDX) using human G protein-coupled receptor, and a 2015 flow/detergent-facilitated protease and de-PTM digestions (FDD) for integrative deep sequencing and quantitation using full-length human ion channel complex. Distinguishing protein solubilization from denaturation, protease digestion reliability from theoretical specificity, and reduction from alkylation, these methods shifted day(s)-long paradigms into minutes, and afforded fully automatable (HDX)-protein-peptide-(tandem mass tag)-HPLC pipelines to instantly measure functional proteins at deep coverage, high peptide reproducibility, low artifacts and minimal leakage. Promoting-not destroying-structures and activities harnessed membrane proteins for the next-level streamlined functional proteomics. This review analyzes recent advances in membrane protein digestion methods and highlights critical discoveries for future proteomics. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  12. Generating the Power of a Diverse Collective by Following Women's Approaches to Leadership. The Claremont Letter. Volume 4, Issue 3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grogan, Margaret

    2010-01-01

    Charol Shakeshaft and Margaret Grogan have just finished a book called "Women and Educational Leadership" for a leadership series published by Jossey-Bass. For those engaged in the preparation and development of school leaders, women's leadership is thus recognized along with Distributed Leadership, Turnaround Leadership, Ethical…

  13. Hydroxyl and water molecule orientations in trypsin: Comparison to molecular dynamics structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McDowell, R.S.; Kossiakoff, A.A. [Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA (United States)

    1994-12-31

    A comparison is presented of experimentally observed hydroxyl and water hydrogens in trypsin determined from neutron density maps with the results of a 140ps molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Experimental determination of hydrogen and deuterium atom positions in molecules as large as proteins is a unique capability of neutron diffraction. The comparison addresses the degree to which a standard force-field approach can adequately describe the local electrostatic and van der Waals forces that determine the orientations of these hydrogens. Neutron densities, derived from 2.1{Angstrom} D{sub 2}O-H{sub 2}O difference Fourier maps, provide a database of 27 well-ordered hydroxyl hydrogens. Most of the simulated hydroxyl orientations are within a standard deviation of the experimentally-observed positions, including several examples in which both the simulation and the neutron density indicate that a hydroxyl group is shifted from a {open_quote}standard{close_quote} rotamer. For the most highly ordered water molecules, the hydrogen distributions calculated from the trajectory were in good agreement with neutron density; simulated water molecules that displayed multiple hydrogen bonding networks had correspondingly broadened neutron density profiles. This comparison was facilitated by development of a method to construct a pseudo 2{Angstrom} density map based on the hydrogen atom distributions from the simulation. The degree of disorder of internal water molecules is shown to result primarily from the electrostatic environment surrounding that water molecule as opposed to the cavity size available to the molecule. A method is presented for comparing the discrete observations sampled in a dynamics trajectory with the time- averaged data obtained from X-ray or neutron diffraction studies. This method is particularly useful for statically-disordered water molecules, in which the average location assigned from a trajectory may represent a site of relatively low occupancy.

  14. Women With Dissociative Identity Disorder Who Experience Intimate Partner Violence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyder, Briana L

    2018-05-01

    Women with dissociative identity disorder (DID) are significantly more likely than other women to experience intimate partner violence (IPV). The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to explicate the experiences of women with DID who experience IPV and describe how they cope. Grounded theory was used to conduct this investigation. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants (N = 5) for face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Verbatim transcripts were coded and categorized, and reflective memos were developed to explicate substantive categories. Women with DID used coping strategies that were consistent with their diagnoses, such as switching and dissociating. These coping mechanisms reflect past self-preservation strategies that were developed in association with severe childhood maltreatment. Women with DID who experienced IPV sought to mitigate and safeguard themselves from danger using strategies they developed as maltreated children. Nurses can use these findings to better recognize and understand the motivations and behaviors of women with DID who experience IPV. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 56(5), 26-32.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

  15. Violence against Brazilian Women in Public and Mediatic Spheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza-Leal, Bruno; de-Carvalho, Carlos-Alberto; Antunes, Elton

    2018-01-01

    This paper explores the capacity of the media to incorporate controversies in circulation in the public sphere. For that, it is based on the analysis of a set of 607 news stories about violence against women in context of gender relations and proximity, collected in nine Brazilian media during the years of 2013 and 2014. Recognized as one of the…

  16. Purification and partial characterisation of a trypsin from the processing waste of the silver mojarra (Diapterus rhombeus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Janilson F; Espósito, Talita S; Marcuschi, Marina; Ribeiro, Karina; Cavalli, Ronaldo O; Oliveira, Vitor; Bezerra, Ranilson S

    2011-12-01

    An alkaline peptidase was purified from the viscera of the silver mojarra (Diapterus rhombeus) in a three-step process: heat treatment, ammonium sulphate fractionation and molecular exclusion chromatography (Sephadex® G-75), with final specific activity 86-fold higher than the enzyme extract and yield of 22.1%. The purified enzyme had an estimated molecular mass of 26.5kDa and NH2-terminal amino acid sequence IVGGYECTMHSEAHE. Higher enzyme activity was observed at pH 8.5 and between 50 and 55°C. The enzyme was completely inactivated after 30min at 55°C and it was significantly more stable at alkaline pH. Km, Kcat and Kcat·Km(-1) values, using BApNA as substrate, were 0.266mM, 0.93s(-1) and 3.48mM(-1)s(-1), respectively. Enzyme activity increased in the presence of the ions (1mM) K(+), Li(+) and Ca(2+), but was inhibited by Fe(2+), Cd(2+), Cu(2+), Al(3+), Hg(2+), Zn(2+) and Pb(2+) as well as by the trypsin inhibitors TLCK and benzamidine. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Obesity and fractures in postmenopausal women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Premaor, Melissa Orlandin; Pilbrow, Lesley; Tonkin, Carol; Parker, Richard A; Compston, Juliet

    2010-02-01

    Low body mass index (BMI) is a recognized risk factor for fragility fracture, whereas obesity is widely believed to be protective. As part of a clinical audit of guidance from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), we have documented the prevalence of obesity and morbid obesity in postmenopausal women younger than 75 years of age presenting to our Fracture Liaison Service (FLS). Between January 2006 and December 2007, 1005 postmenopausal women aged less than 75 years with a low-trauma fracture were seen in the FLS. Of these women, 805 (80%) underwent assessment of bone mineral density (BMD) by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and values for BMI were available in 799. The prevalence of obesity (BMI 30 to 34.9 kg/m(2)) and morbid obesity (BMI > or = 35 kg/m(2)) in this cohort was 19.3% and 8.4%, respectively. Normal BMD was reported in 59.1% of obese and 73.1% of morbidly obese women, and only 11.7% and 4.5%, respectively, had osteoporosis (p obesity in postmenopausal women presenting to the FLS with low-trauma fracture. Most of these women had normal BMD, as measured by DXA. Our findings have important public heath implications in view of the rapidly rising increase in obesity in many populations and emphasize the need for further studies to establish the pathogenesis of fractures in obese individuals and to determine appropriate preventive strategies. Copyright 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

  18. Women in the History of Astronomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Álvarez, M. Álvarez; Díaz, Ángeles I.

    1998-06-01

    We think about the History of Astronomy as the History of men. As the History of a few men: Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler, Newton,...- men who have changed our way of looking at the sky. But the History of Astronomy is more than that, it is the History of thousand of people whose daily work has allowed the development of knowledge and scientific theories at the time they lived. This, sometimes, "tedious work" permitted the big steps. Many of these people were women, as Theano who married Pythagoras and taught mathematics and astronomy in his school, Hypatia who managed the Library of Alexandria and wrote several astronomical treatises, Hildegard of Bingen who developed a theory on the origin and structure of the Universe in the 12th century, or Sofie Brahe who, worked with her famous brother. And so many privileged women who after a long process of study, were able to develop their scientific interests in spite of been excluded from most of the educational installations and formal and informal groups of men scientist. Most of the works done by these women have been ignored, or wrongly attributed to men throughout History. It often happens that although they have been recognized as good scientists in their own times, women have been discredited by posterior historians who refused to believe that important women scientist ever existed. Here we intend to make a short summary on the lives of some of these women and their astronomical works.

  19. Women in Physics in Estonia: Many Duties, One Life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaasik, Helle

    2009-04-01

    In Estonia, women and men have equal legal rights. Women are expected to earn their living like men—and unlike men, to be the main (often the only) caregiver for the children. In the family women do most of the unpaid work, spending twice the amount of time on household duties as men. Laws about public preschool child care and child support obligations for noncustodial parents exist, but these laws are not always realized in practice. A generous policy of benefits for children under 1.5 years provides some relief for mothers. It is a challenge to balance a woman's traditional load of unpaid duties with the high demands of a science career. As in many other countries, with every step up the academic ladder the underrepresentation of women in science becomes more evident. Physics and engineering are perceived as male areas and women active in these areas are often treated as exceptions. Most obstacles met by women in science are difficult to recognize and neutralize because they are deeply informal. Activities for "gender and science" that exceed the limits of sociological study have no long tradition here and are yet finding their place in Estonian society.

  20. Visual communication with Haitian women: a look at pictorial literacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gustafson, M B

    1986-06-01

    A study of village women in Haiti which presents baseline data from their responses to stylized health education pictures is reported. The study questioned the concept that pictorial messages were accurately recognized and self-explanatory to nonliterate Haitian village women. The investigator, who used a descriptive survey, sought answers to a major and a related question: what do nonliterate Haitian village women recognize in selected health education pictures; and are their differences in picture recognition traceable to the complexity of the pictures. There were 110 women (25 from a mountain village, 25 from a plains village, 25 from a seacoast village, and 35 urban dwellers) who responded to 9 health education pictures. The women ranged in age from 18-80 years of age; 32 (29%) had gone to school for a range of an "unknown time" to 8 years. 47% of those who had gone to school indicated that they could read. The investigator rated the verbatim responses to the pictures for accuracy as: accurate, overinclusive, underinclusive, inaccurate, and do not know. The quantitative analysis of this data revealed that the accuracy levels decreased as the complexity level increased. This is best shown in the 129 (39%) accurate responses in the low level; 6 (1.8%) in the moderate level; and no accurate responses in the high complexity level. An unexpected finding was the highest number of inaccurate responses (n = 83, 25.1%) found in the low complexity level, while the moderate and high levels both showed 36 (10.8%). In addition to the differences in accuracy in picture recognition based on picture complexity, there were significant differences on the chi-square test which confirmed the assertion of the question that picture recognition is traceable to the complexity of the picture. These findings are consistent with the picture complexity studies of Holmes, Jelliffe, and Kwansa.

  1. Barriers to women engaging in collective action to overcome sexism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radke, Helena R M; Hornsey, Matthew J; Barlow, Fiona Kate

    2016-12-01

    Over centuries women have fought hard to obtain increasing gender equality, but despite these successes absolute equality remains an elusive goal. Theoretically, women's numerical strength makes them well-placed to take effective collective action, and millions of women engage in feminist collective action every day. In this article, however, we argue that women also face barriers to engaging in feminist collective action; barriers that are associated with the social construction and experience of what it means to be a woman. Our review synthesizes sexism research under a contemporary collective action framework to clarify our current understanding of the literature and to offer novel theoretical explanations for why women might be discouraged from engaging in feminist collective action. Using the antecedents of collective action identified by van Zomeren, Postmes, and Spears' (2008) meta-analysis, we critically review the sexism literature to argue that women face challenges when it comes to (a) identifying with other women and feminists, (b) perceiving sexism and expressing group-based anger, and (c) recognizing the efficacy of collective action. We then outline a research agenda with a view to investigating ways of overcoming these barriers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Women in alcoholic partnerships: Victimized and stigmatized

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dragišić-Labaš Slađana

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we strived to examine and therefore gain a deeper insight into the stigmatization and victimization of women living with an alcoholic partner by taking into account various perspectives. The association between alcohol consumption and violence against women has long been recognized, but wider social and legal support and protection followed rather late. Especially in developing countries, this serious problem has become one of the biggest health issues that is nonetheless still insufficiently investigated. High rates of aggressive and violent behavior of men towards women in partnerships have deep cultural and social roots, and this is additionally enhanced by the use of alcohol. The use of alcohol enhances violence against women and is therefore often justified which is obviously unacceptable. Women are victimized regardless of the position in these type of partnerships, namely irrespective of whether they themselves or addicts or are partners of addicted partners or husbands, because they often suffer psychological, physical and sexual violence. Several case studies drawn from our practice and presented below will partly illuminate dark side of a violent alcoholic partnership. In order to better understand the link between alcohol and violence it seems necessary to consider both social and structural factors involved.

  3. Lessons learned from women in leadership positions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elias, Eileen

    2018-01-01

    Eileen Elias has decades of experience in leadership positions within government and nongovernmental organizations. As the first female Commissioner for Mental Health in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the US in the early 1990s, Elias gained experience on navigating gender-based challenges to attain recognized performance outcomes. From lessons learned from women leaders, educate young women entering their careers on attaining leadership positions. Comprehensive research of literature from 2012 through 2017 and interviews with women leaders representing non-Fortune 500 companies including academia, research, non-profit, for-profit, and primary and secondary education. Interviewees included:1.Gail Bassin, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Treasurer, JBS International Inc.2.Jeri Epstein, Executive Director, The Ambit Foundation3.Valerie Fletcher, Executive Director, Institute for Human Centered Design4.Christine James-Brown, President and CEO, Child Welfare League of America5.Daria Mochly-Rosen, PhD, Professor and Fellow, Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine6.Eileen O'Keefe, MD, MPH, Clinical Associate Professor and Director, Boston University Health Sciences7.Jeri Shaw, President and Co-Chief Executive Officer, JBS International Inc. A comprehensive understanding of key women leaders' lessons learned and recommendations targeting young women as they assess leadership opportunities in the public or private sectors.

  4. Forced sterilization of women as discrimination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Priti

    2017-01-01

    There has been a long history of subjecting marginalized women to forced and coerced sterilization. In recent years, the practice has been documented in countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. It has targeted women who are ethnic and racial minorities, women with disabilities, women living with HIV, and poor women. A handful of courts have issued decisions on the recent forced sterilization of marginalized women finding that such actions violate the women's rights. However, they have all failed to address the women's claims of discrimination. The failure to acknowledge that forced sterilization is at its core a violation of the prohibition of discrimination undermines efforts to eradicate the practice. It further fails to recognize that coerced and forced sterilization fundamentally seeks to deny women deemed as "unworthy" the ability to procreate. Four key principles outlined in the human rights in patient care framework highlight the importance of a finding that the prohibition of discrimination was violated in cases of forced sterilization: the need to highlight the vulnerability of marginalized populations to discrimination in health care settings; the importance of the rights of medical providers; the role of the state in addressing systemic human rights violations in health care settings; and the application of human rights to patient care. Based on these principles, it is clear that finding a violation of the prohibition of discrimination in forced sterilization cases is critical in addressing the systemic nature of the practice, acknowledging the marginalization of specific groups and effectively ending forced sterilization through addressing the underlying purpose of the practice. If litigators, non-governmental organizations and judicial officers are mindful of these principles when dealing with cases of forced sterilization, it is likely that they will be better able to eradicate forced sterilization.

  5. Postpartum depression among women who have experienced intimate partner violence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rogathi, Jane J.; Manongi, Rachael; Mushi, Declare

    2017-01-01

    Depression Scale (EPDS) and self-reported IPV experiences were assessed using structured questions adopted from the WHO's Multi-country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence; 3) Assessment for postpartum depression using EPDS was repeated at 40 days post-partum. Data were analyzed using bivariate......BACKGROUND: Post-partum depression (PPD) in many low-income countries, including Tanzania, is not well recognized, and the underlying predictors and causes of PPD remain unclear. Results from previous studies suggest that PPD is associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced during.......10; 95% CI: 2.04-4.40) as compared to those women who were not exposed to IPV during their pregnancy. Stratified analyses showed that this risk of PPD was highest among younger women (aged 18-24 years) who were exposed to physical violence (AOR=3.75; 95% CI: 1.21-11.67). Among women exposed to emotional...

  6. Natural abundance 15N NMR assignments delineate structural differences between intact and reactive-site hydrolyzed Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnamoorthi, R; Nemmers, S; Tobias, B

    1992-06-15

    15N NMR assignments were made to the backbone amide nitrogen atoms at natural isotopic abundance of intact and reactive-site (Arg5-Ile6) hydrolyzed Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III (CMTI-III and CMTI-III*, respectively) by means of 2D proton-detected heteronuclear single bond chemical shift correlation (HSBC) spectroscopy, utilizing the previously made sequence-specific 1H NMR assignments (Krishnamoorthi et al. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 898-904). Comparison of the 15N chemical shifts of the two forms of the inhibitor molecule revealed significant changes not only for residues located near the reactive-site region, but also for those distantly located. Residues Cys3, Arg5, Leu7, Met8, Cys10, Cys16, Glu19, His25, Tyr27, Cys28 and Gly29 showed significant chemical shift changes ranging from 0.3 to 6.1 ppm, thus indicating structural perturbations that were transmitted throughout the molecule. These findings confirm the earlier conclusions based on 1H NMR investigations.

  7. Multi-UAV joint target recognizing based on binocular vision theory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuan Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Target recognizing of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV based on image processing take the advantage of 2D information containing in the image for identifying the target. Compare to single UAV with electrical optical tracking system (EOTS, multi-UAV with EOTS is able to take a group of image focused on the suspected target from multiple view point. Benefit from matching each couple of image in this group, points set constituted by matched feature points implicates the depth of each point. Coordinate of target feature points could be computing from depth of feature points. This depth information makes up a cloud of points and reconstructed an exclusive 3D model to recognizing system. Considering the target recognizing do not require precise target model, the cloud of feature points was regrouped into n subsets and reconstructed to a semi-3D model. Casting these subsets in a Cartesian coordinate and applying these projections in convolutional neural networks (CNN respectively, the integrated output of networks is the improved result of recognizing.

  8. Stereotype Deduction About Bisexual Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zivony, Alon; Saguy, Tamar

    Bisexuals are an invisible sexual minority. However, at the same time, bisexuals are stereotypically associated with confusion and promiscuity. Stereotype learning theories suggest that individuals who are unfamiliar with a social group are less likely to have stereotypical beliefs about its members. In contrast, it has been recently hypothesized that stereotypes about bisexuality are not necessarily learned but rather deduced based on common conceptualizations of sexuality. Because stereotypes are suppressed only if they are recognized as offensive, lack of knowledge regarding bisexual stereotypes should actually enhance their adoption. To assess the strength of the two competing accounts, we examined the relationship between explicit knowledge of bisexual stereotypes and stereotypical evaluation of bisexual individuals. Heterosexual participants (N = 261) read a description of two characters on a date and evaluated one of them. Bisexual women were evaluated as more confused and promiscuous relative to nonbisexual women. Moreover, the stereotypical evaluations of bisexual women were inversely related to knowledge about these stereotypes. The findings support the notion that bisexual stereotypes are not learned but rather deduced from shared assumptions about sexuality. Consequently, public invisibility not only exists alongside bisexual stereotypes but might also exacerbate their uninhibited adoption.

  9. Recognizing and Preventing Overexposure to Methylmercury from Fish and Seafood Consumption: Information for Physicians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan M. Silbernagel

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Fish is a valuable source of nutrition, and many people would benefit from eating fish regularly. But some people eat a lot of fish, every day or several meals per week, and thus can run a significant risk of overexposure to methylmercury. Current advice regarding methylmercury from fish consumption is targeted to protect the developing brain and nervous system but adverse health effects are increasingly associated with adult chronic low-level methylmercury exposure. Manifestations of methylmercury poisoning are variable and may be difficult to detect unless one considers this specific diagnosis and does an appropriate test (blood or hair analysis. We provide information to physicians to recognize and prevent overexposure to methylmercury from fish and seafood consumption. Physicians are urged to ask patients if they eat fish: how often, how much, and what kinds. People who eat fish frequently (once a week or more often and pregnant women are advised to choose low mercury fish.

  10. Mining Emerging Patterns for Recognizing Activities of Multiple Users in Pervasive Computing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gu, Tao; Wu, Zhanqing; Wang, Liang

    2009-01-01

    Understanding and recognizing human activities from sensor readings is an important task in pervasive computing. Existing work on activity recognition mainly focuses on recognizing activities for a single user in a smart home environment. However, in real life, there are often multiple inhabitants...... activity models, and propose an Emerging Pattern based Multi-user Activity Recognizer (epMAR) to recognize both single-user and multiuser activities. We conduct our empirical studies by collecting real-world activity traces done by two volunteers over a period of two weeks in a smart home environment...... sensor readings in a home environment, and propose a novel pattern mining approach to recognize both single-user and multi-user activities in a unified solution. We exploit Emerging Pattern – a type of knowledge pattern that describes significant changes between classes of data – for constructing our...

  11. The Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein, FMRP, Recognizes G-Quartets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darnell, Jennifer C.; Warren, Stephen T.; Darnell, Robert B.

    2004-01-01

    Fragile X mental retardation is a disease caused by the loss of function of a single RNA-binding protein, FMRP. Identifying the RNA targets recognized by FMRP is likely to reveal much about its functions in controlling some aspects of memory and behavior. Recent evidence suggests that one of the predominant RNA motifs recognized by the FMRP…

  12. MEETING THE PENETRATING SIGHT OF THE GYPSY WOMEN SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

    OpenAIRE

    BUJALSKA, Aleksandra

    2017-01-01

    Somewhere in the Middle East during journey we can meet Gypsy women. Their penetrating sight clenches their entire existence. This stare shows their struggle with life, the everlasting roam and the mysterious knowledge contained in their nature. Who is the Gypsy woman in the Middle East? Gypsy is primarily a vagabond, a woman responsible for divination but very often the beggar and also unfortunately a thief. How we can recognize her from other women? The presence of Gypsies in the Midd...

  13. Effect of condensed tannins in hulls of faba beans (Vivia faba L.) on the activities of trypsin (EC 2.4.21.4) and chymotrypsin (EC 2.4.21.1) in digesta collected from the small intestine of pigs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jansman, A.J.M.; Enting, H.; Verstegen, M.W.A.; Huisman, J.

    1994-01-01

    The effects of condensed tannins in hulls of faba beans (Vicia faba L.) on the activities of trypsin (EC 3.4.21.4) and chymotrypsin (EC 3.4.21.1) in digesta obtained from the small intestine of pigs were studied. Using four castrated male pigs (mean body weight 83 kg) fitted with both a simple

  14. A practical guideline for examining a uterine niche using ultrasonography in non-pregnant women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jordans, I P M; de Leeuw, R; Stegwee, S I

    2018-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To generate a uniform, internationally recognized guideline for detailed uterine niche evaluation by ultrasonography in non-pregnant women using a modified Delphi method amongst international experts. METHODS: Fifteen international gynecological experts were recruited...... definitions, relevance, method of measurement and tips for visualization of the niche. All experts agreed on the proposed guideline for niche evaluation in non-pregnant women as presented in this paper. CONCLUSION: Consensus between niche experts was achieved on all items regarding ultrasonographic niche...

  15. Men's Perceptions of Women's Participation in Development Initiatives in Rural Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karim, Rabiul; Lindberg, Lene; Wamala, Sarah; Emmelin, Maria

    2018-03-01

    Without taking masculine issues into account, women's participation in development initiatives does not always guarantee their empowerment, health, and welfare in a male-dominated society. This study aimed to explore men's perceptions of women's participation in development (WPD) in rural Bangladesh. In adopting a qualitative approach, the study examined 48 purposively selected married and unmarried men aged 20-76 years in three northwest villages. Data collection was accomplished through four focus group discussions (FGDs) with 43 men clustered into four groups and through individual interviews with five other men. A qualitative content analysis of the data revealed an overall theme of "feeling challenged by fears and hopes," indicating variations in men's views on women's participation in development initiatives as represented by three main categories: (a) fearing the loss of male authority, (b) recognizing women's roles in enhancing family welfare, and (c) valuing women's independence. In the context of dominant patriarchal traditions in Bangladesh, these findings provide new insight into dynamics and variations of men's views, suggesting a need to better engage men during different stages of women-focused development initiatives.

  16. Early detection of cystic fibrosis in newborns using radioimmunoanalysis of trypsin in drops of blood absorbed on filter paper. Final report for the period 1 July 1996 - 30 June 1997

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Menises, M.M.

    1998-03-01

    The objective was to establish the cut-off value for blood immunoreactive trypsin radioimmunoassay used in the screening program for cystic fibrosis. Ten thousand capillary blood samples were collected from newborns 48 hours after birth on Schleider and Schnell No.903 filter paper and screened for immunoreactive trypsin (IRT) using polyethylene glycol assisted double antibody radioimmunoassay. Samples with IRT values greater then 800 ng/ml were subjected to further molecular biological diagnosis by amplification of exons 10 and 11 of CFTR gene. The products were analysed for ΔF508 and G542X mutations by hybridization with specific allele probe and G551D and R553X mutations by restriction enzyme digestion and Southern Blot. One hundred and forty one patients showed IRT values of greater then 800 ng/ml. Five of them were homozygotes for mutation at and ΔF508 and one was heterozygote the disease (one allele was positive for ΔF508 and the other allele for G542X). Only one of them presented with meconium ileus and the rest were asymptomatic. None of them has value less than 1200ng/ml in the first week of life. Five heterozygote for mutation at ΔF508 was also detected using 800ng/ml as cut-off. Based on the above findings, the cut-off value is established at 1200ng/ml. This gives specificity and sensitivity of 100%. (author)

  17. Framework for benchmarking FA-based string recognizers

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Ngassam, EK

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available of suggested algorithms by domain-specific FA-implementers requires prior knowledge of the behaviour (performance-wise) of each algorithm in order to make an informed choice. The authors propose a based string recognizers such that FA-implementers could capture...

  18. Cardiopulmonary functional capacity and the role of exercise in improving maximal oxygen consumption in women with PCOS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenarcik, Agnieszka; Bidzińska-Speichert, Bozena

    2010-01-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common reproductive disorder in premenopausal women and is frequently accompanied by the presence of cardiovascular risk factors. It has also been recognized that PCOS women are characterized by cardiopulmonary impairment. Reduced cardiopulmonary functional capacity and the autonomic dysfunction associated with abnormal heart rate recovery might be responsible for the increased cardiovascular risk in patients with PCOS. Exercise training has beneficial effects on cardiopulmonary functional capacity and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in PCOS women.

  19. Recognizing Multi-user Activities using Wearable Sensors in a Smart Home

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Liang; Gu, Tao; Tao, Xianping

    2010-01-01

    The advances of wearable sensors and wireless networks oer many opportunities to recognize human activities from sensor readings in pervasive computing. Existing work so far focuses mainly on recognizing activities of a single user in a home environment. However, there are typically multiple inha...

  20. The Effect of Gamma radiation, microwave radiation, their interaction and storage on chemical composition, antinutritional factors and the activities of trypsin inhibitor and lipoxygenase of soybean seeds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abdel-Rahim, E A; Abdel-Fatah, O M [Dept. of Biochem., Faculty of Agric., Cairo University. (Egypt); El-Adawy, M; Badea, M Y [Food Technol. Dept., National Center for Research and Radiation Technol., Atomic Energy Authority (Egypt)

    2000-07-01

    The effect of gamma radiation, microwave radiation, interaction between them; and storage of radiated soybean seeds were investigated to find out the best treatment which had to the maximum reduction of antinutrional factors (Trypsin inhibitor and lipoxygenase activities) without significant effect on the chemical constituents. The gamma rays was used at three doses of 2.5, 5.0 and 8.0 kGy, microwave radiation was at 70 level power for 2 and 4 min; and the storage of seeds was at temperature, R.H. 50-55% for six months. The data revealed that, effects of interaction treatments were more effective than the treatment with microwave or gamma radiation alone.

  1. The Effect of Gamma radiation, microwave radiation, their interaction and storage on chemical composition, antinutritional factors and the activities of trypsin inhibitor and lipoxygenase of soybean seeds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel-Rahim, E.A.; Abdel-Fatah, O.M.; El-Adawy, M.; Badea, M.Y.

    2000-01-01

    The effect of gamma radiation, microwave radiation, interaction between them; and storage of radiated soybean seeds were investigated to find out the best treatment which had to the maximum reduction of antinutrional factors (Trypsin inhibitor and lipoxygenase activities) without significant effect on the chemical constituents. The gamma rays was used at three doses of 2.5, 5.0 and 8.0 kGy, microwave radiation was at 70 level power for 2 and 4 min; and the storage of seeds was at temperature, R.H. 50-55% for six months. The data revealed that, effects of interaction treatments were more effective than the treatment with microwave or gamma radiation alone

  2. Gender and Economic Growth in Uganda : Unleashing the Power of Women

    OpenAIRE

    Ellis, Amanda; Manuel, Claire; Blackden, C. Mark

    2005-01-01

    Uganda is a leader in Sub-Saharan Africa, in recognizing linkages between economic growth and gender issues. These linkages are critical for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The study assesses the legal and administrative barriers faced by women, as identified by the Bank's Foreign Investment Advisory Service (FIAS) and the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) Gender-Entrep...

  3. Gender-specific mental health care needs of women veterans treated for psychiatric disorders in a Veterans Administration Women's Health Clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Laura J; Ghadiali, Nafisa Y

    2015-04-01

    This pilot study aims to ascertain the prevalence of self-reported premenstrual, perinatal, and perimenopausal influences on mental health, and of gynecologic conditions that could interact with psychiatric conditions, among women veterans receiving psychiatric care within a Veterans Administration (VA) Women's Health Clinic (WHC). Participants included all women veterans (N=68) who received psychiatric evaluations within a VA WHC over a 5-month period. This setting encompasses colocated and coordinated primary care, gynecologic and mental health services. Evaluations included a Women's Mental Health Questionnaire, a psychiatric interview, and medical record review. Deidentified data were extracted from a clinical data repository for this descriptive study. High proportions of study participants reported that their emotional problems intensified premenstrually (42.6%), during pregnancy (33.3%), in the postpartum period (33.3%), or during perimenopause (18.2%). Unintended pregnancy (70.0% of pregnancies) and pregnancy loss (63.5% of women who had been pregnant) were prominent sex-linked stressors. Dyspareunia (22.1% of participants) and pelvic pain (17.6% of participants) were frequent comorbidities. Among women veterans receiving psychiatric care within a VA WHC, there are high rates of self-reported premenstrual, perinatal, and perimenopausal influences on mental health. This population also has substantial comorbidity of psychiatric disorders with dyspareunia and pelvic pain. This underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing women veterans' sex-specific care needs, including interactions among reproductive cycle phases, gynecologic pain, and psychiatric symptoms. The findings support the need for greater awareness of the sex-specific mental health needs of women veterans, and for more definitive studies to further characterize these needs.

  4. Career-Life Balance for Women of Color: Experiences in Science and Engineering Academia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kachchaf, Rachel; Ko, Lily; Hodari, Apriel; Ong, Maria

    2015-01-01

    The National Science Foundation recently recognized that career-life balance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) may present some unique challenges for women of color compared with their White and/or male counterparts, thus negatively impacting retention and advancement for a minority demographic that has long been…

  5. Beloved Women: Nurturing the Sacred Fire of Leadership from an American Indian Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Portman, Tarrell Awe Agahe; Garrett, Michael Tlanusta

    2005-01-01

    American Indian women have been consistently involved in leadership throughout indigenous history. Their leadership provides a strong, nurturing influence passed down from generation to generation. In the U.S. society, this type of leadership style is recognized among contemporary authors of leadership manuals as relational and is attributed to…

  6. Violence against women is strongly associated with suicide attempts: evidence from the WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence against women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devries, Karen; Watts, Charlotte; Yoshihama, Mieko; Kiss, Ligia; Schraiber, Lilia Blima; Deyessa, Negussie; Heise, Lori; Durand, Julia; Mbwambo, Jessie; Jansen, Henrica; Berhane, Yemane; Ellsberg, Mary; Garcia-Moreno, Claudia

    2011-07-01

    Suicidal behaviours are one of the most important contributors to the global burden of disease among women, but little is known about prevalence and modifiable risk factors in low and middle income countries. We use data from the WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence against women to examine the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts, and relationships between suicide attempts and mental health status, child sexual abuse, partner violence and other variables. Population representative cross-sectional household surveys were conducted from 2000-2003 in 13 provincial (more rural) and city (urban) sites in Brazil, Ethiopia, Japan, Namibia, Peru, Samoa, Serbia, Thailand and Tanzania. 20967 women aged 15-49 years participated. Prevalence of lifetime suicide attempts, lifetime suicidal thoughts, and suicidal thoughts in the past four weeks were calculated, and multivariate logistic regression models were fit to examine factors associated with suicide attempts in each site. Prevalence of lifetime suicide attempts ranged from 0.8% (Tanzania) to 12.0% (Peru city); lifetime thoughts of suicide from 7.2% (Tanzania province) to 29.0% (Peru province), and thoughts in the past four weeks from 1.9% (Serbia) to 13.6% (Peru province). 25-50% of women with suicidal thoughts in the past four weeks had also visited a health worker in that time. The most consistent risk factors for suicide attempts after adjusting for probable common mental health disorders were: intimate partner violence, non-partner physical violence, ever being divorced, separated or widowed, childhood sexual abuse and having a mother who had experienced intimate partner violence. Mental health policies and services must recognise the consistent relationship between violence and suicidality in women in low and middle income countries. Training health sector workers to recognize and respond to the consequences of violence may substantially reduce the health burden associated with

  7. An Educational Intervention Designed to Increase Women's Leadership Self-Efficacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isaac, Carol; Kaatz, Anna; Lee, Barbara; Carnes, Molly

    2012-01-01

    Women are sparsely represented in leadership in academic science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). Cultural stereotypes about men, women, and leaders influence the attitudes, judgments, and decisions that others make about women and the choices women make for themselves. Multilevel interventions are needed to counteract the impact of these pervasive and easily activated stereotypes, which conspire in multiple ways to constrain women's entry, persistence, and advancement in academic STEMM. We describe an individual-level educational intervention. Using the transtheoretical model of behavioral change as a framework, we assessed the success of a semester course on increasing women's leadership self-efficacy for the first three cohorts of course participants (n = 30). Pre/post questionnaires showed gains in leadership self-efficacy, personal mastery, and self-esteem, and decreases in perceived constraints. Qualitative text analysis of weekly journals indicated increasing leadership self-efficacy as course participants applied course information and integrated strategies to mitigate the impact of societal stereotypes into their own leadership practices. Follow-up queries of the first two cohorts supported the enduring value of course participation. We conclude that providing strategies to recognize and mitigate the impact of gender stereotypes is effective in increasing leadership self-efficacy in women at early stages of academic STEMM careers. PMID:22949427

  8. An educational intervention designed to increase women's leadership self-efficacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isaac, Carol; Kaatz, Anna; Lee, Barbara; Carnes, Molly

    2012-01-01

    Women are sparsely represented in leadership in academic science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). Cultural stereotypes about men, women, and leaders influence the attitudes, judgments, and decisions that others make about women and the choices women make for themselves. Multilevel interventions are needed to counteract the impact of these pervasive and easily activated stereotypes, which conspire in multiple ways to constrain women's entry, persistence, and advancement in academic STEMM. We describe an individual-level educational intervention. Using the transtheoretical model of behavioral change as a framework, we assessed the success of a semester course on increasing women's leadership self-efficacy for the first three cohorts of course participants (n = 30). Pre/post questionnaires showed gains in leadership self-efficacy, personal mastery, and self-esteem, and decreases in perceived constraints. Qualitative text analysis of weekly journals indicated increasing leadership self-efficacy as course participants applied course information and integrated strategies to mitigate the impact of societal stereotypes into their own leadership practices. Follow-up queries of the first two cohorts supported the enduring value of course participation. We conclude that providing strategies to recognize and mitigate the impact of gender stereotypes is effective in increasing leadership self-efficacy in women at early stages of academic STEMM careers.

  9. Bombesin-stimulated serum immunoreactive trypsin in the different diagnosis between endocrine and exocrine tumors of the pancreas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonora, G.; De Giorgio, R.; Toni, R.; Fanti, M.P.; Cariani, G.; Vezzadini, P.

    1987-01-01

    Bombesin administration was recently found to induce a marked increase in circulating immunoreactive trypsin (IRT), whose magnitude seems to reflect the functional capacity of pancreatic acinar cell mass. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of bombesin infusion on serum IRT concentration in patients with endocrine or exocrine tumors of the pancreas. Fifteen patients with pancreatic endocrine tumor, 17 patients with pancreatic exocrine carcinoma and 15 healty subjects were investigated. Serum IRT was measured by radioimmunoassay before and for 120 minutes after the start of bombesin infusion (9 ng/kg/min over 30 min). The integrated serum IRT response to bombesin administration in patients with endocrine tumor of the pancreas did not differ significantly from controls, but were significantly higher than in patients with exocrine carcinoma. In the latter the integrated IRT responses to bombesin infusion in patients with endocrine tumor can probably be explained by small tumor size and/or little invasion of the glandular parenchyma, resulting in an undetectable impairment of exocrine pancreatic function. The very low IRT responses in patients with exocrine carcinoma could reflect the presence of severe pancreatic damage. The results suggest that this newly proposed bombesin test may be useful in the preoperative differential diagnosis between endocrine and exocrine tumors of the pancreas

  10. Generation of Femtosecond Laser-Cut Decellularized Corneal Lenticule Using Hypotonic Trypsin-EDTA Solution for Corneal Tissue Engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Man-Il Huh

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. To establish an optimized and standardized protocol for the development of optimal scaffold for bioengineering corneal substitutes, we used femtosecond laser to process human corneal tissue into stromal lenticules and studied to find the most efficient decellularization method among various reagents with different tonicities. Methods. The decellularization efficacy of several agents (0.1%, 0.25%, and 0.5% of Triton X-100, SDS, and trypsin-EDTA (TE, resp. with different tonicities was evaluated. Of all protocols, the decellularization methods, which efficiently removed nuclear materials examined as detected by immunofluorescent staining, were quantitatively tested for sample DNA and glycosaminoglycan (GAG contents, recellularization efficacy, and biocompatibilities. Results. 0.5% SDS in hypertonic and isotonic buffer, 0.25% TE in hypotonic buffer, and 0.5% TE in all tonicities completely decellularized the corneal lenticules. Of the protocols, decellularization with hypotonic 0.25 and 0.5% TE showed the lowest DNA contents, while the GAG content was the highest. Furthermore, the recellularization efficacy of the hypotonic TE method was better than that of the SDS-based method. Hypotonic TE-treated decellularized corneal lenticules (DCLs were sufficiently transparent and biocompatible. Conclusion. We generated an ideal protocol for DCLs using a novel method. Furthermore, it is possible to create a scaffold using a bioengineered corneal substitute.

  11. Female peers in small work groups enhance women's motivation, verbal participation, and career aspirations in engineering

    OpenAIRE

    Dasgupta, Nilanjana; Scircle, Melissa McManus; Hunsinger, Matthew

    2015-01-01

    Advances in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are critical to the American economy and require a robust workforce. The scarcity of women in this workforce is a well-recognized problem, but data-driven solutions to this problem are less common. We provide experimental evidence showing that gender composition of small groups in engineering has a substantial impact on undergraduate women’s persistence. Women participate more actively in engineering groups when members are mostly ...

  12. The meaning of "control" for childbearing women in the US.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namey, Emily E; Lyerly, Anne Drapkin

    2010-08-01

    Childbearing women, healthcare providers, and commentators on birth broadly identify control as an important issue during childbirth; however, control is rarely defined in literature on the topic. Here we seek to deconstruct the term control as used by childbearing women to better understand the issues and concepts underpinning it. Based on qualitative interviews with 101 parous women in the United States, we analyze meanings of control within the context of birth narratives. We find these meanings correspond to five distinct domains: self-determination, respect, personal security, attachment, and knowledge. We also find ambivalence about this term and concept, in that half our sample recognizes "you cannot control birth". Together, these findings call into question the usefulness of the term for measuring quality or improving maternity care and highlight other concepts which may be more fruitfully explored. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Women in agriculture: risks for occupational injury within the context of gendered role.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCoy, C A; Carruth, A K; Reed, D B

    2002-02-01

    Women continue to make significant contributions to farming. Not only do women participate in the traditional roles of homemaker, caregiver, and wife, they also work side-by-side with their spouses in keeping the farm viable. More daughters are entering the farming business, either as partners with other family members or as independent operators. Each year since the United States Department of Agriculture began including gender in the Census of Agriculture, the percentage of women engaged in agriculture has increased, and women's participation in agriculture is increasing faster than in other business segments. This article examines the role of women in agriculture and how sociocultural, economic, and physical factors may affect women's exposure to injury-producing events and their knowledge and beliefs about injury prevention. To date, few studies have examined work-related unintentional injuries among farm women. Even less is known about the extent to which occupational risks are recognized when women seek medical care. Differences in size and stature, increased physical strain, and low maximal oxygen uptake may predispose women to ergonomic-related injuries. Limitations of current research and recommendations for future analyses are discussed.

  14. Assessing socioeconomic inequalities of hypertension among women in Indonesia's major cities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christiani, Y; Byles, J E; Tavener, M; Dugdale, P

    2015-11-01

    Although hypertension has been recognized as one of the major public health problems, few studies address economic inequality of hypertension among urban women in developing countries. To assess this issue, we analysed data for 1400 women from four of Indonesia's major cities: Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan and Bandung. Women were aged ⩾15 years (mean age 35.4 years), and were participants in the 2007/2008 Indonesia Family Life Survey. The prevalence of hypertension measured by digital sphygmomanometer among this population was 31%. Using a multivariable logistic regression model, socioeconomic disadvantage (based on household assets and characteristics) as well as age, body mass index and economic conditions were significantly associated with hypertension (Pwork highlights the importance of socioeconomic inequality in the development of hypertension, and particularly the effects of education level.

  15. Recognizing the Stranger: Recognition Scenes in the Gospel of John

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Kasper Bro

    Recognizing the Stranger is the first monographic study of recognition scenes and motifs in the Gospel of John. The recognition type-scene (anagnōrisis) was a common feature in ancient drama and narrative, highly valued by Aristotle as a touching moment of truth, e.g., in Oedipus’ tragic self...... structures of the type-scene in order to show how Jesus’ true identity can be recognized behind the half-mask of his human appearance....

  16. Pooling Objects for Recognizing Scenes without Examples

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kordumova, S.; Mensink, T.; Snoek, C.G.M.

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we aim to recognize scenes in images without using any scene images as training data. Different from attribute based approaches, we do not carefully select the training classes to match the unseen scene classes. Instead, we propose a pooling over ten thousand of off-the-shelf object

  17. Homelessness as viewed by incarcerated women: participatory research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Ruth Elwood; Hanson, Debra; Hemingway, Christine; Ramsden, Vivian; Buxton, Jane; Granger-Brown, Alison; Condello, Lara-Lisa; Macaulay, Ann; Janssen, Patti; Hislop, T Gregory

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to describe the development, by incarcerated women who were members of a prison participatory health research team, of a survey tool regarding homelessness and housing, the survey findings and recommendations for policy. A survey was developed by incarcerated women in a minimum/medium security women's prison in Canada. Associations were examined between socio-demographic factors and reports of difficulty finding housing upon release, homelessness contributing to a return to crime, and a desire for relocation to another city upon release. Open-ended questions were examined to look for recurrent themes and to illuminate the survey findings. In total, 83 women completed the survey, a 72 per cent response rate. Of the 71 who were previously incarcerated, 56 per cent stated that homelessness contributed to their return to crime. Finding housing upon release was a problem for 63 per cent and 34 per cent desired relocation to another city upon release. Women indicated that a successful housing plan should incorporate flexible progressive staged housing. The present study focuses only on incarcerated women but could be expanded in future to include men. Incarcerated women used the findings to create a housing proposal for prison leavers and created a resource database of the limited housing resources for women prison leavers. Lack of suitable housing is a major factor leading to recidivism. This study highlights the reality of the cycle of homelessness, poverty, crime for survival, street-life leading to drug use and barriers to health, education and employment that incarcerated women face. Housing is a recognized basic determinant of health. No previous studies have used participatory research to address homelessness in a prison population.

  18. Super-Memorizers Are Not Super-Recognizers

    OpenAIRE

    Ramon, M.; Miellet, S.; Dzieciol, A.M.; Konrad, B.N; Dresler, M.; Caldara, R.

    2016-01-01

    Humans have a natural expertise in recognizing faces. However, the nature of the interaction between this critical visual biological skill and memory is yet unclear. Here, we had the unique opportunity to test two individuals who have had exceptional success in the World Memory Championships, including several world records in face-name association memory. We designed a range of face processing tasks to determine whether superior/expert face memory skills are associated with distinctive perce...

  19. Federally-Recognized Tribes of the Columbia-Snake Basin.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    United States. Bonneville Power Administration

    1997-11-01

    This is an omnibus publication about the federally-recognized Indian tribes of the Columbia-Snake river basin, as presented by themselves. It showcases several figurative and literal snapshots of each tribe, bits and pieces of each tribe`s story. Each individual tribe or tribal confederation either submitted its own section to this publication, or developed its own section with the assistance of the writer-editor. A federally-recognized tribe is an individual Indian group, or confederation of Indian groups, officially acknowledged by the US government for purposes of legislation, consultation and benefits. This publication is designed to be used both as a resource and as an introduction to the tribes. Taken together, the sections present a rich picture of regional indian culture and history, as told by the tribes.

  20. Incident pregnancy and time to death or AIDS among HIV-positive women receiving antiretroviral therapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Westreich

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Little is known about the impact of pregnancy on response to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART in sub-Saharan Africa. We examined the effect of incident pregnancy after HAART initiation on clinical response to HAART. METHODS: We evaluated a prospective clinical cohort of adult women initiating HAART in Johannesburg, South Africa between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2011, and followed up until an event, transfer, drop-out, or administrative end of follow-up on 30 September 2011. Women over age 45 and women who were pregnant at HAART initiation were excluded from the study. Main exposure was having experienced pregnancy after HAART initiation; main outcome was death and (separately death or new AIDS event. We calculated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs and 95% confidence limits (CL using marginal structural Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: The study included 7,534 women, and 20,813 person-years of follow-up; 918 women had at least one recognized pregnancy during follow-up. For death alone, the weighted (adjusted HR was 0.84 (95% CL 0.44, 1.60. Sensitivity analyses confirmed main results, and results were similar for analysis of death or new AIDS event. Incident pregnancy was associated with a substantially reduced hazard of drop-out (HR = 0.62, 95% CL 0.51, 0.75. CONCLUSIONS: Recognized incident pregnancy after HAART initiation was not associated with increases in hazard of clinical events, but was associated with a decreased hazard of drop-out. High rates of pregnancy after initiation of HAART may point to a need to better integrate family planning services into clinical care for HIV-infected women.

  1. 78 FR 7460 - Stakeholder Meeting on the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-01

    ...] Stakeholder Meeting on the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory Program AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor. ACTION: Notice of stakeholder meeting. SUMMARY: OSHA invites interested parties to attend an informal stakeholder meeting concerning Nationally Recognized Testing...

  2. Grey matter correlates of autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Björnsdotter, Malin; Davidovic, Monika; Karjalainen, Louise; Starck, Göran; Olausson, Håkan; Wentz, Elisabet

    2018-03-01

    Patients with anorexia nervosa exhibit higher levels of behaviours typically associated with autism-spectrum disorder (ASD), but the neural basis is unclear. We sought to determine whether elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa may be reflected in cortical morphology. We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine regional grey matter volumes in high-resolution MRI structural brain scans in women with anorexia nervosa and matched healthy controls. The Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) scale was used to assess autistic traits. Women with anorexia nervosa ( n = 25) had higher AQ scores and lower bilateral superior temporal sulcus (STS) grey matter volumes than the control group ( n = 25). The AQ scores correlated negatively with average left STS grey matter volume in women with anorexia nervosa. We did not control for cognitive ability and examined only women with ongoing anorexia nervosa. Elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa are associated with morphometric alterations of brain areas linked to social cognition. This finding provides neurobiological support for the behavioural link between anorexia nervosa and ASD and emphasizes the importance of recognizing autistic traits in preventing and treating anorexia nervosa.

  3. Grey matter correlates of autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidovic, Monika; Karjalainen, Louise; Starck, Göran; Olausson, Håkan; Wentz, Elisabet

    2018-01-01

    Background Patients with anorexia nervosa exhibit higher levels of behaviours typically associated with autism-spectrum disorder (ASD), but the neural basis is unclear. We sought to determine whether elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa may be reflected in cortical morphology. Methods We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine regional grey matter volumes in high-resolution MRI structural brain scans in women with anorexia nervosa and matched healthy controls. The Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) scale was used to assess autistic traits. Results Women with anorexia nervosa (n = 25) had higher AQ scores and lower bilateral superior temporal sulcus (STS) grey matter volumes than the control group (n = 25). The AQ scores correlated negatively with average left STS grey matter volume in women with anorexia nervosa. Limitations We did not control for cognitive ability and examined only women with ongoing anorexia nervosa. Conclusion Elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa are associated with morphometric alterations of brain areas linked to social cognition. This finding provides neurobiological support for the behavioural link between anorexia nervosa and ASD and emphasizes the importance of recognizing autistic traits in preventing and treating anorexia nervosa. PMID:29481315

  4. WOMEN'S AGE AT FIRST MARRIAGE AND LONG-TERM ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT IN EGYPT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yount, Kathryn M; Crandall, AliceAnn; Cheong, Yuk Fai

    2018-02-01

    Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 calls on nations to promote gender equality and to empower women and girls. SDG5 also recognizes the value of women's economic empowerment, entailing equal rights to economic resources and full participation at all levels in economic decisions. Also according to SDG5, eliminating harmful practices-such as child marriage before age 18-is a prerequisite for women's economic empowerment. Using national data for 4,129 married women 15-43 years who took part in the Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey (ELMPS 1998-2012), we performed autoregressive, cross-lagged panel analyses to assess whether women's first marriage in adulthood (at 18 years or older, as reported in 2006), was positively associated with their long-term post-marital economic empowerment, measured as their engagement in market work and latent family economic agency in 2012. Women's first marriage in adulthood had positive unadjusted associations with their market work and family economic agency in 2012. These associations persisted after accounting for market work and family economic agency in 2006, pre-marital resources for empowerment, and cumulative fertility. Policies to discourage child marriage may show promise to enhance women's long-term post-marital economic empowerment.

  5. Communication and cultural issues in providing reproductive health care to immigrant women: health care providers' experiences in meeting the needs of [corrected] Somali women living in Finland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Degni, Filio; Suominen, Sakari; Essén, Birgitta; El Ansari, Walid; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, Katri

    2012-04-01

    Communication problems due to language and cultural differences between health care professionals and patients are widely recognized. Finns are described as more silent whereas one concurrent large immigrant group, the Somalis, are described as more open in their communication. The aim of the study was to explore physicians-nurses/midwives' communication when providing reproductive and maternity health care to Somali women in Finland. Four individual and three focus group interviews were carried out with 10 gynecologists/obstetricians and 15 nurses/midwives from five selected clinics. The health care providers considered communication (including linguistic difficulties), cultural traditions, and religious beliefs to be problems when working with Somali women. Male and female physicians were generally more similar in communication style, interpersonal contacts, and cultural awareness than the nurses/midwives who were engaged in more partnership-building with the Somali women in the clinics. Despite the communication and cultural problems, there was a tentative mutual understanding between the Finnish reproductive health care professionals and the Somali women in the clinics.

  6. Salud de Corazon: Cultural Resources for Cardiovascular Health among Older Hispanic Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez, Adriana; Fleury, Julie; Shearer, Nelma

    2012-06-01

    The prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in Hispanic women has been substantiated across studies. While many studies have focused on the impact of these risk factors, few qualitative studies have addressed cultural and contextual meanings of cardiovascular health promotion in this population. This research explored cultural resources for cardiovascular health promotion among older Hispanic women. A qualitative descriptive methodological design using focus groups with 7 Hispanic women was used. Culture provided an overarching perspective, guiding identification and choice of resources and supports in order to promote cardiovascular health. Themes included Living Tradition, Caring for Family, Connecting with Friends, Having Faith, and Moving as Life. Data provide an initial step toward generating a more complete understanding of perceived cultural resources for cardiovascular health in older Hispanic women. Researchers and clinicians are increasingly recognizing that individuals, families and communities uniquely define cultural and contextual meaning of cardiovascular health promotion.

  7. Drugs and Medical Devices: Adverse Events and the Impact on Women's Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carey, Jennifer L; Nader, Nathalie; Chai, Peter R; Carreiro, Stephanie; Griswold, Matthew K; Boyle, Katherine L

    2017-01-01

    A large number of medications and medical devices removed from the market by the US Food and Drug Administration over the past 4 decades specifically posed greater health risks to women. This article reviews the historical background of sex and gender in clinical research policy and describes several approved drugs and devices targeted for use in women that have caused major morbidity and mortality. The intended population for the medications and devices, population affected, approval process, and the basic and legal actions taken against the medication/drug company are also discussed. It is recognized that women are still at risk for harm from unsafe medications and devices, and continued improvements in legislation that promotes inclusion of sex and gender into the design and analysis of research will improve safety for both men and women. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Proteomic profile of serum of pregnant women carring a fetus with Down syndrome using nano uplc Q-tof ms/ms technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López Uriarte, Graciela Arelí; Burciaga Flores, Carlos Horacio; Torres de la Cruz, Víctor Manuel; Medina Aguado, María Magdalena; Gómez Puente, Viviana Maricela; Romero Gutiérrez, Liliana Nayeli; Martínez de Villarreal, Laura Elia

    2018-06-01

    Prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome (DS) is based on the calculated risk of maternal age, biochemical and ultrasonographic markers and recently by cfDNA. Differences in proteomic profiles may give an opportunity to find new biomarkers. Characterize proteome of serum of mothers carrying DS fetus. Blood serum samples of three groups of women were obtained, (a) 10 non-pregnant, (b) 10 pregnant with healthy fetus by ultrasound evaluation, (c) nine pregnant with DS fetus. Sample preparation was as follows: Albumin/IgG depletion, desalting, and trypsin digestion; the process was performed in nanoUPLC MS/MS. Data analysis was made with Mass Lynx 4.1 and ProteinLynx Global Server 3.0, peptide and protein recognition by MASCOT algorithm and UNIPROT-Swissprot database. Each group showed different protein profiles. Some proteins were shared between groups. Only sera from pregnant women showed proteins related to immune and clot pathways. Mothers with DS fetus had 42 specific proteins. We found a different serum protein profile in mothers carrying DS fetuses that do not reflect expression of genes in the extra chromosome. Further studies will be necessary to establish the role of these proteins in aneuploid fetus and analyze their possible use as potential biomarkers.

  9. Feminist initiatives on women's health in the Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitz, L

    1984-04-01

    In the 1960s the Dutch Women's Liberation organization "Dolle Mina" carried out a campaign in Holland to promote the use of oral contraceptives and tried to generate political support in the home and through street demonstrations. What was needed was an adequate abortion service with a corresponding abortion law, a free and adequate supply of contraceptives, and a non-sexist approach to and treatment of women in the field of sexuality, birth control, and medical servicces in general. About 15 years later, the Netherlands now has a flourishing women's health movement, including efforts in information provision, guidance, research, reference, schooling, and contact-building. The basic principles of the women's movement are; 1) the woman herself is the stardard; 2) problems women have with regard to their health are not to be observed in isolation from their social l ife and position; 3) women's acquaintance with feelings about the functioning of their own bodies form the basis of all therapies to improve women's health; 4) women must be offered the choice of existing methods of treatment and help procedures; 5) women should help each other with their common ailments, and heirarchical divisions such as helper-patient, and expert-nonexpert, should be removed; and 6) as often as possible help should be given to women in their own surroundings. Women's health centers have begun to take on a number of women's physical and psychosomatic complaints; 5 centers now operate in 5 different cities, and others are being developed. The Women's Health Center in Amsterdam was initiated in 1976 and caters to gynecological questions, breast examination problems, eating disorders, and drug addiction. Contracts between feminist health groups and the traditional health system are varied, and individuals involved in family planning groups are often also active in the feminist health acctiities. There is resistance to feminist initiatives, mainly from those working in traditional health

  10. A novel approach in recognizing magnetic material with simplified algorithm

    KAUST Repository

    Talukdar, Abdul Hafiz Ibne

    2011-04-01

    In this article a cost-effective and simple system (circuit and algorithm) which allows recognizing different kinds of films by their magneto-field conductive properties is demonstrated. The studied signals are generated by a proposed circuit. This signal was further analyzed (recognized) in frequency domain creating the Fourier frequency spectrum which is easily used to detect the response of magnetic sample. The novel algorithm in detecting magnetic field is presented here with both simulation and experimental results. © 2011 IEEE.

  11. Realistic Creativity Training for Innovation Practitioners: The Know-Recognize-React Model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Valgeirsdóttir, Dagný; Onarheim, Balder

    2017-01-01

    As creativity becomes increasingly recognized as important raw material for innovation, the importance of identifying ways to increase practitioners’ creativity through rigorously designed creativity training programs is highlighted. Therefore we sat out to design a creativity training program sp...... the transdisciplinary study described in this paper. Co-creation was employed as a method to ensure the three layers of focus would be taken into consideration. The result is a program called Creative Awareness Training which is based on the new Know-Recognize-React model.......As creativity becomes increasingly recognized as important raw material for innovation, the importance of identifying ways to increase practitioners’ creativity through rigorously designed creativity training programs is highlighted. Therefore we sat out to design a creativity training program...

  12. Recognizing Risk and Vulnerability in Research Ethics: Imagining the "What Ifs?"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peter, Elizabeth; Friedland, Judith

    2017-04-01

    Research ethics committees (RECs) may misunderstand the vulnerability of participants, given their distance from the field. What RECs identify as the vulnerabilities that were not adequately recognized in protocols and how they attempt to protect the perceived vulnerability of participants and mitigate risks were examined using the response letters sent to researchers by three university-based RECs. Using a critical qualitative method informed by feminist ethics, we identified an overarching theme of recognizing and responding to cascading vulnerabilities and four subthemes: identifying vulnerable groups, recognizing potentially risky research, imagining the "what ifs," and mitigating perceived risks. An ethics approach that is up-close, as opposed to distant, is needed to foster closer relationships among participants, researchers, and RECs and to understand participant vulnerability and strength better.

  13. Karakterisasi stem cell pulpa gigi sulung dengan modifikasi enzim tripsin (The characterization of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth using trypsin enzym

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tri Wijayanti Puspitasari

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Now a days, treatment in dentistry, using tissue regeneration that based on the stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED, grows rapidly. For several reason, the isolated and cultured SHED is difficult to be applied in Indonesia, therefore the modification is needed. This difficulties were caused by the pulp anatomy, the heterogeneous populations in the pulp chamber and the limitations of tools and materials at the laboratory. Purpose: This research was aimed to examine that the modifications of isolation and culture technique of SHEDs for characterization by using the marker of CD105. Methods: The research was experimental laboratory with the cross sectional design. The samples were the human exfoliated deciduous teeth from the children patients of Pediatric Dentistry Department of Universitas Airlangga Dental Hospital which matched the criteria. Dental pulps were isolated and cultured by using the modifications of Trypsin enzymes. Results: The healthy SHEDs could be produced from the modifications of isolation and culture and positively shown the expression of marker CD105 which were indicated by the fluorencent microscope. Conclusion: SHED which isolated and cultured by using the modified techniques, positively characterized by using marker CD105.Latar Belakang: Pengobatan kedokteran gigi berkembang dengan pesat terutama di bidang regenerasi jaringan berbasis Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth (SHED. Di Indonesia, isolasi dan kultur SHED sulit sehingga perlu dilakukan modifikasi. Kendala ini muncul karena jaringan pulpa yang kecil, heterogen dan keterbatasan alat dan bahan di laboratorium. Tujuan: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meneliti modifikasi pada cara isolasi dan kultur SHED untuk karakterisasi menggunakan maker CD105. Metode: Jenis penelitian ini adalah eksperimental laboratoris dengan rancangan cross sectional. Sampel penelitian adalah gigi sulung dari pasien anak di Klinik Kedokteran Gigi Anak

  14. A practical approach for writer-dependent symbol recognition using a writer-independent symbol recognizer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaViola, Joseph J; Zeleznik, Robert C

    2007-11-01

    We present a practical technique for using a writer-independent recognition engine to improve the accuracy and speed while reducing the training requirements of a writer-dependent symbol recognizer. Our writer-dependent recognizer uses a set of binary classifiers based on the AdaBoost learning algorithm, one for each possible pairwise symbol comparison. Each classifier consists of a set of weak learners, one of which is based on a writer-independent handwriting recognizer. During online recognition, we also use the n-best list of the writer-independent recognizer to prune the set of possible symbols and thus reduce the number of required binary classifications. In this paper, we describe the geometric and statistical features used in our recognizer and our all-pairs classification algorithm. We also present the results of experiments that quantify the effect incorporating a writer-independent recognition engine into a writer-dependent recognizer has on accuracy, speed, and user training time.

  15. Ontogenetic patterns in the dreams of women across the lifespan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dale, Allyson; Lortie-Lussier, Monique; De Koninck, Joseph

    2015-12-01

    The present study supports and extends previous research on the developmental differences in women's dreams across the lifespan. The participants included 75 Canadian women in each of 5 age groups from adolescence to old age including 12-17, 18-24, 25-39, 40-64, and 65-85, totaling 375 women. One dream per participant was scored by two independent judges using the method of content analysis. Trend analysis was used to determine the ontogenetic pattern of the dream content categories. Results demonstrated significant ontogenetic decreases (linear trends) for female and familiar characters, activities, aggression, and friendliness. These patterns of dream imagery reflect the waking developmental patterns as proposed by social theories and recognized features of aging as postulated by the continuity hypothesis. Limitations and suggestions for future research including the examining of developmental patterns in the dreams of males are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. [Occupational factors influencing lung cancer in women in epidemiological studies].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swiatkowska, Beata

    2011-01-01

    Lung cancer is the most common cancer in men, although the alarming statistics of recent years indicate that this pathology affects also more likely a group of women and in recent years has become the leading cause of cancer deaths among Polish women. This article presents the main issues relating to occupational determinants of lung cancer in women. The results of the analysis show that the number of neoplastic diseases, including the lung cancer, recognized as an occupational disease in Poland is low, particularly among women. A major factor hampering the certification of occupational etiology of lung cancer is a long latency period, no differences in terms of the clinical and morphological characteristics from lung cancer occurring in the general population, and relatively small number of identified occupational carcinogens. Analysis of the available literature on the adverse workplace conditions shows that only a few epidemiological studies focus on the problem of job-related risk among women, and only some of them provide detailed results for lung cancer. Moreover, the abundant literature on the subject concerning the male workers might not be fully relevant because of possible differences in hormonal, genetic and other gender-related biological differences that may significantly modify the risk of cancer in women. These aspects cause that the true contribution of occupational factors to the risk of lung cancer, particularly in women, is underestimated.

  17. women in health and development: the view from the Americas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1984-01-01

    This article highlights the central features of the 5-Year Regional Plan of Action on Women in Health and Development, adopted by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in 1981. Although the Plan does not mandate specific actions, it encourages certain activities and establishes an annual reporting system concerning these activities. The Plan recognizes that women's health depends upon numerous factors outside of medicine, including women's employment, education, social status, and accepted roles, access to economic resources, and political power. The low status of women is reinforced by the sexual double standard that makes women responsible for the reproductive process yet denies them the right to control that process. The Plan advocates an incremental approach, in which projects 1st focus on priority areas and groups and then expand to provide more general benefits. Programs exclusively for women are not advocated; encouraged, instead, is the integration of women's health and development activities into the mainstream of general activities promoting health. Among the areas targeted for action are the collection of statistics on women's health, women's nutritional problems, environmental health, maternal-child health services, screening for breast and cervical cancer, and family planning . Community participation is proposed as a good vehicle for local action and an essential tool in the campaign for health for all. Efforts must be made to enlist women's support in identifying community needs, planning health actions, selecting appropriate resources and personnel, establishing and administering health services, and evaluating the results. Overall, the Plan provides a solid basis upon which health authorities of the Americas can build.

  18. The Effect of Intimate Partner Violence on Mental Health Status among Women of Reproductive Ages: A Population-Based Study in a Middle Anatolian City

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nur, Naim

    2012-01-01

    Violence against women has been recognized as both a major public health problem and a human rights violation worldwide. Research has documented the association between physical/sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health, measured by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) among women in reproductive age. This study…

  19. Ants recognize foes and not friends

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerrieri, Fernando J.; Nehring, Volker; Jørgensen, Charlotte G.; Nielsen, John; Galizia, C. Giovanni; d'Ettorre, Patrizia

    2009-01-01

    Discriminating among individuals and rejecting non-group members is essential for the evolution and stability of animal societies. Ants are good models for studying recognition mechanisms, because they are typically very efficient in discriminating ‘friends’ (nest-mates) from ‘foes’ (non-nest-mates). Recognition in ants involves multicomponent cues encoded in cuticular hydrocarbon profiles. Here, we tested whether workers of the carpenter ant Camponotus herculeanus use the presence and/or absence of cuticular hydrocarbons to discriminate between nest-mates and non-nest-mates. We supplemented the cuticular profile with synthetic hydrocarbons mixed to liquid food and then assessed behavioural responses using two different bioassays. Our results show that (i) the presence, but not the absence, of an additional hydrocarbon elicited aggression and that (ii) among the three classes of hydrocarbons tested (unbranched, mono-methylated and dimethylated alkanes; for mono-methylated alkanes, we present a new synthetic pathway), only the dimethylated alkane was effective in eliciting aggression. Our results suggest that carpenter ants use a fundamentally different mechanism for nest-mate recognition than previously thought. They do not specifically recognize nest-mates, but rather recognize and reject non-nest-mates bearing odour cues that are novel to their own colony cuticular hydrocarbon profile. This begs for a reappraisal of the mechanisms underlying recognition systems in social insects. PMID:19364750

  20. The Meaning of “Control” for Childbearing Women in the US

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namey, Emily E; Lyerly, Anne D

    2010-01-01

    Childbearing women, healthcare providers, and commentators on birth broadly identify control as an important issue during childbirth; however, control is rarely defined in literature on the topic. Here we seek to deconstruct the term control as used by childbearing women to better understand the issues and concepts underpinning it. Based on qualitative interviews with 101 parous women in the United States, we analyze meanings of control within the context of birth narratives. We find these meanings correspond to five distinct domains: self-determination, respect, personal security, attachment, and knowledge. We also find ambivalence about this term and concept, in that half our sample recognizes “you cannot control birth”. Together, these findings call into question the usefulness of the term for measuring quality or improving maternity care and highlight other concepts which may be more fruitfully explored. PMID:20579792

  1. Fertility Preservation: A Key Survivorship Issue for Young Women with Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angarita, Ana Milena; Johnson, Cynae A.; Fader, Amanda Nickles; Christianson, Mindy S.

    2016-01-01

    Fertility preservation in the young cancer survivor is recognized as a key survivorship issue by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Thus, health-care providers should inform women about the effects of cancer therapy on fertility and should discuss the different fertility preservation options available. It is also recommended to refer women expeditiously to a fertility specialist in order to improve counseling. Women’s age, diagnosis, presence of male partner, time available, and preferences regarding use of donor sperm influence the selection of the appropriate fertility preservation option. Embryo and oocyte cryopreservation are the standard techniques used while ovarian tissue cryopreservation is new, yet promising. Despite the importance of fertility preservation for cancer survivors’ quality of life, there are still communication and financial barriers faced by women who wish to pursue fertility preservation. PMID:27200291

  2. Fertility preservation: A key survivorship issue for young women with cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana M Angarita

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Fertility preservation in the young cancer survivor is recognized as a key survivorship issue by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Thus, health care providers should inform women about the effects of cancer therapy on fertility and should discuss the different fertility preservation options available. It is also recommended to refer women expeditiously to a fertility specialist in order to improve counseling. Women’s age, diagnosis, presence of male partner, time available and preferences regarding use of donor sperm influence the selection of the appropriate fertility preservation option. Embryo and oocyte cryopreservation are the standard techniques used while ovarian tissue cryopreservation is new, yet promising. Despite the importance of fertility preservation for cancer survivors’ quality of life, there are still communication and financial barriers faced by women who wish to pursue fertility preservation.

  3. Can Independent Judges Recognize Different Psychotherapies? An Experience with Manual-Guided Therapies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luborsky, Lester; And Others

    1982-01-01

    Tested whether independent judges could recognize three different manual-guided psychotherapies, drug counseling, supportive-expressive psychotherapy, and cognitive-behavioral using a special rating form containing scales for the characteristic aspects of each type. Results indicated that manual-guided therapies can be reliably recognized.…

  4. Shaping the Nigerian Economy: The Role of Women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chinwe Regina Pokoyeuzu

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The thrust of this paper is to see how changing gender identities and roles can impact and influence positive changes in Nigerian economy. There is every need to empower Nigerian women particularly in the present global economy which recognizes the need for individuals to develop their potentials and contribute to the overall development of the nation. The equity aspect implies that labour market participation of women will improve their relative economic position. It will also increase overall economic efficiency and improve development potentials of the country. Researchers world over observed that Should majority of the world’s population remain vulnerable to economic, political, legal and social marginalization, the hope of advancing democracy and prosperity will be jeopardized. This study analyzed the gender matrix in economic activities using secondary data obtained from CBN statistical Bulletin. The total percentage of women workers (participants engaged in one form of activity or the other in the economy is 43.1% as opposed to men’s 56.9%.This picture though appears nice statistically, is quite misleading. Key leading sectors in the economy by way of income yield or reward have not been favorable to women in terms of participation. Poverty will be reduced to the barest minimum if the government will take appropriate measures toimplement and enforce laws and policies directed towards enabling women have the same rights as Nigerian men.

  5. Protective effect of urinary trypsin inhibitor on the development of radiation-induced lung fibrosis in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katoh, Hiroyuki; Ishikawa, Hitoshi; Suzuki, Yoshiyuki; Ohno, Tatsuya; Takahashi, Takeo; Nakano, Takashi; Hasegawa, Masatoshi; Yoshida, Yukari

    2010-01-01

    This study aimed to analyze whether Ulinastatin, a urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI), inhibits the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway and lung fibrosis induced by thoracic irradiation in a lung injury mouse model. The thoraces of 9-week-old female fibrosis-sensitive C57BL/6 mice were irradiated with a single X-ray dose of 12 Gy or 24 Gy. UTI was administrated intraperitoneally at a dose of 200,000 units/kg concurrently with radiation (concurrent UTI) or daily during the post-irradiation period for 8-14 days (post-RT UTI). Mice were sacrificed at 16 weeks after irradiation to assess the histological grade of lung fibrosis and immunohistochemical TGF-β expression. Survival rates of mice given 24 Gy to the whole lung ±UTI were also compared. Post-RT UTI reduced the score of lung fibrosis in mice, but concurrent UTI had no beneficial effects in irradiated mice. The fibrosis score in post-RT UTI mice was 3.2±1.0, which was significantly smaller than that of irradiated mice without UTI treatment (RT alone; 6.0±1.3; p 2 =0.26, p<0.01). The survival rate at 30 weeks for post-RT UTI mice was significantly better than that of RT alone mice (33% vs. 10%, p<0.05). The administration of post-RT UTI suppressed TGF-β expression and radiation-induced lung fibrosis, which resulted in significant survival prolongation of the irradiated mice. (author)

  6. Sarcocystis neurona infection in gamma interferon gene knockout (KO) mice: comparative infectivity of sporocysts in two strains of KO mice, effect of trypsin digestion on merozoite viability, and infectivity of bradyzoites to KO mice and cell culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubey, J P; Sundar, N; Kwok, O C H; Saville, W J A

    2013-09-01

    The protozoan Sarcocystis neurona is the primary cause of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM). EPM or EPM-like illness has been reported in horses, sea otters, and several other mammals. The gamma interferon gene knockout (KO) mouse is often used as a model to study biology and discovery of new therapies against S. neurona because it is difficult to induce clinical EPM in other hosts, including horses. In the present study, infectivity of three life cycle stages (merozoites, bradyzoites, sporozoites) to KO mice and cell culture was studied. Two strains of KO mice (C57-black, and BALB/c-derived, referred here as black or white) were inoculated orally graded doses of S. neurona sporocysts; 12 sporocysts were infective to both strains of mice and all infected mice died or became ill within 70 days post-inoculation. Although there was no difference in infectivity of sporocysts to the two strains of KO mice, the disease was more severe in black mice. S. neurona bradyzoites were not infectious to KO mice and cell culture. S. neurona merozoites survived 120 min incubation in 0.25% trypsin, indicating that trypsin digestion can be used to recover S. neurona from tissues of acutely infected animals. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Slice&Dice: Recognizing Food Preparation Activities Using Embedded Accelerometers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham, Cuong; Olivier, Patrick

    Within the context of an endeavor to provide situated support for people with cognitive impairments in the kitchen, we developed and evaluated classifiers for recognizing 11 actions involved in food preparation. Data was collected from 20 lay subjects using four specially designed kitchen utensils incorporating embedded 3-axis accelerometers. Subjects were asked to prepare a mixed salad in our laboratory-based instrumented kitchen environment. Video of each subject's food preparation activities were independently annotated by three different coders. Several classifiers were trained and tested using these features. With an overall accuracy of 82.9% our investigation demonstrated that a broad set of food preparation actions can be reliably recognized using sensors embedded in kitchen utensils.

  8. Health-related quality of life issues in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCook, Judy Griffin; Reame, Nancy E; Thatcher, Samuel S

    2005-01-01

    To evaluate the influence of obesity, fertility status, and androgenism scores on health-related quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Cross-sectional, correlational. Private reproductive endocrinology practice in two southeast U.S. cities. Convenience sample of 128 women with PCOS, half of whom were attempting to conceive in addition to being treated for PCOS. Most were White (97%), married (78%), with a mean age of 30.4 years (SD +/- 5.5). The Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (PCOSQ) for women with polycystic ovary syndrome. A laboratory panel and clinical measures, including body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and degree of hirsutism. The most common health-related quality of life concern reported by women with PCOS was weight, followed in descending order by menstrual problems, infertility, emotions, and body hair. The psychological implications of PCOS are easily underestimated and have been largely ignored. Nursing has a pivotal role in recognizing these concerns and implementing therapy to improve quality of life in women with PCOS.

  9. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Important Underrecognised Cardiometabolic Risk Factor in Reproductive-Age Women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldani, Dinka Pavicic; Skrgatic, Lana; Ougouag, Roya

    2015-01-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder amongst women of reproductive age. Although PCOS is diagnosed exclusively based on reproductive criteria, it is also a metabolic disorder. Insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and dyslipidemia are more common in women with PCOS than in age-comparable women without PCOS. Many of the metabolic abnormalities that manifest in PCOS are worsened by the concurrent incidence of obesity. However, some of these metabolic perturbations occur even in lean women with PCOS and therefore are rightfully recognized as intrinsic to PCOS. The intrinsic factors that produce these metabolic disturbances are reviewed in this paper. The consequences of obesity and the other metabolic aberrations are also discussed. The metabolic perturbations in PCOS patients lead to chronic low-grade inflammation and to cardiovascular impairments that heighten the risk of having cardiovascular disease. Even though many studies have shown an elevation in surrogate biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in PCOS women, it is still not clear to what extent and magnitude the elevation precipitates more frequent and earlier events. PMID:26124830

  10. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Important Underrecognised Cardiometabolic Risk Factor in Reproductive-Age Women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dinka Pavicic Baldani

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS is the most common endocrine disorder amongst women of reproductive age. Although PCOS is diagnosed exclusively based on reproductive criteria, it is also a metabolic disorder. Insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and dyslipidemia are more common in women with PCOS than in age-comparable women without PCOS. Many of the metabolic abnormalities that manifest in PCOS are worsened by the concurrent incidence of obesity. However, some of these metabolic perturbations occur even in lean women with PCOS and therefore are rightfully recognized as intrinsic to PCOS. The intrinsic factors that produce these metabolic disturbances are reviewed in this paper. The consequences of obesity and the other metabolic aberrations are also discussed. The metabolic perturbations in PCOS patients lead to chronic low-grade inflammation and to cardiovascular impairments that heighten the risk of having cardiovascular disease. Even though many studies have shown an elevation in surrogate biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in PCOS women, it is still not clear to what extent and magnitude the elevation precipitates more frequent and earlier events.

  11. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Important Underrecognised Cardiometabolic Risk Factor in Reproductive-Age Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldani, Dinka Pavicic; Skrgatic, Lana; Ougouag, Roya

    2015-01-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder amongst women of reproductive age. Although PCOS is diagnosed exclusively based on reproductive criteria, it is also a metabolic disorder. Insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and dyslipidemia are more common in women with PCOS than in age-comparable women without PCOS. Many of the metabolic abnormalities that manifest in PCOS are worsened by the concurrent incidence of obesity. However, some of these metabolic perturbations occur even in lean women with PCOS and therefore are rightfully recognized as intrinsic to PCOS. The intrinsic factors that produce these metabolic disturbances are reviewed in this paper. The consequences of obesity and the other metabolic aberrations are also discussed. The metabolic perturbations in PCOS patients lead to chronic low-grade inflammation and to cardiovascular impairments that heighten the risk of having cardiovascular disease. Even though many studies have shown an elevation in surrogate biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in PCOS women, it is still not clear to what extent and magnitude the elevation precipitates more frequent and earlier events.

  12. Child Care, Education, and Job Training: How Investing in Quality Programs Improves Outcomes for Children, Girls, and Women. Research in Brief #L003. Updated

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firlein, Holly; Gault, Barbara; Nelson, Bethany

    2013-01-01

    This Research-in-Brief is one in a series of publications highlighting the Institute for Women's Policy Research's (IWPR) most significant research contributions to policy issues affecting women across IWPR's twenty-five year history. Recognizing that education is the gateway to opportunity, the IWPR has been a significant source of research on…

  13. Production of antibodies which recognize opiate receptors on murine leukocytes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carr, D.J.J.; Bost, K.L.; Blalock, J.E.

    1988-01-01

    An antibody has been developed which recognizes opiate receptors on cells of the immune system. This antibody blocks specific binding of the radiolabeled opiate receptor ligand, /sup 3/H-dihydromorphine, to receptors on murine splenocytes. Additionally, the anti-receptor antibody competes with ..beta..-endorphin, meta-enkephalin, and naloxone for the same binding site on the leukocytes. Moreover, the anti-receptor antibody possesses agonist activity similar to ..beta..-endorphin in suppressing cAMP production by lymphocytes. These results suggest the development of an antibody which recognizes classical opiate receptors on cells of the immune system.

  14. Interdependence of population and environment on sustainable development: what stake do women have?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thapa, S R

    1997-07-01

    This article reviews women's role in the development process in Nepal. Nepal's government has made a commitment to sustainable development. There was participation in all the Earth Summits and international conferences. The 9th 5-Year Plan is ready and includes strategies for ameliorating poverty, stemming population growth, and stopping environmental degradation and natural resource depletion. Women have been increasing their role in achieving sustainable development. Women need water and energy in order to fulfill their role as caretakers of children and the family. Women contribute to sustainable development by actively producing agricultural products and raising livestock. About 60% of the agricultural labor force is comprised of women. About 90% of women are engaged in raising livestock and producing and managing agriculture. Women's time is constrained when there is scarcity of fuelwood, fodder, and water resources. Women maintain roles in reproduction, production, and community management. Women's work relies on natural resources. Family survival depends upon natural resources. The environment, women, and development are interrelated with each other. Conventional approaches to development relied on economic growth and poverty alleviation. The consequence was environmental degradation and resource depletion. Industrial, road, and technological development led to greater adverse effects on the environment. The 1987 Bruntland Commission Report offered a new perspective on protecting the environment and recognized women's role in preserving, managing, and developing natural resources.

  15. Towards north-south interconnectedness: a critique of gender dualities in sustainable development, the environment and women's health

    OpenAIRE

    Simon-Kumar, Rachel; MacBride-Stewart, Sara; Baker, Susan; Patnaik Saxena, L.

    2017-01-01

    Well-established bodies of scholarship that inform contemporary global debates on gender, environment and health are fundamentally based on dualistic representations of women, such as First/Third World, rich/poor and victim/polluter. In this paper, we argue that recent socioeconomic transitions — affluence in the global South and rising inequality in the global North — demand the development of gender analytical frameworks that better recognize the diversity of roles that women play in the ch...

  16. New research on women's low participation in science and technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stout, Jane

    It is well known that women have historically been and continue to be grossly underrepresented in technical fields (i.e., the physical sciences, engineering, and computing). This presentation will address the following research questions: What dissuades women from entering into a technical career track, and what are women's experiences like within technical fields? At the same time, this presentation will acknowledge a shortcoming of decades of social science research and interventions designed to improve women's interest and persistence in technical fields: a narrow definition of ``women''. Given that the majority of women in colleges and universities (i.e., the typical sites of social science research) tend to be affluent and/or White, STEM education research that relies on convenience samples at colleges and universities paints a skewed picture of gender issues in technical fields. This presentation will showcase research findings that call into question conventional conceptions of gender disparities in technical fields. Specifically, the presentation will emphasize the importance of recognizing that women constitute more than their gender; women come from a diverse array of backgrounds, which no doubt play a role in the experience of being a woman in technical fields. By understanding the experiences of women from a broad array of demographics groups, the STEM education community can develop a corresponding set of strategies to recruit and retain women with diverse interests, experiences, and values (e.g., first generation versus second college students; women of different racial/ethnic backgrounds). The aim of this presentation is to promote social science research and interventions that acknowledge the nuanced experiences of diverse women in technical fields, in order to address the seemingly intractable problem of women's underrepresentation in technical fields. NSF DUE-1431112, NSF CNS-1246649.

  17. Family Support Center Village: A Unique Approach for Low-Income Single Women with Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graber, Helen V.; Wolfe, Jayne L.

    2004-01-01

    The Family Support Center, recognizing the need for single women with children to maintain stability, has developed a program referred to as the Family Support Center Village, which incorporates a service enriched co-housing model. The "Village" will be the catalyst for these mothers' self-sufficiency and will provide opportunities to develop…

  18. Successful Women Researchers in the Social Sciences: A Case Study of Catalan Public Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ion, Georgeta; Duran Belloch, Maria del Mar

    2013-01-01

    This article examines the factors which contribute to the success of female academics engaging in research in social sciences. The data were obtained through a series of interviews carried out at public universities in Catalonia with women, all of whom were the heads of research groups recognized by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan…

  19. Comparative properties of feline coronaviruses in vitro.

    OpenAIRE

    McKeirnan, A J; Evermann, J F; Davis, E V; Ott, R L

    1987-01-01

    Two feline coronaviruses were characterized to determine their biological properties in vitro and their antigenic relatedness to a previously recognized feline infectious peritonitis virus and canine coronavirus. The viruses, designated WSU 79-1146 and WSU 79-1683, were shown to have comparable growth curves with the prototype feline infectious peritonitis virus. Treatment of the feline infectious peritonitis virus strains with 0.25% trypsin indicated that they were relatively resistant to pr...

  20. Occupational gender stereotypes: is the ratio of women to men a powerful determinant?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adachi, Tomoko

    2013-04-01

    Gendered division of occupational choices still exists in contemporary Japanese society. Women are underrepresented in traditionally male-dominated fields, while few men occupy positions in traditionally female-dominated areas. The purpose of the present study was to examine occupational gender stereotypes and its relation to the female-to-male ratio of jobholders. Participants were 540 Japanese (262 women, 278 men) who participated in an Internet survey. The results showed that the female-to-male ratio of jobholders was a strong predictor of gender stereotyping. That is to say, contemporary Japanese recognized male-dominated occupations as typically masculine and female-dominated ones as typically feminine. Gender comparisons revealed that men rated female-dominated occupations as more feminine in nature than did women, while women rated male-dominated occupations as more masculine than did men. Future implications for career interventions focusing on occupational gender stereotypes were also discussed.

  1. Religious well-being in noninstitutionalized elderly women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zorn, C R; Johnson, M T

    1997-01-01

    Spirituality is recognized as an important component of health care practice with elderly people. Yet, discussion of the role it plays in elderly women on a day-to-day basis is minimal, and it is frequently not addressed in quality-of-life studies in this population. The purposes of this study were to describe the level of religious well-being and selected characteristics of religiosity in a sample of 114 non-institutionalized, largely rural elderly women (Mdn age = 75), as well as to identify the relationship between selected factors and the level of religious well-being. Descriptive research revealed a high level of religious well-being among the participants and significant positive correlation between religious well-being and the variables of social support and hope (p hope emerged as the single significant predictor of religious well-being (p religious activities, highly rated the value or influence of religious beliefs in their lives, and identified that religious beliefs become increasingly important with age. Conducting a comprehensive assessment and implementing focused interventions associated with religious well-being will strengthen the scope of health care practice for elderly women.

  2. Structural elements recognized by abacavir-induced T cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yerly, Daniel; Pompeu, Yuri Andreiw; Schutte, Ryan J.

    2017-01-01

    of autoimmune destruction. The structural elements recognized by drug-specific T cell receptors (TCRs) in vivo are poorly defined. Drug-stimulated T cells express TCRs specific for peptide/HLA complexes, but the characteristics of peptides (sequence, or endogenous or exogenous origin) presented in the context...

  3. QMODULE: CAMAC modules recognized by the QAL compiler

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kellogg, M.; Minor, M.M.; Shlaer, S.; Spencer, N.; Thomas, R.F. Jr.; van der Beken, H.

    1977-10-01

    The compiler for the Q Analyzer Language, QAL, recognizes a certain set of CAMAC modules as having known characteristics. The conventions and procedures used to describe these modules are discussed as well as the tools available to the user for extending this set as required

  4. Periodontal disease and women's health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martelli, Maria Luisa; Brandi, Maria Luisa; Martelli, Marialaura; Nobili, Piero; Medico, Enzo; Martelli, Francesco

    2017-06-01

    Periodontal disease (PD) is a multifactorial inflammatory condition in which inappropriate interaction between the host immune response and specific groups of bacterial pathogens leads to destruction of connective and bone tissues supporting the tooth. Dissemination of pathogens, toxins, and immune complexes from and to periodontal lesions is at the basis of the increasingly recognized association between PD and various systemic diseases (SDs). Considering the growing attention of the medical community to "gender medicine", this review focuses on the association between PD and six systemic conditions heavily impacting women's health, with the aim of providing evidence in support of a joint effort between physicians and dentists to improve clinical management of these conditions. We considered systematic reviews, meta-analyses and narrative reviews evaluating all possible associations between periodontitis, systemic diseases and women. Gender prevalence for PD is discordant, but the literature strongly supports an association between PD and female infertility and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Moreover, PD is bidirectionally linked to several systemic diseases characterized by an established female gender bias, i.e. osteoporosis (OP), cardiovascular diseases (CVD), autoimmunity, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cancer. Overall, the literature data reviewed here provides a strong foundation for further characterization of molecular and microbial drivers of PD and of several female-prevalent systemic diseases, highlighting the possible importance of a good oral condition in preventing or attenuating women's systemic diseases.

  5. Motivating Albanian women seeking higher education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Qafa

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Education is recognized by UNESCO (2012 as “a fundamental human right, one that all individuals are entitled to enjoy whatever the circumstances in which they live, that also brings important benefits to human society as a whole (p.8. In order to achieve faster these benefit, it is necessary the participation of men and women on an equal basis. In that sense, keeping women away in all aspects of the development process only by reason of gender is a waste of valuable resources, even more when they constitute half of the population. However, the importance of women’s participation in education is critical. According to Dundar and Haworth (1993, education of women is important not only from the angle of equal education opportunity between the sexes, but also for the substantial social and economic returns to female education that can be achieved by raising women’s productivity and income level, producing bett er educate and healthier children, and reducing fertility rates (p.1. Vanderslice and Litsch (1998 in turn, expressed that woman who have increased education are more aware about opportunities for themselves. They are more self-confident, open minded, and more competitive. While Kelly and Slaughther (1991 argued that through qualifications and credentials secured through the higher learning, women would equip themselves for all manners of professional positions, entering the market place and political arena with the same advantages as men.

  6. Women Veterans' Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Non-Partner Sexual Assault in the Context of Military Service: Implications for Supporting Women's Health and Well-Being.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dichter, Melissa E; Wagner, Clara; True, Gala

    2018-03-01

    Women who have served in the military in the United States experience high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-partner sexual assault (SA). The military setting presents challenges and opportunities not experienced in other employment contexts that may compound the negative impacts of IPV/SA on women's lives. The purpose of this study was to explore the intersection of women's experiences of IPV/SA and military service through analysis of women veterans' narrative accounts. We conducted in-depth face-to-face qualitative interviews with 25 women veterans receiving primary care at a U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Center. We draw upon Adler and Castro's (2013) Military Occupational Mental Health Model to frame our understanding of the impact of IPV/SA as a stressor in the military cultural context and to inform efforts to prevent, and support women service members who have experienced, these forms of violence. Our findings highlight the impact of IPV/SA on women's military careers, including options for entering and leaving military service, job performance, and opportunities for advancement. Women's narratives also reveal ways in which the military context constrains their options for responding to and coping with experiences of IPV/SA. These findings have implications for prevention of, and response to, intimate partner or sexual violence experienced by women serving in the military and underscore the need for both military and civilian communities to recognize and address the negative impact of such violence on women service members before, during, and after military service.

  7. [Recognizing signs of sexual abuse

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Teunissen, T.A.; Wong, S.H.; Lagro-Janssen, A.L.

    2016-01-01

    Sexual abuse is very common. In the Netherlands 42% of women and 13% of men aged over 25 years have experienced unacceptable sexual behaviour. Most victims do not seek professional help nor do they report the abuse to the police, and most of the victims who do seek medical help do not mention the

  8. Challenges associated with peripheral arterial disease in women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barochiner J

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Jessica Barochiner, Lucas S Aparicio, Gabriel D Waisman Hypertension Section, Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina Abstract: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD is an increasingly recognized disorder that is associated with functional impairment, quality-of-life deterioration, increased risk of cardiovascular ischemic events, and increased risk of total and cardiovascular mortality. Although earlier studies suggested that PAD was more common in men, recent reports based on more sensitive tests have shown that the prevalence of PAD in women is at least the same as in men, if not higher. PAD tends to present itself asymptomatically or with atypical symptoms more frequently in women than in men, and is associated with comorbidities or situations particularly or exclusively found in the female sex, such as osteoporosis, hypothyroidism, the use of oral contraceptives, and a history of complications during pregnancy. Fat-distribution patterns and differential vascular characteristics in women may influence the interpretation of diagnostic methods, whereas sex-related vulnerability to drugs typically used in subjects with PAD, differences in risk-factor distribution among sexes, and distinct responses to revascularization procedures in men and women must be taken into account for proper disease management. All these issues pose important challenges associated with PAD in women. Of note, this group has classically been underrepresented in research studies. As a consequence, several sex-related challenges regarding diagnosis and management issues should be acknowledged, and research gaps should be addressed in order to successfully deal with this major health issue. Keywords: peripheral arterial disease, women, diagnosis, management

  9. Evaluation of speech recognizers for use in advanced combat helicopter crew station research and development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simpson, Carol A.

    1990-01-01

    The U.S. Army Crew Station Research and Development Facility uses vintage 1984 speech recognizers. An evaluation was performed of newer off-the-shelf speech recognition devices to determine whether newer technology performance and capabilities are substantially better than that of the Army's current speech recognizers. The Phonetic Discrimination (PD-100) Test was used to compare recognizer performance in two ambient noise conditions: quiet office and helicopter noise. Test tokens were spoken by males and females and in isolated-word and connected-work mode. Better overall recognition accuracy was obtained from the newer recognizers. Recognizer capabilities needed to support the development of human factors design requirements for speech command systems in advanced combat helicopters are listed.

  10. Effect of gamma irradiation on lipoxygenases, trypsin inhibitor, raffinose family oligosaccharides and nutritional factors of different seed coat colored soybean (Glycine max L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar Dixit, Amit; Kumar, Vineet; Rani, Anita; Manjaya, J.G.; Bhatnagar, Deepak

    2011-01-01

    Three soybean genotypes Kalitur, Hara soya and NRC37 with black, green and yellow seed coat color, respectively, were gamma irradiated at 0.5, 2.0 and 5.0 kGy and tested for antinutritional and nutritional factors. Gamma irradiation at all doses reduced the level of lipoxygenase isomers, trypsin inhibitor (TI) and ascorbic acid in all the 3 soybean genotypes as compared to the unirradiated control. However, irradiation dose of 5.0 kGy increased the sucrose content of the soybean genotypes. No significant change was observed in oil, protein fatty acids and total tocopherol content of the 3 genotypes at any irradiation dose. It is suggested that inhibition of lipoxygenase, reduction in TI and ascorbic acid may be due to the breakage or oxidation of protein structure by the gamma irradiation. Similarly, gamma irradiation at higher doses may break glycosidic linkages in oligosaccharides to produce more sucrose and decrease the content of flatulence causing oligosaccharides.

  11. Effect of gamma irradiation on lipoxygenases, trypsin inhibitor, raffinose family oligosaccharides and nutritional factors of different seed coat colored soybean (Glycine max L.)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumar Dixit, Amit [School of Biochemistry, Devi Ahilya University, Khandwa Road, Indore-452017 (India); Kumar, Vineet; Rani, Anita [National Research Centre for Soybean, Khandwa Road, Indore-452017 (India); Manjaya, J.G. [Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai (India); Bhatnagar, Deepak, E-mail: bhatnagarbio@yahoo.co [School of Biochemistry, Devi Ahilya University, Khandwa Road, Indore-452017 (India)

    2011-04-15

    Three soybean genotypes Kalitur, Hara soya and NRC37 with black, green and yellow seed coat color, respectively, were gamma irradiated at 0.5, 2.0 and 5.0 kGy and tested for antinutritional and nutritional factors. Gamma irradiation at all doses reduced the level of lipoxygenase isomers, trypsin inhibitor (TI) and ascorbic acid in all the 3 soybean genotypes as compared to the unirradiated control. However, irradiation dose of 5.0 kGy increased the sucrose content of the soybean genotypes. No significant change was observed in oil, protein fatty acids and total tocopherol content of the 3 genotypes at any irradiation dose. It is suggested that inhibition of lipoxygenase, reduction in TI and ascorbic acid may be due to the breakage or oxidation of protein structure by the gamma irradiation. Similarly, gamma irradiation at higher doses may break glycosidic linkages in oligosaccharides to produce more sucrose and decrease the content of flatulence causing oligosaccharides.

  12. Smart responsive microcapsules capable of recognizing heavy metal ions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pi, Shuo-Wei; Ju, Xiao-Jie; Wu, Han-Guang; Xie, Rui; Chu, Liang-Yin

    2010-09-15

    Smart responsive microcapsules capable of recognizing heavy metal ions are successfully prepared with oil-in-water-in-oil double emulsions as templates for polymerization in this study. The microcapsules are featured with thin poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-benzo-18-crown-6-acrylamide) (P(NIPAM-co-BCAm)) membranes, and they can selectively recognize special heavy metal ions such as barium(II) or lead(II) ions very well due to the "host-guest" complexation between the BCAm receptors and barium(II) or lead(II) ions. The stable BCAm/Ba(2+) or BCAm/Pb(2+) complexes in the P(NIPAM-co-BCAm) membrane cause a positive shift of the volume phase transition temperature of the crosslinked P(NIPAM-co-BCAm) hydrogel to a higher temperature, and the repulsion among the charged BCAm/Ba(2+) or BCAm/Pb(2+) complexes and the osmotic pressure within the P(NIPAM-co-BCAm) membranes result in the swelling of microcapsules. Induced by recognizing barium(II) or lead(II) ions, the prepared microcapsules with P(NIPAM-co-BCAm) membranes exhibit isothermal and significant swelling not only in outer and inner diameters but also in the membrane thickness. The proposed microcapsules in this study are highly attractive for developing smart sensors and/or carriers for detection and/or elimination of heavy metal ions. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Timing of birth for women with a twin pregnancy at term: a randomised controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haslam Ross R

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is a well recognized risk of complications for both women and infants of a twin pregnancy, increasing beyond 37 weeks gestation. Preterm birth prior to 37 weeks gestation is a recognized complication of a twin pregnancy, however, up to 50% of twins will be born after this time. The aims of this randomised trial are to assess whether elective birth at 37 weeks gestation compared with standard care in women with a twin pregnancy affects the risk of perinatal death, and serious infant complications. Methods/Design Design: Multicentred randomised trial. Inclusion Criteria: women with a twin pregnancy at 366 weeks or more without contraindication to continuation of pregnancy. Trial Entry & Randomisation: Following written informed consent, eligible women will be randomised from 36+6 weeks gestation. The randomisation schedule uses balanced variable blocks, with stratification for centre of birth and planned mode of birth. Women will be randomised to either elective birth or standard care. Treatment Schedules: Women allocated to the elective birth group will be planned for elective birth from 37 weeks gestation. Where the plan is for vaginal birth, this will involve induction of labour. Where the plan is for caesarean birth, this will involve elective caesarean section. For women allocated to standard care, birth will be planned for 38 weeks gestation or later. Where the plan is for vaginal birth, this will involve either awaiting the spontaneous onset of labour, or induction of labour if required. Where the plan is for caesarean birth, this will involve elective caesarean section (after 38 and as close to 39 weeks as possible. Primary Study Outcome: A composite of perinatal mortality or serious neonatal morbidity. Sample Size: 460 women with a twin pregnancy to show a reduction in the composite outcome from 16.3% to 6.7% with adjustment for the clustering of twin infants within mothers (p = 0.05, 80% power. Discussion This

  14. 76 FR 28954 - International Conservation and Management Measures Recognized by the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-19

    ... International Conservation and Management Measures Recognized by the United States AGENCY: National Marine... international conservation and management measures recognized by the United States. To fulfill this requirement, a list of agreements resulting in international conservation and management measures was first...

  15. The effects of sexism, psychological distress, and difficult sexual situations on U.S. women's sexual risk behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Kyung-Hee; Bowleg, Lisa; Neilands, Torsten B

    2011-10-01

    Women represent almost half of the people living with HIV worldwide. Although social discrimination has been recognized as a major obstacle to HIV prevention, few empirical studies have examined the effects of sexism on women's HIV sexual risk behaviors. We analyzed data collected from an ethnically diverse sample of 754 women attending family planning clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area. A majority of respondents reported lifetime experiences of sexism (e.g., 94% reported sexual harassment). Structural equation modeling results demonstrated that experiences of sexism and reports of recent unprotected sex with a primary or a secondary sexual partner were linked through psychological distress and difficult sexual situations. Our results suggest the need to develop HIV prevention strategies for women that address two mechanisms-psychological distress and difficult sexual situations-that link social discrimination to women's sexual risk for HIV.

  16. Affective disorders among women during post partum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Juliana Orejarena Serrano

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available Women, in general, present a high rate of prevalence of affective disorders, mainly depressive ones, during their lives. This is even more evident during their puerperal time, were depression is quite common. This is, probably, due to the fact of a highest physical and emotional needs during this difficult period, for both the mother and the family,as well. This clinical condition will increase both the mobility and mortality rates among puerperal women and will increase the risk for new episodes of depression on future pregnancies. Since we all know that during puerperium, both mother and child are usually attended by the Health System, this is a good time to detect these disorders. Therefore, we will try to review the pertinent medical literature regarding this probem, in order to provide the psychiatrist and another physicians with new, effective tools, that will allow them to recognize earlier, patients with this disorder, handle them properly to avoid all negative consequences.

  17. 'We've fallen into the cracks': Aboriginal women's experiences with breast cancer through photovoice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poudrier, Jennifer; Mac-Lean, Roanne Thomas

    2009-12-01

    Despite some recognition that Aboriginal women who have experienced breast cancer may have unique health needs, little research has documented the experiences of Aboriginal women from their perspective. Our main objective was to explore and to begin to make visible Aboriginal women's experiences with breast cancer using the qualitative research technique, photovoice. The research was based in Saskatchewan, Canada and participants were Aboriginal women who had completed breast cancer treatment. Although Aboriginal women cannot be viewed as a homogeneous group, participants indicated two areas of priority for health-care: (i) Aboriginal identity and traditional beliefs, although expressed in diverse ways, are an important dimension of breast cancer experiences and have relevance for health-care; and (ii) there is a need for multidimensional support which addresses larger issues of racism, power and socioeconomic inequality. We draw upon a critical and feminist conception of visuality to interrogate and disrupt the dominant visual terrain (both real and metaphorical) where Aboriginal women are either invisible or visible in disempowering ways. Aboriginal women who have experienced breast cancer must be made visible within health-care in a way that recognizes their experiences situated within the structural context of marginalization through colonial oppression.

  18. Pope John Paul II apologizes for church's oppression of women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1995-01-01

    In a 16-page letter which is widely viewed by women's groups as an effort to win support for the Vatican's position at the upcoming UN Conference on Women in Beijing, Pope John Paul II apologizes to women throughout the world for the church's historic complicity in their oppression. Although phrased in general terms, the letter contains language and ideas of a far more feminist tone than any previous statements or declarations made by the Pontiff. Calling for increased respect for women and sensitivity to their needs, the letter also claims that "there is an urgent need to achieve real equality in every area: equal pay for equal work, protection for working mothers, fairness in career advancements, equality of spouses with regard to family rights and recognition of everything that is part of the rights and duties of citizens in a democratic state." Recognizing women's significant achievements and sacrifices inside and outside of the home, the Pope expressed admiration for "those women of good will who have devoted their lives to defending the dignity of womanhood by fighting for their basic social, economic and political rights, demonstrating courageous initiative at a time when this was considered extremely inappropriate, the sign of a lack of femininity, a manifestation of exhibitionism, and even a sin." Although the letter heralds a new awareness in the Vatican of women's views, concerns and grievances, the Pope has not signaled any dramatic changes in official church policy: women's ordination, divorce, abortion and birth control are still considered beyond the pale of acceptability. full text

  19. Recognizing Risk-of-Failure in Communication Design Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yee, Joyce; Lievesley, Matthew; Taylor, Louise

    2009-01-01

    The pace of commercial graphic design practice presents very few opportunities to conduct user research after a project's launch. This makes the design team's ability to anticipate and address risks during the design development phase even more important, recognized in the astute observation from Tim Brown, CEO of leading international design…

  20. Women, sex and marriage. Restraint as a feminine strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kishwar, M

    1997-01-01

    The expression of sexuality varies in different cultures, and most societies attempt to control sexuality through the institution of marriage. In the West, the availability of cheap, effective contraceptives separated sex from reproduction and promoted the sexual liberation of women. Today, while divorce is common, sexually liberated people nevertheless engage in a form of serial monogamy. Sexual liberation in the West causes women to be exploited by men and creates instability in nuclear families. In India, feminism is tempered by a belief that familial rights have precedence over individual rights. India women practice sexual self-denial after being widowed to protect their children and to gain power and respect in the community. The power of chastity was illustrated by Mahatma Gandhi who marshalled his spiritual forces to fight for independence. The stories of many individual women illustrate how they attain status and prestige through chastity. Other women maintain absolute marital faithfulness as a marital strategy to control wayward husbands. These women deemphasize their roles as wives and emphasize their roles as mothers. The children of such women often recognize their sacrifices and become their strongest allies. On the other hand, examples of women who have chosen sexual freedom show that such a choice places them at the mercy of men, makes them social outcasts, and causes other women to distrust them as competitors for their husbands. In patriarchal societies, women can not win if they try to mimic men's capacity for irresponsible sex. Sexual freedom can only work for women in matrilineal communities that shun marriage in favor of strong ties within a woman's natal family. Indian women rooted in the extended family enjoy the resilience and flexibility attendant upon playing a larger role than simply pleasing men. Opting for sexual restraint can be an effective though costly strategy to achieve the sympathy and support of an extended family when a man is

  1. Expert Group Meeting on Population and Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-01-01

    As part of the preparation for the up-coming International Conference on Population and Development sponsored by the UN, an expert group met in June 1992 in Botswana to consider issues related to population and women. Particular attention was devoted to gender equality, population, and development; reproductive health and the health of families; adolescent fertility, marriage, and reproductive health; family planning (FP) and FP programs; education of girls and women and the relationship of education to fertility, health, and welfare; women's economic activity and its relationship to demographic factors; and the relationship between women, population, and the environment. While both developed and developing countries were considered, the emphasis was on the latter. 32 recommendations for action were addressed primarily to governments and other social institutions and also to funding agencies. The recommendations call for a recognization that health and education are particularly critical for women. They ask for the development of gender-based analysis and assessment of development policies to discover their impact on women. Service delivery to women should be culturally appropriate, and women should be integrated into development initiatives and into management and policy-making levels of social institutions. Responsible parenthood should be promoted as should the assumption of familiar responsibilities by men. Women should have access to safe abortion services. Adolescents should receive the education necessary to protect their reproductive health, and a minimum marriage age should be adopted. FP programs should be appropriate to their clients and should provide safe methods of fertility regulation. Improved and safe contraceptives and pharmaceuticals which will protect against sexually transmitted diseases should be developed, with renewed emphasis placed on new contraceptives for men. Safe sex measures should be promoted. The health of girls and women should

  2. Association between menarche and iron deficiency in non-anemic young women.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deepa L Sekhar

    Full Text Available The prevalence of iron deficiency (ID among non-pregnant, reproductive-age US women significantly exceeds rates among males. In clinical practice ID screening relies on hemoglobin, a late-stage indicator of ID. As a single, low-cost laboratory test to diagnose ID before anemia develops is lacking, the study objective was to improve ID screening by identifying risk factors among non-anemic, iron-deficient reproductive age women.Cross-sectional data were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003-2010. Hemoglobin identified non-anemic women. ID was defined using the body iron formula, requiring ferritin and transferrin receptor values. Logistic regression assessed the association of sociodemographic, behavioral, and reproductive risk factors in an anemia-based conceptual framework with non-anemic reproductive age women (12-49 years with ID, as well as subsets of younger (12-21 years and older (22-49 years women, recognizing that risks may differ by age.Among 6216 women, 494 had ID (prevalence was 8.0%, 95% CI 7.3%, 8.6%. Among non-anemic younger women, 250 (8.7%, 95% CI 7.7%, 9.8% had ID, compared to 244 (7.3%, 95% CI 6.4%, 8.2% older women. Among younger women, menstruation for over 3 years was the only variable significantly associated with non-anemic ID (risk ratio 3.18, 95% CI 2.03, 4.96. No other significant risk factors were identified.Menstrual years was the only risk factor significantly associated with ID among non-anemic younger women. The negative results suggest ID risk factors among non-anemic women may need to be considered separately from those associated with ID anemia.

  3. Levels of Urinary Trypsin Inhibitor and Structure of Its Chondroitin Sulphate Moiety in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ucciferri, Nadia; Idini, Michela; De Muro, Pierina

    2018-01-01

    Background Diabetes mellitus is a global health problem representing the fifth leading cause of mortality and a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. In the last years, we reported an association among urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI), a small proteoglycan that plays pleiotropic roles in many inflammatory processes, and both type 1 and 2 diabetes and developed a method for its direct quantitation and structural characterization. Methods Urine from 39 patients affected by type 1 diabetes, 32 patients with type 2 diabetes, and 52 controls were analysed. UTI was separated from the main glycosaminoglycans physiologically present in urine by anion exchange chromatography, treated for chondroitin sulphate (CS) chain complete depolymerisation, and analysed for both UTI content and CS structure. UTI identification was performed by nano-LC-MS/MS analysis. Results We evidenced increased UTI levels, as well as reduced sulphation of its CS moiety in association with diabetes, regardless of both age and medium-term glycaemic control. Furthermore, no association between UTI and albumin excretion rate was found. Conclusions Evidences suggest that UTI levels are not directly correlated with renal function or, otherwise, that they may increase before the onset of renal impairment in diabetes, representing a potential marker for the underlying inflammatory condition. PMID:29541644

  4. Realistic Creativity Training for Innovation Practitioners: The Know-Recognize-React Model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Valgeirsdóttir, Dagný; Onarheim, Balder

    2017-01-01

    As creativity becomes increasingly recognized as important raw material for innovation, the importance of identifying ways to increase practitioners’ creativity through rigorously designed creativity training programs is highlighted. Therefore we sat out to design a creativity training program...... the transdisciplinary study described in this paper. Co-creation was employed as a method to ensure the three layers of focus would be taken into consideration. The result is a program called Creative Awareness Training which is based on the new Know-Recognize-React model....

  5. Recognizing and managing sapstreak disease of sugar maple

    Science.gov (United States)

    David R. Houston; David R. Houston

    1993-01-01

    Sapstreak disease, a potentially serious problem of sugarbushes and forest stands, occurs when the causal fungus, Ceratocystis virescens, invades the sapwood of roots and bases of stems through wounds inflicted during logging, saphauling, or other activities. Describes how to recognize the disease, the factors that affect its occurrence and development, and management...

  6. Recognizing and Treating Malaria in U.S. Residents

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    This podcast is an overview of the Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Call: It's a Small World After All: Dengue and Malaria in U.S. Residents - Recognizing and Treating These Mosquito-borne Diseases. CDC's David Townes discusses clinical presentation, transmission, prevention strategies, new treatments, and malaria resources available to health care providers.

  7. [Personality traits and the feeling of loneliness of women treated for infertility].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bidzan, Mariola; Podolska, Magdalena; Bidzan, Leszek; Smutek, Jerzy

    2011-07-01

    Assessing the feeling of loneliness of women treated because of infertility compared to women without any procreation problems, and verifying, whether there is a correlation with the presented personality traits. 26 women treated for infertility (in accordance with the officially recognized criteria) in the Obstetrics and Women Health Clinic at the Medical University in Gdańsk, and 25 women not experiencing any procreation problems, were included into the study The research tools included a self-constructed sociodemographic questionnaire, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the UCLA Loneliness Scale by D. Russell, L. Peplau, C. Cytron. There are significant differences among the investigated groups in terms of the following personality dimensions: Masculinity - Femininity Paranoia, Psychasthenia, Schizophrenia and the Social Introversion Scale. Women treated because of infertility scored higher in all these scales, their results remained within the norm though. The studied groups demonstrated different relations between the MMPI scales and the UCLA scales results. Women treated due to infertility have a personality profile similar to women without any procreation problems. Only the group whose profiles exhibited some pathological features demonstrated symptoms of worse adaptation to life, a tendency to experience a higher psychological discomfort and higher psychological stress, higher level of anxiety related to being assessed by others, and greater difficulties in accepting the role of a female. As far as the sense of loneliness was concerned women treated due to infertility did not differ significantly from the ones without procreation problems.

  8. Labor market modeling recognizing latent job attributes and opportunity constraints : an empirical analysis of labor market behavior of Eritrean women

    OpenAIRE

    Arneberg, Marie W.; Dagsvik, John K.; Jia, Zhiyang

    2002-01-01

    Abstract: This paper analyzes labor market behavior of urban Eritrean women with particular reference to the impact of education, earnings and labor market opportunities. Unlike traditional models of labor supply, which assume that work can be supplied freely in the labor market, we develop a framework that explicitly takes into account the notion of job opportunities and observable sets of feasible jobs. The framework is formulated within a random utility setting in which unob...

  9. Proctalgia fugax: would you recognize it?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babb, R R

    1996-04-01

    Proctalgia fugax is characterized by sudden and sometimes severe rectal pain that occurs by day or night at irregular intervals. The pain results from dysfunction of the internal anal sphincter. Proctalgia fugax has a uniform clinical picture, and it can be easily diagnosed when recognized. The patient can be assured that nothing serious is wrong. Expensive tests, such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis, are not required. Treatment may be difficult, but if the attacks of pain are numerous and severe,, a calcium channel blocker such as nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia) should be tried.

  10. A Bicultural Researcher's Reflections on Ethical Research Practices With Muslim Immigrant Women: Merging Boundaries and Challenging Binaries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salma, Jordana; Ogilvie, Linda; Keating, Norah; Hunter, Kathleen F

    Bicultural researchers are well positioned to identify tensions, disrupt binaries of positions, and reconcile differences across cultural contexts to ensure ethical research practices. This article focuses on a bicultural researcher's experiences of ethically important moments in research activities with Muslim immigrant women. Three ethical principles of respect, justice, and concern for welfare are highlighted, revealing the implications of binary constructions of identity, the value of situated knowledge in creating ethical research practices, and the need to recognize agency as a counterforce to oppressive narratives about Muslim women.

  11. Knowledge, attitudes and intended behaviours towards HIV testing and self-protection: a survey of Omani pregnant women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Jabri, A A; Youssef, R M; Hasson, S S; Balkhair, A A; Al-Belushi, M; Al-Saadoon, M; Mathew, M; Al-Mahroqi, S; Said, E; Koh, C Y; Idris, M A

    2014-10-20

    Routine HIV testing of all pregnant women in Oman has been introduced without prior knowledge of women's attitudes towards testing or their behaviour in the event of a positive test. This study recruited 1000 Omani pregnant women from antenatal clinics to explore their knowledge of HIV/AIDS, attitudes towards HIV testing and intended behaviours in the event of a positive test. Mother-to-child transmission was recognized by 86.6% of the women but only 21.0% knew that it was preventable and a few acknowledged the important role of antiviral drugs. Half of the women (51.9%) reported having been tested for HIV and 75.8% agreed about routine HIV testing for all pregnant women. A higher level of knowledge was significantly associated with a favourable intended behaviour related to voluntary testing, disclosure and seeking professional assistance in the event of a positive HIV test. The results are discussed in relation to opt-in and opt-out approaches to voluntary testing during pregnancy.

  12. The burden of anaemia and associated factors in HIV positive Nigerian women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ezechi, O C; Kalejaiye, O O; Gab-Okafor, C V; Oladele, D A; Oke, B; Ekama, S O; Odunukwe, N N; Ujah, I A O

    2013-02-01

    Anaemia is the most common complication of pregnancy and a predictor of poor maternal and foetal outcomes. HIV infection is now recognized as one of the major contributors to anaemia in pregnancy. It is therefore important to determine the burden and risk factors of anaemia in maternal HIV infection in others to plan effective prevention strategies as well as optimize management outcomes. To determine the prevalence and risk factors of anaemia in pregnant HIV positive Nigerians. The prevalence and possible risk factors of anaemia were investigated in HIV positive pregnant Nigerian women at a large HIV treatment clinic in southwestern Nigeria using a cross-sectional design between January 2006 and December 2011. Nine hundred and eighty-five (42.5 %) women of 2,318 HIV positive pregnant women seen during the period were anaemic by WHO standard defined by haemoglobin anaemia in HIV positive pregnant women after controlling for confounding variables. Anaemia was found to be high at 42.5 % among the HIV positive women studied and was found to be independently associated with short inter birth interval, presence of OIs, advanced HIV disease and use of zidovudine containing HAART regimen.

  13. Women in the workplace: an industrial hygienist's perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laszcz-Davis, C.

    1979-01-01

    Although the incidence of birth defects, spontaneous abortions, and stillbirths among the human population is quite high, the cause of the vast majority of these is unknown. Hundreds of agents capable of causing reproductive failure or of inducing germinal and/or somatic mutation have been recognized, but the actual magnitude of their effect on human reproductive health has not been quantified. In the era of protectionism that has developed in the last several years, lawmakers faced with chemical and physical hazards in the workplace have pondered the problem of the exposure of women of childbearing capacity to such substances. The solution has taken the form of barring women of childbearing age from jobs that could prove hazardous to the unborn child. We are in the throes of a social revolution marked by new concepts and changing value judgments with respect to women's rights, the meaning of work, and employers' responsibilities to their workers. One result has been a profusion of laws and regulations that are often confusing and sometimes conflicting. This paper presents a historical perspective on the problem, a review of the legislation promulgated and social issues fermenting, and some thoughts and hopes for the future

  14. Does cultural context make a difference to women's experiences of maternity care? A qualitative study comparing the perspectives of breast-feeding women of Bangladeshi origin and health practitioners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFadden, Alison; Renfrew, Mary J; Atkin, Karl

    2013-12-01

    Maternity services struggle to provide culturally appropriate care that meets the needs of women from diverse populations. Problems include simplistic understandings of ethnicity and the role of culture in women's lives, and stereotypes held by health practitioners. To explore the extent to which cultural context makes a difference to experiences of breast-feeding support for women of Bangladeshi origin and to consider the implications for the provision of culturally appropriate care. The study comprised individual interviews with 23 women of Bangladeshi origin and four health service managers, and focus group discussions with 28 health practitioners between February and December 2008. Participants were recruited from four localities in northern England. Women's rich descriptions of various facets of their identities were in contrast to practitioners' representations of women of Bangladeshi origin as homogenous. Practitioners did not recognize when the needs of women of Bangladeshi origin were similar to those of the majority white population, or where cultural context made a difference to their experiences of breast-feeding and breast-feeding support. Some practitioners used cultural stereotypes which, combined with organizational constraints, resulted in services not meeting many of the women's needs. Implications for education, policy and practice include the need for training of health practitioners to work with diverse populations, implementing evidence-based practice and providing an organizational context which supports practitioners to respond to diversity without using cultural stereotypes. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Recognizing the needs – Student teachers´ learning to teach from teaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pernilla Nilsson

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper is based on an exploration of the ways in which primary science student teachers recognize and learn about issues that shape their own professional learning. The paper discusses different perspectives of “knowledgebase needed for teaching” and Shulman’s concept of pedagogical content knowledge, and explores how elements of knowledge are to be recognized and further developed within primary teacher education. Primary science student teacher participants (n = 25 were stimulated to use portfolios as a tool to reflect upon situations within their six weeks teaching practice in pre- and primary schools in order to facilitate recognizing their knowledge needs. The results give an insight into what situations within the teaching practice that student teachers consider as important for their own learning to teach primary maths and science.

  16. AWG, Enhancing Professional Skills, Providing Resources and Assistance for Women in the Geosciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundermann, C.; Cruse, A. M.; AssociationWomen Geoscientists

    2011-12-01

    The Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG) was founded in 1977. AWG is an international organization, with ten chapters, devoted to enhancing the quality and level of participation of women in geosciences, and introducing women and girls to geoscience careers. Our diverse interests and expertise cover the entire spectrum of geoscience disciplines and career paths, providing unexcelled networking and mentoring opportunities to develop leadership skills. Our membership is brought together by a common love of earth, atmospheric and ocean sciences, and the desire to ensure rewarding opportunities for women in the geosciences. AWG offers a variety of scholarships, including the Chrysalis scholarship for women who are returning to school after a life-changing interruption, and the Sands and Takken awards for students to make presentations at professional meetings. AWG promotes professional development through workshops, an online bi-monthly newsletter, more timely e-mailed newsletters, field trips, and opportunities to serve in an established professional organization. AWG recognizes the work of outstanding women geoscientists and of outstanding men supporters of women in the geosciences. The AWG Foundation funds ten scholarships, a Distinguished Lecture Program, the Geologist-in-the-Parks program, Science Fair awards, and numerous Girl Scout programs. Each year, AWG sends a contingent to Congressional Visits Day, to help educate lawmakers about the unique challenges that women scientists face in the geoscience workforce.

  17. Chlamydia trachomatis IgG seropositivity is associated with lower natural conception rates in ovulatory subfertile women without visible tubal pathology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Coppus, S. F. P. J.; Land, J. A.; Opmeer, B. C.; Steures, P.; Eijkemans, M. J. C.; Hompes, P. G. A.; Bossuyt, P. M. M.; van der Veen, F.; Mol, B. W. J.; van der Steeg, J. W.

    2011-01-01

    The relation between Chlamydia trachomatis infection and subsequent tubal damage is widely recognized. As such, C. trachomatis antibody (CAT) testing can be used to triage women for immediate tubal testing with hysterosalpingography (HSG) or laparoscopy. However, once invasive tubal testing has

  18. Syrian Women and the Refugee Crisis: Surviving the Conflict, Building Peace, and Taking New Gender Roles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yumna Asaf

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Women and men experience conflicts differently. Women, even as non-combatants, suffer a great harm. Wars are gendered, both in causes and consequences. Women are deliberately excluded from formal peace negotiations. Work done for the reconstruction of conflict ridden societies, fail to recognize with women’s realities and needs. Despite that, women have remained influential at the grassroots level in peace-building and rehabilitation. The paper uses the example of Syria, to explore beyond the most prominent perception of women borne out of an armed conflict, i.e., of the ‘victims of war’ and assesses, in how many different ways women have survived the Syrian conflict and have made efforts for peace, informally and formally, challenging the narrative of women as just a group with special needs and requirements. For this purpose, the paper has content analysis of the previous research, data, reports, mainstream news articles, and other relevant information on the topics of housing, food, health, work and financial security, changed roles, isolation, and gender-based violence to understand how women’s role in all these spheres are shaping new narratives for women, peace and security, distinct from the prevalent existing ones.

  19. HIV Stigma, Retention in Care, and Adherence Among Older Black Women Living With HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sangaramoorthy, Thurka; Jamison, Amelia M; Dyer, Typhanye V

    Stigma is recognized as a barrier to the prevention, care, and treatment of HIV, including engagement in the HIV care continuum. HIV stigma in older Black women may be compounded by preexisting social inequities based on gender, age, and race. Using semi-structured interviews and survey questionnaires, we explore experiences of HIV stigma, retention in care, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence in 35 older Black women with HIV from Prince George's County, Maryland. Study findings indicated that older Black women experienced high levels of HIV stigma, retention in care, and ART adherence. Findings suggest that experiences of HIV stigma were intensified for older Black women due to multiple stigmatized social positions. Participants also reported experiences of marginalization in health care that hindered retention in care and ART adherence. Interventions aimed at improving HIV prevention, care, and treatment outcomes should incorporate HIV stigma reduction strategies as core elements. Copyright © 2017 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. {sup 13}C-NMR studies on disulfide bond isomerization in bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takeda, Mitsuhiro [Kumamoto University, Department of Structural BioImaging, Faculty of Life Sciences (Japan); Miyanoiri, Yohei [Nagoya University, Structural Biology Research Center, Graduate School of Science (Japan); Terauchi, Tsutomu [Tokyo Metropolitan University, Graduate School of Science and Engineering (Japan); Kainosho, Masatsune, E-mail: kainosho@tmu.ac.jp [Nagoya University, Structural Biology Research Center, Graduate School of Science (Japan)

    2016-09-15

    Conformational isomerization of disulfide bonds is associated with the dynamics and thus the functional aspects of proteins. However, our understanding of the isomerization is limited by experimental difficulties in probing it. We explored the disulfide conformational isomerization of the Cys14–Cys38 disulfide bond in bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI), by performing an NMR line-shape analysis of its Cys carbon peaks. In this approach, 1D {sup 13}C spectra were recorded at small temperature intervals for BPTI samples selectively labeled with site-specifically {sup 13}C-enriched Cys, and the recorded peaks were displayed in the order of the temperature after the spectral scales were normalized to a carbon peak. Over the profile of the line-shape, exchange broadening that altered with temperature was manifested for the carbon peaks of Cys14 and Cys38. The Cys14–Cys38 disulfide bond reportedly exists in equilibrium between a high-populated (M) and two low-populated states (m{sub c14} and m{sub c38}). Consistent with the three-site exchange model, biphasic exchange broadening arising from the two processes was observed for the peak of the Cys14 α-carbon. As the exchange broadening is maximized when the exchange rate equals the chemical shift difference in Hz between equilibrating sites, semi-quantitative information that was useful for establishing conditions for {sup 13}C relaxation dispersion experiments was obtained through the carbon line-shape profile. With respect to the m{sub c38} isomerization, the {sup 1}H-{sup 13}C signals at the β-position of the minor state were resolved from the major peaks and detected by exchange experiments at a low temperature.