A Bacillus licheniformis pectin acetylesterase is specific for homogalacturonans acetylated at O-3.

A recombinant acetylesterase from Bacillus licheniformis DSM13, belonging to carbohydrate esterase family 12, was purified and biochemically characterized. The purified enzyme, termed BliPAE, was capable of deacetylating acetylated pectins, e.g. sugar beet pectin (SBP). Contrary to its provisional annotation as rhamnogalacturonan acetylesterase, the enzyme specifically removed acetyl groups from the homogalacturonan region classifying it as a PAE. The recombinant enzyme has a molecular mass of 26.7 kDa and shows optimal activity at pH 8.0 and 50°C. It is stable in the range pH 5.0-7.0 and below 50°C. Methylesterification of the galacturonic acid (GalA) moieties reduces the deacetylation efficacy of BliPAE. The enzyme efficiently removes acetyl groups from SBPs with low degree of methylesterification (DM) 9-30, releasing about 75% of the acetyl groups present in the homogalacturonan. Furthermore, (1)H NMR of polymer and LC-HILIC-MS(n) after endo-PGII and PL degradation were used to structurally characterize the BliPAE-modified pectins. The results show that BliPAE removes acetyl groups specifically when substituted at the O-3 position of GalA moieties.

Phase diagram of the electron-doped La2-xCexCuO4 cuprate superconductor from Andreev bound states at grain boundary junctions.

We use quasiparticle tunneling across La2-xCexCuO4 grain boundary junctions to probe the superconducting state and its disappearance with increasing temperature and magnetic field. A zero bias conductance peak due to zero energy surface Andreev bound states is a clear signature of the phase coherence of the superconducting state. Hence, such a peak must disappear at or below the upper critical field Bc2(T). For La2-xCexCuO4 this approach sets a lower bound for Bc2(0) approximately 25 T which is substantially higher than reported previously. The method of probing the superconducting state via Andreev bound states should also be applicable to other cuprate superconductors.

Hormonal and psychobehavioral predictors of weight loss in response to a short-term weight reduction program in obese women.

Among the factors influencing weight loss and maintenance, psychobehavioral, nutritional, metabolic, hormonal and hereditary predictors play an important role. Psychobehavioral factors influence adherence to lifestyle changes and thus weight loss maintenance. The outcome of short-term weight reduction treatment is mainly affected by changes in energy and nutrient intake and physical activity and thus the impact of hormones can possibly be obscured. In order to reveal hormonal determinants of weight loss, a 4-week in-patient comprehensive weight reduction program was introduced in which food intake and physical activity were under the strict control. Women (n = 67, BMI: 32.4+/-4.4 kg; age: 48.7+/-12.2 years) who exhibited stable weight on a 7 MJ/day diet during the first week of weight management were given a hypocaloric diet yielding daily energy deficit 2.5 MJ over the subsequent 3-week period. This treatment resulted in a mean weight loss of 3.80+/-1.64 kg. Correlation analysis revealed that baseline concentrations of several hormones were significantly associated either with a higher (free triiodothyronine, C-peptide, growth hormone, pancreatic polypeptide) or with a lower (insulin-like growth factor-I, cortisol, adiponectin, neuropeptide Y) reduction of anthropometric parameters in response to weight management. In a backward stepwise regression model age, initial BMI together with baseline levels of growth hormone, peptide YY, neuropetide Y and C-reactive protein predicted 49.8 % of the variability in weight loss. Psychobehavioral factors (items of the Eating Inventory, Beck Depression score) did not contribute to weight change induced by a well-controlled short-term weight reduction program.

Calcium intake and the outcome of short-term weight management.

Experimental and epidemiological studies suggest that calcium intake is inversely related to weight gain. Calcium of dairy origin has been shown to be more effective in promoting weight loss. However, clinical studies yielded controversial results concerning the role of calcium intake in weight change. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the addition of calcium can affect the outcome of 3-week weight management (WM) with a hypocaloric diet characterized by a decreased calcium intake. Overweight/ obese women (n=67; BMI 32.2+/-4.1 kg/m(2); age 49.1+/-12.1 years) underwent a 4-week comprehensive WM program. WM included a 7 MJ/day diet resulting in a stable weight during the first week and a 4.5 MJ/day diet with mean daily calcium intake 350 mg during the second to fourth week. Participants were divided into three age- and BMI-matched groups who received placebo or calcium (500 mg/day). Calcium was administered either as carbonate or calcium of dairy origin (Lactoval). There was no significant difference in weight loss in response to WM between the placebo-treated and calcium-treated groups. However, addition of calcium to the diet resulted in a lower hunger score in the Eating Inventory as well as a decrease in plasma resistin levels. Body composition measured by bioimpedance demonstrated that added calcium leads to preservation of fat-free mass. Nevertheless, a greater loss of fat-free mass in the placebo group might be partly due to a greater loss of water.

[Relationships between the "eating inventory" factors, socioeconomic status, anthropometric body adiposity indexes and health risks in Czech population]. / Vztahy mezi faktory "dotazniku jidelnich zvyklostí", socioekonomickým stavem, antropometrickými ukazateli akumulace tuku a zdravotnimi riziky u ceské populace.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to compare and evaluate psychological traits of eating behaviour assessed using the Eating Inventory (El) known also as the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) and their relationship to body adiposity, health and social characteristic in a quota sample of Czech adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: The sample included 1624 women and 1429 men who were interviewed individually by instructed investigators. The sample was quota representative--for gender, age, size of residential location, region and socioeconomic status in Czech adults. Anthropometric data were obtained together with socioeconomic and lifestyle information. Subjects filled out the EI. Health status was evaluated according to the data reported by GPs. Our results show, that women had higher restraint but lower disinhibition and hunger scores than men. Hunger and disinhibition were always strongly associated, whereas restraint was negatively related to the other two factors in men, and to hunger in women. In both men and women an educational level positively correlated with dietary restraint and negatively with hunger. However, significant negative relationship between educational level and disinhibition was revealed only in men. In backward stepwise regression analysis both dietary restraint and disinhibition predicted BMI and waist circumference. BMI and waist circumference were negatively related to restraint, but positively to disinhibition. Restraint and disinhibition were associated with prevalence of comorbidities in men, while disinhibition and hunger were in women. Individuals with high scoring in disinhibition score (upper quartile) exhibited significantly higher prevalence of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and hyperlipidaemia than those who scored low (lower quartile). These relationships were most marked in middle-aged subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological traits of eating behaviour seem to have an important role in the development and clinical expression of body adiposity. Especially disinhibition is significantly associated with BMI and waist circumference and prevalence of several pathologies.

Laser microscopy of tunneling magnetoresistance in manganite grain-boundary junctions.

Using low-temperature scanning laser microscopy we directly image electric transport in a magnetoresistive element, a manganite thin film intersected by a grain boundary (GB). Imaging at variable temperature allows reconstruction and comparison of the local resistance versus temperature for both the manganite film and the GB. Imaging at low temperature also shows that the GB switches between different resistive states due to the formation and growth of magnetic domains along the GB. We observe different types of domain wall growth; in most cases a domain wall nucleates at one edge of the bridge and then proceeds towards the other edge.

The Eating Inventory, body adiposity and prevalence of diseases in a quota sample of Czech adults.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationships between the Eating Inventory (EI) factors (restraint, disinhibition and hunger), body adiposity and prevalence of selected diseases in a quota sample of Czech adults. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The sample included 1429 men and 1624 women who were interviewed individually by trained investigators. The sample was quota representative--for gender, age, size of residential location, region and socioeconomic status in Czech adults. Anthropometric data, socioeconomic and lifestyle information were obtained. Subjects filled out the EI questionnaire. Physicians reported about subjects' morbidity. RESULTS: Backward stepwise regression analysis revealed that restraint and disinhibition were significant predictors of body mass index (BMI) along with gender, age, parental obesity, weight loss attempts, present dieting and educational level. The same factors plus income predicted the waist circumference. BMI and waist circumference were negatively related to restraint but positively to disinhibition. According to logistic regression analysis restraint and disinhibition were significantly associated with hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and hyperlipidaemia. Diabetes was significantly related to restraint and hunger scores. The observed association between EI factors and diseases remained significant even when BMI and age were taken into account. CONCLUSION: As shown in earlier studies, disinhibition was positively and restraint negatively associated with BMI and waist circumference. For the first time, factors of the EI were also identified as significant predictors of diseases characterizing the metabolic syndrome.

The influence of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and very low calorie diet during a short-term weight reducing regimen on weight loss and serum fatty acid composition in severely obese women.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids of n-3 series (n-3 PUFA) were shown to increase basal fat oxidation in humans. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of n-3 PUFA added to a very low calorie diet (VLCD), with VLCD only during three-week inpatient weight reduction. Twenty severely obese women were randomly assigned to VLCD with n-3 PUFA or with placebo. Fatty acids in serum lipid fractions were quantified by gas chromatography. Differences between the groups were determined using ANOVA. Higher weight (7.55+/-1.77 vs. 6.07+/-2.16 kg, NS), BMI (2.82+/-0.62 vs. 2.22+/-0.74, p<0.05) and hip circumference losses (4.8+/-1.81 vs. 2.5+/-2.51 cm, p<0.05) were found in the n-3 group as compared to the control group. Significantly higher increase in beta-hydroxybutyrate was found in the n-3 group showing higher ketogenesis and possible higher fatty acid oxidation. The increase in beta-hydroxybutyrate significantly correlated with the increase in serum phospholipid arachidonic acid (20:4n-6; r = 0.91, p<0.001). In the n-3 group significantly higher increase was found in n-3 PUFA (eicosapentaenoic acid, 20:5n-3, docosahexaenoic acid, 22:6n-3) in triglycerides and phospholipids. The significant decrease of palmitoleic acid (16:1n-7) and vaccenic acid (18:1n-7) in triglycerides probably reflected lower lipogenesis. A significant negative correlation between BMI change and phospholipid docosahexaenoic acid change was found (r = -0.595, p<0.008). The results suggest that long chain n-3 PUFA enhance weight loss in obese females treated by VLCD. Docosahexaenoate (22:6n-3) seems to be the active component.

Psychobehavioral and nutritional predictors of weight loss in obese women treated with sibutramine.

OBJECTIVE: To reveal whether baseline body mass index (BMI), and psychobehavioral and nutritional markers were significant predictors of the change in BMI observed after 4 and 12 months in obese women enrolled in a weight reduction program, including low-energy diet, increased physical activity, cognitive behavior therapy and sibutramine. The impact of changes in psychobehavioral and nutritional markers observed after 4 and 12 months of treatment on BMI changes was also investigated. DESIGN: During a double-blind placebo-controlled 4-month period, subjects received either sibutramine (10 mg/day) or placebo. Then, an open phase with sibutramine administered to all patients continued until month 12. SUBJECTS: In total, 80 obese women (age: 43.9+/-10.6 y, BMI: 36.7+/-4.8 kg/m(2)). MEASUREMENTS: The dependent variable was change in BMI while baseline BMI, mode of treatment, the Beck depression score, the three items (dietary restraint, disinhibition and perceived hunger) of the Eating Inventory (EI), energy and macronutrient intakes were independent variables. At 1-week dietary records were analyzed using a computer software for assessing energy and macronutrient intake. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis revealed that the BMI loss at month 4 was significantly influenced by mode of treatment and initial BMI, whereas a borderline negative relationship was observed with the baseline restraint score. Baseline BMI, depression score, restraint score and total energy intake predicted weight loss at month 12. These predictive variables accounted for 43.8% of the variance in BMI loss at 12 months. When relationships between the BMI loss and changes in all included psychobehavioral and nutritional parameters were considered after 12 months of treatment, a drop in the disinhibition score of the EI appeared the only significant factor affecting the BMI decrease. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that psychobehavioral and nutritional characteristics can be used as predictors of weight loss in response to a comprehensive weight management program including pharmacological treatment with sibutramine.

External fixation pin: an in vitro general investigation.

Surgical drilling and pin insertion can lead to mechanical and thermic damage of the bone. A methodology giving reproducible in vitro records of insertion and holding parameters of threaded implants is presented. Both drilling and tapping are related to the cutting technology. To understand the basic principles of the cutting technology some important parameters of drilling and tapping of an external fixation pin are defined. A bone model was selected based on specific mechanical and thermal properties of the bone tissue. In addition, a specific instrumentation was designed in order to compare the insertion characteristics and the anchorage of different pins. Electronic scanning microscopy of the samples was systematically performed to evaluate the quality of the bone thread. The in vitro measurements of the shearing torque and the pull-out force are representative of the immediate holding power of a pin. The different holding parameters were then correlated. Temperature measurements were performed during drilling, smooth part penetration (transfixing pins), tapping, and screwing. The final objective of the study was to develop new threaded implants with better biomechanical characteristics.

Study of the mechanical characteristics of external fixation pin anchorage: preliminary results.

in vitro testing of pins only makes sense if it is carried out on a material that possesses mechanical characteristics coresponding most closely to those of the bone in vivo. Tests have been carried out on different materials, including wood with 3 mm diameter pins, type C38-1 10-20, manufactured by Jaquet Orthopedic SA.The first step in our investigation was to check the thickness of the material samples tested. The values of the tapping, screwing and shearing torques were measured. For each material, we have calculated the value of the specific screwing torque and the specific shearing torque. There is no significant difference between the values calculated for the tightening and shear specific torques for all the fresh bone samples. For the different types of wood examined, we found an important deviation of torque values, which are much lower than those observed with fresh bone. There exists, therefore, a correlation between the screwing and shearing torques observed and the thickness of the sample. The results obtained certainly allow new types of pins to be developed.