bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Systematic Review of Multicomponent Interventions with Overweight Middle Adolescents: Implications for Clinical Practice and Research
Authors: Kelly Stephanie A. , Melnyk Bernadette Mazurek 
Published: September 2008

ABSTRACT Background: Being overweight is a global epidemic that occurs in more than 10% of school‐aged children (age 5–17) worldwide. The rate of adolescents being overweight continues to rise despite numerous public health campaigns and programs to increase awareness and modify unhealthy lifestyle patterns. Aims: The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the most efficacious intervention for treating overweight adolescents. Evidence from this systematic review could guide clinical practice and future research with this high‐risk population in youth. Methods: In adolescents of 13–17 years of age who are above ideal body weight, are multicomponent interventions that integrate nutrition, activity, and behavioral components more efficacious than any type of comparison group in improving weight, body mass index (BMI), percentage body fat, or behaviors of dietary intake or activity level? Literature searches were completed in Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and PsycINFO databases as well as hand searching. Results: Due to a lack of consistency among the studies regarding methods and rigor of the studies, the evidence is not entirely clear on the best multicomponent program for addressing overweight in middle adolescents. The success of an intervention was associated with the dose of the intervention received by the adolescent and parent. Conclusions: A structured program addressing nutrition, physical activity, and behavioral skills appears to be efficacious in reducing weight and cardiovascular risk factors. Primarily, interventions have included the individual and varying degrees of parental participation. In the past few years, more research has addressed the multiple levels of the ecological model. Further research addressing the five levels of the ecological model will assist in illuminating the impact of the environment on behavior change in adolescents.
THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF GUIDELINES CIRCUMVENTION: THE CASE OF FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTS*
Authors: JOHNSON BRIAN D. , ULMER JEFFERY T. , KRAMER JOHN H. 
Published: September 2008

Recent scholarship on criminal punishments increasingly highlights the importance of courtroom social contexts. Combining recent data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission (FY1997–2000) with aggregate data on federal districts, the current study examines interdistrict variations in the application of downward departures from the federal sentencing guidelines. Findings indicate that substantial variation exists in the probability of both prosecutor‐initiated substantial assistance departures and judge‐initiated downward departures. This variation is accounted for, in part, by organizational court contexts, such as caseload pressures, and by environmental considerations, such as the racial composition of the district. Additional evidence suggests that individual trial penalties and race disparities are conditioned by aggregate court contexts. Drawing on interviews with federal justice personnel, this article concludes with a discussion of future directions for research on federal guidelines departures.Part of the glory of the federal system…is that you've got this one big organization, but it can be molded to different needs… ‐ An assistant U.S. attorney ‐
Isolation and Characterization ofAlicycliphilus denitrificansStrain BC, Which Grows on Benzene with Chlorate as the Electron Acceptor
Authors: Weelink Sander A. B. , Tan Nico C. G. , ten Broeke Harm , van den Kieboom Corné , van Doesburg Wim , Langenhoff Alette A. M. , Gerritse Jan , Junca Howard , Stams Alfons J. M. 
Published: September 2008

ABSTRACTA bacterium, strain BC, was isolated from a benzene-degrading chlorate-reducing enrichment culture. Strain BC degrades benzene in conjunction with chlorate reduction. Cells of strain BC are short rods that are 0.6 μm wide and 1 to 2 μm long, are motile, and stain gram negative. Strain BC grows on benzene and some other aromatic compounds with oxygen or in the absence of oxygen with chlorate as the electron acceptor. Strain BC is a denitrifying bacterium, but it is not able to grow on benzene with nitrate. The closest cultured relative isAlicycliphilus denitrificanstype strain K601, a cyclohexanol-degrading nitrate-reducing betaproteobacterium. Chlorate reductase (0.4 U/mg protein) and chlorite dismutase (5.7 U/mg protein) activities in cell extracts of strain BC were determined. Gene sequences encoding a known chlorite dismutase (cld) were not detected in strain BC by using the PCR primers described in previous studies. As physiological and biochemical data indicated that there was oxygenation of benzene during growth with chlorate, a strategy was developed to detect genes encoding monooxygenase and dioxygenase enzymes potentially involved in benzene degradation in strain BC. Using primer sets designed to amplify members of distinct evolutionary branches in the catabolic families involved in benzene biodegradation, two oxygenase genes putatively encoding the enzymes performing the initial successive monooxygenations (BC-BMOa) and the cleavage of catechol (BC-C23O) were detected. Our findings suggest that oxygen formed by dismutation of chlorite can be used to attack organic molecules by means of oxygenases, as exemplified with benzene. Thus, aerobic pathways can be employed under conditions in which no external oxygen is supplied.
Identification, Cloning, and Characterization of a Novel Ketoreductase from the Cyanobacterium
Synechococcus
sp. Strain PCC 7942
Authors: Hölsch Kathrin , Havel Jan , Haslbeck Martin , Weuster-Botz Dirk 
Published: September 2008

ABSTRACT

A new ketoreductase useful for asymmetric synthesis of chiral alcohols was identified in the cyanobacterium
Synechococcus
sp. strain PCC 7942. Mass spectrometry of trypsin-digested peptides identified the protein as 3-ketoacyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] reductase (KR) (EC 1.1.1.100). The gene, referred to as
fabG
, was cloned, functionally expressed in
Escherichia coli
, and subsequently purified to homogeneity. The enzyme displayed a temperature optimum at 44°C and a broad pH optimum between pH 7 and pH 9. The NADPH-dependent KR was able to asymmetrically reduce a variety of prochiral ketones with good to excellent enantioselectivities (>99.8%). The KR showed particular high specific activity for asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloroacetoacetate (38.29 ± 2.15 U mg
−1
) and 2′,3′,4′,5′,6′-pentafluoroacetophenone (8.57 ± 0.49 U mg
−1
) to the corresponding (
S
)-alcohols. In comparison with an established industrial enzyme like the alcohol dehydrogenase from
Lactobacillus brevis
, the KR showed seven-times-higher activity toward 2′,3′,4′,5′,6′-pentafluoroacetophenone, with a remarkably higher enantiomeric excess (>99.8% [
S
] versus 43.3% [
S
]).
Brominated Furanones Inhibit Biofilm Formation by
Salmonella enterica
Serovar Typhimurium
Authors: Janssens Joost C. A. , Steenackers Hans , Robijns Stijn , Gellens Edith , Levin Jeremy , Zhao Hui , Hermans Kim , De Coster David , Verhoeven Tine L. , Marchal Kathleen , Vanderleyden Jos , De Vos Dirk E. , De Keersmaecker Sigrid C. J. 
Published: September 2008

ABSTRACT

Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium is a main cause of bacterial food-borne diseases. As
Salmonella
can form biofilms in which it is better protected against antimicrobial agents on a wide diversity of surfaces, it is of interest to explore ways to inhibit biofilm formation. Brominated furanones, originally extracted from the marine alga
Delisea pulchra
, are known to interfere with biofilm formation in several pathogens. In this study, we have synthesized a small focused library of brominated furanones and tested their activity against
S. enterica
serovar Typhimurium biofilm formation. We show that several furanones inhibit
Salmonella
biofilm formation at non-growth-inhibiting concentrations. The most interesting compounds are (
Z
)-4-bromo-5-(bromomethylene)-3-alkyl-2(
5H
)-furanones with chain lengths of two to six carbon atoms. A microarray study was performed to analyze the gene expression profiles of
Salmonella
in the presence of (
Z
)-4-bromo-5-(bromomethylene)-3-ethyl-2(
5H
)-furanone. The induced genes include genes that are involved in metabolism, stress response, and drug sensitivity. Most of the repressed genes are involved in metabolism, the type III secretion system, and flagellar biosynthesis. Follow-up experiments confirmed that this furanone interferes with the synthesis of flagella by
Salmonella
. No evidence was found that furanones act on the currently known quorum-sensing systems in
Salmonella
. Interestingly, pretreatment with furanones rendered
Salmonella
biofilms more susceptible to antibiotic treatment. Conclusively, this work demonstrates that particular brominated furanones have potential in the prevention of biofilm formation by
Salmonella
serovar Typhimurium.
Comparative Mycotoxin Profiles of
Gibberella zeae
Populations from Barley, Wheat, Potatoes, and Sugar Beets
Authors: Burlakoti Rishi R. , Ali Shaukat , Secor Gary A. , Neate Stephen M. , McMullen Marcia P. , Adhikari Tika B. 
Published: September 2008

ABSTRACT

Gibberella zeae
is one of the most devastating pathogens of barley and wheat in the United States. The fungus also infects noncereal crops, such as potatoes and sugar beets, and the genetic relationships among barley, wheat, potato, and sugar beet isolates indicate high levels of similarity. However, little is known about the toxigenic potential of
G. zeae
isolates from potatoes and sugar beets. A total of 336 isolates of
G. zeae
from barley, wheat, potatoes, and sugar beets were collected and analyzed by
TRI
(trichothecene biosynthesis gene)-based PCR assays. To verify the
TRI
-based PCR detection of genetic markers by chemical analysis, 45 representative isolates were grown in rice cultures for 28 days and 15 trichothecenes and 2 zearalenone (ZEA) analogs were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
TRI
-based PCR assays revealed that all isolates had the deoxynivalenol (DON) marker. The frequencies of isolates with the 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (15-ADON) marker were higher than those of isolates with the 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3-ADON) marker among isolates from all four crops.
Fusarium
head blight (FHB)-resistant wheat cultivars had little or no influence on the diversity of isolates associated with the 3-ADON and 15-ADON markers. However, the frequency of isolates with the 3-ADON marker among isolates from the Langdon, ND, sampling site was higher than those among isolates from the Carrington and Minot, ND, sites. In chemical analyses, DON, 3-ADON, 15-ADON, b-ZEA, and ZEA were detected. All isolates produced DON (1 to 782 μg/g) and ZEA (1 to 623 μg/g). These findings may be useful for monitoring mycotoxin contamination and for formulating FHB management strategies for these crops.
PecS Is a Global Regulator of the Symptomatic Phase in the Phytopathogenic BacteriumErwinia chrysanthemi3937
Authors: Hommais Florence , Oger-Desfeux Christine , Van Gijsegem Frédérique , Castang Sandra , Ligori Sandrine , Expert Dominique , Nasser William , Reverchon Sylvie 
Published: September 2008

ABSTRACTPathogenicity of the enterobacteriumErwinia chrysanthemi(Dickeya dadantii), the causative agent of soft-rot disease in many plants, is a complex process involving several factors whose production is subject to temporal regulation during infection. PecS is a transcriptional regulator that controls production of various virulence factors. Here, we used microarray analysis to define the PecS regulon and demonstrated that PecS notably regulates a wide range of genes that could be linked to pathogenicity and to a group of genes concerned with evading host defenses. Among the targets are the genes encoding plant cell wall-degrading enzymes and secretion systems and the genes involved in flagellar biosynthesis, biosurfactant production, and the oxidative stress response, as well as genes encoding toxin-like factors such as NipE and hemolysin-coregulated proteins. In vitro experiments demonstrated that PecS interacts with the regulatory regions of five new targets: an oxidative stress response gene (ahpC), a biosurfactant synthesis gene (rhlA), and genes encoding exported proteins related to other plant-associated bacterial proteins (nipE,virK, andavrL). ThepecSmutant provokes symptoms more rapidly and with more efficiency than the wild-type strain, indicating that PecS plays a critical role in the switch from the asymptomatic phase to the symptomatic phase. Based on this, we propose that the temporal regulation of the different groups of genes required for the asymptomatic phase and the symptomatic phase is, in part, the result of a gradual modulation of PecS activity triggered during infection in response to changes in environmental conditions emerging from the interaction between both partners.
Escherichia coliHarboring a Natural IncF Conjugative F Plasmid Develops Complex Mature Biofilms by Stimulating Synthesis of Colanic Acid and Curli
Authors: May Thithiwat , Okabe Satoshi 
Published: September 2008

ABSTRACTIt has been shown thatEscherichia coliharboring the derepressed IncFI and IncFII conjugative F plasmids form complex mature biofilms by using their F-pilus connections, whereas a plasmid-free strain forms only patchy biofilms. Therefore, in this study we investigated the contribution of a natural IncF conjugative F plasmid to the formation ofE. colibiofilms. Unlike the presence of a derepressed F plasmid, the presence of a natural IncF F plasmid promoted biofilm formation by generating the cell-to-cell mating F pili between pairs of F+cells (approximately two to four pili per cell) and by stimulating the formation of colanic acid and curli meshwork. Formation of colanic acid and curli was required after the initial deposition of F-pilus connections to generate a three-dimensional mushroom-type biofilm. In addition, we demonstrated that the conjugative factor of F plasmid, rather than a pilus synthesis function, was involved in curli production during biofilm formation, which promoted cell-surface interactions. Curli played an important role in the maturation process. Microarray experiments were performed to identify the genes involved in curli biosynthesis and regulation. The results suggested that a natural F plasmid was more likely an external activator that indirectly promoted curli production via bacterial regulatory systems (the EnvZ/OmpR two-component regulators and the RpoS and HN-S global regulators). These data provided new insights into the role of a natural F plasmid during the development ofE. colibiofilms.
Comparison of shear strength of sand backfills measured in small-scale and large-scale direct shear tests
Authors: Bareither Christopher A. , Benson Craig H. , Edil Tuncer B. 
Published: September 2008

Direct shear tests were conducted on 30 sand backfill materials having gravel contents ranging from 0% to 30% in a 64 mm square small-scale direct shear (SSDS) box and a 305 mm square large-scale direct shear (LSDS) box. The objectives were to compare the shearing behavior of a broad range of natural sand backfill materials tested in SSDS and LSDS and to determine if the same friction angle (φ′) is obtained in SSDS and LSDS when the natural backfill material contains gravel. Triaxial compression (TC) tests were also conducted on four of the backfill materials for comparison with the SSDS and LSDS tests. Specimens tested in SSDS and TC included only material passing the No. 4 sieve (P4). Test specimens in LSDS included the P4 material as well as material retained on the No. 4 sieve (R4), to a maximum particle diameter of 25.4 mm. Friction angles corresponding to peak strength (φ′) measured in SSDS and LSDS differed by no more than 4° for a given sand backfill, and in most cases were within 2°. The friction angles also were unaffected by removal of the R4 material. Repeatability tests showed that statistically similar failure envelopes (p-value = 0.98) are obtained in SSDS and LSDS, and that highly repeatable friction angles (φ′) are obtained using the SSDS (φ′ ± 0.25°) and the LSDS (φ′ ± 0.45°) methods. No statistically significant difference was found among the failure envelopes measured in SSDS, LSDS, and TC, suggesting that φ′ for clean sand backfill with less than 30% gravel can be measured with similar accuracy using any of the three test methods.
P-Glycoprotein–Mediated Resistance to Hsp90-Directed Therapy Is Eclipsed by the Heat Shock Response
Authors: McCollum Andrea K. , TenEyck Cynthia J. , Stensgard Bridget , Morlan Bruce W. , Ballman Karla V. , Jenkins Robert B. , Toft David O. , Erlichman Charles 
Published: September 2008

AbstractDespite studies that show the antitumor activity of Hsp90 inhibitors, such as geldanamycin (GA) and its derivative 17-allylamino-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), recent reports indicate that these inhibitors lack significant single-agent clinical activity. Resistance to Hsp90 inhibitors has been previously linked to expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and the multidrug resistant (MDR) phenotype. However, the stress response induced by GA treatment can also cause resistance to Hsp90-targeted therapy. Therefore, we chose to further investigate the relative importance of P-gp and the stress response in 17-AAG resistance. Colony-forming assays revealed that high expression of P-gp could increase the 17-AAG IC50 6-fold in cells transfected with P-gp compared with parent cells. A549 cells selected for resistance to GA overexpressed P-gp, but verapamil did not reverse the resistance. These cells also overexpressed Hsp27, and Hsp70 was induced with 17-AAG treatment. When the GA and 17-AAG resistant cells were transfected with Hsp27 and/or Hsp70 small interfering RNA (siRNA), the 17-AAG IC50 decreased 10-fold compared with control transfected cells. Transfection with siRNA directed against Hsp27, Hsp70, or Hsp27 and Hsp70 also increased sensitivity to EC78, a purine scaffold-based Hsp90 inhibitor that is not a P-gp substrate. We conclude that P-gp may contribute, in part, to resistance to 17-AAG, but induction of stress response proteins, such as Hsp27 and Hsp70, by Hsp90-targeted therapy plays a larger role. Taken together, our results indicate that targeting of Hsp27 and Hsp70 should be exploited to increase the clinical efficacy of Hsp90-directed therapy. [Cancer Res 2008;68(18):7419–27]
A Novel, Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Suicide Substrate Inhibits Motility and Growth of Lung Cancer Cells
Authors: Winner Millicent , Meier Jason , Zierow Swen , Rendon Beatriz E. , Crichlow Gregg V. , Riggs Randall , Bucala Richard , Leng Lin , Smith Ned , Lolis Elias , Trent John O. , Mitchell Robert A. 
Published: September 2008

Abstract
Although chemokine and growth factor receptors are attractive and popular targets for cancer therapeutic intervention, structure-based targeting of the ligands themselves is generally not considered practical. New evidence indicates that a notable exception to this is macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). MIF, an autocrine- and paracrine-acting cytokine/growth factor, plays a pivotal role in both the initiation and maintenance of neoplastic diseases. MIF possesses a nonphysiologic enzymatic activity that is evolutionarily well-conserved. Although small molecule antagonists of MIFs enzymatic active site have been reported to inhibit biological activities of MIF, universally high IC50s have limited their clinical appeal. Using a computational virtual screening strategy, we have identified a unique small molecule inhibitor that serves as a suicide substrate for MIF, resulting in the covalent modification of the catalytically active NH2-terminal proline. Our studies further reveal that this compound, 4-iodo-6-phenylpyrimidine (4-IPP), is ∼5× to 10× times more potent in blocking MIF-dependent catalysis and lung adenocarcinoma cell migration and anchorage-independent growth than the prototypical MIF inhibitor, ISO-1. Finally, using an in silico combinatorial optimization strategy, we have identified four unique congeners of 4-IPP that exhibit MIF inhibitory activity at concentrations 10× to 20× lower than that of parental 4-IPP. [Cancer Res 2008;68(18):7253–7]
Curcumin Inhibits the Proteasome Activity in Human Colon Cancer Cells In vitro and In vivo
Authors: Milacic Vesna , Banerjee Sanjeev , Landis-Piwowar Kristin R. , Sarkar Fazlul H. , Majumdar Adhip P.N. , Dou Q. Ping 
Published: September 2008

Abstract
Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is the major active ingredient of turmeric (Curcuma longa) used in South Asian cuisine for centuries. Curcumin has been shown to inhibit the growth of transformed cells and to have a number of potential molecular targets. However, the essential molecular targets of curcumin under physiologic conditions have not been completely defined. Herein, we report that the tumor cellular proteasome is most likely an important target of curcumin. Nucleophilic susceptibility and in silico docking studies show that both carbonyl carbons of the curcumin molecule are highly susceptible to a nucleophilic attack by the hydroxyl group of the NH2-terminal threonine of the proteasomal chymotrypsin-like (CT-like) subunit. Consistently, curcumin potently inhibits the CT-like activity of a purified rabbit 20S proteasome (IC50 = 1.85 μmol/L) and cellular 26S proteasome. Furthermore, inhibition of proteasome activity by curcumin in human colon cancer HCT-116 and SW480 cell lines leads to accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins and several proteasome target proteins, and subsequent induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, treatment of HCT-116 colon tumor–bearing ICR SCID mice with curcumin resulted in decreased tumor growth, associated with proteasome inhibition, proliferation suppression, and apoptosis induction in tumor tissues. Our study shows that proteasome inhibition could be one of the mechanisms for the chemopreventive and/or therapeutic roles of curcumin in human colon cancer. Based on its ability to inhibit the proteasome and induce apoptosis in both HCT-116 and metastatic SW480 colon cancer cell lines, our study suggests that curcumin could potentially be used for treatment of both early-stage and late-stage/refractory colon cancer. [Cancer Res 2008;68(18):7283–92]