bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rapid growth in infancy and childhood and obesity in later life – a systematic review
Authors: Monteiro P. O. A. , Victora C. G. 
Published: April 2005

SummaryThe association between obesity and morbidity resulting from chronic diseases is well known. This systematic review addresses studies of the role of rapid growth in infancy and childhood as possible determinants of overweight and obesity later in the life course. We reviewed MEDLINE for studies reporting on growth in infancy and childhood, as well as measures of weight or adiposity in later childhood, adolescence or adulthood. The methodological quality of the papers was assessed using the criteria suggested by Downs and Black. Sixteen articles that fulfilled review criteria were located. There was wide variability in the indicators used for defining rapid growth as well as overweight or obesity. The age range in which weight or adiposity was measured ranged from 3 to 70 years. In spite of differences in definitions used, 13 articles that reported on early rapid growth found significant associations with later overweight or adiposity. Efforts should be made to standardize the definition of rapid growth, as well as that of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. The most frequent definition for rapid growth in this review was a Z‐score change greater than 0.67 in weight for age between two different ages in childhood. Regarding obesity, the definition proposed by the International Obesity Task Force also appears to be most appropriate. The present results indicate that early growth is indeed associated with the prevalence of obesity later in the life course.
Evidence for Autotrophic CO2Fixation via the Reductive Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle by Members of the ε Subdivision of Proteobacteria
Authors: Hügler Michael , Wirsen Carl O. , Fuchs Georg , Taylor Craig D. , Sievert Stefan M. 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTBased on 16S rRNA gene surveys, bacteria of the ε subdivision of proteobacteria have been identified to be important members of microbial communities in a variety of environments, and quite a few have been demonstrated to grow autotrophically. However, no information exists on what pathway of autotrophic carbon fixation these bacteria might use. In this study,Thiomicrospira denitrificansandCandidatusArcobacter sulfidicus, two chemolithoautotrophic sulfur oxidizers of the ε subdivision of proteobacteria, were examined for activities of the key enzymes of the known autotrophic CO2fixation pathways. Both organisms contained activities of the key enzymes of the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle, ATP citrate lyase, 2-oxoglutarate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase, and pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase. Furthermore, no activities of key enzymes of other CO2fixation pathways, such as the Calvin cycle, the reductive acetyl coenzyme A pathway, and the 3-hydroxypropionate cycle, could be detected. In addition to the key enzymes, the activities of the other enzymes involved in the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle could be measured. Sections of the genes encoding the α- and β-subunits of ATP citrate lyase could be amplified from both organisms. These findings represent the first direct evidence for the operation of the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle for autotrophic CO2fixation in ε-proteobacteria. Since ε-proteobacteria closely related to these two organisms are important in many habitats, such as hydrothermal vents, oxic-sulfidic interfaces, or oilfields, these results suggest that autotrophic CO2fixation via the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle might be more important than previously considered.
Two Distinct Functions of ComW in Stabilization and Activation of the Alternative Sigma Factor ComX inStreptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Sung Chang Kyoo , Morrison Donald A. 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTNatural genetic transformation inStreptococcus pneumoniaeis controlled by a quorum-sensing system, which acts through the competence-stimulating peptide (CSP) for transient activation of genes required for competence. More than 100 genes have been identified as CSP regulated by use of DNA microarray analysis. One of the CSP-induced genes required for genetic competence iscomW. As the expression of this gene depended on the regulator ComE, but not on the competence sigma factor ComX (σX), and as expression of several genes required for DNA processing was affected in acomWmutant,comWappears to be a new regulatory gene. Immunoblotting analysis showed that the amount of the σXprotein is dependent on ComW, suggesting that ComW may be directly or indirectly involved in the accumulation of σX. As σXis stabilized inclpPmutants, acomWmutation was introduced into theclpPbackground to ask whether the synthesis of σXdepends on ComW. TheclpP comWdouble mutant accumulated an amount of σXhigher (threefold) than that seen in the wild type but was not transformable, suggesting that whilecomWis not needed for σXsynthesis, it acts both in stabilization of σXand in its activation. Modification of ComW with a histidine tag at its C or N terminus revealed that both amino and carboxyl termini are important for increasing the stability of σX, but only the N terminus is important for stimulating its activity.
Synthesis of Autoinducer 2 by the Lyme Disease Spirochete,Borrelia burgdorferi
Authors: Babb Kelly , von Lackum Kate , Wattier Rachel L. , Riley Sean P. , Stevenson Brian 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTDefining the metabolic capabilities and regulatory mechanisms controlling gene expression is a valuable step in understanding the pathogenic properties of infectious agents such asBorrelia burgdorferi. The present studies demonstrated thatB. burgdorferiencodes functional Pfs and LuxS enzymes for the breakdown of toxic products of methylation reactions. Consistent with those observations,B. burgdorferiwas shown to synthesize the end product 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione (DPD) during laboratory cultivation. DPD undergoes spontaneous rearrangements to produce a class of pheromones collectively named autoinducer 2 (AI-2). Addition of in vitro-synthesized DPD to culturedB. burgdorferiresulted in differential expression of a distinct subset of proteins, including the outer surface lipoprotein VlsE. Although many bacteria can utilize the other LuxS product, homocysteine, for regeneration of methionine,B. burgdorferiwas found to lack such ability. It is hypothesized thatB. burgdorferiproduces LuxS for the express purpose of synthesizing DPD and utilizes a form of that molecule as an AI-2 pheromone to control gene expression.
Impact of Global Transcriptional Regulation by ArcA, ArcB, Cra, Crp, Cya, Fnr, and Mlc on Glucose Catabolism in
Escherichia coli
Authors: Perrenoud Annik , Sauer Uwe 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT

Even though transcriptional regulation plays a key role in establishing the metabolic network, the extent to which it actually controls the in vivo distribution of metabolic fluxes through different pathways is essentially unknown. Based on metabolism-wide quantification of intracellular fluxes, we systematically elucidated the relevance of global transcriptional regulation by ArcA, ArcB, Cra, Crp, Cya, Fnr, and Mlc for aerobic glucose catabolism in batch cultures of
Escherichia coli
. Knockouts of ArcB, Cra, Fnr, and Mlc were phenotypically silent, while deletion of the catabolite repression regulators Crp and Cya resulted in a pronounced slow-growth phenotype but had only a nonspecific effect on the actual flux distribution. Knockout of ArcA-dependent redox regulation, however, increased the aerobic tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity by over 60%. Like aerobic conditions, anaerobic derepression of TCA cycle enzymes in an ArcA mutant significantly increased the in vivo TCA flux when nitrate was present as an electron acceptor. The in vivo and in vitro data demonstrate that ArcA-dependent transcriptional regulation directly or indirectly controls TCA cycle flux in both aerobic and anaerobic glucose batch cultures of
E. coli
. This control goes well beyond the previously known ArcA-dependent regulation of the TCA cycle during microaerobiosis.
Autoinduction in
Erwinia amylovora
: Evidence of an Acyl-Homoserine Lactone Signal in the Fire Blight Pathogen
Authors: Molina Lázaro , Rezzonico Fabio , Défago Geneviève , Duffy Brion 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT

Erwinia amylovora
causes fire blight disease of apple, pear, and other members of the Rosaceae. Here we present the first evidence for autoinduction in
E. amylovora
and a role for an
N
-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL)-type signal. Two major plant virulence traits, production of extracellular polysaccharides (amylovoran and levan) and tolerance to free oxygen radicals, were controlled in a bacterial-cell-density-dependent manner. Two standard autoinducer biosensors,
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
NTL4 and
Vibrio harveyi
BB886, detected AHL in stationary-phase cultures of
E. amylovora
. A putative AHL synthase gene,
eamI
, was partially sequenced, which revealed homology with autoinducer genes from other bacterial pathogens (e.g.,
carI
,
esaI
,
expI
,
hsII
,
yenI
, and
luxI
).
E. amylovora
was also found to carry
eamR
, a convergently transcribed gene with homology to
luxR
AHL activator genes in pathogens such as
Erwinia carotovora
. Heterologous expression of the
Bacillus
sp. strain A24 acyl-homoserine lactonase gene
aiiA
in
E. amylovora
abolished induction of AHL biosensors, impaired extracellular polysaccharide production and tolerance to hydrogen peroxide, and reduced virulence on apple leaves.
Dynamics of FtsZ Assembly during Sporulation in
Streptomyces coelicolor
A3(2)
Authors: Grantcharova Nina , Lustig Ulrika , Flärdh Klas 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT

FtsZ, the bacterial tubulin homologue, is the main player in at least two distinct processes of cell division during the development of
Streptomyces coelicolor
A3(2). It forms cytokinetic rings and is required for the formation of both the widely spaced hyphal cross walls in the substrate mycelium and the specialized septation that converts sporogenic aerial hyphae into spores. The latter developmentally controlled septation involves the coordinated assembly of large numbers of FtsZ rings in each sporulating hyphal cell. We used an FtsZ-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) translational fusion to visualize the progression of FtsZ ring assembly in vivo during sporulation of aerial hyphae. This revealed that the regular placement of multiple FtsZ rings and initiation of cytokinesis was preceded by a protracted phase during which spiral-shaped FtsZ intermediates were detected along the length of the aerial hyphal cell. Time course experiments indicated that they were remodeled and gradually replaced by regularly spaced FtsZ rings. Such spiral-shaped filaments could also be detected with immunofluorescence microscopy using an antiserum against FtsZ. Based on our observations, we propose a model for the progression of Z-ring assembly during sporulation of
S. coelicolor
. Furthermore, mutants lacking the developmental regulatory genes
whiA
,
whiB
,
whiG
,
whiH
, and
whiI
were investigated. They failed in up-regulation of the expression of FtsZ-EGFP in aerial hyphae, which is consistent with the known effects of these genes on
ftsZ
transcription.
Requirement of the Receiver and Phosphotransfer Domains of ArcB for Efficient Dephosphorylation of Phosphorylated ArcA In Vivo
Authors: Peña-Sandoval Gabriela R. , Kwon Ohsuk , Georgellis Dimitris 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT

The Arc two-component system, comprising the ArcB sensor kinase and the ArcA response regulator, modulates the expression of numerous genes in response to the respiratory conditions of growth. Under anoxic growth conditions, ArcB autophosphorylates and transphosphorylates ArcA, which in turn represses or activates its target operons. Under aerobic growth conditions, phosphorylated ArcA (ArcA-P) dephosphorylates and its transcriptional regulation is released. The dephosphorylation of ArcA-P has been shown to occur, at least in vitro, via an ArcA
Asp54
-P → ArcB
His717
-P → ArcB
Asp576
-P → P
i
reverse phosphorelay. In this study, the physiological significance of this pathway was assessed. The results demonstrate that the receiver and phosphotransfer domains of the tripartite sensor kinase ArcB are necessary and sufficient for efficient ArcA-P dephosphorylation in vivo.
Organisational and occupational risk factors associated with work related injuries among public hospital employees in Costa Rica
Authors: Gimeno D , Felknor S , Burau K D , Delclos G L 
Published: April 2005

Aims:To explore the relation between occupational and organisational factors and work related injuries (WRI) among public hospital employees in Costa Rica.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a stratified random sample of 1000 employees from 10 of the 29 public hospitals in Costa Rica. A previously validated, self-administered questionnaire which included occupational and organisational factors and sociodemographic variables was used. From the final eligible sample (n = 859), a total of 842 (response rate 98%) questionnaires were returned; 475 workers were analysed after excluding not-at-risk workers and incomplete questionnaires. WRI were computed for the past six months.Results:Workers exposed to chemicals (RR = 1.36) and physical hazards (RR = 1.26) had higher WRI rate ratios than non-exposed workers. Employees reporting job tasks that interfered with safety practices (RR = 1.46), and a lack of safety training (RR = 1.41) had higher WRI rate ratios than their counterparts. Low levels of safety climate (RR = 1.51) and safety practices (RR = 1.27) were individually associated with an increased risk of WRI. Also, when evaluated jointly, low levels of both safety climate and safety practices showed the highest association with WRI (RR = 1.92).Conclusions:When evaluated independently, most of the occupational exposures and organisational factors investigated were significantly correlated with an increased injury risk. As expected, some of these associations disappeared when evaluated jointly. Exposure to chemical and physical hazards, lack of safety training, and low levels of safety climate and safety practices remained significant risk factors for WRI. These results will be important to consider in developing future prevention interventions in this setting.
ONTOLOGICAL MACHINING PROCESS DATA MODELLING FOR POWERTRAIN PRODUCTION IN EXTENDED ENTERPRISE
Authors: CAI JING , WEYRICH MICHAEL , BERGER ULRICH 
Published: April 2005

As a new CAx concept, Digital Factory points out digital design of product & virtual planning of production. In this context, feature technology builds up the entire CAx process chain in Digital Factory, and facilitates STEP based engineering data generation and exchange. The collaborative computer-aided machining process planning of a transfer line is an element in process chain of extended enterprises Automotive Engineering. In practice, it is an approach engaged by both OEMs and their long-term machine suppliers. Application of a CAD-based Digital Factory planning system to design a virtual transfer line needs planning standard data and exchange with supplier. This paper highlights STEP-referenced ontological data modeling approach in the standardized data exchange for collaborative machining process planning, discusses the aspects of its prospective application advantages in machining process planning by OEMs and suppliers for Powertrain production in Automotive Industry.
Pentostatin in Steroid-Refractory Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease
Authors: Bolaños-Meade Javier , Jacobsohn David A. , Margolis Jeffrey , Ogden Adam , Wientjes M. Guillaume , Byrd John C. , Lucas David M. , Anders Viki , Phelps Michele , Grever Michael R. , Vogelsang Georgia B. 
Published: April 2005

PurposeAcute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a major complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. In steroid-refractory aGVHD, mortality is very high. Pentostatin, a potent inhibitor of adenosine deaminase, induces lymphocyte apoptosis and may be useful in the treatment of this condition.Patients and MethodsWe have conducted a phase I dose escalation study of pentostatin in patients with steroid-refractory aGVHD. Twenty-three patients were enrolled. Starting dose was 1 mg/m2/d by intravenous injection for 3 days.ResultsThe maximum tolerated dose was found to be 1.5 mg/m2/d. Late infections at the 2-mg/m2/d dose level were believed to be dose limiting toxicities. Lymphopenia was universal, but the neutrophil count was generally not affected. Fevers associated with neutropenia were not observed. Otherwise, the drug was well tolerated, with only modest elevations of liver function tests and thrombocytopenia, each being observed in a single patient. Twenty-two patients were assessable for response, including 14 complete responses (63%) and three partial responses (13%). Median survival after therapy for the group was 85 days (range, 5 to 1,258 days).ConclusionThe suggested intravenous dose for a phase II study will be 1.5 mg/m2/d for 3 days. Pentostatin has activity in patients with steroid-refractory aGVHD that is worth exploring in future trials.
Population-Based Validation of the Prognostic Model ADJUVANT! for Early Breast Cancer
Authors: Olivotto Ivo A. , Bajdik Chris D. , Ravdin Peter M. , Speers Caroline H. , Coldman Andrew J. , Norris Brian D. , Davis Greg J. , Chia Stephen K. , Gelmon Karen A. 
Published: April 2005

Purpose Adjuvant! ( www.adjuvantonline.com ) is a web-based tool that predicts 10-year breast cancer outcomes with and without adjuvant systemic therapy, but it has not been independently validated. Methods Using the British Columbia Breast Cancer Outcomes Unit (BCOU) database, demographic, pathologic, staging, and treatment data on 4,083 women diagnosed between 1989 and 1993 in British Columbia with T1-2, N0-1, M0 breast cancer were abstracted and entered into Adjuvant! to calculate predicted 10-year overall survival (OS), breast cancer–specific survival (BCSS), and event-free survival (EFS) for each patient. Individual BCOU observed outcomes at 10 years were independently determined. Predicted and observed outcomes were compared. Results Across all 4,083 patients, 10-year predicted and observed outcomes were within 1% for OS, BCSS, and EFS (all P > .05). Predicted and observed outcomes were within 2% for most demographic, pathologic, and treatment-defined subgroups. Adjuvant! overestimated OS, BCSS, and EFS in women younger than age 35 years (predicted − observed = 8.6%, 9.6%, and 13.6%, respectively; all P < .001) or with lymphatic or vascular invasion (LVI; predicted − observed = 3.6%, 3.8%, and 4.2%, respectively; all P < .05); these two prognostic factors were not automatically incorporated within the Adjuvant! algorithm. After adjusting for the distribution of LVI, using the prognostic factor impact calculator in Adjuvant!, 10-year predicted and observed outcomes were no longer significantly different. Conclusion Adjuvant! performed reliably. Patients younger than age 35 or with known additional adverse prognostic factors such as LVI require adjustment of risks to derive reliable predictions of prognosis without adjuvant systemic therapy and the absolute benefits of adjuvant systemic therapy.
Long-Term Outcomes Among Localized Prostate Cancer Survivors: Health-Related Quality-of-Life Changes After Radical Prostatectomy, External Radiation, and Brachytherapy
Authors: Miller David C. , Sanda Martin G. , Dunn Rodney L. , Montie James E. , Pimentel Hector , Sandler Howard M. , McLaughlin William P. , Wei John T. 
Published: April 2005

Purpose We sought to elucidate long-term changes in health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) outcomes by prospectively re-evaluating a well-characterized cohort of prostate cancer (PC) survivors 4 to 8 years after primary treatment. Patients and Methods Patients who had been evaluated previously at a median of 2.6 years after radical prostatectomy (RP), external radiation (three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy [3-D CRT]), or brachytherapy (BT) were recontacted at a median of 6.2 years after treatment. The clinical relevance of long-term HRQOL impairment among survivors was established by comparison with controls of similar age. Factors associated with HRQOL changes during this interval were evaluated. Results Of the 964 eligible men, 709 (73.5%) completed measurable questionnaires. In four domains (urinary irritative-obstructive, urinary incontinence, bowel, and sexual), significant HRQOL differences were detected for at least one of the therapy groups, compared with controls (all P < .05). During the 4-year interval, significant improvement was observed for the urinary irritative-obstructive (P < .0001) and bowel (P < .0001) domains among BT patients, whereas urinary incontinence HRQOL worsened for both the BT (P = .0017) and 3-D CRT (P = .0008) treatment groups. Overall sexual HRQOL deteriorated for the 3-D CRT cohort (P = .0017), as well as for controls (P = .0136). Among RP patients, significant HRQOL changes were not observed. Conclusion During a 4-year interval from earlier to longer-term phases of PC treatment survivorship, sexual, urinary, and bowel dysfunction remain significant concerns among early-stage PC treatment survivors, compared with control men. Although postprostatectomy HRQOL remains relatively stable during this interval, disease-specific HRQOL continues to evolve among men treated with BT and 3-D CRT.
Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection for Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Testicular Cancer: Impact of Patient Selection Factors on Outcome
Authors: Stephenson Andrew J. , Bosl George J. , Motzer Robert J. , Kattan Michael W. , Stasi Jason , Bajorin Dean F. , Sheinfeld Joel 
Published: April 2005

Purpose To investigate the impact of patient selection criteria on the outcome of patients with nonseminomatous germ cell testicular cancer (NSGCT) treated by primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND). Since 1999, our criteria have excluded patients with persistent postorchiectomy elevation of serum tumor markers (STM) or clinical stage (CS) IIB disease from RPLND. Patients and Methods Between 1989 and 2002, 453 patients underwent primary RPLND at our institution for CS I to IIB NSGCT. Patient information was obtained from a prospective database. Retroperitoneal pathology and relapse rates were compared for patients treated before and after application of the current selection criteria in 1999. Results By excluding patients with elevated STM or CS IIB disease after 1999, the proportion of pathologic stage II patients with low-volume (pN1) retroperitoneal disease increased significantly (40% before 1999 v 64% after 1999; P = .01), without significantly affecting the rate of retroperitoneal teratoma (21% v 22%, respectively; P = .89) or pathologic stage I disease (56% v 67%, respectively; P = .06). For patients who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy, the 4-year progression-free probability improved significantly from 83% before 1999 (95% CI, 79% to 88%) to 96% after 1999 (95% CI, 91% to 100%; P = .005). Elevated postorchiectomy STM (P < .0001), clinical stage (P = .0002), and pre-1999 RPLND (P = .05) were independent pretreatment predictors of progression. Conclusion Excluding patients with CS IIB disease or elevated postorchiectomy STM from primary RPLND has had a favorable impact on the extent of retroperitoneal disease and has significantly reduced the risk of relapse after RPLND. For patients with normal STM and CS I to IIA disease, the low rate of systemic progression and 22% incidence of retroperitoneal teratoma supports RPLND as the preferred primary intervention.