bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
THE USE OF MICRO‐PERFORATED LIDDING FILM IN LOW‐OXYGEN STORAGE OF BEEF STEAKS
Authors: BEGGAN M. , ALLEN P. , BUTLER F. 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTM. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL), M. semimembranosus (Sm) and M. psoas major (PM) steaks were MA packed under low oxygen conditions (mother packs and barrier trays) using micro‐perforated lidding film (with/without oxygen scavengers). After 18 days storage, steaks were aerobically displayed. Color measurements (over 96 h) were compared with steaks cut from vacuum stored primals and aerobically displayed (control). LTL steaks, with scavengers in trays, had a 96 h display life compared with 72–96 h for the control. LTL steaks without scavengers failed to bloom. Sm and PM steaks from mother packs failed to bloom. Metmyoglobin formation occurred on Sm steaks stored in barrier packs with scavengers, while PM steaks resisted oxidation. Oxygen levels introduced during mother packaging were high enough to result in metmyoglobin formation on Sm and PM. LTL steaks with scavengers can be stored in mother packs with micro‐perforated film using these scavengers. Pm and LTL were successfully stored in barrier treatments with scavengers.
THERMAL GELATION PROPERTIES OF MYOFIBRILLAR PROTEIN AND GELATIN COMBINATIONS
Authors: BREWER M.S. , PETERSON W.J. , CARR T.C. , MCCUSKER R. , NOVAKOFSKI J. 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT Partially purified myofibrillar protein was prepared from post‐rigor beef muscle tissue. Gelation properties of myofibrillar protein (6–12%), commercial gelatin (1–12%) and combinations of gelatin and myofibrillar (8–12% protein) were compared. Gels were prepared by combining protein, buffer and 2% NaCl with appropriate volumes of water and heating to 70C at 1.4C/min. Samples were cooled to 4C and gel characteristics were evaluated using texture profile analyses. Gel strength increased as protein concentration increased in pure myofibrillar or pure gelatin gels. However, gelatin plus myofibrillar combinations were weaker than gels consisting of either protein alone at similar protein concentrations. The negative impact on gel strength of myofibrillar‐gelatin combinations suggests that the two proteins gel by different and apparently incompatible mechanisms producing an overall gel‐weakening effect. These results indicate that adding gelatin can be detrimental to gel characteristics of muscle food products.
Diversity of Genome Structure inSalmonella entericaSerovar Typhi Populations
Authors: Kothapalli Sushma , Nair Satheesh , Alokam Suneetha , Pang Tikki , Khakhria Rasik , Woodward David , Johnson Wendy , Stocker Bruce A. D. , Sanderson Kenneth E. , Liu Shu-Lin 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTThe genomes of most strains ofSalmonellaandEscherichia coliare highly conserved. In contrast, all 136 wild-type strains ofSalmonella entericaserovar Typhi analyzed by partial digestion with I-CeuI (an endonuclease which cuts within therrnoperons) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and by PCR have rearrangements due to homologous recombination between therrnoperons leading to inversions and translocations. Recombination betweenrrnoperons in culture is known to be equally frequent inS. entericaserovar Typhi andS. entericaserovar Typhimurium; thus, the recombinants inS. entericaserovar Typhi, but not those inS. entericaserovar Typhimurium, are able to survive in nature. However, even inS. entericaserovar Typhi the need for genome balance and the need for gene dosage impose limits on rearrangements. Of 100 strains of genome types 1 to 6, 72 were only 25.5 kb off genome balance (the relative lengths of the replichores during bidirectional replication fromoriCto the termination of replication [Ter]), while 28 strains were less balanced (41 kb off balance), indicating that the survival of the best-balanced strains was greater. In addition, the need for appropriate gene dosage apparently selected against rearrangements which moved genes from their accustomed distance fromoriC. Although rearrangements involving the sevenrrnoperons are very common inS. entericaserovar Typhi, other duplicated regions, such as the 25 IS200elements, are very rarely involved in rearrangements. Large deletions and insertions in the genome are uncommon, except for deletions ofSalmonellapathogenicity island 7 (usually 134 kb) from fragment I-CeuI-G and 40-kb insertions, possibly a prophage, in fragment I-CeuI-E. The phage types were determined, and the origins of the phage types appeared to be independent of the origins of the genome types.
Protein Diversity Confers Specificity in Plasmid Segregation
Authors: Fothergill Timothy J. G. , Barillà Daniela , Hayes Finbarr 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTThe ParG segregation protein (8.6 kDa) of multidrug resistance plasmid TP228 is a homodimeric DNA-binding factor. The ParG dimer consists of intertwined C-terminal domains that adopt a ribbon-helix-helix architecture and a pair of flexible, unstructured N-terminal tails. A variety of plasmids possess partition loci with similar organizations to that of TP228, but instead of ParG homologs, these plasmids specify a diversity of unrelated, but similarly sized, partition proteins. These include the proteobacterial pTAR, pVT745, and pB171 plasmids. The ParG analogs of these plasmids were characterized in parallel with the ParG homolog encoded by the pseudomonal plasmid pVS1. Like ParG, the four proteins are dimeric. No heterodimerization was detectable in vivo among the proteins nor with the prototypical ParG protein, suggesting that monomer-monomer interactions are specific among the five proteins. Nevertheless, as with ParG, the ParG analogs all possess significant amounts of unordered amino acid residues, potentially highlighting a common structural link among the proteins. Furthermore, the ParG analogs bind specifically to the DNA regions located upstream of their homologousparF-like genes. These nucleoprotein interactions are largely restricted to cognate protein-DNA pairs. The results reveal that the partition complexes of these and related plasmids have recruited disparate DNA-binding factors that provide a layer of specificity to the macromolecular interactions that mediate plasmid segregation.
Comprehensive Characterization of the Contribution of Individual SigB-Dependent General Stress Genes to Stress Resistance ofBacillus subtilis
Authors: Höper Dirk , Völker Uwe , Hecker Michael 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTTheσB-dependent general stress regulon ofBacillus subtiliscomprises more than 150 members. Induction of this regulon by imposition of environmental or metabolic stress confers multiple, nonspecific, and preemptive stress resistance to nongrowing, nonsporulated cells ofB. subtilis. In this study we performed a regulon-wide phenotypic screening analysis to determine the stress sensitivity profiles of 94 mutants defective in candidate members of the general stress regulon that were previously identified in our transcriptional profiling study of the general stress response ofB. subtilis. The phenotypic screening analysis included analysis of adaptation to a growth-inhibiting concentration of ethanol (10%, vol/vol) or NaCl (10%, wt/vol), severe heat shock (54°C), and low temperature (survival at 4°C and growth at 12.5°C). Surprisingly, 85% of the mutants tested displayed increased sensitivity at an α confidence level of ≤0.01 to at least one of the four stresses tested, and 62% still exhibited increased sensitivity at anα of ≤0.001. In essence, we were able to assign 63 genes (28 genes with an α of ≤0.001) to survival after ethanol shock, 37 genes (28 genes with an α of ≤0.001) to protection from NaCl shock, 34 genes (24 genes with an α of≤ 0.001) to survival at 4°C, and 10 genes (3 genes with an α of ≤0.001) to management of severe heat shock. Interestingly, there was a substantial overlap between the genes necessary for survival during ethanol shock and the genes necessary for survival at 4°C, and there was also an overlap between genes required for survival during ethanol shock and genes required for survival during NaCl shock. Our data provide evidence for the importance of the σBregulon at low temperatures, not only for growth but also for survival. Moreover, the data imply that a secondary oxidative stress seems to be a common component of the severe stresses tested.
MinC Mutants Deficient in MinD- and DicB-Mediated Cell Division Inhibition Due to Loss of Interaction with MinD, DicB, or a Septal Component
Authors: Zhou Huaijin , Lutkenhaus Joe 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT

The
min
locus encodes a negative regulatory system that limits formation of the cytokinetic Z ring to midcell by preventing its formation near the poles. Of the three Min proteins, MinC is the inhibitor and prevents Z-ring formation by interacting directly with FtsZ. MinD activates MinC by recruiting it to the membrane and conferring a higher affinity on the MinCD complex for a septal component. MinE regulates the cellular location of MinCD by inducing MinD, and thereby MinC, to oscillate between the poles of the cell, resulting in a time-averaged concentration of MinCD on the membrane that is lowest at midcell. MinC can also be activated by the prophage-encoded protein DicB, which targets MinC to the septum without recruiting it first to the membrane. Previous studies have shown that the C-terminal domain of MinC is responsible for the interaction with MinD, DicB, and the septal component. In the present study, we isolated mutations in the C-terminal domain of MinC that affected its interaction with MinD, DicB, and the septal component. Among the mutations isolated, R133A and S134A are specifically deficient in the interaction with MinD, E156A is primarily affected in the interaction with DicB, and R172A is primarily deficient in the interaction with the septum. These mutations differentiate the interactions of MinC with its partners and further support the model of MinCD- and MinC-DicB-mediated cell division inhibition.
Genetic and Structural Analysis of the
Bacteroides
Conjugative Transposon CTn341
Authors: Bacic M. , Parker A. C. , Stagg J. , Whitley H. P. , Wells W. G. , Jacob L. A. , Smith C. J. 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT

The genetic structure and functional organization of a
Bacteroides
conjugative transposon (CTn), CTn341, were determined. CTn341 was originally isolated from a tetracycline-resistant clinical isolate of
Bacteroides vulgatus
. The element was 51,993 bp long, which included a 5-bp coupling sequence that linked the transposon ends in the circular form. There were 46 genes, and the corresponding gene products fell into three major functional groups: DNA metabolism, regulation and antibiotic resistance, and conjugation. The G+C content and codon usage observed in the functional groups suggested that the groups belong to different genetic lineages, indicating that CTn341 is a composite, modular element. Mutational analysis of genes representing the different functional groups provided evidence for the gene assignments and showed that the basic conjugation and excision genes are conserved among
Bacteroides
spp. A group IIA1 intron, designated B.f.I1, was found to be inserted into the
bmhA
methylase gene. Reverse transcriptase PCR analysis of CTn341 RNA showed that B.fr.I1 was functional and was spliced out of the
bmhA
gene. Six related CTn-like elements were found in the genome sequences of
Bacteroides fragilis
NCTC9343 and
Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron
VPI5482. The putative elements were similar to CTn341 primarily in the
tra
and
mob
regions and in the
exc
gene, and several appeared to contain intron elements. Our data provide the first reported sequence for a complete
Bacteroides
CTn, and they should be of considerable benefit to further functional and genetic analyses of antibiotic resistance elements and genome evolution in
Bacteroides
.
Role of the Rep Helicase Gene in Homologous Recombination in
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Authors: Kline Kimberly A. , Seifert H. Steven 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT

In
Escherichia coli
, the Rep helicase has been implicated in replication fork progression, replication restart, homologous recombination, and DNA repair. We show that a
Neisseria gonorrhoeae rep
mutant is deficient in the homologous-recombination-mediated processes of DNA transformation and pilus-based colony variation but not in DNA repair.
A cost benefit analysis of an enhanced seat belt enforcement program in South Africa
Authors: Harris G T , Olukoga I A 
Published: April 2005

Objective:To examine whether a program to increase the wearing of seat belts in a South African urban area would be worthwhile in societal terms.Design:A cost benefit analysis of a one year enhanced seat belt enforcement program in eThekwini (Durban) Municipality.Methods:Data were drawn from two main sources—a 1998 study of the cost of road crashes in South Africa and, given the absence of other data, a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of various types of interventions to reduce road crash casualties in the United States—and were analyzed using cost benefit analysis.Results:A program designed to enforce greater wearing of seat belts, estimated to cost 2 million rand in one year, could be reasonably expected to increase seat belt usage rates by 16 percentage points and reduce fatalities and injuries by 9.5%. This would result in saved social costs of 13.6 million rand in the following year or a net present value of 11.6 million rand. There would also be favorable consequences for municipal finances.Conclusions:Investment in a program to increase seat belt wearing rates is highly profitable in societal terms.
Working conditions and fatigue in professional truck drivers at Israeli ports
Authors: Sabbagh-Ehrlich S , Friedman L , Richter E D 
Published: April 2005

Background:Trucks represent 6% of all vehicles, but truck crashes account for 20% of road deaths in Israel, even though travel distances are usually short (<200 km) and overnight travel is uncommon.Objective:To determine occupational and individual predictors of fatigue, falling asleep at the wheel, and involvement in crashes with injuries and deaths in truck drivers.Setting and methods:We carried out field interviews of 160 port truck drivers regarding driver characteristics, workplace and driving conditions, employer-employee relations, medical conditions, sleep quality and fatigue, falling asleep at the wheel, and involvement in road crashes.Results:One day before interview, 38.1% of the drivers had worked more than the 12 hour legal limit. More than 30% reported falling asleep at the wheel recently, and 13% had prior involvement in a sleep related crash. Sixty seven (41.9%) drivers said that their employer forced them to work beyond the legal 12 hour daily limit. Involvement in a crash with casualties was associated with poor sleep quality (adjusted OR = 2.9; p = 0.042) and frequent difficulty finding parking when tired (OR = 3.7; p = 0.049). Self assessment of fatigue underestimated fatigue from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire. However fatigue occurred in many drivers without sleep problems and many crashes occurred without fatigue.Conclusions:Prevention requires measures to reduce work stresses, screening drivers, speed control, and modal shifts. The work risks and adverse outcomes of truck drivers in large countries with long overnight journeys occur in a small country with small distances, relatively short work journeys, and little overnight travel.
Significance of Serum Ribavirin Concentration in Combination Therapy of Interferon and Ribavirin for Chronic Hepatitis C
Authors: Arase Yasuji , Ikeda Kenji , Tsubota Akihito , Suzuki Fumitaka , Suzuki Yoshiyuki , Saitoh Satoshi , Kobayashi Masahiro , Akuta Norio , Someya Takashi , Hosaka Tetsuya , Sezaki Hitomi , Kobayashi Mariko , Kumada Hiromitsu 
Published: April 2005

<i>Objective:</i> The purpose of this clinical retrospective cohort study was to determine the most suitable ribavirin concentration on combination therapy of interferon (IFN)-ribavirin. <i>Methods:</i> Entry criteria were serum HCV-RNA level ≧100 KIU/ml, HCV-genotype 1b, chronic hepatitis, and initial combination treatment of IFN-α-2b (6 million units daily for 2 weeks and then 3 times weekly for 6 weeks) and ribavirin (600–800 mg/day) for 8 weeks without stopping or decreasing the dosage of IFN and/or ribavirin. Sixty-eight consecutive patients who satisfied the above criteria were given maintenance therapy for another 16 weeks. <i>Results:</i> A sustained virological response (SVR) rate of 25.0% (17/68) was seen in all subjects. The SVR rate was 44.0% (11/25) in the high ribavirin group with a serum ribavirin concentration of ≧3,000 ng/ml at 8 weeks after initiation of combination therapy. SVR was significantly dependent at a serum ribavirin level of ≧3,000 ng/ml (p = 0.005). The incidence of discontinuations and dose modifications for combination therapy in patients having a serum ribavirin concentration of ≧3,500 ng/ml 8 weeks after initiation of therapy was 57.1% (4/7). This value was statistically higher than that in patents with <3,500 ng/ml (p = 0.033). <i>Conclusion:</i> Our results showed that the most suitable serum ribavirin concentrations are from 3,000 to 3,500 ng/ml 8 weeks after initiation of combination therapy.
SDX-101, the R-enantiomer of etodolac, induces cytotoxicity, overcomes drug resistance, and enhances the activity of dexamethasone in multiple myeloma
Authors: Yasui Hiroshi , Hideshima Teru , Hamasaki Makoto , Roccaro Aldo M. , Shiraishi Norihiko , Kumar Shaji , Tassone Pierfrancesco , Ishitsuka Kenji , Raje Noopur , Tai Yu-Tzu , Podar Klaus , Chauhan Dharminder , Leoni Lorenzo M. , Kanekal Sarath , Elliott Gary , Munshi Nikhil C. , Anderson Kenneth C. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractIn this study we report that R-etodolac (SDX-101), at clinically relevant concentrations, induces potent cytotoxicity in drug-sensitive multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines, as well as in dexamethasone (MM.1R)-, doxorubicin (Dox40/RPMI8226)-, and bortezomib (DHL4)-resistant cell lines. Immunoblot analysis demonstrates that R-etodolac induces apoptosis characterized by caspase-8, -9, and -3 and PARP (poly-ADP [adenosine diphosphate]-ribose polymerase) cleavage and down-regulation of cyclin D1 expression. Subcytotoxic doses of R-etodolac up-regulate myeloid cell leukemia-1 proapoptotic variant (Mcl-1S), while enhancing dexamethasone (Dex)-induced caspase activation and apoptosis. The combination of R-etodolac with Dex results in a highly synergistic cytotoxic effect. R-etodolac also induces apoptosis against primary cells isolated from patients with MM refractory to chemotherapy. Although interleukin 6 (IL-6) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) abrogate Dex-induced MM cell cytotoxicity, neither IL-6 nor IGF-1 protects against R-etodolac-induced cytotoxicity in MM cells. R-etodolac also inhibits viability of MM cells adherent to bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), thereby overcoming a mechanism of drug resistance commonly observed with other conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Our data, therefore, indicate that R-etodolac circumvents drug resistance in MM cells at clinically relevant concentrations, targets Mcl-1, and can be synergistically combined with Dex. (Blood. 2005;106:706-712)
The optimal starting time of postoperative intraperitoneal mitomycin-C therapy with preserved intestinal wound healing
Authors: Uzunkoy Ali , Bolukbas Cengiz , Horoz Mehmet , Bolukbas Fusun F , Kocyigit Abdurrahim 
Published: April 2005

Abstract
Background
There is controversy about the effect of the timing of intraperitoneal administration of chemotherapeutic agents on the healing of intestinal anastomosis. We have investigated the effect on intestinal wound healing of mitomycin-C administered at different times post-operatively.

Methods
Eighty-four Wistar-Albino female rats underwent ileal resection and end-to-end anastomosis. The rats were randomly selected for intraperitoneal administration of mitomycin-C or saline as follows: mitomycin-C group (n = 65), 2 mg/kg mitomycin-C; control group (n = 13), 10 ml saline. The former was sub-divided into 5 equal groups (A 1–5) and mitomycin-C was administered postoperatively as follows: day 0 (A1), day 3 (A2), day 5 (A3), day 7 (A4) and day 10 (A5). All the rats were sacrificed on the 14th postoperative day and anastomotic bursting pressures and tissue hydroxyproline levels were determined.

Results
Five of the animals died postoperatively: 2 (15.4%) in group A1, 2 (15.4%) in group A2 and 1(7.7%) in group A3. Non-lethal anastomotic leakage was observed in a further five animals: 1 in group A1, 2 in group A2, 1 in group A5 and 1 in the control group. Groups A1 and A2 had significantly lower anastomotic bursting pressures than the other groups (P was <0.05 for each comparison). The anastomotic bursting pressures of group A3, A4 and A5 were comparable with those of the controls (P was >0.05 for each comparison). Tissue hydroxyproline levels in group A1 and A2 were significantly lower than in the controls (P values were <0.05 for each comparison) or the other mitomycin-C sub-groups (P was <0.05 for each comparison).

Conclusions
Intraperitoneal chemotherapy impairs intestinal wound healing when applied before the 5th postoperative day. Additional therapeutic approaches are needed to prevent this potentially lethal side effect of early intraperitoneal mitomycin-C administration.
The asthma epidemic and our artificial habitats
Authors: Maziak Wasim 
Published: April 2005

Abstract
Background
The recent increase in childhood asthma has been a puzzling one. Recent views focus on the role of infection in the education of the immune system of young children. However, this so called hygiene hypothesis fails to answer some important questions about the current trends in asthma or to account for environmental influences that bear little relation to infection.

Discussion
The multi-factorial nature of asthma, reflecting the different ways we tend to interact with our environment, mandates that we look at the asthma epidemic from a broader perspective. Seemingly modern affluent lifestyles are placing us increasingly in static, artificial, microenvironments very different from the conditions prevailed for most part of our evolution and shaped our organisms. Changes that occurred during the second half of the 20th century in industrialized nations with the spread of central heating/conditioning, building insulation, hygiene, TV/PC/games, manufactured food, indoor entertainment, cars, medical care, and sedentary lifestyles all seem to be depriving our children from the essential inputs needed to develop normal airway function (resistance). Asthma according to this view is a manifestation of our respiratory maladaptation to modern lifestyles, or in other words to our increasingly artificial habitats. The basis of the artificial habitat notion may lie in reduced exposure of innate immunity to a variety of environmental stimuli, infectious and non-infectious, leading to reduced formulation of regulatory cells/cytokines as well as inscribed regulatory pathways. This could contribute to a faulty checking mechanism of non-functional Th2 (and likely Th1) responses, resulting in asthma and other immuno-dysregulation disorders.

Summary
In this piece I discuss the artificial habitat concept, its correspondence with epidemiological data of asthma and allergy, and provide possible immunological underpinning for it from an evolutionary perspective of health and disease.