Intuitive eating and its association with psychosocial health in adults: A cross-sectional study in a representative Canadian sample.

Intuitive eating has been proposed as a weight-inclusive, effective, and sustainable approach to eating that benefits psychosocial health compared to traditional restrictive dieting. This cross-sectional study examined the associations of intuitive eating with psychosocial health indicators and demographic characteristics in a representative Canadian sample of adults (n = 1,466). Participants completed an online survey consisting of validated measures on intuitive eating and psychosocial health.

Comparison of genomic islands in cyanobacteria: Evidence of bacteriophage-mediated horizontal gene transfer from eukaryotes.

A number of examples of putative eukaryote-to-prokaryote horizontal gene transfer (HGT) have been proposed in the past using phylogenetic analysis in support of these claims but none have attempted to map these gene transfers to the presence of genomic islands (GIs) in the host. Two of these cases have been examined in detail, including an ATP sulfurylase (ATPS) gene and a class I fructose bisphosphate aldolase (FBA I) gene that were putatively transferred to cyanobacteria of the genus Prochlorococcus from either green or red algae, respectively. Unlike previous investigations of HGT, parametric methods were initially used to detect genomic islands, then more traditional phylogenomic and phylogenetic methods were used to confirm or deny the HGT status of these genes.

Fusarium toxin-contaminated maize in diets of growing bulls: effects on performance, slaughtering characteristics, and transfer into physiological liquids.

The present feeding study was carried out to examine the effects of Fusarium toxin-contaminated diets on performance and slaughtering characteristics and on the transfer of the Fusarium toxins zearalenone (ZEN), deoxynivalenol (DON) and their metabolites into physiological matrices. A total of 61 bulls (483 ± 46 kg) were fed with graded proportions of Fusarium toxin-contaminated feed over a period of 10 weeks. The total mixed rations (TMR) consisted of 47 % grass silage, 20 % press pulp silage, and 33 % concentrate on dry matter (DM) basis.

Urease-induced calcification of segmented polymer hydrogels - a step towards artificial biomineralization.

Natural organic/inorganic composites, such as nacre, bones and teeth, are perfectly designed materials with exceptional mechanical properties. Numerous approaches have been taken to synthetically prepare such composites. The presented work describes a new way of mineralizing bulk materials on a large scale following the approach of bioinduced mineralization.

Breaking through a phylogenetic impasse: a pair of associated archaea might have played host in the endosymbiotic origin of eukaryotes.

For over a century, the origin of eukaryotes has been a topic of intense debate among scientists. Although it has become widely accepted that organelles such as the mitochondria and chloroplasts arose via endosymbiosis, the origin of the eukaryotic nucleus remains enigmatic. Numerous models for the origin of the nucleus have been proposed over the years, many of which use endosymbiosis to explain its existence.

Dynamic alterations of linker histone variants during development.

The process of development can be viewed as a series of linker histone replacements which take place throughout spermatogenesis and oogenesis, as well as following fertilization or somatic nuclear transfer (SNT). Although few of the histone H1 variants in question have been shown to be essential for viability, the timing of their appearance as well as the affinity with which they are able to bind to chromatin seem to be important factors in their developmental role. A looser binding of linker histones to chromatin seems to correlate with the meiotic phases of gametogenesis and the establishment of a totipotent, as well as the maintenance of a pluripotent, state in early embryos, while tighter binding of linker histones to chromatin appears to be associated with the mitotic phases, as well as the increased levels of condensation that are required for the packaging of DNA into sperm.

Cracking the enigmatic linker histone code.

Recently, the existence of a 'histone code' has been proposed to explain the link between the covalent chemical modification of histone proteins and the epigenetic regulation of gene activity. Although the role of the four 'core' histones has been extensively studied, little is known about the involvement of the linker histone, histone H1 and its variants, in this code. For many years, few sites of chemical modification had been mapped in linker histones, but this has changed recently with the use of functional proteomic techniques, principally mass spectrometry, to characterize these modifications.

The repetitive DNA elements called CRISPRs and their associated genes: evidence of horizontal transfer among prokaryotes.

We have found direct DNA repeats 21-47 bp in length interspersed with nonrepetitive sequences of similar length, or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) in a wide range of diverse prokaryotes, including many Archaeal and Eubacterial species. A number of cas, CRISPR-associated genes have also been characterized in many of the same organisms. Phylogenetic analysis of these cas genes suggests that the CRISPR loci have been propagated via HGT, horizontal gene transfer.

[Focused lithotripsy in the treatment of tendinosis calcarea of the shoulder: results at 2 months and one year].

Objective: The authors report their experience with extracorporeal lithotripsy in 30 patients with calcific tendinosis of the rotator cuff.

Materials And Method: This technique is based upon the utilization of high-energy shockwaves (6000 shocks in 3 sessions Day 1, D8, D30) under continuous ultrasound localization of the lesion (EPOS Ultra1). Calcification were evaluated at plain film, US and CT to characterize their length and features.

Nucleosome assembly on methylated CGG triplet repeats in the fragile X mental retardation gene 1 promoter.

Expansion and methylation of CGG repeat sequences is associated with Fragile X syndrome in humans. We have examined the consequences of CGG repeat expansion and methylation for nucleosome assembly and positioning on the Fragile X Mental Retardation gene 1 (FMR1) gene. Short unmethylated CGG repeats are not particularly favored in terms of affinity for the histone octamer or for positioning of the reconstituted nucleosome.

Nucleosome assembly on CTG triplet repeats.

Expansion of CTG repeat sequences is associated with several human genetic diseases. We have examined the consequences of CTG repeat expansion for nucleosome assembly and positioning. Short CTG repeats are found within the most favored DNA sequences yet defined for nucleosome assembly.

The amino-terminal tails of the core histones and the translational position of the TATA box determine TBP/TFIIA association with nucleosomal DNA.

We establish that the TATA binding protein (TBP) in the presence of TFIIA recognizes the TATA box in nucleosomal DNA dependent on the dissociation of the amino-terminal tails of the core histones from the nucleosome and the position of the TATA box within the nucleosome. We examine TBP/TFIIA access to the TATA box with this sequence placed in four distinct rotational frames with reference to the histone surface and at three distinct translational positions at the edge, side and dyad axis of the nucleosome. Under our experimental conditions, we find that the preferential translational position at which TBP/TFIIA can bind the TATA box is within linker DNA at the edge of the nucleosome and that binding is facilitated if contacts made by the amino-terminal tails of the histones with nucleosomal DNA are eliminated.

Disruption of reconstituted nucleosomes. The effect of particle concentration, MgCl2 and KCl concentration, the histone tails, and temperature.

We find that reconstituted nucleosome cores containing specific DNA sequences dissociate on dilution. This disruption of histone-DNA contacts leading to the release of free DNA is facilitated by the presence of the core histone tails, MgCl2 (5 mM), KCl (60 mM), and temperatures above 0 degree C. Under reaction conditions that are commonly used to assess trans-acting factor access to nucleosomal DNA, histone-DNA contacts are on the threshold of instability.

Chromatin structure of Schizosaccharomyces pombe. A nucleosome repeat length that is shorter than the chromatosomal DNA length.

We have used new methods for chromatin isolation, together with conventional methods for measuring the nucleosome repeat length, to determine the repeat length of Schizosaccharomyces pombe chromatin. We obtain a result of 156(+/- 2) bp. Equivalent results are obtained using a psoralen crosslinking method for measuring the repeat length in viable spheroplasts.

Vibrating glass stylets: tools for precise microsurgery on cuticular structures.

Precisely localized lesions in cuticular structures of insects can be produced by fine glass rods, vibrating transversally at frequencies above 100 kHz. The oscillating edge of the glass rod scrapes off the chitinous material at minimal elastic deformation during treatment. The achieved roughness height is in the 0.

A fast voltage-controlled continuous-flow miniature chemostat.

A continuous-flow mixing device was developed for fast concentration changes in a 0.25 microliter volume. The mixing chamber is designed to study the effects of fast concentration changes in the bathing solution on small probes (e.

Low cost storing of two electrical biosignals from DC to 20 kHz at more than 80 dB dynamic range.

An instrumentation for storing electrical analog signals (DC to 20 kHz) was composed from a video recorder and a slightly modified pulse code modulation processor. As these components are mass products of the consumer electronics industry, the system price could be kept below 5000 DM. The setup allows one to register simultaneously two signals at DC to 20 kHz at a dynamic amplitude resolution of 16 bit [corresponding to a signal to noise ratio (S/N-ratio) of 96 dB] and AC-signals on the audiochannels of the stereo-video recorder.

Ultrasound elicits tonic responses and diminishes the phasic responses to adequate stimuli in thread-hair mechanoreceptors of Acheta domesticus.

Single mechanoreceptor cells in filiform hair sensilla on the cercus of Acheta domesticus were stimulated adequately by steplike deflections in their plane of least restraint and inadequately by ultrasound. Ultrasound was fed either into the cercus or into the thread-hair as substrate-borne sound of 110-120 kHz. The receptor responds to deflections of the thread-hair (adequate stimuli) with phasic receptor potentials which can be picked up transepithelially .