Solving the Conundrum: Widespread Proteins Annotated for Urea Metabolism in Bacteria Are Carboxyguanidine Deiminases Mediating Nitrogen Assimilation from Guanidine.

Free guanidine is increasingly recognized as a relevant molecule in biological systems. Recently, it was reported that urea carboxylase acts preferentially on guanidine, and consequently, it was considered to participate directly in guanidine biodegradation. Urea carboxylase combines with allophanate hydrolase to comprise the activity of urea amidolyase, an enzyme predominantly found in bacteria and fungi that catalyzes the carboxylation and subsequent hydrolysis of urea to ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Chronic pain patients' perspectives of medical cannabis.

Medical cannabis (MC) is used for a variety of conditions including chronic pain. The goal of this report was to provide an in-depth qualitative exploration of patient perspectives on the strengths and limitations of MC. Members of MC dispensaries (N = 984) in New England including two-thirds with a history of chronic pain completed an online survey.

Healthy Amistad: improving the health of people with severe mental illness.

Here, we report evaluation results of implementing a health promotion program for individuals with serious mental illnesses. Healthy Amistad aimed to address four behaviors: physical inactivity, nutrition choices, smoking, and seeking access to health care. The evaluation employed a mixed-method study design to assess changes in the health of individuals in the program.

Notes from the field: the evaluation of Maine Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAPSACC) experience.

More than half of all children in the United States aged 3 to 6 years are enrolled in child care centers. Maine received funds from the U.S.

Trek across Maine 25th anniversary: a public health strategy to increase physical activity.

Could an annual event be an effective strategy to improve physical activity? Based on 25 years of data, we argue that it could be. Although there are eight recommended strategies to promote physical activity in the Community Guide, there is insufficient evidence for six others. Qualitative data collected from Trek Across Maine participants and other cause-specific events suggests that goal setting (i.

PE2GO: program evaluation of a physical activity program in elementary schools.

Background: PE2GO is a self-contained physical education (PE) program that provides classroom teachers with the tools they need to lead developmentally appropriate PE lessons. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the PE2GO pilot programs in 6 school districts across the United States.

Methods: We used paper and pencil surveys at pre intervention (n = 114) and mid intervention (n = 94) and an electronic survey at post intervention (n = 65).

Impact of a school health coordinator intervention on health-related school policies and student behavior.

Background: Health-related, school-based interventions may serve to prevent disease and improve academic performance. The Healthy Maine Partnerships (HMP) initiative funded local school health coordinators (SHCs) as a part of Maine's Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP) beginning in January 2001. SHCs established school health leadership teams and implemented annual work plans to address health risk behaviors.

Inhibitors of Pyruvate Carboxylase.

This review aims to discuss the varied types of inhibitors of biotin-dependent carboxylases, with an emphasis on the inhibitors of pyruvate carboxylase. Some of these inhibitors are physiologically relevant, in that they provide ways of regulating the cellular activities of the enzymes e.g.

Healthy Maine Partnerships: policy and environmental changes.

Background: Tobacco settlement funds were used to establish the Healthy Maine Partnerships (HMPs) to reduce tobacco use, increase physical activity, and improve nutrition through local policy and environmental change.

Context: The HMP model is a progressive approach to public health. It provides for coordinated efforts between state and local partners for health promotion and disease prevention.

The Diabetes Detection Initiative: a pilot program of selective screening.

Objective: To identify adults who might have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Using social marketing methods, we identified the characteristics and preferences of the pilot communities. Risk assessment tests were developed to reflect these preferences.

State diabetes prevention and control program participation in the Health Disparities Collaborative: evaluating the first 5 years.

Background: Approximately 20.8 million people in the United States, or 7% of the population, have diabetes mellitus. Treatment for this disease costs Americans more than 130 billion dollars yearly, and it is the sixth leading cause of death.

The Annual African American Conference on Diabetes: evolving program evaluation with evolving program implementation.

Background: According to 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, South Carolina has the fourth highest rate of overall diabetes among the 50 states (9.3%) but the second highest rate among African Americans (15.5%).

Evaluating progress toward Healthy People 2010 national diabetes objectives.

Introduction: In 1999, the National Diabetes Prevention and Control Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its 59 Diabetes Prevention and Control Programs adopted five Healthy People 2010 objectives. These objectives aim to improve the rates of preventive care services among people with diabetes and include annual foot examinations, hemoglobin A1c tests, and annual dilated eye examinations. This paper examines progress toward meeting these three objectives.

Working toward the elimination of residential fire deaths: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Smoke Alarm Installation and Fire Safety Education (SAIFE) program.

To address residential fires and related injuries, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds state health departments to deliver a Smoke Alarm Installation and Fire Safety Education (SAIFE) program in high-risk homes in 16 states. This program involves recruiting local communities and community partners, hiring a local coordinator, canvassing neighborhood homes, installing long-lasting lithium-powered smoke alarms, and providing general fire safety education and 6-month follow-up to determine alarm functionality. Local fire departments are vital community partners in delivering this program.

TV viewing habits and body mass index among South Carolina Head Start children.

The present study tested the hypothesis that TV viewing habits and overweight would be associated among 4-year-old children. A convenience sample of Head Start students was enrolled (N=148). Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire on their children's TV viewing habits for a typical weekday, and for Saturday and Sunday.

Assessment of a pilot video's effect on physical activity and heart health for young children.

This article assessed the effects of a video, "Dynamotion," on children's knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitude about physical activity and heart health. A quasi-experimental design was used; 12 classrooms (grades K-2) were assigned to intervention (N = 116) or comparison (N = 92) groups. Students completed a 9-item pre- and posttest; only the intervention group was exposed to the video, during which qualitative assessments were made.

Shared decision making: views of first-year residents and clinic patients.

Purpose: Patients' and physicians' views of their roles in decision making have implications for patient care and medical education. This study was designed to determine perspectives of residents and patients on the amount of control each should have in health care decisions.

Method: Data were collected from a self-administered questionnaire of 45 first-year residents and a parallel structured interview with 92 patients from three resident clinics.