All genomic mutations in the antimicrobial surfactant-resistant mutant, Escherichia coli OW66, are involved in cell resistance to surfactant

The spontaneous antimicrobial surfactant-resistant mutant, Escherichia coli OW66, has been isolated, and its physiological properties have been characterized in our previous paper (Ishikawa et al., J Appl Microbiol 92:261–268, 2002b). This report revealed that strain OW66 had seven mutations in their chromosomal DNA by comparative genomic hybridization microarray, and that their alternative functions were involved in cell resistance to antimicrobial surfactants. These mutations were located in oppB, ydcR, IVR(vacJ-yfdC), rpoN, rpoB, rpoC, and soxR. Furthermore, seven of the single-mutated isogenic strains and seven of the six-mutated isogenic strains were constructed from strains OW6 (NBRC106482) and OW66, respectively, through homologous recombination, and their resistances to an antimicrobial surfactant were measured using the minimum inhibitory concentration method. These results revealed that all six-mutated strains were more sensitive than strain OW66, and that the soxR66 mutation was independently involved in antimicrobial surfactant resistance of E. coli cells. Expression of soxR66 and soxS was increased in both strains OW66 and OW6-soxR66 without the surfactant treatment by the quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction analysis, compared with strain OW6. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis also revealed that some proteins in the soxRS regulon, including Mn-SOD, were overexpressed in both strains OW66 and OW6-soxR66. These results indicate that the soxR66 mutation leads to the constitutive expression of the soxRS regulon, resulting in the acquired resistance of E. coli cells to an antimicrobial surfactant.     

Interactive effects of temperature and pCO2 on sponges: from the cradle to the grave

As atmospheric CO₂ concentrations rise, associated ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA) are predicted to cause declines in reef‐building corals globally, shifting reefs from coral‐dominated systems to those dominated by less sensitive species. Sponges are important structural and functional components of coral reef ecosystems, but despite increasing field‐based evidence that sponges may be ‘winners’ in response to environmental degradation, our understanding of how they respond to the combined effects of OW and OA is limited. To determine the tolerance of adult sponges to climate change, four abundant Great Barrier Reef species were experimentally exposed to OW and OA levels predicted for 2100, under two CO₂ Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). The impact of OW and OA on early life‐history stages was also assessed for one of these species to provide a more holistic view of species impacts. All species were generally unaffected by conditions predicted under RCP6.0, although environmental conditions projected under RCP8.5 caused significant adverse effects: with elevated temperature decreasing the survival of all species, increasing levels of tissue necrosis and bleaching, elevating respiration rates and decreasing photosynthetic rates. OA alone had little adverse effect, even under RCP8.5 concentrations. Importantly, the interactive effect of OW and OA varied between species with different nutritional modes, with elevated pCO₂ exacerbating temperature stress in heterotrophic species but mitigating temperature stress in phototrophic species. This antagonistic interaction was reflected by reduced mortality, necrosis and bleaching of phototrophic species in the highest OW/OA treatment. Survival and settlement success of Carteriospongia foliascens larvae were unaffected by experimental treatments, and juvenile sponges exhibited greater tolerance to OW than their adult counterparts. With elevated pCO₂ providing phototrophic species with protection from elevated temperature, across different life stages, climate change may ultimately drive a shift in the composition of sponge assemblages towards a dominance of phototrophic species.     

Characterization of composted olive mill wastes to predict potential plant disease suppressiveness

Despite its proven agronomic value, the plant disease suppressive effect of composts from olive waste has not been adequately investigated. In the present study, the disease suppressive potential of two olive waste (OW) composts against soil-borne plant pathogens was investigated. Both OW composts showed sizeable, active microbial populations, which were able to grow actively on chitin and cellulose. In plate inhibition trials, OW compost water extracts (CWEs) exerted a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of the pathogens Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (Fol), Pythium ultimum, Phytophtora infestans, Sclerotina sclerotiorum and Verticillium dahliae; and in pot experiments, the OW composts significantly reduced P. ultimum damping-off and Fol wilt diseases on tomato seedlings. The disease suppressive effect of OW composts seems to be due to the combined effects of suppression phenomena caused by the presence of microorganisms competing for both nutrients and space as well as by the activity of specific antagonistic microorganisms.     

GLP-1 and appetite responses to a meal in lean and overweight adolescents following exercise

Objective: Increased physical activity is an integral part of weight loss programs in adolescents. We prospectively investigated the effects of exercise on glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) concentrations and on appetite markers. Methods and Procedures: Normal weight (NW) and at risk of overweight/overweight (OW) male adolescents (n = 17/gr) underwent five consecutive days of aerobic exercise (1 h/day). A test meal was administered prior to the first exercise session and 36 hours following the last exercise session. GLP‐1 and markers of appetite were assessed. Results: GLP‐1 concentrations over the course of the test meal were lower in OW compared to NW boys (P < 0.05), while fasting GLP‐1 concentrations tended to be lower in OW boys (0.05 < P < 0.1). Exercise caused an increase in the acute GLP‐1 response to the liquid meal (from 52 to 78%, P = 0.02) that was similar in NW and OW adolescents. OW adolescents expressed greater restraint compared to NW adolescents (three‐factor eating questionnaire, TFEQ) and there was a significant correlation between TFEQ for restraint score and BMI s.d. both before and after exercise intervention (P < 0.015). There was no significant correlation between markers of appetite and GLP‐1 concentrations. Discussion: Lower concentrations of GLP‐1, a satiety hormone, in OW compared to NW male adolescents support the theory that GLP‐1 plays a role in the etiology of overweight. Whether the greater meal‐induced, 0–30 min GLP‐1 response following exercise is associated with increased satiety, a potentially beneficial effect of exercise, needs to be evaluated in larger studies.     

An exploratory study of cardiac function and oxygen uptake during cycle ergometry in overweight children

Objective: Obesity has been proposed to negatively impact cardiac function in overweight (OW) individuals. The relationship between diastolic dysfunction and oxygen uptake (V?o ₂) kinetics is equivocal. This exploratory investigation evaluated the relationship between resting left ventricular function and V?o ₂ kinetics during cycle ergometry in OW and non‐overweight (NO) children and adolescents. Research Methods and Procedures: Fourteen OW (>85 percentile for BMI for age and gender) children, 10 boys and 4 girls (age, 11.7 ± 1.9 years; body mass, 80.6 ± 45.5 kg) and 10 NO children (4 boys, 6 girls) volunteered to participate in the study (age, 12.5 ± 2.1 years; body mass, 45.8 ± 13.8 kg). Resting cardiovascular structure and function were assessed using spectral Doppler echocardiography. All subjects underwent two sub‐maximal exercise stages on a cycle ergometer (3 minutes unloaded and 5 minutes at 50 W, both at a cadence of 50 rpm). Respiratory data were measured on a breath‐by‐breath basis at both workloads and the mean response time (MRT) was calculated. Results: Analysis of the MRT data demonstrated that there were no significant differences between OW and NO (OW, 52.6 ± 11.7 seconds vs. NO, 45.6 ± 7.4 seconds). Significant correlations (p < 0.05) were obtained between MRT V?o ₂ and echocardiographic‐derived mitral valve inflow pressure half‐time (r = 0.55) and between MRT V?o ₂, and mitral valve inflow deceleration time (r = 0.55). Discussion: The evidence from this research suggests a possible link between left ventricular diastolic function at rest and oxygen uptake kinetics during sub‐maximal exercise in OW and NO children and adolescents.     

Comparison of the Classification of Obesity by BMI vs. Dual‐energy X‐ray Absorptiometry in the Newfoundland Population

Although BMI is the most widely used measure of obesity, debate still exists on how accurately BMI defines obesity. In this study, adiposity status defined by BMI and dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) was compared in a large population to evaluate the accuracy of BMI. A total of 1,691 adult volunteers from Newfoundland and Labrador participated in the study. BMI and body fat percentage (%BF) were measured for all subjects following a 12‐h fasting period. Subjects were categorized as underweight (UW), normal weight (NW), overweight (OW), or obese (OB) based on BMI and %BF criteria. Differences between the two methods were compared within gender and by age‐groups. According to BMI criteria, 1.2% of women were classified as UW, 44.2% as NW, 34.2% as OW, and 20.3% as OB. When women were classified according to %BF criteria, 2.2% were UW, 29.6% were NW, 30.9% were OW, and 37.1% were OB. The overall discrepancy between the two methods for women was substantial at 34.7% (14.6% for NW and 16.8% for OB, P < 0.001). In men, the overall discrepancy was 35.2% between BMI and DXA (17.6% for OW and 13.5% for OB, P < 0.001). Misclassification by BMI was dependent on age, gender, and adiposity status. In conclusion, BMI misclassified adiposity status in approximately one‐third of women and men compared with DXA. Caution should be taken when BMI is used in clinical and scientific research as well as clinical practice.     

Weight loss and improved gross motor coordination in children as a result of multidisciplinary residential obesity treatment

This study evaluated the short‐term effectiveness of a multidisciplinary residential obesity treatment program by describing changes in body weight, related measures, and gross motor co‐ordination. Secondarily, it was examined to what extent the amount of relative weight loss achieved by overweight and obese (OW/OB) participants explained the projected improvement in gross motor co‐ordination. Thirty‐six OW/OB children (aged 10.5 ± 1.4 years, 12 girls and 24 boys) were recruited at the Zeepreventorium VZW (De Haan, Belgium), where they followed a specific program consisting of moderate dietary restriction, psychological support, and physical activity. For reference purposes, an additional group of 36 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy‐weight (HW) children was included in the study. Anthropometric measures were recorded and gross motor co‐ordination was assessed using the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK) on two occasions with an interval of 4 months. Regardless of the test moment, OW/OB participants displayed significantly poorer KTK performances (P < 0.001). However, treatment was found to be efficacious in decreasing body weight (Δ 17.9 ± 3.1%, P < 0.001) and generating a significant progress in gross motor co‐ordination performance, with a greater increase in KTK score(s) from baseline to re‐test as compared to HW peers (P < 0.01). Within the OW/OB group, the amount of relative weight loss explained 26.9% of the variance in improvement in overall KTK performance. Therefore, multidisciplinary residential treatment and concomitant weight loss can be considered an important means to upgrade OW/OB children's level of gross motor co‐ordination, which in turn may promote physical activity participation.     

Body mass index, prevalence of overweight and obesity in Lithuanian children and adolescents, 1985-2002

The study provides the body mass index (BMI), the prevalence of overweight (OW) and obesity (OB) in Lithuanian children and adolescents, 1985-2002. In the 2000-2002 more than 9000 schoolchildren of 7-18 years old were investigated in the 5 biggest towns and surrounding settlements of Lithuania. These data were compared with the 1985 data. The prevalence of OW and OB was estimated using the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-off points. The prevalence of OW in Lithuanian children and adolescents was higher among younger schoolchildren in comparison with older adolescents. OW was lower among the older girls in comparison with the older boys: 4.60%-11.50%/4.80%0-13.62% in the 7-13 years girls/boys, versus 1.50%-6.60%/3.90%-9.50% in the 14-18 years old girls/boys. The prevalence of OW among younger Lithuanian adolescents did not change significantly in the last 15 years, but it slightly decreased in older boys and demonstrably diminished in older adolescent girls. In generally, the prevalence of OW among Lithuanian adolescents is low in comparison with the prevalence of OW in children from the other countries.     

Recognition of Childhood Overweight during Health Supervision Visits: Does BMI Help Pediatricians?

Objective: To assess, in diverse pediatric practices, the frequency of overweight/obesity (OW/OB) identification during health supervision visits and its association with BMI curve use. Research Methods and Procedures: Pediatricians in public and private practice in St. Louis, MO, participated in a study of the care of chronic conditions during health supervision visits. Requested information from 30 visits per pediatrician of children 6 to 17 years of age included the visit note, the growth chart, and a one‐page questionnaire about patient demographics and visit content. Pediatricians indicated the presence and discussion of common chronic conditions, including OW/OB. Identification was compared with patient BMI category, and associations between identification and patient and visit characteristics, including BMI curve use, were examined. Results: Twenty‐one (40%) of contacted pediatricians returned information from 557 visits. Pediatricians identified OW/OB in 27% of children with a BMI at the 85th to 94th percentile and 86% of children with a BMI at or above the 95th percentile. Identification was higher in adolescents but was not associated with patient sex or race, practice setting, insurance type, or visit length. Only 41% of growth charts were current, and 6.1% had BMI plotted. BMI plotting was associated with OW/OB identification when the BMI was at the 85th to 94th percentile but not when the BMI was at or above the 95th percentile. After controlling for BMI percentile, OW/OB identification was significantly associated with diet counseling (odds ratio, 7.46; 95% confidence interval, 3.42 to 16.24) and exercise counseling (odds ratio, 5.57; 95% confidence interval, 2.61 to 11.90). Discussion: Despite low BMI curve use, pediatricians recognized most overweight/obese children with a BMI at or above the 95th percentile. BMI plotting may increase recognition in mildly overweight children.     

Antimicrobial cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, induces superoxide stress in Escherichia coli cells

Aims: To clarify whether an antibacterial surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), induces superoxide stress in bacteria, we investigated the generation of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide and expression of soxR, soxS and soxRS regulon genes in Escherichia coli cells with the treatment of CTAB. Methods and Results: In situ oxidative stress analyses with BES fluorescent probes revealed that generation of both superoxide and hydrogen peroxide were significantly increased with the CTAB treatment at a sublethal concentration in wild‐type strain OW6, compared with the CTAB‐resistant strain OW66. The activity of manganese–superoxide dismutase (Mn–SOD), a member of the soxRS regulon proteins, was decreased by the CTAB treatment only in strain OW6. Furthermore, quantitative real‐time PCR analyses revealed that expression of the soxRS regulon genes was not upregulated, although soxS was upregulated by the CTAB treatment in strain OW6. Conclusions: Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide treatment led E. coli cells to a generation state of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. It was also suggested that superoxide generation was caused by inhibiting SoxS function and decreasing Mn–SOD activity. Significance and Impact of the Study: It was revealed that excess superoxide generation in bacterial cells play a key action of antibacterial surfactants.     

Elucidating the sponge stress response; lipids and fatty acids can facilitate survival under future climate scenarios

Ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA) are threatening coral reef ecosystems, with a bleak future forecast for reef‐building corals, which are already experiencing global declines in abundance. In contrast, many coral reef sponge species are able to tolerate climate change conditions projected for 2100. To increase our understanding of the mechanisms underpinning this tolerance, we explored the lipid and fatty acid (FA) composition of four sponge species with differing sensitivities to climate change, experimentally exposed to OW and OA levels predicted for 2100, under two CO₂ Representative Concentration Pathways. Sponges with greater concentrations of storage lipid, phospholipids, sterols and elevated concentrations of n‐3 and n‐6 long‐chain polyunsaturated FA (LC PUFA), were more resistant to OW. Such biochemical constituents likely contribute to the ability of these sponges to maintain membrane function and cell homeostasis in the face of environmental change. Our results suggest that n‐3 and n‐6 LC PUFA are important components of the sponge stress response potentially via chain elongation and the eicosanoid stress‐signalling pathways. The capacity for sponges to compositionally alter their membrane lipids in response to stress was also explored using a number of specific homeoviscous adaptation (HVA) indicators. This revealed a potential mechanism via which additional CO₂ could facilitate the resistance of phototrophic sponges to thermal stress through an increased synthesis of membrane‐stabilizing sterols. Finally, OW induced an increase in FA unsaturation in phototrophic sponges but a decrease in heterotrophic species, providing support for a difference in the thermal response pathway between the sponge host and the associated photosymbionts. Here we have shown that sponge lipids and FA are likely to be an important component of the sponge stress response and may play a role in facilitating sponge survival under future climate conditions.     

Nuclear selection and nuclear substitution in fully compatible di-mon matings inPleurotus ostreatus

Nuclear behavior in fully compatible dikaryon-monokaryon matings inPleurotus ostreatus was examined with esterase isozymes as markers, which are located at the EST1 locus independent of mating type factors A and B. Monokaryotic strains mMA91 and mOW89 were obtained from the stocks MA91 from Japan and OW89 from Thailand, respectively. The mMA91 strains represented genotype EST1 (100), and the mOW89 strains represented either EST1 (86) or EST1 (93). Most of the stocks derived from mMA91×OW89 represented the genotype EST1 (93)+EST1 (100). This result suggests that the donor nucleus of OW89 carrying EST1 (93) migrated preferentially into the monokaryon mMA91 to conjugate with the recipient nucleus of the latter. Some of the stocks from mOW89 × MA91 represented the genotype EST1 (100)+EST1 (100). This seems to have resulted from substitution of a nucleus of the recipient mOW89 by a pair of nuclei of the donor MA91. The variations in mycelial products, mycelial growth rate, and wood degrading ability among the D1 populations of stocks from mMA91 × OW89 were significantly smaller than those from mOW89 × MA91, reflecting the selective nuclear migration from OW89 to mMA91.     

Some biological aspects and life history strategies of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (L.) in Lake Victoria, Kenya

The life history characteristics of introduced Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) in Lake Victoria, including, sex ratio, fecundity, reproduction, weight‐length relationship and body condition were studied and compared with those of other populations. Samples were collected by trawling and seining in the Kenyan sector of Lake Victoria between June 1998 and December 2000. Males predominated over females (sex ratio 1.42 : 1 : 00). O. niloticus spawned throughout the year but with a peak between December and June. Length at first maturity was (mean ± SD) 30.81 ± 0.09 for females and 34.5 ± 6 0.48 for males. There was little seasonal variation in relative condition, which ranged from 0.92 to 1.05 in males and 0.94 to 1.07 in females. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) was low during the postspawning period (July to October) and high during the protracted breeding period (December and June). Fecundity ranged from 905 to 7619 oocytes for fish of 28 to 51 cm total length (TL) respectively. The relationships between fecundity (F) and total length (L), weight (W) and ovary weight (OW) were: F = 8.159L^1.53, F = 96.269W^0.4504, F = 1806 + 39.4OW. The slope b of the weight‐length relationship was 3.08–3.32 for males and 3.07–3.22 for females. Growth was allometric in both cases and was significantly different from the expected value of 3. The life history strategy of O. niloticus is discussed in context of environmental changes occurring in the lake.     

Annual Variations of Gonadotropin Content and Ovarian Development of Feral Female Catfish, Silurus asotus, in Central China

The Japanese catfish Silurus asotus is widely distributed throughout the freshwaters reservoirs, lakes and rivers of China, Korea and Japan, and is a commercially valuable aquaculture fish in some regions of China and Japan. We studied seasonal variations of gonadotropin (GtH) content of the plasma and pituitary as well as ovarian development. Plasma GtH titres increase in April in the Pearl River and in May in the Liao River in central China. Annual cycles of plasma GtH levels in both rivers are the same, with a gradual decrease after ovulation with the lowest values observed in September (in the Liao River) or October (in the Pearl River). Plasma GtH levels increase gradually in the early stages of ovarian development, with the highest values observed during the late stages of development, and with the lowest GtH titres observed during ovarian regression in both rivers. GtH content of the pituitary remained very high through the spawning period, with the highest titres observed in March in the Liao River, and in July in the Pearl River. As with plasma GtH, the lowest concentrations of pituitary GtH were observed during stages when the ovary was regressed. We analyzed the relationships between plasma and pituitary GtH and reproductive conditions, such as gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI), oocyte diameter (OD) and oocyte weight (OW). The results indicate that annual changes of GtH content of the plasma and pituitary paralleled GSI, OD and OW, but were negatively correlated with HSI in feral female catfish.     

光照和培养基对内生真菌棘豆链格孢Alternaria oxytropis苦马豆素含量的影响

以小花棘豆内生真菌棘豆链格孢Alternaria oxytropis野生株OW7.8及其酵母氨酸还原酶基因缺失突变株M1为材料,研究它们在不同培养基上和不同光照下菌落生长速率与苦马豆素含量。结果表明：OW7.8在胡萝卜葡萄糖琼脂培养基上暗培养时生长速度最快,为(2.57±0.17)mm/d,而M1则在马铃薯葡萄糖琼脂培养基上暗培养时生长速度最快,为(4.93±0.10mm)/d。不同培养基和光照条件下,相同菌株苦马豆素的含量差异不显著（P>0.05）;不同菌株在相同培养条件下其苦马豆素含量差异显著（P<0.05）。     

Expression of the Bitter Taste Receptor,T2R38, in Enteroendocrine Cells of the Colonic Mucosa of Overweight/Obese vs. Lean Subjects

Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) are expressed in the mammalian gastrointestinal mucosa. In the mouse colon, T2R138 is localized to enteroendocrine cells and is upregulated by long-term high fat diet that induces obesity. The aims of this study were to test whether T2R38 expression is altered in overweight/obese (OW/OB) compared to normal weight (NW) subjects and characterize the cell types expressing T2R38, the human counterpart of mouse T2R138, in human colon. Colonic mucosal biopsies were obtained during colonoscopy from 35 healthy subjects (20 OW/OB and 15 NW) and processed for quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry using antibodies to T2R38, chromogranin A (CgA), glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1), cholecystokinin (CCK), or peptide YY (PYY). T2R38 mRNA levels in the colonic mucosa of OW/OB were increased (> 2 fold) compared to NW subjects but did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.06). However, the number of T2R38 immunoreactive (IR) cells was significantly increased in OW/OB vs. NW subjects (P = 0.01) and was significantly correlated with BMI values (r = 0.7557; P = 0.001). In both OW/OB and NW individuals, all T2R38-IR cells contained CgA-IR supporting they are enteroendocrine. In both groups, T2R38-IR colocalized with CCK-, GLP1- or PYY-IR. The overall CgA-IR cell population was comparable in OW/OB and NW individuals. This study shows that T2R38 is expressed in distinct populations of enteroendocrine cells in the human colonic mucosa and supports T2R38 upregulation in OW/OB subjects. T2R38 might mediate host functional responses to increased energy balance and intraluminal changes occurring in obesity, which could involve peptide release from enteroendocrine cells.     

Mito‐nuclear discord in six congeneric lineages of Holarctic ducks (genus Anas)

Many species have Holarctic distributions that extend across Europe, Asia and North America. Most genetics research on these species has examined only mitochondrial (mt) DNA, which has revealed wide variance in divergence between Old World (OW) and New World (NW) populations, ranging from shallow, unstructured genealogies to deeply divergent lineages. In this study, we sequenced 20 nuclear introns to test for concordant patterns of OW–NW differentiation between mtDNA and nuclear (nu) DNA for six lineages of Holarctic ducks (genus Anas). Genetic differentiation for both marker types varied widely among these lineages (idiosyncratic population histories), but mtDNA and nuDNA divergence within lineages was not significantly correlated. Moreover, compared with the association between mtDNA and nuDNA divergence observed among different species, OW–NW nuDNA differentiation was generally lower than mtDNA divergence, at least for lineages with deeply divergent mtDNA. Furthermore, coalescent estimates indicated significantly higher rates of gene flow for nuDNA than mtDNA for four of the six lineages. Thus, Holarctic ducks show prominent mito‐nuclear discord between OW and NW populations, and we reject differences in sorting rates as the sole cause of the within‐species discord. Male‐mediated intercontinental gene flow is likely a leading contributor to this discord, although selection could also cause increased mtDNA divergence relative to weak nuDNA differentiation. The population genetics of these ducks contribute to growing evidence that mtDNA can be an unreliable indicator of stage of speciation and that more holistic approaches are needed for species delimitation.     

Effects of a lifestyle intervention on adiposity and fitness in overweight or low fit preschoolers (Ballabeina)

Objective:

Overweight (OW) and low fit children represent cardiovascular high‐risk groups. A multidimensional school‐based lifestyle intervention performed in 652 preschoolers reduced skinfold thickness and waist circumference, and improved fitness, but did not affect BMI. The objective of this study is to examine whether the intervention was equally effective in OW (≥90th national percentile) and/or low fit (lowest sex‐ and age‐adjusted quartile of aerobic fitness) children compared to their normal weight and normal fit counterparts.

Design and Methods:

Cluster randomized controlled single blinded trial, conducted in 2008/09 in 40 randomly selected preschool classes in Switzerland. The intervention included a playful physical activity program and lessons on nutrition, media use and sleeps. Primary outcomes were BMI and aerobic fitness; secondary outcomes included sum of four skinfolds, waist circumference and motor agility. Modification of intervention effects by BMI‐group and fitness‐group was tested by interaction terms.

Results:

Compared to their counterparts, OW children (n = 130) had more beneficial effects on waist circumference (p for interaction = 0.001) and low fit children (n = 154) more beneficial effects on all adiposity outcomes (p for interaction ≤0.03). The intervention effects on both fitness outcomes were not modified by BMI‐ or fitness‐group (all p for interaction ≥0.2). Average intervention effect sizes for BMI were ?0.12, ?0.05, ?0.26 and ?0.02 kg/m² and for aerobic fitness were 0.40, 0.30, 0.12 and 0.36 stages for OW, normal weight, low fit and normal fit children, respectively. Conclusions: This multidimensional intervention was equally and for some adiposity measures even more effective in high‐risk preschoolers and represents a promising option for these children.

     

Ocean warming and acidification alter the behavioral response to flow of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

Ocean warming (OW) and acidification (OA) are intensively investigated as they pose major threats to marine organism. However, little effort is dedicated to another collateral climate change stressor, the increased frequency, and intensity of storm events, here referred to as intensified hydrodynamics. A 2‐month experiment was performed to identify how OW and OA (temperature: 21°C; pH_T: 7.7, 7.4; control: 17°C‐pH_T7.9) affect the resistance to hydrodynamics in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus using an integrative approach that includes physiology, biomechanics, and behavior. Biomechanics was studied under both no‐flow condition at the tube foot (TF) scale and flow condition at the individual scale. For the former, TF disk adhesive properties (attachment strength, tenacity) and TF stem mechanical properties (breaking force, extensibility, tensile strength, stiffness, toughness) were evaluated. For the latter, resistance to flow was addressed as the flow velocity at which individuals detached. Under near‐ and far‐future OW and OA, individuals fully balanced their acid‐base status, but skeletal growth was halved. TF adhesive properties were not affected by treatments. Compared to the control, mechanical properties were in general improved under pH_T7.7 while in the extreme treatment (21°C‐pH_T7.4) breaking force was diminished. Three behavioral strategies were implemented by sea urchins and acted together to cope with flow: improving TF attachment, streamlining, and escaping. Behavioral responses varied according to treatment and flow velocity. For instance, individuals at 21°C‐pH_T7.4 increased the density of attached TF at slow flows or controlled TF detachment at fast flows to compensate for weakened TF mechanical properties. They also showed an absence of streamlining favoring an escaping behavior as they ventured in a riskier faster movement at slow flows. At faster flows, the effects of OW and OA were detrimental causing earlier dislodgment. These plastic behaviors reflect a potential scope for acclimation in the field, where this species already experiences diel temperature and pH fluctuations.     

Studies on the Decomposition of Sinalbin

In the mustard paste, sinalbin is hydrolyzed by myrosinase to p-hydroxybenzyl isothiocyanate (I), sinapine acid sulfate and glucose. It was found that the three decomposition products were formed from sinalbin, and two of them were isolated from the mustard paste and identified as p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (II) and di-(p-hydroxybenzyl)-disulfide (IV), respectively. II was a major product and IV was a minor product.