Review of the literature on negative health risks based interventions to guide anabolic steroid misuse prevention

Background. Despite the Internet and the WorldWideWeb providing ready access to information on the risks and health consequences of AS misuse for all ages, AS use remains a public health concern. The aim of this narrative review is to examine the ability of negative health consequences information (NHCI) to prevent adolescent AS misuse in the era of the Internet information revolution. Methods. A search of the literature published between January 2000 and March 2014 was conducted to identify studies that examined the effect of NHCI on AS use and other healthrelated social cognitive constructs and behavior in adolescent samples. Results. No empirical study was found that specifically investigated the isolated effect of NHCI on AS use. Other health-related intervention studies - involving adolescents - showed that the severity of the consequences tied to social disapproval can be more effective than the severity tied to health consequences. Relevance of NHCI can operate as a moderator or a mediator of the relationship between NHCI and social cognitive constructs and behavior change. Pre-existing knowledge about negative health consequences functions as a mediator of the relationship between NHCI and social cognitive constructs and outcomes. Conclusion. The best way to understand the effect of NHCI on social cognitive constructs and behavior is to consider it in a larger nomological network that includes perceived severity, vulnerability, relevance and pre-existing knowledge. The review highlights gaps in the literature and suggests directions for future research. Implications for prevention programs are discussed

A composite biochemical system for bacterial nitrate and nitrite assimilation as exemplified by Paracoccus denitrificans

The denitrifying bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans can grow aerobically or anaerobically using nitrate or nitrite as the sole nitrogen source. The biochemical pathway responsible is expressed from a gene cluster comprising a nitrate/nitrite transporter (NasA), nitrite transporter (NasH), nitrite reductase (NasB), ferredoxin (NasG) and nitrate reductase (NasC). NasB and NasG are essential for growth with nitrate or nitrite as the nitrogen source. NADH serves as the electron donor for nitrate and nitrite reduction, but only NasB has a NADH-oxidizing domain. Nitrate and nitrite reductase activities show the same Km for NADH and can be separated by anion-exchange chromatography, but only fractions containing NasB retain the ability to oxidize NADH. This implies that NasG mediates electron flux from the NADH-oxidizing site in NasB to the sites of nitrate and nitrite reduction in NasC and NasB respectively. Delivery of extracellular nitrate to NasBGC is mediated by NasA, but both NasA and NasH contribute to nitrite uptake. The roles of NasA and NasC can be substituted during anaerobic growth by the biochemically distinct membrane-bound respiratory nitrate reductase (Nar), demonstrating functional overlap. nasG is highly conserved in nitrate/nitrite assimilation gene clusters, which is consistent with a key role for the NasG ferredoxin, as part of a phylogenetically widespread composite nitrate and nitrite reductase system