A stoichiometric reaction scheme for Saccharothrix algeriensis growth and thiolutin production

A new bacterial species, Saccharothrix algeriensis NRRL B-24137, was isolated in 1992 in the Sahara desert. This filamentous bacterium is able to produce dithiolopyrrolones, molecules presenting antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer properties. In this study, a “reaction engineering” approach was adopted to gain more knowledge on the growth of Sa. algeriensis and its dithiolopyrrolone production on a semi-synthetic liquid medium. The objective is to establish a reaction scheme of the bacterium metabolism from extracellular experimental information, relatively easy to obtain. The approach enabled us to show that Sa. algeriensis could grow using several substrates that were sequentially consumed and that substrate limitation may induce a secondary metabolism in antibiotic production. From these qualitative data, a general reaction scheme was extracted consisting of four reactions: growth via amino acids, glucose consumption for maintenance, growth using glucose, and thiolutin production. The stoichiometric coefficients and the reaction extends were identified using a factorial analysis based on the bilinear structure of the component mass balances in a batch reactor. The analysis of the reaction stoichiometry enabled us to draw some conclusions concerning the substrate consumption pathway

Psychological risk factors for compulsive exercise : a longitudinal investigation of adolescent boys and girls

Compulsive exercise is associated with unhealthy outcomes and is common among eating disorder populations. This study aimed to replicate previous cross-sectional work by considering psychological characteristics as longitudinal predictors of compulsive exercise. A sample of 369 adolescents (n = 221 female, n = 148 male) completed measures of compulsive exercise, eating disorder psychopathology, obsessive–compulsiveness, perfectionism, anxiety, and depression at baseline, and a measure of compulsive exercise two years later. For boys, greater obsessive–compulsiveness and self-oriented perfectionism predicted compulsive exercise, whilst among girls only baseline compulsive exercise was a significant predictor. Compulsive exercise prevention work among boys may benefit from targeting their levels of obsessive–compulsiveness and self-perfectionism. For girls, further risk factor research into compulsive exercise is required

Activity-related parenting practices : development of the parenting related to activity measure (PRAM) and links with mothers' eating psychopathology and compulsive exercise beliefs

This is a two-study paper that developed a measure to assess parenting practices related to children's physical activity and explored maternal predictors of such parenting practices. Study 1: A self-report measure of parents' activity-related practices (the Parenting Related to Activity Measure) was developed, and a principal component analysis was carried out using data from 233 mothers of 4.5- to 9-year-old children. The results supported a six-factor model and yielded the following subscales: Responsibility/monitoring; Activity regulation; Control of active behaviours; Overweight concern; Rewarding parenting; and Pressure to exercise. Study 2: Mothers (N = 170) completed the Parenting Related to Activity Measure, alongside measures of eating psychopathology and compulsive exercise, to identify predictors of activity-related parenting practices. Mothers' eating psychopathology and exercise beliefs predicted activity parenting practices with their sons and daughters, but different predictors were seen for mothers of daughters versus sons. Mothers' eating and exercise attitudes are important predictors of their activity-related parenting practices, particularly with girls. Identifying early interactions around activity/exercise could be important in preventing the development of problematic beliefs about exercise, which are often a key symptom of eating disorders. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association

Unintentional role models : links between maternal eating psychopathology and the modelling of eating behaviours

This study explored the relationships between maternal modelling of eating behaviours with reported symptoms of maternal eating psychopathology, anxiety and depression. Mothers (N = 264) with a child aged 1.5 to 8 years completed three self-report measures designed to assess modelling of eating behaviours, eating psychopathology and levels of anxiety and depression. The study found that higher levels of maternal eating psychopathology were positively associated with eating behaviours that were unintentionally modelled by mothers but that maternal eating psychopathology was not associated with more overt/intentional forms of parental modelling. In addition, higher levels of maternal depression were associated with lower levels of both unintentional and intentional forms of maternal modelling, whereas maternal anxiety was not found to correlate with modelling behaviours. This study highlights the possible detrimental influences of maternal mental health in relation to mothers providing their child with a positive parental role model around eating and feeding

Maternal feeding practices and children's eating behaviours : a comparison of mothers with healthy weight versus overweight/obesity

This study aimed to explore differences between mothers with healthy weight versus overweight/obesity in a wide range of their reported child feeding practices and their reports of their children's eating behaviours. Mothers (N = 437) with a 2-6-year-old child participated. They comprised two groups, based on their BMI: healthy weight (BMI of 18.0–24.9, inclusive) or overweight/obese (BMI of 25.0 or more). All mothers provided demographic information and completed self-report measures of their child feeding practices and their child's eating behaviour. In comparison to mothers with healthy weight, mothers who were overweight/obese reported giving their child more control around eating (p < 0.001), but encouraged less balance and variety around food (p = 0.029). They also had a less healthy home food environment (p = 0.021) and demonstrated less modelling of healthy eating in front of their children (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in mothers' use of controlling feeding practices, such as pressure to eat or restriction, based on their own weight status. Mothers with overweight/obesity reported their children to have a greater desire for drinks (p = 0.003), be more responsive to satiety (p = 0.007), and be slower eaters (p = 0.034). Mothers with overweight/obesity appear to engage in generally less healthy feeding practices with their children than mothers with healthy weight, and mothers with overweight/obesity perceive their children as more avoidant about food but not drinks. Such findings are likely to inform future intervention developments and help health workers and clinicians to better support mothers with overweight/obesity with implementing healthful feeding practices and promoting healthy eating habits in their children

Free movement? The impact of legislation, benefit generosity and wages on the pensions of European migrants

European economic integration has always involved a commitment to the free movement of labour, services and capital. However, the development by European institutions of specific rights with respect to labour mobility has been slow. This paper explores this issue from the perspective of pension rights, among the most long-lasting for citizens. It shows that the literature on this topic has focussed mainly on EU regulations; their scope and limitations. The paper argues that, while important, this work has led to the neglect of a more fundamental issue: the potential impact on mobility of the relative generosity of pension schemes and large national wealth variations, an increasingly salient issue since the expansion of the EU into Eastern and Central Europe. Thus, on the basis of a detailed review of dominant intra-EU migratory patterns, the paper investigates the impact on pension rights of movement between Beveridgean and Bismarckian pension systems and between countries of substantially different wealth. It shows that lower income workers who move from Beveridgean to Bismarckian countries would be most at risk of pension losses. However, such movement is unusual: instead the majority of intra-European migrants move from Bismarckian systems of low generosity in the poorer east to Beveridgean and more generous Bismarckian in the richer west. Workers who make this move are more likely to experience pension gains than losses. For them, free movement is achieved.<br/

Workforce commuting and subjective well-being

Commuting to and from work can constitute a significant proportion of a person’s day and can have a considerable impact on one’s well-being. Using the UK Time Use Survey (UKTUS) dataset, the experienced well-being effects of commuting, in terms of enjoyment, were evaluated relative to other daily activities. Commutes using passive modes of transport (e.g., car, train) were found to be the least enjoyable activities carried out in the day. Commuting using active modes of transport (e.g., cycle, walk) was also amongst the least enjoyable activities, although enjoyment of active commuting was significantly higher than that of passive commuting. This paper also assessed differences in the experienced well-being of other daily activities (such as working and physical exercise) during the workday between those who did and those who did not commute. Using a series of multilevel analyses, commuting was shown to have little impact on an individual’s enjoyment of the other daily activities in which they partake. Enjoyment of all daily activities was found to be just as high on workdays on which participants commuted using active modes of transport as on non-commuting workdays. With the exception of only Personal Care activities and Sleep, there were no meaningful differences in enjoyment of any daily activities between any of the three commuting workday groups and non-commuting workdays

Environmental Effects of Coal Tar-Based Pavement Rejuvenators

Coal tar-based pavement products, including sealcoats and rejuvenators, have been under scrutiny due to the presence of high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the coal tar base. Researchers have found that PAHs mobilize from coal tar sealcoats, primarily through the formation of PAH-laden dust particles. Coal tar-based sealcoats have been banned in many locations in the U.S. due to the concerns over carcinogenic and mutagenic effects of the PAHs they contain. The purpose of this project was to quantify PAHs mobilized from a coal tar-based rejuvenator by evaluating site samples for total PAHs. Total PAH concentrations provided a snapshot of the possible environmental and health risks of coal tar-based products used for pavement maintenance