Residents' diverse perspectives of the impact of neighbourhood renewal on quality of life and physical activity engagement: improvements but unresolved issues

Few studies have been published on the reactions of residents to modifications of their residential landscape. We explored residents' experiences of home zone remodelling and construction of a new cycle-walkway in a deprived neighbourhood with a particular focus on aspects of quality of life and physical activity participation. Focus groups (n=5 groups, 21 individuals) were used to investigate residents' perceptions of the effects of neighbourhood change on their lives. Consultation by planners was received positively. Several aspects of the neighbourhood were perceived to have improved, including spatial aesthetics, lighting and streetscape planting. However, influence on physical activity was minimal. Car-focused behaviour and ownership remained dominant, and safety related concerns limited behavioural choices. Residents highlighted many socio-environmental challenges that remained such as sense of neighbourhood safety, poor public transport provision, people's parking behaviour locally, and problem neighbours, and these tended to dominate conversations. Infrastructural intervention may be one important part of multi-layered solutions to improved neighbourhood life.

Synthesis and properties of triplex-forming oligonucleotides containing 2'-O-(2-methoxyethyl)-5-(3-aminoprop-1-ynyl)-uridine

2'-O-(2-Methoxyethyl)-5-(3-aminoprop-1-ynyl)-uridine phosphoramidite (MEPU) has been synthesized from d-ribose and 5-iodouracil and incorporated into triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) by automated solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis. The TFOs gave very high triplex stability with their target duplexes as measured by ultraviolet/fluorescence melting and DNase I footprinting. The incorporation of MEPU into TFOs renders them resistant to degradation by serum nucleases.

Processes associated with participation and adherence to a 12-month exercise programme for adults aged 70 and older

This study investigated the processes associated with the engagement of adults aged 70 years and older in a 12-month long research-based structured exercise programme. A sample of 21 participants (Mean age (SD) 75.8 (3.9); 14 females) and six exercise class leaders or researchers involved in the programme participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were analysed with the principles of interpretive qualitative analysis. Our findings suggest that a programme that runs locally, provides individual attention/tailoring, delivers meaningful benefits, offers a staged approach to efficacy building, creates a sense of ownership, and provides intergenerational support and opportunities for social interaction, facilitates exercise engagement in later life.

Physically active families - de-bunking the myth? A qualitative study of family participation in physical activity

BACKGROUND

The benefits of physical activity for reducing obesity and related chronic diseases are well known. The need for more family-based interventions to increase physical activity is frequently cited in the literature; however, little is known about if and how families are physically active together, and what factors might influence family-based participation in regular physical activity. This study examined the types of activities (physical and sedentary) engaged in as a family and explored parents' perceptions of the importance, frequency, nature and barriers to family physical activity.

METHODS

Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 30 parents (26 female, four male) of 10- to 11-year-old schoolchildren who attended either low, middle or high socio-economic status schools in Bristol, UK. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, anonymized and analysed using conventional content analysis.

RESULTS

The majority of parents rated family engagement in physical activity as important, and identified benefits such as increased parent-child communication, spending time together, enjoyment, enhanced mental health, weight control and physical fitness. Despite these benefits most parents reported their families did little or no physical activity together as a family unit during the week, and any activities performed together were usually sedentary in nature. They reported increased family physical activity on the weekends but rarely including the full family unit simultaneously. Parents in two-parent households commonly paired off with one or more children because of complexities of schedules. Commonly reported barriers were busy lifestyles, diverse ages and interests of children and adults, bad weather, and lack of access to facilities, transportation and money to support activities.

CONCLUSIONS

Family-based interventions might be more effective if they are designed to accommodate the complex demands and needs of two-parent and single-parent families and provide affordable, diverse activities appealing to a wide range of interests.

DNase I footprinting

Footprinting is a method for determining the sequence selectivity of DNA-binding compounds in which ligands protect DNA from cleavage at their binding sites. Footprinting templates are typically 50-200 base pairs long, and DNase I is the most commonly used nuclease for these experiments. This chapter describes the preparation and labelling of suitable DNA footprinting substrates, the footprinting experiment itself, and the way in which these data can be used to estimate the dissociation constant of the interaction.

Potent triple helix stabilization by 5',3'-modified triplex-forming oligonucleotides

Anthraquinone and pyrene analogues attached to the 3' and/or 5' termini of triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) by various linkers increased the stability of parallel triple helices. The modifications are simple to synthesize and can be introduced during standard solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis. Potent triplex stability was achieved by using doubly modified TFOs, which in the most favourable cases gave an increase in melting temperature of 30 degrees C over the unmodified counterparts and maintained their selectivity for the correct target duplex. Such TFOs can produce triplexes with melting temperatures of 40 degrees C at pH 7 even though they do not contain any triplex-stabilizing base analogues. These studies have implications for the design of triplex-forming oligonucleotides for use in biology and nanotechnology.

Response of Staphylococcus aureus to subinhibitory concentrations of a sequence-selective, DNA minor groove cross-linking pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimer

OBJECTIVES

ELB-21 is a pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine dimer with potent antistaphylococcal activity; it binds covalently to guanine residues on opposing strands of duplex DNA, interfering with regulatory proteins and transcription elongation in a sequence-selective manner. Transcriptional and proteomic alterations induced by exposure of Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolate EMRSA-16 to ELB-21 were determined in order to define more precisely the bactericidal mechanism of the drug.

METHODS

DNase I footprinting was used to identify high-affinity DNA binding sites. Microarrays and gel electrophoresis were used to assess the ELB-21-induced phenotype.

RESULTS

High-affinity interstrand binding sites in which guanine residues were separated by 4 bp, and also some intrastrand cross-linking sites of variable length were identified. Exposure of EMRSA-16 to 0.015 mg/L ELB-21 elicited a 2-fold or greater up-regulation of 168 genes in logarithmic phase and 181 genes in stationary phase; the majority of genes affected were associated with resident prophages Sa2 and Sa3, pathogenicity island SaPI4 and DNA damage repair. ELB-21 induced a marked increase in the number of viable phage particles in culture supernatants. The expression of only a limited number of genes showed a >50% reduction. Sixteen extracellular and four intracellular proteins were differentially expressed during logarithmic and stationary phases, including RecA, proteins associated with staphylococcal pathogenesis (IsaA, CspA), cell division and wall synthesis.

CONCLUSIONS

ELB-21 kills S. aureus by forming multiple interstrand and intrastrand DNA cross-links, resulting in induction of the DNA damage response, derepression of resident prophages and modulation of a limited number of genes involved with cell wall synthesis.

The stability of triplex DNA is affected by the stability of the underlying duplex

We have studied the formation of DNA triple helices in different sequence contexts and show that, for the most stable triplexes, their apparent stability is affected by the stability of the underlying duplex. For a 14-mer parallel triplex-forming oligonucleotide (generating C(+).GC and T.AT triplets) at pH 5.0 the T(m) is more than 10 degrees C lower with an intermolecular 14-mer duplex target, than it is with an intramolecular duplex, or one which is flanked by 6 GC base pairs at either end. A similar effect is seen with triplex-forming oligonucleotides that contain stabilising analogues, for which the T(m) is higher for an intramolecular than an intermolecular duplex target. These results suggest that the use of simple intermolecular duplex targets may underestimate the triplex stabilisation that is produced by some nucleotide analogues.

Assessing the additional impact of fitness training in depressed psychiatric patients receiving multifaceted treatment: a replicated single-subject design

PURPOSE

Exercise has been put forward as a therapeutic means for the treatment of clinical depression.

METHODS

In this study, 29 patients, all with diagnosed with mood disorder, completed daily measurements of depression and physical well-being during periods ranging from 77 to 436 days (M = 146.5). Fitness training was added to the treatment after a period and changes before (A-phase) and after (B-phase) the implementation of this training were the subject of investigation. Data were analysed by means of randomization tests with an AB-design and time-series analysis. Replication of the findings was investigated using Fisher's multiplicative method.

RESULTS

Adding fitness training to the treatment of clinical depression does not systematically lead to changes in self-reported feelings of depression on top of benefits that may be due to other treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

Since the present findings are not in agreement with previous studies, the absence of statistically significant changes in self-reported feelings of depression is discussed within the complexity of the 'exercise - depression' relationship in inpatient populations. These included the severity of their depression, the potential ceiling effect of a multifaceted treatment programme and the initial increase in depression due to the confrontational nature of the intervention.

Biaryl polyamides as a new class of DNA quadruplex-binding ligands

We report a novel class of biaryl polyamides highly selective for G-quadruplex DNA, and with significant cytotoxicity in several cancer cell lines; they form planar U-shaped structures that match the surface area dimensions of a terminal G-quartet in quadruplex structures rather than the grooves of duplex DNA.

HER-2/neu over-expressing DCIS phenotypes and the transition from in situ to invasive breast cancer: implications for breast cancer prevention

Abstract #1161

Background: Prognostically significant invasive breast cancer subtypes, distinguishable through immunohistochemistry for ER, PR and HER-2/neu expression, have recently been identified. The implication of similar phenotypic patterns in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) lesions remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to determine whether DCIS phenotypes are associated with different rates of progression to invasive cancer.
 Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for ER, PR and HER-2/neu was performed on biopsy and resection specimens from consecutive patients evaluated with DCIS between March 2003 and May 2008. DCIS lesions were characterized as luminal A (ER+ or PR+, HER-2/neu-), luminal B (ER+ or PR+, HER-2/neu+), HER-2/neu positive (ER- and PR-, HER-2/neu+) or basal-like (ER-, PR- and HER-2/neu-). All patients underwent breast MRI and those patients with evidence of invasive disease greater than 1cm in largest dimension were excluded from the analysis. Rates of invasive disease associated with DCIS lesions with different phenotypes were compared using a chi square test. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between phenotype and invasion adjusting for patient age, lesion size, nuclear grade, and the presence of comedo necrosis.
 Results: One hundred and seven patients were included in the analysis. Luminal A was the most common phenotype and accounted for 59% of lesions (63/107). Associated invasive disease was identified in 6 patients with such lesions (10%). The HER-2/neu positive phenotype accounted for 21% of lesions (23/107). Invasive disease was identified in 8 patients with such lesions (35%). Seventeen patients had luminal B DCIS (16%) and 8 of these patients had associated invasive disease (47%). Basal-like lesions were uncommon; only four patients with such lesions were identified. The rates of invasion differed significantly between groups (overall rxc chi square p=0.002). By univariate analysis, the rates of invasion associated with luminal B and HER-2/neu positive phenotypes were significantly higher than the rate of invasion associated with the luminal A phenotype (p<0.001 and p=0.005, respectively). Luminal B DCIS was significantly associated with invasive disease after multivariate adjustment (OR=11.1 p <0.001).
 Discussion: Invasive foci are more commonly associated with HER-2/neu over-expressing DCIS phenotypes. Moreover, co-expression of HER-2/neu and ER in DCIS lesions is an independent predictor for the presence of associated invasive disease. Novel therapies targeting HER-2/neu in addition to anti-estrogen therapies may, therefore, play a role in breast cancer prevention.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 1161.

DNA triplex formation with 5-dimethylaminopropargyl deoxyuridine

We have prepared triplex-forming oligonucleotides containing the nucleotide analogue 5-dimethylaminopropargyl deoxyuridine (DMAPdU) in place of thymidine and examined their ability to form intermolecular triple helices by thermal melting and DNase I footprinting studies. The results were compared with those for oligonucleotides containing 5-aminopropargyl-dU (APdU), 5-guanidinopropargyl-dU (GPdU) and 5-propynyl dU (PdU). We find that DMAPdU enhances triplex stability relative to T, though slightly less than the other analogues that bear positive charges (T << PdU < DMAPdU < APdU < GPdU). For oligonucleotides that contain multiple substitutions with DMAPdU dispersed residues are more effective than clustered combinations. DMAPdU will be especially useful as a nucleotide analogue as, unlike APdU and GPdU, the base does not require protection during oligonucleotide synthesis and it can therefore be used with other derivatives that require mild deprotection conditions.

2'-o-dimethylaminoethoxyuridine and 5-dimethylaminopropargyl deoxyuridine for at base pair recognition in triple helices

The nucleoside analogues 2'-O-dimethylaminoethoxy uridine and 5-dimethylaminopropargyl deoxyuridine have been synthesised and incorporated into oligonucleotides. Their triplex-stabilising properties have been determined in fluorescence melting experiments.

CG base pair recognition within DNA triple helices using N-methyl-3H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2(7H)-one nucleoside analogues

Triplex-mediated recognition of Py.Pu base pairs in DNA is a greater challenge than for Pu.Py base pairs as fewer hydrogen bonds are presented for binding in the major groove. Initial studies on m-aminophenyl-modified analogues of the bicyclic nucleoside N-methyl-3H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2(7 H)-one suggest that selective recognition of the CG base pair is possible.

Photoinduced crosslinking of double-helical DNA by psoralen covalently linked to a triple helix-forming oligonucleotide under near-physiological conditions

Stable triplexes have been generated under near-physiological conditions by the introduction of the C and T base analogues 3-methyl-2-aminopyridine-2'-deoxyriboside and 5-(3-aminoprop-2-ynyl)-'-deoxyuridine into psoralen-conjugated triplex-forming oligonucleotides. After irradiation with UV light at 365 nm, photo-induced cross-linking of the TFO to double-helical DNA was observed by UV-melting analysis and fluorescence measurements.

Synthesis of anthraquinone oligonucleotides for triplex stabilization

The synthesis of two anthraquinone phosphoramidites is described. In both cases the anthraquinone moiety is attached via a linker to the 5-position of a uracil base, allowing incorporation at any thymidine position in an oligonucleotide sequence. Anthraquinone-modified oligonucleotides have potential applications as triplex stabilizers and fluorescence quenchers.

Magnetic resonance imaging of abdominal adiposity in a large cohort of British children

OBJECTIVE

To describe abdominal adipose tissue distribution in a large sample of contemporary British children; to determine the influence of gender, stage of maturation and body mass index (BMI) on abdominal adipose tissue distribution; and to compare the ability of BMI and waist circumference to predict abdominal adipose tissue.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A total of 74 boys (mean age 13.4+/-0.4 years) and 96 girls (mean age 13.5+/-0.5 years) were selected from volunteer children enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Height, weight and waist circumference were measured and BMI calculated. Stage of sexual maturation was available for 113 children using a self-report questionnaire based on Tanner's criteria. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAAT) and intra-abdominal adipose tissue (IAAT) volumes and patterning.

RESULTS

Boys had lower levels of IAAT (P=0.036) and SAAT (P=0.003) than girls. IAAT and SAAT were higher in overweight and obese boys and girls when compared with normal weight children (P<0.0001). This pattern was also reflected in waist circumference groups. Boys had higher IAAT/SAAT ratios than girls, indicating proportionately more adipose tissue deposited intra-abdominally (P=0.002). However, both boys and girls deposited less than 10% of their abdominal fat as internal adipose tissue. WC predicted 67.4% of the variance in IAAT (P<0.001), and BMI predicted 84.8% of the variance in SAAT (P<0.001). However, BMI as the best single predictor explained only 8.4% of the variance in the IAAT/SAAT ratio (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

At this age and stage of sexual maturation, the amount of IAAT remains relatively small. WC and BMI offer a feasible alternative to the MRI estimation of IAAT and SAAT, respectively, in a population-based sample of boys and girls. International Journal of Obesity (2008) 32, 91-99; doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803780; published online 27 November 2007.