An enzymatic system has been isolated that catalyzes dihydroxylation of phthalate to form 1,2-dihydroxy-4,5-dicarboxy-3,5-cyclohexadiene with consumption of NADH and O2. This system is comprised of two proteins: a flavo-iron-sulfur protein with NADH-dependent oxidoreductase activity and a nonheme iron protein with oxygenase activity. Phthalate oxygenase is a large (approximately 217 kDa) protei...

Rhodococcus sp. strain DK17 exhibits a catabolite repression-like response when provided simultaneously with benzoate and phthalate as carbon and energy sources. Benzoate in the medium is depleted to detection limits before the utilization of phthalate begins. The transcription of the genes encoding benzoate and phthalate dioxygenase paralleled the substrate utilization profile. Two mutant stra...

Propolis is a resinous Bee hive product and has been long used in folk medicine of different nations as early as 3000 BC. Stingless bees are indigenous pollinators of treasured herbal plants. Propolis of stingless bees is a natural, strongly adhesive mixture made of bee secretions and plant resins. Stingless bee Propolis exhibit a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities that vary depending ...

We investigate the variation of the driving force for crystallization of a supercooled liquid along isomorphs, curves along which structure and dynamics are invariant. The variation is weak, and can be predicted accurately for the Lennard-Jones fluid using a recently developed formalism and data at a reference temperature. More general analysis allows interpretation of experimental data for mol...

BACKGROUND Although urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites are frequently used as biomarkers in epidemiologic studies, variability during pregnancy has not been characterized. METHODS We measured phthalate metabolite concentrations in spot urine samples collected from 246 pregnant Dominican and African-American women. Twenty-eight women had repeat urine samples collected over a 6-wee...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the influence of phthalate exposure on lung function in the Canadian population. METHODS We tested the association between 1-second forced expiratory volume (FEVl), forced vital capacity (FVC), and urinary phthalate metabolite levels in a nationally representative sample of 3147, from 6 to 49 years old. RESULTS An interquartile increase in mono-n-butyl phthalate was...

Although there is some evidence supporting the existence of an association between prenatal maternal or postnatal child's urine phthalate metabolite concentrations and poor attentional performances, the interaction between urine phthalate metabolite levels and genetic variation for neuropsychological deficit of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has not been examined. The aim of th...