Consciousness: a unique way of processing information.

PubMed

Marchetti, Giorgio

2018-02-08

In this article, I argue that consciousness is a unique way of processing information, in that: it produces information, rather than purely transmitting it; the information it produces is meaningful for us; the meaning it has is always individuated. This uniqueness allows us to process information on the basis of our personal needs and ever-changing interactions with the environment, and consequently to act autonomously. Three main basic cognitive processes contribute to realize this unique way of information processing: the self, attention and working memory. The self, which is primarily expressed via the central and peripheral nervous systems, maps our body, the environment, and our relations with the environment. It is the primary means by which the complexity inherent to our composite structure is reduced into the "single voice" of a unique individual. It provides a reference system that (albeit evolving) is sufficiently stable to define the variations that will be used as the raw material for the construction of conscious information. Attention allows for the selection of those variations in the state of the self that are most relevant in the given situation. Attention originates and is deployed from a single locus inside our body, which represents the center of the self, around which all our conscious experiences are organized. Whatever is focused by attention appears in our consciousness as possessing a spatial quality defined by this center and the direction toward which attention is focused. In addition, attention determines two other features of conscious experience: periodicity and phenomenal quality. Self and attention are necessary but not sufficient for conscious information to be produced. Complex forms of conscious experiences, such as the various modes of givenness of conscious experience and the stream of consciousness, need a working memory mechanism to assemble the basic pieces of information selected by attention.

On the Design of Forgiving Biometric Security Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phan, Raphael C.-W.; Whitley, John N.; Parish, David J.

This work aims to highlight the fundamental issue surrounding biometric security systems: it’s all very nice until a biometric is forged, but what do we do after that? Granted, biometric systems are by physical nature supposedly much harder to forge than other factors of authentication since biometrics on a human body are by right unique to the particular human person. Yet it is also due to this physical nature that makes it much more catastrophic when a forgery does occur, because it implies that this uniqueness has been forged as well, threatening the human individuality; and since crime has by convention relied on identifying suspects by biometric characteristics, loss of this biometric uniqueness has devastating consequences on the freedom and basic human rights of the victimized individual. This uniqueness forgery implication also raises the motivation on the adversary to forge since a successful forgery leads to much more impersonation situations when biometric systems are used i.e. physical presence at crime scenes, identification and access to security systems and premises, access to financial accounts and hence the ability to use the victim’s finances. Depending on the gains, a desperate highly motivated adversary may even resort to directly obtaining the victim’s biometric parts by force e.g. severing the parts from the victim’s body; this poses a risk and threat not just to the individual’s uniqueness claim but also to personal safety and well being. One may then wonder if it is worth putting one’s assets, property and safety into the hands of biometrics based systems when the consequences of biometric forgery far outweigh the consequences of system compromises when no biometrics are used.

Individual differences in episodic memory abilities predict successful prospective memory output monitoring.

PubMed

Hunter Ball, B; Pitães, Margarida; Brewer, Gene A

2018-02-07

Output monitoring refers to memory for one's previously completed actions. In the context of prospective memory (PM) (e.g., remembering to take medication), failures of output monitoring can result in repetitions and omissions of planned actions (e.g., over- or under-medication). To be successful in output monitoring paradigms, participants must flexibly control attention to detect PM cues as well as engage controlled retrieval of previous actions whenever a particular cue is encountered. The current study examined individual differences in output monitoring abilities in a group of younger adults differing in attention control (AC) and episodic memory (EM) abilities. The results showed that AC ability uniquely predicted successful cue detection on the first presentation, whereas EM ability uniquely predicted successful output monitoring on the second presentation. The current study highlights the importance of examining external correlates of PM abilities and contributes to the growing body of research on individual differences in PM.

Evaluating Sensory Processing in Fragile X Syndrome: Psychometric Analysis of the Brain Body Center Sensory Scales (BBCSS).

PubMed

Kolacz, Jacek; Raspa, Melissa; Heilman, Keri J; Porges, Stephen W

2018-06-01

Individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS), especially those co-diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), face many sensory processing challenges. However, sensory processing measures informed by neurophysiology are lacking. This paper describes the development and psychometric properties of a parent/caregiver report, the Brain-Body Center Sensory Scales (BBCSS), based on Polyvagal Theory. Parents/guardians reported on 333 individuals with FXS, 41% with ASD features. Factor structure using a split-sample exploratory-confirmatory design conformed to neurophysiological predictions. Internal consistency, test-retest, and inter-rater reliability were good to excellent. BBCSS subscales converged with the Sensory Profile and Sensory Experiences Questionnaire. However, data also suggest that BBCSS subscales reflect unique features related to sensory processing. Individuals with FXS and ASD features displayed more sensory challenges on most subscales.

Differences in myoelectric and body-powered upper-limb prostheses: Systematic literature review.

PubMed

Carey, Stephanie L; Lura, Derek J; Highsmith, M Jason

2015-01-01

The choice of a myoelectric or body-powered upper-limb prosthesis can be determined using factors including control, function, feedback, cosmesis, and rejection. Although body-powered and myoelectric control strategies offer unique functions, many prosthesis users must choose one. A systematic review was conducted to determine differences between myoelectric and body-powered prostheses to inform evidence-based clinical practice regarding prescription of these devices and training of users. A search of 9 databases identified 462 unique publications. Ultimately, 31 of them were included and 11 empirical evidence statements were developed. Conflicting evidence has been found in terms of the relative functional performance of body-powered and myoelectric prostheses. Body-powered prostheses have been shown to have advantages in durability, training time, frequency of adjustment, maintenance, and feedback; however, they could still benefit from improvements of control. Myoelectric prostheses have been shown to improve cosmesis and phantom-limb pain and are more accepted for light=intensity work. Currently, evidence is insufficient to conclude that either system provides a significant general advantage. Prosthetic selection should be based on a patient's individual needs and include personal preferences, prosthetic experience, and functional needs. This work demonstrates that there is a lack of empirical evidence regarding functional differences in upper-limb prostheses.

Nosewitness Identification: Effects of Negative Emotion

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Jacqueline; Rocha, Marta; Silva, Carlos F.; Olsson, Mats J.

2015-01-01

Every individual has a unique body odor (BO), similar to a fingerprint. In forensic research, identification of culprit BOs has been performed by trained dogs, but not by humans. We introduce the concept of nosewitness identification and present the first experimental results on BO memory in witness situations involving violent crimes. Two experiments indicated that BO associated with male characters in authentic videos could later be identified in BO lineup tests well above chance. Moreover, culprit BO in emotional crime videos could be identified considerably better than the BO of a male person in neutral videos. This indicates that nosewitness identification benefits from emotional encoding. Altogether, the study testifies to the virtue of body odor as a cue to identify individuals observed under negative emotion. PMID:25612211

An investigation of the joint longitudinal trajectories of low body weight, binge eating, and purging in women with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

PubMed Central

Lavender, Jason M.; De Young, Kyle P.; Franko, Debra L.; Eddy, Kamryn T.; Kass, Andrea E.; Sears, Meredith S.; Herzog, David B.

2015-01-01

Objectives To describe the longitudinal course of three core eating disorder symptoms – low body weight, binge eating, and purging – in women with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) using a novel statistical approach. Method Treatment-seeking women with AN (n=136) or BN (n=110) completed the Eating Disorders Longitudinal Interval Follow-Up Evaluation interview every six months, yielding weekly eating disorder symptom data for a five-year period. Semi-parametric mixture modeling was used to identify longitudinal trajectories for the three core symptoms. Results Four individual trajectories were identified for each eating disorder symptom. The number and general shape of the individual trajectories was similar across symptoms, with each model including trajectories depicting stable absence and stable presence of symptoms as well as one or more trajectories depicting the declining presence of symptoms. Unique trajectories were found for low body weight (fluctuating presence) and purging (increasing presence). Conjunction analyses yielded the following joint trajectories: low body weight and binge eating, low body weight and purging, and binge eating and purging. Conclusions The course of individual eating disorder symptoms among patients with AN and BN is highly variable. Future research identifying clinical predictors of trajectory membership may inform treatment and nosological research. PMID:22072404

An investigation of the joint longitudinal trajectories of low body weight, binge eating, and purging in women with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Lavender, Jason M; De Young, Kyle P; Franko, Debra L; Eddy, Kamryn T; Kass, Andrea E; Sears, Meredith S; Herzog, David B

2011-12-01

To describe the longitudinal course of three core eating disorder symptoms-low body weight, binge eating, and purging-in women with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) using a novel statistical approach. Treatment-seeking women with AN (n = 136) or BN (n = 110) completed the Eating Disorders Longitudinal Interval Follow-Up Evaluation interview every 6 months, yielding weekly eating disorder symptom data for a 5-year period. Semiparametric mixture modeling was used to identify longitudinal trajectories for the three core symptoms. Four individual trajectories were identified for each eating disorder symptom. The number and general shape of the individual trajectories was similar across symptoms, with each model including trajectories depicting stable absence and stable presence of symptoms as well as one or more trajectories depicting the declining presence of symptoms. Unique trajectories were found for low body weight (fluctuating presence) and purging (increasing presence). Conjunction analyses yielded the following joint trajectories: low body weight and binge eating, low body weight and purging, and binge eating and purging. The course of individual eating disorder symptoms among patients with AN and BN is highly variable. Future research identifying clinical predictors of trajectory membership may inform treatment and nosological research. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Facial Recognition in a Discus Fish (Cichlidae): Experimental Approach Using Digital Models

PubMed Central

Satoh, Shun; Tanaka, Hirokazu; Kohda, Masanori

2016-01-01

A number of mammals and birds are known to be capable of visually discriminating between familiar and unfamiliar individuals, depending on facial patterns in some species. Many fish also visually recognize other conspecifics individually, and previous studies report that facial color patterns can be an initial signal for individual recognition. For example, a cichlid fish and a damselfish will use individual-specific color patterns that develop only in the facial area. However, it remains to be determined whether the facial area is an especially favorable site for visual signals in fish, and if so why? The monogamous discus fish, Symphysopdon aequifasciatus (Cichlidae), is capable of visually distinguishing its pair-partner from other conspecifics. Discus fish have individual-specific coloration patterns on entire body including the facial area, frontal head, trunk and vertical fins. If the facial area is an inherently important site for the visual cues, this species will use facial patterns for individual recognition, but otherwise they will use patterns on other body parts as well. We used modified digital models to examine whether discus fish use only facial coloration for individual recognition. Digital models of four different combinations of familiar and unfamiliar fish faces and bodies were displayed in frontal and lateral views. Focal fish frequently performed partner-specific displays towards partner-face models, and did aggressive displays towards models of non-partner’s faces. We conclude that to identify individuals this fish does not depend on frontal color patterns but does on lateral facial color patterns, although they have unique color patterns on the other parts of body. We discuss the significance of facial coloration for individual recognition in fish compared with birds and mammals. PMID:27191162

Facial Recognition in a Discus Fish (Cichlidae): Experimental Approach Using Digital Models.

PubMed

Satoh, Shun; Tanaka, Hirokazu; Kohda, Masanori

2016-01-01

A number of mammals and birds are known to be capable of visually discriminating between familiar and unfamiliar individuals, depending on facial patterns in some species. Many fish also visually recognize other conspecifics individually, and previous studies report that facial color patterns can be an initial signal for individual recognition. For example, a cichlid fish and a damselfish will use individual-specific color patterns that develop only in the facial area. However, it remains to be determined whether the facial area is an especially favorable site for visual signals in fish, and if so why? The monogamous discus fish, Symphysopdon aequifasciatus (Cichlidae), is capable of visually distinguishing its pair-partner from other conspecifics. Discus fish have individual-specific coloration patterns on entire body including the facial area, frontal head, trunk and vertical fins. If the facial area is an inherently important site for the visual cues, this species will use facial patterns for individual recognition, but otherwise they will use patterns on other body parts as well. We used modified digital models to examine whether discus fish use only facial coloration for individual recognition. Digital models of four different combinations of familiar and unfamiliar fish faces and bodies were displayed in frontal and lateral views. Focal fish frequently performed partner-specific displays towards partner-face models, and did aggressive displays towards models of non-partner's faces. We conclude that to identify individuals this fish does not depend on frontal color patterns but does on lateral facial color patterns, although they have unique color patterns on the other parts of body. We discuss the significance of facial coloration for individual recognition in fish compared with birds and mammals.

Modeling The Skeleton Weight of an Adult Caucasian Man.

PubMed

Avtandilashvili, Maia; Tolmachev, Sergei Y

2018-05-17

The reference value for the skeleton weight of an adult male (10.5 kg) recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection in Publication 70 is based on weights of dissected skeletons from 44 individuals, including two U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries whole-body donors. The International Commission on Radiological Protection analysis of anatomical data from 31 individuals with known values of body height demonstrated significant correlation between skeleton weight and body height. The corresponding regression equation, Wskel (kg) = -10.7 + 0.119 × H (cm), published in International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 70 is typically used to estimate the skeleton weight from body height. Currently, the U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries holds data on individual bone weights from a total of 40 male whole-body donors, which has provided a unique opportunity to update the International Commission on Radiological Protection skeleton weight vs. body height equation. The original International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 70 and the new U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries data were combined in a set of 69 data points representing a group of 33- to 95-y-old individuals with body heights and skeleton weights ranging from 155 to 188 cm and 6.5 to 13.4 kg, respectively. Data were fitted with a linear least-squares regression. A significant correlation between the two parameters was observed (r = 0.28), and an updated skeleton weight vs. body height equation was derived: Wskel (kg) = -6.5 + 0.093 × H (cm). In addition, a correlation of skeleton weight with multiple variables including body height, body weight, and age was evaluated using multiple regression analysis, and a corresponding fit equation was derived: Wskel (kg) = -0.25 + 0.046 × H (cm) + 0.036 × Wbody (kg) - 0.012 × A (y). These equations will be used to estimate skeleton weights and, ultimately, total skeletal actinide activities for biokinetic modeling of U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries partial-body donation cases.

Supporting Young Children with Multiple Disabilities: What Do We Know and What Do We Still Need to Learn?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, Eva; Kang, Jean

2012-01-01

Young children with multiple disabilities have unique needs and challenges. Many of these young children struggle to communicate their wants and needs, to freely move their body to access and engage their world, and to learn abstract concepts and ideas. Professionals and families working together must identify the individual supports each child…

Understanding Unique Effects of Parental Incarceration on Children: Challenges, Progress, and Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Elizabeth I.; Easterling, Beth

2012-01-01

Growth in U.S. incarceration rates during the 1980s and 1990s prompted a body of research focused on understanding the diverse effects of incarceration on individuals, families, and communities. An area of particular interest has been how the incarceration of a parent may affect child well-being. Despite what appears to be converging evidence that…

Nonmedical prescription stimulant use for suppressing appetite and controlling body weight is uniquely associated with more severe eating disorder symptomatology.

PubMed

Kilwein, Tess M; Goodman, Erica L; Looby, Alison; De Young, Kyle P

2016-08-01

Nonmedical prescription stimulant use (NPS; i.e., use without a prescription or in ways other than prescribed) to suppress appetite or control weight appears to be associated with eating disorder (ED) symptomatology among college students. However, it remains unknown if this relationship is motive-specific and uniquely related to ED symptomatology. This research examined whether engaging in NPS specifically for appetite/weight-related purposes is associated with ED symptomatology and a unique indicator of more severe symptomatology. A nonclinical sample of college students (N = 668; 79% female) reported eating disorder symptoms via the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory and Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire, and lifetime history of NPS and corresponding motives. Binge eating, body dissatisfaction, negative attitudes towards obesity, restricting, purging, and cognitive restraint were reported more frequently by students who endorsed NPS for weight/appetite-related purposes than by those who used for other purposes or denied lifetime NPS. Additionally, NPS for appetite/weight-related purposes was uniquely associated with ED symptomatology after adjusting for gender, lifetime NPS, and past-month binge eating and purging. Engaging in NPS for appetite/weight-related purposes is a unique indicator of ED symptomatology, highlighting the need to query for this behavior among individuals with an ED. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:813-816). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bridging Body and Mind: Considerations for Trauma-Informed Yoga.

PubMed

Justice, Lauren; Brems, Christiane; Ehlers, Karrie

2018-02-08

Individuals who suffer from trauma-related symptoms are a unique population that could benefit from the mind-body practice of yoga-or have their symptoms reactivated by it, depending on the type of yoga. Trauma-informed yoga (TIY), that is, yoga adapted to the unique needs of individuals working to overcome trauma, may ameliorate symptoms by creating a safe, tailored practice for students to learn how to respond, rather than react, to symptoms and circumstances. Yoga not thus adapted, on the other hand, may increase reactivity and activate symptoms such as hyperarousal or dissociation. This article reports on expert input about adapting yoga for individuals with trauma, with special considerations for military populations. Eleven experts, recruited based on literature review and referrals, were interviewed in person or via telephone and asked seven questions about trauma-informed yoga. Verbatim transcripts were subjected to open-coding thematic analysis and a priori themes. Findings revealed that TIY needs to emphasize beneficial practices (e.g., diaphragmatic breath and restorative postures), consider contraindications (e.g., avoiding sequences that overly engage the sympathetic nervous system), adapt to limitations and challenges for teaching in unconventional settings (e.g., prisons, VA hospitals), and provide specialized training and preparation (e.g., specialized TIY certifications, self-care of instructors/therapists, adaptions for student needs). TIY for veterans must additionally consider gender- and culture-related barriers, differing relationships to pain and injury, and medication as a barrier to practice.

Small body size and extreme cortical bone remodeling indicate phyletic dwarfism in Magyarosaurus dacus (Sauropoda: Titanosauria)

PubMed Central

Stein, Koen; Csiki, Zoltan; Rogers, Kristina Curry; Weishampel, David B.; Redelstorff, Ragna; Carballido, Jose L.; Sander, P. Martin

2010-01-01

Sauropods were the largest terrestrial tetrapods (>105 kg) in Earth's history and grew at rates that rival those of extant mammals. Magyarosaurus dacus, a titanosaurian sauropod from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of Romania, is known exclusively from small individuals (<103 kg) and conflicts with the idea that all sauropods were massive. The diminutive M. dacus was a classical example of island dwarfism (phyletic nanism) in dinosaurs, but a recent study suggested that the small Romanian titanosaurs actually represent juveniles of a larger-bodied taxon. Here we present strong histological evidence that M. dacus was indeed a dwarf (phyletic nanoid). Bone histological analysis of an ontogenetic series of Magyarosaurus limb bones indicates that even the smallest Magyarosaurus specimens exhibit a bone microstructure identical to fully mature or old individuals of other sauropod taxa. Comparison of histologies with large-bodied sauropods suggests that Magyarosaurus had an extremely reduced growth rate, but had retained high basal metabolic rates typical for sauropods. The uniquely decreased growth rate and diminutive body size in Magyarosaurus were adaptations to life on a Cretaceous island and show that sauropod dinosaurs were not exempt from general ecological principles limiting body size. PMID:20435913

Small body size and extreme cortical bone remodeling indicate phyletic dwarfism in Magyarosaurus dacus (Sauropoda: Titanosauria).

PubMed

Stein, Koen; Csiki, Zoltan; Rogers, Kristina Curry; Weishampel, David B; Redelstorff, Ragna; Carballido, Jose L; Sander, P Martin

2010-05-18

Sauropods were the largest terrestrial tetrapods (>10(5) kg) in Earth's history and grew at rates that rival those of extant mammals. Magyarosaurus dacus, a titanosaurian sauropod from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of Romania, is known exclusively from small individuals (<10(3) kg) and conflicts with the idea that all sauropods were massive. The diminutive M. dacus was a classical example of island dwarfism (phyletic nanism) in dinosaurs, but a recent study suggested that the small Romanian titanosaurs actually represent juveniles of a larger-bodied taxon. Here we present strong histological evidence that M. dacus was indeed a dwarf (phyletic nanoid). Bone histological analysis of an ontogenetic series of Magyarosaurus limb bones indicates that even the smallest Magyarosaurus specimens exhibit a bone microstructure identical to fully mature or old individuals of other sauropod taxa. Comparison of histologies with large-bodied sauropods suggests that Magyarosaurus had an extremely reduced growth rate, but had retained high basal metabolic rates typical for sauropods. The uniquely decreased growth rate and diminutive body size in Magyarosaurus were adaptations to life on a Cretaceous island and show that sauropod dinosaurs were not exempt from general ecological principles limiting body size.

In situ adaptive response to climate and habitat quality variation: spatial and temporal variation in European badger (Meles meles) body weight.

PubMed

Byrne, Andrew W; Fogarty, Ursula; O'Keeffe, James; Newman, Chris

2015-09-01

Variation in climatic and habitat conditions can affect populations through a variety of mechanisms, and these relationships can act at different temporal and spatial scales. Using post-mortem badger body weight records from 15 878 individuals captured across the Republic of Ireland (7224 setts across ca. 15 000 km(2) ; 2009-2012), we employed a hierarchical multilevel mixed model to evaluate the effects of climate (rainfall and temperature) and habitat quality (landscape suitability), while controlling for local abundance (unique badgers caught/sett/year). Body weight was affected strongly by temperature across a number of temporal scales (preceding month or season), with badgers being heavier if preceding temperatures (particularly during winter/spring) were warmer than the long-term seasonal mean. There was less support for rainfall across different temporal scales, although badgers did exhibit heavier weights when greater rainfall occurred one or 2 months prior to capture. Badgers were also heavier in areas with higher landscape habitat quality, modulated by the number of individuals captured per sett, consistent with density-dependent effects reducing weights. Overall, the mean badger body weight of culled individuals rose during the study period (2009-2012), more so for males than for females. With predicted increases in temperature, and rainfall, augmented by ongoing agricultural land conversion in this region, we project heavier individual badger body weights in the future. Increased body weight has been associated with higher fecundity, recruitment and survival rates in badgers, due to improved food availability and energetic budgets. We thus predict that climate change could increase the badger population across the Republic of Ireland. Nevertheless, we emphasize that, locally, populations could still be vulnerable to extreme weather variability coupled with detrimental agricultural practice, including population management. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The new functional identity: a body that thinks, a mind that feels - Frontiers and unexplored territories of the "Body and Mind zone".

PubMed

Spurio, Maria Grazia

2016-09-01

For a long time, terms like "mind" and "emotion" have rarely been taken into account, not even mentioned in the medical texts. The latest scientific researches, including the studies of Candace Pert, on the contrary, have emphasized that the entire body thinks, because every single cell hears, and feels emotions. The international researcher has discovered the endocrines and a vast number of neuropeptides, that work as an "information network" that interconnects the entire body, the "psychic" molecules are transmitted and travel, communicating information as in a circular and recursive body - mind mechanism. This is a sort of body and mind functional identity, which is different in each person, because each person is a unique universe, and the body is the place where mind and body meet in a unique and unrepeatable alchemy. So, if it is true that only in the body the secret of its potential for development and transformation is well hidden, it is also true that this secret is unique for each of us. Then, the strategic therapy becomes 'tailor-made', and the knowledge of the body component is essential to unlock behavior patterns and planning new ones, in order to improve relationships and the quality of life, and enhance the sense of well-being. People are not as simple containers which merely record external incitements, on the contrary, they are able to evaluate and weigh what happens around. Depending on the meaning attributed to each stimulus, a stress response of different magnitude and duration is activated, this can be considered functional or dysfunctional. Many recent studies, in fact, states that there is a significant correlation between the coping strategy chosen and the onset of a disease. According to the theory of 'psychogenic tumor', for example, anyone can potentially develop cancer, but only those who do not have the psychological strength to resist disease get sick. No matter what is the theoretical framework and the conclusion adopted, we go towards a consensus of considering body and mind as a part of a unique and complex functional identity. As a consequence of this completely new approach on how to consider the wellbeing and health, researchers suggest that the goal of a satisfactory physical and mental balance can be achieved through a transversal approach to the various disciplines (psychotherapy, surgical, nutritionist, medical aesthetics and medicine in general). According to this bio-psycho-social approach, each person should be approached in his entirety, bodily and psychological; each individual should be 'hosted' in a sort of 'Body and Mind' zone, where the entire body is able to think.

Functional Neuronal Processing of Human Body Odors

PubMed Central

Lundström, Johan N.; Olsson, Mats J.

2013-01-01

Body odors carry informational cues of great importance for individuals across a wide range of species, and signals hidden within the body odor cocktail are known to regulate several key behaviors in animals. For a long time, the notion that humans may be among these species has been dismissed. We now know, however, that each human has a unique odor signature that carries information related to his or her genetic makeup, as well as information about personal environmental variables, such as diet and hygiene. Although a substantial number of studies have investigated the behavioral effects of body odors, only a handful have studied central processing. Recent studies have, however, demonstrated that the human brain responds to fear signals hidden within the body odor cocktail, is able to extract kin specific signals, and processes body odors differently than other perceptually similar odors. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the current knowledge of how the human brain processes body odors and the potential importance these signals have for us in everyday life. PMID:20831940

Individual-specific antibody identification methods

DOEpatents

Francoeur, Ann -Michele

1989-11-14

An identification method, applicable to the identification of animals or inanimate objects, is described. The method takes advantage of a hithertofore unknown set of individual-specific, or IS antibodies, that are part of the unique antibody repertoire present in animals, by reacting an effective amount of IS antibodies with a particular panel, or n-dimensional array (where n is typically one or two) consisting of an effective amount of many different antigens (typically greater than one thousand), to give antibody-antigen complexes. The profile or pattern formed by the antigen-antibody complexes, termed an antibody fingerprint, when revealed by an effective amount of an appropriate detector molecule, is uniquely representative of a particular individual. The method can similarly by used to distinguish genetically, or otherwise similar individuals, or their body parts containing IS antibodies. Identification of inanimate objects, particularly security documents, is similarly affected by associating with the documents, an effective amount of a particular individual's IS antibodies, or conversely, a particular panel of antigens, and forming antibody-antigen complexes with a particular panel of antigens, or a particular individual's IS antibodies, respectively. One embodiment of the instant identification method, termed the blocked fingerprint assay, has applications in the area of allergy testing, autoimmune diagnostics and therapeutics, and the detection of environmental antigens such as pathogens, chemicals, and toxins.

Mortality affects adaptive allocation to growth and reproduction: field evidence from a guild of body snatchers

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The probability of being killed by external factors (extrinsic mortality) should influence how individuals allocate limited resources to the competing processes of growth and reproduction. Increased extrinsic mortality should select for decreased allocation to growth and for increased reproductive effort. This study presents perhaps the first clear cross-species test of this hypothesis, capitalizing on the unique properties offered by a diverse guild of parasitic castrators (body snatchers). I quantify growth, reproductive effort, and expected extrinsic mortality for several species that, despite being different species, use the same species' phenotype for growth and survival. These are eight trematode parasitic castrators—the individuals of which infect and take over the bodies of the same host species—and their uninfected host, the California horn snail. Results As predicted, across species, growth decreased with increased extrinsic mortality, while reproductive effort increased with increased extrinsic mortality. The trematode parasitic castrator species (operating stolen host bodies) that were more likely to be killed by dominant species allocated less to growth and relatively more to current reproduction than did species with greater life expectancies. Both genders of uninfected snails fit into the patterns observed for the parasitic castrator species, allocating as much to growth and to current reproduction as expected given their probability of reproductive death (castration by trematode parasites). Additionally, species differences appeared to represent species-specific adaptations, not general plastic responses to local mortality risk. Conclusions Broadly, this research illustrates that parasitic castrator guilds can allow unique comparative tests discerning the forces promoting adaptive evolution. The specific findings of this study support the hypothesis that extrinsic mortality influences species differences in growth and reproduction. PMID:20459643

Curatorial implications of Ophyra capensis (Order Diptera, Family Muscidae) puparia recovered from the body of the Blessed Antonio Patrizi, Monticiano, Italy (Middle Ages).

PubMed

Morrow, Johnica J; Baldwin, Diesel A; Higley, Leon; Piombino-Mascali, Dario; Reinhard, Karl J

2015-11-01

The discovery of dipteran remains on mummified individuals can lead to either cause for curatorial concern or to a better understanding of the individual's post-mortem environment. The present study analyzed insect remains associated with the body of a unique medieval mummy of religious significance, that of the Blessed Antonio Patrizi da Monticiano. A total of 79 puparia were examined and all were identified as Ophyra capensis (Diptera: Muscidae). Additionally, a desiccated moth (Lepidoptera: Tineidae) was encountered. Puparia of O. capensis would be associated with normal decomposition shortly after the death of the mummified individual, and not an infestation beginning during more recent years. Similarly, the tineid moth found would likely be related with decomposition of cloth associated with the remains. These findings illustrate how collection and identification of insects associated with human remains can distinguish between historical decomposition versus issues of modern curatorial concern. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Individual variation affects departure rate from the natal pond in an ephemeral pond-breeding anuran

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chelgren, N.D.; Rosenberg, D.K.; Heppell, S.S.; Gitelman, A.I.

2008-01-01

Frogs exhibit extreme plasticity and individual variation in growth and behavior during metamorphosis, driven by interactions of intrinsic state factors and extrinsic environmental factors. In northern red-legged frogs (Rana aurora Baird and Girard, 1852), we studied the timing of departure from the natal pond as it relates to date and size of individuals at metamorphosis in the context of environmental uncertainty. To affect body size at metamorphosis, we manipulated food availability during the larval stage for a sample (317) of 1045 uniquely marked individuals and released them at their natal ponds as newly metamorphosed frogs. We recaptured 34% of marked frogs in pitfall traps as they departed and related the timing of their initial terrestrial movements to individual properties using a time-to-event model. Median age at first capture was 4 and 9 days postmetamorphosis at two sites. The rate of departure was positively related to body size and to date of metamorphosis. Departure rate was strongly negatively related to time elapsed since rainfall, and this effect was diminished for smaller and later metamorphosing frogs. Individual variation in metamorphic traits thus affects individuals' responses to environmental variability, supporting a behavioral link with variation in survival associated with these same metamorphic traits. ?? 2008 NRC.

Genomic individuality and its biological implications.

PubMed

Zhao, J

1996-06-01

It is a widely accepted fundamental concept that all somatic genomes of a human individual are identical to each other. The theoretical basis of this concept is that all of these somatic genomes are the descendants of the genome of a single fertilized cell as well as the simple replicated products of asexual reproduction, thus not forming any new recombined genomes. The question here is whether such a concept might only represent one side of somatic genome biology and, even worse, whether it has perhaps already led to a very prevalent misconception that within the organism body, there exists no variability among individual somatic genomes. A hypothesis, called genomic individuality, is proposed, simply saying that every individual somatic genome, perhaps with rare exceptions, has its own unique or individual 'genetic identity' or 'fingerprint', which is characterized by its distinctive sequences or patterns of deoxyribonucleic acid molecules, or both. Thus, no two somatic genomes can be identical to each other in every or all aspects, and consequently, there must be a great deal of genomic variation present within the body of any multicellular organism. The concept or hypothesis of genomic individuality would not only provide a more complete understanding of genome biology, but also suggest a new insight into the studies of the biology of cells and organisms.

Feeding rates and under-ice foraging strategies of the smallest lunge filter feeder, the Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis).

PubMed

Friedlaender, A S; Goldbogen, J A; Nowacek, D P; Read, A J; Johnston, D; Gales, N

2014-08-15

Body size and feeding mode are two fundamental characteristics that determine foraging performance and ecological niche. As the smallest obligate lunge filter feeders, minke whales represent an ideal system for studying the physical and energetic limits of filter feeding in endotherms. We used multi-sensor suction cup tags to quantify the feeding performance of Antarctic minke whales. Foraging dives around and beneath sea ice contained up to 24 lunges per dive, the highest feeding rates for any lunge-feeding whale. Their small size allows minke whales access to krill in sea-ice environments not easily accessible to larger baleen whales. Furthermore, their ability to filter feed provides an advantage over other smaller sympatric krill predators such as penguins and seals that feed on individual prey. The unique combination of body size, feeding mechanism and sea-ice habitat of Antarctic minke whales defines a previously undocumented energetic niche that is unique among aquatic vertebrates. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Biocompatibility assessment of synthetic sling materials for female stress urinary incontinence.

PubMed

Gomelsky, Alex; Dmochowski, Roger R

2007-10-01

We evaluated the performance and complications of currently available synthetic sling materials with a focus on in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility, and acceptance in the human body. We reviewed the MEDLINE database for relevant literature pertaining to various synthetic sling materials. The Food and Drug Administration regulations regarding the regulation and biocompatibility testing of synthetic meshes were also reviewed. Many synthetic meshes used for sling construction were introduced before rigorous Food and Drug Administration regulations were passed and, thus, some became associated with unique complications. Most meshes used in pubovaginal and mid urethral sling surgery are associated with high short-term success rates and relatively few intraoperative complications. Despite modifications and additives, slings constructed from polytetrafluoroethylene and polyethylene are poorly accepted by the human body. Flexible, macroporous, polypropylene meshes appear to integrate more completely with human tissue than other synthetic materials. However, multifilament and nonknitted polypropylene slings may integrate poorly. The composition, weave and pore size of each material are unique. These properties are responsible for the strength and durability of the material, as well as the ultimate acceptance and incorporation in the human body. Each material should be individually evaluated and patients should be counseled appropriately before implantation.

Wandering in both mind and body: individual differences in mind wandering and inattention predict fidgeting.

PubMed

Carriere, Jonathan S A; Seli, Paul; Smilek, Daniel

2013-03-01

Anecdotal reports suggest that during periods of inattention or mind wandering, people tend to experience increased fidgeting. In four studies, we examined whether individual differences in the tendency to be inattentive and to mind wander in everyday life are related to the tendency to make spontaneous and involuntary movements (i.e., to fidget). To do so, we developed self-report measures of spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering, as well as a self-report scale to index fidgeting. In addition, we used several existing self-report measures of inattentiveness, attentional control, and memory failures. Across our studies, a series of multiple regression analyses indicated that fidgeting was uniquely predicted by inattentiveness and spontaneous mind wandering but not by other related factors, including deliberate mind wandering, attentional control, and memory failures. As a result, we suggest that only spontaneously wandering thoughts are related to a wandering body.

Molecular characterization of the human microbiome from a reproductive perspective.

PubMed

Mor, Amir; Driggers, Paul H; Segars, James H

2015-12-01

The process of reproduction inherently poses unique microbial challenges because it requires the transfer of gametes from one individual to the other, meanwhile preserving the integrity of the gametes and individuals from harmful microbes during the process. Advances in molecular biology techniques have expanded our understanding of the natural organisms living on and in our bodies, including those inhabiting the reproductive tract. Over the past two decades accumulating evidence has shown that the human microbiome is tightly related to health and disease states involving the different body systems, including the reproductive system. Here we introduce the science involved in the study of the human microbiome. We examine common methods currently used to characterize the human microbiome as an inseparable part of the reproductive system. Finally, we consider a few limitations, clinical implications, and the critical need for additional research in the field of human fertility. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Unique associations between young adult men's emotional functioning and their body dissatisfaction and disordered eating.

PubMed

Griffiths, Scott; Angus, Douglas; Murray, Stuart B; Touyz, Stephen

2014-03-01

Research on emotional functioning, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating in males is predominated by studies of negative affect and emotion regulation. Other aspects of emotional functioning, namely emotion recognition and attentional biases toward emotional stimuli, have received little empirical attention. The present study investigated the unique associations between different aspects of men's emotional functioning and their disordered eating attitudes, muscularity dissatisfaction, and body fat dissatisfaction. Results from 132 male undergraduates showed that muscularity dissatisfaction was uniquely associated with both emotion regulation difficulties and an attentional bias toward rejecting faces. Body fat dissatisfaction was not uniquely associated with any aspect of emotional functioning. Disordered eating was uniquely associated with emotion regulation difficulties. Collectively, the results indicate differences in the patterns of associations between men's emotional functioning and their body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parametric excitation and squeezing in a many-body spinor condensate

PubMed Central

Hoang, T. M.; Anquez, M.; Robbins, B. A.; Yang, X. Y.; Land, B. J.; Hamley, C. D.; Chapman, M. S.

2016-01-01

Atomic spins are usually manipulated using radio frequency or microwave fields to excite Rabi oscillations between different spin states. These are single-particle quantum control techniques that perform ideally with individual particles or non-interacting ensembles. In many-body systems, inter-particle interactions are unavoidable; however, interactions can be used to realize new control schemes unique to interacting systems. Here we demonstrate a many-body control scheme to coherently excite and control the quantum spin states of an atomic Bose gas that realizes parametric excitation of many-body collective spin states by time varying the relative strength of the Zeeman and spin-dependent collisional interaction energies at multiples of the natural frequency of the system. Although parametric excitation of a classical system is ineffective from the ground state, we show that in our experiment, parametric excitation from the quantum ground state leads to the generation of quantum squeezed states. PMID:27044675

Medical Sequencing at the extremes of Human Body Mass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahituv, Nadav; Kavaslar, Nihan; Schackwitz, Wendy

2006-09-01

Body weight is a quantitative trait with significantheritability in humans. To identify potential genetic contributors tothis phenotype, we resequenced the coding exons and splice junctions of58 genes in 379 obese and 378 lean individuals. Our 96Mb survey included21 genes associated with monogenic forms of obesity in humans or mice, aswell as 37 genes that function in body weight-related pathways. We foundthat the monogenic obesity-associated gene group was enriched for rarenonsynonymous variants unique to the obese (n=46) versus lean (n=26)populations. Computational analysis further predicted a significantlygreater fraction of deleterious variants within the obese cohort.Consistent with the complex inheritance of body weight,more » we did notobserve obvious familial segregation in the majority of the 28 availablekindreds. Taken together, these data suggest that multiple rare alleleswith variable penetrance contribute to obesity in the population andprovide a deep medical sequencing based approach to detectthem.« less

Parametric excitation and squeezing in a many-body spinor condensate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, T. M.; Anquez, M.; Robbins, B. A.; Yang, X. Y.; Land, B. J.; Hamley, C. D.; Chapman, M. S.

2016-04-01

Atomic spins are usually manipulated using radio frequency or microwave fields to excite Rabi oscillations between different spin states. These are single-particle quantum control techniques that perform ideally with individual particles or non-interacting ensembles. In many-body systems, inter-particle interactions are unavoidable; however, interactions can be used to realize new control schemes unique to interacting systems. Here we demonstrate a many-body control scheme to coherently excite and control the quantum spin states of an atomic Bose gas that realizes parametric excitation of many-body collective spin states by time varying the relative strength of the Zeeman and spin-dependent collisional interaction energies at multiples of the natural frequency of the system. Although parametric excitation of a classical system is ineffective from the ground state, we show that in our experiment, parametric excitation from the quantum ground state leads to the generation of quantum squeezed states.

Solar Ready Vets Curriculum Design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dalstrom, Tenley

The 5-week SRV program includes four sets of program learning goals aligned around (1) the NABCEP Entry Level body of knowledge; (2) gaining hands-on experience with solar system site analysis, design, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and financial considerations; (3) Safety issues unique to solar + OSHA 30; (4) Transition planning and individual support of entry into the solar industry. These goals, and the learning objectives associate with each, are pursued in parallel during the course.

Enhancing lifestyle for individuals with haemophilia through physical activity and exercise: the role of physiotherapy.

PubMed

Wittmeier, K; Mulder, K

2007-09-01

For individuals with haemophilia, the benefits of many forms of physical activity outweigh their risks. Although activities with significant trauma risk should be avoided, persons who have haemophilia can participate in, enjoy and even excel in a variety of physical activities and sports. Both the National Hemophilia Foundation and the World Foundation of Hemophilia have produced documents to guide individuals with haemophilia and their healthcare professionals, coaches and parents in developing physical activity programmes and participation in sports. Physical activity guidelines for promoting health benefits exist worldwide and can be incorporated into individualized exercise programmes to ensure that a person with haemophilia is not only choosing appropriate activities, but also improving overall health and preparing the body to manage haemophilia better. Physiotherapy treatment is paramount in helping individuals prevent, manage and optimally recover from bleeds. Furthermore, the physical therapist, along with the haemophilia care team, can assist in preparing an individual to begin or progress to a physical activity programme that enhances fitness level, body composition and overall well-being. This article presents the unique role of the physiotherapist in facilitating safe participation in quality physical activity in the context of risks, benefits and activity recommendations. Participation in physical activity from an early age is ideal to facilitate the development of body awareness and capability and to foster the adoption of a physically active lifestyle; however, it is never too late to start. Consistent participation in quality physical activity beginning at any age is central to managing haemophilia and, equally important, to achieving overall health and well-being.

Functional neuronal processing of human body odors.

PubMed

Lundström, Johan N; Olsson, Mats J

2010-01-01

Body odors carry informational cues of great importance for individuals across a wide range of species, and signals hidden within the body odor cocktail are known to regulate several key behaviors in animals. For a long time, the notion that humans may be among these species has been dismissed. We now know, however, that each human has a unique odor signature that carries information related to his or her genetic makeup, as well as information about personal environmental variables, such as diet and hygiene. Although a substantial number of studies have investigated the behavioral effects of body odors, only a handful have studied central processing. Recent studies have, however, demonstrated that the human brain responds to fear signals hidden within the body odor cocktail, is able to extract kin specific signals, and processes body odors differently than other perceptually similar odors. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the current knowledge of how the human brain processes body odors and the potential importance these signals have for us in everyday life. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of body mass distribution on the ontogeny of positional behaviors in non-human primates: Longitudinal follow-up of infant captive olive baboons (Papio anubis).

PubMed

Druelle, François; Aerts, Peter; Berillon, Gilles

2016-11-01

The diversity of primates' positional capabilities is unique among mammals. Indeed, they exhibit a daily repertoire composed of various locomotor and postural modes that may be linked to their particular morphological pattern. Because ontogeny undergoes parallel behavioral and morphological modifications, it may be useful to investigate the biomechanical consequences of the changing body shape. We, therefore, collected accurate quantitative and longitudinal data on positional behaviors, body mass distribution patterns, activities, and environment on a sample of six infant olive baboons, Papio anubis. These baboons are kept at the Primatology Station of the CNRS, France, where they live within the same social group. Individual behaviors were quantified using the focal sampling method. The body mass distribution was estimated according to a geometric model based on direct external measurements. Multivariate analysis enabled us to analyze the interactions between the data. Our results show that body mass distribution changes together with the ontogenetic changes in positional behaviors. At an early age, individuals have distally heavy segment masses in the limbs and an important fraction of the behavioral repertoire involves efficient grasping abilities. At the end of infancy, the same individuals have relatively more mass in proximal segments of the limbs and the proportion of quadrupedal walking is significantly higher while other climbing and suspensory behaviors decreased substantially. The present study experimentally confirms the association between body mass distribution and the positional repertoire of primates. These relationships, when interpreted in the context of basic biomechanical concepts, may improve our understanding of primate locomotion. We discuss further the implications of these functional relationships when modeling the evolutionary pathway of primates. Am. J. Primatol. 78:1201-1221, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Principal Component and Linkage Analysis of Cardiovascular Risk Traits in the Norfolk Isolate

PubMed Central

Cox, Hannah C.; Bellis, Claire; Lea, Rod A.; Quinlan, Sharon; Hughes, Roger; Dyer, Thomas; Charlesworth, Jac; Blangero, John; Griffiths, Lyn R.

2009-01-01

Objective(s) An individual's risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) is influenced by genetic factors. This study focussed on mapping genetic loci for CVD-risk traits in a unique population isolate derived from Norfolk Island. Methods This investigation focussed on 377 individuals descended from the population founders. Principal component analysis was used to extract orthogonal components from 11 cardiovascular risk traits. Multipoint variance component methods were used to assess genome-wide linkage using SOLAR to the derived factors. A total of 285 of the 377 related individuals were informative for linkage analysis. Results A total of 4 principal components accounting for 83% of the total variance were derived. Principal component 1 was loaded with body size indicators; principal component 2 with body size, cholesterol and triglyceride levels; principal component 3 with the blood pressures; and principal component 4 with LDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol levels. Suggestive evidence of linkage for principal component 2 (h2 = 0.35) was observed on chromosome 5q35 (LOD = 1.85; p = 0.0008). While peak regions on chromosome 10p11.2 (LOD = 1.27; p = 0.005) and 12q13 (LOD = 1.63; p = 0.003) were observed to segregate with principal components 1 (h2 = 0.33) and 4 (h2 = 0.42), respectively. Conclusion(s): This study investigated a number of CVD risk traits in a unique isolated population. Findings support the clustering of CVD risk traits and provide interesting evidence of a region on chromosome 5q35 segregating with weight, waist circumference, HDL-c and total triglyceride levels. PMID:19339786

Embedded Journalists Are Uniquely Qualified to Convey the Experience of a Combat Soldier

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

endangered themselves for the group by getting pregnant and giving birth. I’m sure the mortality rate among women , among our ancestors, was...you, old men with their talk, women who offer chai—and any one of them may dance over your body tomorrow.”6 Turner is describing the disturbing...armed force was necessary for survival. Individual sacrifice for the group was absolutely a prerequisite for belonging to the group. Women , of course

Universality and correlations in individuals wandering through an online extremist space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Z.; Zheng, M.; Vorobyeva, Y.; Song, C.; Johnson, N. F.

2018-03-01

The "out of the blue" nature of recent terror attacks and the diversity of apparent motives highlight the importance of understanding the online trajectories that individuals follow prior to developing high levels of extremist support. Here we show that the physics of stochastic walks, with and without temporal correlation, provides a unifying description of these online trajectories. Our unique data set comprising all users of a global social media site reveals universal characteristics in individuals' online lifetimes. Our accompanying theory generates analytical and numerical solutions that describe the characteristics shown by individuals that go on to develop high levels of extremist support and those that do not. Going forward, it is conceivable that a deeper understanding of these temporal and many-body correlations may eventually contribute to the important task of better countering the spread of radical propaganda online.

Body composition status and the risk of migraine: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Gelaye, Bizu; Sacco, Simona; Brown, Wendy J; Nitchie, Haley L; Ornello, Raffaele; Peterlin, B Lee

2017-05-09

To evaluate the association between migraine and body composition status as estimated based on body mass index and WHO physical status categories. Systematic electronic database searches were conducted for relevant studies. Two independent reviewers performed data extraction and quality appraisal. Odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) were pooled using a random effects model. Significant values, weighted effect sizes, and tests of homogeneity of variance were calculated. A total of 12 studies, encompassing data from 288,981 unique participants, were included. The age- and sex-adjusted pooled risk of migraine in those with obesity was increased by 27% compared with those of normal weight (odds ratio [OR] 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-1.37, p < 0.001) and remained increased after multivariate adjustments. Although the age- and sex-adjusted pooled migraine risk was increased in overweight individuals (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.04, 1.12, p < 0.001), significance was lost after multivariate adjustments. The age- and sex-adjusted pooled risk of migraine in underweight individuals was marginally increased by 13% compared with those of normal weight (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.02, 1.24, p < 0.001) and remained increased after multivariate adjustments. The current body of evidence shows that the risk of migraine is increased in obese and underweight individuals. Studies are needed to confirm whether interventions that modify obesity status decrease the risk of migraine. © 2017 American Academy of Neurology.

Narrative environments and the capacity of disability narratives to motivate leisure-time physical activity among individuals with spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Perrier, Marie-Josée; Smith, Brett M; Latimer-Cheung, Amy E

2013-01-01

Few individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) engage in the recommended amount of leisure time physical activity (LTPA). Yet little is known about how, and why, active individuals engage in specific types of LTPA. This study explored how a unique narrative environment and disability narratives motivated individuals with SCI to engage in LTPA. Fourteen individuals with SCI from a physical activity program participated in approximately hour-long interviews. Interviews were then subjected to a narrative analysis. Individuals who used a restitution narrative (n = 6) were motivated to engage in functional LTPA because of the desire to maintain the body and restore the past self. The individual who used the chaos narrative (n = 1) preferred solitary LTPA as exposure to others with SCI was a constant reminder of the lost, pre-injury self. Individuals who used a quest narrative (n = 7) explored LTPA options that fit with their interests; these individuals were open to new types of LTPA, such as sport and outdoor recreation. The plot of three disability narratives can all motivate the pursuit of LTPA; however, not all types of LTPA are seen as equal. LTPA interventions can be enhanced through the lessons learned from this unique type of environment. Despite individuals' views about their disability, they can still be motivated to engage in routine LTPA. Different theoretical determinants, such as health or social benefits, hold different relevance for LTPA among individuals with differing disability narratives. The environment provided by practitioners can therefore elicit some stories of SCI while stifling others. Open narrative environment will attract individuals to listen and maintain involvement in LTPA.

Analyses of the Microbial Diversity across the Human Microbiome

PubMed Central

Li, Kelvin; Bihan, Monika; Yooseph, Shibu; Methé, Barbara A.

2012-01-01

Analysis of human body microbial diversity is fundamental to understanding community structure, biology and ecology. The National Institutes of Health Human Microbiome Project (HMP) has provided an unprecedented opportunity to examine microbial diversity within and across body habitats and individuals through pyrosequencing-based profiling of 16 S rRNA gene sequences (16 S) from habits of the oral, skin, distal gut, and vaginal body regions from over 200 healthy individuals enabling the application of statistical techniques. In this study, two approaches were applied to elucidate the nature and extent of human microbiome diversity. First, bootstrap and parametric curve fitting techniques were evaluated to estimate the maximum number of unique taxa, Smax, and taxa discovery rate for habitats across individuals. Next, our results demonstrated that the variation of diversity within low abundant taxa across habitats and individuals was not sufficiently quantified with standard ecological diversity indices. This impact from low abundant taxa motivated us to introduce a novel rank-based diversity measure, the Tail statistic, (“τ”), based on the standard deviation of the rank abundance curve if made symmetric by reflection around the most abundant taxon. Due to τ’s greater sensitivity to low abundant taxa, its application to diversity estimation of taxonomic units using taxonomic dependent and independent methods revealed a greater range of values recovered between individuals versus body habitats, and different patterns of diversity within habitats. The greatest range of τ values within and across individuals was found in stool, which also exhibited the most undiscovered taxa. Oral and skin habitats revealed variable diversity patterns, while vaginal habitats were consistently the least diverse. Collectively, these results demonstrate the importance, and motivate the introduction, of several visualization and analysis methods tuned specifically for next-generation sequence data, further revealing that low abundant taxa serve as an important reservoir of genetic diversity in the human microbiome. PMID:22719823

Individualized estimation of human core body temperature using noninvasive measurements.

PubMed

Laxminarayan, Srinivas; Rakesh, Vineet; Oyama, Tatsuya; Kazman, Josh B; Yanovich, Ran; Ketko, Itay; Epstein, Yoram; Morrison, Shawnda; Reifman, Jaques

2018-06-01

A rising core body temperature (T c ) during strenuous physical activity is a leading indicator of heat-injury risk. Hence, a system that can estimate T c in real time and provide early warning of an impending temperature rise may enable proactive interventions to reduce the risk of heat injuries. However, real-time field assessment of T c requires impractical invasive technologies. To address this problem, we developed a mathematical model that describes the relationships between T c and noninvasive measurements of an individual's physical activity, heart rate, and skin temperature, and two environmental variables (ambient temperature and relative humidity). A Kalman filter adapts the model parameters to each individual and provides real-time personalized T c estimates. Using data from three distinct studies, comprising 166 subjects who performed treadmill and cycle ergometer tasks under different experimental conditions, we assessed model performance via the root mean squared error (RMSE). The individualized model yielded an overall average RMSE of 0.33 (SD = 0.18)°C, allowing us to reach the same conclusions in each study as those obtained using the T c measurements. Furthermore, for 22 unique subjects whose T c exceeded 38.5°C, a potential lower T c limit of clinical relevance, the average RMSE decreased to 0.25 (SD = 0.20)°C. Importantly, these results remained robust in the presence of simulated real-world operational conditions, yielding no more than 16% worse RMSEs when measurements were missing (40%) or laden with added noise. Hence, the individualized model provides a practical means to develop an early warning system for reducing heat-injury risk. NEW & NOTEWORTHY A model that uses an individual's noninvasive measurements and environmental variables can continually "learn" the individual's heat-stress response by automatically adapting the model parameters on the fly to provide real-time individualized core body temperature estimates. This individualized model can replace impractical invasive sensors, serving as a practical and effective surrogate for core temperature monitoring.

Facial discrimination in body dysmorphic, obsessive-compulsive and social anxiety disorders.

PubMed

Hübner, Claudia; Wiesendahl, Wiebke; Kleinstäuber, Maria; Stangier, Ulrich; Kathmann, Norbert; Buhlmann, Ulrike

2016-02-28

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterized by preoccupation with perceived flaws in one's own appearance. Several risk factors such as aesthetic perceptual sensitivity have been proposed to explain BDD's unique symptomatology. Although research on facial discrimination is limited so far, the few existing studies have produced mixed results. Thus, the purpose of this study was to further examine facial discrimination in BDD. We administered a facial discrimination paradigm, which allows to assess the ability to identify slight to strong facial changes (e.g., hair loss, acne) when presented with an original (unmodified) facial image, relative to a changed (modified) facial image. The experiment was administered in individuals with BDD, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and mentally healthy controls (32 per group, respectively). Overall, groups did not differ with respect to their ability to correctly identify facial aberrations when presented with other people's faces. Our findings do not support the hypothesis of enhanced general aesthetic perceptual sensitivity in individuals with (vs. without) BDD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence Supports the Use of Soy Protein to Promote Cardiometabolic Health and Muscle Development.

PubMed

Paul, Greg; Mendelson, Garry J

2015-01-01

Consumption of adequate amounts of dietary protein can help individuals maintain a healthy body composition, especially when combined with resistance exercise and during weight loss. It is well established that dietary protein intake supports muscle development and helps reduce loss of lean body mass during weight loss. Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of soy protein intake for promoting fat loss while preserving muscle mass and supporting lean body mass gains. In fact, soy protein and animal-based proteins both support weight loss and weight maintenance equally as part of an energy-restricted diet; however, soy protein offers additional cardiometabolic advantages. Key teaching points: Soy protein is a high-quality, plant-based protein that can be consumed throughout the life span. More human clinical studies have been conducted to assess the cholesterol-lowering effects of soy protein than any other cholesterol-lowering food ingredient. Ingestion of proteins with unique and complementary characteristics like soy, whey, and casein helps resistance-trained individuals achieve significant muscle growth. Recent research supports the efficacy of consuming a combination of soy, whey, and casein after resistance exercise to extend the time period that muscle building occurs.

Almahata Sitta MS-MU-011 and MS-MU-012: Formation Conditions of Two Unusual Rocks From the Ureilite Parent Body

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mikouchi, T.; Takenouchi, A.; Zolensky, M. E.; Hoffmann, V. H.

2018-01-01

Almahata Sitta meteorites are unique polymict breccia, comprising of many different meteorite groups as individual fragments dominated by ureilite lithologies and are considered to be recovered fragments of the asteroid 2008TC3. Recently, two unusual Almahata Sitta samples (MS-MU-011 and MS-MU-012) have been reported that show close petrogenetic relationships to ureilites. MS-MU-011 is a trachyandesite mainly composed of feldspar (plagioclase and anorthoclase) and pyroxene (pigeonite and augite) having ureilitic oxygen isotopic ratios. MS-MU-012 is the first ureilite example (unbrecciated) containing primary plagioclase crystals. The findings of these two rock types are important to better understand formation conditions of ureilites and the evolution of their parent body(s). In this abstract we discuss formation conditions of these ureilite-related rocks using redox state estimate by Fe valence states of plagioclase and olivine cooling rate calculations.

Can community consciousness be a bad thing? A moderated mediation analysis of heterosexism, mental health, and body appreciation in sexual minority men

PubMed Central

Simpson, Courtney C.; Sutter, Megan; Perrin, Paul B.

2016-01-01

This study examined the connections among heterosexism, mental health, body appreciation, and community consciousness in sexual minority men. Participants (N = 89) completed a national online survey. Simultaneous multiple regression found that heterosexism explained 9.4% of the variance in body appreciation and 25.8% of the variance in mental health; mental health accounted for 28.0% of the variance in body appreciation. Within these models, harassment/rejection heterosexism was a unique positive predictor of mental health and a unique negative predictor of body appreciation; depression was a unique negative predictor of body appreciation. A moderated mediational model found that depression mediated the relationship between harassment/rejection heterosexism and body appreciation, but only in men who endorsed high community consciousness. Intervention research might benefit from helping sexual minority men explore the ways in which body image is affected by heterosexism and mental health, as well as the ways that contemporary Western gay communities might contribute to these connections. PMID:27210047

Can community consciousness be a bad thing? A moderated mediation analysis of heterosexism, mental health and body appreciation in sexual minority men.

PubMed

Simpson, Courtney C; Sutter, Megan; Perrin, Paul B

2016-11-01

This study examined the connections between heterosexism, mental health, body appreciation and community consciousness in sexual minority men (SMM). Participants (n = 89) completed a national online survey. Simultaneous multiple regressions found that heterosexism explained 9.4% of the variance in body appreciation and 25.8% of the variance in mental health; mental health accounted for 28.0% of the variance in body appreciation. Within these models, harassment/rejection heterosexism was a unique positive predictor of mental health problems and a unique negative predictor of body appreciation; depression was a unique negative predictor of body appreciation. A moderated mediational model found that depression mediated the relationship between harassment/rejection heterosexism and body appreciation, but only in men who endorsed high community consciousness. Intervention research might benefit from helping SMM explore the ways in which body image is affected by heterosexism and mental health, as well as the ways that contemporary Western gay communities might contribute to these connections.

Feeling fat in eating disorders: Testing the unique relationships between feeling fat and measures of disordered eating in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Linardon, Jake; Phillipou, Andrea; Castle, David; Newton, Richard; Harrison, Philippa; Cistullo, Leonardo L; Griffiths, Scott; Hindle, Annemarie; Brennan, Leah

2018-06-01

Although widely discussed in theories of eating disorders, the experience of "feeling fat" in this population has received little research attention. This study tested the unique relationships between feeling fat and measures of problematic eating behaviours and attitudes. Data were analysed from individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN; n = 123) and bulimia nervosa (BN; n = 51). Correlations revealed considerable unshared variance between feeling fat and shape and weight over-evaluation and depressive symptoms. Moreover, when over-evaluation and depressive symptoms were controlled, feeling fat predicted unique variance in restraint and eating concerns. Findings offer some support for the idea that feeling fat is a distinct and important component of body image concerns in eating disorders. Further research that develops a standardized measure of feeling fat is required. Further research that examines whether feeling fat is an important treatment mechanism is also needed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relating Linear and Volumetric Variables Through Body Scanning to Improve Human Interfaces in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Margerum, Sarah E.; Ferrer, Mike A.; Young, Karen S.; Rajulu, Sudhakar

2010-01-01

Designing space suits and vehicles for the diverse human population present unique challenges for the methods of traditional anthropometry. Space suits are bulky and allow the operator to shift position within the suit and inhibit the ability to identify body landmarks. Limited suit sizing options also cause variability in fit and performance between similarly sized individuals. Space vehicles are restrictive in volume in both the fit and the ability to collect data. NASA's Anthropometric and Biomechanics Facility (ABF) has utilized 3D scanning to shift from traditional linear anthropometry to explore and examine volumetric capabilities to provide anthropometric solutions for design. Overall, the key goals are to improve the human-system performance and develop new processes to aid in the design and evaluation of space systems. Four case studies are presented that illustrate the shift from purely linear analyses to an augmented volumetric toolset to predict and analyze the human within the space suit and vehicle. The first case study involves the calculation of maximal head volume to estimate total free volume in the helmet for proper air exchange. Traditional linear measurements resulted in an inaccurate representation of the head shape, yet limited data exists for the determination of a large head volume. Steps were first taken to identify and classify a maximum head volume and the resulting comparisons to the estimate are presented in this paper. This study illustrates the gap between linear components of anthropometry and the need for overall volume metrics in order to provide solutions. A second case study examines the overlay of the space suit scans and components onto scanned individuals to quantify fit and clearance to aid in sizing the suit to the individual. Restrictions in space suit size availability present unique challenges to optimally fit the individual within a limited sizing range while maintaining performance. Quantification of the clearance and fit between similarly sized individuals is critical in providing a greater understanding of the human body's function within the suit. The third case study presented in this paper explores the development of a conformal seat pan using scanning techniques, and details the challenges of volumetric analyses that were overcome in order to develop a universal seat pan that can be utilized across the entire user population. The final case study explores expanding volumetric capabilities through generation of boundary manikins. Boundary manikins are representative individuals from the population of interest that represent the extremes of the population spectrum. The ABF developed a technique to take three-dimensional scans of individuals and manipulate the scans to reflect the boundary manikins' anthropometry. In essence, this process generates a representative three-dimensional scan of an individual from anthropometry, using another individual's scanned image. The results from this process can be used in design process modeling and initial suit sizing work as a three dimensional, realistic example of individuals from the population, maintaining the variability between and correlation to the relevant dimensions of interest.

Association between birthweight and later body mass index: an individual-based pooled analysis of 27 twin cohorts participating in the CODATwins project

PubMed Central

Jelenkovic, Aline; Yokoyama, Yoshie; Sund, Reijo; Pietiläinen, Kirsi H; Hur, Yoon-Mi; Willemsen, Gonneke; Bartels, Meike; van Beijsterveldt, Toos CEM; Ooki, Syuichi; Saudino, Kimberly J; Stazi, Maria A; Fagnani, Corrado; D’Ippolito, Cristina; Nelson, Tracy L; Whitfield, Keith E; Knafo-Noam, Ariel; Mankuta, David; Abramson, Lior; Heikkilä, Kauko; Cutler, Tessa L; Hopper, John L; Wardle, Jane; Llewellyn, Clare H; Fisher, Abigail; Corley, Robin P; Huibregtse, Brooke M; Derom, Catherine A; Vlietinck, Robert F; Loos, Ruth JF; Bjerregaard-Andersen, Morten; Beck-Nielsen, Henning; Sodemann, Morten; Tarnoki, Adam D; Tarnoki, David L; Burt, S Alexandra; Klump, Kelly L; Ordoñana, Juan R; Sánchez-Romera, Juan F; Colodro-Conde, Lucia; Dubois, Lise; Boivin, Michel; Brendgen, Mara; Dionne, Ginette; Vitaro, Frank; Harris, Jennifer R; Brandt, Ingunn; Nilsen, Thomas Sevenius; Craig, Jeffrey M; Saffery, Richard; Rasmussen, Finn; Tynelius, Per; Bayasgalan, Gombojav; Narandalai, Danshiitsoodol; Haworth, Claire MA; Plomin, Robert; Ji, Fuling; Ning, Feng; Pang, Zengchang; Rebato, Esther; Krueger, Robert F; McGue, Matt; Pahlen, Shandell; Boomsma, Dorret I; Sørensen, Thorkild IA; Kaprio, Jaakko; Silventoinen, Karri

2017-01-01

Abstract Background There is evidence that birthweight is positively associated with body mass index (BMI) in later life, but it remains unclear whether this is explained by genetic factors or the intrauterine environment. We analysed the association between birthweight and BMI from infancy to adulthood within twin pairs, which provides insights into the role of genetic and environmental individual-specific factors. Methods This study is based on the data from 27 twin cohorts in 17 countries. The pooled data included 78 642 twin individuals (20 635 monozygotic and 18 686 same-sex dizygotic twin pairs) with information on birthweight and a total of 214 930 BMI measurements at ages ranging from 1 to 49 years. The association between birthweight and BMI was analysed at both the individual and within-pair levels using linear regression analyses. Results At the individual level, a 1-kg increase in birthweight was linearly associated with up to 0.9 kg/m2 higher BMI (P < 0.001). Within twin pairs, regression coefficients were generally greater (up to 1.2 kg/m2 per kg birthweight, P < 0.001) than those from the individual-level analyses. Intra-pair associations between birthweight and later BMI were similar in both zygosity groups and sexes and were lower in adulthood. Conclusions These findings indicate that environmental factors unique to each individual have an important role in the positive association between birthweight and later BMI, at least until young adulthood. PMID:28369451

When he is "tied": power, vulnerability, and embodied masculinity in Egypt.

PubMed

Ghannam, Farha

2017-10-01

This paper looks at the notion of rabt [tying], the inability of the groom to engage in penetrative intercourse on the wedding night, to explore the relationship between masculinity, embodiment, and sexual performance. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Egypt between 1993 and 2015, this paper explores the notion of groom rabt, how it is socially defined and managed. After presenting my conceptual framework for the study of sexuality and embodiment, the paper moves to discuss the meaning of the wedding night; the social clues people draw on when they identify rabt; how these clues relate different events to the (in)abilities of the groom; and how women, particularly mothers, work to protect and heal their male relatives from this affliction. To understand moments when individuals are unable, or "fail," to produce desirable physical and social effects, it is important that we do not exclusively consider the individual sexed body - the body that is clearly defined, bounded, and invested with unique desires and feelings. We must also consider the broader configurations that connect different bodies, endow them with certain meanings, and produce their materiality. My discussion shows that our understanding of sexuality and reproductive health will continue to be limited if we consider only men or women as separate individuals or as autonomous couples. Exploring moments of biological-social vulnerability, such as rabt, and how they relate to broader projects of gendering helps us understand issues linked to reproductive health and sexual rights in a deeper sense.

Inter-worker variability in lower body postures during assembly line work: implications for exposure assessment.

PubMed

Keyserling, W Monroe; Wiggermann, Neal; Werner, Robert A; Gell, Nancy

2010-05-01

This study evaluated inter-worker variability in lower body posture and work activity during highly-structured assembly line work. Data were collected from 79 unique assembly line workstations in an engine manufacturing plant. Because the plant utilized work teams, 4-8 workers rotated through each workstation. At least 30 min of videotape was collected from at least three workers at each workstation. A computer-assisted work sampling procedure randomly selected 200 video "freeze-frames" for each worker. Lower body posture/movement (e.g., sit, stand, walk, etc.) was determined for each frame and used to estimate the percentage of time the worker spent in various postures and activities. Chi-square analyses were performed for each workstation to assess the significance of inter-worker differences. Due to variations in individual work methods, significant differences (p <.05) were found at 57 out of 79 workstations (72%). The greatest differences occurred when workers had the option to choose between standing and sitting (significant in 8 of 8 cases; in extreme examples, sit time ranged between 0-100% on one job, and 6.5-98% on another). Studying a single worker (or "proxy") can contribute to substantial error when estimating exposures in workplace studies of ergonomic stressors, since the proxy may not be representative of all workers who perform the job. Individual measurements are preferable, particularly for jobs where workers have substantial latitude to develop individualized work methods.

Relation of Body Size on Ecological Modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, A.; Ngo, A.; Heim, N.; Payne, J.

2016-12-01

Body size in the manner of total biovolume is a useful metric for determining the way an organism interacts with its environment. Body sizes of an organism determines behavior and its life mode, the way an organism lives and survives defined by motility, depth of habitat, and feeding mode. To build on that, we hypothesize that the body size of organisms determines the amount of unique life modes an organism is capable of utilizing. the We categorized the ecological life modes of marine organisms in the phyla Arthropoda, Mollusca, Chordata, and Brachiopoda. After organizing body sizes into bins of 10,000 mm3 per x-value through R, a trend displaying a decrease in the amount of unique life modes per body size bin is visible with increasing size. Chordates however do not display as consistent of a trend as do the rest of the phyla. We hypothesize that this could be because most chordates have a backbone allowing more variation in life modes and behaviors which in turn are capable sustain larger body sizes. A boxplot regarding the range of unique life modes for all body sizes for all phyla also shows that a majority of life mode ranges range from the median size organisms from data collected to the smallest. Which means that with all of the unique life modes that were taken into consideration, the possible body sizes they ranged into were mostly into smaller organisms as there was a majority in life modes that did not range into the realm of larger body size organisms that were greater than the median sizes of the organisms.

Size matters: insights from an allometric approach to evaluate control methods for invasive Australian Rhinella marina.

PubMed

Beaty, Lynne E; Salice, Christopher J

2013-10-01

Invasive species are costly and difficult to control. In order to gain a mechanistic understanding of potential control measures, individual-based models uniquely parameterized to reflect the salient life-history characteristics of invasive species are useful. Using invasive Australian Rhinella marina as a case study, we constructed a cohort- and individual-based population simulation that incorporates growth and body size of terrestrial stages. We used this allometric approach to examine the efficacy of nontraditional control methods (i.e., tadpole alarm chemicals and native meat ants) that may have indirect effects on population dynamics mediated by effects on body size. We compared population estimates resulting from these control methods with traditional hand removal. We also conducted a sensitivity analysis to investigate the effect that model parameters, specifically those associated with growth and body size, had on adult population estimates. Incremental increases in hand removal of adults and juveniles caused nonlinear decreases in adult population estimates, suggesting less return with increased investment in hand-removal efforts. Applying tadpole alarm chemicals or meat ants decreased adult population estimates on the same level as removing 15-25% of adults and juveniles by hand. The combined application of tadpole alarm chemicals and meat ants resulted in approximately 80% decrease in adult abundance, the largest of any applied control method. In further support of the nontraditional control methods, which greatly affected the metamorph stage, our model was most sensitive to changes in metamorph survival, juvenile survival, metamorph growth rate, and adult survival. Our results highlight the use and insights that can be gained from individual-based models that incorporate growth and body size and the potential success that nontraditional control methods could have in controlling established, invasive Rhinella marina populations.

Factors affecting fat content in mottled ducks on the Upper Texas Gulf Coast

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kearns, Brian; Haukos, David A.; Walther, Patrick; Conway, Warren C.

2014-01-01

Body condition, or an individual's ability to address metabolic needs, is an important measure of organism health. For waterfowl, body condition, usually some measure of fat, provides a useful proxy for assessing energy budgets during different life history periods and potentially is a measure of response to ecosystem changes. The mottled duck (Anas fulvigula) is relatively poorly studied in respect to these dynamics and presents a unique case because its non-migratory life-history strategy releases it from metabolic costs experienced by many related migratory waterfowl species. Additionally, as a species in decline and of conservation concern in many parts of its range, traditional methods of fat content estimation that involve destructive sampling are less viable. The goal of this study was to produce an equation for estimating fat content in mottled ducks using birds (n = 24) donated at hunter-check stations or collected by law enforcement efforts on the Texas Chenier Plain National Wildlife Refuge Complex from 2005 - 2007. Morphometric measurements were taken, and ether extraction and fat removal was used to estimate percent body fat content and abdominal fat mass, respectively. A hierarchical simple linear regression modeling approach was used to determine external morphometrics that best predicted abdominal fat content. A ratio model based on body mass and a length metric (keel and wing chord length possessed equal model support) provided the best relationship with abdominal fat in sampled individuals. We then applied the regression equation to historical check station data to examine fluctuations in fat content over time; fat content or condition varied relatively little with the exception of years characterized by major disturbances. The mottled duck condition model created here can be used to better monitor population status and health without destructively sampling individuals.

Unique semantic space in the brain of each beholder predicts perceived similarity

PubMed Central

Charest, Ian; Kievit, Rogier A.; Schmitz, Taylor W.; Deca, Diana; Kriegeskorte, Nikolaus

2014-01-01

The unique way in which each of us perceives the world must arise from our brain representations. If brain imaging could reveal an individual’s unique mental representation, it could help us understand the biological substrate of our individual experiential worlds in mental health and disease. However, imaging studies of object vision have focused on commonalities between individuals rather than individual differences and on category averages rather than representations of particular objects. Here we investigate the individually unique component of brain representations of particular objects with functional MRI (fMRI). Subjects were presented with unfamiliar and personally meaningful object images while we measured their brain activity on two separate days. We characterized the representational geometry by the dissimilarity matrix of activity patterns elicited by particular object images. The representational geometry remained stable across scanning days and was unique in each individual in early visual cortex and human inferior temporal cortex (hIT). The hIT representation predicted perceived similarity as reflected in dissimilarity judgments. Importantly, hIT predicted the individually unique component of the judgments when the objects were personally meaningful. Our results suggest that hIT brain representational idiosyncrasies accessible to fMRI are expressed in an individual's perceptual judgments. The unique way each of us perceives the world thus might reflect the individually unique representation in high-level visual areas. PMID:25246586

Identification of Missing Norwegian World War II Soldiers, in Karelia Russia.

PubMed

Morild, Inge; Hamre, Stian S; Huel, Rene; Parsons, Thomas J

2015-07-01

This article presents the multidisciplinary effort in trying to identify the skeletal remains of 100 Norwegian soldiers serving in the German army, killed in Karelia Russia in 1944, from the recovery of the remains through the final identification using DNA. Of the 150 bone samples sent for DNA testing, 93 DNA profiles were obtained relating to 57 unique individuals. The relatives could not be directly contacted as the soldiers were considered as traitors to Norway; therefore, only 45 reference samples, relating to 42 cases of the missing, were donated. DNA matches for 14 soldiers and 12 additional body part re-associations for these individuals were found. Another 24 bone samples were re-associated with 16 individuals, but no familial match was found. More than six decades after the end of WWII, DNA analysis can significantly contribute to the identification of the remains. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

ɑ-Synuclein strains and seeding in Parkinson's disease, incidental Lewy body disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and multiple system atrophy: similarities and differences.

PubMed

Peelaerts, W; Bousset, L; Baekelandt, V; Melki, R

2018-04-27

Several age-related neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by the deposition of aberrantly folded endogenous proteins. These proteins have prion-like propagation and amplification properties but so far appear nontransmissible between individuals. Because of the features they share with the prion protein, PrP, the characteristics of pathogenic protein aggregates in several progressive brain disorders, including different types of Lewy body diseases (LBDs), such as Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), have been actively investigated. Even though the pleomorphic nature of these syndromes might suggest different underlying causes, ɑ-synuclein (ɑSyn) appears to play an important role in this heterogeneous group of diseases (the synucleinopathies). An attractive hypothesis is that different types of ɑSyn protein assemblies have a unique and causative role in distinct synucleinopathies. We will discuss the recent research progress on ɑSyn assemblies involved in PD, MSA and DLB; their behavior as strains; current spreading hypotheses; their ability to seed centrally and peripherally; and their implication for disease pathogenesis.

An organizing activity is required for head patterning and cell fate specification in the polychaete annelid Capitella teleta: new insights into cell-cell signaling in Lophotrochozoa.

PubMed

Amiel, Aldine R; Henry, Jonathan Q; Seaver, Elaine C

2013-07-01

Many lophotrochozoans (i.e., molluscs, annelids, nemerteans, and polyclad flatworms) display a well-conserved early developmental program called spiral cleavage that contrasts with the high diversity of adult body forms present in this group. Due to this stereotypical development, each cell can be uniquely identified and its lineage history known following intracellular injection of lineage tracers. Cell deletion experiments performed mainly in molluscs have demonstrated that one or two cells associated with the endomesodermal lineage represent an embryonic organizer of subsequent development and are causally involved in cell fate and body patterning. Utilizing the published fate map of the spiral-cleaving annelid Capitella teleta, we used infrared laser cell deletions to dissect the role of individual cells on the patterning of the larval body. Thirteen uniquely identifiable individual blastomeres and two double cell combination deletions were studied to assess larval phenotypes by scoring multiple morphological structures and cell type-specific molecular markers differentially expressed along the antero-posterior and dorso-ventral axes. Surprisingly, our results show that in C. teleta, the cellular identity of the "organizing cell" and the timing of the organizing activity are different from that of other spiralians. retain-->In C. teleta, the ectodermal primary somatoblast, 2d, is the key cell responsible for organizing activity during early embryonic development, and is necessary for bilateral symmetry and dorso-ventral axis organization of the head as well as neural, foregut and mesoderm tissue formation. Furthermore, we show that the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway does not appear to be involved in organizing activity in retain-->C. teleta. This contrasts with data from molluscs and the molecular mechanism suggested for another polychaete, Hydroides elegans, highlighting likely molecular level variation among spiralian embryos. These results reinforce the idea that an embryonic organizing activity is present across spiralians. Our data also emphasize the developmental variation within lophotrochozoans, and may ultimately provide insight into the role of developmental processes in the evolution of diverse body forms in metazoans. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Biological Relatedness on Perfume Selection for Others: Preliminary Evidence.

PubMed

Sobotková, Markéta; Fialová, Jitka; Roberts, S Craig; Havlíček, Jan

2017-01-01

People tend to choose perfumes to complement their body odour. As kin share some body odour qualities, their ability to select complementary perfumes for relatives might be higher compared with selection for nonrelatives. We tested this in two studies, comparing selection of a perfume for a target man by himself and by either a familiar but unrelated individual (girlfriend; Study 1) or a relative (sister; Study 2). Target men applied the two perfumes (own or other's choice) to their axillae and then wore cotton pads for 12 hr. Collected perfume-body odour blends and perfumes alone were assessed by rater panels. In Study 1, the blends were rated as nominally more pleasant when body odours were mixed with the perfumes selected by girlfriends compared with those selected by target men themselves. In Study 2, body odours mixed with perfumes selected by sisters were rated significantly more attractive than those mixed with perfumes selected by target men. No significant differences were found for attractiveness and pleasantness ratings when perfumes were rated alone, suggesting that it was the resulting blends that were uniquely different. Our results indicate that sisters might be particularly tuned to select suitable perfumes for their siblings.

The effect of lifestyle choices on emergency department use in Australia.

PubMed

Johar, Meliyanni; Jones, Glenn; Savage, Elizabeth

2013-05-01

Much attention has been paid to patient access to emergency services, focusing on hospital reforms, yet very little is known about the characteristics of those presenting to emergency departments. By exploiting linkage of emergency records and a representative survey of the 45 and older population in Australia, we provide unique insights into the role of lifestyle in predicting emergency presentations. A generalized linear regression model is used to estimate the impact of lifestyles on emergency presentations one year ahead. We control for extensive individual characteristics and area fixed-effects. Not smoking, having healthy body weight, taking vitamins, and exercising vigorously and regularly can reduce emergency presentations and also prevent subsequent admissions from emergency. There is no evidence that heavy drinking leads to more frequent emergency visits, but we find a high tendency for heavy drinkers to smoke and be in poor health, which are both major predictors of emergency visits. Targeted public health interventions on smoking, body mass and exercise may reduce emergency visits. Effective public health interventions which target body mass, exercise, current smoking and smoking initiation, may have the effect of reducing ED usage and subsequent admission. Individual-level data linking a survey of the population 45 and older in Australia with their emergency department (ED) records is exploited to provide unique insights into the role of lifestyle in predicting emergency care. Controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, as well as chronic conditions, we find that being a non-smoker, having a healthy body weight, taking vitamins, and doing a vigorous exercise at least once a week can prevent ED presentations. Being a non-smoker, taking vitamins and exercising also prevent subsequent admissions from ED. We do not find a similar protective effect from complying with dietary recommendations. There is no evidence that heavy drinking alone leads to more frequent ED visits, but we find a high tendency for heavy drinkers to smoke and be in poor health, which are both major predictors of ED visits. These results suggest that targeted public health interventions on smoking, body mass and exercise can reduce ED visits. The use of linked data provides important insight into the characteristics of potential ED users which in turn is valuable for the planning of health services. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review of foreign body ingestion and esophageal food impaction management in adolescents.

PubMed

Sahn, Benjamin; Mamula, Petar; Ford, Carol A

2014-08-01

Foreign body ingestion is a common clinical scenario among patients of all ages. The immediate risk to the patient ranges from negligible to life threatening. Initial and follow-up management strategies depend on multiple patient and ingested object-related factors. Available literature on this topic tends to focus on the small child or adult, leaving the clinician caring for adolescents to extrapolate this information to guide decision making for individual patients. This article reviews foreign body ingestion literature with important implications to the adolescent patient and raises awareness of some highly dangerous objects such as large button batteries, high-powered magnets, long sharps, narcotic packages, and super absorbent objects. An additional focus includes the management of esophageal food impaction. We highlight the unique aspects to the care of the adolescent with intentional ingestion and co-morbid psychiatric illness. The article concludes by discussing the challenges to prevention of ingestion in the at-risk patient. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Genome-Wide Association Study to Phenome-Wide Association Study: New Paradigms in Obesity Research.

PubMed

Zhang, Y-P; Zhang, Y-Y; Duan, D D

2016-01-01

Obesity is a condition in which excess body fat has accumulated over an extent that increases the risk of many chronic diseases. The current clinical classification of obesity is based on measurement of body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio, and body fat percentage. However, these measurements do not account for the wide individual variations in fat distribution, degree of fatness or health risks, and genetic variants identified in the genome-wide association studies (GWAS). In this review, we will address this important issue with the introduction of phenome, phenomics, and phenome-wide association study (PheWAS). We will discuss the new paradigm shift from GWAS to PheWAS in obesity research. In the era of precision medicine, phenomics and PheWAS provide the required approaches to better definition and classification of obesity according to the association of obese phenome with their unique molecular makeup, lifestyle, and environmental impact. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An evolutionary ecology of individual differences

PubMed Central

Dall, Sasha R. X.; Bell, Alison M.; Bolnick, Daniel I.; Ratnieks, Francis L. W.

2014-01-01

Individuals often differ in what they do. This has been recognised since antiquity. Nevertheless, the ecological and evolutionary significance of such variation is attracting widespread interest, which is burgeoning to an extent that is fragmenting the literature. As a first attempt at synthesis, we focus on individual differences in behaviour within populations that exceed the day-to-day variation in individual behaviour (i.e. behavioural specialisation). Indeed, the factors promoting ecologically relevant behavioural specialisation within natural populations are likely to have far-reaching ecological and evolutionary consequences. We discuss such individual differences from three distinct perspectives: individual niche specialisations, the division of labour within insect societies and animal personality variation. In the process, while recognising that each area has its own unique motivations, we identify a number of opportunities for productive ‘crossfertilisation’ among the (largely independent) bodies of work. We conclude that a complete understanding of evolutionarily and ecologically relevant individual differences must specify how ecological interactions impact the basic biological process (e.g. Darwinian selection, development and information processing) that underpin the organismal features determining behavioural specialisations. Moreover, there is likely to be covariation amongst behavioural specialisations. Thus, we sketch the key elements of a general framework for studying the evolutionary ecology of individual differences. PMID:22897772

Effects of total knee and hip arthroplasty on body weight.

PubMed

Duchman, Kyle R; Gao, Yubo; Phisitkul, Phinit

2014-03-01

Patients frequently report functional and subjective improvement following total hip (THA) and knee arthroplasty (TKA), but these improvements do not correlate with decreased body weight at 1- and 2-year follow-up. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate changes in body weight following THA and TKA at longer follow-up than the 1- to 2-year follow-up frequently reported in the literature. A retrospective review of patients undergoing THA and TKA, as well as other commonly performed lower extremity orthopedic surgeries, was completed for January 2002 to October 2011 at a single tertiary care facility. Adults who underwent a single lower extremity orthopedic procedure during that time period were included in the study. Patients undergoing THA and TKA were analyzed for clinically and statistically significant weight changes at 1- and minimum 2-year follow-up. At a mean follow-up of 4.82 years, TKA resulted in a statistically significant decrease in mean body weight (1.47 kg; P=.0109). This finding was unique to TKA. The proportion of individuals who experienced clinically significant weight loss between the 1- and minimum 2-year follow-up was higher than the proportion of individuals who gained clinically significant weight over the same time period following THA and TKA. The results of this study suggest that clinically significant weight loss may continue for several years beyond the 1- and 2-year follow-up that is frequently reported in the literature. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

The social life of genes: privacy, property and the new genetics.

PubMed

Everett, Margaret

2003-01-01

With the advent of the Human Genome Project and widespread fears over human cloning and medical privacy, a number of states have moved to protect genetic privacy. Oregon's unique Genetic Privacy Act of 1995, which declared that an individual had property rights to their DNA, has provoked national and international interest and controversy. This paper critically reviews the literature on genetic privacy and gene patenting from law, philosophy, science and anthropology. The debate in Oregon, from 1995 to 2001, illustrates many of the key issues in this emerging area. Both sides of the debate invoke the property metaphor, reinforcing deterministic assumptions and avoiding more fundamental questions about the integrity of the body and self-identity. The anthropological critique of the commodification of the body, and the concept of 'embodiment' are useful in analyzing the debate over DNA as property.

Geriatric Oral Health: A Review Article

PubMed Central

Razak, P Abdul; Richard, K M Jose; Thankachan, Rekha P; Hafiz, K A Abdul; Kumar, K Nanda; Sameer, K M

2014-01-01

Oral health is not separate from general health, but maintaining oral health is definitely difficult and different in old age. Even though, few elderly have physical and/or mental situation that call for particular interest in the dental workplace, one should not presume that all elderly community shares these circumstances. In order to achieve health, it is necessary to know few aspects of old age. In due course of old age body tissues get harder, collection of waste products in body cells and loss of lubrication leads to impaired functions of various organs. The design and implementation of comprehensive preventive dentistry protocols for elders presents the dental profession with many challenges. Although a specific protocol must be tailored to meet the unique needs of the individual patient, there are certain factors common to elderly segment of the population that may influence these protocols. PMID:25628498

A proposed reductionist solution to address the methodological challenges of inconsistent reflexology maps and poor experimental controls in reflexology research: a discussion paper.

PubMed

Jones, Jenny; Thomson, Patricia; Lauder, William; Leslie, Stephen J

2013-03-01

Reflexology is a complex massage intervention, based on the concept that specific areas of the feet (reflex points) correspond to individual internal organs within the body. Reflexologists trained in the popular Ingham reflexology method claim that massage to these points, using massage techniques unique to reflexology, stimulates an increase in blood supply to the corresponding organ. Reflexology researchers face two key methodological challenges that need to be addressed if a specific treatment-related hemodynamic effect is to be scientifically demonstrated. The first is the problem of inconsistent reflexology foot maps; the second is the issue of poor experimental controls. This article proposes a potential experimental solution that we believe can address both methodological challenges and in doing so, allow any specific hemodynamic treatment effect unique to reflexology to experimentally reveal itself.

Weak associations between body mass index and self-reported disability in people with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

PubMed

Pietrosimone, Brian; Kuenze, Christopher; Hart, Joseph M; Thigpen, Charles; Lepley, Adam S; Blackburn, J Troy; Padua, Darin A; Grindstaff, Terry; Davis, Hope; Bell, David

2018-05-01

Individuals with an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) are susceptible to persistent disability, weight gain and the development of knee osteoarthritis. It remains unclear whether body mass index (BMI) is a factor that influences disability following ACLR. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between BMI and self-reported disability [International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Index] in individuals with a unilateral ACLR. We hypothesized that lower BMI would associate with higher IKDC. BMI and IKDC were measured in 668 individuals with a unilateral ACLR (60.9% female, BMI 24.4 ± 3.7 kg/m 2 , IKDC 84.7 ± 11.9%). Bivariate associations were conducted between BMI and IKDC for the entire sample and selected subsets (gender, ACLR graft type and history of meniscal injury). Multiple regression analyses were used to determine the impact of potential covariates (Tegner score, age and months since ACLR) for significant bivariate associations. After accounting for covariates, there were no significant associations between BMI and IKDC when separately evaluating the cohort based on either gender or history of a concomitant meniscal injury. The odds of achieving age- and gender-matched healthy population average IKDC scores for those with low (<25) and high (≥25) BMI were determined. Lower BMI associated with higher IKDC (r = -0.08, P = 0.04). For the entire sample, BMI did not uniquely predict variance in IKDC (ΔR 2  > 0.001, n.s.) after accounting for covariates. BMI uniquely predicted a significant but negligible amount of variance in IKDC in individuals with a patellar tendon autograft (ΔR 2  = 0.015, n.s.). Individuals with low BMI demonstrated higher odds (odds ratio = 1.45; 1.05-1.99) of achieving population average IKDC scores compared to participants with high BMI. There was a significant but negligible correlation between lower BMI and lesser disability in individuals with unilateral ACLR and individuals who are underweight or of normal BMI demonstrated higher odds of achieving population average IKDC scores compared to overweight or obese individuals. While an overall association was found between lower BMI and lesser disability, the magnitude of the association remains negligible; therefore, BMI was not a strong clinical predictor of successful ACLR outcomes in this cohort of patients with unilateral ACLR. Cross-sectional prognostic study, Level II.

The Gills of Reef Fish Support a Distinct Microbiome Influenced by Host-Specific Factors.

PubMed

Pratte, Zoe A; Besson, Marc; Hollman, Rebecca D; Stewart, Frank J

2018-05-01

Teleost fish represent the most diverse of the vertebrate groups and play important roles in food webs, as ecosystem engineers, and as vectors for microorganisms. However, the microbial ecology of fishes remains underexplored for most host taxa and for certain niches on the fish body. This is particularly true for the gills, the key sites of respiration and waste exchange in fishes. Here we provide a comprehensive analysis of the gill microbiome. We focus on ecologically diverse taxa from coral reefs around Moorea, sampling the gills and intestines of adults and juveniles representing 15 families. The gill microbiome composition differed significantly from that of the gut for both adults and juveniles, with fish-associated niches having lower alpha diversity values and higher beta diversity values than those for seawater, sediment, and alga-associated microbiomes. Of ∼45,000 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected across all samples, 11% and 13% were detected only in the gill and the intestine, respectively. OTUs most enriched in the gill included members of the gammaproteobacterial genus Shewanella and the family Endozoicimonaceae In adult fish, both gill and intestinal microbiomes varied significantly among host species grouped by diet category. Gill and intestinal microbiomes from the same individual were more similar to one another than to gill and intestinal microbiomes from different individuals. These results demonstrate that distinct body sites are jointly influenced by host-specific organizing factors operating at the level of the host individual. The results also identify taxonomic signatures unique to the gill and the intestine, confirming fish-associated niches as distinct reservoirs of marine microbial diversity. IMPORTANCE Fish breathe and excrete waste through their gills. The gills are also potential sites of pathogen invasion and colonization by other microbes. However, we know little about the microbial communities that live on the gill and the factors shaping their diversity. Focusing on ecologically distinct types of coral reef fish, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the fish gill microbiome. By comparison to microbiomes of the gut and the surrounding environment, we identify microbes unique to the gill niche. These microbes may be targets for further studies to determine the contribution of the microbiome to waste exchange or host immunity. We also show that despite exhibiting a unique taxonomic signature, the gill microbiome is influenced by factors that also influence the gut microbiome. These factors include the specific identity of the host individual. These results suggest basic principles describing how association with fishes structures the composition of microbial communities. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Association between birthweight and later body mass index: an individual-based pooled analysis of 27 twin cohorts participating in the CODATwins project.

PubMed

Jelenkovic, Aline; Yokoyama, Yoshie; Sund, Reijo; Pietiläinen, Kirsi H; Hur, Yoon-Mi; Willemsen, Gonneke; Bartels, Meike; van Beijsterveldt, Toos C E M; Ooki, Syuichi; Saudino, Kimberly J; Stazi, Maria A; Fagnani, Corrado; D'Ippolito, Cristina; Nelson, Tracy L; Whitfield, Keith E; Knafo-Noam, Ariel; Mankuta, David; Abramson, Lior; Heikkilä, Kauko; Cutler, Tessa L; Hopper, John L; Wardle, Jane; Llewellyn, Clare H; Fisher, Abigail; Corley, Robin P; Huibregtse, Brooke M; Derom, Catherine A; Vlietinck, Robert F; Loos, Ruth J F; Bjerregaard-Andersen, Morten; Beck-Nielsen, Henning; Sodemann, Morten; Tarnoki, Adam D; Tarnoki, David L; Burt, S Alexandra; Klump, Kelly L; Ordoñana, Juan R; Sánchez-Romera, Juan F; Colodro-Conde, Lucia; Dubois, Lise; Boivin, Michel; Brendgen, Mara; Dionne, Ginette; Vitaro, Frank; Harris, Jennifer R; Brandt, Ingunn; Nilsen, Thomas Sevenius; Craig, Jeffrey M; Saffery, Richard; Rasmussen, Finn; Tynelius, Per; Bayasgalan, Gombojav; Narandalai, Danshiitsoodol; Haworth, Claire M A; Plomin, Robert; Ji, Fuling; Ning, Feng; Pang, Zengchang; Rebato, Esther; Krueger, Robert F; McGue, Matt; Pahlen, Shandell; Boomsma, Dorret I; Sørensen, Thorkild I A; Kaprio, Jaakko; Silventoinen, Karri

2017-10-01

There is evidence that birthweight is positively associated with body mass index (BMI) in later life, but it remains unclear whether this is explained by genetic factors or the intrauterine environment. We analysed the association between birthweight and BMI from infancy to adulthood within twin pairs, which provides insights into the role of genetic and environmental individual-specific factors. This study is based on the data from 27 twin cohorts in 17 countries. The pooled data included 78 642 twin individuals (20 635 monozygotic and 18 686 same-sex dizygotic twin pairs) with information on birthweight and a total of 214 930 BMI measurements at ages ranging from 1 to 49 years. The association between birthweight and BMI was analysed at both the individual and within-pair levels using linear regression analyses. At the individual level, a 1-kg increase in birthweight was linearly associated with up to 0.9 kg/m2 higher BMI (P < 0.001). Within twin pairs, regression coefficients were generally greater (up to 1.2 kg/m2 per kg birthweight, P < 0.001) than those from the individual-level analyses. Intra-pair associations between birthweight and later BMI were similar in both zygosity groups and sexes and were lower in adulthood. These findings indicate that environmental factors unique to each individual have an important role in the positive association between birthweight and later BMI, at least until young adulthood. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

Detecting the Disruption of Dark-Matter Halos with Stellar Streams.

PubMed

Bovy, Jo

2016-03-25

Narrow stellar streams in the Milky Way halo are uniquely sensitive to dark-matter subhalos, but many of these subhalos may be tidally disrupted. I calculate the interaction between stellar and dark-matter streams using analytical and N-body calculations, showing that disrupting objects can be detected as low-concentration subhalos. Through this effect, we can constrain the lumpiness of the halo as well as the orbit and present position of individual dark-matter streams. This will have profound implications for the formation of halos and for direct- and indirect-detection dark-matter searches.

Parasitic castration: the evolution and ecology of body snatchers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lafferty, Kevin D.; Kuris, Armand M.

2009-01-01

Castration is a response to the tradeoff between consumption and longevity faced by parasites. Common parasitic castrators include larval trematodes in snails, and isopod and barnacle parasites of crustaceans. The infected host (with its many unique properties) is the extended phenotype of the parasitic castrator. Because an individual parasitic castrator can usurp all the reproductive energy from a host, and that energy is limited, intra- and interspecific competition among castrators is generally intense. These parasites can be abundant and can substantially depress host density. Host populations subject to high rates of parasitic castration appear to respond by maturing more rapidly.

Dental Evidence in Forensic Identification - An Overview, Methodology and Present Status.

PubMed

Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj; Garg, Arun K

2015-01-01

Forensic odontology is primarily concerned with the use of teeth and oral structures for identification in a legal context. Various forensic odontology techniques help in the identification of the human remains in incidents such as terrorists' attacks, airplane, train and road accidents, fires, mass murders, and natural disasters such as tsunamis, earth quakes and floods, etc. (Disaster Victim Identification-DVI). Dental structures are the hardest and well protected structures in the body. These structures resist decomposition and high temperatures and are among the last ones to disintegrate after death. The principal basis of the dental identification lies in the fact that no two oral cavities are alike and the teeth are unique to an individual. The dental evidence of the deceased recovered from the scene of crime/occurrence is compared with the ante-mortem records for identification. Dental features such as tooth morphology, variations in shape and size, restorations, pathologies, missing tooth, wear patterns, crowding of the teeth, colour and position of the tooth, rotations and other peculiar dental anomalies give every individual a unique identity. In absence of ante-mortem dental records for comparison, the teeth can help in the determination of age, sex, race/ethnicity, habits, occupations, etc. which can give further clues regarding the identity of the individuals. This piece of writing gives an overview of dental evidence, its use in forensic identification and its limitations.

Dental Evidence in Forensic Identification – An Overview, Methodology and Present Status

PubMed Central

Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj; Garg, Arun K

2015-01-01

Forensic odontology is primarily concerned with the use of teeth and oral structures for identification in a legal context. Various forensic odontology techniques help in the identification of the human remains in incidents such as terrorists’ attacks, airplane, train and road accidents, fires, mass murders, and natural disasters such as tsunamis, earth quakes and floods, etc. (Disaster Victim Identification-DVI). Dental structures are the hardest and well protected structures in the body. These structures resist decomposition and high temperatures and are among the last ones to disintegrate after death. The principal basis of the dental identification lies in the fact that no two oral cavities are alike and the teeth are unique to an individual. The dental evidence of the deceased recovered from the scene of crime/occurrence is compared with the ante-mortem records for identification. Dental features such as tooth morphology, variations in shape and size, restorations, pathologies, missing tooth, wear patterns, crowding of the teeth, colour and position of the tooth, rotations and other peculiar dental anomalies give every individual a unique identity. In absence of ante-mortem dental records for comparison, the teeth can help in the determination of age, sex, race/ethnicity, habits, occupations, etc. which can give further clues regarding the identity of the individuals. This piece of writing gives an overview of dental evidence, its use in forensic identification and its limitations. PMID:26312096

HIGH RATES OF EVOLUTION PRECEDED THE ORIGIN OF BIRDS

PubMed Central

Puttick, Mark N; Thomas, Gavin H; Benton, Michael J; Polly, P David

2014-01-01

The origin of birds (Aves) is one of the great evolutionary transitions. Fossils show that many unique morphological features of modern birds, such as feathers, reduction in body size, and the semilunate carpal, long preceded the origin of clade Aves, but some may be unique to Aves, such as relative elongation of the forelimb. We study the evolution of body size and forelimb length across the phylogeny of coelurosaurian theropods and Mesozoic Aves. Using recently developed phylogenetic comparative methods, we find an increase in rates of body size and body size dependent forelimb evolution leading to small body size relative to forelimb length in Paraves, the wider clade comprising Aves and Deinonychosauria. The high evolutionary rates arose primarily from a reduction in body size, as there were no increased rates of forelimb evolution. In line with a recent study, we find evidence that Aves appear to have a unique relationship between body size and forelimb dimensions. Traits associated with Aves evolved before their origin, at high rates, and support the notion that numerous lineages of paravians were experimenting with different modes of flight through the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. PMID:24471891

Inertial effects on the stress generation of active fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takatori, S. C.; Brady, J. F.

2017-09-01

Suspensions of self-propelled bodies generate a unique mechanical stress owing to their motility that impacts their large-scale collective behavior. For microswimmers suspended in a fluid with negligible particle inertia, we have shown that the virial swim stress is a useful quantity to understand the rheology and nonequilibrium behaviors of active soft matter systems. For larger self-propelled organisms such as fish, it is unclear how particle inertia impacts their stress generation and collective movement. Here we analyze the effects of finite particle inertia on the mechanical pressure (or stress) generated by a suspension of self-propelled bodies. We find that swimmers of all scales generate a unique swim stress and Reynolds stress that impact their collective motion. We discover that particle inertia plays a similar role as confinement in overdamped active Brownian systems, where the reduced run length of the swimmers decreases the swim stress and affects the phase behavior. Although the swim and Reynolds stresses vary individually with the magnitude of particle inertia, the sum of the two contributions is independent of particle inertia. This points to an important concept when computing stresses in computer simulations of nonequilibrium systems: The Reynolds and the virial stresses must both be calculated to obtain the overall stress generated by a system.

Morphometric variation between two morphotypes within the Astyanax Baird and Girard, 1854 (Actinopterygii: Characidae) genus, from a Mexican tropical lake.

PubMed

Ornelas-García, Claudia P; Bastir, Markus; Doadrio, Ignacio

2014-07-01

Phenotypic variation is important for evolutionary processes because it can allow local adaptation, promote genetic segregation, and ultimately give rise to speciation. Lacustrine systems provide a unique opportunity to study the mechanisms by which sister species can co-occur by means of ecological segregation. The fish genus Astyanax is characterized by high levels of phenotypic variability, providing an excellent model for the study of local specialization. Here, we analyze the morphological specializations through geometric morphometrics of two sympatric species described as different genera: Bramocharax caballeroi endemic to Lake Catemaco, and the widely distributed Astyanax aeneus. Additionally, we assess the correlation between phenotypic and genetic structure, and the phylogenetic signal of morphological variation. We examined body size and shape variation in 196 individuals and analyzed mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences in 298 individuals. Our results confirm the striking morphological divergence among the sympatric characids. Differences between them were mainly found in the body depth and profile and orientation of the head, where B. caballeroi in contrast with the A. aeneus, presented a fusiform body and an upward mouth. Moreover, different growth trajectories were observed among morphotypes, suggesting that a heterochronic process could be involved in the diversification of our study system. Morphological differences did not correspond with the molecular differentiation, suggesting high levels of homoplasy among the lineages of B. caballeroi morphs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Behavioural plasticity across social contexts is regulated by the directionality of inter-individual differences.

PubMed

Guayasamin, Olivia L; Couzin, Iain D; Miller, Noam Y

2017-08-01

An individual's behavioural phenotype is a combination of its unique behavioural propensities and its responsiveness to environmental variation, also known as behavioural plasticity. In social species, we must not only explore how individuals respond to variations in the physical environment but also how they react to changes in their social environment. A growing body of work has demonstrated that the behavioural heterogeneity of a group can alter its responsiveness, decision making, and fitness. Whether an individual is more or less extreme than a partner - what we term its 'relative personality' - may also alter individual behavioural responses. We determined exploratory tendencies of individual zebrafish (Danio rerio) and then constructed pairs with varying differences in 'relative personality' to determine the effect of differences between partners on behavioural plasticity. We find that relative personality, but not the magnitude of the difference between partners, is the most important determinant of behavioural plasticity across social treatments. Despite this overall effect, pairs of fish exhibited no predictable leader-follower interactions, suggesting that details of the experimental paradigm may be important in shaping social dynamics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Specificity of Disgust Vulnerability in the Distinction and Treatment of OCD

PubMed Central

Olatunji, Bunmi O.; Tart, Candyce D.; Ciesielski, Bethany G.; McGrath, Patrick B.; Smits, Jasper A. J.

2011-01-01

A growing body of research has implicated disgust as a potential risk factor for the development and maintenance of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). The first aim of the present study was to determine whether related, yet distinct, disgust vulnerabilities are endorsed more strongly by individuals with OCD than by those with another anxiety disorder. The second aim was to examine the unique contributions of changes in disgust to symptom improvement observed with exposure-based treatment for OCD. In study 1, individuals with OCD, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and nonclinical controls (NCCs) completed a measure of disgust propensity and disgust sensitivity. Compared to NCCs and individuals with GAD, those with OCD more strongly endorsed disgust propensity. However, individuals with OCD did not significantly differ from individuals with GAD in disgust sensitivity, although both groups reported significantly higher disgust sensitivity levels compared to NCCs. Study 2 comprised mediation analyses of symptom improvement among individuals with OCD and revealed that decreases in disgust propensity over time mediated improvement in OCD symptoms, even after controlling for improvements in negative affect. The implications of these findings for conceptualizing the role of disgust in the nature and treatment of OCD are discussed. PMID:21353249

Strangers in a strange land: coping with imprisonment as a racial or ethnic foreign national inmate.

PubMed

Kruttschnitt, Candace; Dirkzwager, Anja; Kennedy, Liam

2013-09-01

A wide range of scholarship examining the global effects of neo-liberalism draws attention to the precarious position of individuals who are not seen as part of the social body. While immigrants, racial minorities, and common criminals are central to this discourse, relatively little research has examined how the experiences of these individuals may vary based on statuses other than citizenship when they are imprisoned. Our research focuses on the interactions (between prisoners and between prisoners and correctional staff) of a racially diverse group of Dutch foreign national prisoners incarcerated in England. Although all of these prisoners clearly saw themselves as 'outsiders,' visible minorities faced a unique set of challenges relative to their White counterparts. We consider both the practical and theoretical import of these findings. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2013.

The fluidity of biosocial identity and the effects of place, space, and time.

PubMed

Wiese, Daniel; Rodriguez Escobar, Jeronimo; Hsu, Yohsiang; Kulathinal, Rob J; Hayes-Conroy, Allison

2018-02-01

Public and scientific conceptions of identity are changing alongside advances in biotechnology, with important relevance to health and medicine. In particular, biological identity, once predominantly conceived as static (e.g., related to DNA, dental records, fingerprints) is now being recognized as dynamic or fluid, mirroring contemporary understandings of psychological and social identity. The dynamism of biological identity comes from the individual body's unique relationship with the world surrounding it, and therefore may best be described as biosocial. This paper reviews advances in scientific understandings of identity and presents a model that contrasts prior static approaches to biological identity from more recent dynamically-relational ones. This emerging viewpoint is of broad significance to health and medicine, particularly as medicine recognizes the significance of biography - i.e. the multiple, dense interactions imparted on a body across spatio-temporal dimensions - to phenotypic prediction, especially disease risk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa.

PubMed

Berger, Lee R; Hawks, John; de Ruiter, Darryl J; Churchill, Steven E; Schmid, Peter; Delezene, Lucas K; Kivell, Tracy L; Garvin, Heather M; Williams, Scott A; DeSilva, Jeremy M; Skinner, Matthew M; Musiba, Charles M; Cameron, Noel; Holliday, Trenton W; Harcourt-Smith, William; Ackermann, Rebecca R; Bastir, Markus; Bogin, Barry; Bolter, Debra; Brophy, Juliet; Cofran, Zachary D; Congdon, Kimberly A; Deane, Andrew S; Dembo, Mana; Drapeau, Michelle; Elliott, Marina C; Feuerriegel, Elen M; Garcia-Martinez, Daniel; Green, David J; Gurtov, Alia; Irish, Joel D; Kruger, Ashley; Laird, Myra F; Marchi, Damiano; Meyer, Marc R; Nalla, Shahed; Negash, Enquye W; Orr, Caley M; Radovcic, Davorka; Schroeder, Lauren; Scott, Jill E; Throckmorton, Zachary; Tocheri, Matthew W; VanSickle, Caroline; Walker, Christopher S; Wei, Pianpian; Zipfel, Bernhard

2015-09-10

Homo naledi is a previously-unknown species of extinct hominin discovered within the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. This species is characterized by body mass and stature similar to small-bodied human populations but a small endocranial volume similar to australopiths. Cranial morphology of H. naledi is unique, but most similar to early Homo species including Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Homo rudolfensis. While primitive, the dentition is generally small and simple in occlusal morphology. H. naledi has humanlike manipulatory adaptations of the hand and wrist. It also exhibits a humanlike foot and lower limb. These humanlike aspects are contrasted in the postcrania with a more primitive or australopith-like trunk, shoulder, pelvis and proximal femur. Representing at least 15 individuals with most skeletal elements repeated multiple times, this is the largest assemblage of a single species of hominins yet discovered in Africa.

Fabricating 3D figurines with personalized faces.

PubMed

Tena, J Rafael; Mahler, Moshe; Beeler, Thabo; Grosse, Max; Hengchin Yeh; Matthews, Iain

2013-01-01

We present a semi-automated system for fabricating figurines with faces that are personalised to the individual likeness of the customer. The efficacy of the system has been demonstrated by commercial deployments at Walt Disney World Resort and Star Wars Celebration VI in Orlando Florida. Although the system is semi automated, human intervention is limited to a few simple tasks to maintain the high throughput and consistent quality required for commercial application. In contrast to existing systems that fabricate custom heads that are assembled to pre-fabricated plastic bodies, our system seamlessly integrates 3D facial data with a predefined figurine body into a unique and continuous object that is fabricated as a single piece. The combination of state-of-the-art 3D capture, modelling, and printing that are the core of our system provide the flexibility to fabricate figurines whose complexity is only limited by the creativity of the designer.

Guidelines for Creating, Implementing, and Evaluating Mind-Body Programs in a Military Healthcare Setting.

PubMed

Smith, Katherine; Firth, Kimberly; Smeeding, Sandra; Wolever, Ruth; Kaufman, Joanna; Delgado, Roxana; Bellanti, Dawn; Xenakis, Lea

2016-01-01

Research suggests that the development of mind-body skills can improve individual and family resilience, particularly related to the stresses of illness, trauma, and caregiving. To operationalize the research evidence that mind-body skills help with health and recovery, Samueli Institute, in partnership with experts in mind-body programming, created a set of guidelines for developing and evaluating mind-body programs for service members, veterans, and their families. The Guidelines for Creating, Implementing, and Evaluating Mind-Body Programs in a Military Healthcare Setting outline key strategies and issues to consider when developing, implementing, and evaluating a mind-body focused family empowerment approach in a military healthcare setting. Although these guidelines were developed specifically for a military setting, most of the same principles can be applied to the development of programs in the civilian setting as well. The guidelines particularly address issues unique to mind-body programs, such as choosing evidence-based modalities, licensure and credentialing, safety and contraindications, and choosing evaluation measures that capture the holistic nature of these types of programs. The guidelines are practical, practice-based guidelines, developed by experts in the fields of program development and evaluation, mind-body therapies, patient- and family-centered care, as well as, experts in military and veteran's health systems. They provide a flexible framework to create mind-body family empowerment programs and describe important issues that program developers and evaluators are encouraged to address to ensure the development of the most impactful, successful, evidence-supported programs possible. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

City-scale expansion of human thermoregulatory costs.

PubMed

Hill, Richard W; Muhich, Timothy E; Humphries, Murray M

2013-01-01

The physiological maintenance of a stable internal temperature by mammals and birds - the phenomenon termed homeothermy - is well known to be energetically expensive. The annual energy requirements of free-living mammals and birds are estimated to be 15-30 times higher than those of similar-size ectothermic vertebrates like lizards. Contemporary humans also use energy to accomplish thermoregulation. They are unique, however, in having shifted thermoregulatory control from the body to the occupied environment, with most people living in cities in dwellings that are temperature-regulated by furnaces and air conditioners powered by exogenous energy sources. The energetic implications of this strategy remain poorly defined. Here we comparatively quantify energy costs in cities, dwellings, and individual human bodies. Thermoregulation persists as a major driver of energy expenditure across these three scales, resulting in energy-versus-ambient-temperature relationships remarkably similar in shape. Incredibly, despite the many and diversified uses of network-delivered energy in modern societies, the energy requirements of six North American cities are as temperature-dependent as the energy requirements of isolated, individual homeotherms. However, the annual per-person energy cost of exogenously powered thermoregulation in cities and dwellings is 9-28 times higher than the cost of endogenous, metabolic thermoregulation of the human body. Shifting the locus of thermoregulatory control from the body to the dwelling achieves climate-independent thermal comfort. However, in an era of amplifying climate change driven by the carbon footprint of humanity, we must acknowledge the energetic extravagance of contemporary, city-scale thermoregulation, which prioritizes heat production over heat conservation.

City-Scale Expansion of Human Thermoregulatory Costs

PubMed Central

Hill, Richard W.; Muhich, Timothy E.; Humphries, Murray M.

2013-01-01

The physiological maintenance of a stable internal temperature by mammals and birds – the phenomenon termed homeothermy – is well known to be energetically expensive. The annual energy requirements of free-living mammals and birds are estimated to be 15–30 times higher than those of similar-size ectothermic vertebrates like lizards. Contemporary humans also use energy to accomplish thermoregulation. They are unique, however, in having shifted thermoregulatory control from the body to the occupied environment, with most people living in cities in dwellings that are temperature-regulated by furnaces and air conditioners powered by exogenous energy sources. The energetic implications of this strategy remain poorly defined. Here we comparatively quantify energy costs in cities, dwellings, and individual human bodies. Thermoregulation persists as a major driver of energy expenditure across these three scales, resulting in energy-versus-ambient-temperature relationships remarkably similar in shape. Incredibly, despite the many and diversified uses of network-delivered energy in modern societies, the energy requirements of six North American cities are as temperature-dependent as the energy requirements of isolated, individual homeotherms. However, the annual per-person energy cost of exogenously powered thermoregulation in cities and dwellings is 9–28 times higher than the cost of endogenous, metabolic thermoregulation of the human body. Shifting the locus of thermoregulatory control from the body to the dwelling achieves climate-independent thermal comfort. However, in an era of amplifying climate change driven by the carbon footprint of humanity, we must acknowledge the energetic extravagance of contemporary, city-scale thermoregulation, which prioritizes heat production over heat conservation. PMID:24143181

Taking Care of You: Body, Mind, Spirit--A Unique Stress Management Program That Improves Lifestyle Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vetter-Smith, Molly; Massey, Vera; Rellergert, Linda; Wissmann, Mary

2014-01-01

Taking Care of You: Body, Mind, Spirit is a multi-session group program developed by University of Missouri Extension that provides a unique and practical approach to helping adults better managing their stress and bounce back from life's challenges while improving lifestyle behaviors. The program combines mindfulness and a variety of other…

Practical relevance of pattern uniqueness in forensic science.

PubMed

Jayaprakash, Paul T

2013-09-10

Uniqueness being unprovable, it has recently been argued that individualization in forensic science is irrelevant and, probability, as applied for DNA profiles, should be applied for all identifications. Critiques against uniqueness have omitted physical matching, a realistic and tangible individualization that supports uniqueness. Describing case examples illustrating pattern matches including physical matching, it is indicated that individualizations are practically relevant for forensic science as they establish facts on a definitive basis providing firm leads benefitting criminal investigation. As a tenet of forensic identification, uniqueness forms a fundamental paradigm relevant for individualization. Evidence on the indeterministic and stochastic causal pathways of characteristics in patterns available in the related fields of science sufficiently supports the proposition of uniqueness. Characteristics involved in physical matching and matching achieved in patterned evidence existing in the state of nature are not events amenable for counting; instead these are ensemble of visible units occupying the entire pattern area stretching the probability of re-occurrence of a verisimilitude pattern into infinity offering epistemic support to uniqueness. Observational methods are as respectable as instrumental or statistical methods since they are capable of generating results that are tangible and obviously valid as in physical matching. Applying the probabilistic interpretation used for DNA profiles to the other patterns would be unbefitting since these two are disparate, the causal pathways of the events, the loci, in the manipulated DNA profiles being determinable. While uniqueness enables individualizations, it does not vouch for eliminating errors. Instead of dismissing uniqueness and individualization, accepting errors as human or system failures and seeking remedial measures would benefit forensic science practice and criminal investigation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Monitor Iron Overload

PubMed Central

Wood, John C.

2014-01-01

SYNOPSIS Treatment of iron overload requires robust estimates of total body iron burden and its response to iron chelation therapy. Compliance with chelation therapy varies considerably among patients and individual reporting is notoriously unreliable. Even with perfect compliance, intersubject variability in chelator effectiveness is extremely high, necessitating reliable iron estimates to guide dose titration. In addition, each chelator has a unique profile with respect to clearing iron stores from different organs. This chapter will present the tools available to clinicians monitoring their patients, focusing on non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging methods because they have become the de-facto standard of care. PMID:25064711

GLP-1 receptor signaling is not required for reduced body weight after RYGB in rodents

PubMed Central

Ye, Jianping; Hao, Zheng; Mumphrey, Michael B.; Townsend, R. Leigh; Patterson, Laurel M.; Stylopoulos, Nicholas; Münzberg, Heike; Morrison, Christopher D.; Drucker, Daniel J.

2014-01-01

Exaggerated GLP-1 and PYY secretion is thought to be a major mechanism in the reduced food intake and body weight after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Here, we use complementary pharmacological and genetic loss-of-function approaches to test the role of increased signaling by these gut hormones in high-fat diet-induced obese rodents. Chronic brain infusion of a supramaximal dose of the selective GLP-1 receptor antagonist exendin-9–39 into the lateral cerebral ventricle significantly increased food intake and body weight in both RYGB and sham-operated rats, suggesting that, while contributing to the physiological control of food intake and body weight, central GLP-1 receptor signaling tone is not the critical mechanism uniquely responsible for the body weight-lowering effects of RYGB. Central infusion of the selective Y2R-antagonist BIIE0246 had no effect in either group, suggesting that it is not critical for the effects of RYGB on body weight under the conditions tested. In a recently established mouse model of RYGB that closely mimics surgery and weight loss dynamics in humans, obese GLP-1R-deficient mice lost the same amount of body weight and fat mass and maintained similarly lower body weight compared with wild-type mice. Together, the results surprisingly provide no support for important individual roles of either gut hormone in the specific mechanisms by which RYGB rats settle at a lower body weight. It is likely that the beneficial effects of bariatric surgeries are expressed through complex mechanisms that require combination approaches for their identification. PMID:24430883

GLP-1 receptor signaling is not required for reduced body weight after RYGB in rodents.

PubMed

Ye, Jianping; Hao, Zheng; Mumphrey, Michael B; Townsend, R Leigh; Patterson, Laurel M; Stylopoulos, Nicholas; Münzberg, Heike; Morrison, Christopher D; Drucker, Daniel J; Berthoud, Hans-Rudolf

2014-03-01

Exaggerated GLP-1 and PYY secretion is thought to be a major mechanism in the reduced food intake and body weight after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Here, we use complementary pharmacological and genetic loss-of-function approaches to test the role of increased signaling by these gut hormones in high-fat diet-induced obese rodents. Chronic brain infusion of a supramaximal dose of the selective GLP-1 receptor antagonist exendin-9-39 into the lateral cerebral ventricle significantly increased food intake and body weight in both RYGB and sham-operated rats, suggesting that, while contributing to the physiological control of food intake and body weight, central GLP-1 receptor signaling tone is not the critical mechanism uniquely responsible for the body weight-lowering effects of RYGB. Central infusion of the selective Y2R-antagonist BIIE0246 had no effect in either group, suggesting that it is not critical for the effects of RYGB on body weight under the conditions tested. In a recently established mouse model of RYGB that closely mimics surgery and weight loss dynamics in humans, obese GLP-1R-deficient mice lost the same amount of body weight and fat mass and maintained similarly lower body weight compared with wild-type mice. Together, the results surprisingly provide no support for important individual roles of either gut hormone in the specific mechanisms by which RYGB rats settle at a lower body weight. It is likely that the beneficial effects of bariatric surgeries are expressed through complex mechanisms that require combination approaches for their identification.

Teaching and Learning with Individually Unique Exercises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joerding, Wayne

2010-01-01

In this article, the author describes the pedagogical benefits of giving students individually unique homework exercises from an exercise template. Evidence from a test of this approach shows statistically significant improvements in subsequent exam performance by students receiving unique problems compared with students who received traditional…

Marked for life? A prospective study of tattoos on appearance anxiety and dissatisfaction, perceptions of uniqueness, and self-esteem.

PubMed

Swami, Viren

2011-06-01

Previous studies on psychosocial aspects of tattooing have not examined prospective changes in self- and body-related attitudes as a result of obtaining a tattoo. In the present study, 82 British residents obtaining their first tattoo completed measures of state appearance anxiety and dissatisfaction prior to, and immediately after, obtaining a tattoo. They also completed measures of trait body appreciation, distinctive appearance investment, self-ascribed uniqueness, social physique anxiety, and self-esteem before obtaining a tattoo and three weeks later. Results showed that both women and men had significantly lower appearance anxiety and dissatisfaction immediately after obtaining their tattoo, and significantly higher body appreciation, distinctive appearance investment, self-ascribed uniqueness, and self-esteem after three weeks. Women reported greater social physique anxiety after three weeks, whereas men reported lower anxiety. These results are discussed in relation to the positive impacts of obtaining body art and the mainstreaming of tattooing in Western societies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sedimentology and reservoir heterogeneity of a valley-fill deposit-A field guide to the Dakota Sandstone of the San Rafael Swell, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirschbaum, Mark A.; Schenk, Christopher J.

2010-01-01

Valley-fill deposits form a significant class of hydrocarbon reservoirs in many basins of the world. Maximizing recovery of fluids from these reservoirs requires an understanding of the scales of fluid-flow heterogeneity present within the valley-fill system. The Upper Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone in the San Rafael Swell, Utah contains well exposed, relatively accessible outcrops that allow a unique view of the external geometry and internal complexity of a set of rocks interpreted to be deposits of an incised valley fill. These units can be traced on outcrop for tens of miles, and individual sandstone bodies are exposed in three dimensions because of modern erosion in side canyons in a semiarid setting and by exhumation of the overlying, easily erodible Mancos Shale. The Dakota consists of two major units: (1) a lower amalgamated sandstone facies dominated by large-scale cross stratification with several individual sandstone bodies ranging in thickness from 8 to 28 feet, ranging in width from 115 to 150 feet, and having lengths as much as 5,000 feet, and (2) an upper facies composed of numerous mud-encased lenticular sandstones, dominated by ripple-scale lamination, in bedsets ranging in thickness from 5 to 12 feet. The lower facies is interpreted to be fluvial, probably of mainly braided stream origin that exhibits multiple incisions amalgamated into a complex sandstone body. The upper facies has lower energy, probably anastomosed channels encased within alluvial and coastal-plain floodplain sediments. The Dakota valley-fill complex has multiple scales of heterogeneity that could affect fluid flow in similar oil and gas subsurface reservoirs. The largest scale heterogeneity is at the formation level, where the valley-fill complex is sealed within overlying and underlying units. Within the valley-fill complex, there are heterogeneities between individual sandstone bodies, and at the smallest scale, internal heterogeneities within the bodies themselves. These different scales of fluid-flow compartmentalization present a challenge to hydrocarbon exploration targeting paleovalley deposits, and producing fields containing these types of reservoirs may have significant bypassed pay, especially where well spacing is large.

Materials design principles of ancient fish armour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruet, Benjamin J. F.; Song, Juha; Boyce, Mary C.; Ortiz, Christine

2008-09-01

Knowledge of the structure-property-function relationships of dermal scales of armoured fish could enable pathways to improved bioinspired human body armour, and may provide clues to the evolutionary origins of mineralized tissues. Here, we present a multiscale experimental and computational approach that reveals the materials design principles present within individual ganoid scales from the `living fossil' Polypterus senegalus. This fish belongs to the ancient family Polypteridae, which first appeared 96 million years ago during the Cretaceous period and still retains many of their characteristics. The mechanistic origins of penetration resistance (approximating a biting attack) were investigated and found to include the juxtaposition of multiple distinct reinforcing composite layers that each undergo their own unique deformation mechanisms, a unique spatial functional form of mechanical properties with regions of differing levels of gradation within and between material layers, and layers with an undetectable gradation, load-dependent effective material properties, circumferential surface cracking, orthogonal microcracking in laminated sublayers and geometrically corrugated junctions between layers.

Materials design principles of ancient fish armour.

PubMed

Bruet, Benjamin J F; Song, Juha; Boyce, Mary C; Ortiz, Christine

2008-09-01

Knowledge of the structure-property-function relationships of dermal scales of armoured fish could enable pathways to improved bioinspired human body armour, and may provide clues to the evolutionary origins of mineralized tissues. Here, we present a multiscale experimental and computational approach that reveals the materials design principles present within individual ganoid scales from the 'living fossil' Polypterus senegalus. This fish belongs to the ancient family Polypteridae, which first appeared 96 million years ago during the Cretaceous period and still retains many of their characteristics. The mechanistic origins of penetration resistance (approximating a biting attack) were investigated and found to include the juxtaposition of multiple distinct reinforcing composite layers that each undergo their own unique deformation mechanisms, a unique spatial functional form of mechanical properties with regions of differing levels of gradation within and between material layers, and layers with an undetectable gradation, load-dependent effective material properties, circumferential surface cracking, orthogonal microcracking in laminated sublayers and geometrically corrugated junctions between layers.

The Potential of Using Brain Images for Authentication

PubMed Central

Zhou, Zongtan; Shen, Hui; Hu, Dewen

2014-01-01

Biometric recognition (also known as biometrics) refers to the automated recognition of individuals based on their biological or behavioral traits. Examples of biometric traits include fingerprint, palmprint, iris, and face. The brain is the most important and complex organ in the human body. Can it be used as a biometric trait? In this study, we analyze the uniqueness of the brain and try to use the brain for identity authentication. The proposed brain-based verification system operates in two stages: gray matter extraction and gray matter matching. A modified brain segmentation algorithm is implemented for extracting gray matter from an input brain image. Then, an alignment-based matching algorithm is developed for brain matching. Experimental results on two data sets show that the proposed brain recognition system meets the high accuracy requirement of identity authentication. Though currently the acquisition of the brain is still time consuming and expensive, brain images are highly unique and have the potential possibility for authentication in view of pattern recognition. PMID:25126604

The potential of using brain images for authentication.

PubMed

Chen, Fanglin; Zhou, Zongtan; Shen, Hui; Hu, Dewen

2014-01-01

Biometric recognition (also known as biometrics) refers to the automated recognition of individuals based on their biological or behavioral traits. Examples of biometric traits include fingerprint, palmprint, iris, and face. The brain is the most important and complex organ in the human body. Can it be used as a biometric trait? In this study, we analyze the uniqueness of the brain and try to use the brain for identity authentication. The proposed brain-based verification system operates in two stages: gray matter extraction and gray matter matching. A modified brain segmentation algorithm is implemented for extracting gray matter from an input brain image. Then, an alignment-based matching algorithm is developed for brain matching. Experimental results on two data sets show that the proposed brain recognition system meets the high accuracy requirement of identity authentication. Though currently the acquisition of the brain is still time consuming and expensive, brain images are highly unique and have the potential possibility for authentication in view of pattern recognition.

Understanding disgust.

PubMed

Chapman, Hanah A; Anderson, Adam K

2012-03-01

Disgust is characterized by a remarkably diverse set of stimulus triggers, ranging from extremely concrete (bad tastes and disease vectors) to extremely abstract (moral transgressions and those who commit them). This diversity may reflect an expansion of the role of disgust over evolutionary time, from an origin in defending the body against toxicity and disease, through defense against other threats to biological fitness (e.g., incest), to involvement in the selection of suitable interaction partners, by motivating the rejection of individuals who violate social and moral norms. The anterior insula, and to a lesser extent the basal ganglia, are implicated in toxicity- and disease-related forms of disgust, although we argue that insular activation is not exclusive to disgust. It remains unclear whether moral disgust is associated with insular activity. Disgust offers cognitive neuroscientists a unique opportunity to study how an evolutionarily ancient response rooted in the chemical senses has expanded into a uniquely human social cognitive domain; many interesting research avenues remain to be explored. © 2012 New York Academy of Sciences.

Occupational Therapy Students' Perceptions of Spirituality in Training.

PubMed

Mthembu, Thuli Godfrey; Ahmed, Firdous; Nkuna, Thembi; Yaca, Khalipha

2015-12-01

Spirituality is recognized as an essential and integral component of a holistic approach in occupational therapy practice. However, little is known about occupational therapy students' perceptions regarding spirituality in learning context. This study used qualitative exploratory, descriptive design to explore the occupational therapy students' perceptions about spirituality in training. Using purposive sampling, four semi-structured interviews were conducted with two students, a lecturer and an occupational therapist. In addition, two focus groups were conducted with students in order to collect data. Data collected were audio-taped; transcribed and thematic analysis was used to identify themes. The analysis resulted in emergence of four themes: "Unique to every individual," "Spirituality in occupational therapy," "To be or not to be taught," and "The Real world." Participants perceived spirituality as an individually experienced. The study contributes to the body of knowledge base of occupational therapy education regarding spirituality. However, there is a need for guidelines to integrate spirituality in occupational therapy training.

Genome sequences of the human body louse and its primary endosymbiont provide insights into the permanent parasitic lifestyle.

PubMed

Kirkness, Ewen F; Haas, Brian J; Sun, Weilin; Braig, Henk R; Perotti, M Alejandra; Clark, John M; Lee, Si Hyeock; Robertson, Hugh M; Kennedy, Ryan C; Elhaik, Eran; Gerlach, Daniel; Kriventseva, Evgenia V; Elsik, Christine G; Graur, Dan; Hill, Catherine A; Veenstra, Jan A; Walenz, Brian; Tubío, José Manuel C; Ribeiro, José M C; Rozas, Julio; Johnston, J Spencer; Reese, Justin T; Popadic, Aleksandar; Tojo, Marta; Raoult, Didier; Reed, David L; Tomoyasu, Yoshinori; Kraus, Emily; Krause, Emily; Mittapalli, Omprakash; Margam, Venu M; Li, Hong-Mei; Meyer, Jason M; Johnson, Reed M; Romero-Severson, Jeanne; Vanzee, Janice Pagel; Alvarez-Ponce, David; Vieira, Filipe G; Aguadé, Montserrat; Guirao-Rico, Sara; Anzola, Juan M; Yoon, Kyong S; Strycharz, Joseph P; Unger, Maria F; Christley, Scott; Lobo, Neil F; Seufferheld, Manfredo J; Wang, Naikuan; Dasch, Gregory A; Struchiner, Claudio J; Madey, Greg; Hannick, Linda I; Bidwell, Shelby; Joardar, Vinita; Caler, Elisabet; Shao, Renfu; Barker, Stephen C; Cameron, Stephen; Bruggner, Robert V; Regier, Allison; Johnson, Justin; Viswanathan, Lakshmi; Utterback, Terry R; Sutton, Granger G; Lawson, Daniel; Waterhouse, Robert M; Venter, J Craig; Strausberg, Robert L; Berenbaum, May R; Collins, Frank H; Zdobnov, Evgeny M; Pittendrigh, Barry R

2010-07-06

As an obligatory parasite of humans, the body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus) is an important vector for human diseases, including epidemic typhus, relapsing fever, and trench fever. Here, we present genome sequences of the body louse and its primary bacterial endosymbiont Candidatus Riesia pediculicola. The body louse has the smallest known insect genome, spanning 108 Mb. Despite its status as an obligate parasite, it retains a remarkably complete basal insect repertoire of 10,773 protein-coding genes and 57 microRNAs. Representing hemimetabolous insects, the genome of the body louse thus provides a reference for studies of holometabolous insects. Compared with other insect genomes, the body louse genome contains significantly fewer genes associated with environmental sensing and response, including odorant and gustatory receptors and detoxifying enzymes. The unique architecture of the 18 minicircular mitochondrial chromosomes of the body louse may be linked to the loss of the gene encoding the mitochondrial single-stranded DNA binding protein. The genome of the obligatory louse endosymbiont Candidatus Riesia pediculicola encodes less than 600 genes on a short, linear chromosome and a circular plasmid. The plasmid harbors a unique arrangement of genes required for the synthesis of pantothenate, an essential vitamin deficient in the louse diet. The human body louse, its primary endosymbiont, and the bacterial pathogens that it vectors all possess genomes reduced in size compared with their free-living close relatives. Thus, the body louse genome project offers unique information and tools to use in advancing understanding of coevolution among vectors, symbionts, and pathogens.

Genome sequences of the human body louse and its primary endosymbiont provide insights into the permanent parasitic lifestyle

PubMed Central

Kirkness, Ewen F.; Haas, Brian J.; Sun, Weilin; Braig, Henk R.; Perotti, M. Alejandra; Clark, John M.; Lee, Si Hyeock; Robertson, Hugh M.; Kennedy, Ryan C.; Elhaik, Eran; Gerlach, Daniel; Kriventseva, Evgenia V.; Elsik, Christine G.; Graur, Dan; Hill, Catherine A.; Veenstra, Jan A.; Walenz, Brian; Tubío, José Manuel C.; Ribeiro, José M. C.; Rozas, Julio; Johnston, J. Spencer; Reese, Justin T.; Popadic, Aleksandar; Tojo, Marta; Raoult, Didier; Reed, David L.; Tomoyasu, Yoshinori; Kraus, Emily; Mittapalli, Omprakash; Margam, Venu M.; Li, Hong-Mei; Meyer, Jason M.; Johnson, Reed M.; Romero-Severson, Jeanne; VanZee, Janice Pagel; Alvarez-Ponce, David; Vieira, Filipe G.; Aguadé, Montserrat; Guirao-Rico, Sara; Anzola, Juan M.; Yoon, Kyong S.; Strycharz, Joseph P.; Unger, Maria F.; Christley, Scott; Lobo, Neil F.; Seufferheld, Manfredo J.; Wang, NaiKuan; Dasch, Gregory A.; Struchiner, Claudio J.; Madey, Greg; Hannick, Linda I.; Bidwell, Shelby; Joardar, Vinita; Caler, Elisabet; Shao, Renfu; Barker, Stephen C.; Cameron, Stephen; Bruggner, Robert V.; Regier, Allison; Johnson, Justin; Viswanathan, Lakshmi; Utterback, Terry R.; Sutton, Granger G.; Lawson, Daniel; Waterhouse, Robert M.; Venter, J. Craig; Strausberg, Robert L.; Collins, Frank H.; Zdobnov, Evgeny M.; Pittendrigh, Barry R.

2010-01-01

As an obligatory parasite of humans, the body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus) is an important vector for human diseases, including epidemic typhus, relapsing fever, and trench fever. Here, we present genome sequences of the body louse and its primary bacterial endosymbiont Candidatus Riesia pediculicola. The body louse has the smallest known insect genome, spanning 108 Mb. Despite its status as an obligate parasite, it retains a remarkably complete basal insect repertoire of 10,773 protein-coding genes and 57 microRNAs. Representing hemimetabolous insects, the genome of the body louse thus provides a reference for studies of holometabolous insects. Compared with other insect genomes, the body louse genome contains significantly fewer genes associated with environmental sensing and response, including odorant and gustatory receptors and detoxifying enzymes. The unique architecture of the 18 minicircular mitochondrial chromosomes of the body louse may be linked to the loss of the gene encoding the mitochondrial single-stranded DNA binding protein. The genome of the obligatory louse endosymbiont Candidatus Riesia pediculicola encodes less than 600 genes on a short, linear chromosome and a circular plasmid. The plasmid harbors a unique arrangement of genes required for the synthesis of pantothenate, an essential vitamin deficient in the louse diet. The human body louse, its primary endosymbiont, and the bacterial pathogens that it vectors all possess genomes reduced in size compared with their free-living close relatives. Thus, the body louse genome project offers unique information and tools to use in advancing understanding of coevolution among vectors, symbionts, and pathogens. PMID:20566863

Weight Management for Athletes and Active Individuals: A Brief Review.

PubMed

Manore, Melinda M

2015-11-01

Weight management for athletes and active individuals is unique because of their high daily energy expenditure; thus, the emphasis is usually placed on changing the diet side of the energy balance equation. When dieting for weight loss, active individuals also want to preserve lean tissue, which means that energy restriction cannot be too severe or lean tissue is lost. First, this brief review addresses the issues of weight management in athletes and active individuals and factors to consider when determining a weight-loss goal. Second, the concept of dynamic energy balance is reviewed, including two mathematical models developed to improve weight-loss predictions based on changes in diet and exercise. These models are now available on the Internet. Finally, dietary strategies for weight loss/maintenance that can be successfully used with active individuals are given. Emphasis is placed on teaching the benefits of consuming a low-ED diet (e.g., high-fiber, high-water, low-fat foods), which allows for the consumption of a greater volume of food to increase satiety while reducing energy intake. Health professionals and sport dietitians need to understand dynamic energy balance and be prepared with effective and evidence-based dietary approaches to help athletes and active individuals achieve their body-weight goals.

Quantifying the energy stores of capital breeding humpback whales and income breeding sperm whales using historical whaling records.

PubMed

Irvine, Lyn G; Thums, Michele; Hanson, Christine E; McMahon, Clive R; Hindell, Mark A

2017-03-01

Cetacean energy stores are known to vary according to life history, reproductive status and time of year; however, the opportunity to quantify these relationships is rare. Using a unique set of historical whaling records from Western Australia (1952-1963), we investigated energy stores of large cetaceans with differing life histories, and quantified the relationship between total body lipid and length for humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae) ( n  = 905) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) ( n  = 1961). We found that total body lipid increased with body length in both humpback and sperm whales, consistent with size-related energy stores. Male humpback whales stored 2.49 kl (15.6 barrels) (31.9-74.9%) more lipid than male sperm whales of equivalent length, to fuel their annual migration. Relative lipid stores of sperm whales (males) were constant throughout the year, while those of humpback whales varied with reproductive class and sampling date. Pregnant female humpback whales had higher relative energy stores than non-pregnant females and males (26.2% and 37.4%, respectively), to fuel the energy demands of gestation and lactation. Those that reached the sampling site later ( en route to their breeding grounds) carried higher lipid stores than those that arrived earlier, possibly reflecting individual variation in residency times in the Antarctic feeding grounds. Importantly, longer pregnant females had relatively larger energy stores than the shorter pregnant females, indicating that the smaller individuals may experience higher levels of energetic stress during the migration fast. The relationships we developed between body lipid and length can be used to inform bioenergetics and ecosystem models when such detailed information is not available.

Quantifying the energy stores of capital breeding humpback whales and income breeding sperm whales using historical whaling records

PubMed Central

Thums, Michele; Hanson, Christine E.; McMahon, Clive R.; Hindell, Mark A.

2017-01-01

Cetacean energy stores are known to vary according to life history, reproductive status and time of year; however, the opportunity to quantify these relationships is rare. Using a unique set of historical whaling records from Western Australia (1952–1963), we investigated energy stores of large cetaceans with differing life histories, and quantified the relationship between total body lipid and length for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) (n = 905) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) (n = 1961). We found that total body lipid increased with body length in both humpback and sperm whales, consistent with size-related energy stores. Male humpback whales stored 2.49 kl (15.6 barrels) (31.9–74.9%) more lipid than male sperm whales of equivalent length, to fuel their annual migration. Relative lipid stores of sperm whales (males) were constant throughout the year, while those of humpback whales varied with reproductive class and sampling date. Pregnant female humpback whales had higher relative energy stores than non-pregnant females and males (26.2% and 37.4%, respectively), to fuel the energy demands of gestation and lactation. Those that reached the sampling site later (en route to their breeding grounds) carried higher lipid stores than those that arrived earlier, possibly reflecting individual variation in residency times in the Antarctic feeding grounds. Importantly, longer pregnant females had relatively larger energy stores than the shorter pregnant females, indicating that the smaller individuals may experience higher levels of energetic stress during the migration fast. The relationships we developed between body lipid and length can be used to inform bioenergetics and ecosystem models when such detailed information is not available. PMID:28405350

Population Variation Reveals Independent Selection toward Small Body Size in Chinese Debao Pony

PubMed Central

Kader, Adiljan; Li, Yan; Dong, Kunzhe; Irwin, David M.; Zhao, Qianjun; He, Xiaohong; Liu, Jianfeng; Pu, Yabin; Gorkhali, Neena Amatya; Liu, Xuexue; Jiang, Lin; Li, Xiangchen; Guan, Weijun; Zhang, Yaping; Wu, Dong-Dong; Ma, Yuehui

2016-01-01

Body size, one of the most important quantitative traits under evolutionary scrutiny, varies considerably among species and among populations within species. Revealing the genetic basis underlying this variation is very important, particularly in humans where there is a close relationship with diseases and in domestic animals as the selective patterns are associated with improvements in production traits. The Debao pony is a horse breed with small body size that is unique to China; however, it is unknown whether the size-related candidate genes identified in Western breeds also account for the small body size of the Debao pony. Here, we compared individual horses from the Debao population with other two Chinese horse populations using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified with the Equine SNP 65 Bead Chip. The previously reported size-related candidate gene HMGA2 showed a significant signature for selection, consistent with its role observed in human populations. More interestingly, we found a candidate gene TBX3, which had not been observed in previous studies on horse body size that displayed the highest differentiation and most significant association, and thus likely is the dominating factor for the small stature of the Debao pony. Further comparison between the Debao pony and other breeds of horses from around the world demonstrated that TBX3 was selected independently in the Debao pony, suggesting that there were multiple origins of small stature in the horse. PMID:26637467

Silk elasticity as a potential constraint on spider body size.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Gironés, Miguel A; Corcobado, Guadalupe; Moya-Laraño, Jordi

2010-10-07

Silk is known for its strength and extensibility and has played a key role in the radiation of spiders. Individual spiders use different glands to produce silk types with unique sets of proteins. Most research has studied the properties of major ampullate and capture spiral silks and their ecological implications, while little is known about minor ampullate silk, the type used by those spider species studied to date for bridging displacements. A biomechanical model parameterised with available data shows that the minimum radius of silk filaments required for efficient bridging grows with the square root of the spider's body mass, faster than the radius of minor ampullate silk filaments actually produced by spiders. Because the morphology of spiders adapted to walking along or under silk threads is ill suited for moving on a solid surface, for these species there is a negative relationship between body mass and displacement ability. As it stands, the model suggests that spiders that use silk for their displacements are prevented from attaining a large body size if they must track their resources in space. In particular, silk elasticity would favour sexual size dimorphism because males that must use bridging lines to search for females cannot grow large. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Body composition and bone mineral density of national football league players.

PubMed

Dengel, Donald R; Bosch, Tyler A; Burruss, T Pepper; Fielding, Kurt A; Engel, Bryan E; Weir, Nate L; Weston, Todd D

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the body composition of National Football League (NFL) players before the start of the regular season. Four hundred eleven NFL players were measured for height, weight and lean, fat, and bone mass using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Subjects were categorized by their offensive or defensive position for comparison. On average, positions that mirror each other (i.e., offensive lineman [OL] vs. defensive lineman [DL]) have very similar body composition. Although OL had more fat mass than DL, they were similar in total and upper and lower lean mass. Linebackers (LB) and running backs (RB) were similar for all measures of fat and lean mass. Tight ends were unique in that they were similar to RB and LB on measures of fat mass; however, they had greater lean mass than both RB and LB and upper-body lean mass that was similar to OL. Quarterbacks and punters/kickers were similar in fat and lean masses. All positions had normal levels of bone mineral density. The DXA allowed us to measure differences in lean mass between arms and legs for symmetry assessments. Although most individuals had similar totals of lean mass in each leg and or arms, there were outliers who may be at risk for injury. The data presented demonstrate not only differences in total body composition, but also show regional body composition differences that may provide positional templates.

Body Dissatisfaction in Individuals with Obesity Compared to Normal-Weight Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Weinberger, Natascha-Alexandra; Kersting, Anette; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G.; Luck-Sikorski, Claudia

2017-01-01

Background Body dissatisfaction has been identified as a psychological correlate of obesity that is related to disordered eating, poor self-esteem, and depression. However, not all individuals with obesity are equally vulnerable to these correlates, and ‘normative discontent’ is present in individuals with normal weight, too. In this light, the complex relationship of body image and individual weight status seems like a worthwhile direction of research inquiry. As such, this review aims to systematically explore the degree of body dissatisfaction in individuals with obesity compared to normal-weight individuals. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted. All quantitative studies of adult samples reporting results regarding differences in body dissatisfaction between individuals with normal weight and obesity were included. Results 17 articles were found. Across studies, individuals with obesity reported higher body dissatisfaction than normal-weight individuals (questionnaires: d = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.63-1.16, p ℋ 0.001; silhouette scales: d = 1.41, 95% CI = 0.57-2.25, p ℋ 0.001). Meta-regression revealed a significant association of female gender and higher body dissatisfaction (b = 0.60, p = 0.007). Conclusion The findings underline the severity of body dissatisfaction among individuals with obesity and especially among women. Future research recommendations are discussed. PMID:28013298

Compartmentalized and systemic control of tissue immunity by commensals

PubMed Central

Belkaid, Yasmine; Naik, Shruti

2013-01-01

The body is composed of various tissue microenvironments with finely tuned local immunosurveillance systems, many of which are in close apposition with distinct commensal niches. Mammals have formed an evolutionary partnership with the microbiota that is critical for metabolism, tissue development and host defense. Despite our growing understanding of the impact of this host-microbe alliance on immunity in the gastrointestinal tract, the extent to which individual microenvironments are controlled by resident microbiota remains unclear. In this Perspective we discuss how resident commensals outside the gastrointestinal tract can control unique physiological niches and the potential implications of the dialog between these commensals and the host for the establishment of immune homeostasis, protective responses and tissue pathology. PMID:23778791

Naturopathy and the Primary Care Practice

PubMed Central

Fleming, Sara A.; Gutknecht, Nancy C.

2010-01-01

Synopsis Naturopathy is a distinct type of primary care medicine that blends age-old healing traditions with scientific advances and current research. It is guided by a unique set of principles that recognize the body's innate healing capacity, emphasize disease prevention, and encourage individual responsibility to obtain optimal health. Naturopathic treatment modalities include diet and clinical nutrition, behavioral change, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, botanical medicine, physical medicine, pharmaceuticals, and minor surgery. Naturopathic physicians (NDs) are trained as primary care physicians in four-year, accredited doctoral-level naturopathic medical schools. Currently, there are 15 U.S. states, 2 U.S. territories, and a number of provinces in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand that recognize licensure for NDs. PMID:20189002

The person with a spinal cord injury: an evolving prototype for life care planning.

PubMed

Stiens, Steven A; Fawber, Heidi L; Yuhas, Steven A

2013-08-01

The sequela of spinal cord injury (SCI) can provide a prototype for life care planning because the segmental design of the vertebrate body allows assessments to be quantitative, repeatable, and predictive of the injured person's impairments, self-care capabilities, and required assistance. Life care planning for patients with SCI uses a standard method that is comparable between planner, yet individualizes assessment and seeks resources that meet unique patient-centered needs in their communities of choice. Clinical care and rehabilitation needs organized with an SCI problem list promotes collaboration by the interdisciplinary team, caregivers, and family in efficient achievement of patient-centered goals and completion of daily care plans. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Hard tissue regeneration using bone substitutes: an update on innovations in materials

PubMed Central

Sarkar, Swapan Kumar

2015-01-01

Bone is a unique organ composed of mineralized hard tissue, unlike any other body part. The unique manner in which bone can constantly undergo self-remodeling has created interesting clinical approaches to the healing of damaged bone. Healing of large bone defects is achieved using implant materials that gradually integrate with the body after healing is completed. Such strategies require a multidisciplinary approach by material scientists, biological scientists, and clinicians. Development of materials for bone healing and exploration of the interactions thereof with the body are active research areas. In this review, we explore ongoing developments in the creation of materials for regenerating hard tissues. PMID:25995658

Hard tissue regeneration using bone substitutes: an update on innovations in materials.

PubMed

Sarkar, Swapan Kumar; Lee, Byong Taek

2015-05-01

Bone is a unique organ composed of mineralized hard tissue, unlike any other body part. The unique manner in which bone can constantly undergo self-remodeling has created interesting clinical approaches to the healing of damaged bone. Healing of large bone defects is achieved using implant materials that gradually integrate with the body after healing is completed. Such strategies require a multidisciplinary approach by material scientists, biological scientists, and clinicians. Development of materials for bone healing and exploration of the interactions thereof with the body are active research areas. In this review, we explore ongoing developments in the creation of materials for regenerating hard tissues.

Arm coordination in octopus crawling involves unique motor control strategies.

PubMed

Levy, Guy; Flash, Tamar; Hochner, Binyamin

2015-05-04

To cope with the exceptional computational complexity that is involved in the control of its hyper-redundant arms [1], the octopus has adopted unique motor control strategies in which the central brain activates rather autonomous motor programs in the elaborated peripheral nervous system of the arms [2, 3]. How octopuses coordinate their eight long and flexible arms in locomotion is still unknown. Here, we present the first detailed kinematic analysis of octopus arm coordination in crawling. The results are surprising in several respects: (1) despite its bilaterally symmetrical body, the octopus can crawl in any direction relative to its body orientation; (2) body and crawling orientation are monotonically and independently controlled; and (3) contrasting known animal locomotion, octopus crawling lacks any apparent rhythmical patterns in limb coordination, suggesting a unique non-rhythmical output of the octopus central controller. We show that this uncommon maneuverability is derived from the radial symmetry of the arms around the body and the simple pushing-by-elongation mechanism by which the arms create the crawling thrust. These two together enable a mechanism whereby the central controller chooses in a moment-to-moment fashion which arms to recruit for pushing the body in an instantaneous direction. Our findings suggest that the soft molluscan body has affected in an embodied way [4, 5] the emergence of the adaptive motor behavior of the octopus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-reported characteristics of women and men with intimate body piercings.

PubMed

Caliendo, Carol; Armstrong, Myrna L; Roberts, Alden E

2005-03-01

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study exploring factors associated with female and male intimate body piercing, with particular emphasis on health issues. Nipple and genital piercings (intimate piercings) have become common types of body art. Scant medical and nursing literature is available, leading to little understanding of these body modifications by health care providers. A convenience sample of intimately pierced individuals (63 women and 83 men) from 29 states in the United States of America was surveyed via an author-developed questionnaire. Questions focused on demographic characteristics, decision factors and health problems related to intimate piercings. Self-reported characteristics were compared between female and male participants, and participants were compared demographically to United States general population. Participants reported wearing nipple piercings (43%), genital piercings (25%) and both types (32%). Respondents were significantly younger, less ethnically diverse, better educated, less likely to be married, more often homosexual or bisexual and they initiated sexual activity at a younger age than the US population. Deliberate, individual decisions for procurement of the intimate piercings were made. Average purchase consideration was at age 25 (nipple) and 27 (genital); average age to obtain the piercing was 27 (nipple) and 28 (genital) years. Purposes for obtaining the piercings included uniqueness, self-expression and sexual expression. Most participants still liked their piercing (73-90%). Health concerns related to intimate piercings were described by both those with nipple piercings (66%) and with genital piercings (52%) and included site sensitivity, skin irritation, infection and change in urinary flow (male genital). Few STDs (3%) were reported and no HIV or hepatitis. Usually non-medical advice was sought for problems -- often from the body piercer. Understanding client rationale is not a necessary prerequisite for providing quality patient care; however, awareness of purposes and decision-making in intimate piercing can help nurses to be sensitive to client needs and plan appropriate health education.

Homo naledi, a new species of the genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa

PubMed Central

Berger, Lee R; Hawks, John; de Ruiter, Darryl J; Churchill, Steven E; Schmid, Peter; Delezene, Lucas K; Kivell, Tracy L; Garvin, Heather M; Williams, Scott A; DeSilva, Jeremy M; Skinner, Matthew M; Musiba, Charles M; Cameron, Noel; Holliday, Trenton W; Harcourt-Smith, William; Ackermann, Rebecca R; Bastir, Markus; Bogin, Barry; Bolter, Debra; Brophy, Juliet; Cofran, Zachary D; Congdon, Kimberly A; Deane, Andrew S; Dembo, Mana; Drapeau, Michelle; Elliott, Marina C; Feuerriegel, Elen M; Garcia-Martinez, Daniel; Green, David J; Gurtov, Alia; Irish, Joel D; Kruger, Ashley; Laird, Myra F; Marchi, Damiano; Meyer, Marc R; Nalla, Shahed; Negash, Enquye W; Orr, Caley M; Radovcic, Davorka; Schroeder, Lauren; Scott, Jill E; Throckmorton, Zachary; Tocheri, Matthew W; VanSickle, Caroline; Walker, Christopher S; Wei, Pianpian; Zipfel, Bernhard

2015-01-01

Homo naledi is a previously-unknown species of extinct hominin discovered within the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. This species is characterized by body mass and stature similar to small-bodied human populations but a small endocranial volume similar to australopiths. Cranial morphology of H. naledi is unique, but most similar to early Homo species including Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Homo rudolfensis. While primitive, the dentition is generally small and simple in occlusal morphology. H. naledi has humanlike manipulatory adaptations of the hand and wrist. It also exhibits a humanlike foot and lower limb. These humanlike aspects are contrasted in the postcrania with a more primitive or australopith-like trunk, shoulder, pelvis and proximal femur. Representing at least 15 individuals with most skeletal elements repeated multiple times, this is the largest assemblage of a single species of hominins yet discovered in Africa. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09560.001 PMID:26354291

Skin picking disorder with co-occurring body dysmorphic disorder.

PubMed

Grant, Jon E; Redden, Sarah A; Leppink, Eric W; Odlaug, Brian L

2015-09-01

There is clinical overlap between skin picking disorder (SPD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), but little research has examined clinical and cognitive correlates of the two disorders when they co-occur. Of 55 participants with SPD recruited for a neurocognitive study and two pharmacological studies, 16 (29.1%) had co-occurring BDD. SPD participants with and without BDD were compared to each other and to 40 healthy volunteers on measures of symptom severity, social functioning, and cognitive assessments using the Stop-signal task (assessing response impulsivity) and the Intra-dimensional/Extra-dimensional Set Shift task (assessing cognitive flexibility). Individuals with SPD and BDD exhibited significantly worse picking, significantly worse overall psychosocial functioning, and significantly greater dysfunction on aspects of cognitive flexibility. These results indicate that when SPD co-occurs with BDD unique clinical and cognitive aspects of SPD may be more pronounced. Future work should explore possible subgroups in SPD and whether these predict different treatment outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ER bodies in plants of the Brassicales order: biogenesis and association with innate immunity

PubMed Central

Nakano, Ryohei T.; Yamada, Kenji; Bednarek, Paweł; Nishimura, Mikio; Hara-Nishimura, Ikuko

2014-01-01

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) forms highly organized network structures composed of tubules and cisternae. Many plant species develop additional ER-derived structures, most of which are specific for certain groups of species. In particular, a rod-shaped structure designated as the ER body is produced by plants of the Brassicales order, which includes Arabidopsis thaliana. Genetic analyses and characterization of A. thaliana mutants possessing a disorganized ER morphology or lacking ER bodies have provided insights into the highly organized mechanisms responsible for the formation of these unique ER structures. The accumulation of proteins specific for the ER body within the ER plays an important role in the formation of ER bodies. However, a mutant that exhibits morphological defects of both the ER and ER bodies has not been identified. This suggests that plants in the Brassicales order have evolved novel mechanisms for the development of this unique organelle, which are distinct from those used to maintain generic ER structures. In A. thaliana, ER bodies are ubiquitous in seedlings and roots, but rare in rosette leaves. Wounding of rosette leaves induces de novo formation of ER bodies, suggesting that these structures are associated with resistance against pathogens and/or herbivores. ER bodies accumulate a large amount of β-glucosidases, which can produce substances that potentially protect against invading pests. Biochemical studies have determined that the enzymatic activities of these β-glucosidases are enhanced during cell collapse. These results suggest that ER bodies are involved in plant immunity, although there is no direct evidence of this. In this review, we provide recent perspectives of ER and ER body formation in A. thaliana, and discuss clues for the functions of ER bodies. We highlight defense strategies against biotic stress that are unique for the Brassicales order, and discuss how ER structures could contribute to these strategies. PMID:24653729

Nutrition guidelines for strength sports: sprinting, weightlifting, throwing events, and bodybuilding.

PubMed

Slater, Gary; Phillips, Stuart M

2011-01-01

Strength and power athletes are primarily interested in enhancing power relative to body weight and thus almost all undertake some form of resistance training. While athletes may periodically attempt to promote skeletal muscle hypertrophy, key nutritional issues are broader than those pertinent to hypertrophy and include an appreciation of the sports supplement industry, the strategic timing of nutrient intake to maximize fuelling and recovery objectives, plus achievement of pre-competition body mass requirements. Total energy and macronutrient intakes of strength-power athletes are generally high but intakes tend to be unremarkable when expressed relative to body mass. Greater insight into optimization of dietary intake to achieve nutrition-related goals would be achieved from assessment of nutrient distribution over the day, especially intake before, during, and after exercise. This information is not readily available on strength-power athletes and research is warranted. There is a general void of scientific investigation relating specifically to this unique group of athletes. Until this is resolved, sports nutrition recommendations for strength-power athletes should be directed at the individual athlete, focusing on their specific nutrition-related goals, with an emphasis on the nutritional support of training.

Survival mechanisms of vertebrate ectotherms at subfreezing temperatures: applications in cryomedicine.

PubMed

Costanzo, J P; Lee, R E; DeVries, A L; Wang, T; Layne, J R

1995-03-01

Various marine fishes, amphibians, and reptiles survive at temperatures several degrees below the freezing point of their body fluids by virtue of adaptive mechanisms that promote freeze avoidance or freeze tolerance. Freezing is avoided by a colligative depression of the blood freezing point, supercooling of the body fluids, or the biosynthesis of unique antifreeze proteins that inhibit the propagation of ice within body fluids. Conversely, freeze tolerance is an adaptation for the survival of tissue freezing under ecologically relevant thermal and temporal conditions that is conferred by the biosynthesis of permeating carbohydrate cryoprotectants and an extensive dehydration of tissues and organs. Such cryoprotective responses, invoked by the onset of freezing, mitigate the osmotic stress associated with freeze-concentration of cytoplasm, attendant metabolic perturbations, and physical damage. Cryomedical research has historically relied on mammalian models for experimentation even though endotherms do not naturally experience subfreezing temperatures. Some vertebrate ectotherms have "solved" not only the problem of freezing individual tissues and organs, but also that of simultaneously freezing all organ systems. An emerging paradigm in cryomedicine is the application of principles governing natural cold hardiness to the development of protocols for the cryopreservation of mammalian tissues and organs.

Sexuality Education for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Critical Issues and Decision Making Guidelines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Travers, Jason; Tincani, Matt

2010-01-01

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) present unique needs regarding sexuality education. While the topic of sexuality has received increased attention in the fields of intellectual and developmental disabilities generally, less consideration has focused on the unique needs of individuals with ASD specifically. This paper presents one…

"Why did you really do it?" A mixed-method analysis of the factors underpinning motivations to register as a body donor.

PubMed

Cornwall, Jon; Poppelwell, Zoe; McManus, Ruth

2018-05-15

Individuals who register as body donors do so for various reasons, with aiding medical science a common motivation. Despite awareness of several key reasons for donation, there are few in-depth explorations of these motivations to contextualize persons' reasons for donating. This study undertakes a mixed-method exploration of motivations for body donation to facilitate deeper understanding of the reasons underpinning donor registration. A survey of all newly registered body donors at a New Zealand university was performed over a single year. The survey included basic demographic information, a categorical question on reason for donation, a free-text question on donation motivation, and a free-text question allowing "other" comments on body donation. Basic statistical analysis was performed on demographic and categorical data, and thematic analysis used on free-text responses. From 169 registrants, 126 people (average age 70.5 years; 72 female) returned completed surveys (response rate 75%). Categorical data indicate a primary motivation of aiding medical science (86%). Fifty-one respondents (40%) provided free-text data on motivation, with other comments related to motivation provided by forty-one (33%). Common themes included reference to usefulness, uniqueness (pathophysiology and anatomy), gift-giving, kinship, and impermanence of the physical body. Consistent with previous studies, the primary reason for body donation was aiding medical science, however underpinning this was a complex layer of themes and sub-themes shaping motivations for choices. Findings provide important information that can guide development of robust informed consent processes, aid appropriate thanksgiving service delivery, and further contextualize the importance of medical professionals in body donation culture. Anat Sci Educ. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.

The treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus with agents approved for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Munir, Kashif M; Davis, Stephen N

2015-01-01

The management of type 1 diabetes remains a challenge for clinicians. Current practice is to administer insulin analogues to best mimic normal physiological insulin profiles. However, despite our best efforts the majority of individuals with type 1 diabetes continue to suffer from suboptimal glucose control, significant hypoglycemia and microvascular tissue complications of the disease. There is thus a significant unmet need in the treatment of T1DM to obtain better glycemic control. We discuss the use of α-glucosidase inhibitors, dipeptidyl-peptidase inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists, biguanides, thiazolidinediones and sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors in individuals with T1DM. Non-insulin therapies present a unique and exciting adjunctive treatment for individuals with type 1 diabetes. Although data are scarce, the classes of medications discussed help to lower glucose, decrease glycemic excursions and in some cases improve body weight, along with allowing dose reductions in total daily insulin. Glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists and sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, in particular, have been demonstrated to provide clinical improvements in individuals with T1DM and we feel their use can be explored in obese, insulin-resistant patients with T1DM, those with frequent and significant glycemic excursions or individuals with persistently elevated hemoglobin A1c.

Mining the Giardia genome and proteome for conserved and unique basal body proteins

PubMed Central

Lauwaet, Tineke; Smith, Alias J.; Reiner, David S.; Romijn, Edwin P.; Wong, Catherine C. L.; Davids, Barbara J.; Shah, Sheila A.; Yates, John R.; Gillin, Frances D.

2015-01-01

Giardia lamblia is a flagellated protozoan parasite and a major cause of diarrhea in humans. Its microtubular cytoskeleton mediates trophozoite motility, attachment and cytokinesis, and is characterized by an attachment disk and eight flagella that are each nucleated in a basal body. To date, only 10 giardial basal body proteins have been identified, including universal signaling proteins that are important for regulating mitosis or differentiation. In this study, we have exploited bioinformatics and proteomic approaches to identify new Giardia basal body proteins and confocal microscopy to confirm their localization in interphase trophozoites. This approach identified 75 homologs of conserved basal body proteins in the genome including 65 not previously known to be associated with Giardia basal bodies. Thirteen proteins were confirmed to co-localize with centrin to the Giardia basal bodies. We also demonstrate that most basal body proteins localize to additional cytoskeletal structures in interphase trophozoites. This might help to explain the roles of the four pairs of flagella and Giardia-specific organelles in motility and differentiation. A deeper understanding of the composition of the Giardia basal bodies will contribute insights into the complex signaling pathways that regulate its unique cytoskeleton and the biological divergence of these conserved organelles. PMID:21723868

New biometric modalities using internal physical characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mortenson, Juliana (Brooks)

2010-04-01

Biometrics is described as the science of identifying people based on physical characteristics such as their fingerprints, facial features, hand geometry, iris patterns, palm prints, or speech recognition. Notably, all of these physical characteristics are visible or detectable from the exterior of the body. These external characteristics can be lifted, photographed, copied or recorded for unauthorized access to a biometric system. Individual humans are unique internally, however, just as they are unique externally. New biometric modalities have been developed which identify people based on their unique internal characteristics. For example, "BoneprintsTM" use acoustic fields to scan the unique bone density pattern of a thumb pressed on a small acoustic sensor. Thanks to advances in piezoelectric materials the acoustic sensor can be placed in virtually any device such as a steering wheel, door handle, or keyboard. Similarly, "Imp-PrintsTM" measure the electrical impedance patterns of a hand to identify or verify a person's identity. Small impedance sensors can be easily embedded in devices such as smart cards, handles, or wall mounts. These internal biometric modalities rely on physical characteristics which are not visible or photographable, providing an added level of security. In addition, both the acoustic and impedance methods can be combined with physiologic measurements such as acoustic Doppler or impedance plethysmography, respectively. Added verification that the biometric pattern came from a living person can be obtained. These new biometric modalities have the potential to allay user concerns over protection of privacy, while providing a higher level of security.*

Morphological and molecular characterization of Globodera populations from Oregon and Idaho.

PubMed

Skantar, A M; Handoo, Z A; Zasada, I A; Ingham, R E; Carta, L K; Chitwood, D J

2011-04-01

An unusual population of cyst nematode was found in soils collected from a Powell Butte, OR field with a cropping history including potato, wheat, other crops, and significant weed presence. These nematodes could not be placed with certainty into any known species and exhibited some unique morphological features in some specimens. Compared with Globodera pallida, the cyst body length was slightly longer and the second-stage juvenile stylet length was slightly shorter. In some individuals, the J2 stylet knob height was greater and the tail annules were more prominent than in G. pallida, and the tail abruptly narrowed, with a slight constriction near the posterior third of the hyaline terminus. Compared with G. rostochiensis, the hyaline tail terminus had a larger number of refractive bodies, and cysts of this population had a smaller Granek's ratio and fewer cuticular ridges between the anus and vulva. In some individuals, the tail termini of second-stage juveniles were more bluntly pointed, and the stylet knobs were more anteriorly directed with greater height. Unlike G. tabacum, the cyst wall often lacked a network-like pattern and, in some individuals, the juvenile tail terminus distinctly narrowed after a constriction. Molecularly, the population was distinct from G. pallida, G. rostochiensis, and G. tabacum. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA region gave results similar to G. tabacum; however, ITS restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns were observed to have individual bands in common with G. rostochiensis and G. pallida. Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS1 and -2 rDNA sequences showed greatest similarity to populations from Argentina and Chile; together, they form a moderately supported clade, distinct from G. rostochiensis, G. tabacum, G. "mexicana," European type G. pallida, and several G. pallida populations from South America.

When Traits Match States: Examining the Associations between Self-Report Trait and State Mindfulness following a State Mindfulness Induction.

PubMed

Bravo, Adrian J; Pearson, Matthew R; Wilson, Adam D; Witkiewitz, Katie

2018-02-01

Previous research has found inconsistent relationships between trait mindfulness and state mindfulness. To extend previous research, we sought to examine the unique associations between self-report trait mindfulness and state mindfulness by levels of meditation experience (meditation-naïve vs. meditation-experienced) and by mindfulness induction (experimentally induced mindful state vs. control group). We recruited 299 college students (93 with previous mindfulness meditation experience) to participate in an experiment that involved the assessment of five facets of trait mindfulness (among other constructs), followed by a mindfulness induction (vs. control), followed by the assessment of state mindfulness of body and mind. Correlational analyses revealed limited associations between trait mindfulness facets and facets of state mindfulness, and demonstrated that a brief mindfulness exercise focused on bodily sensations and the breath elicited higher state mindfulness of body but not state mindfulness of mind. We found significant interactions such that individuals with previous meditation experience and higher scores on the observing facet of trait mindfulness had the highest levels of state mindfulness of body and mind. Among individuals with meditation experience, the strengths of the associations between observing trait mindfulness and the state mindfulness facets increased with frequency of meditation practice. Some other interactions ran counter to expectations. Overall, the relatively weak associations between trait and state mindfulness demonstrates the need to improve our operationalizations of mindfulness, advance our understanding of how to best cultivate mindfulness, and reappraise the ways in which mindfulness can manifest as a state and as a trait.

Human Body Odour Composites Are Not Perceived More Positively than the Individual Samples.

PubMed

Fialová, Jitka; Sorokowska, Agnieszka; Roberts, S Craig; Kubicová, Lydie; Havlíček, Jan

2018-01-01

It is well established that composite facial images are perceived as more attractive compared with individual images, suggesting a preference for heterozygosity. Similarly, there is evidence that preferences for body odours might be linked to heterozygosity. Here, we tested whether blending individual body odours into composites would follow a similar pattern as observed in the perception of faces. We collected axillary odour samples from 38 individuals, which were subsequently assessed individually and as composites of two ( N  = 19) or four ( N  = 9) body odours regarding their pleasantness, attractiveness and intensity. We found no significant differences between mean ratings of individual odour samples or composites of two or four odour samples. Our results indicate that, in contrast to faces, composite body odours are not rated as more attractive. Composite body odours retain similar hedonic perceptual qualities as individual odours, thus highlighting differences in visual and chemosensory perceptual mechanisms.

Human Body Odour Composites Are Not Perceived More Positively than the Individual Samples

PubMed Central

Fialová, Jitka; Sorokowska, Agnieszka; Roberts, S. Craig; Kubicová, Lydie; Havlíček, Jan

2018-01-01

It is well established that composite facial images are perceived as more attractive compared with individual images, suggesting a preference for heterozygosity. Similarly, there is evidence that preferences for body odours might be linked to heterozygosity. Here, we tested whether blending individual body odours into composites would follow a similar pattern as observed in the perception of faces. We collected axillary odour samples from 38 individuals, which were subsequently assessed individually and as composites of two (N = 19) or four (N = 9) body odours regarding their pleasantness, attractiveness and intensity. We found no significant differences between mean ratings of individual odour samples or composites of two or four odour samples. Our results indicate that, in contrast to faces, composite body odours are not rated as more attractive. Composite body odours retain similar hedonic perceptual qualities as individual odours, thus highlighting differences in visual and chemosensory perceptual mechanisms. PMID:29770184

Initial clinical experience with computerized tomography of the body.

PubMed

Stephens, D H; Sheedy, P F; Hattery, R R; Hartman, G W

1976-04-01

Computerized tomography of the body, now possible with an instrument that can complete a scan rapidly enough to permit patients to suspend respiration, adds an important new dimension to radiologic diagnosis. Cross-sectional antomy is uniquely reconstructed to provide accurate diagnostic information for various disorders throughout the body.

The topology of the regularized integral surfaces of the 3-body problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Easton, R.

1971-01-01

Momentum, angular momentum, and energy of integral surfaces in the planar three-body problem are considered. The end points of orbits which cross an isolating block are identified. It is shown that this identification has a unique extension to an identification which pairs the end points of orbits entering the block and which end in a binary collision with the end points of orbits leaving the block and which come from a binary collision. The problem of regularization is that of showing that the identification of the end points of crossing orbits has a continuous, unique extension. The regularized phase space for the three-body problem was obtained, as were regularized integral surfaces for the problem on which the three-body equations of motion induce flows. Finally the topology of these surfaces is described.

A highly digestible sorghum mutant cultivar exhibits a unique folded structure of endosperm protein bodies

PubMed Central

Oria, Maria P.; Hamaker, Bruce R.; Axtell, John D.; Huang, Chia-Ping

2000-01-01

The endosperm of a sorghum mutant cultivar, with high in vitro uncooked and cooked protein digestibilities, was examined by transmission electron microscopy and α-, β-, and γ-kafirins (storage proteins) were localized within its protein bodies. Transmission electron microscopy micrographs revealed that these protein bodies had a unique microstructure related to high protein digestibility. They were irregular in shape and had numerous invaginations, often reaching to the central area of the protein body. Protein bodies from normal cultivars, such as P721N studied here, with much lower uncooked and cooked digestibilities are spherical and contain no invaginations. Immunocytochemistry results showed that the relative location of α- and β-kafirins within the protein bodies of the highly digestible genotype were similar to the normal cultivar, P721N. γ-Kafirin, however, was concentrated in dark-staining regions at the base of the folds instead of at the protein body periphery, as is typical of normal cultivars. The resulting easy accessibility of digestive enzymes to α-kafirin, the major storage protein, in addition to the increased surface area of the protein bodies of the highly digestible cultivar appear to account for its high in vitro protein digestibility. PMID:10792028

Interventions for Weight Gain Prevention During the Transition to Young Adulthood: A review of the literature

PubMed Central

Laska, Melissa N.; Pelletier, Jennifer E.; Larson, Nicole I.; Story, Mary

2012-01-01

Purpose To review studies examining weight gain prevention interventions among young adults. Methods A snowball strategy was used to identify relevant studies, beginning with systematic PubMed, MEDLINE, PsychInfo, ERIC, and CINAHL searches. Included studies: (a) were published from 1985-2011, (b) were completed in the US or Canada, (a) focused on weight gain prevention among young adults ages 18-35 years, assessing weight, body mass index (BMI), body composition, diet or physical activity as an outcome, and (d) included pre- and post-intervention assessments. Results Thirty-seven interventions were identified. Ten interventions assessed weight, BMI, or body composition; twenty-seven addressed other relevant outcomes (e.g., diet, physical activity). Of the studies examining weight or body composition, six evaluated university courses or seminar-based interventions. Overall, many studies focused on individual-level intervention delivery and changes in weight-related knowledge and/or skills, though some incorporated relatively unique aspects (e.g., focusing on eating disorders and obesity simultaneously, using online technology, providing personalized feedback on weight change). Most showed promising results as small-scale pilot studies but lacked data from fully-powered randomized trials. Conclusions There is an urgent need to develop effective young adult-focused weight gain prevention strategies. This review identified promising areas for future work, though much additional research is needed. PMID:22443834

Sedentary behaviour and social anxiety in obese individuals: the mediating role of body esteem.

PubMed

Abdollahi, Abbas; Abu Talib, Mansor

2015-01-01

Given that the prevalence of social anxiety in obese individuals is high, it is necessary that we increase our knowledge about the related factors that cause social anxiety in obese individuals. The present study sought to examine the role of body esteem as a mediator between sedentary behaviour and social anxiety. The participants were 207 overweight and obese individuals who completed the self-report measures. The structural equation modelling displayed that obese individuals with sedentary behaviour and poor body esteem were more likely to show social anxiety. Body esteem partially mediated between sedentary behaviour and social anxiety. Our results highlight the role of sedentary behaviour and body esteem as promising avenues for reducing social anxiety in obese individuals.

Immune Activity, Body Condition and Human-Associated Environmental Impacts in a Wild Marine Mammal

PubMed Central

Brock, Patrick M.; Hall, Ailsa J.; Goodman, Simon J.; Cruz, Marilyn; Acevedo-Whitehouse, Karina

2013-01-01

Within individuals, immunity may compete with other life history traits for resources, such as energy and protein, and the damage caused by immunopathology can sometimes outweigh the protective benefits that immune responses confer. However, our understanding of the costs of immunity in the wild and how they relate to the myriad energetic demands on free-ranging organisms is limited. The endangered Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) is threatened simultaneously by disease from domestic animals and rapid changes in food availability driven by unpredictable environmental variation. We made use of this unique ecology to investigate the relationship between changes in immune activity and changes in body condition. We found that during the first three months of life, changes in antibody concentration were negatively correlated with changes in mass per unit length, skinfold thickness and serum albumin concentration, but only in a sea lion colony exposed to anthropogenic environmental impacts. It has previously been shown that changes in antibody concentration during early Galapagos sea lion development were higher in a colony exposed to anthropogenic environmental impacts than in a control colony. This study allows for the possibility that these relatively large changes in antibody concentration are associated with negative impacts on fitness through an effect on body condition. Our findings suggest that energy availability and the degree of plasticity in immune investment may influence disease risk in natural populations synergistically, through a trade-off between investment in immunity and resistance to starvation. The relative benefits of such investments may change quickly and unpredictably, which allows for the possibility that individuals fine-tune their investment strategies in response to changes in environmental conditions. In addition, our results suggest that anthropogenic environmental impacts may impose subtle energetic costs on individuals, which could contribute to population declines, especially in times of energy shortage. PMID:23840603

Impaired intracellular trafficking defines early Parkinson's disease

PubMed Central

Hunn, Benjamin H.M.; Cragg, Stephanie J.; Bolam, J. Paul; Spillantini, Maria-Grazia; Wade-Martins, Richard

2015-01-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an insidious and incurable neurodegenerative disease, and represents a significant cost to individuals, carers, and ageing societies. It is defined at post-mortem by the loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra together with the presence of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. We examine here the role of α-synuclein and other cellular transport proteins implicated in PD and how their aberrant activity may be compounded by the unique anatomy of the dopaminergic neuron. This review uses multiple lines of evidence from genetic studies, human tissue, induced pluripotent stem cells, and refined animal models to argue that prodromal PD can be defined as a disease of impaired intracellular trafficking. Dysfunction of the dopaminergic synapse heralds trafficking impairment. PMID:25639775

Nutrition and human physiological adaptations to space flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lane, H. W.; LeBlanc, A. D.; Putcha, L.; Whitson, P. A.

1993-01-01

Space flight provides a model for the study of healthy individuals undergoing unique stresses. This review focuses on how physiological adaptations to weightlessness may affect nutrient and food requirements in space. These adaptations include reductions in body water and plasma volume, which affect the renal and cardiovascular systems and thereby fluid and electrolyte requirements. Changes in muscle mass and function may affect requirements for energy, protein and amino acids. Changes in bone mass lead to increased urinary calcium concentrations, which may increase the risk of forming renal stones. Space motion sickness may influence putative changes in gastro-intestinal-hepatic function; neurosensory alterations may affect smell and taste. Some or all of these effects may be ameliorated through the use of specially designed dietary countermeasures.

Generation of Spinal Motor Neurons from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

PubMed

Santos, David P; Kiskinis, Evangelos

2017-01-01

Human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are characterized by their unique ability to self-renew indefinitely, as well as to differentiate into any cell type of the human body. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) share these salient characteristics with ESCs and can easily be generated from any given individual by reprogramming somatic cell types such as fibroblasts or blood cells. The spinal motor neuron (MN) is a specialized neuronal subtype that synapses with muscle to control movement. Here, we present a method to generate functional, postmitotic, spinal motor neurons through the directed differentiation of ESCs and iPSCs by the use of small molecules. These cells can be utilized to study the development and function of human motor neurons in healthy and disease states.

Running With the Pack: Teen Peer-Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Adult Physical Health

PubMed Central

Allen, Joseph P.; Uchino, Bert N.; Hafen, Christopher A.

2015-01-01

This study assessed qualities of adolescent peer relationships as long-term predictors of physical health quality in adulthood. In an intensive multimethod, multireporter study of a community sample of 171 individuals assessed repeatedly from the ages of 13 to 27 years, physical health quality in adulthood was robustly predicted by independent reports of early-adolescent close-friendship quality and by a pattern of acquiescence to social norms in adolescent peer relationships. Predictions remained after accounting for numerous potential confounds, including prior health problems, concurrent body mass index, anxious and depressive symptoms, personality characteristics, adolescent-era financial adversity, and adolescent-era physical attractiveness. These findings have important implications for understanding the unique intensity of peer relationships in adolescence. PMID:26290522

Internalized weight bias: ratings of the self, normal weight, and obese individuals and psychological maladjustment.

PubMed

Carels, Robert A; Burmeister, J; Oehlhof, M W; Hinman, N; LeRoy, M; Bannon, E; Koball, A; Ashrafloun, L

2013-02-01

Current measures of internalized weight bias assess factors such as responsibility for weight status, mistreatment because of weight, etc. A potential complementary approach for assessing internalized weight bias is to examine the correspondence between individuals' ratings of obese people, normal weight people, and themselves on personality traits. This investigation examined the relationships among different measures of internalized weight bias, as well as the association between those measures and psychosocial maladjustment. Prior to the beginning of a weight loss intervention, 62 overweight/obese adults completed measures of explicit and internalized weight bias as well as body image, binge eating, and depression. Discrepancies between participants' ratings of obese people in general and ratings of themselves on both positive and negative traits predicted unique variance in measures of maladjustment above a traditional assessment of internalized weight bias. This novel approach to measuring internalized weight bias provides information above and beyond traditional measures of internalized weight bias and begins to provide insights into social comparison processes involved in weight bias.

The Benefits of Required Forensic Clinical Experiences in Residency.

PubMed

Wasser, Tobias; Sun, Amanda; Chandra, Saksham; Michaelsen, Katherine

2018-06-01

The growth of forensic psychiatry has spurred efforts to improve forensic psychiatry training in general psychiatry residency. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires that residencies provide an experience that "exposes" residents to forensic issues, but leaves the specifics to individual programs. However, there is growing need for psychiatrists to understand the unique circumstances of individuals with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system. The authors developed a new mandatory forensic rotation for general psychiatry residents and conducted a pilot study to assess its impact on residents' interest and comfort working with criminal justice-involved patients, interest in forensic fellowship, and knowledge of available resources for consultation and supervision. Rotation completion was associated with a significantly increased interest in working with forensic populations and pursuing forensic fellowship, but no changes in residents' level of comfort or knowledge of supervisory and consultative resources. This study adds to the growing body of literature describing the benefits of expanding forensic education for residents.

Individual variation in functional brain connectivity: implications for personalized approaches to psychiatric disease.

PubMed

Finn, Emily S; Todd Constable, R

2016-09-01

Functional brain connectivity measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a popular technique for investigating neural organization in both healthy subjects and patients with mental illness. Despite a rapidly growing body of literature, however, functional connectivity research has yet to deliver biomarkers that can aid psychiatric diagnosis or prognosis at the single-subject level. One impediment to developing such practical tools has been uncertainty regarding the ratio of intra- to interindividual variability in functional connectivity; in other words, how much variance is state- versus trait-related. Here, we review recent evidence that functional connectivity profiles are both reliable within subjects and unique across subjects, and that features of these profiles relate to behavioral phenotypes. Together, these results suggest the potential to discover reliable correlates of present and future illness and/or response to treatment in the strength of an individual's functional brain connections. Ultimately, this work could help develop personalized approaches to psychiatric illness.

Perturbed Equations of Motion for Formation Flight Near the Sun-Earth L2 Point

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Segerman, Alan M.; Zedd, Michael F.

2005-01-01

This Memorandum Report consists of a compilation of three individual reports, of increasing complexity, describing investigations of formation flight of spacecraft in the vicinity of the L2 Sun-Earth 1ibration point. The individual reports form the following parts of this compilation: - Introduction to the relative motion of spacecraft about the Sun-Earth L2 Point - Linear and quadratic modelling and solution of the relative motion - Modelling the Perturbations - Elliptical Earth Orbit, Lunar Gravity, Solar Radiation Pressure, Thrusters. The three parts are self-contained, with somewhat, varying notation and terminology. After fair1y significant literature searches: this new work (of Parts 2 and 3) is deemed to be unique because it describes the primary perturbations to the description of relative motion between nearby spacecraft. The effect of the elliptical motion of the Earth about the Sun was verified to be the dominant perturbation to the circular restricted three body problem. Contributions due to lunar gravity and solar radiation pressure are seen to have much smaller effect.

Oral sensations and secretions.

PubMed

Running, Cordelia A

2018-04-10

Sensations experienced in the mouth influence food choices, both immediately and in the long term. Such sensations are themselves influenced by experience with flavors, the chemical environment of the mouth, genetics of receptors for flavors, and individual behavior in the chewing of food. Gustation, the sense of taste, yields information about nutrients, influences palatability, and feeds into the human body's preparation to receive those nutrients. Olfaction, the sense of smell, contributes enormously to defining and identifying food flavors (and is experienced even after placing food inside the mouth). Another vital component of food flavor is texture, which contributes to palatability, especially if a food's texture violates a person's expectations. Next, chemesthesis is the sense of chemically induced irritancy and temperature, for example spiciness and stinging. All of these sensations are potentially modified by saliva, the chemical and physical media of the mouth. As a person experiences the culmination of these oral sensations, modified through an individual's own unique saliva, the flavors in turn influence both what and how a person eats. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiple coloured ornaments in male common kestrels: different mechanisms to convey quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vergara, Pablo; Fargallo, Juan A.

2011-04-01

The simultaneous exhibition of more than one secondary sexual trait is a widespread phenomenon in nature, though it has rarely been explored. It has been proposed that different ornaments may convey complementary or back-up information about a single aspect of individual quality (redundancy hypothesis) or that each ornament may convey unique information (multiple-messages hypothesis). During a 5-year period, we measured several carotenoid-based (eye ring, bill cere and tarsi skin) and melanin-based (head, back, rump and tail feathers) potential ornamental colours in male common kestrels. We analysed whether multiple ornaments can convey different or related information about individual quality. We explored whether different ornaments can express different information depending on the pigment (carotenoids or melanins), the time-scale over which the ornament can change (dynamic vs. static) and the season of the year when the ornament is formed. We found that both melanin- and carotenoid- based traits correlated with indexes of quality, including body condition, body condition of their partners and laying date. However, not all ornaments correlated with the same measures of quality. In addition, some ornaments were intercorrelated within the same individuals while others were not. These results suggest that different ornaments can convey information about different qualities, as predicted by the multiple-messages hypothesis. In addition, this study suggests that the predominant pigment (e.g. carotenoid vs. melanin, eumelanin vs. pheomelanin), the time-scale over which the trait is developed (static feathers vs. dynamic skin) and the season of the year at which the ornament is produced can be potential mechanisms to convey different messages in male common kestrels.

A Challenge-Based Approach to Body Weight-Supported Treadmill Training Poststroke: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Naidu, Avantika; Brown, David; Roth, Elliot

2018-05-03

Body weight support treadmill training protocols in conjunction with other modalities are commonly used to improve poststroke balance and walking function. However, typical body weight support paradigms tend to use consistently stable balance conditions, often with handrail support and or manual assistance. In this paper, we describe our study protocol, which involved 2 unique body weight support treadmill training paradigms of similar training intensity that integrated dynamic balance challenges to help improve ambulatory function post stroke. The first paradigm emphasized walking without any handrails or manual assistance, that is, hands-free walking, and served as the control group, whereas the second paradigm incorporated practicing 9 essential challenging mobility skills, akin to environmental barriers encountered during community ambulation along with hands-free walking (ie hands-free + challenge walking). We recruited individuals with chronic poststroke hemiparesis and randomized them to either group. Participants trained for 6 weeks on a self-driven, robotic treadmill interface that provided body weight support and a safe gait-training environment. We assessed participants at pre-, mid- and post 6 weeks of intervention-training, with a 6-month follow-up. We hypothesized greater walking improvements in the hands-free + challenge walking group following training because of increased practice opportunity of essential mobility skills along with hands-free walking. We assessed 77 individuals with chronic hemiparesis, and enrolled and randomized 30 individuals poststroke for our study (hands-free group=19 and hands-free + challenge walking group=20) from June 2012 to January 2015. Data collection along with 6-month follow-up continued until January 2016. Our primary outcome measure is change in comfortable walking speed from pre to post intervention for each group. We will also assess feasibility, adherence, postintervention efficacy, and changes in various exploratory secondary outcome measures. Additionally, we will also assess participant responses to a study survey, conducted at the end of training week, to gauge each group's training experiences. Our treadmill training paradigms, and study protocol represent advances in standardized approaches to selecting body weight support levels without the necessity for using handrails or manual assistance, while progressively providing dynamic challenges for improving poststroke ambulatory function during rehabilitation. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02787759; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02787759 (Archived by Webcite at http://www.webcitation.org/6yJZCrIea). ©Avantika Naidu, David Brown, Elliot Roth. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 03.05.2018.

Body size and lower limb posture during walking in humans.

PubMed

Hora, Martin; Soumar, Libor; Pontzer, Herman; Sládek, Vladimír

2017-01-01

We test whether locomotor posture is associated with body mass and lower limb length in humans and explore how body size and posture affect net joint moments during walking. We acquired gait data for 24 females and 25 males using a three-dimensional motion capture system and pressure-measuring insoles. We employed the general linear model and commonality analysis to assess the independent effect of body mass and lower limb length on flexion angles at the hip, knee, and ankle while controlling for sex and velocity. In addition, we used inverse dynamics to model the effect of size and posture on net joint moments. At early stance, body mass has a negative effect on knee flexion (p < 0.01), whereas lower limb length has a negative effect on hip flexion (p < 0.05). Body mass uniquely explains 15.8% of the variance in knee flexion, whereas lower limb length uniquely explains 5.4% of the variance in hip flexion. Both of the detected relationships between body size and posture are consistent with the moment moderating postural adjustments predicted by our model. At late stance, no significant relationship between body size and posture was detected. Humans of greater body size reduce the flexion of the hip and knee at early stance, which results in the moderation of net moments at these joints.

Acinetobacter baumannii in Human Body Louse

PubMed Central

Raoult, Didier

2004-01-01

While we were isolating Bartonella quintana from body lice, 40 Acinetobacter baumannii strains were also isolated and genotyped. One clone was unique and the other was ampicillin susceptible. A. baumannii DNA was later detected in 21% of 622 lice collected worldwide. These findings show an A. baumannii epidemic in human body lice. PMID:15498175

Evolution of the bilaterian body plan: what have we learned from annelids?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shankland, M.; Seaver, E. C.

2000-01-01

Annelids, unlike their vertebrate or fruit fly cousins, are a bilaterian taxon often overlooked when addressing the question of body plan evolution. However, recent data suggest that annelids offer unique insights on the early evolution of spiral cleavage, anteroposterior axis formation, body axis segmentation, and head versus trunk distinction.

Sensorimotor integration of vision and proprioception for obstacle crossing in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Malik, Raza Naseem; Cote, Rachel; Lam, Tania

2017-01-01

Skilled walking, such as obstacle crossing, is an essential component of functional mobility. Sensorimotor integration of visual and proprioceptive inputs is important for successful obstacle crossing. The objective of this study was to understand how proprioceptive deficits affect obstacle-crossing strategies when controlling for variations in motor deficits in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Fifteen ambulatory individuals with SCI and 15 able-bodied controls were asked to step over an obstacle scaled to their motor abilities under full and obstructed vision conditions. An eye tracker was used to determine gaze behaviour and motion capture analysis was used to determine toe kinematics relative to the obstacle. Combined, bilateral hip and knee proprioceptive sense (joint position sense and movement detection sense) was assessed using the Lokomat and customized software controls. Combined, bilateral hip and knee proprioceptive sense in subjects with SCI varied and was significantly different from able-bodied subjects. Subjects with greater proprioceptive deficits stepped higher over the obstacle with their lead and trail limbs in the obstructed vision condition compared with full vision. Subjects with SCI also glanced at the obstacle more frequently and with longer fixation times compared with controls, but this was not related to proprioceptive sense. This study indicates that ambulatory individuals with SCI rely more heavily on vision to cross obstacles and show impairments in key gait parameters required for successful obstacle crossing. Our data suggest that proprioceptive deficits need to be considered in rehabilitation programs aimed at improving functional mobility in ambulatory individuals with SCI. This work is unique since it examines the contribution of combined, bilateral hip and knee proprioceptive sense on the recovery of skilled walking function, in addition to characterizing gaze behavior during a skilled walking task in people with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Everyday attention and lecture retention: the effects of time, fidgeting, and mind wandering.

PubMed

Farley, James; Risko, Evan F; Kingstone, Alan

2013-01-01

We have all had our thoughts wander from the immediate task at hand. The emerging embodied cognition literature emphasizes the role that the body plays in human thought, and raises the possibility that changes in attentional focus may be associated with changes in body behavior. Recent research has found that when individuals view a lecture, mind wandering increases as a function of time. In the present study we asked whether this decline in attention during lecture viewing was associated with fidgeting. Participants were filmed while they watched a 40-min lecture video, and at regular 5-min intervals provided ratings of their attentiveness. Following the lecture, participant's memory for the material was assessed. Fidgeting behavior was coded from video recordings of each session. Results indicated that attention to, and retention of, lecture material declined as a function of time on task. Critically, and as predicted, fidgeting also increased with time on task. We also found that the relation between fidgeting and retention was significant even when the role of attention was factored into the equation, suggesting that fidgeting makes a unique contribution to retention of lecture material over and above that contributed by an individual's attention. We propose a novel non-attentional stress-based account of fidgeting and how this impacts retention for lecture material over and above changes in levels in mind wandering vis-a-vis changes in attention.

Everyday attention and lecture retention: the effects of time, fidgeting, and mind wandering

PubMed Central

Farley, James; Risko, Evan F.; Kingstone, Alan

2013-01-01

We have all had our thoughts wander from the immediate task at hand. The emerging embodied cognition literature emphasizes the role that the body plays in human thought, and raises the possibility that changes in attentional focus may be associated with changes in body behavior. Recent research has found that when individuals view a lecture, mind wandering increases as a function of time. In the present study we asked whether this decline in attention during lecture viewing was associated with fidgeting. Participants were filmed while they watched a 40-min lecture video, and at regular 5-min intervals provided ratings of their attentiveness. Following the lecture, participant's memory for the material was assessed. Fidgeting behavior was coded from video recordings of each session. Results indicated that attention to, and retention of, lecture material declined as a function of time on task. Critically, and as predicted, fidgeting also increased with time on task. We also found that the relation between fidgeting and retention was significant even when the role of attention was factored into the equation, suggesting that fidgeting makes a unique contribution to retention of lecture material over and above that contributed by an individual's attention. We propose a novel non-attentional stress-based account of fidgeting and how this impacts retention for lecture material over and above changes in levels in mind wandering vis-a-vis changes in attention. PMID:24065933

Shared and unique responses of plants to multiple individual stresses and stress combinations: physiological and molecular mechanisms

PubMed Central

Pandey, Prachi; Ramegowda, Venkategowda; Senthil-Kumar, Muthappa

2015-01-01

In field conditions, plants are often simultaneously exposed to multiple biotic and abiotic stresses resulting in substantial yield loss. Plants have evolved various physiological and molecular adaptations to protect themselves under stress combinations. Emerging evidences suggest that plant responses to a combination of stresses are unique from individual stress responses. In addition, plants exhibit shared responses which are common to individual stresses and stress combination. In this review, we provide an update on the current understanding of both unique and shared responses. Specific focus of this review is on heat–drought stress as a major abiotic stress combination and, drought–pathogen and heat–pathogen as examples of abiotic–biotic stress combinations. We also comprehend the current understanding of molecular mechanisms of cross talk in relation to shared and unique molecular responses for plant survival under stress combinations. Thus, the knowledge of shared responses of plants from individual stress studies and stress combinations can be utilized to develop varieties with broad spectrum stress tolerance. PMID:26442037

Human body as a set of biometric features identified by means of optoelectronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Podbielska, Halina; Bauer, Joanna

2005-09-01

Human body posses many unique, singular features that are impossible to copy or forge. Nowadays, to establish and to ensure the public security requires specially designed devices and systems. Biometrics is a field of science and technology, exploiting human body characteristics for people recognition. It identifies the most characteristic and unique ones in order to design and construct systems capable to recognize people. In this paper some overview is given, presenting the achievements in biometrics. The verification and identification process is explained, along with the way of evaluation of biometric recognition systems. The most frequently human biometrics used in practice are shortly presented, including fingerprints, facial imaging (including thermal characteristic), hand geometry and iris patterns.

Intravesical foreign body–induced bladder calculi resulting in obstructive renal failure

PubMed Central

Kamal, Fadi; Clark, Aaron T.D.; Lavallée, Luke Thomas; Roberts, Matthew; Watterson, James

2008-01-01

We report the case of a 30-year-old man who presented with obstructive renal failure and urosepsis due to bladder outlet–obstructing bladder calculi that formed around 3 copper wires that were self-inserted into his urinary bladder 15 years previously. We present the evaluation, imaging and management of the unique complications resulting from the self-insertion of an intra-vesical foreign body. Our patient’s case was unique for 2 reasons. First, the length of time (15 yr) from foreign body insertion to presentation is the longest interval reported in the literature. Second, this is the first report of bladder calculi induced by the insertion of a foreign body that resulted in obstructive renal failure. PMID:18953457

A Geology Sampling System for Small Bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hood, A. D.; Naids, A. J.; Graff, T.; Abell, P.

2015-01-01

Human exploration of Small Bodies is being investigated as a precursor to a Mars surface mission. Asteroids, comets, dwarf planets, and the moons of Mars all fall into this Small Bodies category and some are being discussed as potential mission tar-gets. Obtaining geological samples for return to Earth will be a major objective for any mission to a Small Body. Currently the knowledge base for geology sampling in microgravity is in its infancy. Furthermore, humans interacting with non-engineered surfaces in a microgravity environment poses unique challenges. In preparation for such missions, a team at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) John-son Space Center (JSC) has been working to gain experience on how to safely obtain numerous sample types in such an environment. This abstract briefly summarizes the type of samples the science community is interested in, discusses an integrated geology sampling solution, and highlights some of the unique challenges associated with this type of exploration.

One-year persistence of individual gait patterns identified in a follow-up study - A call for individualised diagnose and therapy.

PubMed

Horst, F; Mildner, M; Schöllhorn, W I

2017-10-01

Although a hunch about the individuality of human movements generally exists, differences in gait patterns between individuals are often neglected. To date, only a few studies distinguished individual gait patterns in terms of uniqueness and emphasised the relevance of individualised diagnoses and therapy. However, small sample sizes have been a limitation on identifying subjects based on gait patterns, and little is known about the permanence of subject-specific characteristics over time. The purpose of this study was (1) to prove the uniqueness of individual gait patterns within a larger sample and (2) to prove the long-term permanence of individual gait patterns. A sample of 128 healthy participants each walked a distance of 10m barefoot 10 times. Two force plates recorded the ground reaction forces during a double step at a self-selected walking speed. A subsample of 46 participants repeated this procedure after a period of 7-16 months. The application of support vector machines resulted in classification rates of 99.8% (1278 out of 1280) and 99.4% (914 out of 920) for the initial subject-classification and the subsample follow-up-classification, respectively. The results showed that gait patterns based on time-continuous ground reaction forces were unique to an individual and could be differentiated from those of other individuals. Support vector machines classified gait patterns to the corresponding individual almost error-free. Hence, human gait is not only different between individuals but also exhibits unique individual characteristics that are persistent over years. Our findings provide evidence for the individual nature of human walking and emphasise the need to evaluate individualised clinical approaches for diagnoses and therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Body-image, quality of life and psychological distress: a comparison between kidney transplant patients and a matching healthy sample.

PubMed

Yagil, Yaron; Geller, Shulamit; Levy, Sigal; Sidi, Yael; Aharoni, Shiri

2018-04-01

The purpose of the current study was to assess the uniqueness of the condition of kidney transplant recipients in comparison to a sample of matching healthy peers in relation to body-image dissatisfaction and identification, quality of life and psychological distress. Participants were 45 kidney transplant recipients who were under follow-up care at a Transplant Unit of a major Medical Center, and a sample of 45 matching healthy peers. Measures were taken using self-report questionnaires [Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire (BIIQ), Body Identification Questionnaire (BIQ), Brief Symptoms Inventory (BSI), and the SF-12]. The major findings were the following: (i) kidney transplant recipients reported lower levels of quality of life and higher levels of PsD when compared to their healthy peers; (ii) no difference in body-image dissatisfaction was found between the two studied groups; (iii) significant correlations between body-image dissatisfaction quality of life and PsD were found only in the kidney transplant recipients. The kidney transplantation condition has a moderating effect in the association between body-image dissatisfaction PsD but not in the association between body-image dissatisfaction and quality of life; (iv) kidney transplant recipients experienced higher levels of body identification than did their healthy peers. Taken together, these findings highlight the unique condition of kidney transplant recipients, as well as the function that body-image plays within the self.

Characterization of Chemical Constituents of Human Sweat: A Study Based on Indian Population.

PubMed

Moulvi, Aafrinnaz; Minz, Pooja; Rath, Subrata; Ashma, Richa

2018-06-01

There is a strong evidence in the literature that human odor is unique to an individual; therefore, the focus of this study was to strengthen this evidence through the testing of sweat samples on unrelated individuals with the same ethnicity. Sweat samples were collected from 42 unrelated Indian males and females residing in the same city to determine the chemical constituents in human sweat. The volatile compounds of sweat were subsequently analyzed and identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and a National Institute of Standards and Technology library was used for individual profiling. A total of 78 compounds were identified in human sweat tested with 22 compounds found to be unique to the individual (frequency of occurrence one). A scent profile, or "chexmotype," unique to the sweat of each individual was obtained. This is the first extensive study on an Indian population with 36 new compounds detected in human sweat.

Receptor Expression in Rat Skeletal Muscle Cell Cultures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Ronald B.

1996-01-01

One on the most persistent problems with long-term space flight is atrophy of skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscle is unique as a tissue in the body in that its ability to undergo atrophy or hypertrophy is controlled exclusively by cues from the extracellular environment. The mechanism of communication between muscle cells and their environment is through a group of membrane-bound and soluble receptors, each of which carries out unique, but often interrelated, functions. The primary receptors include acetyl choline receptors, beta-adrenergic receptors, glucocorticoid receptors, insulin receptors, growth hormone (i.e., somatotropin) receptors, insulin-like growth factor receptors, and steroid receptors. This project has been initiated to develop an integrated approach toward muscle atrophy and hypertrophy that takes into account information on the populations of the entire group of receptors (and their respective hormone concentrations), and it is hypothesized that this information can form the basis for a predictive computer model for muscle atrophy and hypertrophy. The conceptual basis for this project is illustrated in the figure below. The individual receptors are shown as membrane-bound, with the exception of the glucocorticoid receptor which is a soluble intracellular receptor. Each of these receptors has an extracellular signalling component (e.g., innervation, glucocorticoids, epinephrine, etc.), and following the interaction of the extracellular component with the receptor itself, an intracellular signal is generated. Each of these intracellular signals is unique in its own way; however, they are often interrelated.

Systems and methods for an extensible business application framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, David G. (Inventor); Crawford, Michael (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Method and systems for editing data from a query result include requesting a query result using a unique collection identifier for a collection of individual files and a unique identifier for a configuration file that specifies a data structure for the query result. A query result is generated that contains a plurality of fields as specified by the configuration file, by combining each of the individual files associated with a unique identifier for a collection of individual files. The query result data is displayed with a plurality of labels as specified in the configuration file. Edits can be performed by querying a collection of individual files using the configuration file, editing a portion of the query result, and transmitting only the edited information for storage back into a data repository.

Timing of initial arrival at the breeding site predicts age at first reproduction in a long-lived migratory bird

PubMed Central

Becker, Peter H.; Dittmann, Tobias; Ludwigs, Jan-Dieter; Limmer, Bente; Ludwig, Sonja C.; Bauch, Christina; Braasch, Alexander; Wendeln, Helmut

2008-01-01

In long-lived vertebrates, individuals generally visit potential breeding areas or populations during one or more seasons before reproducing for the first time. During these years of prospecting, they select a future breeding site, colony, or mate and improve various skills and their physical condition to meet the requirements of reproduction. One precondition of successful reproduction is arrival in time on the breeding grounds. Here, we study the intricate links among the date of initial spring arrival, body mass, sex, and the age of first breeding in the common tern Sterna hirundo, a long-lived migratory colonial seabird. The study is based on a unique, individual-based, long-term dataset of sexed birds, marked with transponders, which allow recording their individual arrival, overall attendance, and clutch initiation remotely and automatically year by year over the entire lifetime at the natal colony site. We show that the seasonal date of initial arrival at the breeding grounds predicts the individual age at first reproduction, which mostly occurs years later. Late first-time arrivals remain delayed birds throughout subsequent years. Our findings reveal that timing of arrival at the site of reproduction and timing of reproduction itself are coherent parameters of individual quality, which are linked with the prospects of the breeding career and may have consequences for fitness. PMID:18711134

Petrography and Origin of the Unique Achondrite GRA 06128 & 06129: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Treiman, A. H.; Morris, R. V.; Kring, D. A.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Jones, J. H.

2007-01-01

GRA 06128 and 06129 are paired achondrites with unique mineral proportions (75% oligoclase), mineral compositions, and oxygen isotope ratios. They appear to represent alkalic igneous rock from a hitherto unsampled differentiated parent body, modified significantly by thermal and shock metamorphism.

A meteor stream study of 1966

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terentjeva, Alexandra

2017-03-01

3600 individual photographic orbits of meteor bodies and about 2000 visual meteor radiants with corresponding velocities were compiled and carefully studied in detail. 154 minor meteor streams were detected in the Solar System, their basic orbital and other data are given. Firstly some remarkable shower and stream properties are established: examples of the large elliptic radiation areas with semi-major axes perpendicular to the Ecliptic; the existence of the Northern (N) , Southern (S) and Ecliptical (Q) branches of some streams; stream-antipodes and radiant-antipodes (symmetrically arranged relatively to the Ecliptic) with angular distances from the Ecliptic to 40-80°; a number of short-perihelion streams (q 0.05-0.07 A.U.); some meteor streams perpendicular to the Ecliptic's plane. There are also some unique meteor bodies with their orbits enclosed within the limits of the Earth's one, or having the clockwise and anticlockwise direction in two similar orbits. Hyperbolic photographic velocities vh = 57-88 km /sec are treated as real ones according to the best radar and visual observations. A "bunch" of ecliptical streams, discovered in the USSR in 1950, is a complex of orbits of the mostly massive meteor particles of the Zodiacal Cloud. The stream evolution rate is comparatively high. The total complex of sporadic meteor bodies is not totally chaotic and accidental.

In-Flight Subsonic Lift and Drag Characteristics Unique to Blunt-Based Lifting Reentry Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saltzman, Edwin J.; Wang, K. Charles; Iliff, Kenneth W.

2007-01-01

Lift and drag measurements have been analyzed for subsonic flight conditions for seven blunt-based reentry-type vehicles. Five of the vehicles are lifting bodies (M2-F1, M2-F2, HL-10, X-24A, and X-24B) and two are wing-body configurations (the X-15 and the Space Shuttle Enterprise). Base pressure measurements indicate that the base drag for full-scale vehicles is approximately three times greater than predicted by Hoerner's equation for three-dimensional bodies. Base drag and forebody drag combine to provide an optimal overall minimum drag (a drag "bucket") for a given configuration. The magnitude of this optimal drag, as well as the associated forebody drag, is dependent on the ratio of base area to vehicle wetted area. Counter-intuitively, the flight-determined optimal minimum drag does not occur at the point of minimum forebody drag, but at a higher forebody drag value. It was also found that the chosen definition for reference area for lift parameters should include the projection of planform area ahead of the wing trailing edge (i.e., forebody plus wing). Results are assembled collectively to provide a greater understanding of this class of vehicles than would occur by considering them individually.

Interoception beyond homeostasis: affect, cognition and mental health.

PubMed

Tsakiris, Manos; Critchley, Hugo

2016-11-19

Interoception refers to the sensing of the internal state of one's body. Interoception is distinct from the processing of sensory information concerning external (non-self) stimuli (e.g. vision, hearing, touch and smell) and is the afferent axis to internal (autonomic and hormonal) physiological control. However, the impact of interoception extends beyond homeostatic/allostatic reflexes: it is proposed to be fundamental to motivation, emotion (affective feelings and behaviours), social cognition and self-awareness. This view is supported by a growing body of experimental evidence that links peripheral physiological states to mental processes. Within this framework, the representation of self is constructed from early development through continuous integrative representation of biological data from the body, to form the basis for those aspects of conscious awareness grounded on the subjective sense of being a unique individual. This theme issue of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B draws together state-of-the-art knowledge concerning theoretical, experimental and clinical facets of interoception with the emphasis on cognitive and affective neuroscience. The multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary perspectives represented in this theme issue disseminate and entrench knowledge about interoception across the scientific community and provide a reference for the conceptualization and further study of interoception across behavioural sciences. © 2016 The Author(s).

Assessment of waist-to-hip ratio attractiveness in women: an anthropometric analysis of digital silhouettes.

PubMed

Kościński, Krzysztof

2014-07-01

The low proportion of waist to hip size in females is a unique and adaptive human feature. In contemporary human populations, the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is negatively associated with women's health, fecundity, and cognitive ability. It is, therefore, hypothesized that men will prefer women with low WHR. Although this prediction is supported by many studies, considerable disagreement persists about which WHR values are the most attractive and the importance of WHR for attractiveness of the female body. Unfortunately, the methods applied thus far are flawed in several ways. In the present study, we investigated male preferences for female WHR using a high precision assessment procedure and digitally manufactured, high quality, anthropometrically informed stimuli which were disentangled from body mass covariation. Forty men were requested to choose the most attractive silhouette consecutively from six series (2 levels of realism × 3 levels of body mass), each consisting of 26 female images that varied in WHR (from .60 to .85 by .01). Substantial inter-individual variation in the choices made was observed. Nevertheless, low and average WHR values were chosen more frequently than above-average values or values below the normal variation of the trait. This preference pattern mirrors the relationship between WHR and mate value, suggesting that the preferences are adaptive.

The dynamics of pico-sized and bloom-forming cyanobacteria in large water bodies in the Mekong River Basin

PubMed Central

Tomioka, Noriko; Jutagate, Tuantong; Hiroki, Mikiya; Murata, Tomoyoshi; Preecha, Chatchai; Avakul, Piyathap; Phomikong, Pisit; Imai, Akio

2017-01-01

In the face of plans for increased construction of dams and reservoirs in the Mekong River Basin, it is critically important to better understand the primary-producer community of phytoplankton, especially the warm-water cyanobacteria. This is because these algae can serve as the primary source of carbon for higher trophic levels, including fishes, but can also form harmful blooms, threatening local fisheries and environmental and human health. We monitored the dynamics of three cyanobacteria—Synechococcus spp., Microcystis aeruginosa, and Dolichospermum spp.—for two years in nine large lakes and reservoirs in the Mekong River Basin. The densities of these algae were largely system-specific such that their abundance was uniquely determined within individual water bodies. However, after accounting for the system-specific effect, we found that cell densities of Synechococcus spp., M. aeruginosa, and Dolichospermum spp. varied in response to changes in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), total nitrogen, and water level, respectively. Because both PAR and water level tend to fluctuate concordantly over a wide geographic area, Synechococcus spp., and to a lesser extent Dolichospermum spp., varied synchronously among the water bodies. Sustaining the production of pico-sized primary producers while preventing harmful algal blooms will be a key management goal for the proposed reservoirs in the Mekong Basin. PMID:29272288

Noninvasive assessment of extracellular and intracellular dehydration in healthy humans using the resistance-reactance-score graph method.

PubMed

Heavens, Kristen R; Charkoudian, Nisha; O'Brien, Catherine; Kenefick, Robert W; Cheuvront, Samuel N

2016-03-01

Few dehydration assessment measures provide accurate information; most are based on reference change values and very few are diagnostically accurate from a single observation or measure. Bioelectrical impedance may lack the precision to detect common forms of dehydration in healthy individuals. Limitations in bioimpedance may be addressed by a unique resistance-reactance (RXc)-score graph method, which transforms vector components into z scores for use with any impedance analyzer in any population. We tested whether the RXc-score graph method provides accurate single or serial assessments of dehydration when compared with gold-standard measures of total body water by using stable isotope dilution (deuterium oxide) combined with body-weight changes. We retrospectively analyzed data from a previous study in which 9 healthy young men participated in 3 trials: euhydration (EUH), extracellular dehydration (ED; via a diuretic), and intracellular dehydration (ID; via exercise in the heat). Participants lost 4-5% of their body weight during the dehydration trials; volume loss was similar between trials (ID compared with ED group: 3.5 ± 0.8 compared with 3.0 ± 0.6 L; P > 0.05). Despite significant losses of body water, most RXc vector scores for ED and ID groups were classified as "normal" (within the 75% population tolerance ellipse). However, directional displacement of vectors was consistent with loss of volume in both ED and ID conditions compared with the EUH condition and tended to be longer in ED than in ID conditions (P = 0.054). We conclude that, whereas individual RXc-score graph values do not provide accurate detection of dehydration from single measurements, directional changes in vector values from serial measurements are consistent with fluid loss for both ED and ID conditions. The RXc-score graph method may therefore alert clinicians to changes in hydration state, which may bolster the interpretation of other recognized change measures of hydration. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

On the Uniqueness Conditions and Bifurcation Criteria in Coupled Thermo-Elasto-Plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Śloderbach, Z.

2017-02-01

The global and local conditions of uniqueness and the criteria excluding a possibility of bifurcation of the equilibrium state for small strains are derived. The conditions and criteria are derived analyzing the problem of uniqueness of solution of the basic incremental boundary problem of coupled generalized thermo-elasto-plasticity. This paper is a continuation of some previous works by the author, but contains new derivation of the global and local criteria excluding a possibility of bifurcation of the equilibrium state for a comparison body dependent on statically admissible fields of stress velocity. All the thermal elastoplastic coupling effects, non-associated laws of plastic flow and influence of plastic strains on thermoplastic properties of a body were taken into account in this work. Thus, the mathematical problem considered here is not a self-conjugated problem. The paper contains four Appendices A, B, C and D where the local necessery and sufficient conditions of uniqueness have been derived.

Glutamate. Its applications in food and contribution to health.

PubMed

Jinap, S; Hajeb, P

2010-08-01

This article reviews application of glutamate in food and its benefits and role as one of the common food ingredients used. Monosodium glutamate is one of the most abundant naturally occurring amino acids which frequently added as a flavor enhancer. It produced a unique taste that cannot be provided by other basic taste (saltiness, sourness, sweetness and bitterness), referred to as a fifth taste (umami). Glutamate serves some functions in the body as well, serving as an energy source for certain tissues and as a substrate for glutathione synthesis. Glutamate has the potential to enhance food intake in older individuals and dietary free glutamate evoked a visceral sensation from the stomach, intestine and portal vein. Small quantities of glutamate used in combination with a reduced amount of table salt during food preparation allow for far less salt to be used during and after cooking. Because glutamate is one of the most intensely studied food ingredients in the food supply and has been found safe, the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization placed it in the safest category for food additives. Despite a widespread belief that glutamate can elicit asthma, migraine headache and Chinese Restaurant Syndrome (CRS), there are no consistent clinical data to support this claim. In addition, findings from the literature indicate that there is no consistent evidence to suggest that individuals may be uniquely sensitive to glutamate. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What makes a BIA equation unique? Validity of 8-electrode multifrequency-BIA to estimate body compostion in a healthy adult population

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The validity of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) for body composition analysis is limited by assumptions relating to body shape. Improvement in BIA technology could overcome these limitations and reduce the population specificity of the BIA algorithm. BIA equations for the prediction of fat ...

Contributions of Function-Altering Variants in Genes Implicated in Pubertal Timing and Body Mass for Self-Limited Delayed Puberty.

PubMed

Howard, Sasha R; Guasti, Leonardo; Poliandri, Ariel; David, Alessia; Cabrera, Claudia P; Barnes, Michael R; Wehkalampi, Karoliina; O'Rahilly, Stephen; Aiken, Catherine E; Coll, Anthony P; Ma, Marcella; Rimmington, Debra; Yeo, Giles S H; Dunkel, Leo

2018-02-01

Self-limited delayed puberty (DP) is often associated with a delay in physical maturation, but although highly heritable the causal genetic factors remain elusive. Genome-wide association studies of the timing of puberty have identified multiple loci for age at menarche in females and voice break in males, particularly in pathways controlling energy balance. We sought to assess the contribution of rare variants in such genes to the phenotype of familial DP. We performed whole-exome sequencing in 67 pedigrees (125 individuals with DP and 35 unaffected controls) from our unique cohort of familial self-limited DP. Using a whole-exome sequencing filtering pipeline one candidate gene [fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO)] was identified. In silico, in vitro, and mouse model studies were performed to investigate the pathogenicity of FTO variants and timing of puberty in FTO+/- mice. We identified potentially pathogenic, rare variants in genes in linkage disequilibrium with genome-wide association studies of age at menarche loci in 283 genes. Of these, five genes were implicated in the control of body mass. After filtering for segregation with trait, one candidate, FTO, was retained. Two FTO variants, found in 14 affected individuals from three families, were also associated with leanness in these patients with DP. One variant (p.Leu44Val) demonstrated altered demethylation activity of the mutant protein in vitro. Fto+/- mice displayed a significantly delayed timing of pubertal onset (P < 0.05). Mutations in genes implicated in body mass and timing of puberty in the general population may contribute to the pathogenesis of self-limited DP. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

Ashy Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma homochroa mist-netting and capture rates in the California Channel Islands, 2004–2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, Josh

2016-01-01

The California Channel Islands (CCI) provide essential nesting habitat for a significant portion of the world’s Ashy Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma homochroa (ASSP) breeding population, but true abundance at this locality is not well known. Land-based nocturnal mistnetting has been conducted sporadically in the CCI since 1976, with variation in techniques and methods. Using a standardized catch-perunit-effort (CPUE) is one of the few methods available to monitor trends in relative abundance, but there currently are no guidelines for a standardized, repeatable approach for the CCI. During 2004–2007, I conducted mist-netting for ASSP at three colony sites within the CCI: Scorpion Rock (SR), Santa Barbara Island (SBI), and Prince Island (PI). During 47 site-nights (22 sessions), I obtained 1 177 unique captures, including 34 recaptures (2.9%) of previously banded individuals. ASSP captured at all three islands showed peak proportions of fully developed incubation patches in July and August. ASSP captured in the CCI had 5%–9% lower body mass than individuals captured off central California during the early 1970s; it is not known whether this difference reflects natural inter-annual variation or differences in body condition. ASSP from SBI had the lowest body condition index (BCI) compared with those from PI and SR, indicating different foraging environments. Overall, 22 netting-sessions at three islands yielded a power of 84% to detect a 30% lesser CPUE; 19 sessions would be required in a future effort to evaluate this level of change. Evaluation of additional factors that affect CPUE and other independent measures of abundance or attendance should be included in future mist-netting efforts.

Time for a change to assess and evaluate body temperature in clinical practice.

PubMed

Sund-Levander, Märtha; Grodzinsky, Ewa

2009-08-01

The definition of normal body temperature as 37 degrees C still is considered the norm worldwide, but in practice there is a widespread confusion of the evaluation of body temperature, especially in elderly individuals. In this paper, we discuss the relevance of normal body temperature as 37 degrees C and consequences in clinical practice. Our conclusion is that body temperature should be evaluated in relation to the individual variability and that the best approach is to use the same site, and an unadjusted mode without adjustments to other sites. If the baseline value is not known, it is important to notice that frail elderly individuals are at risk of a low body temperature. In addition, what should be regarded as fever is closely related to what is considered as normal body temperature. That is, as normal body temperature shows individual variations, it is reasonable that the same should hold true for the febrile range.

Topiramate augmentation in clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia: clinical and metabolic effects.

PubMed

Hahn, Margaret K; Remington, Gary; Bois, Daniel; Cohn, Tony

2010-12-01

Clozapine represents the treatment of choice for refractory psychosis, although a significant number of individuals demonstrate suboptimal response to it as well, leading to clozapine augmentation strategies. A variety of agents have been investigated in this regard, including mood stabilizers, such as anticonvulsants. Within this group of medications, topiramate is unique in that it is associated with weight loss, making it an attractive option because of clozapine's notable risk for associated metabolic disturbance. A 12-week naturalistic, open study was carried out to examine the potential benefits of topiramate in clozapine-treated individuals with schizophrenia demonstrating a suboptimal clinical response. We were specifically interested in clinical symptoms, changes in metabolic parameters, and tolerability. A total of 20 subjects were enrolled, and 16 completed the study, including 5 individuals with type 2 diabetes. Topiramate augmentation led to a 14% improvement in total Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores (P = 0.0003), a 2.5% decrease in body weight (P = 0.015), and was generally well tolerated, paraesthesia being the most common side effect. These findings support topiramate as a viable augmentation strategy in clozapine partial responders, with evidence of both clinical and metabolic benefits.

Variability in social reasoning: the influence of attachment security on the attribution of goals.

PubMed

Dunfield, Kristen A; Johnson, Susan C

2015-01-01

Over the last half decade there has been a growing move to apply the methods and theory of cognitive development to questions regarding infants' social understanding. Though this combination has afforded exciting opportunities to better understand our species' unique social cognitive abilities, the resulting findings do not always lead to the same conclusions. For example, a growing body of research has found support for both universal similarity and individual differences in infants' social reasoning about others' responses to incomplete goals. The present research examines this apparent contradiction by assessing the influence of attachment security on the ability of university undergraduates to represent instrumental needs versus social-emotional distress. When the two varieties of goals were clearly differentiated, we observed a universally similar pattern of results (Experiments 1A/B). However, when the goals were combined, and both instrumental need and social-emotional distress were presented together, individual differences emerged (Experiments 2 and 3). Taken together, these results demonstrate that by integrating the two perspectives of shared universals and individual differences, important points of contact can be revealed supporting a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the nature of human social reasoning.

Variability in social reasoning: the influence of attachment security on the attribution of goals

PubMed Central

Dunfield, Kristen A.; Johnson, Susan C.

2015-01-01

Over the last half decade there has been a growing move to apply the methods and theory of cognitive development to questions regarding infants’ social understanding. Though this combination has afforded exciting opportunities to better understand our species’ unique social cognitive abilities, the resulting findings do not always lead to the same conclusions. For example, a growing body of research has found support for both universal similarity and individual differences in infants’ social reasoning about others’ responses to incomplete goals. The present research examines this apparent contradiction by assessing the influence of attachment security on the ability of university undergraduates to represent instrumental needs versus social-emotional distress. When the two varieties of goals were clearly differentiated, we observed a universally similar pattern of results (Experiments 1A/B). However, when the goals were combined, and both instrumental need and social-emotional distress were presented together, individual differences emerged (Experiments 2 and 3). Taken together, these results demonstrate that by integrating the two perspectives of shared universals and individual differences, important points of contact can be revealed supporting a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the nature of human social reasoning. PMID:26500574

Jazz Musicians as Academic Leaders: Improvisation in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleinschmidt, Robert A.

2011-01-01

Jazz musicians are unique individuals who seek to perform from a transcendental state in which tacit knowledge, teamwork, and communication blend to produce an effective performance. Academic leaders are also unique individuals who rely on communication to generate a sense of inclusion within a complex organization that at times epitomizes…

An Introduction to Heredity: Part 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Britnie; Malone, Molly; Drits-Esser, Dina; Stark, Louisa A.

2018-01-01

The mechanics by which unique individuals are built from the instructions encoded in DNA is too advanced for elementary-age children. However, students can easily understand that organisms have observable traits and that each individual has a unique combination of traits, ideas that are included in the "Next Generation Science Standards"…

Psychology of Fragrance Use: Perception of Individual Odor and Perfume Blends Reveals a Mechanism for Idiosyncratic Effects on Fragrance Choice

PubMed Central

Lenochová, Pavlína; Vohnoutová, Pavla; Roberts, S. Craig; Oberzaucher, Elisabeth; Grammer, Karl; Havlíček, Jan

2012-01-01

Cross-culturally, fragrances are used to modulate body odor, but the psychology of fragrance choice has been largely overlooked. The prevalent view is that fragrances mask an individual's body odor and improve its pleasantness. In two experiments, we found positive effects of perfume on body odor perception. Importantly, however, this was modulated by significant interactions with individual odor donors. Fragrances thus appear to interact with body odor, creating an individually-specific odor mixture. In a third experiment, the odor mixture of an individual's body odor and their preferred perfume was perceived as more pleasant than a blend of the same body odor with a randomly-allocated perfume, even when there was no difference in pleasantness between the perfumes. This indicates that fragrance use extends beyond simple masking effects and that people choose perfumes that interact well with their own odor. Our results provide an explanation for the highly individual nature of perfume choice. PMID:22470479

Psychology of fragrance use: perception of individual odor and perfume blends reveals a mechanism for idiosyncratic effects on fragrance choice.

PubMed

Lenochová, Pavlína; Vohnoutová, Pavla; Roberts, S Craig; Oberzaucher, Elisabeth; Grammer, Karl; Havlíček, Jan

2012-01-01

Cross-culturally, fragrances are used to modulate body odor, but the psychology of fragrance choice has been largely overlooked. The prevalent view is that fragrances mask an individual's body odor and improve its pleasantness. In two experiments, we found positive effects of perfume on body odor perception. Importantly, however, this was modulated by significant interactions with individual odor donors. Fragrances thus appear to interact with body odor, creating an individually-specific odor mixture. In a third experiment, the odor mixture of an individual's body odor and their preferred perfume was perceived as more pleasant than a blend of the same body odor with a randomly-allocated perfume, even when there was no difference in pleasantness between the perfumes. This indicates that fragrance use extends beyond simple masking effects and that people choose perfumes that interact well with their own odor. Our results provide an explanation for the highly individual nature of perfume choice.

Personomics: The Missing Link in the Evolution from Precision Medicine to Personalized Medicine.

PubMed

Ziegelstein, Roy C

2017-10-16

Clinical practice guidelines have been developed for many common conditions based on data from randomized controlled trials. When medicine is informed solely by clinical practice guidelines, however, the patient is not treated as an individual, but rather a member of a group. Precision medicine, as defined herein, characterizes unique biological characteristics of the individual or of specimens obtained from an individual to tailor diagnostics and therapeutics to a specific patient. These unique biological characteristics are defined by the tools of precision medicine: genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, pharmacogenomics, and other "-omics." Personalized medicine, as defined herein, uses additional information about the individual derived from knowing the patient as a person. These unique personal characteristics are defined by tools known as personomics which takes into account an individual's personality, preferences, values, goals, health beliefs, social support network, financial resources, and unique life circumstances that affect how and when a given health condition will manifest in that person and how that condition will respond to treatment. In this paradigm, precision medicine may be considered a necessary step in the evolution of medical care to personalized medicine, with personomics as the missing link.

Deodorants and antiperspirants affect the axillary bacterial community.

PubMed

Callewaert, Chris; Hutapea, Prawira; Van de Wiele, Tom; Boon, Nico

2014-10-01

The use of underarm cosmetics is common practice in the Western society to obtain better body odor and/or to prevent excessive sweating. A survey indicated that 95 % of the young adult Belgians generally use an underarm deodorant or antiperspirant. The effect of deodorants and antiperspirants on the axillary bacterial community was examined on nine healthy subjects, who were restrained from using deodorant/antiperspirant for 1 month. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was used to investigate the individual microbial dynamics. The microbial profiles were unique for every person. A stable bacterial community was seen when underarm cosmetics were applied on a daily basis and when no underarm cosmetics were applied. A distinct community difference was seen when the habits were changed from daily use to no use of deodorant/antiperspirant and vice versa. The richness was higher when deodorants and antiperspirants were applied. Especially when antiperspirants were applied, the microbiome showed an increase in diversity. Antiperspirant usage led toward an increase of Actinobacteria, which is an unfavorable situation with respect to body odor development. These initial results show that axillary cosmetics modify the microbial community and can stimulate odor-producing bacteria.

Advanced Analgesic Drug Delivery and Nanobiotechnology.

PubMed

Stoicea, Nicoleta; Fiorda-Diaz, Juan; Joseph, Nicholas; Shabsigh, Muhammad; Arias-Morales, Carlos; Gonzalez-Zacarias, Alicia A; Mavarez-Martinez, Ana; Marjoribanks, Stephen; Bergese, Sergio D

2017-07-01

Transdermal administration of analgesic medications offers several benefits over alternative routes of administration, including a decreased systemic drug load with fewer side effects, and avoidance of drug degradation by the gastrointestinal tract. Transdermal administration also offers a convenient mode of drug administration over an extended period of time, particularly desirable in pain medicine. A transdermal administration route may also offer increased safety for drugs with a narrow therapeutic window. The primary barrier to transdermal drug absorption is the skin itself. Transdermal nanotechnology offers a novel method of achieving enhanced dermal penetration with an extended delivery profile for analgesic drugs, due to their small size and relatively large surface area. Several materials have been used to enhance drug duration and transdermal penetration. The application of nanotechnology in transdermal delivery of analgesics has raised new questions regarding safety and ethical issues. The small molecular size of nanoparticles enables drug delivery to previously inaccessible body sites. To ensure safety, the interaction of nanoparticles with the human body requires further investigation on an individual drug basis, since different formulations have unique properties and side effects.

A 'rubber-hand' illusion reveals a relationship between perceptual body image and unhealthy body change.

PubMed

Mussap, Alexander J; Salton, Nancy

2006-07-01

The 'rubber-hand' illusion, in which individuals misattribute tactile sensations felt by their hand to a rubber prosthetic hand that they see being stimulated, was employed to examine the relationship between perceptual body image and unhealthy body change in 128 volunteers. Variance in unhealthy body development in males (22%) and in bulimic symptomatology in both females and males (10%), was explained by susceptibility to the illusion. The illusion, which is relatively free from cognitive and emotional 'contamination', could be used to identify individuals most responsive to therapies designed to correct inaccurate body perceptions-individuals whose perceptual body image is malleable.

Traumatic neuralgia from pressure-point strikes in the martial arts: results from a retrospective online survey.

PubMed

Kelly, Michael D

2008-06-01

Many techniques in Asian martial arts hand-to-hand combat systems emphasize hitting or striking specific sites on the body that correlate with exposed portions of peripheral nerves. To evaluate the prevalence and clinical effects of this unique sports-related injury. An anonymous self-administered retrospective 20-question electronic survey was posted on a high-traffic martial arts Web site. Primary outcome measures were demographic and medical history data, including martial arts experience and neuropathic symptoms associated with injury from this form of combat. Risk of symptoms was calculated by dividing the number of individuals with symptoms in each pressure-point area by the number of individuals who were struck in these areas during martial arts training. Of the 651 survey responses received, 605 met inclusion criteria. Neuropathic symptoms were reported by 291 subjects. Most symptoms occurred in individuals aged between 20 and 30 years as well as in individuals with less than 1 year of martial arts training. The majority of respondents with neuropathic symptoms reported a symptom duration of less than 1 year (207 [71%]). Individuals with more than 5 years of combat training experience had a greater risk of chronic symptoms than individuals with less experience. Strikes to pressure points on the back had the greatest risk of inducing neuropathic symptoms. Symptoms of neurapraxia can occur in individuals as a result of practicing martial arts involving strikes on pressure points. Although the majority of symptoms resolve within 1 year, individuals with prolonged exposure to pressure-point strikes may be more likely to have chronic symptoms.

Interest in cosmetic surgery and body image: views of men and women across the lifespan.

PubMed

Frederick, David A; Lever, Janet; Peplau, Letitia Anne

2007-10-01

Little is known about interest in cosmetic surgery among the general public or how this interest is related to gender, age, relationship status, body mass index, or body image satisfaction. The present study tested these associations among a sample of 52,677 heterosexual men and women aged 18 to 65 years who completed the online "ELLE/MSBNC.com Sex and Body Image Survey" in 2003. Many women were interested (48 percent) or possibly interested (23 percent) in cosmetic surgery. A substantial minority of men were also interested (23 percent) or possibly interested (17 percent) in cosmetic surgery. Individuals interested in cosmetic surgery did not report poorer global body image than individuals not interested in cosmetic surgery. Individuals specifically interested in liposuction, however, tended to have poorer body image, and interest in liposuction was greater among heavier individuals. The finding that many women and men are interested in cosmetic surgery has implications for research comparing cosmetic surgery patients to individuals drawn from the general population. Specifically, researchers conducting comparative studies should recognize that many individuals in their control group may be strongly interested in cosmetic surgery, even if they have not yet had any. Furthermore, individuals interested in different types of cosmetic surgery may differ from each other on such attributes as body mass index and body image.

Function-related Drivers of Skull Morphometric Variation and Sexual Size Dimorphism in a Subterranean Rodent, Plateau Zokor (Eospalax baileyi).

PubMed

Su, Junhu; Hegab, Ibrahim M; Ji, Weihong; Nan, Zhibiao

2018-05-01

Sexual dimorphism is prevalent in most living organisms. The difference in size between sexes of a given species is generally known as sexual size dimorphism (SSD). The magnitude of the SSD is determined by Rensch's rule where size dimorphism increases with increasing body size when the male is the larger sex and decreases with increasing average body size when the female is the larger sex. The unique underground environment that zokors ( Eospalax baileyi ) live under in the severe habitat of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) could create SSD selection pressures that may or may not be supported by Rensch's rule, making this scientific question worthy of investigation. In this study, we investigated the individual variation between sexes in body size and SSD of plateau zokors using measurements of 19 morphological traits. We also investigated the evolutionary mechanisms underlying SSD in plateau zokors. Moreover, we applied Rensch's rule to all extant zokor species. Our results showed male-biased SSD in plateau zokors: The body- and head-related measurements were greater in males than in females. Linear regression analysis between body length, body weight, and carcass weight showed significant relationships with some traits such as skull length, lower incisor length, and tympanic bulla width, which might support our prediction that males have faster growth rates than females. Further, the SSD pattern corroborated the assumption of Rensch's rule in plateau zokors but not in the other zokor species. Our findings suggest that the natural underground habitat and behavioral differences between sexes can generate selection pressures on male traits and contribute to the evolution of SSD in plateau zokors.

Dinosaur Fossils Predict Body Temperatures

PubMed Central

Allen, Andrew P; Charnov, Eric L

2006-01-01

Perhaps the greatest mystery surrounding dinosaurs concerns whether they were endotherms, ectotherms, or some unique intermediate form. Here we present a model that yields estimates of dinosaur body temperature based on ontogenetic growth trajectories obtained from fossil bones. The model predicts that dinosaur body temperatures increased with body mass from approximately 25 °C at 12 kg to approximately 41 °C at 13,000 kg. The model also successfully predicts observed increases in body temperature with body mass for extant crocodiles. These results provide direct evidence that dinosaurs were reptiles that exhibited inertial homeothermy. PMID:16817695

Dinosaur fossils predict body temperatures.

PubMed

Gillooly, James F; Allen, Andrew P; Charnov, Eric L

2006-07-01

Perhaps the greatest mystery surrounding dinosaurs concerns whether they were endotherms, ectotherms, or some unique intermediate form. Here we present a model that yields estimates of dinosaur body temperature based on ontogenetic growth trajectories obtained from fossil bones. The model predicts that dinosaur body temperatures increased with body mass from approximately 25 degrees C at 12 kg to approximately 41 degrees C at 13,000 kg. The model also successfully predicts observed increases in body temperature with body mass for extant crocodiles. These results provide direct evidence that dinosaurs were reptiles that exhibited inertial homeothermy.

Body size and lower limb posture during walking in humans

PubMed Central

Hora, Martin; Soumar, Libor; Pontzer, Herman; Sládek, Vladimír

2017-01-01

We test whether locomotor posture is associated with body mass and lower limb length in humans and explore how body size and posture affect net joint moments during walking. We acquired gait data for 24 females and 25 males using a three-dimensional motion capture system and pressure-measuring insoles. We employed the general linear model and commonality analysis to assess the independent effect of body mass and lower limb length on flexion angles at the hip, knee, and ankle while controlling for sex and velocity. In addition, we used inverse dynamics to model the effect of size and posture on net joint moments. At early stance, body mass has a negative effect on knee flexion (p < 0.01), whereas lower limb length has a negative effect on hip flexion (p < 0.05). Body mass uniquely explains 15.8% of the variance in knee flexion, whereas lower limb length uniquely explains 5.4% of the variance in hip flexion. Both of the detected relationships between body size and posture are consistent with the moment moderating postural adjustments predicted by our model. At late stance, no significant relationship between body size and posture was detected. Humans of greater body size reduce the flexion of the hip and knee at early stance, which results in the moderation of net moments at these joints. PMID:28192522

Leaders' and followers' individual experiences during the early phase of simulation-based team training: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Meurling, Lisbet; Hedman, Leif; Felländer-Tsai, Li; Wallin, Carl-Johan

2013-06-01

A growing body of evidence shows that team training can develop essential team skills and contribute to better patient outcomes. Current simulation-based team training (SBTT) programmes most often include targets and feedback focused on the whole team and/or leader, ignoring the follower as a unique entity. By considering followers' individual experiences, and tailoring behavioural targets for training and feedback, SBTT could be improved. Our aim was to explore the individual experiences and behaviours of leaders and followers during the early phase of SBTT, and we hypothesised that leaders and followers would show different responses. Medical students (n=54) participated in half-day SBTT including three video-recorded scenarios. Self-efficacy was assessed pretraining and post-training. For each scenario (n=36), the individual teamwork behaviours, concentration, mental strain and the team's clinical performance were recorded. Data were analysed using a mixed model allowing for participants to be their own control in their roles as leader or follower. Self-efficacy improved. In the role of leader, participants communicated to a greater extent and experienced higher mental strain and concentration than they did in the role of follower. The increased self-efficacy enables a positive learning outcome after only three scenarios. Individual experiences and behaviours differed between the role of leader and that of follower. By shedding further light on leaders' and followers' individual experiences and behaviours, targets for training and feedback could be specified in order to improve SBTT.

Morphological outcomes of gynandromorphism in Lycaeides butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).

PubMed

Jahner, Joshua P; Lucas, Lauren K; Wilson, Joseph S; Forister, Matthew L

2015-01-01

The genitalia of male insects have been widely used in taxonomic identification and systematics and are potentially involved in maintaining reproductive isolation between species. Although sexual selection has been invoked to explain patterns of morphological variation in genitalia among populations and species, developmental plasticity in genitalia likely contributes to observed variation but has been rarely examined, particularly in wild populations. Bilateral gynandromorphs are individuals that are genetically male on one side of the midline and genetically female on the other, while mosaic gynandromorphs have only a portion of their body developing as the opposite sex. Gynandromorphs might offer unique insights into developmental plasticity because individuals experience abnormal cellular interactions at the genitalic midline. In this study, we compare the genitalia and wing patterns of gynandromorphic Anna and Melissa blue butterflies, Lycaeides anna (Edwards) (formerly L. idas anna) and L. melissa (Edwards) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), to the morphology of normal individuals from the same populations. Gynandromorph wing markings all fell within the range of variation of normal butterflies; however, a number of genitalic measurements were outliers when compared with normal individuals. From these results, we conclude that the gynandromorphs' genitalia, but not wing patterns, can be abnormal when compared with normal individuals and that the gynandromorphic genitalia do not deviate developmentally in a consistent pattern across individuals. Finally, genetic mechanisms are considered for the development of gynandromorphism in Lycaeides butterflies. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

You are what you eat: diet shapes body composition, personality and behavioural stability.

PubMed

Han, Chang S; Dingemanse, Niels J

2017-01-10

Behavioural phenotypes vary within and among individuals. While early-life experiences have repeatedly been proposed to underpin interactions between these two hierarchical levels, the environmental factors causing such effects remain under-studied. We tested whether an individual's diet affected both its body composition, average behaviour (thereby causing among-individual variation or 'personality') and within-individual variability in behaviour and body weight (thereby causing among-individual differences in residual within-individual variance or 'stability'), using the Southern field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus as a model. We further asked whether effects of diet on the expression of these variance components were sex-specific. Manipulating both juvenile and adult diet in a full factorial design, individuals were put, in each life-stage, on a diet that was either relatively high in carbohydrates or relatively high in protein. We subsequently measured the expression of multiple behavioural (exploration, aggression and mating activity) and morphological traits (body weight and lipid mass) during adulthood. Dietary history affected both average phenotype and level of within-individual variability: males raised as juveniles on high-protein diets were heavier, more aggressive, more active during mating, and behaviourally less stable, than conspecifics raised on high-carbohydrate diets. Females preferred more protein in their diet compared to males, and dietary history affected average phenotype and within-individual variability in a sex-specific manner: individuals raised on high-protein diets were behaviourally less stable in their aggressiveness but this effect was only present in males. Diet also influenced individual differences in male body weight, but within-individual variance in female body weight. This study thereby provides experimental evidence that dietary history explains both heterogeneous residual within-individual variance (i.e., individual variation in 'behavioural stability') and individual differences in average behaviour (i.e., 'personality'), though dietary effects were notably trait-specific. These findings call for future studies integrating proximate and ultimate perspectives on the role of diet in the evolution of repeatedly expressed traits, such as behaviour and body weight.

Perception of threat from emotions and its role in poor emotional expression within eating pathology.

PubMed

Ioannou, Korina; Fox, John R E

2009-01-01

Recent research has documented links between eating disorder (ED) symptomatology and emotional expression deficits. Relevant theoretical models have alluded to the functional role of disordered eating in alleviating affect that is felt to be otherwise unmanageable and threatening. Nevertheless, research examining ED individuals' perceptions of emotional states has been sparse, while empirical studies have predominantly focused on global conceptualizations of emotion, failing to address discrete affect states. The current study had three aims: (a) to determine the relation between ED symptomatology and emotional expression, in a sample of women with ED, in an attempt to confirm previous findings of an inverse relation; (b) to test the hypothesis that women with ED inhibit the expression of emotions perceived as threatening, by examining the relation between emotional expression and perceptions of threat from emotion, while partialling out the effects of depression; and (c) to determine whether, amongst women with ED, perceptions of threat from anger are uniquely associated with emotional inhibition, when the effects of depression and body dissatisfaction are controlled for. Results demonstrated that (a) emotional expression was negatively related with the three Eating Disorders Inventory-3 subscales (drive for thinness, bulimia and body dissatisfaction); (b) perceived threat from emotion, particularly anger, was negatively correlated with emotional expression, when depression was partialled out in the analysis; and (c) perceived threat from anger significantly and uniquely predicted emotional inhibition, over and above the effects of body dissatisfaction and depression, in a sample of women with ED symptomatology. It is suggested that anger may be perceived as particularly threatening amongst women with ED, and play a significant role in the emotional expression difficulties that this population experiences. The implications of the current findings are discussed in line with relevant theory and research, with particular reference to the new Schematic Propositional Analogical Associative Representation System for Eating Disorders (SPAARS-ED) model.

Analysis of Black Bearing Balls from a Space Shuttle Body Flap Actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sovinski, Marjorie F.; Street, Kenneth W.

2005-01-01

A significantly deteriorated ball bearing mechanism from a body flap actuator on Space Shuttle OV-103 was disassembled and the balls submitted for analysis in conjunction with Return to Flight activities. The OV-103 balls, referred to as the "black balls", were subjected to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman micro spectroscopy, surface profilometry, and optical and electron microscopy. The spectroscopic results in combination with microscopy analysis allowed a determination of the lubricant degradation pathway. The chemical attack mechanism does not adequately explain the unique visual appearance of the black balls. Numerous efforts have unsuccessfully focused on duplication of the phenomena causing this unique surface structure and appearance of the black balls. Further detail will be presented supporting these conclusions along with plausible explanations of the unique black appearance to the balls.

Running With the Pack: Teen Peer-Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Adult Physical Health.

PubMed

Allen, Joseph P; Uchino, Bert N; Hafen, Christopher A

2015-10-01

This study assessed qualities of adolescent peer relationships as long-term predictors of physical health quality in adulthood. In an intensive multimethod, multireporter study of a community sample of 171 individuals assessed repeatedly from the ages of 13 to 27 years, physical health quality in adulthood was robustly predicted by independent reports of early-adolescent close-friendship quality and by a pattern of acquiescence to social norms in adolescent peer relationships. Predictions remained after accounting for numerous potential confounds, including prior health problems, concurrent body mass index, anxious and depressive symptoms, personality characteristics, adolescent-era financial adversity, and adolescent-era physical attractiveness. These findings have important implications for understanding the unique intensity of peer relationships in adolescence. © The Author(s) 2015.

Distinctive striatal dopamine signaling after dieting and gastric bypass.

PubMed

Hankir, Mohammed K; Ashrafian, Hutan; Hesse, Swen; Horstmann, Annette; Fenske, Wiebke K

2015-05-01

Highly palatable and/or calorically dense foods, such as those rich in fat, engage the striatum to govern and set complex behaviors. Striatal dopamine signaling has been implicated in hedonic feeding and the development of obesity. Dieting and bariatric surgery have markedly different outcomes on weight loss, yet how these interventions affect central homeostatic and food reward processing remains poorly understood. Here, we propose that dieting and gastric bypass produce distinct changes in peripheral factors with known roles in regulating energy homeostasis, resulting in differential modulation of nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopaminergic reward circuits. Enhancement of intestinal fat metabolism after gastric bypass may also modify striatal dopamine signaling contributing to its unique long-term effects on feeding behavior and body weight in obese individuals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bilateral atraumatic medial meniscal tears in a 17-year-old rower

PubMed Central

Taylor, Taryn Lise; Frankovich, Renata; Rumball, Jane

2009-01-01

Meniscal injury produces disability in a large portion of the population, and sports injuries are a common cause. Atraumatic meniscal tears may occur after repetitive low-energy loading. Rowing is a highly technical sport and very demanding on an athlete’s body. There are numerous reports on patellofemoral and iliotibial band friction syndrome in rowers but there is an extremely low incidence of meniscal tears reported in these athletes. This is a unique case report of a young adolescent athlete who suffered bilateral medical meniscal tears during sporting activity. Rowing is a low impact sport making this an unusual occurrence, especially in a young individual. This case report highlights the importance of considering all training activities when trying to isolate the mechanism of injury in an athlete. PMID:21686387

A novel frequency analysis method for assessing K(ir)2.1 and Na (v)1.5 currents.

PubMed

Rigby, J R; Poelzing, S

2012-04-01

Voltage clamping is an important tool for measuring individual currents from an electrically active cell. However, it is difficult to isolate individual currents without pharmacological or voltage inhibition. Herein, we present a technique that involves inserting a noise function into a standard voltage step protocol, which allows one to characterize the unique frequency response of an ion channel at different step potentials. Specifically, we compute the fast Fourier transform for a family of current traces at different step potentials for the inward rectifying potassium channel, K(ir)2.1, and the channel encoding the cardiac fast sodium current, Na(v)1.5. Each individual frequency magnitude, as a function of voltage step, is correlated to the peak current produced by each channel. The correlation coefficient vs. frequency relationship reveals that these two channels are associated with some unique frequencies with high absolute correlation. The individual IV relationship can then be recreated using only the unique frequencies with magnitudes of high absolute correlation. Thus, this study demonstrates that ion channels may exhibit unique frequency responses.

A STUDY OF PREDICTED BONE MARROW DISTRIBUTION ON CALCULATED MARROW DOSE FROM EXTERNAL RADIATION EXPOSURES USING TWO SETS OF IMAGE DATA FOR THE SAME INDIVIDUAL

PubMed Central

Caracappa, Peter F.; Chao, T. C. Ephraim; Xu, X. George

2010-01-01

Red bone marrow is among the tissues of the human body that are most sensitive to ionizing radiation, but red bone marrow cannot be distinguished from yellow bone marrow by normal radiographic means. When using a computational model of the body constructed from computed tomography (CT) images for radiation dose, assumptions must be applied to calculate the dose to the red bone marrow. This paper presents an analysis of two methods of calculating red bone marrow distribution: 1) a homogeneous mixture of red and yellow bone marrow throughout the skeleton, and 2) International Commission on Radiological Protection cellularity factors applied to each bone segment. A computational dose model was constructed from the CT image set of the Visible Human Project and compared to the VIP-Man model, which was derived from color photographs of the same individual. These two data sets for the same individual provide the unique opportunity to compare the methods applied to the CT-based model against the observed distribution of red bone marrow for that individual. The mass of red bone marrow in each bone segment was calculated using both methods. The effect of the different red bone marrow distributions was analyzed by calculating the red bone marrow dose using the EGS4 Monte Carlo code for parallel beams of monoenergetic photons over an energy range of 30 keV to 6 MeV, cylindrical (simplified CT) sources centered about the head and abdomen over an energy range of 30 keV to 1 MeV, and a whole-body electron irradiation treatment protocol for 3.9 MeV electrons. Applying the method with cellularity factors improves the average difference in the estimation of mass in each bone segment as compared to the mass in VIP-Man by 45% over the homogenous mixture method. Red bone marrow doses calculated by the two methods are similar for parallel photon beams at high energy (above about 200 keV), but differ by as much as 40% at lower energies. The calculated red bone marrow doses differ significantly for simplified CT and electron beam irradiation, since the computed red bone marrow dose is a strong function of the cellularity factor applied to bone segments within the primary radiation beam. These results demonstrate the importance of properly applying realistic cellularity factors to computation dose models of the human body. PMID:19430219

A study of predicted bone marrow distribution on calculated marrow dose from external radiation exposures using two sets of image data for the same individual.

PubMed

Caracappa, Peter F; Chao, T C Ephraim; Xu, X George

2009-06-01

Red bone marrow is among the tissues of the human body that are most sensitive to ionizing radiation, but red bone marrow cannot be distinguished from yellow bone marrow by normal radiographic means. When using a computational model of the body constructed from computed tomography (CT) images for radiation dose, assumptions must be applied to calculate the dose to the red bone marrow. This paper presents an analysis of two methods of calculating red bone marrow distribution: 1) a homogeneous mixture of red and yellow bone marrow throughout the skeleton, and 2) International Commission on Radiological Protection cellularity factors applied to each bone segment. A computational dose model was constructed from the CT image set of the Visible Human Project and compared to the VIP-Man model, which was derived from color photographs of the same individual. These two data sets for the same individual provide the unique opportunity to compare the methods applied to the CT-based model against the observed distribution of red bone marrow for that individual. The mass of red bone marrow in each bone segment was calculated using both methods. The effect of the different red bone marrow distributions was analyzed by calculating the red bone marrow dose using the EGS4 Monte Carlo code for parallel beams of monoenergetic photons over an energy range of 30 keV to 6 MeV, cylindrical (simplified CT) sources centered about the head and abdomen over an energy range of 30 keV to 1 MeV, and a whole-body electron irradiation treatment protocol for 3.9 MeV electrons. Applying the method with cellularity factors improves the average difference in the estimation of mass in each bone segment as compared to the mass in VIP-Man by 45% over the homogenous mixture method. Red bone marrow doses calculated by the two methods are similar for parallel photon beams at high energy (above about 200 keV), but differ by as much as 40% at lower energies. The calculated red bone marrow doses differ significantly for simplified CT and electron beam irradiation, since the computed red bone marrow dose is a strong function of the cellularity factor applied to bone segments within the primary radiation beam. These results demonstrate the importance of properly applying realistic cellularity factors to computation dose models of the human body.

Brain anatomy in Diplura (Hexapoda)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In the past decade neuroanatomy has proved to be a valuable source of character systems that provide insights into arthropod relationships. Since the most detailed description of dipluran brain anatomy dates back to Hanström (1940) we re-investigated the brains of Campodea augens and Catajapyx aquilonaris with modern neuroanatomical techniques. The analyses are based on antibody staining and 3D reconstruction of the major neuropils and tracts from semi-thin section series. Results Remarkable features of the investigated dipluran brains are a large central body, which is organized in nine columns and three layers, and well developed mushroom bodies with calyces receiving input from spheroidal olfactory glomeruli in the deutocerebrum. Antibody staining against a catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (DC0) was used to further characterize the mushroom bodies. The japygid Catajapyx aquilonaris possesses mushroom bodies which are connected across the midline, a unique condition within hexapods. Conclusions Mushroom body and central body structure shows a high correspondence between japygids and campodeids. Some unique features indicate that neuroanatomy further supports the monophyly of Diplura. In a broader phylogenetic context, however, the polarization of brain characters becomes ambiguous. The mushroom bodies and the central body of Diplura in several aspects resemble those of Dicondylia, suggesting homology. In contrast, Archaeognatha completely lack mushroom bodies and exhibit a central body organization reminiscent of certain malacostracan crustaceans. Several hypotheses of brain evolution at the base of the hexapod tree are discussed. PMID:23050723

Metabolic risk factors in mice divergently selected for BMR fed high fat and high carb diets.

PubMed

Sadowska, Julita; Gębczyński, Andrzej K; Konarzewski, Marek

2017-01-01

Factors affecting contribution of spontaneous physical activity (SPA; activity associated with everyday tasks) to energy balance of humans are not well understood, as it is not clear whether low activity is related to dietary habits, precedes obesity or is a result of thereof. In particular, human studies on SPA and basal metabolic rates (BMR, accounting for >50% of human energy budget) and their associations with diet composition, metabolic thrift and obesity are equivocal. To clarify these ambiguities we used a unique animal model-mice selected for divergent BMR rates (the H-BMR and L-BMR line type) presenting a 50% between-line type difference in the primary selected trait. Males of each line type were divided into three groups and fed either a high fat, high carb or a control diet. They then spent 4 months in individual cages under conditions emulating human "sedentary lifestyle", with SPA followed every month and measurements of metabolic risk indicators (body fat mass %, blood lipid profile, fasting blood glucose levels and oxidative damage in the livers, kidneys and hearts) taken at the end of study. Mice with genetically determined high BMR assimilated more energy and had higher SPA irrespective of type of diet. H-BMR individuals were characterized by lower dry body fat mass %, better lipid profile and lower fasting blood glucose levels, but higher oxidative damage in the livers and hearts. Genetically determined high BMR may be a protective factor against diet-induced obesity and most of the metabolic syndrome indicators. Elevated spontaneous activity is correlated with high BMR, and constitutes an important factor affecting individual capability to sustain energy balance even under energy dense diets.

Genetic and environmental transmission of body mass index fluctuation.

PubMed

Bergin, Jocilyn E; Neale, Michael C; Eaves, Lindon J; Martin, Nicholas G; Heath, Andrew C; Maes, Hermine H

2012-11-01

This study sought to determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) fluctuation and cardiovascular disease phenotypes, diabetes, and depression and the role of genetic and environmental factors in individual differences in BMI fluctuation using the extended twin-family model (ETFM). This study included 14,763 twins and their relatives. Health and Lifestyle Questionnaires were obtained from 28,492 individuals from the Virginia 30,000 dataset including twins, parents, siblings, spouses, and children of twins. Self-report cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression data were available. From self-reported height and weight, BMI fluctuation was calculated as the difference between highest and lowest BMI after age 18, for individuals 18-80 years. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between BMI fluctuation and disease status. The ETFM was used to estimate the significance and contribution of genetic and environmental factors, cultural transmission, and assortative mating components to BMI fluctuation, while controlling for age. We tested sex differences in additive and dominant genetic effects, parental, non-parental, twin, and unique environmental effects. BMI fluctuation was highly associated with disease status, independent of BMI. Genetic effects accounted for ~34 % of variance in BMI fluctuation in males and ~43 % of variance in females. The majority of the variance was accounted for by environmental factors, about a third of which were shared among twins. Assortative mating, and cultural transmission accounted for only a small proportion of variance in this phenotype. Since there are substantial health risks associated with BMI fluctuation and environmental components of BMI fluctuation account for over 60 % of variance in males and over 50 % of variance in females, environmental risk factors may be appropriate targets to reduce BMI fluctuation.

Does hemiplegic shoulder pain share clinical and sensory characteristics with central neuropathic pain? A comparative study.

PubMed

Zeilig, Gabi; Rivel, Michal; Doron, Dana; Defrin, Ruth

2016-10-01

Hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP) is a common poststroke complication and is considered to be a chronic pain syndrome. It is negatively correlated with the functional recovery of the affected arm and the quality of life of the individual. It also leads to a longer length of stay in rehabilitation. Today, there is no consensus as to the underlying mechanism causing HSP, making the syndrome difficult to treat. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and sensory profile of individuals with HSP to that of individuals with established central neuropathic pain (CNP) in order to identify common features and the presence of neuropathic components in HSP. Cross sectional controlled study. Outpatient rehabilitation clinics. Sixteen chronic HSP patients and 18 chronic CNP patients with spinal cord injury (SCI-CNP). The chronic pain characteristics, thresholds of thermal and tactile sensations and presence of pathological sensations were compared between groups, and between painful and pain free body regions within groups. Correlations were calculated between HSP intensity and sensory and musculoskeletal characteristics. Patients with HSP and patients with SCI-CNP had similar decrease of thermal sensibility in the painful compared to intact body regions and both groups presented similar rates of pathological sensations in painful regions. HSP and SCI-CNP differed however, in the quality of pain and aggravating factors. Significant correlations were found between HSP intensity and heat-pain threshold, presence of subluxation and spasticity. The similarities between HSP and SCI-CNP and the altered spinothalamic function and sensitization suggest that HSP has neuropathic components in its mechanism. Nevertheless, the unique features of HSP point towards additional possible mechanisms. The use of specific therapy options for neuropathic pain should be considered when treating patients with HSP.

Sociocultural and individual psychological predictors of body image in young girls: a prospective study.

PubMed

Clark, Levina; Tiggemann, Marika

2008-07-01

This study investigated the prospective predictors of body image in 9- to 12-year-old girls. Participants were 150 girls in Grades 4-6 with a mean age of 10.3 years. Girls completed questionnaire measures of media and peer influences (television/magazine exposure, peer appearance conversations), individual psychological variables (appearance schemas, internalization of appearance ideals, autonomy), and body image (figure discrepancy and body esteem) at Time 1 and 1 year later at Time 2. Linear panel analyses showed that after controlling for Time 1 levels of body image, none of the Time 1 sociocultural variables predicted body image variables at Time 2. Body mass index (BMI; a biological variable) and psychological variables, however, did offer significant prospective prediction. Specifically, higher BMI, higher appearance schemas, higher internalization of appearance ideals, and lower autonomy predicted worsening body image 1 year later. Thus, higher weight and certain psychological characteristics were temporally antecedent to body image concerns. It was concluded that both biological and individual psychological variables play a role in the development of body image in children. Individual psychological variables, in particular, may provide useful targets in prevention and intervention programs addressing body image in 9- to 12-year-old girls.

Modeling the shape and composition of the human body using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry images

PubMed Central

Shepherd, John A.; Fan, Bo; Schwartz, Ann V.; Cawthon, Peggy; Cummings, Steven R.; Kritchevsky, Stephen; Nevitt, Michael; Santanasto, Adam; Cootes, Timothy F.

2017-01-01

There is growing evidence that body shape and regional body composition are strong indicators of metabolic health. The purpose of this study was to develop statistical models that accurately describe holistic body shape, thickness, and leanness. We hypothesized that there are unique body shape features that are predictive of mortality beyond standard clinical measures. We developed algorithms to process whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans into body thickness and leanness images. We performed statistical appearance modeling (SAM) and principal component analysis (PCA) to efficiently encode the variance of body shape, leanness, and thickness across sample of 400 older Americans from the Health ABC study. The sample included 200 cases and 200 controls based on 6-year mortality status, matched on sex, race and BMI. The final model contained 52 points outlining the torso, upper arms, thighs, and bony landmarks. Correlation analyses were performed on the PCA parameters to identify body shape features that vary across groups and with metabolic risk. Stepwise logistic regression was performed to identify sex and race, and predict mortality risk as a function of body shape parameters. These parameters are novel body composition features that uniquely identify body phenotypes of different groups and predict mortality risk. Three parameters from a SAM of body leanness and thickness accurately identified sex (training AUC = 0.99) and six accurately identified race (training AUC = 0.91) in the sample dataset. Three parameters from a SAM of only body thickness predicted mortality (training AUC = 0.66, validation AUC = 0.62). Further study is warranted to identify specific shape/composition features that predict other health outcomes. PMID:28423041

Whole-body angular momentum during stair walking using passive and powered lower-limb prostheses.

PubMed

Pickle, Nathaniel T; Wilken, Jason M; Aldridge, Jennifer M; Neptune, Richard R; Silverman, Anne K

2014-10-17

Individuals with a unilateral transtibial amputation have a greater risk of falling compared to able-bodied individuals, and falling on stairs can lead to serious injuries. Individuals with transtibial amputations have lost ankle plantarflexor muscle function, which is critical for regulating whole-body angular momentum to maintain dynamic balance. Recently, powered prostheses have been designed to provide active ankle power generation with the goal of restoring biological ankle function. However, the effects of using a powered prosthesis on the regulation of whole-body angular momentum are unknown. The purpose of this study was to use angular momentum to evaluate dynamic balance in individuals with a transtibial amputation using powered and passive prostheses relative to able-bodied individuals during stair ascent and descent. Ground reaction forces, external moment arms, and joint powers were also investigated to interpret the angular momentum results. A key result was that individuals with an amputation had a larger range of sagittal-plane angular momentum during prosthetic limb stance compared to able-bodied individuals during stair ascent. There were no significant differences in the frontal, transverse, or sagittal-plane ranges of angular momentum or maximum magnitude of the angular momentum vector between the passive and powered prostheses during stair ascent or descent. These results indicate that individuals with an amputation have altered angular momentum trajectories during stair walking compared to able-bodied individuals, which may contribute to an increased fall risk. The results also suggest that a powered prosthesis provides no distinct advantage over a passive prosthesis in maintaining dynamic balance during stair walking. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Access and authorisation in a Glocal e-Health Policy context.

PubMed

Scott, Richard E; Jennett, Penny; Yeo, Maryann

2004-03-31

Challenges to the development of appropriate yet adaptable policy and tools for security of the individual patient electronic health record (EHR) are proving to be significant. Compounding this is the unique capability of e-health to transgress all existing geo-political and other barriers. Initiatives to develop and advance policy, standards, and tools in relation to EHR access control and authorisation management must address this capability. Currently policy development initiatives take place largely in an isolated manner. This jeopardises the potential of e-health because decisions made in one jurisdiction might hamper, even prevent, an e-health opportunity in another. This paper places access and authorisation issues in an overall policy context through describing current Canadian initiatives. The National Initiative for Telehealth (NIFTE) Guidelines project is developing a framework of national guidelines for telehealth. The Policy and Peer Permission (PPP) project is developing a unique tool that provides persistent protection of data. The new corporate body 'Infoway' is developing a pan-Canadian electronic health record solution. Finally, the Glocal e-Health Policy initiative is developing a tool with which to identify and describe the inter-relationships of e-health issues amongst policy levels, themes, and actors.

Radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: a qualitative study of patient experiences and implications for practice.

PubMed

Fitch, Margaret I; Miller, Debbie; Sharir, Sharon; McAndrew, Alison

2010-01-01

Patients being treated for bladder cancer share issues in common with other cancer patients, but also experience issues that are unique to their surgical treatment. This study used a descriptive qualitative approach to explore the experiences of patients who had undergone radical cystectomy for bladder cancer Twenty-two participants were interviewed in-depth on one occasion and were invited to attend a focus group session following the analysis of the interview transcripts. Participants described the shock of their diagnosis, their lack of information about bladder cancer, the importance of clear communication with care providers, and the types of adjustments they had to make following surgery. Specifically, changes in bodily function, body image, sexual relationships, and intimacy presented challenges for these participants. Although there was a sense of acceptance about the treatment-related events, there were still significant adjustments required by individuals following their surgery. Information, open communication, and support from family and friends were seen as important factors in helping patients adjust after surgery. Patients require clear, concise and consistent information about their cancer, treatment options, and course of care. Nurses caring for patients following surgery for bladder cancer need to understand the unique needs of these patients.

Annual Progress Report, Fiscal Year 1982.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

groups, assess the metavolic UAEM) and endocrine (clinical collaborators) responses of individuals with no body fat (lipoadystrophy), limited body fat ...anorexia nervosa and lipoatrophy), normal body fat but difficulties with weight regulation ("hard" and also "easy gainer") and excess body fat (obesity...Also develop/validate simple measures to assess body fat . Those individuals with an excessively high or low body fat content may be at increased risk

Steady life on Earth due to its "right" position in the Solar system and cosmos: a comparative wave planetology approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kochemasov, G. G.

2008-09-01

The main point of the wave comparative planetology [1-5 & others] is the statement: "Orbits make structures". All so different celestial bodies (various sizes, masses, densities, chemichal compositions, physical states, positions in the Universe and so on) have two fundamental properties: movement and rotation. Movements in non-circular (keplerian elliptical, parabolic) orbits with changing accelerations induce in bodies wave warpings (standing waves) which in rotating bodies go in 4 orthogonal and diagonal directions. An interference of these directions produces uprising, subsiding and neutral tectonic blocks size of which depends on warping wavelengths. The fundamental wave1 long 2πR (R - a body radius) gives ubiquitous tectonic dichotomy (two hemispheres - segments), the first overtone wave2 long πR produces sectoring. Along with these warpings (wave1 with harmonics) exist tectonic granulations. Granule size depends on orbital frequency: higher frequency - smaller granule, lower frequency - larger granule. Terrestrial planets have the following individual granule sizes (a half of a wavelength): Mercury πR/16, Venus πR/6, Earth πR/4, Mars πR/2, asteroids πR/1 (Fig. 1). These granule producing warpings tend to bring planetary spheres to polyhedrons which, for simplicity, are represented by the following figures inscribed in the planetary circle: Mercury- 16-gon, Venus- hexagon, Earth- square, Mars- rectangle, asteroids - line. Obviously, nearer a figure to circle more it is stable, and this is expressed by the ratio of a figure area to the circle area. Mercury has 0.973, Venus 0.830, Earth 0.637, Mars 0.420, asteroids 0. The line for asteroids means the zero ratio, thus zero stability and no planet in the asteroid zone. Earth is unique by its near to the "golden section" value. Now, what is the stable life? Life means creation and destruction (birth and death). Too much one or another both suppress life. Only the right proportion ensures a steady life. Earth has this proportion -golden section. At Mars destruction prevails over creation , at Venus creation over destruction. Weak signs of past life possibly can be found at Mars. At Venus enormous degassing possibly with help of primitive biocycle led to deadly conditions. In Fig. 1 both axes are logarithmic: the abscissa - solar distances of the planets, the ordinate - relative granule sizes (ratio of an individual wave to the fundamental wave). Before the asteroid belt individual waves are shorter than the fundamental wave, after the belt - an opposite relation. Thus the asteroid belt crosses the ordinate 1 what means that there is the very strong 1 : 1 resonance between the fundamental and the individual waves prohibiting a planet formation (available material is scattered). The constructed cosmogenic curve is a curve with a bending point. Earth occurs at this peculiar place what determines Earth uniqueness. The heliocentric distance is then mathematically an abscissa of the bending point. The terrestrial tectonic granule size πR/4 places Earth in the "golden middle" of the Solar system (Fig. 1). Earth also occurs between two infinities, between macro- and microcosmos: +∞ & -∞. If the cosmogenic line joining two infinities and comprising all material formations from macro- to microcosmos is strait and thus crosses the infinities (what is impossible) the terrestrial type civilizations could be numerous (Fig. 2, case 1, to the left). If this line never crosses the infinities and approaches them as an asymptote (what is a scientifically correct case) then it is a curve with a bending point and Earth with its civilization is unique (case 2, to the right). Superposition of "golden middles" of various cosmic scales determines (fixes) the place of this curve. References: [1]Kochemasov G.G. (1992)16th Russian-American microsymposium on planetology, Abstracts, Moscow, Vernadsky Inst. (GEOKHI), 36-37; [2] Kochemasov G. G. (1994) 20th Russian-American microsymposium on planetology. Abstr., Moscow, Vernadsky Inst., 46-47; [3] Kochemasov G. G. (1998) Proceedings of international symposium on new concepts in global tectonics ('98 TSUKUBA), Tsukuba, Japan, Nov. 1998, 144-147; [4] Kochemasov G.G. (2000) 32nd Vernadsky-Brown microsymposium on comparative planetology, Abstracts, Moscow, Vernadsky Inst., 88-89; [5] Kochemasov G.G. (2001) 34th Vernadsky-Brown microsymposium "Topics in comparative planetology", Abstr., Moscow, Vernadsky Inst., CD-ROM.

Tamper-indicating device having a glass body

DOEpatents

Johnston, Roger G.; Garcia, Anthony R. E.

2003-04-29

A tamper-indicating device is described. The device has a first glass body member and a second glass body member that are attached to each other through a hasp. The glass body members of the device can be tempered. The body members can be configured with hollow volumes into which powders, microparticles, liquids, gels, or combinations thereof are sealed. The choice, the amount, and the location of these materials can produce a visible, band pattern to provide each body member with a unique fingerprint identifier, which makes it extremely difficult to repair or replace once it is damaged in order to avoid tamper detection.

No difference in variability of unique hue selections and binary hue selections.

PubMed

Bosten, J M; Lawrance-Owen, A J

2014-04-01

If unique hues have special status in phenomenological experience as perceptually pure, it seems reasonable to assume that they are represented more precisely by the visual system than are other colors. Following the method of Malkoc et al. (J. Opt. Soc. Am. A22, 2154 [2005]), we gathered unique and binary hue selections from 50 subjects. For these subjects we repeated the measurements in two separate sessions, allowing us to measure test-retest reliabilities (0.52≤ρ≤0.78; p≪0.01). We quantified the within-individual variability for selections of each hue. Adjusting for the differences in variability intrinsic to different regions of chromaticity space, we compared the within-individual variability for unique hues to that for binary hues. Surprisingly, we found that selections of unique hues did not show consistently lower variability than selections of binary hues. We repeated hue measurements in a single session for an independent sample of 58 subjects, using a different relative scaling of the cardinal axes of MacLeod-Boynton chromaticity space. Again, we found no consistent difference in adjusted within-individual variability for selections of unique and binary hues. Our finding does not depend on the particular scaling chosen for the Y axis of MacLeod-Boynton chromaticity space.

First-Principles Investigation of Electronic Properties in Sodium-Ion Electrolytes for Solid-State Battery Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rush, Larry E., Jr.

This thesis mainly focuses on characterizing and understanding the electronic properties of sodium-ion electrolytes using first-principles calculations. The core of these calculations is built upon a functional understanding of the relationship between quantum mechanics and the crystalline geometries that contribute to unique properties of materials such as diffusion mechanisms of ions within solid-state materials, conductivity, and ground state structures. The goal of this body of work is to understand how this relationship can give us insight into materials that might have use in an emerging field within battery technology. Sodium-ion solid-state batteries are an auspicious technology because nature has provided us with widely distributed precursor materials in such a way that removes geopolitical constraints in its construction and distribution. This is extremely important to individuals (and a collection of individuals) who want to expedite the wide use of clean and renewable energy from a societal perspective. An example is Morocco's initiative to generate 52% of its total energy consumption from clean and renewable energy sources to eliminate dependencies on foreign countries to supply energy resources. Sodium-ion solid-state batteries are an inexpensive option for large-scale grid storage, so this could play a role in providing a cost-effective option for Morocco. The challenging part is to sift through the large chemical space of sodium-ion solid-state electrolytes to find optimal materials for battery technology, and that is what motivates this body of work.

An RCT Evaluating the Effects of Skills Training and Medication Type on Work Outcomes Among Patients With Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Glynn, Shirley M; Marder, Stephen R; Noordsy, Douglas L; O'Keefe, Christopher; Becker, Deborah R; Drake, Robert E; Sugar, Catherine A

2017-03-01

Although supported employment increases job acquisition for people with serious mental illness, data on participants' job tenure have been variable. This study evaluated the effects of a standardized work skills training program (the Workplace Fundamentals Module [WPFM]) on job tenure and other work outcomes among individuals receiving individual placement and support (IPS). The effects of two atypical antipsychotic medications on side effects were also tested. The primary hypothesis tested was that participants in IPS plus WPFM would have increased job tenure compared with those enrolled in IPS only, and the secondary hypothesis was that different antipsychotic medications would yield unique side effects. A 2×2 randomized controlled trial compared work outcomes, including job tenure, of participants receiving IPS with or without WPFM for up to two years after obtaining a job. Participants were also randomly assigned to olanzapine or risperidone. Measures of work outcomes, clinical status, and medication side effects were collected. Among 107 participants, 63% obtained at least one job. WPFM did not increase job tenure (51.53 and 41.37 total weeks worked for IPS only and IPS plus WPFM, respectively) or affect other work outcomes. Participants on olanzapine experienced increased body mass index, whereas those on risperidone lost weight, but medications did not differentially affect clinical or job outcomes. Clinic-based skills training did not improve work outcomes accruing from IPS. Risperidone, compared with olanzapine, may reduce body mass but has no differential effect on other work or clinical outcomes.

Data-driven modeling reveals cell behaviors controlling self-organization during Myxococcus xanthus development

PubMed Central

Cotter, Christopher R.; Schüttler, Heinz-Bernd; Igoshin, Oleg A.; Shimkets, Lawrence J.

2017-01-01

Collective cell movement is critical to the emergent properties of many multicellular systems, including microbial self-organization in biofilms, embryogenesis, wound healing, and cancer metastasis. However, even the best-studied systems lack a complete picture of how diverse physical and chemical cues act upon individual cells to ensure coordinated multicellular behavior. Known for its social developmental cycle, the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus uses coordinated movement to generate three-dimensional aggregates called fruiting bodies. Despite extensive progress in identifying genes controlling fruiting body development, cell behaviors and cell–cell communication mechanisms that mediate aggregation are largely unknown. We developed an approach to examine emergent behaviors that couples fluorescent cell tracking with data-driven models. A unique feature of this approach is the ability to identify cell behaviors affecting the observed aggregation dynamics without full knowledge of the underlying biological mechanisms. The fluorescent cell tracking revealed large deviations in the behavior of individual cells. Our modeling method indicated that decreased cell motility inside the aggregates, a biased walk toward aggregate centroids, and alignment among neighboring cells in a radial direction to the nearest aggregate are behaviors that enhance aggregation dynamics. Our modeling method also revealed that aggregation is generally robust to perturbations in these behaviors and identified possible compensatory mechanisms. The resulting approach of directly combining behavior quantification with data-driven simulations can be applied to more complex systems of collective cell movement without prior knowledge of the cellular machinery and behavioral cues. PMID:28533367

Mathematical model for the contribution of individual organs to non-zero y-intercepts in single and multi-compartment linear models of whole-body energy expenditure.

PubMed

Kaiyala, Karl J

2014-01-01

Mathematical models for the dependence of energy expenditure (EE) on body mass and composition are essential tools in metabolic phenotyping. EE scales over broad ranges of body mass as a non-linear allometric function. When considered within restricted ranges of body mass, however, allometric EE curves exhibit 'local linearity.' Indeed, modern EE analysis makes extensive use of linear models. Such models typically involve one or two body mass compartments (e.g., fat free mass and fat mass). Importantly, linear EE models typically involve a non-zero (usually positive) y-intercept term of uncertain origin, a recurring theme in discussions of EE analysis and a source of confounding in traditional ratio-based EE normalization. Emerging linear model approaches quantify whole-body resting EE (REE) in terms of individual organ masses (e.g., liver, kidneys, heart, brain). Proponents of individual organ REE modeling hypothesize that multi-organ linear models may eliminate non-zero y-intercepts. This could have advantages in adjusting REE for body mass and composition. Studies reveal that individual organ REE is an allometric function of total body mass. I exploit first-order Taylor linearization of individual organ REEs to model the manner in which individual organs contribute to whole-body REE and to the non-zero y-intercept in linear REE models. The model predicts that REE analysis at the individual organ-tissue level will not eliminate intercept terms. I demonstrate that the parameters of a linear EE equation can be transformed into the parameters of the underlying 'latent' allometric equation. This permits estimates of the allometric scaling of EE in a diverse variety of physiological states that are not represented in the allometric EE literature but are well represented by published linear EE analyses.

Small high-definition video cameras as a tool to resight uniquely marked Interior Least Terns (Sternula antillarum athalassos)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Toy, Dustin L.; Roche, Erin; Dovichin, Colin M.

2017-01-01

Many bird species of conservation concern have behavioral or morphological traits that make it difficult for researchers to determine if the birds have been uniquely marked. Those traits can also increase the difficulty for researchers to decipher those markers. As a result, it is a priority for field biologists to develop time- and cost-efficient methods to resight uniquely marked individuals, especially when efforts are spread across multiple States and study areas. The Interior Least Tern (Sternula antillarum athalassos) is one such difficult-to-resight species; its tendency to mob perceived threats, such as observing researchers, makes resighting marked individuals difficult without physical recapture. During 2015, uniquely marked adult Interior Least Terns were resighted and identified by small, inexpensive, high-definition portable video cameras deployed for 29-min periods adjacent to nests. Interior Least Tern individuals were uniquely identified 84% (n = 277) of the time. This method also provided the ability to link individually marked adults to a specific nest, which can aid in generational studies and understanding heritability for difficult-to-resight species. Mark-recapture studies on such species may be prone to sparse encounter data that can result in imprecise or biased demographic estimates and ultimately flawed inferences. High-definition video cameras may prove to be a robust method for generating reliable demographic estimates.

Dyadic Reporting of Intimate Partner Violence Among Male Couples in Three U.S. Cities.

PubMed

Suarez, Nicolas A; Mimiaga, Matthew J; Garofalo, Robert; Brown, Emily; Bratcher, Anna Marie; Wimbly, Taylor; Hidalgo, Marco A; Hoehnle, Samuel; Thai, Jennie; Kahle, Erin; Sullivan, Patrick S; Stephenson, Rob

2018-05-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent and pressing public health concern that affects people of all gender and sexual identities. Though studies have identified that male couples may experience IPV at rates as high as or higher than women in heterosexual partnerships, the body of literature addressing this population is still nascent. This study recruited 160 male-male couples in Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago to independently complete individual surveys measuring demographic information, partner violence experience and perpetration, and individual and relationship characteristics that may shape the experience of violence. Forty-six percent of respondents reported experiencing IPV in the past year. Internalized homophobia significantly increased the risk for reporting experiencing, perpetrating, or both for any type of IPV. This study is the first to independently gather data on IPV from both members of male dyads and indicates an association between internalized homophobia and risk for IPV among male couples. The results highlight the unique experiences of IPV in male-male couples and call for further research and programmatic attention to address the exorbitant levels of IPV experienced within some of these partnerships.

The psychology of fear of flying (part I): a critical evaluation of current perspectives on the nature, prevalence and etiology of fear of flying.

PubMed

Oakes, Margaret; Bor, Robert

2010-11-01

Fear of flying, its nature, prevalence, etiology and treatment, has been the subject of a substantial quantity of research over the past 30 years. With the exception of a dated review of treatment methods however, there has been no evaluation of this expanding body of evidence, its contribution to theory and influence on clinical practice. Published research has also generally failed to apply developments in the understanding and treatment of anxiety disorders generally to fear of flying. This review provides a critical evaluation of the existing literature and what it reveals about theory and practice. It does this from the perspective of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. The evidence reviewed demonstrates that fear of flying is a heterogeneous phenomenon which is acquired under the influence of complex psychological, social and physiological factors unique to each affected individual. Effective psychological interventions must therefore be founded on a comprehensive functional assessment of each individual, a finding which is considered in detail in the second part of this review. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accounting for fluctuations in body dissatisfaction.

PubMed

Colautti, Lauren A; Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew; Skouteris, Helen; McCabe, Marita; Blackburn, Stephen; Wyett, Elise

2011-09-01

The present study evaluated whether the strength of relationship between contextual cues (presence of company and mood) and state body dissatisfaction varied as a function of individual differences in key trait measures (body shame, body surveillance tendencies, internalization of appearance standards, and trait affect) which have been linked to trait body dissatisfaction. Fifty-five undergraduate women completed a questionnaire containing the trait-based measures and then carried a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) for a 7-day period. The PDA prompted participants six times daily to self-report their current mood and state body dissatisfaction. Multi-level modeling revealed that individual differences in body shame predicted inter-individual variability in the strength of the relationships between presence of company and state body dissatisfaction, and positive mood and state body dissatisfaction. Trait positive affect also explained variance in the positive mood state-body dissatisfaction relationship. The implications of the findings for prevention of body image disturbances are discussed. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of winter temperature and simulated climate change on body mass and fat body depletion during diapause in adults of the solitary bee, Osmia rufa (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).

PubMed

Fliszkiewicz, Monika; Giejdasz, Karol; Wasielewski, Oskar; Krishnan, Natraj

2012-12-01

The influence of simulated climate change on body weight and depletion of fat body reserves was studied during diapause in the European solitary bee Osmia rufa L. (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). Insects (females) were reared and collected from outdoor nests from September to March. One cohort of females was weighed and dissected immediately for analyses, whereas another cohort was subjected to simulated warmer temperature (15°C for 7 d) before analyses. A gradual decline in body mass and fat body content was recorded with declining temperatures from September to January in female bees from natural conditions. Temperature increased gradually from January to March with a further decline in body mass and fat body content. The fat body development index dropped from five in September-October (≈ 89% individuals) to four for the period from November to February (≈ 84% individuals) and further to three in March (95% individuals) before emergence. Simulated warmer winter temperature also resulted in a similar decline in body weight and fat body content; however, body weight and fat body content declined faster. The fat body development index dropped to three in December in the majority of individuals and continued at this level until March just before emergence. Taken together, our data indicate an earlier depletion of fat body reserves under simulated climate change conditions that may impact ovarian development and reproductive fitness in O. rufa.

Parallel single-cell analysis of active caspase-3/7 in apoptotic and non-apoptotic cells.

PubMed

Ledvina, Vojtěch; Janečková, Eva; Matalová, Eva; Klepárník, Karel

2017-01-01

Analysing the chemical content of individual cells has already been proven to reveal unique information on various biological processes. Single-cell analysis provides more accurate and reliable results for biology and medicine than analyses of extracts from cell populations, where a natural heterogeneity is averaged. To meet the requirements in the research of important biologically active molecules, such as caspases, we have developed a miniaturized device for simultaneous analyses of individual cells. A stainless steel body with a carousel holder enables high-sensitivity parallel detections in eight microvials. The holder is mounted in front of a photomultiplier tube with cooled photocathode working in photon counting mode. The detection of active caspase-3/7, central effector caspases in apoptosis, in single cells is based on the bioluminescence chemistry commercially available as Caspase-Glo ® 3/7 reagent developed by Promega. Individual cells were captured from a culture medium under microscope and transferred by micromanipulator into detection microvial filled with the reagent. As a result of testing, the limits of detection and quantification were determined to be 0.27/0.86 of active caspase-3/7 content in an average apoptotic cell and 0.46/2.92 for non-apoptotic cells. Application potential of this technology in laboratory diagnostics and related medical research is discussed. Graphical abstract Miniaturized device for simultaneous analyses of individual cells.

Direct quantification of rare earth doped titania nanoparticles in individual human cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeynes, J. C. G.; Jeynes, C.; Palitsin, V.; Townley, H. E.

2016-07-01

There are many possible biomedical applications for titania nanoparticles (NPs) doped with rare earth elements (REEs), from dose enhancement and diagnostic imaging in radiotherapy, to biosensing. However, there are concerns that the NPs could disintegrate in the body thus releasing toxic REE ions to undesired locations. As a first step, we investigate how accurately the Ti/REE ratio from the NPs can be measured inside human cells. A quantitative analysis of whole, unsectioned, individual human cells was performed using proton microprobe elemental microscopy. This method is unique in being able to quantitatively analyse all the elements in an unsectioned individual cell with micron resolution, while also scanning large fields of view. We compared the Ti/REE signal inside cells to NPs that were outside the cells, non-specifically absorbed onto the polypropylene substrate. We show that the REE signal in individual cells co-localises with the titanium signal, indicating that the NPs have remained intact. Within the uncertainty of the measurement, there is no difference between the Ti/REE ratio inside and outside the cells. Interestingly, we also show that there is considerable variation in the uptake of the NPs from cell-to-cell, by a factor of more than 10. We conclude that the NPs enter the cells and remain intact. The large heterogeneity in NP concentrations from cell-to-cell should be considered if they are to be used therapeutically.

Deployment stressors and physical health among OEF/OIF veterans: the role of PTSD.

PubMed

Nillni, Yael I; Gradus, Jaimie L; Gutner, Cassidy A; Luciano, Matthew T; Shipherd, Jillian C; Street, Amy E

2014-11-01

There is a large body of literature documenting the relationship between traumatic stress and deleterious physical health outcomes. Although posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms have been proposed to explain this relationship, previous research has produced inconsistent results when moderating variables such as gender or type of traumatic stressor are considered. Within a large sample of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans, the current study examined if deployment stressors (i.e., combat stress, harassment stress) contributed unique variance to the prediction of physical health symptoms (i.e., pain, nonpain) beyond the effects of PTSD symptoms. A total of 2,332 OEF/OIF Veterans, with equal representation of women and men, completed a series of self-report measures assessing deployment stressors, PTSD symptoms, and physical health symptoms. RESULTS revealed that harassment, but not combat stress, added unique variance in the prediction of pain and nonpain symptoms after accounting for PTSD symptoms. This study extends the existing literature by demonstrating the unique influence of harassment stress on physical health outcomes. Specifically, the relationship between combat stress and physical health symptoms appears to be explained mainly by an individual's experience of PTSD symptoms, whereas the relationship between harassment stress and physical health symptoms is not fully explained by PTSD symptoms, suggesting that other variables may be involved in the pathway from harassment stress to physical health symptoms. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

From Parasite Encounter to Infection: Multiple-Scale Drivers of Parasite Richness in a Wild Social Primate Population

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benavides J. A.; Huchard, E.; Pettorelli, N.; King, A. J.; Brown, M. E.; Archer, C. E.; Appleton, C. C.; Raymond, M.; Cowlishaw, G.

2011-01-01

Host parasite diversity plays a fundamental role in ecological and evolutionary processes, yet the factors that drive it are still poorly understood. A variety of processes, operating across a range of spatial scales, are likely to influence both the probability of parasite encounter and subsequent infection. Here, we explored eight possible determinants of parasite richness, comprising rainfall and temperature at the population level, ranging behavior and home range productivity at the group level, and age, sex, body condition, and social rank at the individual level. We used a unique dataset describing gastrointestinal parasites in a terrestrial subtropical vertebrate (chacma baboons, Papio ursinus), comprising 662 faecal samples from 86 individuals representing all age-sex classes across two groups over two dry seasons in a desert population. Three mixed models were used to identify the most important factor at each of the three spatial scales (population, group, individual); these were then standardised and combined in a single, global, mixed model. Individual age had the strongest influence on parasite richness, in a convex relationship. Parasite richness was also higher in females and animals in poor condition, albeit at a lower order of magnitude than age. Finally, with a further halving of effect size, parasite richness was positively correlated to day range and temperature. These findings indicate that a range of factors influence host parasite richness through both encounter and infection probabilities, but that individual-level processes may be more important than those at the group or population level.

Body sway, aim point fluctuation and performance in rifle shooters: inter- and intra-individual analysis.

PubMed

Ball, Kevin A; Best, Russell J; Wrigley, Tim V

2003-07-01

In this study, we examined the relationships between body sway, aim point fluctuation and performance in rifle shooting on an inter- and intra-individual basis. Six elite shooters performed 20 shots under competition conditions. For each shot, body sway parameters and four aim point fluctuation parameters were quantified for the time periods 5 s to shot, 3 s to shot and 1 s to shot. Three parameters were used to indicate performance. An AMTI LG6-4 force plate was used to measure body sway parameters, while a SCATT shooting analysis system was used to measure aim point fluctuation and shooting performance. Multiple regression analysis indicated that body sway was related to performance for four shooters. Also, body sway was related to aim point fluctuation for all shooters. These relationships were specific to the individual, with the strength of association, parameters of importance and time period of importance different for different shooters. Correlation analysis of significant regressions indicated that, as body sway increased, performance decreased and aim point fluctuation increased for most relationships. We conclude that body sway and aim point fluctuation are important in elite rifle shooting and performance errors are highly individual-specific at this standard. Individual analysis should be a priority when examining elite sports performance.

Stress and Burden among Caregivers of Patients with Lewy Body Dementia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leggett, Amanda N.; Zarit, Steven; Taylor, Angela; Galvin, James E.

2011-01-01

Purpose: Patients with Lewy body dementia (LBD) may present a unique set of symptoms and challenges to family caregivers compared with other types of dementia. Prominent difficulties include motor impairment, activities of daily living (ADLs) disability, recurrent behavioral and emotional problems (BEPs), and diagnostic difficulties. These…

Joint Drumming: Social Context Facilitates Synchronization in Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirschner, Sebastian; Tomasello, Michael

2009-01-01

The human capacity to synchronize body movements to an external acoustic beat enables uniquely human behaviors such as music making and dancing. By hypothesis, these first evolved in human cultures as fundamentally social activities. We therefore hypothesized that children would spontaneously synchronize their body movements to an external beat at…

Corneal vascularization in the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and three-dimensional reconstruction of vessels.

PubMed

Harper, Jennifer Y; Samuelson, Don A; Reep, Roger L

2005-01-01

The cornea of the Florida manatee is unique and unusual in its anatomy in that blood vessels have been found throughout. In all other animal species, this is considered a pathological condition impeding vision, and is usually caused by injury or trauma. The purpose of this study was to more clearly describe corneal vascularization by examining the architecture through three-dimensional reconstruction in order to find possible patterns in size, distribution, and location of blood vessels relative to gender, age, location, and season. Twenty-six eyes from 22 individuals were prepared for histologic examination and subsequent three-dimensional reconstruction. Every specimen examined had blood vessels in the cornea, comprising an average of 0.3% of total surface density (volume) of the cornea. No differences were found between individuals based on gender, age, and season. Environmental influences were not a significant factor either, which was not originally anticipated. The presence of vessels at the level of the anterior epithelium was surprising and it appeared that the vascularization was directed more anteriorly than was originally thought. The presence of blood vessels in a prenatal eye was also found. In all the eyes examined, no signs of injury or trauma could be observed. The presence of blood vessels appears to minimally impair vision based on their low density, size, and location. The association of vessels with the anterior epithelium and development of vessels within the fetus point to an evolutionary adaptation possibly due to the manatee's unique ability to move between water bodies.

Dynamic relationships between body size, species richness, abundance, and energy use in a shallow marine epibenthic faunal community

PubMed Central

Labra, Fabio A; Hernández-Miranda, Eduardo; Quiñones, Renato A

2015-01-01

We study the temporal variation in the empirical relationships among body size (S), species richness (R), and abundance (A) in a shallow marine epibenthic faunal community in Coliumo Bay, Chile. We also extend previous analyses by calculating individual energy use (E) and test whether its bivariate and trivariate relationships with S and R are in agreement with expectations derived from the energetic equivalence rule. Carnivorous and scavenger species representing over 95% of sample abundance and biomass were studied. For each individual, body size (g) was measured and E was estimated following published allometric relationships. Data for each sample were tabulated into exponential body size bins, comparing species-averaged values with individual-based estimates which allow species to potentially occupy multiple size classes. For individual-based data, both the number of individuals and species across body size classes are fit by a Weibull function rather than by a power law scaling. Species richness is also a power law of the number of individuals. Energy use shows a piecewise scaling relationship with body size, with energetic equivalence holding true only for size classes above the modal abundance class. Species-based data showed either weak linear or no significant patterns, likely due to the decrease in the number of data points across body size classes. Hence, for individual-based size spectra, the SRA relationship seems to be general despite seasonal forcing and strong disturbances in Coliumo Bay. The unimodal abundance distribution results in a piecewise energy scaling relationship, with small individuals showing a positive scaling and large individuals showing energetic equivalence. Hence, strict energetic equivalence should not be expected for unimodal abundance distributions. On the other hand, while species-based data do not show unimodal SRA relationships, energy use across body size classes did not show significant trends, supporting energetic equivalence. PMID:25691966

Interpersonal similarity between body movements in face-to-face communication in daily life.

PubMed

Higo, Naoki; Ogawa, Ken-ichiro; Minemura, Juichi; Xu, Bujie; Nozawa, Takayuki; Ogata, Taiki; Ara, Koji; Yano, Kazuo; Miyake, Yoshihiro

2014-01-01

Individuals are embedded in social networks in which they communicate with others in their daily lives. Because smooth face-to-face communication is the key to maintaining these networks, measuring the smoothness of such communication is an important issue. One indicator of smoothness is the similarity of the body movements of the two individuals concerned. A typical example noted in experimental environments is the interpersonal synchronization of body movements such as nods and gestures during smooth face-to-face communication. It should therefore be possible to estimate quantitatively the smoothness of face-to-face communication in social networks through measurement of the synchronization of body movements. However, this is difficult because social networks, which differ from disciplined experimental environments, are open environments for the face-to-face communication between two individuals. In such open environments, their body movements become complicated by various external factors and may follow unstable and nonuniform patterns. Nevertheless, we consider there to be some interaction during face-to-face communication that leads to the interpersonal synchronization of body movements, which can be seen through the interpersonal similarity of body movements. The present study aims to clarify such interaction in terms of body movements during daily face-to-face communication in real organizations of more than 100 people. We analyzed data on the frequency of body movement for each individual during face-to-face communication, as measured by a wearable sensor, and evaluated the degree of interpersonal similarity of body movements between two individuals as their frequency difference. Furthermore, we generated uncorrelated data by resampling the data gathered and compared these two data sets statistically to distinguish the effects of actual face-to-face communication from those of the activities accompanying the communication. Our results confirm an interpersonal similarity of body movements between two individuals in face-to-face communication, for all the organizations studied, and suggest that some body interaction is behind this similarity.

Interpersonal Similarity between Body Movements in Face-To-Face Communication in Daily Life

PubMed Central

Higo, Naoki; Ogawa, Ken-ichiro; Minemura, Juichi; Xu, Bujie; Nozawa, Takayuki; Ogata, Taiki; Ara, Koji; Yano, Kazuo; Miyake, Yoshihiro

2014-01-01

Individuals are embedded in social networks in which they communicate with others in their daily lives. Because smooth face-to-face communication is the key to maintaining these networks, measuring the smoothness of such communication is an important issue. One indicator of smoothness is the similarity of the body movements of the two individuals concerned. A typical example noted in experimental environments is the interpersonal synchronization of body movements such as nods and gestures during smooth face-to-face communication. It should therefore be possible to estimate quantitatively the smoothness of face-to-face communication in social networks through measurement of the synchronization of body movements. However, this is difficult because social networks, which differ from disciplined experimental environments, are open environments for the face-to-face communication between two individuals. In such open environments, their body movements become complicated by various external factors and may follow unstable and nonuniform patterns. Nevertheless, we consider there to be some interaction during face-to-face communication that leads to the interpersonal synchronization of body movements, which can be seen through the interpersonal similarity of body movements. The present study aims to clarify such interaction in terms of body movements during daily face-to-face communication in real organizations of more than 100 people. We analyzed data on the frequency of body movement for each individual during face-to-face communication, as measured by a wearable sensor, and evaluated the degree of interpersonal similarity of body movements between two individuals as their frequency difference. Furthermore, we generated uncorrelated data by resampling the data gathered and compared these two data sets statistically to distinguish the effects of actual face-to-face communication from those of the activities accompanying the communication. Our results confirm an interpersonal similarity of body movements between two individuals in face-to-face communication, for all the organizations studied, and suggest that some body interaction is behind this similarity. PMID:25014021

Body composition in athletes and sports nutrition: an examination of the bioimpedance analysis technique.

PubMed

Moon, J R

2013-01-01

The purpose of the current review was to evaluate how body composition can be utilised in athletes, paying particular attention to the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) technique. Various body composition methods are discussed, as well as the unique characteristics of athletes that can lead to large errors when predicting fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM). Basic principles of BIA are discussed, and past uses of the BIA technique in athletes are explored. Single-prediction validation studies and studies tracking changes in FM and FFM are discussed with applications for athletes. Although extensive research in the area of BIA and athletes has been conducted, there remains a large gap in the literature pertaining to a single generalised athlete equation developed using a multiple-compartment model that includes total body water (TBW). Until a generalised athlete-specific BIA equation developed from a multiple-compartment is published, it is recommended that generalised equations such as those published by Lukaski and Bolonchuk and Lohman be used in athletes. However, BIA equations developed for specific athletes may also produce acceptable values and are still acceptable for use until more research is conducted. The use of a valid BIA equation/device should produce values similar to those of hydrostatic weighing and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. However, researchers and practitioners need to understand the individual variability associated with BIA estimations for both single assessments and repeated measurements. Although the BIA method shows promise for estimating body composition in athletes, future research should focus on the development of general athlete-specific equations using a TBW-based three- or four-compartment model.

Prevotella-to-Bacteroides ratio predicts body weight and fat loss success on 24-week diets varying in macronutrient composition and dietary fiber: results from a post-hoc analysis.

PubMed

Hjorth, Mads F; Blædel, Trine; Bendtsen, Line Q; Lorenzen, Janne K; Holm, Jacob B; Kiilerich, Pia; Roager, Henrik M; Kristiansen, Karsten; Larsen, Lesli H; Astrup, Arne

2018-05-17

Individuals with high pre-treatment bacterial Prevotella-to-Bacteroides (P/B) ratio have been reported to lose more body weight on diets high in fiber than subjects with a low P/B ratio. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine potential differences in dietary weight loss responses between participants with low and high P/B. Eighty overweight participants were randomized (52 completed) to a 500 kcal/d energy deficit diet with a macronutrient composition of 30 energy percentage (E%) fat, 52 E% carbohydrate and 18 E% protein either high (≈1500 mg calcium/day) or low ( ≤ 600 mg calcium/day) in dairy products for 24 weeks. Body weight, body fat, and dietary intake (by 7-day dietary records) were determined. Individuals were dichotomized according to their pre-treatment P/B ratio derived from 16S rRNA gene sequencing of collected fecal samples to test the potential modification of dietary effects using linear mixed models. Independent of the randomized diets, individuals with high P/B lost 3.8 kg (95%CI, 1.8,5.8; P < 0.001) more body weight and 3.8 kg (95% CI, 1.1, 6.5; P = 0.005) more body fat compared to individuals with low P/B. After adjustment for multiple covariates, individuals with high P/B ratio lost 8.3 kg (95% CI, 5.8;10.9, P < 0.001) more body weight when consuming above compared to below 30 g fiber/10MJ whereas this weight loss was 3.2 kg (95% CI, 0.8;5.5, P = 0.008) among individuals with low P/B ratio [Mean difference: 5.1 kg (95% CI, 1.7;8.6, P = 0.003)]. Partial correlation coefficients between fiber intake and weight change was 0.90 (P < 0.001) among individuals with high P/B ratio and 0.25 (P = 0.29) among individuals with low P/B ratio. Individuals with high P/B lost more body weight and body fat compared to individuals with low P/B, confirming that individuals with a high P/B are more susceptible to weight loss on a diet rich in fiber.

Comorbidity and ventricular and vascular structure and function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a community-based study.

PubMed

Mohammed, Selma F; Borlaug, Barry A; Roger, Véronique L; Mirzoyev, Sultan A; Rodeheffer, Richard J; Chirinos, Julio A; Redfield, Margaret M

2012-11-01

Patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) display increased adiposity and multiple comorbidities, factors that in themselves may influence cardiovascular structure and function. This has sparked debate as to whether HFpEF represents a distinct disease or an amalgamation of comorbidities. We hypothesized that fundamental cardiovascular structural and functional alterations are characteristic of HFpEF, even after accounting for body size and comorbidities. Comorbidity-adjusted cardiovascular structural and functional parameters scaled to independently generated and age-appropriate allometric powers were compared in community-based cohorts of HFpEF patients (n=386) and age/sex-matched healthy n=193 and hypertensive, n=386 controls. Within HFpEF patients, body size and concomitant comorbidity-adjusted cardiovascular structural and functional parameters and survival were compared in those with and without individual comorbidities. Among HFpEF patients, comorbidities (obesity, anemia, diabetes mellitus, and renal dysfunction) were each associated with unique clinical, structural, functional, and prognostic profiles. However, after accounting for age, sex, body size, and comorbidities, greater concentric hypertrophy, atrial enlargement and systolic, diastolic, and vascular dysfunction were consistently observed in HFpEF compared with age/sex-matched normotensive and hypertensive. Comorbidities influence ventricular-vascular properties and outcomes in HFpEF, yet fundamental disease-specific changes in cardiovascular structure and function underlie this disorder. These data support the search for mechanistically targeted therapies in this disease.

An exploratory survey of eating behaviour patterns in adolescent students.

PubMed

Arata, A; Battini, V; Chiorri, C; Masini, B

2010-12-01

Empirical research has always treated adolescents' eating habits from a variable-centered perspective, but this approach may miss the configurations of eating behaviours that uniquely describe discrete groups of individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate prototypical patterns of eating habits in a large sample of Italian adolescents and their behavioural and psychological correlates. Data were gathered from 1388 students (F=60%, mean age 14.90±1.34 yrs), who were asked to fill in an original questionnaire surveying dietary habits, body weight attitudes, body image, sport activities and sources of information about food. Perfectionism, self-esteem, self-efficacy and care for food were also assessed as well-known psychological risk factors for Eating Disorders. Five prototypical eating behaviour patterns were identified through cluster analysis. Cluster membership was associated (p<0.05) with gender, age and age- and gender-correct BMI percentile, perceived relevance of physical appearance in achieving success in life; one's weight and body image evaluation, dieting, physical activity, self-efficacy, self-esteem and care for food. Clusters did not differ in perfectionism score and in frequency of consulting different sources of information about food and weight, except in the case of dieticians. The identification of prototypical eating habits patterns revealed a large range of wrong eating attitudes and behaviours among Italian adolescents. Such data suggest the need to develop and implement adequate prevention programs.

Pulmonary and generalized lysosomal storage induced by amphiphilic drugs.

PubMed Central

Hruban, Z

1984-01-01

Administration of amphiphilic drugs to experimental animals causes formation of myelinoid bodies in many cell types, accumulation of foamy macrophages in pulmonary alveoli and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. These changes are the result of an interaction between the drugs and phospholipids which leads to an alteration in physicochemical properties of the phospholipids. Impairment of the digestion of altered pulmonary secretions in phagosomes of macrophages results in accumulation of foam cells in pulmonary alveoli. Impairment of the metabolism of altered phospholipids removed by autophagy induces an accumulation of myelinoid bodies. The administration of amphiphilic compounds thus causes pulmonary intra-alveolar histiocytosis which is a part of a drug-induced lysosomal storage or generalized lipidosis. The accumulation of drug-lipid complexes in myelinoid bodies and in pulmonary foam cells may lead to alteration of cellular functioning and to clinical disease. Currently over 50 amphiphilic drugs are known. Unique pharmacological properties necessitate clinical use of some of these drugs. The occurrence and severity of potential clinical side effects depend on the nature of each drug, dosage and duration of treatment, simultaneous administration of other drugs and foods, individual metabolic pattern of the patient and other factors. Further studies on factors preventing and potentiating adverse effects of amphiphilic drugs are indicated. Images FIGURE 1. FIGURE 2. FIGURE 3. FIGURE 4. FIGURE 5. FIGURE 6. FIGURE 7. FIGURE 8. FIGURE 9. FIGURE 10. PMID:6376111

[Use of industrial liquid silicone to transform the body: prevalence and factors associated with its use among transvestites and transsexual women in São Paulo, Brazil].

PubMed

Pinto, Thiago Pestana; Teixeira, Flavia do Bonsucesso; Barros, Claudia Renata Dos Santos; Martins, Ricardo Barbosa; Saggese, Gustavo Santa Roza; Barros, Daniel Dutra de; Veras, Maria Amelia de Sousa Mascena

2017-07-27

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of use of industrial liquid silicone (ILS) among transvestite persons and transsexual women and identify associated factors. This was a cross-sectional study in seven municipalities in São Paulo State, Brazil, with data collected in 2014 and 2015 in a sample of 576 individuals. Analysis of the associated factors used a Poisson model with robust variance to estimate the crude and adjusted prevalence ratios. Prevalence of use of ILS was 49%, mean age at first injection of ILS was 22 (± 5.3) years, and 43% reported health problems resulting from its use. Having less than a university education, age 20 years and older, self-identification as transvestite, and sex work were positively associated with use of ILS according to the multivariate model. There was a high prevalence of ILS use and resulting health problems, indicating the need to prevent its use and reduce the resulting health problems. It is thus essential to ensure access to the necessary resources for body changes during transition through comprehensive care for transvestites and transsexual persons in the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS). Finally, health policies should include demands for body changes as part of gender identity construction, respecting each person's unique needs in this transition process.

Controlling parental feeding practices and child body composition in ethnically and economically diverse preschool children.

PubMed

Wehrly, Sarah E; Bonilla, Chantal; Perez, Marisol; Liew, Jeffrey

2014-02-01

Controlling parental feeding practices may be associated with childhood overweight, because coercive or intrusive feeding practices may negatively impact children's development of self-regulation of eating. This study examined pressuring or forcing a child (healthy or unhealthy foods) and restricting child from unhealthy or snack foods as two types of controlling feeding practices that explain unique variances in measures of child body composition (BMI, percent body fat, and parental perception of child weight). In an ethnically and economically diverse sample of 243 children aged 4-6years old and their biological parents (89% biological mothers, 8% biological fathers, and 3% step or grand-parent), descriptive statistics indicate ethnic and family income differences in measures of feeding practices and child body composition. Additionally, the two "objective" indices of body composition (BMI and percent body fat) were related to low pressure to eat, whereas the "subjective" index (perceived child weight) was related to restriction. Regression analyses accounting for ethnic and family income influences indicate that pressure to eat and restriction both explained unique variances in the two "objective" indices of body composition, whereas only restriction explained variance in perceived child weight. Findings have implications for helping parents learn about feeding practices that promote children's self-regulation of eating that simultaneously serves as an obesity prevention strategy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intraspecific Variation in Learning: Worker Wasps Are Less Able to Learn and Remember Individual Conspecific Faces than Queen Wasps.

PubMed

Tibbetts, Elizabeth A; Injaian, Allison; Sheehan, Michael J; Desjardins, Nicole

2018-05-01

Research on individual recognition often focuses on species-typical recognition abilities rather than assessing intraspecific variation in recognition. As individual recognition is cognitively costly, the capacity for recognition may vary within species. We test how individual face recognition differs between nest-founding queens (foundresses) and workers in Polistes fuscatus paper wasps. Individual recognition mediates dominance interactions among foundresses. Three previously published experiments have shown that foundresses (1) benefit by advertising their identity with distinctive facial patterns that facilitate recognition, (2) have robust memories of individuals, and (3) rapidly learn to distinguish between face images. Like foundresses, workers have variable facial patterns and are capable of individual recognition. However, worker dominance interactions are muted. Therefore, individual recognition may be less important for workers than for foundresses. We find that (1) workers with unique faces receive amounts of aggression similar to those of workers with common faces, indicating that wasps do not benefit from advertising their individual identity with a unique appearance; (2) workers lack robust memories for individuals, as they cannot remember unique conspecifics after a 6-day separation; and (3) workers learn to distinguish between facial images more slowly than foundresses during training. The recognition differences between foundresses and workers are notable because Polistes lack discrete castes; foundresses and workers are morphologically similar, and workers can take over as queens. Overall, social benefits and receiver capacity for individual recognition are surprisingly plastic.

Born to run: creating the muscle fiber.

PubMed

Schejter, Eyal D; Baylies, Mary K

2010-10-01

From the muscles that control the blink of your eye to those that allow you to walk, the basic architecture of muscle is the same: muscles consist of bundles of the unit muscle cell, the muscle fiber. The unique morphology of the individual muscle fiber is dictated by the functional demands necessary to generate and withstand the forces of contraction, which in turn leads to movement. Contractile muscle fibers are elongated, syncytial cells, which interact with both the nervous and skeletal systems to govern body motion. In this review, we focus on three key cell-cell and cell-matrix contact processes, that are necessary to create this exquisitely specialized cell: cell fusion, cell elongation, and establishment of a myotendinous junction. We address these processes by highlighting recent findings from the Drosophila model system. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Lowell Observatory Predoctoral Scholar Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prato, Lisa A.

2017-01-01

Lowell Observatory is pleased to solicit applications for our Predoctoral Scholar Fellowship Program. Now beginning its ninth year, this program is designed to provide unique research opportunities to graduate students in good standing, currently enrolled at Ph.D. granting institutions. Lowell staff research spans a wide range of topics, from astronomical instrumentation, to icy bodies in our solar system, exoplanet science, stellar populations, star formation, and dwarf galaxies. The Observatory's new 4.3 meter Discovery Channel Telescope is now operating at full science capacity. Student research is expected to lead to a thesis dissertation appropriate for graduation at the doctoral level at the student's home institution. For more information, see http://www2.lowell.edu/rsch/predoc.php and links therein. Applications for Fall 2017 are due by May 1, 2017; alternate application dates will be considered on an individual basis.

A little goes a long way: the impact of distal social support on community integration and recovery of individuals with psychiatric disabilities.

PubMed

Townley, Greg; Miller, Henry; Kloos, Bret

2013-09-01

Although an extensive body of literature highlights the important role of social support for individuals with psychiatric disabilities, definitions of support tend to be restricted-focusing on intimate relationships such as friend and family networks and ignoring the role of casual relationships existing naturally in the community. This mixed-methods study of 300 consumers of mental health services in the Southeastern US aims to better understand the impact of community supports, termed distal supports, on community integration and recovery from mental illness. Qualitative content analysis, tests of group mean differences, and hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed the following: (1) participants primarily reported receiving tangible support (e.g., free medication/discounted goods) from distal supports rather than emotional support (e.g., displays of warmth/affection) or informational support (e.g., provision of advice); (2) women and older participants reported more distal supports than men or younger participants; and (3) distal supports played a unique role in predicting community integration and recovery even after accounting for the influence of traditional support networks. Results highlight the importance of considering diverse types of social support in naturally occurring settings when designing treatment plans and interventions aimed at encouraging community participation and adaptive functioning for individuals with psychiatric disabilities.

Interaction of Burning Metal Particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dreizin, Edward L.; Berman, Charles H.; Hoffmann, Vern K.

1999-01-01

Physical characteristics of the combustion of metal particle groups have been addressed in this research. The combustion behavior and interaction effects of multiple metal particles has been studied using a microgravity environment, which presents a unique opportunity to create an "aerosol" consisting of relatively large particles, i.e., 50-300 micrometer diameter. Combustion behavior of such an aerosol could be examined using methods adopted from well-developed single particle combustion research. The experiment included fluidizing relatively large (order of 100 micrometer diameter) uniform metal particles under microgravity and igniting such an "aerosol" using a hot wire igniter. The flame propagation and details of individual particle combustion and particle interaction have been studied using a high speed movie and video-imaging with cameras coupled with microscope lenses to resolve individual particles. Interference filters were used to separate characteristic metal and metal oxide radiation bands form the thermal black body radiation. Recorded flame images were digitized and employed to understand the processes occurring in the burning aerosol. The development of individual particle flames, merging or separation, and extinguishing as well as induced particle motion have been analyzed to identify the mechanisms governing these processes. Size distribution, morphology, and elemental compositions of combustion products were characterized and used to link the observed in this project aerosol combustion phenomena with the recently expanded mechanism of single metal particle combustion.

Yeast cell differentiation: Lessons from pathogenic and non-pathogenic yeasts.

PubMed

Palková, Zdena; Váchová, Libuše

2016-09-01

Yeasts, historically considered to be single-cell organisms, are able to activate different differentiation processes. Individual yeast cells can change their life-styles by processes of phenotypic switching such as the switch from yeast-shaped cells to filamentous cells (pseudohyphae or true hyphae) and the transition among opaque, white and gray cell-types. Yeasts can also create organized multicellular structures such as colonies and biofilms, and the latter are often observed as contaminants on surfaces in industry and medical care and are formed during infections of the human body. Multicellular structures are formed mostly of stationary-phase or slow-growing cells that diversify into specific cell subpopulations that have unique metabolic properties and can fulfill specific tasks. In addition to the development of multiple protective mechanisms, processes of metabolic reprogramming that reflect a changed environment help differentiated individual cells and/or community cell constituents to survive harmful environmental attacks and/or to escape the host immune system. This review aims to provide an overview of differentiation processes so far identified in individual yeast cells as well as in multicellular communities of yeast pathogens of the Candida and Cryptococcus spp. and the Candida albicans close relative, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Molecular mechanisms and extracellular signals potentially involved in differentiation processes are also briefly mentioned. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

N-of-1 study of weight loss maintenance assessing predictors of physical activity, adherence to weight loss plan and weight change.

PubMed

Kwasnicka, Dominika; Dombrowski, Stephan U; White, Martin; Sniehotta, Falko F

2017-06-01

Behaviour change interventions are effective in supporting individuals to achieve clinically significant weight loss, but weight loss maintenance (WLM) is less often attained. This study examined predictive variables associated with WLM. N-of-1 study with daily ecological momentary assessment combined with objective measurement of weight and physical activity, collected with wireless devices (Fitbit™) for six months. Eight previously obese adults who had lost over 5% of their body weight in the past year took part. Data were analysed using time series methods. Predictor variables were based on five theoretical themes: maintenance motives, self-regulation, personal resources, habits, and environmental influences. Dependent variables were: objectively estimated step count and weight, and self-reported WLM plan adherence. For all participants, daily fluctuations in self-reported adherence to their WLM plan were significantly associated with most of the explanatory variables, including maintenance motivation and satisfaction with outcomes, self-regulation, habit, and stable environment. Personal resources were not a consistent predictor of plan adherence. This is the first study to assess theoretical predictions of WLM within individuals. WLM is a dynamic process including the interplay of motivation, self-regulation, habit, resources, and perceptions of environmental context. Individuals maintaining their weight have unique psychological profiles which could be accounted for in interventions.

Hierarchical clusters in families with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

García-Solano, Beatriz; Gallegos-Cabriales, Esther C; Gómez-Meza, Marco V; García-Madrid, Guillermina; Flores-Merlo, Marcela; García-Solano, Mauro

2015-01-01

Families represent more than a set of individuals; family is more than a sum of its individual members. With this classification, nurses can identify the family health-illness beliefs obey family as a unit concept, and plan family inclusion into the type 2 diabetes treatment, whom is not considered in public policy, despite families share diet, exercise, and self-monitoring with a member who suffers type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine whether the characteristics, functionality, routines, and family and individual health in type 2 diabetes describes the differences and similarities between families to consider them as a unit. We performed an exploratory, descriptive hierarchical cluster analysis of 61 families using three instruments and a questionnaire, in addition to weight, height, body fat percentage, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein. The analysis produced three groups of families. Wilk's lambda demonstrated statistically significant differences provided by age (Λ = 0.778, F = 2.098, p = 0.010) and family health (Λ = 0.813, F = 2.650, p = 0.023). A post hoc Tukey test coincided with the three subsets. Families with type 2 diabetes have common elements that make them similar, while sharing differences that make them unique.

Individual- and Organization-Level Work-to-Family Spillover Are Uniquely Associated with Hotel Managers' Work Exhaustion and Satisfaction.

PubMed

Lee, Soomi; Davis, Kelly D; Neuendorf, Claudia; Grandey, Alicia; Lam, Chun Bun; Almeida, David M

2016-01-01

Building on the Conservation of Resources theory, this paper examined the unique and interactive associations of negative and positive work-to-family spillover (NWFS and PWFS, respectively) at the individual and organizational level with hotel managers' work exhaustion and satisfaction, beyond job demands and supervisors' leadership style. Guided by the levels of analysis framework, we first tested the unique associations of NWFS and PWFS with emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction at the individual level (571 hotel managers), beyond job demands supervisors' leadership style. Second, using multilevel modeling, we tested the climate effects of NWFS and PWFS on emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction aggregated at the organizational level (41 hotels). Third, we examined the role of the organizational climate of PWFS in the associations of individual-level NWFS with emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction. Beyond the effects of psychological job demands and supervisor's transformational leadership, at the individual level, hotel managers who experienced higher NWFS than other managers reported more exhaustion and lower job satisfaction, whereas those with higher PWFS reported less exhaustion and higher satisfaction. At the organizational level, working in hotels where the average level of NWFS was higher than other hotels was associated with feeling more exhaustion of the individual members; working in hotels with higher PWFS was associated with feeling less exhaustion. The negative link between individual-level NWFS and job satisfaction was buffered when organization-level PWFS was higher, compared to when it was lower. This study moves beyond a focus on traditional job characteristics, toward considering individual and organizational experiences in the work-family interface as unique predictors of work exhaustion and satisfaction. Strengths of the study include illuminating organizational work-family climate effects such that coworkers' shared experiences of NWFS and PWFS explain individual members' work exhaustion, beyond their own experiences of spillover. The results also highlight that a high level of organizational PWFS can buffer the negative effects of individual NWFS.

An Amoeboid Olivine Aggregate in LEW 85300

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Komatsu, M. D.; Yamaguchi, A.; Fagan, T. J.; Zolensky, M. E.; Shiran, N.; Mikouchi, T.

2016-01-01

Amoeboid Olivine aggregates (AOAs) are irregularly shaped objects commonly observed in carbonaceous chondrites. Because they are composed of fine-grained olivine and Ca-Al-rich minerals, they are sensitive indicators for nebular process and parent body alteration of their parent bodies. Recently an AOA was found in a carbonaceous clast in polymict eucrite LEW 85300. The bulk major element composition of the clast matrix in LEW 85300 suggests a relation to CM, CO and CV chondrites, whereas bulk clast trace and major element compositions do not match any carbonaceous chondrite, suggesting they have a unique origin. Here we characterize the mineralogy of AOA in LEW 85300 and discuss the origin of the carbonaceous clasts. Results and Discussion: The AOA is located in an impact melt vein. Half of the aggregate shows recrystallization textures (euhedral pyroxene and molten metal/FeS) due to impact melting, but the remaining part preserves the original texture. The AOA is composed of olivine, FeS and Mg,Al-phyllosilicate. Individual olivine grains measure 1-8 microns, with Fe-rich rims, probably due to impact heating. Olivines in the AOA are highly forsteritic (Fo95-99), indicating that the AOA escaped thermal metamorphism [4]. Although no LIME (Low-Fe, Mn-Enriched) olivine is observed, forsterite composition and the coexistence of Mg,Al-phyllosilicate suggest that the AOA is similar to those in the Bali-type oxidized CV (CVoxB) and CR chondrites. However, it should be noted that fayalitic olivine, which commonly occurs in CVoxB AOA, is not observed in this AOA. Also, the smaller grain size (<8 microns) of olivine suggests they may be related to CM or CO chondrites. Therefore, we cannot exclude the possibility that the AOA originated from a unique carbonaceous chondrite.

Fear of negative appearance evaluation: development and evaluation of a new construct for risk factor work in the field of eating disorders.

PubMed

Lundgren, Jennifer D; Anderson, Drew A; Thompson, Joel Kevin

2004-01-01

The psychometric properties and correlates of a measure designed to assess fear of negative appearance evaluation are presented. In Study 1, 165 college females completed the Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale [FNAES; Thomas, C.M., Keery, H., Williams, R., & Thompson, J. K. (1998, November). The Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale: Development and preliminary validation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Washington, DC] along with measures of body image, eating disturbance, and depression. Results replicated previous analyses indicating the presence of a single factor, good internal consistency, and significant association with measures of body image and eating disturbance. Additionally, the FNAES accounted for unique variance beyond that explained by general fear of negative evaluation, and other measures of body image and eating disturbance, in the prediction of body shape dysphoria, dietary restraint, and trait anxiety. Study 2 further examined the validity of the FNAES, finding it to correlate significantly with measures of social physique anxiety, body image, eating attitude, and mood. The FNAES did not significantly correlate with body mass index (BMI). Regression analyses found the FNAES to predict levels of body image, eating attitude, and mood beyond variance explained by social physique anxiety. The FNAES appears to measure a conceptually unique aspect of body image that has not been indexed by previous measures and may serve a useful role in risk factor and preventive work.

Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress, Depression and Body Image Distress in Female Victims of Physical and Sexual Assault: Exploring Integrated Responses

PubMed Central

Weaver, Terri L.; Griffin, Michael G.; Mitchell, Elisha R.

2014-01-01

While body image concerns and interpersonal violence exposure are significant issues for women, their interrelationship has been rarely explored. We examined the associations between severity of acute injuries, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and body image distress within a sample of predominantly African-American victims of interpersonal violence (N = 73). Severity of body image distress was significantly associated with each outcome. Moreover, body image distress was a significant, unique predictor of depression but not PTSD severity. We recommend continued exploration of body image concerns to further integrated research on violence against women. PMID:24215653

Body-related cognitions, affect and post-event processing in body dysmorphic disorder.

PubMed

Kollei, Ines; Martin, Alexandra

2014-03-01

Cognitive behavioural models postulate that individuals with BDD engage in negative appearance-related appraisals and affect. External representations of one's appearance are thought to activate a specific mode of processing characterized by increased self-focused attention and an activation of negative appraisals and affect. The present study used a think-aloud approach including an in vivo body exposure to examine body-related cognitions and affect in individuals with BDD (n = 30), as compared to individuals with major depression (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 30). Participants were instructed to think aloud during baseline, exposure and follow-up trials. Individuals with BDD verbalized more body-related and more negative body-related cognitions during all trials and reported higher degrees of negative affect than both control groups. A weaker increase of positive body-related cognitions during exposure, a stronger increase of sadness and anger after exposure and higher levels of post-event processing, were specific processes in individuals with BDD. Individuals with major depression were not excluded from the BDD group. This is associated with a reduction of internal validity, as the two clinical groups are somewhat interwoven. Key findings need to be replicated. The findings indicate that outcomes such as negative appearance-related cognitions and affect are specific to individuals with BDD. An external representation of one's appearance activates a specific mode of processing in BDD, manifesting itself in the absence of positive body-related cognitions, increased anger and sadness, and high levels of post-event processing. These specific processes may contribute toward maintenance of BDD psychopathology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CHD2 variants are a risk factor for photosensitivity in epilepsy

PubMed Central

Myers, Candace T.; Leu, Costin; de Kovel, Carolien G. F.; Afrikanova, Tatiana; Cordero-Maldonado, Maria Lorena; Martins, Teresa G.; Jacmin, Maxime; Drury, Suzanne; Krishna Chinthapalli, V.; Muhle, Hiltrud; Pendziwiat, Manuela; Sander, Thomas; Ruppert, Ann-Kathrin; Møller, Rikke S.; Thiele, Holger; Krause, Roland; Schubert, Julian; Lehesjoki, Anna-Elina; Nürnberg, Peter; Lerche, Holger; Palotie, Aarno; Coppola, Antonietta; Striano, Salvatore; Gaudio, Luigi Del; Boustred, Christopher; Schneider, Amy L.; Lench, Nicholas; Jocic-Jakubi, Bosanka; Covanis, Athanasios; Capovilla, Giuseppe; Veggiotti, Pierangelo; Piccioli, Marta; Parisi, Pasquale; Cantonetti, Laura; Sadleir, Lynette G.; Mullen, Saul A.; Berkovic, Samuel F.; Stephani, Ulrich; Helbig, Ingo; Crawford, Alexander D.; Esguerra, Camila V.; Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenité, Dorothee G. A.

2015-01-01

Photosensitivity is a heritable abnormal cortical response to flickering light, manifesting as particular electroencephalographic changes, with or without seizures. Photosensitivity is prominent in a very rare epileptic encephalopathy due to de novo CHD2 mutations, but is also seen in epileptic encephalopathies due to other gene mutations. We determined whether CHD2 variation underlies photosensitivity in common epilepsies, specific photosensitive epilepsies and individuals with photosensitivity without seizures. We studied 580 individuals with epilepsy and either photosensitive seizures or abnormal photoparoxysmal response on electroencephalography, or both, and 55 individuals with photoparoxysmal response but no seizures. We compared CHD2 sequence data to publicly available data from 34 427 individuals, not enriched for epilepsy. We investigated the role of unique variants seen only once in the entire data set. We sought CHD2 variants in 238 exomes from familial genetic generalized epilepsies, and in other public exome data sets. We identified 11 unique variants in the 580 individuals with photosensitive epilepsies and 128 unique variants in the 34 427 controls: unique CHD2 variation is over-represented in cases overall (P = 2·17 × 10−5). Among epilepsy syndromes, there was over-representation of unique CHD2 variants (3/36 cases) in the archetypal photosensitive epilepsy syndrome, eyelid myoclonia with absences (P = 3·50 × 10−4). CHD2 variation was not over-represented in photoparoxysmal response without seizures. Zebrafish larvae with chd2 knockdown were tested for photosensitivity. Chd2 knockdown markedly enhanced mild innate zebrafish larval photosensitivity. CHD2 mutation is the first identified cause of the archetypal generalized photosensitive epilepsy syndrome, eyelid myoclonia with absences. Unique CHD2 variants are also associated with photosensitivity in common epilepsies. CHD2 does not encode an ion channel, opening new avenues for research into human cortical excitability. PMID:25783594

Vaginal foreign body presenting as bleeding with defecation in a child.

PubMed

Abdessamad, Hasan M; Greenfield, Marjorie

2009-04-01

Symptoms secondary to a vaginal foreign body are responsible for approximately 4% of pediatric gynecologic outpatient visits.(1) The classic symptom is vaginal bleeding, but vaginal discharge, foul odor, irritation, abdominal pain, and hematuria have been described. We are reporting a case of a microscopic vaginal foreign body presenting as hematochezia in a preadolescent girl. This case is unique in that the patient presented with bleeding with defecation, without vaginal bleeding. Vaginal foreign bodies can present with diverse symptomatology. Physicians should consider the diagnosis of vaginal foreign body when presented with a young female patient with unexplained hematochezia.

Reading Emotions from Body Movement: A Generalized Impairment in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Vaskinn, Anja; Sundet, Kjetil; Østefjells, Tiril; Nymo, Katharina; Melle, Ingrid; Ueland, Torill

2015-01-01

Body language reading is a social cognitive process with importance for successful maneuvering of social situations. In this study, we investigated body language reading as assessed with human point-light displays in participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (n = 84) compared to healthy control participants (n = 84), aiming to answer three questions: (1) whether persons with a diagnosis of schizophrenia have poorer body language reading abilities than healthy persons; (2) whether some emotions are easier to read from body language than others, and if this is the same for individuals with schizophrenia and healthy individuals, and (3) whether there are sex differences in body language reading in participants with schizophrenia and healthy participants. A fourth research aim concerned associations of body language reading with symptoms and functioning in participants with schizophrenia. Scores on the body language reading measure was first standardized using a separate sample of healthy control participants (n = 101). Further results showed that persons with schizophrenia had impaired body language reading ability compared to healthy persons. A significant effect of emotion indicated that some emotions (happiness, neutral) were easier to recognize and this was so for both individuals with schizophrenia and healthy individuals. There were no sex differences for either diagnostic group. Body language reading ability was not associated with symptoms or functioning. In conclusion; schizophrenia was characterized by a global impairment in body language reading that was present for all emotions and across sex.

The MIND PALACE: A Multi-Spectral Imaging and Spectroscopy Database for Planetary Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eshelman, E.; Doloboff, I.; Hara, E. K.; Uckert, K.; Sapers, H. M.; Abbey, W.; Beegle, L. W.; Bhartia, R.

2017-12-01

The Multi-Instrument Database (MIND) is the web-based home to a well-characterized set of analytical data collected by a suite of deep-UV fluorescence/Raman instruments built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Samples derive from a growing body of planetary surface analogs, mineral and microbial standards, meteorites, spacecraft materials, and other astrobiologically relevant materials. In addition to deep-UV spectroscopy, datasets stored in MIND are obtained from a variety of analytical techniques obtained over multiple spatial and spectral scales including electron microscopy, optical microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and direct fluorescence imaging. Multivariate statistical analysis techniques, primarily Principal Component Analysis (PCA), are used to guide interpretation of these large multi-analytical spectral datasets. Spatial co-referencing of integrated spectral/visual maps is performed using QGIS (geographic information system software). Georeferencing techniques transform individual instrument data maps into a layered co-registered data cube for analysis across spectral and spatial scales. The body of data in MIND is intended to serve as a permanent, reliable, and expanding database of deep-UV spectroscopy datasets generated by this unique suite of JPL-based instruments on samples of broad planetary science interest.

Obsessive-compulsive skin disorders: a novel classification based on degree of insight.

PubMed

Zhu, Tian Hao; Nakamura, Mio; Farahnik, Benjamin; Abrouk, Michael; Reichenberg, Jason; Bhutani, Tina; Koo, John

2017-06-01

Individuals with obsessive-compulsive features frequently visit dermatologists for complaints of the skin, hair or nails, and often progress towards a chronic relapsing course due to the challenge associated with accurate diagnosis and management of their psychiatric symptoms. The current DSM-5 formally recognizes body dysmorphic disorder, trichotillomania, neurotic excoriation and body focused repetitive behavior disorder as psychodermatological disorders belonging to the category of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders. However there is evidence that other relevant skin diseases such as delusions of parasitosis, dermatitis artefacta, contamination dermatitis, AIDS phobia, trichotemnomania and even lichen simplex chronicus possess prominent obsessive-compulsive characteristics that do not necessarily fit the full diagnostic criteria of the DSM-5. Therefore, to increase dermatologists' awareness of this unique group of skin disorders with OCD features, we propose a novel classification system called Obsessive-Compulsive Insight Continuum. Under this new classification system, obsessive-compulsive skin manifestations are categorized along a continuum based on degree of insight, from minimal insight with delusional obsessions to good insight with minimal obsessions. Understanding the level of insight is thus an important first step for clinicians who routinely interact with these patients.

Art and the brain: a view from dementia.

PubMed

Gretton, Cosima; ffytche, Dominic H

2014-02-01

Art making encompasses a range of perceptual and cognitive functions involving widely distributed brain systems. The dementias impact on these systems in different ways, raising the possibility that each dementia has a unique artistic signature. Here we use a review of the visual art of 14 artists with dementia (five Alzheimer's disease, seven fronto-temporal dementia and two dementia with Lewy bodies) to further our understanding of the neurobiological constituents of art production and higher artistic function. Artists with Alzheimer's disease had prominent changes in spatial aspects of their art and attributes of colour and contrast. These qualities were preserved in the art of fronto-temporal dementia, which was characterised by perseverative themes and a shift towards realistic representation. The art of dementia with Lewy Bodies was characterised by simple, bizarre content. The limitations of using visual aspects of individual artworks to infer the impact of dementia on art production are discussed with the need for a wider perspective encompassing changes in cognition, emotion, creativity and artistic personality. A novel classificatory scheme is presented to help characterise neural mechanisms of higher artistic functions in future studies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nursing students' perceptions of clients undergoing elective cosmetic surgery.

PubMed

Cooper, Leah Beth

2007-01-01

Aesthetic obsession is commonplace in current society. Supermarket a isles dedicated to beauty products, makeup, and anti-aging creams seem to expand daily. Television and publications flood the public with messages of what constitutes beauty and how to achieve the ideal. Surgical alteration of the body is swiftly becoming a form of self-care technique along with other heath-promoting behavior. Since 2003, the general acceptance of plastic surgery among all Americans surpassed 50% (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2003). Elective cosmetic surgical procedures have increased by an astounding 444% since 1997 (American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2006). This quest for body satisfaction based on modern cultural norms increases the public's need for accurate information and understanding from those in the healthcare profession. Despite a transformation in the general population's conception of cosmetic surgery and its clients, stigma still lies in many individuals, including those in the healthcare profession. As this progressively growing patient population emerges, many in healthcare question their attitudes toward plastic surgery and the patients receiving aesthetic operations. With clients undergoing plastic surgery becoming increasingly visible within the healthcare system, some unique aspects of patient care must be addressed.

The role of the nurse practitioner in psychiatric/mental health nursing: exploring consumer satisfaction.

PubMed

Wortans, J; Happell, B; Johnstone, H

2006-02-01

There is a substantial body of literature pertaining to the role of the nurse practitioner. Research directed towards consumer satisfaction suggests that the care provided by nurse practitioners is perceived as at least equal to that provided by a medical practitioner. However, there is a paucity of literature examining the nurse practitioner role in the psychiatric/mental health field. An evaluation of a Nurse Practitioner demonstration model has recently been undertaken in the Crisis, Assessment and Treatment Team in Victoria, Australia. This article presents the findings of a qualitative, exploratory study. Individual interviews were conducted with consumers (n = 7) who had received care and treatment provided by the nurse practitioner candidate. Data analysis revealed two main themes: the quality of the service provided, and the unique role of the nurse. The findings supported the available literature in articulating the specific aspects of the nurse practitioner role that are favourably perceived by consumers of services. This study contributes to the limited body of knowledge in the psychiatric/mental health nursing field and specifically emphasizes the importance of the relationship between nurse practitioner and consumer in facilitating the provision of effective care and treatment.

Body condition explains migratory performance of a long-distance migrant.

PubMed

Duijns, Sjoerd; Niles, Lawrence J; Dey, Amanda; Aubry, Yves; Friis, Christian; Koch, Stephanie; Anderson, Alexandra M; Smith, Paul A

2017-11-15

Body condition (i.e. relative mass after correcting for structural size) affects the behaviour of migrating birds, but how body condition affects migratory performance, timing and fitness is still largely unknown. Here, we studied the effects of relative body condition on individual departure decisions, wind selectivity, flight speed and timing of migration for a long-distance migratory shorebird, the red knot Calidris canutus rufa. By using automated VHF telemetry on a continental scale, we studied knots' migratory movements with unprecedented temporal resolution over a 3-year period. Knots with a higher relative body condition left the staging site later than birds in lower condition, yet still arrived earlier to their Arctic breeding grounds compared to knots in lower relative body condition. They accomplished this by selecting more favourable winds at departure, thereby flying faster and making shorter stops en route Individuals with a higher relative body condition in spring migrated south up to a month later than individuals in lower condition, suggesting that individuals in better condition were more likely to have bred successfully. Moreover, individuals with a lower relative body condition in spring had a lower probability of being detected in autumn, suggestive of increased mortality. The pressure to arrive early to the breeding grounds is considered to be an important constraint of migratory behaviour and this study highlights the important influence of body condition on migratory decisions, performance and potentially fitness of migrant birds. © 2017 The Authors.

Nutrient intake, body fat, and lipid profiles of competitive male and female bodybuilders.

PubMed

Bazzarre, T L; Kleiner, S M; Litchford, M D

1990-04-01

The purpose of this research was to measure nutrient intake, body fat, [estimated from seven skinfolds: chest, axilla, triceps, subscapular, abdominal, suprailiac, and thigh (Jackson and Pollock, 1985)], total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), HDL2-C, and HDL3-C of 19 male and 8 female bodybuilders competing in the National Physique Committee's USA Bodybuilding Championships (Raleigh, NC, April 1988). Casual blood samples and anthropometric data were collected 18 hours prior to competition, whereas 7-day diet records were completed 1 week prior to competition. Only 11 males and 2 females provided blood samples. Competitors were not tested for steroid use. These data are unique because the measurements were collected on site at the competition. Data are presented as means and standard deviations. Estimated body fat for males (6.0 +/- 1.8%) and females (9.8 +/- 1.5%) was quite low. Blood lipids (mg%) for males (TC = 187 +/- 11, HDL-C = 37 +/- 6, HDL2-C = 13 +/- 4, and HDL3-C = 24 +/- 4) were not indicative of increased coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. Data for the 2 females (TC = 190, 205; HDL-C = 56, 56; HDL2-C = 22, 8; and HDL3-C = 34, 48) could only be evaluated on an individual basis. Body fat was significantly correlated with HDL-C (r = 0.63; p = 0.04) and HDL3-C (r = 0.65; p = 0.03), but not TC nor HDL2-C. Of the dietary variables, only saturated fat was significantly correlated with HDL2-C (r = 0.60; p = 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Successful maintenance of body weight reduction after individualized dietary counseling in obese subjects

PubMed Central

Stelmach-Mardas, Marta; Mardas, Marcin; Warchoł, Wojciech; Jamka, Małgorzata; Walkowiak, Jarosław

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe the effectiveness of individualized dietary counseling in obese subjects based on narrative interview technique on the maintenance of body weight reduction, changes in dietary behaviors, including type of cooking and physical activity. One-hundred subjects out of four-hundred patients met the inclusion criteria. Individually, 45-minute educational program with motivation counseling was performed in 0, 6 and 12 weeks of the study. Patients were advised to follow individually well-balanced diet for 12 weeks. The individuals were asked about the changes in their dietary habits (Food Frequency Questionnaire). The mean percentage of body weight changes from the baseline were as follows: in 6th week- 5.9%, in 12th week - 10.9% and in 52th week - 9.7% (P < 0.0001), however there were no statistically significant changes while comparing body weight in 12th and 52th week. The maintenance of body weight reduction was connected with the dietary habits changes, mainly the type of cooking and increased consumption of vegetable oils. In conclusion, individualized dietary counseling, based on narrative interview technique is an effective intervention for obesity treatment that may help maintain body weight reduction and adapt the pro-healthy changes in type of cooking and sources of dietary fat. PMID:25311271

Successful maintenance of body weight reduction after individualized dietary counseling in obese subjects.

PubMed

Stelmach-Mardas, Marta; Mardas, Marcin; Warchoł, Wojciech; Jamka, Małgorzata; Walkowiak, Jarosław

2014-10-14

The aim of this study was to describe the effectiveness of individualized dietary counseling in obese subjects based on narrative interview technique on the maintenance of body weight reduction, changes in dietary behaviors, including type of cooking and physical activity. One-hundred subjects out of four-hundred patients met the inclusion criteria. Individually, 45-minute educational program with motivation counseling was performed in 0, 6 and 12 weeks of the study. Patients were advised to follow individually well-balanced diet for 12 weeks. The individuals were asked about the changes in their dietary habits (Food Frequency Questionnaire). The mean percentage of body weight changes from the baseline were as follows: in 6th week- 5.9%, in 12th week - 10.9% and in 52th week - 9.7% (P < 0.0001), however there were no statistically significant changes while comparing body weight in 12th and 52th week. The maintenance of body weight reduction was connected with the dietary habits changes, mainly the type of cooking and increased consumption of vegetable oils. In conclusion, individualized dietary counseling, based on narrative interview technique is an effective intervention for obesity treatment that may help maintain body weight reduction and adapt the pro-healthy changes in type of cooking and sources of dietary fat.

Somatic cell nuclear transfer: infinite reproduction of a unique diploid genome.

PubMed

Kishigami, Satoshi; Wakayama, Sayaka; Hosoi, Yoshihiko; Iritani, Akira; Wakayama, Teruhiko

2008-06-10

In mammals, a diploid genome of an individual following fertilization of an egg and a spermatozoon is unique and irreproducible. This implies that the generated unique diploid genome is doomed with the individual ending. Even as cultured cells from the individual, they cannot normally proliferate in perpetuity because of the "Hayflick limit". However, Dolly, the sheep cloned from an adult mammary gland cell, changes this scenario. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) enables us to produce offspring without germ cells, that is, to "passage" a unique diploid genome. Animal cloning has also proven to be a powerful research tool for reprogramming in many mammals, notably mouse and cow. The mechanism underlying reprogramming, however, remains largely unknown and, animal cloning has been inefficient as a result. More momentously, in addition to abortion and fetal mortality, some cloned animals display possible premature aging phenotypes including early death and short telomere lengths. Under these inauspicious conditions, is it really possible for SCNT to preserve a diploid genome? Delightfully, in mouse and recently in primate, using SCNT we can produce nuclear transfer ES cells (ntES) more efficiently, which can preserve the eternal lifespan for the "passage" of a unique diploid genome. Further, new somatic cloning technique using histone-deacetylase inhibitors has been developed which can significantly increase the previous cloning rates two to six times. Here, we introduce SCNT and its value as a preservation tool for a diploid genome while reviewing aging of cloned animals on cellular and individual levels.

High respiratory quotient is associated with increases in body weight and fat mass in young adults.

PubMed

Shook, R P; Hand, G A; Paluch, A E; Wang, X; Moran, R; Hébert, J R; Jakicic, J M; Blair, S N

2016-10-01

Metabolic disturbances, such as reduced rates of fat oxidation (high respiratory quotient (RQ)) or low energy expenditure (low resting metabolic rate (RMR)), may contribute to obesity. The objective was to determine the association between a high RQ or a low RMR and changes in body weight and body composition over 1 year. We measured RQ and RMR in 341 adults using indirect calorimetry, along with body weight/body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometery, energy expenditure using an arm-based activity monitor and energy intake using dietary recalls. Participants were classified into low, moderate or high RQ and RMR (adjusted for age, sex, race and body composition) groups according to tertiles by sex. Follow-up measurements were completed every 3 months. Individuals with a high RQ had larger gains in body weight and fat mass compared with individuals with a low/moderate RQ at month 3, and increases in fat mass were more than double among individuals with a high RQ at 12 months (1.3±3.0 vs 0.6±3.7 kg, P=0.03). Individuals with a low RMR did not gain more body weight nor fat mass compared with individuals with a moderate/high RMR. The primary finding is a high RQ is predictive of gains in body weight and fat mass over a 12-month period among young adults, with changes occurring as soon as 3 months. In addition, a low RMR was not associated with gains in body weight or fat mass over the same period.

Measurement-based quantum computation on two-body interacting qubits with adiabatic evolution.

PubMed

Kyaw, Thi Ha; Li, Ying; Kwek, Leong-Chuan

2014-10-31

A cluster state cannot be a unique ground state of a two-body interacting Hamiltonian. Here, we propose the creation of a cluster state of logical qubits encoded in spin-1/2 particles by adiabatically weakening two-body interactions. The proposal is valid for any spatial dimensional cluster states. Errors induced by thermal fluctuations and adiabatic evolution within finite time can be eliminated ensuring fault-tolerant quantum computing schemes.

Idiosyncratic Patterns of Representational Similarity in Prefrontal Cortex Predict Attentional Performance.

PubMed

Lee, Jeongmi; Geng, Joy J

2017-02-01

The efficiency of finding an object in a crowded environment depends largely on the similarity of nontargets to the search target. Models of attention theorize that the similarity is determined by representations stored within an "attentional template" held in working memory. However, the degree to which the contents of the attentional template are individually unique and where those idiosyncratic representations are encoded in the brain are unknown. We investigated this problem using representational similarity analysis of human fMRI data to measure the common and idiosyncratic representations of famous face morphs during an identity categorization task; data from the categorization task were then used to predict performance on a separate identity search task. We hypothesized that the idiosyncratic categorical representations of the continuous face morphs would predict their distractability when searching for each target identity. The results identified that patterns of activation in the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) as well as in face-selective areas in the ventral temporal cortex were highly correlated with the patterns of behavioral categorization of face morphs and search performance that were common across subjects. However, the individually unique components of the categorization behavior were reliably decoded only in right LPFC. Moreover, the neural pattern in right LPFC successfully predicted idiosyncratic variability in search performance, such that reaction times were longer when distractors had a higher probability of being categorized as the target identity. These results suggest that the prefrontal cortex encodes individually unique components of categorical representations that are also present in attentional templates for target search. Everyone's perception of the world is uniquely shaped by personal experiences and preferences. Using functional MRI, we show that individual differences in the categorization of face morphs between two identities could be decoded from the prefrontal cortex and the ventral temporal cortex. Moreover, the individually unique representations in prefrontal cortex predicted idiosyncratic variability in attentional performance when looking for each identity in the "crowd" of another morphed face in a separate search task. Our results reveal that the representation of task-related information in prefrontal cortex is individually unique and preserved across categorization and search performance. This demonstrates the possibility of predicting individual behaviors across tasks with patterns of brain activity. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/371257-12$15.00/0.

THE UNIQUE VALUE OF BREATH BIOMARKERS FOR ESTIMATING PHAMACOKINETIC RATE CONSTANTS AND BODY BURDEN FROM RANDOM/INTERMITTENT DOSE

EPA Science Inventory

Biomarker measurements are used in three ways: 1) evaluating the time course and distribution of a chemical in the body, 2) estimating previous exposure or dose, and 3) assessing disease state. Blood and urine measurements are the primary methods employed. Of late, it has been ...

Dance/Movement Therapy: A Unique Career Opportunity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armeniox, Leslie Flint

Dance and movement therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses the body, dance, and movement as the primary mediums for the therapeutic process. Dance is a fundamental art form that involves the body as an instrument of self-expression; movement is a universal means of learning and communicating. Dance and movement therapy is the…

How Long Has Grandpa Been Dead and Other Forensic Mysteries

ScienceCinema

Baden, Michael

2018-05-22

Was the baby born alive? Can a child's brain really be shaken hard enough to cause death? Was the body dead before going into the water? Does a lightening strike cause any unique changes in the body? Why are hair and maggots becoming so important to the forensic scientist? Let's talk.

An Assessment of the Intercultural Competence of Student Affairs Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franklin-Craft, Amy

2010-01-01

The educational benefits of a diverse student body are clear. However, in order to reap the benefits associated with a diverse student body, campus leaders must create a campus environment that is welcoming and affirming, and fosters cross-cultural interactions. Student affairs professionals are uniquely positioned within the university to be…

Eating Regulation Styles, Appearance Schemas, and Body Satisfaction Predict Changes in Body Fat for Emerging Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Ali Zaremba; Keiley, Margaret K.; Ryan, Aubrey E.; Radomski, Juliana Groves; Gropper, Sareen S.; Connell, Lenda Jo; Simmons, Karla P.; Ulrich, Pamela V.

2012-01-01

Obesity and high body fat percentages are a major public health issue. The percentage of obese and overweight Americans has increased over the past 30 years. On average, overweight individuals with higher percent body fat than normal weight individuals are at increased risk for numerous negative outcomes both physically and mentally. A prime time…

The Influence of Load and Speed on Individuals' Movement Behavior.

PubMed

Frost, David M; Beach, Tyson A C; Callaghan, Jack P; McGill, Stuart M

2015-09-01

Because individuals' movement patterns have been linked to their risk of future injury, movement evaluations have become a topic of interest. However, if individuals adapt their movement behavior in response to the demands of a task, the utility of evaluations comprising only low-demand activities could have limited application with regard to the prediction of future injury. This investigation examined the impact of load and speed on individuals' movement behavior. Fifty-two firefighters performed 5 low-demand (i.e., light load, low movement speed) whole-body tasks (i.e., lift, squat, lunge, push, and pull). Each task was then modified by increasing the speed, external load, or speed and load. Select measures of motion were used to characterize the performance of each task, and comparisons were made between conditions. The participants adapted their movement behavior in response to the external demands of a task (64 and 70% of all the variables were influenced [p ≤ 0.05] by changing the load and speed, respectively), but in a manner unique to the task and type of demand. The participants exhibited greater spine and frontal plane knee motion in response to an increase in speed when compared with increasing loads. However, there were a large number of movement strategies exhibited by individual firefighters that differed from the group's response. The data obtained here imply that individuals may not be physically prepared to perform safely or effectively when a task's demands are elevated simply because they exhibit the ability to perform a low-demand activity with competence. Therefore, movement screens comprising only low-demand activities may not adequately reflect an individual's capacity, or their risk of injury, and could adversely affect any recommendations that are made for training or job performance.

Mathematical Model for the Contribution of Individual Organs to Non-Zero Y-Intercepts in Single and Multi-Compartment Linear Models of Whole-Body Energy Expenditure

PubMed Central

Kaiyala, Karl J.

2014-01-01

Mathematical models for the dependence of energy expenditure (EE) on body mass and composition are essential tools in metabolic phenotyping. EE scales over broad ranges of body mass as a non-linear allometric function. When considered within restricted ranges of body mass, however, allometric EE curves exhibit ‘local linearity.’ Indeed, modern EE analysis makes extensive use of linear models. Such models typically involve one or two body mass compartments (e.g., fat free mass and fat mass). Importantly, linear EE models typically involve a non-zero (usually positive) y-intercept term of uncertain origin, a recurring theme in discussions of EE analysis and a source of confounding in traditional ratio-based EE normalization. Emerging linear model approaches quantify whole-body resting EE (REE) in terms of individual organ masses (e.g., liver, kidneys, heart, brain). Proponents of individual organ REE modeling hypothesize that multi-organ linear models may eliminate non-zero y-intercepts. This could have advantages in adjusting REE for body mass and composition. Studies reveal that individual organ REE is an allometric function of total body mass. I exploit first-order Taylor linearization of individual organ REEs to model the manner in which individual organs contribute to whole-body REE and to the non-zero y-intercept in linear REE models. The model predicts that REE analysis at the individual organ-tissue level will not eliminate intercept terms. I demonstrate that the parameters of a linear EE equation can be transformed into the parameters of the underlying ‘latent’ allometric equation. This permits estimates of the allometric scaling of EE in a diverse variety of physiological states that are not represented in the allometric EE literature but are well represented by published linear EE analyses. PMID:25068692

Acoustic correlates of body size and individual identity in banded penguins

PubMed Central

Gamba, Marco; Gili, Claudia; Pessani, Daniela

2017-01-01

Animal vocalisations play a role in individual recognition and mate choice. In nesting penguins, acoustic variation in vocalisations originates from distinctiveness in the morphology of the vocal apparatus. Using the source-filter theory approach, we investigated vocal individuality cues and correlates of body size and mass in the ecstatic display songs the Humboldt and Magellanic penguins. We demonstrate that both fundamental frequency (f0) and formants (F1-F4) are essential vocal features to discriminate among individuals. However, we show that only duration and f0 are honest indicators of the body size and mass, respectively. We did not find any effect of body dimension on formants, formant dispersion nor estimated vocal tract length of the emitters. Overall, our findings provide the first evidence that the resonant frequencies of the vocal tract do not correlate with body size in penguins. Our results add important information to a growing body of literature on the role of the different vocal parameters in conveying biologically meaningful information in bird vocalisations. PMID:28199318

Genetic fingerprinting proves cross-correlated automatic photo-identification of individuals as highly efficient in large capture–mark–recapture studies

PubMed Central

Drechsler, Axel; Helling, Tobias; Steinfartz, Sebastian

2015-01-01

Capture–mark–recapture (CMR) approaches are the backbone of many studies in population ecology to gain insight on the life cycle, migration, habitat use, and demography of target species. The reliable and repeatable recognition of an individual throughout its lifetime is the basic requirement of a CMR study. Although invasive techniques are available to mark individuals permanently, noninvasive methods for individual recognition mainly rest on photographic identification of external body markings, which are unique at the individual level. The re-identification of an individual based on comparing shape patterns of photographs by eye is commonly used. Automated processes for photographic re-identification have been recently established, but their performance in large datasets (i.e., > 1000 individuals) has rarely been tested thoroughly. Here, we evaluated the performance of the program AMPHIDENT, an automatic algorithm to identify individuals on the basis of ventral spot patterns in the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) versus the genotypic fingerprint of individuals based on highly polymorphic microsatellite loci using GENECAP. Between 2008 and 2010, we captured, sampled and photographed adult newts and calculated for 1648 samples/photographs recapture rates for both approaches. Recapture rates differed slightly with 8.34% for GENECAP and 9.83% for AMPHIDENT. With an estimated rate of 2% false rejections (FRR) and 0.00% false acceptances (FAR), AMPHIDENT proved to be a highly reliable algorithm for CMR studies of large datasets. We conclude that the application of automatic recognition software of individual photographs can be a rather powerful and reliable tool in noninvasive CMR studies for a large number of individuals. Because the cross-correlation of standardized shape patterns is generally applicable to any pattern that provides enough information, this algorithm is capable of becoming a single application with broad use in CMR studies for many species. PMID:25628871

Using global unique identifiers to link autism collections.

PubMed

Johnson, Stephen B; Whitney, Glen; McAuliffe, Matthew; Wang, Hailong; McCreedy, Evan; Rozenblit, Leon; Evans, Clark C

2010-01-01

To propose a centralized method for generating global unique identifiers to link collections of research data and specimens. The work is a collaboration between the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative and the National Database for Autism Research. The system is implemented as a web service: an investigator inputs identifying information about a participant into a client application and sends encrypted information to a server application, which returns a generated global unique identifier. The authors evaluated the system using a volume test of one million simulated individuals and a field test on 2000 families (over 8000 individual participants) in an autism study. Inverse probability of hash codes; rate of false identity of two individuals; rate of false split of single individual; percentage of subjects for which identifying information could be collected; percentage of hash codes generated successfully. Large-volume simulation generated no false splits or false identity. Field testing in the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative Simplex Collection produced identifiers for 96% of children in the study and 77% of parents. On average, four out of five hash codes per subject were generated perfectly (only one perfect hash is required for subsequent matching). The system must achieve balance among the competing goals of distinguishing individuals, collecting accurate information for matching, and protecting confidentiality. Considerable effort is required to obtain approval from institutional review boards, obtain consent from participants, and to achieve compliance from sites during a multicenter study. Generic unique identifiers have the potential to link collections of research data, augment the amount and types of data available for individuals, support detection of overlap between collections, and facilitate replication of research findings.

Stigma: a Unique Source of Distress for Family Members of Individuals with Mental Illness.

PubMed

Muralidharan, Anjana; Lucksted, Alicia; Medoff, Deborah; Fang, Li Juan; Dixon, Lisa

2016-07-01

To distinguish the impact of mental illness stigma from that of other negative caregiving experiences, this study examined the unique relationships between stigma and caregiver/family functioning. Adult relatives (n = 437) of individuals with mental illness completed questionnaires regarding caregiving experiences, distress, empowerment, and family functioning, as part of a larger study. Regression analyses examined the relationship between stigma and caregiver/family variables, while controlling for other negative caregiving experiences. Stigma was uniquely associated with caregiver distress, empowerment, and family functioning. Mental illness stigma is a potent source of distress for families and an important target of family services.

10 CFR 835.801 - Reports to individuals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... individuals. (a) Radiation exposure data for individuals monitored in accordance with § 835.402 shall be reported as specified in this section. The information shall include the data required under § 835.702(c... of the individual, and the individual's social security number, employee number, or other unique...

Carotid body size measured by computed tomographic angiography in individuals born prematurely.

PubMed

Bates, Melissa L; Welch, Brian T; Randall, Jess T; Petersen-Jones, Humphrey G; Limberg, Jacqueline K

2018-05-24

We tested the hypothesis that the carotid bodies would be smaller in individuals born prematurely or exposed to perinatal oxygen therapy when compared individuals born full term that did not receive oxygen therapy. A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients who underwent head/neck computed tomography angiography (CTA) at the Mayo Clinic between 10 and 40 years of age (n = 2503). Patients were identified as premature ( < 38 weeks) or receiving perinatal oxygen therapy by physician completion or billing codes (n = 16 premature and n = 7 receiving oxygen). Widest axial measurements of the carotid body images captured during the CTA were performed. Carotid body visualization was possible in 43% of patients and 52% of age, sex, and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls but only 17% of juvenile preterm subjects (p = 0.07). Of the carotid bodies that could be visualized, widest axial measurements of the carotid bodies in individuals born prematurely (n = 7, 34 ± 4 weeks gestation, birth weight: 2460 ± 454 g; average size: 2.5 ± 0.2 cm) or individuals exposed to perinatal oxygen therapy (n = 3, 38 ± 2 weeks gestation, Average size: 2.2 ± 0.1 cm) were not different when compared to controls (2.3 ± 0.2 cm and 2.3 ± 0.2 cm, respectively, p > 0.05). Carotid body size, as measured using CTA, is not smaller in adults born prematurely or exposed to perinatal oxygen therapy when compared to sex, age, and BMI-matched controls. However, carotid body visualization was lower in juvenile premature patients. The decreased ability to visualize the carotid bodies in these individuals may be a result of their prematurity. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Closed set of the uniqueness conditions and bifurcation criteria in generalized coupled thermoplasticity for small deformations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Śloderbach, Zdzisław

2016-05-01

This paper reports the results of a study into global and local conditions of uniqueness and the criteria excluding the possibility of bifurcation of the equilibrium state for small strains. The conditions and criteria are derived on the basis of an analysis of the problem of uniqueness of a solution involving the basic incremental boundary problem of coupled generalized thermo-elasto-plasticity. This work forms a follow-up of previous research (Śloderbach in Bifurcations criteria for equilibrium states in generalized thermoplasticity, IFTR Reports, 1980, Arch Mech 3(35):337-349, 351-367, 1983), but contains a new derivation of global and local criteria excluding a possibility of bifurcation of an equilibrium state regarding a comparison body dependent on the admissible fields of stress rate. The thermal elasto-plastic coupling effects, non-associated laws of plastic flow and influence of plastic strains on thermoplastic properties of a body were taken into account in this work. Thus, the mathematical problem considered here is not a self-conjugated problem.

Brief Report: Body Image in Autism--Evidence from Body Size Estimation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asada, Kosuke; Tojo, Yoshikuni; Hakarino, Koichiro; Saito, Atsuko; Hasegawa, Toshikazu; Kumagaya, Shinichiro

2018-01-01

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties with social interaction and communication. First-hand accounts written by individuals with ASD have shown the existence of other atypical characteristics such as difficulties with body awareness. However, few studies have examined whether such atypicalities are found more generally…

Characteristics of adult smokers presenting to a mind-body medicine clinic.

PubMed

Luberto, Christina M; Chad-Friedman, Emma; Dossett, Michelle L; Perez, Giselle K; Park, Elyse R

2018-05-01

Mind-body interventions can improve vulnerabilities that underlie smoking behavior. The characteristics of smokers who use mind-body medicine have not been explored, preventing the development of targeted interventions. Patients ( N = 593) presenting to a mind-body medicine clinic completed self-report measures. Patients were 67 percent never smokers, 27 percent former smokers, and 6 percent current smokers. Current smokers were younger; more likely to be single, unemployed, or on disability; and report greater depression symptoms, greater pain, and lower social support ( ps < .05).Current smokers who use mind-body medicine have unique psychosocial needs that should be targeted in mind-body smoking cessation interventions.

YAP is essential for tissue tension to ensure vertebrate 3D body shape.

PubMed

Porazinski, Sean; Wang, Huijia; Asaoka, Yoichi; Behrndt, Martin; Miyamoto, Tatsuo; Morita, Hitoshi; Hata, Shoji; Sasaki, Takashi; Krens, S F Gabriel; Osada, Yumi; Asaka, Satoshi; Momoi, Akihiro; Linton, Sarah; Miesfeld, Joel B; Link, Brian A; Senga, Takeshi; Shimizu, Nobuyoshi; Nagase, Hideaki; Matsuura, Shinya; Bagby, Stefan; Kondoh, Hisato; Nishina, Hiroshi; Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp; Furutani-Seiki, Makoto

2015-05-14

Vertebrates have a unique 3D body shape in which correct tissue and organ shape and alignment are essential for function. For example, vision requires the lens to be centred in the eye cup which must in turn be correctly positioned in the head. Tissue morphogenesis depends on force generation, force transmission through the tissue, and response of tissues and extracellular matrix to force. Although a century ago D'Arcy Thompson postulated that terrestrial animal body shapes are conditioned by gravity, there has been no animal model directly demonstrating how the aforementioned mechano-morphogenetic processes are coordinated to generate a body shape that withstands gravity. Here we report a unique medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) mutant, hirame (hir), which is sensitive to deformation by gravity. hir embryos display a markedly flattened body caused by mutation of YAP, a nuclear executor of Hippo signalling that regulates organ size. We show that actomyosin-mediated tissue tension is reduced in hir embryos, leading to tissue flattening and tissue misalignment, both of which contribute to body flattening. By analysing YAP function in 3D spheroids of human cells, we identify the Rho GTPase activating protein ARHGAP18 as an effector of YAP in controlling tissue tension. Together, these findings reveal a previously unrecognised function of YAP in regulating tissue shape and alignment required for proper 3D body shape. Understanding this morphogenetic function of YAP could facilitate the use of embryonic stem cells to generate complex organs requiring correct alignment of multiple tissues.

Success of women in a worksite weight loss program: Does being part of a group help?

PubMed

Rigsby, Andrea; Gropper, Daniel M; Gropper, Sareen S

2009-04-01

This study reports the results of a worksite weight loss program which allowed female hospital and nursing home employees to enroll in a worksite weight loss program as individuals or as part of a group. After 8 weeks, employees (irrespective of group versus individual participation) lost an average of 6.2 lb and 1.5% body fat. The initial weight, body fat, and body mass index reductions were all significantly greater, in absolute and percentage terms, among group participants than individual participants. Weight reduction averaged 7.6+1.1 lb for group participants and 4.2+6.4 lb for individual participants; body fat reduction was 1.7+1.3% for group participants and 0.9+1.3% for individual participants. Exercising more frequently was significantly associated with weight loss in those participating as a group, while following a written diet plan was significantly associated with weight loss in those participating as individuals.

Higher Daily Energy Expenditure and Respiratory Quotient, Rather Than Fat-Free Mass, Independently Determine Greater ad Libitum Overeating.

PubMed

Piaggi, Paolo; Thearle, Marie S; Krakoff, Jonathan; Votruba, Susanne B

2015-08-01

Body fat-free mass (FFM), energy expenditure (EE), and respiratory quotient (RQ) are known predictors of daily food intake. Because FFM largely determines EE, it is unclear whether body composition per se or the underlying metabolism drives dietary intake. The objective of the study was to test whether 24-hour measures of EE and RQ and their components influence ad libitum food intake independently of FFM. One hundred seven healthy individuals (62 males/45 females, 84 Native Americans/23 whites; age 33 ± 8 y; body mass index 33 ± 8 kg/m(2); body fat 31% ± 8%) had 24-hour measures of EE in a whole-room indirect calorimeter during energy balance, followed by 3 days of ad libitum food intake using computerized vending machine systems. Body composition was estimated by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. FFM, 24-hour EE, RQ, spontaneous physical activity, sleeping EE (sleeping metabolic rate), awake and fed thermogenesis, and ad libitum food intake (INTAKE) were measured. Higher 24-hour RQ (P < .001, partial R(2) = 16%) and EE (P = .01, partial R(2) = 7%), but not FFM (P = .65), were independent predictors of INTAKE. Mediation analysis demonstrated that 24-hour EE is responsible for 80% of the FFM effect on INTAKE (44.5 ± 16.9 kcal ingested per kilogram of FFM, P= .01), whereas the unique effect due to solely FFM was negligible (10.6 ± 23.2, P = .65). Spontaneous physical activity (r = 0.33, P = .001), but not sleeping metabolic rate (P = .71), positively predicted INTAKE, whereas higher awake and fed thermogenesis determined greater INTAKE only in subjects with a body mass index of 29 kg/m(2) or less (r = 0.44, P = .01). EE and RQ, rather than FFM, independently determine INTAKE, suggesting that competitive energy-sensing mechanisms driven by the preferential macronutrient oxidation and total energy demands may regulate food intake.

Event centrality as a unique predictor of posttraumatic stress symptoms and perceived disability following spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Boals, A; Trost, Z; Berntsen, D; Nowlin, L; Wheelis, T; Monden, K R

2017-11-01

We conducted a cross-sectional study involving completion of self-report measures. Individuals who acquire a spinal cord injury (SCI) face numerous physical and psychological challenges, with the former receiving considerable less attention during the rehabilitation process. In this article, we examined event centrality as a unique predictor of psychological outcomes in a sample of individuals receiving rehabilitation for SCI. Event centrality refers to the extent to which individuals construe a stressful experience as a core part of their identity. In samples of individuals exposed to psychological traumas (for example, sexual assault or military combat), event centrality has emerged as a consistent and powerful predictor of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs). This is the first study to examine event centrality in an SCI sample. Inpatient rehabilitation program in a large urban city in the Southwestern United States. A sample of 55 participants in rehabilitation for a recent SCI completed measures of event centrality, PTSS, depressed mood and perceived disability. Event centrality was significantly related to perceived disability (r=0.48) and PTSS (r=0.31) and accounted for unique variance in these two outcomes after controlling for demographics and depressed mood. Event centrality is common among individuals with SCI and may be a unique contributor to worse psychological and functional outcomes. We hope our findings will alert health-care professionals to the importance of event centrality. This study was supported by a grant from the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF89).

Bacteriophages in the human gut: Our fellow travelers throughout life and potential biomarkers of heath or disease.

PubMed

Bakhshinejad, Babak; Ghiasvand, Saeedeh

2017-08-15

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is populated by a huge variety of viruses. Bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) constitute the largest and the most unrecognized part of virome. The total bacteriophage community of the human gut is called phageome. Phages colonize the gut from the earliest moments of life and become our fellow travelers throughout life. Phageome seems to be unique to each individual and shows a high degree of interpersonal variation. In the healthy gut, a vast majority of phages have a lysogenic lifestyle. These prophages serve as a major respository of mobile genetic elements in the gut and play key roles in the exchange of genetic material between bacterial species via horizontal gene transfer (HGT). But, imbalance in the gut microbial community during dysbiosis, caused by diseases or environmental stresses such as antibiotics, is accompanied by induction of prophages leading to a decreased ratio of symbionts to pathobionts. Based on this, a diseased gut is transformed from an environment predominantly occupied by prophages to an ecosystem mostly inhabited by lytic phages. A growing body of evidence has provided support for the notion that phageome structure and composition change dependent on the physiological or pathological status of the body. This has been demonstrated by pronounced quantitative and qualitative differences between the phageome of healthy individuals and patients. Although many aspects of the contribution made by phages to human biology remain to be understood, recent findings favor the suggestion that phageome might represent potential to serve as a biomarker of health or disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An examination of body tracing among women with high body dissatisfaction.

PubMed

Williams, Gail A; Hudson, Danae L; Whisenhunt, Brooke L; Crowther, Janis H

2014-09-01

Within eating disorder treatment programs, a body tracing activity is often used to address body dissatisfaction and overestimation of body size; however, the effects of this activity have never been empirically evaluated. This research examined the effects of body tracing on body dissatisfaction and mood among 56 female participants assigned to either a body tracing or control group. Scores were collected on trait body dissatisfaction and a series of Visual Analogue Scales (VAS). Results showed that trait body dissatisfaction moderated the relationship between group and levels of state appearance dissatisfaction and anxiety. These results suggest that individuals experiencing higher levels of trait body dissatisfaction demonstrated greater state body dissatisfaction following participation in the body tracing activity. Individuals with lower trait body dissatisfaction experienced greater anxiety after drawing a human body. These findings have potential implications for the use of this strategy in the treatment of eating disorder patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behind the Veil: An In-Depth Exploration of Egyptian Muslim Women's Lives through Dance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toncy, Nancy

2008-01-01

Muslim women in Arabic countries have unique experiences that are shaped in large part by their cultures' beliefs regarding the female body. Mandated behaviors and men's attitudes towards women's role in society have likewise created oppressive situations which have affected women's sense of self. Because many of those experiences are body-based,…

Measurement and Interpretation of Body Mass Index during Childhood and Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Susan Kohl; Zemel, Babette S.

2015-01-01

The landscape of childhood health and disease has changed over the past century, and school nurses are now in a unique position to address the conditions that lead to chronic disease, such as obesity. Measuring body mass index (BMI) during childhood and adolescence is the recommended method for screening and/or monitoring obesity in school…

Puppetry as Reinforcement or Rupture of Cultural Perceptions of the Disabled Body

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purcell-Gates, Laura; Fisher, Emma

2017-01-01

This article proposes puppetry as a practice uniquely situated to intervene in ideological constructions of the disabled body both onstage and off. Examining our current and recent practice-based research that uses puppetry to intervene in cultural perceptions of disability, we put forth a provocation, asking readers to consider the ways in which…

DNA/RNA sequencing using a semiconducting nanopore

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fleharty, Mark; Petsev, Dimiter N.; Van Swol, Frank B.

The present disclosure provides novel apparatus including, though not necessarily limited to, biosensors utilizing semiconductor materials in electrolyte solutions and methods for using the same. The biosensors rely on a unique property wherein a charged body in the electrolyte solution produces a detectable change in the local conductivity of the semiconductor as the body approaches or travels near the semiconductor.

The Contribution of the Human Body in Young Children's Explanations about Shadow Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herakleioti, Evagelia; Pantidos, Panagiotis

2016-01-01

This paper begins with the view that the generation of meaning is a multimodal process. Props, drawings, graphs, gestures, as well as speech and written text are all mediators through which students construct new knowledge. Each semiotic context makes a unique contribution to the conceptualization of scientific entities. The human body, in…

Shifting from Fear to Self-Confidence: Body Mapping as a Transformative Tool in Music Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Shelley M.

2015-01-01

Fear and lack of self-confidence toward music teaching are frequently experienced by many Bachelor of Education teacher candidates when they imagine themselves as future elementary general music teachers. Integrating visual art body mapping in elementary music methods fosters a unique opportunity to identify and interrogate musical experience.…

Seeing Feelingly: A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Mind/Body Experiences of Six Drama Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nigh, Kelli

2013-01-01

What happened when six former drama students recalled their mind-body experiences in a drama class that they attended together, throughout their childhood and adolescence? This article draws from a phenomenological research inquiry that examined these drama students' recollections of various unique warm-up exercises. The warm-up was…

"I am a fat baby, who moved to a fat child, who moved to a fat teenager, who moved to a fat adult": Women's reflections of a lifetime of body and weight concern.

PubMed

Pila, Eva; Solomon-Krakus, Shauna; Egelton, Kara; Sabiston, Catherine M

2018-01-01

The present study explored how women aged 50-65 years reflect and make meaning of a lifetime of body and weight struggles. Seven purposefully selected women with longstanding body image challenges participated in interviews and reflected on their perceptions, thoughts, and emotions around their body and weight since childhood. Findings revealed consistent and consuming concerns about the body; prevalent body-related self-conscious emotions; influential social experiences that impact physical self-perceptions; and enduring impacts of weight bias, stigma, and discrimination. Collectively, these findings provide support for the stability of body disturbances and highlight the need to explore the unique body-related narratives of women in midlife.

Body checking behaviors in men.

PubMed

Walker, D Catherine; Anderson, Drew A; Hildebrandt, Thomas

2009-06-01

Males have been facing increasing pressure from the media to attain a lean, muscular physique, and are at risk for body dissatisfaction, disturbed eating and exercise behaviors, and abuse of appearance- and performance-enhancing drugs (APEDs). The aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between body checking and mood, symptoms of muscle dysmorphia, importance of shape and weight, and APED use in undergraduate males. Body checking in males was correlated with weight and shape concern, symptoms of muscle dysmorphia, depression, negative affect, and APED use. Body checking predicted APED use and uniquely accounted for the largest amount of variance in Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI) scores (16%). Findings support the view that body checking is an important construct in male body image, muscle dysmorphia, and body change strategies and suggest a need for further research.

“I can’t tell whether it’s my hand”: a pilot study of the neurophenomenology of body representation during the rubber hand illusion in trauma-related disorders

PubMed Central

Rabellino, Daniela; Harricharan, Sherain; Frewen, Paul A.; Burin, Dalila; McKinnon, Margaret C.; Lanius, Ruth A.

2016-01-01

Background Early traumatic experiences are thought to be causal factors in the development of trauma-related dissociative experiences, including depersonalization and derealization. The rubber hand illusion (RHI), a well-known paradigm that measures multi-sensorial integration of a rubber hand into one’s own body representation, has been used to investigate alterations in the experience of body ownership and of body representation. Critically, however, it has never been studied in individuals with trauma-related disorders. Objective To investigate body representation distortions occurring in trauma-related disorders in response to the RHI. Method The RHI was administered to three individuals with the dissociative subtype of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and subjective, behavioral, cardiovascular and skin conductance responses were recorded. Results Participants’ subjective experiences of the RHI were differentiated and complex. The illusion was induced following both synchronous and asynchronous brushing and variably evoked subjective distress, depersonalization and derealization experiences, tonic immobility, increased physiological arousal and flashbacks. Conclusions The present findings point towards the RHI as a strong provocation stimulus that elicits individual patterns of symptom presentation, including experiences of distress and dissociation, in individuals with trauma-related disorders, including the dissociative subtype of PTSD. Highlights of the article The rubber hand illusion (RHI) elicits distress, tonic immobility, depersonalization and derealization, and autonomic responses in individuals with trauma-related disorders, including the dissociative subtype of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). RHI effects related to body misrepresentation may trigger altered experiences related to body ownership. The RHI represents a promising paradigm for studying the neurophenomenology of body distortion in individuals experiencing trauma-related altered states of consciousness (TRASC). PMID:27876453

The evolution and genetics of cerebral asymmetry

PubMed Central

Corballis, Michael C.

2008-01-01

Handedness and cerebral asymmetry are commonly assumed to be uniquely human, and even defining characteristics of our species. This is increasingly refuted by the evidence of behavioural asymmetries in non-human species. Although complex manual skill and language are indeed unique to our species and are represented asymmetrically in the brain, some non-human asymmetries appear to be precursors, and others are shared between humans and non-humans. In all behavioural and cerebral asymmetries so far investigated, a minority of individuals reverse or negate the dominant asymmetry, suggesting that such asymmetries are best understood in the context of the overriding bilateral symmetry of the brain and body, and a trade-off between the relative advantages and disadvantages of symmetry and asymmetry. Genetic models of handedness, for example, typically postulate a gene with two alleles, one disposing towards right-handedness and the other imposing no directional influence. There is as yet no convincing evidence as to the location of this putative gene, suggesting that several genes may be involved, or that the gene may be monomorphic with variations due to environmental or epigenetic influences. Nevertheless, it is suggested that, in behavioural, neurological and evolutionary terms, it may be more profitable to examine the degree rather than the direction of asymmetry. PMID:19064358

Unique Dental Morphology of Homo floresiensis and Its Evolutionary Implications

PubMed Central

Kaifu, Yousuke; Kono, Reiko T.; Sutikna, Thomas; Saptomo, Emanuel Wahyu; Jatmiko

2015-01-01

Homo floresiensis is an extinct, diminutive hominin species discovered in the Late Pleistocene deposits of Liang Bua cave, Flores, eastern Indonesia. The nature and evolutionary origins of H. floresiensis’ unique physical characters have been intensively debated. Based on extensive comparisons using linear metric analyses, crown contour analyses, and other trait-by-trait morphological comparisons, we report here that the dental remains from multiple individuals indicate that H. floresiensis had primitive canine-premolar and advanced molar morphologies, a combination of dental traits unknown in any other hominin species. The primitive aspects are comparable to H. erectus from the Early Pleistocene, whereas some of the molar morphologies are more progressive even compared to those of modern humans. This evidence contradicts the earlier claim of an entirely modern human-like dental morphology of H. floresiensis, while at the same time does not support the hypothesis that H. floresiensis originated from a much older H. habilis or Australopithecus-like small-brained hominin species currently unknown in the Asian fossil record. These results are however consistent with the alternative hypothesis that H. floresiensis derived from an earlier Asian Homo erectus population and experienced substantial body and brain size dwarfism in an isolated insular setting. The dentition of H. floresiensis is not a simple, scaled-down version of earlier hominins. PMID:26624612

Clinical correlates of between-limb synchronization of standing balance control and falls during inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Mansfield, Avril; Mochizuki, George; Inness, Elizabeth L; McIlroy, William E

2012-01-01

Stroke-related sensorimotor impairment potentially contributes to impaired balance. Balance measures that reveal underlying limb-specific control problems, such as a measure of the synchronization of both lower limbs to maintain standing balance, may be uniquely informative about poststroke balance control. This study aimed to determine the relationships between clinical measures of sensorimotor control, functional balance, and fall risk and between-limb synchronization of balance control. The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of 100 individuals with stroke admitted to inpatient rehabilitation. Force plate-based measures were obtained while standing on 2 force plates, including postural sway (root mean square of anteroposterior and mediolateral center of pressure [COP]), stance load asymmetry (percentage of body weight borne on the less-loaded limb), and between-limb synchronization (cross-correlation of the COP recordings under each foot). Clinical measures obtained were motor impairment (Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment), plantar cutaneous sensation, functional balance (Berg Balance Scale), and falls experienced in rehabilitation. Synchronization was significantly related to motor impairment and prospective falls, even when controlling for other force plate-based measures of standing balance control (ie, postural sway and stance load symmetry). Between-limb COP synchronization for standing balance appears to be a uniquely important index of balance control, independent of postural sway and load symmetry during stance.

Mice with Deficiency of G Protein γ3 Are Lean and Have Seizures

PubMed Central

Schwindinger, William F.; Giger, Kathryn E.; Betz, Kelly S.; Stauffer, Anna M.; Sunderlin, Elaine M.; Sim-Selley, Laura J.; Selley, Dana E.; Bronson, Sarah K.; Robishaw, Janet D.

2004-01-01

Emerging evidence suggests that the γ subunit composition of an individual G protein contributes to the specificity of the hundreds of known receptor signaling pathways. Among the twelve γ subtypes, γ3 is abundantly and widely expressed in the brain. To identify specific functions and associations for γ3, a gene-targeting approach was used to produce mice lacking the Gng3 gene (Gng3−/−). Confirming the efficacy and specificity of gene targeting, Gng3−/− mice show no detectable expression of the Gng3 gene, but expression of the divergently transcribed Bscl2 gene is not affected. Suggesting unique roles for γ3 in the brain, Gng3−/− mice display increased susceptibility to seizures, reduced body weights, and decreased adiposity compared to their wild-type littermates. Predicting possible associations for γ3, these phenotypic changes are associated with significant reductions in β2 and αi3 subunit levels in certain regions of the brain. The finding that the Gng3−/− mice and the previously reported Gng7−/− mice display distinct phenotypes and different αβγ subunit associations supports the notion that even closely related γ subtypes, such as γ3 and γ7, perform unique functions in the context of the organism. PMID:15314181

Recombinatorial biases and convergent recombination determine interindividual TCRβ sharing in murine thymocytes.

PubMed

Li, Hanjie; Ye, Congting; Ji, Guoli; Wu, Xiaohui; Xiang, Zhe; Li, Yuanyue; Cao, Yonghao; Liu, Xiaolong; Douek, Daniel C; Price, David A; Han, Jiahuai

2012-09-01

Overlap of TCR repertoires among individuals provides the molecular basis for public T cell responses. By deep-sequencing the TCRβ repertoires of CD4+CD8+ thymocytes from three individual mice, we observed that a substantial degree of TCRβ overlap, comprising ∼10-15% of all unique amino acid sequences and ∼5-10% of all unique nucleotide sequences across any two individuals, is already present at this early stage of T cell development. The majority of TCRβ sharing between individual thymocyte repertoires could be attributed to the process of convergent recombination, with additional contributions likely arising from recombinatorial biases; the role of selection during intrathymic development was negligible. These results indicate that the process of TCR gene recombination is the major determinant of clonotype sharing between individuals.

Schizencephaly

MedlinePlus

... body, but may have average to near-average intelligence. Individuals with schizencephaly may also have an abnormally ... body, but may have average to near-average intelligence. Individuals with schizencephaly may also have an abnormally ...

Integration of genotoxicity and population genetic analyses in kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami) exposed to radionuclide contamination at the Nevada Test Site, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Theodorakis, Christopher W.; Bickham, John W.; Lamb, Trip; Medica, Philip A.; Lyne, T. Barrett

2001-01-01

We examined effects of radionuclide exposure at two atomic blast sites on kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami) at the Nevada Test Site, Nevada, USA, using genotoxicity and population genetic analyses. We assessed chromosome damage by micronucleus and flow cytometric assays and genetic variation by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analyses. The RAPD analysis showed no population structure, but mtDNA exhibited differentiation among and within populations. Genotoxicity effects were not observed when all individuals were analyzed. However, individuals with mtDNA haplotypes unique to the contaminated sites had greater chromosomal damage than contaminated-site individuals with haplotypes shared with reference sites. When interpopulation comparisons used individuals with unique haplotypes, one contaminated site had greater levels of chromosome damage than one or both of the reference sites. We hypothesize that shared-haplotype individuals are potential migrants and that unique-haplotype individuals are potential long-term residents. A parsimony approach was used to estimate the minimum number of migration events necessary to explain the haplotype distributions on a phylogenetic tree. The observed predominance of migration events into the contaminated sites supported our migration hypothesis. We conclude the atomic blast sites are ecological sinks and that immigration masks the genotoxic effects of radiation on the resident populations.

"But I Like My Body": Positive body image characteristics and a holistic model for young-adult women.

PubMed

Wood-Barcalow, Nichole L; Tylka, Tracy L; Augustus-Horvath, Casey L

2010-03-01

Extant body image research has provided a rich understanding of negative body image but a rather underdeveloped depiction of positive body image. Thus, this study used Grounded Theory to analyze interviews from 15 college women classified as having positive body image and five body image experts. Many characteristics of positive body image emerged, including appreciating the unique beauty and functionality of their body, filtering information (e.g., appearance commentary, media ideals) in a body-protective manner, defining beauty broadly, and highlighting their body's assets while minimizing perceived imperfections. A holistic model emerged: when women processed mostly positive and rejected negative source information, their body investment decreased and body evaluation became more positive, illustrating the fluidity of body image. Women reciprocally influenced these sources (e.g., mentoring others to love their bodies, surrounding themselves with others who promote body acceptance, taking care of their health), which, in turn, promoted increased positive source information. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

On the measurement of thin-ideal internalization: Implications for interpretation of risk factors and treatment outcome in eating disorders research.

PubMed

Thompson, J Kevin; Schaefer, Lauren M; Dedrick, Robert F

2018-04-01

Although the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ) and Ideal Body Stereotype Scale (IBSS) are used interchangeably to assess thin ideal internalization, limited work has examined the assumption that the two measures index the same construct. The current study utilized confirmatory factor analysis to examine whether these measures capture a single construct (one-factor), two constructs (two-factor), or both shared and unique constructs (bifactor). The SATAQ-4R-Internalization: Thin/Low Body Fat subscale and IBSS-Revised were administered to 1,114 college females. A bifactor model provided the best fit to the data. Further, the SATAQ-4R was more strongly related to disordered eating and body satisfaction than the IBSS-R. Results indicate that the two most commonly used measures of internalization capture both shared and unique constructs. While both measures appear to contribute to the assessment of a global internalization factor, the SATAQ-4R may be better suited to assess personal acceptance of and desire to achieve a thin body, while the IBSS-R may be better suited to assess an awareness or acknowledgement of broader sociocultural ideals (e.g., toned, shapely bodies). Continued psychometric investigation of the scales is recommended in order to ensure targeted assessment of the intended constructs. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Couple-level Minority Stress: An Examination of Same-sex Couples' Unique Experiences.

PubMed

Frost, David M; LeBlanc, Allen J; de Vries, Brian; Alston-Stepnitz, Eli; Stephenson, Rob; Woodyatt, Cory

2017-12-01

Social stress resulting from stigma, prejudice, and discrimination-"minority stress"-negatively impacts sexual minority individuals' health and relational well-being. The present study examined how being in a same-sex couple can result in exposure to unique minority stressors not accounted for at the individual level. Relationship timeline interviews were conducted with 120 same-sex couples equally distributed across two study sites (Atlanta and San Francisco), gender (male and female), and relationship duration (at least six months but less than three years, at least three years but less than seven years, and seven or more years). Directed content analyses identified 17 unique couple-level minority stressors experienced within nine distinct social contexts. Analyses also revealed experiences of dyadic minority stress processes (stress discrepancies and stress contagion). These findings can be useful in future efforts to better understand and address the cumulative impact of minority stress on relational well-being and individual health.

Epigenetic patterns in successful weight loss maintainers: a pilot study.

PubMed

Huang, Yen-Tsung; Maccani, Jennifer Z J; Hawley, Nicola L; Wing, Rena R; Kelsey, Karl T; McCaffery, Jeanne M

2015-05-01

DNA methylation changes occur in animal models of calorie restriction, simulating human dieting, and in human subjects undergoing behavioral weight loss interventions. This suggests that obese (OB) individuals may possess unique epigenetic patterns that may vary with weight loss. Here, we examine whether methylation patterns in leukocytes differ in individuals who lost sufficient weight to go from OB to normal weight (NW; successful weight loss maintainers; SWLMs) vs currently OB or NW individuals. This study examined peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) methylation patterns in NW (n=16, current/lifetime BMI 18.5-24.9) and OB individuals (n=16, current body mass index (BMI)⩾30), and SWLM (n=16, current BMI 18.5-24.9, lifetime maximum BMI ⩾30, average weight loss 57.4 lbs) using an Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadArray. No leukocyte population-adjusted epigenome-wide analyses were significant; however, potentially differentially methylated loci across the groups were observed in ryanodine receptor-1 (RYR1; P=1.54E-6), myelin protein zero-like 3 (MPZL3; P=4.70E-6) and alpha 3c tubulin (TUBA3C; P=4.78E-6). In 32 obesity-related candidate genes, differential methylation patterns were found in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF; gene-wide P=0.00018). In RYR1, TUBA3C and BDNF, SWLM differed from OB but not NW. In this preliminary investigation, leukocyte SWLM DNA methylation patterns more closely resembled NW than OB individuals in three gene regions. These results suggest that PBMC methylation is associated with weight status.

Metabolomic Characteristics of Arsenic-Associated Diabetes in a Prospective Cohort in Chihuahua, Mexico

PubMed Central

Martin, Elizabeth; González-Horta, Carmen; Rager, Julia; Bailey, Kathryn A.; Sánchez-Ramírez, Blanca; Ballinas-Casarrubias, Lourdes; Ishida, María C.; Gutiérrez-Torres, Daniela S.; Hernández Cerón, Roberto; Viniegra Morales, Damián; Baeza Terrazas, Francisco A.; Jesse Saunders, R.; Drobná, Zuzana; Mendez, Michelle A.; Buse, John B.; Loomis, Dana; Jia, Wei; García-Vargas, Gonzalo G.; Del Razo, Luz M.; Stýblo, Miroslav; Fry, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, yet the specific disease phenotype and underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In the present study we set out to identify iAs exposure-associated metabolites with altered abundance in nondiabetic and diabetic individuals in an effort to understand the relationship between exposure, metabolomic response, and disease status. A nested study design was used to profile metabolomic shifts in urine and plasma collected from 90 diabetic and 86 nondiabetic individuals matched for varying iAs concentrations in drinking water, body mass index, age, and sex. Diabetes diagnosis was based on measures of fasting plasma glucose and 2-h blood glucose. Multivariable models were used to identify metabolites with altered abundance associated with iAs exposure among diabetic and nondiabetic individuals. A total of 132 metabolites were identified to shift in urine or plasma in response to iAs exposure characterized by the sum of iAs metabolites in urine (U-tAs). Although many metabolites were altered in both diabetic and nondiabetic 35 subjects, diabetic individuals displayed a unique response to iAs exposure with 59 altered metabolites including those that play a role in tricarboxylic acid cycle and amino acid metabolism. Taken together, these data highlight the broad impact of iAs exposure on the human metabolome, and demonstrate some specificity of the metabolomic response between diabetic and nondiabetic individuals. These data may provide novel insights into the mechanisms and phenotype of diabetes associated with iAs exposure. PMID:25577196

Unique plasma metabolomic signatures of individuals with inherited disorders of long-chain fatty acid oxidation

PubMed Central

McCoin, Colin S.; Piccolo, Brian D.; Knotts, Trina A.; Matern, Dietrich; Vockley, Jerry; Gillingham, Melanie B.; Adams, Sean H.

2016-01-01

Blood and urine acylcarnitine profiles are commonly used to diagnose long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders (FAOD: i.e., long-chain hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase [LCHAD] and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 [CPT2] deficiency), but the global metabolic impact of long-chain FAOD has not been reported. We utilized untargeted metabolomics to characterize plasma metabolites in 12 overnight-fasted individuals with FAOD (10 LCHAD, 2 CPT2) and 11 healthy age-, sex-, and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls, with the caveat that individuals with FAOD consume a low-fat diet supplemented with medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) while matched controls consume a typical American diet. 832 metabolites were identified in plasma, and partial least squared-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) identified 114 non-acylcarnitine variables that discriminated FAOD subjects and controls. FAOD individuals had significantly higher triglycerides and lower specific phosphatidylethanolamines, ceramides and sphingomyelins. Differences in phosphatidylcholines were also found but the directionality differed by species. Further, there were few differences in non-lipid metabolites indicating the metabolic impact of FAOD specifically on lipid pathways. This analysis provides evidence that LCHAD/CPT2 deficiency significantly alters complex lipid pathway flux. This metabolic signature may provide powerful clinical tools capable of confirming or diagnosing FAOD, even in subjects with a mild phenotype, and provide clues regarding the biochemical and metabolic impact of FAOD that could be relevant to the etiology of FAOD symptoms. PMID:26907176

People watching: The perception of the relative body proportions of the self and others.

PubMed

Linkenauger, Sally A; Kirby, Laura R; McCulloch, Kathleen C; Longo, Matthew R

2017-07-01

We have an abundance of perceptual information from multiple modalities specifying our body proportions. Consequently, it seems reasonable for researchers to assume that we have an accurate perception of our body proportions. In contrast to this intuition, recent research has shown large, striking distortions in people's perceptions of the relative proportions of their own bodies. Specifically, individuals show large distortions when estimating the length of their body parts with a corporal metric, such as the hand, but not with a non-corporal object of the same length (Linkenauger et al., 2015). However, it remains unclear whether these distortions are specific to the perception of the relative proportions of one's own body or whether they generalize to the perception of the relative proportions of all human bodies. To assess this, individuals judged the relative lengths of either their own body parts or the body parts of another individual. We found that people have distorted perceptions of relative body proportions even when viewing the bodies of others. These distortions were greater when estimating the relative body parts of someone of the same gender. These results suggest our implicit full body representation is distorted and influences our perceptions of other people's bodies, especially if the other person's body is similar to our own. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

First-Principles Studies of the Excited States and Optical Properties of Xanthene Derivative Chromophores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamed, Samia; Sharifzadeh, Sahar; Neaton, Jeffrey

2014-03-01

Elucidation of the energy transfer mechanism in natural photosynthetic systems remains an exciting challenge. In particular, biomimetic protein-pigment complexes provide a unique study space in which individual parameters are adjusted and the impact of those changes captured. Here, we compute the excited state properties of a group of xanthene-derivative chromophores to be employed in the construction of new biomimetic light harvesting frameworks. Excitation energies, transition dipoles, and natural transition orbitals for the low-lying singlet and triplet states of these experimentally-relevant chromophores are obtained from first-principles density functional theory. The performance of several exchange-correlation functionals, including an optimally-tuned range-separated hybrid, are evaluated and compared with many body perturbation theory and experiment. Finally, we will discuss the implication of our results for the bottom-up design of new chromophores. This work is supported by the DOE and computational resources are provided by NERSC.

Autophagy in adipose tissue biology.

PubMed

Zhang, Yong; Zeng, Xiangang; Jin, Shengkan

2012-12-01

Obesity, which predisposes individuals to type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, results from accumulation of white adipose tissue (WAT). WAT comprises mainly white adipocytes that have a unique cellular structure in which almost the entire intracellular space is occupied by one single lipid droplet. The cytoplasm envelopes this lipid droplet and occupies negligible space. Differentiation of WAT, or adipogenesis, requires dramatic cytoplasmic reorganization, including a dynamic change in mitochondrial mass. Autophagy is a major cytoplasmic degradation pathway and a primary pathway for mitochondrial degradation. Recent studies indicate that autophagy is implicated in adipogenesis. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on autophagy in adipose tissue biology, with the emphasis on its role in mitochondrial degradation. Adipose tissue is a central component for whole-body energy homeostasis regulation. Advancement in this research area may provide novel venues for the intervention of obesity and obesity related diseases. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The foot in forensic human identification - a review.

PubMed

Davies, C M; Hackman, L; Black, S M

2014-03-01

The identification of human remains is a process which can be attempted irrespective of the stage of decomposition in which the remains are found or the anatomical regions recovered. In recent years, the discovery of fragmented human remains has garnered significant attention from the national and international media, particularly the recovery of multiple lower limbs and feet from coastlines in North America. While cases such as these stimulate public curiosity, they present unique challenges to forensic practitioners in relation to the identification of the individual from whom the body part originated. There is a paucity of literature pertaining to the foot in forensic human identification and in particular, in relation to the assessment of the parameters represented by the biological profile. This article presents a review of the literature relating to the role of the foot in forensic human identification and highlights the areas in which greater research is required. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Optimizing MRI for imaging peripheral arthritis.

PubMed

Hodgson, Richard J; O'Connor, Philip J; Ridgway, John P

2012-11-01

MRI is increasingly used for the assessment of both inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. The wide variety of MRI systems in use ranges from low-field, low-cost extremity units to whole-body high-field 7-T systems, each with different strengths for specific applications. The availability of dedicated radiofrequency phased-array coils allows the rapid acquisition of high-resolution images of one or more peripheral joints. MRI is uniquely flexible in its ability to manipulate image contrast, and individual MR sequences may be combined into protocols to sensitively visualize multiple features of arthritis including synovitis, bone marrow lesions, erosions, cartilage changes, and tendinopathy. Careful choice of the imaging parameters allows images to be generated with optimal quality while minimizing unwanted artifacts. Finally, there are many novel MRI techniques that can quantify disease levels in arthritis in tissues including synovitis and cartilage. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Association Between Gender Confirmation Treatments and Perceived Gender Congruence, Body Image Satisfaction, and Mental Health in a Cohort of Transgender Individuals.

PubMed

Owen-Smith, Ashli A; Gerth, Joseph; Sineath, R Craig; Barzilay, Joshua; Becerra-Culqui, Tracy A; Getahun, Darios; Giammattei, Shawn; Hunkeler, Enid; Lash, Timothy L; Millman, Andrea; Nash, Rebecca; Quinn, Virginia P; Robinson, Brandi; Roblin, Douglas; Sanchez, Travis; Silverberg, Michael J; Tangpricha, Vin; Valentine, Cadence; Winter, Savannah; Woodyatt, Cory; Song, Yongjia; Goodman, Michael

2018-04-01

Transgender individuals sometimes seek gender confirmation treatments (GCT), including hormone therapy (HT) and/or surgical change of the chest and genitalia ("top" and "bottom" gender confirmation surgeries). These treatments may ameliorate distress resulting from the incongruence between one's physical appearance and gender identity. The aim was to examine the degree to which individuals' body-gender congruence, body image satisfaction, depression, and anxiety differed by GCT groups in cohorts of transmasculine (TM) and transfeminine (TF) individuals. The Study of Transition, Outcomes, and Gender is a cohort study of transgender individuals recruited from 3 health plans located in Georgia, Northern California, and Southern California; cohort members were recruited to complete a survey between 2015-2017. Participants were asked about: history of GCT; body-gender congruence; body image satisfaction; depression; and anxiety. Participants were categorized as having received: (1) no GCT to date; (2) HT only; (3) top surgery; (4) partial bottom surgery; and (5) definitive bottom surgery. Outcomes of interest included body-gender congruence, body image satisfaction, depression, and anxiety. Of the 2,136 individuals invited to participate, 697 subjects (33%) completed the survey, including 347 TM and 350 TF individuals. The proportion of participants with low body-gender congruence scores was significantly higher in the "no treatment" group (prevalence ratio [PR] = 3.96, 95% CI 2.72-5.75) compared to the definitive bottom surgery group. The PR for depression comparing participants who reported no treatment relative to those who had definitive surgery was 1.94 (95% CI 1.42-2.66); the corresponding PR for anxiety was 4.33 (95% CI 1.83-10.54). Withholding or delaying GCT until depression or anxiety have been treated may not be the optimal treatment course given the benefits of reduced levels of distress after undergoing these interventions. Strengths include the well-defined sampling frame, which allowed correcting for non-response, a sample with approximately equal numbers of TF and TM participants, and the ability to combine data on HT and gender confirmation surgeries. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and the fact that participants may not be representative of the transgender population in the United States. Body-gender congruence and body image satisfaction were higher, and depression and anxiety were lower among individuals who had more extensive GCT compared to those who received less treatment or no treatment at all. Owen-Smith AA, Gerth J, Sineath RC, et al. Association Between Gender Confirmation Treatments and Perceived Gender Congruence, Body Image Satisfaction and Mental Health in a Cohort Of Transgender Individuals. J Sex Med 2018;15:591-600. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Sexual Medicine. All rights reserved.

Sigma nonopioid intracellular receptor 1 mutations cause frontotemporal lobar degeneration-motor neuron disease.

PubMed

Luty, Agnes A; Kwok, John B J; Dobson-Stone, Carol; Loy, Clement T; Coupland, Kirsten G; Karlström, Helena; Sobow, Tomasz; Tchorzewska, Joanna; Maruszak, Aleksandra; Barcikowska, Maria; Panegyres, Peter K; Zekanowski, Cezary; Brooks, William S; Williams, Kelly L; Blair, Ian P; Mather, Karen A; Sachdev, Perminder S; Halliday, Glenda M; Schofield, Peter R

2010-11-01

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is the most common cause of early-onset dementia. Pathological ubiquitinated inclusion bodies observed in FTLD and motor neuron disease (MND) comprise trans-activating response element (TAR) DNA binding protein (TDP-43) and/or fused in sarcoma (FUS) protein. Our objective was to identify the causative gene in an FTLD-MND pedigree with no mutations in known dementia genes. A mutation screen of candidate genes, luciferase assays, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to identify the biological role of the putative mutation. Neuropathological characterization of affected individuals and western blot studies of cell lines were performed to identify the pathological mechanism of the mutation. We identified a nonpolymorphic mutation (c.672*51G>T) in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of the Sigma nonopioid intracellular receptor 1 (SIGMAR1) gene in affected individuals from the FTLD-MND pedigree. The c.672*51G>T mutation increased gene expression by 1.4-fold, corresponding with a significant 1.5-fold to 2-fold change in the SIGMAR1 transcript or Sigma-1 protein in lymphocyte or brain tissue. Brains of SIGMAR1 mutation carriers displayed a unique pathology with cytoplasmic inclusions immunopositive for either TDP-43 or FUS but not Sigma-1. Overexpression of SIGMAR1 shunted TDP-43 and FUS from the nucleus to the cytoplasm by 2.3-fold and 5.2-fold, respectively. Treatment of cells with Sigma-1 ligands significantly altered translocation of TDP-43 by up to 2-fold. SIGMAR1 is a causative gene for familial FTLD-MND with a unique neuropathology that differs from other FTLD and MND cases. Our findings also suggest Sigma-1 drugs as potential treatments for the TDP-43/FUS proteinopathies.

Comparison of weight loss among named diet programs in overweight and obese adults: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Johnston, Bradley C; Kanters, Steve; Bandayrel, Kristofer; Wu, Ping; Naji, Faysal; Siemieniuk, Reed A; Ball, Geoff D C; Busse, Jason W; Thorlund, Kristian; Guyatt, Gordon; Jansen, Jeroen P; Mills, Edward J

2014-09-03

Many claims have been made regarding the superiority of one diet or another for inducing weight loss. Which diet is best remains unclear. To determine weight loss outcomes for popular diets based on diet class (macronutrient composition) and named diet. Search of 6 electronic databases: AMED, CDSR, CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE, and MEDLINE from inception of each database to April 2014. Overweight or obese adults (body mass index ≥25) randomized to a popular self-administered named diet and reporting weight or body mass index data at 3-month follow-up or longer. Two reviewers independently extracted data on populations, interventions, outcomes, risk of bias, and quality of evidence. A Bayesian framework was used to perform a series of random-effects network meta-analyses with meta-regression to estimate the relative effectiveness of diet classes and programs for change in weight and body mass index from baseline. Our analyses adjusted for behavioral support and exercise. Weight loss and body mass index at 6- and 12-month follow-up (±3 months for both periods). Among 59 eligible articles reporting 48 unique randomized trials (including 7286 individuals) and compared with no diet, the largest weight loss was associated with low-carbohydrate diets (8.73 kg [95% credible interval {CI}, 7.27 to 10.20 kg] at 6-month follow-up and 7.25 kg [95% CI, 5.33 to 9.25 kg] at 12-month follow-up) and low-fat diets (7.99 kg [95% CI, 6.01 to 9.92 kg] at 6-month follow-up and 7.27 kg [95% CI, 5.26 to 9.34 kg] at 12-month follow-up). Weight loss differences between individual diets were minimal. For example, the Atkins diet resulted in a 1.71 kg greater weight loss than the Zone diet at 6-month follow-up. Between 6- and 12-month follow-up, the influence of behavioral support (3.23 kg [95% CI, 2.23 to 4.23 kg] at 6-month follow-up vs 1.08 kg [95% CI, -1.82 to 3.96 kg] at 12-month follow-up) and exercise (0.64 kg [95% CI, -0.35 to 1.66 kg] vs 2.13 kg [95% CI, 0.43 to 3.85 kg], respectively) on weight loss differed. Significant weight loss was observed with any low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet. Weight loss differences between individual named diets were small. This supports the practice of recommending any diet that a patient will adhere to in order to lose weight.

Cosmogonic curve and positions on it of Earth, asteroids, and the outer planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kochemasov, G. G.

2013-09-01

The main point of the comparative wave planetology [1 & others] is the statement: "Orbits make structures". All so different celestial bodies (various sizes, masses, densities, chemichal compositions, physical states, positions in the Universe and so on) have two fundamental properties: movement and rotation. Movements in non-circular (keplerian elliptical, parabolic) orbits with changing accelerations induce in bodies wave warpings (standing waves) which in rotating bodies have 4 orthogonal and diagonal directions. An interference of these directions produces uprising, subsiding and neutral tectonic blocks size of which depends on warping wavelengths. The fundamental wave1 long 2πR (R - a body radius) gives ubiquitous tectonic dichotomy (two hemispheres - segments), the first overtone wave2 long πR produces sectoring. Along with these warpings (wave1 with harmonics) exist tectonic granulations. Granule size depends on orbital frequency: higher frequency - smaller granule, lower frequency - larger granule. Terrestrial planets have the following individual granule sizes (a half of a wavelength): Mercury πR/16, Venus πR/6, Earth πR/4, Mars πR/2, asteroids πR/1 (Fig. 1, bottom). These granule producing warpings tend to bring planetary spheres to polyhedrons which, for simplicity, are represented by the following figures inscribed in the planetary circles: Mercury- 16-gon, Venus- hexagon, Earth- square, Mars- rectangle, asteroids - line (Fig. 2). Obviously, nearer a figure to circle more it is stable, and this is expressed by the ratio of a figure area to the circle area. Mercury has 0.973, Venus 0.830, Earth 0.637, Mars 0.420, asteroids 0. The line for asteroids means the zero ratio, thus zero stability and no planet in the asteroid zone. Earth is unique by its near to the "golden section" value. In Fig. 1 both axes are logarithmic: the abscissa - solar distances of the planets, the ordinate - relative granule sizes (ratio of an individual wave to the fundamental wave). Before the asteroid belt individual waves are shorter than the fundamental wave, after the belt - an opposite relation occurs. Thus the asteroid belt crosses the ordinate 1 what means that there is the very strong 1 : 1 resonance between the fundamental and the individual waves prohibiting a planet (Phaethon) formation. Available material is scattered leading to a known matter deficit. The constructed cosmogonic curve is a curve with a bending point. Earth occurs at this peculiar place what determines Earth uniqueness. The heliocentric distance is then mathematically the abscissa of the bending point (Fig. 1). In the outer planets zone regularly increasing warping wavelengths begin to exceed the fundamental wavelength. The giant planets resist to destructive high amplitude oscillations thanks to their large gravitational compression and elasticity. Nevertheless they also lose a part of their matter ejecting it into near planet space where it gathers up as systems of satellites and rings. Such ejections could explain appearance of non-regular satellites, arcs in rings and other "anomalous" phenomena. Pluto bears vivid marks of destructive oscillations. It has large bulge or is torn in two parts (second core or large satellite) and "chaotically" moves in orbit. The chaos is most probably caused by a distortion of its orbit by its own high amplitude oscillations. Approaching the 100 : 1 resonance (Fig. 1) tells on significant matter deficit in the Pluto's orbit and its increased density. Decimal resonances (1:1,10:1, 100:1) are marked by a matter deficit. Planetary masses relative to the Earth's mass are as follows: Mercury 0.06; Venus 0.82; Earth 1.00; Mars 0.11; Asteroids 0.001(mass deficit); Jupiter 318; Saturn 95.1; (mass deficit) Uranus 14.5; Neptune 17.3; Pluto 0.002 (mass deficit). References: [1]Kochemasov G.G. (1992)16th Russian-American microsymposium on planetology, Abstracts, Moscow, Vernadsky Inst. (GEOKHI), 36-37.

Individual- and Organization-Level Work-to-Family Spillover Are Uniquely Associated with Hotel Managers' Work Exhaustion and Satisfaction

PubMed Central

Lee, Soomi; Davis, Kelly D.; Neuendorf, Claudia; Grandey, Alicia; Lam, Chun Bun; Almeida, David M.

2016-01-01

Purpose: Building on the Conservation of Resources theory, this paper examined the unique and interactive associations of negative and positive work-to-family spillover (NWFS and PWFS, respectively) at the individual and organizational level with hotel managers' work exhaustion and satisfaction, beyond job demands and supervisors' leadership style. Design/Methodology/Approach: Guided by the levels of analysis framework, we first tested the unique associations of NWFS and PWFS with emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction at the individual level (571 hotel managers), beyond job demands supervisors' leadership style. Second, using multilevel modeling, we tested the climate effects of NWFS and PWFS on emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction aggregated at the organizational level (41 hotels). Third, we examined the role of the organizational climate of PWFS in the associations of individual-level NWFS with emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction. Findings: Beyond the effects of psychological job demands and supervisor's transformational leadership, at the individual level, hotel managers who experienced higher NWFS than other managers reported more exhaustion and lower job satisfaction, whereas those with higher PWFS reported less exhaustion and higher satisfaction. At the organizational level, working in hotels where the average level of NWFS was higher than other hotels was associated with feeling more exhaustion of the individual members; working in hotels with higher PWFS was associated with feeling less exhaustion. The negative link between individual-level NWFS and job satisfaction was buffered when organization-level PWFS was higher, compared to when it was lower. Originality/Value: This study moves beyond a focus on traditional job characteristics, toward considering individual and organizational experiences in the work-family interface as unique predictors of work exhaustion and satisfaction. Strengths of the study include illuminating organizational work-family climate effects such that coworkers' shared experiences of NWFS and PWFS explain individual members' work exhaustion, beyond their own experiences of spillover. The results also highlight that a high level of organizational PWFS can buffer the negative effects of individual NWFS. PMID:27582712

Multimorbidity in Middle-Aged Adults with Cerebral Palsy

PubMed Central

Cremer, Nicole; Hurvitz, Edward A.; Peterson, Mark D.

2017-01-01

Background Individuals with cerebral palsy have less lean body mass, greater relative adiposity, and lower fitness and physical activity participation; and yet, the prevalence of age-related multimorbidity in this population has yet to be established. Purpose To examine the prevalence of lifestyle-related chronic conditions and multimorbidity in a sample of middle-aged adults with cerebral palsy. Methods A clinic-based sample of middle-aged adults with cerebral palsy was examined using Electronic Medical Records Search Engine (EMERSE) software. Our cohort included n= 435 individuals aged 40–60 years old, with an ICD-9/10-CM Diagnosis Code for cerebral palsy. Prevalence of 12 chronic conditions were evaluated, including existing diagnoses or historical record of: osteopenia/osteoporosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary artery disease, impaired glucose tolerance/type 2 diabetes, other cardiovascular conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, asthma, emphysema, pre-hypertension/hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Multivariate logistic models were used to estimate adjusted mulitmorbidity (i.e., ≥2 chronic conditions), adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, obesity, and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Results There were 137 unique multimorbidity combinations. Multimorbidity was significantly more prevalent among obese versus non-obese individuals for both GMFCS I–III (75.8% vs. 53.6%) and GMFCS IV–V (79.0% vs 64.2%), but was also significantly higher in non-obese individuals with GMFCS IV–V (64.2%) compared to individuals with non-obese individuals with GMFCS I–III (53.6%). Both obesity status (OR: 2.20; 95% CI 1.32–2.79) and the GMFCS IV–V category (OR: 1.81; 95% CI 1.32–3.68) were independently associated with multimorbidity. Conclusion Middle-aged adults with cerebral palsy have high estimates of multimorbidity, and both obesity and higher GMFCS levels are independently associated with greater risk. PMID:28065772

Comparison of Effectiveness of Computer Graded vs Instructor Graded Homework Assignments in an Elementary Spanish Course: A Comparative Study at Two Undergraduate Institutions

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-07

technology, that being the instructor-graded versus computer-graded activities. In essence, the study came to be about how diverse student bodies reacted...terms of student body and academic offerings, Metropolitan State College of Denver (Metro State) is a unique institution in Colorado and the United...slate of baccalaureate degree offerings. Metro State’s student body of over 24,000 is an exemplar of diversity. The institution admits students via a

Characterization of individual mouse cerebrospinal fluid proteomes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, Jeffrey S.; Angel, Thomas E.; Chavkin, Charles

2014-03-20

Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) offers key insight into the status of the central nervous system. Characterization of murine CSF proteomes can provide a valuable resource for studying central nervous system injury and disease in animal models. However, the small volume of CSF in mice has thus far limited individual mouse proteome characterization. Through non-terminal CSF extractions in C57Bl/6 mice and high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of individual murine samples, we report the most comprehensive proteome characterization of individual murine CSF to date. Utilizing stringent protein inclusion criteria that required the identification of at least two unique peptides (1% falsemore » discovery rate at the peptide level) we identified a total of 566 unique proteins, including 128 proteins from three individual CSF samples that have been previously identified in brain tissue. Our methods and analysis provide a mechanism for individual murine CSF proteome analysis.« less

Normal Weight Obese syndrome: role of single nucleotide polymorphism of IL-1 5Ralpha and MTHFR 677C-->T genes in the relationship between body composition and resting metabolic rate.

PubMed

Di Renzo, L; Bigioni, M; Bottini, F G; Del Gobbo, V; Premrov, M G; Cianci, R; De Lorenzo, A

2006-01-01

We have identified a subset of metabolically obese, but normal weight individuals, with potentially increased risks of developing the metabolic syndrome, despite their normal body mass index. We determined the relationship among body fat distribution, resting metabolic rate (RMR), total body water amount (%TBW), selected gene polymorphism on interleukin-15 receptor-alpha (IL-15Ralpha) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677C-->T (MTHFR 677C-->T), to distinguish normal weight obese (NWO) from nonobese with a normal metabolic profile and obese individuals. We analysed anthropometric variables, body composition by Dual energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), RMR by indirect calorimetry, %TBW by bioimpedence analysis (BIA), MTHFR 677C-->T and IL-15Ralpha genotypes of 128 clinically healthy Caucasian individuals. We compared a group of female, defined as NWO and characterised by a BMI < or = 25 kg/m(2) and FM > or = 30% with groups of others female, and males, represented by nonobese with a BMI < or = 25 kg/m(2) and FM < or = 30%, and preobese-obese individuals with BMI > or = 25 kg/m(2) and %FM > or = 30%; none of the males was classified as NWO. Significant correlations were found among body fat mass distribution, metabolic variables, percentage of total body water distribution and selected genetic variations. The variables that contributed significantly to the separation of classes were body tissue (Tissue), %TBW, RMR, the volumes of both oxygen (VO2) and carbon dioxide (VCO2). The distribution of MTHFR 677C-->T and IL-15 genotypes was significantly different between classes. Our data highlight that NWO individuals showed a significant relationship between the decrease in the basal metabolism (RMR), body fat mass increasing and total water amount. Possession of wild type homozygotes genotypes regarding IL-15Ralpha cytokine and 677C-->T MTHFR enzyme characterised NWO individuals.

The Effect of Visual Experience on Perceived Haptic Verticality When Tilted in the Roll Plane

PubMed Central

Cuturi, Luigi F.; Gori, Monica

2017-01-01

The orientation of the body in space can influence perception of verticality leading sometimes to biases consistent with priors peaked at the most common head and body orientation, that is upright. In this study, we investigate haptic perception of verticality in sighted individuals and early and late blind adults when tilted counterclockwise in the roll plane. Participants were asked to perform a stimulus orientation discrimination task with their body tilted to their left ear side 90° relative to gravity. Stimuli were presented by using a motorized haptic bar. In order to test whether different reference frames relative to the head influenced perception of verticality, we varied the position of the stimulus on the body longitudinal axis. Depending on the stimulus position sighted participants tended to have biases away or toward their body tilt. Visually impaired individuals instead show a different pattern of verticality estimations. A bias toward head and body tilt (i.e., Aubert effect) was observed in late blind individuals. Interestingly, no strong biases were observed in early blind individuals. Overall, these results posit visual sensory information to be fundamental in influencing the haptic readout of proprioceptive and vestibular information about body orientation relative to gravity. The acquisition of an idiotropic vector signaling the upright might take place through vision during development. Regarding early blind individuals, independent spatial navigation experience likely enhanced by echolocation behavior might have a role in such acquisition. In the case of participants with late onset blindness, early experience of vision might lead them to anchor their visually acquired priors to the haptic modality with no disambiguation between head and body references as observed in sighted individuals (Fraser et al., 2015). With our study, we aim to investigate haptic perception of gravity direction in unusual body tilts when vision is absent due to visual impairment. Insofar, our findings throw light on the influence of proprioceptive/vestibular sensory information on haptic perceived verticality in blind individuals showing how this phenomenon is affected by visual experience. PMID:29270109

Primate social attention: Species differences and effects of individual experience in humans, great apes, and macaques.

PubMed

Kano, Fumihiro; Shepherd, Stephen V; Hirata, Satoshi; Call, Josep

2018-01-01

When viewing social scenes, humans and nonhuman primates focus on particular features, such as the models' eyes, mouth, and action targets. Previous studies reported that such viewing patterns vary significantly across individuals in humans, and also across closely-related primate species. However, the nature of these individual and species differences remains unclear, particularly among nonhuman primates. In large samples of human and nonhuman primates, we examined species differences and the effects of experience on patterns of gaze toward social movies. Experiment 1 examined the species differences across rhesus macaques, nonhuman apes (bonobos, chimpanzees, and orangutans), and humans while they viewed movies of various animals' species-typical behaviors. We found that each species had distinct viewing patterns of the models' faces, eyes, mouths, and action targets. Experiment 2 tested the effect of individuals' experience on chimpanzee and human viewing patterns. We presented movies depicting natural behaviors of chimpanzees to three groups of chimpanzees (individuals from a zoo, a sanctuary, and a research institute) differing in their early social and physical experiences. We also presented the same movies to human adults and children differing in their expertise with chimpanzees (experts vs. novices) or movie-viewing generally (adults vs. preschoolers). Individuals varied within each species in their patterns of gaze toward models' faces, eyes, mouths, and action targets depending on their unique individual experiences. We thus found that the viewing patterns for social stimuli are both individual- and species-specific in these closely-related primates. Such individual/species-specificities are likely related to both individual experience and species-typical temperament, suggesting that primate individuals acquire their unique attentional biases through both ontogeny and evolution. Such unique attentional biases may help them learn efficiently about their particular social environments.

Exploring Perceptions of Barriers, Facilitators, and Motivators to Physical Activity Among Female Bariatric Patients: Implications for Physical Activity Programming.

PubMed

Dikareva, A; Harvey, W J; Cicchillitti, M A; Bartlett, S J; Andersen, R E

2016-09-01

To explore barriers, facilitators, and motivators to adopting and maintaining regular physical activity among women with obesity who have undergone bariatric surgery. Individual interviews with women 3 to 24 months post-bariatric surgery. Participants were recruited from a bariatric clinic in Montreal, Canada. Twelve women were recruited (mean age = 47 ± 9 years) using poster advertisements and word of mouth. Participants were on average 15 months postsurgery. Each woman was interviewed once using a semistructured interview protocol. Recruitment was conducted until data saturation (i.e., no new information emerged). The interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Three interrelated themes emerged: the physical body, appraisal of the physical and social self, and the exercise environment. Barriers included weight-restricted mobility, side effects of surgery, body dissatisfaction, compromised psychological health, competing responsibilities, a lack of exercise self-efficacy and social support, reduced access to accommodating facilities, lack of exercise knowledge, and northern climate. Participants reported postsurgical weight loss, weight and health maintenance, enjoyment, body image, and supportive active relationships, as well as access to accommodating facilities and exercise knowledge, as facilitators and motivators. Suggested physical activity programming strategies for health care professionals working with this unique population are discussed. Physical activity and health promotion initiatives can also benefit from a cultural paradigm shift away from weight-based representations of health. © 2016 by American Journal of Health Promotion, Inc.

Dietary protein safety and resistance exercise: what do we really know?

PubMed Central

Lowery, Lonnie M; Devia, Lorena

2009-01-01

Resistance trainers continue to receive mixed messages about the safety of purposely seeking ample dietary protein in their quest for stimulating protein synthesis, improving performance, or maintaining health. Despite protein's lay popularity and the routinely high intakes exhibited by strength athletes, liberal and purposeful protein consumption is often maligned by "experts". University textbooks, instructors, and various forms of literature from personal training groups and athletic organizations continue to use dissuasive language surrounding dietary protein. Due to the widely known health benefits of dietary protein and a growing body of evidence on its safety profile, this is unfortunate. In response, researchers have critiqued unfounded educational messages. As a recent summarizing example, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Position Stand: Protein and Exercise reviewed general literature on renal and bone health. The concluding remark that "Concerns that protein intake within this range [1.4 – 2.0 g/kg body weight per day] is unhealthy are unfounded in healthy, exercising individuals." was based largely upon data from non-athletes due to "a lack of scientific evidence". Future studies were deemed necessary. This assessment is not unique in the scientific literature. Investigators continue to cite controversy, debate, and the lack of direct evidence that allows it. This review discusses the few existing safety studies done specific to athletes and calls for protein research specific to resistance trainers. Population-specific, long term data will be necessary for effective education in dietetics textbooks and from sports governing bodies. PMID:19138405

Altered White Matter and Sensory Response to Bodily Sensation in Female-to-Male Transgender Individuals

PubMed Central

Case, Laura K; Brang, David; Landazuri, Rosalynn; Viswanathan, Pavitra; Ramachandran, Vilayanur S

2016-01-01

While most people take identification with their body for granted, conditions like phantom limb pain, alien hand syndrome, and xenomelia suggest that the feeling of bodily congruence is constructed and susceptible to alteration. Individuals with xenomelia typically experience one of their limbs as over-present and aversive, leading to a desire to amputate the limb. Similarly, many transgender individuals describe their untreated sexed body parts as incongruent and aversive, and many experience phantom body parts of the sex they identify with (Ramachandran, 2008). This experience may relate to differences in brain representation of the sexed body part, as suggested in xenomelia (McGeoch et al., 2011). We utilized magnetoencephalography imaging to record brain activity during somatosensory stimulation of the breast – a body part that feels incongruent to most pre-surgical female-to-male (FtM) identified transgender individuals – and the hand, a body part that feels congruent. We measured the sensory evoked response in right hemisphere somatosensory and body-related brain areas and found significantly reduced activation in the supramarginal gyrus and secondary somatosensory cortex but increased activation at the temporal pole for chest sensation in the FtM group (N = 8) relative to non-transgender females (N = 8). In addition, we found increased white matter coherence in the supramarginal gyrus and temporal pole and decreased white matter diffusivity in the anterior insula and temporal pole in the FtM group. These findings suggest that dysphoria related to gender-incongruent body parts in FtM individuals may be tied to differences in neural representation of the body and altered white matter connectivity. PMID:27646840

Health behaviors of minority childhood cancer survivors.

PubMed

Stolley, Melinda R; Sharp, Lisa K; Tangney, Christy C; Schiffer, Linda A; Arroyo, Claudia; Kim, Yoonsang; Campbell, Richard T; Schmidt, Mary Lou; Breen, Kathleen; Kinahan, Karen E; Dilley, Kim J; Henderson, Tara O; Korenblit, Allen D; Seligman, Katya

2015-05-15

Available data have suggested that childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) are comparable to the general population with regard to many lifestyle parameters. However, to the authors' knowledge, little is known regarding minority CCSs. This cross-sectional study describes and compares the body mass index and health behaviors of African American, Hispanic, and white survivors with each other and with noncancer controls. Participants included 452 adult CCSs (150 African American, 152 Hispanic, and 150 white individuals) recruited through 4 childhood cancer treating institutions and 375 ethnically matched noncancer controls (125 in each racial/ethnic group) recruited via targeted digit dial. All participants completed a 2-hour in-person interview. Survivors and noncancer controls reported similar health behaviors. Within survivors, smoking and physical activity were found to be similar across racial/ethnic groups. African American and Hispanic survivors reported lower daily alcohol use compared with white individuals, but consumed unhealthy diets and were more likely to be obese. This unique study highlights that many minority CCSs exhibit lifestyle profiles that contribute to an increased risk of chronic diseases and late effects. Recommendations for behavior changes must consider the social and cultural context in which minority survivors may live. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

Human balance, the evolution of bipedalism and dysequilibrium syndrome.

PubMed

Skoyles, John R

2006-01-01

A new model of the uniqueness, nature and evolution of human bipedality is presented in the context of the etiology of the balance disorder of dysequilibrium syndrome. Human bipedality is biologically novel in several remarkable respects. Humans are (a) obligate, habitual and diverse in their bipedalism, (b) hold their body carriage spinally erect in a multisegmental "antigravity pole", (c) use their forelimbs exclusively for nonlocomotion, (d) support their body weight exclusively by vertical balance and normally never use prehensile holds. Further, human bipedalism is combined with (e) upper body actions that quickly shift the body's center of mass (e.g. tennis serves, piggy-back carrying of children), (f) use transient unstable erect positions (dance, kicking and fighting), (g) body height that makes falls injurious, (h) stiff gait walking, and (i) endurance running. Underlying these novelties, I conjecture, is a species specific human vertical balance faculty. This faculty synchronizes any action with a skeletomuscular adjustment that corrects its potential destabilizing impact upon the projection of the body's center of mass over its foot support. The balance faculty depends upon internal models of the erect vertical body's geometrical relationship (and its deviations) to its support base. Due to the situation that humans are obligate erect terrestrial animals, two frameworks - the body- and gravity-defined frameworks - are in constant alignment in the vertical z-axis. This alignment allows human balance to adapt egocentric body cognitions to detect body deviations from the gravitational vertical. This link between human balance and the processing of geometrical orientation, I propose, accounts for the close link between balance and spatial cognition found in the cerebral cortex. I argue that cortical areas processing the spatial and other cognitions needed to enable vertical balance was an important reason for brain size expansion of Homo erectus. A novel source of evidence for this conjecture is the rare autosomal recessive condition of dysequilibrium syndrome. In dysequilibrium syndrome, individuals fail to learn to walk bipedally (with this not being due to sensory, vestibular nor motor coordination defects). Dysequilibrium syndrome is associated with severe spatial deficits that I conjecture underlie its balance dysfunction. The associated brain defects and gene mutations of dysequilibrium syndrome provide new opportunities to investigate (i) the neurological processes responsible for the human specific balance faculty, and (ii) through gene dating techniques, its evolution.

Gender confirming medical interventions and eating disorder symptoms among transgender individuals.

PubMed

Testa, Rylan J; Rider, G Nicole; Haug, Nancy A; Balsam, Kimberly F

2017-10-01

Studies indicate that transgender individuals may be at risk of developing eating disorder symptoms (EDS). Elevated risk may be attributed to body dissatisfaction and/or societal reactions to nonconforming gender expression, such as nonaffirmation of a person's gender identity (e.g., using incorrect pronouns). Limited research suggests that gender-confirming medical interventions (GCMIs) may prevent or reduce EDS among transgender people. Participants included 154 transfeminine spectrum (TFS) and 288 transmasculine spectrum (TMS) individuals who completed the Trans Health Survey. Serial multiple mediation analyses controlling for age, education, and income were used to examine whether body satisfaction and nonaffirmation mediate any found relationships between various GCMIs (genital surgery, chest surgery, hormone use, hysterectomy, and hair removal) and EDS. For TFS individuals, the nonaffirmation to body satisfaction path mediated relationships between all GCMIs and EDS, although body satisfaction alone accounted for more of the indirect effects than this path for chest surgery. For TMS individuals, relationships between all GCMIs and EDS were mediated by the nonaffirmation to body satisfaction path. Findings support the hypothesis that GCMIs reduce experiences of nonaffirmation, which increases body satisfaction and thus decreases EDS. Among TFS participants, the relationship between chest surgery and lower levels of EDS was mediated most strongly by body satisfaction alone, suggesting that satisfaction with one's body may result in lower EDS even if affirmation from the external world is unchanged. Implications of these findings for intervention, policy, and legal efforts are discussed, and future research recommendations are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

“So Big”: The Development of Body Self-awareness in Toddlers

PubMed Central

Brownell, Celia A.; Zerwas, Stephanie; Ramani, Geetha B.

2012-01-01

Early development of body self-awareness was examined in 57 children at 18, 22, or 26 months of age, using tasks designed to require objective representation of one’s own body. All children made at least one body representation error, with approximately 2.5 errors per task on average. Errors declined with age. Children’s performance on comparison tasks that required them to reason about the relative size of objects and about objects as obstacles, without considering their own bodies, was unrelated to performance on the body awareness tasks. Thus, the ability to represent and reflect on one’s own body explicitly and objectively may be a unique dimension of early development, a distinct component of objective self-awareness which emerges in this age period. PMID:17883440

Red junglefowl have individual body odors.

PubMed

Karlsson, Anna-Carin; Jensen, Per; Elgland, Mathias; Laur, Katriann; Fyrner, Timmy; Konradsson, Peter; Laska, Matthias

2010-05-01

Olfaction may play an important role in regulating bird behavior, and has been suggested to be involved in feather-pecking. We investigated possible differences in the body odors of red junglefowl females by using an automated olfactometer which assessed the ability of trained mice to discriminate between the odors of uropygial gland secretions (the main carrier of potential individual odors in chickens) of six feather-pecked and six non-pecked birds. All mice were clearly able to discriminate between all individual red junglefowl odors, showing that each bird has an individual body odor. We analyzed whether it was more difficult to discriminate between the odors of two feather-pecked, or two non-pecked birds, than it was to discriminate between the odors of two randomly selected birds. This was not the case, suggesting that feather-pecked birds did not share a common odor signature. Analyses using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry showed that the composition of aliphatic carboxylic acids in uropygial gland secretions differed consistently between individuals. However, chemical composition did not vary according to feather-pecking status. We conclude that red junglefowl have individual body odors which appear to be largely based on differences in the relative abundance of aliphatic carboxylic acids, but there is no evidence of systematic differences between the body odors of pecked and non-pecked birds.

Non-targeted plasma metabolomic profile at early and late lactation in parity 1 dams with diverging body composition at weaning

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lactation is an extremely energy demanding event, impacting naïve dams to a greater extent as they are still physiologically immature. The objective of the current study was to determine if a unique plasma metabolome exists at early and late lactation from first parity gilts having similar body meas...

Child Disinhibition, Parent Restriction, and Child Body Mass Index in Low-Income Preschool Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparks, Martha A.; Radnitz, Cynthia L.

2013-01-01

Objective: To examine both unique and interactive effects of parent restrictive feeding and child disinhibited eating behavior on child body mass index (BMI) in low-income Latino and African American preschoolers. Methods: The sample included 229 parent-child pairs, the majority of whom were low-income and Latino (57%) or African American (25%).…

Bodies as Bearers of Value: The Transmission of Jock Culture via the "Twelve Commandments"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparkes, Andrew C.; Partington, Elizabeth; Brown, David H. K.

2007-01-01

This article explores a number of insights generated from a three-year ethnographic study of one university setting in England in which a "jock culture" is seen to dominate a student campus. Drawing on core concepts from Pierre Bourdieu's sociology of culture, it illustrates the unique function of the body in sustaining jock culture…

A comparison of a subjective body assessment of men and women of the Polish social elite.

PubMed

Demuth, A; Czerniak, U; Ziółkowska-Łajp, E

2013-10-01

The objective of the study was to compare the level of dissatisfaction with body image of men and women of the social elite in the Wielkopolska region, Poland, in the light of anthropometric indicators. All studied individuals have had university education, performed public functions and their age ranged from 40 to 60 years. In total, information about 167 individuals, 70 women and 97 men, was collected. In the analysis the body mass index (BMI) and the waist to height ratio (WHtR) were taken into consideration. To study body image the Colour-A-Person Body Dissatisfaction Test (CAPT) and weight self-assessment were used. In the group of women there was a significant relationship between a subjective assessment of weight as well as body mass index (BMI) and a degree of dissatisfaction with their body. Women who classified themselves in the category of overweight (self-assessment) had the highest BMI values and were the most dissatisfied with their body image (CAPT=3.61). Individuals who believed that their body weight corresponded to the standard limits had a mean score of CAPT=2.28, and women with normal BMI values were the most satisfied with their body. For men, there were no significant relationships. Sex and size of anthropometric indicators were significantly related to the understanding of one's own body among the studied individuals. This is in line with reports of other authors who explain their results by different social expectations, according to which a woman's self-esteem is linked to her physical attractiveness. On the other hand, the studied women have been characterised by a significant body awareness which may be related to their education and professional status. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

SOME ASPECTS OF RECENT FINDINGS PERTAINING TO THE BODY COMPOSITION OF ATHLETES, OBESE INDIVIDUALS AND PATIENTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Behnke, A.R.; Taylor, W.L.

Whole-body density determinations are reported for a small group of athletes (weight lifters), and an analysis is presented of data derived from several investigations in which similar techniques were employed to measure total body water and the total exchangeable sodium, chloride (bromine space), and potassium in the body. The mean value for body density (1.080) obtained on the athletes was similar to that obtained previously on professional football players and much higher than the mean value usually obtained on young men (-- 1.060). In addition to the low body fat content characteristic of the athletes, the ratio of excha&eable K/submore » e/ to Cl/sub e/ was higher in these men than in men of average physique. In turn, the values for K/sub e/Cl/sub e/ were even lower in obese individuals and in patients. In healthy individuals, the sum (K/sub e/ + Cl/sub e/) is highly correlated (r = 0.99) with total body water, and this finding provides an independent estimate of lean body weight. In patients afflicted with certain types of chronic diseases, particularly those associated with the edematous state, the exchangeable Na/sub e/ to K/sub e/ ratio is strikingly higher than it is in healthy individuals. Estimates of the amount of transudate in edematous patients may be made from analyses of total body water andd total exchangeable Na/sub e/ and K/sub e/. Additional determinations, such as whole body density and red cell mass, are required to assess accurately the size of the lean body mass in these patients. Normal adult lean body size prior to illness may be estimated from skeletal measurements. (auth)« less

Adoption & Foster Care

MedlinePlus

... Family Life > Family Dynamics > Adoption & Foster Care Adoption & Foster Care Article Body ​Each year, many children join families through adoption and foster care. These families may face unique challenges. The ...

Prominent alterations of wild barley leaf transcriptome in response to individual and combined drought acclimation and heat shock conditions.

PubMed

Ashoub, Ahmed; Müller, Niels; Jiménez-Gómez, José M; Brüggemann, Wolfgang

2018-05-01

Under field conditions, drought and heat stress typically happen simultaneously and their negative impact on the agricultural production is expected to increase worldwide under the climate change scenario. In this study, we performed RNA-sequencing analysis on leaves of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) originated from the northern coastal region of Egypt following individual drought acclimation (DA) and heat shock (HS) treatments and their combination (CS, combined stresses) to distinguish the unique and shared differentially expressed genes (DEG). Results indicated that the number of unique genes that were differentially expressed following HS treatment exceeded the number of those expressed following DA. In addition, the number of genes that were uniquely differentially expressed in response to CS treatment exceeded the number of those of shared responses to individual DA and HS treatments. These results indicate a better adaptation of the Mediterranean wild barley to drought conditions when compared with heat stress. It also manifests that the wild barley response to CS tends to be unique rather than common. Annotation of DEG showed that metabolic processes were the most influenced biological function in response to the applied stresses. © 2017 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Feature selection for wearable smartphone-based human activity recognition with able bodied, elderly, and stroke patients.

PubMed

Capela, Nicole A; Lemaire, Edward D; Baddour, Natalie

2015-01-01

Human activity recognition (HAR), using wearable sensors, is a growing area with the potential to provide valuable information on patient mobility to rehabilitation specialists. Smartphones with accelerometer and gyroscope sensors are a convenient, minimally invasive, and low cost approach for mobility monitoring. HAR systems typically pre-process raw signals, segment the signals, and then extract features to be used in a classifier. Feature selection is a crucial step in the process to reduce potentially large data dimensionality and provide viable parameters to enable activity classification. Most HAR systems are customized to an individual research group, including a unique data set, classes, algorithms, and signal features. These data sets are obtained predominantly from able-bodied participants. In this paper, smartphone accelerometer and gyroscope sensor data were collected from populations that can benefit from human activity recognition: able-bodied, elderly, and stroke patients. Data from a consecutive sequence of 41 mobility tasks (18 different tasks) were collected for a total of 44 participants. Seventy-six signal features were calculated and subsets of these features were selected using three filter-based, classifier-independent, feature selection methods (Relief-F, Correlation-based Feature Selection, Fast Correlation Based Filter). The feature subsets were then evaluated using three generic classifiers (Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machine, j48 Decision Tree). Common features were identified for all three populations, although the stroke population subset had some differences from both able-bodied and elderly sets. Evaluation with the three classifiers showed that the feature subsets produced similar or better accuracies than classification with the entire feature set. Therefore, since these feature subsets are classifier-independent, they should be useful for developing and improving HAR systems across and within populations.

Feature Selection for Wearable Smartphone-Based Human Activity Recognition with Able bodied, Elderly, and Stroke Patients

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Human activity recognition (HAR), using wearable sensors, is a growing area with the potential to provide valuable information on patient mobility to rehabilitation specialists. Smartphones with accelerometer and gyroscope sensors are a convenient, minimally invasive, and low cost approach for mobility monitoring. HAR systems typically pre-process raw signals, segment the signals, and then extract features to be used in a classifier. Feature selection is a crucial step in the process to reduce potentially large data dimensionality and provide viable parameters to enable activity classification. Most HAR systems are customized to an individual research group, including a unique data set, classes, algorithms, and signal features. These data sets are obtained predominantly from able-bodied participants. In this paper, smartphone accelerometer and gyroscope sensor data were collected from populations that can benefit from human activity recognition: able-bodied, elderly, and stroke patients. Data from a consecutive sequence of 41 mobility tasks (18 different tasks) were collected for a total of 44 participants. Seventy-six signal features were calculated and subsets of these features were selected using three filter-based, classifier-independent, feature selection methods (Relief-F, Correlation-based Feature Selection, Fast Correlation Based Filter). The feature subsets were then evaluated using three generic classifiers (Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machine, j48 Decision Tree). Common features were identified for all three populations, although the stroke population subset had some differences from both able-bodied and elderly sets. Evaluation with the three classifiers showed that the feature subsets produced similar or better accuracies than classification with the entire feature set. Therefore, since these feature subsets are classifier-independent, they should be useful for developing and improving HAR systems across and within populations. PMID:25885272

Interoceptive Awareness Skills for Emotion Regulation: Theory and Approach of Mindful Awareness in Body-Oriented Therapy (MABT).

PubMed

Price, Cynthia J; Hooven, Carole

2018-01-01

Emotion regulation involves a coherent relationship with the self, specifically effective communication between body, mind, and feelings. Effective emotion regulation involves the ability to accurately detect and evaluate cues related to physiological reactions to stressful events, accompanied by appropriate regulation strategies that temper and influence the emotional response. There is compelling evidence demonstrating links between poor or disrupted awareness of sensory information, or interoceptive awareness, and difficulties with emotion regulation. This paper presents a framework, based on psychological and neurobiological research, for understanding how interoceptive awareness facilitates regulation and an integrated sense of self, and thus contributes to health and well-being. A mind-body therapeutic approach called mindful awareness in body-oriented therapy (MABT), uniquely designed to teach fundamental skills of interoceptive awareness, is described. MABT develops the distinct interoceptive awareness capacities of identifying, accessing, and appraising internal bodily signals that are identified in physiological models as the critical components of interoception for emotion regulation. The explanatory model is that the development of these key interoceptive capacities improves sensory (physical and emotional) awareness, reduces distress, and improves regulation. Strategies for teaching and learning interoceptive awareness are not well-developed in mindfulness or psychotherapeutic approaches, particularly important for people who may have difficulty attending to interoceptive awareness due to stress, chronic pain or trauma. To address this issue, MABT provides an individualized protocol for scaffolding interoceptive awareness through a combination of psychoeducation and somatic approaches explicitly addressing difficulties with interoceptive processing. Clinical vignettes are included to provide exemplars of this approach and to highlight key components of the therapeutic process. Results from research are also included to highlight the acceptability, safety, health outcomes, and possible mechanisms underlying the MABT approach.

Migrant deaths and the Kater Radez I wreck: from recovery of the relict to marine taphonomic findings and identification of the victims.

PubMed

Introna, Francesco; Di Vella, Giancarlo; Campobasso, Carlo Pietro

2013-07-01

On March 1997, during a naval blockade imposed by Italy to prevent illegal immigration, the motorboat Kater Radez I full of Albanian refugees clashed with an Italian warship with 120 people approximately on board. The boat sank quickly after the collision just in the middle of the Otranto Canal (Mediterranean Sea). Only 34 individuals survived the accident; 58 died, mostly women and children, and dozens were missing. After 7 months spent at depth of 800 m approximately underwater to constant temperature of 4 °C, the motorboat was rescued, and totally, 52 bodies were recovered from the holds. The management of the mass disaster is summarized focusing on the procedures applied in the recovery of the boat and victims, and the identification process. The purpose of the article is to present the unique taphonomic model of decomposition dealing with marine sequestered environments. The postmortem changes have been revised according with a skeletonization scoring system. Surprisingly, most of the victims were in good condition with soft tissues still present except at the head/neck region and the hands resulting in the body parts mostly pre-skeletonized. Closed compartments as well as heavy clothing in multiple layers protected the bodies from animal activity of marine scavengers. Presumptive positive identification was obtained in 49 out of 52 bodies based on the correspondence between ante- and postmortem data. An additional purpose of the article is also to focus on the practice of coercive actions disproportionate to the risk of unauthorized entry criticized by several international organizations for migration and recently condemned by the European Court in Strasbourg.

Caloric restriction and aerobic exercise in sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic obese women: an observational and retrospective study.

PubMed

Barbat-Artigas, Sébastien; Garnier, Sophie; Joffroy, Sandra; Riesco, Éléonor; Sanguignol, Frédéric; Vellas, Bruno; Rolland, Yves; Andrieu, Sandrine; Aubertin-Leheudre, Mylène; Mauriège, Pascale

2016-06-01

Sarcopenic obese (SO) individuals are a unique subset of subjects that combines obesity and sarcopenia. Traditional weight loss programmes including aerobic exercises may worsen their condition by further reducing their lean mass. The objective of this observational and retrospective study was to verify the effect of a mixed weight loss programme combining caloric restriction and exercise on body composition, and lipid-lipoprotein profile of obese women according to their sarcopenic status. One hundred and forty-six obese women (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m(2) and fat mass ≥ 40%) participated to the 3 week usual and institutionalized weight-reducing programme combining a dietary plan (1400 ± 200 kcal/day) and aerobic exercise (1 h/day, 6 days/week) of a specialized medical institution. The lean body mass index (LMI; lean mass/height(2)) was calculated, and women in the lowest tertile of LMI were considered SO. At baseline, SO women were older, and their body weight and LMI were lower than non-sarcopenic obese (N-SO) women (p < 0.05). N-SO and SO women similarly lost fat mass and improved their lipid-lipoprotein profile (p < 0.05), while differences in LMI between groups persisted at the end of the weight-reducing programme. Indeed, N-SO women lost lean mass (p < 0.05) while SO did not. These findings suggest that a short weight loss programme combining caloric restriction and aerobic exercise may significantly reduce fat mass and improve lipid-lipoprotein profile in obese women, independently of their sarcopenic status. Such programmes may have deleterious effects on lean mass in N-SO subjects, only.

Anatomy and Cranial Functional Morphology of the Small-Bodied Dinosaur Fruitadens haagarorum from the Upper Jurassic of the USA

PubMed Central

Butler, Richard J.; Porro, Laura B.; Galton, Peter M.; Chiappe, Luis M.

2012-01-01

Background Heterodontosaurids are an important but enigmatic and poorly understood early radiation of ornithischian dinosaurs. The late-surviving heterodontosaurid Fruitadens haagarorum from the Late Jurassic (early Tithonian) Morrison Formation of the western USA is represented by remains of several small (<1 metre total body length, <1 kg body mass) individuals that include well-preserved but incomplete cranial and postcranial material. Fruitadens is hypothesized to represent one of the smallest known ornithischian dinosaurs. Methodology/Principal Findings We describe the cranial and postcranial anatomy of Fruitadens in detail, providing comparisons to all other known heterodontosaurid taxa. High resolution micro-CT data provides new insights into tooth replacement and the internal anatomy of the tooth-bearing bones. Moreover, we provide a preliminary functional analysis of the skull of late-surviving heterodontosaurids, discuss the implications of Fruitadens for current understanding of heterodontosaurid monophyly, and briefly review the evolution and biogeography of heterodontosaurids. Conclusions/Significance The validity of Fruitadens is supported by multiple unique characters of the dentition and hindlimb as well as a distinct character combination. Fruitadens shares highly distinctive appendicular characters with other heterodontosaurids, strengthening monophyly of the clade on the basis of the postcranium. Mandibular morphology and muscle moment arms suggest that the jaws of late-surviving heterodontosaurids, including Fruitadens, were adapted for rapid biting at large gape angles, contrasting with the jaws of the stratigraphically older Heterodontosaurus, which were better suited for strong jaw adduction at small gapes. The lack of wear facets and plesiomorphic dentition suggest that Fruitadens used orthal jaw movements and employed simple puncture-crushing to process food. In combination with its small body size, these results suggest that Fruitadens was an ecological generalist, consuming select plant material and possibly insects or other invertebrates. PMID:22509242

Interaction of Burning Metal Particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dreizin, Edward L.; Berman, Charles H.; Hoffmann, Vern K.

1999-01-01

Physical characteristics of the combustion of metal particle groups have been addressed in this research. The combustion behavior and interaction effects of multiple metal particles has been studied using a microgravity environment, which presents a unique opportunity to create an "aerosol" consisting of relatively large particles, i.e., 50-300 m diameter. Combustion behavior of such an aerosol could be examined using methods adopted from well-developed single particle combustion research. The experiment included fluidizing relatively large (order of 100 m diameter) uniform metal particles under microgravity and igniting such an "aerosol" using a hot wire igniter. The flame propagation and details of individual particle combustion and particle interaction have been studied using a high speed movie and video-imaging with cameras coupled with microscope lenses to resolve individual particles. Interference filters were used to separate characteristic metal and metal oxide radiation bands from the thermal black body radiation. Recorded flame images were digitized and various image processing techniques including flame position tracking, color separation, and pixel by pixel image comparison were employed to understand the processes occurring in the burning aerosol. The development of individual particle flames, merging or separation, and extinguishment as well as induced particle motion have been analyzed to identify the mechanisms governing these processes. Size distribution, morphology, and elemental compositions of combustion products were characterized and used to link the observed in this project aerosol combustion phenomena with the recently expanded mechanism of single metal particle combustion.

A Systematic Review of Interventions to Improve Adherence to Melanoma Preventive Behaviors for Individuals at Elevated Risk

PubMed Central

Wu, Yelena P.; Aspinwall, Lisa G.; Conn, Bridgid M.; Stump, Tammy; Grahmann, Bridget; Leachman, Sancy A.

2016-01-01

Background and Objectives To examine the effectiveness of behavioral interventions for melanoma prevention targeted to individuals at elevated risk due to personal and/or family history. Methods Through literature searches in 5 search databases (through July 2014), 20 articles describing 14 unique interventions focused on melanoma prevention among individuals at elevated risk for the disease were identified. Interventions targeting only patients undergoing active treatment for melanoma were excluded. Results The average study quality was moderate. The majority of interventions (6 out of 9, 66% of studies) led to improvements in one or more photoprotective behaviors, particularly for improvements in use of protective clothing (3 out of 5, 60% of studies), and frequency and/or thoroughness of skin self-examinations (9 out of 12, 75%). Fewer interventions (5 out of 14, 36%) targeted uptake of total body skin examinations (60% led to improvements). Also, fewer interventions targeted all three preventive behaviors (5 out of 14, 36%). Conclusions Findings suggest future interventions should aim to improve adherence across multiple preventive behaviors, over a longer time period (past 8 months post-intervention), and target high-risk children. Studies should include adequate sample sizes to investigate moderators and mediators of intervention effectiveness. Interventions may be strengthened by new techniques, such as incorporating family members (e.g., to improve thoroughness of skin self-examinations) and eHealth technology. PMID:27090434

Local concentration of fast-food outlets is associated with poor nutrition and obesity.

PubMed

Kruger, Daniel J; Greenberg, Emily; Murphy, Jillian B; DiFazio, Lindsay A; Youra, Kathryn R

2014-01-01

We investigated the relationship of the local availability of fast-food restaurant locations with diet and obesity. We geocoded addresses of survey respondents and fast-food restaurant locations to assess the association between the local concentration of fast-food outlets, BMI, and fruit and vegetable consumption. The survey was conducted in Genesee County, Michigan. There were 1345 individuals included in this analysis, and the response rate was 25%. The Speak to Your Health! Community Survey included fruit and vegetable consumption items from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, height, weight, and demographics. We used ArcGIS to map fast-food outlets and survey respondents. Stepwise linear regressions identified unique predictors of body mass index (BMI) and fruit and vegetable consumption. Survey respondents had 8 ± 7 fast-food outlets within 2 miles of their home. Individuals living in close proximity to fast-food restaurants had higher BMIs t(1342) = 3.21, p < .001, and lower fruit and vegetable consumption, t(1342) = 2.67, p = .008. Individuals may be at greater risk for adverse consequences of poor nutrition because of the patterns in local food availability, which may constrain the success of nutrition promotion efforts. Efforts to decrease the local availability of unhealthy foods as well as programs to help consumers identify strategies for obtaining healthy meals at fast-food outlets may improve health outcomes.

Insulin Therapy in People With Type 2 Diabetes: Opportunities and Challenges?

PubMed Central

Home, Philip; Riddle, Matthew; Cefalu, William T.; Bailey, Clifford J.; Bretzel, Reinhard G.; del Prato, Stefano; Leroith, Derek; Schernthaner, Guntram; van Gaal, Luc; Raz, Itamar

2014-01-01

Given the continued interest in defining the optimal management of individuals with type 2 diabetes, the Editor of Diabetes Care convened a working party of diabetes specialists to examine this topic in the context of insulin therapy. This was prompted by recent new evidence on the use of insulin in such people. The group was aware of evidence that the benefits of insulin therapy are still usually offered late, and thus the aim of the discussion was how to define the optimal timing and basis for decisions regarding insulin and to apply these concepts in practice. It was noted that recent evidence had built upon that of the previous decades, together confirming the benefits and safety of insulin therapy, albeit with concerns about the potential for hypoglycemia and gain in body weight. Insulin offers a unique ability to control hyperglycemia, being used from the time of diagnosis in some circumstances, when metabolic control is disturbed by medical illness, procedures, or therapy, as well as in the longer term in ambulatory care. For those previously starting insulin, various other forms of therapy can be added later, which offer complementary effects appropriate to individual needs. Here we review current evidence and circumstances in which insulin can be used, consider individualized choices of alternatives and combination regimens, and offer some guidance on personalized targets and tactics for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes. PMID:24855154

Uniqueness of First Order Post-Newtonian Collinear Solutions for Three-Body Problem under a Scalar-Tensor Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Wei-Guang; Zhou, Tian-Yi; Xie, Yi

2017-10-01

As a continuing investigation of an earlier work that establishes the collinear solutions to the three-body problem with general masses under a scalar-tensor theory, we study these solutions and prove their uniqueness up to the first order post-Newtonian approximation. With the help of observed bounds on the scalar field in the Solar System, we show that the seventh-order polynomial equation determining the distance ratio among the three masses has either one or three positive roots. However, in the case with three positive roots, it is found that two positive roots break down the slow-motion condition for the post-Newtonian approximation so that only one positive root is physically valid. The resulting uniqueness suggests that the locations of the three masses are very close to their Newtonian positions with post-Newtonian corrections of general relativity and the scalar field. We also prove that, in the framework of the scalar-tensor theory, the angular velocity of the collinear configuration is always less than the Newtonian one when all other parameters are fixed. These results are valid only for three-body systems where upper-bounds on the scalar field are compatible with those of the Solar System. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. 11573015 and J1210039, and the Innovation Training Project for Undergraduates of Nanjing University, China

How culture shapes the body: cultural consonance and body mass in urban Brazil.

PubMed

Dressler, William W; Oths, Kathryn S; Balieiro, Mauro C; Ribeiro, Rosane P; Dos Santos, José Ernesto

2012-01-01

The aim of this article is to develop a model of how culture shapes the body, based on two studies conducted in urban Brazil. Research was conducted in 1991 and 2001 in four socioeconomically distinct neighborhoods. First, cultural domain analyses were conducted with samples of key informants. The cultural domains investigated included lifestyle, social support, family life, national identity, and food. Cultural consensus analysis was used to confirm shared knowledge in each domain and to derive measures of cultural consonance. Cultural consonance assesses how closely an individual matches the cultural consensus model for each domain. Second, body composition, cultural consonance, and related variables were assessed in community surveys. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the association of cultural consonance and body composition, controlling for standard covariates and competing explanatory variables. In 1991, in a survey of 260 individuals, cultural consonance had a curvilinear association with the body mass index that differed for men and women, controlling for sociodemographic and dietary variables. In 2001, in a survey of 267 individuals, cultural consonance had a linear association with abdominal circumference that differed for men and women, controlling for sociodemographic and dietary variables. In general, as cultural consonance increases, body mass index and abdominal circumference decline, more strongly for women than men. As individuals, in their own beliefs and behaviors, more closely approximate shared cultural models in socially salient domains, body composition also more closely approximates the cultural prototype of the body. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Extreme under‐reporting of body weight by young adults with obesity: relation to social desirability

PubMed Central

Cespedes, V. M.; Burden, G. K.; Brady, S. K.; Clement, L. R.; Abbott, E. M.; Baughman, K. S.; Joyner, S. E.; Clark, M. M.; Pury, C. L. S.

2018-01-01

Summary Objective The objective of this study was to determine whether there is an association between under‐reporting of body weight and social desirability as is found with self‐reports of energy intake. Methods Twenty‐seven lean individuals (mean body mass index ± standard deviation = 21.6 ± 2.0 kg m−2) and 26 individuals with obesity (mean body mass index = 35.4 ± 4.8 kg m−2) were e‐mailed a questionnaire on which they had to state their body weight and conduct a home food inventory. The next day, research team members went to their homes to weigh the participants, conduct their own food inventory and administer the Marlowe–Crowne scale for social desirability. Results Among individuals with obesity, lower social desirability scores were associated with a greater degree of under‐reporting body weight (r = +0.48, p < 0.02). Among lean individuals, the correlation was negative but statistically non‐significant (p = −0.22, p > 0.10). Nine individuals with obesity were extreme under‐reporters (2.27 kg or more), and eight of these had social desirability scores in the bottom half of the Marlowe–Crowne scale (p < 0.01). Six under‐reported on the home food inventory by three or more items. Conclusions Individuals with obesity and low social desirability scores are more likely than others to be extreme under‐reporters of body weight, possibly due to a lack of awareness of their own weight. PMID:29670750

Primate social attention: Species differences and effects of individual experience in humans, great apes, and macaques

PubMed Central

Shepherd, Stephen V.; Hirata, Satoshi; Call, Josep

2018-01-01

When viewing social scenes, humans and nonhuman primates focus on particular features, such as the models’ eyes, mouth, and action targets. Previous studies reported that such viewing patterns vary significantly across individuals in humans, and also across closely-related primate species. However, the nature of these individual and species differences remains unclear, particularly among nonhuman primates. In large samples of human and nonhuman primates, we examined species differences and the effects of experience on patterns of gaze toward social movies. Experiment 1 examined the species differences across rhesus macaques, nonhuman apes (bonobos, chimpanzees, and orangutans), and humans while they viewed movies of various animals’ species-typical behaviors. We found that each species had distinct viewing patterns of the models’ faces, eyes, mouths, and action targets. Experiment 2 tested the effect of individuals’ experience on chimpanzee and human viewing patterns. We presented movies depicting natural behaviors of chimpanzees to three groups of chimpanzees (individuals from a zoo, a sanctuary, and a research institute) differing in their early social and physical experiences. We also presented the same movies to human adults and children differing in their expertise with chimpanzees (experts vs. novices) or movie-viewing generally (adults vs. preschoolers). Individuals varied within each species in their patterns of gaze toward models’ faces, eyes, mouths, and action targets depending on their unique individual experiences. We thus found that the viewing patterns for social stimuli are both individual- and species-specific in these closely-related primates. Such individual/species-specificities are likely related to both individual experience and species-typical temperament, suggesting that primate individuals acquire their unique attentional biases through both ontogeny and evolution. Such unique attentional biases may help them learn efficiently about their particular social environments. PMID:29474416

Body image in the person with a stoma.

PubMed

Cohen, A

1991-01-01

Body image is the mental picture one has of one's physical being that develops from birth and continues throughout life and is related to different factors affecting its formation and dynamics. A crisis such as the creation of a stoma leads to an alteration in body image and an awareness of the meaning of the change in appearance and function of an individual. The individual's behavior is examined in several domains: physical, mental, emotional, social, sexual, and economical. When one domain is disturbed the others will be influenced. A person's rehabilitation after ostomy surgery is a continuous process of adaptation and is directed toward returning to a normal way of life. Many factors affect this adaptation to an alteration in body image and are relevant to the patient and family. These factors include, but are not limited to, the disease process, treatment(s), and medical and nursing care in the hospital and community. Knowledge about actual and potential problems associated with an alteration in body image enables the nurse to assess the meaning of the alteration in body image for the individual patient and family, provide counseling before and after the surgery, and intervene so that the individual will be able to adapt to an alteration in body image and return to one's previous activities of daily living and lifestyle.

Immunohistochemical Detection of a Unique Protein within Cells of Snakes Having Inclusion Body Disease, a World-Wide Disease Seen in Members of the Families Boidae and Pythonidae

PubMed Central

Chang, Li-Wen; Fu, Ann; Wozniak, Edward; Chow, Marjorie; Duke, Diane G.; Green, Linda; Kelley, Karen; Hernandez, Jorge A.; Jacobson, Elliott R.

2013-01-01

Inclusion body disease (IBD) is a worldwide disease in captive boa constrictors (boa constrictor) and occasionally in other snakes of the families Boidae and Pythonidae. The exact causative agent(s) and pathogenesis are not yet fully understood. Currently, diagnosis of IBD is based on the light microscopic identification of eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in hematoxylin and eosin stained tissues or blood smears. An antigenically unique 68 KDa protein was identified within the IBD inclusion bodies, called IBD protein. A validated immuno-based ante-mortem diagnostic test is needed for screening snakes that are at risk of having IBD. In this study, despite difficulties in solubilizing semi-purified inclusion bodies, utilizing hybridoma technology a mouse anti-IBD protein monoclonal antibody (MAB) was produced. The antigenic specificity of the antibody was confirmed and validated by western blots, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immuno-transmission electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical staining. Paraffin embedded tissues of IBD positive and negative boa constrictors (n=94) collected from 1990 to 2011 were tested with immunohistochemical staining. In boa constrictors, the anti-IBDP MAB had a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 100% in detecting IBD. The antibody also cross-reacted with IBD inclusion bodies in carpet pythons (Morelia spilota) and a ball python (python regius). This validated antibody can serve as a tool for the development of ante-mortem immunodiagnostic tests for IBD. PMID:24340066

Immunohistochemical detection of a unique protein within cells of snakes having inclusion body disease, a world-wide disease seen in members of the families Boidae and Pythonidae.

PubMed

Chang, Li-Wen; Fu, Ann; Wozniak, Edward; Chow, Marjorie; Duke, Diane G; Green, Linda; Kelley, Karen; Hernandez, Jorge A; Jacobson, Elliott R

2013-01-01

Inclusion body disease (IBD) is a worldwide disease in captive boa constrictors (boa constrictor) and occasionally in other snakes of the families Boidae and Pythonidae. The exact causative agent(s) and pathogenesis are not yet fully understood. Currently, diagnosis of IBD is based on the light microscopic identification of eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in hematoxylin and eosin stained tissues or blood smears. An antigenically unique 68 KDa protein was identified within the IBD inclusion bodies, called IBD protein. A validated immuno-based ante-mortem diagnostic test is needed for screening snakes that are at risk of having IBD. In this study, despite difficulties in solubilizing semi-purified inclusion bodies, utilizing hybridoma technology a mouse anti-IBD protein monoclonal antibody (MAB) was produced. The antigenic specificity of the antibody was confirmed and validated by western blots, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immuno-transmission electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical staining. Paraffin embedded tissues of IBD positive and negative boa constrictors (n=94) collected from 1990 to 2011 were tested with immunohistochemical staining. In boa constrictors, the anti-IBDP MAB had a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 100% in detecting IBD. The antibody also cross-reacted with IBD inclusion bodies in carpet pythons (Morelia spilota) and a ball python (python regius). This validated antibody can serve as a tool for the development of ante-mortem immunodiagnostic tests for IBD.

What is and what is not positive body image? Conceptual foundations and construct definition.

PubMed

Tylka, Tracy L; Wood-Barcalow, Nichole L

2015-06-01

A decade ago, research on positive body image as a unique construct was relatively nonexistent, and now this area is flourishing. How and why did positive body image scholarship emerge? What is known about this contemporary construct? This article situates and contextualizes positive body image within Cash's scholarship, eating disorder prevention efforts, feminist influences, strength-based disciplines within psychology, and Buddhism. Extracting insights from quantitative and qualitative research, this article demonstrates that positive body image is (a) distinct from negative body image; (b) multifaceted (including body appreciation, body acceptance/love, conceptualizing beauty broadly, adaptive investment in appearance, inner positivity, interpreting information in a body-protective manner); (c) holistic; (d) stable and malleable; (e) protective; (f) linked to self-perceived body acceptance by others; and (g) shaped by social identities. Complementing what positive body image is, this article further details what positive body image is not to provide a more nuanced understanding of this construct. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Defining the healthy "core microbiome" of oral microbial communities

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Most studies examining the commensal human oral microbiome are focused on disease or are limited in methodology. In order to diagnose and treat diseases at an early and reversible stage an in-depth definition of health is indispensible. The aim of this study therefore was to define the healthy oral microbiome using recent advances in sequencing technology (454 pyrosequencing). Results We sampled and sequenced microbiomes from several intraoral niches (dental surfaces, cheek, hard palate, tongue and saliva) in three healthy individuals. Within an individual oral cavity, we found over 3600 unique sequences, over 500 different OTUs or "species-level" phylotypes (sequences that clustered at 3% genetic difference) and 88 - 104 higher taxa (genus or more inclusive taxon). The predominant taxa belonged to Firmicutes (genus Streptococcus, family Veillonellaceae, genus Granulicatella), Proteobacteria (genus Neisseria, Haemophilus), Actinobacteria (genus Corynebacterium, Rothia, Actinomyces), Bacteroidetes (genus Prevotella, Capnocytophaga, Porphyromonas) and Fusobacteria (genus Fusobacterium). Each individual sample harboured on average 266 "species-level" phylotypes (SD 67; range 123 - 326) with cheek samples being the least diverse and the dental samples from approximal surfaces showing the highest diversity. Principal component analysis discriminated the profiles of the samples originating from shedding surfaces (mucosa of tongue, cheek and palate) from the samples that were obtained from solid surfaces (teeth). There was a large overlap in the higher taxa, "species-level" phylotypes and unique sequences among the three microbiomes: 84% of the higher taxa, 75% of the OTUs and 65% of the unique sequences were present in at least two of the three microbiomes. The three individuals shared 1660 of 6315 unique sequences. These 1660 sequences (the "core microbiome") contributed 66% of the reads. The overlapping OTUs contributed to 94% of the reads, while nearly all reads (99.8%) belonged to the shared higher taxa. Conclusions We obtained the first insight into the diversity and uniqueness of individual oral microbiomes at a resolution of next-generation sequencing. We showed that a major proportion of bacterial sequences of unrelated healthy individuals is identical, supporting the concept of a core microbiome at health. PMID:20003481

Bat wing biometrics: using collagen–elastin bundles in bat wings as a unique individual identifier

Treesearch

Sybill K. Amelon; Sarah E. Hooper; Kathryn M. Womack

2017-01-01

The ability to recognize individuals within an animal population is fundamental to conservation and management. Identification of individual bats has relied on artificial marking techniques that may negatively affect the survival and alter the behavior of individuals. Biometric systems use biological characteristics to identify individuals. The field of animal...

Environmental factors and habitat use influence body condition of individuals in a species at risk, the grizzly bear.

PubMed

Bourbonnais, Mathieu L; Nelson, Trisalyn A; Cattet, Marc R L; Darimont, Chris T; Stenhouse, Gordon B; Janz, David M

2014-01-01

Metrics used to quantify the condition or physiological states of individuals provide proactive mechanisms for understanding population dynamics in the context of environmental factors. Our study examined how anthropogenic disturbance, habitat characteristics and hair cortisol concentrations interpreted as a sex-specific indicator of potential habitat net-energy demand affect the body condition of grizzly bears (n = 163) in a threatened population in Alberta, Canada. We quantified environmental variables by modelling spatial patterns of individual habitat use based on global positioning system telemetry data. After controlling for gender, age and capture effects, we assessed the influence of biological and environmental variables on body condition using linear mixed-effects models in an information theoretical approach. Our strongest model suggested that body condition was improved when patterns of habitat use included greater vegetation productivity, increased influence of forest harvest blocks and oil and gas well sites, and a higher percentage of regenerating and coniferous forest. However, body condition was negatively affected by habitat use in close proximity to roads and in areas where potential energetic demands were high. Poor body condition was also associated with increased selection of parks and protected areas and greater seasonal vegetation productivity. Adult females, females with cubs-of-year, juvenile females and juvenile males were in poorer body condition compared with adult males, suggesting that intra-specific competition and differences in habitat use based on gender and age may influence body condition dynamics. Habitat net-energy demand also tended to be higher in areas used by females which, combined with observed trends in body condition, could affect reproductive success in this threatened population. Our results highlight the importance of considering spatiotemporal variability in environmental factors and habitat use when assessing the body condition of individuals. Long-term and large-scale monitoring of the physiological state of individuals provides a more comprehensive approach to support management and conservation of species at risk.

The smell of age: perception and discrimination of body odors of different ages.

PubMed

Mitro, Susanna; Gordon, Amy R; Olsson, Mats J; Lundström, Johan N

2012-01-01

Our natural body odor goes through several stages of age-dependent changes in chemical composition as we grow older. Similar changes have been reported for several animal species and are thought to facilitate age discrimination of an individual based on body odors, alone. We sought to determine whether humans are able to discriminate between body odor of humans of different ages. Body odors were sampled from three distinct age groups: Young (20-30 years old), Middle-age (45-55), and Old-age (75-95) individuals. Perceptual ratings and age discrimination performance were assessed in 41 young participants. There were significant differences in ratings of both intensity and pleasantness, where body odors from the Old-age group were rated as less intense and less unpleasant than body odors originating from Young and Middle-age donors. Participants were able to discriminate between age categories, with body odor from Old-age donors mediating the effect also after removing variance explained by intensity differences. Similarly, participants were able to correctly assign age labels to body odors originating from Old-age donors but not to body odors originating from other age groups. This experiment suggests that, akin to other animals, humans are able to discriminate age based on body odor alone and that this effect is mediated mainly by body odors emitted by individuals of old age.

The Smell of Age: Perception and Discrimination of Body Odors of Different Ages

PubMed Central

Mitro, Susanna; Gordon, Amy R.; Olsson, Mats J.; Lundström, Johan N.

2012-01-01

Our natural body odor goes through several stages of age-dependent changes in chemical composition as we grow older. Similar changes have been reported for several animal species and are thought to facilitate age discrimination of an individual based on body odors, alone. We sought to determine whether humans are able to discriminate between body odor of humans of different ages. Body odors were sampled from three distinct age groups: Young (20–30 years old), Middle-age (45–55), and Old-age (75–95) individuals. Perceptual ratings and age discrimination performance were assessed in 41 young participants. There were significant differences in ratings of both intensity and pleasantness, where body odors from the Old-age group were rated as less intense and less unpleasant than body odors originating from Young and Middle-age donors. Participants were able to discriminate between age categories, with body odor from Old-age donors mediating the effect also after removing variance explained by intensity differences. Similarly, participants were able to correctly assign age labels to body odors originating from Old-age donors but not to body odors originating from other age groups. This experiment suggests that, akin to other animals, humans are able to discriminate age based on body odor alone and that this effect is mediated mainly by body odors emitted by individuals of old age. PMID:22666457

Who owns the body? Indigenous African discourses of the body and contemporary sexual rights rhetoric.

PubMed

Izugbara, Chimaraoke O; Undie, Chi-Chi

2008-05-01

The realisation of sexual rights remains a daunting challenge in most of sub-Saharan Africa despite the articulation of these rights in several international documents and national laws. In this paper, we highlight a possible but neglected reason why this is so. Current sexual rights declarations derive from the notion that the body, as a physical entity, belongs to the individual. However, our work in two southeastern Nigerian cultures, the Ngwa-Igbo and the Ubang, shows that there is at least one alternative view of the body, which constructs it as the property of the wider community, rather than that of the individual. In the two cultures in question, rights are embodied in the community, which also lays powerful claims on all its members, including the claim of body ownership. Individuals are thus more likely to seek and realise their rights within the communal space, rather than by standing alone. The assumption that individuals always hold the ultimate right to their bodies is problematic and may constrain the effectiveness of rights-based programmes and interventions in general, and of work around sexual rights in particular.

Swimming performance and unique wake topology of the sea hare (Aplysia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zhuoyu; Mittal, Rajat

2018-03-01

The Aplysia, commonly referred to as the "sea hare," is a marine mollusc that swims using large-amplitude flapping of its wide, winglike parapodia. In this study, flow simulations with a relatively simple kinematical model are used to gain insights into the vortex dynamics, thrust generation, and energetics of locomotion for this animal. A unique vortex pattern characterized by three distinct trains of vortex ringlike structures is observed in the wake of this animal. These vortex rings are associated with a positive momentum flux in the wake that counteracts the drag generated by the body. Simulations indicate propulsive efficiencies of up to 24% and terminal swimming speeds of about 0.9 body length per cycle. Swimming speeds are found to increase with increasing parapodial flapping amplitude as well as wavelength of undulation.

Representational Similarity of Body Parts in Human Occipitotemporal Cortex.

PubMed

Bracci, Stefania; Caramazza, Alfonso; Peelen, Marius V

2015-09-23

Regions in human lateral and ventral occipitotemporal cortices (OTC) respond selectively to pictures of the human body and its parts. What are the organizational principles underlying body part responses in these regions? Here we used representational similarity analysis (RSA) of fMRI data to test multiple possible organizational principles: shape similarity, physical proximity, cortical homunculus proximity, and semantic similarity. Participants viewed pictures of whole persons, chairs, and eight body parts (hands, arms, legs, feet, chests, waists, upper faces, and lower faces). The similarity of multivoxel activity patterns for all body part pairs was established in whole person-selective OTC regions. The resulting neural similarity matrices were then compared with similarity matrices capturing the hypothesized organizational principles. Results showed that the semantic similarity model best captured the neural similarity of body parts in lateral and ventral OTC, which followed an organization in three clusters: (1) body parts used as action effectors (hands, feet, arms, and legs), (2) noneffector body parts (chests and waists), and (3) face parts (upper and lower faces). Whole-brain RSA revealed, in addition to OTC, regions in parietal and frontal cortex in which neural similarity was related to semantic similarity. In contrast, neural similarity in occipital cortex was best predicted by shape similarity models. We suggest that the semantic organization of body parts in high-level visual cortex relates to the different functions associated with the three body part clusters, reflecting the unique processing and connectivity demands associated with the different types of information (e.g., action, social) different body parts (e.g., limbs, faces) convey. Significance statement: While the organization of body part representations in motor and somatosensory cortices has been well characterized, the principles underlying body part representations in visual cortex have not yet been explored. In the present fMRI study we used multivoxel pattern analysis and representational similarity analysis to characterize the organization of body maps in human occipitotemporal cortex (OTC). Results indicate that visual and shape dimensions do not fully account for the organization of body part representations in OTC. Instead, the representational structure of body maps in OTC appears strongly related to functional-semantic properties of body parts. We suggest that this organization reflects the unique processing and connectivity demands associated with the different types of information different body parts convey. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/3512977-09$15.00/0.

Method for identifying eligible individuals for a prevalence survey in the absence of a disease register or population register.

PubMed

Richardson, A K; Clarke, G; Sabel, C E; Pearson, J F; Mason, D F; Taylor, B V

2012-11-01

Identifying eligible individuals for a prevalence survey is difficult in the absence of a disease register or a national population register. To develop a method to identify and invite eligible individuals to participate in a national prevalence survey while maintaining confidentiality and complying with privacy legislation. A unique identifier (based on date of birth, sex and initials) was developed so that database holders could identify eligible individuals, notify us and invite them on our behalf to participate in a national multiple sclerosis prevalence survey while maintaining confidentiality and complying with privacy legislation. Several organisations (including central government, health and non-governmental organisations) used the method described to assign unique identifiers to individuals listed on their databases and to forward invitations and consent forms to them. The use of a unique identifier allowed us to recognise and record all the sources of identification for each individual. This prevented double counting or approaching the same individual more than once and facilitated the use of capture-recapture methods to improve the prevalence estimate. Capture-recapture analysis estimated that the method identified over 96% of eligible individuals in this prevalence survey. This method was developed and used successfully in a national prevalence survey of multiple sclerosis in New Zealand. The method may be useful for prevalence surveys of other diseases in New Zealand and for prevalence surveys in other countries with similar privacy legislation and lack of disease registers and population registers. © 2012 The Authors; Internal Medicine Journal © 2012 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Extracting body image symptom dimensions among eating disorder patients: the Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS) approach.

PubMed

Olatunji, Bunmi O; Kim, Se-Kang; Wall, David

2015-09-01

The present study employs Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS), a procedure for extracting dimensions, in order to identify core eating disorder symptoms in a clinical sample. A large sample of patients with eating disorders (N=5193) presenting for treatment completed the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2; Garner, 1991), and PAMS was then employed to estimate individual profile weights that reflect the degree to which an individual's observed symptom profile approximates the pattern of the dimensions. The findings revealed three symptom dimensions: Body Thinness, Body Perfectionism, and Body Awareness. Subsequent analysis using individual level data illustrate that the PAMS profiles properly operate as prototypical profiles that encapsulate all individuals' response patterns. The implications of these dimensional findings for the assessment and diagnosis of eating disorders are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Invertibility of retarded response functions for Laplace transformable potentials: Application to one-body reduced density matrix functional theory.

PubMed

Giesbertz, K J H

2015-08-07

A theorem for the invertibility of arbitrary response functions is presented under the following conditions: the time dependence of the potentials should be Laplace transformable and the initial state should be a ground state, though it might be degenerate. This theorem provides a rigorous foundation for all density-functional-like theories in the time-dependent linear response regime. Especially for time-dependent one-body reduced density matrix (1RDM) functional theory, this is an important step forward, since a solid foundation has currently been lacking. The theorem is equally valid for static response functions in the non-degenerate case, so can be used to characterize the uniqueness of the potential in the ground state version of the corresponding density-functional-like theory. Such a classification of the uniqueness of the non-local potential in ground state 1RDM functional theory has been lacking for decades. With the aid of presented invertibility theorem presented here, a complete classification of the non-uniqueness of the non-local potential in 1RDM functional theory can be given for the first time.

DEEP, SHALLOW AND EYE LENS DOSES FROM 106Ru/106Rh-A COMPARSION.

PubMed

Kumar, Munish; Bakshi, A K; Rakesh, R B; Ratna, P; Kulkarni, M S; Datta, D

2017-11-01

106Ru/106Rh is unique amongst other commonly used beta sources such as 147Pm, 85Kr, 204Tl, 32P, natU and 90Sr/90Y in the sense that it is capable of simultaneously delivering shallow/skin, eye lens and deep/whole body doses (WBDs) and they differ from each other substantially. In view of this, the investigation of various quantities defined for individual monitoring is possible and this makes 106Ru/106Rh beta source, a classical example in radiation protection and dosimetry. This led us to estimate skin, eye lens and WBDs for 106Ru/106Rh beta source. Optically stimulated luminescence based ultra-thin α-Al2O3:C disc dosimeters were used in the present study. Typical values (relative) of the eye lens and whole body/deep doses with respective to the skin dose (100%) were experimentally measured as ~66 ± 4.6% and 17 ± 3.9%, respectively. The study shows that 106Ru/106Rh beta source is capable of delivering even WBD which is not the case with other beta sources. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Theoretical relationship between vibration transmissibility and driving-point response functions of the human body.

PubMed

Dong, Ren G; Welcome, Daniel E; McDowell, Thomas W; Wu, John Z

2013-11-25

The relationship between the vibration transmissibility and driving-point response functions (DPRFs) of the human body is important for understanding vibration exposures of the system and for developing valid models. This study identified their theoretical relationship and demonstrated that the sum of the DPRFs can be expressed as a linear combination of the transmissibility functions of the individual mass elements distributed throughout the system. The relationship is verified using several human vibration models. This study also clarified the requirements for reliably quantifying transmissibility values used as references for calibrating the system models. As an example application, this study used the developed theory to perform a preliminary analysis of the method for calibrating models using both vibration transmissibility and DPRFs. The results of the analysis show that the combined method can theoretically result in a unique and valid solution of the model parameters, at least for linear systems. However, the validation of the method itself does not guarantee the validation of the calibrated model, because the validation of the calibration also depends on the model structure and the reliability and appropriate representation of the reference functions. The basic theory developed in this study is also applicable to the vibration analyses of other structures.

Novel Insights into the Health Importance of Natural Honey

PubMed Central

Ajibola, Abdulwahid

2015-01-01

Honey is a sweet, flavourful liquid substance with several beneficial constituents. Extensive research has shown the therapeutic promise of the use of honey in enhancing health values and improving body systems. This manuscript documents the ancient medicinal uses of honey and provides evidence-based data demonstrating its benefits in animal models, patients, and healthy individuals. Several reports by various researchers are discussed regarding health indices and biomarkers used following apitherapy. These include physiological processes in virtually all animal and human organs. The responses of body systems after oral and systemic administration of honey are also mentioned. Honey is also evaluated for its wide acceptability as a complementary and alternative medicine for most ailments. All types of honey exhibit different biochemical activities and show greater variability in their potency as apitherapeutic agents than conventional medicines. The mechanisms of action conferring honey’s protective effects, as suggested by various authors, are documented. These entail synergistic interaction of the bioactive physical and chemical constituents of honey to produce the desired beneficial effects. The use of apitherapy in synergy with chemotherapy to manage microbial and cancer ailments is also helpful in reducing drug-induced cytotoxicity. The mechanistic insights into the overall protective, preventive, and therapeutic effects of honey portend the presence of a unique factor, a ‘synergistic multiple ingredients factor’, designated SMIF. PMID:28239264

Influence of the volume and density functions within geometric models for estimating trunk inertial parameters.

PubMed

Wicke, Jason; Dumas, Genevieve A

2010-02-01

The geometric method combines a volume and a density function to estimate body segment parameters and has the best opportunity for developing the most accurate models. In the trunk, there are many different tissues that greatly differ in density (e.g., bone versus lung). Thus, the density function for the trunk must be particularly sensitive to capture this diversity, such that accurate inertial estimates are possible. Three different models were used to test this hypothesis by estimating trunk inertial parameters of 25 female and 24 male college-aged participants. The outcome of this study indicates that the inertial estimates for the upper and lower trunk are most sensitive to the volume function and not very sensitive to the density function. Although it appears that the uniform density function has a greater influence on inertial estimates in the lower trunk region than in the upper trunk region, this is likely due to the (overestimated) density value used. When geometric models are used to estimate body segment parameters, care must be taken in choosing a model that can accurately estimate segment volumes. Researchers wanting to develop accurate geometric models should focus on the volume function, especially in unique populations (e.g., pregnant or obese individuals).

Experimental quantum simulations of many-body physics with trapped ions.

PubMed

Schneider, Ch; Porras, Diego; Schaetz, Tobias

2012-02-01

Direct experimental access to some of the most intriguing quantum phenomena is not granted due to the lack of precise control of the relevant parameters in their naturally intricate environment. Their simulation on conventional computers is impossible, since quantum behaviour arising with superposition states or entanglement is not efficiently translatable into the classical language. However, one could gain deeper insight into complex quantum dynamics by experimentally simulating the quantum behaviour of interest in another quantum system, where the relevant parameters and interactions can be controlled and robust effects detected sufficiently well. Systems of trapped ions provide unique control of both the internal (electronic) and external (motional) degrees of freedom. The mutual Coulomb interaction between the ions allows for large interaction strengths at comparatively large mutual ion distances enabling individual control and readout. Systems of trapped ions therefore exhibit a prominent system in several physical disciplines, for example, quantum information processing or metrology. Here, we will give an overview of different trapping techniques of ions as well as implementations for coherent manipulation of their quantum states and discuss the related theoretical basics. We then report on the experimental and theoretical progress in simulating quantum many-body physics with trapped ions and present current approaches for scaling up to more ions and more-dimensional systems.

The scent of disease: human body odor contains an early chemosensory cue of sickness.

PubMed

Olsson, Mats J; Lundström, Johan N; Kimball, Bruce A; Gordon, Amy R; Karshikoff, Bianka; Hosseini, Nishteman; Sorjonen, Kimmo; Olgart Höglund, Caroline; Solares, Carmen; Soop, Anne; Axelsson, John; Lekander, Mats

2014-03-01

Observational studies have suggested that with time, some diseases result in a characteristic odor emanating from different sources on the body of a sick individual. Evolutionarily, however, it would be more advantageous if the innate immune response were detectable by healthy individuals as a first line of defense against infection by various pathogens, to optimize avoidance of contagion. We activated the innate immune system in healthy individuals by injecting them with endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide). Within just a few hours, endotoxin-exposed individuals had a more aversive body odor relative to when they were exposed to a placebo. Moreover, this effect was statistically mediated by the individuals' level of immune activation. This chemosensory detection of the early innate immune response in humans represents the first experimental evidence that disease smells and supports the notion of a "behavioral immune response" that protects healthy individuals from sick ones by altering patterns of interpersonal contact.

Body size, body proportions, and encephalization in a Middle Pleistocene archaic human from northern China.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Karen R; Zuné, Lü; Ruff, Christopher B

2006-03-07

The unusual discovery of associated cranial and postcranial elements from a single Middle Pleistocene fossil human allows us to calculate body proportions and relative cranial capacity (encephalization quotient) for that individual rather than rely on estimates based on sample means from unassociated specimens. The individual analyzed here (Jinniushan) from northeastern China at 260,000 years ago is the largest female specimen yet known in the human fossil record and has body proportions (body height relative to body breadth and relative limb length) typical of cold-adapted populations elsewhere in the world. Her encephalization quotient of 4.15 is similar to estimates for late Middle Pleistocene humans that are based on mean body size and mean brain size from unassociated specimens.

Quantum droplet of one-dimensional bosons with a three-body attraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekino, Yuta; Nishida, Yusuke

2018-01-01

Ultracold atoms offer valuable opportunities where interparticle interactions can be controlled at will. In particular, by extinguishing the two-body interaction, one can realize unique systems governed by the three-body interaction, which is otherwise hidden behind the two-body interaction. Here we study one-dimensional bosons with a weak three-body attraction and show that they form few-body bound states as well as a many-body droplet stabilized by the quantum mechanical effect. Their binding energies relative to that of three bosons are all universal and the ground-state energy of the dilute droplet is found to grow exponentially as EN/E3→exp(8 N2/√{3 }π ) with increasing particle number N ≫1 . The realization of our system with coupled two-component bosons in an optical lattice is also discussed.

Romantic Partners’ Individual Coping Strategies and Dyadic Coping: Implications for Relationship Functioning

PubMed Central

Papp, Lauren M.; Witt, Nicole L.

2011-01-01

Individual coping strategies and dyadic coping independently predict partner well-being and relationship functioning; however, it is unclear whether the coping processes are inter-related and whether they uniquely contribute to romantic relationship functioning. One hundred heterosexual dating couples rated the individual coping strategy of negative mood regulation as well as positive and negative dyadic coping. Relationship functioning was assessed via partners’ reports of relationship satisfaction and observers’ ratings of negative interaction in conflict. Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (APIMs; Cook & Kenny, 2005; Kashy & Kenny, 2000) revealed associations between individual coping and dyadic coping in the predicted directions. APIMs also indicated the unique contributions of positive and negative dyadic coping to relationship functioning, above and beyond contributions of individual coping strategies. Implications of dyadic coping as a target of efforts to prevent or treat partner and/or relational distress are discussed. PMID:20954765

Resting State EEG-based biometrics for individual identification using convolutional neural networks.

PubMed

Lan Ma; Minett, James W; Blu, Thierry; Wang, William S-Y

2015-08-01

Biometrics is a growing field, which permits identification of individuals by means of unique physical features. Electroencephalography (EEG)-based biometrics utilizes the small intra-personal differences and large inter-personal differences between individuals' brainwave patterns. In the past, such methods have used features derived from manually-designed procedures for this purpose. Another possibility is to use convolutional neural networks (CNN) to automatically extract an individual's best and most unique neural features and conduct classification, using EEG data derived from both Resting State with Open Eyes (REO) and Resting State with Closed Eyes (REC). Results indicate that this CNN-based joint-optimized EEG-based Biometric System yields a high degree of accuracy of identification (88%) for 10-class classification. Furthermore, rich inter-personal difference can be found using a very low frequency band (0-2Hz). Additionally, results suggest that the temporal portions over which subjects can be individualized is less than 200 ms.

Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Muscle Strength and Optimal Individual Post-Activation Potentiation Time of the Upper Body in Canoeists.

PubMed

Wang, Chia-Chi; Lin, Shu-Cheng; Hsu, Shu-Ching; Yang, Ming-Ta; Chan, Kuei-Hui

2017-10-27

Creatine supplementation reduces the impact of muscle fatigue on post-activation potentiation (PAP) of the lower body, but its effects on the upper body remain unknown. This study examined the effects of creatine supplementation on muscle strength, explosive power, and optimal individual PAP time of the upper body during a set of complex training bouts in canoeists. Seventeen male high school canoeists performed a bench row for one repetition at maximum strength and conducted complex training bouts to determine the optimal individual timing of PAP and distance of overhead medicine ball throw before and after the supplementation. Subjects were assigned to a creatine or placebo group, and later consumed 20 g of creatine or carboxymethyl cellulose per day for six days. After supplementation, the maximal strength in the creatine group significantly increased ( p < 0.05). The optimal individual PAP time in the creatine group was significantly earlier than the pre-supplementation times ( p < 0.05). There was no significant change in explosive power for either group. Our findings support the notion that creatine supplementation increases maximal strength and shortens the optimal individual PAP time of the upper body in high school athletes, but has no effect on explosive power. Moreover, it was found that the recovery time between a bench row and an overhead medicine ball throw in a complex training bout is an individual phenomenon.

Raising Awareness of Individual Creative Potential in Bioscientists Using a Web-Site Based Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, David J.; Hugh-Jones, Siobhan; Sutherland, Ed

2010-01-01

We report the preliminary results of work with a unique, web-site-based approach designed to help individual bioscientists identify and develop their individual creative capacity. The site includes a number of features that encourage individuals to interact with creativity techniques, communicate with colleagues remotely using an electronic notice…

Associations between repression, general maladjustment, body weight, and body shape in older males: the Normative Aging Study.

PubMed

Niaura, Raymond S; Stroud, Laura R; Todaro, John; Ward, Kenneth D; Spiro, Avron; Aldwin, Carolyn; Landsberg, Lewis; Weiss, Scott T

2003-01-01

We examined relationships between repression, general maladjustment, body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). The participants were 1,081 healthy older men from the Normative Aging Study. Repression and General Maladjustment Scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory were composite measures of personality. Repression was associated with lower BMI and WHR, and maladjustment with higher BMI and WHR. However, associations between WHR and personality dimensions were no longer significant when controlling for BMI, but associations between BMI and personality dimensions remained significant when controlling for WHR. These effects were explained by differing relationships between WHR, repression, and maladjustment for normal weight, overweight, and obese individuals. Specifically, associations between repression, maladjustment, and body shape were significant for normal weight and overweight individuals, but not for obese individuals. Health behaviors including smoking did not mediate relationships between repression, maladjustment, and body shape, but might be considered in future studies as mechanisms underlying links between personality and body shape.

Mind-Body Approaches to Treating Mental Health Symptoms Among Disadvantaged Populations: A Comprehensive Review.

PubMed

Burnett-Zeigler, Inger; Schuette, Stephanie; Victorson, David; Wisner, Katherine L

2016-02-01

Mind-body approaches are commonly used to treat a variety of chronic health conditions, including depression and anxiety. A substantial proportion of individuals with depression and anxiety disorders do not receive conventional treatment; disadvantaged individuals are especially unlikely to receive treatment. Mind-body approaches offer a potentially more accessible and acceptable alternative to conventional mental health treatment for disadvantaged individuals, who may not otherwise receive mental health treatment. This review examines evidence for the efficacy of mind-body interventions for mental health symptoms among disadvantaged populations. While rates of utilization were relatively lower for racial/ethnic minorities, evidence suggests that significant proportions of racial/ethnic minorities are using complementary health approaches as health treatments, especially prayer/healers and natural or herbal remedies. This review of studies on the efficacy of mind-body interventions among disadvantaged populations found evidence for the efficacy of mind-body approaches for several mental and physical health symptoms, functioning, self-care, and overall quality of life.

"I feel fat": an experimental induction of body displacement in disordered eating.

PubMed

McFarlane, Traci; Urbszat, Dax; Olmsted, Marion P

2011-04-01

Body displacement, the theory that predicts that individuals with eating disorders will displace negative feelings about themselves onto their body, was tested experimentally in this study. Unrestrained eaters (n = 61), restrained eaters (n = 33), and individuals with eating disorders (n = 26) were randomly assigned to a control condition or an ineffectiveness induction. In the ineffectiveness condition participants were asked to recall and reflect on a past experience when they felt useless or incapable (i.e., ineffective). Results showed that individuals with eating disorders who were made to feel ineffective reported more implicit appearance/body concern than those in the control condition. Unrestrained and restrained eaters did not show this effect. This is the first experimental study to support body displacement theory. These data can be used clinically to educate and encourage patients with eating disorders to address thoughts and feelings related to ineffectiveness directly, instead of displacing this distress onto their body and potentially perpetuating their eating disorder. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Where Inequality Lives in the Body: Teenage Pregnancy, Public Pedagogies and Individual Lives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luttrell, Wendy

2011-01-01

This paper is concerned with how inequality is lived in the body. I have written elsewhere about how teenage pregnancy--as both a public discourse and an individual experience--provides a compelling example of the ways that inequality is carried in bodies, minds, and hearts. The aim of this paper is to revisit my earlier analysis and consider more…

Sanctity of the Body and the Relational Paradigm.

PubMed

Gostečnik, Christian; Slavič, Tanja Repič; Pate, Tanja; Cvetek, Robert

2015-12-01

The individual is in constant interaction with others from birth onwards. The primary experience evolves from the innate need for bodily touch and connection, which form the foundation for the psychobiological structure of the individual. The body's anatomy is made to yearn for another, for building a home with the body of another. This makes the body the focal instrument, which is discernible already in the mother-child relationship, as well as later in male-female or husband-wife relationships. The body thus provides the most sacred space, and deep within it carries a natural yearning for another, for having a relationship with another. Relationships are the means through which the body can come to full realization.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kishigami, Satoshi; Kinki University, 930 Nishimitani, Kinokawa 599-5993; Wakayama, Sayaka

In mammals, a diploid genome of an individual following fertilization of an egg and a spermatozoon is unique and irreproducible. This implies that the generated unique diploid genome is doomed with the individual ending. Even as cultured cells from the individual, they cannot normally proliferate in perpetuity because of the 'Hayflick limit'. However, Dolly, the sheep cloned from an adult mammary gland cell, changes this scenario. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) enables us to produce offspring without germ cells, that is, to 'passage' a unique diploid genome. Animal cloning has also proven to be a powerful research tool for reprogrammingmore » in many mammals, notably mouse and cow. The mechanism underlying reprogramming, however, remains largely unknown and, animal cloning has been inefficient as a result. More momentously, in addition to abortion and fetal mortality, some cloned animals display possible premature aging phenotypes including early death and short telomere lengths. Under these inauspicious conditions, is it really possible for SCNT to preserve a diploid genome? Delightfully, in mouse and recently in primate, using SCNT we can produce nuclear transfer ES cells (ntES) more efficiently, which can preserve the eternal lifespan for the 'passage' of a unique diploid genome. Further, new somatic cloning technique using histone-deacetylase inhibitors has been developed which can significantly increase the previous cloning rates two to six times. Here, we introduce SCNT and its value as a preservation tool for a diploid genome while reviewing aging of cloned animals on cellular and individual levels.« less

Homo floresiensis-like fossils from the early Middle Pleistocene of Flores.

PubMed

van den Bergh, Gerrit D; Kaifu, Yousuke; Kurniawan, Iwan; Kono, Reiko T; Brumm, Adam; Setiyabudi, Erick; Aziz, Fachroel; Morwood, Michael J

2016-06-09

The evolutionary origin of Homo floresiensis, a diminutive hominin species previously known only by skeletal remains from Liang Bua in western Flores, Indonesia, has been intensively debated. It is a matter of controversy whether this primitive form, dated to the Late Pleistocene, evolved from early Asian Homo erectus and represents a unique and striking case of evolutionary reversal in hominin body and brain size within an insular environment. The alternative hypothesis is that H. floresiensis derived from an older, smaller-brained member of our genus, such as Homo habilis, or perhaps even late Australopithecus, signalling a hitherto undocumented dispersal of hominins from Africa into eastern Asia by two million years ago (2 Ma). Here we describe hominin fossils excavated in 2014 from an early Middle Pleistocene site (Mata Menge) in the So'a Basin of central Flores. These specimens comprise a mandible fragment and six isolated teeth belonging to at least three small-jawed and small-toothed individuals. Dating to ~0.7 Ma, these fossils now constitute the oldest hominin remains from Flores. The Mata Menge mandible and teeth are similar in dimensions and morphological characteristics to those of H. floresiensis from Liang Bua. The exception is the mandibular first molar, which retains a more primitive condition. Notably, the Mata Menge mandible and molar are even smaller in size than those of the two existing H. floresiensis individuals from Liang Bua. The Mata Menge fossils are derived compared with Australopithecus and H. habilis, and so tend to support the view that H. floresiensis is a dwarfed descendent of early Asian H. erectus. Our findings suggest that hominins on Flores had acquired extremely small body size and other morphological traits specific to H. floresiensis at an unexpectedly early time.

Use of a Computerized Tracking System to Monitor and Provide Feedback on Dietary Goals for Calorie-Restricted Diets: The POUNDS LOST Study

PubMed Central

Anton, Stephen D.; LeBlanc, Eric; Allen, H. Raymond; Karabetian, Christy; Sacks, Frank; Bray, George; Williamson, Donald A.

2012-01-01

The use of self-monitoring as a tool to facilitate behavioral modification is common in many lifestyle-based weight loss interventions. Electronic tracking programs, including computer-based systems and smart phone applications, have been developed to allow individuals to self-monitor their behavior digitally. These programs offer an advantage over traditional self-report modalities in that they can provide users with direct feedback about dietary and/or physical activity adherence levels and thereby assist them in real-time decision making. This article describes the use of an Internet-based computerized tracking system (CTS) that was developed specifically for the POUNDS LOST study, a 2-year randomized controlled trial designed to test the efficacy of four macronutrient diets for weight and fat reduction in healthy, overweight men and women (body mass index range = 25.0–39.9 kg/m2). The CTS served many functions in this study, including data collection, dietary and exercise assessment and feedback, messaging system, and report generation. Across all groups, participants with high usage of the CTS during the initial 8 weeks lost greater amounts of weight than participants with low usage (8.7% versus 5.5% of initial body weight, respectively; p < .001) at week 32. Rates of CTS utilization were highest during the first year of this 2-year intervention, and utilization of the CTS declined steadily over time. The unique features of the CTS combined with technological developments, such as smart phone applications, offer significant potential to improve the user’s self-monitoring experience and adherence to health promotion programs designed specifically for individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes. PMID:23063049

Starch source influences dietary glucose generation at the mucosal α-glucosidase level.

PubMed

Lin, Amy Hui-Mei; Lee, Byung-Hoo; Nichols, Buford L; Quezada-Calvillo, Roberto; Rose, David R; Naim, Hassan Y; Hamaker, Bruce R

2012-10-26

The quality of starch digestion, related to the rate and extent of release of dietary glucose, is associated with glycemia-related problems such as diabetes and other metabolic syndrome conditions. Here, we found that the rate of glucose generation from starch is unexpectedly associated with mucosal α-glucosidases and not just α-amylase. This understanding could lead to a new approach to regulate the glycemic response and glucose-related physiologic responses in the human body. There are six digestive enzymes for starch: salivary and pancreatic α-amylases and four mucosal α-glucosidases, including N- and C-terminal subunits of both maltase-glucoamylase and sucrase-isomaltase. Only the mucosal α-glucosidases provide the final hydrolytic activities to produce substantial free glucose. We report here the unique and shared roles of the individual α-glucosidases for α-glucans persisting after starch is extensively hydrolyzed by α-amylase (to produce α-limit dextrins (α-LDx)). All four α-glucosidases share digestion of linear regions of α-LDx, and three can hydrolyze branched fractions. The α-LDx, which were derived from different maize cultivars, were not all equally digested, revealing that the starch source influences glucose generation at the mucosal α-glucosidase level. We further discovered a fraction of α-LDx that was resistant to the extensive digestion by the mucosal α-glucosidases. Our study further challenges the conventional view that α-amylase is the only rate-determining enzyme involved in starch digestion and better defines the roles of individual and collective mucosal α-glucosidases. Strategies to control the rate of glucogenesis at the mucosal level could lead to regulation of the glycemic response and improved glucose management in the human body.

Starch Source Influences Dietary Glucose Generation at the Mucosal α-Glucosidase Level*

PubMed Central

Lin, Amy Hui-Mei; Lee, Byung-Hoo; Nichols, Buford L.; Quezada-Calvillo, Roberto; Rose, David R.; Naim, Hassan Y.; Hamaker, Bruce R.

2012-01-01

The quality of starch digestion, related to the rate and extent of release of dietary glucose, is associated with glycemia-related problems such as diabetes and other metabolic syndrome conditions. Here, we found that the rate of glucose generation from starch is unexpectedly associated with mucosal α-glucosidases and not just α-amylase. This understanding could lead to a new approach to regulate the glycemic response and glucose-related physiologic responses in the human body. There are six digestive enzymes for starch: salivary and pancreatic α-amylases and four mucosal α-glucosidases, including N- and C-terminal subunits of both maltase-glucoamylase and sucrase-isomaltase. Only the mucosal α-glucosidases provide the final hydrolytic activities to produce substantial free glucose. We report here the unique and shared roles of the individual α-glucosidases for α-glucans persisting after starch is extensively hydrolyzed by α-amylase (to produce α-limit dextrins (α-LDx)). All four α-glucosidases share digestion of linear regions of α-LDx, and three can hydrolyze branched fractions. The α-LDx, which were derived from different maize cultivars, were not all equally digested, revealing that the starch source influences glucose generation at the mucosal α-glucosidase level. We further discovered a fraction of α-LDx that was resistant to the extensive digestion by the mucosal α-glucosidases. Our study further challenges the conventional view that α-amylase is the only rate-determining enzyme involved in starch digestion and better defines the roles of individual and collective mucosal α-glucosidases. Strategies to control the rate of glucogenesis at the mucosal level could lead to regulation of the glycemic response and improved glucose management in the human body. PMID:22988246

Evaluation of body temperature in individuals with stroke.

PubMed

Alfieri, Fábio Marcon; Massaro, Ayrton Roberto; Filippo, Thais Raquel; Portes, Leslie Andrews; Battistella, Linamara Rizzo

2017-01-01

A stroke can cause alterations in thermal sensitivity. to verify the conditions of body temperature in hemiplegic patients after stroke as compared to healthy individuals, as well as establish relations between thermal sensitivity and gender, age, Body Mass Index (BMI), plegic side, time after stroke, reports of thermal alterations and the motricity of patients with stroke sequelae. This cross-sectional study included 100 patients (55.6±13 years) with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke sequelae with unilateral hemiparesis and thirty healthy subjects (55±12.9 years). Individuals with nervous peripheral lesions, diabetes, peripheral vascular diseases or tumors were not included in this study. The volunteers underwent axillary temperature evaluations with the use of a cutaneous thermometer and evaluations of cutaneous temperature of hands and feet as measured by infrared thermography captured by an infrared sensor (ThermaCAMTM SC 500-FLIR Systems). The mean temperature (°C) was analyzed with the SigmaStat 3.5 statistical package. The results have shown that healthy individuals have similar temperatures on either side of the body. The hemiplegic subjects presented a lower temperature on the plegic side and compared to the healthy subjects, both feet of the hemiparetic individuals were colder. The results have also shown that age, body mass index, and the time after stroke have no influence on the alterations in temperature. Regarding the paretic side, individuals with hemiplegia on the right side (right foot) had a lower temperature than those affected on the left side. Motricity was not related to any difference in temperature between the limbs and the reports of temperature differences had no relation with the actual differences found in the study. Healthy individuals have temperature symmetry between between sides of the body, while individuals with stroke sequelae present lower temperature in the paretic side, especially on their feet.

Applicability of single-camera photogrammetry to determine body dimensions of pinnipeds: Galapagos sea lions as an example.

PubMed

Meise, Kristine; Mueller, Birte; Zein, Beate; Trillmich, Fritz

2014-01-01

Morphological features correlate with many life history traits and are therefore of high interest to behavioral and evolutionary biologists. Photogrammetry provides a useful tool to collect morphological data from species for which measurements are otherwise difficult to obtain. This method reduces disturbance and avoids capture stress. Using the Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) as a model system, we tested the applicability of single-camera photogrammetry in combination with laser distance measurement to estimate morphological traits which may vary with an animal's body position. We assessed whether linear morphological traits estimated by photogrammetry can be used to estimate body length and mass. We show that accurate estimates of body length (males: ±2.0%, females: ±2.6%) and reliable estimates of body mass are possible (males: ±6.8%, females: 14.5%). Furthermore, we developed correction factors that allow the use of animal photos that diverge somewhat from a flat-out position. The product of estimated body length and girth produced sufficiently reliable estimates of mass to categorize individuals into 10 kg-classes of body mass. Data of individuals repeatedly photographed within one season suggested relatively low measurement errors (body length: 2.9%, body mass: 8.1%). In order to develop accurate sex- and age-specific correction factors, a sufficient number of individuals from both sexes and from all desired age classes have to be captured for baseline measurements. Given proper validation, this method provides an excellent opportunity to collect morphological data for large numbers of individuals with minimal disturbance.

Applicability of Single-Camera Photogrammetry to Determine Body Dimensions of Pinnipeds: Galapagos Sea Lions as an Example

PubMed Central

Meise, Kristine; Mueller, Birte; Zein, Beate; Trillmich, Fritz

2014-01-01

Morphological features correlate with many life history traits and are therefore of high interest to behavioral and evolutionary biologists. Photogrammetry provides a useful tool to collect morphological data from species for which measurements are otherwise difficult to obtain. This method reduces disturbance and avoids capture stress. Using the Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) as a model system, we tested the applicability of single-camera photogrammetry in combination with laser distance measurement to estimate morphological traits which may vary with an animal’s body position. We assessed whether linear morphological traits estimated by photogrammetry can be used to estimate body length and mass. We show that accurate estimates of body length (males: ±2.0%, females: ±2.6%) and reliable estimates of body mass are possible (males: ±6.8%, females: 14.5%). Furthermore, we developed correction factors that allow the use of animal photos that diverge somewhat from a flat-out position. The product of estimated body length and girth produced sufficiently reliable estimates of mass to categorize individuals into 10 kg-classes of body mass. Data of individuals repeatedly photographed within one season suggested relatively low measurement errors (body length: 2.9%, body mass: 8.1%). In order to develop accurate sex- and age-specific correction factors, a sufficient number of individuals from both sexes and from all desired age classes have to be captured for baseline measurements. Given proper validation, this method provides an excellent opportunity to collect morphological data for large numbers of individuals with minimal disturbance. PMID:24987983

Factors determining the average body size of geographically separated Arctodiaptomus salinus (Daday, 1885) populations

PubMed Central

Anufriieva, Elena V.; Shadrin, Nickolai V.

2014-01-01

Arctodiaptomus salinus inhabits water bodies across Eurasia and North Africa. Based on our own data and that from the literature, we analyzed the influences of several factors on the intra- and inter-population variability of this species. A strong negative linear correlation between temperature and average body size in the Crimean and African populations was found, in which the parameters might be influenced by salinity. Meanwhile, asignificant negative correlation between female body size and the altitude of habitats was found by comparing body size in populations from different regions. Individuals from environments with highly varying abiotic parameters, e.g. temporary reservoirs, had a larger body size than individuals from permanent water bodies. The changes in average body mass in populations were at 11.4 times, whereas, those in individual metabolic activities were at 6.2 times. Moreover, two size groups of A. salinus in the Crimean and the Siberian lakes were observed. The ratio of female length to male length fluctuatedbetween 1.02 and 1.30. The average size of A. salinus in populations and its variations were determined by both genetic and environmental factors. However, the paritiesof these factors were unequal in either spatial or temporal scales. PMID:24668656

Factors determining the average body size of geographically separated Arctodiaptomus salinus (Daday, 1885) populations.

PubMed

Anufriieva, Elena V; Shadrin, Nickolai V

2014-03-01

Arctodiaptomus salinus inhabits water bodies across Eurasia and North Africa. Based on our own data and that from the literature, we analyzed the influences of several factors on the intra- and inter-population variability of this species. A strong negative linear correlation between temperature and average body size in the Crimean and African populations was found, in which the parameters might be influenced by salinity. Meanwhile, a significant negative correlation between female body size and the altitude of habitats was found by comparing body size in populations from different regions. Individuals from environments with highly varying abiotic parameters, e.g. temporary reservoirs, had a larger body size than individuals from permanent water bodies. The changes in average body mass in populations were at 11.4 times, whereas, those in individual metabolic activities were at 6.2 times. Moreover, two size groups of A. salinus in the Crimean and the Siberian lakes were observed. The ratio of female length to male length fluctuated between 1.02 and 1.30. The average size of A. salinus in populations and its variations were determined by both genetic and environmental factors. However, the parities of these factors were unequal in either spatial or temporal scales.

Visual attention mediates the relationship between body satisfaction and susceptibility to the body size adaptation effect.

PubMed

Stephen, Ian D; Sturman, Daniel; Stevenson, Richard J; Mond, Jonathan; Brooks, Kevin R

2018-01-01

Body size misperception-the belief that one is larger or smaller than reality-affects a large and growing segment of the population. Recently, studies have shown that exposure to extreme body stimuli results in a shift in the point of subjective normality, suggesting that visual adaptation may be a mechanism by which body size misperception occurs. Yet, despite being exposed to a similar set of bodies, some individuals within a given geographical area will develop body size misperception and others will not. The reason for these individual difference is currently unknown. One possible explanation stems from the observation that women with lower levels of body satisfaction have been found to pay more attention to images of thin bodies. However, while attention has been shown to enhance visual adaptation effects in low (e.g. rotational and linear motion) and high level stimuli (e.g., facial gender), it is not known whether this effect exists in visual adaptation to body size. Here, we test the hypothesis that there is an indirect effect of body satisfaction on the direction and magnitude of the body fat adaptation effect, mediated via visual attention (i.e., selectively attending to images of thin over fat bodies or vice versa). Significant mediation effects were found in both men and women, suggesting that observers' level of body satisfaction may influence selective visual attention to thin or fat bodies, which in turn influences the magnitude and direction of visual adaptation to body size. This may provide a potential mechanism by which some individuals develop body size misperception-a risk factor for eating disorders, compulsive exercise behaviour and steroid abuse-while others do not.

Visual attention mediates the relationship between body satisfaction and susceptibility to the body size adaptation effect

PubMed Central

Sturman, Daniel; Stevenson, Richard J.; Mond, Jonathan; Brooks, Kevin R.

2018-01-01

Body size misperception–the belief that one is larger or smaller than reality–affects a large and growing segment of the population. Recently, studies have shown that exposure to extreme body stimuli results in a shift in the point of subjective normality, suggesting that visual adaptation may be a mechanism by which body size misperception occurs. Yet, despite being exposed to a similar set of bodies, some individuals within a given geographical area will develop body size misperception and others will not. The reason for these individual difference is currently unknown. One possible explanation stems from the observation that women with lower levels of body satisfaction have been found to pay more attention to images of thin bodies. However, while attention has been shown to enhance visual adaptation effects in low (e.g. rotational and linear motion) and high level stimuli (e.g., facial gender), it is not known whether this effect exists in visual adaptation to body size. Here, we test the hypothesis that there is an indirect effect of body satisfaction on the direction and magnitude of the body fat adaptation effect, mediated via visual attention (i.e., selectively attending to images of thin over fat bodies or vice versa). Significant mediation effects were found in both men and women, suggesting that observers’ level of body satisfaction may influence selective visual attention to thin or fat bodies, which in turn influences the magnitude and direction of visual adaptation to body size. This may provide a potential mechanism by which some individuals develop body size misperception–a risk factor for eating disorders, compulsive exercise behaviour and steroid abuse–while others do not. PMID:29385137

Accuracy of skinfold and bioelectrical impedance assessments of body fat percentage in ambulatory individuals with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Oeffinger, Donna J; Gurka, Matthew J; Kuperminc, Michelle; Hassani, Sahar; Buhr, Neeley; Tylkowski, Chester

2014-05-01

This study assessed the accuracy of measurements of body fat percentage in ambulatory individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and skinfold equations. One hundred and twenty-eight individuals (65 males, 63 females; mean age 12y, SD 3, range 6-18y) with CP (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels I (n=6), II (n=46), and III (n=19) participated. Body fat percentage was estimated from (1) BIA using standing height and estimated heights (knee height and tibial length) and (2) triceps and subscapular skinfolds using standard and CP-specific equations. All estimates of body fat percentage were compared with body fat percentage from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans. Differences between DXA, BIA, and skinfold body fat percentage were analyzed by comparing mean differences. Agreement was assessed by Bland-Altman plots and concordance correlation coefficients (CCC). BMI was moderately correlated with DXA (Pearson's r=0.53). BIA body fat percentage was significantly different from DXA when using estimated heights (95% confidence intervals [CIs] do not contain 0) but not standing height (95% CI -1.9 to 0.4). CCCs for all BIA comparisons indicated good to excellent agreement (0.75-0.82) with DXA. Body fat percentage from skinfold measurements and CP-specific equations was not significantly different from DXA (mean 0.8%; SD 5.3%; 95% CI -0.2 to 1.7) and demonstrated strong agreement with DXA (CCC 0.86). Accurate measures of body fat percentage can be obtained using BIA and two skinfold measurements (CP-specific equations) in ambulatory individuals with CP. These findings should encourage assessments of body fat in clinical and research practices. © 2013 Mac Keith Press.

Metabolomic characteristics of arsenic-associated diabetes in a prospective cohort in Chihuahua, Mexico.

PubMed

Martin, Elizabeth; González-Horta, Carmen; Rager, Julia; Bailey, Kathryn A; Sánchez-Ramírez, Blanca; Ballinas-Casarrubias, Lourdes; Ishida, María C; Gutiérrez-Torres, Daniela S; Hernández Cerón, Roberto; Viniegra Morales, Damián; Baeza Terrazas, Francisco A; Saunders, R Jesse; Drobná, Zuzana; Mendez, Michelle A; Buse, John B; Loomis, Dana; Jia, Wei; García-Vargas, Gonzalo G; Del Razo, Luz M; Stýblo, Miroslav; Fry, Rebecca

2015-04-01

Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, yet the specific disease phenotype and underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In the present study we set out to identify iAs exposure-associated metabolites with altered abundance in nondiabetic and diabetic individuals in an effort to understand the relationship between exposure, metabolomic response, and disease status. A nested study design was used to profile metabolomic shifts in urine and plasma collected from 90 diabetic and 86 nondiabetic individuals matched for varying iAs concentrations in drinking water, body mass index, age, and sex. Diabetes diagnosis was based on measures of fasting plasma glucose and 2-h blood glucose. Multivariable models were used to identify metabolites with altered abundance associated with iAs exposure among diabetic and nondiabetic individuals. A total of 132 metabolites were identified to shift in urine or plasma in response to iAs exposure characterized by the sum of iAs metabolites in urine (U-tAs). Although many metabolites were altered in both diabetic and nondiabetic 35 subjects, diabetic individuals displayed a unique response to iAs exposure with 59 altered metabolites including those that play a role in tricarboxylic acid cycle and amino acid metabolism. Taken together, these data highlight the broad impact of iAs exposure on the human metabolome, and demonstrate some specificity of the metabolomic response between diabetic and nondiabetic individuals. These data may provide novel insights into the mechanisms and phenotype of diabetes associated with iAs exposure. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Body ownership: When feeling and knowing diverge.

PubMed

Romano, Daniele; Sedda, Anna; Brugger, Peter; Bottini, Gabriella

2015-07-01

Individuals with the peculiar disturbance of 'overcompleteness' experience an intense desire to amputate one of their healthy limbs, describing a sense of disownership for it (Body Integrity Identity Disorder - BIID). This condition is similar to somatoparaphrenia, the acquired delusion that one's own limb belongs to someone else. In ten individuals with BIID, we measured skin conductance response to noxious stimuli, delivered to the accepted and non-accepted limb, touching the body part or simulating the contact (stimuli approach the body without contacting it), hypothesizing that these individuals have responses like somatoparaphrenic patients, who previously showed reduced pain anticipation, when the threat was directed to the disowned limb. We found reduced anticipatory response to stimuli approaching, but not contacting, the unwanted limb. Conversely, stimuli contacting the non-accepted body-part, induced stronger SCR than those contacting the healthy parts, suggesting that feeling of ownership is critically related to a proper processing of incoming threats. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Examining an Elaborated Sociocultural Model of Disordered Eating Among College Women: The Roles of Social Comparison and Body Surveillance

PubMed Central

Fitzsimmons-Craft, Ellen E.; Bardone-Cone, Anna M.; Bulik, Cynthia M.; Wonderlich, Stephen A.; Crosby, Ross D.; Engel, Scott G.

2014-01-01

Social comparison (i.e., body, eating, exercise) and body surveillance were tested as mediators of the thin-ideal internalization-body dissatisfaction relationship in the context of an elaborated sociocultural model of disordered eating. Participants were 219 college women who completed two questionnaire sessions 3 months apart. The cross-sectional elaborated sociocultural model (i.e., including social comparison and body surveillance as mediators of the thin-ideal internalization-body dissatisfaction relation) provided a good fit to the data, and the total indirect effect from thin-ideal internalization to body dissatisfaction through the mediators was significant. Social comparison emerged as a significant specific mediator while body surveillance did not. The mediation model did not hold prospectively; however, social comparison accounted for unique variance in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating 3 months later. Results suggest that thin-ideal internalization may not be “automatically” associated with body dissatisfaction and that it may be especially important to target comparison in prevention and intervention efforts. PMID:25160010

International symposium on in vivo body composition studies: Program and abstracts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1986-01-01

This booklet contains the program and individual abstracts for papers presented at the International symposium on in vivo body composition studies. The presentations were divided into five sessions. Individual abstracts were indexed for the Energy Data Base. (DT)

Recognition and characterization of networks of water bodies in the Arctic ice-wedge polygonal tundra using high-resolution satellite imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skurikhin, A. N.; Gangodagamage, C.; Rowland, J. C.; Wilson, C. J.

2013-12-01

Arctic lowland landscapes underlain by permafrost are often characterized by polygon-like patterns such as ice-wedge polygons outlined by networks of ice wedges and complemented with polygon rims, troughs, shallow ponds and thermokarst lakes. Polygonal patterns and corresponding features are relatively easy to recognize in high spatial resolution satellite imagery by a human, but their automated recognition is challenging due to the variability in their spectral appearance, the irregularity of individual trough spacing and orientation within the patterns, and a lack of unique spectral response attributable to troughs with widths commonly between 1 m and 2 m. Accurate identification of fine scale elements of ice-wedge polygonal tundra is important as their imprecise recognition may bias estimates of water, heat and carbon fluxes in large-scale climate models. Our focus is on the problem of identification of Arctic polygonal tundra fine-scale landscape elements (as small as 1 m - 2 m width). The challenge of the considered problem is that while large water bodies (e.g. lakes and rivers) can be recognized based on spectral response, reliable recognition of troughs is more difficult. Troughs do not have unique spectral signature, their appearance is noisy (edges are not strong), their width is small, and they often form connected networks with ponds and lakes, and thus they have overlapping spectral response with other water bodies and surrounding non-water bodies. We present a semi-automated approach to identify and classify Arctic polygonal tundra landscape components across the range of spatial scales, such as troughs, ponds, river- and lake-like objects, using high spatial resolution satellite imagery. The novelty of the approach lies in: (1) the combined use of segmentation and shape-based classification to identify a broad range of water bodies, including troughs, and (2) the use of high-resolution WorldView-2 satellite imagery (with resolution of 0.6 m) for this identification. The approach starts by segmenting water bodies from an image, which are then categorized using shape-based classification. Segmentation uses combination of pan sharpened multispectral bands and is based on the active contours without edges technique. The segmentation is robust to noise and can detect objects with weak boundaries that is important for extraction of troughs. We then categorize the segmented regions via shape based classification. Because segmentation accuracy is the main factor impacting the quality of the shape-based classification, for segmentation accuracy assessment we created reference image using WorldView-2 satellite image of ice-wedge polygonal tundra. Reference image contained manually labelled image regions which cover components of drainage networks, such as troughs, ponds, rivers and lakes. The evaluation has shown that the approach provides a good accuracy of segmentation and reasonable classification results. The overall accuracy of the segmentation is approximately 95%, the segmentation user's and producer's accuracies are approximately 92% and 97% respectively.

Depictive and metric body size estimation in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Mölbert, Simone Claire; Klein, Lukas; Thaler, Anne; Mohler, Betty J; Brozzo, Chiara; Martus, Peter; Karnath, Hans-Otto; Zipfel, Stephan; Giel, Katrin Elisabeth

2017-11-01

A distorted representation of one's own body is a diagnostic criterion and core psychopathology of both anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). Despite recent technical advances in research, it is still unknown whether this body image disturbance is characterized by body dissatisfaction and a low ideal weight and/or includes a distorted perception or processing of body size. In this article, we provide an update and meta-analysis of 42 articles summarizing measures and results for body size estimation (BSE) from 926 individuals with AN, 536 individuals with BN and 1920 controls. We replicate findings that individuals with AN and BN overestimate their body size as compared to controls (ES=0.63). Our meta-regression shows that metric methods (BSE by direct or indirect spatial measures) yield larger effect sizes than depictive methods (BSE by evaluating distorted pictures), and that effect sizes are larger for patients with BN than for patients with AN. To interpret these results, we suggest a revised theoretical framework for BSE that accounts for differences between depictive and metric BSE methods regarding the underlying body representations (conceptual vs. perceptual, implicit vs. explicit). We also discuss clinical implications and argue for the importance of multimethod approaches to investigate body image disturbance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A test of the resource security and the body mass index reference point hypotheses of body dissatisfaction amongst adolescents in eight countries.

PubMed

Mellor, David; Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew; McCabe, Marita P; Ricciardelli, Lina A; Skouteris, Helen; Mussap, Alexander J

2014-01-01

This study aimed to identify cultural-level variables that may influence the extent to which adolescents from different cultural groups are dissatisfied with their bodies. A sample of 1730 male and 2000 female adolescents from Australia, Fiji, Malaysia, Tonga, Tongans in New Zealand, China, Chile, and Greece completed measures of body satisfaction, and the sociocultural influences on body image and body change questionnaire, and self-reported height and weight. Country gross domestic product and national obesity were recorded using global databases. Prevalence of obesity/overweight and cultural endorsement of appearance standards explained variance in individual-level body dissatisfaction (BD) scores, even after controlling for the influence of individual differences in body mass index and internalization of appearance standards. Cultural-level variables may account for the development of adolescent BD.

Does human body odor represent a significant and rewarding social signal to individuals high in social openness?

PubMed

Lübke, Katrin T; Croy, Ilona; Hoenen, Matthias; Gerber, Johannes; Pause, Bettina M; Hummel, Thomas

2014-01-01

Across a wide variety of domains, experts differ from novices in their response to stimuli linked to their respective field of expertise. It is currently unknown whether similar patterns can be observed with regard to social expertise. The current study therefore focuses on social openness, a central social skill necessary to initiate social contact. Human body odors were used as social cues, as they inherently signal the presence of another human being. Using functional MRI, hemodynamic brain responses to body odors of women reporting a high (n = 14) or a low (n = 12) level of social openness were compared. Greater activation within the inferior frontal gyrus and the caudate nucleus was observed in high socially open individuals compared to individuals low in social openness. With the inferior frontal gyrus being a crucial part of the human mirror neuron system, and the caudate nucleus being implicated in social reward, it is discussed whether human body odor might constitute more of a significant and rewarding social signal to individuals high in social openness compared to individuals low in social openness process.

Force production in the rugby union scrum.

PubMed

Quarrie, K L; Wilson, B D

2000-04-01

In this study, we examined the relationship between anthropometric, strength and power characteristics of rugby forwards, their body position when scrummaging, and their ability to apply force when scrummaging. Force applied to an instrumented scrum machine was measured for 56 players, both individually and as scrum packs. Measurements of body position for individuals were made by digitizing videotape records of the trials. Forty players subsequently had their anthropometry assessed and completed several strength and power tests. Body mass, each component of somatotype, maximal anaerobic power developed on a cycle ergometer, and isokinetic knee extension strength correlated significantly with individual scrummaging force. A regression model (P < 0.001) including body mass, mesomorphy, maximal anaerobic power and hip angle while in the scrummaging position accounted for 45% of the variance in individual scrummaging force. The packs that produced the largest scrummaging forces were, in general, characterized by a greater pack force to sum of individual force ratio than the packs producing lower forces. Our results emphasize the need for a scrum pack to develop technique and coordination as a unit to maximize scrummaging force.

Individual 3D measurements of end users to personalize work wear clothing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mielicka, E.; Napieralska, L.; Jasińska, I.; Jarzyna, V.

2017-10-01

Body silhouette 3D measurements need to be performed separately in each country due to significant ethnic differences in body silhouette which preclude the transfer of European data to particular countries. Systematic research allows to update information on the population body silhouette and body proportions as well as select the size changes possible to implement in clothing construction modifications. The diversity in body silhouettes and sizes as well as the issue of clothing fitting encourage clothing producers to provide work wear clothing based on individual measurements of the end users’ bodies. In the framework of the carried research, the group of construction workers was selected as the target group of the analysed work wear clothing users. 42 construction workers, men only, were measured. The body silhouette measurement process was non-contact and was carried out with the use of 3D body scanner. The collected data on the body silhouette allowed to select sizes used to construct the work wear clothing and identify the clothing size. The selected measurement points of the body silhouette underwent statistical analysis to determine the distribution of random variables, here body sizes. The variables distribution characteristics were calculated. On that basis, the fitting appraisal of work wear clothing with respect to the size of the finished product corresponding to the adequate size of individually measured worker/end user was performed. The size overview of the work wear clothing used by the specific professional group and the appraisal of the size fitting to the body silhouette took into consideration the work wear clothing ergonomic functionality with respect to the body posture when performing the tasks, design and clothing construction. The analysis based on the currently gathered end users’ remarks and objections concerning the clothing fitting and performed body silhouette measurements allows to modify the existing work wear clothing for the selected group of end users. The research was aimed at the improvement of the work wear clothing fitting thanks to personalization based on individual body measurements at the stage of construction design.

Analysis of Attentional Bias towards Attractive and Unattractive Body Regions among Overweight Males and Females: An Eye-Movement Study.

PubMed

Warschburger, Petra; Calvano, Claudia; Richter, Eike M; Engbert, Ralf

2015-01-01

Body image distortion is highly prevalent among overweight individuals. Whilst there is evidence that body-dissatisfied women and those suffering from disordered eating show a negative attentional bias towards their own unattractive body parts and others' attractive body parts, little is known about visual attention patterns in the area of obesity and with respect to males. Since eating disorders and obesity share common features in terms of distorted body image and body dissatisfaction, the aim of this study was to examine whether overweight men and women show a similar attentional bias. We analyzed eye movements in 30 overweight individuals (18 females) and 28 normal-weight individuals (16 females) with respect to the participants' own pictures as well as gender- and BMI-matched control pictures (front and back view). Additionally, we assessed body image and disordered eating using validated questionnaires. The overweight sample rated their own body as less attractive and showed a more disturbed body image. Contrary to our assumptions, they focused significantly longer on attractive compared to unattractive regions of both their own and the control body. For one's own body, this was more pronounced for women. A higher weight status and more frequent body checking predicted attentional bias towards attractive body parts. We found that overweight adults exhibit an unexpected and stable pattern of selective attention, with a distinctive focus on their own attractive body regions despite higher levels of body dissatisfaction. This positive attentional bias may either be an indicator of a more pronounced pattern of attentional avoidance or a self-enhancing strategy. Further research is warranted to clarify these results.

Analysis of Attentional Bias towards Attractive and Unattractive Body Regions among Overweight Males and Females: An Eye-Movement Study

PubMed Central

Warschburger, Petra; Calvano, Claudia; Richter, Eike M.; Engbert, Ralf

2015-01-01

Background Body image distortion is highly prevalent among overweight individuals. Whilst there is evidence that body-dissatisfied women and those suffering from disordered eating show a negative attentional bias towards their own unattractive body parts and others’ attractive body parts, little is known about visual attention patterns in the area of obesity and with respect to males. Since eating disorders and obesity share common features in terms of distorted body image and body dissatisfaction, the aim of this study was to examine whether overweight men and women show a similar attentional bias. Methods/Design We analyzed eye movements in 30 overweight individuals (18 females) and 28 normal-weight individuals (16 females) with respect to the participants’ own pictures as well as gender- and BMI-matched control pictures (front and back view). Additionally, we assessed body image and disordered eating using validated questionnaires. Discussion The overweight sample rated their own body as less attractive and showed a more disturbed body image. Contrary to our assumptions, they focused significantly longer on attractive compared to unattractive regions of both their own and the control body. For one’s own body, this was more pronounced for women. A higher weight status and more frequent body checking predicted attentional bias towards attractive body parts. We found that overweight adults exhibit an unexpected and stable pattern of selective attention, with a distinctive focus on their own attractive body regions despite higher levels of body dissatisfaction. This positive attentional bias may either be an indicator of a more pronounced pattern of attentional avoidance or a self-enhancing strategy. Further research is warranted to clarify these results. PMID:26479500

Chromatin configuration and epigenetic landscape at the sex chromosome bivalent during equine spermatogenesis

PubMed Central

Baumann, Claudia; Daly, Christopher M.; McDonnell, Sue M.; Viveiros, Maria M.; De La Fuente, Rabindranath

2011-01-01

Pairing of the sex chromosomes during mammalian meiosis is characterized by the formation of a unique heterochromatin structure at the XY body. The mechanisms underlying the formation of this nuclear domain are reportedly highly conserved from marsupials to mammals. In this study, we demonstrate that in contrast to all eutherian species studied to date, partial synapsis of the heterologous sex chromosomes during pachytene stage in the horse is not associated with the formation of a typical macrochromatin domain at the XY body. While phosphorylated histone H2AX (γH2AX) and macroH2A1.2 are present as a diffuse signal over the entire macrochromatin domain in mouse pachytene spermatocytes, γH2AX, macroH2A1.2, and the cohesin subunit SMC3 are preferentially enriched at meiotic sex chromosome cores in equine spermatocytes. Moreover, although several histone modifications associated with this nuclear domain in the mouse such as H3K4me2 and ubH2A are conspicuously absent in the equine XY body, prominent RNA polymerase II foci persist at the sex chromosomes. Thus, the localization of key marker proteins and histone modifications associated with the XY body in the horse differs significantly from all other mammalian systems described. These results demonstrate that the epigenetic landscape and heterochromatinization of the equine XY body might be regulated by alternative mechanisms and that some features of XY body formation may be evolutionary divergent in the domestic horse. We propose equine spermatogenesis as a unique model system for the study of the regulatory networks leading to the epigenetic control of gene expression during XY body formation. PMID:21274552

A Unique Case of Malignant Pleuropericardial Effusion: HHV-8-Unrelated PEL-Like Lymphoma—A Case Report and Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Mohammad, Farhan; Siddique, Muhammad Neaman; Siddiqui, Faraz; Popalzai, M.; Asgari, Masoud; Odaimi, Marcel

2014-01-01

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) or body cavity lymphoma is a rare type of extra nodal lymphoma of B-cell origin that presents as lymphomatous effusion(s) without any nodal enlargement or tumor masses. It belongs to the group of AIDS related non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. First described in 1996 in HIV infected individuals who were coinfected with Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) or HHV-8 virus, it was included as a separate entity in WHO classification of tumors of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissue in the year 2001. The definition included association with HHV-8 virus as a mandatory diagnostic criterion. However, cases were later reported where PEL-like disease process was diagnosed in HHV-8 negative patients. This was eventually recognized as a rare but distinct entity termed as “HHV-8-unrelated PEL-like lymphoma”. Herein, we are reporting a case of an elderly patient who presented with a large pleuropericardial effusion and was eventually diagnosed with this entity. Till date, only around 50 cases of HHV-8-unrelated PEL-like lymphoma have been reported and our case being EBV, HIV, and Hepatitis C negative makes it very unique and rare occurrence. We are also presenting a review of relevant literature focused mainly on comparing outcomes in patients treated with and without chemotherapy. PMID:24716045

The utility of Twitter as a tool for increasing reach of research on sexual violence.

PubMed

Wekerle, Christine; Vakili, Negar; Stewart, Sherry H; Black, Tara

2018-05-16

Researchers in violence prevention areas seek to disseminate work for impact to practice and policy. Knowledge transfer, exchange, and mobilization are common terms for research knowledge utilization where public communication platforms are playing an increasing role, having unique capacity to connect stakeholders in advocacy and lived experience, academia, non-governmental organizations, government-supported organizations, such as child welfare, and research funding bodies. Social networking platforms provide a communication intervention opportunity to test the effectiveness of the research reach. A Canadian Institutes of Health Research- funded team grant in boys' and men's health, focusing on sexual violence (SV) victimization, health, and resilience undertook an evaluation to examine whether a strategic approach involving a cadre of SV experts (n = 46) and their research increased engagement. Using a unique identifier (#CIHRTeamSV) content was shared on social media (Twitter) within an ABABAB experimental monthly format (A = no sharing; B = sharing content), following a baseline entry of researchers. Active Twitter engagement lead to increases in the number of individuals' profile views, article downloads, and citations. These findings encourage further research into the utility of social media for disseminating sexual violence research, and that social media has developed as a forum for evidence-based conversation on sensitive topics of public health import. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Skeletal adaptations associated with pre-pubertal gymnastics participation as determined by DXA and pQCT: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Burt, Lauren A; Greene, David A; Ducher, Gaele; Naughton, Geraldine A

2013-05-01

Participation in gymnastics prior to puberty offers an intriguing and unique model, particularly in girls. The individuality comes from both upper and lower limbs being exposed to high mechanical loading through year long intensive training programs, initiated at a young age. Studying this unique model and the associated changes in musculoskeletal health during growth is an area of specific interest. Previous reviews on gymnastics participation and bone health have been broad; and not limited to a particular maturation period, such as pre-puberty. To determine the difference in skeletal health between pre-pubertal girls participating in gymnastics compared with non-gymnasts. Meta-analysis. Following a systematic search, 17 studies were included in this meta-analysis. All studies used dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to assess bone mineral density and bone mineral content. In addition, two studies included peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Following the implementation of a random effects model, gymnasts were found to have greater bone properties than non-gymnasts. The largest difference in bone health between gymnasts and non-gymnasts was observed in peripheral quantitative computed tomography-derived volumetric bone mineral density at the distal radius (d=1.06). Participation in gymnastics during pre-pubertal growth was associated with skeletal health benefits, particularly to the upper body. Copyright © 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic contact problem with adhesion and damage between thermo-electro-elasto-viscoplastic bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadj ammar, Tedjani; Saïdi, Abdelkader; Azeb Ahmed, Abdelaziz

2017-05-01

We study of a dynamic contact problem between two thermo-electro-elasto-viscoplastic bodies with damage and adhesion. The contact is frictionless and is modeled with normal compliance condition. We derive variational formulation for the model and prove an existence and uniqueness result of the weak solution. The proof is based on arguments of evolutionary variational inequalities, parabolic inequalities, differential equations, and fixed point theorem.

Random Number Generation in Autism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Mark A.; Moss, Simon A.; Bradshaw, John L.; Rinehart, Nicole J.

2002-01-01

This study explored the ability of 14 individuals with autism to generate a unique series of digits. Individuals with autism were more likely to repeat previous digits than comparison individuals, suggesting they may exhibit a shortfall in response inhibition. Results support the executive dysfunction theory of autism. (Contains references.)…

Pharmacologic modulation of protein kinase C isozymes: the role of RACKs and subcellular localisation.

PubMed

Csukai, M; Mochly-Rosen, D

1999-04-01

Protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes are highly homologous kinases and several different isozymes can be present in a cell. Each isozyme is likely to mediate unique functions, but pharmacological tools to explore their isozyme-specific roles have not been available until recently. In this review, we describe the development and application of isozyme-selective inhibitors of PKC. The identification of these inhibitors stems from the observation that PKC isozymes are each localised to unique subcellular locations following activation. Inhibitors of this isozyme-unique localisation have been shown to act as selective inhibitors of the functions of individual isozymes. The identification of isozyme-specific inhibitors should allow the exploration of individual PKC isozyme function in a wide range of cell systems. Copyright 1999 The Italian Pharmacological Society.

Plotting the Self: Repurposing Our Stories as the Mythos of Second Phase Individuation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myrow, Neora

2009-01-01

Individuation is both the crowning idea of C. G. Jung's analytic psychology and directs how we read stories in the nascent field of mythological studies from a depth psychological perspective. This project considers individuation from a unique angle: its narrative form. It seeks the "plot" or "mythos" of individuation in an Aristotelian sense.…

Hoplitolyda duolunica gen. et sp. nov. (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Praesiricidae), the Hitherto Largest Sawfly from the Mesozoic of China

PubMed Central

Gao, Taiping; Shih, Chungkun; Rasnitsyn, Alexandr P.; Ren, Dong

2013-01-01

Background Large body size of an insect, in general, enhances its capability of predation, competition, and defense, resulting in better survivability and reproduction. Hymenopterans, most being phytophagous or parasitic, have a relatively small to medium body size, typically under 50.0 mm in body length. Principal Findings Herein, we describe Hoplitolyda duolunica gen. et sp. nov., assigned to Praesiricidae, from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of China. This new species is the largest fossil hymenopteran hitherto with body estimated >55.0 mm long and wing span >92.0 mm. H. duolunica is, to our knowledge, the only sawfly with Sc present in the hind wing but not in the forewing. Its Rs1 and M1 meeting each other at 145° angle represents an intermediate in the transition from “Y” to “T” shapes. Even though Hoplitolyda differs significantly from all previously described genera in two subfamilies of Praesricidae, we leave the new genus unplaced in existing subfamilies, pending discovery of material with more taxonomic structure. Conclusions/Significance Hoplitolyda has many unique and interesting characters which might have benefitted its competition, survival, and reproduction: large body size and head with robust and strong mandibles for defense and/or sexual selection, unique wing venation and setal arrangements for flight capability and mobility, dense hairs on body and legs for sensing and protection, etc. Considering the reported ferocious predators of feathered dinosaurs, pterosaurs, birds, and mammals coexisting in the same eco-system, Hoplitolyda is an interesting case of “survival of the fittest” in facing its evolutionary challenges. PMID:23671596

A unique case of penetrating neck and cervical spine trauma resulting in vertebral artery transection and internal carotid artery laceration.

PubMed

Marston, Alexander P; Montenegro, Monique M; Oldenburg, Michael S; Thom, Joshua T; Driscoll, Colin L W

2016-01-01

Describe the presentation and treatment of a patient who suffered a penetrating cervical trauma resulting in occlusion of the vertebral and internal carotid arteries. The electronic medical record was used to collect information pertaining to the patient's clinical history. A 20-year-old male suffered a unique penetrating neck injury resulting in simultaneous injuries to the internal carotid and vertebral arteries as demonstrated by pre-operative angiography. Combined endovascular and open surgical approaches were utilized to successfully manage the vascular injuries prior to foreign body extraction. Complex penetrating cervical trauma is best managed with a multidisciplinary and multimodality approach. In appropriately selected patients, pre-operative angiography is a critical diagnostic modality that can prevent life-threatening hemorrhage following foreign body extraction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mindfulness: Reconnecting the Body and Mind in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology

PubMed Central

Rejeski, W. Jack

2008-01-01

Derived from Buddhism, mindfulness is a unique approach for understanding human suffering and happiness that has attracted rapidly growing interest among health care professionals. In this article I describe current thinking about the concept of mindfulness and elaborate on why and how mindfulness-based interventions have potential within the context of geriatric medicine and gerontology. Upon reviewing definitions and models of the concept, I give attention to the unique role that the body plays in cultivating mindfulness and the advantages that this focus has for older adults because they have aging biological systems and may experience chronic disease, pain, and disability. In the final section I discuss why mindfulness may be particularly useful in promoting physical activity among older adults and how physical activity may be used as a vehicle to promote mindfulness. PMID:18483425

An embodied view of octopus neurobiology.

PubMed

Hochner, Binyamin

2012-10-23

Octopuses have a unique flexible body and unusual morphology, but nevertheless they are undoubtedly a great evolutionary success. They compete successfully with vertebrates in their ecological niche using a rich behavioral repertoire more typical of an intelligent predator which includes extremely effective defensive behavior--fast escape swimming and an astonishing ability to adapt their shape and color to their environment. The most obvious characteristic feature of an octopus is its eight long and flexible arms, but these pose a great challenge for achieving the level of motor and sensory information processing necessary for their behaviors. First, coordinating motion is a formidable task because of the infinite degrees of freedom that have to be controlled; and second, it is hard to use body coordinates in this flexible animal to represent sensory information in a central control system. Here I will review experimental results suggesting that these difficulties, arising from the animal's morphology, have imposed the evolution of unique brain/body/behavior relationships best explained as intelligent behavior which emerges from the octopus's embodied organization. The term 'intelligent embodiment' comes from robotics and refers to an approach to designing autonomous robots in which the behavior emerges from the dynamic physical and sensory interactions of the agent's materials, morphology and environment. Consideration of the unusual neurobiology of the octopus in the light of its unique morphology suggests that similar embodied principles are instrumental for understanding the emergence of intelligent behavior in all biological systems. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unique determination of stratified steady water waves from pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Robin Ming; Walsh, Samuel

2018-01-01

Consider a two-dimensional stratified solitary wave propagating through a body of water that is bounded below by an impermeable ocean bed. In this work, we study how such a wave can be recovered from data consisting of the wave speed, upstream and downstream density and velocity profile, and the trace of the pressure on the bed. In particular, we prove that this data uniquely determines the wave, both in the (real) analytic and Sobolev regimes.

External Memory Aid Preferences of Individuals with Mild Memory Impairments.

PubMed

Lanzi, Alyssa; Wallace, Sarah E; Bourgeois, Michelle S

2018-07-01

Individuals with mild memory impairments often rely on external memory aids (EMAs) to compensate for impaired cognitive abilities and to support independent completion of activities of daily living. These strategies are evidence based; however, professionals have limited knowledge regarding individual preferences and guidance on how to incorporate a person-centered approach into the EMA development phase. The purpose of the current study was to qualitatively investigate individuals' preferences and experiences as they relate to EMAs. Data analysis included (1) evaluation of a posttreatment questionnaire to explore individual strategy preferences following intervention and (2) evaluation of group intervention videos using thematic coding to investigate individuals' experiences with strategies during intervention. Results suggest that older adults with mild memory impairments have unique preferences and experiences, despite limited variability in demographic characteristics. Some themes that emerged included memory ability awareness and attitudes toward technology. Within a person-centered approach, skilled professionals must consider individuals' unique needs, preferences, and experiences when developing strategies throughout the continuum of care to promote sustained EMA use within everyday settings. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Advanced selective non-invasive ketone body detection sensors based on new ionophores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sathyapalan, A.; Sarswat, P. K.; Zhu, Y.; Free, M. L.

2014-12-01

New molecules and methods were examined that can be used to detect trace level ketone bodies. Diseases such as type 1 diabetes, childhood hypo-glycaemia-growth hormone deficiency, toxic inhalation, and body metabolism changes are linked with ketone bodies concentration. Here we introduce, selective ketone body detection sensors based on small, environmentally friendly organic molecules with Lewis acid additives. Density functional theory (DFT) simulation of the sensor molecules (Bromo-acetonaphthone tungstate (BANT) and acetonaphthophenyl ether propiono hydroxyl tungstate (APPHT)), indicated a fully relaxed geometry without symmetry attributes and specific coordination which enhances ketone bodies sensitivity. A portable sensing unit was made in which detection media containing ketone bodies at low concentration and new molecules show color change in visible light as well as unique irradiance during UV illumination. RGB analysis, electrochemical tests, SEM characterization, FTIR, absorbance and emission spectroscopy were also performed in order to validate the ketone sensitivity of these new molecules.

Men in the Mirror: The Role of Men's Body Shame in Sexual Aggression.

PubMed

Mescher, Kris; Rudman, Laurie A

2014-08-01

Because research on body shame has predominantly focused on women, the consequences of male body shame for gender relations have been under-investigated. Following up on preliminary findings suggesting that men high on body shame were hostile toward women, in two experiments, we uniquely observed that body shame predisposes men to sexual aggression when they react negatively to masculinity threats. In Experiment 1, men rejected by a female confederate for being unattractive showed rape proclivity to the extent they were high on both body shame and post-rejection negative affect. In Experiment 2, the same pattern emerged on the part of men rejected by a female (but not a male) confederate for ostensibly being gay. In concert, the findings suggest that men's body shame is an overlooked factor in sexual aggression, which has implications for extant rape theories and precarious manhood theory. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Individual (co)variation in standard metabolic rate, feeding rate, and exploratory behavior in wild-caught semiaquatic salamanders.

PubMed

Gifford, Matthew E; Clay, Timothy A; Careau, Vincent

2014-01-01

Repeatability is an important concept in evolutionary analyses because it provides information regarding the benefit of repeated measurements and, in most cases, a putative upper limit to heritability estimates. Repeatability (R) of different aspects of energy metabolism and behavior has been demonstrated in a variety of organisms over short and long time intervals. Recent research suggests that consistent individual differences in behavior and energy metabolism might covary. Here we present new data on the repeatability of body mass, standard metabolic rate (SMR), voluntary exploratory behavior, and feeding rate in a semiaquatic salamander and ask whether individual variation in behavioral traits is correlated with individual variation in metabolism on a whole-animal basis and after conditioning on body mass. All measured traits were repeatable, but the repeatability estimates ranged from very high for body mass (R = 0.98), to intermediate for SMR (R = 0.39) and food intake (R = 0.58), to low for exploratory behavior (R = 0.25). Moreover, repeatability estimates for all traits except body mass declined over time (i.e., from 3 to 9 wk), although this pattern could be a consequence of the relatively low sample size used in this study. Despite significant repeatability in all traits, we find little evidence that behaviors are correlated with SMR at the phenotypic and among-individual levels when conditioned on body mass. Specifically, the phenotypic correlations between SMR and exploratory behavior were negative in all trials but significantly so in one trial only. Salamanders in this study showed individual variation in how their exploratory behavior changed across trials (but not body mass, SMR, and feed intake), which might have contributed to observed changing correlations across trials.

Effect of fragrance use on discrimination of individual body odor.

PubMed

Allen, Caroline; Havlíček, Jan; Roberts, S Craig

2015-01-01

Previous research suggests that artificial fragrances may be chosen to complement or enhance an individual's body odor, rather than simply masking it, and that this may create an odor blend with an emergent quality that is perceptually distinguishable from body odor or fragrance alone. From this, it can be predicted that a new emergent odor might be more easily identified than an individual's body odor in isolation. We used a triangle test paradigm to assess whether fragrance affects people's ability to distinguish between individual odors. Six male and six female donors provided axillary odor samples in three conditions (without fragrance, wearing their own fragrance, and wearing an assigned fragrance). In total, 296 female and 131 male participants selected the odd one from three odor samples (two from one donor, one from another; both of the same sex). We found that participants could discriminate between the odors at above chance levels in all three odor conditions. Olfactory identification ability (measured using Sniffin' Sticks) positively predicted discrimination performance, and sex differences in performance were also observed, with female raters being correct more often than men. Success rates were also higher for odors of male donors. Additionally, while performance was above chance in all conditions, individual odor discrimination varied across the three conditions. Discrimination rate was significantly higher in the "no fragrance" condition than either of the fragranced conditions. Importantly, however, discrimination rate was also significantly higher in the "own fragrance" condition than the "assigned fragrance" condition, suggesting that naturally occurring variance in body odor is more preserved when blended with fragrances that people choose for themselves, compared with other fragrances. Our data are consistent with the idea that fragrance choices are influenced by fragrance interactions with an individual's own body odor.

Body condition and habitat use by Hermann's tortoises in burnt and intact habitats

PubMed Central

Lecq, S.; Ballouard, J.-M.; Caron, S.; Livoreil, B.; Seynaeve, V.; Matthieu, L.-A.; Bonnet, X.

2014-01-01

In Mediterranean regions, fires threaten terrestrial tortoises. Nevertheless, varying proportions of adults survive fire; these surviving individuals can play a central role for population recovery. The regions devastated by fire often include important habitat of Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermanni hermanni), so assessing the ability of survivors to persist is essential for conserving the species. Body-condition indices provide an integrative estimate of how well individuals cope with environmental variations and impacts, including fires. Between 2002 and 2009, we monitored Hermann's tortoises in intact and burnt habitats in southeastern France. In summer 2003, a strong fire ravaged half of the surveyed zone, providing an opportunity to compare body condition of tortoises between intact and burnt areas over time. Six years later, the impact of fire on vegetation was still marked; large trees were abundant in the intact area, whereas open shrub vegetation prevailed in the burnt area. In both areas, the mean body condition of tortoises fluctuated over time; however, there were no differences between the two areas. A radio-tracking experiment demonstrated that individuals from each area were residents, and not vagrants commuting between areas. We also assessed changes in body condition and microhabitat use in radio-tracked individuals. We found no significant differences between the tortoises living in the burnt and intact areas, despite subtle differences in habitat use. In conclusion: (i) surviving tortoises in an area ravaged by fire can maintain their body condition like individuals living in an intact area, and thus, individuals from burnt areas should not be translocated to supposedly better areas; and (ii) depopulated burnt areas are likely to be appropriate for population-augmentation programmes. PMID:27293640

Individual variation in functional response parameters is explained by body size but not by behavioural types in a poeciliid fish.

PubMed

Schröder, Arne; Kalinkat, Gregor; Arlinghaus, Robert

2016-12-01

Functional responses are per-capita feeding rate models whose parameters often scale with individual body size but the parameters may also be further influenced by behavioural traits consistently differing among individuals, i.e. behavioural types or animal personalities. Behavioural types may intrinsically lead to lower feeding rates when consistently shy, inactive and easily stressed individuals cannot identify or respond to risk-free environments or need less food due to lower metabolic rates linked to behaviour. To test how much variation in functional response parameters is explained by body size and how much by behavioural types, we estimated attack rate and handling time individually for differently sized female least killifish (Heterandria formosa) and repeatedly measured behavioural traits for each individual. We found that individual fish varied substantially in their attack rate and in their handling time. Behavioural traits were stable over time and varied consistently among individuals along two distinct personality axes. The individual variation in functional responses was explained solely by body size, and contrary to our expectations, not additionally by the existing behavioural types in exploration activity and coping style. While behavioural trait-dependent functional responses may offer a route to the understanding of the food web level consequences of behavioural types, our study is so far only the second one on this topic. Importantly, our results indicate in contrast to that previous study that behavioural types do not per se affect individual functional responses assessed in the absence of external biotic stressors.

Differential processing of social chemosignals obtained from potential partners in regards to gender and sexual orientation.

PubMed

Lübke, Katrin T; Hoenen, Matthias; Pause, Bettina M

2012-03-17

On an individual level, human body odors carry information about whether a person is an eligible mate. The current studies investigate if body odors also transmit information about individuals being potential partners in more general terms, namely in regards to gender and sexual orientation. In study 1, 14 gay and 14 heterosexual men were presented with body odors obtained from potential partners (gay male and heterosexual female body odors, respectively) and heterosexual male body odor as a control. In study 2, 14 lesbian and 14 heterosexual women were presented with lesbian female and heterosexual male body odors representing body odors of potential partners, and heterosexual female body odor as a control. Central nervous processing was analyzed using chemosensory event-related potentials and current source density analysis (64-channel EEG recording). Gay and heterosexual men responded with shorter P2 latencies to the body odors of their preferred sexual partners, and lesbian women responded with shorter P2 latencies to body odors of their preferred gender. In response to heterosexual male body odors, lesbian women displayed the most pronounced P3 amplitude, and distinct neuronal activation in medial frontal and parietal neocortical areas. A similar pattern of neuronal activation was observed in gay men when presented with heterosexual male body odor. Both the early processing advantage (P2) for desirable partners' body odors as well as the enhanced evaluative processing (P3, CSD) of undesirable partners' body odors suggest that human body odors indeed carry information about individuals being potential partners in terms of gender and sexual orientation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Refinement of the tripartite influence model for men: dual body image pathways to body change behaviors.

PubMed

Tylka, Tracy L

2011-06-01

Although muscularity and body fat concerns are central to conceptualizing men's body image, they have not been examined together within existing structural models. This study refined the tripartite influence model (Thompson, Heinberg, Altabe, & Tantleff-Dunn, 1999) by including dual body image pathways (muscularity and body fat dissatisfaction) to engagement in muscular enhancement and disordered eating behaviors, respectively, and added dating partners as a source of social influence. Latent variable structural equation modeling analyses supported this quadripartite model in 473 undergraduate men. Nonsignificant paths were trimmed and two unanticipated paths were added. Muscularity dissatisfaction and body fat dissatisfaction represented dual body image pathways to men's engagement in muscularity enhancement behaviors and disordered eating behaviors, respectively. Pressures to be mesomorphic from friends, family, media, and dating partners made unique contributions to the model. Internalization of the mesomorphic ideal, muscularity dissatisfaction, and body fat dissatisfaction played key meditational roles within the model. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neuropsychologists as primary care providers of cognitive health: A novel comprehensive cognitive wellness service delivery model.

PubMed

Pimental, Patricia A; O'Hara, John B; Jandak, Jessica L

2018-01-01

By virtue of their extensive knowledge base and specialized training in brain-behavior relationships, neuropsychologists are especially poised to execute a unique broad-based approach to overall cognitive wellness and should be viewed as primary care providers of cognitive health. This article will describe a novel comprehensive cognitive wellness service delivery model including cognitive health, anti-aging, lifelong wellness, and longevity-oriented practices. These practice areas include brain-based cognitive wellness, emotional and spiritually centric exploration, and related multimodality health interventions. As experts in mind-body connections, neuropsychologists can provide a variety of evidence-based treatment options, empowering patients with a sense of value and purpose. Multiple areas of clinical therapy skill-based learning, tailor-made to fit individual needs, will be discussed including: brain stimulating activities, restorative techniques, automatic negative thoughts and maladaptive thinking reduction, inflammation and pain management techniques, nutrition and culinary focused cognitive wellness, spirituality based practices and mindfulness, movement and exercise, alternative/complimentary therapies, relationship restoration/social engagement, and trauma healing/meaning. Cognitive health rests upon the foundation of counteracting mind-body connection disruptions from multiple etiologies including inflammation, chronic stress, metabolic issues, cardiac conditions, autoimmune disease, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, and allergy spectrum disorders. Superimposed on these issues are lifestyle patterns and negative health behaviors that develop as ill-fated compensatory mechanisms used to cope with life stressors and aging. The brain and body are electrical systems that can "short circuit." The therapy practices inherent in the proposed cognitive wellness service delivery model can provide preventative insulation and circuit breaking against the shock of illness.

The Neural Mechanisms of Meditative Practices: Novel Approaches for Healthy Aging.

PubMed

Acevedo, Bianca P; Pospos, Sarah; Lavretsky, Helen

2016-01-01

Meditation has been shown to have physical, cognitive, and psychological health benefits that can be used to promote healthy aging. However, the common and specific mechanisms of response remain elusive due to the diverse nature of mind-body practices. In this review, we aim to compare the neural circuits implicated in focused-attention meditative practices that focus on present-moment awareness to those involved in active-type meditative practices (e.g., yoga) that combine movement, including chanting, with breath practices and meditation. Recent meta-analyses and individual studies demonstrated common brain effects for attention-based meditative practices and active-based meditations in areas involved in reward processing and learning, attention and memory, awareness and sensory integration, and self-referential processing and emotional control, while deactivation was seen in the amygdala, an area implicated in emotion processing. Unique effects for mindfulness practices were found in brain regions involved in body awareness, attention, and the integration of emotion and sensory processing. Effects specific to active-based meditations appeared in brain areas involved in self-control, social cognition, language, speech, tactile stimulation, sensorimotor integration, and motor function. This review suggests that mind-body practices can target different brain systems that are involved in the regulation of attention, emotional control, mood, and executive cognition that can be used to treat or prevent mood and cognitive disorders of aging, such as depression and caregiver stress, or serve as "brain fitness" exercise. Benefits may include improving brain functional connectivity in brain systems that generally degenerate with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other aging-related diseases.

Outdoor thermal physiology along human pathways: a study using a wearable measurement system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakayoshi, Makoto; Kanda, Manabu; Shi, Rui; de Dear, Richard

2015-05-01

An outdoor summer study on thermal physiology along subjects' pathways was conducted in a Japanese city using a unique wearable measurement system that measures all the relevant thermal variables: ambient temperature, humidity, wind speed ( U) and short/long-wave radiation ( S and L), along with some physio-psychological parameters: skin temperature ( T skin), pulse rate, subjective thermal sensation and state of body motion. U, S and L were measured using a globe anemo-radiometer adapted use with pedestrian subjects. The subjects were 26 healthy Japanese adults (14 males, 12 females) ranging from 23 to 74 years in age. Each subject wore a set of instruments that recorded individual microclimate and physiological responses along a designated pedestrian route that traversed various urban textures. The subjects experienced varying thermal environments that could not be represented by fixed-point routine observational data. S fluctuated significantly reflecting the mixture of sunlit/shade distributions within complex urban morphology. U was generally low within urban canyons due to drag by urban obstacles such as buildings but the subjects' movements enhanced convective heat exchanges with the atmosphere, leading to a drop in T skin. The amount of sweating increased as standard effective temperature (SET*) increased. A clear dependence of sweating on gender and body size was found; males sweated more than females; overweight subjects sweated more than standard/underweight subjects. T skin had a linear relationship with SET* and a similarly clear dependence on gender and body size differences. T skin of the higher-sweating groups was lower than that of the lower-sweating groups, reflecting differences in evaporative cooling by perspiration.

Baseline glucocorticoids are drivers of body mass gain in a diving seabird

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hennin, Holly; Berlin, Alicia; Love, Oliver P.

2016-01-01

Life-history trade-offs are influenced by variation in individual state, with individuals in better condition often completing life-history stages with greater success. Although resource accrual significantly impacts key life-history decisions such as the timing of reproduction, little is known about the underlying mechanisms driving resource accumulation. Baseline corticosterone (CORT, the primary avian glucocorticoid) mediates daily and seasonal energetics, responds to changes in food availability, and has been linked to foraging behavior, making it a strong potential driver of individual variation in resource accrual and deposition. Working with a captive colony of white-winged scoters (Melanitta fusca deglandi), we aimed to causally determine whether variation in baseline CORT drives individual body mass gains mediated through fattening rate (plasma triglycerides corrected for body mass). We implanted individuals with each of three treatment pellets to elevate CORT within a baseline range in a randomized order: control, low dose of CORT, high dose of CORT, then blood sampled and recorded body mass over a two-week period to track changes in baseline CORT, body mass, and fattening rates. The high CORT treatment significantly elevated levels of plasma hormone for a short period of time within the biologically relevant, baseline range for this species, but importantly did not inhibit the function of the HPA (hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal) axis. Furthermore, an elevation in baseline CORT resulted in a consistent increase in body mass throughout the trial period compared to controls. This is some of the first empirical evidence demonstrating that elevations of baseline CORT within a biologically relevant range have a causal, direct, and positive influence on changes in body mass.

Baseline glucocorticoids are drivers of body mass gain in a diving seabird.

PubMed

Hennin, Holly L; Wells-Berlin, Alicia M; Love, Oliver P

2016-03-01

Life-history trade-offs are influenced by variation in individual state, with individuals in better condition often completing life-history stages with greater success. Although resource accrual significantly impacts key life-history decisions such as the timing of reproduction, little is known about the underlying mechanisms driving resource accumulation. Baseline corticosterone (CORT, the primary avian glucocorticoid) mediates daily and seasonal energetics, responds to changes in food availability, and has been linked to foraging behavior, making it a strong potential driver of individual variation in resource accrual and deposition. Working with a captive colony of white-winged scoters (Melanitta fusca deglandi), we aimed to causally determine whether variation in baseline CORT drives individual body mass gains mediated through fattening rate (plasma triglycerides corrected for body mass). We implanted individuals with each of three treatment pellets to elevate CORT within a baseline range in a randomized order: control, low dose of CORT, high dose of CORT, then blood sampled and recorded body mass over a two-week period to track changes in baseline CORT, body mass, and fattening rates. The high CORT treatment significantly elevated levels of plasma hormone for a short period of time within the biologically relevant, baseline range for this species, but importantly did not inhibit the function of the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis. Furthermore, an elevation in baseline CORT resulted in a consistent increase in body mass throughout the trial period compared to controls. This is some of the first empirical evidence demonstrating that elevations of baseline CORT within a biologically relevant range have a causal, direct, and positive influence on changes in body mass.

The extent to which garments affect the assessment of body shapes of males from faceless CCTV images.

PubMed

Lucas, Teghan; Kumaratilake, Jaliya; Henneberg, Maciej

2014-01-01

Closed circuit television (CCTV) systems are being widely used in crime surveillance. The images produced are of poor quality often face details are not visible, however expert witnesses in the field of biological anthropology use morphological descriptions of body shapes in an attempt to identify persons of interest. These methods can be applied to individual images when other cues such as gait, are not present. Criminals commonly disguise their faces, but body shape characteristics can be used to distinguish a person of interest from others. Garments may distort the body shape appearance, thus this study was undertaken to investigate the effects of garments on the description of body shape from CCTV images. Twelve adult males representing a wide body shape range of Sheldonian somatotypes were photographed in identical garments comprising of tight fitting black shirt, horizontally striped shirt, padded leather jacket and in naked torso. These photographs were assessed by 51 males and females aged 18-50 years, with varying levels of education, and different experience in use of CCTV images for identification of people, to identify the 12 participants. The effect of assessors was not significant. They correctly distinguished 88.6% of individuals wearing the same wear, but could not match the same individuals wearing different wear above the random expectations. However, they matched somatotypes above random expectation. Type of clothing produced little bias in somatotype matching; ectomorphic component of individuals wearing black shirts and padded jackets was overestimated and underestimated, respectively. In conclusion, type of the wear had little effect in the description of individuals from CCTV images using the body shapes.

Arousal from sleep: The uniqueness of an individual's response and the problem of noise control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levere, T. E.

1979-01-01

The dynamic nature of sleep is reviewed. Research is then presented concerning two fundamental issues: (1) does an individual react differently to auditory sounds when asleep as compared to when the individual is awake and (2) does sleep disruption necessarily involve behavioral awakening?

The Biological Basis of Learning and Individuality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kandel, Eric R.; Hawkins, Robert D.

1992-01-01

Describes the biological basis of learning and individuality. Presents an overview of recent discoveries that suggest learning engages a simple set of rules that modify the strength of connection between neurons in the brain. The changes are cited as playing an important role in making each individual unique. (MCO)

Sex differences in body anthropometry and composition in individuals with and without diabetes in the UK Biobank.

PubMed

Peters, Sanne A E; Huxley, Rachel R; Woodward, Mark

2016-01-06

Type I and II diabetes are associated with a greater relative risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in women than in men. Sex differences in adiposity storage may explain these findings. A cross-sectional study of 480,813 participants from the UK Biobank without history of CVD was conducted to assess whether the difference in body size in people with and without diabetes was greater in women than in men. Age-adjusted linear regression analyses were used to obtain the mean difference in women minus men in the difference in body size measures, separately for type I and II diabetes. Body size was higher in individuals with diabetes than in individuals without diabetes, particularly in type II diabetes. Differences in body size between individuals with and without type II diabetes were more extreme in women than in men; compared to those without type II diabetes, body mass index and waist circumference were 1.94 (95% CI 1.82 to 2.07) and 4.84 (4.53 to 5.16) higher in women than in men, respectively. In type I diabetes, body size differed to a similar extent between those with and without diabetes in women as in men. This pattern was observed across all prespecified subgroups. Differences in body size associated with diabetes were significantly greater in women than in men in type II diabetes but not in type I diabetes. Prospective studies can determine whether sex differences in body size associated with diabetes underpin some of the excess risk for CVD in women with type II diabetes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Linking body mass and group dynamics in an obligate cooperative breeder.

PubMed

Ozgul, Arpat; Bateman, Andrew W; English, Sinead; Coulson, Tim; Clutton-Brock, Tim H

2014-11-01

Social and environmental factors influence key life-history processes and population dynamics by affecting fitness-related phenotypic traits such as body mass. The role of body mass is particularly pronounced in cooperative breeders due to variation in social status and consequent variation in access to resources. Investigating the mechanisms underlying variation in body mass and its demographic consequences can help elucidate how social and environmental factors affect the dynamics of cooperatively breeding populations. In this study, we present an analysis of the effect of individual variation in body mass on the temporal dynamics of group size and structure of a cooperatively breeding mongoose, the Kalahari meerkat, Suricata suricatta. First, we investigate how body mass interacts with social (dominance status and number of helpers) and environmental (rainfall and season) factors to influence key life-history processes (survival, growth, emigration and reproduction) in female meerkats. Next, using an individual-based population model, we show that the models explicitly including individual variation in body mass predict group dynamics better than those ignoring this morphological trait. Body mass influences group dynamics mainly through its effects on helper emigration and dominant reproduction. Rainfall has a trait-mediated, destabilizing effect on group dynamics, whereas the number of helpers has a direct and stabilizing effect. Counteracting effects of number of helpers on different demographic rates, despite generating temporal fluctuations, stabilizes group dynamics in the long term. Our study demonstrates that social and environmental factors interact to produce individual variation in body mass and accounting for this variation helps to explain group dynamics in this cooperatively breeding population. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2014 British Ecological Society.

Body Image in Anorexia Nervosa: Body Size Estimation Utilising a Biological Motion Task and Eyetracking.

PubMed

Phillipou, Andrea; Rossell, Susan Lee; Gurvich, Caroline; Castle, David Jonathan; Troje, Nikolaus Friedrich; Abel, Larry Allen

2016-03-01

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric condition characterised by a distortion of body image. However, whether individuals with AN can accurately perceive the size of other individuals' bodies is unclear. In the current study, 24 women with AN and 24 healthy control participants undertook two biological motion tasks while eyetracking was performed: to identify the gender and to indicate the walkers' body size. Anorexia nervosa participants tended to 'hyperscan' stimuli but did not demonstrate differences in how visual attention was directed to different body areas, relative to controls. Groups also did not differ in their estimation of body size. The hyperscanning behaviours suggest increased anxiety to disorder-relevant stimuli in AN. The lack of group difference in the estimation of body size suggests that the AN group was able to judge the body size of others accurately. The findings are discussed in terms of body image distortion specific to oneself in AN. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

[Uniqueness seeking behavior as a self-verification: an alternative approach to the study of uniqueness].

PubMed

Yamaoka, S

1995-06-01

Uniqueness theory explains that extremely high perceived similarity between self and others evokes negative emotional reactions and causes uniqueness seeking behavior. However, the theory conceptualizes similarity so ambiguously that it appears to suffer from low predictive validity. The purpose of the current article is to propose an alternative explanation of uniqueness seeking behavior. It posits that perceived uniqueness deprivation is a threat to self-concepts, and therefore causes self-verification behavior. Two levels of self verification are conceived: one based on personal categorization and the other on social categorization. The present approach regards uniqueness seeking behavior as the personal-level self verification. To test these propositions, a 2 (very high or moderate similarity information) x 2 (with or without outgroup information) x 2 (high or low need for uniqueness) between-subject factorial-design experiment was conducted with 95 university students. Results supported the self-verification approach, and were discussed in terms of effects of uniqueness deprivation, levels of self-categorization, and individual differences in need for uniqueness.

Carotid body tumor imitator: An interesting case of Castleman's disease.

PubMed

Shakir, Hakeem J; Diletti, Sara M; Hart, Alexandra M; Meyers, Joshua E; Dumont, Travis M; Siddiqui, Adnan H

2015-01-01

There are very few reports in the literature of Castleman's disease affecting the carotid artery and a single previous report of a case of Castleman's disease of the neck originally mistaken as a carotid body tumor. We describe a rare case of Castleman's disease, manifesting with classic radiographic hallmarks of a carotid body tumor. The postoperative pathologic examination identified the resected mass as Castleman's lymphadenopathy. The management of this particular case is discussed, and the findings are highlighted. We present a unique case of a tumor initially and incorrectly diagnosed as a carotid body tumor. However, after comprehensive treatment with endovascular and surgical modalities and subsequent pathologic examination, the diagnosis of this rare entity was made.

Response of local vascular volumes to lower body negative pressure stress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolthuis, R. A.; Leblanc, A.; Carpentier, W. A.; Bergman, S. A., Jr.

1975-01-01

The present study involved an intravenous injection of radioactive iodinated serum albumin, equilibration of this isotope within the vascular space, and the continuous measurement of isotope activity over selected anatomical areas before, during and following multiple human LBNP tests. Both rate and magnitude of vascular pooling were distinctly different within each of five selected lower body anatomical areas. In the upper body, all areas except the abdomen showed depletions from their resting vascular volumes during LBNP. The presence of uniquely different pooling patterns in the lower body, the apparent stability of abdominal vascular volumes, and a possible decrease in cerebral blood volume during LBNP represent the major findings of this study.

Family members' unique perspectives of the family: examining their scope, size, and relations to individual adjustment.

PubMed

Jager, Justin; Bornstein, Marc H; Putnick, Diane L; Hendricks, Charlene

2012-06-01

Using the McMaster Family Assessment Device (Epstein, Baldwin, & Bishop, 1983) and incorporating the perspectives of adolescent, mother, and father, this study examined each family member's "unique perspective" or nonshared, idiosyncratic view of the family. We used a modified multitrait-multimethod confirmatory factor analysis that (a) isolated for each family member's 6 reports of family dysfunction the nonshared variance (a combination of variance idiosyncratic to the individual and measurement error) from variance shared by 1 or more family members and (b) extracted common variance across each family member's set of nonshared variances. The sample included 128 families from a U.S. East Coast metropolitan area. Each family member's unique perspective generalized across his or her different reports of family dysfunction and accounted for a sizable proportion of his or her own variance in reports of family dysfunction. In addition, after holding level of dysfunction constant across families and controlling for a family's shared variance (agreement regarding family dysfunction), each family member's unique perspective was associated with his or her own adjustment. Future applications and competing alternatives for what these "unique perspectives" reflect about the family are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Family Members' Unique Perspectives of the Family: Examining their Scope, Size, and Relations to Individual Adjustment

PubMed Central

Jager, Justin; Bornstein, Marc H.; Diane, L. Putnick; Hendricks, Charlene

2012-01-01

Using the Family Assessment Device (FAD; Epstein, Baldwin, & Bishop, 1983) and incorporating the perspectives of adolescent, mother, and father, this study examined each family member's “unique perspective” or non-shared, idiosyncratic view of the family. To do so we used a modified multitrait-multimethod confirmatory factor analysis that (1) isolated for each family member's six reports of family dysfunction the non-shared variance (a combination of variance idiosyncratic to the individual and measurement error) from variance shared by one or more family members and (2) extracted common variance across each family member's set of non-shared variances. The sample included 128 families from a U.S. East Coast metropolitan area. Each family member's unique perspective generalized across his or her different reports of family dysfunction and accounted for a sizable proportion of his or her own variance in reports of family dysfunction. Additionally, after holding level of dysfunction constant across families and controlling for a family's shared variance (agreement regarding family dysfunction), each family member's unique perspective was associated with his or her own adjustment. Future applications and competing alternatives for what these “unique perspectives” reflect about the family are discussed. PMID:22545933

Validity of segmental bioelectrical impedance analysis for estimating fat-free mass in children including overweight individuals.

PubMed

Ohta, Megumi; Midorikawa, Taishi; Hikihara, Yuki; Masuo, Yoshihisa; Sakamoto, Shizuo; Torii, Suguru; Kawakami, Yasuo; Fukunaga, Tetsuo; Kanehisa, Hiroaki

2017-02-01

This study examined the validity of segmental bioelectrical impedance (BI) analysis for predicting the fat-free masses (FFMs) of whole-body and body segments in children including overweight individuals. The FFM and impedance (Z) values of arms, trunk, legs, and whole body were determined using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and segmental BI analyses, respectively, in 149 boys and girls aged 6 to 12 years, who were divided into model-development (n = 74), cross-validation (n = 35), and overweight (n = 40) groups. Simple regression analysis was applied to (length) 2 /Z (BI index) for each of the whole-body and 3 segments to develop the prediction equations of the measured FFM of the related body part. In the model-development group, the BI index of each of the 3 segments and whole body was significantly correlated to the measured FFM (R 2 = 0.867-0.932, standard error of estimation = 0.18-1.44 kg (5.9%-8.7%)). There was no significant difference between the measured and predicted FFM values without systematic error. The application of each equation derived in the model-development group to the cross-validation and overweight groups did not produce significant differences between the measured and predicted FFM values and systematic errors, with an exception that the arm FFM in the overweight group was overestimated. Segmental bioelectrical impedance analysis is useful for predicting the FFM of each of whole-body and body segments in children including overweight individuals, although the application for estimating arm FFM in overweight individuals requires a certain modification.

Body uneasiness, eating disorders, and muscle dysmorphia in individuals who overexercise.

PubMed

Segura-García, Cristina; Ammendolia, Antonio; Procopio, Leonardo; Papaianni, Maria C; Sinopoli, Flora; Bianco, Carmelina; De Fazio, Pasquale; Capranica, Laura

2010-11-01

This study aimed to investigate exercise dependence, body and eating concerns of active individuals in relation to muscle dysmorphia (MD) and eating disorders (EDs). One hundred and thirty-four active individuals (86 men, 48 women) and 20 ED women were divided into 4 groups according to their sex and the difference between their actual and desired body weight (group A: men who wanted to gain weight; group B: men who wanted to lose weight; group C: women who wanted to lose weight; group D: ED women). The Eating Disorder Inventory 2, Body Uneasiness Test, and Muscle Dysmorphia Inventory questionnaires were administered. All women desired to reduce their body weight, whereas 55% of men wanted to increase their muscle mass, also using anabolic steroids and food integrators. All groups showed a similar use of diuretics and laxatives (range 10-21%). The findings highlighted the presence of minor body image disorders in groups B and C. Conversely, body image was remarkably altered in groups D and A. Recognizing main MD traits, physical trainers should recommend further psychological counseling. Information should also be provided to gym clients regarding the health risks associated with purgative behaviors, use of steroids, and abuse of food supplements.

Relationships between annual cycles of testosterone, corticosterone, and body condition in male red-spotted garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis concinnus.

PubMed

Moore, I T; Lerner, J P; Lerner, D T; Mason, R T

2000-01-01

Over a 2-yr period, we investigated the annual cycles of plasma testosterone and corticosterone and the relationships between these hormones and body condition in a wild population of male red-spotted garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis concinnus. In the 10 mo that were sampled, a peak in testosterone was observed in late summer during gametogenesis and declining through the spring breeding period. Corticosterone and testosterone cycles were positively correlated, in contrast to many vertebrates, suggesting the lack of a direct negative interaction between the two hormones. Body condition, defined as the residual of the regression of mass on snout-vent length, also cycled annually, with individuals being more robust during the summer than during the spring or fall. Individuals with a positive body condition had significantly lower plasma levels of corticosterone than did individuals with a negative body condition, supporting the energetic role of glucocorticoids. There was no relationship between body condition and testosterone. This study suggests that annual cycles of testosterone, corticosterone, and body condition can be associated with one another, and considering all three simultaneously is necessary to understand their control and function.

Effects of geolocation archival tags on reproduction and adult body mass of sooty shearwaters (Puffinus griseus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, J.; Scott, D.; McKechnie, S.; Blackwell, G.; Shaffer, S.A.; Moller, H.

2009-01-01

We attached 11 g (1.4% body-mass equivalent) global location sensing (GLS) archival tag packages to tarsi of 25 breeding sooty shearwaters (Puffinus griseus, titi) on Whenua Hou (Codfish Island), New Zealand during the chick-rearing period in 2005. Compared with chicks reared by non-handled adults that did not carry tags, deployment of tags on one or both adult parents ultimately resulted in 35% reduction in chick body mass and significantly reduced chick skeletal size preceding fledging (19 April). However, body mass between chick groups was not significantly different after controlling for skeletal size. Effects on chicks were more pronounced in six pairs where both parents carried tags. Chick mass was negatively related to the duration that adults carried tags. In this study, none of the chicks reared by pairs where both parents were tagged, 54% of chicks reared by pairs where one parent was tagged, and 83% of chicks reared by non-handled and non-tagged parents achieved a previously determined pre-fledging mass threshold (564 g; Sagar & Horning 1998). Body mass of adults carrying tags and returning from transequatorial migration the following year were 4% lighter on average than non-tagged birds, but this difference was not statistically significant. Reduced mass among chicks reared by adults carrying tags during the chick-provisioning period indicated that adults altered "normal" provisioning behaviours to maintain their own body condition at the expense of their chicks. Population-level information derived from telemetry studies can reveal important habitat-linked behaviours, unique aspects of seabird foraging behaviours, and migration ecology. Information for some species (e.g., overlap with fisheries) can aid conservation and marine ecosystem management. We advise caution, however, when interpreting certain data related to adult provisioning behaviours (e.g., time spent foraging, provisioning rates, etc.). If effects on individuals are of concern, we suggest shorter-term deployments, smaller and lighter tags, and alternative attachment techniques, especially when investigating threatened or endangered species. ?? The Royal Society of New Zealand 2009.

Higher Daily Energy Expenditure and Respiratory Quotient, Rather Than Fat-Free Mass, Independently Determine Greater ad Libitum Overeating

PubMed Central

Thearle, Marie S.; Krakoff, Jonathan; Votruba, Susanne B.

2015-01-01

Context: Body fat-free mass (FFM), energy expenditure (EE), and respiratory quotient (RQ) are known predictors of daily food intake. Because FFM largely determines EE, it is unclear whether body composition per se or the underlying metabolism drives dietary intake. Objective: The objective of the study was to test whether 24-hour measures of EE and RQ and their components influence ad libitum food intake independently of FFM. Design and Participants: One hundred seven healthy individuals (62 males/45 females, 84 Native Americans/23 whites; age 33 ± 8 y; body mass index 33 ± 8 kg/m2; body fat 31% ± 8%) had 24-hour measures of EE in a whole-room indirect calorimeter during energy balance, followed by 3 days of ad libitum food intake using computerized vending machine systems. Body composition was estimated by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Main Outcome Measures: FFM, 24-hour EE, RQ, spontaneous physical activity, sleeping EE (sleeping metabolic rate), awake and fed thermogenesis, and ad libitum food intake (INTAKE) were measured. Results: Higher 24-hour RQ (P < .001, partial R2 = 16%) and EE (P = .01, partial R2 = 7%), but not FFM (P = .65), were independent predictors of INTAKE. Mediation analysis demonstrated that 24-hour EE is responsible for 80% of the FFM effect on INTAKE (44.5 ± 16.9 kcal ingested per kilogram of FFM, P= .01), whereas the unique effect due to solely FFM was negligible (10.6 ± 23.2, P = .65). Spontaneous physical activity (r = 0.33, P = .001), but not sleeping metabolic rate (P = .71), positively predicted INTAKE, whereas higher awake and fed thermogenesis determined greater INTAKE only in subjects with a body mass index of 29 kg/m2 or less (r = 0.44, P = .01). Conclusions: EE and RQ, rather than FFM, independently determine INTAKE, suggesting that competitive energy-sensing mechanisms driven by the preferential macronutrient oxidation and total energy demands may regulate food intake. PMID:26086330

Spontaneous human combustion in the light of the 21st century.

PubMed

Koljonen, Virve; Kluger, Nicolas

2012-01-01

The term "spontaneous human combustion" refers to a situation when a human body is found with significant portions of the middle parts of the body reduced to ashes, much less damage to the head and extremities, and minimal damage to the direct surroundings of the body. Typically, no observable source of ignition is found in the vicinity of the victim and a bad smelling oily substance is noted. In the past, such a situation was erroneously attributed to supernatural powers, as such phenomenon occurs in the absence of any witness. The purpose of this review article was to analyze articles published from January 1, 2000, on this unique type of burn injury. Further aims were to gather and present data on the causes and events leading to this situation. The literature was reviewed with PubMed interface using the key words spontaneous human combustion and preternatural combustion. Specific inclusion criteria resulted in 12 patients. A unique sequence of events takes place for the human body to incinerate to ashes. The flame burn victim has to die for the body fat to start melting. A tear in the skin has to occur for the melted fat to impregnate the charred clothes, igniting a wick effect that produces localized heat for extended period. A phenomenon called spontaneous human combustion is reality. The term "spontaneous human combustion" has nuances which are not applicable to this situation or to these modern times, therefore we suggest a new term "fat wick burns."

Tissue-Specific Transcriptomics in the Field Cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus

PubMed Central

Bailey, Nathan W.; Veltsos, Paris; Tan, Yew-Foon; Millar, A. Harvey; Ritchie, Michael G.; Simmons, Leigh W.

2013-01-01

Field crickets (family Gryllidae) frequently are used in studies of behavioral genetics, sexual selection, and sexual conflict, but there have been no studies of transcriptomic differences among different tissue types. We evaluated transcriptome variation among testis, accessory gland, and the remaining whole-body preparations from males of the field cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus. Non-normalized cDNA libraries from each tissue were sequenced on the Roche 454 platform, and a master assembly was constructed using testis, accessory gland, and whole-body preparations. A total of 940,200 reads were assembled into 41,962 contigs, to which 36,856 singletons (reads not assembled into a contig) were added to provide a total of 78,818 sequences used in annotation analysis. A total of 59,072 sequences (75%) were unique to one of the three tissues. Testis tissue had the greatest proportion of tissue-specific sequences (62.6%), followed by general body (56.43%) and accessory gland tissue (44.16%). We tested the hypothesis that tissues expressing gene products expected to evolve rapidly as a result of sexual selection—testis and accessory gland—would yield a smaller proportion of BLASTx matches to homologous genes in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster compared with whole-body tissue. Uniquely expressed sequences in both testis and accessory gland showed a significantly lower rate of matching to annotated D. melanogaster genes compared with those from general body tissue. These results correspond with empirical evidence that genes expressed in testis and accessory gland tissue are rapidly evolving targets of selection. PMID:23390599

Tissue-specific transcriptomics in the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus.

PubMed

Bailey, Nathan W; Veltsos, Paris; Tan, Yew-Foon; Millar, A Harvey; Ritchie, Michael G; Simmons, Leigh W

2013-02-01

Field crickets (family Gryllidae) frequently are used in studies of behavioral genetics, sexual selection, and sexual conflict, but there have been no studies of transcriptomic differences among different tissue types. We evaluated transcriptome variation among testis, accessory gland, and the remaining whole-body preparations from males of the field cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus. Non-normalized cDNA libraries from each tissue were sequenced on the Roche 454 platform, and a master assembly was constructed using testis, accessory gland, and whole-body preparations. A total of 940,200 reads were assembled into 41,962 contigs, to which 36,856 singletons (reads not assembled into a contig) were added to provide a total of 78,818 sequences used in annotation analysis. A total of 59,072 sequences (75%) were unique to one of the three tissues. Testis tissue had the greatest proportion of tissue-specific sequences (62.6%), followed by general body (56.43%) and accessory gland tissue (44.16%). We tested the hypothesis that tissues expressing gene products expected to evolve rapidly as a result of sexual selection--testis and accessory gland--would yield a smaller proportion of BLASTx matches to homologous genes in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster compared with whole-body tissue. Uniquely expressed sequences in both testis and accessory gland showed a significantly lower rate of matching to annotated D. melanogaster genes compared with those from general body tissue. These results correspond with empirical evidence that genes expressed in testis and accessory gland tissue are rapidly evolving targets of selection.

Relationships between body image, sexual satisfaction, and relationship quality in romantic couples.

PubMed

van den Brink, Femke; Vollmann, Manja; Smeets, Monique A M; Hessen, David J; Woertman, Liesbeth

2018-03-08

Previous studies found important associations between body image, sexual satisfaction, and perceived romantic relationship quality, but mainly focused on one individual's perceptions rather than both partners. To take the interdependency of romantic partners into account, the present study examined these associations in romantic couples with a dyadic approach. In a cross-sectional design, 151 Dutch heterosexual couples completed an online survey measuring body image, sexual satisfaction, and perceived relationship quality. Hypotheses were tested using the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) and an APIM extended with a mediator (APIMeM), with couple members' body image as predictors, couple members' sexual satisfaction as mediators, and couple members' relationship quality as outcomes. Results indicated that within individuals, a more positive body image was linked to higher perceived romantic relationship quality through greater sexual satisfaction. No gender differences were found, implying that body image and sexual satisfaction are equally strongly associated with perceived relationship quality in women and men. Results revealed no associations of an individual's body image and sexual satisfaction with the partner's perceived relationship quality. These findings implicate that interventions focusing on developing and maintaining a positive body image may be helpful in building on a more satisfying sex life and higher perceived relationship quality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The Desire for Amputation or Paralyzation: Evidence for Structural Brain Anomalies in Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID).

PubMed

Blom, Rianne M; van Wingen, Guido A; van der Wal, Sija J; Luigjes, Judy; van Dijk, Milenna T; Scholte, H Steven; Denys, Damiaan

2016-01-01

Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) is a condition in which individuals perceive a mismatch between their internal body scheme and physical body shape, resulting in an absolute desire to be either amputated or paralyzed. The condition is hypothesized to be of congenital nature, but evidence for a neuro-anatomical basis is sparse. We collected T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging scans on a 3T scanner in eight individuals with BIID and 24 matched healthy controls, and analyzed the data using voxel-based morphometry. The results showed reduced grey matter volume in the left dorsal and ventral premotor cortices and larger grey matter volume in the cerebellum (lobule VIIa) in individuals with BIID compared to controls. The premotor cortex and cerebellum are thought to be crucial for the experience of body-ownership and the integration of multisensory information. Our results suggest that BIID is associated with structural brain anomalies and might result from a dysfunction in the integration of multisensory information, leading to the feeling of disunity between the mental and physical body shape.

The effect of meat consumption on body odor attractiveness.

PubMed

Havlicek, Jan; Lenochova, Pavlina

2006-10-01

Axillary body odor is individually specific and potentially a rich source of information about its producer. Odor individuality partly results from genetic individuality, but the influence of ecological factors such as eating habits are another main source of odor variability. However, we know very little about how particular dietary components shape our body odor. Here we tested the effect of red meat consumption on body odor attractiveness. We used a balanced within-subject experimental design. Seventeen male odor donors were on "meat" or "nonmeat" diet for 2 weeks wearing axillary pads to collect body odor during the final 24 h of the diet. Fresh odor samples were assessed for their pleasantness, attractiveness, masculinity, and intensity by 30 women not using hormonal contraceptives. We repeated the same procedure a month later with the same odor donors, each on the opposite diet than before. Results of repeated measures analysis of variance showed that the odor of donors when on the nonmeat diet was judged as significantly more attractive, more pleasant, and less intense. This suggests that red meat consumption has a negative impact on perceived body odor hedonicity.

Autonomic function responses to training: Correlation with body composition changes.

PubMed

Tian, Ye; Huang, Chuanye; He, Zihong; Hong, Ping; Zhao, Jiexiu

2015-11-01

The causal relation between autonomic function and adiposity is an unresolved issue. Thus, we studied whether resting heart rate variability (HRV) changes could be used to predict changes in body composition after 16 weeks of individualized exercise training. A total of 117 sedentary overweight/obese adults volunteered to join an intervention group (IN, n=82) or a control group (CON, n=35). The intervention group trained for 30-40 min three times a week with an intensity of 85-100% of individual ventilatory threshold (Thvent). At baseline and after a 16-week training period, resting HRV variables, body composition and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) were assessed. Compared with CON, exercise training significantly improved HRV and body composition and increased VO2peak (P<0.05). Significant correlations were observed between changes of HRV variables and body composition indices and VO2peak (P<0.05). Greater individual changes in HRV in response to exercise training were observed for those with greater total and central fat loss. Individual aerobic-based exercise training was for improving autonomic function and resting HRV responses to aerobic training is a potential indicator for adaptations to exercise training. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Hattori chart based evaluation of body composition and its relation to body mass index in a group of Sri Lankan children.

PubMed

Wickramasinghe, V P

2012-05-01

To assess the relationship between fat free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), body mass index (BMI) and percentage fat mass (%FM) using Hattori chart in a group of Sri Lankan children. In this cross sectional descriptive study involving 5-15 y old children, data from 4 different school surveys were pooled together. Height and weight were measured and BMI calculated. Total body water (TBW) was assessed using a height and weight based equation. Thus FFM and FM were assessed based on 2 C body composition model. Fat mass index (FMI) and Fat free mass index (FFMI) were calculated and plotted on Hattori chart. 4278 individuals (1297 boys and 2981 girls) were studied. Individual values clearly showed that Sri Lankan children had a low FFMI and a high FMI. Individuals with similar BMI had their %FM distributed in a wide range. Even children categorized as wasted had high levels of %FM in their body. Mean FMI and FFMI for each age was plotted, and it showed that most of the weight gain is due to accumulation of fat in the body. This study shows that Sri Lankan children have a higher %FM from a younger age even when they are classified as wasted. As they grow older, the changes that occur in FM are more than FFM. This chart analysis clearly shows that BMI is not a good index to measure %FM in individuals of this population.

The influence of genetic and environmental factors in estimations of current body size, desired body size, and body dissatisfaction.

PubMed

Wade, T D; Bulik, C M; Heath, A C; Martin, N G; Eaves, L J

2001-08-01

The objective was to investigate the genetic epidemiology of figural stimuli. Standard figural stimuli were available from 5,325 complete twin pairs: 1,751 (32.9%) were monozygotic females, 1,068 (20.1%) were dizygotic females, 752 (14.1%) were monozygotic males, 495 (9.3%) were dizygotic males, and 1,259 (23.6%) were dizygotic male-female pairs. Univariate twin analyses were used to examine the influences on the individual variation in current body size and ideal body size. These data were analysed separately for men and women in each of five age groups. A factorial analysis of variance, with polychoric correlations between twin pairs as the dependent variable, and age, sex, zygosity, and the three interaction terms (age x sex, age x zygosity, sex x zygosity) as independent variables, was used to examine trends across the whole data set. Results showed genetic influences had the largest impact on the individual variation in current body size measures, whereas non-shared environmental influences were associated with the majority of individual variation in ideal body size. There was a significant main effect of zygosity (heritability) in predicting polychoric correlations for current body size and body dissatisfaction. There was a significant main effect of gender and zygosity in predicting ideal body size, with a gender x zygosity interaction. In common with BMI, heritability is important in influencing the estimation of current body size. Selection of desired body size for both men and women is more strongly influenced by environmental factors.

P-body-induced inactivation of let-7a miRNP prevents the death of growth factor-deprived neuronal cells.

PubMed

Patranabis, Somi; Bhattacharyya, Suvendra Nath

2018-03-01

RNA processing bodies (P-bodies) are cytoplasmic RNA granules in eukaryotic cells that regulate gene expression by executing the translation suppression and degradation of mRNAs that are targeted to these bodies. P-bodies can also serve as storage sites for translationally repressed mRNAs both in mammalian cells and yeast cells. In this report, a unique role of mammalian P-bodies is documented. Depletion of P-body components dedifferentiate nerve growth factor-treated PC12 cells, whereas ectopic expression of P-body components induces the neuronal differentiation of precursor cells. Trophic factor withdrawal from differentiated cells induces a decrease in cellular P-body size and numbers that are coupled with dedifferentiation and cell death. Here, we report how the expression of P-body proteins-by ensuring the phosphorylation of argonaute protein 2 and the subsequent inactivation let-7a miRNPs-prevents the apoptotic death of growth factor-depleted neuronal cells.-Patranabis, S., Bhattacharyya, S. N. P-body-induced inactivation of let-7a miRNP prevents the death of growth factor-deprived neuronal cells.

Individualized Mutation Detection in Circulating Tumor DNA for Monitoring Colorectal Tumor Burden Using a Cancer-Associated Gene Sequencing Panel.

PubMed

Sato, Kei A; Hachiya, Tsuyoshi; Iwaya, Takeshi; Kume, Kohei; Matsuo, Teppei; Kawasaki, Keisuke; Abiko, Yukito; Akasaka, Risaburo; Matsumoto, Takayuki; Otsuka, Koki; Nishizuka, Satoshi S

2016-01-01

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) carries information on tumor burden. However, the mutation spectrum is different among tumors. This study was designed to examine the utility of ctDNA for monitoring tumor burden based on an individual mutation profile. DNA was extracted from a total of 176 samples, including pre- and post-operational plasma, primary tumors, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), from 44 individuals with colorectal tumor who underwent curative resection of colorectal tumors, as well as nine healthy individuals. Using a panel of 50 cancer-associated genes, tumor-unique mutations were identified by comparing the single nucleotide variants (SNVs) from tumors and PBMCs with an Ion PGM sequencer. A group of the tumor-unique mutations from individual tumors were designated as individual marker mutations (MMs) to trace tumor burden by ctDNA using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). From these experiments, three major objectives were assessed: (a) Tumor-unique mutations; (b) mutation spectrum of a tumor; and (c) changes in allele frequency of the MMs in ctDNA after curative resection of the tumor. A total of 128 gene point mutations were identified in 27 colorectal tumors. Twenty-six genes were mutated in at least 1 sample, while 14 genes were found to be mutated in only 1 sample, respectively. An average of 2.7 genes were mutated per tumor. Subsequently, 24 MMs were selected from SNVs for tumor burden monitoring. Among the MMs found by ddPCR with > 0.1% variant allele frequency in plasma DNA, 100% (8 out of 8) exhibited a decrease in post-operation ctDNA, whereas none of the 16 MMs found by ddPCR with < 0.1% variant allele frequency in plasma DNA showed a decrease. This panel of 50 cancer-associated genes appeared to be sufficient to identify individual, tumor-unique, mutated ctDNA markers in cancer patients. The MMs showed the clinical utility in monitoring curatively-treated colorectal tumor burden if the allele frequency of MMs in plasma DNA is above 0.1%.

The Names of Heavenly Bodies and Luminaries as a Basis for Word-building and Metaphorical Application in the Poetry of Misak Metzarents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arakelyan, Karine; Santryan, Liana

2016-12-01

The metaphorical applications of heavenly bodies and luminaries in the poetry of the famous Western Armenian poet Missak Metsarents are very diverse and of great variety. The poet admired the beauty of nature and the greater parts of his poems are devoted to representation of nature, where heavenly bodies and phenomena are of special interest. They often help to reveal one's inner life, emotions, expectations, and feelings. Many times these units are bases for word-building; new, also poetical words building and they create unique beauty.

The influence of relative body breadth on the diaphyseal morphology of the human lower limb.

PubMed

Davies, Thomas G; Stock, Jay T

2014-01-01

Variation in relative body breadth between individuals is potentially a significant influence on the biomechanical loading placed upon the lower limb. This study investigates the influence of relative body breadth on the periosteal geometry of the diaphyses of the limb bones among individuals from a broad range of human populations. This study applies a 3D laser scanning approach to the extraction and analysis of periosteal cross-sectional properties throughout the diaphyses of the femur and tibia to test for influences of body shape on diaphyseal morphology throughout the lower limb. Analyses are based on data collected from seven populations, encompassing a broad range of modern human variation in body shape. Hypertrophy of the proximal end of the femur diaphysis in wider bodied individuals is observed and appears to extend at least as far as the femur midshaft, while the mid diaphyseal region of the tibia is the least influenced by body shape. However correlations with relative body breadth were also observed towards the distal end of the femur diaphysis and towards both ends of the tibial diaphysis, especially among females. Relative body breadth is correlated with the periosteal geometry of the lower limb bones, particularly towards the proximal end of the femur diaphysis, but correlations in other regions also suggest integration of the diaphyseal geometry with epiphyseal dimensions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Whole-body heat loss during exercise in the heat is not impaired in type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Stapleton, Jill M; Yardley, Jane E; Boulay, Pierre; Sigal, Ronald J; Kenny, Glen P

2013-09-01

The objective of this study is to determine whether individuals with type 1 diabetes exhibit impairments in local and whole-body heat loss responses that could affect core temperature regulation during exercise in the heat compared with matched, nondiabetic individuals. Twelve otherwise healthy individuals with type 1 diabetes (HbA1c = 7.7% ± 0.3%) and 12 controls matched for age, sex, body surface area, and physical fitness cycled continuously for 60 min at a set rate of metabolic heat production (approximately 400 W) in a whole-body direct calorimeter (35°C and 20% relative humidity). Local sweat rate (ventilated capsule) was measured on the back and skin blood flow (laser Doppler velocimetry) on the forearm. Core (rectal and esophageal) and mean skin temperatures and heart rate were measured continuously. Whole-body heat exchange and change in body heat content were measured using simultaneous direct whole-body and indirect calorimetry. The change (mean ± SE) in body heat content was similar between groups during exercise (diabetes, 409 ± 27 kJ; control, 386 ± 33 kJ; P = 0.584) and recovery (diabetes, -115 ± 16 kJ; control, -93 ± 24 kJ; P = 0.457). Local heat loss responses of sweating (P = 0.783) and skin blood flow (P = 0.078) as well as rectal temperature (diabetes, 37.87°C ± 0.10°C; control, 37.85°C; ± 0.13°C; P = 0.977) and heart rate (diabetes, 130 ± 9 beats·min, vs control, 126 ± 8 beats·min, P = 0.326) were comparable at the end of the exercise period. During light-to-moderate-intensity exercise performed under conditions permitting full sweat evaporation, otherwise healthy type 1 diabetic individuals did not show impaired heat loss responses during heat exposure when compared with matched individuals without diabetes.