30 CFR 57.5039 - Maximum permissible concentration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Maximum permissible concentration. 57.5039 Section 57.5039 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Air Quality, Radiation, Physical Agents, and Diesel...

30 CFR 57.5039 - Maximum permissible concentration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Maximum permissible concentration. 57.5039 Section 57.5039 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR METAL AND NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Air Quality, Radiation, Physical Agents, and Diesel...

The use of a numerical method to justify the criteria for the maximum settlement of the tank foundation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasenko, Alexander; Chepur, Petr; Gruchenkova, Alesya

2017-11-01

The article examines the problem of assessing the permissible values of uneven settlement for a vertical steel tank base and foundation. A numerical experiment was performed using a finite element model of the tank. The model took into account the geometric shape of the structure and its additional stiffening elements that affect the stress-strain state of the tank. An equation was obtained that allowed determining the maximum possible deformation of the bottom outer contour during uneven settlement. Depending on the length of the uneven settlement zone, the values of the permissible settlement of the tank base were determined. The article proposes new values of the maximum permissible tank settlement with additional stiffening elements.

The limiting velocity effect in a magnetically held discharge with a moving wall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drobyshevskii, E. M.; Zhukov, B. G.; Nazarov, E. V.; Rozov, S. I.; Sokolov, V. M.; Kurakin, R. O.

1991-08-01

Experiments are reported in which bodies with a mass of about 1 g were accelerated in nearly constant current regimes by using a discharge magnetically held against the channel wall, with maximum permissible accelerations of 3.5 x 10 exp 6 g and linear current densities of 60 kA/mm. A saturation of the velocity was observed at 4-6 mm/microsec. The velocity limit does not depend on the current intensity and duration or linear electrode inductance and is proportional to m exp -1/2; it is practically unaffected by the characteristics of body friction against the channel walls and by small deviations of the current pulse shape from its constant value. A simple empirical theory is proposed which provides an adequate description of the experimentally observed phenomena.

Energy Approach-Based Simulation of Structural Materials High-Cycle Fatigue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balayev, A. F.; Korolev, A. V.; Kochetkov, A. V.; Sklyarova, A. I.; Zakharov, O. V.

2016-02-01

The paper describes the mechanism of micro-cracks development in solid structural materials based on the theory of brittle fracture. A probability function of material cracks energy distribution is obtained using a probabilistic approach. The paper states energy conditions for cracks growth at material high-cycle loading. A formula allowing to calculate the amount of energy absorbed during the cracks growth is given. The paper proposes a high- cycle fatigue evaluation criterion allowing to determine the maximum permissible number of solid body loading cycles, at which micro-cracks start growing rapidly up to destruction.

Assessment of eye lens doses for workers during interventional radiology procedures.

PubMed

Urboniene, A; Sadzeviciene, E; Ziliukas, J

2015-07-01

The assessment of eye lens doses for workers during interventional radiology (IR) procedures was performed using a new eye lens dosemeter. In parallel, the results of routine individual monitoring were analysed and compared with the results obtained from measurements with a new eye lens dosemeter. The eye lens doses were assessed using Hp(3) measured at the level of the eyes and were compared with Hp(10) measured with the whole-body dosemeter above the lead collar. The information about use of protective measures, the number of performed interventional procedures per month and their fluoroscopy time was also collected. The assessment of doses to the lens of the eye was done for 50 IR workers at 9 Lithuanian hospitals for the period of 2012-2013. If the use of lead glasses is not taken into account, the estimated maximum annual dose equivalent to the lens of the eye was 82 mSv. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

47 CFR 95.1209 - Permissible communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES Medical Device Radiocommunication Service (MedRadio) § 95.1209 Permissible..., diagnostic and therapeutic information associated with a medical implant device or medical body-worn device... that is not included with a medical implant or medical body-worn device. Wireless retransmission of...

Molecular identification of isolated fungi, microbial and heavy metal contamination of canned meat products sold in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Nasser, Laila A.

2014-01-01

Several studies have shown that canned meat products may be contaminated with fungal elements, bacteria and even heavy metals which may occur during the transportation, storage and handling processes. We conducted this study to determine the fungal, microbial and heavy metal contents of canned meats in Saudi Arabia. Of the 13 canned meat samples studied, Aspergillus and Penicillium were found in more than 70% of the total samples. Sequences of Penicillium species isolated from meat samples generated a phylogenetic tree which shows that the studied isolates were clustered in four groups. No bacterial contamination was noted in all of the samples. Nine of the 13 samples had iron concentrations above the permissible limit. All samples had zinc and copper levels below the maximum permissible limit. Four samples had cadmium levels above the maximum permissible level. All samples had levels of lead above the maximum permissible levels. These results indicate that fungal elements and higher levels of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium can be found in canned meat products. This may pose as a real danger to consumers, since canned meat products are readily accessible and convenient in Saudi Arabia. PMID:26288552

Back muscle strength, lifting, and stooped working postures.

PubMed

Poulsen, E; Jørgensen, K

1971-09-01

When lifting loads and working in a forward stooped position, the muscles of the back rather than the ligaments and bony structures of the spine should overcome the gravitational forces. Formulae, based on measurements of back muscle strength, for prediction of maximal loads to be lifted, and for the ability to sustain work in a stooped position, have been worked out and tested in practical situations. From tests with 50 male and female subjects the simplest prediction formulae for maximum loads were: max. load = 1.10 x isometric back muscle strength for men; and max. load = 0.95 x isometric back muscle strength - 8 kg for women. Some standard values for maximum lifts and permissible single and repeated lifts have been calculated for men and women separately and are given in Table 1. From tests with 65 rehabilitees it was found that the maximum isometric strength of the back muscles measured at shoulder height should exceed 2/3 of the body weight, if fatigue and/or pain in the back muscles is to be avoided during work in a standing stooped position.

Use of mobile phones as a tool for weight loss: a systematic review.

PubMed

Aguilar-Martínez, Alicia; Solé-Sedeño, Josep M; Mancebo-Moreno, Gemma; Medina, F Xavier; Carreras-Collado, Ramon; Saigí-Rubió, Francesc

2014-09-01

We conducted a systematic review of the literature on the use of mobile phones for weight loss. A total of 43 studies were identified on obese or overweight adults, aged 18 years or over. After review, ten articles met the inclusion criteria. There were 19-534 participants per study. Participants were from European, Asian and North American regions. The mean body mass index (BMI) of the subjects varied from 22 to 36 kg/m(2). Two studies used text messaging or multimedia messaging. All the other studies used mobile-phone apps or web-based programmes that could be accessed from mobile phones as a part of a weight-loss intervention or for evaluating their potential for use and their acceptance. Most studies lasted 2-4 months and the maximum duration was 1 year. All but two studies showed reductions in the participants' bodyweight, BMI, waist circumference and body fat in the various interventions. There appeared to be a proportional relationship between weight loss and programme use. The programmes most benefited those who took a pro-active approach to everyday problems. Frequent self-recording of weight seemed to be important, as was the personalisation of the intervention (counselling and individualized feedback). Finally, a social support system acted as a motivational tool. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

33 CFR 401.29 - Maximum draft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Maximum draft. 401.29 Section 401... TRANSPORTATION SEAWAY REGULATIONS AND RULES Regulations Seaway Navigation § 401.29 Maximum draft. (a) The draft...) The draft of a vessel shall not, in any case, exceed 79.2 dm or the maximum permissible draft...

33 CFR 401.29 - Maximum draft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Maximum draft. 401.29 Section 401... TRANSPORTATION SEAWAY REGULATIONS AND RULES Regulations Seaway Navigation § 401.29 Maximum draft. (a) The draft...) The draft of a vessel shall not, in any case, exceed 79.2 dm or the maximum permissible draft...

33 CFR 401.29 - Maximum draft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum draft. 401.29 Section 401... TRANSPORTATION SEAWAY REGULATIONS AND RULES Regulations Seaway Navigation § 401.29 Maximum draft. (a) The draft...) The draft of a vessel shall not, in any case, exceed 79.2 dm or the maximum permissible draft...

Wavelength dependence of ocular damage thresholds in the near-ir to far-ir transition region: proposed revisions to MPES.

PubMed

Zuclich, Joseph A; Lund, David J; Stuck, Bruce E

2007-01-01

This report summarizes the results of a series of infrared (IR) laser-induced ocular damage studies conducted over the past decade. The studies examined retinal, lens, and corneal effects of laser exposures in the near-IR to far-IR transition region (wavelengths from 1.3-1.4 mum with exposure durations ranging from Q-switched to continuous wave). The corneal and retinal damage thresholds are tabulated for all pulsewidth regimes, and the wavelength dependence of the IR thresholds is discussed and contrasted to laser safety standard maximum permissible exposure limits. The analysis suggests that the current maximum permissible exposure limits could be beneficially revised to (1) relax the IR limits over wavelength ranges where unusually high safety margins may unintentionally hinder applications of recently developed military and telecommunications laser systems; (2) replace step-function discontinuities in the IR limits by continuously varying analytical functions of wavelength and pulsewidth which more closely follow the trends of the experimental retinal (for point-source laser exposures) and corneal ED50 threshold data; and (3) result in an overall simplification of the permissible exposure limits over the wavelength range from 1.2-2.6 mum. A specific proposal for amending the IR maximum permissible exposure limits over this wavelength range is presented.

Toxic metals in imported fruits and vegetables marketed in Kuwait

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

Husain, A.; Baroon, Z.; Al-Khalafawi, M.

1995-12-31

The concentration of lead, cadmium, and mercury in 134 samples of imported fruits and vegetables marketed in Kuwait were determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer with a graphite furnace and the cold vapor technique. Results obtained showed that the concentration of these metal ions in most cases did not exceed the maximum permissible concentration of metals in fresh fruits and vegetables as restricted by some countries. Only a few samples of fruits and vegetables contained levels of mercury, cadmium, and lead which exceeded these maximum permissible levels.

Free Radical Oxidation in Rat Myocardium after Maximum Permissible Hepatic Resection.

PubMed

Ermolaev, P A; Khramykh, T P; Barskaya, L O

2016-03-01

Free radical oxidation in rat myocardial homogenate was studied by chemiluminescent assay during the early terms after maximum permissible liver resection. During this period, activation of free radical oxidation was biphasic. The critical terms characterized by dramatic intensification of free radical oxidation in the myocardium are the first hour and the first day after surgery. The period from 3 to 12 h after surgery, in which the indices of chemiluminescence decrease, can be tentatively termed as the period of "putative wellbeing". Normalization of the free radical oxidation processes in the myocardium occurred by day 7 after surgery.

Public Risk Criteria and Rationale for Commercial Launch and Reentry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilde, P. D.

2012-01-01

This paper summarizes the rationale for risk criteria intended to protect the public during commercial spaceflight, including launch, reentry, and suborbital missions. The recommended approach includes: (1) safety goals to guide periodic updates of the quantitative collective risk limits if warranted based on the quantity of launch and reentry missions; the demonstrated safety record and benefits provided; technological capabilities and maturity of the industry; and contemporary attitudes about the risks from commercial space transportation; (2) separate limits on the risks from each type of mission with explicit definitions of the extent of launch and reentry missions; and (3) quantitative risk limits consistent with the safety goals. For current conditions, the author's recommends (a) maximum of 1E-6 probability of casualty per-mission (b) a maximum of 100E-6 expected casualties per-mission, and (c) equal per-mission risk limits for orbital and suborbital launches, as well as controlled and uncontrolled reentries.

[Acoustic conditions in open plan offices - Pilot test results].

PubMed

Mikulski, Witold

The main source of noise in open plan office are conversations. Office work standards in such premises are attained by applying specific acoustic adaptation. This article presents the results of pilot tests and acoustic evaluation of open space rooms. Acoustic properties of 6 open plan office rooms were the subject of the tests. Evaluation parameters, measurement methods and criterial values were adopted according to the following standards: PN-EN ISO 3382- 3:2012, PN-EN ISO 3382-2:2010, PN-B-02151-4:2015-06 and PN-B-02151-3:2015-10. The reverberation time was 0.33- 0.55 s (maximum permissible value in offices - 0.6 s; the criterion was met), sound absorption coefficient in relation to 1 m2 of the room's plan was 0.77-1.58 m2 (minimum permissible value - 1.1 m2; 2 out of 6 rooms met the criterion), distraction distance was 8.5-14 m (maximum permissible value - 5 m; none of the rooms met the criterion), A-weighted sound pressure level of speech at a distance of 4 m was 43.8-54.7 dB (maximum permissible value - 48 dB; 2 out of 6 rooms met the criterion), spatial decay rate of the speech was 1.8-6.3 dB (minimum permissible value - 7 dB; none of the rooms met the criterion). Standard acoustic treatment, containing sound absorbing suspended ceiling, sound absorbing materials on the walls, carpet flooring and sound absorbing workplace barriers, is not sufficient. These rooms require specific advanced acoustic solutions. Med Pr 2016;67(5):653-662. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Endocrine Control of Exaggerated Trait Growth in Rhinoceros Beetles.

PubMed

Zinna, R; Gotoh, H; Brent, C S; Dolezal, A; Kraus, A; Niimi, T; Emlen, D; Lavine, L C

2016-08-01

Juvenile hormone (JH) is a key insect growth regulator frequently involved in modulating phenotypically plastic traits such as caste determination in eusocial species, wing polymorphisms in aphids, and mandible size in stag beetles. The jaw morphology of stag beetles is sexually-dimorphic and condition-dependent; males have larger jaws than females and those developing under optimum conditions are larger in overall body size and have disproportionately larger jaws than males raised under poor conditions. We have previously shown that large males have higher JH titers than small males during development, and ectopic application of fenoxycarb (JH analog) to small males can induce mandibular growth similar to that of larger males. What remains unknown is whether JH regulates condition-dependent trait growth in other insects with extreme sexually selected structures. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that JH mediates the condition-dependent expression of the elaborate horns of the Asian rhinoceros beetle, Trypoxylus dichotomus. The sexually dimorphic head horn of this beetle is sensitive to nutritional state during larval development. Like stag beetles, male rhinoceros beetles receiving copious food produce disproportionately large horns for their body size compared with males under restricted diets. We show that JH titers are correlated with body size during the late feeding and early prepupal periods, but this correlation disappears by the late prepupal period, the period of maximum horn growth. While ectopic application of fenoxycarb during the third larval instar significantly delayed pupation, it had no effect on adult horn size relative to body size. Fenoxycarb application to late prepupae also had at most a marginal effect on relative horn size. We discuss our results in context of other endocrine signals of condition-dependent trait exaggeration and suggest that different beetle lineages may have co-opted different physiological signaling mechanisms to achieve heightened nutrient-sensitive weapon growth. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

MPC and ALI: their basis and their comparison

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

Kennedy, W.E. Jr.; Watson, E.C.

Radiation protection regulations in the United States have evolved from the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP). In 1959, the ICRP issued Publication 2 which contained specific recommendations on dose rate limits, permissible body burdens, metabolic data for radionuclides, and maximum permissible concentrations (MPC) in air or water. Over the next 20 years, new information became available concerning the effects of radiation, the uptake and retention of radionuclides, and the radioactive decay schemes of parent radionuclides. To include this newer information, the ICRP issued Publication 30 inmore » 1978 to supersede Publication 2. One of the secondary limits defined in Publication 30 is the annual limit of intake (ALI). Radionuclide specific ALI values are intended to replace MPC values in determining whether or not ambient air and water concentrations are sufficiently low to maintain the dose to workers within accepted dose rate limits. In this paper, we discuss the derivation of MPC and ALI values, compare inhalation committed dose equivalent factors derived from ICRP Publications 2 and 30, and discuss the practical implications of using either MPC or ALI in determining compliance with occupational exposure limits. 6 references.« less

Influence of gamma-irradiation sterilization and temperature on the fracture toughness of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene.

PubMed

Pascaud, R S; Evans, W T; McCullagh, P J; FitzPatrick, D P

1997-05-01

Surface damage of the tibial plateau components of knee prostheses made from medical grade ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) has been attributed to delamination wear caused by a fatigue fracture mechanism. It has been proposed that factors such as component design and method of sterilization contribute to such failure mechanisms. Understanding the fracture behaviour of UHMW-PE is therefore critical in optimizing the in vivo life-span of total joint components. The elastic-plastic fracture toughness parameter J was consequently determined for a commercial UHMW-PE at ambient and body temperatures, before and after gamma-irradiation sterilization in air at a minimum dose of 29 kGy. Both ductile stability theory and experimental data suggest that cracks propagate in a stable manner, although stability is affected by the sterilization process. Sterilization with gamma-irradiation results in a loss in fracture toughness JIc of 50% and a decrease in tearing modulus (Tm) of 30%. This dramatic reduction could result in a 50% decrease in the residual strength of the components, maximum permissible crack size under service loading and service life (assuming flaws such as fusion defects exist). The time required for a crack to grow from its original size to the maximum permissible size could be decreased by 30%, resulting in earlier failure. In terms of the design of joint replacement components the critical factor to envisage is the design stress level, which should be halved to account for the irradiation process. A scanning electron microscope study reveals that the material fails in layers parallel to the fracture surface.

12 CFR 713.6 - What is the permissible deductible?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... based on it having assets in excess of $1 million as reflected in its most recent year-end 5300 call... assets up to a maximum of $200,000; for credit unions over $1 million in assets that qualify for NCUA's... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What is the permissible deductible? 713.6...

12 CFR 713.6 - What is the permissible deductible?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... based on it having assets in excess of $1 million as reflected in its most recent year-end 5300 call... assets up to a maximum of $200,000; for credit unions over $1 million in assets that qualify for NCUA's... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false What is the permissible deductible? 713.6...

Efficacy of losartan vs. atenolol for the prevention of aortic dilation in Marfan syndrome: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Forteza, Alberto; Evangelista, Arturo; Sánchez, Violeta; Teixidó-Turà, Gisela; Sanz, Paz; Gutiérrez, Laura; Gracia, Teresa; Centeno, Jorge; Rodríguez-Palomares, José; Rufilanchas, Juan Jose; Cortina, José; Ferreira-González, Ignacio; García-Dorado, David

2016-03-21

To determine the efficacy of losartan vs. atenolol in aortic dilation progression in Marfan syndrome (MFS) patients. A phase IIIb, randomized, parallel, double-blind study was conducted in 140 MFS patients, age range: 5-60 years, with maximum aortic diameter <45 mm who received losartan (n = 70) or atenolol (n = 70). Doses were raised to a maximum of 1.4 mg/kg/day or 100 mg/day. The primary end-point was the change in aortic root and ascending aorta maximum diameter indexed by body surface area on magnetic resonance imaging after 36 months of treatment. No serious drug-related adverse effects were observed. Five patients presented aortic events during a follow-up (one in the losartan and four in the atenolol groups, P = 0.366). After 3 years of follow-up, aortic root diameter increased significantly in both groups: 1.1 mm (95% CI 0.6-1.6) in the losartan and 1.4 mm (95% CI 0.9-1.9) in the atenolol group, with aortic dilatation progression being similar in both groups: absolute difference between losartan and atenolol -0.3 mm (95% CI -1.1 to 0.4, P = 0.382) and indexed by BSA -0.5 mm/m2 (95% CI -1.2 to 0.1, P = 0.092). Similarly, no significant differences were found in indexed ascending aorta diameter changes between the losartan and atenolol groups: -0.3 mm/m2 (95% CI -0.8 to 0.3, P = 0.326). Among patients with MFS, the use of losartan compared with atenolol did not result in significant differences in the progression of aortic root and ascending aorta diameters over 3 years of follow-up. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A SURVEY ON THE ACCURACY OF WHOLE-BODY COUNTERS OPERATED IN FUKUSHIMA AFTER THE NUCLEAR DISASTER.

PubMed

Nakano, T; Kim, E; Tani, K; Kurihara, O; Sakai, K

2016-09-01

To check internal contamination, whole-body counters (WBCs) have been used continuously in Fukushima prefecture since the 2011 disaster. Many WBCs have been installed recently. The accuracy of these WBCs has been tested with bottle manikin absorption phantoms. No significant problems with the performance or accuracy of the WBCs have been found. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

75 FR 28091 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Amex LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-19

..., as Modified by Amendment No. 1, To Adopt Rules Extending the Maximum Term of FLEX Index and FLEX...-2010-40 in order to revise the Statutory Basis section and to adopt rules extending the maximum term of... maximum term of FLEX Index and FLEX Equity options to the same term permissible on NYSE Arca Inc. (``Arca...

Incentives for nondiscriminatory wellness programs in group health plans. Final rule.

PubMed

2013-06-03

This document contains final regulations, consistent with the Affordable Care Act, regarding nondiscriminatory wellness programs in group health coverage. Specifically, these final regulations increase the maximum permissible reward under a health-contingent wellness program offered in connection with a group health plan (and any related health insurance coverage) from 20 percent to 30 percent of the cost of coverage. The final regulations further increase the maximum permissible reward to 50 percent for wellness programs designed to prevent or reduce tobacco use. These regulations also include other clarifications regarding the reasonable design of health-contingent wellness programs and the reasonable alternatives they must offer in order to avoid prohibited discrimination.

The safe disposal of radioactive wastes

PubMed Central

Kenny, A. W.

1956-01-01

A comprehensive review is given of the principles and problems involved in the safe disposal of radioactive wastes. The first part is devoted to a study of the basic facts of radioactivity and of nuclear fission, the characteristics of radioisotopes, the effects of ionizing radiations, and the maximum permissible levels of radioactivity for workers and for the general public. In the second part, the author describes the different types of radioactive waste—reactor wastes and wastes arising from the use of radioisotopes in hospitals and in industry—and discusses the application of the maximum permissible levels of radioactivity to their disposal and treatment, illustrating his discussion with an account of the methods practised at the principal atomic energy establishments. PMID:13374534

Methods of Statistical Control for Groundwater Quality Indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yankovich, E.; Nevidimova, O.; Yankovich, K.

2016-06-01

The article describes the results of conducted groundwater quality control. Controlled quality indicators included the following microelements - barium, manganese, iron, mercury, iodine, chromium, strontium, etc. Quality control charts - X-bar chart and R chart - were built. For the upper and the lower threshold limits, maximum permissible concentration of components in water and the lower limit of their biologically significant concentration, respectively, were selected. The charts analysis has shown that the levels of microelements content in water at the area of study are stable. Most elements in the underground water are contained in concentrations, significant for human organisms consuming the water. For example, such elements as Ba, Mn, Fe have concentrations that exceed maximum permissible levels for drinking water.

Good Deaths, "Stupid Deaths": Humane Medicine and the Call of Invisible Bodies.

PubMed

Ryan, Maura A

2016-12-01

Jeffrey Bishop's The Anticipatory Corpse exposes a functional metaphysics at the root of contemporary medical practice that gives rise to inhumane medicine, especially at the end of life. His critique of medicine argues for alternative spaces and practices in which the communal significance of the body, its telos, can be restored and the meaning of a "good death" enriched. This essay develops an alternative epistemology of the body, drawing from Christian theological accounts of the communal or Eucharistic body and linking liturgical practices to the cultivation of solidarity. It argues for an epistemology of the body that makes visible the invisible bodies at medicine's margins and illumines the disparate worlds of health care globally. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

49 CFR 178.812 - Top lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... renders the IBC, including the base pallets when applicable, unsafe for transportation, and no loss of... twice the maximum permissible gross mass with the load being evenly distributed. (2) Flexible IBC design types must be filled to six times the maximum net mass, the load being evenly distributed. (c) Test...

49 CFR 178.812 - Top lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... renders the IBC, including the base pallets when applicable, unsafe for transportation, and no loss of... twice the maximum permissible gross mass with the load being evenly distributed. (2) Flexible IBC design types must be filled to six times the maximum net mass, the load being evenly distributed. (c) Test...

49 CFR 178.812 - Top lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... renders the IBC, including the base pallets when applicable, unsafe for transportation, and no loss of... twice the maximum permissible gross mass with the load being evenly distributed. (2) Flexible IBC design types must be filled to six times the maximum net mass, the load being evenly distributed. (c) Test...

49 CFR 178.812 - Top lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... renders the IBC, including the base pallets when applicable, unsafe for transportation, and no loss of... twice the maximum permissible gross mass with the load being evenly distributed. (2) Flexible IBC design types must be filled to six times the maximum net mass, the load being evenly distributed. (c) Test...

Noise characterization of oil and gas operations.

PubMed

Radtke, Cameron; Autenrieth, Daniel A; Lipsey, Tiffany; Brazile, William J

2017-08-01

In cooperation with The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, researchers at Colorado State University performed area noise monitoring at 23 oil and gas sites throughout Northern Colorado. The goals of this study were to: (1) measure and compare the noise levels for the different phases of oil and gas development sites; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of noise barriers; and (3) determine if noise levels exceeded the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission noise limits. The four phases of oil and gas development include drilling, hydraulic fracturing, completion and production. Noise measurements were collected using the A- and C-weighted sound scales. Octave band analysis was also performed to characterize the frequency spectra of the noise measurements.  Noise measurements were collected using noise dosimeters and a hand-held sound-level meter at specified distances from the development sites in each cardinal direction. At 350 ft (107 m), drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and completion sites without noise barriers exceeded the maximum permissible noise levels for residential and commercial zones (55 dBA and 60 dBA, respectively). In addition, drilling and hydraulic fracturing sites with noise barriers exceeded the maximum permissible noise level for residential zones (55 dBA). However, during drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and completion operations, oil producers are allowed an exception to the noise permissible limits in that they only must comply with the industrial noise limit (80 dBA). It is stated in Rule 604.c.(2)A. that: "Operations involving pipeline or gas facility installation or maintenance, the use of a drilling rig, completion rig, workover rig, or stimulation is subject to the maximum permissible noise levels for industrial zones (80dBA)." [8] Production sites were within the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission permissible noise level criteria for all zones. At 350 ft (107 m) from the noise source, all drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and completion sites exceeded 65 dBC.  Current noise wall mitigation strategies reduced noise levels in both the A- and C-weighted scale measurements. However, this reduction in noise was not sufficient to reduce the noise below the residential permissible noise level (55 dBA).

Critical Dose of Internal Organs Internal Exposure - 13471

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

Grigoryan, G.; Amirjanyan, A.; Grigoryan, N.

2013-07-01

The health threat posed by radionuclides has stimulated increased efforts to developed characterization on the biological behavior of radionuclides in humans in all ages. In an effort motivated largely by the Chernobyl nuclear accident, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is assembling a set of age specific biokinetic models for environmentally important radioelements. Radioactive substances in the air, mainly through the respiratory system and digestive tract, is inside the body. Radioactive substances are unevenly distributed in various organs and tissues. Therefore, the degree of damage will depend not only on the dose of radiation have but also on themore » critical organ, which is the most accumulation of radioactive substances, which leads to the defeat of the entire human body. The main objective of radiation protection, to avoid exceeding the maximum permissible doses of external and internal exposure of a person to prevent the physical and genetic damage people. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of radiation is called a dose of radiation a person in uniform getting her for 50 years does not cause changes in the health of the exposed individual and his progeny. The following classification of critical organs, depending on the category of exposure on their degree of sensitivity to radiation: First group: the whole body, gonads and red bone marrow; Second group: muscle, fat, liver, kidney, spleen, gastrointestinal tract, lungs and lens of the eye; The third group: bone, thyroid and skin; Fourth group: the hands, forearms, feet. MTD exposure whole body, gonads and bone marrow represent the maximum exposures (5 rem per year) experienced by people in their normal activities. The purpose of this article is intended dose received from various internal organs of the radionuclides that may enter the body by inhalation, and gastrointestinal tract. The biokinetic model describes the time dependent distribution and excretion of different radionuclides that have intake into the organism or absorbed into blood. Transport of different radionuclides between compartments is assumed to follow first order kinetics provided the concentration in red blood cells (RBCs) stays below a nonlinear threshold concentration. When the concentration in RBCs exceeds that threshold, the transfer rate from diffusible plasma to RBCs is assumed to decrease as the concentration in RBCs increases. For the calculations used capabilities AMBER by using the traces of radionuclides in the body. Model for the transfer of radionuclides in the body has been built on the basis of existing models at AMBER for lead. (authors)« less

A comparison of hydraulic architecture in three similarly sized woody species differing in their maximum potential height.

PubMed

McCulloh, Katherine A; Johnson, Daniel M; Petitmermet, Joshua; McNellis, Brandon; Meinzer, Frederick C; Lachenbruch, Barbara

2015-07-01

The physiological mechanisms underlying the short maximum height of shrubs are not understood. One possible explanation is that differences in the hydraulic architecture of shrubs compared with co-occurring taller trees prevent the shrubs from growing taller. To explore this hypothesis, we examined various hydraulic parameters, including vessel lumen diameter, hydraulic conductivity and vulnerability to drought-induced embolism, of three co-occurring species that differed in their maximum potential height. We examined one species of shrub, one short-statured tree and one taller tree. We worked with individuals that were approximately the same age and height, which was near the maximum for the shrub species. A number of variables correlated with the maximum potential height of the species. For example, vessel diameter and vulnerability to embolism both increased while wood density declined with maximum potential height. The difference between the pressure causing 50% reduction in hydraulic conductance in the leaves and the midday leaf water potential (the leaf's hydraulic safety margin) was much larger in the shrub than the other two species. In general, trends were consistent with understory shrubs having a more conservative life history strategy than co-occurring taller species. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

USSR and Eastern Europe Scientific Abstracts, Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences, Number 86

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-02-03

Biochemistry 6 Epidemiology 15 Hydrobiology • • IT Immunology .. • 1° Industrial Microbiology 21 Industrial Toxicology 22 Marine Mammals 28...included measures to decrease the con- tamination of feeds and animal husbandry products with pesticides; improve- ment of methods and the organization...permissible levels of pesticide residues in agricultural products and the maximum permissible concentrations of pesticides for work- ers working with them

Semantic Body Browser: graphical exploration of an organism and spatially resolved expression data visualization.

PubMed

Lekschas, Fritz; Stachelscheid, Harald; Seltmann, Stefanie; Kurtz, Andreas

2015-03-01

Advancing technologies generate large amounts of molecular and phenotypic data on cells, tissues and organisms, leading to an ever-growing detail and complexity while information retrieval and analysis becomes increasingly time-consuming. The Semantic Body Browser is a web application for intuitively exploring the body of an organism from the organ to the subcellular level and visualising expression profiles by means of semantically annotated anatomical illustrations. It is used to comprehend biological and medical data related to the different body structures while relying on the strong pattern recognition capabilities of human users. The Semantic Body Browser is a JavaScript web application that is freely available at http://sbb.cellfinder.org. The source code is provided on https://github.com/flekschas/sbb. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

How the Body Works

MedlinePlus

... for Educators Search English Español How the Body Works Main Page EN ESPAÑOL Healthy Weight Movie About Us Contact Us Partners Editorial Policy Permissions Guidelines Privacy Policy & Terms of Use Notice ...

38 CFR 3.1610 - Burial in national cemeteries; burial of unclaimed bodies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... cemeteries; burial of unclaimed bodies. 3.1610 Section 3.1610 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief... unclaimed bodies. The statutory burial allowance and permissible transportation charges as provided in §§ 3... from the officers having jurisdiction over burials in national cemeteries; or (b) Where the body of a...

38 CFR 3.1610 - Burial in national cemeteries; burial of unclaimed bodies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... cemeteries; burial of unclaimed bodies. 3.1610 Section 3.1610 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief... unclaimed bodies. The statutory burial allowance and permissible transportation charges as provided in §§ 3... from the officers having jurisdiction over burials in national cemeteries; or (b) Where the body of a...

Overcoming the Practical Barriers to Spinal Cord Cell Transplantation for ALS

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

ABSTRACT: This grant will provide critical data on tolerance and toxicity of cell dosing and numbers of permissible spinal cord injections. Rigorous...Surgical Technique) will provide critical data on tolerance and toxicity of cell dosing and numbers of permissible spinal cord injections. Aim 2 (Graft...connected to a rigid needle of the same gauge as the floating cannula one – Figure 7) using the maximum volume/number of injections could result in

49 CFR 178.812 - Top lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... no loss of contents. [Amdt. 178-103, 59 FR 38074, July 26, 1994, as amended at 66 FR 33452, June 21... types must be loaded to twice the maximum permissible gross mass with the load being evenly distributed. (2) Flexible IBC design types must be filled to six times the maximum net mass, the load being evenly...

Destruction of humic substances by pulsed electrical discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lobanova, G. L.; Yurmazova, T. A.; Shiyan, L. N.; Machekhina, K. I.; Davidenko, M. A.

2017-01-01

Currently, the water recourses in the territory of Tomsk region are groundwater which is limited to the high concentration of iron and manganese ions and organic substances. These impurities present in water in different forms such as soluble salts ant the colloid forms. Therefore, the present work is a part of a continuations researcher of the processes in natural waters containing humic substances at the influence of pulsed electrical discharges in a layer of iron pellets. It is shown that the main stage of water purification process of humic substances during treatment by pulsed electric discharge in the layer of iron granules is a difficult process including several stages such as formation of iron oxyhydroxide colloid particles, sorption and coagulation with humic macromolecules substances, growth of particle dispersed phase and precipitation. The reason for the formation and coagulation of the dispersed phase is a different state of charge of the colloid particles (zeta potentials of (Fe (OH)3) is +8 mV, zeta potentials of (Humic substances) is -70 mV. The most intense permanganate oxidation reduction to the maximum permissible concentration occurs at the processing time equal to 10 seconds. The contact time of active erosion products with sodium humate is established and it equals to 1 hour. The value of permanganate oxidation achieves maximum permissible concentration during this time and iron concentration in solution achieves maximum permissible concentration after filtration.

[Electromagnetic hazards from electrosurgery--assessment of occupational exposure to electromagnetic field and currents induceed in the body].

PubMed

Gryz, Krzysztof; Karpowicz, Jolanta

2006-01-01

The investigation of the occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields from electrosurgery devices were done (according to the requirements of Polish Standard PN-T-06580:2002). The exposure was evaluated following the criteria established by occupational safety and health regulations. The measurements and evaluation of the currents flowing through the exposed workers body were also conducted following the method and criteria published by IEEE standard and European Directive 2004/40/EC. It was found that in the vicinity of electrosurgical devices, the area of electromagnetic fields to which only workers operating the source of field should be exposed can exist up to the distance of 70 cm from the active electrode and supplying cables. In the case when the cables are placed directly on the surgeon body or long duration of the daily exposure the overexposure of workers can appear (referring to Polish regulations). The current flowing through the arm of surgeon keeping the electrode with electric field of the maximum strength (app. 1000 V/m or higher) can exceed permissible value of 40 mA established by the Directive 2004/40/EC for contact current. The reduction of the surgeon exposure can be reached by the proper positioning of the cables supplying monopolar electrode or by the use of bipolar electrode.

Altitude-Test-Chamber Investigation of a Solar Afterburner on the 24C Engine I - Operational Characteristics and Altitude Limits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1948-01-01

An altitude-test-chamber investigation was conducted to determine the operational characteristics and altitude blow-out limits of a Solar afterburner in a 24C engine. At rated engine speed and maximum permissible turbine-discharge temperature, the altitude limit as determined by combustion blow-out occurred as a band of unstable operation of about 8000 feet altitude in width with maximum altitude limits from 32,000 feet at a Mach number of 0.3 to about 42,000 feet at a Mach number of 1.0. The maximum fuel-air ratio of the afterburner, as limited by maximum permissible turbine-discharge gas temperatures at rated engine speed, varied between 0.0295 and 0.0380 over a range of flight Mach numbers from 0.25 to 1.0 and at altitudes of 20,000 and 30,000 feet. Over this range of operating conditions, the fuel-air ratio at which lean blow-out occurred was from 10 to 19 percent below these maximum fuel-air ratios. Combustion was very smooth and uniform during operation; however, ignition of the burner was very difficult throughout the investigation. A failure of the flame holder after 12 hours and 15 minutes of afterburner operation resulted in termination of the investigation.

Heightened condition-dependent growth of sexually selected weapons in the rhinoceros beetle, Trypoxylus dichotomus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

PubMed

Johns, A; Gotoh, H; McCullough, E L; Emlen, D J; Lavine, L C

2014-10-01

The exaggerated weapons and ornaments of sexual selection are condition-dependent traits that often grow to exaggerated proportions. The horns of male rhinoceros beetles are extremely sensitive to the larval nutritional environment and are used by rival males in combat over access to females. In contrast to horns, other parts of the body, such as wings, eyes, and legs, scale proportionally with body size, whereas others, such as males' external genitalia, are invariant with body size, regardless of nutrition. We document how body parts of the Asian rhinoceros beetle, Trypoxylus dichotomus, exhibit plasticity and constraint in response to nutritional condition. We discuss the implications of these results for the evolution of condition-dependent and condition-independent traits in animals. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

7 CFR 51.1178 - Maximum anhydrous citric acid permissible for corresponding total soluble solids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... of Florida Oranges and Tangelos Standards for Internal Quality of Common Sweet Oranges (citrus... Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF...

Analysis of the criteria used by the International Commission on Radiological Protection to justify the setting of numerical protection level values.

PubMed

2006-01-01

This report compiles the various numerical protection level values published by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) since its 1990 Recommendations (Publication 60). Several terms are used to denominate the protection levels: individual dose limit, 'maximum' individual dose, dose constraint, exemption level, exclusion level, action level, or intervention level. The reasons provided by the Commission for selecting the associated numerical values is quoted as far as available. In some cases the rationale is not totally explicit in the original ICRP report concerned; in such cases the Task Group that prepared the present report have proposed their own interpretation. Originally, this report was prepared by a Task Group at CEPN, a French research and development center, in behalf of IRSN, a French public expert body engaged in radiological protection and nuclear safety. It is published here with kind permission by CEPN and IRSN.

49 CFR 178.1060 - Topple test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... there may be no loss of the filling substance. However a slight discharge (e.g., from closures or stitch... Container design types must be filled to their maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly...

49 CFR 178.1060 - Topple test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... there may be no loss of the filling substance. However a slight discharge (e.g., from closures or stitch... Container design types must be filled to their maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly...

Maximum permissible exposure of the retina in the human eye in optical coherence tomography systems using a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rees, Sian; Dobre, George

2014-01-01

When using scanning laser ophthalmoscopy to produce images of the eye fundus, maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limits must be considered. These limits are set out in international standards such as the National Standards Institute ANSI Z136.1 Safe Use of Lasers (USA) and BS EN 60825-1: 1994 (UK) and corresponding Euro norms but these documents do not explicitly consider the case of scanned beams. Our study aims to show how MPE values can be calculated for the specific case of retinal scanning by taking into account an array of parameters, such as wavelength, exposure duration, type of scanning, line rate and field size, and how each set of initial parameters results in MPE values that correspond to thermal or photochemical damage to the retina.

Secondary hypertension due to concomitant aldosterone-producing adenoma and parathyroid adenoma.

PubMed

Chau, Katrina; Holmes, Daniel; Melck, Adrienne; Chan-Yan, Clifford

2015-02-01

There is a growing body of evidence supporting a bidirectional relationship between parathyroid hormone (PTH) and aldosterone (Aldo). We report a case of secondary hypertension due to concomitant Aldo-producing adenoma (APA) and parathyroid adenoma (PA) requiring both unilateral adrenalectomy and parathyroidectomy. © American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd 2014. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Trade-Off Between Fitness Gain and Cost Determines Profitability of a Peach Aphid Parasitoid.

PubMed

Khatri, Diwas; He, Xiong Z; Wang, Qiao

2016-08-01

Aphidius colemani (Viereck) (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) is commercially produced and utilized for biological control of peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on greenhouse crops in many countries. To provide knowledge for the evaluation of parasitoid-host interactions and development of effective mass rearing programs, we investigated how and why host age or size affected fitness gain in A. colemani We show that the parasitoid was significantly more likely to encounter larger hosts and that an encounter almost always triggered an attack attempt. However, the attack attempt did not proportionally translate into oviposition because larger aphids had greater ability to defend themselves and the parasitoid spent more time in handling larger aphids. The host age at parasitization had no effect on emergence rates and sex ratio of parasitoid progeny, suggesting that pupae and larvae have similar survival rate in hosts of different ages and/or the parasitoid females do not adjust sex allocation based on host size. When parasitizing mid-aged hosts, the parasitoid gained maximum fitness for their progeny in developmental period, body size, and parasitism. Taking all findings together, we suggest that parasitizing mid-aged green peach aphid nymphs is most profitable for A. colemani. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effects of Food Quality on Biology and Physiological Traits of Sitotroga cerealella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).

PubMed

Borzoui, E; Naseri, B; Nouri-Ganbalani, G

2017-02-01

Biology and physiological traits of Sitotroga cerealella Olivier, a world-wide insect pest of cereals, were investigated on different grains (barley, maize, rye, sorghum, triticale, and wheat). Larval and pupal duration was the shortest on wheat and triticale, and the longest on sorghum. There were significant differences in survival rate of immature stages on grains with different seed hardness. The highest realized fecundity and egg fertility was observed on triticale and the lowest was seen on sorghum. Larvae fed on triticale and wheat showed higher amount of α-amylase activity than larvae fed on other grains. Maximum Vmax/KM ratio was determined for the midgut α-amylase of S. cerealella larvae fed on wheat. Whole-body protein, lipid, and glycogen contents of pupae reared on sorghum and rye were significantly lower than those reared on other grains. The statistical analysis showed that the clear correlation could be drawn between the biological characteristics and energy contents of S. cerealella on one side and seed hardness, amylolytic activity, and food consumed on the other. According to the findings of this study, the variable responses of S. cerealella to feeding on different host grains could be attributed to the quality of diets tested. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Metal concentrations in cosmetics commonly used in Nigeria.

PubMed

Orisakwe, Orish Ebere; Otaraku, Jonathan Oye

2013-01-01

Trace amounts of potentially toxic metals can be either intentionally added to cosmetics or present as impurities in the raw materials. In the present study, the levels of lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium, and mercury have been assessed in 28 body creams and lotions, 10 powders, 3 soaps, 5 eye make-ups, and 4 lipsticks widely available on Nigerian markets. The increases over suggested or mandated levels of lead in these creams and lotions ranged from 6.1 to 45.9 and from 1.2 to 9.2 mg kg⁻¹ when compared with Cosmetic Ingredients Review Expert Panel 2007 and German safe maximum permissible limit of lead in cosmetics, respectively. About 61% of the body cosmetics, the lotions, and the creams contained detectable levels of nickel ranging from 1.1 to 6.4-9.2 mg kg⁻¹. Chromium and mercury were undetected in 100% of the cosmetic product. Taken together, lead and cadmium were high in creams and lotions. Most of the imported creams and creamy white coloured cosmetics contained higher levels of metal contaminants than the other colours. Regulatory Agencies in developing nations should take appropriate action for cosmetics that contain lead and cadmium beyond the reference limits.

Spectroscopic detection of health hazardous contaminants in lipstick using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Gondal, M A; Seddigi, Z S; Nasr, M M; Gondal, B

2010-03-15

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technique was applied to determine the concentrations of different toxic elements like lead, chromium, cadmium and zinc in four different lipstick brands sold at local markets in Saudi Arabia. These samples contain toxic elements like lead, cadmium and chromium which are carcinogen dermatitis, allergic and eczematous. Their extraction from human body takes over 40 years and accumulation in the body cause problems like disruption of nervous systems and kidney damage. They could trigger to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In order to test the validity of our LIBS results, standard technique like (ICP-AES) was also applied. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study where LIBS technique was applied for the measurement of toxic substances in lipsticks. The maximum concentration detected in four lipstick brands was much higher than the permissible safe limits for human use and could lead to serious health problems. It is worth mentioning that the lipstick is not a solid rather is in fluid state which is not trivial to analyze using LIBS technique. For this purpose, special treatment of the lipstick samples was necessary to analyze with our LIBS method. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metal Concentrations in Cosmetics Commonly Used in Nigeria

PubMed Central

Orisakwe, Orish Ebere; Otaraku, Jonathan Oye

2013-01-01

Trace amounts of potentially toxic metals can be either intentionally added to cosmetics or present as impurities in the raw materials. In the present study, the levels of lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium, and mercury have been assessed in 28 body creams and lotions, 10 powders, 3 soaps, 5 eye make-ups, and 4 lipsticks widely available on Nigerian markets. The increases over suggested or mandated levels of lead in these creams and lotions ranged from 6.1 to 45.9 and from 1.2 to 9.2 mg kg−1 when compared with Cosmetic Ingredients Review Expert Panel 2007 and German safe maximum permissible limit of lead in cosmetics, respectively. About 61% of the body cosmetics, the lotions, and the creams contained detectable levels of nickel ranging from 1.1 to 6.4–9.2 mg kg−1. Chromium and mercury were undetected in 100% of the cosmetic product. Taken together, lead and cadmium were high in creams and lotions. Most of the imported creams and creamy white coloured cosmetics contained higher levels of metal contaminants than the other colours. Regulatory Agencies in developing nations should take appropriate action for cosmetics that contain lead and cadmium beyond the reference limits. PMID:24385889

Body Image and Body Contouring Procedures.

PubMed

Sarwer, David B; Polonsky, Heather M

2016-10-01

Dissatisfaction with physical appearance and body image is a common psychological phenomena in Western society. Body image dissatisfaction is frequently reported by those who have excess body weight, but also is seen in those of normal body weight. For both groups of individuals, this dissatisfaction impacts self-esteem and quality of life. Furthermore, it is believed to be the motivational catalyst to a range of appearance-enhancing behaviors, including weight loss efforts and physical activity. Body image dissatisfaction is also believed to play a role in the decision to seek the wide range of body contouring procedures offered by aesthetic physicians. Individuals who seek these procedures typically report increased body image dissatisfaction, focus on the feature they wish to alter with treatment, and often experience improvement in body image following treatment. At the same time, extreme body image dissatisfaction is a symptom of a number of recognized psychiatric disorders. These include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), all of which can contraindicate aesthetic treatment. This special topic review paper provides an overview of the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and aesthetic procedures designed to improve body contouring. The review specifically focuses on the relationship of body image and body weight, as well as the presentation of body image psychopathology that would contraindicate aesthetic surgery. The overall goal of the paper is to highlight the clinical implications of the existing research and provide suggestions for future research on the psychological aspects of body contouring procedures. © 2016 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Changing guards: time to move beyond body mass index for population monitoring of excess adiposity.

PubMed

Tanamas, S K; Lean, M E J; Combet, E; Vlassopoulos, A; Zimmet, P Z; Peeters, A

2016-07-01

With the obesity epidemic, and the effects of aging populations, human phenotypes have changed over two generations, possibly more dramatically than in other species previously. As obesity is an important and growing hazard for population health, we recommend a systematic evaluation of the optimal measure(s) for population-level excess body fat. Ideal measure(s) for monitoring body composition and obesity should be simple, as accurate and sensitive as possible, and provide good categorization of related health risks. Combinations of anthropometric markers or predictive equations may facilitate better use of anthropometric data than single measures to estimate body composition for populations. Here, we provide new evidence that increasing proportions of aging populations are at high health-risk according to waist circumference, but not body mass index (BMI), so continued use of BMI as the principal population-level measure substantially underestimates the health-burden from excess adiposity. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Body Odor Trait Disgust Sensitivity Predicts Perception of Sweat Biosamples.

PubMed

Liuzza, Marco Tullio; Olofsson, Jonas K; Sabiniewicz, Agnieszka; Sorokowska, Agnieszka

2017-07-01

Body odors are potent triggers of disgust and regulate social behaviors in many species. The role of olfaction in disgust-associated behaviors has received scant attention in the research literature, in part because olfactory disgust assessments have required laboratory testing with odors. We have devised the "Body Odor Disgust Scale" (BODS) to facilitate research on olfactory disgust. In this study, we evaluated whether individual differences in BODS scores would be associated with the perception of disgust for sweat samples in a laboratory setting. Results show that BODS was a strong predictor of disgust ratings of sweat samples even when controlling for general disgust sensitivity. In contrast, odor intensity ratings were unrelated to BODS scores. Our findings suggest that the BODS scores reflect body odor disgust perception. The BODS scale might facilitate research on olfactory disgust responses and associated behaviors. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Stress analysis on passenger deck due to modification from passenger ship to vehicle-carrying ship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubaydi, A.; Sujiatanti, S. H.; Hariyanto, T. R.

2018-03-01

Stress is a basic concept in learning about material mechanism. The main focus that needs to be brought to attention in analyzing stress is strength, which is the structural capacity to carry or distribute loads. The structural capacity not only measured by comparing the maximum stress with the material’s yield strength but also with the permissible stress required by the Indonesian Classification Bureau (BKI), which certainly makes it much safer. This final project analyzes stress in passenger deck that experiences modification due to load changes, from passenger load to vehicle one, carrying: 6-wheels truck with maximum weight of 14 tons, a passenger car with maximum weight of 3.5 tons, and a motorcycle with maximum weight of 0.4 tons. The deck structure is modelled using finite element software. The boundary conditions given to the structural model are fix and simple constraint. The load that works on this deck is the deck load which comes from the vehicles on deck with three vehicles’ arrangement plans. After that, software modelling is conducted for analysis purpose. Analysis result shows a variation of maximum stress that occurs i.e. 135 N/mm2, 133 N/mm2, and 152 N/mm2. Those maximum stresses will not affect the structure of passenger deck’s because the maximum stress that occurs indicates smaller value compared to the Indonesian Classification Bureau’s permissible stress (175 N/mm2) as well as the material’s yield strength (235 N/mm2). Thus, the structural strength of passenger deck is shown to be capable of carrying the weight of vehicles in accordance with the three vehicles’ arrangement plans.

48 CFR 27.102 - General guidance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... to its needs. (e) Generally, the Government requires that contractors obtain permission from... REQUIREMENTS PATENTS, DATA, AND COPYRIGHTS General 27.102 General guidance. (a) The Government encourages the maximum practical commercial use of inventions made under Government contracts. (b) Generally, the...

Evaluation of human body irradiation caused by radionuclides deposited in the filtration unit of gas mask.

PubMed

Cerny, R; Johnova, K; Otahal, P; Thinova, L; Kluson, J

2017-12-01

Radioactive aerosol particles represent a serious risk for people facing the consequences of nuclear accident of any kind. The first responders to emergency situation need to be protected by personal protective equipment which includes radiation protection suit supplemented with gas mask. The purpose of this work is to estimate the dose to the organs of responder's body as a result of radionuclide deposition in the filtration unit of the gas mask. The problem was analyzed using Monte Carlo simulations. The dose absorbed by different organs for five representative radionuclides and the dose distribution over the responder's body are presented in this paper. Based on presented MC simulations, we suggest a method of evaluating the irradiation of the responder by the radionuclides deposited in the filtration unit of the gas mask. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Predicting child physical activity and screen time: parental support for physical activity and general parenting styles.

PubMed

Langer, Shelby L; Crain, A Lauren; Senso, Meghan M; Levy, Rona L; Sherwood, Nancy E

2014-07-01

To examine relationships between parenting styles and practices and child moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and screen time. Participants were children (6.9 ± 1.8 years) with a body mass index in the 70-95th percentile and their parents (421 dyads). Parent-completed questionnaires assessed parental support for child physical activity (PA), parenting styles and child screen time. Children wore accelerometers to assess MVPA. Parenting style did not predict MVPA, but support for PA did (positive association). The association between support and MVPA, moreover, varied as a function of permissive parenting. For parents high in permissiveness, the association was positive (greater support was related to greater MVPA and therefore protective). For parents low in permissiveness, the association was neutral; support did not matter. Authoritarian and permissive parenting styles were both associated with greater screen time. Parenting practices and styles should be considered jointly, offering implications for tailored interventions. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

7 CFR 1780.83 - Bond transcript documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Bonds and Bond Transcript Documents for Public Body Applicants § 1780.83 Bond transcript documents. Any... of the governing body at which action was taken in connection with the authorizing and issuing of the... or validity of the obligation. It is permissible for such opinion to contain language referring to...

7 CFR 1780.83 - Bond transcript documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Bonds and Bond Transcript Documents for Public Body Applicants § 1780.83 Bond transcript documents. Any... of the governing body at which action was taken in connection with the authorizing and issuing of the... or validity of the obligation. It is permissible for such opinion to contain language referring to...

7 CFR 1780.83 - Bond transcript documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Bonds and Bond Transcript Documents for Public Body Applicants § 1780.83 Bond transcript documents. Any... of the governing body at which action was taken in connection with the authorizing and issuing of the... or validity of the obligation. It is permissible for such opinion to contain language referring to...

7 CFR 1780.83 - Bond transcript documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Bonds and Bond Transcript Documents for Public Body Applicants § 1780.83 Bond transcript documents. Any... of the governing body at which action was taken in connection with the authorizing and issuing of the... or validity of the obligation. It is permissible for such opinion to contain language referring to...

Research of Influence of Noise Pollution on the Value of the Threshold Current Tangible

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khanzhina, Olga; Sidorov, Alexander; Zykina, Ekaterina

2017-12-01

Stable safety while working on electrical installations can be achieved by following the rules of the electrical safety. Today maximum permissible levels of touch voltage and electric current flow through any part of a person’s body are established by Russian Federation GOST system 12.1.038-82. Unfortunately, recommended by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) maximum allowable amount of electric current and voltage level do not take into account interaction between said electric current and other physical factors; noise, in particular. The influence of sound frequency and its pressure level on body resistance has been proven earlier in thesis by V.V. Katz. Studies of the noise effects on the value of the threshold current tangible have been renewed in laboratories of Life Safety Department in South Ural State University. To obtain reliable results, testing facility that includes anechoic chamber, sources of simulated voltages and noise and a set of recording instruments was designed and built. As a rule, noise influence on electrotechnical personnel varies depending on noise level or/and the duration of its impact. According to modern theories, indirect noise influence on various organs and systems through central nervous system has to be considered. Differential evaluation of noise pollution and its correlation with emerged effects can be obtained with the usage of the dose approach. First of all, there were conducted studies, in which frequency of the applied voltage (f) was to 50 Hz. Voltages and currents that caused sensations before and during 97 dB noise affections were measured. Obtained dependence led to questioning previous researches results of the necessity of reducing the amperage of tripping protection devices. At the same time electrical resistance changes of human body were being studied. According to those researches, no functional dependence between fluctuations in the magnitude of the resistance of human body to electric current flow and constant noise affection were found. Taking into account that contradiction, additional studies of primary electrical safety criteria for cases when exposed to high frequency noise pollution were conducted.

76 FR 36349 - Diethylene Glycol MonoEthyl Ether (DEGEE); Exemption From the Requirement of a Tolerance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-22

... use on growing crops and raw agricultural commodities, without limitation. Huntsman, Dow AgroSciences... a maximum permissible level for residues of DEGEE on growing crops and raw agricultural commodities... antifreeze [[Page 36350

7 CFR 51.1176 - U.S. Grade AA Juice (Double A).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... less than 5 gallons (18.9 liters) of juice per standard packed box of 13/5 bushels. (b) The average... less than one-half of 1 percent anhydrous citric acid, or more than the permissible maximum acid...

33 CFR 401.68 - Explosives Permission Letter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... following cases: (1) For all vessels carrying any quantity of explosives with a mass explosive risk, up to a... and up to a maximum of 50 tonnes of explosives that do not explode en masse (IMO Class 1, Division 1.2...

Assessment of Effectiveness of Cool Coat in Reducing Heat Strain among Workers in Steel Industry.

PubMed

Parameswarappa, S B; Narayana, J

2017-01-01

A research study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of cool coat in reducing heat strain among workers exposed to heat in a steel plant located in south India. The study consists of assessing heat strain of workers exposed to heat in a steel plant by measuring physiological reactions of workers such as pulse rate and core body temperature with and without cool coat. The coal coat taken for this study was procured from M/s Yamuna Industries, Noida. Out of 140 employees exposed to heat hazard, 101 employees were examined in this study. Study was done in important production units in steel plant having heat hazard. Workers were interviewed and examined and information regarding thermal comfort was collected. First, the heat strain was assessed when the workers were not using cool coats. The air temperature was measured at all hot zone workplaces and found in the range of 34 0 C to 39.4 0 C (Mean: 36.54 0 C & S.D: 1.54). Physiological response such as core body temperature, pulse rate and blood pressure of workers exposed to heat hazard were measured before & after work to know the heat strain sustained by workers when they were working. Maximum core body temperature after work was found to be 39.3 0 C (Mean; 38.52 & S.D; 0.7). Maximum pulse rate of workers after work was found to be 120 beats/minute (Mean; 94.96 beats/minute, S.D: 13.11). The study indicate core body temperature of workers was found more than the permissible exposure limit prescribed by ACGIH, indicating the heat strain sustained by workers is significant, whereas the pulse rate and blood pressure was found normal & not exceeded the limits. Second, with cool coat, the heat strain was assessed among 10 workers selected from the 101 employees. Core body temperature was measured before and soon after work, The core body temperature recorded soon after work was in the range of 35.5 - 37.20C (Mean 36.36, SD= 0.52), indicating a drop in the core body temperature. In this study, a core body temperature rise in the range of 1 0 -1.4 0 C was noticed when the employees were not wearing cool coats. Whereas, with the usage of cool coat a rise in core body temperature was not found and in many coat wearing workers a drop in core body temperature (0.2 to 0.9 0 C) was noticed. Employees revealed that the cool coats was comfortable to use and provided the thermal comforts. The study concluded that the cool coat taken for this study was found effective in reducing the heat strain.

Assessment of Effectiveness of Cool Coat in Reducing Heat Strain among Workers in Steel Industry

PubMed Central

Parameswarappa, S. B.; Narayana, J.

2017-01-01

A research study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of cool coat in reducing heat strain among workers exposed to heat in a steel plant located in south India. The study consists of assessing heat strain of workers exposed to heat in a steel plant by measuring physiological reactions of workers such as pulse rate and core body temperature with and without cool coat. The coal coat taken for this study was procured from M/s Yamuna Industries, Noida. Out of 140 employees exposed to heat hazard, 101 employees were examined in this study. Study was done in important production units in steel plant having heat hazard. Workers were interviewed and examined and information regarding thermal comfort was collected. First, the heat strain was assessed when the workers were not using cool coats. The air temperature was measured at all hot zone workplaces and found in the range of 34 0 C to 39.4 0 C (Mean: 36.54 0 C & S.D: 1.54). Physiological response such as core body temperature, pulse rate and blood pressure of workers exposed to heat hazard were measured before & after work to know the heat strain sustained by workers when they were working. Maximum core body temperature after work was found to be 39.3 0 C (Mean; 38.52 & S.D; 0.7). Maximum pulse rate of workers after work was found to be 120 beats/minute (Mean; 94.96 beats/minute, S.D: 13.11). The study indicate core body temperature of workers was found more than the permissible exposure limit prescribed by ACGIH, indicating the heat strain sustained by workers is significant, whereas the pulse rate and blood pressure was found normal & not exceeded the limits. Second, with cool coat, the heat strain was assessed among 10 workers selected from the 101 employees. Core body temperature was measured before and soon after work, The core body temperature recorded soon after work was in the range of 35.5 - 37.20C (Mean 36.36, SD= 0.52), indicating a drop in the core body temperature. In this study, a core body temperature rise in the range of 1 0 -1.4 0 C was noticed when the employees were not wearing cool coats. Whereas, with the usage of cool coat a rise in core body temperature was not found and in many coat wearing workers a drop in core body temperature (0.2 to 0.9 0 C) was noticed. Employees revealed that the cool coats was comfortable to use and provided the thermal comforts. The study concluded that the cool coat taken for this study was found effective in reducing the heat strain. PMID:29391745

Optimizing drug-dose alerts using commercial software throughout an integrated health care system.

PubMed

Saiyed, Salim M; Greco, Peter J; Fernandes, Glenn; Kaelber, David C

2017-11-01

All default electronic health record and drug reference database vendor drug-dose alerting recommendations (single dose, daily dose, dose frequency, and dose duration) were silently turned on in inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department areas for pediatric-only and nonpediatric-only populations. Drug-dose alerts were evaluated during a 3-month period. Drug-dose alerts fired on 12% of orders (104 098/834 911). System-level and drug-specific strategies to decrease drug-dose alerts were analyzed. System-level strategies included: (1) turning off all minimum drug-dosing alerts, (2) turning off all incomplete information drug-dosing alerts, (3) increasing the maximum single-dose drug-dose alert threshold to 125%, (4) increasing the daily dose maximum drug-dose alert threshold to 125%, and (5) increasing the dose frequency drug-dose alert threshold to more than 2 doses per day above initial threshold. Drug-specific strategies included changing drug-specific maximum single and maximum daily drug-dose alerting parameters for the top 22 drug categories by alert frequency. System-level approaches decreased alerting to 5% (46 988/834 911) and drug-specific approaches decreased alerts to 3% (25 455/834 911). Drug-dose alerts varied between care settings and patient populations. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

In vivo Candida glabrata biofilm development on foreign bodies in a rat subcutaneous model.

PubMed

Kucharíková, Soňa; Neirinck, Bram; Sharma, Nidhi; Vleugels, Jef; Lagrou, Katrien; Van Dijck, Patrick

2015-03-01

Biofilm studies have been mostly dedicated to the major human fungal pathogen Candida albicans, whereas much less is known about this virulence factor in Candida glabrata, certainly under in vivo conditions. This study provides a deeper understanding of the biofilm development of C. glabrata, its architecture and susceptibility profile to fluconazole and echinocandins. In vitro and in vivo C. glabrata biofilms were developed inside serum-coated triple-lumen catheters placed in 24-well polystyrene plates or implanted subcutaneously in the back of a rat, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal scanning laser microscopy were used to visualize the biofilm architecture. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to demonstrate the expression profile of EPA1, EPA3, EPA6 and AWP1-AWP7 during in vivo biofilm formation. Mature biofilms were observed within the first 48 h and the amount of biofilm reached its maximum by 6 days. Architecturally, mature C. glabrata biofilms consisted of a thick network of yeast cells embedded in an extracellular matrix. Moreover, in vivo biofilms were susceptible to echinocandin drugs, whereas fluconazole remained ineffective. Gene expression profiling revealed that EPA3, EPA6, AWP2, AWP3 and AWP5 were up-regulated in in vivo biofilms compared with in vitro biofilms. C. glabrata is a unique microorganism, which, despite the lack of transition to the hyphal form, formed thick biofilms inside foreign bodies in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first study that has described in vivo C. glabrata biofilm development and its architectural changes in detail and provides an insight into the susceptibility profile, as well as the gene expression machinery, of biofilm-associated infections. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder Symptoms and Body Weight Concerns in Patients Seeking Abdominoplasty.

PubMed

Brito, Maria José Azevedo de; Nahas, Fábio Xerfan; Cordás, Táki Athanássios; Gama, Maria Gabriela; Sucupira, Eduardo Rodrigues; Ramos, Tatiana Dalpasquale; Felix, Gabriel de Almeida Arruda; Ferreira, Lydia Masako

2016-03-01

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is one of the most common psychiatric conditions found in patients seeking cosmetic surgery, and body contouring surgery is most frequently sought by patients with BDD. To estimate the prevalence and severity of BDD symptoms in patients seeking abdominoplasty. Ninety patients of both sexes were preoperatively divided into two groups: patients with BDD symptoms (n = 51) and those without BDD symptoms (n = 39) based both on the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination (BDDE) and clinical assessment. Patients in the BDD group were classified as having mild to moderate or severe symptoms, according to the BDDE. Body weight and shape concerns were assessed using the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ). The prevalence of BDD symptoms was 57%. There were significant associations between BDD symptoms and degree of body dissatisfaction, level of preoccupation with physical appearance, and avoidance behaviors. Mild to moderate and severe symptoms of BDD were present in 41% and 59% of patients, respectively, in the BDD group. It was found that the more severe the symptoms of BDD, the higher the level of concern with body weight and shape (P < .001). Patients having distorted self-perception of body shape, or distorted comparative perception of body image were respectively 3.67 or 5.93 times more likely to show more severe symptoms of BDD than those with a more accurate perception. Candidates for abdominoplasty had a high prevalence of BDD symptoms, and body weight and shape concerns were associated with increased symptom severity. © 2016 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

COMPARISON OF ORGAN DOSES IN HUMAN PHANTOMS: VARIATIONS DUE TO BODY SIZE AND POSTURE.

PubMed

Feng, Xu; Xiang-Hong, Jia; Qian, Liu; Xue-Jun, Yu; Zhan-Chun, Pan; Chun-Xin, Yang

2017-04-20

Organ dose calculations performed using human phantoms can provide estimates of astronauts' health risks due to cosmic radiation. However, the characteristics of such phantoms strongly affect the estimation precision. To investigate organ dose variations with body size and posture in human phantoms, a non-uniform rational B-spline boundary surfaces model was constructed based on cryosection images. This model was used to establish four phantoms with different body size and posture parameters, whose organs parameters were changed simultaneously and which were voxelised with 4 × 4 × 4 mm3 resolution. Then, using Monte Carlo transport code, the organ doses caused by ≤500 MeV isotropic incident protons were calculated. The dose variations due to body size differences within a certain range were negligible, and the doses received in crouching and standing-up postures were similar. Therefore, a standard Chinese phantom could be established, and posture changes cannot effectively protect astronauts during solar particle events. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Monitoring of arsenic levels in some ready-to-use anti-malaria herbal products from drug sales outlets in the Madina area of Accra, Ghana.

PubMed

Affum, A O; Shiloh, D O; Adomako, D

2013-06-01

In Ghana anti-malaria herbal medicines or products are used to compliment commercial drugs in treatment and prevention of Plasmodium falciparum infections. In this study, four common aqueous based anti-malaria herbal products (coded HEB, KFE, MDM and NIB) which are used by Ghanaian population from pharmacy/herbal stores in the Madina area, Accra were blindly and randomly sampled for cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and Lead (Pb) analysis using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry technique. Arsenic concentrations were 1.087 μg/mL (108.7%), 1.027 μg/mL (102.7%), 0.330 μg/mL (33.0%) and 0.274 μg/mL (27.4%) in MDM, KFE, NIB and HEB respectively. Arsenic concentration determined in MDM and KFE were above the maximum permissible limit of 1.0 ppm determined by WHO/FAO. Cadmium concentration in each of the four products as well as lead concentration in KFE, NIB and HEB were below the detection limit of <0.002 mg/mL (Cd) and <0.005 mg/mL (Pb) respectively. The maximum permissible limits for Pb and Cd determined by WHO/FAO are 10.0 ppm and 0.3 ppm respectively. Thus, random assessment on the safety of some ready-to-use aqueous based anti-malaria herbal products on the market is necessary to prevent public health hazards associated with consuming these plant extracts. Although lead and cadmium concentration in the anti-malaria herbal products were below the maximum permissible limits, their cumulative effect on the health of an individual which consume recommended volume of not less than 1000 mL for effective malaria parasite clearance cannot be ignored. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Breast Hypertrophy, Reduction Mammaplasty, and Body Image.

PubMed

Fonseca, Cristiane Costa; Veiga, Daniela Francescato; Garcia, Edgard da Silva; Cabral, Isaías Vieira; de Carvalho, Monique Maçais; de Brito, Maria José Azevedo; Ferreira, Lydia Masako

2018-02-07

Body image dissatisfaction is one of the major factors that motivate patients to undergo plastic surgery. However, few studies have associated body satisfaction with reduction mammaplasty. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of breast hypertrophy and reduction mammaplasty on body image. Breast hypertrophy patients, with reduction mammaplasty already scheduled between June 2013 and December 2015 (mammaplasty group, MG), were prospectively evaluated through the body dysmorphic disorder examination (BDDE), body investment scale (BIS), and breast evaluation questionnaire (BEQ55) tools. Women with normal-sized breasts were also evaluated as study controls (normal-sized breast group, NSBG). All the participants were interviewed at the initial assessment and after six months. Data were analyzed before and after six months. Each group consisted of 103 women. The MG group had a significant improvement in BDDE, BIS, and BEQ55 scores six months postoperatively (P ≤ 0.001 for the three instruments), whereas the NSBG group showed no alteration in results over time (P = 0.876; P = 0.442; and P = 0.184, respectively). In the intergroup comparison it was observed that the MG group began to invest more in the body, similarly to the NSBG group, and surpassed the level of satisfaction and body image that the women of the NSBG group had after the surgery. Reduction mammaplasty promoted improvement in body image of women with breast hypertrophy. © 2018 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com

The Mediating Roles of Primary and Secondary Control in the Relationship between Body Satisfaction and Subjective Well-Being Among Middle-Aged and Older Women.

PubMed

Watt, Ashli D; Konnert, Candace A; Speirs, Calandra E C

2017-07-01

This study examined primary and secondary control as mediators in the relationship between body satisfaction and subjective well-being (SWB) and explored age differences in the mediation model. Data from 362 women, aged 40-91 years, assessed (i) the relationships between body satisfaction, age, primary and secondary control strategies (body-specific social comparison, acceptance, and positive reappraisal), and three indices of SWB (positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction), (ii) the mediation effects of primary and secondary control on the relationship between body satisfaction and SWB, and (iii) whether mediational relationships were moderated by age. Body satisfaction was unrelated to age but positively related to positive affect and life satisfaction and negatively related to negative affect. Body satisfaction was also related to primary and secondary control strategies. There were significant indirect (mediated) effects of body satisfaction on all outcome variables through acceptance and positive reappraisal. These mediators were significant at all age levels, but exerted their strongest influence among younger women. This study provides new information about the mechanisms that influence the relationship between body satisfaction and SWB among a broad age range of women who are experiencing physical changes that are inconsistent with Western beauty standards. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Novel Synthesis and Characterization of Inorganic Fullerene Type WS2 and Graphene Hybrids

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

Figure 1.   Photograph of two sailors wearing a “light” version of body armor (Image used with permission from LT Melanie Chambers and LT Kathryn...protection body armor in use is a vast improvement over the animal hides and chain mail our descendants wore many years ago [1]. Today’s body armor...worn, but lowers the level of threats the body armor will be able to withstand. Often such operating environments force soldiers to choose between

78 FR 57285 - 2,5-Furandione, Polymer With Ethenylbenzene, Hydrolyzed, 3-(Dimethylamino)propyl Imide, Imide...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-18

..., Polymer With Ethenylbenzene, Hydrolyzed, 3- (Dimethylamino)propyl Imide, Imide With Polyethylene..., polymer with ethenylbenzene, hydrolyzed, 3-(dimethylamino)propyl imide, imide with polyethylene... to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of 2,5-furandione, polymer with ethenylbenzene...

24 CFR 2700.210 - Finance charges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Finance charges. 2700.210 Section 2700.210 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued... HOMEOWNERS' LOAN PROGRAM Emergency Assistance § 2700.210 Finance charges. The maximum permissible finance...

24 CFR 2700.210 - Finance charges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Finance charges. 2700.210 Section 2700.210 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued... HOMEOWNERS' LOAN PROGRAM Emergency Assistance § 2700.210 Finance charges. The maximum permissible finance...

24 CFR 2700.210 - Finance charges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Finance charges. 2700.210 Section 2700.210 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued... HOMEOWNERS' LOAN PROGRAM Emergency Assistance § 2700.210 Finance charges. The maximum permissible finance...

24 CFR 2700.210 - Finance charges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Finance charges. 2700.210 Section 2700.210 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development (Continued... HOMEOWNERS' LOAN PROGRAM Emergency Assistance § 2700.210 Finance charges. The maximum permissible finance...

49 CFR 178.975 - Top lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the top, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packagings unsafe for transport and no loss of contents. ... design types must be filled to six times the maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly...

49 CFR 178.975 - Top lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the top, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packagings unsafe for transport and no loss of contents. ... design types must be filled to six times the maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly...

49 CFR 178.975 - Top lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the top, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packagings unsafe for transport and no loss of contents. ... design types must be filled to six times the maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly...

49 CFR 178.975 - Top lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the top, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packagings unsafe for transport and no loss of contents. ... design types must be filled to six times the maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly...

22 CFR 62.17 - Fees and charges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...—September 30, 2009): (1) For filing an application for program designation and/or redesignation (Form DS-3036)—$1,748. (2) For filing an application for extension beyond the maximum duration, change of category, reinstatement, reinstatement-update SEVIS status, ECFMG-sponsorship authorization, and permission...

Field and modeling framework and case study of truck weigh station operations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-01-01

Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) systems improve the capacity of weigh station operations significantly by screening trucks while traveling at high speeds and only requiring trucks within a threshold of a maximum permissible gross of axle weight to be weighed o...

Effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical health markers in humans.

PubMed

Tinsley, Grant M; La Bounty, Paul M

2015-10-01

Intermittent fasting is a broad term that encompasses a variety of programs that manipulate the timing of eating occasions by utilizing short-term fasts in order to improve body composition and overall health. This review examines studies conducted on intermittent fasting programs to determine if they are effective at improving body composition and clinical health markers associated with disease. Intermittent fasting protocols can be grouped into alternate-day fasting, whole-day fasting, and time-restricted feeding. Alternate-day fasting trials of 3 to 12 weeks in duration appear to be effective at reducing body weight (≈3%-7%), body fat (≈3-5.5 kg), total cholesterol (≈10%-21%), and triglycerides (≈14%-42%) in normal-weight, overweight, and obese humans. Whole-day fasting trials lasting 12 to 24 weeks also reduce body weight (≈3%-9%) and body fat, and favorably improve blood lipids (≈5%-20% reduction in total cholesterol and ≈17%-50% reduction in triglycerides). Research on time-restricted feeding is limited, and clear conclusions cannot be made at present. Future studies should examine long-term effects of intermittent fasting and the potential synergistic effects of combining intermittent fasting with exercise. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

COMMENTS ON THE DEFINITION OF THE CURIE, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO NATURAL RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

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

Jaeger, R.G.; Houtermans, H.

1962-06-01

An analysis of maximum permissible levels of radionuclides showed that the definition of the curie, when applied to natural radioactive materials, is ambiguous. The history of the definition of the curie is reviewed. In the past, no clear distinction was raade between the curie as a unit of the quantity of a radioactive substance, and the curie as a unit of radioactivity. This has caused different interpretation of the curic as applied to natural radioactive materials, e.g., natural uranium and natural thorium. A redefinition of the curie as a pure unit of radioactivity is suggested, and maximum permissible levels ormore » concentrations of natural radioactive materials, such as uranium or thorium, should be stated in mass per unit mass or volume of air, water, food, etc. It is recommended that, in legislation listing the amounts of naturally occurring radioactive substances, these amounts be stated in milligrams or Kilograms. (auth)« less

Effect of thermal annealing on the thermoluminescent properties of nano-calcium fluoride and its dose-response characteristics.

PubMed

Mundupuzhakal, J K; Biswas, R H; Chauhan, S; Varma, V; Acharya, Y B; Chakrabarty, B S

2015-12-01

Nano-CaF2, prepared by the co-precipitation method, was annealed under different annealing conditions to improve its thermoluminescence (TL) characteristics. Different annealing parameters, such as temperature (400-700°C), duration (1-4 h) and environment (vacuum and air), were explored. The effect on TL sensitivity, peak position (Tm) and full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) with respect to the different annealing conditions are discussed as they are the measure of crystallinity of the material. Annealing temperature of 500°C with annealing duration of two and a half hours in vacuum provided the highest luminescence response (i.e. maximum sensitivity, minimum peak temperature and FWHM). Wide detectable dose range (5 mGy to 2 kGy), absence of thermal quenching and sufficient activation energy (1.04 eV) of this phosphor make it suitable for dosimetric applications. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Aquifer-yield continuum as a guide and typology for science-based groundwater management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierce, Suzanne A.; Sharp, John M.; Guillaume, Joseph H. A.; Mace, Robert E.; Eaton, David J.

2013-03-01

Groundwater availability is at the core of hydrogeology as a discipline and, simultaneously, the concept is the source of ambiguity for management and policy. Aquifer yield has undergone multiple definitions resulting in a range of scientific methods to calculate and model availability reflecting the complexity of combined scientific, management, policy, and stakeholder processes. The concept of an aquifer-yield continuum provides an approach to classify groundwater yields along a spectrum, from non-use through permissive sustained, sustainable, maximum sustained, safe, permissive mining to maximum mining yields, that builds on existing literature. Additionally, the aquifer-yield continuum provides a systems view of groundwater availability to integrate physical and social aspects in assessing management options across aquifer settings. Operational yield describes the candidate solutions for operational or technical implementation of policy, often relating to a consensus yield that incorporates human dimensions through participatory or adaptive governance processes. The concepts of operational and consensus yield address both the social and the technical nature of science-based groundwater management and governance.

Application of whole-body personal TL dosemeters in mixed field beta-gamma radiation.

PubMed

Ciupek, K; Aksamit, D; Wołoszczuk, K

2014-11-01

Application of whole-body personal TL dosemeters based on a high-sensitivity LiF:Mg,Cu,P (MCP-N) in mixed field beta-gamma radiation has been characterised. The measurements were carried out with (90)Sr/(90)Y, (85)Kr and (137)Cs point sources to calculate the energy response and linearity of the TLD response in a dose range of 0.1-30 mSv. From the result, calibration curves were obtained, enabling the readout of individual dose equivalent Hp(10) from gamma radiation and Hp(0.07) from beta radiation in mixed field beta-gamma. Limitation of the methodology and its application are presented and discussed. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Climate and environmental triggers of acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Claeys, Marc J; Rajagopalan, Sanjay; Nawrot, Tim S; Brook, Robert D

2017-04-01

Over the past few decades, a growing body of epidemiological and clinical evidence has led to heightened concerns about the potential short- and long-term deleterious effects of the environment on cardiovascular health, including the risk for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This review highlights the increased risk of AMI caused by exposure to air pollution and cold temperatures. These factors should be considered modifiable risk factors in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The current body of knowledge about the biological mechanisms linking environmental changes to atherothrombotic events and the impact of climate change on cardiovascular health are discussed. Finally, recommendations for prevention and public policy are presented. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Importin-α7 Is Involved in the Formation of Ebola Virus Inclusion Bodies but Is Not Essential for Pathogenicity in Mice.

PubMed

Gabriel, Gülsah; Feldmann, Friederike; Reimer, Rudolph; Thiele, Swantje; Fischer, Meike; Hartmann, Enno; Bader, Michael; Ebihara, Hideki; Hoenen, Thomas; Feldmann, Heinz

2015-10-01

Ebola virus (EBOV) protein 24 antagonizes the host interferon (IFN) response by hijacking select nuclear importin-α isoforms. Thereby, it blocks STAT1-mediated IFN-α/β and IFN-γ synthesis. However, owing to the lack of importin-α knockout animal models in the past, their role in EBOV pathogenesis remained largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that importin-α7 is involved in the formation of EBOV inclusion bodies and replication. However, deletion of the gene encoding importin-α7 was not sufficient to increase survival rates among mice infected with EBOV. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Genome-wide genetic homogeneity between sexes and populations for human height and body mass index.

PubMed

Yang, Jian; Bakshi, Andrew; Zhu, Zhihong; Hemani, Gibran; Vinkhuyzen, Anna A E; Nolte, Ilja M; van Vliet-Ostaptchouk, Jana V; Snieder, Harold; Esko, Tonu; Milani, Lili; Mägi, Reedik; Metspalu, Andres; Hamsten, Anders; Magnusson, Patrik K E; Pedersen, Nancy L; Ingelsson, Erik; Visscher, Peter M

2015-12-20

Sex-specific genetic effects have been proposed to be an important source of variation for human complex traits. Here we use two distinct genome-wide methods to estimate the autosomal genetic correlation (rg) between men and women for human height and body mass index (BMI), using individual-level (n = ∼44 000) and summary-level (n = ∼133 000) data from genome-wide association studies. Results are consistent and show that the between-sex genetic correlation is not significantly different from unity for both traits. In contrast, we find evidence of genetic heterogeneity between sexes for waist-hip ratio (rg = ∼0.7) and between populations for BMI (rg = ∼0.9 between Europe and the USA) but not for height. The lack of evidence for substantial genetic heterogeneity for body size is consistent with empirical findings across traits and species. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Giving Permission to Be Fat? Examining the Impact of Body-Based Belief Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Lorayne; Thomson, Dianne

2014-01-01

Body image might be explained as "how we picture ourselves" and, while the image may or may not be accurate, it can affect decisions about physical, social, and emotional health. Schools are seen as potential sites for universal intervention programs to promote health, self-esteem, and size acceptance, and also to discourage unhealthy…

Ageism and body esteem: associations with psychological well-being among late middle-aged African American and European American women.

PubMed

Sabik, Natalie J

2015-03-01

Social expectancy theory posits that cultural values shape how individuals perceive and evaluate others, and this influences how others evaluate themselves. Based on this theory, ageism may shape older individuals' self-evaluations. Given the cultural focus on beauty and youth, perceptions of age discrimination may be associated with lower body esteem, and this may be associated with poor psychological well-being. Because discrimination has been associated with poor health, and perceptions of health can affect body perceptions, subjective health status may also contribute to lower body esteem. These associations are assessed in a structural equation model for 244 African American and European American women in their early 60s. Perceptions of age discrimination and body esteem were associated with lower psychological well-being for both ethnic groups. Body esteem partially mediated the association between age discrimination and psychological well-being among European American women but not among African American women. Age-related discrimination is one source of psychological distress for older adults, though ageism's associations with body esteem, health, and psychological well-being vary significantly for European American and African American women. Examining body perceptions and health in the contexts of ageism and ethnicity is necessary when considering the psychological well-being of older women. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Radiation Standards: The Last Word or at Least a Definitive One

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillette, Robert

1972-01-01

Discusses the report of the National Academy of Science Committee on the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation, with particular reference to the possibilities for lowering maximum permissible standards for exposure to man-made radiation. The excessive use of diagnostic X-rays is considered. (AL)

77 FR 48899 - Flutriafol; Pesticide Tolerances for Emergency Exemptions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-15

... cotton, undelinted seed; cotton, meal; cotton, refined oil; and cotton gin byproducts. This action is in..., and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) authorizing use of the pesticide on cotton. This regulation establishes a maximum permissible level for residues of flutriafol in or on cotton commodities. The time-limited...

Neuroendocrine Tumor: Statistics

MedlinePlus

... Tumor > Neuroendocrine Tumor: Statistics Request Permissions Neuroendocrine Tumor: Statistics Approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board , 01/ ... the body. It is important to remember that statistics on the survival rates for people with a ...

A ketogenic diet increases transport and oxidation of ketone bodies in RG2 and 9L gliomas without affecting tumor growth.

PubMed

De Feyter, Henk M; Behar, Kevin L; Rao, Jyotsna U; Madden-Hennessey, Kirby; Ip, Kevan L; Hyder, Fahmeed; Drewes, Lester R; Geschwind, Jean-François; de Graaf, Robin A; Rothman, Douglas L

2016-08-01

The dependence of tumor cells, particularly those originating in the brain, on glucose is the target of the ketogenic diet, which creates a plasma nutrient profile similar to fasting: increased levels of ketone bodies and reduced plasma glucose concentrations. The use of ketogenic diets has been of particular interest for therapy in brain tumors, which reportedly lack the ability to oxidize ketone bodies and therefore would be starved during ketosis. Because studies assessing the tumors' ability to oxidize ketone bodies are lacking, we investigated in vivo the extent of ketone body oxidation in 2 rodent glioma models. Ketone body oxidation was studied using (13)C MR spectroscopy in combination with infusion of a (13)C-labeled ketone body (beta-hydroxybutyrate) in RG2 and 9L glioma models. The level of ketone body oxidation was compared with nontumorous cortical brain tissue. The level of (13)C-beta-hydroxybutyrate oxidation in 2 rat glioma models was similar to that of contralateral brain. In addition, when glioma-bearing animals were fed a ketogenic diet, the ketone body monocarboxylate transporter was upregulated, facilitating uptake and oxidation of ketone bodies in the gliomas. These results demonstrate that rat gliomas can oxidize ketone bodies and indicate upregulation of ketone body transport when fed a ketogenic diet. Our findings contradict the hypothesis that brain tumors are metabolically inflexible and show the need for additional research on the use of ketogenic diets as therapy targeting brain tumor metabolism. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Effects of Engine Speed and Mixture Temperature on the Knocking Characteristics of Several Fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Dana W

1940-01-01

Six 100-octane and two 87-octane aviation engine fuels were tested in a modified C.F.R. variable-compression engine at 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500 rpm. The mixture temperature was raised from 50 to 300 F in approximately 50 degree steps and, at each temperature, the compression ratio was adjusted to give incipient knock as shown by a cathode ray indicator. The results are presented in tabular form. The results are analyzed on the assumption that the conditions which determine whether a given fuel will knock are the maximum values of density and temperature reached by the burning gases. A maximum permissible density factor, proportional to the maximum density of the burning gases just prior to incipient knock, and the temperature of the burning gases at that time were computed for each of the test conditions. Values of the density factors were plotted against the corresponding end-gas temperatures for the three engine speeds and also against engine speed for several and end-gas temperatures. The maximum permissible density factor varied only slightly with engine speed but decreased rapidly with an increase in the end-gas temperature. The effect of changing the mixture temperature was different for fuels of different types. The results emphasize the desirability of determining the anti knock values of fuels over a wide range of engine and intake-air conditions rather that at a single set of conditions.

Are Brain Dead Individuals Dead? Grounds for Reasonable Doubt.

PubMed

Brugger, E Christian

2016-06-01

According to the biological definition of death, a human body that has not lost the capacity to holistically organize itself is the body of a living human individual. Reasonable doubt against the conclusion that it has lost the capacity exists when the body appears to express it and no evidence to the contrary is sufficient to rule out reasonable doubt against the conclusion that the apparent expression is a true expression (i.e., when the conclusion that what appears to be holistic organization is in fact holistic organization remains a reasonable explanatory hypothesis in light of the best evidence to the contrary). This essay argues that the evidence and arguments against the conclusion that the signs of complex bodily integration exhibited in ventilated brain dead bodies are true expressions of somatic integration are unpersuasive; that is, they are not adequate to exclude reasonable doubt against the conclusion that BD bodies are dead. Since we should not treat as corpses what for all we know might be living human beings, it follows that we have an obligation to treat BD individuals as if they were living human beings. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

That's not quite me: limb ownership encoding in the brain.

PubMed

Limanowski, Jakub; Blankenburg, Felix

2016-07-01

With congruent stimulation of one's limb together with a fake counterpart, an illusory self-attribution of the fake limb can be induced. Such illusions have brought profound insights into the cognitive and neuronal mechanisms underlying temporary changes in body representation, but to put them in perspective, they need to be compared with ownership as experienced for one's real body. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare the neuronal correlates of touch under different degrees of body ownership. Participants' left and right arms were stimulated either alone or together with a fake counterpart while this stimulation was synchronous, ambiguous or asynchronous. Synchronous stimulation induced illusory fake arm ownership, but the brain still differentiated between touch to one's real arm and to an illusory 'owned' arm: the degree of arm ownership was encoded positively by activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and lateral occipitotemporal cortex and negatively in the temporoparietal cortex. Conversely, the ventral premotor cortex responded more strongly to synchronous stimulation compared with asynchronous stimulation and with real arm only stimulation. These results offer new insights into the differential representation of the real body vs a body that is temporarily self-attributed following the resolution of multisensory conflict. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Molecular Markers of Pesticide Resistance and Pathogens in Human Head Lice (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae) From Rural Georgia, USA.

PubMed

Eremeeva, Marina E; Capps, Danielle; Winful, Emmanuel B; Warang, Shamta S; Braswell, Sarah E; Tokarevich, Nikolay K; Bonilla, Denise L; Durden, Lance A

2017-07-01

Although the head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer, and body louse, Pediculus humanus humanus L., both have a worldwide distribution, the occurrence of head louse pediculosis appears to be more prevalent in modern societies despite systematic use of various pediculicides. This study tested head lice collected in rural Georgia and body lice collected in Russia for the prevalence of a kdr-biomarker that is associated with permethrin resistance. This study also screened lice for the presence of DNA from Bartonella quintana and Acinetobacter species. The kdr-permethrin resistance biomarker for the T917I mutation was detected by RFLP and PCR in 99.9% of head lice tested from Georgia, whereas only 2.9% of body lice from Russia tested positive for this kdr biomarker. DNA of B. quintana was detected in 10.3% of head lice from Georgia, whereas 84.8% of body lice from Russia tested positive. Acinetobacter DNA was detected in 80.8% (95% CI, 68-89%) of head lice from Georgia and all body lice from Russia tested. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An anatomic study of nipple position and areola size in Asian men.

PubMed

Kasai, Shogo; Shimizu, Yusuke; Nagasao, Tomohisa; Ohnishi, Fumio; Minabe, Toshiharu; Momosawa, Akira; Kishi, Kazuo

2015-02-01

In planning gender-reassignment surgery for biological women and treating men with gynecomastia, surgeons must have a thorough understanding of anatomically correct nipple positions and appropriate areola sizes in men. The authors sought to determine whether body height or body mass index (BMI) affects nipple position or areola size in men. Anatomic measurements of the nipples and areolae of 50 Japanese men were obtained. A relative coordinate system was defined, where the medial-lateral and superior-inferior positions of the nipple were quantitatively indicated by distance ratios between anatomic landmarks. Nipple positions were evaluated for each patient by referring to this coordinate system, and the positions were compared between groups categorized by body height or BMI. Nipple position was not significantly affected by body height. However, the nipple tended to be located more laterally in participants with higher BMI. The vertical nipple position differed between standing and supine positions. Tall men had larger areolae than short men; however, areola size did not differ with respect to BMI. Nipple position and areola size vary by body shape. Consideration of the differences is recommended when performing procedures such as female-to-male gender-reassignment surgery or correction of gynecomastia. © 2015 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Piloted simulator study of allowable time delay in pitch flight control system of a transport airplane with negative static stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grantham, William D.; Smith, Paul M.; Person, Lee H., Jr.; Meyer, Robert T.; Tingas, Stephen A.

1987-01-01

A piloted simulation study was conducted to determine the permissible time delay in the flight control system of a 10-percent statically unstable transport airplane during cruise flight conditions. The math model used for the simulation was a derivative Lockheed L-1011 wide-body jet transport. Data were collected and analyzed from a total of 137 cruising flights in both calm- and turbulent-air conditions. Results of this piloted simulation study verify previous findings that show present military specifications for allowable control-system time delay may be too stringent when applied to transport-size airplanes. Also, the degree of handling-qualities degradation due to time delay is shown to be strongly dependent on the source of the time delay in an advanced flight control system. Maximum allowable time delay for each source of time delay in the control system, in addition to a less stringent overall maximum level of time delay, should be considered for large aircraft. Preliminary results also suggest that adverse effects of control-system time delay may be at least partially offset by variations in control gearing. It is recommended that the data base include different airplane baselines, control systems, and piloting tasks with many pilots participating, so that a reasonable set of limits for control-system time delay can be established to replace the military specification limits currently being used.

77 FR 7005 - Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-10

... delivered fuel flow than the engine fuel flow demand needed to achieve the OEI rating at high altitude. They...-engine-inoperative (OEI) rating at altitudes above 10,000 feet. This condition could result in high... AD would require installing a placard that corresponds to the maximum permissible flight altitude...

77 FR 32884 - Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-04

... than the engine fuel flow demand needed to achieve the OEI rating at high altitude. They state that... above 10,000 feet. This condition could result in high altitude operations when full OEI engine power is... installing a placard that corresponds to the maximum permissible flight altitude, amending the Rotorcraft...

24 CFR 290.27 - Up-front grants and loans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... may provide up-front grants and loans for rehabilitation, demolition, rebuilding and other related... determination that such a grant or loan, plus any additional project-based assistance made available, would be more cost-effective than the use of the maximum permissible project-based rental assistance alone. (b...

24 CFR 245.310 - Notice to tenants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... the maximum permissible rents for [name of apartment complex] to the United States Department of... Act. In addition, in projects with more than 1 type of apartment having the same number of bedroom but... apartment complex] and, if the tenants wish, by legal or other representatives acting for them individually...

77 FR 38397 - Agency Information Collection (Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loan Worksheet) Activities...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-27

... . Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900- 0386.'' SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Interest Rate Reduction... guaranty on all interest rate reduction refinancing loan and provide a receipt as proof that the funding... ensure lenders computed the funding fee and the maximum permissible loan amount for interest rate...

14 CFR 33.88 - Engine overtemperature test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: AIRCRAFT ENGINES Block Tests; Turbine Aircraft Engines § 33.88 Engine overtemperature test. (a) Each engine must run for 5 minutes at maximum permissible rpm with the gas temperature at... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Engine overtemperature test. 33.88 Section...

14 CFR 33.88 - Engine overtemperature test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Engine overtemperature test. 33.88 Section... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: AIRCRAFT ENGINES Block Tests; Turbine Aircraft Engines § 33.88 Engine overtemperature test. (a) Each engine must run for 5 minutes at maximum permissible rpm with the gas temperature at...

Preschool Teachers' Exposure to Classroom Noise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grebennikov, Leonid

2006-01-01

This research examined exposure to classroom noise of 25 full-time teaching staff in 14 preschool settings located across Western Sydney. The results indicated that one teacher exceeded the maximum permissible level of daily noise exposure for employees under the health and safety legislation. Three staff approached this level and 92% of teachers…

Clear signals or mixed messages: inter-individual emotion congruency modulates brain activity underlying affective body perception.

PubMed

de Borst, A W; de Gelder, B

2016-08-01

The neural basis of emotion perception has mostly been investigated with single face or body stimuli. However, in daily life one may also encounter affective expressions by groups, e.g. an angry mob or an exhilarated concert crowd. In what way is brain activity modulated when several individuals express similar rather than different emotions? We investigated this question using an experimental design in which we presented two stimuli simultaneously, with same or different emotional expressions. We hypothesized that, in the case of two same-emotion stimuli, brain activity would be enhanced, while in the case of two different emotions, one emotion would interfere with the effect of the other. The results showed that the simultaneous perception of different affective body expressions leads to a deactivation of the amygdala and a reduction of cortical activity. It was revealed that the processing of fearful bodies, compared with different-emotion bodies, relied more strongly on saliency and action triggering regions in inferior parietal lobe and insula, while happy bodies drove the occipito-temporal cortex more strongly. We showed that this design could be used to uncover important differences between brain networks underlying fearful and happy emotions. The enhancement of brain activity for unambiguous affective signals expressed by several people simultaneously supports adaptive behaviour in critical situations. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Determination of Shapes of Boattail Bodies of Revolution for Minimum Wave Drag

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Mac C.

1951-01-01

By use of an approximate equation for the wave drag of slender bodies of revolution in a supersonic flow field, the optimum shapes of certain boattail bodies are determined for minimum wave drag. The properties of three specific families of bodies are determined, the first family consisting of bodies having a given length and base area and a contour passing through a prescribed point between the nose and base, the second family having fixed length, base area, and maximum area, and the third family having given length, volume, and base area. The method presented is easily generalized to determine minimum-wave-drag profile shapes which have contours that must pass through any prescribed number of points. According to linearized theory, the optimum profiles are found to have infinite slope at the nose but zero radius of curvature so that the bodies appear to have pointed noses, a zero slope at the body base, and no variation of wave drag with Mach number. For those bodies having a specified intermediate.diameter (that is, location and magnitude given), the maximum body diameter is shown to be larger, in general, than the specified diameter. It is also shown that, for bodies having a specified maximum diameter, the location of the maximum diameter is not arbitrary but is determined from the ratio of base diameter to maximum diameter.

α-Synuclein interferes with the ESCRT-III complex contributing to the pathogenesis of Lewy body disease.

PubMed

Spencer, Brian; Kim, Changyoun; Gonzalez, Tania; Bisquertt, Alejandro; Patrick, Christina; Rockenstein, Edward; Adame, Anthony; Lee, Seung-Jae; Desplats, Paula; Masliah, Eliezer

2016-03-15

α-Synuclein (α-syn) has been implicated in neurological disorders with parkinsonism, including Parkinson's disease and Dementia with Lewy body. Recent studies have shown α-syn oligomers released from neurons can propagate from cell-to-cell in a prion-like fashion exacerbating neurodegeneration. In this study, we examined the role of the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) pathway on the propagation of α-syn. α-syn, which is transported via the ESCRT pathway through multivesicular bodies for degradation, can also target the degradation of the ESCRT protein-charged multivesicular body protein (CHMP2B), thus generating a roadblock of endocytosed α-syn. Disruption of the ESCRT transport system also resulted in increased exocytosis of α-syn thus potentially increasing cell-to-cell propagation of synuclein. Conversely, delivery of a lentiviral vector overexpressing CHMP2B rescued the neurodegeneration in α-syn transgenic mice. Better understanding of the mechanisms of intracellular trafficking of α-syn might be important for understanding the pathogenesis and developing new treatments for synucleinopathies. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Classification of Foreign Body Reactions due to Industrial Silicone Injection.

PubMed

Harlim, Ago; Kanoko, Mpu; Aisah, Siti

2018-05-02

A foreign body reaction (FBR) is a typical tissue response to a biomaterial that has been injected or implanted in human body tissue. There has been a lack of data on the classification of foreign body reaction to silicone injection, which can describe the pattern of body tissue responses to silicone. Determine the foreign body reaction to silicone injection. We modified the classification proposed by Duranti and colleagues, which has categorized a FBR to hyaluronic acid injection into a new classification of an FBR to silicone injection. A cohort study of 31 women suffering from silicone-induced granulomas on their chin was conducted. Granulomatous tissue and submental skin were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and evaluated. Our data revealed that there were at least 7 categories of FBRs to silicone injection that could be developed. Categories 1 to 4 showed inflammatory activity, and categories 5 to 8 showed tissue repair by fibrosis. Using histopathological staining, we are able to sequence the steps of body reactions to silicone injection. Initial inflammatory reaction is then replaced by fibrosis process repairing the damaged tissues. The process depends on the host immune tolerance.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.

Swedish nurses encounter barriers when promoting healthy habits in children.

PubMed

Ljungkrona-Falk, Lena; Brekke, Hilde; Nyholm, Maria

2014-12-01

To increase the understanding of difficulties in promoting healthy habits to parents, we explore barriers in health-care provision. The aim of this study is to describe nurses' perceived barriers when discussing with parents regarding healthy food habits, physical activity and their child's body weight. A mixed method approach was chosen. Nurses (n = 76) working at 29 different Child Health Care Centers' in an area in west Sweden were included in the study. Three focus group interviews were conducted and 17 nurses were selected according to maximum variation. Data were categorized and qualitative content analysis was the chosen analysis method. In the second method, data were obtained from a questionnaire distributed to all 76 nurses. The latent content was formulated into a theme: even with encouragement and support, the nurses perceive barriers of both an external and internal nature. The results identified four main barriers: experienced barriers in the workplace-internal and external; the nurse's own fear and uncertainty; perceived obstacles in nurse-parent interactions and modern society impedes parents' ability to promote healthy habits. The nurses' perceived barriers were confirmed by the results from 62 of the nurses who completed the questionnaire. Despite education and professional support, the health professionals perceived both external and internal barriers in promoting healthy habits to parents when implementing a new method of health promotion in primary care. Further qualitative studies are needed to gain deeper understanding of the perceived barriers when promoting healthy habits to parents. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

On stabilization of field emission and increase in the current density of planar nanostructures with DLC films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakunin, Alexander N.; Aban'shin, Nikolay P.; Avetisyan, Yuri A.; Akchurin, Georgy G.; Loginov, Alexander P.; Mosiyash, Denis S.; Akchurin, Garif G.

2018-04-01

The paper provides a justification and a comparative analysis of the scaling directions of the developed and investigated planar triode field emission cathode unit with the aim of increasing the maximum field current density up to 0.75 A-cm-2 without sacrificing durability. The design features of the vacuum device with a planar structure provided low-voltage control - at 150 V in the mode of long-term durability and not more than 250 V in the mode of the maximum permissible emission current.

Fluoride in the drinking water of Nagaur tehsil of Nagaur District, Rajasthan, India.

PubMed

Arif, M; Hussain, I; Hussain, J; Sharma, S; Kumar, S

2012-06-01

Fluoride concentration of groundwater samples from 100 villages of Nagaur tehsil was determined, 85 villages were found to have fluoride concentration more than 1.5 mg/L. The maximum fluoride concentration was recorded 6.6 mg/L in groundwater of Singhani village, while the minimum was recorded in Kurchhi village. As per the desirable and maximum permissible limit for fluoride in drinking water, determined by World Health Organization, the groundwater of about 85 villages of the studied sites is unfit for drinking purpose.

Predicting Child Physical Activity and Screen Time: Parental Support for Physical Activity and General Parenting Styles

PubMed Central

Crain, A. Lauren; Senso, Meghan M.; Levy, Rona L.; Sherwood, Nancy E.

2014-01-01

Objective: To examine relationships between parenting styles and practices and child moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and screen time. Methods: Participants were children (6.9 ± 1.8 years) with a body mass index in the 70–95th percentile and their parents (421 dyads). Parent-completed questionnaires assessed parental support for child physical activity (PA), parenting styles and child screen time. Children wore accelerometers to assess MVPA. Results: Parenting style did not predict MVPA, but support for PA did (positive association). The association between support and MVPA, moreover, varied as a function of permissive parenting. For parents high in permissiveness, the association was positive (greater support was related to greater MVPA and therefore protective). For parents low in permissiveness, the association was neutral; support did not matter. Authoritarian and permissive parenting styles were both associated with greater screen time. Conclusions: Parenting practices and styles should be considered jointly, offering implications for tailored interventions. PMID:24812256

Population Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Dexmedetomidine in Children Undergoing Ambulatory Surgery.

PubMed

Pérez-Guillé, María-Gabriela; Toledo-López, Alejandra; Rivera-Espinosa, Liliana; Alemon-Medina, Radames; Murata, Chiharu; Lares-Asseff, Ismael; Chávez-Pacheco, Juan Luis; Gómez-Garduño, Josefina; Zamora Gutiérrez, Ana-Lilia; Orozco-Galicia, Claudia; Ramírez-Morales, Karina; Lugo-Goytia, Gustavo

2018-05-17

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is an α-2 adrenergic agonist with sedative and analgesic properties. Although not approved for pediatric use by the Food and Drug Administration, DEX is increasingly used in pediatric anesthesia and critical care. However, very limited information is available regarding the pharmacokinetics of DEX in children. The aim of this study was to investigate DEX pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) in Mexican children 2-18 years of age who were undergoing outpatient surgical procedures. Thirty children 2-18 years of age with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status score of I/II were enrolled in this study. DEX (0.7 µg/kg) was administered as a single-dose intravenous infusion. Venous blood samples were collected, and plasma DEX concentrations were analyzed with a combination of high-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry. Population PK-PD models were constructed using the Monolix program. A 2-compartment model adequately described the concentration-time relationship. The parameters were standardized for a body weight of 70 kg by using an allometric model. Population parameters estimates were as follows: mean (between-subject variability): clearance (Cl) (L/h × 70 kg) = 20.8 (27%); central volume of distribution (V1) (L × 70 kg) = 21.9 (20%); peripheral volume of distribution (V2) (L × 70 kg) = 81.2 (21%); and intercompartmental clearance (Q) (L/h × 70 kg) = 75.8 (25%). The PK-PD model predicted a maximum mean arterial blood pressure reduction of 45% with an IC50 of 0.501 ng/ml, and a maximum heart rate reduction of 28.9% with an IC50 of 0.552 ng/ml. Our results suggest that in Mexican children 2-18 years of age with American Society of Anesthesiologists score of I/II, the DEX dose should be adjusted in accordance with lower DEX clearance.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.

Childhood body weight in relation to morbidity from cardiovascular disease and cancer in older adulthood: 67-year follow-up of participants in the 1947 Scottish Mental Survey.

PubMed

Batty, G David; Calvin, Catherine M; Brett, Caroline E; Čukić, Iva; Deary, Ian J

2015-11-01

Although it has been well documented that elevated body weight in middle- and older-aged populations is associated with multiple morbidities, the influence of childhood body weight on health endpoints other than coronary heart disease is not well understood. Accordingly, using a subsample of 4,620 participants (2,288 women) from the Scottish Mental Survey of 1947, we examined the association between body mass index measured at 11 years of age and future risk of 9 independent health endpoints as ascertained from national hospital admissions and cancer registers until 2014 (up to age 77 years). Although there was some evidence of a relationship between elevated childhood body mass index and higher rates of peripheral vascular disease (per each 1-standard deviation increase in body mass index, hazard ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.07, 1.37) and smoking-related cancers (per each 1-standard deviation increase in body mass index, hazard ratio = 1.09, 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.17), there was no apparent association with coronary heart disease, stroke (including ischemic stroke), heart failure, or carcinomas of the colorectum, stomach, lung, prostate, or breast. In conclusion, a relationship between childhood body weight and later morbidity was largely lacking in the present study. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

About Skin: Your Body's Largest Organ

MedlinePlus

... Us Media contacts Advertising contacts AAD logo Advertising, marketing and sponsorships Legal notice Copyright © 2018 American Academy ... prohibited without prior written permission. AAD logo Advertising, marketing and sponsorships Legal notice Copyright © 2017 American Academy ...

Changes in the biological activity of heavy metal- and oil-polluted soils in urban recreation territories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trifonova, T. A.; Zabelina, O. N.

2017-04-01

Urban recreation areas of different sizes were investigated in the city of Vladimir. The degree of their contamination with heavy metals and oil products was revealed. The content of heavy metals exceeded their maximum permissible concentrations by more than 2.5 times. The total content of heavy metals decreased in the sequence: Zn > Pb > Co > Mn > Cr > Ni. The mass fraction of oil products in the studied soils varied within the range of 0.016-0.28 mg/g. The reaction of soils in public gardens and a boulevard was neutral or close to neutral; in some soil samples, it was weakly alkaline. The top layer of all the soils significantly differed from the lower one by the higher alkalinity promoting the deposition of heavy metals there. As the content of Ni, Co, and Mn increased and exceeded the background concentrations, but did not reach the three-fold value of the maximum permissible concentrations, the activity of catalase was intensified. The stimulating effect of nickel on the catalase activity was mostly pronounced at the neutral soil reaction. The urease activity increased when heavy metals and oil products were present together in the concentrations above the background ones, but not higher than the three-fold maximal permissible concentrations for heavy metals and 0.3 mg/g for the content of oil products. The nitrifying activity was inhibited by oil hydrocarbons that were recorded in the soils in different amounts.

49 CFR 178.811 - Bottom lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... design types designed to be lifted from the base, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the IBC unsafe for transportation and no loss of contents. [Amdt. 178-103, 59 FR 38074, July 26, 1994, as... IBC must be loaded to 1.25 times its maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly distributed...

49 CFR 178.811 - Bottom lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... design types designed to be lifted from the base, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the IBC unsafe for transportation and no loss of contents. [Amdt. 178-103, 59 FR 38074, July 26, 1994, as... IBC must be loaded to 1.25 times its maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly distributed...

49 CFR 178.811 - Bottom lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... design types designed to be lifted from the base, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the IBC unsafe for transportation and no loss of contents. [Amdt. 178-103, 59 FR 38074, July 26, 1994, as... IBC must be loaded to 1.25 times its maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly distributed...

49 CFR 178.811 - Bottom lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... design types designed to be lifted from the base, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the IBC unsafe for transportation and no loss of contents. [Amdt. 178-103, 59 FR 38074, July 26, 1994, as... IBC must be loaded to 1.25 times its maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly distributed...

Effects of isoconcentration surface threshold values on the characteristics of needle-shaped precipitates in atom probe tomography data from an aged Al-Mg-Si alloy.

PubMed

Aruga, Yasuhiro; Kozuka, Masaya

2016-04-01

Needle-shaped precipitates in an aged Al-0.62Mg-0.93Si (mass%) alloy were identified using a compositional threshold method, an isoconcentration surface, in atom probe tomography (APT). The influence of thresholds on the morphological and compositional characteristics of the precipitates was investigated. Utilizing optimum parameters for the concentration space, a reliable number density of the precipitates is obtained without dependence on the elemental concentration threshold in comparison with evaluation by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is suggested that careful selection of the concentration space in APT can lead to a reasonable average Mg/Si ratio for the precipitates. It was found that the maximum length and maximum diameter of the precipitates are affected by the elemental concentration threshold. Adjustment of the concentration threshold gives better agreement with the precipitate dimensions measured by TEM. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of Benzo[a]pyrene in Food from China by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Fluorescence Detection

PubMed Central

Chen, Yong-Hong; Xia, En-Qin; Xu, Xiang-Rong; Li, Sha; Ling, Wen-Hua; Wu, Shan; Deng, Gui-Fang; Zou, Zhi-Fei; Zhou, Jing; Li, Hua-Bin

2012-01-01

The occurrence and levels of benzo[a]pyrene in various heat-treated foods from China were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection. In a total of 119 samples, 105 were found to contain benzo[a]pyrene at levels of 0.03 to 19.75 µg/kg. The benzo[a]pyrene contents in 12 animal source foods were higher than the Chinese maximum permissible level in food (5 µg/kg) and the highest level was 19.75 µg/kg, nearly four times the maximum permissible level. The results revealed a widespread carinogenic public health risk from benzo[a]pyrene in heat-treated foods. The highest benzo[a]pyrene levels were found in animal source samples such as charcoal-grilled and smoked meats, especially pork, beef and sausage, while trace levels of benzo[a]pyrene were present in grain food. Charcoal-grilled vegetables were found to also contain certain levels of benzo[a]pyrene. This study provided new information on benzo[a]pyrene content of a variety of heat-treated foods from China. PMID:23202838

Determining the maximum charging currents of lithium-ion cells for small charge quantities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grimsmann, F.; Gerbert, T.; Brauchle, F.; Gruhle, A.; Parisi, J.; Knipper, M.

2017-10-01

In order to optimize the operating parameters of battery management systems for electric and hybrid vehicles, great interest has been shown in achieving the maximum permissible charging currents during recuperation, without causing a cell damage due to lithium plating, in relation to the temperature, charge quantity and state of charge. One method for determining these recuperation currents is measuring the cell thickness, where excessively high charging currents can be detected by an irreversible increase in thickness. It is not possible to measure particularly small charge quantities by employing mechanic dial indicators, which have a limited resolution of 1 μm. This is why we developed a measuring setup that has a resolution limit of less than 10 nm using a high-resolution contactless inductance sensor. Our results show that the permissible charging current I can be approximated in relation to the charge quantity x by a correlating function I =a /√{(x) } which is compliant with the Arrhenius law. Small charge quantities therefore have an optimization potential for energy recovery during recuperation.

Temporary Blinding Limits versus Maximum Permissible Exposure - A Paradigm Change in Risk Assessment for Visible Optical Radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reidenbach, Hans-Dieter

Safety considerations in the field of laser radiation have traditionally been restricted to maximum permissible exposure levels defined as a function of wavelength and exposure duration. But in Europe according to the European Directive 2006/25/EC on artificial optical radiation the employer has to include in his risk assessment indirect effects from temporary blinding. Whereas sufficient knowledge on various deterministic risks exists, only sparse quantitative data is available for the impairment of visual functions due to temporary blinding from visible optical radiation. The consideration of indirect effects corresponds to a paradigm change in risk assessment when situations have to be treated, where intrabeam viewing of low-power laser radiation is likely or other non-coherent visible radiation might influence certain visual tasks. In order to obtain a sufficient basis for the assessment of certain situations, investigations of the functional relationships between wavelength, exposure time and optical power and the resulting interference on visual functions have been performed and the results are reported. The duration of a visual disturbance is thus predictable. In addition, preliminary information on protective measures is given.

An intelligent maximum permissible exposure meter for safety assessments of laser radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corder, D. A.; Evans, D. R.; Tyrer, J. R.

1996-09-01

There is frequently a need to make laser power or energy density measurements when determining whether radiation from a laser system exceeds the Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) as defined in BS EN 60825. This can be achieved using standard commercially available laser power or energy measurement equipment, but some of these have shortcomings when used in this application. Calculations must be performed by the user to compare the measured value to the MPE. The measurement and calculation procedure appears complex to the nonexpert who may be performing the assessment. A novel approach is described which uses purpose designed hardware and software to simplify the process. The hardware is optimized for measuring the relatively low powers associated with MPEs. The software runs on a Psion Series 3a palmtop computer. This reduces the cost and size of the system yet allows graphical and numerical presentation of data. Data output to other software running on PCs is also possible, enabling the instrument to be used as part of a quality system. Throughout the measurement process the opportunity for user error has been minimized by the hardware and software design.

An exploration of knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of young multiethnic Muslim-majority society in Malaysia in relation to reproductive and premarital sexual practices

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The increasing trend of premarital sexual experience and unintended pregnancies in Malaysia warrants sustained and serious attention. The sensitivities of sex-related issues in a Muslim-majority country create various types of barriers to sexual and reproductive health information, support and practices. This study aims to gain understanding of knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of young women in Malaysia concerning reproductive, contraception and premarital sexual practices. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed, using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire carried out among 1695 female university students in a public university in Malaysia. Results Respondents had low scores for knowledge of reproduction and pregnancy (median=4, of maximum score 10), contraceptive uses (median=6, of maximum score 16) and contraceptive availability (median=3, of maximum score 13). The majority of women surveyed do not have liberal values in relation to premarital sexual behaviour (median=37, of maximum 40); higher scores on this scale corresponded to opposing premarital sex. The multivariate analyses showed that ethnic group was the strongest correlate of knowledge and attitude scores; being of Malay Muslim ethnicity was associated significantly with lower knowledge scores and premarital sex permissiveness. Other significant correlates were year of study, maternal occupational groups, level of religious faith, dating status and urban–rural localities. Level of premarital sex permissiveness was inversely correlated with reproduction and pregnancy knowledge score, and contraceptive knowledge scores. Conclusion Reproductive health knowledge and attitudes were intricately linked to religious values and cultural norms differences surrounding sexual issues. PMID:23057505

An exploration of knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of young multiethnic Muslim-majority society in Malaysia in relation to reproductive and premarital sexual practices.

PubMed

Wong, Li Ping

2012-10-11

The increasing trend of premarital sexual experience and unintended pregnancies in Malaysia warrants sustained and serious attention. The sensitivities of sex-related issues in a Muslim-majority country create various types of barriers to sexual and reproductive health information, support and practices. This study aims to gain understanding of knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of young women in Malaysia concerning reproductive, contraception and premarital sexual practices. A cross-sectional study was performed, using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire carried out among 1695 female university students in a public university in Malaysia. Respondents had low scores for knowledge of reproduction and pregnancy (median=4, of maximum score 10), contraceptive uses (median=6, of maximum score 16) and contraceptive availability (median=3, of maximum score 13). The majority of women surveyed do not have liberal values in relation to premarital sexual behaviour (median=37, of maximum 40); higher scores on this scale corresponded to opposing premarital sex. The multivariate analyses showed that ethnic group was the strongest correlate of knowledge and attitude scores; being of Malay Muslim ethnicity was associated significantly with lower knowledge scores and premarital sex permissiveness. Other significant correlates were year of study, maternal occupational groups, level of religious faith, dating status and urban-rural localities. Level of premarital sex permissiveness was inversely correlated with reproduction and pregnancy knowledge score, and contraceptive knowledge scores. Reproductive health knowledge and attitudes were intricately linked to religious values and cultural norms differences surrounding sexual issues.

MONTE CARLO SIMULATION OF THE BREMSSTRAHLUNG RADIATION FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF AN INTERNAL CONTAMINATION WITH PURE-BETA EMITTERS IN VIVO.

PubMed

Fantínová, K; Fojtík, P; Malátová, I

2016-09-01

Rapid measurement techniques are required for a large-scale emergency monitoring of people. In vivo measurement of the bremsstrahlung radiation produced by incorporated pure-beta emitters can offer a rapid technique for the determination of such radionuclides in the human body. This work presents a method for the calibration of spectrometers, based on the use of UPh-02T (so-called IGOR) phantom and specific (90)Sr/(90)Y sources, which can account for recent as well as previous contaminations. The process of the whole- and partial-body counter calibration in combination with application of a Monte Carlo code offers readily extension also to other pure-beta emitters and various exposure scenarios. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cross-sectional association between cigarette smoking and abdominal obesity among Austrian bank employees.

PubMed

de Oliveira Fontes Gasperin, Lizia; Neuberger, Manfred; Tichy, Alexander; Moshammer, Hans

2014-07-29

There is increasing evidence that smoking is associated with abdominal obesity and other risk factors for the metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study is to investigate these associations in a sample of healthy Austrian adults. Data of 986 employees of an Austrian company (405 men and 581 women; participation rate approximately 80%) obtained during their annual medical check-up at the workplace were analysed. Information on smoking status, education level, physical activity, diet, body weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and biochemical parameters was obtained. The influence of smoking on health and anthropometric measures was investigated. No differences in total body fat and/or body fat distribution were found between non-smokers, smokers and former smokers; however, among daily smokers, the number of cigarettes smoked per day was significantly associated with higher body weight (p=0.001) and BMI (p=0.009). Male and female smokers had significantly higher white cell count than non-smokers and former smokers. Heavy smokers also had an unhealthier lipid profile (lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and higher fasting glucose levels even after controlling for physical activity and calorie intake. Contrary to the beliefs of many smokers, heavy smoking is associated with higher body weight and unfavourable metabolic changes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Does the Supine Position Affect the Nasal Profile in Rhinoplasty Patients? A Comparison of Nasal Anthropometric Measurements in Different Body Positions.

PubMed

Kim, Su Jin; Ryu, In Yong; Kim, Sung Wan; Lee, Kun Hee

2017-10-16

Rhinoplasty surgeons are aware that the nasal profile differs according to body position, namely, the erect position in the consultation room vs the supine position on the operating table. It is not clear whether this difference is caused by an optical illusion or skin laxity due to positional change. To evaluate anthropometric measurements of the nose with different body positions and determine whether the supine position affects the nasal profile. In this retrospective study, 103 patients who underwent primary rhinoplasty were enrolled. Preoperatively, all patients underwent lateral cephalography in the erect position, and facial computed tomography (CT), in the supine position. We measured four nasal anthropometric parameters (the nasofrontal, nasolabial, and nasomental angles, and Simon's ratio) on lateral cephalograms and facial CT images, and compared these parameters between the two body positions. The nasofrontal angle was greater on facial CT than on cephalograms (P < 0.01). This difference was not related to age, sex, or body mass index (P > 0.05 each). We found no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the two positions in the nasolabial angle, nasomental angle, or Simon's ratio. The supine position does affect the nasal profile, especially in the radix area. Surgeons need to consider this difference in patients undergoing rhinoplasty. 2. © 2017 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com

The influence of body position and microclimate on ketamine and metabolite distribution in decomposed skeletal remains.

PubMed

Cornthwaite, H M; Watterson, J H

2014-10-01

The influence of body position and microclimate on ketamine (KET) and metabolite distribution in decomposed bone tissue was examined. Rats received 75 mg/kg (i.p.) KET (n = 30) or remained drug-free (controls, n = 4). Following euthanasia, rats were divided into two groups and placed outdoors to decompose in one of the three positions: supine (SUP), prone (PRO) or upright (UPR). One group decomposed in a shaded, wooded microclimate (Site 1) while the other decomposed in an exposed sunlit microclimate with gravel substrate (Site 2), roughly 500 m from Site 1. Following decomposition, bones (lumbar vertebrae, thoracic vertebra, cervical vertebrae, rib, pelvis, femora, tibiae, humeri and scapulae) were collected and sorted for analysis. Clean, ground bones underwent microwave-assisted extraction using acetone : hexane mixture (1 : 1, v/v), followed by solid-phase extraction and analysis using GC-MS. Drug levels, expressed as mass normalized response ratios, were compared across all bone types between body position and microclimates. Bone type was a main effect (P < 0.05) for drug level and drug/metabolite level ratio for all body positions and microclimates examined. Microclimate and body position significantly influenced observed drug levels: higher levels were observed in carcasses decomposing in direct sunlight, where reduced entomological activity led to slowed decomposition. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

First Map of Residential Indoor Radon Measurements in Azerbaijan.

PubMed

Hoffmann, M; Aliyev, C S; Feyzullayev, A A; Baghirli, R J; Veliyeva, F F; Pampuri, L; Valsangiacomo, C; Tollefsen, T; Cinelli, G

2017-06-15

This article describes results of the first measurements of indoor radon concentrations in Azerbaijan, including description of the methodology and the mathematical and statistical processing of the results obtained. Measured radon concentrations varied considerably: from almost radon-free houses to around 1100 Bq m-3. However, only ~7% of the total number of measurements exceeded the maximum permissible concentrations. Based on these data, maps of the distribution of volumetric activity and elevated indoor radon concentrations in Azerbaijan were created. These maps reflect a mosaic character of distribution of radon and enhanced values that are confined to seismically active areas at the intersection of an active West Caspian fault with sub-latitudinal faults along the Great and Lesser Caucasus and the Talysh mountains. Spatial correlation of radon and temperature behavior is also described. The data gathered on residential indoor radon have been integrated into the European Indoor Radon Map. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Air radon concentration decrease in a waste water treatment plant.

PubMed

Juste, B; Ortiz, J; Verdú, G; Martorell, S

2015-06-01

(222)Rn is a naturally occurring gas created from the decay of (226)Ra. The long-term health risk of breathing radon is lung cancer. One particular place where indoor radon concentrations can exceed national guidelines is in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) where treatment processes may contribute to ambient airborne concentrations. The aim of this paper was to study the radon concentration decrease after the application of corrective measures in a Spanish WWTP. According to first measures, air radon concentration exceeded International Commission Radiologica1 Protection (ICRP) normative (recommends intervention between 400 and 1000 Bq m(-3)). Therefore, the WWTP improved mechanical forced ventilation to lower occupational exposure. This measure allowed to increase the administrative controls, since the limitation of workers access to the plant changed from 2 h d(-1) (considering a maximum permissible dose of 20 mSv y(-1) averaged over 5 y) to 7 h d(-1). © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Smaller predator-prey body size ratios in longer food chains.

PubMed Central

Jennings, Simon; Warr, Karema J

2003-01-01

Maximum food-chain length has been correlated with resource availability, ecosystem size, environmental stability and colonization history. Some of these correlations may result from environmental effects on predator-prey body size ratios. We investigate relationships between maximum food-chain length, predator-prey mass ratios, primary production and environmental stability in marine food webs with a natural history of community assembly. Our analyses provide empirical evidence that smaller mean predator-prey body size ratios are characteristic of more stable environments and that food chains are longer when mean predator-prey body size ratios are small. We conclude that environmental effects on predator-prey body size ratios contribute to observed differences in maximum food-chain length. PMID:12965034

A glimpse into the process of gaining permission for the educational dissection of human cadavers in the Ottoman Empire.

PubMed

Akkin, Salih Murat; Dinc, Gulten

2014-10-01

Dissection of the human body for educational purposes became officially permitted in the Ottoman Empire only after a long, difficult process. In the West, studies based on the findings of Galen had been taboo during a long period in which dissection of human bodies had been prohibited. Although the first dissection studies since ancient times began to appear in the Western literature in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, the post-Galen taboo against dissection was broken only in the 16th century by the studies of Vesalius. However, in the Eastern World, it was only fairly recently that the idea of the "sanctity of the human body" could be challenged. In the medieval Islamic world, as during the Middle Ages in the West, prohibitions against the dissection of human cadavers continued for social and religious reasons, although the Koran does not specifically ban such dissection. This prohibition also continued through the Ottoman era, which began in the 14th century. The first efforts to end the prohibition on dissection in the Ottoman Empire were made at the beginning of the 19th century during the reign of Sultan Selim III but official permission for dissection was given only in 1841 during the reign of Sultan Abdulmecid. Educational dissections in the Ottoman Empire officially began at the Istanbul Medical School following the granting of this permission. This article will discuss the attempts to end the prohibition of dissection in Ottomans within the scope of the history of anatomical study in Turkey. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of meal frequency on weight loss and body composition: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Schoenfeld, Brad Jon; Aragon, Alan Albert; Krieger, James W

2015-02-01

It has been hypothesized that eating small, frequent meals enhances fat loss and helps to achieve better weight maintenance. Several observational studies lend support to this hypothesis, with an inverse relationship noted between the frequency of eating and adiposity. The purpose of this narrative review is to present and discuss a meta-analysis with regression that evaluated experimental research on meal frequency with respect to changes in fat mass and lean mass. A total of 15 studies were identified that investigated meal frequency in accordance with the criteria outlined. Feeding frequency was positively associated with reductions in fat mass and body fat percentage as well as an increase in fat-free mass. However, sensitivity analysis of the data showed that the positive findings were the product of a single study, casting doubt as to whether more frequent meals confer beneficial effects on body composition. In conclusion, although the initial results of this meta-analysis suggest a potential benefit of increased feeding frequencies for enhancing body composition, these findings need to be interpreted with circumspection. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

GAL-021, a new intravenous BKCa-channel blocker, is well tolerated and stimulates ventilation in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

McLeod, J F; Leempoels, J M; Peng, S X; Dax, S L; Myers, L J; Golder, F J

2014-11-01

Potassium-channels in the carotid body and the brainstem are important regulators of ventilation. The BKCa-channel contains response elements for CO, O2, and CO2. Its block increases carotid body signalling, phrenic nerve activity, and respiratory drive. GAL-021, a new BKCa-channel blocker, increases minute ventilation in rats and non-human primates. This study assessed the single-dose safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PKs), and pharmacodynamics (PDs) of GAL-021 in healthy volunteers. Thirty subjects participated in a nine-period, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover, ascending dose, first-in-human study with i.v. infusions of 0.1-0.96 mg kg(-1) h(-1) for 1 h and intermediate doses up to 4 h. Adverse event rates were generally similar among dose levels and between placebo- and GAL-021-treated subjects. At higher GAL-021 doses, a mild/moderate burning sensation at the infusion site occurred during the infusion. No clinically significant changes in vital signs or clinical chemistries were noted. Minute ventilation increased (AUE0-1 h ≈ 16%, P<0.05) and end-tidal carbon dioxide ([Formula: see text]) decreased (AUE0-1 h ≈ 6%, P<0.05) during the first hour at 0.96 mg kg(-1) h(-1) with 1/2-maximal [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]-change occurring by 7.5 min. Drug concentration rose rapidly during the infusion and decreased rapidly initially (distribution t1/2 of 30 min) and then more slowly (terminal t1/2 of 5.6 h). GAL-021 was safe and generally well tolerated with adverse events comparable with placebo except for an infusion site burning sensation. GAL-021 stimulated ventilation at the highest doses suggesting that greater infusion rates may be required for maximum PD effects. GAL-021 had PK characteristics consistent with an acute care medication. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Autonomy and organ sales, revisited.

PubMed

Taylor, James Stacey

2009-12-01

In this paper I develop and defend my arguments in favor of the moral permissibility of a legal market for human body parts in response to the criticisms that have been leveled at them by Paul M. Hughes and Samuel J. Kerstein.

26 CFR 31.3402(h)(4)-1 - Other methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 15 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Other methods. 31.3402(h)(4)-1 Section 31.3402... Collection of Income Tax at Source § 31.3402(h)(4)-1 Other methods. (a) Maximum permissible deviations. An employer may use any other method of withholding under which the employer will deduct and withhold upon...

26 CFR 31.3402(h)(4)-1 - Other methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 15 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Other methods. 31.3402(h)(4)-1 Section 31.3402... Collection of Income Tax at Source § 31.3402(h)(4)-1 Other methods. (a) Maximum permissible deviations. An employer may use any other method of withholding under which the employer will deduct and withhold upon...

26 CFR 31.3402(h)(4)-1 - Other methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 15 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Other methods. 31.3402(h)(4)-1 Section 31.3402... Collection of Income Tax at Source § 31.3402(h)(4)-1 Other methods. (a) Maximum permissible deviations. An employer may use any other method of withholding under which the employer will deduct and withhold upon...

26 CFR 31.3402(h)(4)-1 - Other methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 15 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Other methods. 31.3402(h)(4)-1 Section 31.3402... Collection of Income Tax at Source § 31.3402(h)(4)-1 Other methods. (a) Maximum permissible deviations. An employer may use any other method of withholding under which the employer will deduct and withhold upon...

26 CFR 31.3402(h)(4)-1 - Other methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 15 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Other methods. 31.3402(h)(4)-1 Section 31.3402... Collection of Income Tax at Source § 31.3402(h)(4)-1 Other methods. (a) Maximum permissible deviations. An employer may use any other method of withholding under which the employer will deduct and withhold upon...

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 205 - Model Disclosure Clauses and Forms

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... maximum overdraft line of credit). If you tell us within 2 business days after you learn of the loss or... your permission.) If you do NOT tell us within 2 business days after you learn of the loss or theft of... [automated teller machines] [telephone bill-payment service] [point-of-sale transfer service]. (2) Fixed...

49 CFR 178.811 - Bottom lift test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... passing the test. For all IBC design types designed to be lifted from the base, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the IBC unsafe for transportation and no loss of contents. [Amdt. 178-103, 59 FR... bottom lift test. The IBC must be loaded to 1.25 times its maximum permissible gross mass, the load being...

77 FR 8741 - Spirotetramat; Pesticide Tolerances for Emergency Exemptions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-15

... on onion, dry bulb under section 408(l)(6) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U... pesticide on dry bulb onions. This regulation establishes a maximum permissible level for residues of... degradates, in or on onion, dry bulb at 0.3 parts per million (ppm). This time-limited tolerance expires on...

Safe Handling of Radioactive Materials. Recommendations of the National Committee on Radiation Protection. Handbook 92.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Bureau of Standards (DOC), Washington, DC.

This handbook is designed to help users of radioactive materials to handle the radioactive material without exposing themselves or others to radiation doses in excess of maximum permissible limits. The discussion of radiation levels is in terms of readings from dosimeters and survey instruments. Safety in the handling of radioactive materials in…

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 205 - Model Disclosure Clauses and Forms

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... maximum overdraft line of credit). If you tell us within 2 business days after you learn of the loss or... your permission.) If you do NOT tell us within 2 business days after you learn of the loss or theft of... [automated teller machines] [telephone bill-payment service] [point-of-sale transfer service]. (2) Fixed...

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 205 - Model Disclosure Clauses and Forms

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... maximum overdraft line of credit). If you tell us within 2 business days after you learn of the loss or... your permission.) If you do NOT tell us within 2 business days after you learn of the loss or theft of... [automated teller machines] [telephone bill-payment service] [point-of-sale transfer service]. (2) Fixed...

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 205 - Model Disclosure Clauses and Forms

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... maximum overdraft line of credit). If you tell us within 2 business days after you learn of the loss or... your permission.) If you do NOT tell us within 2 business days after you learn of the loss or theft of... [automated teller machines] [telephone bill-payment service] [point-of-sale transfer service]. (2) Fixed...

Body mass and antler development patterns of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) in Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bender, L.C.; Carlson, E.; Schmitt, S.M.; Haufler, J.B.

2003-01-01

We documented mean and maximum body mass, mass accretion patterns and ander development patterns of Rocky Mountain elk in Michigan. Mean body mass of bulls averaged 9-11% heavier, and maximum body mass 23-27% heavier, in Michigan than in other Rocky Mountain elk populations. Mean live body mass of cows averaged 11% heavier in Michigan, but mean eviscerated body mass did not differ. Maximum body mass of cows was 10-24% heavier in Michigan. Body mass peaked at age 7.5 for bulls and 8.5 for cows, similar to other Rocky Mountain elk populations despite the greater body mass achieved in Michigan. Sexual dimorphism in bull and cow body mass increased until peak body mass was attained, whereupon bulls were ???38% heavier than cows. Antler development of bull elk peaked at age 10.5, comparable to other Rocky Mountain elk populations. Relations between antler development and body mass within age classes were highly variable, but generally weak. Greater body mass seen in Michigan, and the peaking of antler development well after body mass in bulls, suggested a phenotypic response to nutritional conditions that allow Rocky Mountain elk in Michigan to maximize the species growth potential.

Weaker Seniors Exhibit Motor Cortex Hypoexcitability and Impairments in Voluntary Activation.

PubMed

Clark, Brian C; Taylor, Janet L; Hong, S Lee; Law, Timothy D; Russ, David W

2015-09-01

Weakness predisposes seniors to a fourfold increase in functional limitations. The potential for age-related degradation in nervous system function to contribute to weakness and physical disability has garnered much interest of late. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that weaker seniors have impairments in voluntary (neural) activation and increased indices of GABAergic inhibition of the motor cortex, assessed using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Young adults (N = 46; 21.2±0.5 years) and seniors (N = 42; 70.7±0.9 years) had their wrist flexion strength quantified along with voluntary activation capacity (by comparing voluntary and electrically evoked forces). Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to measure motor-evoked potential amplitude and silent period duration during isometric contractions at 15% and 30% of maximum strength. Paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to measure intracortical facilitation and short-interval and long-interval intracortical inhibition. The primary analysis compared seniors to young adults. The secondary analysis compared stronger seniors (top two tertiles) to weaker seniors (bottom tertile) based on strength relative to body weight. The most novel findings were that weaker seniors exhibited: (i) a 20% deficit in voluntary activation; (ii) ~20% smaller motor-evoked potentials during the 30% contraction task; and (iii) nearly twofold higher levels of long-interval intracortical inhibition under resting conditions. These findings indicate that weaker seniors exhibit significant impairments in voluntary activation, and that this impairment may be mechanistically associated with increased GABAergic inhibition of the motor cortex. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Airfoil System for Cruising Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shams, Qamar A. (Inventor); Liu, Tianshu (Inventor)

2014-01-01

An airfoil system includes an airfoil body and at least one flexible strip. The airfoil body has a top surface and a bottom surface, a chord length, a span, and a maximum thickness. Each flexible strip is attached along at least one edge thereof to either the top or bottom surface of the airfoil body. The flexible strip has a spanwise length that is a function of the airfoil body's span, a chordwise width that is a function of the airfoil body's chord length, and a thickness that is a function of the airfoil body's maximum thickness.

Effects of Bleaching by Nitrogen Deficiency on the Quantum Yield of Photosystem II in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 Revealed by Chl Fluorescence Measurements.

PubMed

Ogawa, Takako; Sonoike, Kintake

2016-03-01

Estimation of photosynthesis by Chl fluorescence measurement of cyanobacteria is always problematic due to the interference from respiratory electron transfer and from phycocyanin fluorescence. The interference from respiratory electron transfer could be avoided by the use of DCMU or background illumination by blue light, which oxidizes the plastoquinone pool that tends to be reduced by respiration. On the other hand, the precise estimation of photosynthesis in cells with a different phycobilisome content by Chl fluorescence measurement is difficult. By subtracting the basal fluorescence due to the phycobilisome and PSI, it becomes possible to estimate the precise maximum quantum yield of PSII in cyanobacteria. Estimated basal fluorescence accounted for 60% of the minimum fluorescence, resulting in a large difference between the 'apparent' yield and 'true' yield under high phycocyanin conditions. The calculated value of the 'true' maximum quantum yield of PSII was around 0.8, which was similar to the value observed in land plants. The results suggest that the cause of the apparent low yield reported in cyanobacteria is mainly ascribed to the interference from phycocyanin fluorescence. We also found that the 'true' maximum quantum yield of PSII decreased under nitrogen-deficient conditions, suggesting the impairment of the PSII reaction center, while the 'apparent' maximum quantum yield showed a marginal change under the same conditions. Due to the high contribution of phycocyanin fluorescence in cyanobacteria, it is essential to eliminate the influence of the change in phycocyanin content on Chl fluorescence measurement and to evaluate the 'true' photosynthetic condition. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Self-tapping ability of carbon fibre reinforced polyetheretherketone suture anchors.

PubMed

Feerick, Emer M; Wilson, Joanne; Jarman-Smith, Marcus; Ó'Brádaigh, Conchur M; McGarry, J Patrick

2014-10-01

An experimental and computational investigation of the self-tapping ability of carbon fibre reinforced polyetheretherketone (CFR-PEEK) has been conducted. Six CFR-PEEK suture anchor designs were investigated using PEEK-OPTIMA® Reinforced, a medical grade of CFR-PEEK. Experimental tests were conducted to investigate the maximum axial force and torque required for self-taping insertion of each anchor design. Additional experimental tests were conducted for some anchor designs using pilot holes. Computational simulations were conducted to determine the maximum stress in each anchor design at various stages of insertion. Simulations also were performed to investigate the effect of wall thickness in the anchor head. The maximum axial force required to insert a self-tapping CFR-PEEK suture anchor did not exceed 150 N for any anchor design. The maximum torque required to insert a self-tapping CFR-PEEK suture anchor did not exceed 0.8 Nm. Computational simulations reveal significant stress concentrations in the region of the anchor tip, demonstrating that a re-design of the tip geometry should be performed to avoid fracture during self-tapping, as observed in the experimental component of this study. This study demonstrates the ability of PEEK-OPTIMA Reinforced suture anchors to self-tap polyurethane foam bone analogue. This provides motivation to further investigate the self-tapping ability of CFR-PEEK suture anchors in animal/cadaveric bone. An optimised design for CFR-PEEK suture anchors offers the advantages of radiolucency, and mechanical properties similar to bone with the ability to self-tap. This may have positive implications for reducing surgery times and the associated costs with the procedure. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

An investigation of rugby scrimmaging posture and individual maximum pushing force.

PubMed

Wu, Wen-Lan; Chang, Jyh-Jong; Wu, Jia-Hroung; Guo, Lan-Yuen

2007-02-01

Although rugby is a popular contact sport and the isokinetic muscle torque assessment has recently found widespread application in the field of sports medicine, little research has examined the factors associated with the performance of game-specific skills directly by using the isokinetic-type rugby scrimmaging machine. This study is designed to (a) measure and observe the differences in the maximum individual pushing forward force produced by scrimmaging in different body postures (3 body heights x 2 foot positions) with a self-developed rugby scrimmaging machine and (b) observe the variations in hip, knee, and ankle angles at different body postures and explore the relationship between these angle values and the individual maximum pushing force. Ten national rugby players were invited to participate in the examination. The experimental equipment included a self-developed rugby scrimmaging machine and a 3-dimensional motion analysis system. Our results showed that the foot positions (parallel and nonparallel foot positions) do not affect the maximum pushing force; however, the maximum pushing force was significantly lower in posture I (36% body height) than in posture II (38%) and posture III (40%). The maximum forward force in posture III (40% body height) was also slightly greater than for the scrum in posture II (38% body height). In addition, it was determined that hip, knee, and ankle angles under parallel feet positioning are factors that are closely negatively related in terms of affecting maximum pushing force in scrimmaging. In cross-feet postures, there was a positive correlation between individual forward force and hip angle of the rear leg. From our results, we can conclude that if the player stands in an appropriate starting position at the early stage of scrimmaging, it will benefit the forward force production.

Bodies for Anatomy Education in Medical Schools: An Overview of the Sources of Cadavers Worldwide.

PubMed

Habicht, Juri L; Kiessling, Claudia; Winkelmann, Andreas

2018-03-20

The International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) recommended in 2012 that only donated bodies be used for anatomy teaching and research. However, in many countries around the world, anatomists still depend on bodies that do not stem from voluntary donations by the deceased, but rather are "unclaimed." A broad search of the literature was conducted to produce a baseline overview of the sources of cadavers used for anatomy teaching in undergraduate medical curricula on a global scale. Information from the literature search was supplemented with data from a 2016-2017 survey of selected senior local anatomists. Of 165 countries with medical schools, information was gathered for 71. In 22 (32%) of the 68 countries that use cadavers for anatomy teaching, body donation is the exclusive source of bodies. However, in most other countries, unclaimed bodies remain the main (n = 18, 26%) or exclusive (n = 21, 31%) source. Some countries import cadavers from abroad, mainly from the United States or India. In one country, bodies of executed persons are given to anatomy departments. The heterogeneous geographical distribution of body sources cannot easily be accounted for, but religion, culture, and folk beliefs about what should happen to bodies after death seem to play a role. Implementation of the IFAA recommendations still has a long way to go, but it is encouraging that functioning body donation programs exist on all continents and that there are examples of recent rises in donations and of anatomists initiating new donation programs.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.

Genome-wide association analysis identifies three new susceptibility loci for childhood body mass index.

PubMed

Felix, Janine F; Bradfield, Jonathan P; Monnereau, Claire; van der Valk, Ralf J P; Stergiakouli, Evie; Chesi, Alessandra; Gaillard, Romy; Feenstra, Bjarke; Thiering, Elisabeth; Kreiner-Møller, Eskil; Mahajan, Anubha; Pitkänen, Niina; Joro, Raimo; Cavadino, Alana; Huikari, Ville; Franks, Steve; Groen-Blokhuis, Maria M; Cousminer, Diana L; Marsh, Julie A; Lehtimäki, Terho; Curtin, John A; Vioque, Jesus; Ahluwalia, Tarunveer S; Myhre, Ronny; Price, Thomas S; Vilor-Tejedor, Natalia; Yengo, Loïc; Grarup, Niels; Ntalla, Ioanna; Ang, Wei; Atalay, Mustafa; Bisgaard, Hans; Blakemore, Alexandra I; Bonnefond, Amelie; Carstensen, Lisbeth; Eriksson, Johan; Flexeder, Claudia; Franke, Lude; Geller, Frank; Geserick, Mandy; Hartikainen, Anna-Liisa; Haworth, Claire M A; Hirschhorn, Joel N; Hofman, Albert; Holm, Jens-Christian; Horikoshi, Momoko; Hottenga, Jouke Jan; Huang, Jinyan; Kadarmideen, Haja N; Kähönen, Mika; Kiess, Wieland; Lakka, Hanna-Maaria; Lakka, Timo A; Lewin, Alexandra M; Liang, Liming; Lyytikäinen, Leo-Pekka; Ma, Baoshan; Magnus, Per; McCormack, Shana E; McMahon, George; Mentch, Frank D; Middeldorp, Christel M; Murray, Clare S; Pahkala, Katja; Pers, Tune H; Pfäffle, Roland; Postma, Dirkje S; Power, Christine; Simpson, Angela; Sengpiel, Verena; Tiesler, Carla M T; Torrent, Maties; Uitterlinden, André G; van Meurs, Joyce B; Vinding, Rebecca; Waage, Johannes; Wardle, Jane; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Zemel, Babette S; Dedoussis, George V; Pedersen, Oluf; Froguel, Philippe; Sunyer, Jordi; Plomin, Robert; Jacobsson, Bo; Hansen, Torben; Gonzalez, Juan R; Custovic, Adnan; Raitakari, Olli T; Pennell, Craig E; Widén, Elisabeth; Boomsma, Dorret I; Koppelman, Gerard H; Sebert, Sylvain; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Hyppönen, Elina; McCarthy, Mark I; Lindi, Virpi; Harri, Niinikoski; Körner, Antje; Bønnelykke, Klaus; Heinrich, Joachim; Melbye, Mads; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Hakonarson, Hakon; Ring, Susan M; Smith, George Davey; Sørensen, Thorkild I A; Timpson, Nicholas J; Grant, Struan F A; Jaddoe, Vincent W V

2016-01-15

A large number of genetic loci are associated with adult body mass index. However, the genetics of childhood body mass index are largely unknown. We performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of childhood body mass index, using sex- and age-adjusted standard deviation scores. We included 35 668 children from 20 studies in the discovery phase and 11 873 children from 13 studies in the replication phase. In total, 15 loci reached genome-wide significance (P-value < 5 × 10(-8)) in the joint discovery and replication analysis, of which 12 are previously identified loci in or close to ADCY3, GNPDA2, TMEM18, SEC16B, FAIM2, FTO, TFAP2B, TNNI3K, MC4R, GPR61, LMX1B and OLFM4 associated with adult body mass index or childhood obesity. We identified three novel loci: rs13253111 near ELP3, rs8092503 near RAB27B and rs13387838 near ADAM23. Per additional risk allele, body mass index increased 0.04 Standard Deviation Score (SDS) [Standard Error (SE) 0.007], 0.05 SDS (SE 0.008) and 0.14 SDS (SE 0.025), for rs13253111, rs8092503 and rs13387838, respectively. A genetic risk score combining all 15 SNPs showed that each additional average risk allele was associated with a 0.073 SDS (SE 0.011, P-value = 3.12 × 10(-10)) increase in childhood body mass index in a population of 1955 children. This risk score explained 2% of the variance in childhood body mass index. This study highlights the shared genetic background between childhood and adult body mass index and adds three novel loci. These loci likely represent age-related differences in strength of the associations with body mass index. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

"His Native, Hot Country"1: Racial Science and Environment in Antebellum American Medical Thought.

PubMed

Willoughby, Christopher D

2017-07-01

Relying on a close reading of more than 4,000 medicals student theses, this essay explores the evolving medical approaches to race and environment in the early national and antebellum United States and highlights the role that medical school pedagogy played in disseminating and elaborating racial theory. Specifically, it considers the influence of racial science on medical concepts of the relationship of bodies to climates. At their core, monogenesis-belief in a single, unified human race-and polygenesis-the belief that each race was created separately-were theories about the human body's connections to the natural world. As polygenesis became influential in Atlantic medical thought, physicians saw environmental treatments as a matter of matching bodies to their natural ecology. In the first decades of the nineteenth century, Atlantic physicians understood bodies and places as in constant states of flux. Through proper treatment, people and environments could suffer either degradation or improvement. Practitioners saw African Americans and whites as the same species with their differences being largely superficial and produced by climate. However, by the 1830s and 1840s medical students were learning that each race was inherently different and unalterable by time or temperature. In this paradigm, medical students articulated a vision of racial health rooted in organic relationships between bodies and climates. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The relationship between body composition and knee structure in patients with human immunodeficiency virus.

PubMed

Fillipas, S; Tanamas, S K; Davies-Tuck, M L; Wluka, A E; Wang, Y; Holland, A E; Cherry, C L; Cicuttini, F

2015-02-01

Obesity is a risk factor for osteoarthritis. Antiretroviral therapy (ART)-treated HIV-infected patients are frequently affected by overweight and obesity, and may be at increased risk of osteoarthritis. BMI however is a measure which does not discriminate adipose from non-adipose body mass, or fat distribution, which may have different effects. This study aimed to examine relationships between body composition and knee cartilage volume, as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging in HIV infection. 35 ART-treated HIV-infected men aged 51.7 years (mean) 7.9 (SD) and 18 healthy men aged 49.5 years (mean) 6.4 (SD) participated. Cartilage volume was measured on magnetic resonance imaging of the dominant knee using validated methods. Body composition was measured using dual x-ray absorptiometry. HIV-infected participants had less total body and gynoid fat (kg) (p = 0.04 and p = 0.007, respectively) and more percent android fat mass and percent trunk fat mass (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively) than controls. In HIV-infected participants there was an inverse association between total body fat mass and average tibial cartilage volume (R = -8.01, 95% CI -15.66, -0.36). Also, in HIV-infected participants there was an inverse association between android fat mass and average cartilage volume (R = -90.91, 95% CI -158.66, -23.16). This preliminary study found that both total body and android fat mass were inversely related to average knee cartilage volume in ambulant, ART-treated HIV-infected adults. These findings are features of early knee osteoarthritis and this may be of future significance in HIV. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Evaluation of Body Image and Sexual Satisfaction in Women Undergoing Female Genital Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery.

PubMed

Goodman, Michael P; Placik, Otto J; Matlock, David L; Simopoulos, Alex F; Dalton, Teresa A; Veale, David; Hardwick-Smith, Susan

2016-10-01

Little prospective data exists regarding the procedures constituting female genital plastic/cosmetic surgery (FGPS). To evaluate whether the procedures of labiaplasty and vaginoperineoplasty improve genital self image, and evaluate effects on sexual satisfaction. Prospective cohort case-controlled study of 120 subjects evaluated at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperative, paired with a demographically similar control group. Interventions include labiaplasty, clitoral hood reduction, and/or aesthetic vaginal tightening, defined as perineoplasty + "vaginoplasty" (aka "vaginal rejuvenation."). Outcome measures include body image, genital self-image, sexual satisfaction, and body esteem. As a group, study patients tested at baseline showing body dissatisfaction, negative genital self-image, and poorer indices of sexual satisfaction. Preoperative body image of study patients were in a range considered to be mild to moderately dysmorphic, but matched controls at one and two years; genital self-image scores at entry were considerably lower than controls, but by 2-year follow-up had surpassed control value at entry. Similarly, sexual satisfaction values, significantly lower at entry, equaled at one, and surpassed control values, at 2 years. Postoperatively, at all points in time, these differences in body image and genital self-image disappeared, and sexual satisfaction markedly improved. Overall body esteem did not differ between study and control groups, with the exception of the genital esteem quotient, which improved after surgery. Women requesting and completing FGPS, when tested by validated instruments, at entry report sexual dissatisfaction and negative genital self-image. When tested at several points in time after surgery up to two years, these findings were no longer present. When performed by an experienced surgeon, FGPS appears to provide sexual and genital self-image improvement. 2 Therapeutic. © 2016 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Body mass management of lightweight rowers: nutritional strategies and performance implications.

PubMed

Slater, Gary; Rice, Anthony; Jenkins, David; Hahn, Allan

2014-11-01

The majority of lightweight rowers undertake acute weight loss prior to competition. Given the competitive advantage afforded to larger, more muscular rowers over their smaller counterparts, the use of moderate, acute weight loss may be justified, at least among larger, leaner athletes who struggle to achieve the specified body mass requirement and have limited potential for further body mass loss via reductions in body fat. The performance implications of moderate acute weight loss appear to be small on the ergometer and may be even less on water, at least when aggressive recovery strategies are adopted between weigh-in and racing. Furthermore, any performance implications of acute weight loss are not exacerbated when such weight loss is undertaken repeatedly throughout the course of a regatta, and may even be eliminated when aggressive recovery strategies are introduced before and after racing. The combination of adequate sodium, fluid and carbohydrate in line with current guidelines results in the best performances. While the performance implications of modest acute weight loss may still need to be considered in regard to competition outcome, chronic body mass strategies may not be without performance implications. This is especially the case for athletes who have very low levels of body fat and/or athletes who decrease their body mass too quickly. Further studies are needed to address the degree of weight loss that can be tolerated with minimal health and/or performance implications, and the optimal time frame over which this should occur. Possible adaptation to the physiological state that accompanies acute weight loss also warrants investigation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

ASSESSMENT OF EYE LENS DOSES IN INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY: A SIMULATION IN LABORATORY CONDITIONS.

PubMed

Čemusová, Z; Ekendahl, D; Judas, L

2016-09-01

As workers in interventional radiology belong to one of the most occupationally exposed groups, methods for sufficiently accurate quantification of their external exposure are sought. The objective of the authors' experiment was to investigate the relations between eye lens dose and Hp(10), Hp(3) or Hp(0.07) values measured with a conventional whole-body personal thermoluminescence dosemeter (TLD). Conditions of occupational exposure during common interventional procedures were simulated in laboratory. An anthropomorphic phantom represented a physician. The TLDs were fixed to the phantom in different locations that are common for purposes of personal dosimetry. In order to monitor the dose at the eye lens level during the exposures, a special thermoluminescence eye dosemeter was fixed to the phantom's temple. Correlations between doses measured with the whole-body and the eye dosemeters were found. There are indications that personnel in interventional radiology do not need to be unconditionally equipped with additional eye dosemeters, especially if an appropriate whole-body dosimetry system has been already put into practice. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Brain Death and Human Organismal Integration: A Symposium on the Definition of Death.

PubMed

Moschella, Melissa

2016-06-01

Does the ability of some brain dead bodies to maintain homeostasis with the help of artificial life support actually imply that those bodies are living human organisms? Or might it be possible that a brain dead body on life support is a mere collection of still-living cells, organs and tissues which can coordinate with one another, but which lack the genuine integration that is the hallmark of a unified human organism as a whole? To foster further study of these difficult and timely questions, a Symposium on the Definition of Death was held at The Catholic University of America in June 2014. The Symposium brought together scholars from a variety of disciplines-law, medicine, biology, philosophy and theology-who all share a commitment to the dead donor rule and to a biological definition of death, but who have differing opinions regarding the validity of neurological criteria for human death. The papers found in this special issue are among the fruits of this Symposium. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Evolution of Arthropod Body Plans: Integrating Phylogeny, Fossils, and Development-An Introduction to the Symposium.

PubMed

Chipman, Ariel D; Erwin, Douglas H

2017-09-01

The last few years have seen a significant increase in the amount of data we have about the evolution of the arthropod body plan. This has come mainly from three separate sources: a new consensus and improved resolution of arthropod phylogeny, based largely on new phylogenomic analyses; a wealth of new early arthropod fossils from a number of Cambrian localities with excellent preservation, as well as a renewed analysis of some older fossils; and developmental data from a range of model and non-model pan-arthropod species that shed light on the developmental origins and homologies of key arthropod traits. However, there has been relatively little synthesis among these different data sources, and the three communities studying them have little overlap. The symposium "The Evolution of Arthropod Body Plans-Integrating Phylogeny, Fossils and Development" brought together leading researchers in these three disciplines and made a significant contribution to the emerging synthesis of arthropod evolution, which will help advance the field and will be useful for years to come. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Fitness Trade-Off Associated With Spinosad Resistance in Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).

PubMed

Li, Xiaoyu; Wan, Yanran; Yuan, Guangdi; Hussain, Sabir; Xu, Baoyun; Xie, Wen; Wang, Shaoli; Zhang, Youjun; Wu, Qingjun

2017-08-01

Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) is an economically important pest of agricultural crops. High resistance has been detected in field populations of F. occidentalis against the insecticide spinosad. In this study, we compared life history traits, body sizes, and feeding behaviors (recorded via an electrical penetration graph) of spinosad-susceptible (Ivf03) and spinosad-resistant (NIL-R) near-isogenic lines of F. occidentalis. Life table analysis showed that NIL-R had reduced female longevity and reduced fecundity. The relative fitness of NIL-R (0.43) was less than half that of Ivf03. NIL-R individuals were smaller than Ivf03 individuals, both in body length and body width at every stage. The number and duration of feeding activities were significantly reduced in NIL-R, with the exception of total duration of long-ingestion probes. These results suggest that there is a fitness trade-off associated with spinosad resistance in F. occidentalis, and that the development of resistance in this pest species may be reduced by rotating spinosad with other pesticides lacking cross-resistance. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

76 FR 37806 - Ashton Hydro, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY [Project No. 14213-000] Ashton Hydro, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit... lands or waters owned by others without the owners' express permission. The proposed run-of-the-river... level and a maximum storage capacity of about 200 ac-ft; (3) a new intake on the upstream face of the...

24 CFR 245.315 - Materials to be submitted to HUD.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... local HUD office: (a) Documents to be submitted under profit and loss approach: (1) A copy of the notice... Increase in Maximum Permissible Rents § 245.315 Materials to be submitted to HUD. When the notice referred to in § 245.310 is served on the tenants, the mortgagor must send to the local HUD office copies of...

24 CFR 245.315 - Materials to be submitted to HUD.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... local HUD office: (a) Documents to be submitted under profit and loss approach: (1) A copy of the notice... Increase in Maximum Permissible Rents § 245.315 Materials to be submitted to HUD. When the notice referred to in § 245.310 is served on the tenants, the mortgagor must send to the local HUD office copies of...

75 FR 35027 - Notice of Public Information Collection Approved By the Office of Management and Budget

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-21

... must file an informal request for any increase in the station's FM Digital ERP). (2) Licensees to... Digital ERP beyond 6 dB. (3) Licensees submitting such a request must use a simplified method set forth in the Order to determine the proponent station's maximum permissible FM Digital ERP. (4) In situations...

Prevention of unorganized emissions of ammonia in installations of dewaxing of oils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehovskaya, E. O.; Nagibina, I. Yu; Ivanov, A. Yu

2018-01-01

The problem of lack of automation devices in oil dewaxing units is considered in this work. As a result, fugitive ammonia emissions that exceed the maximum permissible concentration, which adversely affect the health of personnel and the environment, can occur in the atmospheric air. The device and the operating principle of the automatic air separator are shown.

Zinc, nickel and cadmium in carambolas marketed in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, China: implication for human health.

PubMed

Li, J T; Liao, B; Lan, C Y; Qiu, J W; Shu, W S

2007-12-15

Carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) is a popular juicy fruit throughout the tropical and subtropical world. This study was designed to quantify the levels of zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni) and cadmium (Cd) in carambolas marketed in southern China, and further to evaluate the potential health risk of human consumption of carambola. Zinc concentrations, ranging from 1.471 to 2.875 mg/kg (on fresh weight basis), were below the maximum permissible concentration for Zn in fruit of China (5 mg/kg). However, Ni concentrations (0.134-0.676 mg/kg) were considerably higher than the related recommendation values. Furthermore, Cd concentrations in 51% of the carambolas purchased from Guangzhou exceeded the maximum permissible concentration for Cd in fruit of China (0.03 mg/kg). Our results implicated that the consumption of 0.385 kg carambola contaminated by Cd per day would cause the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of Cd by the consumer to be exceeded. In addition, the remarkably high Ni concentrations in carambolas should also be of concern. The status of heavy metal contamination of carambola products marketed in the other regions and their implications for human health should be identified urgently by in-depth studies.

Estimates of auditory risk from outdoor impulse noise. II: Civilian firearms.

PubMed

Flamme, Gregory A; Wong, Adam; Liebe, Kevin; Lynd, James

2009-01-01

Firearm impulses are common noise exposures in the United States. This study records, describes and analyzes impulses produced outdoors by civilian firearms with respect to the amount of auditory risk they pose to the unprotected listener under various listening conditions. Risk estimates were obtained using three contemporary damage risk criteria (DRC) including a waveform parameter-based approach (peak SPL and B-duration), an energy-based criterion (A-weighted SEL and equivalent continuous level) and a physiological model (AHAAH). Results from these DRC were converted into a number of maximum permissible unprotected exposures to facilitate interpretation. Acoustic characteristics of firearm impulses differed substantially across guns, ammunition, and microphone location. The type of gun, ammunition and the microphone location all significantly affected estimates of auditory risk from firearms. Vast differences in maximum permissible exposures were observed; the rank order of the differences varied with the source of the impulse. Unprotected exposure to firearm noise is not recommended, but people electing to fire a gun without hearing protection should be advised to minimize auditory risk through careful selection of ammunition and shooting environment. Small-caliber guns with long barrels and guns loaded with the least powerful ammunition tend to be associated with the least auditory risk.

Parasitism by Nycteribiidae and Streblidae Flies (Diptera) of a Malagasy Fruit Bat (Pteropodidae): Effects of Body Size and Throat Gland Development on Parasite Abundance.

PubMed

Rajemison, Faneva I; Noroalintseheno Lalarivoniaina, Oliva S; Goodman, Steven M

2017-07-01

We examined the possible effects of host body size and throat gland development on the abundance of blood-feeding nycteribiid and streblid flies parasitizing a Malagasy fruit bat, Rousettus madagascariensis G. Grandidier, 1928. Data were collected in the Parc National d'Ankarana in northern Madagascar during four visits: September 2014, 2015 (dry season), and January 2015, 2016 (wet season). Two bat fly species were identified, Eucampsipoda madagascarensis Theodor, 1955 (Nycteribiidae) and Megastrebla wenzeli (Jobling, 1952) (Streblidae). A positive correlation was found between host body size and abundance of E. madagascarensis during the four visits, suggesting that larger hosts have more parasites, and for M. wenzeli, this relationship was identified only during the wet season visits. In male hosts, body size and throat gland development are correlated with variation in E. madagascarensis abundance during the two seasons; this relationship was not found for M. wenzeli. We present some explanations for the observed patterns of bat fly abundance associated with throat gland development: increased vascularization and easier access to bloodmeals, chemical properties of gland secretions acting as attractants or perhaps being consumed, and modification of hair around the gland providing protection from bat grooming. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

47 CFR 95.1209 - Permissible communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... to which the MedRadio implant or body-worn transmitter is used. (c) MedRadio programmer/control...Radio programmer/control transmitters may transmit only non-voice data containing operational... shall transmit except in response to a transmission from a MedRadio programmer/control transmitter or in...

Longitudinal Receptive American Sign Language Skills Across a Diverse Deaf Student Body.

PubMed

Beal-Alvarez, Jennifer S

2016-04-01

This article presents results of a longitudinal study of receptive American Sign Language (ASL) skills for a large portion of the student body at a residential school for the deaf across four consecutive years. Scores were analyzed by age, gender, parental hearing status, years attending the residential school, and presence of a disability (i.e., deaf with a disability). Years 1 through 4 included the ASL Receptive Skills Test (ASL-RST); Years 2 through 4 also included the Receptive Test of ASL (RT-ASL). Student performance for both measures positively correlated with age; deaf students with deaf parents scored higher than their same-age peers with hearing parents in some instances but not others; and those with a documented disability tended to score lower than their peers without disabilities. These results provide longitudinal findings across a diverse segment of the deaf/hard of hearing residential school population. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Epidemiology of diabetes mellitus in Mexico.

PubMed

Bello-Chavolla, Omar Y; Rojas-Martinez, Rosalba; Aguilar-Salinas, Carlos A; Hernández-Avila, Mauricio

2017-01-01

Type 2 diabetes is the main health problem in Mexico. The large and growing number of cases and the remarkable economic impact of the disease support this statement. The condition is expressed at an earlier age and at a lower body mass index in Mexican mestizos compared with the age and body mass index reported in Caucasians. In addition, Mexican mestizos have an increased susceptibility to developing diabetic nephropathy. The Mexican health system needs major adjustments in order to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes. Treatment is not currently based on the needs and expectations of the patient. As a result, it is insufficient, belated, and costly. Close to 20% of the preventable deaths in Mexico are caused by diabetes and related metabolic diseases. Even a small decrease in this rate could result in substantial savings for the Mexican healthcare system. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

In Visible Hands: The Matter and Making of Music Therapy.

PubMed

Gilbertson, Simon

2015-01-01

This study explores the topics of matter and making in music therapy through embodied reflexive retrospection with six music therapists. The participants were asked to re-enact a hand position from their memory of a significant moment in therapy. In individual research meetings, they shared their thoughts about this moment while the researcher made a body cast of their chosen hand pose. A thematic analysis of the participant narratives, the hand casts, and existing literature was used to generate the following themes: The biographic hand, The body, space, place, and time, The plural hand, Matter of the hand, and The method in hand. The research procedure facilitated an exploration of epistemological, ontological, and phenomenological perspectives in understanding music therapy practitioner experiences. The study highlights the inseparability and multiplicity of matter, making, and narrating music therapy that transcends context or therapeutic approach. © the American Music Therapy Association 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nutrition research in the military.

PubMed

Hill, Neil E; Fallowfield, J L; Delves, S K; Wilson, D R

2014-06-01

Military research performed in an operational environment involves mission-specific considerations. The Institute of Naval Medicine was tasked in 2008 by the Surgeon General to investigate the nutritional status of deployed British military personnel, and how this might affect body composition, physical fitness and operational capability. This paper briefly describes the logistic and technical issues specific to military research that were encountered by the study team, how these issues were overcome and how this research has influenced military practice. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Development of Leishmania vaccines in the era of visceral leishmaniasis elimination.

PubMed

Engwerda, Christian R; Matlashewski, Greg

2015-07-01

A visceral leishmaniasis (VL) elimination target set for the Indian subcontinent in 2005 is being met in many endemic areas without a vaccine. This begs a question: is a VL vaccine needed if elimination targets can be met with current control programs? Here, we argue that a vaccine will be critical if the success of recent VL control efforts are to be sustained. However, not only do we require a safe and effective vaccine, but we also need to know how this should be used for maximum impact. In particular, identifying appropriate target populations to vaccinate will be crucial. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Optimization of the interplanetary trajectories of spacecraft with a solar electric propulsion power plant of minimal power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanyukhin, A. V.; Petukhov, V. G.

2016-12-01

The problem of optimizing the interplanetary trajectories of a spacecraft (SC) with a solar electric propulsion system (SEPS) is examined. The problem of investigating the permissible power minimum of the solar electric propulsion power plant required for a successful flight is studied. Permissible ranges of thrust and exhaust velocity are analyzed for the given range of flight time and final mass of the spacecraft. The optimization is performed according to Portnyagin's maximum principle, and the continuation method is used for reducing the boundary problem of maximal principle to the Cauchy problem and to study the solution/ parameters dependence. Such a combination results in the robust algorithm that reduces the problem of trajectory optimization to the numerical integration of differential equations by the continuation method.

Whole-body vibration of locomotive engineers.

PubMed

Sorainen, E; Rytkönen, E

1999-01-01

Vibration of the seat and the body of a diesel locomotive and an electric locomotive were measured while driving on the railways of Eastern Finland. At the speed of 120 km/h for the diesel locomotive and 140 km/h for the electric locomotive (the greatest permissible speeds) the vibration of the seat was tangent to the "fatigue-decreased proficiency boundary" of the international standard ISO 2631/1(1) in the side-to-side direction in one-third octave bands of 1-1.6 Hz. The frequency response measurements between the body of the locomotive and the seat indicated that the seat did not reduce side-to-side vibration of the body at low frequencies where the vibration was most harmful.

Spindled and hollow spars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blyth, J D

1926-01-01

The most usual method of arriving at the maximum amount of spindling or hollowing out permissible in the case of any particular spar section is by trial and error, a process which is apt to become laborious in the absence of good guessing - or luck. The following tables have been got out with the object of making it possible to arrive with certainty at a suitable section at the first attempt.

Analysis of steady-state salt-water upconing with application at Truro well field, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reilly, T.E.; Frimpter, M.H.; LeBlanc, D.R.; Goodman, A.S.

1987-01-01

Sharp interface methods have been used successfully to describe the physics of upconing. A finite-element model is developed to simulate a sharp interface for determination of the steady-state position of the interface and maximum permissible well discharges. The model developed is compared to previous published electric-analog model results of Bennett and others (1968). -from Authors

12 CFR 713.6 - What is the permissible deductible?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... assets up to a maximum of $200,000; for credit unions that have received a composite CAMEL rating of “1... received a composite CAMEL rating of “1” or “2” for the last two (2) full examinations and maintained a net... paragraph or fails to meet the CAMEL rating requirements of this paragraph as determined by its most recent...

12 CFR 713.6 - What is the permissible deductible?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... assets up to a maximum of $200,000; for credit unions that have received a composite CAMEL rating of “1... received a composite CAMEL rating of “1” or “2” for the last two (2) full examinations and maintained a net... paragraph or fails to meet the CAMEL rating requirements of this paragraph as determined by its most recent...

AICE Survey of USSR Air Pollution Literature, Volume 15: A Third Compilation of Technical Reports on the Biological Effects and the Public Health Aspects of Atmospheric Pollutants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuttonson, M. Y.

Ten papers were translated: Maximum permissible concentrations of noxious substances in the atmospheric air of populated areas; Some aspects of the biological effect of microconcentrations of two chloroisocyanates; The toxicology of low concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons; Chronic action of low concentrations of acrolein in air on the…

Assessment of groundwater quality of Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh, India, with reference to arsenic contamination using multivariate statistical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Asha Lata; Singh, Vipin Kumar

2018-06-01

A total of 22 water quality parameters were selected for the analysis of groundwater samples with reference to arsenic contamination. Samples were collected in the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons of the year 2013. The maximum arsenic concentration in both the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons was approximately the same, i.e., the maximum arsenic concentration being 75.60 and 74.46 µg/L in pre-monsoon and monsoon, respectively. Out of 72 collected samples, three were below the WHO guideline value of 10 µg/L for arsenic concentration. In 95.83% of the groundwater samples, the arsenic concentration was above the permissible limit. Nickel, manganese, and chromium concentrations were above the permissible limits in nearly all samples except for chromium concentration in a few pre-monsoon samples. However, the total iron concentrations in 23 samples (31.94%) were above the permissible limit. A total of six and seven principal components (PCs) were extracted using principal component analysis during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, respectively, accounting for 76.25 and 78.52% of the total variation during two consecutive seasons. Correlation statistics revealed that the arsenic concentration was positively correlated with phosphate, iron, ammonium, bicarbonate, and manganese concentrations but negatively correlated with oxidation reduction potential (ORP), sulfate concentration, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids concentration. The negative correlation of arsenic with ORP suggested reducing conditions prevailing in the groundwater. The trilinear Piper diagram revealed calcium and magnesium enrichment of groundwater with an abundance of chloride ions but no predominance of bicarbonate ions. Thus, the groundwater fell into Ca2+ - Mg2+ - Cl- - SO4 2- category.

Safety and Efficacy of Novel Oral Anticoagulants vs Low Molecular Weight Heparin for Thromboprophylaxis in Large-Volume Liposuction and Body Contouring Procedures.

PubMed

Morales, Rolando; Ruff, Eric; Patronella, Christopher; Mentz, Henry; Newall, Germán; Hustak, Kristi L; Fortes, Paul; Bush, Amelia

2016-04-01

Preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains an important topic in the plastic surgery community. However, there is little consensus regarding appropriate VTE prophylaxis for patients undergoing common body contouring procedures. This study compared the use of two novel oral anticoagulants (Rivaroxaban and Apixiban) vs low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) for postoperative chemical prophylaxis in body contouring plastic surgery procedures. A single center retrospective chart review of 1572 patients who underwent body contouring plastic surgery procedures from January 2012 to February 2015 was performed. Major complications associated with chemical prophylaxis were reviewed including hematomas requiring surgical evacuation, acute blood loss anemia requiring transfusions, and thrombotic or hemorrhagic events. Drug-related adverse events occurred in 1.27% (n = 20) of patients. The complications encountered by the 454 patients on LMWH consisted of 0.88% (n = 4) with hematomas requiring surgical evacuation, 0.44% (n = 2) with decreased hemoglobin requiring transfusions, and 0.22% (n = 1) with a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The complications encountered by 703 patients on with Rivaroxaban consisted of 1.3% (n = 9) with hematomas requiring surgical evacuation, 0.43% (n = 3) with decreased hemoglobin requiring transfusions, and 0.1% (n = 1) with a DVT and pulmonary embolism. The complications encountered by 415 patients on with Apixaban consisted of 0.48% (n = 2) with a DVT. Novel oral anticoagulants (Rivaroxaban and Apixiban) are comparable to LMWH for chemical prophylaxis after body contouring procedures with similar rates of drug-related complications. Further investigation is warranted with more clinical cases in order to recommend the use of this medication for routine postoperative chemical prophylaxis after body contouring procedures. 3 Therapeutic. © 2016 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Lifetime shift work exposure: association with anthropometry, body composition, blood pressure, glucose and heart rate variability.

PubMed

Souza, Breno Bernardes; Monteze, Nayara Mussi; de Oliveira, Fernando Luiz Pereira; de Oliveira, José Magalhães; de Freitas Nascimento, Silvia; Marques do Nascimento Neto, Raimundo; Sales, Maria Lilian; Souza, Gabriela Guerra Leal

2015-03-01

To evaluate the association between lifetime exposure to shift work and blood pressure, fasting glucose (FG), anthropometric variables, body composition and heart rate variability (HRV). Male shift workers (N=438) were evaluated using principal component (PC) analysis. The variables used were: weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), neck circumference (NC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body fat mass (BFKg), body fat percentage (BF%), visceral fat area (VFA), FG, systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and HRV variables. ECG was performed, extracting heart rate (HR), root mean square of the successive differences (RMSSD), high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF) and the LF/HF ratio. Using linear regression models, the lifetime shift work exposure was associated with each PC. Five PCs were obtained, which accounted for 79.6% of the total variation of the data. PC1 (weight, BMI, WC, NC, HC, WHR, WHtR, BFKg, BF% and VFA) was designated as body obesity; PC2 (HF, RMSSD and LF) as good cardiac regulation; PC3 (SBP and DBP) as blood pressure; PC4 (LF/HF ratio and HR) as bad cardiac regulation and PC5 (WHR and FG) as insulin resistance. After age adjustment, the regression analysis showed that lifetime shift work was negatively associated with PC2 and positively associated with PC3. The association of lifetime shift work exposure with PC2 and PC3 suggests that shift work promotes unfavourable changes in autonomic cardiac control related to a decrease in parasympathetic modulation and an increase in blood pressure. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in crop plants grown near Almeda Textile Factory, Adwa, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Gitet, Hintsa; Hilawie, Masho; Muuz, Mehari; Weldegebriel, Yirgaalem; Gebremichael, Dawit; Gebremedhin, Desta

2016-09-01

The contents of heavy metals cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) present in water (wastewater and wetland), soils, and food crops collected from the vicinity of Almeda Textile Factory were quantified using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (FAAS) in order to assess the environmental impact of the textile factory. The contents of heavy metals determined in the wastewater were found below the recommended limit set by WHO and United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) except for Cr, which was found slightly higher than WHO permissible limit. Besides, the contents of the heavy metals determined in soils were below the permissible level of FAO/WHO and Canada maximum allowable limits. Moreover, only the concentrations of Cd and Pb were found above the permissible level set by FAO/WHO in the crop plants studied. Generally, the mean concentrations of heavy metals in the plants were in the decreasing order of: Mn > Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Co > Cr > Cd. Nevertheless, higher bioconcentration factor (BCF) was found for Cd (0.108-1.156) followed by Zn (0.081-0.499). In conclusion, comparison of heavy metal concentrations with the permissible limits in all collected sample types i.e. water, soil, and crop plants did not show significant pollution from the factory.

A comparison of men's and women's strength to body mass ratio and varus/valgus knee angle during jump landings.

PubMed

Haines, Tracie L; McBride, Jeffrey M; Triplett, N Travis; Skinner, Jared W; Fairbrother, Kimberly R; Kirby, Tyler J

2011-10-01

The purpose of this investigation was to compare valgus/varus knee angles during various jumps and lower body strength between males and females relative to body mass. Seventeen recreationally active females (age: 21.94 ± 2.59 years; height: 1.67 ± 0.05 m; mass: 64.42 ± 8.39 kg; percent body fat: 26.89 ± 6.26%; squat one-repetition maximum: 66.18 ± 19.47 kg; squat to body mass ratio: 1.03 ± 0.28) and 13 recreationally active males (age: 21.69 ± 1.65 years; height: 1.77 ± 0.07 m; mass: 72.39 ± 9.23 kg; percent body fat: 13.15 ± 5.18%; squat one-repetition maximum: 115.77 ± 30.40 kg; squat to body mass ratio: 1.59 ± 0.31) performed a one-repetition maximum in the squat and three of each of the following jumps: countermovement jump, 30 cm drop jump, 45 cm drop jump, and 60 cm drop jump. Knee angles were analysed using videography and body composition was analysed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to allow for squat to body mass ratio and squat to fat free mass ratio to be calculated. Significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) were found between male and female one-repetition maximum, male and female squat to body mass ratio, and male and female squat to fat free mass ratio. Significant differences were found between male and female varus/valgus knee positions during maximum flexion of the right and left leg in the countermovement jump, drop jump from 30 cm, drop jump from 45 cm, and drop jump from 60 cm. Correlations between varus/valgus knee angles and squat to body mass ratio for all jumps displayed moderate, non-significant relationships (countermovement jump: r = 0.445; drop jump from 30 cm: r = 0.448; drop jump from 45 cm: r = 0.449; drop jump from 60 cm: r = 0.439). In conclusion, males and females have significantly different lower body strength and varus/valgus knee position when landing from jumps.

The man-in-the-moon face: a qualitative study of body image, self-image and medication use in systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Hale, Elizabeth D; Radvanski, Diane C; Hassett, Afton L

2015-07-01

Little is yet known about the interactions between body image, self-image, medication use and adherence to medication in people with SLE. Using a qualitative mode of enquiry, we sought to understand these experiences within a group of patients diagnosed with SLE. Fifteen participants (14 female, 1 male) with SLE took part in semi-structured interviews. Their ages ranged from 22 to 57 years and disease duration ranged from 3 to 20 years. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Analysis revealed four themes that are presented set within the overarching concept of body and self-image: the road to diagnosis, communication and treatment concordance, living with the medication and self-image-faking it. Narratives revealed significant dissatisfaction with body image, an externally located concept. Worries about appearance and weight were most commonly mentioned and were often related to steroid use. Creative non-compliance with medication was frequently described and greater concordant relationships with physicians desired. Overall, participants sought increased investment in self-image, an internally located concept. Body and self-image are important issues for individuals with SLE. Yet participants in our study generally felt that their health care providers did not give enough consideration to their concerns over the outward appearance effects of both the disease and its treatment. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A comprehensive review on removal of arsenic using activated carbon prepared from easily available waste materials.

PubMed

Mondal, Monoj Kumar; Garg, Ravi

2017-05-01

Arsenic contamination in water bodies is a serious problem and causes various health problems due to which US Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) set its maximum permissible limit of 10 ppb. The present review article starts with the removal of toxic arsenic using adsorbents prepared from easily available waste materials. Adsorbent either commercial or low-cost adsorbent can be used for arsenic removal but recent research was focused on the low-cost adsorbent. Preparation and activation of various adsorbents were discussed. Adsorption capacities, surface area, thermodynamic, and kinetics data of various adsorbents for As(III) and As(V) removal were compiled. Desorption followed by regeneration and reuse of adsorbents is an important step in adsorption and leads to economical process. Various desorbing and regenerating agents were discussed for arsenic decontamination from the adsorbent surface. Strong acids, bases, and salts are the main desorbing agents. Disposal of arsenic-contaminated adsorbent and arsenic waste was also a big problem because of the toxic and leaching effect of arsenic. So, arsenic waste was disposed of by proper stabilization/solidification (S/S) technique by mixing it in Portland cement, iron, ash, etc. to reduce the leaching effect.

Assessment and virtual redesign of a manual handling workstation by computer-aided three-dimensional interactive application.

PubMed

Ziaei, Mansour; Ziaei, Hojjat; Hosseini, Seyed Younes; Gharagozlou, Faramarz; Keikhamoghaddam, Ali Akbar; Laybidi, Marzieh Izadi; Moradinazar, Mehdi

2017-06-01

Manual handling of bags which imposes frequent forces and stresses on body parts is a common task that many workers have to perform every day. The present study aimed to assess the postural risk and imposed forces due to manual handling and loading of sugar bags. This study was conducted on male warehouse workers of a sugar manufacturing plant. Rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) was used to assess the risks of awkward postures and computer-aided three-dimensional interactive application to estimate the forces and moments. RULA final scores were estimated to be 7 and 3 before and after the virtual redesign, respectively. Postures B and E obtained the highest compression forces and moments. The compression forces were higher than the action limit (AL) in all postures before the redesign and exceeded the maximum permissible limit (MPL) in posture E. After the redesign, these forces were reduced below the AL and MPL. Moreover, the shearing forces were lower than the AL and MPL in all postures. The main risk factors were heavy weight and poor control of sugar bags. Virtual redesign can diminish bending and twisting postures, and, therefore, some resulting forces and moments.

Aerodynamic Accounting Technique for Determining Effects of Nuclear Damage to Aircraft. Volume 2. Program User Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-02-28

of type I). 2.6 (1,5) Interference factor 2.7 (1,6) Number of bodies of type I 2.8 (1,7)* Maximum cross -sectional area 2.9 (1,8...height, cross -sectional area, etc. listed for each body type describes a single body. The total number of bodies of each type must also be specified even...71+1) (1,6) Number of bodies of Type I (78+1) (1,7)** Maximum cross -sectional area (85+1) (1,8) Base atreamtube area (92+1) (119) Nose length

Perceptual and Brain Response to Odors Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Postprandial Total Ghrelin Reactivity to a Meal.

PubMed

Sun, Xue; Veldhuizen, Maria G; Babbs, Amanda E; Sinha, Rajita; Small, Dana M

2016-03-01

Animal studies have shown that olfactory sensitivity is greater when fasted than when fed. However, human research has generated inconsistent results. One possible explanation for these conflicting findings is metabolic health. Many metabolic peptides, including ghrelin, are moderated by adiposity and influence olfaction and olfactory-guided behaviors. We tested whether the effect of a meal on the perceived intensity of suprathreshold chemosensory stimuli is influenced by body mass index and/or metabolic response to a meal. We found that overweight or obese (n = 13), but not healthy weight (n = 20) subjects perceived odors, but not flavored solutions, as more intense when hungry than when sated. This effect was correlated with reduced postprandial total ghrelin suppression (n = 23) and differential brain response to odors in the cerebellum, as measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging. In contrast, it was unrelated to circulating leptin, glucose, insulin, triglycerides, or free fatty acids; or to odor pleasantness or sniffing (n = 24). These findings demonstrate that the effect of a meal on suprathreshold odor intensity perception is associated with metabolic measures such as body weight and total ghrelin reactivity, supporting endocrine influences on olfactory perception. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Do Masculine Men Smell Better? An Association Between Skin Color Masculinity and Female Preferences for Body Odor.

PubMed

Carrito, Mariana L; Santos, Isabel M; Alho, Laura; Ferreira, Jacqueline; Soares, Sandra C; Bem-Haja, Pedro; Silva, Carlos F; Perrett, David I

2017-03-01

A recent study claimed face skin color as a sexually dimorphic variable that influences attractiveness preferences in mate choice. Thereby, skin color may assume the role of a mate quality signal influencing attractiveness preferences. As body odor is linked to attractiveness, this study aimed to explore whether the odors of men with more masculine facial skin color would be evaluated more positively than odors from less masculine men. Female raters were presented with body odors of 18 men and were asked to rate them in various characteristics. Multilevel modeling revealed that the odors of the donors with more masculine color were rated not only as more attractive, more pleasant, and sexier, but also healthier. This indicates that odor associated with men with more masculine skin color is attractive, just as other sexually dimorphic traits. Furthermore, we found a negative relation between skin color masculinity and perceived odor maleness. Regarding this last finding, a new discussion is introduced with respect to the influence of cognitive stereotypes in odor judgments. Altogether, the study supports the possibility that chemosensory signals may be communicating signs of mate quality associated with masculinity. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

PPI4DOCK: large scale assessment of the use of homology models in free docking over more than 1000 realistic targets.

PubMed

Yu, Jinchao; Guerois, Raphaël

2016-12-15

Protein-protein docking methods are of great importance for understanding interactomes at the structural level. It has become increasingly appealing to use not only experimental structures but also homology models of unbound subunits as input for docking simulations. So far we are missing a large scale assessment of the success of rigid-body free docking methods on homology models. We explored how we could benefit from comparative modelling of unbound subunits to expand docking benchmark datasets. Starting from a collection of 3157 non-redundant, high X-ray resolution heterodimers, we developed the PPI4DOCK benchmark containing 1417 docking targets based on unbound homology models. Rigid-body docking by Zdock showed that for 1208 cases (85.2%), at least one correct decoy was generated, emphasizing the efficiency of rigid-body docking in generating correct assemblies. Overall, the PPI4DOCK benchmark contains a large set of realistic cases and provides new ground for assessing docking and scoring methodologies. Benchmark sets can be downloaded from http://biodev.cea.fr/interevol/ppi4dock/ CONTACT: guerois@cea.frSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Implications of active lifestyles and environmental factors for water needs and consequences of failure to meet those needs.

PubMed

Maughan, Ronald J; Watson, Phillip; Shirreffs, Susan M

2015-09-01

Heat stress and exercise increase water loss from the body, primarily in the form of sweat. For some occupational groups, including miners, construction workers in hot climates, soldiers, and some athletes, daily water losses can reach 10-12 L. These losses must be replaced on a daily basis to maintain functional capacity. Both hyperhydration and hypohydration will, if sufficiently severe, impair all aspects of physiological function. Tests of strength and power are largely unaffected by dehydration of up to about 2%-4% of body mass. However, decrements in the performance of endurance tests may occur at these levels, especially in warm environments. Body water deficits, if sufficiently severe, also have adverse effects on measures of mood and on some elements of cognitive function and result in an increased subjective rating of the perception of effort. Beverages consumed during exercise can provide carbohydrates and electrolytes that may be beneficial in some situations; however, drinking in volumes required to match sweat loss may cause gastrointestinal discomfort that will generally impair performance. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Abdominal Subcutaneous Mass After Laser-Assisted Lipolysis and Immediate Multiple Treatments with a Dual-Wavelength Laser, Vacuum and Massage Device.

PubMed

Gentileschi, Stefano; Servillo, Maria; D'Ettorre, Marco; Salgarello, Marzia

2016-04-01

Body contouring by means of minimally invasive procedures is a growing trend. Current approaches to body contouring often involve a combination of surgical techniques (eg, laser-assisted liposuction) and a series of noninvasive device-based treatments aimed at accelerating recovery and improving aesthetic outcomes. In this case study, we describe a 38-year-old woman who presented with an abdominal-wall mass that resembled a tumor when assessed with magnetic resonance imaging. Twenty-six months before presenting to our office, the patient had undergone laser lipolysis and a series of treatments with a device that delivered dual-wavelength laser energy and vacuum-assisted massage. To address the patient's concerns, we removed the mass and performed abdominal dermolipectomy. No postoperative complications occurred, and the patient was highly satisfied with the aesthetic outcome. The results of histologic studies indicated that the mass was pseudocystic and fluid-filled, surrounded by a fibrous capsule, and characterized as a foreign-body granuloma. Further analysis is warranted regarding the safety of laser lipolysis without aspiration combined with a device delivering dual-wavelength laser energy and vacuum-assisted massage. 5 Risk. © 2015 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Structural development of the hippocampus and episodic memory: developmental differences along the anterior/posterior axis.

PubMed

DeMaster, Dana; Pathman, Thanujeni; Lee, Joshua K; Ghetti, Simona

2014-11-01

The hippocampus is critically involved in episodic memory, yet relatively little is known about how the development of this structure contributes to the development of episodic memory during middle to late childhood. Previous research has inconsistently reported associations between hippocampal volume and episodic memory performance during this period. We argue that this inconsistency may be due to assessing the hippocampus as a whole, and propose to examine associations separately for subregions along the longitudinal axis of the hippocampus. In the present study, we examined age-related differences in volumes of the hippocampal head, body, and tail, and collected episodic memory measures in children ages 8-11 years and young adults (N = 62). We found that adults had a smaller right hippocampal head, larger hippocampal body bilaterally, and smaller right hippocampal tail compared with children. In adults, but not in children, better episodic memory performance was associated with smaller right hippocampal head and larger hippocampal body. In children, but not in adults, better episodic memory was associated with larger left hippocampal tail. Overall, the results suggest that protracted development of hippocampal subregions contribute to age-related differences in episodic memory. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Measured and Calculated Neutron Spectra and Dose Equivalent Rates at High Altitudes; Relevance to SST Operations and Space Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foelsche, T.; Mendell, R. B.; Wilson, J. W.; Adams, R. R.

1974-01-01

Results of the NASA Langley-New York University high-altitude radiation study are presented. Measurements of the absorbed dose rate and of secondary fast neutrons (1 to 10 MeV energy) during the years 1965 to 1971 are used to determine the maximum radiation exposure from galactic and solar cosmic rays of supersonic transport (SST) and subsonic jet occupants. The maximum dose equivalent rates that the SST crews might receive turn out to be 13 to 20 percent of the maximum permissible dose rate (MPD) for radiation workers (5 rem/yr). The exposure of passengers encountering an intense giant-energy solar particle event could exceed the MPD for the general population (0.5 rem/yr), but would be within these permissible limits if in such rare cases the transport descends to subsonic altitude; it is in general less than 12 percent of the MPD. By Monte Carlo calculations of the transport and buildup of nucleons in air for incident proton energies E of 0.02 to 10 GeV, the measured neutron spectra were extrapolated to lower and higher energies and for galactic cosmic rays were found to continue with a relatively high intensity to energies greater than 400 MeV, in a wide altitude range. This condition, together with the measured intensity profiles of fast neutrons, revealed that the biologically important fast and energetic neutrons penetrate deep into the atmosphere and contribute approximately 50 percent of the dose equivalant rates at SST and present subsonic jet altitudes.

Ephemerality of a Spring Ephemeral Gagea lutea (L.) is Attributable to Shoot Senescence Induced by Free Linolenic Acid.

PubMed

Iwanami, Hiroko; Takada, Noboru; Koda, Yasunori

2017-10-01

Spring ephemerals are a group of herbaceous plants that fulfill their life cycle on the floor of deciduous forests in temperate and boreal regions during a short period of time between snowmelt and closure of the tree canopy. Near the closure, these plants' shoots senesce rapidly and the plants disappear from the floor. Since the major role of the synchronous senescence is thought to be the recycling of nutrients from vegetative organs to seeds or storage organs, some endogenous compound that is capable of promoting senescence must be involved in the timely senescence. Strong senescence-promoting activity was found in extracts of shoots of a spring ephemeral, Gagea lutea (Liliaceae), and the activity in basal leaves reached a maximum just before the commencement of senescence. The active compound was identified as α-linolenic acid. The level, very low 1 week before flowering, increased rapidly with time and reached a maximum 1 week after flowering. Senescence was readily observed thereafter. The maximum amount of linolenic acid was >1 mmol kg FW-1 and could fully induce senescence of the leaves. The results suggest that the ephemerality of the plant or, in other words, short longevity of shoots, is brought about by the accumulation of linolenic acid. Programmed senescence, which can mitigate the cost of survival and reproduction, enables the plant to occupy a narrow niche on the forest floor. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Theoretical Evaluation of Electromagnetic Emissions from GSM900 Mobile Telephony Base Stations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip-Palestine.

PubMed

Lahham, Adnan; Alkbash, Jehad Abu; ALMasri, Hussien

2017-04-20

Theoretical assessments of power density in far-field conditions were used to evaluate the levels of environmental electromagnetic frequencies from selected GSM900 macrocell base stations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Assessments were based on calculating the power densities using commercially available software (RF-Map from Telstra Research Laboratories-Australia). Calculations were carried out for single base stations with multiantenna systems and also for multiple base stations with multiantenna systems at 1.7 m above the ground level. More than 100 power density levels were calculated at different locations around the investigated base stations. These locations include areas accessible to the general public (schools, parks, residential areas, streets and areas around kindergartens). The maximum calculated electromagnetic emission level resulted from a single site was 0.413 μW cm-2 and found at Hizma town near Jerusalem. Average maximum power density from all single sites was 0.16 μW cm-2. The results of all calculated power density levels in 100 locations distributed over the West Bank and Gaza were nearly normally distributed with a peak value of ~0.01% of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection's limit recommended for general public. Comparison between calculated and experimentally measured value of maximum power density from a base station showed that calculations overestimate the actual measured power density by ~27%. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Measles-induced encephalitis.

PubMed

Fisher, D L; Defres, S; Solomon, T

2015-03-01

Encephalitis is the most frequent neurological complication of measles virus infection. This review examines the pathophysiology of measles infection and the presentations, diagnosis and treatment of the four types of measles-induced encephalitis including primary measles encephalitis, acute post-measles encephalitis, measles inclusion body encephalitis and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. The early symptoms of encephalitis may be non-specific and can be mistakenly attributed to a systemic infection leading to a delay in diagnosis. This review provides a summary of the symptoms that should cause health care workers to suspect measles-induced encephalitis. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Brown-Séquard syndrome: a rare manifestation of decompression sickness.

PubMed

Tseng, W-S; Huang, N-C; Huang, W-S; Lee, H-C

2015-12-01

Neurological decompression sickness (DCS) is a rare condition that commonly leads to spinal cord injury. We report the case of a 30-year-old man who developed left-sided weakness and numbness after diving to a maximum depth of 15 m with a total dive time of 205min (10 repetitive dives). To the best of our knowledge, only six cases diagnosed as Brown-Séquard syndrome caused by DCS have been reported in the literature. Divers should be aware of the risk factors of DCS before diving and clinicians should make the diagnosis of spinal cord DCS based primarily on clinical symptoms, not on magnetic resonance imaging findings. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sieve estimation in a Markov illness-death process under dual censoring.

PubMed

Boruvka, Audrey; Cook, Richard J

2016-04-01

Semiparametric methods are well established for the analysis of a progressive Markov illness-death process observed up to a noninformative right censoring time. However, often the intermediate and terminal events are censored in different ways, leading to a dual censoring scheme. In such settings, unbiased estimation of the cumulative transition intensity functions cannot be achieved without some degree of smoothing. To overcome this problem, we develop a sieve maximum likelihood approach for inference on the hazard ratio. A simulation study shows that the sieve estimator offers improved finite-sample performance over common imputation-based alternatives and is robust to some forms of dependent censoring. The proposed method is illustrated using data from cancer trials. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ultra Wideband (UWB) Synchronous Impulse Reconstruction (SIRE) Radar Upgrade Assessment Field Experiment

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields ’, OET Bulletin 65, August 1997. 2. DA Pamphlet...wide range of frequencies, there is no single value for the Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE). As recommended, the FCC MPE, reference 1, to...power accumulated in a 6-min period. The FCC defines general population/uncontrolled exposures as situations in which the general public may be

Environmental Impact Analysis Process. Environmental Review Starlab Site On Ascension Island

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-28

IRPA International Radiation Protection Association Km kilometer LMSC Lockheed Missile and Space Company M meter MPE Maximum permissible exposure...amended does not apply to ascension island [J. Sheppard USFWS, Washington, D.C. personal communication to R. Kroodsma, Oak Ridge National Laboratory...HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFTEY Under operating plans, no human exposure to laser light is likely to occur. However, laser light exposure to humans at

Impulse noise generated by starter pistols

PubMed Central

Meinke, Deanna K.; Finan, Donald S.; Soendergaard, Jacob; Flamme, Gregory A.; Murphy, William J.; Lankford, James E.; Stewart, Michael

2015-01-01

Objective This study describes signals generated by .22 and .32 caliber starter pistols in the context of noise-induced hearing loss risk for sports officials and athletes. Design Acoustic comparison of impulses generated from typical .22 and .32 caliber starter pistols firing blanks were made to impulses generated from comparable firearms firing both blanks and live rounds. Acoustic characteristics are described in terms of directionality and distance from the shooter in a simulated outdoor running track. Metrics include peak sound pressure levels (SPL), A-weighted equivalent 8-hour level (LeqA8), and maximum permissible number of individual shots, or maximum permissible exposures (MPE) for the unprotected ear. Results Starter pistols produce peak SPLs above 140 dB. The numbers of MPEs are as few as five for the .22-caliber starter pistol, and somewhat higher (≤25) for the .32-caliber pistol. Conclusion The impulsive sounds produced by starter pistols correspond to MPE numbers that are unacceptably small for unprotected officials and others in the immediate vicinity of the shooter. At the distances included in this study, the risk to athletes appears to be low (when referencing exposure criteria for adults), but the sound associated with the starter pistol will contribute to the athlete’s overall noise exposure. PMID:23373743

Relationship between genotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by mercury on common carp (Cyprinus carpio) tissues.

PubMed

García-Medina, Sandra; Galar-Martínez, Marcela; Gómez-Oliván, Leobardo Manuel; Ruiz-Lara, Karina; Islas-Flores, Hariz; Gasca-Pérez, Eloy

2017-11-01

Mercury is one of the most toxic metals in aquatic systems since it is able to induce neurobehavioral disorders as well as renal and gastrointestinal tract damage. The common carp Cyprinus carpio is an important species from both an ecological and economic viewpoint as it is consumed in many countries, the top producers being Mexico, China, India and Japan. The present study aimed to evaluate the relation between Hg-induced oxidative stress and genotoxicity in diverse tissues of C. carpio. Specimens were exposed to 0.01mgHg/L (the maximum permissible limit for aquatic life protection), and lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl content and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were evaluated at 96h. Micronuclei frequency and DNA damage by comet assay were determined at 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96h. Hg induced oxidative stress and genotoxicity on exposed fish, since inhibition of antioxidant enzymes activity and increases in lipid peroxidation, DNA damage and micronuclei frequency occurred. Blood, gill and liver were more susceptible to oxidative stress, while blood were more sensitive to genotoxicity. In conclusion, Hg at concentrations equal to the maximum permissible limit for aquatic life protection induced oxidative stress and genotoxicity on C. carpio, and these two effects prove to be correlated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel insights into the effect of nitrogen on storage protein biosynthesis and protein body development in wheat caryopsis.

PubMed

Yu, Xurun; Chen, Xinyu; Wang, Leilei; Yang, Yang; Zhu, Xiaowei; Shao, Shanshan; Cui, Wenxue; Xiong, Fei

2017-04-01

Molecular and cytological mechanisms concerning the effects of nitrogen on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) storage protein biosynthesis and protein body development remain largely elusive. We used transcriptome sequencing, proteomics techniques, and light microscopy to investigate these issues. In total, 2585 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 57 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were found 7 days after anthesis (DAA), and 2456 DEGs and 64 DEPs were detected 18 DAA after nitrogen treatment. Gene ontology terms related to protein biosynthesis processes enriched these numbers by 678 and 582 DEGs at 7 and 18 DAA, respectively. Further, 25 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were involved in protein biosynthesis at both 7 and 18 DAA. DEPs related to storage protein biosynthesis contained gliadin and glutenin subunits, most of which were up-regulated after nitrogen treatment. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that some gliadin and glutenin subunit encoding genes were differentially expressed at 18 DAA. Structural observation revealed that wheat endosperm accumulated more and larger protein bodies after nitrogen treatment. Collectively, our findings suggest that nitrogen treatment enhances storage protein content, endosperm protein body quantity, and partial processing quality by altering the expression levels of certain genes involved in protein biosynthesis pathways and storage protein expression at the proteomics level. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cytogenetic Features of Human Head and Body Lice (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae).

PubMed

Bressa, María José; Papeschi, Alba Graciela; Toloza, Ariel Ceferino

2015-09-01

The genus Pediculus L. that parasitize humans comprise two subspecies: the head lice Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer and the body lice Pediculus humanus humanus De Geer. Despite the 200 yr of the first description of these two species, there is still a long debate about their taxonomic status. Some authors proposed that these organisms are separate species, conspecifics, or grouped in clades. The sequencing of both forms indicated that the difference between them is one gene absent in the head louse. However, their chromosomal number remains to be determined. In this study, we described the male and female karyotypes, and male meiosis of head and body lice, and examined the chromatin structure by means of C-banding. In P. h. humanus and P. h. capitis, the diploid chromosome complement was 2 n = 12 in both sexes. In oogonial prometaphase and metaphase and spermatogonial metaphase, it is evident that chromosomes lack of a primary constriction. No identifiable sex chromosomes or B chromosomes were observed in head and body lice. Neither chiasmata nor chromatin connections between homologous chromosomes were detected in male meiosis. The meiotic behaviour of the chromosomes showed that they are holokinetic. C-banding revealed the absence of constitutive heterochromatin. Our results provide relevant information to be used in mapping studies of genes associated with sex determination and environmental sensing and response. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reference intervals for plasma-free amino acid in a Japanese population.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Hiroyuki; Kondo, Kazuhiro; Tanaka, Takayuki; Muramatsu, Takahiko; Yoshida, Hiroo; Imaizumi, Akira; Nagao, Kenji; Noguchi, Yasushi; Miyano, Hiroshi

2016-05-01

Plasma amino acid concentrations vary with various diseases. Although reference intervals are useful in daily clinical practice, no reference intervals have been reported for plasma amino acids in a large Japanese population. Reference individuals were selected from 7685 subjects examined with the Japanese Ningen Dock in 2008. A total of 1890 individuals were selected based on exclusion criteria, and the reference samples were selected after the outlier samples for each amino acid concentration were excluded. The lower limit of the reference intervals for the plasma amino acid concentrations was set at the 2.5th percentile and the upper limit at the 97.5th percentile. By use of the nested analysis of variance, we analysed a large dataset of plasma samples and the effects of background factors (sex, age and body mass index [BMI]) on the plasma amino acid concentrations. Most amino acid concentrations were related to sex, especially those of branched-chained amino acid. The citrulline, glutamine, ornithine and lysine concentrations were related to age. The glutamate concentration was related to body mass index. The concentrations of most amino acids are more strongly related to sex than to age or body mass index. Our results indicate that the reference intervals for plasma amino acid concentrations should be stratified by sex when the background factors of age and body mass index are considered. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Convergence of pathology in dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease: a role for the novel interaction of alpha-synuclein and presenilin 1 in disease.

PubMed

Winslow, Ashley R; Moussaud, Simon; Zhu, Liya; Post, Kathryn L; Post, Katherine L; Dickson, Dennis W; Berezovska, Oksana; McLean, Pamela J

2014-07-01

A growing number of PSEN1 mutations have been associated with dementia with Lewy bodies and familial Alzheimer's disease with concomitant α-synuclein pathology. The objective of this study was to determine if PSEN1 plays a direct role in the development of α-synuclein pathology in these diseases. Using mass spectrometry, immunoelectron microscopy and fluorescence lifetime image microscopy based on Forster resonance energy transfer (FLIM-FRET) we identified α-synuclein as a novel interactor of PSEN1 in wild-type mouse brain tissue. The interaction of α-synuclein with PSEN1 was detected in post-mortem brain tissue from cognitively normal cases and was significantly increased in tissue from cases with dementia with Lewy bodies and familial Alzheimer's disease associated with known PSEN1 mutations. We confirmed an increased interaction of PSEN1 and α-synuclein in cell lines expressing well characterized familial Alzheimer's disease PSEN1 mutations, L166P and delta exon 9, and demonstrated that PSEN1 mutations associate with increased membrane association and accumulation of α-synuclein. Our data provides evidence of a molecular interaction of PSEN1 and α-synuclein that may explain the clinical and pathophysiological overlap seen in synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and some forms of Alzheimer's disease. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Genome Sizes of Ostracod Crustaceans Correlate with Body Size and Evolutionary History, but not Environment.

PubMed

Jeffery, Nicholas W; Ellis, Emily A; Oakley, Todd H; Gregory, T Ryan

2017-09-01

Within animals, a positive correlation between genome size and body size has been detected in several taxa but not in others, such that it remains unknown how pervasive this pattern may be. Here, we provide another example of a positive relationship in a group of crustaceans whose genome sizes have not previously been investigated. We analyze genome size estimates for 46 species across the 2 most diverse orders of Class Ostracoda, commonly known as seed shrimps, including 29 new estimates made using Feulgen image analysis densitometry and flow cytometry. Genome sizes in this group range ~80-fold, a level of variability that is otherwise not seen in crustaceans with the exception of some malacostracan orders. We find a strong positive correlation between genome size and body size across all species, including after phylogenetic correction. We additionally detect evidence of XX/XO sex determination in 3 species of marine ostracods where male and female genome sizes were estimated. On average, genome sizes are larger but less variable in Order Myodocopida than in Order Podocopida, and marine ostracods have larger genomes than freshwater species, but this appears to be explained by phylogenetic inertia. The relationship between phylogeny, genome size, body size, and habitat is complex in this system and provides a baseline for future studies examining the interactions of these biological traits. © The American Genetic Association 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Can resistance training change the strength, body composition and self-concept of overweight and obese adolescent males? A randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Schranz, Natasha; Tomkinson, Grant; Parletta, Natalie; Petkov, John; Olds, Tim

2014-10-01

Resistance training is an exercise modality at which overweight and obese adolescents can excel and which can therefore positively affect their psychological well-being. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a 6-month resistance training intervention on the self-concept strength and body composition of overweight and obese adolescent males. 56 overweight and obese males aged 13-17 years were randomly allocated to an Intervention (n=30) or Control (n=26) group. Primary (psychological) and secondary (strength and body composition) outcomes were assessed at baseline as well as at 3 (halfway through the intervention), 6 (immediately postintervention) and 12 months follow-up. Random effects mixed modelling was used to determine the effects of the intervention. Statistically significant differences between the Intervention and Control groups were observed at 3-month and 6-month assessments for exercise self-efficacy, resistance training confidence and self-esteem. Large increases in strength for the Intervention group, relative to Controls, were also observed with no substantial changes in body composition shown for either group. Values for all variables returned to baseline following completion of the programme. A 6-month resistance training intervention can positively affect the self-concept and strength of overweight and obese adolescent boys. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Comparative pattern of growth and development of Echinostoma paraensei (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) in hamster and Wistar rat using light and confocal laser scanning microscopy.

PubMed

Souza, Joyce G R; Garcia, Juberlan S; Gomes, Ana Paula N; Machado-Silva, José Roberto; Maldonado, Arnaldo

2017-12-01

Echinostoma paraensei (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) lives in the duodenum and bile duct of rodents and is reported as a useful model for studies on the biology of flatworms. Here, we compared the growth and development of pre and post ovigerous worms collected 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post infection from experimentally infected hamster (permissive host) and Wistar rat (less permissive hosts). Linear measurements and ratios were examined by light (morphology and morphometry) and confocal laser scanning microscopy. At day 3, either worm from hamsters or rats were small with poorly developed gonads. At seven day, worms increased in size and morphometric differences between hosts are statistically significant after this time. In addition, adult worms (14 and 21 days of age) harvested from hamster showed developed gonads and vitelline glands laterally distributed on the body, whereas worms from rat showed atrophied reproductive system characterized by underdeveloped vitelline glands and stunted ovary. The worm rate recovery in rat decreased from 29.3% (day 7) to 20.6% (day 14) and 8% (day 21), whilst it remained around 37% in hamster. In conclusion, this is the first appointment demonstrating that low permissiveness influences the reproductive system of echinostome since the immature stages of development. The phenotypic analysis evidenced that hamster provides a more favorable microenvironment for gonads development than rat, confirming golden hamster as a permissive host, whereas Wistar rat is less permissive host. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Body size, physical activity, genetic variants in the insulin-like growth factor pathway and colorectal cancer risk.

PubMed

Simons, C C J M; Schouten, L J; Godschalk, R; van Engeland, M; van den Brandt, P A; van Schooten, F J; Weijenberg, M P

2015-09-01

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) have been associated with growth, body size, physical activity and colorectal cancer (CRC). We hypothesized that variants in IGF-related genes increase the CRC susceptibility associated with a larger body size and a lack of physical activity. We assessed this in The Netherlands Cohort Study. Participants (n = 120852) completed a baseline questionnaire on diet and cancer. ~75% returned toenail clippings. Using a case-cohort approach and 16.3 years of follow-up, toenail DNA from 3768 subcohort members and 2580 CRC cases was genotyped. We aggregated unfavorable alleles (potentially increasing CRC risk) for 18 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 8 genes into a sum score. The sum score (in tertiles) and an IGF1 19-CA repeat polymorphism (19/19, 19/non-19 and non-19/non-19 repeats) in combination with body size (mostly in tertiles) and (non-)occupational physical activity (>12, 8-12 and <8 kJ/min in the job and >90, >60-90, >30-60 and ≤30 min/day) were analyzed by Cox regression. Increasingly higher hazard ratios (HRs) for CRC were observed for a larger adult body mass index, larger trouser size and tallness in the presence of more unfavorable alleles in men. HRs (95% confidence intervals) for joint effects were 1.55 (1.06-2.25), 1.78 (1.29-2.46) and 1.48 (1.01-2.17), respectively. In women, variant repeat alleles halved CRC risk irrespective of body size and physical activity. Almost no interactions tested significant. To conclude, a larger body size was a CRC risk factor in men in the presence of an accumulation of unfavorable alleles in IGF-related genes, but interactions were generally nonsignificant. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Prevalence of malnutrition and validation of bioelectrical impedance analysis for the assessment of body composition in patients with systemic sclerosis.

PubMed

Spanjer, Moon J; Bultink, Irene E M; de van der Schueren, Marian A E; Voskuyl, Alexandre E

2017-06-01

The aims were to assess the prevalence of malnutrition and to validate bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) against whole-body DXA for the assessment of body composition in patients with SSc. Malnutrition was defined as BMI <18.5 kg/m 2 or unintentional weight loss >10% in combination with a fat-free mass index (FFMI) <15 kg/m 2 for women or <17 kg/m 2 for men or BMI <20.0 kg/m 2 (age <70 years) or <22 kg/m 2 (age >70 years). Body composition was assessed in 72 patients with whole-body DXA (Hologic, Discovery A) and BIA (Bodystat Quadscan 400). The manufacturer's equation and the Geneva equation were used to estimate FFM and fat mass. The agreement between BIA and whole-body DXA was assessed with Bland-Altman analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient. Malnutrition was found in 8.3% (n = 6) and low FFMI in 20.8% (n = 15) of patients. The mean difference in FFM between BIA and DXA applying the Geneva equation was 0.02 ( s . d . 2.4) kg, intraclass correlation coefficient 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95, 0.98). Limits of agreement were ±4.6 kg. The manufacturer's equation was less adequate to predict FFM. This study shows a relatively low prevalence of malnutrition in comparison with other studies, but a high prevalence of low FFMI, underlining the necessity of measuring body composition in SSc patients with a standardized and validated method. A good validity of BIA in determining FFM was found at a group level, while at an individual level the FFM may vary by 4.6 kg. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Optimization Research on Ampacity of Underground High Voltage Cable Based on Interior Point Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Feng; Li, Jing

2017-12-01

The conservative operation method which takes unified current-carrying capacity as maximum load current can’t make full use of the overall power transmission capacity of the cable. It’s not the optimal operation state for the cable cluster. In order to improve the transmission capacity of underground cables in cluster, this paper regards the maximum overall load current as the objective function and the temperature of any cables lower than maximum permissible temperature as constraint condition. The interior point method which is very effective for nonlinear problem is put forward to solve the extreme value of the problem and determine the optimal operating current of each loop. The results show that the optimal solutions obtained with the purposed method is able to increase the total load current about 5%. It greatly improves the economic performance of the cable cluster.

Body growth and life history in wild mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) from Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.

PubMed

Galbany, Jordi; Abavandimwe, Didier; Vakiener, Meagan; Eckardt, Winnie; Mudakikwa, Antoine; Ndagijimana, Felix; Stoinski, Tara S; McFarlin, Shannon C

2017-07-01

Great apes show considerable diversity in socioecology and life history, but knowledge of their physical growth in natural settings is scarce. We characterized linear body size growth in wild mountain gorillas from Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, a population distinguished by its extreme folivory and accelerated life histories. In 131 individuals (0.09-35.26 years), we used non-invasive parallel laser photogrammetry to measure body length, back width, arm length and two head dimensions. Nonparametric LOESS regression was used to characterize cross-sectional distance and velocity growth curves for males and females, and consider links with key life history milestones. Sex differences became evident between 8.5 and 10.0 years of age. Thereafter, female growth velocities declined, while males showed increased growth velocities until 10.0-14.5 years across dimensions. Body dimensions varied in growth; females and males reached 98% of maximum body length at 11.7 and 13.1 years, respectively. Females attained 95.3% of maximum body length by mean age at first birth. Neonates were 31% of maternal size, and doubled in size by mean weaning age. Males reached maximum body and arm length and back width before emigration, but experienced continued growth in head dimensions. While comparable data are scarce, our findings provide preliminary support for the prediction that mountain gorillas reach maximum body size at earlier ages compared to more frugivorous western gorillas. Data from other wild populations are needed to better understand comparative great ape development, and investigate links between trajectories of physical, behavioral, and reproductive maturation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of body position on exercise capacity and pulmonary vascular pressure-flow relationships.

PubMed

Forton, Kevin; Motoji, Yoshiki; Deboeck, Gael; Faoro, Vitalie; Naeije, Robert

2016-11-01

There has been revival of interest in exercise testing of the pulmonary circulation for the diagnosis of pulmonary vascular disease, but there still is uncertainty about body position and the most relevant measurements. Doppler echocardiography pulmonary hemodynamic measurements were performed at progressively increased workloads in 26 healthy adult volunteers in supine, semirecumbent, and upright positions that were randomly assigned at 24-h intervals. Mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) was estimated from the maximum tricuspid regurgitation jet velocity. Cardiac output was calculated from the left ventricular outflow velocity-time integral. Pulmonary vascular distensibility α-index, the percent change of vessel diameter per millimeter mercury of mPAP, was calculated from multipoint mPAP-cardiac output plots. Body position did not affect maximum oxygen uptake (Vo 2max ), maximum respiratory exchange ratio, ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide, or slope of mPAP-cardiac output relationships, which was on average of 1.5 ± 0.4 mmHg·l -1 ·min -1 Maximum mPAP, cardiac output, and total pulmonary vascular resistance were, respectively, 34 ± 4 mmHg, 18 ± 3 l/min, and 1.9 ± 0.3 Wood units. However, the semirecumbent position was associated with a 10% decrease in maximum workload. Furthermore, cardiac output-workload or cardiac output-Vo 2 relationships were nonlinear and variable. These results suggest that body position does not affect maximum exercise testing of the pulmonary circulation when results are expressed as mPAP-cardiac output or maximum total pulmonary vascular resistance. Maximum workload is decreased in semirecumbent compared with upright exercise. Workload or Vo 2 cannot reliably be used as surrogates for cardiac output. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

USE OF A SIMPLE THERMALISED NEUTRON FIELD FOR QUALITY ACCEPTANCE OF WHOLE BODY TLDS.

PubMed

Gilvin, P J; Baker, S T; Eakins, J S; Tanner, R J

2016-09-01

The individual monitoring service of Public Health England (PHE) uses Harshaw™ whole-body and extremity thermoluminescent dosemeters (TLDs) with high-sensitivity lithium fluoride LiF:Mg,Cu,P, together with Harshaw 8800™ automated readers. The neutron-insensitive, (6)Li-depleted variety of TLD material is used by PHE because the service provides separate neutron and photon dosemeters. The neutron dosemeters are not sensitive to photons and vice versa Since insensitivity to neutrons is a supply requirement for TLDs, there is a need to test every new (annual) consignment for this. Because it is thermal neutrons that produce a response in (6)Li TLDs, a thermal field is needed. To this end, PHE has adopted the simple approach of sandwiching the TLDs between two ISO water-filled slab phantoms. In this arrangement, the fast neutrons from an Am-Be source are effectively thermalised. Details of the method are given, together with the results of supporting MCNP calculations and some typical results. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Application of the ELDO approach to assess cumulative eye lens doses for interventional cardiologists.

PubMed

Farah, J; Struelens, L; Auvinen, A; Jacob, S; Koukorava, C; Schnelzer, M; Vanhavere, F; Clairand, I

2015-04-01

In preparation of a large European epidemiological study on the relation between eye lens dose and the occurrence of lens opacities, the European ELDO project focused on the development of practical methods to estimate retrospectively cumulative eye lens dose for interventional medical professionals exposed to radiation. The present paper applies one of the ELDO approaches, correlating eye lens dose to whole-body doses, to assess cumulative eye lens dose for 14 different Finnish interventional cardiologists for whom annual whole-body dose records were available for their entire working period. The estimated cumulative left and right eye lens dose ranged from 8 to 264 mSv and 6 to 225 mSv, respectively. In addition, calculations showed annual eye lens doses sometimes exceeding the new ICRP annual limit of 20 mSv. The work also highlights the large uncertainties associated with the application of such an approach proving the need for dedicated dosimetry systems in the routine monitoring of the eye lens dose. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

INDIVIDUAL DOSIMETRY IN DISPOSAL REPOSITORY OF HEAT-GENERATING NUCLEAR WASTE.

PubMed

Pang, Bo; Saurí Suárez, Héctor; Becker, Frank

2016-09-01

Certain working scenarios in a disposal facility of heat-generating nuclear waste might lead to an enhanced level of radiation exposure for workers in such facilities. Hence, a realistic estimation of the personal dose during individual working scenarios is desired. In this study, the general-purpose Monte Carlo N-Particle code MCNP6 (Pelowitz, D. B. (ed). MCNP6 user manual LA-CP-13-00634, Rev. 0 (2013)) was applied to simulate a representative radiation field in a disposal facility. A tool to estimate the personal dose was then proposed by taking into account the influence of individual motion sequences during working scenarios. As basis for this approach, a movable whole-body phantom was developed to describe individual body gestures of the workers during motion sequences. In this study, the proposed method was applied to the German concept of geological disposal in rock salt. The feasibility of the proposed approach was demonstrated with an example of working scenario in an emplacement drift of a rock salt mine. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An Acute Ocfentanil Fatality: A Case Report with Postmortem Concentrations.

PubMed

Dussy, F E; Hangartner, S; Hamberg, C; Berchtold, C; Scherer, U; Schlotterbeck, G; Wyler, D; Briellmann, T A

2016-11-01

A 24-year-old man known to consume illegal drugs was found dead in his apartment. A reclosable plastic zipper bag containing several hundred milligrams of a brown powder was found close to the dead body and the first assumption of the investigators was death due to heroin intoxication. Therefore, a legal autopsy was ordered. The following toxicological analysis revealed ocfentanil in urine and in the brown powder. Four different approaches for the determination of the ocfentanil concentrations in peripheral whole blood are described. Enrichment of ocfentanil from the powder was realized. With this reference, it was possible to determine the ocfentanil concentration in the seized powder to be 0.91%. Concentrations of ocfentanil were also determined in the sampled body fluids using the standard addition procedure. In peripheral blood 9.1 µg/L, in heart blood 27.9 µg/L and in urine 480 µg/L were measured. In addition, the antidepressant citalopram, the neuroleptic quetiapine and cannabinoids were found in urine and subsequently quantified in peripheral blood. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Initiating and developing clinical services, training and research in a low resource setting: the Malawi ENT experience.

PubMed

Mulwafu, Wakisa; Nyirenda, Thomas Elliot; Fagan, Johannes J; Bem, Chris; Mlumbe, Kumvana; Chitule, Jean

2014-07-01

Sub-Saharan Africa countries like Malawi have a paucity of ear, nose and throat (ENT) data, services and training opportunities. To reflect on new Malawian ENT experience and to propose guidelines to poorly resourced countries. Analysis of data predating and following establishment of ENT services in Malawi. In 2008 the first and only Malawian ENT specialist established ENT services with external funding. Fifteen clinical officers have been trained and a nurse placed at each outreach hospital. In 2012, 15,284 consultations were recorded: 543 (3.6%) from outreach clinics. Forty-nine percent needed medical treatment, while 45% needed medical advice. Surgery was performed on 2.7% of patients; 21% for foreign bodies in the nose and throat and 18% for foreign bodies and biopsies of ears. To establish accessible and sustainable specialist ENT services in a poor country requires building on an established local health delivery system, careful planning and investment in personnel, infrastructure, training and data collection. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Evaluation of Nutritional Status in Children during Predialysis, or Treated By Peritoneal Dialysis or Hemodialysis.

PubMed

Yılmaz, Dilek; Sönmez, Ferah; Karakaş, Sacide; Yavaşcan, Önder; Aksu, Nejat; Ömürlü, İmran Kurt; Yenisey, Çiğdem

2016-06-01

Malnutrition is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The objective of this study was to evaluate nutritional status of children with stage 3-4 CKD and treated by peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis using anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters and bioelectrical impedance analysis. The study included a total of 52 patients and 46 healthy children. In anthropometric evaluation, the children with CKD had lower values for standard deviation score for weight, height, body mass index, skinfold thickness and mid-arm circumference than those of healthy children (p < 0.05). The fat mass (%) and the body cell mass (%) measurements performed by bioelectrical impedance analysis were lower compared with the control group (p < 0.05). It is considered that bioelectrical impedance analysis measurement should be used with anthropometric measurements, which are easy to perform, to achieve more accurate nutritional evaluation in children. © The Author [2016]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Effect of Body Mass Index, Negative Affect, and Disordered Eating on Health-Related Quality of Life in Preadolescent Youth.

PubMed

Mitchell, Tarrah B; Steele, Ric G

2016-08-01

To examine the indirect effect of body mass index z-score (BMIz) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) through disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in a community sample of preadolescent children, and the degree to which negative affect moderated the association between BMIz and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Participants included 165 children between 8 and 12 years of age (M = 9.41). HRQOL, disordered eating attitudes and behaviors, and negative affect were assessed using self-report measures. Height and weight were collected by research staff. Consistent with previous research in treatment-seeking and adolescent samples, the indirect effect of BMIz on HRQOL through disordered eating attitudes and behaviors was significant. Negative affect did not moderate the relationship between BMIz and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Intervening on disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in preadolescents with higher weight status is critical to prevent the risk for poor HRQOL. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The UK National Health Service's 'innovation agenda': lessons on commercialisation and trust.

PubMed

Sterckx, Sigrid; Cockbain, Julian

2014-01-01

The UK National Health Service (the 'NHS'), encouraged by the 2011 report Innovation Health and Wealth, Accelerating Adoption and Diffusion in the NHS, and empowered by the Health and Social Care Act 2012, is in the process of adopting a new agenda for stimulating innovation in healthcare. For this, the bodies, body materials, and confidential health information of NHS patients may be co-opted. We explain why this brings the NHS into a moral conflict with its basic goal of providing a universal healthcare service. Putting NHS databases at the disposal of industry, without addressing ethical concerns regarding the privacy, autonomy, and moral integrity of patients and without requiring a 'kick-back' to enhance the service that the NHS provides, is inappropriate. As this article shows, with reference to the commercial arena of direct-to-consumer genetic testing, it is crucial that patient and public trust in the NHS is not eroded. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press; all rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Epicardial fat and atrial fibrillation: current evidence, potential mechanisms, clinical implications, and future directions.

PubMed

Wong, Christopher X; Ganesan, Anand N; Selvanayagam, Joseph B

2017-05-01

Obesity is increasingly recognized as a major modifiable determinant of atrial fibrillation (AF). Although body mass index and other clinical measures are useful indications of general adiposity, much recent interest has focused on epicardial fat, a distinct adipose tissue depot that can be readily assessed using non-invasive imaging techniques. A growing body of data from epidemiological and clinical studies has demonstrated that epicardial fat is consistently associated with the presence, severity, and recurrence of AF across a range of clinical settings. Evidence from basic science and translational studies has also suggested that arrhythmogenic mechanisms may involve adipocyte infiltration, pro-fibrotic, and pro-inflammatory paracrine effects, oxidative stress, and other pathways. Despite these advances, however, significant uncertainty exists and many questions remain unanswered. In this article, we review our present understanding of epicardial fat, including its classification and quantification, existing evidence implicating its role in AF, potential mechanisms, implications for clinicians, and future directions for research. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic normal reference ranges for proximal aorta dimensions: results from the EACVI NORRE study.

PubMed

Saura, Daniel; Dulgheru, Raluca; Caballero, Luis; Bernard, Anne; Kou, Seisyou; Gonjilashvili, Natalia; Athanassopoulos, George D; Barone, Daniele; Baroni, Monica; Cardim, Nuno; Hagendorff, Andreas; Hristova, Krasimira; Lopez, Teresa; de la Morena, Gonzalo; Popescu, Bogdan A; Penicka, Martin; Ozyigit, Tolga; Rodrigo Carbonero, Jose David; Van De Veire, Nico; Von Bardeleben, Ralph Stephan; Vinereanu, Dragos; Zamorano, Jose Luis; Gori, Ann-Stephan; Cosyns, Bernard; Donal, Erwan; Habib, Gilbert; Addetia, Karima; Lang, Roberto M; Badano, Luigi P; Lancellotti, Patrizio

2017-02-01

To report normal reference ranges for echocardiographic dimensions of the proximal aorta obtained in a large group of healthy volunteers recruited using state-of-the-art cardiac ultrasound equipment, considering different measurement conventions, and taking into account gender, age, and body size of individuals. A total of 704 (mean age: 46.0 ± 13.5 years) healthy volunteers (310 men and 394 women) were prospectively recruited from the collaborating institutions of the Normal Reference Ranges for Echocardiography (NORRE) study. A comprehensive echocardiographic examination was obtained in all subjects following pre-defined protocols. Aortic dimensions were obtained in systole and diastole, following both the leading-edge to leading-edge and the inner-edge to inner-edge conventions. Diameters were measured at four levels: ventricular-arterial junction, sinuses of Valsalva, sino-tubular junction, and proximal tubular ascending aorta. Measures of aortic root in the short-axis view following the orientation of each of the three sinuses were also performed. Men had significantly larger body sizes when compared with women, and showed larger aortic dimensions independently of the measurement method used. Dimensions indexed by height and body surface area are provided, and stratification by age ranges is also displayed. In multivariable analysis, the independent predictors of aortic dimensions were age, gender, and height or body surface area. The NORRE study provides normal values of proximal aorta dimensions as assessed by echocardiography. Reference ranges for different anatomical levels using different (i) measurement conventions and (ii) at different times of the cardiac cycle (i.e. mid-systole and end-diastole) are provided. Age, gender, and body size were significant determinants of aortic dimensions. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Smelling is Telling: Human Olfactory Cues Influence Social Judgments in Semi-Realistic Interactions.

PubMed

Gaby, Jessica M; Zayas, Vivian

2017-06-01

How does a person's smell affect others' impressions of them? Most body odor research asks perceivers to make social judgments based on armpit sweat without perfume or deodorant, presented on t-shirts. Yet, in real life, perceivers encounter fragranced body odor, on whole bodies. Our "raters" wore blindfolds and earplugs and repeatedly smelled same-sex "donors" in live interactions. In one condition, donors wore their normal deodorant and perfume ("diplomatic" odor) while in the other condition, donors were asked to avoid all outside fragrance influences ("natural" odor). We assessed the reliability of social judgments based on such live interactions, and the relationships between live judgments and traditional t-shirt based judgments, and between natural- and diplomatic odor-based judgments. Raters' repeated live social judgments (e.g., friendliness, likeability) were highly consistent for both diplomatic and natural odor, and converged with judgments based on t-shirts. However, social judgments based on natural odor did not consistently predict social judgments based on diplomatic odor, suggesting that natural and diplomatic body odor may convey different types of social information. Our results provide evidence that individuals can perceive reliable, meaningful social olfactory signals from whole bodies, at social distances, regardless of the presence or absence of perfume. Importantly, however, the social value of these signals is modified by the addition of exogenous fragrances. Further, our focus on judgments in same-sex dyads suggests that these olfactory cues hold social value in non-mating contexts. We suggest that future research employ more ecologically relevant methods. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A systematic review of the effects of upper body warm-up on performance and injury.

PubMed

McCrary, J Matt; Ackermann, Bronwen J; Halaki, Mark

2015-07-01

This systematic review was conducted to identify the impact of upper body warm-up on performance and injury prevention outcomes. Web of Science, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO and Cochrane databases were searched using terms related to upper extremity warm-up. Inclusion criteria were English language randomised controlled trials from peer-reviewed journals in which investigation of upper body warm-up on performance and injury prevention outcomes was a primary aim. Included studies were assessed for methodological quality using the PEDro scale. A wide variety of warm-up modes and outcomes precluded meta-analysis except for one group of studies. The majority of warm-ups were assessed as having 'positive', 'neutral', 'negative' or 'specific' effects on outcomes. Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria with 21 rated as having 'good' methodological quality. The studies investigated a total of 25 warm-up modes and 43 outcome factors that could be grouped into eight mode and performance outcome categories. No studies of upper body warm-up effects on injury prevention were discovered. Strong research-based evidence was found for the following: high-load dynamic warm-ups enhance power and strength performance; warm-up swings with a standard weight baseball bat are most effective for enhancing bat speed; short-duration static stretching warm-up has no effect on power outcomes; and passive heating/cooling is a largely ineffective warm-up mode. A clear knowledge gap in upper body warm-up literature is the lack of investigation of injury prevention outcomes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Under-reporting of food intake and body fatness in independent older people: a doubly labelled water study.

PubMed

Pfrimer, Karina; Vilela, Mariana; Resende, Cristina Maria; Scagliusi, Fernanda Baeza; Marchini, Julio Sergio; Lima, Nereida K C; Moriguti, Julio Cesar; Ferriolli, Eduardo

2015-01-01

there are no accurate methods for the assessment of food intake in older populations, under-reporting of intake being highly prevalent. There is controversy about which dietary assessment method and what person's characteristics are associated with greater under-reporting rates. to assess the correlation between under-reporting of energy intake (EI) and different percentages of body fat in independent older people. cross-sectional study. area assisted by the Family Health Program of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil. one hundred volunteers aged 60-70 years. all volunteers had their body composition assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. In second phase, 41 volunteers were evaluated, representing the four quartiles of fat percentage. Total energy expenditure (TEE) was measured by the doubly labelled water method, and EI was assessed by 24-h recalls and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). TEE and EI values, EI-to-TEE ratios and EI-TEE values were compared. TEE was 2,220 ± 601 kcal, while the EI was 1,919 ± 602 kcal (24-h recall) and 2,119 ± 670 kcal (FFQ). The proportion of under-reporters was 31 and 40.5%, respectively. Under-reporting was more frequent in subjects with higher percentage of body fat and in females (P < 0.05). under-reporting was more frequent among older persons with higher percentage of body fat in both methods of assessment of food intake. Older persons follow the same profile of under-reporting as younger adults. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Consumption of unsafe food in the adjacent area of Hazaribag tannery campus and Buriganga River embankments of Bangladesh: heavy metal contamination.

PubMed

Islam, G M Rabiul; Khan, Faysal Elahi; Hoque, Md Mozammel; Jolly, Yeasmin Nahar

2014-11-01

The concentrations of Cr, Cd, Pb, Hg, and As in water, poultry meat, fish, vegetables, and rice plants obtained from the area adjacent to the Hazaribag tannery campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh, were estimated and compared with permissible levels established by the WHO and FAO and levels reported previously by other authors. The metal contents were in the following order according to the concentration in contaminated irrigation water: Cr > Pb > As > Hg > Cd. Mean concentrations of Cr, Pb, Hg, and As in irrigated water were above the permissible levels, whereas the results were below the permissible levels for Cd. The metal concentrations in poultry meat, fish, rice, and vegetables were in the following orders: Pb > Cr > Cd > Hg > As, Pb > Cr > Cd > As > Hg, Pb > As, and Cr > Pb > Cd > As > Hg, respectively. The mean concentrations of metals in poultry meat, fish, rice, and vegetables were much higher than the permissible levels. The trends of weekly intake of heavy metals (WIMs) from poultry meat, fish, rice, and vegetables were as follows: Pb > Cr > Cd > Hg > As, Pb > Cr > Cd > As > Hg, Pb > As, and Cr > Pb > Cd > As > Hg, respectively. WIMs for all the metals were lower than the provisional maximum weekly intake recommended by WHO/FAO and USNAS.

From the Cover: Prenatal Nicotinic Exposure Attenuates Respiratory Chemoreflexes Associated With Downregulation of Tyrosine Hydroxylase and Neurokinin 1 Receptor in Rat Pup Carotid Body.

PubMed

Zhao, Lei; Zhuang, Jianguo; Gao, Xiuping; Ye, Chunyan; Lee, Lu-Yuan; Xu, Fadi

2016-09-01

Maternal cigarette smoke is the major risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). A depressed ventilatory response to hypoxia (HVR) and hypercapnia (HCVR) is thought to be responsible for the pathogenesis of SIDS and the carotid body is critically involved in these responses. We have recently reported that prenatal nicotinic exposure (PNE) over the full gestation induces depressed HVR in rat pups. Here, we asked whether PNE (1) depressed not only HVR but also HCVR that were dependent on the carotid body, (2) affected some important receptors and neurochemicals expressed in the carotid body, such as tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R), and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR), and (3) blunted the ventilatory responses to activation of these receptors. To this end, HVR and HCVR in Ctrl and PNE pups were measured with plethysmography before and after carotid body ablation (Series I), mRNA expression and/or immunoreactivity (IR) of TH, NK1R, and α7nAChR in the carotid body were examined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (Series II), and the ventilatory responses were tested before and after intracarotid injection of substance P (NK1R agonist) and AR-R17779 (α7nAChR agonist) (Series III). Our results showed that PNE (1) significantly depressed both HVR and HCVR and these depressions were abolished by carotid body ablation, (2) reduced the relative population of glomus cells, mRNA NK1R, and α7nAChR and IR of NK1R and TH in the carotid body, and (3) decreased ventilatory responses to intracarotid injection of substance P or AR-R17779. These results suggest that PNE acting via the carotid body could strikingly blunt HVR and HCVR, likely through downregulating TH and NK1R. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effects of femtosecond laser radiation on the skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogov, P. Yu; Bespalov, V. G.

2016-08-01

A mathematical model of linear and nonlinear processes is presented occurring under the influence of femtosecond laser radiation on the skin. There was held an analysis and the numerical solution of an equation system describing the dynamics of the electron and phonon subsystems were received. The results can be used to determine the maximum permissible levels of energy generated by femtosecond laser systems and the establishment of Russian laser safety standards for femtosecond laser systems.

Does combined strength training and local vibration improve isometric maximum force? A pilot study.

PubMed

Goebel, Ruben; Haddad, Monoem; Kleinöder, Heinz; Yue, Zengyuan; Heinen, Thomas; Mester, Joachim

2017-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine whether a combination of strength training (ST) and local vibration (LV) improved the isometric maximum force of arm flexor muscles. ST was applied to the left arm of the subjects; LV was applied to the right arm of the same subjects. The main aim was to examine the effect of LV during a dumbbell biceps curl (Scott Curl) on isometric maximum force of the opposite muscle among the same subjects. It is hypothesized, that the intervention with LV produces a greater gain in isometric force of the arm flexors than ST. Twenty-seven collegiate students participated in the study. The training load was 70% of the individual 1 RM. Four sets with 12 repetitions were performed three times per week during four weeks. The right arm of all subjects represented the vibration trained body side (VS) and the left arm served as the traditional trained body side (TTS). A significant increase of isometric maximum force in both body sides (Arms) occurred. VS, however, significantly increased isometric maximum force about 43% in contrast to 22% of the TTS. The combined intervention of ST and LC improves isometric maximum force of arm flexor muscles. III.

Energetic and biomechanical constraints on animal migration distance.

PubMed

Hein, Andrew M; Hou, Chen; Gillooly, James F

2012-02-01

Animal migration is one of the great wonders of nature, but the factors that determine how far migrants travel remain poorly understood. We present a new quantitative model of animal migration and use it to describe the maximum migration distance of walking, swimming and flying migrants. The model combines biomechanics and metabolic scaling to show how maximum migration distance is constrained by body size for each mode of travel. The model also indicates that the number of body lengths travelled by walking and swimming migrants should be approximately invariant of body size. Data from over 200 species of migratory birds, mammals, fish, and invertebrates support the central conclusion of the model - that body size drives variation in maximum migration distance among species through its effects on metabolism and the cost of locomotion. The model provides a new tool to enhance general understanding of the ecology and evolution of migration. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

Non-normative bodies, rationality, and legal personhood.

PubMed

Travis, Mitchell

2014-01-01

This article questions how legal personhood is constructed by law. Elective amputation is used as a way of interrogating the institutional, material, and discursive relations that combine in order to suspend legal personhood. Elective amputation is introduced in terms of medical and psychological explanations. Additionally, the perspective of self-identified elective amputees who choose to share their stories through online blogs is utilised to gain a narrative sense of how these individuals understand and engage with law. In particular, the areas of disability, sexuality, and rationality are used to exemplify law's continuing commitment to normative embodiment as grounds for ascribing legal personhood. © The Author [2014]. Published by Oxford University Press; all rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Melatonin for sleep problems in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

PubMed

2015-10-01

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders are at risk of sleep problems, typically difficulty getting to sleep, sleep/wake rhythm disturbances and reduced duration of sleep (insomnia). This may be associated with abnormally timed or inadequate secretion of melatonin, a naturally-occurring hormone involved in coordinating the body's sleep-wake cycle. Previously, we reviewed the use of a melatonin product licensed for primary insomnia in adults aged over 55 years. Here we review off-label and unlicensed use of melatonin in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder or related neurodevelopmental disorders. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Seismic safety in conducting large-scale blasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mashukov, I. V.; Chaplygin, V. V.; Domanov, V. P.; Semin, A. A.; Klimkin, M. A.

2017-09-01

In mining enterprises to prepare hard rocks for excavation a drilling and blasting method is used. With the approach of mining operations to settlements the negative effect of large-scale blasts increases. To assess the level of seismic impact of large-scale blasts the scientific staff of Siberian State Industrial University carried out expertise for coal mines and iron ore enterprises. Determination of the magnitude of surface seismic vibrations caused by mass explosions was performed using seismic receivers, an analog-digital converter with recording on a laptop. The registration results of surface seismic vibrations during production of more than 280 large-scale blasts at 17 mining enterprises in 22 settlements are presented. The maximum velocity values of the Earth’s surface vibrations are determined. The safety evaluation of seismic effect was carried out according to the permissible value of vibration velocity. For cases with exceedance of permissible values recommendations were developed to reduce the level of seismic impact.

Spatiotemporal Co-occurrence of Flanders and West Nile Viruses Within Culex Populations in Shelby County, Tennessee.

PubMed

Lucero, D E; Carlson, T C; Delisle, J; Poindexter, S; Jones, T F; Moncayo, A C

2016-05-01

West Nile virus (WNV) and Flanders virus (FLAV) can cocirculate in Culex mosquitoes in parts of North America. A large dataset of mosquito pools tested for WNV and FLAV was queried to understand the spatiotemporal relationship between these two viruses in Shelby County, TN. We found strong evidence of global clustering (i.e., spatial autocorrelation) and overlapping of local clustering (i.e., Hot Spots based on Getis Ord Gi*) of maximum likelihood estimates (MLE) of infection rates (IR) during 2008-2013. Temporally, FLAV emerges and peaks on average 10.2 wk prior to WNV based on IR. Higher levels of WNV IR were detected within 3,000 m of FLAV-positive pool buffers than outside these buffers. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Maximum likelihood estimation and EM algorithm of Copas-like selection model for publication bias correction.

PubMed

Ning, Jing; Chen, Yong; Piao, Jin

2017-07-01

Publication bias occurs when the published research results are systematically unrepresentative of the population of studies that have been conducted, and is a potential threat to meaningful meta-analysis. The Copas selection model provides a flexible framework for correcting estimates and offers considerable insight into the publication bias. However, maximizing the observed likelihood under the Copas selection model is challenging because the observed data contain very little information on the latent variable. In this article, we study a Copas-like selection model and propose an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for estimation based on the full likelihood. Empirical simulation studies show that the EM algorithm and its associated inferential procedure performs well and avoids the non-convergence problem when maximizing the observed likelihood. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of Fuel-Air Ratio, Inlet Temperature, and Exhaust Pressure on Detonation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, E S; Leary, W A; Diver, J R

1940-01-01

An accurate determination of the end-gas condition was attempted by applying a refined method of analysis to experimental results. The results are compared with those obtained in Technical Report no. 655. The experimental technique employed afforded excellent control over the engine variables and unusual cyclic reproducibility. This, in conjunction with the new analysis, made possible the determination of the state of the end-gas at any instant to a fair degree of precision. Results showed that for any given maximum pressure the maximum permissible end-gas temperature increased as the fuel-air ratio was increased. The tendency to detonate was slightly reduced by an increase in residual gas content resulting from an increase in exhaust backpressure with inlet pressure constant.

[The gift of human body's products: philosophical and ethical aspects].

PubMed

Baertschi, B

2014-09-01

In continental Europe, there is a very strong moral condemnation against putting parts or products of the human body on sale-and, consequently, against putting sperms and oocytes on sale. Only a gift is morally permissible. The situation is different in Anglo-Saxon countries. Who is right? Above all, it must be noticed that two views of the human body are facing each other here: for the first, the human body is a part of the person (so, it partakes of the person's dignity), whereas for the second, the human body is a possession of the person (the person is the owner of his/her body). In my opinion, the argument of dignity comes up against serious objections, and the property argument is more consistent. However, it does not follow that it would be judicious to put parts and products of the human body for sale on a market. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

High-intensity interval training for improving health-related fitness in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Costigan, S A; Eather, N; Plotnikoff, R C; Taaffe, D R; Lubans, D R

2015-10-01

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) may be a feasible and efficacious strategy for improving health-related fitness in young people. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the utility of HIIT to improve health-related fitness in adolescents and to identify potential moderators of training effects. Studies were considered eligible if they: (1) examined adolescents (13-18 years); (2) examined health-related fitness outcomes; (3) involved an intervention of ≥4 weeks in duration; (4) included a control or moderate intensity comparison group; and (5) prescribed high-intensity activity for the HIIT condition. Meta-analyses were conducted to determine the effect of HIIT on health-related fitness components using Comprehensive Meta-analysis software and potential moderators were explored (ie, study duration, risk of bias and type of comparison group). The effects of HIIT on cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition were large, and medium, respectively. Study duration was a moderator for the effect of HIIT on body fat percentage. Intervention effects for waist circumference and muscular fitness were not statistically significant. HIIT is a feasible and time-efficient approach for improving cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in adolescent populations. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Environmental Contamination and Persistence of Ebola Virus RNA in an Ebola Treatment Center.

PubMed

Poliquin, Philippe Guillaume; Vogt, Florian; Kasztura, Miriam; Leung, Anders; Deschambault, Yvon; Van den Bergh, Rafael; Dorion, Claire; Maes, Peter; Kamara, Abdul; Kobinger, Gary; Sprecher, Armand; Strong, James E

2016-10-15

 Ebola viruses (EBOVs) are primarily transmitted by contact with infected body fluids. Ebola treatment centers (ETCs) contain areas that are exposed to body fluids through the care of patients suspected or confirmed to have EBOV disease. There are limited data documenting which areas/fomites within ETCs pose a risk for potential transmission. This study conducted environmental surveillance in 2 ETCs in Freetown, Sierra Leone, during the 2014-2016 West African Ebola outbreak.  ETCs were surveyed over a 3-week period. Sites to be swabbed were identified with input from field personnel. Swab samples were collected and tested for the presence of EBOV RNA. Ebola-positive body fluid-impregnated cotton pads were serially sampled.  General areas of both ETCs were negative for EBOV RNA. The immediate vicinity of patients was the area most likely to be positive for EBOV RNA. Personal protective equipment became positive during patient care, but chlorine solution washes rendered them negative.  Personal protective equipment and patient environs do become positive for EBOV RNA, but careful attention to decontamination seems to remove it. EBOV RNA was not detected in general ward spaces. Careful attention to decontamination protocols seems to be important in minimizing the presence of EBOV RNA within ETC wards. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION OF FOODS. PROBLEMS IN THE FOOD CONSUMPTION OF THE ITALIAN POPULATION

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

Ferro-Luzzi, A.; Mariani, A.

The aspects of health physics that are basically applications of physics are reviewed. Units of radiation measurement, RBE, permissible doses, personnel monitoring, applications of radiation spectrometry, and measurement of body activity are considered, as well as the release, dispersion, and deposition of radioactive material in reactor accidents. 140 references. (D.C.W.)

Cell lineage distribution atlas of the human stomach reveals heterogeneous gland populations in the gastric antrum.

PubMed

Choi, Eunyoung; Roland, Joseph T; Barlow, Brittney J; O'Neal, Ryan; Rich, Amy E; Nam, Ki Taek; Shi, Chanjuan; Goldenring, James R

2014-11-01

The glands of the stomach body and antral mucosa contain a complex compendium of cell lineages. In lower mammals, the distribution of oxyntic glands and antral glands define the anatomical regions within the stomach. We examined in detail the distribution of the full range of cell lineages within the human stomach. We determined the distribution of gastric gland cell lineages with specific immunocytochemical markers in entire stomach specimens from three non-obese organ donors. The anatomical body and antrum of the human stomach were defined by the presence of ghrelin and gastrin cells, respectively. Concentrations of somatostatin cells were observed in the proximal stomach. Parietal cells were seen in all glands of the body of the stomach as well as in over 50% of antral glands. MIST1 expressing chief cells were predominantly observed in the body although individual glands of the antrum also showed MIST1 expressing chief cells. While classically described antral glands were observed with gastrin cells and deep antral mucous cells without any parietal cells, we also observed a substantial population of mixed type glands containing both parietal cells and G cells throughout the antrum. Enteroendocrine cells show distinct patterns of localisation in the human stomach. The existence of antral glands with mixed cell lineages indicates that human antral glands may be functionally chimeric with glands assembled from multiple distinct stem cell populations. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Low bone mineral density in patients with well-suppressed HIV infection: association with body weight, smoking, and prior advanced HIV disease.

PubMed

Kooij, Katherine W; Wit, Ferdinand W N M; Bisschop, Peter H; Schouten, Judith; Stolte, Ineke G; Prins, Maria; van der Valk, Marc; Prins, Jan M; van Eck-Smit, Berthe L F; Lips, Paul; Reiss, Peter

2015-02-15

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) may both contribute to the higher prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in HIV-infected individuals. Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, we compared lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) in 581 HIV-positive (94.7% receiving cART) and 520 HIV-negative participants of the AGEhIV Cohort Study, aged ≥45 years. We used multivariable linear regression to investigate independent associations between HIV, HIV disease characteristics, ART, and BMD. The study population largely consisted of men who have sex with men (MSM). Osteoporosis was significantly more prevalent in those with HIV infection (13.3% vs 6.7%; P<.001). After adjustment for body weight and smoking, being HIV-positive was no longer independently associated with BMD. Low body weight was more strongly negatively associated with BMD in HIV-positive persons with a history of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention class B or C event. Interestingly, regardless of HIV status, younger MSM had significantly lower BMD than older MSM, heterosexual men, and women. The observed lower BMD in treated HIV-positive individuals was largely explained by both lower body weight and more smoking. Having experienced symptomatic HIV disease, often associated with weight loss, was another risk factor. The low BMD observed in younger MSM remains unexplained and needs further study. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Measuring the Association Between Body Mass Index and All-Cause Mortality in the Presence of Missing Data: Analyses From the Scottish National Diabetes Register.

PubMed

Read, Stephanie H; Lewis, Steff C; Halbesma, Nynke; Wild, Sarah H

2017-04-15

Incorrectly handling missing data can lead to imprecise and biased estimates. We describe the effect of applying different approaches to handling missing data in an analysis of the association between body mass index and all-cause mortality among people with type 2 diabetes. We used data from the Scottish diabetes register that were linked to hospital admissions data and death registrations. The analysis was based on people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes between 2004 and 2011, with follow-up until May 31, 2014. The association between body mass index and mortality was investigated using Cox proportional hazards models. Findings were compared using 4 different missing-data methods: complete-case analysis, 2 multiple-imputation models, and nearest-neighbor imputation. There were 124,451 cases of type 2 diabetes, among which there were 17,085 deaths during 787,275 person-years of follow-up. Patients with missing data (24.8%) had higher mortality than those without missing data (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.36, 95% confidence interval: 1.31, 1.41). A U-shaped relationship between body mass index and mortality was observed, with the lowest hazard ratios occurring among moderately obese people, regardless of the chosen approach for handling missing data. Missing data may affect absolute and relative risk estimates differently and should be considered in analyses of routinely collected data. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Time lags between crown and basal sap flows in tropical lianas and co-occurring trees.

PubMed

Chen, Ya-Jun; Bongers, Frans; Tomlinson, Kyle; Fan, Ze-Xin; Lin, Hua; Zhang, Shu-Bin; Zheng, Yu-Long; Li, Yang-Ping; Cao, Kun-Fang; Zhang, Jiao-Lin

2016-06-01

Water storage in the stems of woody plants contributes to their responses to short-term water shortages. To estimate the contribution of water storage to the daily water budget of trees, time lags of sap flow between different positions of trunk are used as a proxy of stem water storage. In lianas, another large group of woody species, it has rarely been studied whether stored water functions in their daily water use, despite their increasing roles in the carbon and water dynamics of tropical forests caused by their increasing abundance. We hypothesized that lianas would exhibit large time lags due to their extremely long stems, wide vessels and large volume of parenchyma in the stem. We examined time lags in sap flow, diel changes of stem volumetric water content (VWC) and biophysical properties of sapwood of 19 lianas and 26 co-occurring trees from 27 species in 4 forests (karst, tropical seasonal, flood plain and savanna) during a wet season. The plants varied in height/length from <5 to >60 m. The results showed that lianas had significantly higher saturated water content (SWC) and much lower wood density than trees. Seven of 19 liana individuals had no time lags; in contrast, only 3 of 26 tree individuals had no time lags. In general, lianas had shorter time lags than trees in our data set, but this difference was not significant for our most conservative analyses. Across trees and lianas, time lag duration increased with diurnal maximum changeable VWC but was independent of the body size, path length, wood density and SWC. The results suggest that in most lianas, internal stem water storage contributes little to daily water budget, while trees may rely more on stored water in the stem. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evolution of wood anatomical characters in Nepenthes and close relatives of Caryophyllales.

PubMed

Schwallier, Rachel; Gravendeel, Barbara; de Boer, Hugo; Nylinder, Stephan; van Heuven, Bertie Joan; Sieder, Anton; Sumail, Sukaibin; van Vugt, Rogier; Lens, Frederic

2017-05-01

Nepenthes attracts wide attention with its spectacularly shaped carnivorous pitchers, cultural value and horticultural curiosity. Despite the plant's iconic fascination, surprisingly little anatomical detail is known about the genus beyond its modified leaf tip traps. Here, the wood anatomical diversity of Nepenthes is explored. This diversity is further assessed with a phylogenetic framework to investigate whether the wood characters within the genus are relevant from an evolutionary or ecological perspective, or rather depend on differences in developmental stages, growth habits, substrates or precipitation. Observations were performed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Ancestral states of selected wood and pith characters were reconstructed using an existing molecular phylogeny for Nepenthes and a broader Caryophyllales framework. Pairwise comparisons were assessed for possible relationships between wood anatomy and developmental stages, growth habits, substrates and ecology. Wood anatomy of Nepenthes is diffuse porous, with mainly solitary vessels showing simple, bordered perforation plates and alternate intervessel pits, fibres with distinctly bordered pits (occasionally septate), apotracheal axial parenchyma and co-occurring uni- and multiseriate rays often including silica bodies. Precipitation and growth habit (stem length) are linked with vessel density and multiseriate ray height, while soil type correlates with vessel diameter, vessel element length and maximum ray width. For Caryophyllales as a whole, silica grains, successive cambia and bordered perforation plates are the result of convergent evolution. Peculiar helical sculpturing patterns within various cell types occur uniquely within the insectivorous clade of non-core Caryophyllales. The wood anatomical variation in Nepenthes displays variation for some characters dependent on soil type, precipitation and stem length, but is largely conservative. The helical-banded fibre-sclereids that mainly occur idioblastically in pith and cortex are synapomorphic for Nepenthes , while other typical Nepenthes characters evolved convergently in different Caryophyllales lineages. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Reactive stepping behaviour in response to forward loss of balance predicts future falls in community-dwelling older adults.

PubMed

Carty, Christopher P; Cronin, Neil J; Nicholson, Deanne; Lichtwark, Glen A; Mills, Peter M; Kerr, Graham; Cresswell, Andrew G; Barrett, Rod S

2015-01-01

a fall occurs when an individual experiences a loss of balance from which they are unable to recover. Assessment of balance recovery ability in older adults may therefore help to identify individuals at risk of falls. The purpose of this 12-month prospective study was to assess whether the ability to recover from a forward loss of balance with a single step across a range of lean magnitudes was predictive of falls. two hundred and one community-dwelling older adults, aged 65-90 years, underwent baseline testing of sensori-motor function and balance recovery ability followed by 12-month prospective falls evaluation. Balance recovery ability was defined by whether participants required either single or multiple steps to recover from forward loss of balance from three lean magnitudes, as well as the maximum lean magnitude participants could recover from with a single step. forty-four (22%) participants experienced one or more falls during the follow-up period. Maximal recoverable lean magnitude and use of multiple steps to recover at the 15% body weight (BW) and 25%BW lean magnitudes significantly predicted a future fall (odds ratios 1.08-1.26). The Physiological Profile Assessment, an established tool that assesses variety of sensori-motor aspects of falls risk, was also predictive of falls (Odds ratios 1.22 and 1.27, respectively), whereas age, sex, postural sway and timed up and go were not predictive. reactive stepping behaviour in response to forward loss of balance and physiological profile assessment are independent predictors of a future fall in community-dwelling older adults. Exercise interventions designed to improve reactive stepping behaviour may protect against future falls. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Residues and dissipation kinetics of carbendazim and diethofencarb in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and intake risk assessment.

PubMed

Li, Huidong; du, Hongxia; Fang, Liping; Dong, Zhan; Guan, Shuai; Fan, Wenjing; Chen, Zilei

2016-06-01

Dissipation behaviors and residues of carbendazim and diethofencarb in combination in tomato were investigated. The half-lives were 2.1-3.4 days for carbendazim, and 1.8-3.2 days for diethofencarb at a dose of 1.5 times of the recommended dosage. The residues of carbendazim and diethofencarb were below the maximum residue limits (MRLs) in China one day after application of the combination. The ultimate residues were significantly lower than the maximum permissible intake (MPI) in China at the recommended high dose for both child and adult. The values of the maximum dietary exposure for carbendazim and diethofencarb were 0.26 and 0.27 mg per person per day, respectively. The theoretical maximum daily intake (TMDI) values for carbendazim and diethofencarb were 1.5 and 0.5 mg/day, respectively. The dietary exposure was lower than the MPI, which indicates the harvested tomato samples under the experimental conditions (open field) are safe for human consumption at the recommended high dosage of the wettable powder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Injury initiates unfavourable weight gain and obesity markers in youth.

PubMed

Myer, Gregory D; Faigenbaum, Avery D; Foss, Kim Barber; Xu, Yingying; Khoury, Jane; Dolan, Lawrence M; McCambridge, Teri M; Hewett, Timothy E

2014-10-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of knee injuries with subsequent changes in body mass index and body composition during maturation in young females. A prospective longitudinal study design was employed to evaluate young females active in soccer or basketball (N=862). Participants who completed at least 1-year follow-up to provide consecutive annual measures of BMIZ and %fat were included in the study analysis to determine the effect of knee injuries on the trajectory of these obesity markers in youth. Of the 71 reported knee injuries, 12 (17%) occurred in athletes at the prepubertal stage, 24 (34%) in athletes at the pubertal stage, and 35 (49%) in postpubertal athletes. Controlling for the effects of maturation, female athletes who reported knee injury demonstrated a greater yearly increase in BMIZ (LS means and 95% CI for the injured group=0.039 (-0.012 to 0.089), for the non-injured group=-0.019 (-0.066 to 0.029), and group difference=0.057 (0.005 to 0.11), p=0.03) and in %body fat (LS means and 95% CI for the injured group=1.05 (0.45 to 1.65), for the non-injured group=0.22 (-0.21 to 0.064), and group difference=0.83 (0.21 to 1.45), p=0.009), compared to those without knee injuries. This indicates that the athletes with knee injuries will increase their body mass index percentile by up to 5 units more than someone of the same age without an injury, and in body fat by up to 1.5%, compared to their non-injured peers. The present findings indicate that knee injury during the growing years may be associated with unfavourable changes in body composition. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Heavy metals in oysters, mussels and clams collected from coastal sites along the Pearl River Delta, South China.

PubMed

Fang, Zhan-Qiang; Cheung, R Y H; Wong, M H

2003-01-01

Concentrations of 8 heavy metals: cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), antimony (Sb) and tin (Sn) were examined in 3 species of bivalves ( Perna viridis, Crassostrea rivularis and Ruditapes philippinarum) collected from 25 sites along the Pearl River Delta coastal waters in the South China Sea from July to August 1996. In general, Cd, Cu, Zn and Sn concentrations in the three bivalve species collected from the Estuarine Zone were significantly higher than those collected from the Western and Eastern Zones of the Pearl River Delta, which are related to the existence of various anthropogenic activities in the catchment of the Pearl River Delta. The Western Estuarine Zone is mainly impacted hy Cr, Ni and Cu contamination. In Victoria Harbor, heavy metal contamination is mainly due to Cu and Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn concentrations in oysters were significantly higher than those in mussels and clams. This could be explained by the fact that oysters live mainly in the Estuarine Zone of the Pearl River Delta which receives most of the polluting discharges from the catchment of the Delta. During turbid condition, heavy metals( soluble or adsorbed on suspended particulates) discharged from the Delta are filtered from the water column and subsequently accumulated into the soft body tissues of oysters. Heavy metal concentrations in the three bivalve species were compared with the maximum permissible levels of heavy metals in seafood regulated by the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Laws of Hong Kong, and it was revealed that Cd and Cr concentrations in the three bivalve species exceeded the upper limits. At certain hotspots in the Delta, the maximum acceptable daily load for Cd was also exceeded.

Water Quality Criteria for Colored Smokes: 1,4-Diamino-2,3- Dihydroanthraquinone

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

overprotection or underprotection. It is not enough that a criterion be the best estimate obtainable using available data; it is equally important that a...acceptable BAF can be used in place of a BCF, 3. If a maximum permissible tissue concentration is available for a substance (e.g, parent material or... parent material plus metabolite), the tissue concentration used in BCF calculations should be for the same substance, Otherwise the tissue concentration

Computation of Acoustic Waves Through Sliding-Zone Interfaces Using an Euler/Navier-Stokes Code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rumsey, Christopher L.

1996-01-01

The effect of a patched sliding-zone interface on the transmission of acoustic waves is examined for two- and three-dimensional model problems. A simple but general interpolation scheme at the patched boundary passes acoustic waves without distortion, provided that a sufficiently small time step is taken. A guideline is provided for the maximum permissible time step or zone speed that gives an acceptable error introduced by the sliding-zone interface.

Radiation measurements and doses at SST altitudes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foelsche, T.

1972-01-01

Radiation components and dose equivalents due to galactic and solar cosmic rays in the high atmosphere, especially at SST altitudes, are presented. The dose equivalent rate for the flight personnel flying 500 hours per year in cruise altitudes of 60,000-65,000 feet (18-19.5 km) in high magnetic latitudes is about 0.75-1.0 rem per year averaged over the solar cycle, or about 15-20 percent of the maximum permissible dose rate.

The Characterisation of a PEM Fuel-Cell System with a Focus on UAS Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

consumption at rated output Approximately 580 ml/min (at normal conditions) Maximum permissible cell temperature Operation: 50 °C; starting: 45 °C...serves to control the temperature of the stack as well as to provide oxygen for the reaction. Fur- thermore, the theoretically computed airflow rate is...The stack temperature has a significant effect on the performance of a fuel cell. Therefore, an understanding of how a fuel cell functions across a

Dose measurements and radiation protection measures in gynecological radium therapy for medical-technical assistants and nursing staff (in German)

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

Schmidt, B.

Thesis. Appropriate measures to decrease radiation exposure of medical- technical assistants and nursing staff of hospitals with radiotherapy departments require personnel dose measurements during the different working operations. The measured values were in all cases below the maximum permissible doses; they are presented in tabular form for the various operations. Proposals are made for a further reduction of radiation exposure in particular fields of application. (GE)

Studies on unsteady pressure fields in the region of separating and reattaching flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Govinda Ram, H. S.; Arakeri, V. H.

1990-12-01

Experimental studies on the measurement of pressure fields in the region of separating and reattaching flows behind several two-dimensional fore-bodies and one axisymmetric body are reported. In particular, extensive measurements of mean pressure, surface pressure fluctuation, and pressure fluctuation within the flow were made for a series of two-dimensional fore-body shapes consisting of triangular nose with varying included angle. The measurements from different bodies are compared and one of the important findings is that the maximum values of rms pressure fluctuation levels in the shear layer approaching reattachment are almost equal to the maximum value of the surface fluctuation levels.

Characterization of drilling waste from shale gas exploration in Central and Eastern Poland.

PubMed

Mikos-Szymańska, Marzena; Rusek, Piotr; Borowik, Krzysztof; Rolewicz, Maciej; Bogusz, Paulina; Gluzińska, Joanna

2018-05-28

The purpose of this research was to determine and evaluate the chemical properties of drilling waste from five well sites in Central and Eastern Poland. It was found that spent drilling fluids can contain high values of nickel and mercury (270 and 8.77 mg kg -1 , respectively) and can exceed the maximum permissible limits recommended by the EC regulations for safety of soils (75 mg kg -1 for nickel and 1.5 mg kg -1 for mercury). The heavy metal concentrations in the studied drill cuttings did not exceed the maximum permissible limits recommended by the EC regulation. Drilling wastes contain macroelements (e.g., calcium, magnesium, and potassium) as well as trace elements (e.g., copper, iron, zinc, and manganese) that are essential for the plant growth. It was stated that water extracts of drilling fluids and drill cuttings, according to anions presence, had not any specific constituents of concern based on FAO irrigation guidelines, the USEPA WQC, and toxicity values. X-ray diffraction analysis was used to understand the structure and texture of waste drilling fluid solids and drill cuttings. Analysis of the mineralogical character of drilling fluid solids revealed that they contained calcite, quartz, muscovite, sylvite, barite, dolomite, and orthoclase. Drill cuttings contained calcite quartz, muscovite, barite, dolomite, and barium chloride.

STUDY OF THE SUITABILITY OF ISRAELI HOUSEHOLD SALT FOR RETROSPECTIVE DOSIMETRY.

PubMed

Datz, Hanan; Druzhyna, Sofia; Oster, Leonid; Orion, Itzhak; Horowitz, Yigal

2016-09-01

The first results of an in-depth evaluation of the practical potential of common household Israeli salt as a retrospective dosemeter in the event of a nuclear accident or terror attack are presented. Ten brands of salt were investigated with emphasis on four of the bestselling brands that constitute 76 % of the total consumer market. Eight of the ten brands show similar glow curves with two main glow peaks at maximum temperatures of ∼176°C and ∼225°C measured at a heating rate of 1°C s(-1) Chemical analysis of three major brands indicates substantial impurity levels of 200-500 ppm of Ca, K, Mg and S and significant differences of additional ppm trace impurities, which lead to an ∼50 % difference in the TL response of the three major brands. Fading in the dark is in significant but under room light is of the order of 35 % per day. The dose response is linear/supralinear with the threshold of supralinearity at ∼0.01 Gy reaching maximum value of ∼4 at 0.5-1 Gy for two of the major brands. The precision of repeated measurements is ∼10 % (1 SD), but the accuracy of dose assessment under field conditions requires further study. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Lactobacillus acidophilus binds to MUC3 component of cultured intestinal epithelial cells with highest affinity.

PubMed

Das, Jugal Kishore; Mahapatra, Rajani Kanta; Patro, Shubhransu; Goswami, Chandan; Suar, Mrutyunjay

2016-04-01

Lactobacillus strains have been shown to adhere to the mucosal components of intestinal epithelial cells. However, established in vitro adhesion assays have several drawbacks in assessing the adhesion of new Lactobacillus strains. The present study aimed to compare the adhesion of four different Lactobacillus strains and select the most adherent microbe, based on in silico approach supported by in vitro results. The mucus-binding proteins in Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. plantarum, L. brevis and L. fermentum were identified and their capacities to interact with intestinal mucin were compared by molecular docking analysis. Lactobacillus acidophilus had the maximal affinity of binding to mucin with predicted free energy of -6.066 kcal mol(-1) Further, in vitro experimental assay of adhesion was performed to validate the in silico results. The adhesion of L. acidophilus to mucous secreting colon epithelial HT-29 MTX cells was highest at 12%, and it formed biofilm with maximum depth (Z = 84 μm). Lactobacillus acidophilus was determined to be the most adherent strain in the study. All the Lactobacillus strains tested in this study, displayed maximum affinity of binding to MUC3 component of mucus as compared to other gastrointestinal mucins. These findings may have importance in the design of probiotics and health care management. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Morphological and enzymatic response of the thermotolerant fungus Fomes sp. EUM1 in solid state fermentation under thermal stress.

PubMed

Ordaz-Hernández, Armando; Ortega-Sánchez, Eric; Montesinos-Matías, Roberto; Hernández-Martínez, Ricardo; Torres-Martínez, Daniel; Loera, Octavio

2016-08-01

Thermotolerance of the fungus Fomes sp. EUM1 was evaluated in solid state fermentation (SSF). This thermotolerant strain improved both hyphal invasiveness (38%) and length (17%) in adverse thermal conditions exceeding 30°C and to a maximum of 40°C. In contrast, hyphal branching decreased by 46% at 45°C. The production of cellulases over corn stover increased 1.6-fold in 30°C culture conditions, xylanases increased 2.8-fold at 40°C, while laccase production improved 2.7-fold at 35°C. Maximum production of lignocellulolytic enzymes was obtained at elevated temperatures in shorter fermentation times (8-6 days), although the proteases appeared as a thermal stress response associated with a drop in lignocellulolytic activities. Novel and multiple isoenzymes of xylanase (four bands) and cellulase (six bands) were secreted in the range of 20-150 kDa during growth in adverse temperature conditions. However, only a single laccase isoenzyme (46 kDa) was detected. This is the first report describing the advantages of a thermotolerant white-rot fungus in SSF. These results have important implications for large-scale SSF, where effects of metabolic heat are detrimental to growth and enzyme production, which are severely affected by the formation of high temperature gradients. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An improved maximum permissible exposure meter for safety assessments of laser radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corder, D. A.; Evans, D. R.; Tyrer, J. R.

1997-12-01

Current interest in laser radiation safety requires demonstration that a laser system has been designed to prevent exposure to levels of laser radiation exceeding the Maximum Permissible Exposure. In some simple systems it is possible to prove this by calculation, but in most cases it is preferable to confirm calculated results with a measurement. This measurement may be made with commercially available equipment, but there are limitations with this approach. A custom designed instrument is presented in which the full range of measurement issues have been addressed. Important features of the instrument are the design and optimisation of detector heads for the measurement task, and consideration of user interface requirements. Three designs for detector head are presented, these cover the majority of common laser types. Detector heads are designed to optimise the performance of relatively low cost detector elements for this measurement task. The three detector head designs are suitable for interfacing to photodiodes, low power thermopiles and pyroelectric detectors. Design of the user interface was an important aspect of the work. A user interface which is designed for the specific application minimises the risk of user error or misinterpretation of the measurement results. A palmtop computer was used to provide an advanced user interface. User requirements were considered in order that the final implement was well matched to the task of laser radiation hazard audits.

Expression and characterization of a new esterase with GCSAG motif from a permafrost metagenomic library.

PubMed

Petrovskaya, Lada E; Novototskaya-Vlasova, Ksenia A; Spirina, Elena V; Durdenko, Ekaterina V; Lomakina, Galina Yu; Zavialova, Maria G; Nikolaev, Evgeny N; Rivkina, Elizaveta M

2016-05-01

As a result of construction and screening of a metagenomic library prepared from a permafrost-derived microcosm, we have isolated a novel gene coding for a putative lipolytic enzyme that belongs to the hormone-sensitive lipase family. It encodes a polypeptide of 343 amino acid residues whose amino acid sequence displays maximum likelihood with uncharacterized proteins from Sphingomonas species. A putative catalytic serine residue of PMGL2 resides in a new variant of a recently discovered GTSAG sequence in which a Thr residue is replaced by a Cys residue (GCSAG). The recombinant PMGL2 was produced in Escherichia coli cells and purified by Ni-affinity chromatography. The resulting protein preferably utilizes short-chain p-nitrophenyl esters (C4 and C8) and therefore is an esterase. It possesses maximum activity at 45°C in slightly alkaline conditions and has limited thermostability at higher temperatures. Activity of PMGL2 is stimulated in the presence of 0.25-1.5 M NaCl indicating the good salt tolerance of the new enzyme. Mass spectrometric analysis demonstrated that N-terminal methionine in PMGL2 is processed and cysteine residues do not form a disulfide bond. The results of the study demonstrate the significance of the permafrost environment as a unique genetic reservoir and its potential for metagenomic exploration. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Compensation for environmental change by complementary shifts of thermal sensitivity and thermoregulatory behaviour in an ectotherm.

PubMed

Glanville, E J; Seebacher, F

2006-12-01

Thermoregulating animals are thought to have evolved a preferred body temperature at which thermally sensitive performance is optimised. Even during thermoregulation, however, many animals experience pronounced variability in body temperature, and may regulate to different body temperatures depending on environmental conditions. Here we test the hypothesis that there is a trade-off between regulating to lower body temperatures in cooler conditions and locomotory and metabolic performance. Animals (estuarine crocodiles, Crocodylus porosus) acclimated to cold (N=8) conditions had significantly lower maximum and mean daily body temperatures after 33 days than warm-acclimated animals (N=9), despite performing characteristic thermoregulatory behaviours. Concomitant with behavioural changes, maximum sustained swimming speed (U(crit)) shifted to the respective mean body temperatures during acclimation (cold=20 degrees C, warm=29 degrees C), but there was no difference in the maxima between acclimation groups. Mitochondrial oxygen consumption changed significantly during acclimation, and maximum respiratory control ratios coincided with mean body temperatures in liver, muscle and heart tissues. There were significant changes in the activities of regulatory metabolic enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, cytochrome c oxidase) and these were tissue specific. The extraordinary shift in behaviour and locomotory and metabolic performance shows that within individuals, behaviour and physiology covary to maximise performance in different environments.

Improving a maximum horizontal gradient algorithm to determine geological body boundaries and fault systems based on gravity data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Kha, Tran; Van Vuong, Hoang; Thanh, Do Duc; Hung, Duong Quoc; Anh, Le Duc

2018-05-01

The maximum horizontal gradient method was first proposed by Blakely and Simpson (1986) for determining the boundaries between geological bodies with different densities. The method involves the comparison of a center point with its eight nearest neighbors in four directions within each 3 × 3 calculation grid. The horizontal location and magnitude of the maximum values are found by interpolating a second-order polynomial through the trio of points provided that the magnitude of the middle point is greater than its two nearest neighbors in one direction. In theoretical models of multiple sources, however, the above condition does not allow the maximum horizontal locations to be fully located, and it could be difficult to correlate the edges of complicated sources. In this paper, the authors propose an additional condition to identify more maximum horizontal locations within the calculation grid. This additional condition will improve the method algorithm for interpreting the boundaries of magnetic and/or gravity sources. The improved algorithm was tested on gravity models and applied to gravity data for the Phu Khanh basin on the continental shelf of the East Vietnam Sea. The results show that the additional locations of the maximum horizontal gradient could be helpful for connecting the edges of complicated source bodies.

Kalker's algorithm Fastsim solves tangential contact problems with slip-dependent friction and friction anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piotrowski, J.

2010-07-01

This paper presents two extensions of Kalker's algorithm Fastsim of the simplified theory of rolling contact. The first extension is for solving tangential contact problems with the coefficient of friction depending on slip velocity. Two friction laws have been considered: with and without recuperation of the static friction. According to the tribological hypothesis for metallic bodies shear failure, the friction law without recuperation of static friction is more suitable for wheel and rail than the other one. Sample results present local quantities inside the contact area (division to slip and adhesion, traction) as well as global ones (creep forces as functions of creepages and rolling velocity). For the coefficient of friction diminishing with slip, the creep forces decay after reaching the maximum and they depend on the rolling velocity. The second extension is for solving tangential contact problems with friction anisotropy characterised by a convex set of the permissible tangential tractions. The effect of the anisotropy has been shown on examples of rolling without spin and in the presence of pure spin for the elliptical set. The friction anisotropy influences tangential tractions and creep forces. Sample results present local and global quantities. Both extensions have been described with the same language of formulation and they may be merged into one, joint algorithm.

Human body and head characteristics as a communication medium for Body Area Network.

PubMed

Kifle, Yonatan; Hun-Seok Kim; Yoo, Jerald

2015-01-01

An in-depth investigation of the Body Channel Communication (BCC) under the environment set according to the IEEE 802.15.6 Body Area Network (BAN) standard is conducted to observe and characterize the human body as a communication medium. A thorough measurement of the human head as part of the human channel is also carried out. Human forehead, head to limb, and ear to ear channel is characterized. The channel gain of the human head follows the same bandpass profile of the human torso and limbs with the maximum channel gain occurring at 35MHz. The human body channel gain distribution histogram at given frequencies, while all the other parameters are held constant, exhibits a maximum variation of 2.2dB in the channel gain at the center frequency of the bandpass channel gain profile.

Variation in the sensitivity of organismal body temperature to climate change over local and geographic scales.

PubMed

Gilman, Sarah E; Wethey, David S; Helmuth, Brian

2006-06-20

Global climate change is expected to have broad ecological consequences for species and communities. Attempts to forecast these consequences usually assume that changes in air or water temperature will translate into equivalent changes in a species' organismal body temperature. This simple change is unlikely because an organism's body temperature is determined by a complex series of interactions between the organism and its environment. Using a biophysical model, validated with 5 years of field observations, we examined the relationship between environmental temperature change and body temperature of the intertidal mussel Mytilus californianus over 1,600 km of its geographic distribution. We found that at all locations examined simulated changes in air or water temperature always produced less than equivalent changes in the daily maximum mussel body temperature. Moreover, the magnitude of body temperature change was highly variable, both within and among locations. A simulated 1 degrees C increase in air or water temperature raised the maximum monthly average of daily body temperature maxima by 0.07-0.92 degrees C, depending on the geographic location, vertical position, and temperature variable. We combined these sensitivities with predicted climate change for 2100 and calculated increases in monthly average maximum body temperature of 0.97-4.12 degrees C, depending on location and climate change scenario. Thus geographic variation in body temperature sensitivity can modulate species' experiences of climate change and must be considered when predicting the biological consequences of climate change.

Pediatric and adolescent lymphoma: comparison of whole-body STIR half-Fourier RARE MR imaging with an enhanced PET/CT reference for initial staging.

PubMed

Punwani, Shonit; Taylor, Stuart A; Bainbridge, Alan; Prakash, Vineet; Bandula, Steven; De Vita, Enrico; Olsen, Oystein E; Hain, Sharon F; Stevens, Nicola; Daw, Stephen; Shankar, Ananth; Bomanji, Jamshed B; Humphries, Paul D

2010-04-01

To compare the diagnostic performance of rapid whole-body anatomic magnetic resonance (MR) staging of pediatric and adolescent lymphoma to an enhanced positron emission tomographic (PET)/computed tomographic (CT) reference standard. Ethical permission was given by the University College London Hospital ethics committee, and informed written consent was obtained from all participants and/or parents or guardians. Thirty-one subjects (age range, 7.3-18.0 years; 18 male, 11 female) with histologically proved lymphoma were prospectively recruited. Pretreatment staging was performed with whole-body short inversion time inversion-recovery (STIR) half-Fourier rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) MR imaging, fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT, and contrast agent-enhanced chest CT. Twenty-six subjects had posttreatment PET/CT and compromised our final cohort. Eleven nodal and 11 extranodal sites per patient were assessed on MR imaging by two radiologists in consensus, with a nodal short-axis threshold of >1 cm and predefined extranodal positivity criteria. The same sites were independantly evaluated by two nuclear medicine physicians on PET/CT images. Disease positivity was defined as a maximum standardized uptake value >2.5 or nodal size >1 cm. An unblinded expert panel reevaluated the imaging findings, removing perceptual errors, and derived an enhanced PET/CT reference standard (taking into account chest CT and 3-month follow-up imaging) against which the reported and intrinsic performance of MR imaging was assessed by using the kappa statistic. There was very good agreement between MR imaging and the enhanced PET/CT reference standard for nodal and extranodal staging (kappa = 0.96 and 0.86, respectively) which improved following elimination of perceptual errors (kappa = 0.97 and 0.91, respectively). The sensitivity and specificity of MR imaging (following removal of perceptual error) were 98% and 99%, respectively, for nodal disease and 91% and 99%, respectively, for extranodal disease. Whole-body STIR half-Fourier RARE MR imaging of pediatric and adolescent lymphoma can accurately depict nodal and extranodal disease and may provide an alternative nonionizing imaging method for anatomic disease assessment at initial staging. RSNA, 2010

Characterisation of an OCS-dependent severe asthma population treated with mepolizumab.

PubMed

Prazma, C M; Wenzel, S; Barnes, N; Douglass, J A; Hartley, B F; Ortega, H

2014-12-01

A subpopulation of patients with asthma treated with maximal inhaled treatments is unable to maintain asthma control and requires additional therapy with oral corticosteroids (OCS); a subset of this population continues to have frequent exacerbations. Alternate treatment options are needed as daily use of OCS is associated with significant systemic adverse effects that affect many body systems and have a direct association with the dose and duration of OCS use. We compared the population demographics, medical conditions and efficacy responses of the OCS-dependent group from the DREAM study of mepolizumab with the group not managed with daily OCS. NCT01000506. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

"Permission to Speak": A Postcolonial View on Racialized Bodies and PE in the Current Context of Globalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azzarito, Laura

2016-01-01

The current neoliberal context of schools presents difficult challenges in addressing persistent issues of social inequalities. In this article, first, I argue that because of today's market-driven education, the rise of fitness testing in school physical education (PE) can be seriously detrimental to young people in general and to ethnic-minority…

Changes in parent motivation predicts changes in body mass index z-score (zBMI) and dietary intake among preschoolers enrolled in a family-based obesity intervention.

PubMed

Van Allen, Jason; Kuhl, Elizabeth S; Filigno, Stephanie S; Clifford, Lisa M; Connor, Jared M; Stark, Lori J

2014-10-01

To examine whether changes in parent motivation over the course of a pediatric obesity intervention are significantly associated with long-term changes in treatment outcomes.   Study hypotheses were tested with a secondary data analysis of a randomized controlled trial (N = 42). Study analyses tested whether baseline to posttreatment change in total score for a self-report parent motivation measure (Parent Motivation Inventory [PMI]) was significantly associated with baseline to 6-month follow-up changes in body mass index z-score (zBMI), dietary variables, and physical activity.   Increases in PMI were significantly associated with decreased zBMI, decreased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets, and increased consumption of artificially sweetened beverages.   Given that increases in parent motivation were associated with some treatment benefits, future research should evaluate the impact of directly assessing and targeting parent motivation on weight outcomes for preschoolers participating in a weight management program. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Gene Regulatory Networks, Homology, and the Early Panarthropod Fossil Record.

PubMed

Tweedt, Sarah M

2017-09-01

The arthropod body plan is widely believed to have derived from an ancestral form resembling Cambrian-aged fossil lobopodians, and interpretations of morphological and molecular data have long favored this hypothesis. It is possible, however, that appendages and other morphologies observed in extinct and living panarthropods evolved independently. The key to distinguishing between morphological homology and homoplasy lies in the study of developmental gene regulatory networks (GRNs), and specifically, in determining the unique genetic circuits that construct characters. In this study, I discuss character identity and panarthropod appendage evolution within a developmental GRN framework, with a specific focus on potential limb character identity networks ("ChINs"). I summarize recent molecular studies, and argue that current data do not rule out the possibility of independent panarthropod limb evolution. The link between character identity and GRN architecture has broad implications for homology assessment, and this genetic framework offers alternative approaches to fossil character coding, phylogenetic analyses, and future research into the origin of the arthropod body plan. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Differential pollen placement on an Old World nectar bat increases pollination efficiency.

PubMed

Stewart, Alyssa B; Dudash, Michele R

2016-01-01

Plant species that share pollinators are potentially subject to non-adaptive interspecific pollen transfer, resulting in reduced reproductive success. Mechanisms that increase pollination efficiency between conspecific individuals are therefore highly beneficial. Many nocturnally flowering plant species in Thailand are pollinated by the nectar bat Eonycteris spelaea (Pteropodidae). This study tested the hypothesis that plant species within a community reduce interspecific pollen movement by placing pollen on different areas of the bat's body. Using flight cage trials, pollen transfer by E. spelaea was compared between conspecific versus heterospecific flowers across four bat-pollinated plant genera. Pollen from four locations on the bat's body was also quantified to determine if pollen placement varies by plant species. It was found that E. spelaea transfers significantly more pollen between conspecific than heterospecific flowers, and that diverse floral designs produce significantly different patterns of pollen deposition on E. spelaea. In the Old World tropics, differential pollen placement is a mechanism that reduces competition among bat-pollinated plant species sharing a common pollinator. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Human Fear Chemosignaling: Evidence from a Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

de Groot, Jasper H B; Smeets, Monique A M

2017-10-01

Alarm pheromones are widely used in the animal kingdom. Notably, there are 26 published studies (N = 1652) highlighting a human capacity to communicate fear, stress, and anxiety via body odor from one person (66% males) to another (69% females). The question is whether the findings of this literature reflect a true effect, and what the average effect size is. These questions were answered by combining traditional meta-analysis with novel meta-analytical tools, p-curve analysis and p-uniform-techniques that could indicate whether findings are likely to reflect a true effect based on the distribution of P-values. A traditional random-effects meta-analysis yielded a small-to-moderate effect size (Hedges' g: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.31-0.41), p-curve analysis showed evidence diagnostic of a true effect (ps < 0.0001), and there was no evidence for publication bias. This meta-analysis did not assess the internal validity of the current studies; yet, the combined results illustrate the statistical robustness of a field in human olfaction dealing with the human capacity to communicate certain emotions (fear, stress, anxiety) via body odor. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

DOSE AND GAMMA-RAY SPECTRA FROM NEUTRON-INDUCED RADIOACTIVITY IN MEDICAL LINEAR ACCELERATORS FOLLOWING HIGH-ENERGY TOTAL BODY IRRADIATION.

PubMed

Keehan, S; Taylor, M L; Smith, R L; Dunn, L; Kron, T; Franich, R D

2016-12-01

Production of radioisotopes in medical linear accelerators (linacs) is of concern when the beam energy exceeds the threshold for the photonuclear interaction. Staff and patients may receive a radiation dose as a result of the induced radioactivity in the linac. Gamma-ray spectroscopy was used to identify the isotopes produced following the delivery of 18 MV photon beams from a Varian 21EX and an Elekta Synergy. The prominent radioisotopes produced include 187 W, 63 Zn, 56 Mn, 24 Na and 28 Al in both linac models. The dose rate was measured at the beam exit window (12.6 µSv in the first 10 min) following 18 MV total body irradiation (TBI) beams. For a throughput of 24 TBI patients per year, staff members are estimated to receive an annual dose of up to 750 μSv at the patient location. This can be further reduced to 65 μSv by closing the jaws before re-entering the treatment bunker. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

First insight into dead wood protistan diversity: a molecular sampling of bright-spored Myxomycetes (Amoebozoa, slime-moulds) in decaying beech logs.

PubMed

Clissmann, Fionn; Fiore-Donno, Anna Maria; Hoppe, Björn; Krüger, Dirk; Kahl, Tiemo; Unterseher, Martin; Schnittler, Martin

2015-06-01

Decaying wood hosts a large diversity of seldom investigated protists. Environmental sequencing offers novel insights into communities, but has rarely been applied to saproxylic protists. We investigated the diversity of bright-spored wood-inhabiting Myxomycetes by environmental sequencing. Myxomycetes have a complex life cycle culminating in the formation of mainly macroscopic fruiting bodies, highly variable in shape and colour that are often found on decaying logs. Our hypothesis was that diversity of bright-spored Myxomycetes would increase with decay. DNA was extracted from wood chips collected from 17 beech logs of varying decay stages from the Hainich-Dün region in Central Germany. We obtained 260 partial small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences of bright-spored Myxomycetes that were assembled into 29 OTUs, of which 65% were less than 98% similar to those in the existing database. The OTU richness revealed by molecular analysis surpassed that of a parallel inventory of fruiting bodies. We tested several environmental variables and identified pH, rather than decay stage, as the main structuring factor of myxomycete distribution. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Optimized operation of dielectric laser accelerators: Single bunch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanuka, Adi; Schächter, Levi

2018-05-01

We introduce a general approach to determine the optimal charge, efficiency and gradient for laser driven accelerators in a self-consistent way. We propose a way to enhance the operational gradient of dielectric laser accelerators by leverage of beam-loading effect. While the latter may be detrimental from the perspective of the effective gradient experienced by the particles, it can be beneficial as the effective field experienced by the accelerating structure, is weaker. As a result, the constraint imposed by the damage threshold fluence is accordingly weakened and our self-consistent approach predicts permissible gradients of ˜10 GV /m , one order of magnitude higher than previously reported experimental results—with unbunched pulse of electrons. Our approach leads to maximum efficiency to occur for higher gradients as compared with a scenario in which the beam-loading effect on the material is ignored. In any case, maximum gradient does not occur for the same conditions that maximum efficiency does—a trade-off set of parameters is suggested.

Leak rates in sealed cells.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, H. A.; Uchiyama, A. A.

1973-01-01

Water vapor loss rates were determined from simulated and imperfectly sealed alkaline cells in the vacuum environment. The observed rates were found to be in agreement with a semi-empirical equation employed in vacuum technology. Results thereby give support for using this equation for the prediction of loss rates of battery gases and vapors to the aerospace environment. On this basis it was shown how the equation can be applied to the solution of many heretofore unresolved questions regarding leaks in batteries. Among these are the maximum permissible leak size consistent with a given cell life or conversely the maximum life consistent with a given leak size. It was also shown that loss rates of these cells in the terrestrial environment are several orders of magnitude less than the corresponding loss rates in the aerospace environment.

[Estimation of dietary intake of radioactive materials by total diet methods].

PubMed

Uekusa, Yoshinori; Nabeshi, Hiromi; Tsutsumi, Tomoaki; Hachisuka, Akiko; Matsuda, Rieko; Teshima, Reiko

2014-01-01

Radioactive contamination in foods is a matter of great concern after the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. In order to estimate human intake and annual committed effective dose of radioactive materials, market basket and duplicate diet samples from various areas in Japan were analyzed for cesium-134 ((134)Cs), -137 ((137)Cs), and natural radionuclide potassium-40 ((40)K) by γ-ray spectroscopy. Dietary intake of radioactive cesium around Fukushima area was somewhat higher than in other areas. However, maximum committed effective doses obtained by the market basket and duplicate diet samples were 0.0094 and 0.027 mSv/year, respectively, which are much lower than the maximum permissible dose (1 mSv/year) in foods in Japan.

Effects of agriculture on quality of water in surficial sand-plain aquifers in Douglas, Kandiyohi, Pope, and Stearns counties, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, H.W.

1989-01-01

Four of eight wells sampled for herbicides in west-central Minnesota had detectable concentrations of the triazine herbicide atrazine that ranged from 0.2 to 0.6 micrograms per liter. These concentrations were well below the water-quality guidelines published by the Canadian Inland Waters Directorate, Water Quality Branch, which specify 100 micrograms per liter as the maximum permissible concentration for the group of triazine herbicides in a raw drinking-water supply.

Draft Environmental Assessment for the Combat Support Training Complex, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-25

nwdas Green Seaturtle PK E E 1,19 FISH Acipenser oxyrhynchus &esotoi Gulf Sturgeon SR SSC UR2 17,19 Mustela vison lutensis Florida Mink P - UR2 13...immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) with respect to respiratory irritation. This represents the maximum concentration from which one could...Threshold 0.004 mg/m3 ACGIH’ Median effective concentration 1-5 mg/m3 ACGIH Respiratory irritation Permissible exposure limit (PEL) 0.4 mg/m3

Morphological and physiological studies on Indian national kabaddi players.

PubMed Central

Dey, S K; Khanna, G L; Batra, M

1993-01-01

Twenty-five national kabaddi players (Asiad gold medalists 1990), mean age 27.91 years, who attended a national camp at the Sports Authority of India, Bangalore before the Beijing Asian Games in 1990, were investigated for their physical characteristics, body fat, lean body mass (LBM) and somatotype. The physiological characteristics assessed included back strength, maximum oxygen uptake capacity and anaerobic capacity (oxygen debt) and related cardiorespiratory parameters (oxygen pulse, breathing equivalent, maximum pulmonary ventilation, maximum heart rate). Body fat was calculated from skinfold thicknesses taken at four different sites, using Harpenden skinfold calipers. An exercise test (graded protocol) was performed on a bicycle ergometer (ER-900) using a computerized EOS Sprint (Jaeger, West Germany). The mean(s.d.) percentage body fat (17.56(3.48)) of kabaddi players was found to be higher than normal sedentary people. Their physique was found to be endomorphic mesomorph (3.8-5.2-1.7). Mean(s.d.) back strength, maximum oxygen uptake capacity (VO2max) and oxygen debt were found to be 162.6(18.08) kg, 42.6(4.91) ml kg-1 min-1 and 5.02(1.29) litre respectively. Physical characteristics, percentage body fat, somatotype, maximum oxygen uptake capacity and anaerobic capacity (oxygen debt) and other cardiorespiratory parameters were compared with other national counterparts. Present data are comparable with data for judo, wrestling and weightlifting. Since no such study has been conducted on international counterparts, these data could not be compared. These data may act as a guideline in the selection of future kabaddi players and to attain the physiological status comparable to the present gold medalists. Images Figure 4 Figure 5 p242-a PMID:8130960

Generation of vertical angular momentum in single, double, and triple-turn pirouette en dehors in ballet.

PubMed

Kim, Jemin; Wilson, Margaret A; Singhal, Kunal; Gamblin, Sarah; Suh, Cha-Young; Kwon, Young-Hoo

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the vertical angular momentum generation strategies used by skilled ballet dancers in pirouette en dehors. Select kinematic parameters of the pirouette preparation (stance depth, vertical center-of-mass motion range, initial shoulder line position, shoulder line angular displacement, and maximum trunk twist angle) along with vertical angular momentum parameters during the turn (maximum momentums of the whole body and body parts, and duration and rate of generation) were obtained from nine skilled collegiate ballet dancers through a three-dimensional motion analysis and compared among three turn conditions (single, double, and triple). A one-way ('turn') multivariate analysis of variance of the kinematic parameters and angular momentum parameters of the whole body and a two-way analysis of variance ('turn' × 'body') of the maximum angular momentums of the body parts were conducted. Significant 'turn' effects were observed in the kinematic/angular momentum parameters (both the preparation and the turn) (p <  0.05). As the number of turns increased, skilled dancers generated larger vertical angular momentums by predominantly increasing the rate of momentum generation using rotation of the upper trunk and arms. The trail (closing) arm showed the largest contribution to whole-body angular momentum followed by the lead arm.

A broad-scale comparison of aerobic activity levels in vertebrates: endotherms versus ectotherms

PubMed Central

Gomez, Juan Pablo; Mavrodiev, Evgeny V.

2017-01-01

Differences in the limits and range of aerobic activity levels between endotherms and ectotherms remain poorly understood, though such differences help explain basic differences in species' lifestyles (e.g. movement patterns, feeding modes, and interaction rates). We compare the limits and range of aerobic activity in endotherms (birds and mammals) and ectotherms (fishes, reptiles, and amphibians) by evaluating the body mass-dependence of VO2 max, aerobic scope, and heart mass in a phylogenetic context based on a newly constructed vertebrate supertree. Contrary to previous work, results show no significant differences in the body mass scaling of minimum and maximum oxygen consumption rates with body mass within endotherms or ectotherms. For a given body mass, resting rates and maximum rates were 24-fold and 30-fold lower, respectively, in ectotherms than endotherms. Factorial aerobic scope ranged from five to eight in both groups, with scope in endotherms showing a modest body mass-dependence. Finally, maximum consumption rates and aerobic scope were positively correlated with residual heart mass. Together, these results quantify similarities and differences in the potential for aerobic activity among ectotherms and endotherms from diverse environments. They provide insights into the models and mechanisms that may underlie the body mass-dependence of oxygen consumption. PMID:28202808

SIRT1 Polymorphisms and Serum-Induced SIRT1 Protein Expression in Aging and Frailty: The CHAMP Study.

PubMed

Razi, Shajjia; Cogger, Victoria C; Kennerson, Marina; Benson, Vicky L; McMahon, Aisling C; Blyth, Fiona M; Handelsman, David J; Seibel, Markus J; Hirani, Vasant; Naganathan, Vasikaran; Waite, Louise; de Cabo, Rafael; Cumming, Robert G; Le Couteur, David G

2017-07-01

The nutrient sensing protein, SIRT1 influences aging and nutritional interventions such as caloric restriction in animals, however, the role of SIRT1 in human aging remains unclear. Here, the role of SIRT1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and serum-induced SIRT1 protein expression (a novel assay that detects circulating factors that influence SIRT1 expression in vitro) were studied in the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP), a prospective cohort of community dwelling men aged 70 years and older. Serum-induced SIRT1 expression was not associated with age or mortality, however participants within the lowest quintile were less likely to be frail (odds ratio (OR) 0.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17-0.69, N = 1,309). Serum-induced SIRT1 expression was associated with some markers of body composition and nutrition (height, weight, body fat and lean % mass, albumin, and cholesterol) but not disease. SIRT1 SNPs rs2273773, rs3740051, and rs3758391 showed no association with age, frailty, or mortality but were associated with weight, height, body fat and lean, and albumin levels. There were some weak associations between SIRT1 SNPs and arthritis, heart attack, deafness, and cognitive impairment. There was no association between SIRT1 SNPs and the serum-induced SIRT1 assay. SIRT1 SNPs and serum-induced SIRT1 expression in older men may be more closely associated with nutrition and body composition than aging and age-related conditions. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Field evidence of strong differential pollen placement by Old World bat-pollinated plants.

PubMed

Stewart, Alyssa B; Dudash, Michele R

2017-01-01

Sympatric plant species that share pollinators potentially compete for pollination and risk interspecific pollen transfer, but this competition can be minimized when plant species place pollen on different areas of the pollinator's body. Multiple studies have demonstrated strong differential pollen placement by sympatric plant species under laboratory conditions; however, field evidence collected in natural settings is less common. Furthermore, it is unknown whether precise pollen placement on the pollinator's body remains constant throughout the foraging period, or if such patterns become diffused over time (e.g. due to grooming). To test the prevalence of differential pollen placement in the wild, we examined a community of five night-blooming plant species in southern Thailand that share common bat pollinators. We mist-netted wild foraging nectar bats and collected pollen samples from four body parts: the crown of the head, face, chest and ventral side of one wing. We also noted the time of pollen collection to assess how pollinator pollen loads change throughout the foraging period. Our findings revealed that most of our plant study species placed pollen on precise areas of the bat, consistent with experimental work, and that patterns of differential pollen placement remained constant throughout the night. This study demonstrates how diverse floral morphologies effectively limit interspecific pollen transfer among Old World bat-pollinated plants under natural conditions. Additionally, interspecific pollen transfer is probably minimal throughout the entire foraging period, since patterns of pollen on the bats' bodies were consistent over time. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Association of Post-Saline Load Plasma Aldosterone Levels With Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Primary Hypertension.

PubMed

Catena, Cristiana; Verheyen, Nicolas D; Url-Michitsch, Marion; Kraigher-Krainer, Elisabeth; Colussi, GianLuca; Pilz, Stefan; Tomaschitz, Andreas; Pieske, Burkert; Sechi, Leonardo A

2016-03-01

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity in hypertension. Current evidence suggests a contribution to LVH of plasma aldosterone levels that are inappropriately elevated for the salt status. The aim of this study was to investigate whether inappropriate modulation of aldosterone production by a saline load is associated with left ventricular (LV) mass in hypertensive patients. In 90 hypertensive patients free of clinically relevant cardiovascular complications in whom secondary forms of hypertension were ruled out, we performed a standard intravenous saline load (0.9% NaCl, 2 l in 4 hours) with measurement of plasma aldosterone and active renin at baseline and end of infusion. Bi-dimensional echocardiography was performed for the assessment of cardiac morphology and function. LVH was present in 19% of patients who had significantly worse renal function and higher body mass, blood pressure, and plasma aldosterone levels measured both at baseline and after the saline load than patients without LVH. LV mass was directly related to age, body mass, systolic blood pressure, duration of hypertension, baseline, and post-saline load plasma aldosterone levels and inversely to glomerular filtration. Multivariate regression analysis showed independent correlation of LV mass with body mass, systolic blood pressure, and plasma aldosterone levels measured after intravenous saline load, but not at baseline. In patients with hypertension, aldosterone levels measured after intravenous saline load are related to LV mass independent of age, body mass, and blood pressure, suggesting that limited ability of salt to modulate aldosterone production could contribute to LVH. © American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd 2015. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparison of musculoskeletal disorder health claims between construction floor layers and a general working population.

PubMed

Dale, Ann Marie; Ryan, Daniel; Welch, Laura; Olsen, Margaret A; Buchholz, Bryan; Evanoff, Bradley

2015-01-01

Compare rates of medical insurance claims for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) between workers in a construction trade and a general worker population to determine if higher physical exposures in construction lead to higher rates of claims on personal medical insurance. Health insurance claims between 2006 and 2010 from floor layers were frequency matched by age, gender, eligibility time and geographic location to claims from insured workers in general industry obtained from MarketScan. We extracted MSD claims and dates of service from six regions of the body: neck, low back, knee, lower extremity, shoulder and distal arm, and evaluated differences in claim rates. Fifty-one per cent of floor layers (n=1475) experienced musculoskeletal claims compared with 39% of MarketScan members (p<0.001). Claim rates were higher for floor layers across all body regions with nearly double the rate ratios for the knee and neck regions (RR 2.10 and 2.07). The excess risk was greatest for the neck and low back regions; younger workers had disproportionately higher rates in the knee, neck, low back and distal arm. A larger proportion of floor layers (22%) filed MSD claims in more than one body region compared with general workers (10%; p<0.001). Floor layers have markedly higher rates of MSD claims compared with a general worker population, suggesting a shifting of medical costs for work-related MSD to personal health insurance. The occurrence of disorders in multiple body regions and among the youngest workers highlights the need for improved work methods and tools for construction workers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Body mass modulates huddling dynamics and body temperature profiles in rabbit pups.

PubMed

Bautista, Amando; Zepeda, José Alfredo; Reyes-Meza, Verónica; Féron, Christophe; Rödel, Heiko G; Hudson, Robyn

2017-10-01

Altricial mammals typically lack the physiological capacity to thermoregulate independently during the early postnatal period, and in litter-bearing species the young benefit strongly from huddling together with their litter siblings. Such litter huddles are highly dynamic systems, often characterized by competition for energetically favorable, central positions. In the present study, carried out in domestic rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus, we asked whether individual differences in body mass affect changes in body temperature during changes in the position within the huddle. We predicted that pups with relatively lower body mass should be more affected by such changes arising from huddle dynamics in comparison to heavier ones. Changes in pups' maximum body surface temperature (determined by infrared thermography) were significantly affected by changes in the number of their neighbors in the litter huddle, and indeed these temperature changes largely depended on the pups' body mass relative to their litter siblings. Lighter pups showed significant increases in their maximum body surface temperature when their number of huddling partners increased by one or two siblings whereas pups with intermediate or heavier body mass did not show such significant increases in maximum body temperature when experiencing such changes. A similar pattern was found with respect to average body surface temperature. This strong link between changes in the number of huddling partners and body surface temperature in lighter pups might, on the one hand, arise from a higher vulnerability of such pups due to their less favorable body surface area-to-volume ratio. On the other hand, as lighter pups generally had fewer neighbors than heavier ones and thus typically a comparatively smaller body surface in contact with siblings, they potentially had more to gain from increasing their number of neighbors. The present findings might help to understand how individual differences in body mass within a litter lead to the emergence of individual differences in sibling interactions during early postnatal life in different species of altricial and litter-bearing mammals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CALHM1 Deletion in Mice Affects Glossopharyngeal Taste Responses, Food Intake, Body Weight, and Life Span.

PubMed

Hellekant, Göran; Schmolling, Jared; Marambaud, Philippe; Rose-Hellekant, Teresa A

2015-07-01

Stimulation of Type II taste receptor cells (TRCs) with T1R taste receptors causes sweet or umami taste, whereas T2Rs elicit bitter taste. Type II TRCs contain the calcium channel, calcium homeostasis modulator protein 1 (CALHM1), which releases adenosine triphosphate (ATP) transmitter to taste fibers. We have previously demonstrated with chorda tympani nerve recordings and two-bottle preference (TBP) tests that mice with genetically deleted Calhm1 (knockout [KO]) have severely impaired perception of sweet, bitter, and umami compounds, whereas their sour and salty tasting ability is unaltered. Here, we present data from KO mice of effects on glossopharyngeal (NG) nerve responses, TBP, food intake, body weight, and life span. KO mice have no NG response to sweet and a suppressed response to bitter compared with control (wild-type [WT]) mice. KO mice showed some NG response to umami, suggesting that umami taste involves both CALHM1- and non-CALHM1-modulated signals. NG responses to sour and salty were not significantly different between KO and WT mice. Behavioral data conformed in general with the NG data. Adult KO mice consumed less food, weighed significantly less, and lived almost a year longer than WT mice. Taken together, these data demonstrate that sweet taste majorly influences food intake, body weight, and life span. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The "Ethics" Expertise in Clinical Ethics Consultation.

PubMed

Iltis, Ana S; Rasmussen, Lisa M

2016-08-01

The nature, possibility, and implications of ethics expertise (or moral expertise) in general and of bioethics expertise in particular has been the focus of extensive debate for over thirty years. What is ethics expertise and what does it enable experts to do? Knowing what ethics expertise is can help answer another important question: What, if anything, makes a claim of expertise legitimate? In other words, how does someone earn the appellation "ethics expert?" There remains deep disagreement on whether ethics expertise is possible, and if so, what constitutes such expertise and what it entails and legitimates. Discussion of bioethics expertise has become particularly important given the growing presence of bioethicists in the clinical setting as well as efforts to professionalize bioethics through codes of ethics and certification (or quasi-certification) efforts. Unlike in the law or in engineering, where there may be a body of knowledge that professional organizations or others have articulated as important for education and training of experts, ethics expertise admits of no such body of knowledge or required experience. Nor is there an entity seen as having the authority to articulate the necessary scope of knowledge. Questions about whether there is such a body of knowledge for particular areas within bioethics have emerged and played a central role in professionalization efforts in recent years, especially in the area of clinical ethics. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Rapamycin Normalizes Serum Leptin by Alleviating Obesity and Reducing Leptin Synthesis in Aged Rats.

PubMed

Scarpace, Philip J; Matheny, Michael; Strehler, Kevin Y E; Toklu, Hale Zerrin; Kirichenko, Nataliya; Carter, Christy S; Morgan, Drake; Tümer, Nihal

2016-07-01

This investigation examines whether a low intermittent dose of rapamycin will avoid the hyperlipidemia and diabetes-like syndrome associated with rapamycin while still decreasing body weight and adiposity in aged obese rats. Furthermore, we examined if the rapamycin-mediated decrease in serum leptin was a reflection of decreased adiposity, diminished leptin synthesis, or both. To these ends, rapamycin (1mg/kg) was administered three times a week to 3 and 24-month old rats. Body weight, food intake, body composition, mTORC1 signaling, markers of metabolism, as well as serum leptin levels and leptin synthesis in adipose tissue were examined and compared to that following a central infusion of rapamycin. Our data suggest that the dosing schedule of rapamycin acts on peripheral targets to inhibit mTORC1 signaling, preferentially reducing adiposity and sparing lean mass in an aged model of obesity resulting in favorable outcomes on blood triglycerides, increasing lean/fat ratio, and normalizing elevated serum leptin with age. The initial mechanism underlying the rapamycin responses appears to have a peripheral action and not central. The peripheral rapamycin responses may communicate an excessive nutrients signal to the hypothalamus that triggers an anorexic response to reduce food consumption. This coupled with potential peripheral mechanism serves to decrease adiposity and synthesis of leptin. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The costs of keeping cool in a warming world: implications of high temperatures for foraging, thermoregulation and body condition of an arid-zone bird.

PubMed

du Plessis, Katherine L; Martin, Rowan O; Hockey, Philip A R; Cunningham, Susan J; Ridley, Amanda R

2012-10-01

Recent mass mortalities of bats, birds and even humans highlight the substantial threats that rising global temperatures pose for endotherms. Although less dramatic, sublethal fitness costs of high temperatures may be considerable and result in changing population demographics. Endothermic animals exposed to high environmental temperatures can adjust their behaviour (e.g. reducing activity) or physiology (e.g. elevating rates of evaporative water loss) to maintain body temperatures within tolerable limits. The fitness consequences of these adjustments, in terms of the ability to balance water and energy budgets and therefore maintain body condition, are poorly known. We investigated the effects of daily maximum temperature on foraging and thermoregulatory behaviour as well as maintenance of body condition in a wild, habituated population of Southern Pied Babblers Turdoides bicolor. These birds inhabit a hot, arid area of southern Africa where they commonly experience environmental temperatures exceeding optimal body temperatures. Repeated measurements of individual behaviour and body mass were taken across days varying in maximum air temperature. Contrary to expectations, foraging effort was unaffected by daily maximum temperature. Foraging efficiency, however, was lower on hotter days and this was reflected in a drop in body mass on hotter days. When maximum air temperatures exceeded 35.5 °C, individuals no longer gained sufficient weight to counter typical overnight weight loss. This reduction in foraging efficiency is likely driven, in part, by a trade-off with the need to engage in heat-dissipation behaviours. When we controlled for temperature, individuals that actively dissipated heat while continuing to forage experienced a dramatic decrease in their foraging efficiency. This study demonstrates the value of investigations of temperature-dependent behaviour in the context of impacts on body condition, and suggests that increasingly high temperatures will have negative implications for the fitness of these arid-zone birds. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Acute effect of passive static stretching on lower-body strength in moderately trained men.

PubMed

Gergley, Jeffrey C

2013-04-01

The purpose of this investigation was conducted to determine the acute effect of passive static stretching (PSS) of the lower-body musculature on lower-body strength in a 1 repetition maximum (1RM) squat exercise in young (18-24 years.) moderately trained men (n = 17). Two supervised warm-up treatments were applied before each performance testing session using a counterbalanced design on nonconsecutive days. The first treatment consisted of an active dynamic warm-up (AD) with resistance machines (i.e., leg extension/leg flexion) and free weights (i.e., barbell squat), whereas the second treatment added PSS of the lower body plus the AD treatment. One repetition maximum was determined using the maximum barbell squat following a progressive loading protocol. Subjects were also asked to subjectively evaluate their lower-body stability during 1RM testing sessions for both the AD and PSS treatments. A significant decrease in 1RM (8.36%) and lower-body stability (22.68%) was observed after the PSS treatment. Plausible explanations for this observation may be related to a more compliant muscle tendon unit and/or altered or impaired neurologic function in the active musculature. It is also possible that strength was impaired by the PSS because of joint instability. The findings of this study suggest that intensive stretching such as lower-body PSS should be avoided before training the lower body or performing the 1RM in the squat exercise in favor of an AD dynamic warm-up using resistance training equipment in the lower-body musculature.

Acromegalic gigantism, physicians and body snatching. Past or present?

PubMed

de Herder, Wouter W

2012-09-01

The skeletons of 2 famous acromegalic giants: Charles Byrne (1761-1783) and Henri Cot = Joseph Dusorc (1883-1912) and the embalmed body of the famous acromegalic giant Édouard Beaupré (1881-1904) all ended up in the medical collections of museums despite the fact that these patients had never donated or even refused to donate their corpses, nor had their relatives given permission. The corpse of the acromegalic giant John Aasen (1890-1938) was voluntarily donated to a physician annex collector of trivia from acromegalic giants. The autopsy on the acromegalic giant John Turner (1874-1911) was performed during his funeral ceremony without the relatives being informed. Only recently, the acromegalic giant Alexander Sizonenko (1959-2012) was made a financial offer during his life in exchange for his body after his death. The case-histories of these 6 patients and also the circumstances that led to the (in-) voluntary donation of their bodies are reviewed.

The effects of resistance training prioritization in NCAA Division I Football summer training.

PubMed

Smith, Robert A; Martin, Gerard J; Szivak, Tunde K; Comstock, Brett A; Dunn-Lewis, Courtenay; Hooper, David R; Flanagan, Shawn D; Looney, David P; Volek, Jeff S; Maresh, Carl M; Kraemer, William J

2014-01-01

Resistance training (RT) is an integral part of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football performance programs. In the sport of football, there are several components that a strength and conditioning coach must be aware of. These include body mass, size, strength, power, speed, conditioning, and injury prevention, among others. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the RT component of a performance program could be prioritized for specific results using a nonlinear training model, grouping athletes by eligibility year. The NCAA Division I football student athletes were placed into 3 separate groups based on the playing year. All subjects participated in a 10-week, 4 days·week-1 off-season summer resistance training program. The training of group 1 (n = 20, age: 18.95 ± 0.76 years, height: 186.63 ± 7.21 cm, body mass: 97.66 ± 18.17 kg, playing year: 1.05 ± 0.22 years) prioritized hypertrophy-based RT to gain body mass. The training of group 2 (n = 20, age: 20.05 ± 1.05 years, height: 189.42 ± 5.49 cm, body mass: 106.99 ± 13.53 kg, and playing year: 2.35 ± 0.75 years) prioritized strength-based RT to gain strength. The training of group 3 (n = 20, age: 21.05 ± 1.10 years, height: 186.56 ± 6.73 cm, body mass: 109.8 ± 19.96 kg, playing year: 4.4 ± 0.50 years) prioritized power-based RT to gain power. Performance tests were evaluated during the first weeks of March (Spring) and August (Fall). The test measures included body mass (kilograms), 1-repetition maximum (1RM) bench press (kilograms), 1RM back squat (kilograms), 1RM power clean (kilograms), and countermovement vertical jump (CMVJ) height (centimeters). The primary findings of this investigation were as follows: group 1 saw significant increases in bench press maximum, back squat maximum, and power clean maximum (p ≤ 0.05). Group 2 saw significant increases in bench press maximum, back squat maximum, and power clean maximum (p ≤ 0.05). Group 3 saw a significant increase in power clean maximum (p ≤ 0.05). Group 1's significant increases were expected because of their low training age relatively shorter training history when compared with Groups 2 and 3. Group 1 did not see significant increases in body mass, with 7 out of 20 subjects being nonresponders. Group 2 and 3's significant increases were expected. Unexpectedly, no group saw significant increases in maximum CMVJ height. With so many factors that go into a football performance program contributing to football performance programing, it seems difficult to prioritize 1 RT goal over another without neglecting others during 10-week summer training program. Prioritization of strength appears to have the best overall affect on the RT portion of an off-season football performance program. Nonlinear periodization allows for the prioritization of 1 training goal without disregarding others with a smaller risk of neglecting other important components. This investigation showed that a performance program with a nonlinear model and prioritization on strength had produced the most desirable results.

Manganese contamination affects the motor performance of wild northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus).

PubMed

Amir Abdul Nasir, Ami Fadhillah; Cameron, Skye F; Niehaus, Amanda C; Clemente, Christofer J; von Hippel, Frank A; Wilson, Robbie S

2018-05-21

Neuromotor deficits are an important sign of manganese (Mn) toxicity in humans and laboratory animals. However, the impacts of Mn exposure on the motor function of wild animals remains largely unknown. Here, we assessed the impact of chronic exposure to Mn from active mining operations on Groote Eylandt, Australia on the motor function of the semi-arboreal northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), an endangered species. The three motor tests conducted-maximum sprint speed on a straight run, manoeuvrability around a corner, and motor control on a balance beam-showed that elevated Mn body burden did not diminish performance of these traits. However, quolls with higher Mn body burden approached a corner at a significantly narrower range of speeds, due to a significantly lower maximum approach speed. Slower speeds approaching a turn may reduce success at catching prey and avoiding predators. Given that maximum sprint speed on a straight run was not affected by Mn body burden, but maximum speed entering a corner was, slower speeds approaching a turn may reflect compensation for otherwise impaired performance in the turn. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimal position of the transmitter coil for wireless power transfer to the implantable device.

PubMed

Jinghui Jian; Stanaćević, Milutin

2014-01-01

The maximum deliverable power through inductive link to the implantable device is limited by the tissue exposure to the electromagnetic field radiation. By moving away the transmitter coil from the body, the maximum deliverable power is increased as the magnitude of the electrical field at the interface with the body is kept constant. We demonstrate that the optimal distance between the transmitter coil and the body is on the order of 1 cm when the current of the transmitter coil is limited to 1 A. We also confirm that the conditions on the optimal frequency of the power transmission and the topology of the transmission coil remain the same as if the coil was directly adjacent to the body.

No support for Heincke's law in hagfish (Myxinidae): lack of an association between body size and the depth of species occurrence.

PubMed

Schumacher, E L; Owens, B D; Uyeno, T A; Clark, A J; Reece, J S

2017-08-01

This study tests for interspecific evidence of Heincke's law among hagfishes and advances the field of research on body size and depth of occurrence in fishes by including a phylogenetic correction and by examining depth in four ways: maximum depth, minimum depth, mean depth of recorded specimens and the average of maximum and minimum depths of occurrence. Results yield no evidence for Heincke's law in hagfishes, no phylogenetic signal for the depth at which species occur, but moderate to weak phylogenetic signal for body size, suggesting that phylogeny may play a role in determining body size in this group. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE OF NMR SPECTROMETRISTS TO STATIC AND RADIOFREQUENCY FIELDS.

PubMed

Berlana, Tania; Úbeda, Alejandro

2017-12-01

Occupational exposure to static and radiofrequency fields emitted by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers was assessed through systematic field metering during operation of 19 devices in nine research centers. Whereas no measurable levels of radiofrequency radiation were registered outside the spectrometers, significant exposure to static field was detected, with maximum values recorded at the user's hand (B = 683.00 mT) and head-thorax (B = 135.70 mT) during spectrometer manipulation. All values were well below the exposure limits set by the European standard for workers protection against the effects of acute field exposure only. As for potential effects of chronic exposure, waiting for more complete knowledge, adoption of technical and operational strategies for exposure minimizing is advisable. In this respect, the data revealed that compared with standard magnetic shielding, ultrashield technology allows a 20-65-fold reduction of the field strength received by the operator. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Assessment of General Public Exposure to LTE signals compared to other Cellular Networks Present in Thessaloniki, Greece.

PubMed

Gkonis, Fotios; Boursianis, Achilles; Samaras, Theodoros

2017-07-01

To assess general public exposure to electromagnetic fields from Long Term Evolution (LTE) base stations, measurements at 10 sites in Thessaloniki, Greece were performed. Results are compared with other mobile cellular networks currently in use. All exposure values satisfy the guidelines for general public exposure of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), as well as the reference levels by the Greek legislation at all sites. LTE electric field measurements were recorded up to 0.645 V/m. By applying the ICNIRP guidelines, the exposure ratio for all LTE signals is between 2.9 × 10-5 and 2.8 × 10-2. From the measurements results it is concluded that the average and maximum power density contribution of LTE downlink signals to the overall cellular networks signals are 7.8% and 36.7%, respectively. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Method and system for gas flow mitigation of molecular contamination of optics

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

Delgado, Gildardo; Johnson, Terry; Arienti, Marco

A computer-implemented method for determining an optimized purge gas flow in a semi-conductor inspection metrology or lithography apparatus, comprising receiving a permissible contaminant mole fraction, a contaminant outgassing flow rate associated with a contaminant, a contaminant mass diffusivity, an outgassing surface length, a pressure, a temperature, a channel height, and a molecular weight of a purge gas, calculating a flow factor based on the permissible contaminant mole fraction, the contaminant outgassing flow rate, the channel height, and the outgassing surface length, comparing the flow factor to a predefined maximum flow factor value, calculating a minimum purge gas velocity and amore » purge gas mass flow rate from the flow factor, the contaminant mass diffusivity, the pressure, the temperature, and the molecular weight of the purge gas, and introducing the purge gas into the semi-conductor inspection metrology or lithography apparatus with the minimum purge gas velocity and the purge gas flow rate.« less

Variability in Population Density of House Dust Mites of Bitlis and Muş, Turkey.

PubMed

Aykut, M; Erman, O K; Doğan, S

2016-05-01

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the number of house dust mites/g dust and different physical and environmental variables. A total of 1,040 house dust samples were collected from houses in Bitlis and Muş Provinces, Turkey, between May 2010 and February 2012. Overall, 751 (72.2%) of dust samples were mite positive. The number of mites/g dust varied between 20 and 1,840 in mite-positive houses. A significant correlation was detected between mean number of mites and altitude of houses, frequency of monthly vacuum cleaning, number of individuals in the household, and relative humidity. No association was found between the number of mites and temperature, type of heating, existence of allergic diseases, age and structure of houses. A maximum number of mites were detected in summer and a minimum number was detected in autumn. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Opportunities for Improvement in Pathology Reporting of Childhood Nonrhabdomyosarcoma Soft Tissue Sarcomas:  A Report From Children's Oncology Group (COG) Study ARST0332.

PubMed

Black, Jennifer O; Coffin, Cheryl M; Parham, David M; Hawkins, Douglas S; Speights, Rose A; Spunt, Sheri L

2016-09-01

Treatment of soft tissue tumors in young patients relies on the diagnostic information conveyed in the pathology report. We examined pathology reports from Children's Oncology Group ARST0332 for inclusion of data elements required in published guidelines. Pathology reports for 551 eligible patients were examined for required data elements defined by the College of American Pathologists, including tissue type, procedure, tumor site, tumor maximum diameter, macroscopic extent of tumor, histologic type, mitotic rate, extent of necrosis, tumor grade, margin status, use of ancillary studies, and pathologic stage. Only 65 (12%) of 551 reports included all required data elements. Of reports containing synoptic templates, 57% were complete. This study reveals significant opportunity to improve the quality of pathology reports in young patients with soft tissue tumors. Use of templates or checklists improves completeness of reports. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Management of acute anterior shoulder dislocation.

PubMed

Dala-Ali, Benan; Penna, Marta; McConnell, Jamie; Vanhegan, Ivor; Cobiella, Carlos

2014-08-01

Shoulder dislocation is the most common large joint dislocation in the body. Recent advances in radiological imaging and shoulder surgery have shown the potential dangers of traditional reduction techniques such as the Kocher's and the Hippocratic methods, which are still advocated by many textbooks. Many non-specialists continue to use these techniques, unaware of their potential risks. This article reviews the clinical and radiographic presentation of dislocation; some common reduction techniques; their risks and success rate; analgesia methods to facilitate the reduction; and postreduction management. Many textbooks advocate methods that have been superceded by safer alternatives. Trainees should learn better and safer relocation methods backed up by the current evidence available. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Children's judgments about ownership rights and body rights: Evidence for a common basis.

PubMed

Van de Vondervoort, Julia W; Meinz, Paul; Friedman, Ori

2017-03-01

We report two experiments supporting the theory that children's understanding of ownership rights is related to their notions of body rights. Experiment 1 investigated 4- to 7-year-olds' (N=123) developing sensitivity to physical contact in their judgments about the acceptability of behaving in relation to owned objects and body parts. Experiment 2 used a simpler design to investigate this in 3- and 4-year-olds (N=112). Findings confirmed two predictions of the theory. First, in both experiments, children's judgments about ownership and body rights were similarly affected by physical contact. Second, judgments about both kinds of rights were yoked in development; age-related changes in judgments about ownership rights were paralleled by changes in judgments about body rights. Our findings have additional import for theories of ownership rights because they suggest that physical contact may be a crucial factor in whether behaviors targeting property are judged to be permissible. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heavy metals in apple orchard soils and fruits and their health risks in Liaodong Peninsula, Northeast China.

PubMed

Wang, Quanying; Liu, Jingshuang; Cheng, Shuai

2015-01-01

This study aimed to assess the heavy metal concentrations in soils and fruits and their possible human health risk in apple orchards of Liaodong Peninsula-a well-known fruit-producing area of China. The soil pollution index (PI) and health risk assessment methods (daily intake of metals (DIM) and health risk index (HRI)) were employed to explore the soil pollution levels and the potential health hazards of heavy metals in fruits. The results showed that all orchard soils were with low PI values (PI ≤1) for Cd and Zn, while 2.78 and 5.56% of the soil samples exceeded the allowable levels of Cr and Cu for orchard soil, respectively. The Cd, Cu, and Zn concentrations for the apple flesh samples were all lower than the national maximum permissible concentrations. While 6.34% of apple peel samples for Cd, 76.5% of apple peel samples and 65.6% of apple flesh samples for Cr, and 28.1% of apple peel samples for Zn exceeded the national maximum permissible levels, respectively. Furthermore, both the DIM and the HRI values for all the apple flesh samples were within the safe limits, indicating that no health risk was found for heavy metals in the fruits of the study area. In order to protect the consumers from fruits that might cause health risks, results from this study suggested that the regular survey of heavy metal pollution levels should be conducted for the orchards of Liaodong Peninsula.

Assessment of current practices in management of childhood TB among frontline clinicians in Southern Nigeria.

PubMed

Chukwu, Joseph N; Ukwaja, Kingsley N; Ekeke, Ngozi; Nwafor, Charles C; Meka, Anthony O; Madichie, Nelson O; Anyim, Moses C; Ogbudebe, Chidubem; Adegbesan, Julie; Ikebudu, Joy; Oshi, Daniel C

2016-07-01

Poor competence of clinicians may be a critical factor responsible for the under-diagnosis of childhood TB in high-burden settings. Our objective was to assess the current practices of management of childhood TB among clinicians in Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clinicians recruited through a three-stage sampling technique from 76 health facilities in Southern Nigeria. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to all participants. Of 106 clinicians who completed the survey, 73 (68.9%) were <40 years and 67 (63.2%) were males. Also, 14 (13.2%) were paediatricians, 22 (20.8%) were paediatric specialist trainees and 70 (66%) were medical officers in primary and secondary care health facilities. About 94% of the respondents perceived diagnosis of childhood TB a challenge in Nigeria. The overall mean (SD) knowledge score was 3.8±0.9 (maximum 5), and 68 (64.2%) had good knowledge of childhood TB. The mean (SD) appropriate practice score was 4.0±1.7 (maximum 10) and, only 8 (7.5%) of them were considered to have adopted appropriate practices regarding childhood TB care. There are gaps in practices adopted by frontline clinicians in the management of childhood TB in Nigeria. Focused training of health workers on childhood TB care is urgently recommended. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Maximum striking velocities in strikes with steel rods-the influence of rod length, rod mass and volunteer parameters.

PubMed

Trinh, T X; Heinke, S; Rode, C; Schenkl, S; Hubig, M; Mall, G; Muggenthaler, Holger

2018-03-01

In blunt force trauma to the head caused by attacks with blunt instruments, contact forces can be estimated based on the conservation of momentum if impact velocities are known. The aims of this work were to measure maximum striking velocities and to examine the influence of rod parameters such as rod mass and length as well as volunteer parameters such as sex, age, body height, body mass, body mass index and the average amount of physical exercise. Steel rods with masses of 500, 1000 and 1500 g as well as lengths of 40, 65 and 90 cm were exemplarily tested as blunt instruments. Twenty-nine men and 22 women participated in this study. Each volunteer performed several vertical strikes with the steel rods onto a passive immobile target. Maximum striking velocities were measured by means of a Qualisys motion capture system using high-speed cameras and infrared light. Male volunteers achieved maximum striking velocities between 14.0 and 35.5 m/s whereas female volunteers achieved values between 10.4 and 28.3 m/s. Results show that maximum striking velocities increased with smaller rod masses and less consistently with higher rod lengths. Statistically significant influences were found in the volunteers' sex and average amount of physical exercise.

Comparison of body segmental kinematic characteristics between children with cerebral palsy performing sit-to-stand with and without a walker.

PubMed

Thanapan, Puthamaluk; Prasertsukdee, Saipin; Vachalathiti, Roongtiwa

2013-03-01

The study investigated how the subjects, 18 children with spastic diplegia aged 7-14 years, attained sit-to-stand (STS). The children were divided into two groups and three STS conditions: 1) those who could attain STS independently (I-STS), 2) those who could not attain STS independently (D-STS), and 3) subjects from the D-STS condition who could successfully attain STS with the walker (W-STS). The results showed that I-STS had more mean maximum horizontal location of the upper body and knee than the hip. All body segments of D-STS followed the same model as the I-STS condition, but they moved with less magnitude than I-STS. W-STS presented both pattern and magnitudes relatively similar to I-STS. Furthermore, I-STS showed the highest mean maximum horizontal and vertical velocities of body segments, when compared with the other STS conditions. W-STS performed the mean maximum horizontal and vertical linear velocities of all selected segments close to D-STS did.

Improving adherence to healthy dietary patterns, genetic risk, and long term weight gain: gene-diet interaction analysis in two prospective cohort studies.

PubMed

Wang, Tiange; Heianza, Yoriko; Sun, Dianjianyi; Huang, Tao; Ma, Wenjie; Rimm, Eric B; Manson, JoAnn E; Hu, Frank B; Willett, Walter C; Qi, Lu

2018-01-10

To investigate whether improving adherence to healthy dietary patterns interacts with the genetic predisposition to obesity in relation to long term changes in body mass index and body weight. Prospective cohort study. Health professionals in the United States. 8828 women from the Nurses' Health Study and 5218 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Genetic predisposition score was calculated on the basis of 77 variants associated with body mass index. Dietary patterns were assessed by the Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010), Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and Alternate Mediterranean Diet (AMED). Five repeated measurements of four year changes in body mass index and body weight over follow-up (1986 to 2006). During a 20 year follow-up, genetic association with change in body mass index was significantly attenuated with increasing adherence to the AHEI-2010 in the Nurses' Health Study (P=0.001 for interaction) and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (P=0.005 for interaction). In the combined cohorts, four year changes in body mass index per 10 risk allele increment were 0.07 (SE 0.02) among participants with decreased AHEI-2010 score and -0.01 (0.02) among those with increased AHEI-2010 score, corresponding to 0.16 (0.05) kg versus -0.02 (0.05) kg weight change every four years (P<0.001 for interaction). Viewed differently, changes in body mass index per 1 SD increment of AHEI-2010 score were -0.12 (0.01), -0.14 (0.01), and -0.18 (0.01) (weight change: -0.35 (0.03), -0.36 (0.04), and -0.50 (0.04) kg) among participants with low, intermediate, and high genetic risk, respectively. Similar interaction was also found for DASH but not for AMED. These data indicate that improving adherence to healthy dietary patterns could attenuate the genetic association with weight gain. Moreover, the beneficial effect of improved diet quality on weight management was particularly pronounced in people at high genetic risk for obesity. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Monitoring the body temperature of cows and calves using video recordings from an infrared thermography camera.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Gundula; Schmidt, Mariana; Ammon, Christian; Rose-Meierhöfer, Sandra; Burfeind, Onno; Heuwieser, Wolfgang; Berg, Werner

2013-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the variability of temperatures measured by a video-based infrared camera (IRC) in comparison to rectal and vaginal temperatures. The body surface temperatures of cows and calves were measured contactless at different body regions using videos from the IRC. Altogether, 22 cows and 9 calves were examined. The differences of the measured IRC temperatures among the body regions, i.e. eye (mean: 37.0 °C), back of the ear (35.6 °C), shoulder (34.9 °C) and vulva (37.2 °C), were significant (P < 0.01), except between eye and vulva (P = 0.99). The quartile ranges of the measured IRC temperatures at the 4 above mentioned regions were between 1.2 and 1.8 K. Of the investigated body regions the eye and the back of the ear proved to be suitable as practical regions for temperature monitoring. The temperatures of these 2 regions could be gained by the use of the maximum temperatures of the head and body area. Therefore, only the maximum temperatures of both areas were used for further analysis. The data analysis showed an increase for the maximum temperature measured by IRC at head and body area with an increase of rectal temperature in cows and calves. The use of infrared thermography videos has the advantage to analyze more than 1 picture per animal in a short period of time, and shows potential as a monitoring system for body temperatures in cattle.

Analysis of the car body stability performance after coupler jack-knifing during braking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Lirong; Wang, Kaiyun; Chen, Zaigang; Shi, Zhiyong; Lv, Kaikai; Ji, Tiancheng

2018-06-01

This paper aims to improve car body stability performance by optimising locomotive parameters when coupler jack-knifing occurs during braking. In order to prevent car body instability behaviour caused by coupler jack-knifing, a multi-locomotive simulation model and a series of field braking tests are developed to analyse the influence of the secondary suspension and the secondary lateral stopper on the car body stability performance during braking. According to simulation and test results, increasing secondary lateral stiffness contributes to limit car body yaw angle during braking. However, it seriously affects the dynamic performance of the locomotive. For the secondary lateral stopper, its lateral stiffness and free clearance have a significant influence on improving the car body stability capacity, and have less effect on the dynamic performance of the locomotive. An optimised measure was proposed and adopted on the test locomotive. For the optimised locomotive, the lateral stiffness of secondary lateral stopper is increased to 7875 kN/m, while its free clearance is decreased to 10 mm. The optimised locomotive has excellent dynamic and safety performance. Comparing with the original locomotive, the maximum car body yaw angle and coupler rotation angle of the optimised locomotive were reduced by 59.25% and 53.19%, respectively, according to the practical application. The maximum derailment coefficient was 0.32, and the maximum wheelset lateral force was 39.5 kN. Hence, reasonable parameters of secondary lateral stopper can improve the car body stability capacity and the running safety of the heavy haul locomotive.

Low-Lift Drag of the Grumman F9F-9 Airplane as Obtained by a 1/7.5-Scale Rocket-Boosted Model and by Three 1/45.85-Scale Equivalent-Body Models between Mach Numbers of 0.8 and 1.3, TED No. NACA DE 391

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevens, Joseph E.

1955-01-01

Low-lift drag data are presented herein for one 1/7.5-scale rocket-boosted model and three 1/45.85-scale equivalent-body models of the Grumman F9F-9 airplane, The data were obtained over a Reynolds number range of about 5 x 10(exp 6) to 10 x 10(exp 6) based on wing mean aerodynamic chord for the rocket model and total body length for the equivalent-body models. The rocket-boosted model showed a drag rise of about 0,037 (based on included wing area) between the subsonic level and the peak supersonic drag coefficient at the maximum Mach number of this test. The base drag coefficient measured on this model varied from a value of -0,0015 in the subsonic range to a maximum of about 0.0020 at a Mach number of 1.28, Drag coefficients for the equivalent-body models varied from about 0.125 (based on body maximum area) in the subsonic range to about 0.300 at a Mach number of 1.25. Increasing the total fineness ratio by a small amount raised the drag-rise Mach number slightly.

Demonstrating the effectiveness of body armour: a pilot prospective computerised surface wound mapping trial performed at the Role 3 hospital in Afghanistan.

PubMed

Breeze, Johno; Allanson-Bailey, L S; Hepper, A E; Midwinter, M J

2015-03-01

Modern body armour clearly reduces injury incidence and severity, but evidence to actually objectively demonstrate this effect is scarce. Although the Joint Theatre Trauma Registry (JTTR) alone cannot relate injury pattern to body armour coverage, the addition of computerised Surface Wound Mapping (SWM) may enable this utility. Surface wound locations of all UK and NATO coalition soldiers, Afghan National Army and Police and local nationals injured by explosively propelled fragments and treated in the Role 3 UK-led Field Hospital in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, between 8 July and 20 October 2012 were prospectively recorded. The Abbreviated Injury Scores (AIS) and relative risk of casualties sustaining injuries under a type of body armour were compared with those that did not wear that armour. Casualties wearing a combat helmet were 2.7 times less likely to sustain a fragmentation wound to the head than those that were unprotected (mean AIS of 2.9 compared with 4.1). Casualties wearing a body armour vest were 4.1 times less likely to sustain a fragmentation wound to the chest or abdomen than those that were unprotected (mean AIS of 2.9 compared with 3.9). Casualties wearing pelvic protection were 10 times less likely to sustain a fragmentation wound to the pelvis compared with those that were unprotected (mean AIS of 3.4 compared with 3.9). Computerised SWM has objectively demonstrated the ability of body armour worn on current operations in Afghanistan to reduce wound incidence and severity. We recognise this technique is limited in that it only records the surface wound location and may be specific to this conflict. However, gathering electronic SWM at the same time as recording injuries for the JTTR was simple, required little extra time and therefore we would recommend its collection during future conflicts. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Sensitivity and specificity of CT scanning for determining the number of internally concealed packages in 'body-packers'.

PubMed

Asha, Stephen Edward; Higham, Matthew; Child, Peter

2015-05-01

If package counts on abdominal CTs of body-packers were known to be accurate, follow-up CTs could be avoided. The objective was to determine the accuracy of CT for the number of concealed packages in body-packers, and the reliability of package counts reported by body-packers who admit to concealing drugs. Suspected body-packers were identified from the emergency departments (ED) database. The medical record and radiology reports were reviewed for package counts determined by CT, patient-reported and physically retrieved. The last method was used as the reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were calculated for CT package count accuracy. Reliability of patient-reported package counts was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. There were 50 confirmed body-packers on whom 104 CT scans were performed. Data for the index and reference tests were available for 84 scans. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for CT package count were 63% (95% CI 46% to 77%), 82% (95% CI 67% to 92%), 76% (95% CI 58% to 89%) and 71% (95% CI 56% to 83%) respectively. For CTs with a package count<15, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for CT package count were 96% (95% CI 80% to 99%), 95% (95% CI 82% to 99%), 93% (95% CI 76% to 99%) and 97% (95% CI 86% to 100%), respectively. Correlation between patient-reported package counts and the number of packages retrieved was high (r=0.90, p<0.001, R2=81%). The accuracy of CT for determining the number of concealed packages is poor, although when applied to patients with few concealed packages accuracy is high and is useful as a rule-out test. Among patients who have admitted to drug concealment, the number of packages reported to be concealed is reliable. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

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.

Engaging with local stakeholders: some lessons from Fukushima for recovery.

PubMed

Hayano, R S

2015-06-01

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident contaminated the soil of densely populated regions in Fukushima prefecture with radioactive caesium, which poses significant risks of internal and external exposure to the residents. Applying the knowledge of post-Chernobyl accident studies, internal exposures in excess of a few mSv per year would be expected to be common in Fukushima. However, extensive whole-body-counter surveys have shown that the internal exposure levels of residents are much lower than estimated; in 2012-2013, the Cs-137 detection percentages (the detection limit being ∼300 Bq body(-1)) were approximately 1% for adults and practically 0% for children. These results are consistent with those of many other measurements/studies conducted to date in Fukushima. As a consequence, risks from external exposure assume greater importance for the majority of residents in Fukushima due to the lower contribution from internal exposure. In both cases, average doses remain low, although some residents are exposed to higher-than-average risks; it is these members of the population who need to be identified and followed-up. Consequently, it is essential to re-establish communication at all levels in society. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Impact of yogurt on appetite control, energy balance, and body composition.

PubMed

Tremblay, Angelo; Doyon, Caroline; Sanchez, Marina

2015-08-01

Recent data support the idea that regular yogurt consumption promotes body weight stability. The simplest explanation is that regular consumption of healthful foods such as yogurt results in decreased intake of less healthful foods containing high amounts of fat and/or sugar. There is also evidence to suggest that the high calcium and protein contents of yogurt and other dairy foods influence appetite and energy intake. The existence of a calcium-specific appetite control mechanism has been proposed. Milk proteins differ in terms of absorption rate and post-absorptive responses, which can influence their satiating properties. Studies in humans have shown that consumption of milk and yogurt increases the circulating concentration of the anorectic peptides glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 and peptide YY (PYY). The food matrix can also affect appetite and satiety. Yogurt is a fermented milk that contains bacteria that enrich the microbiota of the host. It appears that lean vs obese humans differ in the composition of their gut microbiota. The available relevant literature suggests that yogurt is a food that facilitates the regulation of energy balance. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Replication of Merkel cell polyomavirus induces reorganization of promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies.

PubMed

Neumann, Friederike; Czech-Sioli, Manja; Dobner, Thomas; Grundhoff, Adam; Schreiner, Sabrina; Fischer, Nicole

2016-11-01

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is associated with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare but aggressive skin cancer. The virus is highly prevalent: 60-80 % of adults are seropositive; however, cells permissive for MCPyV infection are unknown. Consequently, very little information about the MCPyV life cycle is available. Until recently, MCPyV replication could only be studied using a semi-permissive in vitro replication system (Neumann et al., 2011; Feng et al., 2011, Schowalter et al., 2011). MCPyV replication most likely depends on subnuclear structures such as promyelocytic leukemia protein nuclear bodies (PML-NBs), which are known to play regulatory roles in the infection of many DNA viruses. Here, we investigated PML-NB components as candidate host factors to control MCPyV DNA replication. We showed that PML-NBs change in number and size in cells actively replicating MCPyV proviral DNA. We observed a significant increase in PML-NBs in cells positive for MCPyV viral DNA replication. Interestingly, a significant amount of cells actively replicating MCPyV did not show any Sp100 expression. While PML and Daxx had no effect on MCPyV DNA replication, MCPyV replication was increased in cells depleted for Sp100, strongly suggesting that Sp100 is a negative regulator of MCPyV DNA replication.

The impact of the peritoneal glucose load index on hydration status and inflammation in peritoneal dialysis patients.

PubMed

Hassan, Kamal; Hassan, Fadi; Edgem, Rabia; Moshe, Smadar; Hassan, Shadi

2015-02-01

To evaluate the impact of the peritoneal glucose load (PGL) on hydration status and inflammation in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. This cross-sectional study evaluated stable PD patients using a novel PGL index (PGLI), which was calculated as the net glucose content (g) in the PD solutions administered in the daily PD prescription divided by the dry body weight (kg) assessed by whole-body bioimpedance spectroscopy. The relationship between PGLI and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fluid overload (FO), and inflammatory markers was investigated. A total of 43 stable PD patients participated in the study. Significant positive correlations were found between PGLI and HbA1c, FO, plasma high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. HbA1c, FO, plasma hsCRP and plasma IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with PGLI >3 g/kg/day compared with those with PGLI ≤3 g/kg/day. PGLI values >3 g/kg/day may be associated with poor glycaemic control, over hydration and augmented inflammation. PGLI might be a useful tool for the quantitative assessment of the PGL and could be applied when managing PD patients. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Bacteriocins and bacteriophage; a narrow-minded approach to food and gut microbiology.

PubMed

Mills, Susan; Ross, R Paul; Hill, Colin

2017-08-01

Bacteriocins and bacteriophage (phage) are biological tools which exhibit targeted microbial killing, a phenomenon which until recently was seen as a major drawback for their use as antimicrobial agents. However, in an age when the deleterious consequences of broad-spectrum antibiotics on human health have become apparent, there is an urgent need to develop narrow-spectrum substitutes. Indeed, disruption of the microbial communities which exist on and in our bodies can generate immediate and long-term negative effects and this is particularly borne out in the gut microbiota community whose disruption has been linked to a number of disorders reaching as far as the brain. Moreover, the antibiotic resistance crisis has resulted in our inability to treat many bacterial infections and has triggered the search for damage-limiting alternatives. As bacteriocins and phage are natural entities they are relatively easy to isolate and characterise and are also ideal candidates for improving food safety and quality, forfeiting the need for largely unpopular chemical preservatives. This review highlights the efficacy of both antimicrobial agents in terms of gut health and food safety and explores the body of scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness in both environments. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Biodiversity and body size are linked across metazoans

PubMed Central

McClain, Craig R.; Boyer, Alison G.

2009-01-01

Body size variation across the Metazoa is immense, encompassing 17 orders of magnitude in biovolume. Factors driving this extreme diversification in size and the consequences of size variation for biological processes remain poorly resolved. Species diversity is invoked as both a predictor and a result of size variation, and theory predicts a strong correlation between the two. However, evidence has been presented both supporting and contradicting such a relationship. Here, we use a new comprehensive dataset for maximum and minimum body sizes across all metazoan phyla to show that species diversity is strongly correlated with minimum size, maximum size and consequently intra-phylum variation. Similar patterns are also observed within birds and mammals. The observations point to several fundamental linkages between species diversification and body size variation through the evolution of animal life. PMID:19324730

Trigger point-related sympathetic nerve activity in chronic sciatic leg pain: a case study.

PubMed

Skorupska, Elżbieta; Rychlik, Michał; Pawelec, Wiktoria; Bednarek, Agata; Samborski, Włodzimierz

2014-10-01

Sciatica has classically been associated with irritation of the sciatic nerve by the vertebral disc and consequent inflammation. Some authors suggest that active trigger points in the gluteus minimus muscle can refer pain in similar way to sciatica. Trigger point diagnosis is based on Travel and Simons criteria, but referred pain and twitch response are significant confirmatory signs of the diagnostic criteria. Although vasoconstriction in the area of a latent trigger point has been demonstrated, the vasomotor reaction of active trigger points has not been examined. We report the case of a 22-year-old Caucasian European man who presented with a 3-year history of chronic sciatic-type leg pain. In the third year of symptoms, coexistent myofascial pain syndrome was diagnosed. Acupuncture needle stimulation of active trigger points under infrared thermovisual camera showed a sudden short-term vasodilatation (an autonomic phenomenon) in the area of referred pain. The vasodilatation spread from 0.2 to 171.9 cm(2) and then gradually decreased. After needling, increases in average and maximum skin temperature were seen as follows: for the thigh, changes were +2.6°C (average) and +3.6°C (maximum); for the calf, changes were +0.9°C (average) and +1.4°C (maximum). It is not yet known whether the vasodilatation observed was evoked exclusively by dry needling of active trigger points. The complex condition of the patient suggests that other variables might have influenced the infrared thermovision camera results. We suggest that it is important to check if vasodilatation in the area of referred pain occurs in all patients with active trigger points. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A method to minimise the fading effects of LiF:Mg,Ti (TLD-600 and TLD-700) using a pre-heat technique.

PubMed

Lee, YoungJu; Won, Yuho; Kang, Kidoo

2015-04-01

Passive integrating dosemeters [thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL)] are the only legally permitted individual dosemeters for occupational external radiation exposure monitoring in Korea. Also its maximum issuing cycle does not exceed 3 months, and the Korean regulations require personal dosemeters for official assessment of external radiation exposure to be issued by an approved or rather an accredited dosimetry service according to ISO/IEC 17025. KHNP (Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, LTD), a unique operating company of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Korea, currently has a plan to extend a TLD issuing cycle from 1 to 3 months under the authors' fading error criteria, ±10%. The authors have performed a feasibility study that minimises post-irradiation fading effects within their maximum reading cycle employing pre-heating technique. They repeatedly performed irradiation/reading a bare TLD chip to determine optimum pre-heating conditions by analysing each glow curve. The optimum reading conditions within the maximum reading cycle of 3 months were decided: a pre-heating temperature of 165°C, a pre-heating time of 9 s, a heating rate of 25°C s(-1), a reading temperature of 300°C and an acquisition time of 10 s. The fading result of TLD-600 and TLD-700 carried by newly developed time temperature profile (TTP) showed a much smaller fading effect than that of current TTP. The result showed that the fading error due to a developed TTP resulted in a ∼5% signal loss, whereas a current TTP caused a ∼15% loss. The authors also carried out a legal performance test on newly developed TTP to confirm its possibility as an official dosemeter. The legal performance tests that applied the developed TTP satisfied the criteria for all the test categories. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Usability of prostaglandin monotherapy eye droppers.

PubMed

Drew, Tom; Wolffsohn, James S

2015-09-01

To determine the force needed to extract a drop from a range of current prostaglandin monotherapy eye droppers and how this related to the comfortable and maximum pressure subjects could exert. The comfortable and maximum pressure subjects could apply to an eye dropper constructed around a set of cantilevered pressure sensors and mounted above their eye was assessed in 102 subjects (mean 51.2±18.7 years), repeated three times. A load cell amplifier, mounted on a stepper motor controlled linear slide, was constructed and calibrated to test the force required to extract the first three drops from 13 multidose or unidose latanoprost medication eye droppers. The pressure that could be exerted on a dropper comfortably (25.9±17.7 Newtons, range 1.2-87.4) could be exceeded with effort (to 64.8±27.1 Newtons, range 19.9-157.8; F=19.045, p<0.001), and did not differ between repeats (F=0.609, p=0.545). Comfortable and maximum pressures exerted were correlated (r=0.618, p<0.001), neither were influenced strongly by age (r=0.138, p=0.168; r=-0.118, p=0237, respectively), but were lower in women than in men (F=12.757, p=0.001). The force required to expel a drop differed between dropper designs (F=22.528, p<0.001), ranging from 6.4 Newtons to 23.4 Newtons. The force needed to exert successive drops increased (F=36.373, p<0.001) and storing droppers in the fridge further increased the force required (F=7.987, p=0.009). Prostaglandin monotherapy droppers for glaucoma treatment vary in their resistance to extract a drop and with some a drop could not be comfortably achieved by half the population, which may affect compliance and efficacy. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Impact of food on the pharmacokinetics of first-line anti-TB drugs in treatment-naive TB patients: a randomized cross-over trial.

PubMed

Saktiawati, Antonia M I; Sturkenboom, Marieke G G; Stienstra, Ymkje; Subronto, Yanri W; Sumardi; Kosterink, Jos G W; van der Werf, Tjip S; Alffenaar, Jan-Willem C

2016-03-01

Concomitant food intake influences pharmacokinetics of first-line anti-TB drugs in healthy volunteers. However, in treatment-naive TB patients who are starting with drug treatment, data on the influence of food intake on the pharmacokinetics are absent. This study aimed to quantify the influence of food on the pharmacokinetics of isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide in TB patients starting anti-TB treatment. A prospective randomized cross-over pharmacokinetic study was conducted in treatment-naive adults with drug-susceptible TB. They received isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol intravenously and oral pyrazinamide on day 1, followed by oral administration of these drugs under fasted and fed conditions on two consecutive days. Primary outcome was the bioavailability while fasting and with concomitant food intake. This study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT02121314. Twenty subjects completed the study protocol. Absolute bioavailability in the fasted state and the fed state was 93% and 78% for isoniazid, 87% and 71% for rifampicin and 87% and 82% for ethambutol. Food decreased absolute bioavailability of isoniazid and rifampicin by 15% and 16%, respectively. Pyrazinamide AUC0-24 was comparable for the fasted state (481 mg·h/L) and the fed state (468 mg·h/L). Food lowered the maximum concentrations of isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide by 42%, 22% and 10%, respectively. Time to maximum concentration was delayed for isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide. The pharmacokinetics of ethambutol were unaffected by food. Food decreased absolute bioavailability and maximum concentration of isoniazid and rifampicin, but not of ethambutol or pyrazinamide, in treatment-naive TB patients. In patients prone to low drug exposure, this may further compromise treatment efficacy and increase the risk of acquired drug resistance. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Towards improving searches for optimal phylogenies.

PubMed

Ford, Eric; St John, Katherine; Wheeler, Ward C

2015-01-01

Finding the optimal evolutionary history for a set of taxa is a challenging computational problem, even when restricting possible solutions to be "tree-like" and focusing on the maximum-parsimony optimality criterion. This has led to much work on using heuristic tree searches to find approximate solutions. We present an approach for finding exact optimal solutions that employs and complements the current heuristic methods for finding optimal trees. Given a set of taxa and a set of aligned sequences of characters, there may be subsets of characters that are compatible, and for each such subset there is an associated (possibly partially resolved) phylogeny with edges corresponding to each character state change. These perfect phylogenies serve as anchor trees for our constrained search space. We show that, for sequences with compatible sites, the parsimony score of any tree [Formula: see text] is at least the parsimony score of the anchor trees plus the number of inferred changes between [Formula: see text] and the anchor trees. As the maximum-parsimony optimality score is additive, the sum of the lower bounds on compatible character partitions provides a lower bound on the complete alignment of characters. This yields a region in the space of trees within which the best tree is guaranteed to be found; limiting the search for the optimal tree to this region can significantly reduce the number of trees that must be examined in a search of the space of trees. We analyze this method empirically using four different biological data sets as well as surveying 400 data sets from the TreeBASE repository, demonstrating the effectiveness of our technique in reducing the number of steps in exact heuristic searches for trees under the maximum-parsimony optimality criterion. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Strength analysis and design of adhesive joints between circular elements made of metal and reinforced polymer materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelekh, B. L.; Marchuk, M. V.; Kogut, I. S.

1992-06-01

The stress-strain state of an adhesive joint between cylindrical components made of a metal (steel) and a cross-reinforced filament-wound composite (glass/polymer or basalt/polymer) was investigated under static axial loading using newly proposed experimental techniques and a refined mathematical model. Analytical expressions are obtained for contact stresses in the adhesive joint. The maximum permissible load and the ultimate shear strength of the joint are determined. The experimental results are found to be in satisfactory agreement with model predictions.

Cost and disability trends of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in Ohio.

PubMed

Davis, K; Dunning, K; Jewell, G; Lockey, J

2014-12-01

With expected changes in age demographics many industry sectors may see their workforce significantly increase in age. The impact of claims and costs associated with musculoskeletal disorders in these industries may also change accordingly. To determine the age-related trends in musculoskeletal disorders, including claims and costs, in different industrial sectors in the state of Ohio, USA. Worker's compensation claims for musculoskeletal disorders in the state of Ohio between 1999 and 2004 were analysed in respect of age, industry sector, body region, and impact on cost and medical care (percentage of claims associated with surgery and number of procedures costing in excess of US$600). More than 570000 claims were analysed. Patterns of cost and disability among the majority of body regions demonstrated an increasing trend until 55 years of age, decreasing in older age groups. However, many industries demonstrated a continued increasing trend in costs with age. Shoulder and lumbar spine disorders showed unique industry-specific trends for older age groups as compared to the bell-shaped relationships for other body regions. Ageing appeared to have a role in the frequency and costs of musculoskeletal disorder claims in this study. However, industry-specific trends in the data suggest that job-specific risk factors may also play a role. The impact of age alone on the cost of musculoskeletal disorders cannot be determined because age is confounded by numerous lifestyle and work-related factors not identifiable in this study. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Arecoline Alters Taste Bud Cell Morphology, Reduces Body Weight, and Induces Behavioral Preference Changes in Gustatory Discrimination in C57BL/6 Mice.

PubMed

Peng, Wei-Hau; Chau, Yat-Pang; Lu, Kuo-Shyan; Kung, Hsiu-Ni

2016-01-01

Arecoline, a major alkaloid in areca nuts, is involved in the pathogenesis of oral diseases. Mammalian taste buds are the structural unit for detecting taste stimuli in the oral cavity. The effects of arecoline on taste bud morphology are poorly understood. Arecoline was injected intraperitoneally (IP) into C57BL/6 mice twice daily for 1-4 weeks. After arecoline treatment, the vallate papillae were processed for electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry analysis of taste receptor proteins (T1R2, T1R3, T1R1, and T2R) and taste associated proteins (α-gustducin, PLCβ2, and SNAP25). Body weight, food intake and water consumption were recorded. A 2-bottle preference test was also performed. The results demonstrated that 1) arecoline treatment didn't change the number and size of the taste buds or taste bud cells, 2) electron microscopy revealed the change of organelles and the accumulation of autophagosomes in type II cells, 3) immunohistochemistry demonstrated a decrease of taste receptor T1R2- and T1R3-expressing cells, 4) the body weight and food intake were markedly reduced, and 5) the sweet preference behavior was reduced. We concluded that the long-term injection of arecoline alters the morphology of type II taste bud cells, retards the growth of mice, and affects discrimination competencies for sweet tastants. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

History of Severe Sunburn and Risk of Skin Cancer Among Women and Men in 2 Prospective Cohort Studies.

PubMed

Wu, Shaowei; Cho, Eunyoung; Li, Wen-Qing; Weinstock, Martin A; Han, Jiali; Qureshi, Abrar A

2016-05-01

Few studies have assessed the relationship between sunburn and risk of different skin cancers (melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC)) in prospective studies simultaneously, and little is known about the association of severe sunburns at different body sites with skin cancer risk. We used data on 87,166 women in the Nurses' Health Study (1982-2010) and 32,959 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1992-2010) to investigate skin cancer risk associated with history of severe sunburns at different body sites (face/arms, trunk, and lower limbs). After adjustment for other risk factors, overall baseline history of severe sunburn was more apparently associated with risk of melanoma than with risk of SCC and BCC in men (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios were 2.41 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.32, 4.41) for melanoma, 1.48 (95% CI: 1.08, 2.03) for SCC, and 1.18 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.32) for BCC) but not in women. Sunburn on the trunk appeared to be more closely associated with melanoma risk, but not risk of SCC and BCC, when compared with sunburns at other body sites (face/arms and lower limbs). These differences were more apparent in men than in women. Pending further investigation, our findings add novel insights to the existing literature on sunburn history and skin cancer risk. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Identification of Novel Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Mutations in Human Head and Body Lice (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae).

PubMed

Firooziyan, Samira; Sadaghianifar, Ali; Taghilou, Behrooz; Galavani, Hossein; Ghaffari, Eslam; Gholizadeh, Saber

2017-09-01

In recent years, the increase of head louse infestation in Iran (7.4%) and especially in West-Azerbaijan Province (248%) has raised the hypothesis of insecticide resistance development. There are different mechanisms of resistance to various groups of insecticides, and knockdown resistance (kdr) is a prominent mechanism of resistance to pyrethroids, an insecticide group which is used conventionally for pediculosis control. For detection of kdr-type well-known amino acid substitutions (M815I-T917I-L920F) and additional sodium channel mutations potentially associated with kdr resistance in head and body lice, louse populations were collected from West-Azerbaijan and Zanjan Provinces of Iran. Six novel mutations were found to be located in the IIS1-2 extracellular loop (H813P) and IIS5 (I927F, L928A, R929V, L930M, and L932M) of the α-subunit. Genotyping results showed that all specimens (100%) have at least one of these or the well-known mutations. Therefore, the presence of kdr-related and novel mutations in the sodium channel is likely to be the reason for the frequent use of pyrethroid insecticides due to treatment failure against lice. Further studies are now required to evaluate the prevalence of the kdr-like mutant allele for monitoring of insecticide resistance and the management of head and body lice in other provinces of the country. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

49 CFR 173.199 - Category B infectious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... maximum temperatures, changes in humidity and pressure, and shocks, loadings and vibrations normally... containing body parts, organs, or whole bodies, for shipment by aircraft, the outer packaging may not contain...

49 CFR 173.199 - Category B infectious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... maximum temperatures, changes in humidity and pressure, and shocks, loadings and vibrations normally... containing body parts, organs, or whole bodies, for shipment by aircraft, the outer packaging may not contain...

49 CFR 173.199 - Category B infectious substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... maximum temperatures, changes in humidity and pressure, and shocks, loadings and vibrations normally... containing body parts, organs, or whole bodies, for shipment by aircraft, the outer packaging may not contain...

SU-G-206-08: How Should Focal Spot Be Chosen for Optimized CT Imaging with Dose Modulation?

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

Bache, S; Liu, X; Rong, J

Purpose: To choose the preferred focal spot for achieving optimized CT image quality with balanced tube heating considerations. Methods: An anthropomorphic pelvic phantom was scanned using a GE Discovery CT750 HD at 120 and 140kVp, 0.8s rotation time, and pitch of 0.984. “Smart mA” was enabled to simulate a routine abdomen–pelvis CT scan. Permissible mA values at 120 and 140 kVp were obtained from the Serial Load Rating table (for mimicking a busy CT clinical operation) in the scanner Technical Reference Manual. At each kVp station and two Noise Index levels, the mA Upper Limit was set above/below the permissiblemore » mA values. Scanned mA values and focal spot (FS) used were obtained from the DICOM header of each image, and the FS-mA relationship was analyzed. For visual confirmation beyond recorded FS information, a CatPhan with a fat-ring attached for mimicking patient size/shape was scanned at 120kVp. A group of radiologists/physicists compared a pair of CatPhan images qualitatively. Lastly, a number of patient cases were evaluated to confirm the FS-mA relationship. Results: When preset Upper Limit values were above the permissible mA values, the Large FS (labeled 1.2) was used in scans, even if the maximum scanned mA values were much lower than the permissible values at both 120 and 140 kVp. Otherwise the Small FS (labeled 0.7) was used. Visual evaluation of the high contrast module of CatPhan and additional analysis of patient cases further confirmed that the preset Upper Limit determines which focal spot is to be used, not the actual maximum mA value to be scanned. Conclusion: Specific FS can be selected by setting up appropriate mA Upper Limit in a protocol. CT protocols could be optimized by selecting appropriate FS for improving patient image quality, especially benefiting the small size and pediatric patients.« less

Revealing bending and force in a soft body through a plant root inspired approach

PubMed Central

Lucarotti, Chiara; Totaro, Massimo; Sadeghi, Ali; Mazzolai, Barbara; Beccai, Lucia

2015-01-01

An emerging challenge in soft robotics research is to reveal mechanical solicitations in a soft body. Nature provides amazing clues to develop unconventional components that are capable of compliant interactions with the environment and living beings, avoiding mechanical and algorithmic complexity of robotic design. We inspire from plant-root mechanoperception and develop a strategy able to reveal bending and applied force in a soft body with only two sensing elements of the same kind, and a null computational effort. The stretching processes that lead to opposite tissue deformations on the two sides of the root wall are emulated with two tactile sensing elements, made of soft and stretchable materials, which conform to reversible changes in the shape of the body they are built in and follow its deformations. Comparing the two sensory responses, we can discriminate the concave and the convex side of the bent body. Hence, we propose a new strategy to reveal in a soft body the maximum bending angle (or the maximum deflection) and the externally applied force according to the body's mechanical configuration. PMID:25739743

Levels and potential health risks of mercury in prescription, non-prescription medicines and dietary supplements in Poland.

PubMed

Kowalski, Artur; Frankowski, Marcin

2015-10-01

Determination of mercury is important in the case of pharmaceuticals for which the European Union regulations have not defined the maximum permissible concentration of this metal. The aim of the study was to determine the levels of mercury in the following groups of drugs (n = 119): analgesics, diuretics, cardiacs, antihypertensives, anti-influenza, antibiotics, anti-allergics, tranquilizers, antibacterials and in dietary supplements (n = 33) available on the Polish market. Mercury was analyzed using cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry CV-AFS. Its content in the samples varied in the range of 0.9-476.1 ng g(-1). Higher mercury concentrations were reported for prescription drugs (Rx): 0.9-476.1 ng g(-1) (median: 7.4 ng g(-1)), lower--for non-prescription medicines (OTC): 1.2-45.8 ng g(-1) (median: 6.0 ng g(-1)). In the analyzed dietary supplements the concentrations were: 0.9-16.7 ng g(-1) (median: 5.9 ng g(-1)). On the basis of the information contained in the leaflet accompanying the medicine, a daily dose of mercury taken into the body with an analyzed medicament was estimated and the health risk posed by using such medicines was assessed. The study indicates that it is justified to carry out measurements of mercury in pharmaceuticals due to its high, potentially harmful. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heavy metals hazards from Nigerian spices.

PubMed

Asomugha, Rose Ngozi; Udowelle, Nnaemeka Arinze; Offor, Samuel James; Njoku, Chinonso Judith; Ofoma, Ifeoma Victoria; Chukwuogor, Chiaku Chinwe; Orisakwe, Orish Ebere

Natural spices are commonly used by the people in Nigeria. They may be easily contaminated with heavy metals when they are dried and then pose a health risk for the consumers. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of heavy metals in some commonly consumed natural spices namely Prosopis Africana, Xylopia aethiopica, Piper gineense, Monodora myristica, Monodora tenuifolia and Capsicum frutescens sold in the local markets of Awka, Anambra state, South East Nigeria to estimate the potential health risk. The range of heavy metal concentration was in the order: Zn (14.09 - 161.04) > Fe (28.15 - 134.59) > Pb (2.61 - 8.97) > Cr (0.001 - 3.81) > Co (0.28 - 3.07) > Ni (0.34 - 2.89). Pb, Fe and Zn exceeded the maximum allowable concentrations for spices. The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) of the spices varied from 0.06-0.5. Estimated daily intakes (EDI) were all below the tolerable daily intake (TDI). The lead levels in Prosopis africana, Xylopia aethiopica, Piper gineense, Monodora myristica and Capsicum frutescens which are 8-30 times higher than the WHO/FAO permissible limit of 0.3 mg/kg. Lead contamination of spices sold in Awka (south east Nigeria) may add to the body burden of lead. A good quality control for herbal food is important in order to protect consumers from contamination. food products, spices, potential toxic metals, risk assessment, public health.

An Introductory "How-to" Guide for Incorporating Microbiome Research into Integrative and Comparative Biology.

PubMed

Kohl, Kevin D

2017-10-01

Research on host-associated microbial communities has grown rapidly. Despite the great body of work, inclusion of microbiota-related questions into integrative and comparative biology is still lagging behind other disciplines. The purpose of this paper is to offer an introduction into the basic tools and techniques of host-microbe research. Specifically, what considerations should be made before embarking on such projects (types of samples, types of controls)? How is microbiome data analyzed and integrated with data measured from the hosts? How can researchers experimentally manipulate the microbiome? With this information, integrative and comparative biologists should be able to include host-microbe studies into their research and push the boundaries of both fields. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Crowdsourced 'R&D' and medical research.

PubMed

Callaghan, Christian William

2015-09-01

Crowdsourced R&D, a research methodology increasingly applied to medical research, has properties well suited to large-scale medical data collection and analysis, as well as enabling rapid research responses to crises such as disease outbreaks. Multidisciplinary literature offers diverse perspectives of crowdsourced R&D as a useful large-scale medical data collection and research problem-solving methodology. Crowdsourced R&D has demonstrated 'proof of concept' in a host of different biomedical research applications. A wide range of quality and ethical issues relate to crowdsourced R&D. The rapid growth in applications of crowdsourced R&D in medical research is predicted by an increasing body of multidisciplinary theory. Further research in areas such as artificial intelligence may allow better coordination and management of the high volumes of medical data and problem-solving inputs generated by the crowdsourced R&D process. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Engaging children and parents in service design and delivery.

PubMed

Bedford Russell, A R; Passant, M; Kitt, H

2014-12-01

The involvement of all user groups, including children, young people (CYP) and their parents, encourages people to take responsibility for healthier lifestyle behaviours, improves treatment compliance and leads to more appropriate use of healthcare resources. Initiatives to engage CYP in the UK are gathering momentum, but significant improvements are still needed. There is a national drive from the department of health (DH) and NHS England, strategic clinical networks, operational delivery networks (including newborn networks), charities, parent groups and a number of other bodies to embed CYP involvement in service design and delivery. User engagement and patient choice, is underpinned by the NHS outcomes framework, and a myriad of other DH and NHS England policies and practice frameworks. It is now everybody's business. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Main characteristics of metabolically obese normal weight and metabolically healthy obese phenotypes.

PubMed

Teixeira, Tatiana F S; Alves, Raquel D M; Moreira, Ana Paula B; Peluzio, Maria do Carmo G

2015-03-01

In this review, the influence of fat depots on insulin resistance and the main characteristics of metabolically obese normal-weight and metabolically healthy obese phenotypes are discussed. Medline/PubMed and Science Direct were searched for articles related to the terms metabolically healthy obesity, metabolically obese normal weight, adipose tissue, and insulin resistance. Normal weight and obesity might be heterogeneous in regard to their effects. Fat distribution and lower insulin sensitivity are the main factors defining phenotypes within the same body mass index. Although these terms are interesting, controversies about them remain. Future studies exploring these phenotypes will help elucidate the roles of adiposity and/or insulin resistance in the development of metabolic alterations. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Integrating empowerment evaluation and quality improvement to achieve healthcare improvement outcomes.

PubMed

Wandersman, Abraham; Alia, Kassandra Ann; Cook, Brittany; Ramaswamy, Rohit

2015-10-01

While the body of evidence-based healthcare interventions grows, the ability of health systems to deliver these interventions effectively and efficiently lags behind. Quality improvement approaches, such as the model for improvement, have demonstrated some success in healthcare but their impact has been lessened by implementation challenges. To help address these challenges, we describe the empowerment evaluation approach that has been developed by programme evaluators and a method for its application (Getting To Outcomes (GTO)). We then describe how GTO can be used to implement healthcare interventions. An illustrative healthcare quality improvement example that compares the model for improvement and the GTO method for reducing hospital admissions through improved diabetes care is described. We conclude with suggestions for integrating GTO and the model for improvement. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The evidence for microbiome manipulation in inflammatory arthritis.

PubMed

Jethwa, Hannah; Abraham, Sonya

2017-09-01

The human body consists of millions of commensal bacteria (the microbiome), with the intestinal tract being the most prevalent site of colonization. This colonization process begins at birth, and despite numerous factors such as ageing, diet and drug use affecting the microbiome make-up, by adulthood the composition of the gut bacteria is relatively consistent across local populations. The recent advent of new scientific techniques has enabled us to explore how the microbiome affects health and, in particular, has shed light on the involvement of the microbiome in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disease. In this review we highlight the current evidence for microbiome manipulation in inflammatory arthritis in animal and human models and discuss potential therapeutics targeting the microbiome as treatment for these diseases. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Urinary incontinence a first presentation of central pontine myelinolysis: a case report.

PubMed

Syed, Asmah Hassan; Shak, Joanna; Alsawaf, Ali

2015-09-01

An 84-year-old lady was treated for hyperosmolar hyperglycaemia with IV insulin, fluids and catheterisation for fluid balance monitoring. Trial without catheter failed as the patient complained of new-onset urinary incontinence and lack of awareness of bladder filling. In light of her breast cancer history, we excluded cauda equina. Ultrasound KUB showed an enlarged bladder. Whole-body MRI revealed a lesion in the pons which was highly suggestive of central pontine myelinolysis (CPM). Her electrolytes were normal throughout her admission; thus, the rapid fluctuation in osmolality, secondary to her hyperglycaemic state, was the likely cause of CPM. CPM has been reported secondary to hyperglycaemia; however, this is the first reported case of CPM presenting as urinary incontinence and loss of bladder sensation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Acupuncture therapy for fever induced by viral upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in military medical service: a case series.

PubMed

Kwon, SeungWon; Shin, KyoungHo; Jung, WooSang; Moon, SangKwan; Cho, KiHo

2014-12-01

We report the cases of eight military patients with fever (≥38°C) induced by viral upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) who requested treatment with acupuncture in the military medical service room. All patients were treated immediately after diagnosis with classical acupuncture (GV14, GB20, TE8 points) and a new type of acupuncture, equilibrium acupuncture (Feibing and Ganmao points). After one treatment session (20 min), reduction of body temperature was confirmed in all patients. Accompanying symptoms such as headache, myalgia and nasal obstruction also showed a tendency to decrease. Within 3 days of treatment, six of the eight patients had recovered from the URTI. No adverse effects of acupuncture treatment were reported. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The Role 1 capability review: mitigation and innovation for Op HERRICK 18 and into contingency.

PubMed

Wheatley, Robert J

2014-09-01

The Role 1 orientated JRAMC of September 2012 was a welcome addition to the body of Role 1 literature. In particular, the Role 1 capability review by Hodgetts and Findlay detailed both current issues and future aspirations for Role 1 provision. This personal view considers issues still prevalent during Op HERRICK 18 namely the provision of primary healthcare by combat medical technicians on operations and the organisational issues that contribute to historical structural and attitudinal obstructions to the employment of combat medical technicians in firm base primary healthcare. It also considers a dynamically updating dashboard capable of displaying risk across the Role 1 network with the implied move to a model of continuous healthcare assurance. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Toward understanding the evolution of vertebrate gene regulatory networks: comparative genomics and epigenomic approaches.

PubMed

Martinez-Morales, Juan R

2016-07-01

Vertebrates, as most animal phyla, originated >500 million years ago during the Cambrian explosion, and progressively radiated into the extant classes. Inferring the evolutionary history of the group requires understanding the architecture of the developmental programs that constrain the vertebrate anatomy. Here, I review recent comparative genomic and epigenomic studies, based on ChIP-seq and chromatin accessibility, which focus on the identification of functionally equivalent cis-regulatory modules among species. This pioneer work, primarily centered in the mammalian lineage, has set the groundwork for further studies in representative vertebrate and chordate species. Mapping of active regulatory regions across lineages will shed new light on the evolutionary forces stabilizing ancestral developmental programs, as well as allowing their variation to sustain morphological adaptations on the inherited vertebrate body plan. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The influence of maximum running speed on eye size: a test of Leuckart's Law in mammals.

PubMed

Heard-Booth, Amber N; Kirk, E Christopher

2012-06-01

Vertebrate eye size is influenced by many factors, including body or head size, diet, and activity pattern. Locomotor speed has also been suggested to influence eye size in a relationship known as Leuckart's Law. Leuckart's Law proposes that animals capable of achieving fast locomotor speeds require large eyes to enhance visual acuity and avoid collisions with environmental obstacles. The selective influence of rapid flight has been invoked to explain the relatively large eyes of birds, but Leuckart's Law remains untested in nonavian vertebrates. This study investigates the relationship between eye size and maximum running speed in a diverse sample of mammals. Measures of axial eye diameter, maximum running speed, and body mass were collected from the published literature for 50 species from 10 mammalian orders. This analysis reveals that absolute eye size is significantly positively correlated with maximum running speed in mammals. Moreover, the relationship between eye size and running speed remains significant when the potentially confounding effects of body mass and phylogeny are statistically controlled. The results of this analysis are therefore consistent with the expectations of Leuckart's Law and demonstrate that faster-moving mammals have larger eyes than their slower-moving close relatives. Accordingly, we conclude that maximum running speed is one of several key selective factors that have influenced the evolution of eye size in mammals. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Maximum-entropy probability distributions under Lp-norm constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dolinar, S.

1991-01-01

Continuous probability density functions and discrete probability mass functions are tabulated which maximize the differential entropy or absolute entropy, respectively, among all probability distributions with a given L sub p norm (i.e., a given pth absolute moment when p is a finite integer) and unconstrained or constrained value set. Expressions for the maximum entropy are evaluated as functions of the L sub p norm. The most interesting results are obtained and plotted for unconstrained (real valued) continuous random variables and for integer valued discrete random variables. The maximum entropy expressions are obtained in closed form for unconstrained continuous random variables, and in this case there is a simple straight line relationship between the maximum differential entropy and the logarithm of the L sub p norm. Corresponding expressions for arbitrary discrete and constrained continuous random variables are given parametrically; closed form expressions are available only for special cases. However, simpler alternative bounds on the maximum entropy of integer valued discrete random variables are obtained by applying the differential entropy results to continuous random variables which approximate the integer valued random variables in a natural manner. All the results are presented in an integrated framework that includes continuous and discrete random variables, constraints on the permissible value set, and all possible values of p. Understanding such as this is useful in evaluating the performance of data compression schemes.

First investigations to refine video-based IR thermography as a non-invasive tool to monitor the body temperature of calves.

PubMed

Hoffmann, G; Schmidt, M; Ammon, C

2016-09-01

In this study, a video-based infrared camera (IRC) was investigated as a tool to monitor the body temperature of calves. Body surface temperatures were measured contactless using videos from an IRC fixed at a certain location in the calf feeder. The body surface temperatures were analysed retrospectively at three larger areas: the head area (in front of the forehead), the body area (behind forehead) and the area of the entire animal. The rectal temperature served as a reference temperature and was measured with a digital thermometer at the corresponding time point. A total of nine calves (Holstein-Friesians, 8 to 35 weeks old) were examined. The average maximum temperatures of the area of the entire animal (mean±SD: 37.66±0.90°C) and the head area (37.64±0.86°C) were always higher than that of the body area (36.75±1.06°C). The temperatures of the head area and of the entire animal were very similar. However, the maximum temperatures as measured using IRC increased with an increase in calf rectal temperature. The maximum temperatures of each video picture for the entire visible body area of the calves appeared to be sufficient to measure the superficial body temperature. The advantage of the video-based IRC over conventional IR single-picture cameras is that more than one picture per animal can be analysed in a short period of time. This technique provides more data for analysis. Thus, this system shows potential as an indicator for continuous temperature measurements in calves.

Examining the Prey Mass of Terrestrial and Aquatic Carnivorous Mammals: Minimum, Maximum and Range

PubMed Central

Tucker, Marlee A.; Rogers, Tracey L.

2014-01-01

Predator-prey body mass relationships are a vital part of food webs across ecosystems and provide key information for predicting the susceptibility of carnivore populations to extinction. Despite this, there has been limited research on the minimum and maximum prey size of mammalian carnivores. Without information on large-scale patterns of prey mass, we limit our understanding of predation pressure, trophic cascades and susceptibility of carnivores to decreasing prey populations. The majority of studies that examine predator-prey body mass relationships focus on either a single or a subset of mammalian species, which limits the strength of our models as well as their broader application. We examine the relationship between predator body mass and the minimum, maximum and range of their prey's body mass across 108 mammalian carnivores, from weasels to baleen whales (Carnivora and Cetacea). We test whether mammals show a positive relationship between prey and predator body mass, as in reptiles and birds, as well as examine how environment (aquatic and terrestrial) and phylogenetic relatedness play a role in this relationship. We found that phylogenetic relatedness is a strong driver of predator-prey mass patterns in carnivorous mammals and accounts for a higher proportion of variance compared with the biological drivers of body mass and environment. We show a positive predator-prey body mass pattern for terrestrial mammals as found in reptiles and birds, but no relationship for aquatic mammals. Our results will benefit our understanding of trophic interactions, the susceptibility of carnivores to population declines and the role of carnivores within ecosystems. PMID:25162695

Examining the prey mass of terrestrial and aquatic carnivorous mammals: minimum, maximum and range.

PubMed

Tucker, Marlee A; Rogers, Tracey L

2014-01-01

Predator-prey body mass relationships are a vital part of food webs across ecosystems and provide key information for predicting the susceptibility of carnivore populations to extinction. Despite this, there has been limited research on the minimum and maximum prey size of mammalian carnivores. Without information on large-scale patterns of prey mass, we limit our understanding of predation pressure, trophic cascades and susceptibility of carnivores to decreasing prey populations. The majority of studies that examine predator-prey body mass relationships focus on either a single or a subset of mammalian species, which limits the strength of our models as well as their broader application. We examine the relationship between predator body mass and the minimum, maximum and range of their prey's body mass across 108 mammalian carnivores, from weasels to baleen whales (Carnivora and Cetacea). We test whether mammals show a positive relationship between prey and predator body mass, as in reptiles and birds, as well as examine how environment (aquatic and terrestrial) and phylogenetic relatedness play a role in this relationship. We found that phylogenetic relatedness is a strong driver of predator-prey mass patterns in carnivorous mammals and accounts for a higher proportion of variance compared with the biological drivers of body mass and environment. We show a positive predator-prey body mass pattern for terrestrial mammals as found in reptiles and birds, but no relationship for aquatic mammals. Our results will benefit our understanding of trophic interactions, the susceptibility of carnivores to population declines and the role of carnivores within ecosystems.

Body size, swimming speed, or thermal sensitivity? Predator-imposed selection on amphibian larvae.

PubMed

Gvoždík, Lumír; Smolinský, Radovan

2015-11-02

Many animals rely on their escape performance during predator encounters. Because of its dependence on body size and temperature, escape velocity is fully characterized by three measures, absolute value, size-corrected value, and its response to temperature (thermal sensitivity). The primary target of the selection imposed by predators is poorly understood. We examined predator (dragonfly larva)-imposed selection on prey (newt larvae) body size and characteristics of escape velocity using replicated and controlled predation experiments under seminatural conditions. Specifically, because these species experience a wide range of temperatures throughout their larval phases, we predict that larvae achieving high swimming velocities across temperatures will have a selective advantage over more thermally sensitive individuals. Nonzero selection differentials indicated that predators selected for prey body size and both absolute and size-corrected maximum swimming velocity. Comparison of selection differentials with control confirmed selection only on body size, i.e., dragonfly larvae preferably preyed on small newt larvae. Maximum swimming velocity and its thermal sensitivity showed low group repeatability, which contributed to non-detectable selection on both characteristics of escape performance. In the newt-dragonfly larvae interaction, body size plays a more important role than maximum values and thermal sensitivity of swimming velocity during predator escape. This corroborates the general importance of body size in predator-prey interactions. The absence of an appropriate control in predation experiments may lead to potentially misleading conclusions about the primary target of predator-imposed selection. Insights from predation experiments contribute to our understanding of the link between performance and fitness, and further improve mechanistic models of predator-prey interactions and food web dynamics.

The cell's view of animal body-plan evolution.

PubMed

Lyons, Deirdre C; Martindale, Mark Q; Srivastava, Mansi

2014-10-01

An adult animal's form is shaped by the collective behavior of cells during embryonic development. To understand the forces that drove the divergence of animal body-plans, evolutionary developmental biology has focused largely on studying genetic networks operating during development. However, it is less well understood how these networks modulate characteristics at the cellular level, such as the shape, polarity, or migration of cells. We organized the "Cell's view of animal body plan evolution" symposium for the 2014 The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology meeting with the explicit goal of bringing together researchers studying the cell biology of embryonic development in diverse animal taxa. Using a broad range of established and emerging technologies, including live imaging, single-cell analysis, and mathematical modeling, symposium participants revealed mechanisms underlying cells' behavior, a few of which we highlight here. Shape, adhesion, and movements of cells can be modulated over the course of evolution to alter adult body-plans and a major theme explored during the symposium was the role of actomyosin in coordinating diverse behaviors of cells underlying morphogenesis in a myriad of contexts. Uncovering whether conserved or divergent genetic mechanisms guide the contractility of actomyosin in these systems will be crucial to understanding the evolution of the body-plans of animals from a cellular perspective. Many speakers presented research describing developmental phenomena in which cell division and tissue growth can control the form of the adult, and other presenters shared work on studying cell-fate specification, an important source of novelty in animal body-plans. Participants also presented studies of regeneration in annelids, flatworms, acoels, and cnidarians, and provided a unifying view of the regulation of cellular behavior during different life-history stages. Additionally, several presentations highlighted technological advances that glean mechanistic insights from new and emerging model systems, thereby providing the phylogenetic breadth so essential for studying animal evolution. Thus, we propose that an explicit study of cellular phenomena is now possible for a wide range of taxa, and that it will be highly informative for understanding the evolution of animal body-plans. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Seasonal patterns in body temperature of free-living rock hyrax (Procavia capensis).

PubMed

Brown, Kelly J; Downs, Colleen T

2006-01-01

Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) are faced with large daily fluctuations in ambient temperature during summer and winter. In this study, peritoneal body temperature of free-living rock hyrax was investigated. During winter, when low ambient temperatures and food supply prevail, rock hyrax maintained a lower core body temperature relative to summer. In winter body temperatures during the day were more variable than at night. This daytime variability is likely a result of body temperatures being raised from basking in the sun. Body temperatures recorded during winter never fell to low levels recorded in previous laboratory studies. During summer ambient temperatures exceeded the thermoneutral zone of the rock hyrax throughout most of the day, while crevice temperatures remained within the thermoneutral zone of rock hyrax. However, in summer variation in core body temperature was small. Minimum and maximum body temperatures did not coincide with minimum and maximum ambient temperatures. Constant body temperatures were also recorded when ambient temperatures reached lethal limits. During summer it is likely that rock hyrax select cooler refugia to escape lethal temperatures and to prevent excessive water loss. Body temperature of rock hyrax recorded in this study reflects the adaptability of this animal to the wide range of ambient temperatures experienced in its natural environment.

A Generalized Hydrodynamic-Impact Theory for the Loads and Motions of Deeply Immersed Prismatic Bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Markey, Melvin F.

1959-01-01

A theory is derived for determining the loads and motions of a deeply immersed prismatic body. The method makes use of a two-dimensional water-mass variation and an aspect-ratio correction for three-dimensional flow. The equations of motion are generalized by using a mean value of the aspect-ratio correction and by assuming a variation of the two-dimensional water mass for the deeply immersed body. These equations lead to impact coefficients that depend on an approach parameter which, in turn, depends upon the initial trim and flight-path angles. Comparison of experiment with theory is shown at maximum load and maximum penetration for the flat-bottom (0 deg dead-rise angle) model with bean-loading coefficients from 36.5 to 133.7 over a wide range of initial conditions. A dead-rise angle correction is applied and maximum-load data are compared with theory for the case of a model with 300 dead-rise angle and beam-loading coefficients from 208 to 530.

The effect of photoelectrons on boom-satellite potential differences during electron beam ejection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lai, Shu T.; Cohen, Herbert A.; Aggson, Thomas L.; Mcneil, William J.

1987-01-01

Data taken on the SCATHA satellite at geosynchronous altitudes during periods of electron beam ejection in sunlight showed that the potential difference between an electrically isolated boom and the satellite main body was a function of beam current, energy, and boom-sun angle. The potential difference decreased as the boom area illuminated by the sun increased; the maximum and minimum potential differences were measured when minimum and maximum boom areas, respectively, were exposed to the sun. It is shown that photoelectrons, created on the boom, could be engulfed in the electrostatic field of the highly charged satellite main body. Theoretical calculations made using a simple current balance model showed that these electrons could provide a substantial discharging current to the main body and cause the observed variations in the potential difference between the main body and the booms.

Development of microgravity, full body functional reach envelope using 3-D computer graphic models and virtual reality technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindsey, Patricia F.

1994-01-01

In microgravity conditions mobility is greatly enhanced and body stability is difficult to achieve. Because of these difficulties, optimum placement and accessibility of objects and controls can be critical to required tasks on board shuttle flights or on the proposed space station. Anthropometric measurement of the maximum reach of occupants of a microgravity environment provide knowledge about maximum functional placement for tasking situations. Calculations for a full body, functional reach envelope for microgravity environments are imperative. To this end, three dimensional computer modeled human figures, providing a method of anthropometric measurement, were used to locate the data points that define the full body, functional reach envelope. Virtual reality technology was utilized to enable an occupant of the microgravity environment to experience movement within the reach envelope while immersed in a simulated microgravity environment.

A physiological evaluation of professional soccer players.

PubMed

Raven, P B; Gettman, L R; Pollock, M L; Cooper, K H

1976-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physiological functions of a professional soccer team in the North American Soccer League (NASL). Eighteen players were evaluated on cardiorespiratory function, endurance performance, body composition, blood chemistry, and motor fitness measures near the end of their competitive season. The following means were observed: age, 26 yrs; height, 176 cm; weight 75.5 kg; resting heart rate, 50 beats/min; maximum heart rate (MHR), 188 beats/min; maximum oxygen intake (VO2 max), 58.4 ml/kg-min-1; maximum ventilation (VEmax BTPS), 154 L/min; body fat, 9.59%; 12-min run, 1.86 miles; and Illinois agility run, 15.6 secs. Results on resting blood pressure, serum lipids, vital capacity, flexibility, upper body strength, and vertical jump tests were comparable to values found for the sedentary population. Comparing the results with previously collected data on professional American Football backs indicated that the soccer players were shorter; lighter in body weight; higher in VO2 max (4 ml/kg-min-1) and body fat (1.8%); and similar in MHR, VE max, and VC. The 12-min run scores were similar to the initial values observed for the 1970 Brazilian World Cup Team. The agility run results were superior to data collected from other groups. Their endurance capabilities, agility, and low percent of body fat clearly differentiate them from the sedentary population and show them to be similar to that of professional American football backs.

A physiological evaluation of professional soccer players.

PubMed Central

Raven, P. B.; Gettman, L. R.; Pollock, M. L.; Cooper, K. H.

1976-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physiological functions of a professional soccer team in the North American Soccer League (NASL). Eighteen players were evaluated on cardiorespiratory function, endurance performance, body composition, blood chemistry, and motor fitness measures near the end of their competitive season. The following means were observed: age, 26 yrs; height, 176 cm; weight 75.5 kg; resting heart rate, 50 beats/min; maximum heart rate (MHR), 188 beats/min; maximum oxygen intake (VO2 max), 58.4 ml/kg-min-1; maximum ventilation (VEmax BTPS), 154 L/min; body fat, 9.59%; 12-min run, 1.86 miles; and Illinois agility run, 15.6 secs. Results on resting blood pressure, serum lipids, vital capacity, flexibility, upper body strength, and vertical jump tests were comparable to values found for the sedentary population. Comparing the results with previously collected data on professional American Football backs indicated that the soccer players were shorter; lighter in body weight; higher in VO2 max (4 ml/kg-min-1) and body fat (1.8%); and similar in MHR, VE max, and VC. The 12-min run scores were similar to the initial values observed for the 1970 Brazilian World Cup Team. The agility run results were superior to data collected from other groups. Their endurance capabilities, agility, and low percent of body fat clearly differentiate them from the sedentary population and show them to be similar to that of professional American football backs. PMID:1009297

Military Enlistment of Hispanic Youth: Obstacles and Opportunities

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

17 2.13. Allowable Body Fat Measurements, by Gender and Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 3.1...exceed the maximum allowed weight are given a body- fat measurement to determine if they exceed the allowable body- fat standards, as shown in Table 2.13...Despite having the most lenient weight standards, the Marine Corps has the most restrictive body- fat requirements. For complete height and weight

Physical Activity, Body Size, Intentional Weight Loss and Breast Cancer Risk: Fellowship

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-10-01

178 NOTICE USING GOVERNMENT DRAWINGS, SPECIFICATIONS, OR OTHER DATA INCLUDED IN THIS DOCUMENT FOR ANY PURPOSE OTHER THAN GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT DOES...LICENSE THE HOLDER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR CORPORATION; OR CONVEY ANY RIGHTS OR PERMISSION TO MANUFACTURE, USE , OR SELL ANY PATENTED INVENTION THAT MAY...contractor, be (a) released or disclosed outside the government, (b) used by the Government for manufacture or, in the case of computer software

Avian thermoregulation in the heat: resting metabolism, evaporative cooling and heat tolerance in Sonoran Desert songbirds.

PubMed

Smith, Eric Krabbe; O'Neill, Jacqueline J; Gerson, Alexander R; McKechnie, Andrew E; Wolf, Blair O

2017-09-15

We examined thermoregulatory performance in seven Sonoran Desert passerine bird species varying in body mass from 10 to 70 g - lesser goldfinch, house finch, pyrrhuloxia, cactus wren, northern cardinal, Abert's towhee and curve-billed thrasher. Using flow-through respirometry, we measured daytime resting metabolism, evaporative water loss and body temperature at air temperatures ( T air ) between 30 and 52°C. We found marked increases in resting metabolism above the upper critical temperature ( T uc ), which for six of the seven species fell within a relatively narrow range (36.2-39.7°C), but which was considerably higher in the largest species, the curve-billed thrasher (42.6°C). Resting metabolism and evaporative water loss were minimal below the T uc and increased with T air and body mass to maximum values among species of 0.38-1.62 W and 0.87-4.02 g H 2 O h -1 , respectively. Body temperature reached maximum values ranging from 43.5 to 45.3°C. Evaporative cooling capacity, the ratio of evaporative heat loss to metabolic heat production, reached maximum values ranging from 1.39 to 2.06, consistent with known values for passeriforms and much lower than values in taxa such as columbiforms and caprimulgiforms. These maximum values occurred at heat tolerance limits that did not scale with body mass among species, but were ∼50°C for all species except the pyrrhuloxia and Abert's towhee (48°C). High metabolic costs associated with respiratory evaporation appeared to drive the limited heat tolerance in these desert passeriforms, compared with larger desert columbiforms and galliforms that use metabolically more efficient mechanisms of evaporative heat loss. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Hyperandrogenism Enhances Muscle Strength After Progressive Resistance Training, Independent of Body Composition, in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

PubMed

Kogure, Gislaine S; Silva, Rafael C; Miranda-Furtado, Cristiana L; Ribeiro, Victor B; Pedroso, Daiana C C; Melo, Anderson S; Ferriani, Rui A; Reis, Rosana Maria Dos

2018-06-20

Kogure, GS, Silva, RC, Miranda-Furtado, CL, Ribeiro, VB, Pedroso, DCC, Melo, AS, Ferriani, RA, and Reis, RMd. Hyperandrogenism enhances muscle strength after progressive resistance training, independent of body composition, in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2018-The effects of resistance exercise on muscle strength, body composition, and increase in cross-sectional area of skeletal muscle (hypertrophy) were evaluated in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This case-control study included 45 PCOS and 52 non-PCOS women, with age between 18-37 years and body mass index of 18-39.9 kg·m. Subjects performed a program of progressive resistance training (PRT), 3 times per week for 4 months. Biochemical characteristics were measured before and after PRT. Muscle strength evaluated by 1 maximum repetition test and body composition and hypertrophy indicator, evaluated by anthropometry, were measured at baseline, at 8 weeks, and at 16 weeks after PRT. Progressive resistance training produced an increase in maximum strength (bench press, p = 0.04; leg extension, p = 0.04) in the PCOS group; however, no changes were observed in body composition between groups. Concentration of testosterone decreased in both PCOS and non-PCOS groups (p < 0.01, both) after PRT, as well as glycemia (PCOS, p = 0.01; non-PCOS, p = 0.02) and body fat percentage (p < 0.01, both). An increase in hypertrophy indicators, lean body mass (LBM), and maximum strength on all exercises was observed in both PCOS and non-PCOS groups (p < 0.01). This training protocol promoted increases in muscle strength in PCOS women, and improved hyperandrogenism and body composition by decreasing body fat and increasing LBM and muscle strength in both PCOS and non-PCOS groups. Therefore, it is suggested that resistance exercise programs could promote health and fitness in women of reproductive age, especially functional capacity of strength those with PCOS.

STUDIES OF RADIO CONTAMINATION OF FOOD STUFFS EFFECTED BY ATOMIC OR HYDROGEN BOMB EXPLOSION. IX. RADIO CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF RADIO CONTAMINATED FISH LIVERS IN 1958 (in Japanese)

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

Nagasawa, K.; Kasida, Y.; Kametani, K.

The contamination in 224 livers of tunny and sword fish caught in the Pacific 0cean was examined. As a result of radiochemical analysis in the four samples Fe/sup 59/ Zn/sup 65/, Sr/sup 90/, Y/sup 90/, and Cd/sup 115m/ were identified. The maximum concentrations of the elements determined were Fe/sup 59/ , 1.58 x l0/sup -4/ mu c; Zn/sup 65/, 4.58 x 10/sup -3/ mu c; Sr/sup 90/ and Y/ sup 90/, 8. 33 x 10/sup -7/ mu c; and Cd/sup 115m/, 3.66 x l0/sup -4/ mu c. When 10 g of wet sample was assumed to be the daily personalmore » intake dose, these were less than the maximum permissible concentrations. (auth)« less

Evaluation of aperture cover tank vent nozzles for the IRAS spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richter, R.

1983-01-01

The influence of coefficients for the three axes of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) were established to determine the maximum allowable thrust difference between the two vent nozzles of the aperture cover tank low thrust vent system and their maximum misalignment. Test data generated by flow and torque measurements permitted the selection of two nozzles whose thrust differential was within the limit of the attitude control capability. Based on thrust stand data, a thrust vector misalignment was indicated that was slightly higher than permissible for the worst case, i.e., considerable degradation of the torque capacity of the attitude control system combined with venting of helium at its upper limit. The probability of destabilizing the IRAS spacecraft by activating the venting system appeared to be very low. The selection and mounting of the nozzles have satisfied all the requirements for the safe venting of helium.

Early phase evaluation of SQ109 alone and in combination with rifampicin in pulmonary TB patients.

PubMed

Heinrich, Norbert; Dawson, Rodney; du Bois, Jeannine; Narunsky, Kim; Horwith, Gary; Phipps, Andrew J; Nacy, Carol A; Aarnoutse, Rob E; Boeree, Martin J; Gillespie, Stephen H; Venter, Amour; Henne, Sonja; Rachow, Andrea; Phillips, Patrick P J; Hoelscher, Michael; Diacon, Andreas H

2015-05-01

SQ109, an asymmetrical diamine, is a novel anti-TB drug candidate. This first study in patients was done to determine safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and bacteriological effect of different doses of SQ109 alone and in combination with rifampicin when administered over 14 days. Smear-positive pulmonary TB patients were randomized into six groups of 15 to receive once-daily oral treatment with 75, 150 or 300 mg of SQ109, rifampicin (10 mg/kg body weight), rifampicin plus 150 mg of SQ109, or rifampicin plus 300 mg of SQ109 for 14 days. Patients were hospitalized for supervised treatment, regular clinical, biochemical and electrocardiographic safety assessments, pharmacokinetic profiling and daily overnight sputum collection. SQ109 was safe and generally well tolerated. Mild to moderate dose-dependent gastrointestinal complaints were the most frequent adverse events. No relevant QT prolongation was noted. Maximum SQ109 plasma concentrations were lower than MICs. Exposure to SQ109 (AUC0-24) increased by drug accumulation upon repeated administration in the SQ109 monotherapy groups. Co-administration of SQ109 150 mg with rifampicin resulted in decreasing SQ109 exposures from day 1 to day 14. A higher (300 mg) dose of SQ109 largely outweighed the evolving inductive effect of rifampicin. The daily fall in log cfu/mL of sputum (95% CI) was 0.093 (0.126-0.059) with rifampicin, 0.133 (0.166-0.100) with rifampicin plus 150 mg of SQ109 and 0.089 (0.121-0.057) with rifampicin plus 300 mg of SQ109. Treatments with SQ109 alone showed no significant activity. SQ109 alone or with rifampicin was safe over 14 days. Upon co-administration with rifampicin, 300 mg of SQ109 yielded a higher exposure than the 150 mg dose. SQ109 did not appear to be active alone or to enhance the activity of rifampicin during the 14 days of treatment. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The biomechanics of concussion in unhelmeted football players in Australia: a case-control study.

PubMed

McIntosh, Andrew S; Patton, Declan A; Fréchède, Bertrand; Pierré, Paul-André; Ferry, Edouard; Barthels, Tobias

2014-05-20

Concussion is a prevalent brain injury in sport and the wider community. Despite this, little research has been conducted investigating the dynamics of impacts to the unprotected human head and injury causation in vivo, in particular the roles of linear and angular head acceleration. Professional contact football in Australia. Adult male professional Australian rules football players participating in 30 games randomly selected from 103 games. Cases selected based on an observable head impact, no observable symptoms (eg, loss-of-consciousness and convulsions), no on-field medical management and no injury recorded at the time. A data set for no-injury head impact cases comprising head impact locations and head impact dynamic parameters estimated through rigid body simulations using the MAthematical DYnamic MOdels (MADYMO) human facet model. This data set was compared to previously reported concussion case data. Qualitative analysis showed that the head was more vulnerable to lateral impacts. Logistic regression analyses of head acceleration and velocity components revealed that angular acceleration of the head in the coronal plane had the strongest association with concussion; tentative tolerance levels of 1747 rad/s(2) and 2296 rad/s(2) were reported for a 50% and 75% likelihood of concussion, respectively. The mean maximum resultant angular accelerations for the concussion and no-injury cases were 7951 rad/s(2) (SD 3562 rad/s(2)) and 4300 rad/s(2) (SD 3657 rad/s(2)), respectively. Linear acceleration is currently used in the assessment of helmets and padded headgear. The 50% and 75% likelihood of concussion values for resultant linear head acceleration in this study were 65.1 and 88.5 g, respectively. As hypothesised by Holbourn over 70 years ago, angular acceleration plays an important role in the pathomechanics of concussion, which has major ramifications in terms of helmet design and other efforts to prevent and manage concussion. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Weak silica nanomaterial-induced genotoxicity can be explained by indirect DNA damage as shown by the OGG1-modified comet assay and genomic analysis.

PubMed

Pfuhler, Stefan; Downs, Thomas R; Allemang, Ashley J; Shan, Yuching; Crosby, Meredith E

2017-01-01

In a previous study, 15-nm silica nanoparticles (NPs) caused small increases in DNA damage in liver as measured in the in vivo comet and micronucleus assays after intravenous administration to rats at their maximum tolerated dose, a worst-case exposure scenario. Histopathological examination supported a particle-induced, tissue damage-mediated inflammatory response. This study used a targeted approach to provide insight into the mode of action (MoA) by examining transcriptional regulation of genes in liver in a time and dose-dependent manner at 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24 h after intravenous administration of 15-nm silica NPs. DNA damage was assessed using the standard comet assay and hOGG1 glycosylase-modified comet assay that also measures oxidative DNA damage. Potassium bromate, an IARC Class 2B carcinogen that specifically operates via an oxidative stress MoA, was used as a positive control for the hOGG1 comet assay and gave a strong signal in its main target organ, the kidney, while showing less activity in liver. Treatment of rats with silica NPs at 50 mg/kg body weight (bw) caused small, statistically insignificant increases in DNA damage in liver measured by the standard comet assay, while a statistically significant increase was observed at 4 h with the hOGG1 comet assay, consistent with a MoA involving reactive oxygen species. Histopathology showed liver damage and neutrophil involvement while genomic analysis and response pattern of key genes involved in inflammation and oxidative stress supported a tissue damage-mediated inflammatory response involving the complement system for removing/phagocytising damaged cells. No changes were observed for histopathology or gene array for the low-dose (5 mg/kg bw) silica NPs. The results of this study confirm our hypothesis that the weak DNA damage observed by silica NPs occurs secondary to inflammation/immune response, indicating that a threshold can be applied in the risk assessment of these materials. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the UK Environmental Mutagen Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Quantitative three-dimensional dynamic imaging of structure and function of the cardiopulmonary and circulatory systems in all regions of the body

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sturm, R. E.; Ritman, E. L.; Wood, E. H.

1975-01-01

The background for, and design of a third generation, general purpose, all electronic spatial scanning system, the DSR is described. Its specified performance capabilities provide dynamic and stop action three dimensional spatial reconstructions of any portion of the body based on a minimum exposure time of 0.01 second for each 28 multiplanar 180 deg scanning set, a maximum scan repetition rate of sixty 28 multiplane scan sets per second, each scan set consisting of a maximum of 240 parallel cross sections of a minimum thickness of 0.9 mm, and encompassing a maximum cylindrical volume about 23 cm in length and up to 38 cm in diameter.

How fast do living organisms move: Maximum speeds from bacteria to elephants and whales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer-Vernet, Nicole; Rospars, Jean-Pierre

2015-08-01

Despite their variety and complexity, living organisms obey simple scaling laws due to the universality of the laws of physics. In the present paper, we study the scaling between maximum speed and size, from bacteria to the largest mammals. While the preferred speed has been widely studied in the framework of Newtonian mechanics, the maximum speed has rarely attracted the interest of physicists, despite its remarkable scaling property; it is roughly proportional to length throughout nearly the whole range of running and swimming organisms. We propose a simple order-of-magnitude interpretation of this ubiquitous relationship, based on physical properties shared by life forms of very different body structure and varying by more than 20 orders of magnitude in body mass.

Trade-offs between water transport capacity and drought resistance in neotropical canopy liana and tree species.

PubMed

De Guzman, Mark E; Santiago, Louis S; Schnitzer, Stefan A; Álvarez-Cansino, Leonor

2017-10-01

In tropical forest canopies, it is critical for upper shoots to efficiently provide water to leaves for physiological function while safely preventing loss of hydraulic conductivity due to cavitation during periods of soil water deficit or high evaporative demand. We compared hydraulic physiology of upper canopy trees and lianas in a seasonally dry tropical forest to test whether trade-offs between safety and efficiency of water transport shape differences in hydraulic function between these two major tropical woody growth forms. We found that lianas showed greater maximum stem-specific hydraulic conductivity than trees, but lost hydraulic conductivity at less negative water potentials than trees, resulting in a negative correlation and trade-off between safety and efficiency of water transport. Lianas also exhibited greater diurnal changes in leaf water potential than trees. The magnitude of diurnal water potential change was negatively correlated with sapwood capacitance, indicating that lianas are highly reliant on conducting capability to maintain leaf water status, whereas trees relied more on stored water in stems to maintain leaf water status. Leaf nitrogen concentration was related to maximum leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity only for lianas suggesting that greater water transport capacity is more tied to leaf processes in lianas compared to trees. Our results are consistent with a trade-off between safety and efficiency of water transport and may have implications for increasing liana abundance in neotropical forests. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparison of Insecticide Susceptibilities of Empoasca vitis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from Three Main Tea-Growing Regions in China.

PubMed

Wei, Qi; Yu, Hua-Yang; Niu, Chun-Dong; Yao, Rong; Wu, Shun-Fan; Chen, Zhuo; Gao, Cong-Fen

2015-06-01

Empoasca vitis (Göthe) is an important insect pest in tea-growing areas of China, and chemical control is the main tactic for the management of this pest. Due to the pressure of increasing insecticide resistance and more stringent food safety regulations, development of sound IPM strategies for E. vitis is an urgent matter. This study comparatively evaluated four field populations of E. vitis from three different tea-growing regions in China for their susceptibilities to eight insecticides using a simple leaf-dip methodology. E. vitis was found to be most sensitive to indoxacarb (LC50<0.5 mg/liter) and least sensitive to isoprocarb (LC50>5 mg/liter) and sophocarpidine (LC50>95 mg/liter, a botanical pesticide) regardless of populations. Population (geographical) variations were higher for indoxacarb and imidacloprid than other compounds. Judging by the 95% fiducial limits of LC50 values, all populations had similar susceptibilities to chlorfenapyr, bifenthrin, and acetamiprid or imidacloprid. Correlation analysis suggested that chlorfenapyr and indoxacarb or isoprocarb may have a high risk of cross resistance. Considering potency (LC50) and maximum residual levels, chlorfenapyr and bifenthrin are good insecticide options followed by acetamiprid and indoxacarb. These results provide valuable information to intelligently select insecticides for IPM programs that are efficacious against E. vitis while also managing insecticide resistance and maximum residual levels for tea production in China. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Constitutional basis of longevity in the cetacea: do the whales and the terrestrial mammals obey the same laws

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

Sacher, G.A.

1978-01-01

The maximum lifespans in captivity for terrestrial mammalian species can be estimated by means of a multiple linear regression of logarithm of lifespan (L) on the logarithm of adult brain weight (E) and body weight (S). This paper describes the application of regression formulas based on data from terrestrial mammals to the estimation of odontocete and mysticete lifespans. The regression formulas predict cetacean lifespans that are in accord with the data on maximum cetacean lifespans obtained in recent years by objective age determination procedures. More remarkable is the correct prediction by the regression formulas that the odontocete species have nearlymore » constant lifespans, almost independent of body weight over a 300:1 body weight range. This prediction is a consequence of the fact, remarkable in itself, that over this body weight range the Odontoceti have a brain:body allometric slope of 1/3, as compared to a slope of 2/3 for the Mammalia as a whole.« less

In vitro antimicrobial and antiprotozoal activities, phytochemical screening and heavy metals toxicity of different parts of Ballota nigra.

PubMed

Ullah, Najeeb; Ahmad, Ijaz; Ayaz, Sultan

2014-01-01

The study was done to assess the phytochemicals (flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, tannin, alkaloids, and phenol) in different parts (root, stem, and leaves) of Ballota nigra and correlated it to inhibition of microbes (bacteria and fungi), protozoan (Leishmania), and heavy metals toxicity evaluation. In root and stem flavonoids, terpenes and phenols were present in ethanol, chloroform, and ethyl acetate soluble fraction; these were found to be the most active inhibiting fractions against all the tested strains of bacteria, fungi, and leishmania. While in leaves flavonoids, terpenes, and phenols were present in ethanol, chloroform, and n-butanol fractions which were the most active fractions against both types of microbes and protozoan (leishmania) in in vitro study. Ethanol and chloroform fractions show maximum inhibition against Escherichia coli (17 mm). The phytochemical and biological screenings were correlated with the presence of heavy metals in selected plant Ballota nigra. Cr was found above permissible value (above 1.5 mg/kg) in all parts of the plant. Ni was above WHO limit in B. nigra root and leaves (3.35 ± 1.20 mg/kg and 5.09 ± 0.47 mg/kg, respectively). Fe was above permissible value in all parts of B. nigra (above 20 mg/kg). Cd was above permissible value in all parts of the plant (above 0.3 mg/kg). Pb was above WHO limit (above 2 mg/kg) in all parts of Ballota nigra.

In Vitro Antimicrobial and Antiprotozoal Activities, Phytochemical Screening and Heavy Metals Toxicity of Different Parts of Ballota nigra

PubMed Central

Ullah, Najeeb; Ahmad, Ijaz; Ayaz, Sultan

2014-01-01

The study was done to assess the phytochemicals (flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, tannin, alkaloids, and phenol) in different parts (root, stem, and leaves) of Ballota nigra and correlated it to inhibition of microbes (bacteria and fungi), protozoan (Leishmania), and heavy metals toxicity evaluation. In root and stem flavonoids, terpenes and phenols were present in ethanol, chloroform, and ethyl acetate soluble fraction; these were found to be the most active inhibiting fractions against all the tested strains of bacteria, fungi, and leishmania. While in leaves flavonoids, terpenes, and phenols were present in ethanol, chloroform, and n-butanol fractions which were the most active fractions against both types of microbes and protozoan (leishmania) in in vitro study. Ethanol and chloroform fractions show maximum inhibition against Escherichia coli (17 mm). The phytochemical and biological screenings were correlated with the presence of heavy metals in selected plant Ballota nigra. Cr was found above permissible value (above 1.5 mg/kg) in all parts of the plant. Ni was above WHO limit in B. nigra root and leaves (3.35 ± 1.20 mg/kg and 5.09 ± 0.47 mg/kg, respectively). Fe was above permissible value in all parts of B. nigra (above 20 mg/kg). Cd was above permissible value in all parts of the plant (above 0.3 mg/kg). Pb was above WHO limit (above 2 mg/kg) in all parts of Ballota nigra. PMID:25054139

Tight control of disease activity fails to improve body composition or physical function in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

PubMed

Lemmey, Andrew B; Wilkinson, Thomas J; Clayton, Rebecca J; Sheikh, Fazal; Whale, John; Jones, Hope S J; Ahmad, Yasmeen A; Chitale, Sarang; Jones, Jeremy G; Maddison, Peter J; O'Brien, Thomas D

2016-10-01

RA typically features rheumatoid cachexia [loss of muscle mass (MM) and excessive total fat mass (TFM), especially trunk FM], which contributes to physical disability. Since rheumatoid cachexia is driven by inflammation, it would be anticipated that the success of tight control of disease activity, such as treat-to-target (T2T), in attenuating inflammation would benefit body composition and physical function. This aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the impact of T2T on body composition and objectively assessed function in RA patients. A total of 82 RA patients exclusively treated by T2T, were compared with 85 matched sedentary healthy controls (HCs). Body composition was estimated by DXA, with appendicular lean mass the surrogate measure of total MM. Physical function was assessed by knee extensor strength, handgrip strength, 30 s sit-to-stands, 8' up and go, and 50' walk (tests which reflect the ability to perform activities of daily living). Although generally well treated (mean DAS28 = 2.8, with 49% in remission), RA patients had ∼10% proportionally less appendicular lean mass and were considerably fatter (by ∼27%), particularly in the trunk (∼32%), than HCs. All measures of function were 24-34% poorer in the RA patients relative to HC. Despite marked improvements in disease control (most patients achieving or approaching remission), the relative loss of MM and increased adiposity in RA patients compared with matched HCs was similar to that observed pre-T2T. Additionally, performance of objective function tests was unchanged from that reported by our group for pre-T2T RA patients. Thus T2T, even in responsive RA patients, did not attenuate rheumatoid cachexia or improve objectively assessed function. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Lean body mass and risk of incident atrial fibrillation in post-menopausal women.

PubMed

Azarbal, Farnaz; Stefanick, Marcia L; Assimes, Themistocles L; Manson, JoAnn E; Bea, Jennifer W; Li, Wenjun; Hlatky, Mark A; Larson, Joseph C; LeBlanc, Erin S; Albert, Christine M; Nassir, Rami; Martin, Lisa W; Perez, Marco V

2016-05-21

High body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study was to determine whether lean body mass (LBM) predicts AF. The Women's Health Initiative is a study of post-menopausal women aged 50-79 enrolled at 40 US centres from 1994 to 1998. A subset of 11 393 participants at three centres underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Baseline demographics and clinical histories were recorded. Incident AF was identified using hospitalization records and diagnostic codes from Medicare claims. A multivariable Cox hazard regression model adjusted for demographic and clinical risk factors was used to evaluate associations between components of body composition and AF risk. After exclusion for prevalent AF or incomplete data, 8832 participants with an average age of 63.3 years remained for analysis. Over the 11.6 years of average follow-up time, 1035 women developed incident AF. After covariate adjustment, all measures of LBM were independently associated with higher rates of AF: total LBM [hazard ratio (HR) 1.24 per 5 kg increase, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.14-1.34], central LBM (HR 1.51 per 5 kg increase, 95% CI 1.31-1.74), and peripheral LBM (HR 1.39 per 5 kg increase, 95% CI 1.19-1.63). The association between total LBM and AF remained significant after adjustment for total fat mass (HR 1.22 per 5 kg increase, 95% CI 1.13-1.31). Greater LBM is a strong independent risk factor for AF. After adjusting for obesity-related risk factors, the risk of AF conferred by higher BMI is primarily driven by the association between LBM and AF. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Current hydration guidelines are erroneous: dehydration does not impair exercise performance in the heat.

PubMed

Wall, Bradley A; Watson, Greig; Peiffer, Jeremiah J; Abbiss, Chris R; Siegel, Rodney; Laursen, Paul B

2015-08-01

Laboratory studies that support the hydration guidelines of leading governing bodies have shown that dehydration to only -2% of body mass can lead to increase in body temperature and heart rate during exercise, and decrease in performance. These studies, however, have been conducted in relatively windless environments (ie, wind speed <12.9 km/h), without participants being blinded to their hydration status. To investigate the effect of blinded hydration status on cycling time-trial performance in the heat with ecologically valid facing wind speed conditions. During three experimental trials, 10 cyclists were dehydrated to -3% body mass by performing 2 h of submaximal exercise (walking and cycling) in the heat, before being reinfused with saline to replace 100%, 33% or 0% of fluid losses, leaving them 0%, -2% or -3% hypohydrated, respectively. Participants then completed a 25 km time trial in the heat (33°C, 40% relative humidity; wind speed 32 km/h) during which their starting hydration status was maintained by infusing saline at a rate equal to their sweat rate. The treatment was participant-blinded and the order was randomised. Completion time, power output, heart rate, rectal temperature and perceptual variables were measured. While rectal temperature was higher beyond 17 km of the time trial in the -3% vs 0% conditions (38.9±0.3°C vs 38.6±0.3°C; p<0.05), no other differences between trials were shown. When well-trained cyclists performed a 25 km cycling time trial under ecologically valid conditions and were blinded to their hydration status, performance, physiological and perceptual variables were not different between trials. These data do not support the residing basis behind many of the current hydration guidelines. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Injuries in national Olympic level judo athletes: an epidemiological study.

PubMed

Kim, Keun-Suh; Park, Ki Jun; Lee, Jaekoo; Kang, Byung Yong

2015-09-01

To present an epidemiological study of injuries found among South Korea's National level Judo athletes as a foundation for future injury prevention and skill enhancement in this group. This study is a prospective study on a 4-year injury assessment held from January 2010 to December 2013 at the training centre in South Korea for National Level athletes. Athlete's weight class, gender, injury location and injury grade (grade I=1-3 treatment days, grade II=4-7 treatment days, and grade III ≥8 treatment days) were analysed. There were a total of 782 injuries recorded during this period, equalling to four injuries per athlete annually. Almost half of these injuries (47%) were grade I injuries. Injury occurrence was the highest in the Lower body (44.2%). This was then followed by injuries in the upper body (29.8%), trunk (20.3%) and head and neck (5.6%). Men and women showed similar, non-significantly different trends in the proportion of body parts injured. Women experienced more grade III injuries than males (p=0.0228). Comparison between women in different weight classes also showed that heavyweights incurred more grade III injuries than lightweights (p=0.0087). Lightweights had a higher rate of injury than heavyweights in males and females, although this was statistically significant only among males (p<0.001). Many body regions are prone to injury in the elite judo population. Women, especially those in the heavyweight classification, were more prone to severe injuries. Lightweights experienced more injuries than heavyweights among male athletes. Specifically, further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to address the impact of rapid weight loss practices on injury risk to implement effective preventive measures. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Socioeconomic gradients in body mass index (BMI) in US immigrants during the transition to adulthood: examining the roles of parental education and intergenerational educational mobility.

PubMed

Albrecht, Sandra S; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2014-09-01

Despite comparatively lower socioeconomic status (SES), immigrants tend to have lower body weight and weaker SES gradients relative to US-born individuals. Yet, it is unknown how changes in SES over the life-course relate to body weight in immigrants versus US-born individuals. We used longitudinal data from a nationally representative, diverse sample of 13 701 adolescents followed into adulthood to investigate whether associations between SES mobility categories (educational attainment reported by individuals as adults and by their parents during adolescence) and body mass index (BMI) measured in adulthood varied by immigrant generation. Weighted multivariable linear regression models were adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity and immigrant generation. Among first-generation immigrants, although parental education was not associated with adult BMI, an immigrant's own education attainment was inversely associated with BMI (β=-2.6 kg/m(2); SE=0.9, p<0.01). In addition, upward educational mobility was associated with lower adult mean BMI than remaining low SES (β=-2.5 kg/m(2); SE=1.2, p<0.05). In contrast, among US-born respondents, college education in adulthood did not attenuate the negative association between parental education and adult BMI. Although an SES gradient emerged in adulthood for immigrants, remaining low SES from adolescence to adulthood was not associated with loss of health advantage relative to US-born respondents of US-born parents of similar SES. Immigrants were able to translate higher SES in adulthood into a lower adult mean BMI regardless of childhood SES, whereas the consequences of lower childhood SES had a longer reach even among the upwardly mobile US born. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Integrated Immune and Cardiovascular Function in Pancrustacea: Lessons from the Insects.

PubMed

Hillyer, Julián F

2015-11-01

When pathogens invade the insect hemocoel (body cavity) they immediately confront two major forces: immune-responses and circulatory currents. The immune response is mediated by circulating and sessile hemocytes, the fat body, the midgut, and the salivary glands. These tissues drive cellular and humoral immune processes that kill pathogens via phagocytosis, melanization, lysis, encapsulation, and nodulation. Moreover, immune-responses take place within a three-dimensional and dynamic space that is governed by the forces of the circulatory system. The circulation of hemolymph (insect blood) is primarily controlled by the wave-like contraction of a dorsal vessel, which is a muscular tube that extends the length of the insect and is divided into a thoracic aorta and an abdominal heart. Distributed along the heart are valves, called ostia, that allow hemolymph to enter the vessel. Once inside the heart, hemolymph is sequentially propelled to the anterior and to the posterior of the body. During an infection, circulatory currents sweep small pathogens to all regions of the body. As they circulate, pathogens encounter immune factors of the insect that range from soluble cytotoxic peptides to phagocytic hemocytes. A prominent location for these encounters is the surface of the heart. Specifically, periostial hemocytes aggregate in the extracardiac regions that flank the heart's ostia (the periostial regions) and phagocytoze pathogens in areas of high flow of hemolymph. This review summarizes the biology of the immune and circulatory systems of insects, including how these two systems have co-adapted to fight infection. This review also compares the immune and circulatory systems of insects to that of crustaceans, and details how attachment of hemocytes to cardiac tissues and the biology of the lymphoid organ demonstrate that dynamic interactions between the immune and circulatory systems also occur in lineages of crustaceans. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The impact of body mass index and height on the risk for glioblastoma and other glioma subgroups: a large prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Wiedmann, Markus K H; Brunborg, Cathrine; Di Ieva, Antonio; Lindemann, Kristina; Johannesen, Tom B; Vatten, Lars; Helseth, Eirik; Zwart, John A

2017-07-01

Glioma comprises a heterogeneous group of mostly malignant brain tumors, whereof glioblastoma (GBM) represents the largest and most lethal subgroup. Body height and body mass index (BMI) are risk factors for other cancers, but no previous study has examined anthropometric data in relation to different glioma subgroups. This prospective cohort study includes 1.8 million Norwegian women and men between ages 14 and 80 years at baseline. Body weight and height were measured, and incident cases of glioma were identified by linkage to the National Cancer Registry. Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate risk for different glioma subgroups in relation to anthropometric measures. During 54 million person-years of follow-up, 4,382 gliomas were identified. Overweight and obesity were not associated with risk for any glioma subgroup. Height was positively associated with risk for GBM and all other gliomas (hazard ratio [HR] per 10 cm increase: 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.31 and 1.18; 95% CI, 1.09-1.29) but not with the proxy for isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant glioma (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.98-1.21). In further subgroup analyses, the effect of height on glioma risk varied significantly with positive associations for oligoastrocytoma (HR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.20-2.53) and malignant glioma not otherwise specified (NOS) (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.16-1.76, but not with diffuse astrocytoma (WHO grades II and III) or oligodendroglioma. This epidemiologic study consolidates height as a risk factor for GBM and other gliomas. It further indicates that this association is not universal for gliomas but may differ between different glioma subgroups. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Evolution of Gene Regulatory Networks that Define Arthropod Body Plans.

PubMed

Auman, Tzach; Chipman, Ariel D

2017-09-01

Our understanding of the genetics of arthropod body plan development originally stems from work on Drosophila melanogaster from the late 1970s and onward. In Drosophila, there is a relatively detailed model for the network of gene interactions that proceeds in a sequential-hierarchical fashion to define the main features of the body plan. Over the years, we have a growing understanding of the networks involved in defining the body plan in an increasing number of arthropod species. It is now becoming possible to tease out the conserved aspects of these networks and to try to reconstruct their evolution. In this contribution, we focus on several key nodes of these networks, starting from early patterning in which the main axes are determined and the broad morphological domains of the embryo are defined, and on to later stage wherein the growth zone network is active in sequential addition of posterior segments. The pattern of conservation of networks is very patchy, with some key aspects being highly conserved in all arthropods and others being very labile. Many aspects of early axis patterning are highly conserved, as are some aspects of sequential segment generation. In contrast, regional patterning varies among different taxa, and some networks, such as the terminal patterning network, are only found in a limited range of taxa. The growth zone segmentation network is ancient and is probably plesiomorphic to all arthropods. In some insects, it has undergone significant modification to give rise to a more hardwired network that generates individual segments separately. In other insects and in most arthropods, the sequential segmentation network has undergone a significant amount of systems drift, wherein many of the genes have changed. However, it maintains a conserved underlying logic and function. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Relationship of maximum strength to weightlifting performance.

PubMed

Stone, Michael H; Sands, William A; Pierce, Kyle C; Carlock, Jon; Cardinale, Marco; Newton, Robert U

2005-06-01

The primary objective was to assess the relationship of maximum strength to weightlifting ability using established scaling methods. The secondary objective was to compare men and women weightlifters on strength and weightlifting ability. Two correlational observations were carried out using Pearson's r. In the first observation (N = 65) the relationship of dynamic maximum strength (one-repetition maximum (1RM) squat) was compared with weightlifting ability; in the second observation (N = 16), isometric maximum strength (midthigh pull) was studied. Scaling methods for equating maximum strength and weightlifting results were used (load x (Ht), load x kg, load x lbm(-1), allometric, and Sinclair formula) to assess the association between measures of maximum strength and weightlifting performance. Using scaled values; correlations between maximum strength and weightlifting results were generally strong in both observations (e.g., using allometric scaling for the 1RM squat vs the 1RM snatch: r = 0.84, N = 65). Men were stronger than women (e.g., 1RM squat, N = 65: men = 188.1 +/- 48.6 kg; women = 126.7 +/- 28.3 kg); differences generally held when scaling was applied (e.g., 1RM squat scaled with the Sinclair formula: men = 224.7 +/- 36.5 kg; women = 144.2 +/- 25.4 kg). When collectively considering scaling methods, maximum strength is strongly related to weightlifting performance independent of body mass and height differences. Furthermore, men are stronger than women even when body mass and height are obviated by scaling methods.

Context-based retrieval of functional modules in protein-protein interaction networks.

PubMed

Dobay, Maria Pamela; Stertz, Silke; Delorenzi, Mauro

2017-03-27

Various techniques have been developed for identifying the most probable interactants of a protein under a given biological context. In this article, we dissect the effects of the choice of the protein-protein interaction network (PPI) and the manipulation of PPI settings on the network neighborhood of the influenza A virus (IAV) network, as well as hits in genome-wide small interfering RNA screen results for IAV host factors. We investigate the potential of context filtering, which uses text mining evidence linked to PPI edges, as a complement to the edge confidence scores typically provided in PPIs for filtering, for obtaining more biologically relevant network neighborhoods. Here, we estimate the maximum performance of context filtering to isolate a Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) network Ki from a union of KEGG networks and its network neighborhood. The work gives insights on the use of human PPIs in network neighborhood approaches for functional inference. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Removal of batch effects using distribution-matching residual networks.

PubMed

Shaham, Uri; Stanton, Kelly P; Zhao, Jun; Li, Huamin; Raddassi, Khadir; Montgomery, Ruth; Kluger, Yuval

2017-08-15

Sources of variability in experimentally derived data include measurement error in addition to the physical phenomena of interest. This measurement error is a combination of systematic components, originating from the measuring instrument and random measurement errors. Several novel biological technologies, such as mass cytometry and single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq), are plagued with systematic errors that may severely affect statistical analysis if the data are not properly calibrated. We propose a novel deep learning approach for removing systematic batch effects. Our method is based on a residual neural network, trained to minimize the Maximum Mean Discrepancy between the multivariate distributions of two replicates, measured in different batches. We apply our method to mass cytometry and scRNA-seq datasets, and demonstrate that it effectively attenuates batch effects. our codes and data are publicly available at https://github.com/ushaham/BatchEffectRemoval.git. yuval.kluger@yale.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Occupational dose reduction in cardiac catheterisation laboratory: a randomised trial using a shield drape placed on the patient.

PubMed

Ordiales, J M; Nogales, J M; Vano, E; López-Mínguez, J R; Alvarez, F J; Ramos, J; Martínez, G; Sánchez, R M

2017-04-25

The aim of this study was to evaluate the occupational radiation dose in interventional cardiology by using a shielding drape on the patient. A random study with and without the protective material was conducted. The following control parameters were registered: demographic data, number of stents, contrast media volume, fluoroscopy time, number of cine images, kerma-area product and cumulative air kerma. Occupational dose data were obtained by electronic active dosemeters. No statistically significant differences in the analysed control parameters were registered. The median dose value received by the interventional cardiologist was 50% lower in the group with a shielding drape with a statistically significant p-value <0.001. In addition, the median value of the maximum scatter radiation dose was 31% lower in this group with a statistically significant p-value <0.001. This study showed that a shielding drape is a useful tool for reducing the occupational radiation dose in a cardiac catheterisation laboratory. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ambient noise levels in mobile audiometric testing facilities: compliance with industry standards.

PubMed

Lankford, J E; Perrone, D C; Thunder, T D

1999-04-01

Excessive ambient noise levels in audiometric test booths may elevate and therefore invalidate hearing thresholds of employees included in a hearing conservation program. This study was conducted to determine if a sample of mobile test vans and trailers operating in the Midwest met the 1983 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) maximum permissible ambient noise levels (MPANLs), the MPANLs in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) S3.1-1991, and the suggested National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) values. Ambient noise levels were measured in 13 audiometric test booths contained in 12 different industrial mobile test vans and trailers operating in the Midwest. Results indicated that all 13 (100%) of the industrial mobile test vans and trailers evaluated complied with 1983 OSHA permissible levels and the NHCA 1996 recommended levels. With regard to the 1991 ANSI MPANLs, 5 (38%) of the 13 booths were in compliance at all frequencies. Those that failed did so at 125, 250, and 500 Hz. It appears that the NHCA levels need to be used for all hearing conservation programs with respect to compliance for noise levels in mobile audiometric test booths.

Natural radioactivity and radon exhalation rates in man-made tiles used as building materials in Japan.

PubMed

Iwaoka, K; Hosoda, M; Suwankot, N; Omori, Y; Ishikawa, T; Yonehara, H; Tokonami, S

2015-11-01

Man-made tiles frequently used in Japan were collected, and activity concentrations and radon ((222)Rn) exhalation rates in these tiles were measured. Dose estimations for inhabitants living in houses built using these tiles were also carried out. The activity concentrations of (226)Ra, (228)Ra and (40)K in the man-made tiles were 31-170, 35-110 and 260-980 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The (222)Rn exhalation rates in the tiles were 8.8-21 μBq m(-2) s(-1). The ranges of experimental activity concentrations and (222)Rn exhalation rates were almost identical to those of natural rocks used as typical building materials in Japan. The maximum value of effective dose to inhabitants living in houses built with the man-made tiles was 0.14 mSv y(-1), which is lower than the reference level range (1-20 mSv y(-1)) for abnormally high levels of natural background radiation published in the ICRP Publication 103. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in soft tissue of oyster (Saccostrea cucullata) collected from the Lengeh Port coast, Persian Gulf, Iran: a comparison with the permissible limits for public health.

PubMed

Heidari, Behnam; Riyahi Bakhtiari, Alireza; Shirneshan, Golshan

2013-12-01

This study examines concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in the soft tissue of Saccostrea cucullata in the intertidal zones of Lengeh Port, Persian Gulf, Iran, to survey whether heavy metals are within the acceptable limits for public health? The results revealed that the average metal concentrations (μg/g dry weight) ranged from 10.28 to 12.03 for Cd, 294.10 to 345.80 for Cu, 20.64 to 58.23 for Pb and 735.60 to 760.40 for Zn in the soft tissue of oysters. From the human public health point of view, comparison between the mean concentrations of the metals in the soft tissue of oyster and global guidelines clearly indicates that nearly in all cases concentrations are higher than the permissible amounts for human consumption. In addition, levels of Zn, Pb and Cu were well below their recommended oral maximum residue level (MRLs), whereas levels of Cd were observed two times higher. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Fossil Calibration Database-A New Resource for Divergence Dating.

PubMed

Ksepka, Daniel T; Parham, James F; Allman, James F; Benton, Michael J; Carrano, Matthew T; Cranston, Karen A; Donoghue, Philip C J; Head, Jason J; Hermsen, Elizabeth J; Irmis, Randall B; Joyce, Walter G; Kohli, Manpreet; Lamm, Kristin D; Leehr, Dan; Patané, Josés L; Polly, P David; Phillips, Matthew J; Smith, N Adam; Smith, Nathan D; Van Tuinen, Marcel; Ware, Jessica L; Warnock, Rachel C M

2015-09-01

Fossils provide the principal basis for temporal calibrations, which are critical to the accuracy of divergence dating analyses. Translating fossil data into minimum and maximum bounds for calibrations is the most important-often least appreciated-step of divergence dating. Properly justified calibrations require the synthesis of phylogenetic, paleontological, and geological evidence and can be difficult for nonspecialists to formulate. The dynamic nature of the fossil record (e.g., new discoveries, taxonomic revisions, updates of global or local stratigraphy) requires that calibration data be updated continually lest they become obsolete. Here, we announce the Fossil Calibration Database (http://fossilcalibrations.org), a new open-access resource providing vetted fossil calibrations to the scientific community. Calibrations accessioned into this database are based on individual fossil specimens and follow best practices for phylogenetic justification and geochronological constraint. The associated Fossil Calibration Series, a calibration-themed publication series at Palaeontologia Electronica, will serve as a key pipeline for peer-reviewed calibrations to enter the database. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Biodiversity patterns of plankton assemblages at the extremes of the Red Sea.

PubMed

Pearman, J K; Kürten, S; Sarma, Y V B; Jones, B H; Carvalho, S

2016-03-01

The diversity of microbial plankton has received limited attention in the main basin of the Red Sea. This study investigates changes in the community composition and structure of prokaryotes and eukaryotes at the extremes of the Red Sea along cross-shelf gradients and between the surface and deep chlorophyll maximum. Using molecular methods to target both the 16S and 18S rRNA genes, it was observed that the dominant prokaryotic classes were Acidimicrobiia, Alphaproteobacteria and Cyanobacteria, regardless of the region and depth. The eukaryotes Syndiniophyceae and Dinophyceae between them dominated in the north, with Bacillariophyceae and Mamiellophyceae more prominent in the southern region. Significant differences were observed for prokaryotes and eukaryotes for region, depth and distance from shore. Similarly, it was noticed that communities became less similar with increasing distance from the shore. Canonical correspondence analysis at the class level showed that Mamiellophyceae and Bacillariophyceae correlated with increased nutrients and chlorophyll a found in the southern region, which is influenced by the input of Gulf of Aden Intermediate Water. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

SU-E-T-270: Optimized Shielding Calculations for Medical Linear Accelerators (LINACs).

PubMed

Muhammad, W; Lee, S; Hussain, A

2012-06-01

The purpose of radiation shielding is to reduce the effective equivalent dose from a medical linear accelerator (LINAC) to a point outside the room to a level determined by individual state/international regulations. The study was performed to design LINAC's room for newly planned radiotherapy centers. Optimized shielding calculations were performed for LINACs having maximum photon energy of 20 MV based on NCRP 151. The maximum permissible dose limits were kept 0.04 mSv/week and 0.002 mSv/week for controlled and uncontrolled areas respectively by following ALARA principle. The planned LINAC's room was compared to the already constructed (non-optimized) LINAC's room to evaluate the shielding costs and the other facilities those are directly related to the room design. In the evaluation process it was noted that the non-optimized room size (i.e., 610 × 610 cm 2 or 20 feet × 20 feet) is not suitable for total body irradiation (TBI) although the machine installed inside was having not only the facility of TBI but the license was acquired. By keeping this point in view, the optimized INAC's room size was kept 762 × 762 cm 2. Although, the area of the optimized rooms was greater than the non-planned room (i.e., 762 × 762 cm 2 instead of 610 × 610 cm 2), the shielding cost for the optimized LINAC's rooms was reduced by 15%. When optimized shielding calculations were re-performed for non-optimized shielding room (i.e., keeping room size, occupancy factors, workload etc. same), it was found that the shielding cost may be lower to 41 %. In conclusion, non- optimized LINAC's room can not only put extra financial burden on the hospital but also can cause of some serious issues related to providing health care facilities for patients. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Human Parvovirus B19 Induced Apoptotic Bodies Contain Altered Self-Antigens that are Phagocytosed by Antigen Presenting Cells

PubMed Central

Thammasri, Kanoktip; Rauhamäki, Sanna; Wang, Liping; Filippou, Artemis; Kivovich, Violetta; Marjomäki, Varpu; Naides, Stanley J.; Gilbert, Leona

2013-01-01

Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) from the erythrovirus genus is known to be a pathogenic virus in humans. Prevalence of B19V infection has been reported worldwide in all seasons, with a high incidence in the spring. B19V is responsible for erythema infectiosum (fifth disease) commonly seen in children. Its other clinical presentations include arthralgia, arthritis, transient aplastic crisis, chronic anemia, congenital anemia, and hydrops fetalis. In addition, B19V infection has been reported to trigger autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. However, the mechanisms of B19V participation in autoimmunity are not fully understood. B19V induced chronic disease and persistent infection suggests B19V can serve as a model for viral host interactions and the role of viruses in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Here we investigate the involvement of B19V in the breakdown of immune tolerance. Previously, we demonstrated that the non-structural protein 1 (NS 1) of B19V induces apoptosis in non-permissive cells lines and that this protein can cleave host DNA as well as form NS1-DNA adducts. Here we provide evidence that through programmed cell death, apoptotic bodies (ApoBods) are generated by B19V NS1 expression in a non-permissive cell line. Characterization of purified ApoBods identified potential self-antigens within them. In particular, signature self-antigens such as Smith, ApoH, DNA, histone H4 and phosphatidylserine associated with autoimmunity were present in these ApoBods. In addition, when purified ApoBods were introduced to differentiated macrophages, recognition, engulfment and uptake occurred. This suggests that B19V can produce a source of self-antigens for immune cell processing. The results support our hypothesis that B19V NS1-DNA adducts, and nucleosomal and lysosomal antigens present in ApoBods created in non-permissive cell lines, are a source of self-antigens. PMID:23776709

Comparing fishers' and scientific estimates of size at maturity and maximum body size as indicators for overfishing.

PubMed

Mclean, Elizabeth L; Forrester, Graham E

2018-04-01

We tested whether fishers' local ecological knowledge (LEK) of two fish life-history parameters, size at maturity (SAM) at maximum body size (MS), was comparable to scientific estimates (SEK) of the same parameters, and whether LEK influenced fishers' perceptions of sustainability. Local ecological knowledge was documented for 82 fishers from a small-scale fishery in Samaná Bay, Dominican Republic, whereas SEK was compiled from the scientific literature. Size at maturity estimates derived from LEK and SEK overlapped for most of the 15 commonly harvested species (10 of 15). In contrast, fishers' maximum size estimates were usually lower than (eight species), or overlapped with (five species) scientific estimates. Fishers' size-based estimates of catch composition indicate greater potential for overfishing than estimates based on SEK. Fishers' estimates of size at capture relative to size at maturity suggest routine inclusion of juveniles in the catch (9 of 15 species), and fishers' estimates suggest that harvested fish are substantially smaller than maximum body size for most species (11 of 15 species). Scientific estimates also suggest that harvested fish are generally smaller than maximum body size (13 of 15), but suggest that the catch is dominated by adults for most species (9 of 15 species), and that juveniles are present in the catch for fewer species (6 of 15). Most Samaná fishers characterized the current state of their fishery as poor (73%) and as having changed for the worse over the past 20 yr (60%). Fishers stated that concern about overfishing, catching small fish, and catching immature fish contributed to these perceptions, indicating a possible influence of catch-size composition on their perceptions. Future work should test this link more explicitly because we found no evidence that the minority of fishers with more positive perceptions of their fishery reported systematically different estimates of catch-size composition than those with the more negative majority view. Although fishers' and scientific estimates of size at maturity and maximum size parameters sometimes differed, the fact that fishers make routine quantitative assessments of maturity and body size suggests potential for future collaborative monitoring efforts to generate estimates usable by scientists and meaningful to fishers. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Endovascular retrieval of dental needle retained in the internal carotid artery.

PubMed

Moore, Kenneth; Khan, Nickalus R; Michael, L Madison; Arthur, Adam S; Hoit, Daniel

2017-07-01

Intravascular foreign bodies are a known complication of medical and dental procedures. Dental anesthetic needles may be broken off and retained in the oropharynx. These needles have occasionally been reported to migrate through the oral mucosa in to deeper structures. Here we present the case of a 57-year-old man who had a retained dental needle that had migrated into his internal carotid artery. The needle was removed using endovascular techniques. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a retained dental needle being retrieved using this method. We review the literature on intravascular foreign bodies, retained dental needles, and endovascular techniques for retrieval of such foreign bodies. 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/.

Objective Measurements of Energy Balance Are Associated With Sleep Architecture in Healthy Adults.

PubMed

Spaeth, Andrea M; Dinges, David F; Goel, Namni

2017-01-01

We objectively measured body composition, energy expenditure, caloric intake, and sleep in a large, diverse sample of healthy men and women and determined how energy balance and diet associated with sleep physiology. Healthy adults (n = 50; 21-50 years) participated in an in-laboratory study involving two baseline sleep nights (BL1-2, 10 hours time-in-bed/night, 2200-0800 hours). Polysomnography was recorded on BL2. Demographic information, body composition, and energy expenditure measurements were collected at study admittance and on BL1. Daily food/drink intake was recorded both before (on BL1) and after (on BL2) the sleep measurement. Partial Pearson's correlations assessed the relationship between energy balance and sleep physiology variables. At baseline, greater fat-free mass associated with lower total sleep time (r = -0.52, p = .030), lower sleep efficiency (r = -0.53, p = .004), and greater wake after sleep onset (r = 0.55, p = .002). Higher body fat percentage (r = 0.39, p = .038) and being overweight (Body Mass Index [BMI] 25-30; p = .026) associated with more rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Higher protein intake (r's = 0.46-0.52; p's < .001-.002) and lower carbohydrate intake (r's = -0.31 to -0.34; p's = .027-.046) on BL1 and BL2 associated with more REM sleep. Greater fiber consumption on BL1 and BL2 associated with more slow-wave sleep (SWS; r's = 0.33-0.35; p's = .02-.03). More SWS related to increased carbohydrate intake the following day (BL2, r = 0.32, p = .037). Body composition and diet were related to baseline sleep characteristics, including SWS and REM sleep duration and sleep maintenance. Future studies should further evaluate the influence of energy balance measures on sleep physiology, since dietary interventions may be useful in treating insufficient sleep, poor sleep quality, excessive sleepiness or other sleep disorders. © Sleep Research Society 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Skeletal maturation, fundamental motor skills and motor performance in preschool children.

PubMed

Freitas, D L; Lausen, B; Maia, J A; Gouveia, É R; Antunes, A M; Thomis, M; Lefevre, J; Malina, R M

2018-06-01

Relationships among skeletal age (SA), body size and fundamental motor skills (FMS) and motor performance were considered in 155 boys and 159 girls 3-6 years of age. Stature and body mass were measured. SA of the hand-wrist was assessed with the Tanner-Whitehouse II 20 bone method. The Test of Gross Motor Development, 2 nd edition (TGMD-2) and the Preschool Test Battery were used, respectively, to assess FMS and motor performance. Based on hierarchical regression analyses, the standardized residuals of SA on chronological age (SAsr) explained a maximum of 6.1% of the variance in FMS and motor performance in boys (ΔR 2 3 , range 0.0% to 6.1%) and a maximum of 20.4% of the variance in girls (ΔR 2 3 , range 0.0% to 20.4%) over that explained by body size and interactions of SAsr with body size (step 3). The interactions of the SAsr and stature and body mass (step 2) explained a maximum of 28.3% of the variance in boys (ΔR 2 2 , range 0.5% to 28.3%) and 16.7% of the variance in girls (ΔR 2 2 , range 0.7% to 16.7%) over that explained by body size alone. With the exception of balance, relationships among SAsr and FMS or motor performance differed between boys and girls. Overall, SA per se or interacting with body size had a relatively small influence in FMS and motor performance in children 3-6 years of age. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[Effects of two different types of whole body vibration on neuromuscular performance and body composition in postmenopausal women].

PubMed

Klarner, A; von Stengel, S; Kemmler, W; Kladny, B; Kalender, W

2011-10-01

The effects of different types of whole body vibration (WBV) training on neuromuscular performance and body composition were determined in postmenopausal women. In the Erlangen Longitudinal Vibration Study II (ELVIS-II-Study) 108 postmenopausal women between 60 and 75 years of age (average 65.8 ± 3.5 years) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: two WBV training-groups (n = 36 each), each performing an identical program thrice a week for 15 min on two different types of vibration plates for one year: 1. vertical vibrating, 35 Hz, 1.7 mm (VG); 2. rotational vibrating 12.5 Hz, 12 mm (RG). A control group (n = 36) conducted a low intensity gymnastic and relaxation program. Muscular strength and power were assessed, body composition was determined by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and pain intensity was assessed by a questionnaire. Maximum leg strength (VG: 24.4 %; RG: 26.6 %; KG: 6.2 %; p < 0.001) and maximum trunk flexion strength (VG: 12.2 %; RG: 11.5 %; KG: -5.5 %; p = 0.01) significantly increased in both vibration groups. No changes were found for body composition parameters (lean body mass, appendicular muscle mass, fat mass). Pain intensity in the big joints (p < 0.05) decreased in both vibration groups, in the lumbar spine region this was not significant. There was no difference between vibration types. No vibration-related side effects were observed. The study results suggest that WBV might be an alternative to classic training contents to increase maximum strength and reduce pain. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

[Professional risk assessment for modern pesticides during their application in the horticulture].

PubMed

Semenenko, V M; Korshun, M M

2014-01-01

The work conditions on application of modern pesticides Masai, Regalis and Bellis for apple orchards protection have been researched. We show that total risk of hazard influence of tebufenpyrad, prohexadione-calcium, pyraclostrobin and boscalid on agricultural workers under condition of complex entry in body through skin and respiratory tracts is permissible. We proved that application of studied preparations is not dangerous for workers in case of abidance of agrotechnical and hygienic regulations.

Age Differences in Self-Continuity: Converging Evidence and Directions for Future Research.

PubMed

Löckenhoff, Corinna E; Rutt, Joshua L

2017-06-01

Life-span development is inherently linked to the perception of time and associated temporal construals. Such concepts are multi-faceted in nature and have important practical implications in areas such as time management, financial planning, or medical choices. A large body of research has documented age-related limitations in global time horizons, but age differences in other aspects of temporal construal are comparatively poorly understood. The present article draws attention to developmental trajectories of self-continuity, defined as perceived associations of one's present self with past and future selves. After considering historical roots and contemporary views on self-continuity, we turn to the life-span developmental literature and review several convergent streams of research that provide indirect evidence for age-related increases in self-continuity. We then consider a small body of recent studies which have directly assessed age differences in self-continuity and summarize our current understanding of this phenomenon including associations between explicit and implicit measures, symmetry between past and future self-continuity, and differentiation from other aspects of time perception. We conclude by highlighting open theoretical questions and considering the practical implications of an increased sense of self-continuity with advancing age. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Science and Politics of Naming: Reforming Anatomical Nomenclature, ca. 1886-1955.

PubMed

Buklijas, Tatjana

2017-04-01

Anatomical nomenclature is medicine's official language. Early in their medical studies, students are expected to memorize not only the bodily geography but also the names for all the structures that, by consensus, constitute the anatomical body. The making and uses of visual maps of the body have received considerable historiographical attention, yet the history of production, communication, and reception of anatomical names-a history as long as the history of anatomy itself-has been studied far less. My essay examines the reforms of anatomical naming between the first modern nomenclature, the 1895 Basel Nomina Anatomica (BNA), and the 1955 Nomina Anatomica Parisiensia (NAP, also known as PNA), which is the basis for current anatomical terminology. I focus on the controversial and ultimately failed attempt to reform anatomical nomenclature, known as Jena Nomina Anatomica (INA), of 1935. Discussions around nomenclature reveal not only how anatomical names are made and communicated, but also the relationship of anatomy with the clinic; disciplinary controversies within anatomy; national traditions in science; and the interplay between international and scientific disciplinary politics. I show how the current anatomical nomenclature, a successor to the NAP, is an outcome of both political and disciplinary tensions that reached their peak before 1945. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Caloric Restriction in Older Adults-Differential Effects of Weight Loss and Reduced Weight on Brain Structure and Function.

PubMed

Prehn, Kristin; Jumpertz von Schwartzenberg, Reiner; Mai, Knut; Zeitz, Ulrike; Witte, A Veronica; Hampel, Dierk; Szela, Anna-Maria; Fabian, Sonja; Grittner, Ulrike; Spranger, Joachim; Flöel, Agnes

2017-03-01

Dietary modifications such as caloric restriction (CR) have been suggested as a means to improve memory and prevent age-related decline. However, it is unclear whether those effects remain stable over time or are related specifically to negative energy balance during the weight loss phase of CR. Using a randomized interventional design, we investigated changes in recognition memory and neural correlates in postmenopausal obese women (n = 19): 1) after intense weight loss in the course of a 12-week low-caloric diet (reduced body weight and negative energy balance) and 2) after having sustained the reduced weight over 4 more weeks (reduced body weight, but energy balance equilibrium). Participants were contrasted to a control group (n = 18) instructed not to change dietary habits. In the CR group, we found improved recognition memory, paralleled by increased gray matter volume in inferior frontal gyrus and hippocampus, and augmented hippocampal resting-state functional connectivity to parietal areas. Moreover, effects were specific for transient negative energy balance and could not be detected after subsequent weight maintenance. Our data demonstrate for the first time in humans that beneficial effects of CR on brain structure and function are due to weight loss rather than an overall reduced weight. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Delimiting Evolutionarily Significant Units of the Fish, Piaractus brachypomus (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae), from the Orinoco and Amazon River Basins with Insight on Routes of Historical Connectivity.

PubMed

Escobar, Maria Doris; Andrade-López, Juana; Farias, Izeni P; Hrbek, Tomas

2015-01-01

The freshwater fish Piaractus brachypomus is an economically important for human consumption both in commercial fisheries and aquaculture in all South American countries where it occurs. In recent years the species has decreased in abundance due to heavy fishing pressure. The species occurs in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, but lack of meristic differences between fishes from the 2 basins, and extensive migration associated with reproduction, have resulted in P. brachypomus being considered a single panmictic species. Analysis of 7 nuclear microsatellites, mitochondrial DNA sequences (D-loop and COI), and body shape variables demonstrated that each river basin is populated by a distinct evolutionarily significant unit (ESU); the 2 groups had an average COI divergence of 3.5% and differed in body depth and relative head length. Historical connection between the 2 basins most probably occurred via the Rupununi portal rather than via the Casiquiare canal. The 2 ESUs will require independent fishery management, and translocation of fisheries stocks between basins should be avoided to prevent loss of local adaptations or extinction associated with outbreeding depression. Introductions of fishes from the Orinoco basin into the Putumayo River basin, an Amazon basin drainage, and evidence of hybridization between the 2 ESUs have already been detected. © The American Genetic Association 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Consensus recommendations on training and competing in the heat.

PubMed

Racinais, S; Alonso, J M; Coutts, A J; Flouris, A D; Girard, O; González-Alonso, J; Hausswirth, C; Jay, O; Lee, J K W; Mitchell, N; Nassis, G P; Nybo, L; Pluim, B M; Roelands, B; Sawka, M N; Wingo, J; Périard, J D

2015-09-01

Exercising in the heat induces thermoregulatory and other physiological strain that can lead to impairments in endurance exercise capacity. The purpose of this consensus statement is to provide up-to-date recommendations to optimise performance during sporting activities undertaken in hot ambient conditions. The most important intervention one can adopt to reduce physiological strain and optimise performance is to heat acclimatise. Heat acclimatisation should comprise repeated exercise-heat exposures over 1-2 weeks. In addition, athletes should initiate competition and training in a euhydrated state and minimise dehydration during exercise. Following the development of commercial cooling systems (eg, cooling-vest), athletes can implement cooling strategies to facilitate heat loss or increase heat storage capacity before training or competing in the heat. Moreover, event organisers should plan for large shaded areas, along with cooling and rehydration facilities, and schedule events in accordance with minimising the health risks of athletes, especially in mass participation events and during the first hot days of the year. Following the recent examples of the 2008 Olympics and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, sport governing bodies should consider allowing additional (or longer) recovery periods between and during events, for hydration and body cooling opportunities, when competitions are held in the heat. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Impaired imitation of gestures in mild dementia: comparison of dementia with Lewy bodies, Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

PubMed

Nagahama, Yasuhiro; Okina, Tomoko; Suzuki, Norio

2015-11-01

To examine whether imitation of gestures provided useful information to diagnose early dementia in elderly patients. Imitation of finger and hand gestures was evaluated in patients with mild dementia; 74 patients had dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), 100 with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 52 with subcortical vascular dementia (SVaD). Significantly, more patients with DLB (32.4%) compared with patients with AD (5%) or SVaD (11.5%) had an impaired ability to imitate finger gestures bilaterally. Also, significantly, more patients with DLB (36.5%) compared with patients with AD (5%) or SVaD (15.4%) had lower mean scores of both hands. In contrast, impairment of the imitation of bimanual gestures was comparable among the three patient groups (DLB 50%, AD 42%, SVaD 42.3%). Our study revealed that imitation of bimanual gestures was impaired non-specifically in about half of the patients with mild dementia, whereas imitation of finger gestures was significantly more impaired in patients with early DLB than in those with AD or SVaD. Although the sensitivity was not high, the imitation tasks may provide additional information for diagnosis of mild dementia, especially for DLB. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Cranberry Extract Standardized for Proanthocyanidins Alleviates β-Amyloid Peptide Toxicity by Improving Proteostasis Through HSF-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Guo, Hong; Cao, Min; Zou, Sige; Ye, Boping; Dong, Yuqing

2016-12-01

A growing body of evidence suggests that nutraceuticals with prolongevity properties may delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We recently demonstrated that a proanthocyanidins-standardized cranberry extract has properties that prolong life span and promote innate immunity in Caenorhabditis elegans In this article, we report that supplementation of this cranberry extract delayed Aβ toxicity-triggered body paralysis in the C elegans AD model. Genetic analyses indicated that the cranberry-mediated Aβ toxicity alleviation required heat shock transcription factor (HSF)-1 rather than DAF-16 and SKN-1. Moreover, cranberry supplementation increased the transactivity of HSF-1 in an IIS-dependent manner. Further studies found that the cranberry extract relies on HSF-1 to significantly enhance the solubility of proteins in aged worms, implying an improved proteostasis in AD worms. Considering that HSF-1 plays a pivotal role in maintaining proteostasis, our results suggest that cranberry maintains the function of proteostasis through HSF-1, thereby protecting C elegans against Aβ toxicity. Together, our findings elucidated the mechanism whereby cranberry attenuated Aβ toxicity in C elegans and stressed the significance of proteostasis in the prevention of age-related diseases from a practical point of view. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Positive parenting mitigates the effects of poor self-regulation on body mass index trajectories from ages 4-15 years.

PubMed

Connell, Lauren E; Francis, Lori A

2014-08-01

This study sought to determine whether parenting style moderates the effects of delay of gratification on body mass index (BMI) trajectories from ages 4-15 years. Longitudinal data were analyzed for 778 children drawn from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Parenting style (i.e., authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful) was created from measures of mothers' sensitivity and expectations for self-control when children were age 4 years. Self-regulation was also measured at 4 years using a well-known delay of gratification protocol. BMI was calculated from measured height and weight at each time point. Mixed modeling was used to test the interaction of parenting styles and ability to delay gratification on BMI trajectories from 4-15 years. There was a significant interaction effect of parenting and ability to delay on BMI growth from 4-15 years for boys. Boys who had authoritarian mothers and failed to delay gratification had a significantly steeper rate of growth in BMI from childhood through adolescence than children in any other parenting by delay group. Authoritative and permissive parenting styles were protective against more rapid BMI gains for boys who could not delay gratification. Ability to delay gratification was protective against BMI gains for boys who had parents with authoritarian or neglectful parenting styles.

Betel-quid and alcohol use were associated with lipid accumulation product among male factory workers in Taiwan.

PubMed

Huang, Chih-Fang; Chen, Chao-Tung; Wang, Pei-Ming; Koo, Malcolm

2015-05-01

In this study, cardiometabolic risk associated with betel-quid, alcohol and cigarette use, based on a simple index-lipid accumulation product (LAP), was investigated in Taiwanese male factory workers. Male factory workers were recruited during their annual routine health examination at a hospital in south Taiwan. The risk of cardiometabolic disorders was estimated by the use of LAP, calculated as (waist circumference [cm]-65)×(triglyceride concentration [mmol/l]). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the risk factors of natural logarithm-transformed LAP. Of the 815 participants, 40% (325/815) were current alcohol users, 30% (248/815) were current smokers and 7% (53/815) were current betel-quid users. Current betel-quid use, alcohol use, older age, lack of exercise and higher body mass index were found to be significant and independent factors associated with natural logarithm-transformed LAP. Betel-quid and alcohol, but not cigarette use, were independent risk factors of logarithm-transformed LAP, adjusting for age, exercise and body mass index in male Taiwanese factory workers. LAP can be considered as a simple and useful method for screening of cardiometabolic risk. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

You Smell Dangerous: Communicating Fight Responses Through Human Chemosignals of Aggression.

PubMed

Mutic, Smiljana; Parma, Valentina; Brünner, Yvonne F; Freiherr, Jessica

2016-01-01

The ability to detect conspecifics that represent a potential harm for an individual represents a high survival benefit. Humans communicate socially relevant information using all sensory modalities, including the chemosensory systems. In study 1, we investigated whether the body odor of a stranger with the intention to harm serves as a chemosignal of aggression. Sixteen healthy male participants donated their body odor while engaging in a boxing session characterized by aggression-induction methods (chemosignal of aggression) and while performing an ergometer session (exercise chemosignal). Self-reports on aggression-related physical activity, motivation to harm and angry emotions selectively increased after aggression induction. In study 2, we examined whether receivers smelling such chemosignals experience emotional contagion (e.g., anger) or emotional reciprocity (e.g., anxiety). The aggression and exercise chemosignals were therefore presented to 22 healthy normosmic participants in a double-blind, randomized exposure during which affective/cognitive processing was examined (i.e., emotion recognition task, emotional stroop task). Behavioral results indicate that chemosignals of aggression induce an affective/cognitive modulation compatible with an anxiety reaction in the recipients. These findings are discussed in light of mechanisms of emotional reciprocity as a way to convey not only affective but also motivational information via chemosensory signals in humans. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Obesity and worsening of chronic venous disease and joint mobility.

PubMed

Belczak, Cleusa Ema Quilici; de Godoy, José Maria Pereira; Belzack, Sergio Quilici; Ramos, Rubiana Neves; Caffaro, Roberto Augusto

2014-09-01

The aim of this study was to investigate a possible relationship between obesity and decreased mobility of the talocrural joint and in turn chronic venous disease. One hundred obese patients recruited at Hospital Santa Casa de Maringa, Parana were enrolled by order of arrival at the hospital in a randomized quantitative cross-sectional study. Inclusion criteria were patients with a body mass index above 30 kg/m(2) and the exclusion criteria were infectious conditions that would interfere with the assessment. Patients were graded according to the clinical, etiological, anatomical and pathophysiological classification. Talocrural goniometry was performed to assess the degree of mobility of the legs. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn's Multiple comparison test and analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis tests with an alpha error of 5% being considered acceptable. The increase in body mass index is correlated to the reduction in joint mobility (Kruskal-Wallis test: p-value <0.0001) and increase in clinical, etiological, anatomical and pathophysiological classification is correlated to a decrease in joint mobility and the increase in age is associated with an increase in clinical, etiological, anatomical and pathophysiological classification (Kruskal-Wallis test: p-value <0.0001). Obesity is associated with deterioration in joint mobility and worsening of chronic venous disease. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

To see or not to see: a qualitative interview study of patients' views on their own diagnostic images.

PubMed

Carlin, Leslie E; Smith, Helen E; Henwood, Flis

2014-07-31

To ascertain what meaning individuals attach to perceiving images of their own interior body and how the images and their meanings affect the clinical consultation. Face-to-face semistructured interviews. 25 adult patients in southern England who, within the preceding 12 months, had been referred for diagnostic imaging. Community. For patients, being shown their own X-rays, MRIs or CT images creates a variety of effects: (1) a sense of better understanding of the diagnosis; (2) validation of their sensory and emotional response to the illness or injury and (3) an alteration to the tenor and nature of the clinical encounter between patient and physician. In addition to meanings attached to these images, patients also impute meaning to the physician's decision not to share an image with them. The desire to see their image was greater in those patients with a skeletal injury; patients are less keen on viewing abdominal or other soft tissue images. Viewing images of one's interior, invisible body is powerful and resonant in a number of ways. The experience of not seeing, whether through the patient's or the physician's choice, is also fraught with meaning. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Nutrition and health in hotel staff on different shift patterns.

PubMed

Seibt, R; Süße, T; Spitzer, S; Hunger, B; Rudolf, M

2015-08-01

Limited research is available that examines the nutritional behaviour and health of hotel staff working alternating and regular shifts. To analyse the nutritional behaviour and health of employees working in alternating and regular shifts. The study used an ex post facto cross-sectional analysis to compare the nutritional behaviour and health parameters of workers with alternating shifts and regular shift workers. Nutritional behaviour was assessed with the Food Frequency Questionnaire. Body dimensions (body mass index, waist hip ratio, fat mass and active cell mass), metabolic values (glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol and low- and high-density lipoprotein), diseases and health complaints were included as health parameters. Participants worked in alternating (n = 53) and regular shifts (n = 97). The average age of subjects was 35 ± 10 years. There was no significant difference in nutritional behaviour, most surveyed body dimensions or metabolic values between the two groups. However, alternating shift workers had significantly lower fat mass and higher active cell mass but nevertheless reported more pronounced health complaints. Sex and age were also confirmed as influencing the surveyed parameters. Shift-dependent nutritional problems were not conspicuously apparent in this sample of hotel industry workers. Health parameters did not show significantly negative attributes for alternating shift workers. Conceivably, both groups could have the same level of knowledge on the health effects of nutrition and comparable opportunities to apply this. Further studies on nutritional and health behaviour in the hotel industry are necessary in order to create validated screening programmes. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Impact of an Alien Invasive Shrub on Ecology of Native and Alien Invasive Mosquito Species (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Muturi, Ephantus J; Gardner, Allison M; Bara, Jeffrey J

2015-10-01

We examined how leaf litter of alien invasive honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii Rupr.) either alone or in combination with leaf litter of one of two native tree species, sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) and northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.), affects the ecology of Culex restuans Theobald, Ochlerotatus triseriatus Say, and Ochlerotatus japonicus Theobald. Experimental mesocosms containing single species litter or a mixture of honeysuckle and one of two native tree species litter were established at South Farms and Trelease Woods study sites in Urbana, IL, and examined for their effect on 1) oviposition site selection by the three mosquito species, and 2) adult production and body size of Oc. triseriatus and Oc. japonicus. There were no significant effects of study site and leaf treatment on Oc. japonicus and Oc. triseriatus oviposition preference and adult production. In contrast, significantly more Cx. restuans eggs rafts were collected at South Farms relative to Trelease Woods and in honeysuckle litter relative to native tree species litter. Significantly larger adult females of Oc. japonicus and Oc. triseriatus were collected at South Farms relative to Trelease Woods and in honeysuckle litter relative to native tree species litter. Combining honeysuckle litter with native tree species litter had additive effects on Cx. restuans oviposition preference and Oc. japonicus and Oc. triseriatus body size, with the exception of honeysuckle and northern red oak litter combination, which had antagonistic effects on Oc. triseriatus body size. We conclude that input of honeysuckle litter into container aquatic habitats may alter the life history traits of vector mosquito species. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Interactions Among Latitude, Nematode Parasitization, and Female Sirex nigricornis (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) Fitness.

PubMed

Hartshorn, Jessica A; Chase, Kevin D; Galligan, Larry D; Riggins, John J; Stephen, Fred M

2016-12-01

Sirex nigricornis F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) is an innocuous pine-inhabiting woodwasp native to eastern North America, utilizing dead or dying pine trees as hosts. Although S. nigricornis F. does not cause economic damage, a closely related species, Sirex noctilio, was discovered in New York in 2004 and has continually spread throughout the northeastern United States and southern Canada, threatening the multi-billion-dollar pine timber industry of the southeastern United States and raising interest about potential interactions with native woodwasps and associated mortality agents. A non-sterilizing strain of the biological control agent, Deladenus siricidicola Bedding (Tylenchida: Neotylenchidae), was introduced along with S. noctilio but is not inhibiting the spread or establishment of S. noctilio A North American congener, Deladenus proximus Bedding, has been recently isolated from S. noctilio and shows promise as a biological control agent. To better understand the potential of D. proximus as a control agent for S. noctilio, we measured and dissected nearly 1,200 S. nigricornis females from Arkansas and Mississippi and evaluated differences among collection location with regard to nematode virulence, woodwasp body size, and egg load. Body size and egg load were related to collection location, and nematode infestation resulted in significantly smaller females who produced significantly fewer eggs. Female woodwasps, especially those collected in Arkansas, were often fully sterilized by nematodes, and a higher percent sterilization was inversely related to body size and fewer eggs. We propose field studies to test the nematode's ability to sterilize S. noctilio in the northeastern United States. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sexual selection and the adaptive evolution of PKDREJ protein in primates and rodents.

PubMed

Vicens, Alberto; Gómez Montoto, Laura; Couso-Ferrer, Francisco; Sutton, Keith A; Roldan, Eduardo R S

2015-02-01

PKDREJ is a testis-specific protein thought to be located on the sperm surface. Functional studies in the mouse revealed that loss of PKDREJ has effects on sperm transport and the ability to undergo an induced acrosome reaction. Thus, PKDREJ has been considered a potential target of post-copulatory sexual selection in the form of sperm competition. Proteins involved in reproductive processes often show accelerated evolution. In many cases, this rapid divergence is promoted by positive selection which may be driven, at least in part, by post-copulatory sexual selection. We analysed the evolution of the PKDREJ protein in primates and rodents and assessed whether PKDREJ divergence is associated with testes mass relative to body mass, which is a reliable proxy of sperm competition levels. Evidence of an association between the evolutionary rate of the PKDREJ gene and testes mass relative to body mass was not found in primates. Among rodents, evidence of positive selection was detected in the Pkdrej gene in the family Cricetidae but not in Muridae. We then assessed whether Pkdrej divergence is associated with episodes of sperm competition in these families. We detected a positive significant correlation between the evolutionary rates of Pkdrej and testes mass relative to body mass in cricetids. These findings constitute the first evidence of post-copulatory sexual selection influencing the evolution of a protein that participates in the mechanisms regulating sperm transport and the acrosome reaction, strongly suggesting that positive selection may act on these fertilization steps, leading to advantages in situations of sperm competition. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of combined thermal and electrical muscle stimulation on cardiorespiratory fitness and adipose tissue in obese individuals.

PubMed

Rostrup, Espen; Slettom, Grete; Seifert, Reinhard; Bjørndal, Bodil; Berge, Rolf K; Nordrehaug, Jan Erik

2014-10-01

To better understand how prolonged electrical muscle stimulation can improve cardiorespiratory risk markers in obese subjects, we investigated the effect of prolonged combined thermal and electrical muscle stimulation (cTEMS) on peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) and body composition with subsequent lipolytic and mitochondrial activity in adipocytes. Eleven obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) individuals received cTEMS in three 60-minute sessions per week for 8 weeks. Activity levels and dietary habits were kept unchanged. Before and after the stimulation period, functional capacity was assessed by VO2peak, and body composition was analysed. Lipolytic activity was determined in abdominal adipose tissue by 24 hours of microdialysis on a sedentary day, and adipose tissue biopsies were taken for the gene expression analysis. Eight weeks of cTEMS significantly increased VO2peak from 28.9 ± 5.7 to 31.7 ± 6.2 ml/kg/min (p < 0.05), corresponding to an average increase of 1.2% per week. Oxygen uptake and work capacity also increased at the anaerobic threshold. Mean microdialytic glycerol concentration over 24 hours, an index of sedentary lipolytic activity, increased from 238 ± 60 to 306 ± 55 µM (p < 0,0001), but no significant changes in body composition were observed. In addition, PGC-1α and carnitine-palmitoyltransferase-2 mRNAs were significantly upregulated in subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue. In obese individuals with unchanged lifestyles, 8 weeks of cTEMS significantly improved functional capacity towards a higher fatigue resistance. This increase also gave rise to elevated lipolytic activity and increased mitochondrial activity in abdominal adipose tissue. © Authors 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Inflammation and Change in Body Weight With Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation in a Multinational Cohort of HIV-Infected Adults.

PubMed

Mave, Vidya; Erlandson, Kristine M; Gupte, Nikhil; Balagopal, Ashwin; Asmuth, David M; Campbell, Thomas B; Smeaton, Laura; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Hakim, James; Santos, Breno; Riviere, Cynthia; Hosseinipour, Mina C; Sugandhavesa, Patcharaphan; Infante, Rosa; Pillay, Sandy; Cardoso, Sandra W; Tripathy, Srikanth; Mwelase, Noluthando; Berendes, Sima; Andrade, Bruno B; Thomas, David L; Bollinger, Robert C; Gupta, Amita

2016-07-01

Both wasting and obesity are associated with inflammation, but the extent to which body weight changes influence inflammation during human immunodeficiency virus infection is unknown. Among a random virologically suppressed participants of the Prospective Evaluation of Antiretrovirals in Resource-Limited Settings trial, inflammatory markers were measured at weeks 0, 24, and 48 after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Associations between both baseline and change in body mass index (BMI; calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by the height in meters squared) and changes in inflammation markers were assessed using random effects models. Of 246 participants, 27% were overweight/obese (BMI, ≥ 25), and 8% were underweight (BMI < 18.5) at baseline. After 48 weeks, 37% were overweight/obese, and 3% were underweight. While level of many inflammatory markers decreased 48 weeks after ART initiation in the overall group, the decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP) level was smaller in overweight/obese participants (P = .01), and the decreases in both CRP (P = .01) and interleukin 18 (P = .02) levels were smaller in underweight participants. Each 1-unit gain in BMI among overweight/obese participants was associated with a 0.02-log10 increase in soluble CD14 level (P = .05), while each 1-unit BMI gain among underweight participants was associated with a 9.32-mg/L decrease in CRP level (P = .001). Being either overweight or underweight at ART initiation was associated with heightened systemic inflammation. While weight gain among overweight/obese persons predicted increased inflammation, weight gain among underweight persons predicted reduced inflammation. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Using computerised surface wound mapping to compare the potential medical effectiveness of Enhanced Protection Under Body Armour Combat Shirt collar designs.

PubMed

Breeze, John; Allanson-Bailey, L C; Hunt, N C; Delaney, R; Hepper, A E; Lewis, E A

2015-03-01

Protecting the neck from explosively propelled fragments has traditionally been achieved through a collar attached to the ballistic vest. An Enhanced Protection Under Body Armour Combat Shirt (EP-UBACS) collar has been identified as an additional method of providing neck protection but limited evidence as to its potential medical effectiveness exists to justify its procurement. Entry wound locations and resultant medical outcomes were determined using Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) for all fragmentation neck wounds sustained by UK soldiers between 01 January 2010 and 31 December 2011. Data were prospectively entered into a novel computerised tool base and comparisons made between three EP-UBACS neck collar designs in terms of predicted reduction in AIS scores. All collars reduced AIS scores, with the greatest reduction provided by designs incorporating increased standoff from the neck and an additional semi-circle of ballistic material underneath the collar at the front and back. This technique confirms that reinforcing the neck collar of an EP-UBACS would be expected to reduce injury severity from neck wounds. However, without knowledge of entry wound locations for injuries to other body areas as well as the use of AIS scores without clinical or pathological verification its further use in the future may be limited. The ability to overlay any armour design onto a standardised human was potentially the most useful part of this tool and we would recommend developing this technique using underlying anatomical structures and not just the skin surface. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Leadership skills are associated with health behaviours among Canadian children.

PubMed

Ferland, Adam; Chu, Yen Li; Gleddie, Doug; Storey, Kate; Veugelers, Paul

2015-03-01

Life skills development is a core area for action in the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. The role of life skills in influencing health behaviours among children has received little attention in research. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between self-leadership, as a model of life skills, and diet quality, physical activity, sleep duration and body weight. A provincially representative sample of 2328 grade 5 students (aged 10-11 years) was surveyed in Alberta, Canada. Self-leadership skills were assessed based on student responses indicating frequency of performing various leadership traits. Diet quality was based on responses to the Harvard Youth/Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire and physical activity on responses to the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children. Sleep duration was assessed based on parent survey responses, and body mass index determined based on measured height and weight. Random effects regression models with children nested within schools were used to determine the associations. Higher self-leadership was associated with better diet quality (P < 0.01) and more physical activity (P < 0.01). Although not statistically significant, higher self-leadership was suggestive of healthier body weight status (OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.66, 1.27). No association of self-leadership with sleep duration was found. The incorporation of leadership skill development may enhance the effectiveness of school-based health promotion programs. This study reinforces the importance of leadership skill promotion in the promotion of healthy eating and active living, which may help curb the obesity epidemic in the short term, and prevention of chronic diseases and mounting healthcare costs in the long term. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effects of vertical and side-alternating vibration training on fall risk factors and bone turnover in older people at risk of falls.

PubMed

Corrie, Heather; Brooke-Wavell, Katherine; Mansfield, Neil J; Cowley, Alison; Morris, Robert; Masud, Tahir

2015-01-01

whole-body vibration training may improve neuromuscular function, falls risk and bone density, but previous studies have had conflicting findings. this study aimed to evaluate the influence of vertical vibration (VV) and side-alternating vibration (SV) on musculoskeletal health in older people at risk of falls. single-blind, randomised, controlled trial comparing vibration training to sham vibration (Sham) in addition to usual care. participants were 61 older people (37 women and 24 men), aged 80.2 + 6.5 years, referred to an outpatient falls prevention service. participants were randomly assigned to VV, SV or Sham in addition to the usual falls prevention programme. Participants were requested to attend three vibration sessions per week for 12 weeks, with sessions increasing to six, 1 min bouts of vibration. Falls risk factors and neuromuscular tests were assessed, and blood samples collected for determination of bone turnover, at baseline and following the intervention. chair stand time, timed-up-and-go time, fear of falling, NEADL index and postural sway with eyes open improved in the Sham group. There were significantly greater gains in leg power in the VV than in the Sham group and in bone formation in SV and VV compared with the Sham group. Conversely, body sway improved less in the VV than in the Sham group. Changes in falls risk factors did not differ between the groups. whole-body vibration increased leg power and bone formation, but it did not provide any additional benefits to balance or fall risk factors beyond a falls prevention programme in older people at risk of falls. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Interactions between internal forces, body stiffness, and fluid environment in a neuromechanical model of lamprey swimming.

PubMed

Tytell, Eric D; Hsu, Chia-Yu; Williams, Thelma L; Cohen, Avis H; Fauci, Lisa J

2010-11-16

Animal movements result from a complex balance of many different forces. Muscles produce force to move the body; the body has inertial, elastic, and damping properties that may aid or oppose the muscle force; and the environment produces reaction forces back on the body. The actual motion is an emergent property of these interactions. To examine the roles of body stiffness, muscle activation, and fluid environment for swimming animals, a computational model of a lamprey was developed. The model uses an immersed boundary framework that fully couples the Navier-Stokes equations of fluid dynamics with an actuated, elastic body model. This is the first model at a Reynolds number appropriate for a swimming fish that captures the complete fluid-structure interaction, in which the body deforms according to both internal muscular forces and external fluid forces. Results indicate that identical muscle activation patterns can produce different kinematics depending on body stiffness, and the optimal value of stiffness for maximum acceleration is different from that for maximum steady swimming speed. Additionally, negative muscle work, observed in many fishes, emerges at higher tail beat frequencies without sensory input and may contribute to energy efficiency. Swimming fishes that can tune their body stiffness by appropriately timed muscle contractions may therefore be able to optimize the passive dynamics of their bodies to maximize peak acceleration or swimming speed.

Results of Several Years Experiments on the Absorption of Radioactive Strontium and Cesium by Cultivated Plants; COMPTE RENDU D'EXPERIENCES DE PLUSIEURS ANNEES SUR L'ABSORPTION DU STRONTIUM ET DU CESIUM RADIOACTIES PAR DES PLANTES CULTIVEES

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

Huguet, F. et al.

1962-01-01

The absorption of cesium-137 and strontium-90 by vines, permanent pasture, potatoes, green vegetables, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, and beans in France in 1960 is presented. The strontium coefficient has varied very little from one year to the next and that of cesium has slightly diminished. The values obtained suggest that the concentrations in irrigation water should not exceed one fifth of the maximum permissible concentration in drinking water. (auth)

Radionuclide administration to nursing mothers: mathematically derived guidelines

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

Romney, B.M.; Nickoloff, E.L.; Esser, P.D.

We determined a formula to establish objective guidelines for the administration of radionuclides to nursing mothers. The formula is based on the maximum permissible dose to the infant's critical organ, serial measurements of breast milk activity, milk volume, and dose to the critical organ per microcurie in milk. Using worst-case assumptions, we believe that cessation of nursing for 24 hours after administration of technetium labeled radiopharmaceuticals is sufficient for safety. Longer-lived agents require greater delays. Iodine-123 radiopharmaceuticals are preferable to iodine-131 agents and should always be used when studying the unblocked thyroid.

Effects of intravesical hydrostatic pressure and volume on the distensibility of the canine prostatic portion of the urethra.

PubMed

Johnston, G R; Feeney, D A; Osborne, C A; Johnston, S D; Smith, F O; Jessen, C R

1985-03-01

Positive-contrast retrograde urethrocystograms were obtained serially on 12 male dogs weighing 11.4 to 23.2 kg before, during, and after the injection of contrast medium until the urinary bladder neck and prostatic and membranous portions of the urethra remained open and distended as viewed by fluoroscopy. Correlations of intravesical volumes and pressures required to achieve maximum distension of the midprostatic portion of the urethra with body weight and surface area were not significant. Because of the variability in intravesical volumes and pressures encountered at maximum distension of the prostatic portion of the urethra, a dose of contrast material expressed relative to body weight or surface area could not be determined for consistently providing maximum distension of the prostatic portion of the urethra.

On The Dynamics and Design of a Two-body Wave Energy Converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Changwei; Zuo, Lei

2016-09-01

A two-body wave energy converter oscillating in heave is studied in this paper. The energy is extracted through the relative motion between the floating and submerged bodies. A linearized model in the frequency domain is adopted to study the dynamics of such a two-body system with consideration of both the viscous damping and the hydrodynamic damping. The closed form solution of the maximum absorption power and corresponding power take-off parameters are obtained. The suboptimal and optimal designs for a two-body system are proposed based on the closed form solution. The physical insight of the optimal design is to have one of the damped natural frequencies of the two body system the same as, or as close as possible to, the excitation frequency. A case study is conducted to investigate the influence of the submerged body on the absorption power of a two-body system subjected to suboptimal and optimal design under regular and irregular wave excitations. It is found that the absorption power of the two-body system can be significantly higher than that of the single body system with the same floating buoy in both regular and irregular waves. In regular waves, it is found that the mass of the submerged body should be designed with an optimal value in order to achieve the maximum absorption power for the given floating buoy. The viscous damping on the submerged body should be as small as possible for a given mass in both regular and irregular waves.

Potential SPOT-1 R/B-Cosmos 1680 R/B collision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henize, Karl G.; Rast, Richard H.

1989-01-01

Detailed NORAD data have revealed updated orbital elements for the Ariane third-stage rocket body that underwent breakup on November 13, 1986, as well as for the Cosmos 1680 rocket body. Applying the maximum expected error due to the extrapolation of orbital elements to the date of the possible collision between the two bodies shows the smallest possible distance between bodies to have been 380 km, thereby precluding collision.

Longitudinal aerodynamic performance of a series of power-law and minimum wave drag bodies at Mach 6 and several Reynolds numbers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashby, G. C., Jr.

1974-01-01

Experimental data have been obtained for two series of bodies at Mach 6 and Reynolds numbers, based on model length, from 1.4 million to 9.5 million. One series consisted of axisymmetric power-law bodies geometrically constrained for constant length and base diameter with values of the exponent n of 0.25, 0.5, 0.6, 0.667, 0.75, and 1.0. The other series consisted of positively and negatively cambered bodies of polygonal cross section, each having a constant longitudinal area distribution conforming to that required for minimizing zero-lift wave drag at hypersonic speeds under the geometric constraints of given length and volume. At the highest Reynolds number, the power-law body for minimum drag is blunter (exponent n lower) than predicted by inviscid theory (n approximately 0.6 instead of n = 0.667); however, the peak value of lift-drag ratio occurs at n = 0.667. Viscous effects were present on the bodies of polygonal cross section but were less pronounced than those on the power-law bodies. The trapezoidal bodies with maximum width at the bottom were found to have the highest maximum lift-drag ratio and the lowest mimimum drag.

Drought survival and reproduction impose contrasting selection pressures on maximum body size and sexual size dimorphism in a snake, Seminatrix pygaea.

PubMed

Winne, Christopher T; Willson, John D; Whitfield Gibbons, J

2010-04-01

The causes and consequences of body size and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) have been central questions in evolutionary ecology. Two, often opposing selective forces are suspected to act on body size in animals: survival selection and reproductive (fecundity and sexual) selection. We have recently identified a system where a small aquatic snake species (Seminatrix pygaea) is capable of surviving severe droughts by aestivating within dried, isolated wetlands. We tested the hypothesis that the lack of aquatic prey during severe droughts would impose significant survivorship pressures on S. pygaea, and that the largest individuals, particularly females, would be most adversely affected by resource limitation. Our findings suggest that both sexes experience selection against large body size during severe drought when prey resources are limited, as nearly all S. pygaea are absent from the largest size classes and maximum body size and SSD are dramatically reduced following drought. Conversely, strong positive correlations between maternal body size and reproductive success in S. pygaea suggest that females experience fecundity selection for large size during non-drought years. Collectively, our study emphasizes the dynamic interplay between selection pressures that act on body size and supports theoretical predictions about the relationship between body size and survivorship in ectotherms under conditions of resource limitation.

Amputees by choice: body integrity identity disorder and the ethics of amputation.

PubMed

Bayne, Tim; Levy, Neil

2005-01-01

Should surgeons be permitted to amputate healthy limbs if patients request such operations? We argue that if such patients are experiencing significant distress as a consequence of the rare psychological disorder named Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID), such operations might be permissible. We examine rival accounts of the origins of the desire for healthy limb amputations and argue that none are as plausible as the BIID hypothesis. We then turn to the moral arguments against such operations, and argue that on the evidence available, none is compelling. BIID sufferers meet reasonable standards for rationality and autonomy: so as long as no other effective treatment for their disorder is available, surgeons ought to be allowed to accede to their requests.

Association between summer temperature and body weight in Japanese adolescents and children: An ecological analysis.

PubMed

Yokoya, Masana; Higuchi, Yukito

2016-11-01

Several experimental studies reported evidence of a negative energy balance at higher temperatures. However, corresponding weight loss has not been noted in clinical practice. This study investigated the geographical association between outdoor temperature and body weight in Japanese adolescents and children. An ecological analysis was conducted using prefecture-level data on the mean body weight of Japanese adolescents and children over a 25-year period and Japanese mesh (regional) climatic data on the mean annual temperature, mean daily maximum temperature in August, and mean daily minimum temperature in January were also analyzed. Correlation analysis uncovered a stronger association between weight and the mean daily maximum temperature in August than with other climatic variables. Moreover, multiple regression analysis indicated that height and the mean daily maximum temperature in August were statistically significant predictors of weight. This suggests that geographical differences in weight in Japanese adolescents and children can be explained by the complementary relationship between height-associated weight gain and weight loss caused by summer heat. Summer temperatures may reduce the proportion of children who are overweight and contribute to geographical differences in body weight in Japanese adolescents and children. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:789-795, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Studies to Estimate Ergosterol Content at Different Developmental Stages of the Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes).

PubMed

Goyal, Anna; Kalia, Anu; Sodhi, Harpreet Singh

2016-01-01

Ganoderma lucidum has been widely used as a source of potent nutraceutical products. This study was planned to identify and characterize the role of ergosterol in the developmental process of G. lucidum. Four strains of G. lucidum (GL-I-IV) showed a gradual increase in biomass (from 25.52 to 31.72 g) after 3 weeks of growth in mushroom complete medium broth, with maximum biomass observed for strain GL-III. Upon cultivation of G. lucidum strains on wheat straw supplemented with 5% wheat bran, maximum biological efficiency was recorded for the GL-I strain (31.23%), followed by GL-II (26.73%); the number of fruiting bodies were 927 and 693, each weighing 33.7 and 38.6 g, respectively. The amount of ergosterol in the Ganoderma test strains varied among the strains and at different developmental stages, namely, the vegetative mycelium, spawn run, pinhead, and fruiting body phases. The maximum ergosterol content was produced by the GL-I strain during the vegetative mycelium (4601 p.g/g) and reproductive fruiting body (7009 p.g/g) stages. However, strain GL-IV followed by strain GL-II exhibited maximum ergosterol content in the spawn run stage. The ergosterol content was better for GL-II at the pinhead stage. This report indicates that ergosterol content varies among the test strains. Moreover, it increases with each stage of the cultivation process, that is, from spawn run to pinhead to and fruiting body formation.

Space Life Sciences at NASA: Spaceflight Health Policy and Standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Jeffrey R.; House, Nancy G.

2006-01-01

In January 2005, the President proposed a new initiative, the Vision for Space Exploration. To accomplish the goals within the vision for space exploration, physicians and researchers at Johnson Space Center are establishing spaceflight health standards. These standards include fitness for duty criteria (FFD), permissible exposure limits (PELs), and permissible outcome limits (POLs). POLs delineate an acceptable maximum decrement or change in a physiological or behavioral parameter, as the result of exposure to the space environment. For example cardiovascular fitness for duty standards might be a measurable clinical parameter minimum that allows successful performance of all required duties. An example of a permissible exposure limit for radiation might be the quantifiable limit of exposure over a given length of time (e.g. life time radiation exposure). An example of a permissible outcome limit might be the length of microgravity exposure that would minimize bone loss. The purpose of spaceflight health standards is to promote operational and vehicle design requirements, aid in medical decision making during space missions, and guide the development of countermeasures. Standards will be based on scientific and clinical evidence including research findings, lessons learned from previous space missions, studies conducted in space analog environments, current standards of medical practices, risk management data, and expert recommendations. To focus the research community on the needs for exploration missions, NASA has developed the Bioastronautics Roadmap. The Bioastronautics Roadmap, NASA's approach to identification of risks to human space flight, revised baseline was released in February 2005. This document was reviewed by the Institute of Medicine in November 2004 and the final report was received in October 2005. The roadmap defines the most important research and operational needs that will be used to set policy, standards (define acceptable risk), and implement an overall Risk Management and Analysis process. Currently NASA is drafting spaceflight health standards for neurosensory alterations, space radiation exposure, behavioral health, muscle atrophy, cardiovascular fitness, immunological compromise, bone demineralization, and nutrition.

Assessment of ground water quality for drinking purpose, District Nainital, Uttarakhand, India.

PubMed

Jain, C K; Bandyopadhyay, A; Bhadra, A

2010-07-01

The ground water quality of District Nainital (Uttarakhand, India) has been assessed to see the suitability of ground water for drinking and irrigation applications. This is a two-part series paper and this paper examines the suitability of ground water including spring water for drinking purposes. Forty ground water samples (including 28 spring samples) were collected during pre- and post-monsoon seasons and analyzed for various water quality constituents. The hydrochemical and bacteriological data was analyzed with reference to BIS and WHO standards and their hydrochemical facies were determined. The concentration of total dissolved solids exceeds the desirable limit of 500 mg/L in about 10% of the samples, alkalinity values exceed the desirable limit of 200 mg/L in about 30% of the samples, and total hardness values exceed the desirable limit of 300 mg/L in 15% of the samples. However, no sample crosses the maximum permissible limit for TDS, alkalinity, hardness, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and fluoride. The concentration of chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and fluoride are well within the desirable limit at all the locations. The bacteriological analysis of the samples does not show any sign of bacterial contamination in hand pump and tube-well water samples. However, in the case of spring water samples, six samples exceed the permissible limit of ten coliforms per 100 ml of sample. It is recommended that water drawn from such sources should be properly disinfected before being used for drinking and other domestic applications. Among the metal ions, the concentration of iron and lead exceeds the permissible limit at one location whereas the concentration of nickel exceeds the permissible limit in 60 and 32.5% of the samples during pre- and post-monsoon seasons, respectively. The grouping of samples according to their hydrochemical facies indicates that majority of the samples fall in Ca-Mg-HCO(3) hydrochemical facies.

Body mass index and acoustic voice parameters: is there a relationship.

PubMed

Souza, Lourdes Bernadete Rocha de; Santos, Marquiony Marques Dos

2017-05-06

Specific elements such as weight and body volume can interfere in voice production and consequently in its acoustic parameters, which is why it is important for the clinician to be aware of these relationships. To investigate the relationship between body mass index and the average acoustic voice parameters. Observational, cross-sectional descriptive study. The sample consisted of 84 women, aged between 18 and 40years, an average of 26.83 (±6.88). The subjects were grouped according to body mass index: 19 underweight; 23 normal ranges, 20 overweight and 22 obese and evaluated the fundamental frequency of the sustained vowel [a] and the maximum phonation time of the vowels [a], [i], [u], using PRAAT software. The data were submitted to the Kruskal-Wallis test to verify if there were differences between the groups regarding the study variables. All variables showed statistically significant results and were subjected to non-parametric test Mann-Whitney. Regarding to the average of the fundamental frequency, there was statistically significant difference between groups with underweight and overweight and obese; normal range and overweight and obese. The average maximum phonation time revealed statistically significant difference between underweight and obese individuals; normal range and obese; overweight and obese. Body mass index influenced the average fundamental frequency of overweight and obese individuals evaluated in this study. Obesity influenced in reducing maximum phonation time average. Copyright © 2017 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Effects of different strength training frequencies on maximum strength, body composition and functional capacity in healthy older individuals.

PubMed

Turpela, Mari; Häkkinen, Keijo; Haff, Guy Gregory; Walker, Simon

2017-11-01

There is controversy in the literature regarding the dose-response relationship of strength training in healthy older participants. The present study determined training frequency effects on maximum strength, muscle mass and functional capacity over 6months following an initial 3-month preparatory strength training period. One-hundred and six 64-75year old volunteers were randomly assigned to one of four groups; performing strength training one (EX1), two (EX2), or three (EX3) times per week and a non-training control (CON) group. Whole-body strength training was performed using 2-5 sets and 4-12 repetitions per exercise and 7-9 exercises per session. Before and after the intervention, maximum dynamic leg press (1-RM) and isometric knee extensor and plantarflexor strength, body composition and quadriceps cross-sectional area, as well as functional capacity (maximum 7.5m forward and backward walking speed, timed-up-and-go test, loaded 10-stair climb test) were measured. All experimental groups increased leg press 1-RM more than CON (EX1: 3±8%, EX2: 6±6%, EX3: 10±8%, CON: -3±6%, P<0.05) and EX3 improved more than EX1 (P=0.007) at month 9. Compared to CON, EX3 improved in backward walk (P=0.047) and EX1 in timed-up-and-go (P=0.029) tests. No significant changes occurred in body composition. The present study found no evidence that higher training frequency would induce greater benefit to maximum walking speed (i.e. functional capacity) despite a clear dose-response in dynamic 1-RM strength, at least when predominantly using machine weight-training. It appears that beneficial functional capacity improvements can be achieved through low frequency training (i.e. 1-2 times per week) in previously untrained healthy older participants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bioefficacy, residue dynamics and safety assessment of the combination fungicide trifloxystrobin 25% + tebuconazole 50%-75 WG in managing early blight of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.).

PubMed

Saha, Sujoy; Purath, Ahammed Shabeer Thekkum; Jadhav, Manjusha R; Loganathan, M; Banerjee, Kaushik; Rai, A B

2014-01-01

This paper reports the in vitro and in vivo bioefficacy of a combination fungicide trifloxystrobin (25%) + tebuconazole (50%) against early blight disease of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) caused by Alternaria solani and their corresponding pre-harvest intervals (PHI) with reference to the maximum residue limits (European Union). Bioefficacy of the test fungicide combination revealed that in vitro conditions manifested the best control (75.1%) at 350 mg kg(-1) against 76.2% control under field conditions. A sample preparation method based on ethyl acetate extraction and estimation by LC-MS multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was validated in tomato fruits at 0.01 mg/kg and dissipation studies were conducted in field at single and double doses. The residues of both the compounds on all the sampling days were below the European Union maximum residue limits (EU-MRLs) and the maximum permissible intakes (MPIs) were calculated on the basis of prescribed acceptable daily intake (ADI). The combined bioefficacy and residue dynamics information will support label-claim of this fungicide combination for the management of early blight in tomato.

Gyre and gimble: a maximum-likelihood replacement for Patterson correlation refinement.

PubMed

McCoy, Airlie J; Oeffner, Robert D; Millán, Claudia; Sammito, Massimo; Usón, Isabel; Read, Randy J

2018-04-01

Descriptions are given of the maximum-likelihood gyre method implemented in Phaser for optimizing the orientation and relative position of rigid-body fragments of a model after the orientation of the model has been identified, but before the model has been positioned in the unit cell, and also the related gimble method for the refinement of rigid-body fragments of the model after positioning. Gyre refinement helps to lower the root-mean-square atomic displacements between model and target molecular-replacement solutions for the test case of antibody Fab(26-10) and improves structure solution with ARCIMBOLDO_SHREDDER.

Development and application of an empirical probability distribution for the prediction error of re-entry body maximum dynamic pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lanzi, R. James; Vincent, Brett T.

1993-01-01

The relationship between actual and predicted re-entry maximum dynamic pressure is characterized using a probability density function and a cumulative distribution function derived from sounding rocket flight data. This paper explores the properties of this distribution and demonstrates applications of this data with observed sounding rocket re-entry body damage characteristics to assess probabilities of sustaining various levels of heating damage. The results from this paper effectively bridge the gap existing in sounding rocket reentry analysis between the known damage level/flight environment relationships and the predicted flight environment.

Patient satisfaction with ambulatory care in Germany: effects of patient- and medical practice-related factors.

PubMed

Auras, Silke; Ostermann, Thomas; de Cruppé, Werner; Bitzer, Eva-Maria; Diel, Franziska; Geraedts, Max

2016-12-01

The study aimed to illustrate the effect of the patients' sex, age, self-rated health and medical practice specialization on patient satisfaction. Secondary analysis of patient survey data using multilevel analysis (generalized linear mixed model, medical practice as random effect) using a sequential modelling strategy. We examined the effects of the patients' sex, age, self-rated health and medical practice specialization on four patient satisfaction dimensions: medical practice organization, information, interaction, professional competence. The study was performed in 92 German medical practices providing ambulatory care in general medicine, internal medicine or gynaecology. In total, 9888 adult patients participated in a patient survey using the validated 'questionnaire on satisfaction with ambulatory care-quality from the patient perspective [ZAP]'. We calculated four models for each satisfaction dimension, revealing regression coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all independent variables, and using Wald Chi-Square statistic for each modelling step (model validity) and LR-Tests to compare the models of each step with the previous model. The patients' sex and age had a weak effect (maximum regression coefficient 1.09, CI 0.39; 1.80), and the patients' self-rated health had the strongest positive effect (maximum regression coefficient 7.66, CI 6.69; 8.63) on satisfaction ratings. The effect of medical practice specialization was heterogeneous. All factors studied, specifically the patients' self-rated health, affected patient satisfaction. Adjustment should always be considered because it improves the comparability of patient satisfaction in medical practices with atypically varying patient populations and increases the acceptance of comparisons. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Synthesis and circularization of N- and B-tropic retroviral DNA in Fv-1 permissive and restrictive mouse cells

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

Yang, W.K.; Kiggans, J.O.; Yang, D.M.

1980-05-01

Production of various forms of nonintegrated viral DNA was measured in cultured mouse cells carrying different Fv-1 alleles early after infection with N-tropic or B-tropic retroviruses. Quantitative analyses were performed by agarose gel electrophoresis, transfer to diazobenzyloxymethyl-paper, and molecular hybridization. In permissive infection of Fv-1/sup n/ cells (NIH Swiss and DBA mouse strains) with N-tropic virus and of Fv-1/sup b/ cells (BALB/c and C57BL/6 strains) with B-tropic virus, form III (double-stranded linear) DNA first appeared at 3 to 4 hr and reached a maximum at 8 to 10 hr; two form I (closed circle) DNAs appeared at 7 to 8more » hr and reached a maximum at or beyond 12 hr. In the two Fv-1/sup b/ cells infected with N-tropic virus and in DBA (Fv-1/sup n/) cells infected with B-tropic virus, formation of the two form I DNAs was quantitatively restricted but formation of form III DNA was unaltered. In Fv-1/sup n/ NIH Swiss mouse embryo cells infected with B-tropic virus, the level of form III DNA was markedly depressed and hence the two form I DNAs were not detectable. In C57BL/6 cells as well as in DBA/2 cells 12 hr after infection, the quantity of form III DNA varied directly with the amount of restricted virus, whereas the quantity of form I DNA varied according to the square of the amount of restricted virus. The significance of these results for understanding the molecular basis of retrovirus replication and its restriction by the Fv-1 gene is discussed.« less

Effect of summer outdoor temperatures on work-related injuries in Quebec (Canada).

PubMed

Adam-Poupart, Ariane; Smargiassi, Audrey; Busque, Marc-Antoine; Duguay, Patrice; Fournier, Michel; Zayed, Joseph; Labrèche, France

2015-05-01

To quantify the associations between occupational injury compensations and exposure to summer outdoor temperatures in Quebec (Canada). The relationship between 374,078 injuries compensated by the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) (between May and September, 2003-2010) and maximum daily outdoor temperatures was modelled using generalised linear models with negative binomial distributions. Pooled effect sizes for all 16 health regions of Quebec were estimated with random-effect models for meta-analyses for all compensations and by sex, age group, mechanism of injury, industrial sector and occupations (manual vs other) within each sector. Time lags and cumulative effect of temperatures were also explored. The relationship between daily counts of compensations and maximum daily temperatures reached statistical significance for three health regions. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) of daily compensations per 1°C increase was 1.002 (95% CI 1.002 to 1.003) for all health regions combined. Statistically significant positive associations were observed for men, workers aged less than 45 years, various industrial sectors with both indoor and outdoor activities, and for slips/trips/falls, contact with object/equipment and exposure to harmful substances/environment. Manual occupations were not systematically at higher risk than non-manual and mixed ones. This study is the first to quantify the association between work-related injury compensations and exposure to summer temperatures according to physical demands of the occupation and this warrants further investigations. In the context of global warming, results can be used to estimate future impacts of summer outdoor temperatures on workers, as well as to plan preventive interventions. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Exercise heart rate gradient: a novel index to predict all-cause mortality.

PubMed

Duarte, Carlos Vieira; Myers, Jonathan; de Araújo, Claudio Gil Soares

2015-05-01

Although substantial evidence relates reduced exercise heart rate (HR) reserve and recovery to a higher risk of all-cause mortality, a combined indicator of these variables has not been explored. Our aim was to combine HR reserve and recovery into a single index and to assess its utility to predict all-cause mortality. Retrospective cohort analysis. Participants were 1476 subjects (937 males) aged between 41 and 79 years who completed a maximal cycle cardiopulmonary exercise test while not using medication with negative chronotropic effects or having an implantable cardiac pacemaker. HR reserve (HR maximum - HR resting) and recovery (HR maximum - HR at 1-min post exercise) were calculated and divided into quintiles. Quintile rankings were summed yielding an exercise HR gradient (EHRG) ranging from 2 to 10, reflecting the magnitude of on- and off-HR transients to exercise. Survival analyses were undertaken using EHRG scores and HR reserve and recovery in the lowest quintiles (Q1). During a mean follow up of 7.3 years, 44 participants died (3.1%). There was an inverse trend for EHRG scores and death rate (p < 0.05) that increased from 1.2% to 13.5%, respectively, for scores 10 and 2. An EHRG score of 2 was a better predictor of all-cause mortality than either Q1 for HR reserve (<80 bpm) or HR recovery alone (<27 bpm): age-adjusted hazard ratios: 3.53 (p = 0.011), 2.52 (p < 0.05), and 2.57 (p < 0.05), respectively. EHRG, a novel index combining HR reserve and HR recovery, is a better indicator of mortality risk than either response alone. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Evaluating the Impact of Genomic Data and Priors on Bayesian Estimates of the Angiosperm Evolutionary Timescale.

PubMed

Foster, Charles S P; Sauquet, Hervê; van der Merwe, Marlien; McPherson, Hannah; Rossetto, Maurizio; Ho, Simon Y W

2017-05-01

The evolutionary timescale of angiosperms has long been a key question in biology. Molecular estimates of this timescale have shown considerable variation, being influenced by differences in taxon sampling, gene sampling, fossil calibrations, evolutionary models, and choices of priors. Here, we analyze a data set comprising 76 protein-coding genes from the chloroplast genomes of 195 taxa spanning 86 families, including novel genome sequences for 11 taxa, to evaluate the impact of models, priors, and gene sampling on Bayesian estimates of the angiosperm evolutionary timescale. Using a Bayesian relaxed molecular-clock method, with a core set of 35 minimum and two maximum fossil constraints, we estimated that crown angiosperms arose 221 (251-192) Ma during the Triassic. Based on a range of additional sensitivity and subsampling analyses, we found that our date estimates were generally robust to large changes in the parameters of the birth-death tree prior and of the model of rate variation across branches. We found an exception to this when we implemented fossil calibrations in the form of highly informative gamma priors rather than as uniform priors on node ages. Under all other calibration schemes, including trials of seven maximum age constraints, we consistently found that the earliest divergences of angiosperm clades substantially predate the oldest fossils that can be assigned unequivocally to their crown group. Overall, our results and experiments with genome-scale data suggest that reliable estimates of the angiosperm crown age will require increased taxon sampling, significant methodological changes, and new information from the fossil record. [Angiospermae, chloroplast, genome, molecular dating, Triassic.]. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of normalization methods on the performance of supervised learning algorithms applied to HTSeq-FPKM-UQ data sets: 7SK RNA expression as a predictor of survival in patients with colon adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Shahriyari, Leili

2017-11-03

One of the main challenges in machine learning (ML) is choosing an appropriate normalization method. Here, we examine the effect of various normalization methods on analyzing FPKM upper quartile (FPKM-UQ) RNA sequencing data sets. We collect the HTSeq-FPKM-UQ files of patients with colon adenocarcinoma from TCGA-COAD project. We compare three most common normalization methods: scaling, standardizing using z-score and vector normalization by visualizing the normalized data set and evaluating the performance of 12 supervised learning algorithms on the normalized data set. Additionally, for each of these normalization methods, we use two different normalization strategies: normalizing samples (files) or normalizing features (genes). Regardless of normalization methods, a support vector machine (SVM) model with the radial basis function kernel had the maximum accuracy (78%) in predicting the vital status of the patients. However, the fitting time of SVM depended on the normalization methods, and it reached its minimum fitting time when files were normalized to the unit length. Furthermore, among all 12 learning algorithms and 6 different normalization techniques, the Bernoulli naive Bayes model after standardizing files had the best performance in terms of maximizing the accuracy as well as minimizing the fitting time. We also investigated the effect of dimensionality reduction methods on the performance of the supervised ML algorithms. Reducing the dimension of the data set did not increase the maximum accuracy of 78%. However, it leaded to discovery of the 7SK RNA gene expression as a predictor of survival in patients with colon adenocarcinoma with accuracy of 78%. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

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

Brent, R.L.

Many professionals are unfamiliar with radiation biology or the quantitative nature of the risks. Frequently, microwave, ultrasound, and ionizing radiation risks are confused. Although it is impossible to prove no risk for any environmental hazard, it appears that exposure to microwave radiation below the maximal permissible levels present no measurable risk to the embryo. Ultrasound exposure from diagnostic ultrasonographic imaging equipment also is quite innocuous. It is true that continued surveillance and research into potential risks of these low-level exposures should continue, but at present ultrasound not only improves obstetric care but also reduces the necessity of diagnostic x-ray procedures.more » In the field of ionizing radiation, we have as good a comprehension of the biologic effects and the quantitative maximum risks as of any other environmental hazard. Although the animal and human data support the conclusion that no increases in the incidence of gross congenital malformations, intrauterine growth retardation, or abortion will occur with exposures less than 5 rad, that does not mean that there are definitely no risks to the embryo exposed to lower doses of radiation. Whether there exists a linear or exponential dose-response relationship or a threshold exposure for genetic, carcinogenic, cell-depleting, and life-shortening effects has not been determined. In establishing maximum permissible levels for the embryo at low exposures, refer to Tables 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9. It is obvious that the risks of 1-rad or 5-rad acute exposure are far below the spontaneous risks of the developing embryo because 15 per cent of human embryos abort, 2.7 to 3.0 per cent of human embryos have major malformations, 4 per cent have intrauterine growth retardation, and 8 to 10 per cent have early- or late-onset genetic disease. 98 references.« less