Altered Growth of Animals After Continual Centrifugation

Two different animals have demonstrated an accelerated growth after prolonged centrifugation. This report is primarily concerned with larvae of the common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, after 24 hour periods of centrifugation at fields between 2200 and 3300 G\u27s. Similar studies are reported for the laboratory white mouse, Mus musculus after seven days of centrifugation at 7 G\u27s. The faster growth is possibly due to more efficient growth, resulting as an adaptation to greater gravity. Such a suggestion is supported by the finding that centrifuged larvae exhibit a reduced oxygen requirement for growth

Are we Architects of our own happiness? The Importance of Family Background for Well-Being

This paper analyzes whether individuals have equal opportunity to achieve happiness (or well-being). We estimate sibling correlations and intergenerational correlations in self-reported life satisfaction, satisfaction with household income, job satisfaction, and satisfaction with health. We find high sibling correlations for all measures of well-being. The results suggest that family background explains, on average, between 30% and 60% of the inequality in permanent well-being. The influence is smaller when the siblings' psychological and geographical distance from their parental home is larger. Results from intergenerational correlations suggest that parental characteristics are considerably less important than family and community factors. © 2016 by De Gruyter 2016

Growth of the White-Mouse Gastrocnemius Muscle II. In Non-Terrestrial Gravity

Exposure of white mice (Swiss Webster, female; NLW, male and female) to 1.5 to 7.0 G\u27s of chronic centrifugation from the age of 5 weeks for durations of 1 to 8 weeks is known to cause some reduction in body growth. However, the retardation of muscular development was not as drastic. When corrections were made for differences between experimental and control body mass by means of Huxley\u27s Equation for Heterauxic Growth, the muscles of experimental mice were seen to be larger than those of control animals of the same size. The measurements of muscle size, in order of increasing high-G response were: wet mass, dry mass, and noncollagen nitrogen (NCN) content. These data were examined in terms of the Huxley Heterauxic Equation, as modified from a consideration of Galileo\u27s Principle of Similitude: muscle size ∝(inertial field) (body mass)4/3. Although all experimental muscle measurements (relative to constant body size) increased with centrifugation, any single detected compensation was much less than the total compensation predicted by this equation. The best empirical relationship found for high-G data was a linear one between the logarithm of effect upon muscles size and logarithm of effect upon body size

Growth of the White-Mouse Gastrocnemius Muscle I. In Terrestrial Gravity

The gastrocnemius muscle from white mice (Swiss Webster, female; NLW, male and female; varying in age from 6 to 13 weeks and in body mass from 8 to 36 gm) were analyzed by means of Huxley\u27s Equation for Heterauxic Growth where double logarithmic plots were performed of muscle size as a function of body mass. These mice had been grown in normal gravity. Relative wet mass, relative dry mass, and percent dry mass did not display significant changes with body mass. Percent noncollagen nitrogen [NCN] in the dry muscle, however, did show an effect which was not significantly different from that anticipated from Galileo\u27s Principle of Similitude: [NCN] ∝ (Body Mass)1/3

Lack of seasonal variations in fertilization, pregnancy and implantation rates in women undergoing IVF

BACKGROUND: Several studies have investigated seasonal variations during IVF. Their results are contradictory, especially concerning fertilization and pregnancy rates. The aim of the present study was to re-evaluate these parameters using a large number of IVF cycles. METHODS: A total of 7368 IVF cycles conducted in Switzerland between 1995 and 2003 were retrospectively analysed. To avoid a bias in the evaluation of the fertilization rate, only IVF cycles without ICSI were considered for analysis. Cycles were assigned to seasons according to the date of the beginning of stimulation. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the seasons concerning the fertilization, the pregnancy and the implantation rates. However, statistically significant variables deciding on the outcome of an IVF cycle are age, centre, aetiology of infertility and day of transfer. CONCLUSIONS: There were no statistically significant seasonal differences in central Europe (Switzerland) that influenced the outcome of IVF treatment. The only statistically significant variables of IVF outcome were age, centre, aetiology of infertility and day of transfer. A change to routine fertility treatment concerning the different seasons should therefore not be taken into accoun

Food Consumption of Mice During Continual Centrifugation

High gravity simulated by continual centrifugation can evoke a slower growth with mice and other organisms. For white mice a transient reduction in food intake also occurs and is believed to be, in part, responsible for the reduced growth. Fields as high as 7 G\u27s were employed. Mice of ages which varied from one to seven weeks at the onset of exposure were studied. A more drastic decrement in food consumption occurred with the older mice at higher field intensities

Analysis of margin classification systems for assessing the risk of local recurrence after soft tissue sarcoma resection

Purpose: To compare the ability of margin classification systems to determine local recurrence (LR) risk after soft tissue sarcoma (STS) resection. Methods: Two thousand two hundred seventeen patients with nonmetastatic extremity and truncal STS treated with surgical resection and multidisciplinary consideration of perioperative radiotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Margins were coded by residual tumor (R) classification (in which microscopic tumor at inked margin defines R1), the R+1mm classification (in which microscopic tumor within 1 mm of ink defines R1), and the Toronto Margin Context Classification (TMCC; in which positive margins are separated into planned close but positive at critical structures, positive after whoops re-excision, and inadvertent positive margins). Multivariate competing risk regression models were created. Results: By R classification, LR rates at 10-year follow-up were 8%, 21%, and 44% in R0, R1, and R2, respectively. R+1mm classification resulted in increased R1 margins (726 v 278, P < .001), but led to decreased LR for R1 margins without changing R0 LR; for R0, the 10-year LR rate was 8% (range, 7% to 10%); for R1, the 10-year LR rate was 12% (10% to 15%) . The TMCC also showed various LR rates among its tiers (P < .001). LR rates for positive margins on critical structures were not different from R0 at 10 years (11% v 8%, P = .18), whereas inadvertent positive margins had high LR (5-year, 28% [95% CI, 19% to 37%]; 10-year, 35% [95% CI, 25% to 46%]; P < .001). Conclusion: The R classification identified three distinct risk levels for LR in STS. An R+1mm classification reduced LR differences between R1 and R0, suggesting that a negative but < 1-mm margin may be adequate with multidisciplinary treatment. The TMCC provides additional stratification of positive margins that may aid in surgical planning and patient education

Biological survey of Eagle County, Colorado: 2000 final report

Prepared for: Eagle Valley Land Trust.March 2000.Includes bibliographical references

A IMUNOLOGIA E A IMUNOPATOLOGIA DAS INFECÇÕES CAUSADAS POR

Chlamydae are obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens of eukariotic cells responsible for a wide variety of important human and animal infections. In humans, Chlamydia trachomatis infections are generally localised on superficial epithelial or mucosal surfaces, are frequently asymptomatic and may persist for long periods of time if untreated, inducing little protective immunity. Nevertheless, neutralizing antibodies of limited efficacy are produced against the main chlamydial outer envelope protein, while gamma interferon (IFNã) is chlamydiastatic and paradoxically may play a role both in chlamydial persistence and in protective immunity. Delayed hypersensitivity responses to chalmydiae caused by repeated or persistent infection are thought to be important in the developement of the severe scarring sequelae characteristic of cicatricial trachoma and of chronic salpingitis. Chlamydial heat shock proteins bearing close homology with their human equivalents may be major targets for immunopathological responses and their expression is upregulated in IFN-ã induced persistent infection. This paper reviews the immunology and immunopathology of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in the context of the clinical evolution of the infection. Key Words: Chlamydia trachomatis, imune response, immunopathology, clinical evolution of the infection.As clamídeas são bactérias intracelulares obrigatórias de células eucarióticas, responsáveis por uma ampla variedade de infecções em humanos e em algumas espécies de animais. Em humanos, as infecções por Chlamydia trachomatis geralmente estão localizadas na superfície de epitélios ou de mucosas, e são freqüentemente assintomáticas, podendo persistir por longos períodos de tempo se não tratadas. Em termos de resposta imune em humanos, observa-se a produção de anticorpos neutralizantes de eficácia moderada, específicos para as principais proteínas do envelope externo, enquanto que o interferon ã (IFN) é clamidiostático e, paradoxalmente, pode exercer tanto uma função facilitadora da ã persistência da infecção quanto de proteção imune. Respostas de hipersensibilidade tardia para clamídea, causadas pela infecção persistente ou re-infecção, são importantes no desenvolvimento de seqüelas graves características do tipo tracoma cicatricial ou salpingite crônica. Proteínas clamidiais de choque térmico dotadas de intensa homologia com proteínas humanas equivalentes, podem ser os alvos principais nas respostas imunopatologicas e sua expressão é estimulada por IFN em infecções persistentes. Este ã trabalho revisa os principais aspectos relacionados à imunologia e imunopatologia das infecções causadas por Chlamydia trachomatis, relacionando os mesmos com a evolução clínica da infecção. Palavras Chave: Chlamydia trachomatis, resposta imune, imunopatologia, evolução clínica da infecção