Nursing home bed capacity in the States, 1978-86.

Trends in nursing home bed supply in the States show large variations in beds per population and a gradual decline in supply per aged population. A cross-sectional time-series regression analysis was used to examine some factors associated with nursing home bed supply. Variation was accounted for by economic factors, supply of alternative services, and climate. State Medicaid reimbursement rates had negative coefficients, with supply suggesting States may be increasing rates to improve access where supply is limited. Medicaid waiver policy was not found to be significant

Variation in Individual Responses to Time-Restricted Feeding and Resistance Training

Time-restricted feeding (TRF) is a form of intermittent fasting which limits all caloric intake to a certain period of time each day in an attempt to reduce daily energy intake, promote weight loss, and improve health. Resistance training (RT) has been reported to increase muscular strength and improve body composition. Very limited information is available on the combination of TRF and RT. The purpose of this study was to examine the variation in individual body composition, dietary intake, and muscular performance responses to an 8-wk TRF and RT program. Healthy males (n = 20; age = 22 ± 3 y; BMI = 27 ± 6 kg/m2; % fat = 22 ± 6 % wt) were randomized to TRF + RT or RT alone for 8 wks. RT was performed 3 dys/wk and consisted of alternate workouts of upper and lower body using a resistance progression scheme. TRF limited energy intake to a 4-hr period on the 4 dys/wk when RT was not performed. Energy intake was not restricted in either group, and eating times were not specified in the RT alone group. Body composition, muscular performance, and dietary records were assessed at 0, 4, and 8 wks. Inter- and intra-individual variations in outcome measures were estimated by hierarchical linear growth modeling. The amount of variability attributable to characteristics between or within participants was evaluated from variance estimates. For TRF + RT, percent changes ranged from -5.5 to +2.6% for body weight, -22.1 to +9.4% for fat mass, -7.7 to +4.6% for lean body mass, +3.4 to +30.4% for bench press 1-RM, and +10.1 to +67.6% for leg press 1-RM. For RT alone, percent changes ranged from -6.6 to +2.1% for body weight, -14.4 to +12.6% for fat mass, -4.1 to +3.9% for lean body mass, +4.9 to +12.9% for bench press 1-RM, and +14.3 to +37.7% for leg press 1-RM. Percentages of total variability attributed to inter-individual factors ranged from 3.3 to 49.2% for dietary measures, 59.0 to 93.9% for muscular performance, and 97.0 to 99.6% for body composition. Remaining variability was attributed to intra-individual factors. Individual responses to the study interventions varied widely. Differences between individuals were an important source of variability, indicating participant samples should be homogenous and/or quite large to examine changes in body composition or muscular performance using nutrition and exercise interventions

Rotational friction on small globular proteins: Combined dielectric and hydrodynamic effect

Rotational friction on proteins and macromolecules is known to derive contributions from at least two distinct sources -- hydrodynamic (due to viscosity) and dielectric friction (due to polar interactions). In the existing theoretical approaches, the effect of the latter is taken into account in an {\it ad hoc} manner, by increasing the size of the protein with the addition of a hydration layer. Here we calculate the rotational dielectric friction on a protein ($\zeta_{DF}$) by using a generalized arbitrary charge distribution model (where the charges are obtained from quantum chemical calculation) and the hydrodynamic friction with stick boundary condition, ($\zeta_{hyd}^{stick}$) by using the sophisticated theoretical technique known as tri-axial ellipsoidal method, formulated by Harding [S. E. Harding, Comp. Biol. Med. {\bf 12}, 75 (1982)]. The calculation of hydrodynamic friction is done with only the dry volume of the protein (no hydration layer). We find that the total friction obtained by summing up $\zeta_{DF}$ and $\zeta_{hyd}^{stick}$ gives reasonable agreement with the experimental results, i.e., $\zeta_{exp} \approx \zeta_{DF} + \zeta_{hyd}^{stick}$

The Formation and Evolution of Virgo Cluster Galaxies - I. Broadband Optical & Infrared Colours

We use a combination of deep optical (gri) and near-infrared (H) photometry to study the radially-resolved colours of a broad sample of 300 Virgo cluster galaxies. For most galaxy types, we find that the median g-H colour gradient is either flat (gas-poor giants and gas-rich dwarfs) or negative (i.e., colours become bluer with increasing radius; gas-poor dwarfs, spirals, and gas-poor peculiars). Later-type galaxies typically exhibit more negative gradients than early-types. Given the lack of a correlation between the central colours and axis ratios of Virgo spiral galaxies, we argue that dust likely plays a small role, if at all, in setting those colour gradients. We search for possible correlations between galaxy colour and photometric structure or environment and find that the Virgo galaxy colours become redder with increasing concentration, luminosity and surface brightness, while no dependence with cluster-centric radius or local galaxy density is detected (over a range of ~2 Mpc and ~3-16 Mpc^-2, respectively). However, the colours of gas-rich Virgo galaxies do correlate with neutral gas deficiency, such that these galaxies become redder with higher deficiencies. Comparisons with stellar population models suggest that these colour gradients arise principally from variations in stellar metallicity within these galaxies, while age variations only make a significant contribution to the colour gradients of Virgo irregulars. A detailed stellar population analysis based on this material is presented in Roediger et al (2011b; arXiv:1011.3511).Comment: 34 pages, 12 figures, 1 table, submitted to MNRAS; Paper II (arXiv:1011.3511) has also been update

Survivin as a therapeutic target in Sonic hedgehog-driven medulloblastoma.

Medulloblastoma (MB) is a highly malignant brain tumor that occurs primarily in children. Although surgery, radiation and high-dose chemotherapy have led to increased survival, many MB patients still die from their disease, and patients who survive suffer severe long-term side effects as a consequence of treatment. Thus, more effective and less toxic therapies for MB are critically important. Development of such therapies depends in part on identification of genes that are necessary for growth and survival of tumor cells. Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis protein that regulates cell cycle progression and resistance to apoptosis, is frequently expressed in human MB and when expressed at high levels predicts poor clinical outcome. Therefore, we hypothesized that Survivin may have a critical role in growth and survival of MB cells and that targeting it may enhance MB therapy. Here we show that Survivin is overexpressed in tumors from patched (Ptch) mutant mice, a model of Sonic hedgehog (SHH)-driven MB. Genetic deletion of survivin in Ptch mutant tumor cells significantly inhibits proliferation and causes cell cycle arrest. Treatment with small-molecule antagonists of Survivin impairs proliferation and survival of both murine and human MB cells. Finally, Survivin antagonists impede growth of MB cells in vivo. These studies highlight the importance of Survivin in SHH-driven MB, and suggest that it may represent a novel therapeutic target in patients with this disease

Wandering behaviour prevents inter and intra oceanic speciation in a coastal pelagic fish

Small pelagic fishes have the ability to disperse over long distances and may present complex evolutionary histories. Here, Old World Anchovies (OWA) were used as a model system to understand genetic patterns and connectivity of fish between the Atlantic and Pacific basins. We surveyed 16 locations worldwide using mtDNA and 8 microsatellite loci for genetic parameters, and mtDNA (cyt b; 16S) and nuclear (RAG1; RAG2) regions for dating major lineage-splitting events within Engraulidae family. The OWA genetic divergences (0-0.4%) are compatible with intra-specific divergence, showing evidence of both ancient and contemporary admixture between the Pacific and Atlantic populations, enhanced by high asymmetrical migration from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The estimated divergence between Atlantic and Pacific anchovies (0.67 [0.53-0.80] Ma) matches a severe drop of sea temperature during the Gunz glacial stage of the Pleistocene. Our results support an alternative evolutionary scenario for the OWA, suggesting a coastal migration along south Asia, Middle East and eastern Africa continental platforms, followed by the colonization of the Atlantic via the Cape of the Good Hope.Portuguese Foundation for Science & Technology (FCT) [SFRH/BD/36600/2007]; FCT [UID/MAR/04292/2013, SFRH/BPD/65830/2009]; FCT strategic plan [UID/Multi/04326/2013]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Draft genome sequences of seven isolates of Phytophthora ramorum EU2 from Northern Ireland

Here we present draft-quality genome sequence assemblies for the oomycete Phytophthora ramorum genetic lineage EU2. We sequenced genomes of seven isolates collected in Northern Ireland between 2010 and 2012. Multiple genome sequences from P. ramorum EU2 will be valuable for identifying genetic variation within the clonal lineage that can be useful for tracking its spread

A re-appraisal of the reliability of the 20 m multi-stage shuttle run test

This is the author's PDF version of an article published in European journal of applied physiology in 2007. The original publication is available at www.springerlink.co

Efficacy of personalized cognitive counseling in men of color who have sex with men: secondary data analysis from a controlled intervention trial.

In a previous report, we demonstrated the efficacy of a cognitively based counseling intervention compared to standard counseling at reducing episodes of unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among men who have sex with men (MSM) seeking HIV testing. Given the limited number of efficacious prevention interventions for MSM of color (MOC) available, we analyzed the data stratified into MOC and whites. The sample included 196 white MSM and 109 MOC (23 African Americans, 36 Latinos, 22 Asians, eight Alaskan Natives/Native Americans/Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and 20 of mixed or other unspecified race). Among MOC in the intervention group, the mean number of episodes of UAI declined from 5.1 to 1.6 at six months and was stable at 12 months (1.8). Among the MOC receiving standard counseling, the mean number of UAI episodes was 4.2 at baseline, 3.9 at six months and 2.1 at 12 months. There was a significant treatment effect overall (relative risk 0.59, 95% confidence interval 0.35-0.998). These results suggest that the intervention is effective in MOC