Surrogate: A Body-Dexterous Mobile Manipulation Robot with a Tracked Base

Robotics platforms in accordance with various embodiments of the invention can be utilized to implement highly dexterous robots capable of whole body motion. Robotics platforms in accordance with one embodiment of the invention include: a memory containing a whole body motion application; a spine, where the spine has seven degrees of freedom and comprises a spine actuator and three spine elbow joints that each include two spine joint actuators; at least one limb, where the at least one limb comprises a limb actuator and three limb elbow joints that each include two limb joint actuators; a tracked base; a connecting structure that connects the at least one limb to the spine; a second connecting structure that connects the spine to the tracked base; wherein the processor is configured by the whole body motion application to move the at least one limb and the spine to perform whole body motion

Effects of a Tailored Follow-Up Intervention on Health Behaviors, Beliefs, and Attitudes

Background: The high rates of relapse that tend to occur after short-term behavioral interventions indicate the need for maintenance programs that promote long-term adherence to new behavior patterns. Computer-tailored health messages that are mailed to participants or given in brief telephone calls offer an innovative and time-efficient alternative to ongoing face-to-face contact with healthcare providers. Methods: Following a 1-year behavior change program, 22 North Carolina health departments were randomly assigned to a follow-up intervention or control condition. Data were collected from 1999 to 2001 by telephone-administered surveys at preintervention and postintervention for 511 low-income, midlife adult women enrolled in the Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) program at local North Carolina health departments. During the year after the behavior change program, intervention participants were mailed six sets of computer-tailored health messages and received two computer-tailored telephone counseling sessions. Main outcomes of dietary and physical activity behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes were measured. Results: Intervention participants were more likely to move forward into more advanced stages of physical activity change (p = 0.02); control participants were more likely to increase their level of dietary social support at follow-up (p = 0.05). Both groups maintained low levels of reported saturated fat and cholesterol intake at follow-up. No changes were seen in physical activity in either group. Conclusions: Mailed computer-tailored health messages and telephone counseling calls favorably modified forward physical activity stage movement but did not appreciably affect any other psychosocial or behavioral outcomes

Vasopressin versus norepinephrine infusion in patients with septic shock

Background Vasopressin is commonly used as an adjunct to catecholamines to support blood pressure in refractory septic shock, but its effect on mortality is unknown. We hypothesized that low-dose vasopressin as compared with norepinephrine would decrease mortality among patients with septic shock who were being treated with conventional (catecholamine) vasopressors

Comparisons of host mitochondrial, nuclear and endosymbiont bacterial genes reveal cryptic fig wasp species and the effects of Wolbachia on host mtDNA evolution and diversity

Background Figs and fig-pollinating wasp species usually display a highly specific one-to-one association. However, more and more studies have revealed that the "one-to-one" rule has been broken. Co-pollinators have been reported, but we do not yet know how they evolve. They may evolve from insect speciation induced or facilitated by Wolbachia which can manipulate host reproduction and induce reproductive isolation. In addition, Wolbachia can affect host mitochondrial DNA evolution, because of the linkage between Wolbachia and associated mitochondrial haplotypes, and thus confound host phylogeny based on mtDNA. Previous research has shown that fig wasps have the highest incidence of Wolbachia infection in all insect taxa, and Wolbachia may have great influence on fig wasp biology. Therefore, we look forward to understanding the influence of Wolbachia on mitochondrial DNA evolution and speciation in fig wasps. Results We surveyed 76 pollinator wasp specimens from nine Ficus microcarpa trees each growing at a different location in Hainan and Fujian Provinces, China. We found that all wasps were morphologically identified as Eupristina verticillata, but diverged into three clades with 4.22-5.28% mtDNA divergence and 2.29-20.72% nuclear gene divergence. We also found very strong concordance between E. verticillata clades and Wolbachia infection status, and the predicted effects of Wolbachia on both mtDNA diversity and evolution by decreasing mitochondrial haplotypes. Conclusions Our study reveals that the pollinating wasp E. verticillata on F. microcarpa has diverged into three cryptic species, and Wolbachia may have a role in this divergence. The results also indicate that Wolbachia strains infecting E. verticillata have likely resulted in selective sweeps on host mitochondrial DNA

Correlación fenotípica y estimación del peso vivo en bovinos criollos

The aim of this study was to determine the phenotypic correlations between bodyweight (PV) and the biometric measurements of 90 Creole cattle, of both sexes and diverse ages, from the Conayca Community in Huancavelica, Peru, to define prediction equations of PV. Head width (AC), head length (LC), chest width (ATO), chest height (ALT), body length (LCU), chest perimeter (PT), height at the withers (ACR), rump width (AGR), rump length (LGR), anterior fetlock perimeter (PCA), lumbar back distance (DDL), rump height (ALG), chest length (LTO), body length (LAC) and abdominal perimeter (PAB) were measured. The observations were analysed using linear models, including the effect of sex and age based on teeth growth. The biometric measurements were adjusted in a first order multiple linear regression to obtain the prediction equations of PV of the animals. Dental age was the most important source of variation in each of the characteristics, except for ALT. Sex only significantly affected PCA and ALG. High and significant phenotypic correlations (p<0.001) were detected between the PV and the measurements of PT (0.91), LC (0.79), ACR (0.77), ALG (0.78) and LAC (0.89). The PT + ACR + LAC presented the most accurate prediction equation (R2 = 1.0000), followed by the PT + LAC (R2 = 0.9775) and the PT (R2 = 0.9274). It is concluded that the PV of the Creole cattle studied can be satisfactorily predicted from the PT, or PT + LAC or PT + ACR + LAC, where dental age is the factor that most influences predictions.El objetivo del estudio fue determinar las correlaciones fenotípicas entre el peso vivo (PV) y las medidas biométricas de 90 bovinos criollos, de ambos sexos y edades diversas, procedentes de la Comunidad de Conayca en Huancavelica, Perú, para definir ecuaciones de predicción del PV. Se hicieron mediciones de ancho de cabeza (AC), longitud de cabeza (LC), ancho de tórax (ATO), altura de tórax (ALT), longitud de cuerpo (LCU), perímetro torácico (PT), altura de cruz (ACR), ancho de grupa (AGR), longitud de grupa (LGR), perímetro de caña anterior (PCA), distancia dorso lumbar (DDL), altura de grupa (ALG), longitud de tórax (LTO), largo de cuerpo (LAC) y perímetro abdominal (PAB). Las observaciones fueron analizadas utilizando modelos lineales, incluyendo el efecto del sexo y la edad dentaria de los animales. Las medidas biométricas fueron ajustadas en una regresión lineal múltiple de primer grado para obtener las ecuaciones de predicción de PV de los animales. La edad dentaria fue la fuente de variación más importante en cada una de las características, excepto para ALT. El sexo solamente afectó significativamente al PCA y ALG. Se detectaron correlaciones fenotípicas altas y significativas (p<0.001) entre el PV y las medidas de PT (0.91), LC (0.79), ACR (0.77), ALG (0.78) y LAC (0.89). El PT + ACR + LAC presentó la ecuación de predicción más precisa (R2 = 1.0000), seguido por la participación del PT + LAC (R2 = 0.9775) y del PT (R2 = 0.9274). Se concluye que el PV de los bovinos criollos estudiados se puede predecir satisfactoriamente a partir del PT, o PT + LAC o PT + ACR + LAC, donde la edad dentaria es el factor que influye en mayor grado en las predicciones

Pro-inflammatory Diet Pictured in Children With Atopic Dermatitis or Food Allergy: Nutritional Data of the LiNA Cohort

Background: Lifestyle and environmental factors are known to contribute to allergic disease development, especially very early in life. However, the link between diet composition and allergic outcomes remains unclear. Methods: In the present population-based cohort study we evaluated the dietary intake of 10-year-old children and analyses were performed with particular focus on atopic dermatitis or food allergy, allergic diseases known to be affected by dietary allergens. Dietary intake was assessed via semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires. Based on these data, individual nutrient intake as well as children’s Dietary Inflammatory Index (C-DIITM) scores were calculated. Information about atopic manifestations during the first 10 years of life and confounding factors were obtained from standardized questionnaires during pregnancy and annually thereafter. Results: Analyses from confounder-adjusted logistic regression models (n = 211) revealed that having atopic outcomes was associated with having a pro-inflammatory pattern at the age of 10 years: OR = 2.22 (95% CI: 1.14–4.31) for children with atopic dermatitis and OR = 3.82 (95% CI: 1.47–9.93) for children with food allergy in the first 10 years of life Conclusion: A pro-inflammatory dietary pattern might worsen the atopic outcome and reduce the buffering capacity of the individual against harmful environmental exposures or triggers. For pediatricians it is recommended to test for the individual tolerance of allergenic foods and to increase the nutrient density of tolerable food items to avoid undesirable effects of eating a pro-inflammatory diet

Pro-inflammatory Diet Pictured in Children With Atopic Dermatitis or Food Allergy:Nutritional Data of the LiNA Cohort

Background: Lifestyle and environmental factors are known to contribute to allergic disease development, especially very early in life. However, the link between diet composition and allergic outcomes remains unclear. Methods: In the present population-based cohort study we evaluated the dietary intake of 10-year-old children and analyses were performed with particular focus on atopic dermatitis or food allergy, allergic diseases known to be affected by dietary allergens. Dietary intake was assessed via semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires. Based on these data, individual nutrient intake as well as children’s Dietary Inflammatory Index (C-DII™) scores were calculated. Information about atopic manifestations during the first 10 years of life and confounding factors were obtained from standardized questionnaires during pregnancy and annually thereafter. Results: Analyses from confounder-adjusted logistic regression models (n = 211) revealed that having atopic outcomes was associated with having a pro-inflammatory pattern at the age of 10 years: OR = 2.22 (95% CI: 1.14–4.31) for children with atopic dermatitis and OR = 3.82 (95% CI: 1.47–9.93) for children with food allergy in the first 10 years of life. Conclusion: A pro-inflammatory dietary pattern might worsen the atopic outcome and reduce the buffering capacity of the individual against harmful environmental exposures or triggers. For pediatricians it is recommended to test for the individual tolerance of allergenic foods and to increase the nutrient density of tolerable food items to avoid undesirable effects of eating a pro-inflammatory diet.</p

DNA Barcoding Reveals Cryptic Diversity in Lumbricus terrestris L., 1758 (Clitellata): Resurrection of L. herculeus (Savigny, 1826)

The widely studied and invasive earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris L., 1758 has been the subject of nomenclatural debate for many years. However these disputes were not based on suspicions of heterogeneity, but rather on the descriptions and nomenclatural acts associated with the species name. Large numbers of DNA barcode sequences of the cytochrome oxidase I obtained for nominal L. terrestris and six congeneric species reveal that there are two distinct lineages within nominal L. terrestris. One of those lineages contains the Swedish population from which the name-bearing specimen of L. terrestris was obtained. The other contains the population from which the syntype series of Enterion herculeum Savigny, 1826 was collected. In both cases modern and old representatives yielded barcode sequences allowing us to clearly establish that these are two distinct species, as different from one another as any other pair of congeners in our data set. The two are morphologically indistinguishable, except by overlapping size-related characters. We have designated a new neotype for L. terrestris. The newly designated neotype and a syntype of L. herculeus yielded DNA adequate for sequencing part of the cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI). The sequence data make possible the objective determination of the identities of earthworms morphologically identical to L. terrestris and L. herculeus, regardless of body size and segment number. Past work on nominal L. terrestris could have been on either or both species, although L. herculeus has yet to be found outside of Europe

The role of the turbulent stress divergence in the equatorial Pacific zonal momentum balance

From a comprehensive set of upper ocean measurements made during a moderate El Niño in boreal spring 1987, we reassess the role of turbulence in transporting momentum vertically at the equator. An examination of the terms in the vertically integrated zonal momentum equations indicates that on short time scales the zonal pressure gradient is not balanced by the surface wind stress despite an apparent balance of these terms on longer (seasonal) time scales. The vertical redistribution of zonal momentum is complex. The strength of the wind determines both the magnitude and, likely, the mechanisms of momentum transport between the surface and the core of the undercurrent. During low wind conditions in April 1987 the turbulent stress divergence was significantly different in magnitude and vertical structure from that found during strong winds in November 1984. In November 1984 the turbulent stress divergence was much too large above 40 m to balance the residual term in the zonal momentum budget of Bryden and Brady (1985, 1989) and decayed exponentially with depth from the wind stress value at the surface. In April 1987 the turbulent stress divergence was smaller than that required by Bryden and Brady and decayed linearly from the surface wind stress. For a proper comparison with Bryden and Brady’s zonal momentum balance, it is necessary to determine the annual average turbulent stress divergence