Connecting parasite-infected crab data to shorebird mortality during El Ni˜no seasons

Pacific mole crabs (Emerita analoga) are one of the most important and abundant invertebrates in sandy beach environments. Consequently, they are a common food source for shorebirds and sea otters.Since the mole crab serves as the primary intermediate host for acanthocephalans parasites, they have been linked to a number of mortality events. Studies suggest that parasite development and transmission may be strongly effected by weather patterns. LiMPETs, a citizen science program, has collected data on the prevalence of infected crab along the California Coast. By segregating this data into El Nino/La Nina seasons, we use a differential equation model help to answer questions concerning weather effects on shorebird mortality

Hepcidin: A Critical Regulator of Iron Metabolism during Hypoxia

Iron status affects cognitive and physical performance in humans. Recent evidence indicates that iron balance is a tightly regulated process affected by a series of factors other than diet, to include hypoxia. Hypoxia has profound effects on iron absorption and results in increased iron acquisition and erythropoiesis when humans move from sea level to altitude. The effects of hypoxia on iron balance have been attributed to hepcidin, a central regulator of iron homeostasis. This paper will focus on the molecular mechanisms by which hypoxia affects hepcidin expression, to include a review of the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)/hypoxia response element (HRE) system, as well as recent evidence indicating that localized adipose hypoxia due to obesity may affect hepcidin signaling and organismal iron metabolism

Low Noise Borehole Triaxial Seismometer Phase II

This report describes the preliminary design and the effort to date of Phase II of a Low Noise Borehole Triaxial Seismometer for use in networks of seismic stations for monitoring underground nuclear explosions. The design uses the latest technology of broadband seismic instrumentation. Each parameter of the seismometer is defined in terms of the known physical limits of the parameter. These limits are defined by the commercially available components, and the physical size constraints. A theoretical design is proposed, and a preliminary prototype model of the proposed instrument has been built. This prototype used the sensor module of the KS2000. The installation equipment (hole locks, etc.) has been designed and one unit has been installed in a borehole. The final design of the sensors and electronics and leveling mechanism is in process. Noise testing is scheduled for the last quarter of 2006

Vitamin D status in female military personnel during combat training

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for maintaining bone health. Recent data suggest that vitamin D and calcium supplementation might affect stress fracture incidence in military personnel. Although stress fracture is a health risk for military personnel during training, no study has investigated changes in vitamin D status in Soldiers during United States (US) Army basic combat training (BCT). This longitudinal study aimed to determine the effects of BCT on 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in female Soldiers. Serum 25(OH)D and PTH were assessed in 74 fasted Soldier volunteers before and after an 8-week BCT course conducted between August and October in Columbia, South Carolina. In the total study population, 25(OH)D levels decreased (mean ± SD) from 72.9 ± 30.0 to 63.3 ± 19.8 nmol/L (P < 0.05) and PTH levels increased from 36.2 ± 15.8 to 47.5 ± 21.2 pg/mL (P < 0.05) during BCT. Ethnicity affected changes in vitamin D status (ethnicity-by-time interaction, P < 0.05); 25(OH)D decreased (P < 0.05) in both Hispanic and non-Hispanic whites, but did not change in non-Hispanic blacks. Ethnicity did not affect BCT-induced changes in PTH. These data indicate that vitamin D status in female Soldiers may decline during military training in the late summer and early autumn months in the Southeastern US. Future studies should strive to determine the impact of military clothing and seasonality on vitamin D status, as well as the functional impact of declining vitamin D status on bone health

Mediterranean diet - promotion and dissemination of healthy eating: proceedings of an exploratory seminar at the Radcliffe institute for advanced study.

The traditional Mediterranean diet is considered the world's most evidence-based eating pattern for promoting health and longevity. However, institutional food environments and their busy consumers often sacrifice health benefits for the convenience of faster and cheaper foods that generally are of lower quality and are more processed, and thus, contribute to the current epidemics of obesity and diabetes. Expert consensus has even identified the Mediterranean diet as the easiest to follow among healthy eating patterns. Nonetheless, fewer American families cook at home and many food services have been slow to implement healthier food options compatible with the Mediterranean diet. In September 2019, we convened a group of thought leaders at an exploratory seminar entitled: "Mediterranean Diet: Promotion and Dissemination of Healthy Eating", hosted by the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies at Harvard University. The multidisciplinary faculty discussed best practices for translating traditional Mediterranean lifestyle principles to modern society

Higher Protein Density Diets Are Associated With Greater Diet Quality and Micronutrient Intake in Healthy Young Adults

Objective: This study characterized habitual dietary protein intake in healthy young adults entering military service and explored whether diet protein density is associated with diet quality and micronutrient intake.Methods: An FFQ was used to estimate habitual dietary intake and calculate HEI scores in 276 males [mean(SD), age:21.1y(3.8)] and 254 females [age:21.2y(3.7)]. Multivariate-adjusted MANCOVA and ANCOVA models were used to identify associations between protein density quartiles and HEI scores and micronutrient intake. Higher HEI components scores for sodium, refined grains, and empty calories indicate lower intake; higher scores for all other components indicate higher intakes.Results: Mean(SD) energy-adjusted protein intakes were 29.3(3.2), 36.0(1.4), 40.8(1.3), and 47.9(3.9) g/1,000 kcal for protein density quartiles 1–4, respectively. For males, empty calorie scores as well as dark green and orange vegetable scores were higher in quartiles 3 and 4 than 1 and 2 (all, p &lt; 0.05). Scores for total vegetable, dairy, and total protein foods were lower in quartile 1 vs. quartiles 2, 3, and 4 (all, p &lt; 0.05). Sodium scores decreased as quartiles increased (p &lt; 0.001). Total HEI, fruit, whole grains, seafood and plant protein, fatty acids, and refined grain scores did not differ. For females, total HEI, vegetable, and total protein foods scores were higher in quartiles 3 and 4 than 1 and 2 (all, p &lt; 0.05). Empty calorie scores increased as quartile increased (p &lt; 0.05). Dairy scores were higher in quartiles 2, 3, and 4 than 1 (p &lt; 0.05). Whole fruit scores were lowest in quartile 1 (p &lt; 0.05). Whole grain as well as seafood and plant protein scores were higher in quartile 4 vs. 1 (both, p &lt; 0.05). Sodium scores decreased as quartile increased (p &lt; 0.001). Fatty acids scores did not differ. For males and females, micronutrient intakes progressively increased across quartiles with the exception of calcium and vitamin C, (all, p &lt; 0.05). Intakes remained nearly the same when controlled for fruit and vegetable intake.Conclusion: These cross-sectional data suggest that habitually consuming a higher protein density diet is associated with better scores for some, but not all, diet quality components in males, better overall diet quality scores in females, and greater intakes of micronutrients in both male and female healthy, young adults entering military service

Secular trend in neonatal mortality in the mountain states

Reviewing trends in neonatal mortality from 1957 to 1967, it is clear that neonatal and infant mortality has declined faster in the mountain states than in the low altitude states. Accordingly, the increased neonatal and infant mortality at high altitudes or in the mountain states cannot be attributed to high altitude hypoxia alone. Furthermore, the decline in neonatal mortality in the mountain states has not been accompanied by a decrease in the frequency of low birth weight (below 2500 gm) and is therefore not a product of increasing body size in the neonate.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/37503/1/1330330114_ftp.pd

Evolutionary relationships among barley and <i>Arabidopsis</i> core circadian clock and clock-associated genes

The circadian clock regulates a multitude of plant developmental and metabolic processes. In crop species, it contributes significantly to plant performance and productivity and to the adaptation and geographical range over which crops can be grown. To understand the clock in barley and how it relates to the components in the Arabidopsis thaliana clock, we have performed a systematic analysis of core circadian clock and clock-associated genes in barley, Arabidopsis and another eight species including tomato, potato, a range of monocotyledonous species and the moss, Physcomitrella patens. We have identified orthologues and paralogues of Arabidopsis genes which are conserved in all species, monocot/dicot differences, species-specific differences and variation in gene copy number (e.g. gene duplications among the various species). We propose that the common ancestor of barley and Arabidopsis had two-thirds of the key clock components identified in Arabidopsis prior to the separation of the monocot/dicot groups. After this separation, multiple independent gene duplication events took place in both monocot and dicot ancestors. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00239-015-9665-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users