Total body water estimations in healthy men and women using bioimpedance spectroscopy: a deuterium oxide comparison

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Total body water (TBW) estimations have been used to estimate body composition, particularly fat-free mass, to aid in nutritional interventions, and to monitor hydration status. In the past, bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) devices have been used to estimate TBW. Previous investigations have examined the validity of the XiTRON 4000B (XiTRON Technologies) BIS device for estimating TBW. Recently, a new BIS device (Imp™ SFB7) has become available, claiming greater precision when estimating TBW. The Imp™ SFB7 (SFB7) is based on similar BIS principles, while offering increased portability and a greater range of frequencies when compared to older devices, such as the XiTRON 4000B (4000B). The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the SFB7 for estimating total body water in healthy college-age men and women compared to the 4000B and deuterium oxide (D₂O).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty-eight Caucasian men and women (14 men, 14 women; 24 ± 4 yrs; 174.6 ± 8.7 cm; 72.80 ± 17.58 kg) had their TBW estimated by the SFB7, the 4000B, and D₂O.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both BIS devices produced similar standard error of estimate (<it>SEE</it>) and <it>r </it>values (SFB7, <it>SEE </it>= 2.12L, <it>r </it>= 0.98; 4000B, <it>SEE </it>= 2.99L, <it>r </it>= 0.96) when compared to D₂O, though a significant constant error (<it>CE</it>) was detected for the 4000B (2.26L, <it>p </it>≤ 0.025). The 4000B produced a larger total error (<it>TE</it>) and <it>CE </it>(<it>TE </it>= 3.81L, <it>CE </it>= 2.26L) when compared to the SFB7 (<it>TE </it>= 2.21L, <it>CE </it>= -0.09L). Additionally, the limits of agreement were larger for the 4000B (-3.88 to 8.39L) than the SFB7 (-4.50 to 4.31L). These results were consistent when sex was analyzed separately, though women produced lower <it>SEE </it>and <it>TE </it>values for both devices.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The 4000B and SFB7 are valid BIS devices when compared to D₂O to estimate TBW in college-age Caucasian men and women. Furthermore, the new SFB7 device displayed greater precision in comparison to the 4000B, which may decrease the error when estimating TBW on an individual basis.</p

Geographic variation and new taxa of western North American butterflies, especially from Colorado

Dec. 3, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (pages 67-68).Michael Fisher is currently updating the 1957 book Colorado Butterflies, by F. Martin Brown, J. Donald Eff, and Bernard Rotger (Fisher 2005a, 2005b, 2006). This project has emphasized the necessity of naming certain butterflies in Colorado and vicinity that are distinctive, but currently have no name, as part of our goal of applying correct species/subspecies names to all Colorado butterflies. Eleven of those distinctive butterflies are named here, in the genera Anthocharis, Neominois, Asterocampa, Argynnis (Speyeria), Euphydryas, Lycaena, and Hesperia. New life histories are reported for species or subspecies of Neominois & Oeneis & Euphydryas & Lycaena that were recently described or recently elevated in status. Lycaena florus differs in hostplant, egg morphology, and somewhat in a seta on 1st-stage larvae. We also report the results of research elsewhere in North America that was needed to determine which of the current subspecies names should be applied to other butterflies in Colorado, in the genera Anthocharis, Neominois, Apodemia, Callophrys, Atlides, Euphilotes, PlebeJus, Polites, & Hylephila. This research has added additional species to the total of Colorado butterflies. Nomenclatural problems in Colorado Lycaena & Callophrys are settled with lectotypes and designations of type localities and two pending petitions to suppress toxotaxa. Difficulties with the ICZN Code in properly applying names to clines are explored, and new terminology is given to some necessary biological solutions

What Sets Physically Active Rural Communities Apart from Less Active Ones? A Comparative Case Study of Three US Counties

Background: Rural US communities experience health disparities, including a lower prevalence of physical activity (PA). However, “Positive Deviants”—rural communities with greater PA than their peers—exist. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that help create physically active rural US communities. Methods: Stakeholder interviews, on-site intercept interviews, and in-person observations were used to form a comparative case study of two rural counties with high PA prevalence (HPAs) and one with low PA prevalence (LPA) from a southern US state, selected based on rurality and adult PA prevalence. Interview transcripts were inductively coded by three readers, resulting in a thematic structure that aligned with a Community Capital Framework, which was then used for deductive coding and analysis. Results: Fifteen stakeholder interviews, nine intercept interviews, and on-site observations were conducted. Human and Organizational Capital differed between the HPAs and LPA, manifesting as Social, Built, Financial, and Political Capital differences and a possible “spiraling-up” or cyclical effect through increasing PA and health (Human Capital), highlighting a potential causal model for future study. Conclusions: Multi-organizational PA coalitions may hold promise for rural PA by directly influencing Human and Organizational Capital in the short term and the other forms of capital in the long term

Three dimensional adaptive mesh refinement on a spherical shell for atmospheric models with lagrangian coordinates

One of the most important advances needed in global climate models is the development of atmospheric General Circulation Models (GCMs) that can reliably treat convection. Such GCMs require high resolution in local convectively active regions, both in the horizontal and vertical directions. During previous research we have developed an Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) dynamical core that can adapt its grid resolution horizontally. Our approach utilizes a finite volume numerical representation of the partial differential equations with floating Lagrangian vertical coordinates and requires resolving dynamical processes on small spatial scales. For the latter it uses a newly developed general-purpose library, which facilitates 3D block-structured AMR on spherical grids. The library manages neighbor information as the blocks adapt, and handles the parallel communication and load balancing, freeing the user to concentrate on the scientific modeling aspects of their code. In particular, this library defines and manages adaptive blocks on the sphere, provides user interfaces for interpolation routines and supports the communication and load-balancing aspects for parallel applications. We have successfully tested the library in a 2-D (longitude-latitude) implementation. During the past year, we have extended the library to treat adaptive mesh refinement in the vertical direction. Preliminary results are discussed. This research project is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach involving atmospheric science, computer science and mathematical/numerical aspects. The work is done in close collaboration between the Atmospheric Science, Computer Science and Aerospace Engineering Departments at the University of Michigan and NOAA GFDL.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/58181/2/jpconf7_78_012072.pd

Study of zinc-sheet mechanical anisotropy and its relationship to crystalographic texture

Las chapas de zinc y sus aleaciones presentan una importante anisotropía mecánica por efecto de su estructura cristalina (HCP) y la textura desarrollada durante la laminación. En este trabajo se realizan ensayos de tracción uniaxial a diferentes direcciones en el plano de una chapa de Zn-Cu-Ti de 0,8 mm de espesor. La variación encontrada en los valores de tensión y deformación, como así también en el coeficiente de anisotropía plástica, se analiza en términos de la evolución de la textura cristalográfica medida en curso de la deformación mediante difracción de rayos X con luz sincrotrón.Zinc alloy sheets exhibit an important mechanical anisotropy due to their crystalline structure (HCP) and the texture developed in the rolling process. In this work, in plane, uniaxial tensile tests of a .8 mm thick ZnCuTi sheet are carried out at different orientations with respect to the rolling direction. Variations found in stress and strain values and in the plastic strain ratios are analyzed in terms of crystallographic texture evolution measured by in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction.Fil: Leonard, Martin Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Ingeniería y Agrimensura; ArgentinaFil: Nicoletti, Emanuel Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Roatta, Analía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Ingeniería y Agrimensura; ArgentinaFil: Stout, Michael G.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Ingeniería y Agrimensura; ArgentinaFil: Bolmaro, Raul Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Ingeniería y Agrimensura; ArgentinaFil: Signorelli, Javier Walter. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Ingeniería y Agrimensura; Argentin

On the statistical strength of nicalon fibers and its characterization

Nicalon fibers are one of the most attractive ceramic fibers for reinforcing high temperature structural composites. Experiment show that the diameter variation (from 8 to 22 {mu}m) in a tow of commercial Nicalon fibers has an effect on statistical strength distribution of Nicalon fibers. Therefore, an appropriate characterization of the statistical distribution of fiber strength, capable of accounting for the effect of diameter variation, is required. The two-parameter single-modal Weibull distribution is found inadequate for characterizing the strength of Nicalon fibers. This work demonstrates that a 3-parameter modified Weibull distribution can successfully characterize the strength of Nicalon fibers; this distribution yields a higher {beta} value, which indicates less scatter in fiber strength than with the 2-parameter single modal Weibull distribution. It more accurately treats the strength variation caused by diameter variation. It is also much easier to use than the 4-parameter bimodal. Moreover, it is seen to more accurately treat the strength variation caused by diameter variation than the single modal 2-parameter analysis

Development of an atmospheric climate model with self-adapting grid and physics

An adaptive grid dynamical core for a global atmospheric climate model has been developed. Adaptations allow a smooth transition from hydrostatic to non-hydrostatic physics at small resolution. The adaptations use a parallel program library for block-wise adaptive grids on the sphere. This library also supports the use of a reduced grid with coarser resolution in the longitudinal direction as the poles are approached. This permits the use of a longer time step since the CFL number restriction (CFL < 1) in a regular longitude-latitude grid is most severe in the zonal direction at high latitudes. Several tests show that our modelling procedures are stable and accurate.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/49004/2/jpconf5_16_049.pd

Disruption of mitochondrial complex I induces progressive parkinsonism

Loss of functional mitochondrial complex I (MCI) in the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease1. Yet, whether this change contributes to Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis is unclear2. Here we used intersectional genetics to disrupt the function of MCI in mouse dopaminergic neurons. Disruption of MCI induced a Warburg-like shift in metabolism that enabled neuronal survival, but triggered a progressive loss of the dopaminergic phenotype that was first evident in nigrostriatal axons. This axonal deficit was accompanied by motor learning and fine motor deficits, but not by clear levodopa-responsive parkinsonism—which emerged only after the later loss of dopamine release in the substantia nigra. Thus, MCI dysfunction alone is sufficient to cause progressive, human-like parkinsonism in which the loss of nigral dopamine release makes a critical contribution to motor dysfunction, contrary to the current Parkinson’s disease paradigm.Electron microscopy tissue processing and imaging was performed at the Northwestern University Center for Advanced Microscopy, supported by NCI CCSG P30 CA060553 awarded to the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. This study was supported by grants from the Michael J. Fox Foundation (to D.J.S.), the JPB Foundation (to D.J.S.), the IDP Foundation (to D.J.S.), the Flanagan Fellowship (to P.G.-R.) and the European Research Council ERC Advanced Grant PRJ201502629 (to J.L.-B.)

High content live cell imaging for the discovery of new antimalarial marine natural products

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The human malaria parasite remains a burden in developing nations. It is responsible for up to one million deaths a year, a number that could rise due to increasing multi-drug resistance to all antimalarial drugs currently available. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the discovery of new drug therapies. Recently, our laboratory developed a simple one-step fluorescence-based live cell-imaging assay to integrate the complex biology of the human malaria parasite into drug discovery. Here we used our newly developed live cell-imaging platform to discover novel marine natural products and their cellular phenotypic effects against the most lethal malaria parasite, <it>Plasmodium falciparum</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A high content live cell imaging platform was used to screen marine extracts effects on malaria. Parasites were grown <it>in vitro </it>in the presence of extracts, stained with RNA sensitive dye, and imaged at timed intervals with the BD Pathway HT automated confocal microscope.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Image analysis validated our new methodology at a larger scale level and revealed potential antimalarial activity of selected extracts with a minimal cytotoxic effect on host red blood cells. To further validate our assay, we investigated parasite's phenotypes when incubated with the purified bioactive natural product bromophycolide A. We show that bromophycolide A has a strong and specific morphological effect on parasites, similar to the ones observed from the initial extracts.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Collectively, our results show that high-content live cell-imaging (HCLCI) can be used to screen chemical libraries and identify parasite specific inhibitors with limited host cytotoxic effects. All together we provide new leads for the discovery of novel antimalarials.</p

The Manipulative Complexity of Lower Paleolithic Stone Toolmaking

Early stone tools provide direct evidence of human cognitive and behavioral evolution that is otherwise unavailable. Proper interpretation of these data requires a robust interpretive framework linking archaeological evidence to specific behavioral and cognitive actions.Here we employ a data glove to record manual joint angles in a modern experimental toolmaker (the 4(th) author) replicating ancient tool forms in order to characterize and compare the manipulative complexity of two major Lower Paleolithic technologies (Oldowan and Acheulean). To this end we used a principled and general measure of behavioral complexity based on the statistics of joint movements.This allowed us to confirm that previously observed differences in brain activation associated with Oldowan versus Acheulean technologies reflect higher-level behavior organization rather than lower-level differences in manipulative complexity. This conclusion is consistent with a scenario in which the earliest stages of human technological evolution depended on novel perceptual-motor capacities (such as the control of joint stiffness) whereas later developments increasingly relied on enhanced mechanisms for cognitive control. This further suggests possible links between toolmaking and language evolution