Body Mass Estimation from the Human Skeleton

The established methods for estimating average body mass from the skeleton are of two types: biomechanical and morphometric. Neither technique currently addresses the extremes of body mass (e.g. emaciation or obesity). The goal of this research is to explore several different biomechanical methods, using data collected from high resolution computed tomographic scans and macroscopic analysis of 150 known modern individuals from the William M. Bass Donated Skeleton Collection at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. This research will review the biomechanics of human gait and the biomechanical accommodations that occur with increased obesity and load bearing. The analysis will include cross-sectional geometry of the human femur at five locations along the diaphysis, bone mineral density scans of the proximal femur and a macroscopic evaluation of degenerative changes of the articulations of the spine, hip, knee and foot. The best single indicator of body mass for both males and females is the cross-sectional area of the proximal femur and BMD. By using pathologies combined, an accuracy rate of 87% for predicting obesity was achieved using a classification tree with sexes pooled. Furthermore, severe obesity has such a profound effect on the human skeleton as to leave a suite of traits affecting the load bearing elements of the lower limb and vertebral column

Translation in Context: Cultural Globalization and Santiago Roncagliolo

This is a translation from Spanish to English of the short story “Una influencia criminal” [A Criminal Influence] by Santiago Roncagliolo, part of a collection of short stories titled Crecer es un oficio triste [Growing Up is Sad Business], also by Roncagliolo. A description and analysis of concurrent literary movements and themes accompanies the translation, placing “Una influencia criminal” into a literary context with the multinational movements known as McOndo and Generation X. Globalization can be considered to affect the movement and sharing of culture as an expansion of the economic dispersion of goods across the world, and so modern youth literature has adapted to take on more urban, international themes. McOndo and Generation X are both examples of these movements that have spread through several countries and share many common themes

A Comprehensive Regression Tree to Estimate Body Weight from the Skeleton * ,†

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87075/1/j.1556-4029.2011.01819.x.pd

Partial Weight Bearing Exercise Device

Final report for Team 16 of ME450, Fall 2008 semesterFor some people, including the elderly, injured, and disabled, walking can be so uncomfortable or painful that it is avoided whenever possible. This is a problem because walking is generally a good source of exercise; it helps by building muscle and increasing cardiovascular fitness. The weight bearing during walking is also good for bone health. To prevent the loss of these walking benefits, a device is needed to bear a portion of the user's body weight in order to allow them to exercise, in the form of walking or running, without incurring as much pain. Our engineering team is tasked with designing and prototyping a partial weight bearing apparatus for indoor or outdoor use to fill this need.James Ashton-Miller (Mechanical Engineering, Biomechanics & Gerontology; U of M)http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/61925/1/ME450 Fall2008 Final Report - Team 16 - Two-Wheeled Exercise Walker.pd

Agricultural data management and sharing: Best practices and case study

Agricultural data are crucial to many aspects of production, commerce, and research involved in feeding the global community. However, in most agricultural research disciplines standard best practices for data management and publication do not exist. Here we propose a set of best practices in the areas of peer review, minimal dataset development, data repositories, citizen science initiatives, and support for best data management. We illustrate some of these best practices with a case study in dairy agroecosystems research. While many common, and increasingly disparate data management and publication practices are entrenched in agricultural disciplines, opportunities are readily available for promoting and adopting best practices that better enable and enhance data-intensive agricultural research and production

Glycolytic requirement for NK cell cytotoxicity and cytomegalovirus control

NK cell activation has been shown to be metabolically regulated in vitro; however, the role of metabolism during in vivo NK cell responses to infection is unknown. We examined the role of glycolysis in NK cell function during murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection and the ability of IL-15 to prime NK cells during CMV infection. The glucose metabolism inhibitor 2-deoxy-ᴅ-glucose (2DG) impaired both mouse and human NK cell cytotoxicity following priming in vitro. Similarly, MCMV-infected mice treated with 2DG had impaired clearance of NK-specific targets in vivo, which was associated with higher viral burden and susceptibility to infection on the C57BL/6 background. IL-15 priming is known to alter NK cell metabolism and metabolic requirements for activation. Treatment with the IL-15 superagonist ALT-803 rescued mice from otherwise lethal infection in an NK-dependent manner. Consistent with this, treatment of a patient with ALT-803 for recurrent CMV reactivation after hematopoietic cell transplant was associated with clearance of viremia. These studies demonstrate that NK cell-mediated control of viral infection requires glucose metabolism and that IL-15 treatment in vivo can reduce this requirement and may be effective as an antiviral therapy

HIV primary care providers—Screening, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to alcohol interventions

Alcohol has particularly harmful health effects in HIV-infected patients; therefore, HIV clinics are an important setting for integration of brief alcohol intervention and alcohol pharmacotherapy to improve patient outcomes. Current practices of alcohol screening, counseling, and prescription of pharmacotherapy by HIV providers are unknown

High-resolution mass models of dwarf galaxies from LITTLE THINGS

We present high-resolution rotation curves and mass models of 26 dwarf galaxies from LITTLE THINGS. LITTLE THINGS is a high-resolution Very Large Array HI survey for nearby dwarf galaxies in the local volume within 11 Mpc. The rotation curves of the sample galaxies derived in a homogeneous and consistent manner are combined with Spitzer archival 3.6 micron and ancillary optical U, B, and V images to construct mass models of the galaxies. We decompose the rotation curves in terms of the dynamical contributions by baryons and dark matter halos, and compare the latter with those of dwarf galaxies from THINGS as well as Lambda CDM SPH simulations in which the effect of baryonic feedback processes is included. Being generally consistent with THINGS and simulated dwarf galaxies, most of the LITTLE THINGS sample galaxies show a linear increase of the rotation curve in their inner regions, which gives shallower logarithmic inner slopes alpha of their dark matter density profiles. The mean value of the slopes of the 26 LITTLE THINGS dwarf galaxies is alpha =-0.32 +/- 0.24 which is in accordance with the previous results found for low surface brightness galaxies (alpha = -0.2 +/- 0.2) as well as the seven THINGS dwarf galaxies (alpha =-0.29 +/- 0.07). However, this significantly deviates from the cusp-like dark matter distribution predicted by dark-matter-only Lambda CDM simulations. Instead our results are more in line with the shallower slopes found in the Lambda CDM SPH simulations of dwarf galaxies in which the effect of baryonic feedback processes is included. In addition, we discuss the central dark matter distribution of DDO 210 whose stellar mass is relatively low in our sample to examine the scenario of inefficient supernova feedback in low mass dwarf galaxies predicted from recent Lambda SPH simulations of dwarf galaxies where central cusps still remain.Peer reviewe

The month of July: an early experience with pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in adults with cystic fibrosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 is a novel viral infection that emerged in March 2009. This is the first report addressing the clinical course of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and H1N1 infection.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>All patients with an influenza-like illness (ILI) attending our adult centre during July 2009 were identified. Baseline respiratory function, nutritional status, approach to management and short-term clinical course were recorded.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Most patients experienced a mild course and were able to be managed with antiviral agents as an outpatient. Robust infection control policies were implemented to limit transmission of H1N1 infection within our CF centre. Patients with severe lung disease, poor baseline nutritional reserve and presenting with more than 48 hours of ILI experienced a more severe course. Prompt antiviral therapy within the first 48 hours of illness may have been important in improving outcomes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This observational study demonstrates that most adults with CF with H1N1 infection had mild clinical courses and recovered rapidly.</p