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The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of exercise order on blood lactate, perceptual, and affective responses to resistance exercise. Twenty-nine subjects (18 women, 11 men; 20.9 +/- 1.9 years) completed three sessions separated by a minimum of 48 hours. Session 1 determined the 10-repetition maximum (10RM) for nine resistance exercises. During sessions 2 and 3, exercises were completed in either a large to small or small to large muscle exercise order. The large to small muscle order was 1) chest press, 2) leg press, 3) rows, 4) leg extension, 5) overhead press, 6) hamstring curl, 7) biceps curl, 8) calve raise, and 9) triceps extension. Exercise order was reversed for the small to large condition. Participants performed two sets of each lift, with the first set being a warm-up at 80% 10RM, followed by one set at 100% 10RM with 1 minute of rest between each exercise. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was measured after completion of the second set. Blood lactate was recorded after exercises 1, 5, and 9. Affective measures were completed pre, during, post 0, and post 10 minutes. Lactate showed a significant time (p < 0.001) and condition x time interaction (p = 0.020). A significant difference was seen in average number of repetitions completed between sequences, with small to large performing more. There were no differences seen between exercise orders for average RPE. Analyses of Feeling Scale and Felt Arousal Scale scores showed only a significant main effect of time. A paired-sample t-test was conducted to examine differences in Feeling Scale for the two conditions at the different time points. Significant differences were found for Feeling Scale during exercise (after overhead press) and at post 10, with the small to large exercise order having greater Feeling Scale responses. No significant correlations were seen between blood lactate and perceptual or affective responses at any time point or in either exercise order. These findings may suggest that small to large exercise order may have beneficial physiological and psychological outcomes and potentially influence exercise adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is one of the most commonly used anthropometric measures to indicate a central obesity pattern and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in normal-weight women. Although the American Heart Association has reported that a WHR >0.80 be used to indicate increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women, the present study assessed the WHR above which is seen elevations in cardiovascular disease risk factors in a sample of overweight women. Using data from 240 women aged 27.5-47.5 y enrolled in a university weight-loss program, we determined WHR quartiles: <0.80, 0.80 to <0.84, 0.84 to <0.90, and > or =0.90. Subjects were placed into high-risk categories for cardiovascular disease on the basis of age- and population-defined norms. Women had an increased likelihood of elevated VLDL cholesterol, triacylglycerol, diastolic blood pressure, and composite risk (ie, having > or =4 cardiovascular disease risk factors) and an increased risk of having low concentrations of HDL at a WHR > or =0.90. All aforementioned variables had a significant odds ratio at a WHR > or =20.90 after adjustment for smoking, whereas elevated VLDL, triacylglycerol, and diastolic blood pressure were observed at this WHR after adjustment for a body mass index (in kg/m2) < or > or =35. Only 2 variables, VLDL and triacylglycerol, had a significant odds ratio at a WHR <0.90 before and after adjustment for BMI and smoking. These data suggest an upward shift in the critical threshold for WHR to > or =0.90, at which point there was an elevation in cardiovascular disease risk factors in already overweight women. This trend persisted regardless of whether the women smoked or whether their body mass index was < or > or =35. Copyright (c) 1998 American Society for Clinical Nutrition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether performance of a virtual environment (VE) task is influenced by exercise in the heat and carbohydrate supplementation.Methods: Ten males completed four exercise trials to fatigue. During each trial, subjects cycled at a submaximal workload. Subjects exercised in a normal environment (NORM) and in a hot environment on different occasions. During exercise, subjects drank 10 mL x kg(-1) x hour(-1) of body weight of a 6% carbohydrate beverage (CHO) or a placebo. Subjects completed a VE task before, during exercise, and after fatigue.Results: More failures occurred during placebo than CHO during exercise. The NORM CHO trial had the fewest failures at fatigue. More kills occurred during exercise in the NORM CHO.Conclusions: Performance of a VE task was negatively influenced by prolonged exercise and heat stress. CHO supplementation may have a positive impact on performance of the VE task following prolonged exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incidence of infective endocarditis (IE) is rapidly increasing. Contemporary outcomes following high-risk double valve surgery (DVS) for IE are not well described., Methods: Between 2001 and 2021, 211 patients with IE underwent combined aortic and mitral valve surgery at a tertiary care referral center. Data from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons registry, including demographics, operative details, and outcomes, were collected. Risk factors for 30-day and 1-year-mortality were analyzed. Survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards modeling., Results: The study cohort had a male preponderance (73%), with a median age of 56 years (interquartile range [IQR], 44 to 63 years). Forty-five patients (21%) had a history of intravenous (IV) drug abuse, 50 (24%) were on preoperative dialysis, and 50 (24%) had prosthetic valve endocarditis. Thirty-day and 1-year mortality were 14% (n = 30) and 30% (n = 61), respectively. On multivariable Cox regression adjusting for age, prosthetic valve endocarditis, postoperative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), history of dialysis (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 2.9; P = .002) and IV drug abuse (aHR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.5; P = .02) were predictive of decreased survival. Undergoing surgery after 2010 was predictive of improved survival (aHR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3 to 0.8; P = .006). These patients were more likely to undergo urgent/emergent surgery (83% vs 29%; P < .001) and less likely to have an aortic root abscess (40% vs 58%; P = .03) or to require the commando procedure (13% vs 33%; P = .002)., Conclusions: In this large series evaluating outcomes of DVS for IE in the modern era, although the mortality risk remained elevated, improving outcomes may be associated with earlier surgical intervention before significant disease progression. Multidisciplinary evaluation for complex IE may be considered to better understand the optimal timing and repair strategy., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Statement Dr Kaneko reports relationships with Edwards Lifesciences, Abbott Laboratories, and Medtronic. Dr Damiano reports relationships with AtriCure, Medtronic, and Edwards Lifesciences. All other authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. The Journal policy requires editors and reviewers to disclose conflicts of interest and to decline handling or reviewing manuscripts for which they may have a conflict of interest. The editors and reviewers of this article have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Gastroesophageal (GE) and pancreatobiliary (PB) cancers represent a significant clinical challenge. In this context, it is critical to understand the key molecular targets within these malignancies including how they are assayed for as well as the clinical actionability of these targets. Integrating biomarkers into the standard of care presents a critical avenue for refining treatment paradigms. This review aims to explore these complexities, offering insights into the optimal sequencing of chemotherapy and targeted therapies and their utility in the management of GE and PB cancers. The timely integration of promising investigational therapies into clinical practice has broader implications around strategies for future clinical trial designs, which would pave the way for advancements in the management of GE and PB cancers. This review provides guidance in navigating the evolving landscape of GE and PB cancer care, which ultimately will drive forward progress in the field and lead to improved patient outcomes.

Left ventricular free wall rupture is a lethal complication of myocardial infarction. Although emergent surgical repair is the treatment of choice, the method of repair remains highly individualized. This report presents a case of spontaneous coronary artery dissection in a patient with Turner syndrome that led to left ventricular free wall rupture and was successfully repaired on cardiopulmonary bypass using a suture-free technique with the EVARREST Fibrin Sealant Patch., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by The Texas Heart Institute®.)

Background: The optimal repair strategy for tetralogy of Fallot remains controversial. This report presents a 14-year evolution of management of the pulmonary valve (PV) from transannular patch to valve-sparing repair to neovalve creation using living right atrial appendage tissue., Methods: A retrospective review of 172 consecutive patients undergoing complete repair for TOF between January 2007 and June 2021 was performed. Clinical and follow-up data were analyzed by repair group. Neopulmonary valve (NPV) creation using right atrial appendage tissue was introduced in 2019. Failure of valve-sparing repair was defined as needing reintervention for recurrent right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO)., Results: Median age and weight at repair were 4.9 months and 6 kg, respectively. Median preoperative PV size and z-score were 6.4 mm (5.2-8.3 mm) and -3.2 (-4.1 to -2.1), respectively. Patients who underwent valve-sparing repair had larger PV size and z-score compared with patients who underwent transannular patch procedures (8 mm vs 5.6 mm; -2.1 vs -3.2; both P < .001). There were no hospital mortalities. Overall follow-up was 44 months. At last follow-up, 10% of patients who underwent valve-sparing repair had repeat intervention for recurrent RVOTO. Patients who had failed valve-sparing repair had significantly lower PV z-scores (-2.6 vs -1.9; P = .01). An NPV was used in 8 patients with a median PV z-score of -4 (-4.7 to -3.9). At 6 months, 6 patients (75%) had mild or trivial pulmonary insufficiency after NPV placement., Conclusions: Repair of tetralogy of Fallot is a safe operation with excellent outcomes. Valve-sparing repair avoids right ventricular dilation but may fail for RVOTO at a PV z-score <-2. NPV creation offers an alternative option in patients with a small PV., (Copyright © 2023 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Long-standing effects of pulmonary regurgitation after transannular patch repair in Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) can be especially deleterious in the setting of combined ToF and complete atrioventricular septal defect (CAVSD). We present a technique for a complete repair of combined ToF/CAVSD using right atrial appendage tissue to create a competent neo-pulmonary valve. This technique provides advantages of right heart protection via pulmonary valve competence and the use of living tissue capable of growth with the patient, potentially obviating the need for repeat interventions.

Most mammalian phospholipids contain a saturated fatty acid at the sn-1 carbon atom and an unsaturated fatty acid at the sn-2 carbon atom of the glycerol backbone group. While the sn-2 linked chains undergo extensive remodeling by deacylation and reacylation (Lands cycle), it is not known how the composition of saturated fatty acids is controlled at the sn-1 position. Here, we demonstrate that lysophosphatidylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (LPGAT1) is an sn-1 specific acyltransferase that controls the stearate/palmitate ratio of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine. Bacterially expressed murine LPGAT1 transferred saturated acyl-CoAs specifically into the sn-1 position of lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) rather than lysophosphatidylglycerol and preferred stearoyl-CoA over palmitoyl-CoA as the substrate. In addition, genetic ablation of LPGAT1 in mice abolished 1-LPE:stearoyl-CoA acyltransferase activity and caused a shift from stearate to palmitate species in PE, dimethyl-PE, and phosphatidylcholine. Lysophosphatidylglycerol acyltransferase 1 KO mice were leaner and had a shorter life span than their littermate controls. Finally, we show that total lipid synthesis was reduced in isolated hepatocytes of LPGAT1 knockout mice. Thus, we conclude that LPGAT1 is an sn-1 specific LPE acyltransferase that controls the stearate/palmitate homeostasis of PE and the metabolites of the PE methylation pathway and that LPGAT1 plays a central role in the regulation of lipid biosynthesis with implications for body fat content and longevity., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with the contents of this article., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are recruited to the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are critical drivers of breast cancer (BC) malignancy. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) travel through hematogenous routes to establish metastases. CTCs circulate both individually and, more rarely, in clusters with other cell types. Clusters of CTCs have higher metastatic potential than single CTCs. Previously, we identified circulating CAFs (cCAFs) in patients with BC and found that while healthy donors had no CTCs or cCAFs, both were present in most Stage IV patients. cCAFs circulate individually, as cCAF-cCAF homotypic clusters, and in heterotypic clusters with CTCs., Methods: In this study, we evaluate CTCs, cCAFs, and heterotypic cCAF-CTC clusters in patients with stage I-IV BC. We evaluate the association of heterotypic clusters with BC disease progression and metastasis in a spontaneous mouse model. Using previously established primary BC and CAF cell lines, we examine the metastatic propensity of heterotypic cCAF-CTC clusters in orthotopic and tail vein xenograft mouse models of BC. Using an in vitro clustering assay, we determine factors that may be involved in clustering between CAF and BC cells., Results: We report that the dissemination of CTCs, cCAFs, and clusters is an early event in BC progression, and we find these clusters in all clinical stages of BC. Furthermore, cCAFs-CTC heterotypic clusters have a higher metastatic potential than homotypic CTC clusters in vivo. We also demonstrate that the adhesion and stemness marker CD44, found on a subset of CTCs and CAF cells, is  involved in heterotypic clustering of these cells., Conclusion: We identify a novel subset of circulating tumor cell clusters that are enriched with stromal CAF cells in BC patient blood and preclinical mouse models of BC metastasis. Our data suggest that clustering of CTCs with cCAFs augments their metastatic potential and that CD44 might be an important mediator of heterotypic clustering of cCAFs and BC cells., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To determine the prevalence of Barth syndrome in the pediatric population., Study Design: Data were collected from the Barth Syndrome Foundation Registry and relevant literature. With the advent of genetic testing and whole-exome sequencing, a multipronged Bayesian analysis was used to estimate the prevalence of Barth syndrome based on published data on the incidence and prevalence of cardiomyopathy and neutropenia, and the respective subpopulations of patients with Barth syndrome indicated in these publications., Results: Based on 7 published studies of cardiomyopathy and 2 published studies of neutropenia, the estimated prevalence of Barth syndrome is approximately 1 case per million male population. This contrasts with 99 cases in the Barth Syndrome Foundation Registry, 58 of which indicate a US location, and only 230-250 cases known worldwide., Conclusions: It appears that Barth syndrome is greatly underdiagnosed. There is a need for better education and awareness of this rare disease to move toward early diagnosis and treatment., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Paget's disease (PD) of the breast is an uncommon disease of the nipple usually accompanied by an underlying carcinoma, often HER2 + , and accounting for 0.5-5% of all breast cancer. To date, histogenesis of PD of the breast remains controversial, as two theories-transformation and epidermotropic-have been proposed to explain this disease. Currently, animal models recapitulating PD of the nipple have not been described., Methods: HER2-enriched DT13 breast cancer cells were injected into the mammary fat pad of NOD scid gamma null (NSG) female mice. Immunohistochemical staining and pathological studies were performed on tumor samples, and diagnosis of PD of the nipple was confirmed by expression of proteins characteristic of Paget cells (epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2), androgen receptor (AR), cytokeratin 7 (CK7), cytokeratin 8/18 (CK8/18), and mucin 1 (MUC1)). In addition, DT13 cells grown in 2D culture and in soft agar assays were sensitive to in vitro treatment with pharmacological inhibitors targeting Her2, adenylyl cyclase, mTOR, and PI3K signaling pathways., Results: Mice developed tumors and nipple lesions that were detected exclusively on the tumor-bearing mammary fat pad. Tumor cells were positive for proteins characteristic of Paget cells. In vitro, DT13 cells were sensitive to inhibition of Her2, adenylyl cyclase, mTOR, and PI3K signaling pathways., Conclusions: Our results suggest that injection of HER2 + DT13 cells into the mammary fat pad of NSG mice recapitulates critical aspects of the pathophysiology of PD of the nipple, supporting the epidermotropic theory as the more likely to explain the histogenesis of this disease.

Liquid biopsies represent an attractive, minimally-invasive alternative to surgical sampling or complex imaging of breast cancer and breast cancer metastasis. Here we present a summary of the major biomarker components often evaluated in liquid biopsy samples from patients with breast cancer, including circulating tumor cells, circulating cell-free tumor DNA, and cancer-associated plasma proteins. We discuss recent advancements in methods of detection and use of these biomarkers in breast cancer. Finally, we highlight some of our own recent contributions to breast cancer liquid biopsy, including the identification and characterization of circulating Cancer Associated Fibroblasts., Competing Interests: All authors declared that there are no conflicts of interest., (© The Author(s) 2019.)

Pediatric heart failure remains poorly understood, distinct in many aspects from adult heart failure. Limited data point to roles of altered mitochondrial functioning and, in particular, changes in mitochondrial lipids, especially cardiolipin. Barth syndrome is a mitochondrial disorder caused by tafazzin mutations that lead to abnormal cardiolipin profiles. Patients are afflicted by cardiomyopathy, skeletal myopathy, neutropenia, and growth delay. A mouse model of Barth syndrome was developed a decade ago, which relies on a doxycycline-inducible short hairpin RNA to knock down expression of tafazzin mRNA (TAZKD). Our objective was to review published data from the TAZKD mouse to determine its contributions to our pathogenetic understanding of, and potential treatment strategies for, Barth syndrome. In regard to the clinical syndrome, the reported physiological, biochemical, and ultrastructural abnormalities of the mouse model mirror those in Barth patients. Using this model, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor pan-agonist bezafibrate has been suggested as potential therapy because it ameliorated the cardiomyopathy in TAZKD mice, while increasing mitochondrial biogenesis. A clinical trial is now underway to test bezafibrate in Barth syndrome patients. Thus the TAZKD mouse model of Barth syndrome has led to important insights into disease pathogenesis and therapeutic targets, which can potentially translate to pediatric heart failure.

The unicellular green alga Dunaliella salina is well adapted to salt stress and contains compounds (including β-carotene and vitamins) with potential commercial value. A large transcriptome database of D. salina during the adjustment, exponential and stationary growth phases was generated using a high throughput sequencing platform. We characterized the metabolic processes in D. salina with a focus on valuable metabolites, with the aim of manipulating D. salina to achieve greater economic value in large-scale production through a bioengineering strategy. Gene expression profiles under salt stress verified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) implied that salt can regulate the expression of key genes. This study generated a substantial fraction of D. salina transcriptional sequences for the entire growth cycle, providing a basis for the discovery of novel genes. This first full-scale transcriptome study of D. salina establishes a foundation for further comparative genomic studies.

Drug and xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (DXME) play important roles in drug responses and carcinogenesis. Recent studies have found that expression of DXME in cancer cells significantly affects drug clearance and the onset of drug resistance. In this study we compared the expression of DXME in breast tumor tissue samples from patients representing three ethnic groups: Caucasian Americans (CA), African Americans (AA), and Asian Americans (AS). We further combined DXME gene expression data with eQTL data from the GTEx project and with allele frequency data from the 1000 Genomes project to identify SNPs that may be associated with differential expression of DXME genes. We identified substantial differences among CA, AA, and AS populations in the expression of DXME genes and in activation of pathways involved in drug metabolism, including those involved in metabolizing chemotherapy drugs that are commonly used in the treatment of breast cancer. These data suggest that differential expression of DXME may associate with health disparities in breast cancer outcomes observed among these three ethnic groups. Our study suggests that development of personalized treatment strategies for breast cancer patients could be improved by considering both germline genotypes and tumor specific mutations and expression profiles related to DXME genes.

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is highly expressed in various cancers and is correlated with poorer outcome in breast and other cancers. Here we tested the role of targeting RAGE by multiple approaches in the tumor and tumor microenvironment, to inhibit the metastatic process. We first tested how RAGE impacts tumor cell-intrinsic mechanisms using either RAGE overexpression or knockdown with short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs). RAGE ectopic overexpression in breast cancer cells increased MEK-EMT (MEK-epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition) signaling, transwell invasion and soft agar colony formation, and in vivo promoted lung metastasis independent of tumor growth. RAGE knockdown with multiple independent shRNAs in breast cancer cells led to decreased transwell invasion and soft agar colony formation, without affecting proliferation. In vivo, targeting RAGE shRNA knockdown in human and mouse breast cancer cells, decreased orthotopic tumor growth, reduced tumor angiogenesis and recruitment of inflammatory cells, and markedly decreased metastasis to the lung and liver in multiple xenograft and syngeneic mouse models. To test the non-tumor cell microenvironment role of RAGE, we performed syngeneic studies with orthotopically injected breast cancer cells in wild-type and RAGE-knockout C57BL6 mice. RAGE-knockout mice displayed striking impairment of tumor cell growth compared with wild-type mice, along with decreased mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, tumor angiogenesis and inflammatory cell recruitment. To test the combined inhibition of RAGE in both tumor cell-intrinsic and non-tumor cells of the microenvironment, we performed in vivo treatment of xenografted tumors with FPS-ZM1 (1 mg/kg, two times per week). Compared with vehicle, FPS-ZM1 inhibited primary tumor growth, inhibited tumor angiogenesis and inflammatory cell recruitment and, most importantly, prevented metastasis to the lung and liver. These data demonstrate that RAGE drives tumor progression and metastasis through distinct tumor cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic mechanisms, and may represent a novel and therapeutically viable approach for treating metastatic cancers.

(1) Background: Acute bouts of exercise have been associated with affective changes. Exercise supplemented with distraction may divert attention from unpleasant feelings commonly associated with exercise to more pleasant feelings. The purpose of this study was to compare affective responses to exercise with and without distraction. (2) Methods: 25 individuals volunteered for this investigation and completed all three conditions. This study included three 30 min cycle ergometry exercise conditions, a control condition with no stimuli and two test conditions; one supplemented with a self-selected video and the other self-selected music. The Feeling Scale (FS) was administered prior to, every 10 min during, immediately following, and 10 min post exercise. (3) Results: These data demonstrate a significant condition effect for FS during exercise. The condition effect was due to FS being greater in the video and distraction conditions. There was no time by condition interaction seen during exercise. (4) Conclusion: These data indicate that distraction may be effective in supporting a more pleasant exercise experience and could potentially increase exercise adherence.

Purpose: Although 67% of high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSOC) express the estrogen receptor (ER), most fail antiestrogen therapy. Because MAPK activation is frequent in ovarian cancer, we investigated if estrogen regulates MAPK and if MEK inhibition (MEKi) reverses antiestrogen resistance., Experimental Design: Effects of MEKi (selumetinib), antiestrogen (fulvestrant), or both were assayed in ER-positive HGSOC in vitro and in xenografts. Response biomarkers were investigated by gene expression microarray and reverse phase protein array (RPPA). Genes differentially expressed in two independent primary HGSOC datasets with high versus low pMAPK by RPPA were used to generate a "MAPK-activated gene signature." Gene signature components that were reversed by MEKi were then identified., Results: High intratumor pMAPK independently predicts decreased survival (HR, 1.7; CI > 95%,1.3-2.2; P = 0.0009) in 408 HGSOC from The Cancer Genome Atlas. A differentially expressed "MAPK-activated" gene subset was also prognostic. "MAPK-activated genes" in HGSOC differ from those in breast cancer. Combined MEK and ER blockade showed greater antitumor effects in xenografts than monotherapy. Gene set enrichment analysis and RPPA showed that dual therapy downregulated DNA replication and cell-cycle drivers, and upregulated lysosomal gene sets. Selumetinib reversed expression of a subset of "MAPK-activated genes" in vitro and/or in xenografts. Three of these genes were prognostic for poor survival (P = 0.000265) and warrant testing as a signature predictive of MEKi response., Conclusions: High pMAPK is independently prognostic and may underlie antiestrogen failure. Data support further evaluation of fulvestrant and selumetinib in ER-positive HGSOC. The MAPK-activated HGSOC signature may help identify MEK inhibitor responsive tumors., (©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Metastasis is facilitated by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) in the tumor microenvironment through mechanisms yet to be elucidated. In this study, we used a size-based microfilter technology developed by our group to examine whether circulating CAF identified by FAP and α-SMA co-expression (cCAF) could be distinguished in the peripheral blood of patients with metastatic breast cancer. In a pilot study of patients with breast cancer, we detected the presence of cCAFs in 30/34 (88%) patients with metastatic disease (MET group) and in 3/13 (23%) patients with localized breast cancer (LOC group) with long-term disease-free survival. No cCAFs as defined were detected in healthy donors. Further, both cCAF and circulating tumor cells (CTC) were significantly greater in the MET group compared with the LOC group. Thus, the presence of cCAF was associated with clinical metastasis, suggesting that cCAF may complement CTC as a clinically relevant biomarker in metastatic breast cancer., (©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Purpose: Hyperactivation of ERK1/2 MAPK (hMAPK) leads to loss of estrogen receptor (ER) expression and poor outcome in breast cancer. microRNAs (miRNA) play important regulatory roles and serve as biomarkers of disease. Here, we describe molecular, pathologic, and clinical outcome associations of an hMAPK-miRNA expression signature in breast cancer., Experimental Design: An hMAPK-miRNA signature was identified, and associations of this signature with molecular and genetic alterations, gene expression, pathologic features, and clinical outcomes were determined in primary breast cancers from training data and validated using independent datasets. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified subsignatures associated with increased disease recurrence and poorer disease survival among ER-positive (ER(+)) patients, respectively., Results: High-hMAPK-miRNA status significantly correlated with ER-negativity, enrichment for basal and HER2-subtypes, and reduced recurrence-free and disease-specific survival in publicly available datasets. A robust determination of a recurrence signature and a survival signature identified hMAPK-miRNAs commonly associated with poor clinical outcome, and specific subsets associated more closely with either disease recurrence or disease survival, especially among ER(+) cancers of both luminal A and luminal B subtypes. Multivariate analyses indicated that these recurrence and survival signatures significantly associated with increased risk of disease-specific death and disease recurrence in ER(+) cancer and ER(+) cancers treated with hormone therapy., Conclusions: We report an hMAPK-miRNA signature and two subsignatures derived from it that associate significantly with adverse clinical features, poor clinical outcome, and poor response to hormone therapy in breast cancer, thus identifying potential effectors of MAPK signaling, and novel predictive and prognostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets in breast cancer., (©2014 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Concussions are occurring at alarming rates in the United States and have become a serious public health concern. The CDC estimates that 1.6 to 3.8 million concussions occur in sports and recreational activities annually. Concussion as defined by the 2013 Concussion Consensus Statement "may be caused either by a direct blow to the head, face, neck or elsewhere on the body with an 'impulsive' force transmitted to the head." Concussions leave the individual with both short- and long-term effects. The short-term effects of sport related concussions may include changes in playing ability, confusion, memory disturbance, the loss of consciousness, slowing of reaction time, loss of coordination, headaches, dizziness, vomiting, changes in sleep patterns and mood changes. These symptoms typically resolve in a matter of days. However, while some individuals recover from a single concussion rather quickly, many experience lingering effects that can last for weeks or months. The factors related to concussion susceptibility and the subsequent recovery times are not well known or understood at this time. Several factors have been suggested and they include the individual's concussion history, the severity of the initial injury, history of migraines, history of learning disabilities, history of psychiatric comorbidities, and possibly, genetic factors. Many studies have individually investigated certain factors both the short-term and long-term effects of concussions, recovery time course, susceptibility and recovery. What has not been clearly established is an effective multifaceted approach to concussion evaluation that would yield valuable information related to the etiology, functional changes, and recovery. The purpose of this manuscript is to show one such multifaceted approached which examines concussions using computerized neurocognitive testing, event related potentials, somatosensory perceptual responses, balance assessment, gait assessment and genetic testing.

Performance in fitness tests could depend on factors beyond the bioenergetic and skeletomuscular systems, such as individual differences in preference for and tolerance of different levels of exercise-induced somatosensory stimulation. Although such individual-difference variables could play a role in exercise testing and prescription, they have been understudied. The purpose of these studies was to examine the relationships of self-reported preference for and tolerance of exercise intensity with performance in fitness tests. Participants in study I were 516 men and women volunteers from a campus community, and participants in study II were 42 men recruit firefighters undergoing a 6-week training program. Both the Preference and Tolerance scores exhibited significant relationships with performance in several fitness tests and with body composition and physical activity participation. Preference and Tolerance did not change after the training program in study II, despite improvements in objective and perceived fitness, supporting their conceptualization as dispositional traits. Preference and Tolerance scores could be useful not only in ameliorating the current understanding of the determinants of physical performance, but also in personalizing exercise prescriptions and, thus, delivering exercise experiences that are more pleasant, tolerable, and sustainable.

The Richardson-Lucy algorithm is one of the most important in image deconvolution. However, a drawback is its slow convergence. A significant acceleration was obtained using the technique proposed by Biggs and Andrews (BA), which is implemented in the deconvlucy function of the image processing MATLAB toolbox. The BA method was developed heuristically with no proof of convergence. In this paper, we introduce the heavy-ball (H-B) method for Poisson data optimization and extend it to a scaled H-B method, which includes the BA method as a special case. The method has a proof of the convergence rate of O(K(-2)), where k is the number of iterations. We demonstrate the superior convergence performance, by a speedup factor of five, of the scaled H-B method on both synthetic and real 3D images.

Objective: To determine whether traditional birth attendants (TBAs) trained via the "SMART Dai" method were superior to untrained TBAs in knowledge and practice regarding maternal and newborn care., Methods: In a cluster-randomized trial in the Dera Ghazi Khan District of Punjab, Pakistan, 120 rural communities each with a population of approximately 5000 were randomly assigned to a community-based intervention (CBI) or a health systems intervention (HSI). In the CBI communities, 288 TBAs underwent an innovative 8-day training course on maternal and newborn care, initially evaluated by pre- and post-tests. After an average of 19 months post-training, 277 TBAs, together with 257 comparably chosen untrained TBAs from the HSI communities, were tested and interviewed. Patients from both referred and non-referred deliveries were also interviewed., Results: Characteristics of TBAs in the two groups were similar. The TBAs were evaluated according to various measures of knowledge, skill, and practice (including referral), with patient reports on practice compared with TBA reports. By most measures, trained TBAs outperformed untrained ones, often to significant degrees., Conclusion: SMART Dai training seemed to be an important factor in the significant reduction in perinatal mortality in the CBI areas. Properly trained TBAs can substantially contribute to improved delivery outcomes., (Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study examined how exposure to media containing different body image content while exercising influenced exercise performance and feelings concerning appearance. 41 females completed two sessions of cycling (30 minutes). During exercise, participants viewed a television show that contained either media-portrayed ideal or neutral female body images. There were no differences in exercise performance between conditions. Physical appearance state anxiety (PASA) decreased post-exercise. After viewing ideal bodies, participants scored higher on appearance and comparison processing. The high internalization group scored higher on appearance and comparison processing and PASA increased following ideal body image content while the low internalization group decreased.

The purpose of this study was to test the transient hypofrontality theory (Dietrich, 2003) by examining the influence of exercise intensity on executive control processes during and following submaximal exercise. Thirty participants (13 female) exercised for 30 min at ventilatory threshold (VT) or at 75% of VT. The Contingent Continuous Performance Task (CPT) and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were used as measures of executive control. They were administered before, during, immediately following, and 20 min after exercise. An increase in false alarms and unique errors (p < or = .05) occurred during both conditions. False alarms for the CPT and total and perseverative errors for the WCST remained elevated immediately following exercise at VT, but not at exercise below VT (p < or = .01). The decreased executive control function during exercise can be explained by the transient hypofrontality theory. Following VT, executive control performance remained poor possibly owing to an additional amount of time the brain needs to return to homeostasis following intense exercise.

The purpose of this study was to examine affective responses during and following resistance exercise in a mirrored environment. Thirty-two females completed three sessions. During session one, exercise intensity was determined for the subsequent two sessions. During the next two sessions participants performed eight exercises either with or without mirrors. Affect was measured prior to, during, immediately following and 15 minutes post-exercise. Affect was more pleasant and activated during and following exercise, but did not differ by condition. The inability to find a difference in mirrored condition may be a result of participants using the mirrors for technique as opposed to self-evaluation purposes.

This study was a randomized clinical trial of Project Support, an intervention designed to reduce conduct problems among children exposed to intimate partner violence. Participants were 66 families (mothers and children) with at least 1 child exhibiting clinical levels of conduct problems. Families were recruited from domestic violence shelters. The Project Support intervention involves (a) teaching mothers child management skills and (b) providing instrumental and emotional support to mothers. Families were randomly assigned to the Project Support intervention condition or to an existing services comparison condition. They were assessed on 6 occasions over 20 months, following their departure from the shelter. Children in families in the Project Support condition, compared with those in the comparison condition, exhibited greater reductions in conduct problems. Mothers in the Project Support condition, compared with those in the comparison condition, displayed greater reductions in inconsistent and harsh parenting behaviors and psychiatric symptoms. Changes in mothers' parenting and psychiatric symptoms accounted for a sizable proportion of Project Support's effects on child conduct problems at the end of treatment. Clinical and policy implications are discussed.

Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) are routinely used to monitor, assess, and prescribe aerobic exercise. Heart rate (HR) is another measure used to evaluate exercise intensity. Additionally, affective responses to aerobic exercise have been studied and seem to be influenced by the intensity of the exercise. The perceptual, HR, and affective responses to resistance exercise have not been effectively established. The purpose of this study was to examine whether differences in affect, RPE, and HR exist among college-aged women (n = 31) performing three different modes of resistance training: concentric (CE), eccentric (EE), and traditional concentric/eccentric (TE) performed at varying resistances. The women were asked to complete four sessions of resistance training on variable resistance machines: chest press, seated row, overhead press, and biceps curl. The first session was used to establish the 10-repetition maximum (RM) load for each station. Subsequent sessions involved the execution of training in one of the three test conditions: CE, EE, or TE. The participants performed three sets of each lift at 80% 10-RM, 100% 10-RM, and 120% 10-RM. The data revealed lower RPE during EE than the other test conditions. Similarly, EE elicited more mild HR response than either CE or TE. This finding is potentially important for the establishment of training programs, especially for those individuals recovering from an illness, who had been previously sedentary, and who are involved in rehabilitation of an injury.

Airborne pesticides can be detected near to recently-treated arable fields for a period of days following the application. Identifying the source of such pesticides is important in developing predictive models for use in exposure and risk assessments. Previous work showed levels of pesticide in the air that were higher than expected for a low-vapour-pressure active ingredient, epoxiconazole, and comparable with an active ingredient of a significantly higher vapour pressure, fenpropidin. It was possible that the measured concentrations could be attributed to 'dust' particles emitted from the crop, either biological material contaminated with pesticide or solid dried deposits of active ingredient and other formulation components. A second experiment was therefore undertaken to measure airborne concentrations of the same active ingredients and to determine whether some or all of the measured airborne pesticide could be attributed to particles, using a Marple personal cascade impactor, which collects particles in the range 0.3 - 50 microm. Such samplers are not optimised to give good sampling efficiencies under the proposed field conditions, so some initial tests were undertaken in the Silsoe wind tunnel to assess its ability to sample particles in an air flow. In the subsequent field trial, a 192 m square plot in a commercially established winter cereal crop was sprayed with a tank mix of commercial formulations of epoxiconazole and fenpropidin. Measurements of airborne pesticides were made for 24 hours following the application with suction samplers attached to tenax tubes to evaluate vapour concentrations and with the cascade impactor to determine whether contaminated airborne particles were present. The concentrations of pesticide measured with the tenax tubes were significantly higher than the particulate component detected on the cascade impactor plates and it is therefore it was very unlikely that there was a significant contribution from pesticide-laden particles to the airborne concentration. Although it is clear that under these particular experimental conditions, airborne contaminated particles were not detected in significant quantities after the application, it is possible that this could occur under different circumstances, such as during pollen release or harvest.

Previous studies have shown changes in brain activity as a result of exercise; however, few studies have examined changes during exercise. The purpose of this study was to examine brain activity during a graded exercise test. Twenty male participants performed a graded exercise test on a recumbent cycle ergometer. Exercise intensity was set initially at 50W and was increased by 50W every 2 minutes until volitional fatigue was reached. Electroencephalography (EEG) was measured prior to the onset of exercise, during the last minute of each stage of exercise, immediately post-exercise, and 10 minutes into recovery. EEG was recorded from 8 scalp sites leading to analysis of alpha 1, alpha 2, beta 1, beta 2, and theta activities. Expired air was collected and analyzed for ventilation rate (VE), VO2, % of peak VO2, and Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER). No differences were seen in EEG between the hemispheres of the brain. There was, however, a significant increase in brain activity across the spectrum occurring at 200 W through immediately post-exercise. Brain activity returned to pre- exercise levels by 10 minutes post. VO2, % of peak VO2 and RER increased linearly with exercise intensity. VE increased linearly through 200 W; however, a disproportionate increase was seen in VE from 200 W to peak exercise. The results of this investigation demonstrate that brain activity may be related to exercise intensity. Future research will want to examine how these changes in brain activity influence affective, perceptual and cognitive changes often associated with exercise. Efforts will also need to be made to determine if changes in brain activity during exercise are mediated by central (within the brain) or peripheral mechanisms. Key pointsEEG can be recorded during exercise.Brain EEG activity increases during exercise and may be related to exercise intensity.Brain EEG activity returns to resting levels quickly after the cessation of exercise.

The problem of recognizing targets in nonoverlapping clutter using nonlinear N-ary phase filters is addressed. Using mathematical analysis, expressions were derived for an N-ary phase filter and the intensity variance of an optical correlator output. The N-ary phase filter was shown to consist of an infinite sum of harmonic terms whose periodicity was determined by N. For the intensity variance, it was found that under certain conditions the variance was minimized due to a previously undiscovered phase quadrature effect. Comparison showed that optimal real filters produced greater signal-to-noise-ratio values than the continuous phase versions as a consequence of this effect.

This study investigated the maternal concerns and emotions that may regulate one form of sensitive parenting, support for children's immediate desires or intentions. While reviewing a videotape of interactions with their 1-year-olds, mothers who varied on depressive symptoms reported concerns and emotions they had during the interaction. Emotions reflected outcomes either to children (child-oriented concerns) or to mothers themselves (parent-oriented concerns). Child-oriented concerns were associated with fewer negative emotions and more supportive behavior. Supportive parenting was high among mothers who experienced high joy and worry and low anger, sadness, and guilt. However, relations depended on whether emotions were child or parent oriented: Supportive behavior occurred more when emotions were child oriented. In addition, as depressive symptoms increased, mothers reported fewer child-oriented concerns, fewer child-oriented positive emotions, and more parent-oriented negative emotions. They also displayed less supportive behavior. Findings suggest that support for children's immediate intentions may be regulated by parents' concerns, immediate emotions, and depressive symptoms., ((c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)

Protease supplementation has been shown to attenuate soft tissue injury resulting from intense exercise. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of protease supplementation on muscle soreness and contractile performance after downhill running. Ten matched pairs of male participants ran at a -10% grade for 30 min at 80% of their predicted maximal heart rate. The participants consumed two protease tablets (325 mg pancreatic enzymes, 75 mg trypsin, 50 mg papain, 50 mg bromelain, 10 mg amylase, 10 mg lipase, 10 mg lysozyme, 2 mg chymotrypisn) or a placebo four times a day beginning 1 day before exercise and lasting a total of 4 days. The participants were evaluated for perceived muscle soreness of the front and back of the dominant leg, pressure pain threshold by dolorimetry of the anterior medial, anterior lateral, posterior medial and posterior lateral quadrants of the thigh, and knee extension/flexion torque and power. The experimental group demonstrated superior recovery of contractile function and diminished effects of delayed-onset muscle soreness after downhill running when compared with the placebo group. Our results indicate that protease supplementation may attenuate muscle soreness after downhill running. Protease supplementation may also facilitate muscle healing and allow for faster restoration of contractile function after intense exercise.

Developments relating to the control of application equipment can deliver improvements in pesticide use by better matching applications to target requirements. This may have components relating to the spatial distribution of a weed, pest or disease or methods by which the target, particularly a crop canopy, can be described with respect to a given application. Changes in application can relate to the dose and/or volume applied, but may also concern the way in which a treatment is delivered in terms of parameters such as spray trajectory angle and droplet size distribution. For many weed species there is evidence of patchy distributions in field situations. Studies have shown that savings of typically up to 40% in herbicide use can be achieved by adopting patch spraying approaches in such situations. Weed patch detection is key to the performance of such patch spraying systems. In widely spaced rowcrops such as vegetables, there is considerable scope for developing fully automated detection systems based on image analysis, and for the development of accurate guidance systems that apply pesticides only to the crop row. In crops with a relatively high plant density, weed detection in the medium/short term is likely to be based on manual discrimination. The costs of labour for manual weed patch mapping have been estimated at less than 1.50 ha(-1) pounds sterling. Potential savings in pesticide use can also be made if applications are matched to crop canopy structure. This is most important in bush and tree crops where savings of up to 75% in pesticide use could be achieved. In crops such as cereals, studies have shown that savings in fungicide use may be possible, particularly at earlier stages of growth by adjusting spray delivery to measured canopy characteristics. Key components of the performance of application systems concern the ability to deliver over a dose rate range of more than 3:1 while maintaining control of variables such as delivery trajectory angle and spray quality. Traceability and the effective monitoring of applications is likely to be a major driver influencing the uptake of more sophisticated control systems. Methods of labelling pesticides with systems that can be read by the application unit will be an important step in the development of recording and data handling systems that will operate safely with the minimum of operator input and enable the environmental advantages of targeted pesticide application to be monitored.

Many proteobacteria are able to monitor their population densities through the release of pheromones known as N-acylhomoserine lactones. At high population densities, these pheromones elicit diverse responses that include bioluminescence, biofilm formation, production of antimicrobials, DNA exchange, pathogenesis and symbiosis. Many of these regulatory systems require a pheromone-dependent transcription factor similar to the LuxR protein of Vibrio fischeri. Here we present the structure of a LuxR-type protein. TraR of Agrobacterium tumefaciens was solved at 1.66 A as a complex with the pheromone N-3-oxooctanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (OOHL) and its TraR DNA-binding site. The amino-terminal domain of TraR is an alpha/beta/alpha sandwich that binds OOHL, whereas the carboxy-terminal domain contains a helix turn helix DNA-binding motif. The TraR dimer displays a two-fold symmetry axis in each domain; however, these two axes of symmetry are at an approximately 90 degree angle, resulting in a pronounced overall asymmetry of the complex. The pheromone lies fully embedded within the protein with virtually no solvent contact, and makes numerous hydrophobic contacts with the protein as well as four hydrogen bonds: three direct and one water-mediated.

The 3D-QSAR method of comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) was applied to three patent families of chemical hybridization agents (CHAs) in the MON21200 class of chemistry. The models for each CHA family gave good correlations between the variations in log percent male sterility and in the steric-electrostatic properties of the patent set. For all CHA families, observed sterility rates are generally higher for the sodium salts than for the corresponding esters. This is consistent with our CoMFA models which show that negative charge is favored in the region of the carboxylate group. The CoMFA models also indicated that for the MON21200 family increased steric bulk at the 4-position on the phenyl ring is associated with enhanced activity. However, for the RH0007 and the HYBRID families, male sterility is generally enhanced with increased steric bulk at the 2- or 3-position on the phenyl ring. Although the models cannot provide unambiguous conclusions about a common mode of action, similarities in the CoMFA contour maps provided some clues for a common agrophore for these three CHA families.

The performance of an automatic target recognition (ATR) system with full- and reduced-resolution correlators was compared. In addition, the ATR system performance with reduced-resolution filter sets designed by use of multiresolution analyasis (MA) and downsampling (DS) techniques was also compared. It was discovered that results obtained at the optical correlator subsystem level, pertaining to the relative merits of the MA and the DS techniques, could not be extrapolated to the system level. This was because target signature differences between the test and the training imagery were discovered to have a greater influence on system performance than the choice of filter design technique. In addition, it was found that, for the case in which the target signature and the reduced-resolution filter were of the same size, there was some degradation in the receiver-operating-characteristic curve for reduced resolution compared with full. Nevertheless, this was deemed to have no practical significance, and thus the use of reduced-resolution optical correlators for ATR merits serious consideration.

We report the results of experimental tests of an optical-correlator-based automatic target recognition (ATR) system that uses the correlation-peak moment analysis technique of Caprari [Appl. Opt. 38, 1317 (1999)] to assist in discrimination between target and clutter peaks. The ATR system and its operation are briefly described with particular attention devoted to a practical scheme for enhancing the basic ATR system with correlation-peak moment detectors. We investigate the variation of detection and false-alarm rates of moment detectors with moment threshold values. For fixed moment thresholds, we present receiver operating characteristics of both basic and enhanced systems as the conventionally used correlation-peak energy threshold is varied. Results demonstrate that correlation-peak moment analysis materially improves ATR system target-detection performance.

The assessment of child-rearing beliefs and behavior has predominantly focused on qualities and characteristics believed to reflect consistent, enduring qualities of parenting--the similarity in child rearing. This review evaluates the evidence for similarity and differences among 3 types of child-rearing data and includes comparisons across time, children, and situations. Both relative stability and mean level differences were found in all 3 domains. The most similarity was found in the across-time and across-children domains, although it depended on the child-rearing construct and methodology used. It is argued that attention to the variability and change in child rearing must be incorporated into theoretical models of parenting to better understand the nature of child rearing and, in turn, parental influence on children's development.

The design of reduced-resolution filters by multiresolution analysis (MA) or by downsampling is extended to spatial light modulators with fill factors less than one. Analysis shows that the dependence of the zero-order correlation peaks with fill factor varies with target size for both design techniques. Also, a practicable performance improvement is obtained for MA compared with downsampling for small- to medium-sized targets that is greater for larger fill factors. The validity of the analysis is confirmed by simulation. A reduced-resolution optical correlator is constructed, and a comparison of MA and downsampling filters is performed for different-sized targets. The experimental results show good qualitative agreement with the simulation; however, the first-order correlation peaks were found to be greater for the experimental results. A possible reason for this is that the manufacturer's fill-factor specification might be too large; therefore a new technique for measuring the fill factor is proposed.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between fat distribution and coronary risk factors (CRF) in sedentary overweight postmenopausal women both on and off hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Medical records and information were abstracted from nonsmoking women entering a weight loss program. A total of 33 women on HRT (mean age=50.12+/-5.2) and 51 nonusers (mean age=52.52+/-7.8) fulfilled subject eligibility requirements and were included in the data analysis. Results showed a significantly lower waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (p=0.009) and waist (p=0.010) and greater levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (p=0.035) in HRT users than in nonusers. After converting correlations to standard Z-scores and performing z-tests, the correlation between total cholesterol (T-Chol) and WHR was significantly greater in nonusers than in HRT users (p=0.038). A multiple regression analysis showed differences between groups in the ability of age and anthropometric variables to predict CRF. Although T-Chol could be predicted in nonusers (r2=0.24; p=0.011), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) could be significantly predicted in HRT users only (r2=0.28, p=0.055 and r2=0.40, p=0.005 for VLDL-C and SBP, respectively). These data suggest that there are differences between HRT users and nonusers in predictors of CRF, central adiposity, HDL-C, and the relationship between WHR and T-Chol. It is concluded that the significantly lower levels of central adiposity observed in HRT users may have clinical benefits with regard to CRF.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between physical fitness variables and nutrient intake to coronary risk factors (CRF) in a sample of children living in the Southeastern U.S. A total of 22 sixth-grade children of whom 10 were boys (mean age = 11.83 +/- 0.3) and 12 were girls (mean age 11.7 +/- 0.3) volunteered for this study. Results indicated that boys in comparison to girls weighed more (54.0 +/- 10.8 kg versus 42.1 +/- 8.0 kg; p < 0.05), had a higher body mass index (BMI) (23.6 +/- 2.7 versus 20.2 +/- 3.3; p < 0.05), a higher lean body mass (37.8 +/- 6.0 kg versus 30.7 +/- 3.8 kg; p < 0.01), and a higher systolic blood pressure (115.7 +/- 11.1 versus 106.4 +/- 8.1; p < .0001). There were, however, no significant gender differences in serum lipoproteins or nutrient intake. Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that physical fitness variables which included VO2max, one-mile run for time, grip strength, and leg strength could significantly predict resting diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (F = 3.06; p < 0.05) and percent body fat (F = 4.98; p < 0.01) in children. Analysis of food intake revealed that total and saturated fat, and carbohydrate intake could predict serum triglycerides (TG) (F = 5.18; p = 0.01) while total kilocalorie, fat, and carbohydrate intake could significantly predict percent body fat (F = 3.42; p < 0.03). These findings may be clinically relevant since both serum triglyceride levels and percent body fat were well above the 50th percentile according to U.S. norms. In summary, the present study showed that measurements of muscular strength in addition to aerobic fitness are associated with DBP and percent body fat in children. Furthermore, it is recommended that nutrient intake be used when evaluating CRF in children due to its ability to predict TG and percent body fat.

The present study showed that amenorrheic athletes (AAs) scored higher on the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) (p < .05) than eumenorrheic athletes (EAs), indicating more aberrant eating patterns in the first group. Scores on the EAT were inversely correlated with fat intake (p < .05), simple carbohydrate intake (p < .01), and percentage saturation of iron (p < .05) and were positively correlated with total iron binding capacity (p < .01) for the total sample. Physiological assessment of athletes revealed that there were no significant differences between groups in serum lipoproteins, with both EAs and AAs having serum lipid profiles indicative of low cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was the only lipoprotein significantly and positively correlated with serum estradiol levels for the entire sample (p = .01). The present study was in agreement with previous work showing that scores of the EAT represent a primary difference between EAs and AAs; the present study was somewhat different than previous work in that serum lipoproteins were not significantly related to menstrual status.

The complete nucleotide (nt) sequences of two new alleles of the human Y-box-binding protein are described. These alleles show over 93% nt similarity to published sequences of YB-1.