Common Mistakes When Fitting Models to Data

Dr. Rossi discusses the common errors that are made when fitting statistical models to data. Focuses on the planning, data analysis, and interpretation phases of a statistical analysis, and highlights the errors that are commonly made by researchers of these phases. The implications of these commonly made errors are discussed along with a discussion of the methods that can be used to prevent these errors from occurring. A prescription for carrying out a correct statistical analysis will be discussed.

The Acropolitan - v. 2, no. 3

In this issue...Butte, Anaconda, Silver Lake, Montana, Wilson Chemical Company, Seattle, Washington, Co-Ed Club, Professor Koenig, First-Year student course

The Amplifier - v. 1, no. 9

In this issue...Dr. Van Pelt, Lydia's, Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, U. S. Gypsum Plant, Stanolind Oil & Gas Company, Coach Olsen, Great Falls Brewery

The Stink Coming Through the Revolving Door

A Montana Public Radio Commentary by Evan Barrett.

Materials-Handling Hazard Controls: Assessment of Haddon’s Injury Control Strategies

This investigation assessed the applicability of Dr. William Haddon’s strategies for controlling hazards involving materials-handling operations in industrial and mining workplaces. Published over 20 years ago, Haddon’s strategies purport to include all strategies for preventing and mitigating harm to people, property, and the environment. Students in an undergraduate class were assigned to find tactical examples of each of Haddon’s strategies applicable to material handling. Haddon’s tenth strategy involving medical care and rehabilitation was not included. Their classifications were analyzed to identify points of confusion as well as points of general agreement. Students found numerous tactics for strategies involving engineering and behavioral strategies. Fewer tactics were identified for strategies involving damage control through effective and timely response.

HAMLET (human alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells) triggers autophagic tumor cell death

HAMLET, a complex of partially unfolded alpha-lactalbumin and oleic acid, kills a wide range of tumor cells. Here we propose that HAMLET causes macroautophagy in tumor cells and that this contributes to their death. Cell death was accompanied by mitochondrial damage and a reduction in the level of active mTOR and HAMLET triggered extensive cytoplasmic vacuolization and the formation of double-membrane-enclosed vesicles typical of macroautophagy. In addition, HAMLET caused a change from uniform (LC3-I) to granular (LC3-II) staining in LC3-GFP-transfected cells reflecting LC3 translocation during macroautophagy, and this was blocked by the macroautophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine. HAMLET also caused accumulation of LC3-II detected by Western blot when lysosomal degradation was inhibited suggesting that HAMLET caused an increase in autophagic flux. To determine if macroautophagy contributed to cell death, we used RNA interference against Beclin-1 and Atg5. Suppression of Beclin-1 and Atg5 improved the survival of HAMLET-treated tumor cells and inhibited the increase in granular LC3-GFP staining. The results show that HAMLET triggers macroautophagy in tumor cells and suggest that macroautophagy contributes to HAMLET-induced tumor cell death.

Iowa State Daily (April 18, 2012)

ContentsReclaiming the recordHill, Hoiberg kick off VeisheaClothesline Project airs dirty laundryKnow your rights this VeisheaExplore your tastebuds with chicken, ice creams

Iowa State Daily (March 20, 2012)

ContentsISU Foundation president steps downResiding in debtForbes names Des Moines top citySenior reach end of the roadH.R. 347 protects upper classScore steals at local thrift shops

Iowa State Daily (February 13, 2012)

ContentsA rainbow carpet rolls outIowa makes China partnerISU men move on past A&MChris Allen's efforts sets fire onto ISU offenseEat healthily, work out, exercise with frequencyFirst lady brings uniqueness, sincerity to Iowa

Iowa State Daily (January 19, 2012)

ContentsCensorship gone too far?State of racism: students dispute discriminationClubFest II explores students' interests Festival honors theater artistsReader returns as wrestling role model

Iowa State Daily (December 1, 2011)

ContentsBowl game rouletteWorld AIDS Day held Dec. 1 to fight pandemicCity Council joins GSB to discuss Ames expansionUnfair funding of athletic facilitiesActing with holiday spiritsCyclones fall to the panthers

Effects of Initial Body Condition, Frame Size and Concentration of Dietary Energy on Performance of Finishing Steers

Steers were sorted into four groups based on hip height and fat cover at the start of the finishing period. Each group of sorted steers was fed a diet containing 0.59 or 0.64 Mcal NEg per pound of diet. Steers with less initial fat cover (.08 in.) gained slightly faster, consumed less feed, and therefore tended to be more efficient than steers with greater finish (.16 in.). Steers fed the lower-energy diet consumed more feed, gained similarly, and were less efficient than steers fed the higher-energy diet. The NRC computer model to evaluate beef cattle diets underpredicted performance of cattle in this experiment, but accurately predicted the differences in gain and feed efficiency observed between the leaner and fatter steers and between the two diets. In this study, the shorter steers (49.4 vs 52.2 in. initial height at the hip) gained faster with slightly greater feed intake and the same feed conversion.

Brain Regulation of Growth in Beef Calves

Small peptide hormones produced in the lower part of the brain (hypothalamus) regulate episodic and basal secretion of hormones from the anterior pituitary gland that affect metabolism and growth in cattle. This study focused on long-term growth in young calves subjected to hypophysectomy (HYPOX), hypophyseal stalk transection (HST), and sham operation control (SOC). Crossbred (Hereford x Aberdeen Angus) and Hereford, and Aberdeen Angus calves were HYPOX (n = 5), HST (n = 5), or SOC (n = 8) at 146 days of age, whereas another group was HST (n = 5) or SOC (n = 7) at 273 days of age. Body weight was determined every 21 days from birth to 1008 days of age. From day 146-1008, growth was arrested (P < 0.001) in HYPOX (0.06 kg/day) compared with SOC (0.50 kg/day) calves. Growth continued but at a significantly lower rate (P < 0.05) in calves HST at 146 days (0.32 kg/day) and 273 days (0.32 kg/day) compared with SOC (0.50 kg/day). Although episodic growth hormone (GH) secretion was abolished and peripheral blood serum GH concentration remained consistently lower in HST calves (2.4 ng/ml) than in the SOC (5.5 ng/ml; P < 0.01), the calves continued to grow throughout 1008 days. Peripheral serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration was less (P < 0.05) in HST compared with SOC calves. There was an abrupt decrease (P < 0.001) in serum thyroxine (T4) (4-fold) and triiodothyronine (T3) (3-fold) concentration after surgery that remained to 360 days in HST compared with SOC calves. At sacrifice, pituitary gland weight was markedly reduced (P < 0.001) in HST (0.18 g/100 kg body weight) compared with SOC (0.55 g/100 kg body weight) calves. Histological examination of pituitary glands from HST calves indicated the persistence of secretory GH and TSH cells in the same areas of the anterior pituitary gland as SOC calves. Coronal sections of the gland revealed GH and TSH secreting cells in HST calves that were similar to the controls. These results indicate that long-term growth continues, but at a slower rate, after hypophyseal stalk transection of immature calves in spite of complete abolition of episodic GH secretion and consistently decreased basal secretion of GH, TSH, T4, and T3 compared with sham-operated animals. Growth was abolished after hypophysectomy of immature calves in which circulating GH and TSH was undetectable.