Correlation of the Road Rater and the Dynatest Falling Weight Deflectometer, MLR-91-04, 1991

The Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) has become the "standard" for deflection testing of pavements. Iowa has used a Road Rater since 1976 to obtain deflection information. A correlation between the Road Rater and the FWD was needed if Iowa was going to continue with the Road Rater. Comparative deflection testing was done using a Road Rater Model 400 and a Pynatest 8000 FWD on 26 pavement sections. The SHRP contractor, Braun Intertec Pavement, Inc., provided the FWD testing. The r^2 for the linear correlations ranged from 0.90 to 0.99 for the different pavement types and sensor locations.

Increased fat oxidation in prepubertal obese children: a metabolic defense against further weight gain?

The purpose of this study was to measure postabsorptive fat oxidation at rest and to assess the association between fat mass and fat oxidation rate in prepubertal children, who were assigned to two groups: 35 obese children (weight, 44.5 +/- 9.7 kg; fat mass; 31.7 +/- 5.4%) and 37 nonobese children (weight, 30.8 +/- 6.8 kg; fat mass, 17.5 +/- 6.7%). Postabsorptive fat oxidation expressed in absolute value was significantly higher in obese than in nonobese children (31.4 +/- 9.7 mg/min vs 21.9 +/- 10.2 mg/min; p < 0.001) but not when adjusted for fat-free mass by analysis of covariance with fat-free mass as the covariate (28.2 +/- 10.6 mg/min vs 24.9 +/- 10.5 mg/min). In obese children and in the total group, fat mass and fat oxidation were significantly correlated (r = 0.65; p < 0.001). The slope of the relationship indicated that for each 10 kg additional fat mass, resting fat oxidation increased by 18 gm/day. We conclude that obese prepubertal children have a higher postabsorptive rate of fat oxidation than nonobese children. This metabolic process may favor the achievement of a new equilibrium in fat balance, opposing further adipose tissue gain.

Energy gap in the aetiology of body weight gain and obesity: a challenging concept with a complex evaluation and pitfalls.

The concept of energy gap(s) is useful for understanding the consequence of a small daily, weekly, or monthly positive energy balance and the inconspicuous shift in weight gain ultimately leading to overweight and obesity. Energy gap is a dynamic concept: an initial positive energy gap incurred via an increase in energy intake (or a decrease in physical activity) is not constant, may fade out with time if the initial conditions are maintained, and depends on the 'efficiency' with which the readjustment of the energy imbalance gap occurs with time. The metabolic response to an energy imbalance gap and the magnitude of the energy gap(s) can be estimated by at least two methods, i.e. i) assessment by longitudinal overfeeding studies, imposing (by design) an initial positive energy imbalance gap; ii) retrospective assessment based on epidemiological surveys, whereby the accumulated endogenous energy storage per unit of time is calculated from the change in body weight and body composition. In order to illustrate the difficulty of accurately assessing an energy gap we have used, as an illustrative example, a recent epidemiological study which tracked changes in total energy intake (estimated by gross food availability) and body weight over 3 decades in the US, combined with total energy expenditure prediction from body weight using doubly labelled water data. At the population level, the study attempted to assess the cause of the energy gap purported to be entirely due to increased food intake. Based on an estimate of change in energy intake judged to be more reliable (i.e. in the same study population) and together with calculations of simple energetic indices, our analysis suggests that conclusions about the fundamental causes of obesity development in a population (excess intake vs. low physical activity or both) is clouded by a high level of uncertainty.

Prise de poids et contraceptifs à progestatifs seuls: plus d'inquiétude que de preuves scientifiques. [Weight gain and progestin-only contraceptives: more concern than evidence].

Weight gain is a side effect often associated with progestin-only contraceptives. A recently published Cochrane review focuses on this issue that has been addressed in only few studies of good quality. Here we discuss the results of this review in the context of three clinical cases. With progestin-only contraceptives the weight gain is less than often thought, especially after six or twelve months of treatment. Some results are rather reassuring, especially those in obese women and during the post-partum period. This should help improve the compliance of women who fear gaining weight with this type of hormonal contraception.

Influence of Assisted Reproductive Techniques in the occurrence of weight discordance in twin gestations

Background:There is no actual evidence that the ART are directly related to the occurrence of weight discordance. In some studies, ART-­‐conceived twin pregnancies are at greater risk than non-­‐ART-­‐conceived ones for pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcome: the incidences of pregnancy-­‐induced hypertension, uterine bleeding, premature contractions, IUGR, fetal death, discordance, and cesarean section were significantly higher. Discordance rate was elevated (25.3% vs.17.0%) among ART twins, which can increase perinatal risk (increased incidence of SGA and NICU admission). Other studies say that perinatal and neonatal morbidity, gestational age at delivery, and birth weight are not affected by ART. Regarding the first trimester ultrasound, some studies didn’t notice significant differences in CRL disparity or birth weight discordance between spontaneous and ART-­‐ conceived dichorionic twin pregnancies. In ART-­‐conceived dichorionic twin pregnancies, CRL disparity may be associated with birth weight discordance. In some studies, CRL discordance in twin pregnancies in the first trimester was a frequent finding. Objectives: To analyze the association of the ART in the occurrence of weight discordance in the pregnancies between 2010 and 2013 in the Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, and to describe the proportion of diagnosis of growth discordance in the first trimester by the ultrasonography technology. Methods: A retrospective cohort study will be performed in those patients with twin pregnancies between 2010 and 2013, within the Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta (HUJT). A retrospective and descriptive study will be done in those cases with discordance weight in the moment of the birth, in which the CRL will be studied in the first trimester ultrasound, describing the percentage of discordance detected in that moment. The general characteristics of the sample are going to be analyzed by Logistic RegressionInfluenceof

Large differences in the prevalence of normal weight obesity using various cut-offs for excess body fat

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Normal weight obesity (NWO) has been defined as an excessive body fat (BF) associated with a normal body mass index (BMI). Still, little is known regarding the effect of differing cut-offs for %BF on the prevalence of NWO. We thus conducted a study to assess the effect of modifying the cut-offs for excessive %BF on the prevalence of NWO. METHODS: We examined a convenience sample of 1523 Portuguese adults. BF was measured by validated hand-held bioimpedance. NWO was defined as a BMI < 25 kg/m2 and a %BF >30% or according to sex- and age-specific %BF cut-offs. RESULTS: Prevalence of NWO was 10.1% in women and 3.2% in men. In women, prevalence of NWO increased considerably with age, and virtually all women aged over 55 with a BMI < 25 kg/m2 were actually considered as NWO. Using sex-specific cut-offs for BF (men: 29.1%; women: 37.2%) led to moderately lower prevalence of NWO in women. Using sex and age-specific cut-offs for %BF considerably decreased the prevalence of NWO in women, i.e. 0.5e2.5% (depending on the criterion) but not in men, i.e. 1.9e3.4%. CONCLUSIONS: In women, the prevalence of NWO varies considerably according to the cut-off used to define excess BF, whereas a much smaller variation is found in men. While further studies are needed to describe the risk associated with NWO using various %BF cut-offs, this study suggests that sex- and age-specific cut-offs may be preferred.

Influence of Assisted Reproductive Techniques in the occurrence of weight discordance in twin gestations

Background:There is no actual evidence that the ART are directly related to the occurrence of weight discordance. In some studies, ART-­‐conceived twin pregnancies are at greater risk than non-­‐ART-­‐conceived ones for pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcome: the incidences of pregnancy-­‐induced hypertension, uterine bleeding, premature contractions, IUGR, fetal death, discordance, and cesarean section were significantly higher. Discordance rate was elevated (25.3% vs.17.0%) among ART twins, which can increase perinatal risk (increased incidence of SGA and NICU admission). Other studies say that perinatal and neonatal morbidity, gestational age at delivery, and birth weight are not affected by ART. Regarding the first trimester ultrasound, some studies didn’t notice significant differences in CRL disparity or birth weight discordance between spontaneous and ART-­‐ conceived dichorionic twin pregnancies. In ART-­‐conceived dichorionic twin pregnancies, CRL disparity may be associated with birth weight discordance. In some studies, CRL discordance in twin pregnancies in the first trimester was a frequent finding. Objectives: To analyze the association of the ART in the occurrence of weight discordance in the pregnancies between 2010 and 2013 in the Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, and to describe the proportion of diagnosis of growth discordance in the first trimester by the ultrasonography technology. Methods: A retrospective cohort study will be performed in those patients with twin pregnancies between 2010 and 2013, within the Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta (HUJT). A retrospective and descriptive study will be done in those cases with discordance weight in the moment of the birth, in which the CRL will be studied in the first trimester ultrasound, describing the percentage of discordance detected in that moment. The general characteristics of the sample are going to be analyzed by Logistic RegressionInfluenceof

Letter to editor: Low Birth Weight And Adult Depression: Eliciting Their Association

Theories supporting fetal origins of adult health and disease are nowadays widely accepted regarding some psychiatric conditions. However, whether genetic or environmental factors disrupting fetal growth might constitute a rick factor for depressive and/or anxious psychopathology remains still controversial.

A mixed ecologic-cohort comparison of physical activity & weight among young adults from five populations of African origin.

BACKGROUND: Examination of patterns and intensity of physical activity (PA) across cultures where obesity prevalence varies widely provides insight into one aspect of the ongoing epidemiologic transition. The primary hypothesis being addressed is whether low levels of PA are associated with excess weight and adiposity. METHODS: We recruited young adults from five countries (500 per country, 2500 total, ages 25-45 years), spanning the range of obesity prevalence. Men and women were recruited from a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, USA; urban Jamaica; rural Ghana; peri-urban South Africa; and the Seychelles. PA was measured using accelerometry and expressed as minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous activity or sedentary behavior. RESULTS: Obesity (BMI ≥ 30) prevalence ranged from 1.4% (Ghanaian men) to 63.8% (US women). South African men were the most active, followed by Ghanaian men. Relatively small differences were observed across sites among women; however, women in Ghana accumulated the most activity. Within site-gender sub-groups, the correlation of activity with BMI and other measures of adiposity was inconsistent; the combined correlation across sites was -0.17 for men and -0.11 for women. In the ecological analysis time spent in moderate-to-vigorous activity was inversely associated with BMI (r = -0.71). CONCLUSION: These analyses suggest that persons with greater adiposity tend to engage in less PA, although the associations are weak and the direction of causality cannot be inferred because measurements are cross-sectional. Longitudinal data will be required to elucidate direction of association.

Loss of Prestress, Camber, and Deflection of Non-Composite and Composite Structures Using Different Weight Concretes, HR-137, 1970

General equations are presented for predicting loss of prestress and camber of both composite and non- composite prestressed concrete structures. Continuous time functins of all parameters needed to solve the equations are given, and sample results included. Computed prestress loss and camber are compared with experimental data for normal weight and lightweight concrete. Methods are also presented for predicting the effect of non-prestressed tension steel in reducing time-dependent loss of prestress and camber, and for the determination of short-time deflections of uncracked and cracked prestressed members. Comparisons with experimental results are indicated for these partially prestressed methods.

Bayesian genetic parameters for body weight and survival of Nile tilapia farmed in Brazil

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for survival and weight of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), farmed in cages and ponds in Brazil, and to predict genetic gain under different scenarios. Survival was recorded as a binary response (dead or alive), during harvest time in the 2008 grow-out period. Genetic parameters were estimated using a Bayesian mixed linear-threshold animal model via Gibbs sampling. The breeding population consisted of 2,912 individual fish, which were analyzed together with the pedigree of 5,394 fish. The heritabilities estimates, with 95% posterior credible intervals, for tagging weight, harvest weight and survival were 0.17 (0.09-0.27), 0.21 (0.12-0.32) and 0.32 (0.22-0.44), respectively. Credible intervals show a 95% probability that the true genetic correlations were in a favourable direction. The selection for weight has a positive impact on survival. Estimated genetic gain was high when selecting for harvest weight (5.07%), and indirect gain for tagging weight (2.17%) and survival (2.03%) were also considerable.

Monocarboxylate transporters: new players in body weight regulation.

Over the last two decades, several genes have been identified that appear to play a role in the regulation of energy homeostasis and body weight. For a small subset of them, a reduction or an absence of expression confers a resistance to the development of obesity. Recently, a knockin mouse for a member of the monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) family, MCT1, was demonstrated to exhibit a typical phenotype of resistance to diet-induced obesity and a protection from its associated metabolic perturbations. Such findings point out at MCTs as putatively new therapeutic targets in the context of obesity. Here, we will review what is known about MCTs and their possible metabolic roles in different organs and tissues. Based on the description of the phenotype of the MCT1 knockin mouse, we will also provide some insights about their putative roles in weight gain regulation.

Influence of Assisted Reproductive Techniques in the occurrence of weight discordance in twin gestations

Background:There is no actual evidence that the ART are directly related to the occurrence of weight discordance. In some studies, ART-­‐conceived twin pregnancies are at greater risk than non-­‐ART-­‐conceived ones for pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcome: the incidences of pregnancy-­‐induced hypertension, uterine bleeding, premature contractions, IUGR, fetal death, discordance, and cesarean section were significantly higher. Discordance rate was elevated (25.3% vs.17.0%) among ART twins, which can increase perinatal risk (increased incidence of SGA and NICU admission). Other studies say that perinatal and neonatal morbidity, gestational age at delivery, and birth weight are not affected by ART. Regarding the first trimester ultrasound, some studies didn’t notice significant differences in CRL disparity or birth weight discordance between spontaneous and ART-­‐ conceived dichorionic twin pregnancies. In ART-­‐conceived dichorionic twin pregnancies, CRL disparity may be associated with birth weight discordance. In some studies, CRL discordance in twin pregnancies in the first trimester was a frequent finding. Objectives: To analyze the association of the ART in the occurrence of weight discordance in the pregnancies between 2010 and 2013 in the Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, and to describe the proportion of diagnosis of growth discordance in the first trimester by the ultrasonography technology. Methods: A retrospective cohort study will be performed in those patients with twin pregnancies between 2010 and 2013, within the Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta (HUJT). A retrospective and descriptive study will be done in those cases with discordance weight in the moment of the birth, in which the CRL will be studied in the first trimester ultrasound, describing the percentage of discordance detected in that moment. The general characteristics of the sample are going to be analyzed by Logistic RegressionInfluenceof

High Molecular Weight Methacrylate Sealing of a Bridge Deck, HR-2031, Construction Report, 1988

The Iowa Department of Transportation used a high molecular weight methacrylate (HMWM) resin to seal a 3,340 ft. x 64 ft. bridge deck in October 1986. The sealing was necessary to prevent deicing salt brine from entering a substantial number of transverse cracks that coincided with the epoxy coated top steel and unprotected bottom steel. HMWM resin is a three component product composed of a monomer, a curnene hydroperoxide initiator and a cobalt naphthenate promoter. The HMWM was applied with a dual spray bar system and flat-fan nozzles. Initiated monomer delivered through one spray bar was mixed in the air with promoted monomer from the other spray bar. The application rate averaged 0.956 gallons per 100 square feet for the tined textured driving lanes. Dry sand was broadcast on the surface at an average coverage of 0.58 lbs. per square yard to maintain friction. Coring showed that the H.MWM resin penetrated the cracks more than two inches deep. Testing of the treated deck yielded Friction Numbers averaging 33 with a treaded tire compared to 36 prior to treatment. An inspection soon after treatment found five leaky cracks in one of the 15 spans. One inspection during a steady rain showed no leakage, but leakage from numerous cracks occurred during a subsequent rain. A second HMWM application was made on two spans to determine if a double application would prevent leakage. This evaluation has not been completed.