A Collection of Research and Review Articles From Leaders in the Field of Respiratory Biomechanics.

The beauty of the respiratory system is that it advects air from the mouth/nose to the deep lung, providing a substrate for the gas exchange needed for life. Due to the close interaction of structure and function, the lungs can deform under very small amounts of pressure. In addition, the lung serves as the first barrier of defense against inhaled toxins.

Intergenerational effects of sick leave on child human capital.

This paper examines the intergenerational consequences of parental participation in government social insurance programs, using one of the largest social insurance programs in the world: sick leave. We exploit quasi-random assignment of patients to general practitioners (GPs) in Norway, who vary in their propensity to certify sick leave of different lengths, to estimate the effects of access to longer sick leave for the marginal individual. Linking administrative data on patients and their children, we show that assignment to a more lenient GP lowers children's GPA in adolescence, reduces the likelihood of completing upper secondary education, and decreases enrollment in higher education.

Brain-mimicking phantom for biomechanical validation of motion sensitive MR imaging techniques.

Motion sensitive MR imaging techniques allow for the non-invasive evaluation of biological tissues by using different excitation schemes, including physiological/intrinsic motions caused by cardiac pulsation or respiration, and vibrations caused by an external actuator. The mechanical biomarkers extracted through these imaging techniques have been shown to hold diagnostic value for various neurological disorders and conditions. Amplified MRI (aMRI), a cardiac gated imaging technique, can help track and quantify low frequency intrinsic motion of the brain.

Title: efficacy of a food parenting intervention for mothers with low income to reduce preschooler's solid fat and added sugar intakes: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Few interventions have shown efficacy to influence key energy balance behaviors during the preschool years.

Objective: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was used to evaluate the efficacy of Food, Fun, and Families (FFF), a 12 week authoritative food parenting intervention for mothers with low-income levels, to reduce preschool-aged children's intake of calories from solid fat and added sugar (SoFAS).

Methods: Mothers were randomly assigned to receive FFF (n = 59) or to a delayed treatment control (n = 60).

Chemically synthesized hollow nanostructures in iron oxides.

In this work, we report a detailed study of the formation of hollow nanostructures in iron oxides. Core/shell Fe/Fe-oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal decomposition of Fe(CO)(5) at high temperature. It was found that 8 nm is the critical size above which the particles have a core/shell morphology, whereas below this size the particles exhibit a hollow morphology.

Toward efficient sludge processing using novel rheological parameters: dynamic rheological testing.

Materials known as complex fluids exhibit a transitional behaviour between their solid and liquid states. Sludges produced at different treatment stages of wastewater treatment are examples of these materials, since they exhibit solid behaviour within shorter time frames and liquid behaviour over longer durations. These sludges can also change from solid-like to liquid-like, or vice versa, when subjected to even a slight deformation; this stems from their complex makeup, which includes both particulate materials and polymeric gels, including both biopolymers and the synthetic polymers used in conditioning them.

Microbial reduction of perchlorate with zero-valent iron.

Microbial reduction of perchlorate in the presence of zero-valent iron was examined in both batch and column reactors to assess the potential of iron as the electron donor for biological perchlorate reduction process. Iron-supported mixed cultures completely removed 65 mg/L of perchlorate in batch reactors in 8 days. The removal rate was similar to that observed with hydrogen gas (5%) and acetate (173 mg/L) as electron donors.

Perceptions and evaluation of the computerized registration examination for dietitians.

In September 1999, the format for the Registration Examination for Dietitians changed from a paper-and-pencil test to a computerized design. The purpose of this study was to determine how examinees reacted to the computerized exam experience. We surveyed 304 registered dietitians in Region VI states who had been eligible as of August 1, 1999, to earn this credential.

Prostaglandin E2-induced fever in young and old Long-Evans rats.

Aging is associated with a blunted or absent fever response to naturally occurring infections or to the peripheral administration of bacterial products and proinflammatory cytokines. We have recently shown that old Long-Evans rats are not defective in their capacity to develop a fever in response to brain administration of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta). Here, we investigated the fever response of young (3-5-month) and old (24-26-month) Long-Evans rats to the intracerebroventricular (i.