Addressing the unemployment-mortality conundrum: non-linearity is the answer.

PubMed

Bonamore, Giorgio; Carmignani, Fabrizio; Colombo, Emilio

2015-02-01

The effect of unemployment on mortality is the object of a lively literature. However, this literature is characterized by sharply conflicting results. We revisit this issue and suggest that the relationship might be non-linear. We use data for 265 territorial units (regions) within 23 European countries over the period 2000-2012 to estimate a multivariate regression of mortality. The estimating equation allows for a quadratic relationship between unemployment and mortality. We control for various other determinants of mortality at regional and national level and we include region-specific and time-specific fixed effects. The model is also extended to account for the dynamic adjustment of mortality and possible lagged effects of unemployment. We find that the relationship between mortality and unemployment is U shaped. In the benchmark regression, when the unemployment rate is low, at 3%, an increase by one percentage point decreases average mortality by 0.7%. As unemployment increases, the effect decays: when the unemployment rate is 8% (sample average) a further increase by one percentage point decreases average mortality by 0.4%. The effect changes sign, turning from negative to positive, when unemployment is around 17%. When the unemployment rate is 25%, a further increase by one percentage point raises average mortality by 0.4%. Results hold for different causes of death and across different specifications of the estimating equation. We argue that the non-linearity arises because the level of unemployment affects the psychological and behavioural response of individuals to worsening economic conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of loading on unintentional lifting velocity declines during single sets of repetitions to failure during upper and lower extremity muscle actions.

PubMed

Izquierdo, M; González-Badillo, J J; Häkkinen, K; Ibáñez, J; Kraemer, W J; Altadill, A; Eslava, J; Gorostiaga, E M

2006-09-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of different loads on repetition speed during single sets of repetitions to failure in bench press and parallel squat. Thirty-six physical active men performed 1-repetition maximum in a bench press (1 RM (BP)) and half squat position (1 RM (HS)), and performed maximal power-output continuous repetition sets randomly every 10 days until failure with a submaximal load (60 %, 65 %, 70 %, and 75 % of 1RM, respectively) during bench press and parallel squat. Average velocity of each repetition was recorded by linking a rotary encoder to the end part of the bar. The values of 1 RM (BP) and 1 RM (HS) were 91 +/- 17 and 200 +/- 20 kg, respectively. The number of repetitions performed for a given percentage of 1RM was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in half squat than in bench press performance. Average repetition velocity decreased at a greater rate in bench press than in parallel squat. The significant reductions observed in the average repetition velocity (expressed as a percentage of the average velocity achieved during the initial repetition) were observed at higher percentage of the total number of repetitions performed in parallel squat (48 - 69 %) than in bench press (34 - 40 %) actions. The major finding in this study was that, for a given muscle action (bench press or parallel squat), the pattern of reduction in the relative average velocity achieved during each repetition and the relative number of repetitions performed was the same for all percentages of 1RM tested. However, relative average velocity decreased at a greater rate in bench press than in parallel squat performance. This would indicate that in bench press the significant reductions observed in the average repetition velocity occurred when the number of repetitions was over one third (34 %) of the total number of repetitions performed, whereas in parallel squat it was nearly one half (48 %). Conceptually, this would indicate that for a given exercise (bench press or squat) and percentage of maximal dynamic strength (1RM), the pattern of velocity decrease can be predicted over a set of repetitions, so that a minimum repetition threshold to ensure maximal speed performance is determined.

Simple versus composite indicators of socioeconomic status in resource allocation formulae: the case of the district resource allocation formula in Malawi

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The district resource allocation formula in Malawi was recently reviewed to include stunting as a proxy measure of socioeconomic status. In many countries where the concept of need has been incorporated in resource allocation, composite indicators of socioeconomic status have been used. In the Malawi case, it is important to ascertain whether there are differences between using single variable or composite indicators of socioeconomic status in allocations made to districts, holding all other factors in the resource allocation formula constant. Methods Principal components analysis was used to calculate asset indices for all districts from variables that capture living standards using data from the Malawi Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2006. These were normalized and used to weight district populations. District proportions of national population weighted by both the simple and composite indicators were then calculated for all districts and compared. District allocations were also calculated using the two approaches and compared. Results The two types of indicators are highly correlated, with a spearman rank correlation coefficient of 0.97 at the 1% level of significance. For 21 out of the 26 districts included in the study, proportions of national population weighted by the simple indicator are higher by an average of 0.6 percentage points. For the remaining 5 districts, district proportions of national population weighted by the composite indicator are higher by an average of 2 percentage points. Though the average percentage point differences are low and the actual allocations using both approaches highly correlated (ρ of 0.96), differences in actual allocations exceed 10% for 8 districts and have an average of 4.2% for the remaining 17. For 21 districts allocations based on the single variable indicator are higher. Conclusions Variations in district allocations made using either the simple or composite indicators of socioeconomic status are not statistically different to recommend one over the other. However, the single variable indicator is favourable for its ease of computation. PMID:20053274

Design with limited anthropometric data: A method of interpreting sums of percentiles in anthropometric design.

PubMed

Albin, Thomas J

2017-07-01

Occasionally practitioners must work with single dimensions defined as combinations (sums or differences) of percentile values, but lack information (e.g. variances) to estimate the accommodation achieved. This paper describes methods to predict accommodation proportions for such combinations of percentile values, e.g. two 90th percentile values. Kreifeldt and Nah z-score multipliers were used to estimate the proportions accommodated by combinations of percentile values of 2-15 variables; two simplified versions required less information about variance and/or correlation. The estimates were compared to actual observed proportions; for combinations of 2-15 percentile values the average absolute differences ranged between 0.5 and 1.5 percentage points. The multipliers were also used to estimate adjusted percentile values, that, when combined, estimate a desired proportion of the combined measurements. For combinations of two and three adjusted variables, the average absolute difference between predicted and observed proportions ranged between 0.5 and 3.0 percentage points. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Techniques for small-bone lengthening in congenital anomalies of the hand and foot.

PubMed

Minguella, J; Cabrera, M; Escolá, J

2001-10-01

The purpose of this study is to analyse three different lengthening techniques used in 31 small bones for congenital malformations of the hand and foot: 15 metacarpals, 12 metatarsals, 1 foot stump and 3 spaces between a previously transplanted phalanx end of the carpus or the metacarpal. Progressive lengthening with an external fixator device was performed in 23 cases: the callus distraction (callotasis) technique was used in 15 cases, whereas in the other 8 cases the speed of lengthening was faster and the defect bridged with a bone graft as a second stage. In another eight cases, a one-stage lengthening was performed. In the callotasis group, the total length gained ranged from 9 mm to 30 mm and the percentage of lengthening obtained (compared with the initial bone length) averaged 53.4%; in the fast lengthening group, the length gained ranged from 8 mm to 15 mm, and the average percentage of lengthening was 53.1%; and in the one-stage group, the length gained ranged from 7 mm to 15 mm, and the average percentage of lengthening was 43%. The overall complication rate was 22.5%.

Hospitalization for Suicide Ideation or Attempt: 2008-2015.

PubMed

Plemmons, Gregory; Hall, Matthew; Doupnik, Stephanie; Gay, James; Brown, Charlotte; Browning, Whitney; Casey, Robert; Freundlich, Katherine; Johnson, David P; Lind, Carrie; Rehm, Kris; Thomas, Susan; Williams, Derek

2018-06-01

Suicide ideation (SI) and suicide attempts (SAs) have been reported as increasing among US children over the last decade. We examined trends in emergency and inpatient encounters for SI and SA at US children's hospitals from 2008 to 2015. We used retrospective analysis of administrative billing data from the Pediatric Health Information System database. There were 115 856 SI and SA encounters during the study period. Annual percentage of all visits for SI and SA almost doubled, increasing from 0.66% in 2008 to 1.82% in 2015 (average annual increase 0.16 percentage points [95% confidence intervals (CIs) 0.15 to 0.17]). Significant increases were noted in all age groups but were higher in adolescents 15 to 17 years old (average annual increase 0.27 percentage points [95% CI 0.23 to 0.30]) and adolescents 12 to 14 years old (average annual increase 0.25 percentage points [95% CI 0.21 to 0.27]). Increases were noted in girls (average annual increase 0.14 percentage points [95% CI 0.13 to 0.15]) and boys (average annual increase 0.10 percentage points [95% CI 0.09 to 0.11]), but were higher for girls. Seasonal variation was also observed, with the lowest percentage of cases occurring during the summer and the highest during spring and fall. Encounters for SI and SA at US children's hospitals increased steadily from 2008 to 2015 and accounted for an increasing percentage of all hospital encounters. Increases were noted across all age groups, with consistent seasonal patterns that persisted over the study period. The growing impact of pediatric mental health disorders has important implications for children's hospitals and health care delivery systems. Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Does graded reaming affect the composition of reaming products in intramedullary nailing of long bones?

PubMed

Kouzelis, Antonis Th; Kourea, Helen; Megas, Panagiotis; Panagiotopoulos, Elias; Marangos, Markos; Lambiris, Elias

2004-08-01

Reaming products taken during intramedullary nailing were examined to identify possible differences in their composition depending on the reaming percentage. Reaming products were taken from 39 fresh closed tibial and femoral diaphyseal fractures in patients with an average age of 29 years. According to histology, reaming products mainly consisted of bone trabeculae, viable or nonviable, and bone marrow stroma. A statistically significant reverse correlation exists between viable bone mass percentage and reaming progress. Reaming 1 mm less than the minimum canal diameter provides a higher viable bone mass percentage, which might be an important factor in the bone healing process.

Comparison study of portable bladder scanner versus cone-beam CT scan for measuring bladder volumes in post-prostatectomy patients undergoing radiotherapy.

PubMed

Ung, K A; White, R; Mathlum, M; Mak-Hau, V; Lynch, R

2014-01-01

In post-prostatectomy radiotherapy to the prostatic bed, consistent bladder volume is essential to maintain the position of treatment target volume. We assessed the differences between bladder volume readings from a portable bladder scanner (BS-V) and those obtained from planning CT (CT-V) or cone-beam CT (CBCT-V). Interfraction bladder volume variation was also determined. BS-V was recorded before and after planning CT or CBCT. The percentage differences between the readings using the two imaging modalities, standard deviations and 95% confidence intervals were determined. Data were analysed for the whole patient cohort and separately for the older BladderScan™ BVI3000 and newer BVI9400 model. Interfraction bladder volume variation was determined from the percentage difference between the CT-V and CBCT-V. Treatment duration, incorporating the time needed for BS and CBCT, was recorded. Fourteen patients were enrolled, producing 133 data sets for analysis. BS-V was taken using the BVI9400 in four patients (43 data sets). The mean BS-V was 253.2 mL, and the mean CT-V or CBCT-V was 199 cm(3). The mean percentage difference between the two modalities was 19.7% (SD 42.2; 95%CI 12.4 to 26.9). The BVI9400 model produced more consistent readings, with a mean percentage difference of -6.2% (SD 27.8; 95% CI -14.7 to -2.4%). The mean percentage difference between CT-V and CBCT-V was 31.3% (range -48% to 199.4%). Treatment duration from time of first BS reading to CBCT was, on average, 12 min (range 6-27). The BS produces bladder volume readings of an average 19.7% difference from CT-V or CBCT-V and can potentially be used to screen for large interfraction bladder volume variations in radiotherapy to prostatic bed. The observed interfraction bladder volume variation suggests the need to improve bladder volume consistency. Incorporating the BS into practice is feasible. © 2014 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

Effect of 3basic life support training programs in future primary school teachers. A quasi-experimental design.

PubMed

Navarro-Patón, R; Freire-Tellado, M; Basanta-Camiño, S; Barcala-Furelos, R; Arufe-Giraldez, V; Rodriguez-Fernández, J E

2018-05-01

To evaluate the learning of basic life support (BLS) measures on the part of laypersons after 3different teaching programs. A quasi-experimental before-after study involving a non-probabilistic sample without a control group was carried out. Primary school teacher students from the University of Santiago (Spain). A total of 124 students (68.8% women and 31.2% men) aged 20-39 years (M=22.23; SD=3.79), with no previous knowledge of BLS, were studied. Three teaching programs were used: a traditional course, an audio-visual approach and feedback devices. Chest compressions as sole cardiopulmonary resuscitation skill evaluation: average compression depth, compression rate, chest recoil percentage and percentage of correct compressions. Automated external defibrillator: time needed to apply a shock before and after the course. There were significant differences in the results obtained after 2minutes of chest compressions, depending on the training program received, with feedback devices having a clear advantage referred to average compression depth (p<0.001), compression rate (p<0.001), chest recoil percentage (p<0.001) and percentage of correct compressions (p<0.001). Regarding automated external defibrillator, statistically significant differences were found in T after (p=0.025). The teaching course using feedback devices obtained the best results in terms of the quality of chest compressions, followed by the traditional course and audio-visual approach. These favorable results were present in both men and women. All 3teaching methods reached the goal of reducing defibrillation time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Hysterectomy trends in Australia, 2000-2001 to 2013-2014: joinpoint regression analysis.

PubMed

Wilson, Louise F; Pandeya, Nirmala; Mishra, Gita D

2017-10-01

Hysterectomy is a common gynecological procedure, particularly in middle and high income countries. The aim of this paper was to describe and examine hysterectomy trends in Australia from 2000-2001 to 2013-2014. For women aged 25 years and over, data on the number of hysterectomies performed in Australia annually were sourced from the National Hospital and Morbidity Database. Age-specific and age-standardized hysterectomy rates per 10 000 women were estimated with adjustment for hysterectomy prevalence in the population. Using joinpoint regression analysis, we estimated the average annual percentage change over the whole study period (2000-2014) and the annual percentage change for each identified trend line segment. A total of 431 162 hysterectomy procedures were performed between 2000-2001 and 2013-2014; an annual average of 30 797 procedures (for women aged 25+ years). The age-standardized hysterectomy rate, adjusted for underlying hysterectomy prevalence, decreased significantly over the whole study period [average annual percentage change -2.8%; 95% confidence interval (CI) -3.5%, -2.2%]. The trend was not linear with one joinpoint detected in 2008-2009. Between 2000-2001 and 2008-2009 there was a significant decrease in incidence (annual percentage change -4.4%; 95% CI -5.2%, -3.7%); from 2008-2009 to 2013-2014 the decrease was minimal and not significantly different from zero (annual percentage change -0.1%; 95% CI -1.7%, 1.5%). A similar change in trend was seen in all age groups. Hysterectomy rates in Australian women aged 25 years and over have declined in the first decade of the 21st century. However, in the last 5 years, rates appear to have stabilized. © 2017 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The input ambiguity hypothesis and case blindness: an account of cross-linguistic and intra-linguistic differences in case errors.

PubMed

Pelham, Sabra D

2011-03-01

English-acquiring children frequently make pronoun case errors, while German-acquiring children rarely do. Nonetheless, German-acquiring children frequently make article case errors. It is proposed that when child-directed speech contains a high percentage of case-ambiguous forms, case errors are common in child language; when percentages are low, case errors are rare. Input to English and German children was analyzed for percentage of case-ambiguous personal pronouns on adult tiers of corpora from 24 English-acquiring and 24 German-acquiring children. Also analyzed for German was the percentage of case-ambiguous articles. Case-ambiguous pronouns averaged 63·3% in English, compared with 7·6% in German. The percentage of case-ambiguous articles in German was 77·0%. These percentages align with the children's errors reported in the literature. It appears children may be sensitive to levels of ambiguity such that low ambiguity may aid error-free acquisition, while high ambiguity may blind children to case distinctions, resulting in errors.

75 FR 20813 - Certain Magnesia Carbon Bricks from the People's Republic of China: Amended Preliminary...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-21

... other errors, would result in (1) a change of at least five absolute percentage points in, but not less...) preliminary determination, or (2) a difference between a weighted-average dumping margin of zero or de minimis...

High resolution light microscopic evaluation of boar semen quality sperm cytoplasmic droplet retention in relationship with boar fertility parameters.

PubMed

Lovercamp, K W; Safranski, T J; Fischer, K A; Manandhar, G; Sutovsky, M; Herring, W; Sutovsky, P

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fertility and quantitative measures of boar semen quality, including various patterns of sperm cytoplasmic droplet (CD) retention, as determined by high power differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy. A total of 116 ejaculates were collected from a nucleus herd of 18 Large White boars over an eight month period. Semen quality parameters were analyzed for each ejaculate by calculating the percentage of normal spermatozoa, spermatozoa possessing a CD in the proximal, distal, or distal midpiece reflex position, total spermatozoa with an attached cytoplasmic droplet, spermatozoa with non-CD related aberrations and total spermatozoa with abnormalities. Of the 116 ejaculates received, 71 ejaculates from 13 boars had corresponding fertility data from single-sire inseminations of multiparous sows. The fertility data included farrowing rate (FR) and total number born (TNB). The monthly FR encompassed one month before and one month after the date of semen collection. Detection of differences for fertility and semen quality parameters was performed by separating the boars into either an above-average or below-average group based on the mean FR (74.01 +/- 1.43%) or TNB (12.34 +/- 0.17) for the study. For FR, the boars in the below-average group had a significantly lower percentage of normal spermatozoa and significantly higher percentage of spermatozoa possessing distal CDs, total attached CDs and total abnormalities compared to the boars in the above-average group. Conversely, for TNB there were no significant differences between the above- and below-average groups for the semen quality parameters. These data suggest that the attached CD may negatively affect FR, but not TNB. The detection of relationships between the boar fertility parameters and the retention of the sperm CD after ejaculation, document the advantage of high power DIC microscopy in conventional semen evaluation.

METABOLIC SYNDROME AND DAILY AMBULATION IN CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND YOUNG ADULTS

PubMed Central

Gardner, Andrew W.; Parker, Donald E.; Krishnan, Sowmya; Chalmers, Laura J.

2012-01-01

Purposes To compare daily ambulatory measures in children, adolescents, and young adults with and without metabolic syndrome, and to assess which metabolic syndrome components, demographic measures, and body composition measures are associated with daily ambulatory measures. Methods Two-hundred fifty subjects between the ages of 10 and 30 years were assessed on metabolic syndrome components, demographic and clinical measures, body fat percentage, and daily ambulatory strides, durations, and cadences during seven consecutive days. Forty-five of the 250 subjects had metabolic syndrome, as defined by the International Diabetes Federation. Results Subjects with metabolic syndrome ambulated at a slower daily average cadence than those without metabolic syndrome (13.6 ± 2.2 strides/min vs. 14.9 ± 3.2 strides/min; p=0.012), and they had slower cadences for continuous durations of 60 minutes (p=0.006), 30 minutes (p=0.005), 20 minutes (p=0.003), 5 minutes (p=0.002), and 1 minute (p=0.001). However, the total amount of time spent ambulating each day was not different (p=0.077). After adjustment for metabolic syndrome status, average cadence is linearly associated with body fat percentage (p<0.001) and fat mass (p<0.01). Group difference in average cadence was no longer significant after adjusting for body fat percentage (p=0.683) and fat mass (p=0.973). Conclusion Children, adolescents, and young adults with metabolic syndrome ambulate more slowly and take fewer strides throughout the day than those without metabolic syndrome, even though the total amount of time spent ambulating is not different. Furthermore, the detrimental influence of metabolic syndrome on ambulatory cadence is primarily a function of body fatness. PMID:22811038

Meta-analysis of the influence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae supplementation on ruminal parameters and milk production of ruminants.

PubMed

Desnoyers, M; Giger-Reverdin, S; Bertin, G; Duvaux-Ponter, C; Sauvant, D

2009-04-01

The effects of yeast supplementation on intake, production, and rumen fermentation characteristics have been widely studied, but results are inconsistent between different studies. A quantitative meta-analysis was applied to 110 papers, 157 experiments, and 376 treatments dealing with yeast supplementation in ruminants. The objective was first to highlight the major quantitative effects of live yeast supplementation on intake, rumen fermentation, and milk production, and second, to identify major differences in experimental conditions between studies that can affect the response to treatment. Some of these experimental conditions are referred to as interfering factors. Yeast supplementation increased rumen pH (+0.03 on average) and rumen volatile fatty acid concentration (+2.17 mM on average), tended to decrease rumen lactic acid concentration (-0.9 mM on average), and had no influence on acetate-to-propionate ratio. Total-tract organic matter digestibility was also increased by yeast supplementation (+0.8% on average). Yeast supplementation increased dry matter intake (DMI; +0.44 g/kg of body weight; BW), milk yield (+1.2 g/kg of BW), and tended to increase milk fat content (+0.05%), but had no influence on milk protein content. Dose effects of yeast supplementation, expressed as log(10) [1+(cfu per 100 kg of BW)], globally confirmed the qualitative effects observed in the first analysis. The positive effect of yeast supplementation on rumen pH increased with the percentage of concentrate in the diet and with the DMI level. It was negatively correlated with the level of dietary neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The positive effect of yeast supplementation on rumen volatile fatty acid concentration increased with DMI and crude protein levels. The positive effect of yeast supplementation on organic matter digestibility increased with the percentage of concentrate and NDF in the diet. The negative effect of yeast supplementation on lactic acid concentration tended to decrease when the DMI level and the percentage of concentrate in the diet increased. The effects of interfering factors were globally similar when either dose effect or qualitative effect of yeast was taken into account. Although rumen fermentation efficiency per se was not measured, these results suggest an improvement in rumen fermentation by yeast supplementation. This effect could, however, be modulated by several different factors such as DMI, percentage of concentrate or NDF in the diet, or species.

Optical and morphological properties of sol gel derived titanium dioxide films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharma, A. B.; Sharma, S. K.; M, Vishwas

2015-08-28

Titanium oxide (Titania) thin films were synthesized on different substrates via the sol-gel dip-coating method using alkoxide solution. Some selected samples were also prepared with different percentage of Lead (Pb). The influence of Pb addition in precursor sol on the optical properties of titanium dioxide thin films was studied. The optical transmittance in the visible region has increased with increase in weight percentage of lead. The refractive index was slightly decreased with Pb addition. Crystallization of these coatings was achieved through thermal annealing at temperatures above 400 °C. The structural properties and surface morphology of the crystallized coatings were studiedmore » by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Increase in average grain size from 250 nm to 350 nm with increase in Pb concentration is observed. Films were appeared to more coarse with increase in Pb addition. An increase in Pb addition resulted increase in average roughness from 12 nm to 25 nm.« less

An evaluation of a new approach to the regeneration of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don, and the molecular characterization of the variation among sets of differently derived regenerants.

PubMed

Perrini, Rosaria; Alba, Vittorio; Ruta, Claudia; Morone-Fortunato, Irene; Blanco, Antonio; Montemurro, Cinzia

2009-01-01

A protocol for the induction of regeneration from leaves of Helichrysum italicum was established. Calli were found to form on the basal medium only when it was supplemented with thidiazuron (TDZ) alone or in combination with naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), with a percentage ranking of at least 80%. The hormone-free medium showed the highest percentage of shoot regeneration (62%) even though no callus formed. AFLP markers were employed to verify tissue culture-induced variation in the regenerated plantlets obtained by direct shoot regeneration or the indirect shoot regeneration process (callus formation). Seven out of the eleven AFLP primer pairs yielded polymorphic patterns. The average number of fragments per primer pair was 64.1. Singletons were represented by 12 (2.7%) fragments. Student's T-test was performed both on the average number of shared fragments and on the nucleotide diversity, and no significant statistical difference was observed between the two regeneration treatments.

Facial Anthropometric Norms among Kosovo - Albanian Adults.

PubMed

Staka, Gloria; Asllani-Hoxha, Flurije; Bimbashi, Venera

2017-09-01

The development of an anthropometric craniofacial database is a necessary multidisciplinary proposal. The aim of this study was to establish facial anthropometric norms and to investigate into sexual dimorphism in facial variables among Kosovo Albanian adults. The sample included 204 students of Dental School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pristina. Using direct anthropometry, a series of 8 standard facial measurements was taken on each subject with digital caliper with an accuracy of 0.01 mm (Boss, Hamburg-Germany). The normative data and percentile rankings were calculated. Gender differences in facial variables were analyzed using t- test for independent samples (p<0.05). The index of sexual dimorphism (ISD) and percentage of sexual dimorphism were calculated for each facial measurement. ormative data for all facial anthropometric measurements in males were higher than in females. Male average norms compared with the female average norms differed significantly from each other (p>0.05).The highest index of sexual dimorphism (ISD) was found for the lower facial height 1.120, for which the highest percentage of sexual dimorphism, 12.01%., was also found. The lowest ISD was found for intercanthal width, 1.022, accompanied with the lowest percentage of sexual dimorphism, 2.23%. The obtained results have established the facial anthropometric norms among Kosovo Albanian adults. Sexual dimorphism has been confirmed for each facial measurement.

Comparison on three classification techniques for sex estimation from the bone length of Asian children below 19 years old: an analysis using different group of ages.

PubMed

Darmawan, M F; Yusuf, Suhaila M; Kadir, M R Abdul; Haron, H

2015-02-01

Sex estimation is used in forensic anthropology to assist the identification of individual remains. However, the estimation techniques tend to be unique and applicable only to a certain population. This paper analyzed sex estimation on living individual child below 19 years old using the length of 19 bones of left hand applied for three classification techniques, which were Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) multilayer perceptron. These techniques were carried out on X-ray images of the left hand taken from an Asian population data set. All the 19 bones of the left hand were measured using Free Image software, and all the techniques were performed using MATLAB. The group of age "16-19" years old and "7-9" years old were the groups that could be used for sex estimation with as their average of accuracy percentage was above 80%. ANN model was the best classification technique with the highest average of accuracy percentage in the two groups of age compared to other classification techniques. The results show that each classification technique has the best accuracy percentage on each different group of age. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Levels of Ultraviolet A Light Protection in Automobile Windshields and Side Windows.

PubMed

Boxer Wachler, Brian S

2016-07-01

Ultraviolet A (UV-A) light is associated with the risks of cataract and skin cancer. To assess the level of UV-A light protection in the front windshields and side windows of automobiles. In this cross-sectional study, 29 automobiles from 15 automobile manufacturers were analyzed. The outside ambient UV-A radiation, along with UV-A radiation behind the front windshield and behind the driver's side window of all automobiles, was measured. The years of the automobiles ranged from 1990 to 2014, with an average year of 2010. The automobile dealerships were located in Los Angeles, California. Amount of UV-A blockage from windshields and side windows. The average percentage of front-windshield UV-A blockage was 96% (range, 95%-98% [95% CI, 95.7%-96.3%]) and was higher than the average percentage of side-window blockage, which was 71% (range, 44%-96% [95% CI, 66.4%-75.6%]). The difference between these average percentages is 25% (95% CI, 21%-30% [P < .001]). A high level of side-window UV-A blockage (>90%) was found in 4 of 29 automobiles (13.8%). The level of front-windshield UV-A protection was consistently high among automobiles. The level of side-window UV-A protection was lower and highly variable. These results may in part explain the reported increased rates of cataract in left eyes and left-sided facial skin cancer. Automakers may wish to consider increasing the degree of UV-A protection in the side windows of automobiles.

Application of propensity scores to explore the effect of public reporting of medicine use information on rational drug use in China: a quasi-experimental design.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaopeng; Wang, Lijun; Zhang, Xinping

2014-11-11

Transparency has become a hottest topic and a growing movement in the health care system worldwide. This study used a quasi-experimental design method to explore whether public reporting of medicine use information can improve rational drug use. 20 township hospitals and 274 doctors of City Y in Hubei Province, China were divided into the intervention and control groups on the basis of their characteristics. In the intervention group, the values and rankings of the average expenditure per prescription, percentage of prescriptions requiring antibiotics and percentage of prescriptions requiring injections of each hospital and doctor were publicly released to patients and doctors in an appropriate format monthly. Data were gathered both four months before and after the intervention. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize the observed covariate (gender, age, experience, education level, title, and monthly income) differences in the doctors' characteristics. 108 pairs of doctors were obtained after PSM. Chi-square test and t-test were employed to explore the effect of public reporting of medicine use information on rational drug use. The study was approved by the Committee of Tongji Medical College, Hua Zhong University of Science and Technology (IORG No: IORG0003571). In baseline, the average expenditure per prescription of the 274 doctors was 42.82 RMB yuan (USD 6.97), the percentage of prescriptions requiring antibiotics was 63.00%, and the percentage of prescriptions requiring injections was 70.79%, all higher than the average of Hubei Province and the standard recommended by WHO. Before the intervention all the three indicators were all comparable (p > 0.05), whereas after the intervention, a significant difference (p < 0.05) was found for the percentage of prescriptions requiring injections between the intervention (64.66%) and control groups (70.52%). Irrational drug use remains a policy issue in township hospitals in the study area. We demonstrated that publicly reporting medicine use information could decrease the percentage of prescriptions requiring injections in township hospitals in China, but this effect was not observed on prescription costs and antibiotics use. Analyses of the mechanism and long-term effect of public reporting of medicine use information are recommended for further studies.

The use of computed tomography for the estimation of DIEP flap weights in breast reconstruction: a simple mathematical formula.

PubMed

Nanidis, Theodore G; Ridha, Hyder; Jallali, Navid

2014-10-01

Estimation of the volume of abdominal tissue is desirable when planning autologous abdominal based breast reconstruction. However, this can be difficult clinically. The aim of this study was to develop a simple, yet reliable method of calculating the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap weight using the routine preoperative computed tomography angiogram (CTA) scan. Our mathematical formula is based on the shape of a DIEP flap resembling that of an isosceles triangular prism. Thus its volume can be calculated with a standard mathematical formula. Using bony landmarks three measurements were acquired from the CTA scan to calculate the flap weight. This was then compared to the actual flap weight harvested in both a retrospective feasibility and prospective study. In the retrospective group 17 DIEP flaps in 17 patients were analyzed. Average predicted flap weight was 667 g (range 293-1254). The average actual flap weight was 657 g (range 300-1290) giving an average percentage error of 6.8% (p-value for weight difference 0.53). In the prospective group 15 DIEP flaps in 15 patients were analyzed. Average predicted flap weight was 618 g (range 320-925). The average actual flap weight was 624 g (range 356-970) giving an average percentage error of 6.38% (p-value for weight difference 0.57). This formula is a quick, reliable and accurate way of estimating the volume of abdominal tissue using the preoperative CTA scan. Copyright © 2014 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving liver fibrosis diagnosis based on forward and backward second harmonic generation signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Qiwen; Zhuo, Shuangmu; So, Peter T. C.; Yu, Hanry

2015-02-01

The correlation of forward second harmonic generation (SHG) signal and backward SHG signal in different liver fibrosis stages was investigated. We found that three features, including the collagen percentage for forward SHG, the collagen percentage for backward SHG, and the average intensity ratio of two kinds of SHG signals, can quantitatively stage liver fibrosis in thioacetamide-induced rat model. We demonstrated that the combination of all three features by using a support vector machine classification algorithm can provide a more accurate prediction than each feature alone in fibrosis diagnosis.

42 CFR 486.318 - Condition: Outcome measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... rate of eligible donors as a percentage of eligible deaths is no more than 1.5 standard deviations below the mean national donation rate of eligible donors as a percentage of eligible deaths, averaged...'s donation rate ratio are adjusted by adding a 1 for each donation after cardiac death donor and...

42 CFR 486.318 - Condition: Outcome measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... rate of eligible donors as a percentage of eligible deaths is no more than 1.5 standard deviations below the mean national donation rate of eligible donors as a percentage of eligible deaths, averaged...'s donation rate ratio are adjusted by adding a 1 for each donation after cardiac death donor and...

42 CFR 486.318 - Condition: Outcome measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... rate of eligible donors as a percentage of eligible deaths is no more than 1.5 standard deviations below the mean national donation rate of eligible donors as a percentage of eligible deaths, averaged...'s donation rate ratio are adjusted by adding a 1 for each donation after cardiac death donor and...

42 CFR 486.318 - Condition: Outcome measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... rate of eligible donors as a percentage of eligible deaths is no more than 1.5 standard deviations below the mean national donation rate of eligible donors as a percentage of eligible deaths, averaged...'s donation rate ratio are adjusted by adding a 1 for each donation after cardiac death donor and...

Variations in Intensity, Fundamental Frequency, and Voicing for Teachers in Occupational Versus Non-Occupational Settings

PubMed Central

Hunter, Eric J.; Titze, Ingo R.

2012-01-01

Purpose This study creates a more concise picture of the vocal demands placed on teachers by comparing occupational voice use with non-occupational voice use. Methods The National Center for Voice and Speech voice dosimetry databank was used to calculate voicing percentage per hour, as well as average dB SPL and F0. Occupational voice use (9am-3 PM, weekdays) and non-occupational voice use (4 PM-10 PM, weekends) were compared (57 teachers, two weeks each). Results Five key findings were uncovered: [1] similar to previous studies, occupational voicing percentage per hour is more than twice that of non-occupational; [2] teachers experienced a wide range of occupational voicing percentages per hour (30±11%/hr); [3] average occupational voice was about 1 dB SPL louder than the non-occupational voice and remained constant throughout the day; [4] occupational voice exhibited an increased pitch and trended upward throughout the day; [5] some apparent gender differences were shown. Conclusions Data regarding voicing percentages, F0 and dB SPL provide critical insight into teachers’ vocal health. Further, because non-occupational voice use is added to an already overloaded voice, it may add key insights into recovery patterns, and should be the focus of future studies. PMID:20689046

Linkage of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to air quality data.

PubMed

Kravets, Nataliya; Parker, Jennifer D

2008-11-01

This report describes the linked data file obtained as a result of combining air pollution data and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III data. Average annual air pollution exposures to particulate matter consisting of particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) were created for NHANES III examined persons by averaging values from monitors within a 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-mile radius from the block-group centroid of their residence and in the county of their residence. Percentage records geocoded to block-group level, percentage records linked to air pollution, and distributions of exposure values were estimated for the total sample and various demographic groups. The percentages of respondents who were assigned countywide air pollution values ranges from a low of 43 percent in the case of NO2 data to a high of 68 percent in the case of PM10 data. Among the pollutants considered, PM10 data provides the best coverage. Of all the metrics created, the highest coverage is achieved by averaging readings of monitors located within a 20-mile distance from the centroid of respondents' block groups. Among the demographic variables analyzed, differences in air pollution coverage and exposure levels occur most often among groups defined by race and Hispanic origin, region, and county level of urbanization. However, differences among groups depend on the pollutant and geographic linkage method. The linked dataset provides researchers with opportunities to investigate the relationship between air pollution and various health outcomes.

Substandard Housing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milkove, Daniel L., Comp.

1986-01-01

Defines substandard housing and summarizes newly derived data from the 1980 Census showing that 7.5% of all rural occupied housing in the Nation was substandard. Points out regional and rural-urban differences. Notes effects on rural housing of poverty rates, percentage of nonwhite households, average household size, growth in county population,…

75 FR 29972 - Certain Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, and Pressure Pipe from the People's...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-28

... errors, (1) would result in a change of at least five absolute percentage points in, but not less than 25... determination; or (2) would result in a difference between a weighted-average dumping margin of zero or de...

Dynamic phenotypic restructuring of the CD4 and CD8 T-cell subsets with age in healthy humans: a compartmental model analysis.

PubMed

Jackola, D R; Hallgren, H M

1998-11-16

In healthy humans, phenotypic restructuring occurs with age within the CD3+ T-lymphocyte complement. This is characterized by a non-linear decrease of the percentage of 'naive' (CD45RA+) cells and a corresponding non-linear increase of the percentage of 'memory' (CD45R0+) cells among both the CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets. We devised a simple compartmental model to study the age-dependent kinetics of phenotypic restructuring. We also derived differential equations whose parameters determined yearly gains minus losses of the percentage and absolute numbers of circulating naive cells, yearly gains minus losses of the percentage and absolute numbers of circulating memory cells, and the yearly rate of conversion of naive to memory cells. Solutions of these evaluative differential equations demonstrate the following: (1) the memory cell complement 'resides' within its compartment for a longer time than the naive cell complement within its compartment for both CD4 and CD8 cells; (2) the average, annual 'turnover rate' is the same for CD4 and CD8 naive cells. In contrast, the average, annual 'turnover rate' for memory CD8 cells is 1.5 times that of memory CD4 cells; (3) the average, annual conversion rate of CD4 naive cells to memory cells is twice that of the CD8 conversion rate; (4) a transition in dynamic restructuring occurs during the third decade of life that is due to these differences in turnover and conversion rates, between and from naive to memory cells.

Middle School Student's Heart Rates during Different Curricular Activities in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Zan; Hannon, James C.; Carson, Russell L.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if students' heart rate outcomes in physical education varied as a function of activity and grade. A total of 146 sixth to eighth graders participated in different activities (i.e., walking/jogging, line dancing, soccer, and catch ball). Their average heart rate (AHR) and percentage of time in and above…

42 CFR 413.157 - Return on equity capital of proprietary providers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... RENAL DISEASE SERVICES; OPTIONAL PROSPECTIVELY DETERMINED PAYMENT RATES FOR SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES... percentage equal to one and one-half times the average of the rates of interest on special issues of public... inpatient hospital services is a percentage of the average of the rates of interest described in paragraph...

42 CFR 413.157 - Return on equity capital of proprietary providers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... RENAL DISEASE SERVICES; OPTIONAL PROSPECTIVELY DETERMINED PAYMENT RATES FOR SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES... percentage equal to one and one-half times the average of the rates of interest on special issues of public... inpatient hospital services is a percentage of the average of the rates of interest described in paragraph...

42 CFR 413.157 - Return on equity capital of proprietary providers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... RENAL DISEASE SERVICES; OPTIONAL PROSPECTIVELY DETERMINED PAYMENT RATES FOR SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES... percentage equal to one and one-half times the average of the rates of interest on special issues of public... inpatient hospital services is a percentage of the average of the rates of interest described in paragraph...

42 CFR 486.318 - Condition: Outcome measures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... donation rate of eligible donors as a percentage of eligible deaths is no more than 1.5 standard deviations below the mean national donation rate of eligible donors as a percentage of eligible deaths, averaged...'s donation rate ratio are adjusted by adding a 1 for each donation after cardiac death donor and...

Public reporting as a prescriptions quality improvement measure in primary care settings in China: variations in effects associated with diagnoses

PubMed Central

Tang, Yuqing; Liu, Chaojie; Zhang, Xinping

2016-01-01

The overprovision and irrational use of antibiotics and injections are a major public health concern. Public reporting has been adopted as a strategy to encourage good prescribing practices. This study evaluated the effects of public reporting on antibiotic and injection prescriptions in urban and rural primary care settings in Hubei province, China. A randomized control trial was conducted, with 10 primary care institutions being subject to public reporting and another 10 serving as controls. Prescription indicators were publicly reported monthly over a one-year period. Prescriptions for bronchitis, gastritis and hypertension before and after the intervention were collected. Difference-in-difference tests were performed to estimate the effect size of the intervention on five prescription indicators: percentage of prescriptions containing antibiotics; percentage of prescriptions containing two or more antibiotics; percentage of prescriptions containing injections; percentage of prescriptions containing antibiotic injections; and average prescription cost. Public reporting had varied effects on prescriptions for different diagnoses. It reduced antibiotic prescribing for gastritis. Prescriptions containing injections, especially antibiotic injections, also declined, but only for gastritis. A reduction of prescription costs was noted for bronchitis and gastritis. Public reporting has the potential to encourage good prescribing practices. Its effects vary with different disease conditions. PMID:27996026

Social inequalities in maternal mortality among the provinces of Ecuador.

PubMed

Sanhueza, Antonio; Roldán, Jakeline Calle; Ríos-Quituizaca, Paulina; Acuña, Maria Cecilia; Espinosa, Isabel

2017-06-08

This study set out to describe the association between the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) estimates and a set of socioeconomic indicators and compute the MMR inequalities among the provinces of Ecuador. A cross-sectional ecological study was conducted, using data for 2014 from the country's 24 provinces. The MMR estimate was calculated for each province, as well as the association and its strength between MMR and specific socioeconomic indicators. For the indicators that were found to be significantly associated with MMR, inequality measurements were computed. Despite a relatively low MMR for Ecuador overall, ratios differed substantially among the provinces. Five socioeconomic indicators proved to be statistically significantly associated with MMR: total fertility rate, the percentage of indigenous population, the percentage of households with children who do not attend school, gross domestic product, and the percentage of houses with electrical service. Of these five, only three had MMR inequalities that were significant: total fertility rate, gross domestic product, and the percentage of households with electricity. This study supports research arguing that national averages can be misleading, as they often hide differences among subgroups at the local level. The findings also suggest that MMR is significantly associated with some socioeconomic indicators, including ones linked with significant health outcome inequalities. In order to reduce health inequities, it is crucial that countries look beyond national averages and identify the subgroups being left behind, explore the particular social determinants that generate these health inequalities, and examine the specific barriers and other factors affecting the subgroups most vulnerable to maternal health inequalities.

Frequency of Dietary Recalls, Nutritional Assessment, and Body Composition Assessment in Men With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.

PubMed

Gorgey, Ashraf S; Caudill, Caleb; Sistrun, Sakita; Khalil, Refka E; Gill, Ranjodh; Castillo, Teodoro; Lavis, Timothy; Gater, David R

2015-09-01

To assess different frequencies of dietary recalls while evaluating caloric intake and the percentage of macronutrients in men with spinal cord injury (SCI) and to examine the relations between caloric intake or percentage of macronutrients and assessment of whole and regional body composition using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Cross-sectional and longitudinal. Laboratory and hospital. Men with chronic (>1 y postinjury) motor complete SCI (N=16). Participants were asked to turn in a 5-day dietary recall on a weekly basis for 4 weeks. The averages of 5-, 3-, and 1-day dietary recalls for caloric intake and percentage of macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, protein) were calculated. Body composition was evaluated using whole-body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. After overnight fast, basal metabolic rate (BMR) was evaluated using indirect calorimetry and total energy expenditure (TEE) was estimated. Caloric intake, percentage of macronutrients, BMR, and body composition. Caloric intake and percentage of macronutrients were not different after using 5-, 3-, and 1-day dietary recalls (P>.05). Caloric intake was significantly lower than TEE (P<.05). The percentage of fat accounted for 29% to 34% of the whole and regional body fat mass (P=.037 and P=.022). The percentage of carbohydrates was positively related to the percentage of whole-body lean mass (r=.54; P=.037) and negatively related to the percentage of fat mass. The frequency of dietary recalls does not vary while evaluating caloric intake and macronutrients. Total caloric intake was significantly lower than the measured BMR and TEE. Percentages of dietary fat and carbohydrates are related to changes in body composition after SCI. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Percentage entrainment of constituent loads in urban runoff, south Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, R.A.

1985-01-01

Runoff quantity and quality data from four urban basins in south Florida were analyzed to determine the entrainment of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total carbon, chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, and total lead within the stormwater runoff. Land use of the homogeneously developed basins are residential (single family), highway, commercial, and apartment (multifamily). A computational procedure was used to calculate, for all storms that had water-quality data, the percentage of constituent load entrainment in specified depths of runoff. The plot of percentage of constituent load entrained as a function of runoff is termed the percentage-entrainment curve. Percentage-entrainment curves were developed for three different source areas of basin runoff: (1) the hydraulically effective impervious area, (2) the contributing area, and (3) the drainage area. With basin runoff expressed in inches over the contributing area, the depth of runoff required to remove 90 percent of the constituent load ranged from about 0.4 inch to about 1.4 inches; and to remove 80 percent, from about 0.3 to 0.9 inch. Analysis of variance, using depth of runoff from the contributing area as the response variable, showed that the factor 'basin' is statistically significant, but that the factor 'constituent' is not statistically significant in the forming of the percentage-entrainment curve. Evidently the sewerage design, whether elongated or concise in plan dictates the shape of the percentage-entrainment curve. The percentage-entrainment curves for all constituents were averaged for each basin and plotted against basin runoff for three source areas of runoff-the hydraulically effective impervious area, the contributing area, and the drainage area. The relative positions of the three curves are directly related to the relative sizes of the three source areas considered. One general percentage-entrainment curve based on runoff from the contributing area was formed by averaging across both constituents and basins. Its coordinates are: 0.25 inch of runoff for 50-percent entrainment, 0.65 inch of runoff for 80-percent entrainment, and 0.95 inch of runoff for 90-percent entrainment. The general percentage-entrainment curve based on runoff from the hydraulically effective impervious area has runoff values of 0.35, 0.95, 1.6 inches, respectively.

Tuition and Required Fees, New Jersey Colleges and Universities: 1976-77 through 1980-81. Research Note Series, Volume 1, Number 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delehanty, Kathleen

Historical trends from 1976-77 through 1980-81 in tuition and required fee charges in New Jersey colleges and universities are examined. The overall five-year percentage changes in average annual tuition/fees in the different New Jersey collegiate sectors are outlined for different types of students (full-time and part-time, undergraduate and…

Freezability and semen parameters in candidates of sperm bank donors: 1992-2010.

PubMed

Yogev, Leah; Paz, Gedalia; Kleiman, Sandra E; Shabtai, Esther; Gamzu, Ronni; Botchan, Amnon; Lehavi, Ofer; Yavetz, Haim; Hauser, Ron

2012-01-01

There has been considerable concern worldwide about possible semen quality deterioration over the last 2 decades. The aim of this study was to evaluate freezability and semen quality of healthy young males during the years 1992-2010. A total of 1211 young (20-32 years old) candidates for sperm bank donation were recruited into the study with no exclusion criteria. They were instructed to observe 2 to 3 days of abstinence from sexual activity, and most of them supplied 2 specimens each. Average values of the various semen parameters, including freezing survival, were calculated for each participant. The change in different semen parameters over years, according to yearly and monthly average temperatures, was evaluated by SAS PROC SURVEYREG analysis. During that period, there were significant increases in motility and vitality percentages, as well as in the percentage of thawed sperm motility. The parameters of volume, concentration, normal morphology, total count, and total motile count showed a significant decrease with years (P < .01). The significant increase in average yearly temperature (P < .004) had limited, nonsignificant association with any of the semen variables. However, average monthly temperature contributed significantly to the trend of semen quality parameters (ie, specimen volume, concentration, percentage of normal morphology, and thawed motility). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the occurrence of an improvement in percent thawed motility over the years, and its significance lies in enabling a higher proportion of sperm bank candidates to be suitable for donation. It is suggested that the global warming phenomenon might have only partial contribution to semen variable changes over the years.

Application of Ponseti method in patients older than 6 months with congenital talipes equinovarus.

PubMed

Wang, Yan-zhou; Wang, Xiao-wen; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Xing-shan

2009-08-18

To evaluate the effectiveness of Ponseti method in the treatment of congenital talipes equinovarus (CTE) in children older than 6 months. Ponseti method was used to treat 157 cases (227 feet) of CTE in children older than 6 months. All cases were classified by age and by the degree of deformity severity. The age group classification was: (1) I Group (6 months to 12 months), 113 feet in 81 cases; (2) II Group (1 to 3 years old), 78 feet in 52 cases; (3) III Group (> 3 years old), 36 feet in 24 cases. The degree of deformity of CTE was evaluated with Pirani scoring system. The cases were classified into three groups according to the deformity degree: (1) Mild Group (scoring 1-2.5), 85 feet in 56 cases; (2) Moderate Group (scoring 3-4.5), 104 feet in 71 cases; (3) Severe Group (scoring 5-6), 38 feet in 30 cases. A Pirani score of 0-0.5 is regarded as an excellent result. For each group, we evaluated the number of casts used, the percentage of excellent result according to the Pirani score, and the percentage of percutaneous achillotenotomy. The result was compared among different groups. The overall percentage of excellent result among all cases was 96.92%. Among the age groups, the percentage of excellence was not statistically different between I Group and II Group (P > 0.05). The percentage of excellence was lower in the III group than the other groups (P > 0.01). Among the groups classified by deformity degree, the percentage of excellence was the lowest in severe group (P < 0.05), and the difference between the mild group and moderate group was not statistically different (P > 0.05). The number of casts used among different groups were different (P < 0.01). Among different groups, the percentages of percutaneous achillotenotomy were significantly different (P < 0.01). 209 feet in 148 cases were followed up for average time duration of 3 years and 11 months. Relapse was observed in 40 feet in 29 cases. The percentages of relapse were not statistically different among different groups (P > 0.05). Using Ponseti method to treat CTE for children older than 6 months can achieve excellent results in this study.

"Retweet to Pass the Blunt": Analyzing Geographic and Content Features of Cannabis-Related Tweeting Across the United States.

PubMed

Daniulaityte, Raminta; Lamy, Francois R; Smith, G Alan; Nahhas, Ramzi W; Carlson, Robert G; Thirunarayan, Krishnaprasad; Martins, Silvia S; Boyer, Edward W; Sheth, Amit

2017-11-01

Twitter data offer new possibilities for tracking health-related communications. This study is among the first to apply advanced information processing to identify geographic and content features of cannabis-related tweeting in the United States. Tweets were collected using streaming Application Programming Interface (March-May 2016) and were processed by eDrugTrends to identify geolocation and classify content by source (personal communication, media, retail) and sentiment (positive, negative, neutral). States were grouped by cannabis legalization policies into "recreational," "medical, less restrictive," "medical, more restrictive," and "illegal." Permutation tests were performed to analyze differences among four groups in adjusted percentages of all tweets, unique users, personal communications only, and positive-to-negative sentiment ratios. About 30% of all 13,233,837 cannabis-related tweets had identifiable state-level geo-information. Among geolocated tweets, 76.2% were personal communications, 21.1% media, and 2.7% retail. About 71% of personal communication tweets expressed positive sentiment toward cannabis; 16% expressed negative sentiment. States in the recreational group had significantly greater average adjusted percentage of cannabis tweets (3.01%) compared with other groups. For personal communication tweets only, the recreational group (2.47%) was significantly greater than the medical, more restrictive (1.84%) and illegal (1.85%) groups. Similarly, the recreational group had significantly greater average positive-to-negative sentiment ratio (4.64) compared with the medical, more restrictive (4.15) and illegal (4.19) groups. Average adjusted percentages of unique users showed similar differences between recreational and other groups. States with less restrictive policies displayed greater cannabis-related tweeting and conveyed more positive sentiment. The study demonstrates the potential of Twitter data to become a valuable indicator of drug-related communications in the context of varying policy environments.

Evaluation of the effects of nursery depopulation on the persistence of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and the productivity of 34 farms.

PubMed

Dee, S A; Joo, H S; Polson, D D; Park, B K; Pijoan, C; Molitor, T W; Collins, J E; King, V

1997-03-08

Nursery depopulation has been described as an effective strategy for improving the performance of weaned pigs. In order to assess whether the strategy was effective under a wide range of conditions, a study was carried out on 34 farms in the USA. Four groups with different depopulation protocols were designed on the basis of the location of the depopulated facility (on site vs off site) and the period for which the nursery remained empty (seven days vs 14 days). The changes in average daily liveweight gain, percentage mortality, feed efficiency and treatment cost per pig produced were assessed 12 months before and after nursery depopulation. The ability to eliminate porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus was examined by indirect fluorescent antibody testing of the nursery pigs. Significant improvements (P < 0.0001) were detected in both average daily gain and percentage mortality after depopulation when the differences within an individual group were analysed, but no significant differences (P > 0.14) were observed between the study groups. Serological testing indicated that antibodies to PRRS virus were still present in 14 of the 34 farms after depopulation.

Genetic parameters for milk urea concentration and milk traits in Polish Holstein-Friesian cows.

PubMed

Rzewuska, Katarzyna; Strabel, Tomasz

2013-11-01

Milk urea concentration (MU) used by dairy producers for management purposes can be affected by selection for milk traits. To assess this problem, genetic parameters for MU in Polish Holstein-Friesian cattle were estimated for the first three lactations. The genetic correlation of MU with milk production traits, lactose percentage, fat to protein ratio (FPR) and somatic cell score (SCS) were computed with two 5-trait random regression test-day models, separately for each lactation. Data used for estimation (159,044 daily observations) came from 50 randomly sampled herds. (Co)variance components were estimated with the Bayesian Gibbs sampling method. The coefficient of variation for MU in all three parities was high (40-41 %). Average daily heritabilities of MU were 0.22 for the first parity and 0.21 for the second and third lactations. Average genetic correlations for different days in milk in the first three lactations between MU and other traits varied. They were small and negative for protein percentage (from -0.24 to -0.11) and for SCS (from -0.14 to -0.09). The weakest genetic correlation between MU and fat percentage, and between MU and lactose percentage were observed (from -0.10 to 0.10). Negative average genetic correlation with the fat to protein ratio was observed only in the first lactation (-0.14). Genetic correlations with yield traits were positive and ranged from low to moderate for protein (from 0.09 to 0.33), fat (from 0.16 to 0.35) and milk yield (from 0.20 to 0.42). These results suggest that the selection on yield traits and SCS tends to increase MU slightly.

The effect of glycerol-related osmotic changes on post-thaw motility and acrosomal integrity of ram spermatozoa.

PubMed

Fiser, P S; Fairfull, R W

1989-02-01

Ram semen, collected by artificial vagina, was diluted and processed for long-term storage as described by P. S. Fiser, L. Ainsworth, and R. W. Fairfull (Canad. J. Anim. Sci. 62, 425-428, 1982). The concentration of the cryoprotectant, glycerol, was adjusted to 4% in the diluted semen prior to freezing by a one-step addition at 30 degrees C (Method 1), by cooling the semen to 5 degrees C and addition of the glycerol gradually over 30 min (Method 2), by one-step addition of glycerol prior to equilibration for 2 hr (Method 3), or by cooling to 5 degrees C, followed by a holding period of 2 hr at 5 degrees C, and the one-step addition of glycerol just prior to freezing (Method 4). After thawing, the glycerol concentration of the semen was reduced by stepwise dilution from 4 to 0.4% over 15 or 30 min or by a one-step ten-fold dilution. The average post-thaw percentage of motile spermatozoa was significantly lower after addition of glycerol by Method 1 (39.9%) than when the glycerol was added by the other three methods (range, 44.0-46.4% averaged over the glycerol dilution). The average post-thaw percentage of intact acrosomes (61.2%), highest in semen in which the glycerol was added by Method 2, was not significantly different from those in which glycerol was added to semen by Methods 3 and 4, but it was significantly higher than that found in semen in which the glycerol was added by Method 1 (54.4%). However, when averaged over the method of glycerolation, the post-thaw percentage of motile spermatozoa (range, 43.7-44.2%) and the percentage of intact acrosomes (range, 56.8-59.5%) did not differ significantly in semen subjected to gradual decrease in glycerol concentration and diluent osmolality (over 15 and 30 min) or by a one-step, 10-fold dilution. These data indicate that post-thaw survival of spermatozoa can be influenced by the way in which glycerol is added prior to freezing. However, post-thaw spermatozoa motility and acrosomal integrity can be maintained even after a rapid decrease in glycerol concentration such as that which accompanies insemination or dilution of semen for assessment of motility.

Defense Travel System (DTS) Airline Ticket Price Analysis: Do DTS Ticket Prices Differ From Other Online Tickets Available for Naval Postgraduate School Travelers

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

price dispersion at least as large as dispersion for traditional retailers for books, music CDs, and software offered through 52 Internet and...dispersion differences. For instance, for 22 old-hit albums , average price percentage differences are 31% on-line, compared to 11% off-line. But for 21...current-hit albums , differences are smaller at 18% on-line and 19% off-line. This suggests price dispersion levels are related to product

Age at asthma onset and asthma self-management education among adults in the United States.

PubMed

Mirabelli, Maria C; Beavers, Suzanne F; Shepler, Samantha H; Chatterjee, Arjun B

2015-01-01

Asthma self-management education improves asthma-related outcomes. We conducted this analysis to evaluate variation in the percentages of adults with active asthma reporting components of asthma self-management education by age at asthma onset. Data from 2011 to 2012 Asthma Call-back Surveys were used to estimate percentages of adults with active asthma reporting six components of asthma self-management education. Components of asthma self-management education include having been taught to what to do during an asthma attack and receiving an asthma action plan. Differences in the percentages of adults reporting each component and the average number of components reported across categories of age at asthma onset were estimated using linear regression, adjusted for age, education, race/ethnicity, sex, smoking status, and years since asthma onset. Overall, an estimated 76.4% of adults with active asthma were taught what to do during an asthma attack and 28.7% reported receiving an asthma action plan. Percentages reporting each asthma self-management education component declined with increasing age at asthma onset. Compared with the referent group of adults whose asthma onset occurred at 5-14 years of age, the percentage of adults reporting being taught what to do during an asthma attack was 10% lower among those whose asthma onset occurred at 65-93 years of age (95% CI: -18.0, -2.5) and the average number of components reported decreased monotonically across categories of age at asthma onset of 35 years and older. Among adults with active asthma, reports of asthma self-management education decline with increasing age at asthma onset.

Molecular basis of protein structure in proanthocyanidin and anthocyanin-enhanced Lc-transgenic alfalfa in relation to nutritive value using synchrotron-radiation FTIR microspectroscopy: A novel approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Peiqiang; Jonker, Arjan; Gruber, Margaret

2009-09-01

To date there has been very little application of synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (SRFTIRM) to the study of molecular structures in plant forage in relation to livestock digestive behavior and nutrient availability. Protein inherent structure, among other factors such as protein matrix, affects nutritive quality, fermentation and degradation behavior in both humans and animals. The relative percentage of protein secondary structure influences protein value. A high percentage of β-sheets usually reduce the access of gastrointestinal digestive enzymes to the protein. Reduced accessibility results in poor digestibility and as a result, low protein value. The objective of this study was to use SRFTIRM to compare protein molecular structure of alfalfa plant tissues transformed with the maize Lc regulatory gene with non-transgenic alfalfa protein within cellular and subcellular dimensions and to quantify protein inherent structure profiles using Gaussian and Lorentzian methods of multi-component peak modeling. Protein molecular structure revealed by this method included α-helices, β-sheets and other structures such as β-turns and random coils. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis of the synchrotron data, as well as accurate spectral analysis based on curve fitting, showed that transgenic alfalfa contained a relatively lower ( P < 0.05) percentage of the model-fitted α-helices (29 vs. 34) and model-fitted β-sheets (22 vs. 27) and a higher ( P < 0.05) percentage of other model-fitted structures (49 vs. 39). Transgenic alfalfa protein displayed no difference ( P > 0.05) in the ratio of α-helices to β-sheets (average: 1.4) and higher ( P < 0.05) ratios of α-helices to others (0.7 vs. 0.9) and β-sheets to others (0.5 vs. 0.8) than the non-transgenic alfalfa protein. The transgenic protein structures also exhibited no difference ( P > 0.05) in the vibrational intensity of protein amide I (average of 24) and amide II areas (average of 10) and their ratio (average of 2.4) compared with non-transgenic alfalfa. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis showed no significant differences between the two genotypes in the broad molecular fingerprint region, amides I and II regions, and the carbohydrate molecular region, indicating they are highly related to each other. The results suggest that transgenic Lc-alfalfa leaves contain similar proteins to non-transgenic alfalfa (because amide I and II intensities were identical), but a subtle difference in protein molecular structure after freeze drying. Further study is needed to understand the relationship between these structural profiles and biological features such as protein nutrient availability, protein bypass and digestive behavior of livestock fed with this type of forage.

Molecular Basis of Protein Structure in Proanthocyanidin and Anthocyanin-Enhanced Lc-transgenic Alfalfa in Relation to Nutritive Value Using Synchrotron-Radiation FTIR Microspectroscopy: A Novel Approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, P.; Jonker, A; Gruber, M

2009-01-01

To date there has been very little application of synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (SRFTIRM) to the study of molecular structures in plant forage in relation to livestock digestive behavior and nutrient availability. Protein inherent structure, among other factors such as protein matrix, affects nutritive quality, fermentation and degradation behavior in both humans and animals. The relative percentage of protein secondary structure influences protein value. A high percentage of e-sheets usually reduce the access of gastrointestinal digestive enzymes to the protein. Reduced accessibility results in poor digestibility and as a result, low protein value. The objective of this studymore » was to use SRFTIRM to compare protein molecular structure of alfalfa plant tissues transformed with the maize Lc regulatory gene with non-transgenic alfalfa protein within cellular and subcellular dimensions and to quantify protein inherent structure profiles using Gaussian and Lorentzian methods of multi-component peak modeling. Protein molecular structure revealed by this method included a-helices, e-sheets and other structures such as e-turns and random coils. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis of the synchrotron data, as well as accurate spectral analysis based on curve fitting, showed that transgenic alfalfa contained a relatively lower (P < 0.05) percentage of the model-fitted a-helices (29 vs. 34) and model-fitted e-sheets (22 vs. 27) and a higher (P < 0.05) percentage of other model-fitted structures (49 vs. 39). Transgenic alfalfa protein displayed no difference (P > 0.05) in the ratio of a-helices to e-sheets (average: 1.4) and higher (P < 0.05) ratios of a-helices to others (0.7 vs. 0.9) and e-sheets to others (0.5 vs. 0.8) than the non-transgenic alfalfa protein. The transgenic protein structures also exhibited no difference (P > 0.05) in the vibrational intensity of protein amide I (average of 24) and amide II areas (average of 10) and their ratio (average of 2.4) compared with non-transgenic alfalfa. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis showed no significant differences between the two genotypes in the broad molecular fingerprint region, amides I and II regions, and the carbohydrate molecular region, indicating they are highly related to each other. The results suggest that transgenic Lc-alfalfa leaves contain similar proteins to non-transgenic alfalfa (because amide I and II intensities were identical), but a subtle difference in protein molecular structure after freeze drying. Further study is needed to understand the relationship between these structural profiles and biological features such as protein nutrient availability, protein bypass and digestive behavior of livestock fed with this type of forage.« less

Experimental fault characterization of a neural network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tan, Chang-Huong

1990-01-01

The effects of a variety of faults on a neural network is quantified via simulation. The neural network consists of a single-layered clustering network and a three-layered classification network. The percentage of vectors mistagged by the clustering network, the percentage of vectors misclassified by the classification network, the time taken for the network to stabilize, and the output values are all measured. The results show that both transient and permanent faults have a significant impact on the performance of the measured network. The corresponding mistag and misclassification percentages are typically within 5 to 10 percent of each other. The average mistag percentage and the average misclassification percentage are both about 25 percent. After relearning, the percentage of misclassifications is reduced to 9 percent. In addition, transient faults are found to cause the network to be increasingly unstable as the duration of a transient is increased. The impact of link faults is relatively insignificant in comparison with node faults (1 versus 19 percent misclassified after relearning). There is a linear increase in the mistag and misclassification percentages with decreasing hardware redundancy. In addition, the mistag and misclassification percentages linearly decrease with increasing network size.

Significance of specificity of Tinetti B-POMA test and fall risk factor in third age of life.

PubMed

Avdić, Dijana; Pecar, Dzemal

2006-02-01

As for the third age, psychophysical abilities of humans gradually decrease, while the ability of adaptation to endogenous and exogenous burdens is going down. In 1987, "Harada" et al. (1) have found out that 9.5 million persons in USA have difficulties running daily activities, while 59% of them (which is 5.6 million) are older than 65 years in age. The study has encompassed 77 questioned persons of both sexes with their average age 71.73 +/- 5.63 (scope of 65-90 years in age), chosen by random sampling. Each patient has been questioned in his/her own home and familiar to great extent with the methodology and aims of the questionnaire. Percentage of questioned women was 64.94% (50 patients) while the percentage for men was 35.06% (27 patients). As for the value of risk factor score achieved conducting the questionnaire and B-POMA test, there are statistically significant differences between men and women, as well as between patients who fell and those who never did. As for the way of life (alone or in the community), there are no significant statistical differences. Average results gained through B-POMA test in this study are statistically significantly higher in men and patients who did not provide data about falling, while there was no statistically significant difference in the way of life. In relation to the percentage of maximum number of positive answers to particular questions, regarding gender, way of life and the data about falling, there were no statistically significant differences between the value of B-POMA test and the risk factor score (the questionnaire).

A not so happy day after all: excess death rates on birthdays in the U.S.

PubMed

Peña, Pablo A

2015-02-01

This study estimates average excess death rates on and around birthdays, and explores differences between birthdays falling on weekends and birthdays falling on weekdays. Using records from the U.S. Social Security Administration for 25 million people who died during the period from 1998 to 2011, average excess death rates are estimated controlling for seasonality of births and deaths. The average excess death rate on birthdays is 6.7% (p < 0.0001). No evidence is found of dips in average excess death rates in a ±10 day neighborhood around birthdays that could offset the spikes on birthdays. Significant differences are found between age groups and between weekend and weekday birthdays. Younger people have greater average excess death rates on birthdays, reaching up to 25.4% (p < 0.0001) for ages 20-29. Younger people also show the largest differences between average excess death rates on weekend birthdays and weekday birthdays, reaching up to 64.5 percentage points (p = 0.0063) for ages 1-9. Over the 13-year period analyzed, the estimated excess deaths on birthdays are 4590. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epidemiological, clinical, microbiological and therapeutic differences in tuberculosis disease in patients with and without HIV infection.

PubMed

Martínez-Sanz, Javier; Lago-Gómez, María Rosa; Rodríguez-Zurita, María Elena; Martín-Echevarría, Esteban; Torralba, Miguel

2018-04-23

Our objective is to analyze the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in our population and to compare the characteristics of patients with and without HIV infection. Clinical-epidemiological retrospective cohort study that included patients diagnosed with TB with and without HIV infection between 2005-2016 in the province of Guadalajara (Spain). Epidemiological, clinical, microbiological and therapeutic variables were assessed, including microbiological resistances. TB was diagnosed in 261 patients. There were 25 patients (9.6%) who had HIV infection. Patients with HIV infection were predominantly males, had higher incidence of hepatitis C virus, a higher percentage of extrapulmonary TB, a higher prevalence of resistance to isoniazid and rifampicin, a greater paradoxical response and a longer average hospital stay. On the other hand, they had a lower percentage of positive tuberculin skin test and positive sputum smear (microscopy). A significant percentage of TB patients had no serology for HIV. Patients with HIV infection show remarkable differences in epidemiological, clinical and resistance variables to antituberculosis drugs. A high percentage of patients with TB were not tested for HIV. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Cost Coverage by the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS)

PubMed Central

da Silva, Gilmara Silveira; Colósimo, Flávia Cortez; de Sousa, Alexandre Gonçalves; Piotto, Raquel Ferrari; Castilho, Valéria

2017-01-01

Introduction Cost management has been identified as an essential tool for the general control and evaluation of health organizations. Objectives To identify the coverage percentage of transferred funds from the Unified Health System for coronary artery bypass grafts in a philanthropic hospital having a consolidated costing system in the municipality of São Paulo. Methods A quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional research with information provided from a database composed of 1913 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft from March 13 to September 30, 2012, including isolated elective coronary artery bypass graft with the use of extracorporeal circulation. It excluded 551 (28.8%) patients, among them 76 (4.0%) deaths and 8 hospitalized patients, since the cost was compared according to the length of hospital stay. Therefore, the sample consisted of 1362 patients. Results The average total cost per patient was $7,992.55. The average fund transfer by the Unified Health System was $3,450.73 (48.66%), resulting in a deficit of $4,541.82 (51.34%). Conclusion The Unified Health System transfers covered 48.66% of the average total cost of hospitalization. Although the amount transferred increased with increasing costs, it was not proportional to the total cost, resulting in a percentage difference in revenue that was increasingly negative for each increase in cost and hospital stay. Those hospitalized for longer than seven days presented higher costs, older age, higher percentage of diabetics and chronic kidney disease patients and more postoperative complications. PMID:28977196

Index of Property Tax Non-Uniformity Among School Districts in New York State.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Div. of the Budget, Albany. Education Study Unit.

This report measures the inequities in school taxes on New York State residential property that result from assessment nonuniformity. The index of nonuniformity is a measure of the average percentage difference in school tax bills paid by owners of like residential properties in the same school district but in separate assessing units. Using this…

The Gastrointestinal System: A Piece of Cake

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oommen, Vinay; Kanthakumar, Praghalathan

2015-01-01

Physiology teaching often comprises of a large percentage of didactic lectures. A 1-h didactic lecture is often much longer than the average attention span of most students. It is preferable to use different methods to decrease the possible monotony of the didactic lecture. This is even more important when the topic being discussed has a greater…

Seasonal influence on Ohio hardwood stumpage price trends

Treesearch

T. Eric McConnell

2014-01-01

The average annual percentage rates of change in real sawtimber stumpage prices from 1978 through 2012 (dollars per thousand board feet, Doyle) for the 10 commercial hardwood species of Ohio were determined. Each species was then further examined for differing trend lines between the spring and fall reporting periods. Annual real rates of change ranged from -1.10...

Trends in incidence of borderline ovarian tumors in Denmark 1978-2006.

PubMed

Hannibal, Charlotte Gerd; Huusom, Lene Drasbek; Kjaerbye-Thygesen, Anette; Tabor, Ann; Kjaer, Susanne K

2011-04-01

To examine period-, age- and histology-specific trends in the incidence rate of borderline ovarian tumors in Denmark in 1978-2006. Register-based cohort study. Denmark 1978-2006. 5079 women diagnosed with a borderline ovarian tumor in at least one of two nationwide registries (4312 epithelial tumors and 767 non-epithelial/unspecified tumors). Estimation of overall incidence rates and period-, age- and histology-specific incidence rates. Age-adjustment was done using the World Standard POPULATION. To evaluate incidence trends over time, we estimated average annual percentage change and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using log-linear Poisson models. Age-standardized and age-specific incidence rates and average annual percentage change. The incidence of epithelial borderline ovarian tumors increased from 2.6 to 5.5 per 100,000 women-years between 1978 and 2006, with an average annual percentage change of 2.6% (95% CI: 2.2-3.0). The median age at diagnosis was 52 years. Women 40 years or older had a higher average annual percentage change than women younger than 40 years. Most tumors were mucinous (49.9%) and serous tumors (44.4%). Women with mucinous tumors were younger at diagnosis (50 years) compared with women with serous tumors (53 years). Women with serous tumors had a higher average annual percentage incidence change than women with mucinous tumors. The incidence rate of borderline ovarian tumors increased significantly in Denmark in 1978-2006. In line with results for ovarian cancer, Denmark had a higher incidence rate of borderline ovarian tumors compared with the other Nordic countries in 1978-2006. © 2011 The Authors Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica© 2011 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Fat content of the flesh of siscowets and lake trout from Lake Superior

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eschmeyer, Paul H.; Phillips, Arthur M.

1965-01-01

Samples of flesh were excised from the middorsal region of 67 siscowets (Salvelinus namaycush siscowet) and 46 lake trout (Salvelinus n. namaycush) collected from Lake Superior. Chemical analysis of the samples revealed a range in fat content (dry weight) of 32.5 to 88.8 per cent in siscowets and 6.6 to 52.3 per cent in lake trout. Percentage fat increased progressively with increase in length of fish in both forms, but the average rate of increase was far greater for siscowets than for lake trout at lengths between 12 and 20 inches. Despite substantial individual variation, the percentage fat in the two forms was widely different and without overlap at all comparable lengths. The range in iodine number of the fat was 100 to 160 for siscowets and 103 to 161 for lake trout; average values were generally lower for siscowets than for lake trout among fish of comparable length. Percentage fat and relative weight were not correlated significantly in either subspecies. The fat content of flesh samples from a distinctive subpopulation of Lake Superior lake trout known as 'humpers' was more closely similar to that of typical lean lake trout than to siscowets, but the rate of increase in fat with increasing length was greater than for lean lake trout. Flesh samples from hatchery-reared stocks of lake trout, hybrid lake trout X siscowets, and siscowets tended to support the view that the wide difference in fat content between siscowets and lake trout is genetically determined.

Bacteriological contamination, dirt, and cracks of eggshells in furnished cages and noncage systems for laying hens: an international on-farm comparison.

PubMed

De Reu, K; Rodenburg, T B; Grijspeerdt, K; Messens, W; Heyndrickx, M; Tuyttens, F A M; Sonck, B; Zoons, J; Herman, L

2009-11-01

For laying hens, the effects of housing system on bacterial eggshell contamination and eggshell quality is almost exclusively studied in experimental hen houses. The aim of this study was to compare eggshell hygiene and quality under commercial conditions. Six flocks of laying hens in furnished cages and 7 flocks in noncage systems were visited when hens were about 60 wk of age. Farms from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany were included in the study. The following parameters were determined on eggs sampled at the egg belts: 1) bacterial eggshell contamination, as expressed by total count of aerobic bacteria and number of Enterobacteriaceae; 2) proportion of dirty eggs; and 3) proportion of cracked eggs and eggs with microcracks. Considerable within-flock differences were found in eggshell contamination with total count of aerobic bacteria, both for furnished cages (P < or = 0.001, range 4.24 to 5.22 log cfu/eggshell) and noncage systems (P < or = 0.001, range 4.35 to 5.51 log cfu/eggshell). On average, lower levels of contamination with total count of aerobic bacteria (4.75 vs. 4.98 log cfu/eggshell; P < or = 0.001) were found on eggshells from furnished cages compared with noncage systems. Concerning Enterobacteriaceae, no significant difference in average eggshell contamination between both systems could be shown. The total percentage of cracked eggs was higher (P < or = 0.01) in furnished cages (7.8%) compared with noncage systems (4.1%). This was, however, due to the high percentage of cracked eggs (24%) observed on one of the furnished cage farms. We conclude that bacteriological eggshell contamination and percentage of cracked eggs differed substantially between individual farms using the same housing system. This may also explain some discrepancies between the findings of the present study versus some findings of previous experimental studies or studies on a small number of farms. Although statistically significant, the average differences in bacteriological contamination of nest eggs between both housing systems have limited microbiological relevancy.

Periodontal status and selected parameters of oral condition of Poles aged 65 to 74 years.

PubMed

Konopka, Tomasz; Dembowska, Elżbieta; Pietruska, Małgorzata; Dymalski, Paweł; Górska, Renata

2015-01-01

The goal of this study was the evaluation of the periodontal health by means of CPI score in inhabitants of big and small cities in the age range from 65 to 74 and making comparison with previous Polish and European studies from XXI century. Also an average number of natural teeth, the edentulous persons percentage, the percentage of people with oral function maintenance and prevalence of oral mucosal diseases were evaluated. There were also attempts to evaluate essential behaviours related to the oral health and the percentage of people that are treated with use of non-reimbursed or reimbursed services. Studies were conducted in 5 big cities: Warszawa, Szczecin, Wrocław, Białystok and Toruń, as well as in 4 towns, such as Oława, Police, Łobez and Ełk. From sampling 7400 people aged from 65 to 74 years for the study reported only 807 people. In the mouth evaluated CPI score, number of natural teeth and prevalence of pathological lesions on cavity mucosa. Answers for questions on selected attitudes and health-seeking behaviours related to the oral health and the range of dental treatment were also analysed. Distribution of values of CPI codes in the whole group was as follows: CPI0-1.2%, CPI1-9.4%, CPI2-16.6%, CPI3-21.8%, CPI4-19.7% and the number of people excluded from examinations (1 tooth in the sextant or edentulous 31.3%). The state of the periodontium was worse in big cities and in men. An average number of teeth was 13.7 and was higher in big cities and in men. The percentage of edentulous persons was 28.9% and was higher in towns and in woman. The percentage of people with oral function maintenance was 25.15% and was higher in big cities and in men. The most three common pathologies of the oral cavity were leukoplakia and leukokeratosis that were found in 10.5% of examined people, candidiasis 5.82% and lichen planus 2.2%. The state of the periodontium of Poles at the age from 65 to 74 has not been improved in XXI century, but also does not significantly differ from an average European level. An average number of remaining teeth of Poles at this age has increased, but remains under a European average; also the prevalence of edentulism has decreased, but still remains one of the highest in Europe. The percentage of people with oral function maintenance is very low, thus needs for prosthetic treatment and rehabilitation of masticatory ability remain high. Precancerous lesions in the oral cavity are quite common in this age group. Health-seeking behaviours related to the oral health of older Poles are inadequate and result from a low level of knowledge on dental prophylaxis.

Cocoa Flavanol Supplementation Influences Skin Conditions of Photo-Aged Women: A 24-Week Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Yoon, Hyun-Sun; Kim, Jong Rhan; Park, Gyeong Yul; Kim, Jong-Eun; Lee, Dong Hun; Lee, Ki Won; Chung, Jin Ho

2016-01-01

The consumption of dietary antioxidants is considered to be a good strategy against photo-aging. However, the results of previous clinical trials that investigated the effects of oral consumption of high-flavanol cocoa products on skin photo-aging have been contradictory. The aim of this study was to investigate whether high-flavanol cocoa supplementation would improve the moderately photo-aged facial skin of female participants, by assessing skin wrinkles and elasticity. We performed a 24-wk, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effects of oral supplementation of cocoa flavanols on cutaneous photo-aging. All participants were moderately photo-aged Korean women with visible facial wrinkles (age range: 43-86 y). Participants were randomly assigned to receive a placebo beverage or cocoa beverage that contained 320 mg total cocoa flavanols/d. We measured wrinkles, skin elasticity, and hydration at baseline and at 12 and 24 wk. The primary endpoint was the mean percentage change in the average roughness value (Rz) at 24 wk. At 24 wk, the mean percentage change in Rz (primary endpoint) was significantly lower in the cocoa group than in the placebo group (-8.7 percentage points; 95% CI: -16.1, -1.3 percentage points; P = 0.023). The mean percentage changes in gross elasticity, as determined by a cutometer, also differed between the groups at 12 wk (9.1 percentage points; 95% CI: 1.5, 16.7 percentage points; P = 0.020) and 24 wk (8.6 percentage points; 95% CI: 1.0, 16.2 percentage points; P = 0.027). However, there were no significant differences in skin hydration and barrier integrity between the 2 groups. In moderately photo-aged women, regular cocoa flavanol consumption had positive effects on facial wrinkles and elasticity. Cocoa flavanol supplementation may contribute to the prevention of the progression of photo-aging. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02060097. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

[Effects of different cultivation patterns on soil aggregates and organic carbon fractions].

PubMed

Qiu, Xiao-Lei; Zong, Liang-Gang; Liu, Yi-Fan; Du, Xia-Fei; Luo, Min; Wang, Run-Chi

2015-03-01

Combined with the research in an organic farm in the past 10 years, differences of soil aggregates composition, distribution and organic carbon fractions between organic and conventional cultivation were studied by simultaneous sampling analysis. The results showed that the percentages of aggregates (> 1 mm, 1-0.5 mm, 0.5-0.25 mm and < 0.25 mm) in the conventional cultivation were 23.75%, 15.15%, 19.98% and 38.09%, while those in organic cultivation were 9.73%, 18.41%, 24.46% and 43.90%, respectively. The percentage of < 0.25 mm micro-aggregates was significantly higher in organic cultivation than that in conventional cultivation. Organic cultivation increased soil organic carbon (average of 17.95 g x kg(-1)) and total nitrogen contents (average of 1.51 g x kg(-1)). Among the same aggregates in organic cultivation, the average content of heavy organic carbon fraction was significantly higher than that in conventional cultivation. This fraction accumulated in < 0. 25 mm micro-aggregates, which were main storage sites of stable organic carbon. In organic cultivation, the content of labile organic carbon in > 1 mm macro-aggregates was significantly higher than that in conventional cultivation, while no significant difference was found among the other aggregates, indicating that the labile organic carbon was enriched in > 1 mm macro-aggregates. Organic cultivation increased the amounts of organic carbon and its fractions, reduced tillage damage to aggregates, and enhanced the stability of organic carbon. Organic cultivation was therefore beneficial for soil carbon sequestration. The findings of this research may provide theoretical basis for further acceleration of the organic agriculture development.

Does the Market Value Racial and Ethnic Concordance in Physician–Patient Relationships?

PubMed Central

Brown, Timothy T; Scheffler, Richard M; Tom, Sarah E; Schulman, Kevin A

2007-01-01

Objective To determine if the market-determined earnings per hour of physicians is sensitive to the degree of area-level racial/ethnic concordance (ALREC) in the local physician labor market. Data Sources 1998–1999 and 2000–2001 Community Tracking Study Physician Surveys and Household Surveys, 2000 U.S. Census, and the Area Resource File. Study Design Population-averaged regression models with area-level fixed effects were used to estimate the determinants of log earnings per hour for physicians in a two-period panel (N = 12,886). ALREC for a given racial/ethnic group is measured as the percentage of physicians who are of a given race/ethnicity less the percentage of the population who are of the corresponding race/ethnicity. Relevant control variables were included. Principal Findings Average earnings per hour for Hispanic and Asian physicians varies with the degree of ALREC that corresponds to a physician's race/ethnicity. Both Hispanic and Asian physicians earn more per hour in areas where corresponding ALREC is negative, other things equal. ALREC varies from negative to positive for all groups. ALREC for Hispanics is negative, on average, due to the small percentage of the physician workforce that is Hispanic. This results in an average 5.6 percent earnings-per-hour premium for Hispanic physicians. However, ALREC for Asians is positive, on average, due to the large percentage of the physician workforce that is Asian. This results in an average 4.0 percent earnings-per-hour discount for Asian physicians. No similar statistically significant results were found for black physicians. Conclusions The market-determined earnings per hour of Hispanic and Asian physicians are sensitive to the degree of ALREC in the local labor market. Larger sample sizes may be needed to find statistically significant results for black physicians. PMID:17362214

An Experimental Study of Small-Scale Variability of Raindrop Size Distribution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tokay, Ali; Bashor, Paul G.

2010-01-01

An experimental study of small-scale variability of raindrop size distributions (DSDs) has been carried out at Wallops Island, Virginia. Three Joss-Waldvogel disdrometers were operated at a distance of 0.65, 1.05, and 1.70 km in a nearly straight line. The main purpose of the study was to examine the variability of DSDs and its integral parameters of liquid water content, rainfall, and reflectivity within a 2-km array: a typical size of Cartesian radar pixel. The composite DSD of rain events showed very good agreement among the disdrometers except where there were noticeable differences in midsize and large drops in a few events. For consideration of partial beam filling where the radar pixel was not completely covered by rain, a single disdrometer reported just over 10% more rainy minutes than the rainy minutes when all three disdrometers reported rainfall. Similarly two out of three disdrometers reported5%more rainy minutes than when all three were reporting rainfall. These percentages were based on a 1-min average, and were less for longer averaging periods. Considering only the minutes when all three disdrometers were reporting rainfall, just over one quarter of the observations showed an increase in the difference in rainfall with distance. This finding was based on a 15-min average and was even less for shorter averaging periods. The probability and cumulative distributions of a gamma-fitted DSD and integral rain parameters between the three disdrometers had a very good agreement and no major variability. This was mainly due to the high percentage of light stratiform rain and to the number of storms that traveled along the track of the disdrometers. At a fixed time step, however, both DSDs and integral rain parameters showed substantial variability. The standard deviation (SD) of rain rate was near 3 mm/h, while the SD of reflectivity exceeded 3 dBZ at the longest separation distance. These standard deviations were at 6-min average and were higher at shorter averaging periods. The correlations decreased with increasing separation distance. For rain rate, the correlations were higher than previous gauge-based studies. This was attributed to the differences in data processing and the difference in rainfall characteristics in different climate regions. It was also considered that the gauge sampling errors could be a factor. In this regard, gauge measurements were simulated employing existing disdrometer dataset. While a difference was noticed in cumulative distribution of rain occurrence between the simulated gauge and disdrometer observations, the correlations in simulated gauge measurements did not differ from the disdrometer measurements.

Shell cracking strength in almond (Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A. Webb.) and its implication in uses as a value-added product.

PubMed

Ledbetter, C A

2008-09-01

Researchers are currently developing new value-added uses for almond shells, an abundant agricultural by-product. Almond varieties are distinguished by processors as being either hard or soft shelled, but these two broad classes of almond also exhibit varietal diversity in shell morphology and physical characters. By defining more precisely the physical and chemical characteristics of almond shells from different varieties, researchers will better understand which specific shell types are best suited for specific industrial processes. Eight diverse almond accessions were evaluated in two consecutive harvest seasons for nut and kernel weight, kernel percentage and shell cracking strength. Shell bulk density was evaluated in a separate year. Harvest year by almond accession interactions were highly significant (p0.01) for each of the analyzed variables. Significant (p0.01) correlations were noted for average nut weight with kernel weight, kernel percentage and shell cracking strength. A significant (p0.01) negative correlation for shell cracking strength with kernel percentage was noted. In some cases shell cracking strength was independent of the kernel percentage which suggests that either variety compositional differences or shell morphology affect the shell cracking strength. The varietal characterization of almond shell materials will assist in determining the best value-added uses for this abundant agricultural by-product.

Climbing the Academy Ladder in Brazil: Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cotta, Mônica Alonso; Caldas, Marília J.; Barbosa, Marcia C.

2009-04-01

In the last few years, the main Brazilian funding agencies, CNPq and CAPES, have introduced gender awareness projects. This initiative is a starting point for changing the percentage of women at all career levels in physics, but particularly at the top. The change in the percentage of female researchers at the different levels so far has been quite mild; the most likely reason is that the decision committees consist mostly of male researchers. We show that prejudice is still present in the evaluation process. The average number of publications of the female researchers is 72% higher than for the male researchers at the entrance level, indicating that it is harder for women to enter into the research system.

Fixed-dose combination and single active ingredient drugs: a comparative cost analysis.

PubMed

Hao, Jing; Rodriguez-Monguio, Rosa; Seoane-Vazquez, Enrique

2016-01-01

Fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs are formulations of two or more active ingredients. To assess the pricing structure and price difference of all US FDA-approved FDCs and single drugs included in the combination. Data were collected from the FDA Orange Book and Drugs@FDA. Average Wholesale Price (AWP) unit price data were derived from The Red Book. The FDA approved 117 FDC. The average AWP difference percentage between the FDC and the sum of the single drugs in the FDC is 84.9 ± 26.2%, and varied by therapeutic class (p < 0.001). The FDC AWP averaged 83.3 ± 23.4% of the single drug AWP sum when there are no generics, and 95.1 ± 42.3% (p < 0.01) when there are two generic single active ingredients in the FDC. The price difference between FDC and single active ingredients in the combination is correlated with the therapeutic class, the year of FDC approval, and the number of single ingredients in the combination that have generics.

Do we Underestimate the Importance of Leaf Size in Plant Economics? Disproportional Scaling of Support Costs Within the Spectrum of Leaf Physiognomy

PubMed Central

Niinemets, Ülo; Portsmuth, Angelika; Tena, David; Tobias, Mari; Matesanz, Silvia; Valladares, Fernando

2007-01-01

Background Broad scaling relationships between leaf size and function do not take into account that leaves of different size may contain different fractions of support in petiole and mid-rib. Methods The fractions of leaf biomass in petiole, mid-rib and lamina, and the differences in chemistry and structure among mid-ribs, petioles and laminas were investigated in 122 species of contrasting leaf size, life form and climatic distribution to determine the extent to which differences in support modify whole-lamina and whole-leaf structural and chemical characteristics, and the extent to which size-dependent support investments are affected by plant life form and site climate. Key Results For the entire data set, leaf fresh mass varied over five orders of magnitude. The percentage of dry mass in mid-rib increased strongly with lamina size, reaching more than 40 % in the largest laminas. The whole-leaf percentage of mid-rib and petiole increased with leaf size, and the overall support investment was more than 60 % in the largest leaves. Fractional support investments were generally larger in herbaceous than in woody species and tended to be lower in Mediterranean than in cool temperate and tropical plants. Mid-ribs and petioles had lower N and C percentages, and lower dry to fresh mass ratio, but greater density (mass per unit volume) than laminas. N percentage of lamina without mid-rib was up to 40 % higher in the largest leaves than the total-lamina (lamina and mid-rib) N percentage, and up to 60 % higher than whole-leaf N percentage, while lamina density calculated without mid-rib was up to 80 % less than that with the mid-rib. For all leaf compartments, N percentage was negatively associated with density and dry to fresh mass ratio, while C percentage was positively linked to these characteristics, reflecting the overall inverse scaling between structural and physiological characteristics. However, the correlations between N and C percentages and structural characteristics differed among mid-ribs, petioles and laminas, implying that the mass-weighted average leaf N and C percentage, density, and dry to fresh mass ratio can have different functional values depending on the importance of within-leaf support investments. Conclusions These data demonstrate that variation in leaf size is associated with major changes in within-leaf support investments and in large modifications in integrated leaf chemical and structural characteristics. These size-dependent alterations can importantly affect general leaf structure vs. function scaling relationships. These data further demonstrate important life-form effects on and climatic differentiation in foliage support costs. PMID:17586597

Heritabilities and genetic correlations in the same traits across different strata of herds created according to continuous genomic, genetic, and phenotypic descriptors.

PubMed

Yin, Tong; König, Sven

2018-03-01

The most common approach in dairy cattle to prove genotype by environment interactions is a multiple-trait model application, and considering the same traits in different environments as different traits. We enhanced such concepts by defining continuous phenotypic, genetic, and genomic herd descriptors, and applying random regression sire models. Traits of interest were test-day traits for milk yield, fat percentage, protein percentage, and somatic cell score, considering 267,393 records from 32,707 first-lactation Holstein cows. Cows were born in the years 2010 to 2013, and kept in 52 large-scale herds from 2 federal states of north-east Germany. The average number of genotyped cows per herd (45,613 single nucleotide polymorphism markers per cow) was 133.5 (range: 45 to 415 genotyped cows). Genomic herd descriptors were (1) the level of linkage disequilibrium (r 2 ) within specific chromosome segments, and (2) the average allele frequency for single nucleotide polymorphisms in close distance to a functional mutation. Genetic herd descriptors were the (1) intra-herd inbreeding coefficient, and (2) the percentage of daughters from foreign sires. Phenotypic herd descriptors were (1) herd size, and (2) the herd mean for nonreturn rate. Most correlations among herd descriptors were close to 0, indicating independence of genomic, genetic, and phenotypic characteristics. Heritabilities for milk yield increased with increasing intra-herd linkage disequilibrium, inbreeding, and herd size. Genetic correlations in same traits between adjacent levels of herd descriptors were close to 1, but declined for descriptor levels in greater distance. Genetic correlation declines were more obvious for somatic cell score, compared with test-day traits with larger heritabilities (fat percentage and protein percentage). Also, for milk yield, alterations of herd descriptor levels had an obvious effect on heritabilities and genetic correlations. By trend, multiple trait model results (based on created discrete herd classes) confirmed the random regression estimates. Identified alterations of breeding values in dependency of herd descriptors suggest utilization of specific sires for specific herd structures, offering new possibilities to improve sire selection strategies. Regarding genomic selection designs and genetic gain transfer into commercial herds, cow herds for the utilization in cow training sets should reflect the genomic, genetic, and phenotypic pattern of the broad population. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measurements of left-to-right intracardiac shunting in adults: oximetric versus indicator dilution techniques.

PubMed

Hillis, L D; Winniford, M D; Jackson, J A; Firth, B G

1985-01-01

Of the various techniques that are available to assess the presence and magnitude of intracardiac shunting, oximetry and indicator dilution are used most frequently. This study was performed to compare these methods in adult patients with pure left-to-right intracardiac shunting. In 27 patients [12 men, 15 women, aged 32 +/- 12 (mean +/- SD) years], shunt magnitude was assessed in close temporal proximity by both techniques. The oximetric percentage left-to-right shunt averaged 55 +/- 16%, whereas the indocyanine green dye percentage shunt was significantly less (36 +/- 14%, p less than 0.001). The oximetric percentage shunt exceeded the indocyanine green dye percentage shunt in 26 and did so by greater than 20% in 23 patients. Thus, there is a substantial difference in shunt magnitude between the oximetric and the indicator dilution techniques. In infants, indicator dilution yields results that are larger than those obtained with the oximetric method. Conversely, in adults, the indicator dilution technique gives results that are consistently smaller than those obtained with oximetry. As a result, the decision regarding therapy of an intracardiac shunt should be made with this in mind.

Predictive model for disinfection by-product in Alexandria drinking water, northern west of Egypt.

PubMed

Abdullah, Ali M; Hussona, Salah El-dien

2013-10-01

Chlorine has been utilized in the early stages of water treatment processes as disinfectant. Disinfection for drinking water reduces the risk of pathogenic infection but may pose a chemical threat to human health due to disinfection residues and their by-products (DBP) when the organic and inorganic precursors are present in water. In the last two decades, many modeling attempts have been made to predict the occurrence of DBP in drinking water. Models have been developed based on data generated in laboratory-scale and field-scale investigations. The objective of this paper is to develop a predictive model for DBP formation in the Alexandria governorate located at the northern west of Egypt based on field-scale investigations as well as laboratory-controlled experimentations. The present study showed that the correlation coefficient between trihalomethanes (THM) predicted and THM measured was R (2)=0.88 and the minimum deviation percentage between THM predicted and THM measured was 0.8 %, the maximum deviation percentage was 89.3 %, and the average deviation was 17.8 %, while the correlation coefficient between dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) predicted and DCAA measured was R (2)=0.98 and the minimum deviation percentage between DCAA predicted and DCAA measured was 1.3 %, the maximum deviation percentage was 47.2 %, and the average deviation was 16.6 %. In addition, the correlation coefficient between trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) predicted and TCAA measured was R (2)=0.98 and the minimum deviation percentage between TCAA predicted and TCAA measured was 4.9 %, the maximum deviation percentage was 43.0 %, and the average deviation was 16.0 %.

Representation of regional urban development conditions using a watershed-based gradient study design

USGS Publications Warehouse

Terziotti, Silvia; McMahon, Gerard; Bell, Amanda H.

2012-01-01

As part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program, the effects of urbanization on stream ecosystems (EUSE) have been intensively investigated in nine metropolitan areas in the United States, including Boston, Massachusetts; Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; Raleigh, North Carolina; Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colorado; Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and Milwaukee–Green Bay, Wisconsin. Each of the EUSE study area watersheds was associated with one ecological region of the United States. This report evaluates whether each metropolitan area can be generalized across the ecological regions (ecoregions) within which the EUSE study watersheds are located. Seven characteristics of the EUSE watersheds that affect stream ecosystems were examined to determine the similarities in the same seven characteristics of the watersheds in the entire ecoregion. Land cover (percentage developed, forest and shrubland, and herbaceous and cultivated classes), average annual temperature, average annual precipitation, average surface elevation, and average percentage slope were selected as human-influenced, climate, and topography characteristics. Three findings emerged from this comparison that have implications for the use of EUSE data in models used to predict stream ecosystem condition. One is that the predominant or "background" land-cover type (either forested or agricultural land) in each ecoregion also is the predominant land-cover type within the associated EUSE study watersheds. The second finding is that in all EUSE study areas, the watersheds account for the range of developed land conditions that exist in the corresponding ecoregion watersheds. However, six of the nine EUSE study area watersheds have significantly different distributions of developed land from the ecoregion watersheds. Finally, in seven of the nine EUSE/ecoregion comparisons, the distributions of the values of climate variables in the EUSE watersheds are different from the distributions for watersheds in the corresponding ecoregions.

Carcass traits and meat fatty acid composition of Barbarine lambs reared on rangelands or indoors on hay and concentrate.

PubMed

Majdoub-Mathlouthi, L; Saïd, B; Kraiem, K

2015-12-01

The objective of this study was to compare carcass and meat quality between Barbarine lambs raised on rangelands and those reared indoors. A total of 24 weaned male lambs (23.2 kg) were allotted into two groups. The first group (GS) grazed pasture dominated by natural shrubs and was supplemented with 100 g of concentrate. The second group (HS) received oat hay and 200 to 300 g supplement of the same concentrate in order to obtain the same average daily gain (ADG) as the GS group. Six lambs from each group were slaughtered. Lambs to be slaughtered were randomly identified at the beginning of the trial. Carcass traits (offals percentage, dressing percentage, cuts yield, tissue composition, fatness and conformation) were determined; pH and meat and fat color were measured. Samples from longissimus lumborum were collected to analyze fatty acid composition. The GS group was characterized by a higher offals percentage, associated with higher lungs, heart, liver and kidney percentage. Carcass dressing percentage defined as the rate between hot carcass weight and empty BW was lower by 3.4% in the GS group. No differences were observed for carcass meat yield and carcass and leg compactness. Shoulder bone percentage of the GS group was higher, without differences in fat and lean percentages. Fat thickness, kidney and tail fats were lower in the GS lambs. However, intramuscular fat content was not affected. Percentages of saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were not modified, whereas levels of n-3 and long n-3PUFA (EPA, DPA and DHA) as well as Δ5 desaturase plus Δ6 desaturase index were higher for the GS group. Thrombogenic and atherogenic indexes were not altered. No significant effects were observed for meat pH, meat and fat color. Despite having the same ADG, lambs from the GS group were less fatty, and their meat was richer in beneficial fatty acids.

Reference values of lymphocyte sub-populations in healthy human immunodeficiency virus-negative Iranian adults.

PubMed

Kamallou, Atefeh; Haji Abdolbaghi, Mahbobeh; Mohraz, Minoo; Rasolinejad, Mernaz; Karbasi, Ehsan; Ansaripour, Bita; Soltani, Samaneh; Rezaei, Arezou; Khalili, Neda; Amirzargar, Aliakbar

2014-12-01

Lymphocyte subsets enumeration is considered prominent in the management of primary and acquired immunodeficiency disorders. Because of local variations due to race, age, gender, and environmental conditions on lymphocyte subsets, and to improve the accuracy of interpretation of laboratory findings, reference intervals must be determined in every population. To establish a normal reference range for CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD19+ and CD56+ lymphocytes in a healthy Iranian adult population using flowcytometry. Blood samples were collected from 221 HIV seronegative individuals, including 112 females and 109 males, with ages ranging from 20 to 40 years old. The percentage of lymphocytes expressing either of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19 and CD56 surface markers were determined by flowcytometry assay. Total mean percentage and absolute count of lymphocyte subsets were as follows: CD3+: 70.90 ± 7.54%, 1800.87 ± 471.09 cells/µl; CD4+: 41.04 ± 7.86%, 1039.99 ± 338.02 cells/µl; CD8+: 31.11 ± 6.60%, 783.95 ± 234.87 cells/µl; CD19+: 12.77 ± 4.56%, 328.37 ± 153.17 cells/µl; CD56+: 15.53 ± 6.34%, 388.62 ± 176.17 cells/µl, respectively. The ratio of CD4+/CD8+ lymphocytes for the studied population was 1.39 ± 0.48. Significant differences were observed between male and female subjects indicating that the average percentage of CD3+ cells (p=0.017) and CD4+ T cells (p=0.003) were higher in the female population, whereas the average percentage of CD19+ cells (p=0.02) tended to be higher among males. However, investigations on the CD56+ NK cell and CD8+ T cell sub-populations did not show any statistical differences between the two genders. In comparison with reports of other populations, we were confronted with different results. Establishing reference values of lymphocyte subsets for each population is helpful in achieving standard criteria for the prognosis of HIV infection. Therefore, normal ranges established by this survey can be used as a reference for decisions made in clinical practice.

The GAAS metagenomic tool and its estimations of viral and microbial average genome size in four major biomes.

PubMed

Angly, Florent E; Willner, Dana; Prieto-Davó, Alejandra; Edwards, Robert A; Schmieder, Robert; Vega-Thurber, Rebecca; Antonopoulos, Dionysios A; Barott, Katie; Cottrell, Matthew T; Desnues, Christelle; Dinsdale, Elizabeth A; Furlan, Mike; Haynes, Matthew; Henn, Matthew R; Hu, Yongfei; Kirchman, David L; McDole, Tracey; McPherson, John D; Meyer, Folker; Miller, R Michael; Mundt, Egbert; Naviaux, Robert K; Rodriguez-Mueller, Beltran; Stevens, Rick; Wegley, Linda; Zhang, Lixin; Zhu, Baoli; Rohwer, Forest

2009-12-01

Metagenomic studies characterize both the composition and diversity of uncultured viral and microbial communities. BLAST-based comparisons have typically been used for such analyses; however, sampling biases, high percentages of unknown sequences, and the use of arbitrary thresholds to find significant similarities can decrease the accuracy and validity of estimates. Here, we present Genome relative Abundance and Average Size (GAAS), a complete software package that provides improved estimates of community composition and average genome length for metagenomes in both textual and graphical formats. GAAS implements a novel methodology to control for sampling bias via length normalization, to adjust for multiple BLAST similarities by similarity weighting, and to select significant similarities using relative alignment lengths. In benchmark tests, the GAAS method was robust to both high percentages of unknown sequences and to variations in metagenomic sequence read lengths. Re-analysis of the Sargasso Sea virome using GAAS indicated that standard methodologies for metagenomic analysis may dramatically underestimate the abundance and importance of organisms with small genomes in environmental systems. Using GAAS, we conducted a meta-analysis of microbial and viral average genome lengths in over 150 metagenomes from four biomes to determine whether genome lengths vary consistently between and within biomes, and between microbial and viral communities from the same environment. Significant differences between biomes and within aquatic sub-biomes (oceans, hypersaline systems, freshwater, and microbialites) suggested that average genome length is a fundamental property of environments driven by factors at the sub-biome level. The behavior of paired viral and microbial metagenomes from the same environment indicated that microbial and viral average genome sizes are independent of each other, but indicative of community responses to stressors and environmental conditions.

Maximal oxygen uptake, anaerobic threshold and running economy in women and men with similar performances level in marathons.

PubMed

Helgerud, J

1994-01-01

Sex differences in running economy (gross oxygen cost of running, CR), maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), anaerobic threshold (Th(an)), percentage utilization of aerobic power (% VO2max), and Th(an) during running were investigated. There were six men and six women aged 20-30 years with a performance time of 2 h 40 min over the marathon distance. The VO2max, Th(an), and CR were measured during controlled running on a treadmill at 1 degree and 3 degrees gradient. From each subject's recorded time of running in the marathon, the average speed (vM) was calculated and maintained during the treadmill running for 11 min. The VO2max was inversely related to body mass (mb), there were no sex differences, and the mean values of the reduced exponent were 0.65 for women and 0.81 for men. These results indicate that for running the unit ml.kg-0.75.min-1 is convenient when comparing individuals with different mb. The VO2max was about 10% (23 ml.kg-0.75.min-1) higher in the men than in the women. The women had on the average 10-12 ml.kg-0.75.min-1 lower VO2 than the men when running at comparable velocities. Disregarding sex, the mean value of CR was 0.211 (SEM 0.005) ml.kg-1.m-1 (resting included), and was independent of treadmill speed. No sex differences in Th(an) expressed as % VO2max or percentage maximal heart rate were found, but Th(an) expressed as VO2 in ml.kg-0.75.min-1 was significantly higher in the men compared to the women. The percentage utilization of fcmax and concentration of blood lactate at vM was higher for the female runners.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Monitoring of haemoglobin oxygen saturation in healthy infants using a new generation pulse oximeter which takes motion artifacts into account.

PubMed

Meyts, Isabelle; Reempts, Patrick Van; Boeck, Kris De

2002-12-01

The aim of this study was to establish normal values for overnight oxygen saturation (SpO2) in healthy term infants using an oximeter which takes into account motion artifacts and to compare these to normal values collected with a previous generation oximeter not correcting for motion artifacts. We recorded overnight SpO2 in 26 term, healthy infants (median age 136 days, range 6-364 days) in the home environment using the Nellcor Symphony N 3000 pulse oximeter with an averaging time of 3 s. A sample rate of 5 s was chosen. Motion artifacts were excluded from the analysis. Data were compared with those from a previous study, using the same inclusion and exclusion criteria with the Oxford Medilog. Median (quartiles) SpO2 was 98% (97%-99%). Median percentage of study time below SpO2 94% was 0.2% (0.1%-0.7%); median percentage of study time below SpO2 90% was 0.0% (0.0%-0.01%). Median SpO2with the Oxford oximeter was 97% (96%-98%); percentage of study time below SpO2 94% was 8% (2%-14%); percentage of study time below SpO2 90% was 2% (0%-4%). These data were compared with the Nellcor Symphony data: differences in median SpO2 were significant ( P<0.05); differences in percentage of time below SpO2 94% and 90% were also statistically significant ( P<0.001). we established normal values of oxygen saturation in healthy term infants using the Nellcor Symphony 3000 pulse oximeter. Care should be taken in interpreting values obtained with different types of pulse oximeters.

The SRS-Viewer: A Software Tool for Displaying and Evaluation of Pyroshock Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eberl, Stefan

2014-06-01

For the evaluation of the success of a pyroshock, the time domain and the corresponding Shock-Response- Spectra (SRS) have to be considered. The SRS-Viewer is an IABG developed software tool [1] to read data in Universal File format (*.unv) and either display or plot for each accelerometer the time domain, corresponding SRS and the specified Reference-SRS with tolerances in the background.The software calculates the "Average (AVG)", "Maximum (MAX)" and "Minimum (MIN)" SRS of any selection of accelerometers. A statistical analysis calculates the percentages of measured SRS above the specified Reference-SRS level and the percentage within the tolerance bands for comparison with the specified success criteria.Overlay plots of single accelerometers of different test runs enable to monitor the repeatability of the shock input and the integrity of the specimen. Furthermore the difference between the shock on a mass-dummy and the real test unit can be examined.

Metallographic Characterization of Wrought Depleted Uranium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Forsyth, Robert Thomas; Hill, Mary Ann

Metallographic characterization was performed on wrought depleted uranium (DU) samples taken from the longitudinal and transverse orientations from specific locations on two specimens. Characterization of the samples included general microstructure, inclusion analysis, grain size analysis, and microhardness testing. Comparisons of the characterization results were made to determine any differences based on specimen, sample orientation, or sample location. In addition, the characterization results for the wrought DU samples were also compared with data obtained from the metallographic characterization of cast DU samples previously characterized. No differences were observed in microstructure, inclusion size, morphology, and distribution, or grain size in regard tomore » specimen, location, or orientation for the wrought depleted uranium samples. However, a small difference was observed in average hardness with regard to orientation at the same locations within the same specimen. The longitudinal samples were slightly harder than the transverse samples from the same location of the same specimen. This was true for both wrought DU specimens. Comparing the wrought DU sample data with the previously characterized cast DU sample data, distinct differences in microstructure, inclusion size, morphology and distribution, grain size, and microhardness were observed. As expected, the microstructure of the wrought DU samples consisted of small recrystallized grains which were uniform, randomly oriented, and equiaxed with minimal twinning observed in only a few grains. In contrast, the cast DU microstructure consisted of large irregularly shaped grains with extensive twinning observed in most grains. Inclusions in the wrought DU samples were elongated, broken and cracked and light and dark phases were observed in some inclusions. The mean inclusion area percentage for the wrought DU samples ranged from 0.08% to 0.34% and the average density from all wrought DU samples was 1.62E+04/cm 2. Inclusions in the cast DU samples were equiaxed and intact with light and dark phases observed in some inclusions. The mean inclusion area percentage for the cast DU samples ranged from 0.93% to 1.00% and the average density from all wrought DU samples was 2.83E+04/cm 2. The average mean grain area from all wrought DU samples was 141 μm 2 while the average mean grain area from all cast DU samples was 1.7 mm2. The average Knoop microhardness from all wrought DU samples was 215 HK and the average Knoop microhardness from all cast DU samples was 264 HK.« less

Human Kinematics of Cochlear Implant Surgery: An Investigation of Insertion Micro-Motions and Speed Limitations.

PubMed

Kesler, Kyle; Dillon, Neal P; Fichera, Loris; Labadie, Robert F

2017-09-01

Objectives Document human motions associated with cochlear implant electrode insertion at different speeds and determine the lower limit of continuous insertion speed by a human. Study Design Observational. Setting Academic medical center. Subjects and Methods Cochlear implant forceps were coupled to a frame containing reflective fiducials, which enabled optical tracking of the forceps' tip position in real time. Otolaryngologists (n = 14) performed mock electrode insertions at different speeds based on recommendations from the literature: "fast" (96 mm/min), "stable" (as slow as possible without stopping), and "slow" (15 mm/min). For each insertion, the following metrics were calculated from the tracked position data: percentage of time at prescribed speed, percentage of time the surgeon stopped moving forward, and number of direction reversals (ie, going from forward to backward motion). Results Fast insertion trials resulted in better adherence to the prescribed speed (45.4% of the overall time), no motion interruptions, and no reversals, as compared with slow insertions (18.6% of time at prescribed speed, 15.7% stopped time, and an average of 18.6 reversals per trial). These differences were statistically significant for all metrics ( P < .01). The metrics for the fast and stable insertions were comparable; however, stable insertions were performed 44% slower on average. The mean stable insertion speed was 52 ± 19.3 mm/min. Conclusion Results indicate that continuous insertion of a cochlear implant electrode at 15 mm/min is not feasible for human operators. The lower limit of continuous forward insertion is 52 mm/min on average. Guidelines on manual insertion kinematics should consider this practical limit of human motion.

Carcass Production of Cattle Slaughtered at Salatiga City Slaughter House, Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purbowati, E.; Lestari, C. M. S.; Ma'ruf, M. J.; Sutaryo, S.

2018-02-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the breed, age, sex, slaughter weight, carcass weight, and carcass percentage of cattle which was slaughtered at Slaughter House in Salatiga, Central Java. The materials used in the study were 156 head of catlle. The sampling used was incidental sampling to identify the breed, age, sex, slaughter weight and carcass weight. The data gathered were analyzed descriptively. The result showed that the sex of all the cattle slaughtered were male. The breeds of the cattle were Frisian Holstein Grade (70.51%), Simmental (15.38+3.21), Simmental-Ongole Grade (5.13%), and Limousine-Ongole Grade (5.77%). The average age of the cattle were 2.34 year old, with an average of slaughter weight of 529.34 kg, while the averages of carcass weight were 277.61 kg. The average of carcass percentage was as high as 52.56%. The conclusion of the study was the highest number of breeds of the cattle slaughtered at Slaughter House in Salatiga were young Frisian Holstein, the body weights were included in large frame score, and the carcass percentage were moderate.

Hormone levels in vegetarian and nonvegetarian teenage girls: potential implications for breast cancer risk.

PubMed

Persky, V W; Chatterton, R T; Van Horn, L V; Grant, M D; Langenberg, P; Marvin, J

1992-02-01

Between September 1984 and June 1985, a total of 75 adolescent girls, 35 vegetarians residing in a Seventh-Day Adventist school and 40 nonvegetarians residing in a private non-Adventist boarding school, underwent measurement of their plasma hormone levels in the follicular and luteal phase of their menstrual cycles as well as dietary intake measured by 3-day food records, medical history, height, and weight. There were no significant differences between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in average age of the girls, weight, body mass index, age at menarche, years since the onset of menstruation, or percentage of girls with ovulatory cycles. Vegetarian girls had significantly higher levels of log follicular estradiol [2.00 +/- 0.27 (SD) versus 1.85 +/- 0.27 pg/ml, P less than or equal to 0.05] and luteal dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHS) (1.88 +/- 0.71 versus 1.45 +/- 0.80 microgram/ml, P less than or equal to 0.05) than nonvegetarian girls. Follicular DHS was higher in vegetarians than in nonvegetarians (1.72 +/- 0.79 versus 1.45 +/- 0.95 microgram/ml), but the difference was not significant. The differences in follicular and luteal DHS, but not the difference in log estradiol, were significant (P less than or equal to 0.05) after controlling for ovulation, smoking, and alcohol intake with multivariable regression analysis. There were no significant differences in testosterone or in percentage free estradiol levels between vegetarians and nonvegetarians. Smoking was significantly associated with follicular and luteal DHS and with percentage free follicular estradiol, while alcohol use was significantly and inversely associated with percentage free follicular estradiol after controlling for other variables. The implications for breast cancer risk are discussed.

Age, gender, and percentage of circulating osteoprogenitor (COP) cells: The COP Study.

PubMed

Gunawardene, Piumali; Al Saedi, Ahmed; Singh, Lakshman; Bermeo, Sandra; Vogrin, Sara; Phu, Steven; Suriyaarachchi, Pushpa; Pignolo, Robert J; Duque, Gustavo

2017-10-01

Circulating osteoprogenitor (COP) cells are blood-borne cells which express a variety of osteoblastic markers and are able to form bone nodules in vivo. Whereas a high percentage of COP cells (%COP) is associated with vascular calcification, low %COP has been associated with disability and frailty. However, the reference range of %COP in age- and gender-matching populations, and the age-related changes in %COP remain unknown. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in 144 healthy volunteers in Western Sydney (20-90year-old, 10 male and 10 female subjects per decade). %COP was quantified by flow cytometry. A high inter-and intra-rater reliability was found. In average, in this healthy population average of %COP was 0.42. There was no significant difference in %COP among the age groups. Similarly, no significant difference was found in %COP with gender, weight, height or BMI. In addition, we identified a normal reference range of %COP of 0.1-3.8%. In conclusion, in addition to the identification of steady levels of COP cells with age, we also identified a normal reference range of %COP, which could be used in future studies looking at musculoskeletal diseases in older populations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shoulder Strength Requirements for Upper Limb Functional Tasks: Do Age and Rotator Cuff Tear Status Matter?

PubMed

Santago, Anthony C; Vidt, Meghan E; Li, Xiaotong; Tuohy, Christopher J; Poehling, Gary G; Freehill, Michael T; Saul, Katherine R

2017-12-01

Understanding upper limb strength requirements for daily tasks is imperative for early detection of strength loss that may progress to disability due to age or rotator cuff tear. We quantified shoulder strength requirements for 5 upper limb tasks performed by 3 groups: uninjured young adults and older adults, and older adults with a degenerative supraspinatus tear prior to repair. Musculoskeletal models were developed for each group representing age, sex, and tear-related strength losses. Percentage of available strength used was quantified for the subset of tasks requiring the largest amount of shoulder strength. Significant differences in strength requirements existed across tasks: upward reach 105° required the largest average strength; axilla wash required the largest peak strength. However, there were limited differences across participant groups. Older adults with and without a tear used a larger percentage of their shoulder elevation (p < .001, p < .001) and external rotation (p < .001, p = .017) strength than the young adults, respectively. Presence of a tear significantly increased percentage of internal rotation strength compared to young (p < .001) and uninjured older adults (p = .008). Marked differences in strength demand across tasks indicate the need for evaluating a diversity of functional tasks to effectively detect early strength loss, which may lead to disability.

Relationships of damaged starch granules and particle size distribution with pasting and thermal profiles of milled MR263 rice flour.

PubMed

Asmeda, R; Noorlaila, A; Norziah, M H

2016-01-15

This research was conducted to investigate the effects of different grinding techniques (dry, semi-wet and wet) of milled rice grains on the damaged starch and particle size distribution of flour produced from a new variety, MR263, specifically related to the pasting and thermal profiles. The results indicated that grinding techniques significantly (p<0.05) affected starch damage content and particle size distribution of rice flour. Wet grinding process yields flour with lowest percentage of starch damage (7.37%) and finest average particle size (8.52μm). Pasting and gelatinization temperature was found in the range of 84.45-89.63°C and 59.86-75.31°C, respectively. Dry ground flour attained the lowest pasting and gelatinization temperature as shown by the thermal and pasting profiles. Correlation analysis revealed that percentage of damaged starch granules had a significant, negative relationship with pasting temperature while average particle size distribution had a significant, strong negative relationship with gelatinization temperature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Combination of tricyclic antidepressants and MAOI in the depressions].

PubMed

Abdala, E N

1975-03-01

This study was aimed at the assessment of therapeutic and side effects of simultaneous administration of tricyclic antidepressants and MAOI. The sample consisted of 122 patients with depressive syndromes, treated at the "Centro de Psicología Médica San Martín de Tours" (period 1970/1973), with Isocarboxazide and Trimiprimine. All patients received both drugs three times a day. The average daily dose was 20 mg of Isocarboxazide together with 125 mg of Trimiprimine. The average treatment was 70 days long. The study lead to the following conclusions: 1. There were no serious side effects. 2. The scarce side effects registered were not very different from those of the other anti-depressants. 3. The therapeutic doses were lower than those required when each drug is used alone. 4. The speed of action was higher than for each drug separately. 5. The overall percentage of improvement in patients was higher than the percentage obtained for each drug alone. 6. The lack of side effects for a theoretically risky combination of drugs is likely to be attributed to the neuroleptic action of Trimipramine.

Neural network and wavelet average framing percentage energy for atrial fibrillation classification.

PubMed

Daqrouq, K; Alkhateeb, A; Ajour, M N; Morfeq, A

2014-03-01

ECG signals are an important source of information in the diagnosis of atrial conduction pathology. Nevertheless, diagnosis by visual inspection is a difficult task. This work introduces a novel wavelet feature extraction method for atrial fibrillation derived from the average framing percentage energy (AFE) of terminal wavelet packet transform (WPT) sub signals. Probabilistic neural network (PNN) is used for classification. The presented method is shown to be a potentially effective discriminator in an automated diagnostic process. The ECG signals taken from the MIT-BIH database are used to classify different arrhythmias together with normal ECG. Several published methods were investigated for comparison. The best recognition rate selection was obtained for AFE. The classification performance achieved accuracy 97.92%. It was also suggested to analyze the presented system in an additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) environment; 55.14% for 0dB and 92.53% for 5dB. It was concluded that the proposed approach of automating classification is worth pursuing with larger samples to validate and extend the present study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, K; Able, A

Purpose: To evaluate an Enhanced Dynamic Wedge (EDW) as part of machine commission process with feature study. Methods: The EDW system in this study was from a Truebeam, which is the Linear accelerator manufactured by Varian Medical Systems. The EDW feature vectors includes selected elements. These elements were dosimetric output spots check, field size, wedge angles, dose rate, collimator orientation, and different energy settings. Point dose measurement was done by a PTW farmer chamber, and profiles were measured by Gafchromic EBT2 films positing at different depths of the Solidwater based on the study elements. The output spot measurements were donemore » with PTW farmer chamber with Solidwater setting for all orientation and wedge angles in the EDW system. The profiles comparisons were done by IMRT measurement function in RIT software at version 6.3. And the films were scanned by Vidar scanner. Dosimetry calculation were done by using the same Solidwater scanned by GE LightSpeed CT in Eclipse Treatment Planning System (TPS). Then measurements were compared to simulation results in TPS. Results: The energy average percentage difference between chamber measurement and TPS was 0.16% with standard deviation (SD) at 0.93%. For selected features, the average percentage difference between film measurement and computation was 0.93% with SD at 1.55% in horizontal profiles, and 1.18% with SD at 0.98% at vertical profiles. The average gamma difference for film measurement and TPS computing results was at 0.924 with SD at 0.314. Conclusion: A feature vector was developed to describe the commission of EDW, and developing a complete set of features for sufficiency of commission of a LINAC function could provide optimal commission instance with acceptable confident level of clinical application of the machine. Given the institution specific vector pattern and big data process, it could provide wide range clinical outcome comparison information in application of EDW.« less

Assessment of genetic relationship in Persea spp by traditional molecular markers.

PubMed

Reyes-Alemán, J C; Valadez-Moctezuma, E; Barrientos-Priego, A F

2016-04-04

Currently, the reclassification of the genus Persea is under discussion with molecular techniques for DNA analysis representing an alternative for inter- and intra-specific differentiation. In the present study, the traditional random-amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and the inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to determine the genomic relationship of different species and hybrids representative of the subgenera Eriodaphne and Persea in a population conserved in a germplasm bank. The data were analyzed statistically using multivariate methods. In the RAPD analysis, a total of 190 polymorphic bands were produced, with an average of 23.7 bands per primer, the percentage contribution of each primer was from 7.66 to 19.63; the polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.23 to 0.45, with an average of 0.35. In the ISSR analysis, a total of 111 polymorphic bands were considered, with an average of 18.5 bands per primer, the percentage contribution of each was from 11.83 to 19.57; the PIC ranged from 0.35 to 0.48, with an average of 0.42. The phenograms obtained in each technique showed the relationship among the accessions through the clusters formed. In general, both the techniques grouped representatives of the Persea americana races (P. americana var. drymifolia, P. americana var. guatemalensis, and P. americana var. americana). However, it was not possible to separate the species of Persea used as reference into independent clades. In addition, they tended to separate the representatives of subgenera Eriodaphne and Persea.

Changes in mineral composition of eggshells from black ducks and mallards fed DDE in the diet

USGS Publications Warehouse

Longcore, J.R.; Samson, F.B.; Kreitzer, J.F.; Spann, J.W.

1971-01-01

Diets containing 10 and 30 ppm (dry weight) DDE were fed to black ducks, and diets containing 1, 5, and 10 ppm (dry weight) DDE were fed to mallards. Among the results were the following changes in black duck eggshell composition: (a) significant increase in the percentage of Mg, (b) significant decreases in Ba and Sr, (c) increases (which approached significance) in average percentage of eggshell Na and Cu, (d) a decrease in shell Ca which approached significance, (e) patterns of mineral correlations which in some instances were distinct to dosage groups, and (f) inverse correlations in the control group between eggshell thickness Mg and Na. Changes in mallard eggshells were: (a) significant increase in percentage of magnesium at 5 and 10 ppm DDE, (b) significant decrease in Al at 5 and 10 ppm DDE, (c) a significant decrease in Ca from eggshells from the 10 ppm DDE group, and (d) an increase in average percentage of Na in eggshells from DDE dosed ducks which approached significance.

Commercial Cuts of Carcass of Thin-Tailed Lambs and Sheep Fed Complete Feed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurbaeti, N.; Lestari, C. M. S.; Purbowati, E.

2018-02-01

This research was conducted to examine the commercial cuts of thin tailed lambs and sheep fed complete feed. This study used 6 male thin tailed sheep aged ±11 months with average body weight of 23,01 ± 1,91 kg (CV 8,31%) and 6 male thin tailed lambs aged ±4 months with average body weight of 15,41 ± 2,11 kg (CV 13,72%). They were fed a complete feed as much as 3.5% from body weight. Fed contained 12% crude protein (CP) and 55% total digestible nutrients (TDN) and was given ad libitum. The animals were raised for 12 weeks and slaughtered being carcass. Commercial cuts were obtained from a half right body part of each sheep carcass and divided into eight commercial cuts, i.e., neck, shoulder, fore shank, breast, flank, rack, loin and leg. The collected data was analysed using t- test in 5% level. The results showed that slaughter weight, carcass weight and half carcass weight were significantly different (P<0.05) while the percentage of carcass weight and half carcass was not significantly different (P>0.05). All of the weight commercial cuts of thin tailed lambs and sheep were significantly different (P<0.05) but flank (P>0.05). The percentage of neck and leg were significantly different (P<0.05), while the other commercial cuts were not significantly different (P<0.05). Based on the result, it can be concluded that commercial cuts of sheep is better than lambs.

Focus on Teacher Salaries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaines, Gale F.

This report presents teacher salary data from the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). There is a gap between SREB states' average teacher salaries and the national average. Over the last 5 years, SREB teacher salaries increased by an average of 14.4 percent; the national increase was nearly 2 percentage points lower. Georgia and North…

7 CFR 1714.8 - Hardship rate loans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... either the average per capita income of the residents receiving electric service from the borrower is less than the average per capita income of the residents of the state in which the borrower provides... the consumer income tests will be determined on a weighted average based on the percentage of the...

Differences in nutritional status of preschool children in the context of the maternal social characteristics.

PubMed

Potocka, Adrianna; Jacukowicz, Aleksandra

2017-07-14

It is generally accepted that maternal factors are important in maintaining the adequate nutritional status of young children. This study was aimed at verifying whether mother's socio-demographic (age and relationship status) and socio-economic features (education and professional status) differentiate the child's nutritional status. A cross-sectional study was conducted between April and October 2013. Five hundred thirty mothers of preschool children from 5 different regions of Poland were interviewed. Mothers were interviewed on their socio-demographic and socio-economic status. To assess the child's nutritional status, body mass index (BMI) z-score and the diet indicators were calculated, such as the percentage of the estimated average requirement for energy (%EAR), the percentage of energy coming from carbohydrates (%EC), fat (%ET) and proteins (%EP). Percentage of the estimated average requirement for energy, %EC, %ET and %EP was obtained from 24-h dietary recalls conducted with the mothers. The results showed that mother's education and professional status did not differentiate any of the indices of the child's nutritional status. However, maternal age and her relationship status occurred significant (ANOVA; p < 0.05). Children of younger mothers had higher BMI z-score and higher %EC as compared to children of older mothers. Moreover, %EAR was higher among children of single mothers and it was closer to the recommended nutrition standards as compared to children of mothers with a partner. When a child is diagnosed with any type of malnutrition, it is worth assessing various factors that might influence the nutritional status, such as child's social background (e.g., maternal factors). Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(5):811-821. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Quantifying nonhomogeneous colors in agricultural materials. Part II: comparison of machine vision and sensory panel evaluations.

PubMed

Balaban, M O; Aparicio, J; Zotarelli, M; Sims, C

2008-11-01

The average colors of mangos and apples were measured using machine vision. A method to quantify the perception of nonhomogeneous colors by sensory panelists was developed. Three colors out of several reference colors and their perceived percentage of the total sample area were selected by untrained panelists. Differences between the average colors perceived by panelists and those from the machine vision were reported as DeltaE values (color difference error). Effects of nonhomogeneity of color, and using real samples or their images in the sensory panels on DeltaE were evaluated. In general, samples with more nonuniform colors had higher DeltaE values, suggesting that panelists had more difficulty in evaluating more nonhomogeneous colors. There was no significant difference in DeltaE values between the real fruits and their screen image, therefore images can be used to evaluate color instead of the real samples.

Analysis of the habitat of Henslow's sparrows and Grasshopper sparrows compared to random grassland areas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maier, Kristen; Walton, Rod; Kasper, Peter

2005-01-01

Henslow's Sparrows are endangered prairie birds, and Grasshopper Sparrows are considered rare prairie birds. Both of these birds were abundant in Illinois, but their populations have been declining due to loss of the grasslands. This begins an ongoing study of the birds habitat so Fermilab can develop a land management plan for the Henslow's and Grasshoppers. The Henslow's were found at ten sites and Grasshoppers at eight sites. Once the birds were located, the vegetation at their sites was studied. Measurements of the maximum plant height, average plant height, and duff height were taken and estimates of the percent ofmore » grass, forbs, duff, and bare ground were recorded for each square meter studied. The same measurements were taken at ten random grassland sites on Fermilab property. Several t-tests were performed on the data, and it was found that both Henslow's Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows preferred areas with a larger percentage of grass than random areas. Henslow's also preferred areas with less bare ground than random areas, while Grasshoppers preferred areas with more bare ground than random areas. In addition, Grasshopper Sparrows preferred a lower percentage of forbs than was found in random areas and a shorter average plant height than the random locations. Two-sample variance tests suggested significantly less variance for both Henslow's Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows for maximum plant height in comparison to the random sites. For both birds, the test suggested a significant difference in the variance of the percentage of bare ground compared to random sites, but only the Grasshopper Sparrow showed significance in the variation in the percentage of forbs.« less

Lifetime prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury in patients with eating disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Cucchi, A; Ryan, D; Konstantakopoulos, G; Stroumpa, S; Kaçar, A Ş; Renshaw, S; Landau, S; Kravariti, E

2016-05-01

Against a backdrop of increasing research, clinical and taxonomic attention in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), evidence suggests a link between NSSI and eating disorders (ED). The frequency estimates of NSSI in ED vary widely. Little is known about the sources of this variation, and no meta-analysis has quantified the association between ED and NSSI. Using random-effects meta-analyses, meta-regression analyses, and 1816-6466 unique participants with various ED, we estimated the weighted average percentage of individuals with ED, those with anorexia nervosa (AN) and those with bulimia nervosa (BN) who are reported to have a lifetime history of NSSI across studies. We further examined predictors of NSSI in ED. The weighted average percentage of patients with a lifetime history of NSSI was 27.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 23.8-31.0%] for ED, 21.8% (95% CI 18.5-25.6%) for AN, and 32.7% (95% CI 26.9-39.1%) for BN. The difference between BN and AN was statistically significant [odds ratio (OR) 1.77, 95% CI 1.14-2.77, p = 0.013]. The odds of NSSI increased by 24% for every 10% increase in the percentage of participants with histories of suicide attempts (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.04-1.48, p = 0.020) and decreased by 26% for every 10% increase in the percentage of participants with histories of substance abuse (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58-0.95, p = 0.023). In the specific context of ED, NSSI is highly prevalent and correlates positively with attempted suicide, urging for NSSI-focused treatments. A novel finding is that NSSI is potentially antagonized by substance abuse.

Distinguishing body mass and activity level from the lower limb: can entheses diagnose obesity?

PubMed

Godde, Kanya; Taylor, Rebecca Wilson

2013-03-10

The ability to estimate body size from the skeleton has broad applications, but is especially important to the forensic community when identifying unknown skeletal remains. This research investigates the utility of using entheses/muscle skeletal markers of the lower limb to estimate body size and to classify individuals into average, obese, and active categories, while using a biomechanical approach to interpret the results. Eighteen muscle attachment sites of the lower limb, known to be involved in the sit-to-stand transition, were scored for robusticity and stress in 105 white males (aged 31-81 years) from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection. Both logistic regression and log linear models were applied to the data to (1) test the utility of entheses as an indicator of body weight and activity level, and (2) to generate classification percentages that speak to the accuracy of the method. Thirteen robusticity scores differed significantly between the groups, but classification percentages were only slightly greater than chance. However, clear differences could be seen between the average and obese and the average and active groups. Stress scores showed no value in discriminating between groups. These results were interpreted in relation to biomechanical forces at the microscopic and macroscopic levels. Even though robusticity alone is not able to classify individuals well, its significance may show greater value when incorporated into a model that has multiple skeletal indicators. Further research needs to evaluate a larger sample and incorporate several lines of evidence to improve classification rates. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Click rates and silences of sperm whales at Kaikoura, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, Lesley A.; Dawson, Stephen M.; Jaquet, Nathalie

2005-07-01

Analysis of the usual click rates of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) at Kaikoura, New Zealand, confirms the potential for assessing abundance via ``click counting.'' Usual click rates over three dive cycles each of three photographically identified whales showed that 5 min averages of usual click rate did not differ significantly within dives, among dives of the same whale or among whales. Over the nine dives (n=13 728 clicks) mean usual click rate was 1.272 clicks s-1 (95% CI=0.151). On average, individual sperm whales at Kaikoura spent 60% of their time usual clicking in winter and in summer. There was no evidence that whale identity or stage of the dive recorded affects significantly the percentage of time spent usual clicking. Differences in vocal behavior among sperm whale populations worldwide indicate that estimates of abundance that are based on click rates need to based on data from the population of interest, rather than from another population or some global average.

12 CFR 327.9 - Assessment risk categories and pricing methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... and a weighted average of CAMELS component ratings will be multiplied by a corresponding pricing... CAMELS component ratings is created by multiplying each component by the following percentages and adding... CAMELS Component Rating 1.095 * Ratios are expressed as percentages. ** Multipliers are rounded to three...

Frame average optimization of cine-mode EPID images used for routine clinical in vivo patient dose verification of VMAT deliveries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCowan, P. M., E-mail: pmccowan@cancercare.mb.ca; McCurdy, B. M. C.; Medical Physics Department, CancerCare Manitoba, 675 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0V9

Purpose: The in vivo 3D dose delivered to a patient during volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) delivery can be calculated using electronic portal imaging device (EPID) images. These images must be acquired in cine-mode (i.e., “movie” mode) in order to capture the time-dependent delivery information. The angle subtended by each cine-mode EPID image during an arc can be changed via the frame averaging number selected within the image acquisition software. A large frame average number will decrease the EPID’s angular resolution and will result in a decrease in the accuracy of the dose information contained within each image. Alternatively, lessmore » EPID images acquired per delivery will decrease the overall 3D patient dose calculation time, which is appealing for large-scale clinical implementation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the optimal frame average value per EPID image, defined as the highest frame averaging that can be used without an appreciable loss in 3D dose reconstruction accuracy for VMAT treatments. Methods: Six different VMAT plans and six different SBRT-VMAT plans were delivered to an anthropomorphic phantom. Delivery was carried out on a Varian 2300ix model linear accelerator (Linac) equipped with an aS1000 EPID running at a frame acquisition rate of 7.5 Hz. An additional PC was set up at the Linac console area, equipped with specialized frame-grabber hardware and software packages allowing continuous acquisition of all EPID frames during delivery. Frames were averaged into “frame-averaged” EPID images using MATLAB. Each frame-averaged data set was used to calculate the in vivo dose to the patient and then compared to the single EPID frame in vivo dose calculation (the single frame calculation represents the highest possible angular resolution per EPID image). A mean percentage dose difference of low dose (<20% prescription dose) and high dose regions (>80% prescription dose) was calculated for each frame averaged scenario for each plan. The authors defined their unacceptable loss of accuracy as no more than a ±1% mean dose difference in the high dose region. Optimal frame average numbers were then determined as a function of the Linac’s average gantry speed and the dose per fraction. Results: The authors found that 9 and 11 frame averages were suitable for all VMAT and SBRT-VMAT treatments, respectively. This resulted in no more than a 1% loss to any of the dose region’s mean percentage difference when compared to the single frame reconstruction. The optimized number was dependent on the treatment’s dose per fraction and was determined to be as high as 14 for 12 Gy/fraction (fx), 15 for 8 Gy/fx, 11 for 6 Gy/fx, and 9 for 2 Gy/fx. Conclusions: The authors have determined an optimal EPID frame averaging number for multiple VMAT-type treatments. These are given as a function of the dose per fraction and average gantry speed. These optimized values are now used in the authors’ clinical, 3D, in vivo patient dosimetry program. This provides a reduction in calculation time while maintaining the authors’ required level of accuracy in the dose reconstruction.« less

Findings from Existing Data on the Department of Defense Industrial Base

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

the federal government. Leading purchasing textbooks recommend that buyers purchase no more than 30 percent of any sup- plier’s entire capacity, with...percentage of average total revenue FSRS and FPDS data can offer information on supplier dependency (Chart 22). Lead- ing purchasing textbooks (e.g...more contracts become subject to FSRS, may show a different level of sup- plier dependency. Industry Subaward Data 33 24RAND 150,000100,00050,000 90

Presenting numeric information with percentages and descriptive risk labels: A randomized trial

PubMed Central

Sinayev, Aleksandr; Peters, Ellen; Tusler, Martin; Fraenkel, Liana

2015-01-01

Background Previous research demonstrated that providing (vs. not providing) numeric information about medications’ adverse effects (AEs) increased comprehension and willingness to use medication, but left open the question about which numeric format is best. Objective To determine which of four tested formats (percentage, frequency, percentage+risk label, frequency+risk label) maximizes comprehension and willingness to use medication across age and numeracy levels. Design In a cross-sectional internet survey (N=368; American Life Panel, 5/15/08–6/18/08), respondents were presented with a hypothetical prescription medication for high cholesterol. AE likelihoods were described using one of four tested formats. Main outcome measures were risk comprehension (ability to identify AE likelihood from a table) and willingness to use the medication (7-point scale; not likely=0, very likely=6). Results The percentage+risk label format resulted in the highest comprehension and willingness to use the medication compared to the other three formats (mean comprehension in percentage + risk label format=95% vs mean across the other three formats = 81%; mean willingness= 3.3 vs 2.95, respectively). Comprehension differences between percentage and frequency formats were smaller among the less numerate. Willingness to use medication depended less on age and numeracy when labels were used. Limitations Generalizability is limited by use of a sample that was older, more educated, and better off financially than national averages. Conclusions Providing numeric AE-likelihood information in a percentage format with risk labels is likely to increase risk comprehension and willingness to use a medication compared to other numeric formats. PMID:25952743

Presenting Numeric Information with Percentages and Descriptive Risk Labels: A Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Sinayev, Aleksandr; Peters, Ellen; Tusler, Martin; Fraenkel, Liana

2015-11-01

Previous research demonstrated that providing (v. not providing) numeric information about the adverse effects (AEs) of medications increased comprehension and willingness to use medication but left open the question about which numeric format is best. The objective was to determine which of 4 tested formats (percentage, frequency, percentage + risk label, frequency + risk label) maximizes comprehension and willingness to use medication across age and numeracy levels. In a cross-sectional internet survey (N = 368; American Life Panel, 15 May 2008 to 18 June 2008), respondents were presented with a hypothetical prescription medication for high cholesterol. AE likelihoods were described using 1 of 4 tested formats. Main outcome measures were risk comprehension (ability to identify AE likelihood from a table) and willingness to use the medication (7-point scale; not likely = 0, very likely = 6). The percentage + risk label format resulted in the highest comprehension and willingness to use the medication compared with the other 3 formats (mean comprehension in percentage + risk label format = 95% v. mean across the other 3 formats = 81%; mean willingness = 3.3 v. 2.95, respectively). Comprehension differences between percentage and frequency formats were smaller among the less numerate. Willingness to use medication depended less on age and numeracy when labels were used. Generalizability is limited by the use of a sample that was older, more educated, and better off financially than national averages. Providing numeric AE-likelihood information in a percentage format with risk labels is likely to increase risk comprehension and willingness to use a medication compared with other numeric formats. © The Author(s) 2015.

5 CFR 340.101 - Principal statutory requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Findings and Purpose Sec. 2. (a) The Congress finds that— (1) many individuals in our society possess great... be equal to the percentage which bears the same ratio to the percentage determined under this... scheduled workweek bears to the average number of hours in the regularly scheduled workweek of an employee...

Vital Statistics for Ohio Appalachian School Districts, Fiscal Year 1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio Univ., Athens. Coalition of Rural and Appalachian Schools.

This document compiles school district data on 18 factors for the 29 southeastern Ohio counties designated as "Appalachian." Data tables present state means, Appalachian means and ranges, and individual district data for fall enrollment; percentage of minority students; percentage of Aid to Dependent Children; average income; property…

Adherence to Internet-Based and Face-to-Face Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Depression: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

van Ballegooijen, Wouter; Cuijpers, Pim; van Straten, Annemieke; Karyotaki, Eirini; Andersson, Gerhard; Smit, Jan H.; Riper, Heleen

2014-01-01

Background Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) is an effective and acceptable treatment for depression, especially when it includes guidance, but its treatment adherence has not yet been systematically studied. We conducted a meta-analysis, comparing the adherence to guided iCBT with the adherence to individual face-to-face CBT. Methods Studies were selected from a database of trials that investigate treatment for adult depression (see www.evidencebasedpsychotherapies.org), updated to January 2013. We identified 24 studies describing 26 treatment conditions (14 face-to-face CBT, 12 guided iCBT), by means of these inclusion criteria: targeting depressed adults, no comorbid somatic disorder or substance abuse, community recruitment, published in the year 2000 or later. The main outcome measure was the percentage of completed sessions. We also coded the percentage of treatment completers (separately coding for 100% or at least 80% of treatment completed). Results We did not find studies that compared guided iCBT and face-to-face CBT in a single trial that met our inclusion criteria. Face-to-face CBT treatments ranged from 12 to 28 sessions, guided iCBT interventions consisted of 5 to 9 sessions. Participants in face-to-face CBT completed on average 83.9% of their treatment, which did not differ significantly from participants in guided iCBT (80.8%, P  =  .59). The percentage of completers (total intervention) was significantly higher in face-to-face CBT (84.7%) than in guided iCBT (65.1%, P < .001), as was the percentage of completers of 80% or more of the intervention (face-to-face CBT: 85.2%, guided iCBT: 67.5%, P  =  .003). Non-completers of face-to-face CBT completed on average 24.5% of their treatment, while non-completers of guided iCBT completed on average 42.1% of their treatment. Conclusion We did not find studies that compared guided iCBT and face-to-face CBT in a single trial. Adherence to guided iCBT appears to be adequate and could be equal to adherence to face-to-face CBT. PMID:25029507

Susan Loucks-Horsley learning model in light pollution theme: based on a new taxonomy for science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liliawati, W.; Utama, J. A.; Fauziah, H.

2016-08-01

The curriculum in Indonesia recommended that science teachers in the elementary and intermediate schools should have interdisciplinary ability in science. However, integrated learning still has not been implemented optimally. This research is designing and applying integrated learning with Susan Loucks-Horsley model in light pollution theme. It can be showed how the student's achievements based on new taxonomy of science education with five domains: knowing & understanding, science process skill, creativity, attitudinal and connecting & applying. This research use mixed methods with concurrent embedded design. The subject is grade 8 of junior high school students in Bandung as many as 27 students. The Instrument have been employed has 28 questions test mastery of concepts, observations sheet and moral dilemma test. The result shows that integrated learning with model Susan Loucks-Horsley is able to increase student's achievement and positive characters on light pollution theme. As the results are the average normalized gain of knowing and understanding domain reach in lower category, the average percentage of science process skill domain reach in good category, the average percentage of creativity and connecting domain reach respectively in good category and attitudinal domain the average percentage is over 75% in moral knowing and moral feeling.

Production systems comparing early weaning to normal weaning with or without creep feeding for beef steers.

PubMed

Myers, S E; Faulkner, D B; Ireland, F A; Berger, L L; Parrett, D F

1999-02-01

A 2-yr study was conducted to determine the effects of three weaning management systems on cow and steer performance. Cow-calf pairs were randomly assigned to one of three treatments, in which the steer calves were 1) early-weaned (yr 1, 177 +/- 9 d; yr 2, 158 +/- 21 d of age) and placed on a finishing diet (EW), 2) supplemented with grain for 55 d on pasture (yr 1, 177 to 231 d; yr 2, 158 to 213 d of age) while nursing their dams and then placed on a finishing diet (NWC), and 3) on pasture for 55 d while nursing their dams (yr 1, 177 to 231 d; yr 2, 158 to 213 d of age) and then placed on a finishing diet (NW). In yr 2, potential breed differences were evaluated using steers of three breed types: 1) Angus x Hereford (BRI); 2) Angus x Simmental (CON); and 3) Angus x Wagyu (WAG). In yr 1, EW steers gained 100% faster (P = .0001) than the average of NWC and NW steers, and NWC steers gained 32% faster (P = .02) than NW steers before weaning. In the feedlot, EW steers had lower intakes (7.70 vs 8.16 kg/d, P = .008) and better feed conversions (.170 vs .153, P = .002) than the average of NWC and NW steers. Marbling score was improved for EW steers compared with the average of NWC and NW steers (P = .003). In yr 2, EW steers had higher gains (P = .0006) during the entire study than the average of NWC and NW steers, and NWC steers had higher gains (P = .003) than NW steers. The EW steers had lower intakes (7.29 vs 7.68 kg/d, P = .0008) and better feed conversions (.160 vs .141, P = .0001) than the average of NWC and NW steers. The CON steers were heavier at slaughter than BRI steers (P = .01), and BRI steers were heavier than WAG steers (P =.0004). Early weaning improved the percentage of steers grading Average Choice or higher by 40%. The percentage of BRI steers grading Choice or greater was 21% higher and percentage of steers grading Average Choice or greater was 33% higher than CON. Cows with EW steers had higher ADG than cows with NW steers (.38 vs -.17 kg/d, P = .0001) before weaning. Cows with EW steers gained in body condition score (.23 vs .00, P = .04), and cows with NW steers did not change. Early weaning improved feed efficiency and quality grades of beef steers.

Reduction of falls in older people by improving balance with vestibular rehabilitation (ReFOVeRe study): design and methods.

PubMed

Soto-Varela, Andrés; Gayoso-Diz, Pilar; Rossi-Izquierdo, Marcos; Faraldo-García, Ana; Vaamonde-Sánchez-Andrade, Isabel; del-Río-Valeiras, María; Lirola-Delgado, Antonio; Santos-Pérez, Sofía

2015-12-01

Evaluate the effectiveness of vestibular rehabilitation (VR) to improve the balance in older people, assessed immediately afterwards. (a) To verify the maintenance of improvement of the balance achieved in the medium term (6-12 months). (b) To consider whether this improvement results in a reduction in the number of falls. (c) To compare among themselves the effectiveness of three different methods of VR in improving balance and to explore whether there are differences to achieve a reduction in the number of falls. Experimental study, single-centre, open, randomised (balanced blocks of patients) in four branches in parallel, in 220 elderly patients (over 64 years) with high risk of falls and a follow-up period of 12 months. Department of Otolaryngology of the University Hospital of Santiago. People over 64 years, fulfilling one of the following requirements: (a) At least one fall in the last year. (b) Take at least 16 s or require some support in perform the test "timed up and go". (c) A percentage of average balance in the sensory organisation test (SOT) in the dynamic posturography (CDP) <68%. (d) At least one fall in any of the conditions in the SOT of CDP. Three different protocols of VR. The percentage of average balance in the SOT in CDP. Secondary measures: time and supports in the test of "timed up and go", scores of the dynamic posturography and SwayStar system, and rate of falls.

Twelve-year weight change, waist circumference change and incident obesity: the Australian diabetes, obesity and lifestyle study.

PubMed

Tanamas, Stephanie K; Shaw, Jonathan E; Backholer, Kathryn; Magliano, Dianna J; Peeters, Anna

2014-06-01

This study aimed to describe the changes in weight and waist circumference (WC), examine the incidence of obesity as defined by body mass index (BMI) and WC, and describe the changes in the prevalence of obesity over 12 years. In 1999/2000, 11,247 adults aged ≥25 years were recruited from 42 randomly selected areas across Australia. In total, 44.6% of eligible participants completed follow-up in 2011/12. Height, weight, and WC were measured at both surveys. People who were 25-34 years of age at baseline gained an average of 6.7 kg weight and 6.6 cm WC, whereas those aged ≥75 years lost an average of 4.5 kg and gained an average of 0.8 cm. Women had a greater increase in WC than men, but did not differ in terms of weight gain. The 12-year incidence of obesity was 15.0% when defined by BMI and 31.8% when defined by WC. According to BMI and WC combined, the percentage of the cohort that was normal weight decreased from 33 to 21% and the percentage that was obese increased from 32 to 49% between baseline and 2012. In addition to BMI, assessment of WC should be incorporated more frequently when assessing population trends of obesity and the burden of disease associated with excess adiposity. Copyright © 2014 The Obesity Society.

The effect of essential medicines programme on rational use of medicines in China.

PubMed

Gong, Yanhong; Yang, Chen; Yin, Xiaoxv; Zhu, Minmin; Yang, Huajie; Wang, Yunxia; Li, Yongbin; Liu, Liqun; Dong, Xiaoxin; Cao, Shiyi; Lu, Zuxun

2016-02-01

Irrational use of medicines is a serious problem in China and has been the primary target of China's national essential medicines programme (NEMP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the NEMP on rational use of medicines in China. A nationwide sample of 3 76 700 prescriptions written by primary care providers from 2007 to 2011 was obtained following a multistage sampling process. Six prescribing indicators were measured: average number of drugs prescribed per prescription, average expenditure per prescription, percentage of prescriptions with antibiotics, with injections, with two or more antibiotics and with corticosteroids. The pre-post with control study design and the difference-in-difference (DID) methodology were employed to evaluate the effect of NEMP. Prescriptions from primary care institutions with the NEMP implementation were better than those without NEMP implementation. Adjusting for the institution's sizes, ownership, economic geographic regions and the year of NEMP implementation, the DID estimator was statistically significant in all prescribing indicators except for the percentage of prescriptions with injection. The number of drugs per prescription decreased by 0.2 per prescription [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.3, -0.1] after the NEMP was implemented; the percentages of prescriptions with antibiotics, with corticosteroids and with two or more antibiotics decreased by 7% (95% CI: -10, -4), 1% (95% CI: -2, 0) and 2% (95% CI: -3, 0), respectively; and the average expenditure per prescription decreased by eight Renminbi Yuan (95% CI: -14, -2). The effect of NEMP on reducing irrational prescribing was greater in public institutions than in private institutions (P < 0.05). China's NEMP is effective in promoting rational use of medicines, and the effect is greater in public institutions than in private institutions. However, the irrational use is still high, pointing to the need for further reforms to tackle the underlying causes, such as clinical guidelines and patient education. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Performance of a proportion-based approach to meta-analytic moderator estimation: results from Monte Carlo simulations.

PubMed

Aguirre-Urreta, Miguel I; Ellis, Michael E; Sun, Wenying

2012-03-01

This research investigates the performance of a proportion-based approach to meta-analytic moderator estimation through a series of Monte Carlo simulations. This approach is most useful when the moderating potential of a categorical variable has not been recognized in primary research and thus heterogeneous groups have been pooled together as a single sample. Alternative scenarios representing different distributions of group proportions are examined along with varying numbers of studies, subjects per study, and correlation combinations. Our results suggest that the approach is largely unbiased in its estimation of the magnitude of between-group differences and performs well with regard to statistical power and type I error. In particular, the average percentage bias of the estimated correlation for the reference group is positive and largely negligible, in the 0.5-1.8% range; the average percentage bias of the difference between correlations is also minimal, in the -0.1-1.2% range. Further analysis also suggests both biases decrease as the magnitude of the underlying difference increases, as the number of subjects in each simulated primary study increases, and as the number of simulated studies in each meta-analysis increases. The bias was most evident when the number of subjects and the number of studies were the smallest (80 and 36, respectively). A sensitivity analysis that examines its performance in scenarios down to 12 studies and 40 primary subjects is also included. This research is the first that thoroughly examines the adequacy of the proportion-based approach. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A test case

PubMed Central

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H. S.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: In order to take into account the inherent uncertainties during product usability evaluation, Zhou and Chan [1] proposed a comprehensive method of usability evaluation for products by combining the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy evaluation methods for synthesizing performance data and subjective response data. This method was designed to provide an integrated framework combining the inevitable vague judgments from the multiple stages of the product evaluation process. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the model, this study used a summative usability test case to assess the application and strength of the general fuzzy usability framework. To test the proposed fuzzy usability evaluation framework [1], a standard summative usability test was conducted to benchmark the overall usability of a specific network management software. Based on the test data, the fuzzy method was applied to incorporate both the usability scores and uncertainties involved in the multiple components of the evaluation. Then, with Monte Carlo simulation procedures, confidence intervals were used to compare the reliabilities among the fuzzy approach and two typical conventional methods combining metrics based on percentages. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: This case study showed that the fuzzy evaluation technique can be applied successfully for combining summative usability testing data to achieve an overall usability quality for the network software evaluated. Greater differences of confidence interval widths between the method of averaging equally percentage and weighted evaluation method, including the method of weighted percentage averages, verified the strength of the fuzzy method. PMID:28035942

Effectiveness of employee internet-based weight management program.

PubMed

Petersen, Ruth; Sill, Stewart; Lu, Chifung; Young, Joyce; Edington, Dee W

2008-02-01

To evaluate an employee Internet-based weight management program. Changes in eating habits, stage of change, body weight, and weight categories were compared between enrollment and 6 months after enrollment. Weights and weight categories were compared among a subset of participants and non-participants at 12 months. Seven thousand seven hundred forty-three International Business Machines employees enrolled in the program between December 2004 and February 2006, and 74% were overweight or obese (body mass index > or =25). At 6 months, follow-up survey respondents (1639) had significantly increased most healthy eating habits (eg, 20% decrease in junk foods) and the frequency of healthy foods eaten (eg, 12% increase in fruits). The percentage of participants in the normal weight category had increased from 27.0% to 29.8%, while average weight decreased from 182.6 to 180.2 lbs (P < 0.05). Increased web site usage was associated with increased weight loss and stage of change improvements. At 12 months, a higher percentage of participants had moved into the normal weight category compared with the percentage of non-participants (+2.0% points; P < 0.05), although there were no differences in average weight change. Despite issues of limited penetration and potential self-selection, this Internet-based program had utility in reaching a large number of employees in dispersed work settings, and it led to improved eating habits and improved stage of change at 6 months and more individuals moving into the normal weight category at 6 and 12 months.

Meeting the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth.

PubMed

Roberts, Karen C; Yao, Xiaoquan; Carson, Valerie; Chaput, Jean-Philippe; Janssen, Ian; Tremblay, Mark S

2017-10-18

The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep , provide specific recommendations on the amount of time over a typical 24-hour day that children and youth aged 5 to 17 should spend in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (at least 60 minutes), recreational screen time (no more than 2 hours), and sleep (9 to 11 hours for 5- to 13-year-olds; 8 to 10 hours for 14- to 17-year-olds). Based on combined results of cycles 2 (2009-to-2011) and 3 (2012-to-2013) of the Canadian Health Measures Survey, this analysis examines average daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, screen time and sleep duration of 5- to 11-year-olds and 12- to 17-year-olds, and the percentages meeting the 24-Hour Guidelines' recommendations. Findings are presented overall and by age group and sex. Differences in average daily times between groups were tested for statistical significance, as weredifferences between groups in the percentages meeting each recommendation and combination of recommendations. Overall, 17.5% of children and youth met the 24-Hour Guidelines' specific time recommendations. Higher percentages of children than youth (29.6% versus 5.5%) and boys than girls (22.9% versus 11.8%) met the recommendations. About a third (36.3%) met two of the three recommendations. Recommendations for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep have higher levels of adherence among children than youth.

A model based on temporal dynamics of fixations for distinguishing expert radiologists' scanpaths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gandomkar, Ziba; Tay, Kevin; Brennan, Patrick C.; Mello-Thoms, Claudia

2017-03-01

This study investigated a model which distinguishes expert radiologists from less experienced radiologists based on features describing spatio-temporal dynamics of their eye movement during interpretation of digital mammograms. Eye movements of four expert and four less experienced radiologists were recorded during interpretation of 120 two-view digital mammograms of which 59 had biopsy proven cancers. For each scanpath, a two-dimensional recurrence plot, which represents the radiologist's refixation pattern, was generated. From each plot, six features indicating the spatio-temporal dynamics of fixations were extracted. The first feature measured the percentage of recurrent fixations; the second indicated the percentage of recurrent fixations which was fixated later in several consecutive fixations; the third measured the percentage of recurrent fixations that form a repeated sequence of fixations and the fourth assessed whether the recurrent fixations were occurring sequentially close together. The number of switches between the two mammographic views was also measured, as was the average number of consecutive fixations in each view before switching. These six features along with total time on case and average fixation duration were fed into a support vector machine whose performance was evaluated using 10-fold cross validation. The model achieved a sensitivity of 86.3% and a specificity of 85.2% for distinguishing experts' scanpaths. The obtained result suggests that spatio-temporal dynamics of eye movements can characterize expertise level and has potential applications for monitoring the development of expertise among radiologists as a result of different training regimes and continuing education schemes.

Patterns of long bone growth in a mid-19th century documented sample of the urban poor from Bethnal Green, London, UK.

PubMed

Ives, Rachel; Humphrey, Louise

2017-05-01

Studies of male and female long bone growth in past populations are limited and usually constrained by the lack of personal identification. This article aimed to evaluate long bone growth in a series of mid-19 th century documented burials associated with the urban poor from Bethnal Green, London, UK. Maximum diaphyseal lengths from 74 males and 70 females (2 months to 12 years) were compared to modern reference data from North America. Diaphyseal lengths were expressed as a percentage of expected length and an average percentage value was calculated across all available long bones. An index of growth progression was introduced to explore differences in the progress of males and females towards their projected adult size. Deviation from the expected growth attainment was evident in both sexes in the archaeological series by 2-4 months of age. Only 19.4% (28/144) of the children had attained an average long bone length >90% of the predicted mean in the reference series. The percentage of expected growth attainment decreased steadily in both sexes during infancy and early childhood. Overall, females deviated further from their expected growth progression than males. Growth faltering in both males and females was established during infancy (<1 year) with no evidence for recovery in older age groups. Early weaning and inadequate artificial feeding, together with impoverished living conditions and limited sanitary provision, most likely impacted on childhood growth. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A test case.

PubMed

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H S

2017-01-01

In order to take into account the inherent uncertainties during product usability evaluation, Zhou and Chan [1] proposed a comprehensive method of usability evaluation for products by combining the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy evaluation methods for synthesizing performance data and subjective response data. This method was designed to provide an integrated framework combining the inevitable vague judgments from the multiple stages of the product evaluation process. In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the model, this study used a summative usability test case to assess the application and strength of the general fuzzy usability framework. To test the proposed fuzzy usability evaluation framework [1], a standard summative usability test was conducted to benchmark the overall usability of a specific network management software. Based on the test data, the fuzzy method was applied to incorporate both the usability scores and uncertainties involved in the multiple components of the evaluation. Then, with Monte Carlo simulation procedures, confidence intervals were used to compare the reliabilities among the fuzzy approach and two typical conventional methods combining metrics based on percentages. This case study showed that the fuzzy evaluation technique can be applied successfully for combining summative usability testing data to achieve an overall usability quality for the network software evaluated. Greater differences of confidence interval widths between the method of averaging equally percentage and weighted evaluation method, including the method of weighted percentage averages, verified the strength of the fuzzy method.

Prepregnancy body mass and weight gain during pregnancy in India and sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Coffey, Diane

2015-01-01

Despite being wealthier, Indian children are significantly shorter and smaller than African children. These differences begin very early in life, suggesting that they may in part reflect differences in maternal health. By applying reweighting estimation strategies to the Demographic and Health Surveys, this paper reports, to my knowledge, the first representative estimates of prepregnancy body mass index and weight gain during pregnancy for India and sub-Saharan Africa. I find that 42.2% of prepregnant women in India are underweight compared with 16.5% of prepregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Levels of prepregnancy underweight for India are almost seven percentage points higher than the average fraction underweight among women 15–49 y old. This difference in part reflects a previously unquantified relationship among age, fertility, and underweight; childbearing is concentrated in the narrow age range in which Indian women are most likely to be underweight. Further, because weight gain during pregnancy is low, averaging about 7 kg for a full-term pregnancy in both regions, the average woman in India ends pregnancy weighing less than the average woman in sub-Saharan Africa begins pregnancy. Poor maternal health among Indian women is of global significance because India is home to one fifth of the world’s births. PMID:25733859

Novel region of interest interrogation technique for diffusion tensor imaging analysis in the canine brain.

PubMed

Li, Jonathan Y; Middleton, Dana M; Chen, Steven; White, Leonard; Ellinwood, N Matthew; Dickson, Patricia; Vite, Charles; Bradbury, Allison; Provenzale, James M

2017-08-01

Purpose We describe a novel technique for measuring diffusion tensor imaging metrics in the canine brain. We hypothesized that a standard method for region of interest placement could be developed that is highly reproducible, with less than 10% difference in measurements between raters. Methods Two sets of canine brains (three seven-week-old full-brains and two 17-week-old single hemispheres) were scanned ex-vivo on a 7T small-animal magnetic resonance imaging system. Strict region of interest placement criteria were developed and then used by two raters to independently measure diffusion tensor imaging metrics within four different white-matter regions within each specimen. Average values of fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity, and the three eigenvalues (λ1, λ2, and λ3) within each region in each specimen overall and within each individual image slice were compared between raters by calculating the percentage difference between raters for each metric. Results The mean percentage difference between raters for all diffusion tensor imaging metrics when pooled by each region and specimen was 1.44% (range: 0.01-5.17%). The mean percentage difference between raters for all diffusion tensor imaging metrics when compared by individual image slice was 2.23% (range: 0.75-4.58%) per hemisphere. Conclusion Our results indicate that the technique described is highly reproducible, even when applied to canine specimens of differing age, morphology, and image resolution. We propose this technique for future studies of diffusion tensor imaging analysis in canine brains and for cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of canine brain models of human central nervous system disease.

Comparative Effectiveness of After-School Programs to Increase Physical Activity

PubMed Central

Gesell, Sabina B.; Sommer, Evan C.; Lambert, E. Warren; Vides de Andrade, Ana Regina; Davis, Lauren; Beech, Bettina M.; Mitchell, Stephanie J.; Neloms, Stevon; Ryan, Colleen K.

2013-01-01

Background. We conducted a comparative effectiveness analysis to evaluate the difference in the amount of physical activity children engaged in when enrolled in a physical activity-enhanced after-school program based in a community recreation center versus a standard school-based after-school program. Methods. The study was a natural experiment with 54 elementary school children attending the community ASP and 37 attending the school-based ASP. Accelerometry was used to measure physical activity. Data were collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks, with 91% retention. Results. At baseline, 43% of the multiethnic sample was overweight/obese, and the mean age was 7.9 years (SD = 1.7). Linear latent growth models suggested that the average difference between the two groups of children at Week 12 was 14.7 percentage points in moderate-vigorous physical activity (P < .001). Cost analysis suggested that children attending traditional school-based ASPs—at an average cost of $17.67 per day—would need an additional daily investment of $1.59 per child for 12 weeks to increase their moderate-vigorous physical activity by a model-implied 14.7 percentage points. Conclusions. A low-cost, alternative after-school program featuring adult-led physical activities in a community recreation center was associated with increased physical activity compared to standard-of-care school-based after-school program. PMID:23984052

Distribution and Downward Movement of Pasteuria penetrans in Field Soil.

PubMed

Cetintas, R; Dickson, D W

2005-06-01

Endospores of Pasteuria penetrans were evaluated for their vertical distribution in field soil and their downward movement through soil in the laboratory. In the field trial, the number of endospores attached to second-stage juveniles (J2) of Meloidogyne arenaria race 1 varied greatly in different soil depths. There were higher percentages of J2 with endospores attached in former weed fallow plots during the first 3 years of growing peanut than in former bahiagrass and rhizomal peanut plots (P 0.05). In laboratory trials, P. penetrans endospores were observed to move throughout the soil through the percolation of water. After one application of water, some endospores were detected 25 to 37.5 cm deep. Endospores were present at the greatest depth, 37.5 to 50 cm, after the third application of water. These results indicate that rain or water applications by irrigation are likely to move endospores to deeper levels of the soil, but the majority of endospores remain in the upper 0-to-30-cm depth.

Stability of Commercially Available Macular Carotenoid Supplements in Oil and Powder Formulations

PubMed Central

Phelan, David

2017-01-01

We previously identified that the concentration of zeaxanthin in some commercially available carotenoid supplements did not agree with the product’s label claim. The conclusion of this previous work was that more quality assurance was needed to guarantee concordance between actual and declared concentrations of these nutrients i.e., lutein (L) zeaxanthin (Z) and meso-zeaxanthin (MZ) in commercially available supplements. Since this publication, we performed further analyses using different commercially available macular carotenoid supplements. Three capsules from one batch of eight products were analysed at two different time points. The results have been alarming. All of the powder filled products (n = 3) analysed failed to comply with their label claim (L: 19–74%; Z: 57–73%; MZ: 83–97%); however, the oil filled soft gel products (n = 5) met or were above their label claim (L: 98–122%; Z: 117–162%; MZ: 97–319%). We also identified that the carotenoid content of the oil filled capsules were stable over time (e.g., L average percentage change: −1.7%), but the powder filled supplements degraded over time (e.g., L average percentage change: −17.2%). These data are consistent with our previous work, and emphasize the importance of using carotenoid interventions in oil based formulas rather than powder filled formulas. PMID:29039801

Protein intake trends and conformity with the Dietary Reference Intakes in the United States: analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2014.

PubMed

Berryman, Claire E; Lieberman, Harris R; Fulgoni, Victor L; Pasiakos, Stefan M

2018-06-21

Systematic analysis of dietary protein intake may identify demographic groups within the American population that are not meeting the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). This cross-sectional study analyzed protein intake trends (2001-2014) and evaluated recent conformity to the DRIs (2011-2014) according to age, sex, and race or ethnicity in the US population. Protein intakes and trends during 2-y cycles of NHANES 2001-2014 (n = 57,980; ≥2 y old) were calculated as absolute (grams per day) and relative [grams per kilogram of ideal body weight (IBW) per day] intakes and as a percentage of total energy. Sex and race or ethnicity [Asian, Hispanic, non-Hispanic black (NHB), and non-Hispanic white (NHW)] differences were determined for protein intake and percentage of the population below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) and Recommended Dietary Allowance, and above and below the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR). Usual protein intakes (mean ± SE) averaged from 55.3 ± 0.9 (children aged 2-3 y) to 88.2 ± 1.1 g/d (adults aged 19-30 y). Protein comprised 14-16% of total energy intakes. Relative protein intakes averaged from 1.10 ± 0.01 (adults aged ≥71 y) to 3.63 ± 0.07 g · kg IBW-1 · d-1 (children aged 2-3 y), and were above the EAR in all demographic groups. Asian and Hispanic populations aged >19 y consumed more relative protein (1.32 ± 0.02 and 1.32 ± 0.02 g · kg IBW-1 · d-1, respectively) than did NHB and NHW (1.18 ± 0.01 g · kg IBW-1 · d-1). Relative protein intakes did not differ by race or ethnicity in the 2-18 y population. Adolescent (aged 14-18 y) females and older (aged ≥71 y) NHB men had the largest population percentages below the EAR (11% and 13%, respectively); <1% of any demographic group had intakes above the AMDR. The majority of the US population exceeds minimum recommendations for protein intake. Protein intake remains well below the upper end of the AMDR, indicating that protein intake, as a percentage of energy intake, is not excessive in the American diet. This trial was registered at www.isrctn.com as ISRCTN76534484.

Does the size of the rod affect the surgical results in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis? 5.5-mm versus 6.35-mm rod.

PubMed

Huang, Tsung-Hsi; Ma, Hsiao-Li; Wang, Shih-Tien; Chou, Po-Hsin; Ying, Szu-Han; Liu, Chien-Lin; Yu, Wing-Kwong; Chang, Ming-Chau

2014-08-01

Favorable clinical outcomes of surgical treatment with Cotrel-Dubousset instrumentation (CDI) or instrumentations that follow the principles of CDI, for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) have been reported. However, there are few studies concerning the results with rods of different sizes. To find out whether the rod size affects the surgical results for AIS. A retrospective cohort study based on the same spinal system with different sizes of rod. A consecutive series of 93 patients, who underwent posterior correction with posterior instrumentation and fusion for AIS, were included and retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative radiologic outcomes were evaluated using coronal curves, percentage of curve correction, and coronal global balance. Ninety-three patients treated during the period January 2000 to December 2008 were included in this study; 48 patients were treated with the Cotrel-Dubousset Horizon (CDH) M10 system with a 6.35-mm rod from January 2000 through December 2004, and a CDH M8 was used with a 5.5-mm rod in another 45 patients from January 2005 through December 2008. The Cobb angle, Risser grade, coronal curves, flexibility of curve, percentage of curve correction, coronal global balance, operative time, and estimated blood loss were measured and analyzed. The same parameters were used when the patient was followed at the OPD. All of the patients underwent regular follow-up for at least 2 years. No statistical significance was observed in the demographic data, including age, sex, BMI, and Risser grade, between these 2 groups. The overall average percentage of correction was 60.0%±12.7%: 60.7%±12.5% for the CDH M10 group, and 59%±13.1% for the CDH M8 group. At the final follow-up, the overall average loss of correction was 4.8±3.9° for the CDH M10 group, and 4.3±4.0° for the CDH M8 group. The average percentage of correction at the final follow-up was 50.9%±15.1% for the CDH M10 group, and 51.1%±16.1% for the M8 group. No statistical significance could be observed in the radiologic parameters between these 2 groups. The radiologic results for the 5.5-mm rod and the 6.35-mm rod were comparable in terms of correction, loss of correction, and coronal global balance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

26 CFR 1.448-2 - Nonaccrual of certain amounts by service providers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...-experience method is not allowed. (3) Safe harbor 3: modified Black Motor method. A taxpayer may use a... accounts receivable balance at the end of the current taxable year by a percentage (modified Black Motor... modified Black Motor moving average percentage is computed by dividing the total bad debts sustained...

26 CFR 1.448-2 - Nonaccrual of certain amounts by service providers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...-experience method is not allowed. (3) Safe harbor 3: modified Black Motor method. A taxpayer may use a... accounts receivable balance at the end of the current taxable year by a percentage (modified Black Motor... modified Black Motor moving average percentage is computed by dividing the total bad debts sustained...

26 CFR 1.448-2 - Nonaccrual of certain amounts by service providers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...-experience method is not allowed. (3) Safe harbor 3: modified Black Motor method. A taxpayer may use a... accounts receivable balance at the end of the current taxable year by a percentage (modified Black Motor... modified Black Motor moving average percentage is computed by dividing the total bad debts sustained...

26 CFR 1.448-2 - Nonaccrual of certain amounts by service providers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...-experience method is not allowed. (3) Safe harbor 3: modified Black Motor method. A taxpayer may use a... accounts receivable balance at the end of the current taxable year by a percentage (modified Black Motor... modified Black Motor moving average percentage is computed by dividing the total bad debts sustained...

Remediating High School Students' Misconceptions Concerning Diffusion and Osmosis through Concept Mapping and Conceptual Change Text.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tekkaya, Ceren

2003-01-01

Investigates the effectiveness of combining conceptual change text and concept mapping strategies on students' understanding of diffusion and osmosis. Results indicate that while the average percentage of students in the experimental group holding a scientifically correct view rose, the percentage of correct responses in the control group…

ACT Average Composite by State: 2000 ACT-Tested Graduates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Coll. Testing Program, Iowa City, IA.

This table contains average composite scores by state for high school graduates who took the ACT Assessment in 2000. For each state the percentage of graduates taking the ACT Assessment and the average composite score are given, with the same information for those who completed the recommended core curriculum and those who did not, as well as for…

Percentage-based Author Contribution Index: a universal measure of author contribution to scientific articles.

PubMed

Boyer, Stéphane; Ikeda, Takayoshi; Lefort, Marie-Caroline; Malumbres-Olarte, Jagoba; Schmidt, Jason M

2017-01-01

Deciphering the amount of work provided by different co-authors of a scientific paper has been a recurrent problem in science. Despite the myriad of metrics available, the scientific community still largely relies on the position in the list of authors to evaluate contributions, a metric that attributes subjective and unfounded credit to co-authors. We propose an easy to apply, universally comparable and fair metric to measure and report co-authors contribution in the scientific literature. The proposed Author Contribution Index (ACI) is based on contribution percentages provided by the authors, preferably at the time of submission. Researchers can use ACI to compare the contributions of different authors, describe the contribution profile of a particular researcher or analyse how contribution changes through time. We provide such an analysis based on contribution percentages provided by 97 scientists from the field of ecology who voluntarily responded to an online anonymous survey. ACI is simple to understand and to implement because it is based solely on percentage contributions and the number of co-authors. It provides a continuous score that reflects the contribution of one author as compared to the average contribution of all other authors. For example, ACI(i) = 3, means that author i contributed three times more than what the other authors contributed on average. Our analysis comprised 836 papers published in 2014-2016 and revealed patterns of ACI values that relate to career advancement. There are many examples of author contribution indices that have been proposed but none has really been adopted by scientific journals. Many of the proposed solutions are either too complicated, not accurate enough or not comparable across articles, authors and disciplines. The author contribution index presented here addresses these three major issues and has the potential to contribute to more transparency in the science literature. If adopted by scientific journals, it could provide job seekers, recruiters and evaluating bodies with a tool to gather information that is essential to them and cannot be easily and accurately obtained otherwise. We also suggest that scientists use the index regardless of whether it is implemented by journals or not.

The effect of position on the percentage of body mass supported during traditional and modified push-up variants.

PubMed

Suprak, David N; Dawes, Jay; Stephenson, Mark D

2011-02-01

The push-up is a popular upper-extremity weight-bearing exercise. However, limited information is available regarding its effectiveness. Much of the past research has focused on muscle activation levels, whereas very little has examined the forces encountered during push-up variants. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of position within the range of motion on the percentage of body mass (BM) supported by the upper extremities during the traditional and modified (knees-down) push-up. Twenty-eight highly strength-trained male subjects were positioned with their hands on a force platform in 4 static positions, consisting of the up and down position in both the traditional and modified push-up exercise. The performance measures included the average vertical ground reaction force (GRF), expressed as a percentage of BM, supported in each of the 4 static positions and the percentage of change between the up and down positions in each push-up exercise. In both the traditional and modified push-ups, subjects supported less weight in the up vs. the down position. The percentage change in % BM from the up to the down position was greater in the modified push-up variant. The pattern of resistances to the push-up exercises observed in this study may be a result of differing moment arms between the support surface contact point (knees or feet) and the hands. These results may be useful in prescribing programs for strengthening and/or rehabilitation for both the prime movers and stabilizers of the upper extremity. Further, range of motion may need to be altered to accommodate strength differences in beginners and clients rehabilitating from injury.

Use of claims data to estimate annual cervical cancer screening percentages in Portland metropolitan area, Oregon.

PubMed

Abdullah, Nasreen; Laing, Robert S; Hariri, Susan; Young, Collette M; Schafer, Sean

2016-04-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine should reduce cervical dysplasia before cervical cancer. However, dysplasia diagnosis is screening-dependent. Accurate screening estimates are needed. To estimate the percentage of women in a geographic population that has had cervical cancer screening. We analyzed claims data for (Papanicolau) Pap tests from 2008-2012 to estimate the percentage of insured women aged 18-39 years screened. We estimated screening in uninsured women by dividing the percentage of insured Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey respondents reporting previous-year testing by the percentage of uninsured respondents reporting previous-year testing, and multiplying this ratio by claims-based estimates of insured women with previous-year screening. We calculated a simple weighted average of the two estimates to estimate overall screening percentage. We estimated credible intervals using Monte-Carlo simulations. During 2008-2012, an annual average of 29.6% of women aged 18-39 years were screened. Screening increased from 2008 to 2009 in all age groups. During 2009-2012, the screening percentages decreased for all groups, but declined most in women aged 18-20 years, from 21.5% to 5.4%. Within age groups, compared to 2009, credible intervals did not overlap during 2011 (except age group 21-29 years) and 2012, and credible intervals in the 18-20 year group did not overlap with older groups in any year. This introduces a novel method to estimate population-level cervical cancer screening. Overall, percentage of women screened in Portland, Oregon fell following changes in screening recommendations released in 2009 and later modified in 2012. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of the A&D UA-1020 upper-arm blood pressure monitor for home blood pressure monitoring according to the British Hypertension Society Protocol.

PubMed

Zeng, Wei-Fang; Kang, Yuan-Yuan; Liu, Ming; Li, Yan; Wang, Ji-Guang

2013-06-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the automated oscillometric upper-arm blood pressure (BP) monitor A&D UA-1020 with two different-shaped cuffs for home BP monitoring according to the British Hypertension Society (BHS) Protocol. We recruited individuals for each of the two cuffs (D-ring and cylindrical) until there were 85 eligible participants (255 pairs of comparisons) and their BP could meet the BP distribution requirements specified by the BHS Protocol. For each participant, we sequentially measured the systolic and diastolic BP using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the UA-1020 device (one supervisor). For the D-ring cuff, the device achieved grade A. The percentage of BP differences within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg was 67, 87, and 96%, respectively, for systolic BP, and 70, 90, and 99%, respectively, for diastolic BP. The average (±SD) of the device-observer differences was -0.2±7.3 mmHg (P=0.64) and 1.7±5.8 mmHg (P<0.0001) for systolic and diastolic BP, respectively. For the cylindrical cuff, the device also achieved grade A. The percentage of BP differences within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg was 67, 88, and 97%, respectively, for systolic BP and 64, 89, and 98%, respectively, for diastolic BP. The average of the device-observer differences was -0.1±7.0 mmHg (P=0.89) and 2.0±6.3 mmHg (P<0.0001) for systolic and diastolic BP, respectively. The UA-1020 device has passed the requirements of the BHS Protocol with both the D-ring and the cylindrical cuffs, and hence can be recommended for home use in adults.

The behavior of antibiotic resistance genes and arsenic influenced by biochar during different manure composting.

PubMed

Cui, Erping; Wu, Ying; Jiao, Yanan; Zuo, Yiru; Rensing, Christopher; Chen, Hong

2017-06-01

The effect of two different biochar types, rice straw biochar (RSB) and mushroom biochar (MB), on chicken manure composting was previously examined by monitoring the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and arsenic. The behavior of ARGs and arsenic in other kinds of manure composting with the same biochar types had not been examined. In this study, we added either RSB or MB to pig and duck manure composts to study the behavior of ARGs (tet genes, sul genes, and chloramphenicol resistance genes) and arsenic under the same experimental condition. The results showed that the average removal values of selected ARGs were respectively 2.56 and 2.09 log units in duck and pig manure compost without the addition of biochar. The effect of biochar addition on the average removal value of ARGs depended on the type of biochar and manure. For instance, in pig manure compost, MB addition increased the average removal value of ARGs, while RSB addition decreased. And both biochar additions had a negative influence on the average removal value of ARGs in duck manure compost. Analytical results also demonstrated that MB addition reduced total arsenic and the percentage of bioavailable arsenic more than RSB.

The Influence of ENSO to the Rainfall Variability in North Sumatra Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irwandi, H.; Pusparini, N.; Ariantono, J. Y.; Kurniawan, R.; Tari, C. A.; Sudrajat, A.

2018-04-01

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a global phenomenon that affects the variability of rainfall in North Sumatra. The influence of ENSO will be different for each region. This review will analyse the influence of ENSO activity on seasonal and annual rainfall variability. In this research, North Sumatra Province will be divided into 4 (four) regions based on topographical conditions, such as: East Coast (EC), East Slope (ES), Mountains (MT), and West Coast (WC). The method used was statistical and descriptive analysis. Data used in this research were rainfall data from 15 stations / climate observation posts which spread in North Sumatera region and also anomaly data of Nino 3.4 region from period 1981-2016. The results showed that the active El Niño had an effect on the decreasing the rainfall during the period of DJF, JJA and SON in East Coast, East Slope, and Mountains with the decreasing of average percentage of annual rainfall up to 7%. On the contrary, the active La Nina had an effect on the addition of rainfall during the period DJF and JJA in the East Coast and Mountains with the increasing of average percentage of annual rainfall up to 6%.

Sedimentary records of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in remote lakes across the Tibetan Plateau.

PubMed

Yang, Ruiqiang; Xie, Ting; Li, An; Yang, Handong; Turner, Simon; Wu, Guangjian; Jing, Chuanyong

2016-07-01

Sediment cores from five lakes across the Tibetan Plateau were used as natural archives to study the time trends of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The depositional flux of PAHs generally showed an increasing trend from the deeper layers towards the upper layer sediments. The fluxes of PAHs were low with little variability before the 1950s, and then gradually increased to the late 1980s, with a faster increasing rate after the 1990s. This temporal pattern is clearly different compared with those remote lakes across the European mountains when PAHs started to decrease during the period 1960s-1980s. The difference of the temporal trend was attributed to differences in the economic development stages and energy structure between these regions. PAHs are dominated by the lighter 2&3-ring homologues with the averaged percentage over 87%, while it is notable that the percentage of heavier 4-6 ring PAHs generally increased in recent years, which suggests the contribution of local high-temperature combustion sources becoming more predominant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urine specific gravity measurement: reagent strip versus refractometer.

PubMed

Brandon, C A

1994-01-01

To compare the results of urinalysis screenings for specific gravity (SG) using the reagent strip and the refractometer. United Hospital, Grand Forks, North Dakota. United Hospital is a 384-bed teaching hospital. PRODUCT COMPARISON: The Ames Multistix 10 SG reagent strip (Miles, Inc., Elkhart, IN 46515) was compared with the TS Meter (Leica, Inc., Deerfield, IL 60015). The degree of correlation between the results produced by each method. The percentage of difference between the means of the direct strip readings and the refractometer readings was 9.68%. The percentage of difference between the means of the adjusted strip readings and the refractometer readings was 22.58%, which was significantly different. When the direct strip readings and the refractometer readings were plotted together on a graph, the points were widely scattered; this fact, and a correlation coefficient of 0.725, suggest that random error occurred in both methods. Analysis of the slope and intercept of the correlation indicated systematic error. The reagent strip method of measuring SG is accurate only in a narrow range of "average" values, and should not be used as the basis for medical diagnoses.

Effects of recruiting midwives into family physician program on the percentage of low birth weight (LBW) infants in rural areas of Kurdistan

PubMed Central

Hajizadeh, Shayesteh; Tehrani, Fahimeh Ramezani; Simbar, Masoumeh; Farzadfar, Farshad

2017-01-01

Background: LBW is an important factor that can affect infant mortality and represents an index of economic and social development. It is expected that an increase in the density of midwives attending family physician programs will lead to a decrease in LBW in health centers. This study aimed to compare the percentage of LBW infants before and after the implementation of the family physician program in health centers with and without an increase in midwives density. Methods: This cross-sectional study compared the percentage of LBW infants before and after the implementation of family physician programs in rural health centers with and without changes in midwives density in Kurdistan. In this study, we included 668 mothers of 2-month-old children and administered structured interviews in 2005 and 2013. Data were analyzed using the difference-indifferences and the Matchit statistical models. Results: The Matchit model showed a significant average percentage increase 0.08 (0.006–0.17) in LBW infants born between 2005 and 2013 in health centers where the density of midwives increased compared with those where it remained unchanged. The difference-in-differences model showed that the odds ratio of LBW infants is increased by more than twice among participants who had a history of caesarean section. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that an increase in the density of midwives in a family physician program did not have an impact on reducing the percentage of LBW infants born between 2005 and 2013, in health centers where the density of midwives augmented compared to those where it remained unaltered; it indicated that the increase in the density of midwives alone was not efficient. On the other hand, the results of our study show an increase in the risk of infants born at a LBW due to caesarean section. It is recommended that obstetricians and gynecologists must strictly control pregnancies and avoid unnecessary termination of pregnancy

Serifs and font legibility

PubMed Central

Arditi, Aries; Cho, Jianna

2015-01-01

Using lower-case fonts varying only in serif size (0%, 5%, and 10% cap height), we assessed legibility using size thresholds and reading speed. Five percentage serif fonts were slightly more legible than sans serif, but the average inter-letter spacing increase that serifs themselves impose, predicts greater enhancement than we observed. RSVP and continuous reading speeds showed no effect of serifs. When text is small or distant, serifs may, then, produce a tiny legibility increase due to the concomitant increase in spacing. However, our data exhibited no difference in legibility between typefaces that differ only in the presence or absence of serifs. PMID:16099015

[Polytrauma in children and adolescents. Choice of the primary care clinic and importance of pediatric traumatology competence centers].

PubMed

Debus, F; Lefering, R; Frink, M; Kühne, C; Mand, C; Ruchholtz, S

2015-05-01

The number of (seriously) injured children increased again for the first time in 2011. The aim of this study was to analyse differences compared to multiple injured adults and to show the reality of daily treatment. All cases of the DGU Trauma Registry from the years 1997 to 2010 were examined. The documented cases were divided into different the age groups. The study investigated, e.g. the mechanism of accident, injury pattern, the number of hospital and ICU days, and lethality. At 38.8% the largest percentage of severely injured children and adolescents belongs to the group of 16-17 year olds. The group of 0-5 year olds (15.9%) has the lowest percentage. The most common accident cause was traffic accidents (58.5%). The mechanism of accident and the injury patterns changes with age. Younger patients are often treated in supraregional trauma centers (0-5 year olds: 78.2% vs. 16-17 year olds: 73.1% vs. > 65 years: 63.2%). The average lethality rate was 14.8% (16.3% RISC). The percentage of severely injured children in the overall population is only 7.4%. Because the majority of patients are primarily treated in supraregional trauma centers, trauma centers with specialisation in paediatric traumatology are mandatory.

Significant positive correlation between sunshine and lactase nonpersistence in Europe may implicate both in similarly altering risks for some diseases.

PubMed

Szilagyi, Andrew; Leighton, Henry; Burstein, Barry; Shrier, Ian

2011-01-01

Decreasing latitude and increasing frequency of population lactase nonpersistence have been reported to diminish risks for several diseases, but the reason for overlap has not been explained. We evaluate, relationships between calculated national annual ultraviolet light B (UVB) exposure, latitude, and national lactose digestion frequencies. Annual UVB exposure and latitude were based on weighted averages from several cities in different countries. Lactase distribution status was based on published data that have been used previously to derive relations with diseases. We compare univariate regression analyses (r(2)(adj), slope) of percentage of lactase nonpersistence with UVB or latitude. We determine, differences between European and non-European sources by multiregression analysis of independent variables. Correlation between UVB and latitude is high (r(2) = 0.89), and between percentage of lactase nonpersistence and either latitude or UVB the correlation is moderately strong with r(2) = 0.51 and 0.46, respectively, with P ≤ 0.01 for both. A more detailed analysis shows that correlations between percentage of lactase nonpersistence and UVB are only significant in Europe, r(2) = 0.59, P < 0.001, whereas outside Europe: r(2) = 0.06, P = 0.16. These relationships raise hypothetical explanations to account for the observed overlap in similar risk modification by the 2 variables.

Taking Care of Your Heart

MedlinePlus

... risk for a heart attack. A is for A1C The A1C test tells you your average blood glucose over ... blood glucose may be reported in 2 ways: ■ A1C (as a percentage) ■ estimated Average Glucose (eAG) in ...

Doubled haploid production from Spanish onion (Allium cepa L.) germplasm: embryogenesis induction, plant regeneration and chromosome doubling.

PubMed

Fayos, Oreto; Vallés, María P; Garcés-Claver, Ana; Mallor, Cristina; Castillo, Ana M

2015-01-01

The use of doubled haploids in onion breeding is limited due to the low gynogenesis efficiency of this species. Gynogenesis capacity from Spanish germplasm, including the sweet cultivar Fuentes de Ebro, the highly pungent landrace BGHZ1354 and the two Valenciana type commercial varieties Recas and Rita, was evaluated and optimized in this study. The OH-1 population, characterized by a high gynogenesis induction, was used as control. Growing conditions of the donor plants were tested with a one-step protocol and field plants produced a slightly higher percentage of embryogenesis induction than growth chamber plants. A one-step protocol was compared with a two-step protocol for embryogenesis induction. Spanish germplasm produced a 2-3 times higher percentage of embryogenesis with the two-step protocol, Recas showing the highest percentage (2.09%) and Fuentes de Ebro the lowest (0.53%). These percentages were significantly lower than those from the OH-1 population, with an average of 15% independently of the protocol used. The effect of different containers on plant regeneration was tested using both protocols. The highest percentage of acclimated plants was obtained with the two-step protocol in combination with Eco2box (70%), whereas the lowest percentage was observed with glass tubes in the two protocols (20-23%). Different amiprofos-methyl (APM) treatments were applied to embryos for chromosome doubling. A similar number of doubled haploid plants were recovered with 25 or 50 μM APM in liquid medium. However, the application of 25 μM in solid medium for 24 h produced the highest number of doubled haploid plants. Somatic regeneration from flower buds of haploid and mixoploid plants proved to be a successful approach for chromosome doubling, since diploid plants were obtained from the four regenerated lines. In this study, doubled haploid plants were produced from the four Spanish cultivars, however further improvements are needed to increase their gynogenesis efficiency.

Xenogeneic collagen matrix with coronally advanced flap compared to connective tissue with coronally advanced flap for the treatment of dehiscence-type recession defects.

PubMed

McGuire, Michael K; Scheyer, E Todd

2010-08-01

For root coverage therapy, the connective tissue graft (CTG) plus coronally advanced flap (CAF) is considered the gold standard therapy against which alternative therapies are generally compared. When evaluating these therapies, in addition to traditional measures of root coverage, subject-reported, qualitative measures of esthetics, pain, and overall preferences for alternative procedures should also be considered. This study determines if a xenogeneic collagen matrix (CM) with CAF might be as effective as CTG+CAF in the treatment of recession defects. This study was a single-masked, randomized, controlled, split-mouth study of dehiscence-type recession defects in contralateral sites; one defect received CTG+CAF and the other defect received CM+CAF. A total of 25 subjects (8 male, 17 female; mean age: 43.7 +/- 12.2 years) were evaluated at 6 months and 1 year. The primary efficacy endpoint was recession depth at 6 months. Secondary endpoints included traditional periodontal measures, such as width of keratinized tissue and percentage of root coverage. Subject-reported values of pain, discomfort, and esthetic satisfaction were also recorded. At 6 months, recession depth was on average 0.52 mm for test sites and 0.10 mm for control sites. Recession depth change from baseline was statistically significant between test and control, with an average of 2.62 mm gained at test sites and 3.10 mm gained at control sites for a difference of 0.4 mm (P = 0.0062). At 1 year, test percentage of root coverage averaged 88.5%, and controls averaged 99.3% (P = 0.0313). Keratinized tissue width gains were equivalent for both therapies and averaged 1.34 mm for test sites and 1.26 mm for control sites (P = 0.9061). There were no statistically significant differences between subject-reported values for esthetic satisfaction, and subjects' assessments of pain and discomfort were also equivalent. When balanced with subject-reported esthetic values and compared to historical root coverage outcomes reported by other investigators, CM+CAF presents a viable alternative to CTG+CAF, without the morbidity of soft tissue graft harvest.

The Physiological Profile of Junior Soccer Players at SSBB Surabaya Bhakti

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nashirudin, M.; Kusnanik, N. W.

2018-01-01

Soccer players are required to have good physical fitness in order to achieve optimum accomplishment; physical fitness stands as the foundation of technical and tactical proficiency as well as the mental maturity during the matches. The purpose of this study was to identify the physiological profile of junior soccer players of SSB Surabaya Bhakti age 16-17. The research was conducted at 20 junior soccer players. This research was quantitative with descriptive analysis. Data were collected by testing of physiological (anaerobic power and capacity including explosive leg power, speed, agility; aerobic capacity: cardiovascular endurance). Data was analyzed using percentage. The result showed that the percentage of explosive leg power of junior soccer players were 30% (good category), speed was 85% (average category), right agility was 90% (average category), left agility was 75% (average category). On the other hand, the aerobic power and capacity of the junior soccer players in this study was 50% (average category). The conclusion of this research is that the physiological profile of junior soccer players at SSB Surabaya Bhakti age 16-17 was majority in average category.

Ribosome Patterns in Escherichia coli Growing at Various Rates

PubMed Central

Varricchio, Frederick; Monier, Roger

1971-01-01

The distribution of ribosomes, 30 and 50S subunits and polysomes, at three different growth rates of Escherichia coli strains B and K-12 has been studied. The usual percentage of subunits is about 20%. However, at the lowest growth rate (μ = generations/hour), μ = 0.45 at 30C, the proportion of subunits is about 30%. An exceptional situation exists in K-12 strains growing at maximum growth rate, μ = 1.35, where the percentage of subunits is 45%. Several points of control over ribosome production are thus indicated. It is suggested that “subunit pool” is essentially a reserve. Furthermore, the polysome content when related to deoxyribonucleic acid content varies directly with the growth rate, which indicates the average efficiency of polysomes in protein synthesis does not vary over the range of growth rates tested. PMID:5001192

Is there a successful business case for telepharmacy?

PubMed

Khan, Shamima; Snyder, Herbert W; Rathke, Ann M; Scott, David M; Peterson, Charles D

2008-04-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the financial operation of a Single Business Unit (SBU), consisting of one central retail pharmacy and two remote retail telepharmacies. Analyses of income statements and balance sheets for three consecutive years (2002-2004) were conducted. Several items from these statements were compared to the industry average. Gross profit increased from $260,093 in 2002 to $502,262 in 2004. The net operating income percent was 2.9 percentage points below the industry average in 2002, 3.9 percentage points below in 2003, and 1.3 percentage points above in 2004. The inventory turnover ratio remained consistently below the industry average, but it also increased over the period. This is an area of concern, given the high cost of pharmaceuticals and a higher likelihood of obsolescence that exists with a time-sensitive inventory. Despite these concerns, the overall trend for the SBU is positive. The rate of growth between 2002 and 2004 shows that it is getting close to median sales as reported in the NCPA Digest. The results of this study indicate that multiple locations become profitable when a sufficient volume of patients (sales) is reached, combined with efficient use of the pharmacist's time.

Government Expenditures on Education as the Percentage of GDP in the EU

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galetic, Fran

2015-01-01

This paper analyzes the government expenditures as the percentage of gross domestic product across countries of the European Union. There is a statistical model based on Z-score, whose aim is to calculate how much each EU country deviates from the average value. The model shows that government expenditures on education vary significantly between…

A cross-cultural exploration of abortion fund patients in the USA and the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.

PubMed

Ely, Gretchen E; Hales, Travis W; Jackson, D Lynn

2018-05-01

This paper details results of a study examining administrative case data from 2010-2015 from abortion funds serving the USA and the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. Driven by the available data, the researchers compared organisational characteristics, patient characteristics, procedural costs, patient resources and the ratio between patient resources and procedural costs. Independent t-tests were conducted to assess whether differences in characteristics, costs or resources were significant. The number of patients serviced by abortion funds across the two datasets increased yearly from 2010-2015. While patients in the USA had more resources, on average, to contribute to their abortion procedure, Irish, Northern Irish and Manx patients had the resources to pay for a greater percentage of their costs, on average, which was mainly attributable to the differences in gestational age of those helped by the different abortion funds. Patients across all nations were similar in terms of their marital status, average age and number of existing children. Patients across these countries face expensive procedures and a lack of resources that are bridged in part by abortion fund assistance.

Hawaii Census 2000 Blocks

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This data layer represents Census 2000 demographic data derived from the PL94-171 redistricting files and SF3. Census geographic entities include blocks, blockgroups and tracts. Tiger line files are the source of the geometry representing the Census blocks. Attributes include total population counts, racial/ethnic, and poverty/income information. Racial/ethnic classifications are represented in units of blocks, blockgroups and tracts. Poverty and income data are represented in units of blockgroups and tracts. Percentages of each racial/ethnic group have been calculated from the population counts. Total Minority counts and percentages were compiled from each racial/ethnic non-white category. Categories compiled to create the Total Minority count includes the following: African American, Asian, American Indian, Pacific Islander, White Hispanic, Other and all mixed race categories. The percentage poverty attribute represents the percent of the population living at or below poverty level. The per capita income attribute represents the sum of all income within the geographic entity, divided by the total population of that entity. Special fields designed to be used for EJ analysis have been derived from the PL data and include the following: Percentage difference of block, blockgroup and total minority from the state and county averages, percentile rank for each percent total minority within state and county entitie

Hawaii Census 2000 Tracts

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This data layer represents Census 2000 demographic data derived from the PL94-171 redistricting files and SF3. Census geographic entities include blocks, blockgroups and tracts. Tiger line files are the source of the geometry representing the Census blocks. Attributes include total population counts, racial/ethnic, and poverty/income information. Racial/ethnic classifications are represented in units of blocks, blockgroups and tracts. Poverty and income data are represented in units of blockgroups and tracts. Percentages of each racial/ethnic group have been calculated from the population counts. Total Minority counts and percentages were compiled from each racial/ethnic non-white category. Categories compiled to create the Total Minority count includes the following: African American, Asian, American Indian, Pacific Islander, White Hispanic, Other and all mixed race categories. The percentage poverty attribute represents the percent of the population living at or below poverty level. The per capita income attribute represents the sum of all income within the geographic entity, divided by the total population of that entity. Special fields designed to be used for EJ analysis have been derived from the PL data and include the following: Percentage difference of block, blockgroup and total minority from the state and county averages, percentile rank for each percent total minority within state and county entitie

Hawaii Census 2000 Block Groups

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This data layer represents Census 2000 demographic data derived from the PL94-171 redistricting files and SF3. Census geographic entities include blocks, blockgroups and tracts. Tiger line files are the source of the geometry representing the Census blocks. Attributes include total population counts, racial/ethnic, and poverty/income information. Racial/ethnic classifications are represented in units of blocks, blockgroups and tracts. Poverty and income data are represented in units of blockgroups and tracts. Percentages of each racial/ethnic group have been calculated from the population counts. Total Minority counts and percentages were compiled from each racial/ethnic non-white category. Categories compiled to create the Total Minority count includes the following: African American, Asian, American Indian, Pacific Islander, White Hispanic, Other and all mixed race categories. The percentage poverty attribute represents the percent of the population living at or below poverty level. The per capita income attribute represents the sum of all income within the geographic entity, divided by the total population of that entity. Special fields designed to be used for EJ analysis have been derived from the PL data and include the following: Percentage difference of block, blockgroup and total minority from the state and county averages, percentile rank for each percent total minority within state and county entitie

Left ventricular systolic function assessed by echocardiography in children and adolescents with osteosarcoma treated with doxorubicin alone or in combination with dexrazoxane.

PubMed

de Matos Neto, Ranulfo Pinheiro; Petrilli, Antônio Sérgio; Silva, Célia Maria Campos; Campos Filho, Orlando; Oporto, Victor Manuel; Gomes, Lourdes de Fátima Gonçalves; Paiva, Marcelo Goulart; Carvalho, Antônio Carlos Camargo; Moisés, Valdir Ambrósio

2006-12-01

To evaluate left ventricular (LV) systolic function by means of echocardiography in patients with osteosarcoma treated with doxorubicin alone or in combination with dexrazoxane. The study analyzed 55 patients with osteosarcoma, with or without metastasis, undergoing a six-cycle chemotherapy regimen of doxorubicin, who were divided into two groups according to dexrazoxane use. Group I: Thirty-seven patients who did not receive dexrazoxane (28 males, average age 15.4 years). Group II: Eighteen patients who did receive dexrazoxane (15 males, average age 15.1 years). Four echocardiographic evaluations were performed: 1) before the beginning of the chemotherapy (initial evaluation); 2) up to two weeks after the third cycle; 3) up to two weeks after the fifth cycle; and 4) up to four weeks after the sixth cycle of chemotherapy (final evaluation). The left ventricular systolic function was assessed by the fractional percentage of systolic shortening (FS%) on echocardiography. Alterations in the contractile function or cardiac toxicity were defined as FS% values equal to or lower than 29%, and/or by a drop in FS% by an absolute value equal to or greater than 10 units of the baseline value of each patient. No significant difference as to age, gender, and race was observed between the groups. The cumulative dose of doxorubicin was significantly higher in group II throughout all phases of the treatment: 174 x 203 mg/m(2); 292 x 338 mg/m(2) and 345 x 405 mg/(2) (p < 0.0001). According to previously established criteria, the incidence of LV systolic dysfunction was not significantly different (p=0.248) between patients in group I (18.92%) and patients in group II (11.1%). The variance analysis with repeated measurements did not show significant differences in the means of fractional percentage of systolic percentage (FS%) throughout the study (p=0.967). However, a significant difference (p=0.029) was observed between the FS% means in groups I and II at evaluations 2 (35.67 x 37.21%), 3 (34.95 x 38.47%) and 4 (35.26 x 38.22%). Data in this study show that in patients with osteosarcoma treated with doxorubicin alone or combined with dexrazoxane, the LV systolic function, as assessed by the fractional percentage of systolic shortening mean, showed a better performance in the group that received dexrazoxane. On the other hand, the occurrence of systolic dysfunction was similar in both groups.

Integrity of Disposable Nitrile Exam Gloves Exposed to Simulated Movement

PubMed Central

Phalen, Robert N.; Wong, Weng Kee

2011-01-01

Every year, millions of health care, first responder, and industry workers are exposed to chemical and biological hazards. Disposable nitrile gloves are a common choice as both a chemical and physical barrier to these hazards, especially as an alternative to natural latex gloves. However, glove selection is complicated by the availability of several types or formulations of nitrile gloves, such as low-modulus, medical-grade, low-filler, and cleanroom products. This study evaluated the influence of simulated movement on the physical integrity (i.e., holes) of different nitrile exam glove brands and types. Thirty glove products were evaluated out-of-box and after exposure to simulated whole-glove movement for 2 hr. In lieu of the traditional 1-L water-leak test, a modified water-leak test, standardized to detect a 0.15 ± 0.05 mm hole in different regions of the glove, was developed. A specialized air inflation method simulated bidirectional stretching and whole-glove movement. A worst-case scenario with maximum stretching was evaluated. On average, movement did not have a significant effect on glove integrity (chi-square; p=0.068). The average effect was less than 1% between no movement (1.5%) and movement (2.1%) exposures. However, there was significant variability in glove integrity between different glove types (p ≤ 0.05). Cleanroom gloves, on average, had the highest percentage of leaks, and 50% failed the water-leak test. Low-modulus and medical-grade gloves had the lowest percentages of leaks, and no products failed the water-leak test. Variability in polymer formulation was suspected to account for the observed discrepancies, as well as the inability of the traditional 1-L water-leak test to detect holes in finger/thumb regions. Unexpectedly, greater than 80% of the glove defects were observed in the finger and thumb regions. It is recommended that existing water-leak tests be re-evaluated and standardized to account for product variability. PMID:21476169

Effects of supplementation and stage of lactation on performance of grazing dairy ewes.

PubMed

Mikolayunas, C M; Thomas, D L; Albrecht, K A; Combs, D K; Berger, Y M; Eckerman, S R

2008-04-01

The majority of dairy sheep in the world are fed pasture and supplemental grain during lactation; however, no trials have reported the effects of supplementation of dairy ewes grazing improved pastures in North America. In trial 1, 56 three-year-old grazing dairy ewes in early [21 +/- 10 d in milk (DIM)] or late (136 +/- 9 DIM) lactation were fed 0 or 0.82 kg of dry matter/d per ewe of supplement (16.5% crude protein mixture of corn and a soybean meal-based high-protein pellet) in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. There were no significant interactions between stage of lactation and supplementation treatments. Average test-day milk production was higher in early-lactation ewes than in late-lactation ewes (1.74 vs. 1.21 kg/d, respectively). Although test-day milk protein percentage was higher in late-lactation ewes than in early-lactation ewes (5.02 vs. 4.86%, respectively), there was no difference in milk fat percentage between stages of lactation. Supplemented ewes had higher milk production (1.59 vs. 1.36 kg/d, respectively), lower milk fat percentage (5.75 vs. 6.00%, respectively), and lower milk protein percentage (4.84 vs. 5.04%, respectively) than unsupplemented ewes. Milk urea N levels were similar between the 2 stages of lactation and between the 2 supplementation treatments and were above recommended levels for dairy sheep, indicating an excess intake or inefficient utilization of protein for both supplementation treatments. In trial 2, 96 two-, three-, and four-year-old grazing dairy ewes in midlactation (112 +/- 21 DIM) were randomly assigned to 4 treatments of 0, 0.41, 0.82, or 1.24 kg of dry matter/d per ewe of whole corn. Average test-day milk production increased linearly and milk fat percentage decreased quadratically with increasing amounts of corn supplementation. Milk protein yield increased linearly, and milk urea N levels decreased quadratically with increasing amounts of corn supplementation, suggesting an improvement in the utilization of pasture protein with increasing dietary energy intake.

Effect of fenbendazole in water on pigs infected with Ascaris suum in finishing pigs under field conditions.

PubMed

Lassen, Brian; Oliviero, Claudio; Orro, Toomas; Jukola, Elias; Laurila, Tapio; Haimi-Hakala, Minna; Heinonen, Mari

2017-04-15

The husbandry of pigs for meat production is a constantly developing industry. Most studies on the effects of Ascaris suum infection in pigs and its prevention with anthelmintics are over a decade old. We examined the effect of 2.5mg fenbendazole per kg bodyweight administered in drinking water for two consecutive days on A. suum infection 1 and 6 weeks after pigs arrived to fattening units. We hypothesised that the treatment would reduce the presence of A. suum-infections, improve the average daily weight gain of pigs, reduce the percentage of liver rejections in pens by 50% and increase the lean meat percentage at slaughter by 1%. The study included a placebo group (427 pigs) and a treatment group (420 pigs) spanning four different farms previously reporting ≥15% liver rejection. The treatment was given for 2 consecutive days 1 and 6 weeks after the pigs arrived to the fattening unit. Faecal samples were collected during weeks 1, 6 and 12 from all pigs and examined for A. suum eggs. Blood was collected during weeks 1 and 12 from a subgroup of the pigs and examined for anti-A. suum antibodies and clinical blood parameters. Data on liver rejection and lean meat percentage were collected post-mortem. The proportion of Ascaris seropositive pigs changed from 8.6% to 22.2% and 20.3% to 16.3% in the placebo and treatment group respectively. Fenbendazole reduced the presence of A. suum eggs in faeces the percentage of liver rejections by 69.8%. The treatment did not affect daily weight gain or lean meat percentage. Pigs with A. suum eggs in faeces at week 6 had a lower average daily weight gain of 61.8g/day compared with pigs without parasite eggs. Fenbendazole treatment may be a useful option for farms struggling with persistent A. suum problems and demonstrate a beneficial effect on the weight gain of the animals shedding eggs in faeces and result in fewer condemned livers at slaughter. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental investigation of commercially available lead composite aprons used for diagnostic X-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shousha, Hany A.; Rabie, N.; Hassan, G. M.

2011-12-01

One of the principal diagnostic methods used in all fields of medical services is radiographic examination. To keep the radiation dose received by hospital personnel under normal working conditions as low as reasonably achievable, lead composite apron shields are provided as valuable aids. Intensive use of these accessories could lead to softening and surface defects due to poor handling and being worn-out over time, giving rise to multiple defects across the entire apron. Without routine control, these lead aprons will, within time, contribute significantly to the over-radiation burden to the wearer. However, local defects are highly likely to lead to gross changes in the radiation dose received by the wearer. For this reason, we evaluate the exposure dose resulting from diagnostic X-ray radiation during different imaging procedures. In this study, we used TLD LiF-700 chips to measure the attenuation percentage for four groups of commercial lead composite aprons and to calculate the effective doses to different organs during diagnostic radiological procedures. The results show the importance of lead composite aprons in minimizing effective doses, and the attenuation percentage varied for different vendors; this is due to variations in the constituent material. The average attenuation for lead composite aprons varies from 93.3% to 96.7%, and the average attenuation (%)/weight varies from 16.7% to 20.5%. Acceptance testing of lead composite aprons is essential to ensure that lead composite aprons meet their manufacturers' specifications and provide the necessary radiation protection for their intended use. The combined and expanded uncertainties accompanying these measurements are 2.78% and 5.57%, respectively.

Brain strain uncertainty due to shape variation in and simplification of head angular velocity profiles.

PubMed

Zhao, Wei; Ji, Songbai

2017-04-01

Head angular velocity, instead of acceleration, is more predictive of brain strains. Surprisingly, no study exists that investigates how shape variation in angular velocity profiles affects brain strains, beyond characteristics such as peak magnitude and impulse duration. In this study, we evaluated brain strain uncertainty due to variation in angular velocity profiles and further compared with that resulting from simplifying the profiles into idealized shapes. To do so, we used reconstructed head impacts from American National Football League for shape extraction and simulated head uniaxial coronal rotations from onset to full stop. The velocity profiles were scaled to maintain an identical peak velocity magnitude and duration in order to isolate the shape for investigation. Element-wise peak maximum principal strains from 44 selected impacts were obtained. We found that the shape of angular velocity profile could significantly affect brain strain magnitude (e.g., percentage difference of 4.29-17.89 % in the whole brain relative to the group average, with cumulative strain damage measure (CSDM) uncertainty range of 23.9 %) but not pattern (correlation coefficient of 0.94-0.99). Strain differences resulting from simplifying angular velocity profiles into idealized shapes were largely within the range due to shape variation, in both percentage difference and CSDM (signed difference of 3.91 % on average, with a typical range of 0-6 %). These findings provide important insight into the uncertainty or confidence in the performance of kinematics-based injury metrics. More importantly, they suggest the feasibility to simplify head angular velocity profiles into idealized shapes, at least within the confinements of the profiles evaluated, to enable real-time strain estimation via pre-computation in the future.

Brain strain uncertainty due to shape variation in and simplification of head angular velocity profiles

PubMed Central

Zhao, Wei; Ji, Songbai

2016-01-01

Head angular velocity, instead of acceleration, is more predictive of brain strains. Surprisingly, no study exists that investigates how shape variation in angular velocity profiles affects brain strains, beyond characteristics such as peak magnitude and impulse duration. In this study, we evaluated brain strain uncertainty due to variation in angular velocity profiles, and further compared with that resulting from simplifying the profiles into idealized shapes. To do so, we used reconstructed head impacts from American National Football League for shape extraction, and simulated head uniaxial coronal rotations from onset to full stop. The velocity profiles were scaled to maintain an identical peak velocity magnitude and duration in order to isolate the shape for investigation. Element-wise peak maximum principal strains from 44 selected impacts were obtained. We found that the shape of angular velocity profile could significantly affect brain strain magnitude (e.g., percentage difference of 4.29–17.89% in the whole-brain relative to the group average, with cumulative strain damage measure (CSDM) uncertainty range of 23.9%) but not pattern (correlation coefficient of 0.94–0.99). Strain differences resulting from simplifying angular velocity profiles into idealized shapes were largely within the range due to shape variation, in both percentage difference and CSDM (signed difference of 3.91% on average, with a typical range of 0–6%). These findings provide important insight into the uncertainty or confidence in the performance of kinematics-based injury metrics. More importantly, they suggest the feasibility to simplify head angular velocity profiles into idealized shapes, at least within the confinements of the profiles evaluated, to enable real-time strain estimation via pre-computation in the future. PMID:27644441

The effects of anticancer drugs TSA and GSK on spermatogenesis in male mice.

PubMed

Song, Wen-Yan; Yang, Qing-Ling; Zhao, Wan-Li; Jin, Hai-Xia; Yao, Gui-Dong; Peng, Zhao-Feng; Shi, Sen-Lin; Yang, Hong-Yi; Zhang, Xiang-Yang; Sun, Ying-Pu

2016-01-01

The effect of anticancer drugs Trichostation A (TSA) and GSK2126458 (GSK) on genetic recombination of sperm meiosis in mice was investigated, and their clinical feasibility of fertility preservation in cancer patients was also assessed. Eighteen Kunming mice were randomly given TSA or GSK at the concentrations of 0, 0.1 and 0.2 umol/L for three months. Immunofluorescence was used to evaluate the genetic recombination of homologous chromosomes and fidelity of chromosome synapsis. Sperm density, motility and viability were also examined to investigate the spermatogenic function. The average number of MLH1 foci in each spermatocyte was greatly higher in TSA (0.1) group than that in control (P<0.05), but no difference with the TSA (0.2) group (P>0.05). The frequency of SC with no MLH1 foci was lower while the frequency of SC with one MLH1 foci was higher in spermatocyte of mice with different doses of TSA compared with controls (P<0.05). The weight of left testis in TSA (0.1) group was significant decreased compared with that in control (P<0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in average number of MLH1, frequency of SC with 0-3 MLH1 foci, spermatocyte percentage of XY chromosomes containing MLH1 foci and percentages of cells containing gaps and splits among groups with or without the treatment of GSK. Furthermore, there were no statistical differences in body weight, testicular weight, sperm density, sperm motility and sperm viability among the three groups. TSA increased genetic recombination frequency of spermatocyte meiosis. GSK had no significant effect on genetic recombination frequency of spermatocyte meiosis and spermatogenic function.

SU-E-P-49: Evaluation of Image Quality and Radiation Dose of Various Unenhanced Head CT Protocols

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, L; Khan, M; Alapati, K

2015-06-15

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic value of various unenhanced head CT protocols and predicate acceptable radiation dose level for head CT exam. Methods: Our retrospective analysis included 3 groups, 20 patients per group, who underwent clinical routine unenhanced adult head CT examination. All exams were performed axially with 120 kVp. Three protocols, 380 mAs without iterative reconstruction and automAs, 340 mAs with iterative reconstruction without automAs, 340 mAs with iterative reconstruction and automAs, were applied on each group patients respectively. The images were reconstructed with H30, J30 for brain window and H60, J70 for bone window. Images acquired with threemore » protocols were randomized and blindly reviewed by three radiologists. A 5 point scale was used to rate each exam The percentage of exam score above 3 and average scores of each protocol were calculated for each reviewer and tissue types. Results: For protocols without automAs, the average scores of bone window with iterative reconstruction were higher than those without iterative reconstruction for each reviewer although the radiation dose was 10 percentage lower. 100 percentage exams were scored 3 or higher and the average scores were above 4 for both brain and bone reconstructions. The CTDIvols are 64.4 and 57.8 mGy of 380 and 340 mAs, respectively. With automAs, the radiation dose varied with head size, resulting in 47.5 mGy average CTDIvol between 39.5 and 56.5 mGy. 93 and 98 percentage exams were scored great than 3 for brain and bone windows, respectively. The diagnostic confidence level and image quality of exams with AutomAs were less than those without AutomAs for each reviewer. Conclusion: According to these results, the mAs was reduced to 300 with automAs OFF for head CT exam. The radiation dose was 20 percentage lower than the original protocol and the CTDIvol was reduced to 51.2 mGy.« less

Effects of the anabolic steroid, boldenone undecylenate, on certain reproductive parameters in bulls.

PubMed

Wolfe, D F; Carson, R L; Mysinger, P W; Duran, B S; Rahe, H S

1991-05-01

A total of 17 bulls was used to study the effects of boldenone undecylenate on growth and semen characteristics in beef bulls. In trial 1 nine mature mixed-breed beef bulls with satisfactory semen quality were divided into two groups. Group I (n = 5) received boldenone undecylenate (1.1 mg/kg) at 21 d intervals for a total of seven treatments (147 d). Group II (n = 4) served as untreated controls. Semen was collected from each group by electroejaculation on each treatment day and evaluated according to the standards of the Society for Theriogenology. Although neither the percentage of spermatozoa with primary or secondary morphological abnormalities was different, the ejaculates of Group I bulls contained a higher percentage of abnormal spermatozoa than those in Group II. In trial 2, eight mixed-breed bull calves, average weight 140.4 kg, were maintained under drylot conditions in a single paddock. The bulls were divided into two equal groups. Group I (n = 4) received boldenone undecylenate as in Trial 1. Group II (n = 4) served as untreated controls. The bulls were weighed and the scrotal circumference (SC) was measured every 21 d until it reached 30 cm, at which time semen was collected and evaluated as in Trial 1. Group I bulls had a higher percentage of spermatozoa with primary morphological abnormalities than bulls in Group II. Group I bulls had a higher average daily gain (ADG) than Group II bulls and required 21 d longer for the SC to reach 30 cm. Semen quality for all bulls was satisfactory at each sampling day.

Fall in homicides in the City of São Paulo: an exploratory analysis of possible determinants

PubMed Central

Peres, Maria Fernanda Tourinho; de Almeida, Juliana Feliciano; Vicentin, Diego; Cerda, Magdalena; Cardia, Nancy; Adorno, Sérgio

2012-01-01

Throughout the first decade of the 2000s the homicide mortality rate (HMR) showed a significant reduction in the state and the city of São Paulo (MSP). The aim of this study is to describe the trend of HMR, socio-demographic indicators, and the investment in social and public security, and to analyze the correlation between HMR and independent variables in the MSP between 1996 and 2008. An exploratory time series ecological study was conducted. The following variables were included: HMR per 100,000 inhabitants, socio-demographic indicators, and investments in social and public security. The moving-averages for all variables were calculated and trends were analyzed through Simple Linear Regression models. Annual percentage changes, the average annual change and periodic percentage changes were calculated for all variables, and the associations between annual percentage changes were tested by Spearman’s correlation analysis. Correlations were found for the proportion of youth in the population (r = 0.69), unemployment rate (r = 0.60), State budget for education and culture (r = 0.87) and health and sanitation (r = 0.56), municipal (r = 0.68) and State (r = 0.53) budget for Public Security, firearms seized (r = 0.69) and the incarceration rate (r = 0.71). The results allow us to support the hypothesis that demographic changes, acceleration of the economy, in particular the fall in unemployment, investment in social policies and changes in public security policies act synergistically to reduce HMR in São Paulo. Complex models of analysis, incorporating the joint action of different potential explanatory variables, should be developed. PMID:22218669

Optimal Parameters to Determine the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient in Diffusion Weighted Imaging via Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perera, Dimuthu

Diffusion weighted (DW) Imaging is a non-invasive MR technique that provides information about the tissue microstructure using the diffusion of water molecules. The diffusion is generally characterized by the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) parametric map. The purpose of this study is to investigate in silico how the calculation of ADC is affected by image SNR, b-values, and the true tissue ADC. Also, to provide optimal parameter combination depending on the percentage accuracy and precision for prostate peripheral region cancer application. Moreover, to suggest parameter choices for any type of tissue, while providing the expected accuracy and precision. In this research DW images were generated assuming a mono-exponential signal model at two different b-values and for known true ADC values. Rician noise of different levels was added to the DWI images to adjust the image SNR. Using the two DWI images, ADC was calculated using a mono-exponential model for each set of b-values, SNR, and true ADC. 40,000 ADC data were collected for each parameter setting to determine the mean and the standard-deviation of the calculated ADC, as well as the percentage accuracy and precision with respect to the true ADC. The accuracy was calculated using the difference between known and calculated ADC. The precision was calculated using the standard-deviation of calculated ADC. The optimal parameters for a specific study was determined when both the percentage accuracy and precision were minimized. In our study, we simulated two true ADCs (ADC 0.00102 for tumor and 0.00180 mm2/s for normal prostate peripheral region tissue). Image SNR was varied from 2 to 100 and b-values were varied from 0 to 2000s/mm2. The results show that the percentage accuracy and percentage precision were minimized with image SNR. To increase SNR, 10 signal-averagings (NEX) were used considering the limitation in total scan time. The optimal NEX combination for tumor and normal tissue for prostate peripheral region was 1: 9. Also, the minimum percentage accuracy and percentage precision were obtained when low b-value is 0 and high b-value is 800 mm2/s for normal tissue and 1400 mm2/s for tumor tissue. Results also showed that for tissues with 1 x 10-3 < ADC < 2.1 x 10-3 mm 2/s the parameter combination at SNR = 20, b-value pair 0, 800 mm 2/s with NEX = 1:9 can calculate ADC with a percentage accuracy of less than 2% and percentage precision of 6-8%. Also, for tissues with 0.6 x 10-3 < ADC < 1.25 x 10-3 mm2 /s the parameter combination at SNR = 20, b-value pair 0, 1400 mm 2/s with NEX =1:9 can calculate ADC with a percentage accuracy of less than 2% and percentage precision of 6-8%.

Growth performance and carcass characteristics of growing ram lambs fed sweet sorghum bagasse-based complete rations varying in roughage-to-concentrate ratios.

PubMed

Kumari, Nagireddy Nalini; Reddy, Yerradoddi Ramana; Blummel, Michel; Nagalakshmi, Devanaboyina; Monika, Thamatam; Reddy, Belum Venkata Subba; Reddy, Chintalapani Ravinder

2013-02-01

Different roughage-to-concentrate ratios of sweet sorghum bagasse (SSB) (a by-product of the biofuel industry)-based complete diets were assessed. Twenty four growing Nellore × Deccani ram lambs aged about 3 months (average body wt., 10.62 ± 0.25 kg) were randomly allotted to four complete rations (CR) varying in roughage-to-concentrate ratios viz. 60:40 (CR-I), 50:50 (CR-II), 40:60 (CR-III) and 30:70(CR-IV) for a period of 180 days. The feed intake was comparable among the lambs fed different experimental complete diets. Average daily weight gain (in grams) was 77.31 ± 4.90, 81.76 ± 5.16, 85.83 ± 2.83 and 86.30 ± 3.25, and feed conversion ratio (in kilograms of feed per kilogram gain) averaged 11.42 ± 0.68, 10.57 ± 0.64, 10.17 ± 0.37 and 9.96 ± 0.38 in ram lambs fed CR-I, CR-II, CR-III and CR-IV rations, respectively. Statistically, differences in daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio among the lambs fed four experimental rations were not significant (P > 0.05). The cost per kilogram gain was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in ram lambs fed CR-IV and CR-III rations compared to CR-I ration, and it was comparable between CR-I and CR-II rations. Dressing percentage averaged 44.90 ± 0.15, 42.57 ± 0.72, 43.67 ± 0.16 and 44.42 ± 0.76 for the respective diets. No significant difference and trend was observed in preslaughter weight, empty body weight, carcass weights, dressing percentage, wholesale cuts and edible and non-edible portions of experimental animals. Similarly, no significant variation could be seen in bone and meat yield (in per cent) and their ratios in various wholesale cuts among the dietary treatments. The roughage-to-concentrate ratio did not affect the chemical composition of meat; however, the fat content of meat was linearly increased with increase in the proportion of concentrate in the diets. The results of the experiment indicated that SSB can be included at 60 % level in the complete diet for economical mutton production from growing Nellore × Deccani ram lambs.

Mapping nurses' activities in surgical hospital wards: A time study.

PubMed

van den Oetelaar, W F J M; van Stel, H F; van Rhenen, W; Stellato, R K; Grolman, W

2018-01-01

Balancing the number of nursing staff in relation to the number of patients is important for hospitals to remain efficient and optimizing the use of resources. One way to do this is to work with a workload management method. Many workload management methods use a time study to determine how nurses spend their time and to relate this to patient characteristics in order to predict nurse workload. In our study, we aim to determine how nurses spend their working day and we will attempt to explain differences between specialized surgical wards. The research took place in an academic hospital in the Netherlands. Six surgical wards were included, capacity 15 to 30 beds. We have used a work sampling methodology where trained observers registered activities of nurses and patient details every ten minutes during the day shift for a time period of three weeks. The work sampling showed that nurses spend between 40.1% and 55.8% of their time on direct patient care. In addition to this, nurses spend between 11.0% and 14.1% on collective patient care. In total, between 52.1% and 68% of time spent on tasks is directly patient related. We found significant differences between wards for 10 of the 21 activity groups. We also found that nurses spend on average 31% with the patient (bedside), which is lower than in another study (37%). However, we noticed a difference between departments. For regular surgical departments in our study this was on average 34% and for two departments that have additional responsibilities in training and education of nursing students, this was on average 25%. We found a relatively low percentage of time spent on direct plus indirect care, and a lower percentage of time spent with the patient. We suspect that this is due to the academic setting of the study; in our hospital, there are more tasks related to education than in hospitals in other study settings. We also found differences between the wards in our study, which are mostly explained by differences in the patient mix, nurse staffing (proportion of nursing students), type of surgery and region of the body where the surgery was performed. However, we could not explain all differences. We made a first attempt in identifying and explaining differences in nurses' activities between wards, however this domain needs more research in order to better explain the differences.

Generating Chimeric Mice by Using Embryos from Nonsuperovulated BALB/c Mice Compared with Superovulated BALB/c and Albino C57BL/6 Mice.

PubMed

Esmail, Michael Y; Qi, Peimin; Connor, Aurora Burds; Fox, James G; García, Alexis

2016-01-01

The reliable generation of high-percentage chimeras from gene-targeted C57BL/6 embryonic stem cells has proven challenging, despite optimization of cell culture and microinjection techniques. To improve the efficiency of this procedure, we compared the generation of chimeras by using 3 different inbred, albino host, embryo-generating protocols: BALB/cAnNTac (BALB/c) donor mice superovulated at 4 wk of age, 12-wk-old BALB/c donor mice without superovulation, and C57BL/6NTac-Tyr(tm1Arte) (albino B6) mice superovulated at 4 wk of age. Key parameters measured included the average number of injectable embryos per donor, the percentage of live pups born from the total number of embryos transferred to recipients, and the number of chimeric pups with high embryonic-stem-cell contribution by coat color. Although albino B6 donors produced significantly more injectable embryos than did BALB/c donors, 12-wk-old BALB/c donor produced high-percentage (at least 70%) chimeras more than 2.5 times as often as did albino B6 mice and 20 times more efficiently than did 4-wk-old BALB/c donors. These findings clearly suggest that 12-wk-old BALB/c mice be used as blastocyst donors to reduce the number of mice used to generate each chimera, reduce the production of low-percentage chimeras, and maximize the generation of high-percentage chimeras from C57BL/6 embryonic stem cells.

A Case Study of Women Presidents of Texas Private Colleges and Universities and Their Followership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Shelley E.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this current case study was to document how women presidents of private Texas colleges and universities describe their leadership. The percentage of Texas women presidents (24.3%) closely mirrors the U.S. national average (26.4%) of women presidents of colleges and universities, yet the percentage of Texas women presidents of…

Eating Regulation Styles, Appearance Schemas, and Body Satisfaction Predict Changes in Body Fat for Emerging Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Ali Zaremba; Keiley, Margaret K.; Ryan, Aubrey E.; Radomski, Juliana Groves; Gropper, Sareen S.; Connell, Lenda Jo; Simmons, Karla P.; Ulrich, Pamela V.

2012-01-01

Obesity and high body fat percentages are a major public health issue. The percentage of obese and overweight Americans has increased over the past 30 years. On average, overweight individuals with higher percent body fat than normal weight individuals are at increased risk for numerous negative outcomes both physically and mentally. A prime time…

Visualization of the Capitellum During Elbow Arthroscopy: A Comparison of 3 Portal Techniques.

PubMed

Trofa, David P; Gancarczyk, Stephanie M; Lombardi, Joseph M; Makhni, Eric C; Popkin, Charles A; Ahmad, Christopher S

2017-06-01

Capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a debilitating condition of unknown etiology for which various arthroscopic treatments are available. Prior data suggest that greater than 75% of the capitellum can be visualized arthroscopically through a dual lateral portal approach. However, there is no literature assessing arthroscopic visualization of the capitellum via alternative portals. To determine the percentage of capitellum visualized using the dual lateral, distal ulnar and soft spot, and posterolateral and soft spot portal configurations in a cadaver model. Descriptive laboratory study. Arthroscopy was performed on 12 fresh-frozen cadaver elbows, 4 for each of the following approaches: dual lateral, distal ulna, and posterolateral. Electrocautery was used to mark the most anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral points seen on the capitellum. The radiocapitellar joint was subsequently exposed through an extensile posterior dissection, and the surface anatomy was reconstructed using the Microscribe 3D digitizing system. Using Rhinoceros software, the percentage of capitellum surface area visualized by each approach was determined. The mean percentage of capitellum visualized for the dual lateral, distal ulna, and posterolateral approaches was approximately 68.8%, 66.3%, and 63.5%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the percentage of capitellum seen among approaches ( P = .68). On average, 66.5% of the capitellum was visible through these 3 arthroscopic approaches to the elbow. Approximately 66.5% of the capitellum is visualized through the popularized posterior arthroscopic portals, with no significant differences found between the 3 investigated approaches. As determined in this cadaveric model investigation, each portal technique provides equivalent visualization for capitellar OCD pathology.

Resource and cost adjustment in the design of allocation funding formulas in public health programs.

PubMed

Buehler, James W; Bernet, Patrick M; Ogden, Lydia L

2012-01-01

Multiple federal public health programs use funding formulas to allocate funds to states. To characterize the effects of adjusting formula-based allocations for differences among states in the cost of implementing programs, the potential for generating in-state resources, and income disparities, which might be associated with disease risk. Fifty US states and the District of Columbia. Formula-based funding allocations to states for 4 representative federal public health programs were adjusted using indicators of cost (average salaries), potential within-state revenues (per-capita income, the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, per-capita aggregate home values), and income disparities (Theil index). Percentage of allocation shifted by adjustment, the number of states and the percentage of US population living in states with a more than 20% increase or decrease in funding, maximum percentage increase or decrease in funding. Each adjustor had a comparable impact on allocations across the 4 program allocations examined. Approximately 2% to 8% of total allocations were shifted, with adjustments for variations in income disparity and housing values having the least and greatest effects, respectively. The salary cost and per-capita income adjustors were inversely correlated and had offsetting effects on allocations. With the exception of the housing values adjustment, fewer than 10 states had more than 20% increases or decreases in allocations, and less than 10% of the US population lived in such states. Selection of adjustors for formula-based funding allocations should consider the impacts of different adjustments, correlations between adjustors and other data elements in funding formulas, and the relationship of formula inputs to program objectives.

Physiological and biomechanical responses to walking underwater on a non-motorised treadmill: effects of different exercise intensities and depths in middle-aged healthy women.

PubMed

Benelli, Piero; Colasanti, Franca; Ditroilo, Massimiliano; Cuesta-Vargas, Antonio; Gatta, Giorgio; Giacomini, Francesco; Lucertini, Francesco

2014-01-01

Non-motorised underwater treadmills are commonly used in fitness activities. However, no studies have examined physiological and biomechanical responses of walking on non-motorised treadmills at different intensities and depths. Fifteen middle-aged healthy women underwent two underwater walking tests at two different depths, immersed either up to the xiphoid process (deep water) or the iliac crest (shallow water), at 100, 110, 120, 130 step-per-minute (spm). Oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration, perceived exertion and step length were determined. Compared to deep water, walking in shallow water exhibited, at all intensities, significantly higher VO2 (+13.5%, on average) and HR (+8.1%, on average) responses. Water depth did not influence lactate concentration, whereas perceived exertion was higher in shallow compared to deep water, solely at 120 (+40%) and 130 (+39.4%) spm. Average step length was reduced as the intensity increased (from 100 to 130 spm), irrespective of water depth. Expressed as a percentage of maximum, average VO2 and HR were: 64-76% of peak VO2 and 71-90% of maximum HR, respectively at both water depths. Accordingly, this form of exercise can be included in the "vigorous" range of exercise intensity, at any of the step frequencies used in this study.

26 CFR 1.401(l)-1 - Permitted disparity in employer-provided contributions or benefits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... with respect to an employee's average annual compensation at or below the integration level (expressed... or below the integration level (expressed as a percentage of such plan year compensation). (5... plan with respect to an employee's average annual compensation above the integration level (expressed...

Radiobiological characteristics of cancer stem cells from esophageal cancer cell lines

PubMed Central

Wang, Jian-Lin; Yu, Jing-Ping; Sun, Zhi-Qiang; Sun, Su-Ping

2014-01-01

AIM: To study the cancer stem cell population in esophageal cancer cell lines KYSE-150 and TE-1 and identify whether the resulting stem-like spheroid cells display cancer stem cells and radiation resistance characteristics. METHODS: A serum-free medium (SFM) suspension was used to culture esophageal cancer stem cell lines and enrich the esophageal stem-like spheres. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay was used to detect stem cell gene expression in the spheroid cells. Radiosensitivity of stem-like spheres and parental cells were evaluated by clonogenic assays. Furthermore, different cells after different doses of irradiation were tested to evaluate the change in sphere formation, cell cycle and CD44+CD271+ expression of tumor stem-like spheroid cells using flow cytometry before and after irradiation. RESULTS: The cells were observed to generate an increased number of spheres in SFM with increasing cell passage. Radiation increased the rate of generation of stem-like spheres in both types of cells. The average survival fraction (SF2) of the cultured KYSE-150 compared with TE-1 stem-like spheres after 2 Gy of radiation was 0.81 ± 0.03 vs 0.87 ± 0.01 (P < 0.05), while the average SF2 of KYSE-150 compared with TE-1 parental cells was 0.69 ± 0.04 vs 0.80 ± 0.03, P < 0.05. In the esophageal parental cells, irradiation dose-dependently induced G2 arrest. Stem-like esophageal spheres were resistant to irradiation-induced G2 arrest without significant changes in the percentage population of irradiated stem-like cells. Under irradiation at 0, 4, and 8 Gy, the CD44+CD271+ cell percentage for KYSE150 parental cells was 1.08% ± 0.03% vs 1.29% ± 0.07% vs 1.11% ± 0.09%, respectively; the CD44+CD271+ cell percentage for TE1 parental cells was 1.16% ± 0.11% vs 0.97% ± 0.08% vs 1.45% ± 0.35%, respectively. The differences were not statistically significant. Under irradiation at 0, 4, and 8 Gy, the CD44+CD271+ cell percentage for KYSE-150 stem-like spheres was 35.83% ± 1.23% vs 44.9% ± 1.67% vs 57.77% ± 1.88%, respectively; the CD44+CD271+ cell percentage for TE1 stem-like spheres was 16.07% ± 0.91% vs 22.67% ± 1.12%, 16.07% ± 0.91% vs 33.27% ± 1.07%, respectively. The 4 and 8 Gy irradiated KYSE-150 and TE-1 stem-like spheres were compared with the 0 Gy irradiated group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The KYSE-150 and TE-1 stem-like spheres are more radioresistant than their parental cells which may suggest that cancer stem cells are related to radioresistance. PMID:25561796

Radiobiological characteristics of cancer stem cells from esophageal cancer cell lines.

PubMed

Wang, Jian-Lin; Yu, Jing-Ping; Sun, Zhi-Qiang; Sun, Su-Ping

2014-12-28

To study the cancer stem cell population in esophageal cancer cell lines KYSE-150 and TE-1 and identify whether the resulting stem-like spheroid cells display cancer stem cells and radiation resistance characteristics. A serum-free medium (SFM) suspension was used to culture esophageal cancer stem cell lines and enrich the esophageal stem-like spheres. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay was used to detect stem cell gene expression in the spheroid cells. Radiosensitivity of stem-like spheres and parental cells were evaluated by clonogenic assays. Furthermore, different cells after different doses of irradiation were tested to evaluate the change in sphere formation, cell cycle and CD44(+)CD271(+) expression of tumor stem-like spheroid cells using flow cytometry before and after irradiation. The cells were observed to generate an increased number of spheres in SFM with increasing cell passage. Radiation increased the rate of generation of stem-like spheres in both types of cells. The average survival fraction (SF2) of the cultured KYSE-150 compared with TE-1 stem-like spheres after 2 Gy of radiation was 0.81 ± 0.03 vs 0.87 ± 0.01 (P < 0.05), while the average SF2 of KYSE-150 compared with TE-1 parental cells was 0.69 ± 0.04 vs 0.80 ± 0.03, P < 0.05. In the esophageal parental cells, irradiation dose-dependently induced G2 arrest. Stem-like esophageal spheres were resistant to irradiation-induced G2 arrest without significant changes in the percentage population of irradiated stem-like cells. Under irradiation at 0, 4, and 8 Gy, the CD44(+)CD271(+) cell percentage for KYSE150 parental cells was 1.08% ± 0.03% vs 1.29% ± 0.07% vs 1.11% ± 0.09%, respectively; the CD44(+)CD271(+) cell percentage for TE1 parental cells was 1.16% ± 0.11% vs 0.97% ± 0.08% vs 1.45% ± 0.35%, respectively. The differences were not statistically significant. Under irradiation at 0, 4, and 8 Gy, the CD44(+)CD271(+) cell percentage for KYSE-150 stem-like spheres was 35.83% ± 1.23% vs 44.9% ± 1.67% vs 57.77% ± 1.88%, respectively; the CD44(+)CD271(+) cell percentage for TE1 stem-like spheres was 16.07% ± 0.91% vs 22.67% ± 1.12%, 16.07% ± 0.91% vs 33.27% ± 1.07%, respectively. The 4 and 8 Gy irradiated KYSE-150 and TE-1 stem-like spheres were compared with the 0 Gy irradiated group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The KYSE-150 and TE-1 stem-like spheres are more radioresistant than their parental cells which may suggest that cancer stem cells are related to radioresistance.

Breeding objectives for Holstein dairy cattle in Iran.

PubMed

Sadeghi-Sefidmazgi, A; Moradi-Shahrbabak, M; Nejati-Javaremi, A; Miraei-Ashtiani, S R; Amer, P R

2012-06-01

Trait-by-trait and multiple trait bioeconomic modeling were used to derive farm-specific economic weights (EW) for a wide range of traits under different production and economic circumstances to define breeding objectives for Holstein dairy cattle in Iran. Production parameters and economic data were gathered on 10 dairy farms from March 2008 to February 2010. The EW (economic values multiplied by gene expressions, in US dollars per unit of trait per calf born from sires of self-replacing females in planning horizon of 20 yr) were estimated to be $0.15 per kilogram of milk yield; $1.36 per kilogram of fat yield; -$1.02 per kilogram of protein yield; $4.59 per month of longevity; -$1.22 per kilogram of mature cow weight; -$105.67 for combined somatic cell score and clinical mastitis; -$1.35 and -$0.28 for percentage direct and maternal calving difficulties, respectively; -$3.98 for percentage direct stillbirth; -$0.76 per day of age at first calving; -$0.72 per calving interval day; and $0.91 for percentage 56-d nonreturn rate on averages across investigated farms. The coefficient of variation of economic weights across the 10 farms was lowest for direct calving difficulty and highest for calving interval. The proposed Iranian selection index was compared with selection indices of major countries exporting semen to Iran. Average relative emphasis for production, durability, and health and reproduction, across all exporter countries, was 41, 37.5, and 21.5%, respectively, whereas the respective values were 50, 14, and 36% for the Iranian index. Significant differences in selection indices may potentially decrease the utility of importation of semen as a means of achieving sustainable genetic progress in Iran. Results obtained in this study provide important information about economic values of traits that can be used to improve the Iranian national progeny testing program as well as importation rules for semen to Iran. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clay Chemistry's Influence on the Average Carbon Content and Particle Size at the Ninety-Six Historical Site, South Carolina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lintz, L.; Werts, S. P.

2014-12-01

The Ninety-Six National Historic Site is located in Greenwood County, SC. Recent geologic mapping of this area has revealed differences in soil properties over short distances within the park. We studied the chemistry of the clay minerals found within the soils to see if there was a correlation between the amounts of soil organic carbon contained in the soil and particle size in individual soil horizons. Three different vegetation areas, including an old field, a deciduous forest, and a pine forest were selected to see what influence vegetation type had on the clay chemistry and carbon levels as well. Four samples containing the O, A, and B horizons were taken from each location and we studied the carbon and nitrogen content using an elemental analyzer, particle size using a Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzer, and clay mineralogy with powder X-ray diffraction of each soil sample. Samples from the old field and pine forest gave an overall negative correlation between carbon content and clay percentage, which is against the normal trend for Southern Piedmont Ultisols. The deciduous forest samples gave no correlation at all between its carbon content and clay percentage. Together, all three locations show the same negative relationship, while once separated into vegetation type and A and B horizons it shows even more abnormal relationships of negative while several show no correlation (R2= 0.007403- 0.56268). Using powder XRD, we ran clay samples from each A and B horizon for the clay mineralogy. All three vegetation areas had the same results of containing quartz, kaolinite, and Fe oxides, therefore, clay chemistry is not a reason behind the abnormal trend of a negative correlation between average carbon content and clay percentage. Considering that all three locations have the same climate, topography, and parent material of metagranite, it could be reasonable to assume these results are a factor of environmental and biological influences rather than clay type.

Rectal bleeding after high-dose-rate brachytherapy combined with hypofractionated external-beam radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer: Impact of rectal dose in high-dose-rate brachytherapy on occurrence of grade 2 or worse rectal bleeding

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Akimoto, Tetsuo; Katoh, Hiroyuki; Kitamoto, Yoshizumi

2006-06-01

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of Grade 2 or worse rectal bleeding after high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy combined with hypofractionated external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT), with special emphasis on the relationship between the incidence of rectal bleeding and the rectal dose from HDR brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: The records of 100 patients who were treated by HDR brachytherapy combined with EBRT for {>=}12 months were analyzed. The fractionation schema for HDR brachytherapy was prospectively changed, and the total radiation dose for EBRT was fixed at 51 Gy. The distribution of the fractionation schema used in the patients was as follows: 5 Gy xmore » 5 in 13 patients; 7 Gy x 3 in 19 patients; and 9 Gy x 2 in 68 patients. Results: Ten patients (10%) developed Grade 2 or worse rectal bleeding. Regarding the correlation with dosimetric factors, no significant differences were found in the average percentage of the entire rectal volume receiving 30%, 50%, 80%, and 90% of the prescribed radiation dose from EBRT between those with bleeding and those without. The average percentage of the entire rectal volume receiving 10%, 30%, 50%, 80%, and 90% of the prescribed radiation dose from HDR brachytherapy in those who developed rectal bleeding was 77.9%, 28.6%, 9.0%, 1.5%, and 0.3%, respectively, and was 69.2%, 22.2%, 6.6%, 0.9%, and 0.4%, respectively, in those without bleeding. The differences in the percentages of the entire rectal volume receiving 10%, 30%, and 50% between those with and without bleeding were statistically significant. Conclusions: The rectal dose from HDR brachytherapy for patients with prostate cancer may have a significant impact on the incidence of Grade 2 or worse rectal bleeding.« less

Comparıson of the Heart Rate and Blood Lactate Responses of Different Small Sided Games in Young Soccer Players.

PubMed

Köklü, Yusuf; Alemdaroğlu, Utku

2016-09-29

The purpose of this study was to compare the percentage of maximum heart rate (%HRmax), blood lactate (La - ), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE, CR-10) responses across different formats of small-sided games (SSG) in elite young soccer players. Fourteen players (average age 16.7 ± 0.6 years; height 177.6 ± 4.1 cm; body mass 66.3 ± 4.7 kg; average training age 6.7 ± 1.6 years; percentage of body fat 8.4 ± 2.6%) volunteered to perform the YoYo intermittent recovery test (level 1) and eight bouts of soccer drills including 2-a-side, 3-a-side, and 4-a-side games without goalkeepers in random order at two-day intervals. Heart rates were monitored throughout the SSGs, whereas the RPE and venous blood lactate were determined at the end of the last bout of each SSG. The differences in La - , %HRmax, and RPE either across the different SSGs or between the bouts were identified using 3 × 8 (games × exercise bouts) two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures. Significant differences were found in terms of La - , RPE, and %HRmax among the different types of SSG ( p ≤ 0.05). 3-a-side and 4-a-side games elicited significantly higher responses than 2-a-side games in terms of %HRmax ( p ≤ 0.05), whereas 4-a-side games resulted in significantly lower La - and RPE responses compared to 2-a-side and 3-a-side games. The results of this study show that physiological responses differ according to the numbers of players involved in small-sided games. Therefore, it can be concluded that 3-a-side and 4-a-side games could be more effective in improving high intensity aerobic performance than 2-a-side games, which in turn are more appropriate for developing anaerobic performance.

The Affordable Care Act versus Medicare for All.

PubMed

Seidman, Laurence

2015-08-01

Many problems facing the Affordable Care Act would disappear if the nation were instead implementing Medicare for All - the extension of Medicare to every age group. Every American would be automatically covered for life. Premiums would be replaced with a set of Medicare taxes. There would be no patient cost sharing. Individuals would have free choice of doctors. Medicare's single-payer bargaining power would slow price increases and reduce medical cost as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). Taxes as a percentage of GDP would rise from below average to average for economically advanced nations. Medicare for All would be phased in by age. Copyright © 2015 by Duke University Press.

The impact of maternity length-of-stay mandates on the labor market and insurance coverage.

PubMed

Sabik, Lindsay M; Laugesen, Miriam J

2012-01-01

To understand the effects of insurance regulation on the labor market and insurance coverage, this study uses a difference-in-difference-in-differences analysis to compare five states that passed minimum maternity length-of-stay laws with states that waited until after a federal law was passed. On average, we do not find statistically significant effects on labor market outcomes such as hours of work and wages. However, we find that employees of small firms in states with maternity length-of-stay mandates experienced a 6.2-percentage-point decline in the likelihood of having employer-sponsored insurance. Implementation of federal health reform that requires minimum benefit standards should consider the implications for firms of differing sizes.

Influence of the field humiture environment on the mechanical properties of 316L stainless steel repaired with Fe314

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lianzhong; Li, Dichen; Yan, Shenping; Xie, Ruidong; Qu, Hongliang

2018-04-01

The mechanical properties of 316L stainless steel repaired with Fe314 under different temperatures and humidities without inert gas protection were studied. Results indicated favorable compatibility between Fe314 and 316L stainless steel. The average yield strength, tensile strength, and sectional contraction percentage were higher in repaired samples than in 316L stainless steel, whereas the elongation rate was slightly lower. The different conditions of humiture environment on the repair sample exerted minimal influence on tensile and yield strengths. The Fe314 cladding layer was mainly composed of equiaxed grains and mixed with randomly oriented columnar crystal and tiny pores or impurities in the tissue. Results indicated that the hardness value of Fe314 cladding layer under different humiture environments ranged within 419-451.1 HV0.2. The field humiture environment also showed minimal impact on the average hardness of Fe314 cladding layers. Furthermore, 316L stainless steel can be repaired through laser cladding by using Fe314 powder without inert gas protection under different temperatures and humidity environments.

Development of sampling plans for cotton bolls injured by stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

PubMed

Reay-Jones, F P F; Toews, M D; Greene, J K; Reeves, R B

2010-04-01

Cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., bolls were sampled in commercial fields for stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) injury during 2007 and 2008 in South Carolina and Georgia. Across both years of this study, boll-injury percentages averaged 14.8 +/- 0.3 (SEM). At average boll injury treatment levels of 10, 20, 30, and 50%, the percentage of samples with at least one injured boll was 82, 97, 100, and 100%, respectively. Percentage of field-sampling date combinations with average injury < 10, 20, 30, and 50% was 35, 80, 95, and 99%, respectively. At the average of 14.8% boll injury or 2.9 injured bolls per 20-boll sample, 112 samples at Dx = 0.1 (within 10% of the mean) were required for population estimation, compared with only 15 samples at Dx = 0.3. Using a sample size of 20 bolls, our study indicated that, at the 10% threshold and alpha = beta = 0.2 (with 80% confidence), control was not needed when <1.03 bolls were injured. The sampling plan required continued sampling for a range of 1.03-3.8 injured bolls per 20-boll sample. Only when injury was > 3.8 injured bolls per 20-boll sample was a control measure needed. Sequential sampling plans were also determined for thresholds of 20, 30, and 50% injured bolls. Sample sizes for sequential sampling plans were significantly reduced when compared with a fixed sampling plan (n=10) for all thresholds and error rates.

Paper area density measurement from forward transmitted scattered light

DOEpatents

Koo, Jackson C.

2001-01-01

A method whereby the average paper fiber area density (weight per unit area) can be directly calculated from the intensity of transmitted, scattered light at two different wavelengths, one being a non-absorpted wavelength. Also, the method makes it possible to derive the water percentage per fiber area density from a two-wavelength measurement. In the optical measuring technique optical transmitted intensity, for example, at 2.1 microns cellulose absorption line is measured and compared with another scattered, optical transmitted intensity reference in the nearby spectrum region, such as 1.68 microns, where there is no absorption. From the ratio of these two intensities, one can calculate the scattering absorption coefficient at 2.1 microns. This absorption coefficient at this wavelength is, then, experimentally correlated to the paper fiber area density. The water percentage per fiber area density can be derived from this two-wavelength measurement approach.

Money earlier or later? Simple heuristics explain intertemporal choices better than delay discounting does.

PubMed

Ericson, Keith M Marzilli; White, John Myles; Laibson, David; Cohen, Jonathan D

2015-06-01

Heuristic models have been proposed for many domains involving choice. We conducted an out-of-sample, cross-validated comparison of heuristic models of intertemporal choice (which can account for many of the known intertemporal choice anomalies) and discounting models. Heuristic models outperformed traditional utility-discounting models, including models of exponential and hyperbolic discounting. The best-performing models predicted choices by using a weighted average of absolute differences and relative percentage differences of the attributes of the goods in a choice set. We concluded that heuristic models explain time-money trade-off choices in experiments better than do utility-discounting models. © The Author(s) 2015.

Money Earlier or Later? Simple Heuristics Explain Intertemporal Choices Better than Delay Discounting1

PubMed Central

Marzilli Ericson, Keith M.; White, John Myles; Laibson, David; Cohen, Jonathan D.

2015-01-01

Heuristic models have been proposed for many domains of choice. We compare heuristic models of intertemporal choice, which can account for many of the known intertemporal choice anomalies, to discounting models. We conduct an out-of-sample, cross-validated comparison of intertemporal choice models. Heuristic models outperform traditional utility discounting models, including models of exponential and hyperbolic discounting. The best performing models predict choices by using a weighted average of absolute differences and relative (percentage) differences of the attributes of the goods in a choice set. We conclude that heuristic models explain time-money tradeoff choices in experiments better than utility discounting models. PMID:25911124

Reliability of the American Medical Association guides' model for measuring spinal range of motion. Its implication for whole-person impairment rating.

PubMed

Nitschke, J E; Nattrass, C L; Disler, P B; Chou, M J; Ooi, K T

1999-02-01

Repeated measures design for intra- and interrater reliability. To determine the intra- and interrater reliability of the lumbar spine range of motion measured with a dual inclinometer, and the thoracolumbar spine range of motion measured with a long-arm goniometer, as recommended in the American Medical Association Guides. The American Medical Association Guides (2nd and 4th editions) recommend using measurements of thoracolumbar and lumbar range of movement, respectively, to estimate the percentage of permanent impairment in patients with chronic low back pain. However, the reliability of this method of estimating impairment has not been determined. In all, 34 subjects participated in the study, 21 women with a mean age of 40.1 years (SD, +/- 11.1) and 13 men with a mean age of 47.7 years (SD, +/- 12.1). Measures of thoracolumbar flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation were obtained with a long-arm goniometer. Lumbar flexion, extension, and lateral flexion were measured with a dual inclinometer. Measurements were taken by two examiners on one occasion and by one examiner on two occasions approximately 1 week apart. The results showed poor intra- and interrater reliability for all measurements taken with both instruments. Measurement error expressed in degrees showed that measurements taken by different raters exhibited systematic as well as random differences. As a result, subjects measured by two different examiners on the same day, with either instrument, could give impairment ratings ranging between 0% and 18% of the whole person (excluding rotation), in which percentage impairment is calculated using the average range of motion and the average systematic and random error in degrees for the group for each movement (flexion, extension, and lateral flexion). The poor reliability of the American Medical Association Guides' spinal range of motion model can result in marked variation in the percentage of whole-body impairment. These findings have implications for compensation bodies in Australia and other countries that use the American Medical Association Guides' procedure to estimate impairment in chronic low back pain patients.

The effect of somatic cell count data adjustment and interpretation, as outlined in European Union legislation, on herd eligibility to supply raw milk for processing of dairy products.

PubMed

More, S J; Clegg, T A; Lynch, P J; O'Grady, L

2013-06-01

Somatic cell count (SCC) limits are a key component of national and international regulation for milk quality. As yet, very limited work has been published on SCC regulatory standards, including on the effect of different approaches to SCC data adjustment and interpretation. This study examines the effect of SCC data adjustment and interpretation, as outlined in current European Union (EU) legislation, on herd eligibility to supply raw milk for processing of dairy products for human consumption, using Irish data for illustration. The study used Irish milk-recording data as a proxy for bulk tank SCC (BTSCC) data, to calculate an unadjusted monthly SCC value for each herd during each month of participation. Subsequently, 4 data adjustments were applied, as outlined in EU and national legislation: seasonal adjustment; 3-mo rolling geometric average, without accounting for a break in the supply; 3-mo rolling geometric average, after accounting for a break in the supply; and seasonal adjustment and 3-mo rolling geometric average combined, after accounting for a break in the supply. Analyses were conducted to examine the effect, during the period from 2004 to 2010, of data adjustment on the percentage of herds with herd SCC >400,000 cells/mL. In all, 4 interpretation scenarios, incorporating different data adjustment combinations, were used to estimate herd eligibility (compliant, under warning, or suspended, as defined by legislation) to supply raw milk for processing. The 4 methods of data adjustment each led to a sizable reduction (6.7, 5.0, 5.3, and 11.1 percentage points, respectively, compared with the unadjusted data) in the percentage of herds exceeding a herd SCC of 400,000 cells/mL. Herd eligibility varied by interpretation scenarios, in particular those incorporating seasonal adjustment. The study provides new perspectives on the effect of data adjustment on herd SCC and of interpretation scenarios on herd eligibility. The results provide an illustrative, rather than definitive, picture of this effect, as national authorities use BTSCC data when determining herd eligibility, whereas this study was conducted using milk-recording data as a proxy. Some aspects of the primary EU legislation are unclear, which may lead to differences in interpretation and application. The potential impact of data adjustment and milk purchaser pricing on farm-level mastitis control in Ireland is considered. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Oxygen delivery during cardiopulmonary bypass (and renal outcome) using two systems of extracorporeal circulation: a retrospective review.

PubMed

Bennett, Mark J; Rajakaruna, Cha; Bazerbashi, Samer; Webb, Gerry; Gomez-Cano, Mayam; Lloyd, Clinton

2013-06-01

To investigate the combined influence of blood flow and haemodilution with either a miniaturized (Mini-CPB) or a conventional cardiopulmonary bypass (C-CPB) circuit on average oxygen delivery during bypass. The influence of this on clinical outcome, particularly renal dysfunction after routine coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), was measured. Retrospective analysis in two groups of 160 patients based on the surgeon's preference for bypass circuit. We compared consecutive patients undergoing isolated CABG surgery by two surgeons using Mini-CPB with a matched cohort of patients, from the same period, undergoing isolated CABG surgery by four other surgeons using a C-CPB. No trial-related intervention occurred. Data on bypass circuit parameters and clinical outcomes were acquired from routinely collected data sources. Average cardiopulmonary bypass pump flow was significantly lower with Mini-CPB compared with C-CPB. Mini-CPB resulted in significantly less haemodilution. The resultant calculated average oxygen delivery provided by the two systems was the same. Percentage change in plasma creatinine was significantly and inversely related to the oxygen delivery during CPB. There was no difference in percentage change in plasma creatinine between groups. The risk of having Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) score ≥ 1 increased 1% for every 1 ml min(-1) m(-2) decrease in oxygen delivery (P = 0.0001, OR 0.990, 95% CI 0.984-0.995). Despite aiming for the same target pump flow, periodic limitations of venous return to the pump resulted in a significant reduction in average flow delivered to the patient by Mini-CPB. Less haemodilution compensated for this reduction, so that the average oxygen delivery was the same. The association between oxygen delivery and postoperative change in plasma creatinine was evident in both groups. Further work to understand whether there is a particular cohort of patients who benefit (or are put at risk) by one method of CPB vs the other is warranted.

20 CFR 30.811 - How will OWCP calculate the duration and extent of a covered Part E employee's initial period of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... exceed 50 percent of his or her average annual wage, OWCP will pay the employee $15,000 as compensation... did not exceed 75 percent of such average annual wage, OWCP will pay the employee $10,000 as... EEOICPA Determinations of Average Annual Wage and Percentages of Loss § 30.811 How will OWCP calculate the...

20 CFR 30.811 - How will OWCP calculate the duration and extent of a covered Part E employee's initial period of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... exceed 50 percent of his or her average annual wage, OWCP will pay the employee $15,000 as compensation... did not exceed 75 percent of such average annual wage, OWCP will pay the employee $10,000 as... EEOICPA Determinations of Average Annual Wage and Percentages of Loss § 30.811 How will OWCP calculate the...

Outcomes of an inpatient medical nutritional rehabilitation protocol in children and adolescents with eating disorders.

PubMed

Peebles, Rebecka; Lesser, Andrew; Park, Courtney Cheek; Heckert, Kerri; Timko, C Alix; Lantzouni, Eleni; Liebman, Ronald; Weaver, Laurel

2017-01-01

Medical stabilization through inpatient nutritional rehabilitation is often necessary for patients with eating disorders (EDs) but includes the inherent risk of refeeding syndrome. Here we describe our experience of implementing and sustaining an inpatient nutritional rehabilitation protocol designed to strategically prepare patients with EDs and their families for discharge to a home setting in an efficient and effective manner from a general adolescent medicine unit. We report outcomes at admission, discharge, and 4-weeks follow-up. Protocol development, implementation, and unique features of the protocol, are described. Data were collected retrospectively as part of a continuous quality improvement (QI) initiative. Safety outcomes were the clinical need for phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium supplementation, other evidence of refeeding syndrome, and unexpected readmissions within one month of discharge. The value outcome was length of stay (LOS). Treatment outcomes were the percentage median BMI (MBMI) change from admission to discharge, and from discharge to 4-weeks follow-up visit. A total of 215 patients (88% F, 12% M) were included. Patients averaged 15.3 years old (5.8-23.2y); 64% had AN, 18% had atypical anorexia (AtAN), 6% bulimia nervosa (BN), 5% purging disorder (PD), 4% avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and 3% had an unspecified food and eating disorder (UFED). Average LOS was 11 days. Initial mean calorie level for patients at admission was 1466 and at discharge 3800 kcals/day. Phosphorus supplementation for refeeding hypophosphatemia (RH) was needed in 14% of inpatients; full-threshold refeeding syndrome did not occur. Only 3.8% were rehospitalized in the thirty days after discharge. Patients averaged 86.1% of a median MBMI for age and gender, 91.4% MBMI at discharge, and 100.9% MBMI at 4-weeks follow-up. Mean percentage MBMI differences between time points were significantly different (admission-discharge: 5.3%, p  <0.001; discharge-follow-up: 9.2%, p  <0.001). Implementation of the CHOP inpatient nutritional rehabilitation protocol aimed at rapid, efficient, and safe weight gain and integration of caregivers in treatment of patients with diverse ED diagnoses led to excellent QI outcomes in percentage MBMI at discharge and 4-weeks follow-up, while maintaining a short LOS and low rates of RH phosphorus supplementation.

Sex and life expectancy.

PubMed

Seifarth, Joshua E; McGowan, Cheri L; Milne, Kevin J

2012-12-01

A sexual dimorphism in human life expectancy has existed in almost every country for as long as records have been kept. Although human life expectancy has increased each year, females still live longer, on average, than males. Undoubtedly, the reasons for the sex gap in life expectancy are multifaceted, and it has been discussed from both sociological and biological perspectives. However, even if biological factors make up only a small percentage of the determinants of the sex difference in this phenomenon, parity in average life expectancy should not be anticipated. The aim of this review is to highlight biological mechanisms that may underlie the sexual dimorphism in life expectancy. Using PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Google Scholar, as well as cited and citing reference histories of articles through August 2012, English-language articles were identified, read, and synthesized into categories that could account for biological sex differences in human life expectancy. The examination of biological mechanisms accounting for the female-based advantage in human life expectancy has been an active area of inquiry; however, it is still difficult to prove the relative importance of any 1 factor. Nonetheless, biological differences between the sexes do exist and include differences in genetic and physiological factors such as progressive skewing of X chromosome inactivation, telomere attrition, mitochondrial inheritance, hormonal and cellular responses to stress, immune function, and metabolic substrate handling among others. These factors may account for at least a part of the female advantage in human life expectancy. Despite noted gaps in sex equality, higher body fat percentages and lower physical activity levels globally at all ages, a sex-based gap in life expectancy exists in nearly every country for which data exist. There are several biological mechanisms that may contribute to explaining why females live longer than men on average, but the complexity of the human life experience makes research examining the contribution of any single factor for the female advantage difficult. However, this information may still prove important to the development of strategies for healthy aging in both sexes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimation of streamflow, base flow, and nitrate-nitrogen loads in Iowa using multiple linear regression models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schilling, K.E.; Wolter, C.F.

2005-01-01

Nineteen variables, including precipitation, soils and geology, land use, and basin morphologic characteristics, were evaluated to develop Iowa regression models to predict total streamflow (Q), base flow (Qb), storm flow (Qs) and base flow percentage (%Qb) in gauged and ungauged watersheds in the state. Discharge records from a set of 33 watersheds across the state for the 1980 to 2000 period were separated into Qb and Qs. Multiple linear regression found that 75.5 percent of long term average Q was explained by rainfall, sand content, and row crop percentage variables, whereas 88.5 percent of Qb was explained by these three variables plus permeability and floodplain area variables. Qs was explained by average rainfall and %Qb was a function of row crop percentage, permeability, and basin slope variables. Regional regression models developed for long term average Q and Qb were adapted to annual rainfall and showed good correlation between measured and predicted values. Combining the regression model for Q with an estimate of mean annual nitrate concentration, a map of potential nitrate loads in the state was produced. Results from this study have important implications for understanding geomorphic and land use controls on streamflow and base flow in Iowa watersheds and similar agriculture dominated watersheds in the glaciated Midwest. (JAWRA) (Copyright ?? 2005).

Epiphany sealer penetration into dentinal tubules: Confocal laser scanning microscopic study.

PubMed

Ravi, S V; Nageswar, Rao; Swapna, Honwad; Sreekant, Puthalath; Ranjith, Madhavan; Mahidhar, Surabhi

2014-03-01

The aim of the following study was to evaluate the percentage and average depth of epiphany sealer penetration into dentinal tubules among the coronal, middle and apical thirds of the root using the confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). A total of 10 maxillary central incisors were prepared and obturated with Resilon-Epiphany system. Sealer was mixed with fluorescent rhodamine B isothiyocyanate dye for visibility under confocal microscope. Teeth were cross-sectioned into coronal, middle and apical sections-2 mm thick. Sections were observed under CLSM. Images were analyzed for percentage and average depth of sealer penetration into dentinal tubules using the lasso tool in Adobe Photoshop CS3 (Adobe systems incorporated, San jose, CA) and laser scanning microscopy (LSM 5) image analyzer. One-way analysis of variance with Student Neuman Keuls post hoc tests, Kruskal-Wallis test and Wilcoxon signed-rank post hoc tests. The results showed that a higher percentage of sealer penetration in coronal section-89.23%, followed by middle section-84.19% and the apical section-64.9%. Average depth of sealer penetration for coronal section was 526.02 μm, middle-385.26 μm and apical-193.49 μm. Study concluded that there was higher epiphany sealer penetration seen in coronal followed by middle and least at apical third of the roots.

The Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS): 13. Comparison of treatment outcomes within race: 10-year results.

PubMed

Ederer, Fred; Gaasterland, Douglas A; Dally, Leonard G; Kim, Jonghyeon; VanVeldhuisen, Paul C; Blackwell, Beth; Prum, Bruce; Shafranov, George; Allen, Robert C; Beck, Allen

2004-04-01

To present for black and white patients with medically uncontrolled glaucoma 10-year results of treatment with 1 of 2 randomly assigned surgical intervention sequences. Randomized clinical trial. Three hundred thirty-two black patients (451 eyes) and 249 white patients (325 eyes). Eyes had glaucoma that could not be controlled with medications alone. Eyes were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 sequences: argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT)-trabeculectomy-trabeculectomy (ATT) or trabeculectomy-ALT-trabeculectomy (TAT). Second and third interventions were offered after failure of the preceding intervention. Minimum required intraocular pressure (IOP) for intervention failure ranged upward from 18 mmHg, the value depending on whether recent optic disc or visual field (VF) deterioration occurred, and on the magnitude of the field defect. Patients were observed every 6 months, with total potential follow-up ranging from 8 years, 4 months to 13 years. The averages over follow-up of (1) the percentage of eyes having moderate loss of VF and (2) the percentage of eyes having moderate loss of visual acuity (VA). Race-treatment interactions in VF and VA loss are significant for the 2 main outcome measures; therefore, results of treatment sequence differences are presented by race. In black patients the average percent of eyes with VF loss was less in the ATT sequence than in the TAT sequence, a difference that is not statistically significant at any visit. In white patients, conversely, after 18 months the average percent of eyes with VF loss was less in the TAT sequence, a difference that increases and is statistically significant in years 8 to 10. In both black and white patients, the average percent of eyes with VA loss was less in the ATT sequence; this difference is statistically significant throughout 10 follow-up years in black patients and is statistically significant only for the first year in white patients. In both black and white patients, average IOP reductions were greater in the TAT sequence, though the TAT-ATT difference was substantially greater in white patients. In both black and white patients, first-intervention failure rates were substantially lower for trabeculectomy than for trabeculoplasty. Ten-year cumulative incidence of unilateral VF impairment comparable to legal blindness was modest in eyes of black (ATT 11.9%, TAT 18.5%) and white (ATT 9.9%, TAT 7.3%) patients. Although IOP was lowered in both sequences in black and white patients with medically uncontrolled glaucoma, long-term visual function outcomes were better for the ATT sequence in black patients and better for the TAT sequence in white patients.

A Comparison of Quality of Community Health Services Between Public and Private Community Health Centers in Urban China.

PubMed

Yin, Xiaoxv; Gong, Yanhong; Yang, Chen; Tu, Xiaochen; Liu, Wei; Cao, Shiyi; Yang, Huajie; Lu, Zuxun

2015-10-01

This study was the first of its kind to evaluate and compare the quality of private and public community health centers (CHCs) in urban China. A total of 2501 CHCs in 35 cities were chosen in 2011 using a multistage sampling method, and data on human resources, medical equipment and drug inventory were collected. A subset of 422 CHCs was randomly selected and 100 prescriptions from each CHCs were reviewed to evaluate prescribing practice. In total, 12,386 patients who visited the selected 422 CHCs were interviewed to assess patient satisfaction and payments. Controlling for population covered per CHC and geographic regions, private CHCs were higher than public CHCs in average building area (2310.96 vs. 2000.92 square meters), average number of medical equipment (6.42 vs. 6.14), average number of physicians and nurses per 10,000 population (4.86 vs. 3.81 and 3.38 vs. 2.62), and average number of medicines in stock (435.08 vs. 375.83), but lower in average percentage of medicines on the national essential medicines list (67.29% vs. 77.55%). Prescriptions from private CHCs had significantly higher number of drugs per prescription (2.38 vs. 2.24), higher percentage of prescriptions with injections (36.44% vs. 30.50%), and higher percentage of prescriptions with antibiotics (37.17% vs. 30.14%). Patient satisfaction was similar between the 2 groups, and patient payments per visit were lower in private CHCs after controlling for patients' sociodemographic characteristics. Private CHCs are better equipped and better staffed than public CHCs but are less compliant with national policy on essential medicines and have poorer prescribing quality in China, warranting more rigorous government supervision.

Trends of Science Ability in the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) of Korean Ninth Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hyun-Kyung; Lee, Dong-Heon; Kim, Soojin

2016-01-01

The results of the National Assessment of Educational Achievement from 2010 to 2013 have shown a downward trend in ninth graders' science average achievement scores from 2011 to 2013. The percentage of students in the Advanced level decreased dramatically from 19.95% in 2010 to 11.48% in 2013, while the percentage of students in the Basic level…

75 FR 12702 - Tart Cherries Grown in the States of Michigan, et al.; Final Free and Restricted Percentages for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-17

... three years 183 (2) Plus desirable carryout 0 (3) Optimum supply calculated by the Board at the 183 June...) Average sales of the prior three years 176 (2) Plus desirable carryout 0 (3) Optimum supply calculated by the Board 176 Final Percentages: (4) Board reported production 355 (5) Plus carryin held by handlers...

Function, structure, and stability of enzymes confined in agarose gels.

PubMed

Kunkel, Jeffrey; Asuri, Prashanth

2014-01-01

Research over the past few decades has attempted to answer how proteins behave in molecularly confined or crowded environments when compared to dilute buffer solutions. This information is vital to understanding in vivo protein behavior, as the average spacing between macromolecules in the cell cytosol is much smaller than the size of the macromolecules themselves. In our study, we attempt to address this question using three structurally and functionally different model enzymes encapsulated in agarose gels of different porosities. Our studies reveal that under standard buffer conditions, the initial reaction rates of the agarose-encapsulated enzymes are lower than that of the solution phase enzymes. However, the encapsulated enzymes retain a higher percentage of their activity in the presence of denaturants. Moreover, the concentration of agarose used for encapsulation had a significant effect on the enzyme functional stability; enzymes encapsulated in higher percentages of agarose were more stable than the enzymes encapsulated in lower percentages of agarose. Similar results were observed through structural measurements of enzyme denaturation using an 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid fluorescence assay. Our work demonstrates the utility of hydrogels to study protein behavior in highly confined environments similar to those present in vivo; furthermore, the enhanced stability of gel-encapsulated enzymes may find use in the delivery of therapeutic proteins, as well as the design of novel strategies for biohybrid medical devices.

Sediment Carbon Accumulation in Southern Latitude Saltmarsh Communities of Tasmania, Australia.

PubMed

Ellison, Joanna C; Beasy, Kim M

2018-05-02

Carbon sequestration values of wetlands are greatest in their sediments. Northern hemisphere research dominates the earlier saltmarsh carbon sequestration literature, recently augmented by analyses across mainland Australia where species assemblages, catchment histories and environmental settings differ. No previous assessment has been made for Tasmania. Carbon stores and accumulation rates in saltmarsh sediments of the Rubicon estuary, Tasmania, were investigated. Carbon was determined from sediment cores by Elemental Analyser, combined with analysis of organic content and bulk density. Carbon accumulation was determined using short-term and long-term sediment accretion indicators. Results showed carbon densities to be lower than global averages, with variation found between carbon stores of native and introduced species zones. Cores from introduced Spartina anglica indicated a trend of higher sediment carbon percentages relative to cores from native saltmarsh Juncus kraussii and Sarcocornia quinqueflora , and in finer grain sizes. Sediment carbon stock of 30 cm depths was 49.5 Mg C ha −1 for native saltmarsh and 55.5 Mg C ha −1 for Spartina . Carbon percentages were low owing to high catchment inorganic sediment yields, however carbon accumulation rates were similar to global averages, particularly under Spartina . Covering 85% of saltmarsh area in the estuary, Spartina contributes the majority to carbon stores, potentially indicating a previously unrecognized value for this invasive species in Australia.

Community Characteristics and Mortality: The Relative Strength of Association of Different Community Characteristics

PubMed Central

Roberts, Eric; McCleary, Rachael; Buttorff, Christine; Gaskin, Darrell J.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We compared the strength of association between average 5-year county-level mortality rates and area-level measures, including air quality, sociodemographic characteristics, violence, and economic distress. Methods. We obtained mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System and linked it to socioeconomic and demographic data from the Census Bureau, air quality data, violent crime statistics, and loan delinquency data. We modeled 5-year average mortality rates (1998–2002) for all-cause, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory diseases as a function of county-level characteristics using ordinary least squares regression models. We limited analyses to counties with population of 100 000 or greater (n = 458). Results. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, particularly the percentage older than 65 years and near poor, were top predictors of all-cause and condition-specific mortality, as were a high concentration of construction and service workers. We found weaker associations for air quality, mortgage delinquencies, and violent crimes. Protective characteristics included the percentage of Hispanics, Asians, and married residents. Conclusions. Multiple factors influence county-level mortality. Although county demographic and socioeconomic characteristics are important, there are independent, although weaker, associations of other environmental characteristics. Future studies should investigate these factors to better understand community mortality risk. PMID:25033152

Effect of sex and rearing system on the quality and mineral content of fiber from raeini cashmere goats

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the quality characteristics and mineral content of the fiber from male and female cashmere goats raised under different management systems. Male and female Raeini cashmere goats (<1.5 years of age, n = 48) were selected from flocks raised at a government breeding station or raised commercially under either rural or nomadic conditions. The staple length, cashmere fiber diameter, coefficient of variation for fiber diameter, percentage of cashmere in a fleece, percentage of guard hair in a fleece and cashmere tenacity averaged 4.6 ±0.1 cm, 18.0 ±0.1 μm, 20.9 ± 0.4%, 66.1 ± 1.5%, 33.8 ± 1.5% and 1.8 ± 0.2 gf/tex, respectively. The sulfur, copper and zinc content of the cashmere averaged 2.8 ± 0.1%, 0.00065 ± 0.00002% and 0.01276 ± 0.00025%, respectively. Rearing method significantly affected staple length, coefficient of variation of fiber diameter, cashmere tenacity and copper content. Males had a higher coefficient of variation of fiber diameter and cashmere tenacity than females (P < 0.05). PMID:22958733

Investigation of strongyle EPG values in horse mares relative to known age, number positive, and level of egg shedding in field studies on 26 farms in Central Kentucky (2010-2011).

PubMed

Lyons, E T; Tolliver, S C; Kuzmina, T A

2012-06-01

A parasite study was done in 1,300 horse mares on 26 farms in Central Kentucky over a 5-month period in 2010 and 2011. The mares included 1,114 Thoroughbreds (TB) on 24 farms, 64 Standardbreds (SB) on 1 farm, and 122 mixed light horse types (MLH) on 1 farm. The objective of this research was to determine strongyle eggs per gram of feces (EPG) counts for evaluation by known age, number positive, and level of egg shedding by the mares. This was done to establish strongyle EPG profiles for the mares to aid in determining whether antiparasitic treatment was necessary. Eggs found were considered those of small strongyles. (A) For the Thoroughbred mares, (1) 362 (32%) were EPG-positive, and (2) the average (percentage) of EPG-positive mares by year of age was 3-5 (54%), 6-10 (36%), 11-15 (24%), 16-20 (17%), and >20 (21%); (3) EPG average counts were similar for all age categories except for the 6- to 10-year-olds, which were higher; (4) and the average (percentage) of positive mares by 100 units of EPG counts was ≤100 (50%), ≤200 (62%), ≤300 (70%), ≤400 (76%), ≤500 (80%), and >500 (20%). (B) For the Standardbred mares, 31 (48%) were EPG-positive; (2) the average (percentage) of EPG-positive mares by year of age (no >20 sampled) was lowest for the 3-5 and 16-20 categories and highest for the 6-10 and 11-15 groups; (3) EPG average counts by years of age were lowest for 3-5, 11-15, and 16-20 groups and highest for the 6-10 group; and (4) the average (percentage) of positive mares by 100 units of EPGs was 62% for the ≤100 category, 71-84% for ≤200 to ≤400 units, and the highest (97%) for the ≤500 unit. (C) For the mixed light horse type mares: (1) 94 (77%) were EPG-positive, (2) the average (percentage) of EPG-positive mares by age was lowest for the two oldest age groups, higher for the 11 to 15-year-old age group, and highest for the two youngest age groups; (3) EPG average counts by year of age were lowest for the 16-20 group, higher for the 6-10 and >20 groups, and highest for 3-5 and 11-15 groups; (4) the average (percentage) of positive mares by 100 units of EPG counts was lowest for the ≤100 category (23%), increasing about 10% progressively in ≤200 to ≤500 categories, but lower (37%) for the >500 category. (D) For all the three mare types (TB, SB, and MLH), 37% of the mares were EPG-positive, and 63% of the mares were EPG-negative; for the age (years) of positive mares, about one half belonged to the 3-5 category and a progressive decrease was seen for the 6-10, 11-15, and 16-20 groups, and 36% for the >20-year-olds; the mean strongyle EPGs highest range was seen in the 11- to 15-year-olds; the highest mean was in the 6- to 10-year-olds, and the lowest mean in the 3- to 5- and 16- to 20-year-olds. For the grouping of the strongyle EPG values by units of 100, three-fourths were in the ≤500 category, and the lowest percentage was for the >500 category. This research showed the value of strongyle EPG profiling for the mares. It was most useful for TBs where data from a large number of horses showed that over two-thirds were EPG-negative, indicating that there would be no known problem in deciding not to deworm them. While data were not as clear-cut on the SB and MLH mares, several of those which were negative and with "low" EPG values could be excluded from antiparasitic treatment.

Characteristics of pulsed dual frequency inductively coupled plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Jin Seok; Kim, Kyoung Nam; Kim, Ki Seok; Kim, Tae Hyung; Yeom, Geun Young

2015-01-01

To control the plasma characteristics more efficiently, a dual antenna inductively coupled plasma (DF-ICP) source composed of a 12-turn inner antenna operated at 2 MHz and a 3-turn outer antenna at 13.56 MHz was pulsed. The effects of pulsing to each antenna on the change of plasma characteristics and SiO2 etch characteristics using Ar/C4F8 gas mixtures were investigated. When the duty percentage was decreased from continuous wave (CW) mode to 30% for the inner or outer ICP antenna, decrease of the average electron temperature was observed for the pulsing of each antenna. Increase of the CF2/F ratio was also observed with decreasing duty percentage of each antenna, indicating decreased dissociation of the C4F8 gas due to the decreased average electron temperature. When SiO2 etching was investigated as a function of pulse duty percentage, increase of the etch selectivity of SiO2 over amorphous carbon layer (ACL) was observed while decreasing the SiO2 etch rate. The increase of etch selectivity was related to the change of gas dissociation characteristics, as observed by the decrease of average electron temperature and consequent increase of the CF2/F ratio. The decrease of the SiO2 etch rate could be compensated for by using the rf power compensated mode, that is, by maintaining the same time-average rf power during pulsing, instead of using the conventional pulsing mode. Through use of the power compensated mode, increased etch selectivity of SiO2/ACL similar to the conventional pulsing mode could be observed without significant decrease of the SiO2 etch rate. Finally, by using the rf power compensated mode while pulsing rf powers to both antennas, the plasma uniformity over the 300 mm diameter substrate could be improved from 7% for the CW conditions to about around 3.3% with the duty percentage of 30%.

Using standard and institutional mentorship models to implement SLMTA in Kenya

PubMed Central

Mwalili, Samuel; Basiye, Frank L.; Zeh, Clement; Emonyi, Wilfred I.; Langat, Raphael; Luman, Elizabeth T.; Mwangi, Jane

2014-01-01

Background Kenya is home to several high-performing internationally-accredited research laboratories, whilst most public sector laboratories have historically lacked functioning quality management systems. In 2010, Kenya enrolled an initial eight regional and four national laboratories into the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme. To address the challenge of a lack of mentors for the regional laboratories, three were paired, or ‘twinned’, with nearby accredited research laboratories to provide institutional mentorship, whilst the other five received standard mentorship. Objectives This study examines results from the eight regional laboratories in the initial SLMTA group, with a focus on mentorship models. Methods Three SLMTA workshops were interspersed with three-month periods of improvement project implementation and mentorship. Progress was evaluated at baseline, mid-term, and exit using the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) audit checklist and scores were converted into a zero- to five-star scale. Results At baseline, the mean score for the eight laboratories was 32%; all laboratories were below the one-star level. At mid-term, all laboratories had measured improvements. However, the three twinned laboratories had increased an average of 32 percentage points and reached one to three stars; whilst the five non-twinned laboratories increased an average of 10 percentage points and remained at zero stars. At exit, twinned laboratories had increased an average 12 additional percentage points (44 total), reaching two to four stars; non-twinned laboratories increased an average of 28 additional percentage points (38 total), reaching one to three stars. Conclusion The partnership used by the twinning model holds promise for future collaborations between ministries of health and state-of-the-art research laboratories in their regions for laboratory quality improvement. Where they exist, such laboratories may be valuable resources to be used judiciously so as to accelerate sustainable quality improvement initiated through SLMTA. PMID:29043191

Leveraging Principal Evaluations to Scale up Instructional Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenton, Ben

2016-01-01

Strong school leaders play a vital role in accelerating student achievement across a state. Research has found that principals account for 25 percent of a school's total impact on student achievement, and an above-average principal can raise student achievement by as much as 20 percentage points more than an average principal--equivalent to seven…

Tuition Discounting Is on the Rise: Results of a NACUBO Study of Independent Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hubbell, Loren Loomis

1995-01-01

A study by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) analyzed tuition discount ratios for small colleges with lower tuition, small colleges with higher tuition, and large colleges/universities. It examined average tuition discount percentages, average tuition rates and enrollments, percent of students aided, and…

42 CFR 409.80 - Inpatient deductible and coinsurance: General provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... services that Medicare does not pay. (2) The hospital or CAH or SNF may charge these amounts to the... changes in the average cost of hospital care. In adjusting the deductible, the Secretary must use a... is increased each year by about the same percentage as the increase in the average Medicare daily...

77 FR 13637 - Notice of Quarterly Report (October 1, 2011-December 31, 2011)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-07

... volume (average Project. transportation to annual daily traffic)-- increase tourism Efate Ring Road. and... Increase value $15,965,339 Average revenue of Small added to tourism and Micro Enterprise and artisan (SME... (for all funds) (percentage). Rural Land Governance Project.... $59,934,615 Increase investment $14,435...

47 CFR 36.126 - Circuit equipment-Category 4.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Accounts 2230 through 2232 to the categories/subcategories as specified in § 36.126(b)(1) through (b)(4) based on the relative percentage assignment of the average balances of Accounts 2230 through 2232 costs....41 of this chapter, shall assign the average balances of Accounts 2230 through 2232 to the categories...

Factors affecting survivability of transferred whole and demi-embryos in a commercial dairy herd.

PubMed

Arave, C W; Bunch, T D; Mickelsen, C H; Warnick, K

1987-09-01

Sixty Holstein donor cows were superovulated and embryos were collected during a 6-d (27 cows) and a 4-d (33 cows) period approximately 60 d apart. Forty-three donor cows yielded embryos. Ninety-one embryos graded 1 or 2 were split and transferred to 181 recipient Holsteins. Demi-embryos were graded 2, 2-, 3 and 3- prior to transfer. Pregnancy and calving percentages were similar for all demi-embryo grades, averaging 59 and 53% from the two donor groups, respectively. Twin demi-embryo pregnancies averaged 36 and 19% for embryos split at the compacted morula and blastocyst stages, respectively. Twin demi-embryo calvings averaged 30 and 15% for these same groups. Progesterone levels of recipients (of either whole or demi-embryos) of second period donors were measured. Pregnancy rate increased generally with level of progesterone; however, calving percentage was slightly greater for recipients with intermediate levels of progesterone (2-6 ng/ml). Multiparous cow (20) recipients of demi-embryos had 45% pregnancy and 40% calving, while nulliparous heifer (161) recipients averaged 59 and 53% pregnancy and calving, respectively.

Effectiveness of Multimedia for Transplant Preparation for Kidney Transplant Waiting List Patients.

PubMed

Charoenthanakit, C; Junchotikul, P; Sittiudomsuk, R; Saiyud, A; Pratumphai, P

2016-04-01

A multimedia program could effectively advise patients about preparing for transplantation while on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. This study aimed to compare knowledge about transplant preparation for patients on a kidney transplant waiting list before and after participating in a multimedia program, and to evaluate patient satisfaction with the multimedia program. Research design was quasiexperimental with the use of 1 group. Subjects were 186 patients on the kidney transplant waiting list after HLA matching in Ramathibodi Hospital. The questionnaires were developed by the researchers. The statistical tools used were basic statistics, percentage, average, standard deviation, and the difference of score between before and after participation in the multimedia program (t test). The evaluation knowledge for transplant preparation for kidney transplant waiting list patients after participating in the multimedia program averaged 85.40%, and there was an increased improvement of score by an average 3.27 out of a possible full score of 20 (P < .05). The result of patient satisfaction for the multimedia program had good average, 4.58. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Do Chinese Children Get Enough Micronutrients?

PubMed Central

Wang, Huijun; Wang, Dantong; Ouyang, Yifei; Huang, Feifei; Ding, Gangqiang; Zhang, Bing

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine usual daily micronutrient intake of Chinese children based on data from the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey. We analyzed data from 4 to 17-year-old participants, who provided dietary data on three consecutive days combined with the household weighing method in 2011. Usual daily intake of each nutrient was estimated using a mixed effects model based on the China Food Composition published in 2009. The means, medians and percentages below Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) were reported for selected micronutrients, including calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin C. For sodium and potassium, the means and the distribution of intakes were compared to the Adequate Intake (AI) level. The average usual daily intakes of all micronutrients increase with age, and the intakes of boys were found to be higher than girls in the same age group. The average calcium intake increased from 272 mg/day in 4–6 years to 391 mg/day in 14–17 years, but the percentage of inadequate calcium intake remained very high (>96%). The prevalence of inadequacy of calcium was the highest among the mineral nutrients reported in this study. As the requirements of micronutrients increased with age, the percentage of subjects with inadequate intake increased in the 11–17 years age groups. Among 14–17 years group, the percentages of study participants with dietary intakes of calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin C below the EAR were 96.8%, 18.8%, 37.6%, 72.8%, 36.8%, 91.8%. 85.9% and 75.5%, respectively. Among 11–13 years group, the percentages of study participants with dietary intakes of iron, zinc and vitamin A below the EAR were 23.5%, 41.5%, and 41.6%, respectively. Thus, micronutrient deficiency is a problem in Chinese children. Nutrition education and intervention programs are needed to address these nutritional gaps. PMID:28420205

The clinical importance of changes in the 0 to 10 numeric rating scale for worst, least, and average pain intensity: analyses of data from clinical trials of duloxetine in pain disorders.

PubMed

Farrar, John T; Pritchett, Yili L; Robinson, Michael; Prakash, Apurva; Chappell, Amy

2010-02-01

Data on 1,700 patients pooled from 5 randomized, placebo-controlled duloxetine studies (3 in diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain and 2 in fibromyalgia) were analyzed to determine clinically important differences (CIDs) in the 0 to 10 Numeric Rating Scale-Pain Intensity (NRS-PI) for patient-reported "worst" and "least" pain intensity while validating the previously published level for "average" pain. The correspondence between the baseline-to-endpoint raw and percentage change in the NRS-PI for the worst, least, and average pain were compared to patients' perceived improvements at endpoint as measured by the 7-point Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scales. Stratification by baseline pain separated the raw but not the percent change scores. The PGI-I category of "much better" or above was our a priori definition of a CID. Cutoff points for the NRS-PI change scores were determined using a receiver operator curve analysis. A consistent relationship between the worst and average NRS-PI percent change and the PGI-I was demonstrated regardless of the study, pain type, age, sex, or treatment group with a reduction of approximately 34%. The least pain item CID was slightly higher at 41%. Raw change CID cutoff points were approximately -2, -2.5 and -3 for least, average, and worst pain respectively. We determined an anchor-based value for the change in the worst, least, and average pain intensity items of the Brief Pain Inventory that best represents a clinically important difference. Our findings support a standard definition of a clinically important difference in clinical trials of chronic-pain therapies. Copyright 2010 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Drug-promoting advertisements in the Dutch Journal of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Weekly: not always evidence based].

PubMed

van Eeden, Annelies E; Roach, Rachel E J; Halbesma, Nynke; Dekker, Friedo W

2012-01-01

To determine and compare the foundation of claims in drug-promoting advertisements in a Dutch journal for physicians and a Dutch journal for pharmacists. A cross-sectional study. We included all the drug-promoting advertisements referring to a randomized controlled trial (RCT) we could find on Medline from 2 volumes of the Dutch Journal of Medicine (Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde; NTvG) and the (also Dutch) Pharmaceutical Weekly (Pharmaceutisch Weekblad; PW). The validity of the advertisements (n = 54) and the methodological quality of the referenced RCTs (n = 150) were independently scored by 250 medical students using 2 standardised questionnaires. The advertisements' sources were concealed from the students. Per journal, the percentage of drug-promoting advertisements having a valid claim and the percentage of high-quality RCT references were determined. Average scores on quality and validity were compared between the 2 journals. On a scale of 0-18 points, the mean quality scores of the RCTs differed 0.3 (95% CI: -0.1-0.7) between the NTvG (score: 14.8; SD: 2.2) and the PW (score: 14.5; SD: 2.6). The difference between the validity scores of drug-promoting advertisements in the NTvG (score: 5.8; SD: 3.3) and the PW (score: 5.6; SD: 3.6) was 0.3 (95% CI: -0.3-0.9) on a scale of 0-10 points. For both journals, an average of 15% of drug-promoting advertisements was valid (defined as a validity score of > 8 points); 35% of the RCTs referred to was of good methodological quality (defined as a quality score of > 16 points). The substantiation of many claims in drug-promoting advertisements in the NTvG and the PW was mediocre. There was no difference between the 2 journals.

Adequate performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques during simulated cardiac arrest over and under protective equipment in football.

PubMed

Waninger, Kevin N; Goodbred, Andrew; Vanic, Keith; Hauth, John; Onia, Joshua; Stoltzfus, Jill; Melanson, Scott

2014-07-01

To investigate (1) cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) adequacy during simulated cardiac arrest of equipped football players and (2) whether protective football equipment impedes CPR performance measures. Exploratory crossover study performed on Laerdal SimMan 3 G interactive manikin simulator. Temple University/St Luke's University Health Network Regional Medical School Simulation Laboratory. Thirty BCLS-certified ATCs and 6 ACLS-certified emergency department technicians. Subjects were given standardized rescuer scenarios to perform three 2-minute sequences of compression-only CPR. Baseline CPR sequences were captured on each subject. Experimental conditions included 2-minute sequences of CPR either over protective football shoulder pads or under unlaced pads. Subjects were instructed to adhere to 2010 American Heart Association guidelines (initiation of compressions alone at 100/min to 51 mm). Dependent variables included average compression depth, average compression rate, percentage of time chest wall recoiled, and percentage of hands-on contact during compressions. Differences between subject groups were not found to be statistically significant, so groups were combined (n = 36) for analysis of CPR compression adequacy. Compression depth was deeper under shoulder pads than over (P = 0.02), with mean depths of 36.50 and 31.50 mm, respectively. No significant difference was found with compression rate or chest wall recoil. Chest compression depth is significantly decreased when performed over shoulder pads, while there is no apparent effect on rate or chest wall recoil. Although the clinical outcomes from our observed 15% difference in compression depth are uncertain, chest compression under the pads significantly increases the depth of compressions and more closely approaches American Heart Association guidelines for chest compression depth in cardiac arrest.

Distribution of caffeine levels in urine in different sports in relation to doping control before and after the removal of caffeine from the WADA doping list.

PubMed

Van Thuyne, W; Delbeke, F T

2006-09-01

Caffeine concentrations were measured in the urine of 4633 athletes tested for doping control in the Ghent Doping Control Laboratory in 2004. Determination of these concentrations was done using an alkaline extraction with a mixture of dichloromethane and methanol (9 : 1; v/v) followed by high performance liquid chromatography and ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). The method was validated according to ISO 17 025 standards (International Organisation for Standardisation). Quantification was done by using a linear calibration curve in the range from 0 to 20 microg/ml. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.10 microg/ml. Because the results were not normally distributed, transformation of the data was done to evaluate the difference in detected concentrations in several sports. This resulted in an overall average concentration of 1.12 +/- 2.68 microg/ml. Comparison of the most frequently tested sports in 2004 demonstrated that caffeine concentrations in samples originating from power lifters are significantly higher in comparison to urines taken in other sports. Also, a significant difference between caffeine concentrations found in cycling and concentrations found in other sports, including athletics and some ball sports, was observed. A comparison was made between results obtained in 2004 and results obtained before the removal of caffeine from the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) doping list indicating that average caffeine concentrations decreased after the withdrawal of caffeine from the list of prohibited substances. The overall percentage of positive samples between the two periods remained the same although the percentage of positive samples noticed in cycling increased after the removal of caffeine from the doping list.

High-performance vision training improves batting statistics for University of Cincinnati baseball players.

PubMed

Clark, Joseph F; Ellis, James K; Bench, Johnny; Khoury, Jane; Graman, Pat

2012-01-01

Baseball requires an incredible amount of visual acuity and eye-hand coordination, especially for the batters. The learning objective of this work is to observe that traditional vision training as part of injury prevention or conditioning can be added to a team's training schedule to improve some performance parameters such as batting and hitting. All players for the 2010 to 2011 season underwent normal preseason physicals and baseline testing that is standard for the University of Cincinnati Athletics Department. Standard vision training exercises were implemented 6 weeks before the start of the season. Results are reported as compared to the 2009 to 2010 season. Pre season conditioning was followed by a maintenance program during the season of vision training. The University of Cincinnati team batting average increased from 0.251 in 2010 to 0.285 in 2011 and the slugging percentage increased by 0.033. The rest of the Big East's slugging percentage fell over that same time frame 0.082. This produces a difference of 0.115 with 95% confidence interval (0.024, 0.206). As with the batting average, the change for University of Cincinnati is significantly different from the rest of the Big East (p = 0.02). Essentially all batting parameters improved by 10% or more. Similar differences were seen when restricting the analysis to games within the Big East conference. Vision training can combine traditional and technological methodologies to train the athletes' eyes and improve batting. Vision training as part of conditioning or injury prevention can be applied and may improve batting performance in college baseball players. High performance vision training can be instituted in the pre-season and maintained throughout the season to improve batting parameters.

Uncommon combinations of ICD10-PCS or ICD-9-CM operative procedure codes account for most inpatient surgery at half of Texas hospitals.

PubMed

O'Neill, Liam; Dexter, Franklin; Park, Sae-Hwan; Epstein, Richard H

2017-09-01

Recently, there has been interest in activity-based cost accounting for inpatient surgical procedures to facilitate "value based" analyses. Research 10-20years ago, performed using data from 3 large teaching hospitals, found that activity-based cost accounting was practical and useful for modeling surgeons and subspecialties, but inaccurate for individual procedures. We hypothesized that these older results would apply to hundreds of hospitals, currently evaluable using administrative databases. Observational study. State of Texas hospital discharge abstract data for 1st quarter of 2016, 4th quarter of 2015, 1st quarter of 2015, and 4th quarter of 2014. Discharged from an acute care hospital in Texas with at least 1 major therapeutic ("operative") procedure. Counts of discharges for each procedure or combination of procedures, classified by ICD-10-PCS or ICD-9-CM. At the average hospital, most surgical discharges were for procedures performed at most once a month at the hospital (54%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 51% to 55%). At the average hospital, approximately 90% of procedures were performed at most once a month at the hospital (93%, CI 93% to 94%). The percentages were insensitive to the quarter of the year. The percentages were 3% to 6% greater with ICD-10-PCS than for the superseded ICD 9 CM. There are many different procedure codes, and many different combinations of codes, relative to the number of different hospital discharges. Since most procedures at most hospitals are performed no more than once a month, activity-based cost accounting with a sample size sufficient to be useful is impractical for the vast majority of procedures, in contrast to analysis by surgeon and/or subspecialty. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative study of regulated and unregulated air pollutant emissions before and after conversion of automobiles from gasoline power to liquefied petroleum gas/gasoline dual-fuel retrofits.

PubMed

Yang, Hsi-Hsien; Chien, Shu-Mei; Cheng, Man-Ting; Peng, Chiung-Yu

2007-12-15

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is increasingly being examined as an alternative to gasoline use in automobiles as interest grows in reducing air pollutant emissions. In this study, emissions of regulated (CO, THC, NO(x)) and unregulated air pollutants, including CO2, particulate matter (PM), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and BTEX (acronym for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene), were measured before and after conversion of nine gasoline-powered automobiles to LPG/ gasoline dual-fuel retrofits. The tests were conducted on a standard chassis dynamometer in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency FTP-75 test procedure, with the exception that all tests were conducted under hot-start driving conditions. The influences of LPG on air pollutant emission levels and carcinogenic potency were investigated and compared with gasoline. The results showed average emission factors of 0.14 g/km, 0.33 mg/km, 0.09 g/km, 0.44 g/km, and 197 g/km for CO, THC, NO(x), PM, and CO2, respectively, for LPG/ gasoline dual-fuel retrofits. Paired-sample t-test results indicated that the emissions of CO (p = 0.03), THC (p = 0.04), and CO2 (p = 4.6 x 10(-8)) were significantly reduced with the retrofit in comparison with gasoline-powered automobiles. The reduction percentages were 71%, 89%, and 14% for CO, THC, and CO2, respectively. The average total PAH emission factor for LPG was 217 microg/km, which is significantly lower than gasoline (863 microg/km; p = 0.05). The PAH corresponding carcinogenicities (BaP(eq)) were calculated via toxic equivalencies based on benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). Paired-sample t-test results fortotal BaP(eq) emissions showed no significant difference between gasoline (30.0 microg/km) and LPG (24.8 microg/km) at a confidence level of 95%. The discrepancy between PAH and BaP(eq) emissions resulted from the higher emission percentages of high molecular weight PAHs for LPG, which might be from lubricant oil. The average emission factors of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene were 351, 4400, 324, and 1100 microg/ km, respectively, with LPG as fuel, which were all significantly lower than those for gasoline (95% confidence level). The average reduction percentages were 78%, 61%, 57%, and 58% for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene, respectively.

Surface and Atmospheric Contributions to Passive Microwave Brightness Temperatures for Falling Snow Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skofronick-Jackson, Gail; Johnson, Benjamin T.

2011-01-01

Physically based passive microwave precipitation retrieval algorithms require a set of relationships between satellite -observed brightness temperatures (TBs) and the physical state of the underlying atmosphere and surface. These relationships are nonlinear, such that inversions are ill ]posed especially over variable land surfaces. In order to elucidate these relationships, this work presents a theoretical analysis using TB weighting functions to quantify the percentage influence of the TB resulting from absorption, emission, and/or reflection from the surface, as well as from frozen hydrometeors in clouds, from atmospheric water vapor, and from other contributors. The percentage analysis was also compared to Jacobians. The results are presented for frequencies from 10 to 874 GHz, for individual snow profiles, and for averages over three cloud-resolving model simulations of falling snow. The bulk structure (e.g., ice water path and cloud depth) of the underlying cloud scene was found to affect the resultant TB and percentages, producing different values for blizzard, lake effect, and synoptic snow events. The slant path at a 53 viewing angle increases the hydrometeor contributions relative to nadir viewing channels. Jacobians provide the magnitude and direction of change in the TB values due to a change in the underlying scene; however, the percentage analysis provides detailed information on how that change affected contributions to the TB from the surface, hydrometeors, and water vapor. The TB percentage information presented in this paper provides information about the relative contributions to the TB and supplies key pieces of information required to develop and improve precipitation retrievals over land surfaces.

Quality of life research in neuro-oncology: a quantitative comparison.

PubMed

Klein, Elizabeth; Altshuler, David; Hallock, Abhirami; Szerlip, Nicholas

2014-01-01

Our understanding of the biology of neuro-oncologic disease has improved vastly over time, however overall patient survival remains relatively poor. Our goal as clinicians, therefore, should be to ensure that the quality of life (QOL) in that survival time is optimized. Here we review neuro-oncology QOL abstracts presented at major oncology conferences and the published literature to make a quantitative comparison to other common cancer subtypes. First, all abstracts presented at major oncology meetings from 2008 to 2012 were reviewed and filtered to find those related to QOL in CNS, breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Next, a Medline search was performed to identify all QOL papers published from 2003 to 2012 for the same cancer subtypes. The results were compared as absolute values and percentages. The average percentage of CNS QOL-related abstracts presented at ASCO and ASTRO over the last 5 years was 4.9 %, compared to 6.4 % for breast, 4.4 % for lung, and 6.1 % for prostate. There is a significant difference in total percentage of QOL abstracts over the time period when comparing CNS to breast and prostate, but not lung (p < 0.05). The Medline search revealed an average of 25.2 publications per year for CNS cancer, compared to 146.2 for breast, 39.3 for lung, and 64.2 for prostate. When looking at trends over time, publications in CNS cancer have not been as prolific and have not increased as rapidly as publications in breast and lung cancer, indicating that QOL is underrepresented in neuro-oncology research. We need to improve this by standardizing QOL measures and including them in every outcome study.

Vertical and lateral forces applied to the bar during the bench press in novice lifters.

PubMed

Duffey, Michael J; Challis, John H

2011-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the vertical and lateral forces applied to the bar during a maximal and a submaximal effort bench press lifts. For this study, 10 male and 8 female recreational lifters were recruited (mean height: 1.71 ± 0.08 m; mass: 73.7 ± 13.6 kg) and were asked to perform a maximal and submaximal (80% of maximal lift) bench press. These lifts were performed with a bar instrumented to record forces applied to it, via the hands, in the vertical direction and along the long axis of the bar. To determine the position of the bar and timing of events, 3D kinematic data were recorded and analyzed for both lifts. The subjects in this study averaged a maximal lift of 63 ± 29 kg (90 ± 31% bodyweight). The peak vertical force was 115 ± 22% (percentage of load), whereas for the submaximal condition it was 113 ± 20%; these forces were statistically different between conditions; they were not when expressed as a percentage of the load (p > 0.05). During all the lifts, the lateral forces were always outward along the bar. The lateral force profile was similar to that of the vertical force, albeit at a lesser magnitude. During the lift phase, the peak lateral force was on average 26.3 ± 3.9% of the vertical force for the maximal lift and 23.7 ± 3.9% of the vertical force for the submaximal lift. Given that the amount of force applied laterally to the bar was a similar percentage of vertical force irrespective of load, it appears that the generation of lateral forces during the bench press is a result of having the muscles engaged in generating vertical force.

Understanding controls of hydrologic processes across two monolithological catchments using model-data integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, D.; Shi, Y.; Li, L.

2016-12-01

Field measurements are important to understand the fluxes of water, energy, sediment, and solute in the Critical Zone however are expensive in time, money, and labor. This study aims to assess the model predictability of hydrological processes in a watershed using information from another intensively-measured watershed. We compare two watersheds of different lithology using national datasets, field measurements, and physics-based model, Flux-PIHM. We focus on two monolithological, forested watersheds under the same climate in the Shale Hills Susquehanna CZO in central Pennsylvania: the Shale-based Shale Hills (SSH, 0.08 km2) and the sandstone-based Garner Run (GR, 1.34 km2). We firstly tested the transferability of calibration coefficients from SSH to GR. We found that without any calibration the model can successfully predict seasonal average soil moisture and discharge which shows the advantage of a physics-based model, however, cannot precisely capture some peaks or the runoff in summer. The model reproduces the GR field data better after calibrating the soil hydrology parameters. In particular, the percentage of sand turns out to be a critical parameter in reproducing data. With sandstone being the dominant lithology, GR has much higher sand percentage than SSH (48.02% vs. 29.01%), leading to higher hydraulic conductivity, lower overall water storage capacity, and in general lower soil moisture. This is consistent with area averaged soil moisture observations using the cosmic-ray soil moisture observing system (COSMOS) at the two sites. This work indicates that some parameters, including evapotranspiration parameters, are transferrable due to similar climatic and land cover conditions. However, the key parameters that control soil moisture, including the sand percentage, need to be recalibrated, reflecting the key role of soil hydrological properties.

An Update to the Budget and Economic Outlook: 2014 to 2024

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

shares of gross domestic income (GDI). In principle , GDI equals GDP because each dollar of production yields a dollar of income; in practice, they...Projected Actual Percentage of GDP Percentage of the Population 1999 20092004 CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE CBO An Update to...the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data

Are physical activity studies in Hispanics meeting reporting guidelines for continuous monitoring technology? A systematic review.

PubMed

Layne, Charles S; Parker, Nathan H; Soltero, Erica G; Rosales Chavez, José; O'Connor, Daniel P; Gallagher, Martina R; Lee, Rebecca E

2015-09-18

Continuous monitoring technologies such as accelerometers and pedometers are the gold standard for physical activity (PA) measurement. However, inconsistencies in use, analysis, and reporting limit the understanding of dose-response relationships involving PA and the ability to make comparisons across studies and population subgroups. These issues are particularly detrimental to the study of PA across different ethnicities with different PA habits. This systematic review examined the inclusion of published guidelines involving data collection, processing, and reporting among articles using accelerometers or pedometers in Hispanic or Latino populations. English (PubMed; EbscoHost) and Spanish (SCIELO; Biblioteca Virtual en Salud) articles published between 2000 and 2013 using accelerometers or pedometers to measure PA among Hispanics or Latinos were identified through systematic literature searches. Of the 253 abstracts which were initially reviewed, 57 met eligibility criteria (44 accelerometer, 13 pedometer). Articles were coded and reviewed to evaluate compliance with recommended guidelines (N = 20), and the percentage of accelerometer and pedometer articles following each guideline were computed and reported. On average, 57.1 % of accelerometer and 62.2 % of pedometer articles reported each recommended guideline for data collection. Device manufacturer and model were reported most frequently, and provision of instructions for device wear in Spanish was reported least frequently. On average, 29.6 % of accelerometer articles reported each guideline for data processing. Definitions of an acceptable day for inclusion in analyses were reported most frequently, and definitions of an acceptable hour for inclusion in analyses were reported least frequently. On average, 18.8 % of accelerometer and 85.7 % of pedometer articles included each guideline for data reporting. Accelerometer articles most frequently included average number of valid days and least frequently included percentage of wear time. Inclusion of standard collection and reporting procedures in studies using continuous monitoring devices in Hispanic or Latino population is generally low. Lack of reporting consistency in continuous monitoring studies limits researchers' ability to compare studies or draw meaningful conclusions concerning amounts, quality, and benefits of PA among Hispanic or Latino populations. Reporting data collection, computation, and decision-making standards should be required. Improved interpretability would allow practitioners and researchers to apply scientific findings to promote PA.

Fluctuations in money availability within an income cycle impacts diet quality of remote Indigenous Australians.

PubMed

Wycherley, Thomas P; Pekarsky, Brita Ak; Ferguson, Megan M; O'Dea, Kerin; Brimblecombe, Julie K

2017-06-01

To consider the plausible nutritional impacts of fluctuations in money availability within an income cycle for remote Indigenous Australians. Community-level dietary intake (energy, micro/macronutrients) and expenditure on foods and beverages (F&B) were estimated over one year for three remote Indigenous Australian communities (Northern Territory, Australia) using monthly F&B transaction data. F&B that were likely to be consumed during a period within an income cycle when money was relatively limited (low money period (LMP) foods) were identified by panel consensus and scenario modelling was conducted to simulate the nutritional outcomes of a range of F&B selection responses to having an LMP. All scenarios resulted in reduced diet quality during the LMP relative to overall average diet values. Protein and fat energy percentages were reduced and carbohydrate energy percentage increased. Despite reduced expenditure, declines in energy intake were typically buffered due to the reduced energy cost ($AU/MJ) of the LMP diet. The micronutrient profile of the LMP diet was substantially poorer, such that additional key micronutrients dropped below population-weighted Estimated Average Requirements/Adequate Intakes. The modelling undertaken herein suggests that even a short period of low money within an income cycle may noticeably contribute to the reduced diet quality of remote Indigenous Australians and exacerbate lifestyle disease risk. Dietary strategies that are designed to respond to diets and expenditure during different income cycle periods, rather than the overall average diet and expenditure, should be considered for improving diet quality and reducing cardiometabolic disease risk in remote Indigenous Australians.

Cardiovascular responses to noise: Effects of self-estimated sensitivity to noise, sex, and time of the day

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

di Nisi, J.; Muzet, A.; Weber, L. D.

1987-04-01

Eighty subjects of both sexes were selected according to their self-estimated high or low sensitivity to noise. Noise exposure took place during a mental task ("sound" condition) or during a video film illustrating the noises ("sound and video" condition). The experiments were conducted between 0900 and 1100 hours or between 1500 and 1700 hours. Heart rate response and finger pulse response amplitudes were averaged separately for "sound" and "sound and video" conditions. In the "sound" condition, the average amplitude of the heart rate response differed significantly between noise-sensitivity groups: the low sensitivity group showed a lower average amplitude of heart rate response than the high sensitivity group. A significant interaction between sex and time of the day (morning or afternoon) was observed in both "sound" and "sound and video" conditions. In the "sound" condition, the percentage of noises inducing a finger pulse response appeared higher in female than in male subjects.

Comparing goblet cell densities in patients wearing disposable hydrogel contact lenses versus silicone hydrogel contact lenses in an extended-wear modality.

PubMed

Lievens, Christopher W; Connor, Charles G; Murphy, Heather

2003-10-01

The current study evaluates the response of the ocular surface to extended contact lens wear by comparing a new silicone hydrogel lens to an ACUVUE 2 lens. Twenty subjects with an average age of 28 years were randomly assigned to a fitting with ACUVUE 2 or PureVision lenses. Ocular surface assessment by impression cytology was performed at baseline and for the 6 months after initiation of lens wear. Although goblet cell density significantly increased with wear time, no statistically significant difference was observed between the contact lens groups. The average baseline goblet cell percentages were as follows: ACUVUE 2 group, 1.44; PureVision group, 1.11. The 6-month averages were as follows: ACUVUE 2 group, 3.16; PureVision group, 2.22. It appears that silicone hydrogel lenses may be slightly less irritating to the ocular surface than lenses not containing silicone. This could be a promising indicator for successful 30-day continuous wear.

Visualization of the Capitellum During Elbow Arthroscopy: A Comparison of 3 Portal Techniques

PubMed Central

Trofa, David P.; Gancarczyk, Stephanie M.; Lombardi, Joseph M.; Makhni, Eric C.; Popkin, Charles A.; Ahmad, Christopher S.

2017-01-01

Background: Capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a debilitating condition of unknown etiology for which various arthroscopic treatments are available. Prior data suggest that greater than 75% of the capitellum can be visualized arthroscopically through a dual lateral portal approach. However, there is no literature assessing arthroscopic visualization of the capitellum via alternative portals. Purpose: To determine the percentage of capitellum visualized using the dual lateral, distal ulnar and soft spot, and posterolateral and soft spot portal configurations in a cadaver model. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: Arthroscopy was performed on 12 fresh-frozen cadaver elbows, 4 for each of the following approaches: dual lateral, distal ulna, and posterolateral. Electrocautery was used to mark the most anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral points seen on the capitellum. The radiocapitellar joint was subsequently exposed through an extensile posterior dissection, and the surface anatomy was reconstructed using the Microscribe 3D digitizing system. Using Rhinoceros software, the percentage of capitellum surface area visualized by each approach was determined. Results: The mean percentage of capitellum visualized for the dual lateral, distal ulna, and posterolateral approaches was approximately 68.8%, 66.3%, and 63.5%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the percentage of capitellum seen among approaches (P = .68). On average, 66.5% of the capitellum was visible through these 3 arthroscopic approaches to the elbow. Conclusion: Approximately 66.5% of the capitellum is visualized through the popularized posterior arthroscopic portals, with no significant differences found between the 3 investigated approaches. Clinical Relevance: As determined in this cadaveric model investigation, each portal technique provides equivalent visualization for capitellar OCD pathology. PMID:28680895

Learning to distinguish similar objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seibert, Michael; Waxman, Allen M.; Gove, Alan N.

1995-04-01

This paper describes how the similarities and differences among similar objects can be discovered during learning to facilitate recognition. The application domain is single views of flying model aircraft captured in silhouette by a CCD camera. The approach was motivated by human psychovisual and monkey neurophysiological data. The implementation uses neural net processing mechanisms to build a hierarchy that relates similar objects to superordinate classes, while simultaneously discovering the salient differences between objects within a class. Learning and recognition experiments both with and without the class similarity and difference learning show the effectiveness of the approach on this visual data. To test the approach, the hierarchical approach was compared to a non-hierarchical approach, and was found to improve the average percentage of correctly classified views from 77% to 84%.

Histopathological assessment of cadmium effect on testicles and kidney of Oreochromis niloticus in different salinity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayati, Alfiah; Pratiwi, Hanna; Khoiriyah, Inayatul; Winarni, Dwi; Sugiharto

2017-06-01

This study was aimed to determine the effect of cadmium on testicles and kidney structure of Oreochromis niloticus in different salinity. Twenty-seven Oreochromis niloticus at age of 5±0.5 months with average size 11±1 cm and average weight 250±50 g were used and divided into nine treatment groups with variations in salinity (0, 5 and 10 ‰) and cadmium levels (0, 2.5, and 5 ppm). After two weeks of treatment periods, testicles and kidney was collected and then processed into histological slide. Result showed that cadmium and salinity variations caused change in diameter of seminiferous tubules in the testicles. Kidney structure also showing various damage such as necrosis and inflammation from groups treated with various concentration of salinity and cadmium. Smallest diameter of seminiferous tubules of the testicles and the highest percentage necrosis and inflammation of kidney was found from salinity:cadmium = 0‰ : 5 ppm treatment.

Heritabilities of measured and mid-infrared predicted milk fat globule size, milk fat and protein percentages, and their genetic correlations.

PubMed

Fleming, A; Schenkel, F S; Koeck, A; Malchiodi, F; Ali, R A; Corredig, M; Mallard, B; Sargolzaei, M; Miglior, F

2017-05-01

The objective of this study was to estimate the heritability of milk fat globule (MFG) size and mid-infrared (MIR) predicted MFG size in Holstein cattle. The genetic correlations between measured and predicted MFG size with milk fat and protein percentage were also investigated. Average MFG size was measured in 1,583 milk samples taken from 254 Holstein cows from 29 herds across Canada. Size was expressed as volume moment mean (D[4,3]) and surface moment mean (D[3,2]). Analyzed milk samples also had average MFG size predicted from their MIR spectral records. Fat and protein percentages were obtained for all test-day milk samples in the cow's lactation. Univariate and bivariate repeatability animal models were used to estimate heritability and genetic correlations. Moderate heritabilities of 0.364 and 0.466 were found for D[4,3] and D[3,2], respectively, and a strong genetic correlation was found between the 2 traits (0.98). The heritabilities for the MIR-predicted MFG size were lower than those estimated for the measured MFG size at 0.300 for predicted D[4,3] and 0.239 for predicted D[3,2]. The genetic correlation between measured and predicted D[4,3] was 0.685; the correlation was slightly higher between measured and predicted D[3,2] at 0.764, likely due to the better prediction accuracy of D[3,2]. Milk fat percentage had moderate genetic correlations with both D[4,3] and D[3,2] (0.538 and 0.681, respectively). The genetic correlation between predicted MFG size and fat percentage was much stronger (greater than 0.97 for both predicted D[4,3] and D[3,2]). The stronger correlation suggests a limitation for the use of the predicted values of MFG size as indicator traits for true average MFG size in milk in selection programs. Larger samples sizes are required to provide better evidence of the estimated genetic parameters. A genetic component appears to exist for the average MFG size in bovine milk, and the variation could be exploited in selection programs. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Calculation of Resistive Loads for Elastic Resistive Exercises.

PubMed

Picha, Kelsey; Uhl, Tim

2018-03-14

What is the correct resistive load to start resistive training with elastic resistance to gain strength? This question is typically answered by the clinician's best estimate and patient's level of discomfort without objective evidence. To determine the average level of resistance to initiate a strengthening routine with elastic resistance following isometric strength testing. Cohort. Clinical. 34 subjects (31 ± 13 y, 73 ± 17 kg, 170 ± 12 cm). The force produced was measured in Newtons (N) with an isometric dynamometer. The force distance was the distance from center of joint to location of force applied was measured in meters to calculate torque that was called "Test Torque" for the purposes of this report. This torque data was converted to "Exercise Load" in pounds based on the location where the resistance was applied, specifically the distance away from the center of rotation of the exercising limb. The average amount of exercise load as percentage of initial Test Torque for each individual for each exercise was recorded to determine what the average level of resistance that could be used for elastic resistance strengthening program. The percentage of initial test torque calculated for the exercise was recorded for each exercise and torque produced was normalized to body weight. The average percentage of maximal isometric force that was used to initiate exercises was 30 ± 7% of test torque. This provides clinicians with an objective target load to start elastic resistance training. Individual variations will occur but utilization of a load cell during elastic resistance provides objective documentation of exercise progression.

Demographic characteristics, social competence, and behavior problems in children with gender identity disorder: a cross-national, cross-clinic comparative analysis.

PubMed

Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T; Owen, Allison; Kaijser, Vanessa G; Bradley, Susan J; Zucker, Kenneth J

2003-02-01

This study examined demographic characteristics, social competence, and behavior problems in clinic-referred children with gender identity problems in Toronto, Canada (N = 358), and Utrecht, The Netherlands (N = 130). The Toronto sample was, on average, about a year younger than the Utrecht sample at referral, had a higher percentage of boys, had a higher mean IQ, and was less likely to be living with both parents. On the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), both groups showed, on average, clinical range scores in both social competence and behavior problems. A CBCL-derived measure of poor peer relations showed that boys in both clinics had worse ratings than did the girls. A multiple regression analysis showed that poor peer relations were the strongest predictor of behavior problems in both samples. This study-the first cross-national, cross-clinic comparative analysis of children with gender identity disorder-found far more similarities than differences in both social competence and behavior problems. The most salient demographic difference was age at referral. Cross-national differences in factors that might influence referral patterns are discussed.

Implications of the Definition of an Episode of Care Used in the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model.

PubMed

Ellimoottil, Chad; Ryan, Andrew M; Hou, Hechuan; Dupree, James M; Hallstrom, Brian; Miller, David C

2017-01-01

Under the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model, hospitals are held accountable for nearly all Medicare payments that occur during the initial hospitalization until 90 days after hospital discharge (ie, the episode of care). It is not known whether unrelated expenditures resulting from this "broad" definition of an episode of care will affect participating hospitals' average episode-of-care payments. To compare the CJR program's broad definition of an episode of care with a clinically narrow definition of an episode of care. We identified Medicare claims for 23 251 patients in Michigan who were Medicare beneficiaries and who underwent joint replacement during the period from 2011 through 2013 at hospitals located in metropolitan statistical areas. Using specifications from the CJR model and the clinically narrow Hospital Compare payment measure, we constructed episodes of care and calculated 90-day episode payments. We then compared hospitals' average 90-day episode payments using the 2 definitions of an episode of care and fit linear regression models to understand whether payment differences were associated with specific hospital characteristics (average Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-hierarchical condition categories risk score, rural hospital status, joint replacement volume, percentage of Medicaid discharges, teaching hospital status, number of beds, percentage of joint replacements performed on African American patients, and median income of the hospital's county). We performed analyses from July 1 through October 1, 2015. The correlation and difference between average 90-day episode payments using the broad definition of an episode of care in the CJR model and the clinically narrow Hospital Compare definition of an episode of care. We identified 23 251 joint replacements (ie, episodes of care). The 90-day episode payments using the broad definition of the CJR model ranged from $17 349 to $29 465 (mean [SD] payment, $22 122 [$2600]). Episode payments were slightly lower (mean payment, $21 670) when the Hospital Compare definition was used. Both methods were strongly correlated (r = 0.99, P < .001). The average payment difference between these 2 types of episodes of care was small (mean [SD], $452 [$177]; range, $73-$1006). In our multivariable analysis, we found that the hospital characteristics examined had a minimal impact or no impact on the payment differential. The average 90-day episode payments determined by both definitions of an episode of care were strongly correlated, and there was a small payment differential for most hospitals. In the context of joint replacement bundled payments, these data suggest that hospital performance will be consistent whether a broad or clinically narrow definition of an episode of care is used.

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. Oregon. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. Oregon. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. Oregon. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. Oregon. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. Minnesota. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. Minnesota. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. Minnesota. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. Minnesota. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. West Virginia. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. West Virginia. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. West Virginia. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. West Virginia. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. West Virginia. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. West Virginia. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

26 CFR 1.410(b)-7 - Definition of plan and rules governing plan disaggregation and aggregation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... year. (e) Determination of plans in testing group for average benefit percentage test—(1) In general... qualifiedseparatelineofbu5ine55 basis. The plans in the testing group used to determine whether Plan F satisfies the average..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES Pension, Profit-Sharing, Stock...

26 CFR 1.410(b)-7 - Definition of plan and rules governing plan disaggregation and aggregation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... same plan year. (e) Determination of plans in testing group for average benefit percentage test—(1) In... qualifiedseparatelineofbu5ine55 basis. The plans in the testing group used to determine whether Plan F satisfies the average..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Pension, Profit...

Variation in leader length of bitterbrush

Treesearch

Richard L. Hubbard; David. Dunaway

1958-01-01

The estimation of herbage production and· utilization in browse plants has been a problem for many years. Most range technicians have simply estimated the average length of twigs or leaders. then expressed use by deer and livestock as a percentage thereof based on the estimated average length left after grazing. Riordan used this method on mountain mahogany (

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. Idaho. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. Idaho. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. Idaho. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. Idaho. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. Idaho. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. Idaho. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Hampshire. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Hampshire. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Hampshire. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. New Hampshire. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Hampshire. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. New Hampshire. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. Hawaii. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. Hawaii. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. Hawaii. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. Hawaii. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. Hawaii. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. Hawaii. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. DoDEA. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. DoDEA. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 State Snapshot Report. DoDEA. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. DoDEA. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 State Snapshot Report. DoDEA. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2011 mathematics assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2011 to…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2009 State Snapshot Report. DoDEA. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2010

2010-01-01

Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other…

Changing patterns of drug-resistant Shigella isolates in egypt.

PubMed

Abd-Elmeged, Ghada M; Khairy, Rasha M; Abo-Eloyoon, Sahar M; Abdelwahab, Sayed F

2015-06-01

The emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious problem in treating shigellosis. There are limited existing data examining the change in the antimicrobial resistance profile of Shigella in Egypt. We previously reported that 58% of the Shigella isolates in Egypt were resistant to at least one member of the three different antimicrobial groups. This study was performed to determine the antimicrobial resistance profile of Shigella, determine their possible mechanisms of resistance, and compare their resistance profile to those reported 20 years ago. Stool samples were collected from 500 subjects and processed for the isolation and identification of Shigella. The susceptibility of the isolates to 11 different antimicrobials was determined using the disc diffusion method. Of 500 stool cultures, 24 (4.8%) samples were positive for Shigella. There was a high percentage of resistance to ampicillin (88%), tetracycline (83%), and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (75%). Also, there was a moderate percentage of resistance to chloramphenicol (46%), streptomycin (42%), ceftazidime (33%), and cefotaxime (25%). A lower percentage of resistance was recorded for amikacin, nalidixic acid (17% each), and ofloxacin (7%), while no resistance was found to ciprofloxacin (0%). Twenty-one of the isolates (88%) were resistant to at least three different antimicrobial groups (indicating MDR). The average number of antimicrobial agents to which the Shigella isolates were resistant was 4.3±1.4, while it was 3.4±1.5 in the same locality in 1994. These data demonstrate that there is a marked increase in MDR and change in the resistance patterns of Shigella over the past 20 years.

Preconditioning methods influence tumor property in an orthotopic bladder urothelial carcinoma rat model

PubMed Central

MIYAZAKI, KOZO; MORIMOTO, YUJI; NISHIYAMA, NOBUHIRO; SATOH, HIROYUKI; TANAKA, MASAMITSU; SHINOMIYA, NARIYOSHI; ITO, KEIICHI

2014-01-01

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is an extremely common type of cancer that occurs in the bladder. It has a particularly high rate of recurrence. Therefore, preclinical studies using animal models are essential to determine effective forms of treatment. In the present study, in order to establish an orthotopic bladder UC animal model with clinical relevance, the effects of preconditioning methods on properties of the developed tumor were evaluated. The bladder cavity was pretreated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), acid-base, trypsin (TRY) or poly (L-lysine) (PLL) and then rat UC cells (AY-27) (4×106 cells) were inoculated. The results demonstrated that, two weeks later, the tumorigenic rate (88%) and tumor count (2.3 per rat) were not significantly different among the preconditioning methods, whereas tumor volume and invasion depth into bladder tissue were significantly different. Average tumor volumes were >50 mm3 in the PBS and acid-base-treated groups and <10 mm3 in the TRY- and PLL-treated groups. The percentage of invasive tumors (T2 or more advanced stage) was ∼75% of total tumors in the PBS- and acid-base-treated groups, whereas the percentages were reduced in the TRY- and PLL-treated groups (58 and 32%, respectively). Non-invasive tumors (Ta or T1) accounted for 54% of tumors in the PLL-treated group, which was 2-5-fold higher than the percentages in the remaining groups. Properties of the developed tumor in the rat orthotopic UC model were different depending on preconditioning methods. Therefore, different animal models suitable for a discrete preclinical examination may be established by using the appropriate preconditioning condition. PMID:24649309

[Characteristic of sample banks isolated from EDTA-blood by sedimentation method].

PubMed

Chen, Zhi-bin; Lin, Qin; Ma, Chang-hua; Liu, Kai-ning; Meng, Huan-xin

2014-02-18

To assess the characteristics of establishing the different sample banks of plasma, leukocytes and DNA by sedimentation method of isolating from ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid(EDTA)-blood and to clarify the sedimentation method of leukocyte isolation and plasma volume by comparative data and recommended procedures for applicability. In the study, 29 EDTA-bloods were obtained, the total amounts of leukocytes and the percentage of neutrophile granulocytes, and lymphocytes in the EDTA-blood detected as a control group and then assigned equally into 4 EP tubes with 1 mL EDTA-blood per tube as 4 test groups, then the 4 tubes were placed with the EDTA-blood at room temperature and the plasma layers were isolated at 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 h, receptively. The total amount of leukocytes and the percentage of neutrophile granulocytes, and lymphocytes were detected by automated hematology analyzer at the clinical laboratory. The volume of the plasma was also measured at the same time. The plasma volume at 0.5 h [(241.72 ± 101.52)μL] was substantially lower than those at 1 h[(317.24 ± 97.50)μL], at 2 h[(371.03 ± 91.66)μL], and at 3 h [(408.97 ± 97.43)μL] , P < 0.05. The plasma volume at 1 h was substantially lower than those at 2 h and 3 h (P < 0.05). The total amount of leukocytes in the plasma layer at 0.5 h (2.50 × 10(6) ± 1.48 × 10(6)) group was substantially higher than the amount of 2 or 3 h groups respectively (1.47 × 10(6) ± 7.19 × 105,1.21 × 10(6) ± 7.41 × 105), P < 0.05. Significant difference was not found between 0.5 h group and 1 h group (2.29 × 10(6)± 1.17 × 10(6)), P > 0.05. The total amount of leukocytes in the plasma layer in 1 h group was substantially higher than that in 2 h and 3 h groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between 3 h group and 2 h group (P > 0.05). The total amount of leukocytes in the plasma layer of the 4 test groups was substantially lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The percentage of neutrophile granulocytes (54.14% ± 11.65%) in the plasma layer in 0.5 h group was substantially higher than those in 1 h, 2 h and 3 h groups (46.66% ± 12.70%,39.17% ± 12.33%,43.25% ± 14.54%), P < 0.05, respectively, which was the substantially lower than that in the control group (60.53% ± 8.46%), P < 0.05. The average value of the percentage of neutrophile granulocytes in the plasma layer in 1 h group was substantially higher than that in 2 h group (P < 0.05). There was no significant different between 3 h group and both 1 h, 2 h groups (P > 0.05). The mean percentage of lymphocytes in the plasma layer in 0.5 h group (35.09% ± 10.84%) was substantially lower than those in the plasma layer in 1 h, 2 h and 3 h groups, respectively ( 41.48% ± 12.20%, 47.96% ± 12.27%, 45.50% ± 13.71%), which was significant higher than that in the control group(30.98% ± 7.33%), P < 0.05. The average value of the percentage of lymphocytes in the plasma layer in 1 h group was substantially higher than those in the control group and 0.5 h group, but was substantially lower than those in 2 h and 3 h groups (P < 0.05). The average value of percentage of lymphocytes in the plasma layer in 2 h group was substantially higher than those in the control group, 0.5 h and 1 h groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between 2 h and 3 h groups (P > 0.05). The best period of time in obtaining leukocytes is 0.5-1 h sedimentation of EDTA-blood. Both the plasma layer and leukocytes can be separated and obtained at the same time from the same sample by the sedimentation method of EDTA-blood. The sedimentation of EDTA-blood has the least interference of both chemical and physical factors, as well as a ready operation, which can establish the plasma, leukocytes and DNA sample banks for various aspects of research.

The relationship of incubational egg weight loss with parthenogenesis in Chinese Painted quail (Coturnix chinensis).

PubMed

Wells, J B; Parker, H M; Kiess, A S; McDaniel, C D

2012-01-01

Parthenogenesis, embryonic development of an unfertilized egg, has been studied extensively in turkeys. Recently it has been revealed that parthenogenesis also occurs in Chinese Painted quail, and the percentage of eggs exhibiting parthenogenesis is negatively correlated with clutch sequence position. In broiler breeders, it has been reported that the first egg of a clutch sequence loses less egg weight during incubation than subsequent eggs. Because the incidence of parthenogenesis is greater and egg weight loss is less in the first egg of a clutch sequence, it is possible that egg weight loss is less in parthenogenetic eggs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between egg weight loss (a measure of eggshell quality) and parthenogenesis. Daily, individual eggs were collected and labeled. To determine egg weight loss, eggs were weighed before setting and then again after 10 d of incubation. Eggs were stored for 0 to 3 d at 20°C and incubated at 37.5°C. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to determine if relationships existed between egg weight loss and average incidence of parthenogenesis, parthenogen size, egg storage, and average clutch sequence position for all hens examined (157) as well as only for hens that exhibited parthenogenesis (102). The percentage of egg weight loss was negatively correlated with the incidence of parthenogenetic eggs and parthenogen size. However, the percentage of egg weight loss was positively correlated with average clutch position. In conclusion, it appears that eggshell quality possibly influences the incidence of parthenogenesis in Chinese Painted quail eggs because as the percentage of egg weight loss decreases, the incidence of parthenogenesis increases.

Correlation between gamma index passing rate and clinical dosimetric difference for pre-treatment 2D and 3D volumetric modulated arc therapy dosimetric verification.

PubMed

Jin, X; Yan, H; Han, C; Zhou, Y; Yi, J; Xie, C

2015-03-01

To investigate comparatively the percentage gamma passing rate (%GP) of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) pre-treatment volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) dosimetric verification and their correlation and sensitivity with percentage dosimetric errors (%DE). %GP of 2D and 3D pre-treatment VMAT quality assurance (QA) with different acceptance criteria was obtained by ArcCHECK® (Sun Nuclear Corporation, Melbourne, FL) for 20 patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) and 20 patients with oesophageal cancer. %DE were calculated from planned dose-volume histogram (DVH) and patients' predicted DVH calculated by 3DVH® software (Sun Nuclear Corporation). Correlation and sensitivity between %GP and %DE were investigated using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and receiver operating characteristics (ROCs). Relatively higher %DE on some DVH-based metrics were observed for both patients with NPC and oesophageal cancer. Except for 2%/2 mm criterion, the average %GPs for all patients undergoing VMAT were acceptable with average rates of 97.11% ± 1.54% and 97.39% ± 1.37% for 2D and 3D 3%/3 mm criteria, respectively. The number of correlations for 3D was higher than that for 2D (21 vs 8). However, the general correlation was still poor for all the analysed metrics (9 out of 26 for 3D 3%/3 mm criterion). The average area under the curve (AUC) of ROCs was 0.66 ± 0.12 and 0.71 ± 0.21 for 2D and 3D evaluations, respectively. There is a lack of correlation between %GP and %DE for both 2D and 3D pre-treatment VMAT dosimetric evaluation. DVH-based dose metrics evaluation obtained from 3DVH will provide more useful analysis. Correlation and sensitivity of %GP with %DE for VMAT QA were studied for the first time.

Correlation between gamma index passing rate and clinical dosimetric difference for pre-treatment 2D and 3D volumetric modulated arc therapy dosimetric verification

PubMed Central

Jin, X; Yan, H; Han, C; Zhou, Y; Yi, J

2015-01-01

Objective: To investigate comparatively the percentage gamma passing rate (%GP) of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) pre-treatment volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) dosimetric verification and their correlation and sensitivity with percentage dosimetric errors (%DE). Methods: %GP of 2D and 3D pre-treatment VMAT quality assurance (QA) with different acceptance criteria was obtained by ArcCHECK® (Sun Nuclear Corporation, Melbourne, FL) for 20 patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) and 20 patients with oesophageal cancer. %DE were calculated from planned dose–volume histogram (DVH) and patients' predicted DVH calculated by 3DVH® software (Sun Nuclear Corporation). Correlation and sensitivity between %GP and %DE were investigated using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and receiver operating characteristics (ROCs). Results: Relatively higher %DE on some DVH-based metrics were observed for both patients with NPC and oesophageal cancer. Except for 2%/2 mm criterion, the average %GPs for all patients undergoing VMAT were acceptable with average rates of 97.11% ± 1.54% and 97.39% ± 1.37% for 2D and 3D 3%/3 mm criteria, respectively. The number of correlations for 3D was higher than that for 2D (21 vs 8). However, the general correlation was still poor for all the analysed metrics (9 out of 26 for 3D 3%/3 mm criterion). The average area under the curve (AUC) of ROCs was 0.66 ± 0.12 and 0.71 ± 0.21 for 2D and 3D evaluations, respectively. Conclusions: There is a lack of correlation between %GP and %DE for both 2D and 3D pre-treatment VMAT dosimetric evaluation. DVH-based dose metrics evaluation obtained from 3DVH will provide more useful analysis. Advances in knowledge: Correlation and sensitivity of %GP with %DE for VMAT QA were studied for the first time. PMID:25494412

Women in the Navy: Performance, Health, and Motherhood.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-05-01

quite similar on the pre- service variables of age and level of schooling : the average age at time of service entry was 20.4 years and the average years...of education achieved was 12.3. Less than three percent of these women had not completed high school whereas 18 percent had attended college for one...standards required of women for service eligibility, i.e., a high school diploma and above average aptitude scores. Percentages of disciplinary sep

Migratory behavior and physiological development as potential determinants of life history diversity in fall Chinook Salmon in the Clearwater River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tiffan, Kenneth F.; Kock, Tobias J.; Connor, William P.; Richmond, Marshall C.; Perkins, William A.

2018-01-01

We studied the influence of behavior, water velocity, and physiological development on the downstream movement of subyearling fall‐run Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in both free‐flowing and impounded reaches of the Clearwater and Snake rivers as potential mechanisms that might explain life history diversity in this stock. Movement rates and the percentage of radio‐tagged fish that moved faster than the average current velocity were higher in the free‐flowing Clearwater River than in impounded reaches. This supports the notion that water velocity is a primary determinant of downstream movement regardless of a fish's physiological development. In contrast, movement rates slowed and detections became fewer in impounded reaches, where water velocities were much lower. The percentage of fish that moved faster than the average current velocity continued to decline and reached zero in the lowermost reach of Lower Granite Reservoir, suggesting that the behavioral disposition to move downstream was low. These findings contrast with those of a similar, previous study of Snake River subyearlings despite similarity in hydrodynamic conditions between the two studies. Physiological differences between Snake and Clearwater River migrants shed light on this disparity. Subyearlings from the Clearwater River were parr‐like in their development and never showed the increase in gill Na+/K+‐ATPase activity displayed by smolts from the Snake River. Results from this study provide evidence that behavioral and life history differences between Snake and Clearwater River subyearlings may have a physiological basis that is modified by environmental conditions.

A comparative effectiveness analysis of three continuous glucose monitors.

PubMed

Damiano, Edward R; El-Khatib, Firas H; Zheng, Hui; Nathan, David M; Russell, Steven J

2013-02-01

To compare three continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices in subjects with type 1 diabetes under closed-loop blood glucose (BG) control. Six subjects with type 1 diabetes (age 52 ± 14 years, diabetes duration 32 ± 14 years) each participated in two 51-h closed-loop BG control experiments in the hospital. Venous plasma glucose (PG) measurements (GlucoScout, International Biomedical) obtained every 15 min (2,360 values) were paired in time with corresponding CGM glucose (CGMG) measurements obtained from three CGM devices, the Navigator (Abbott Diabetes Care), the Seven Plus (DexCom), and the Guardian (Medtronic), worn simultaneously by each subject. Errors in paired PG-CGMG measurements and data reporting percentages were obtained for each CGM device. The Navigator had the best overall accuracy, with an aggregate mean absolute relative difference (MARD) of all paired points of 11.8 ± 11.1% and an average MARD across all 12 experiments of 11.8 ± 3.8%. The Seven Plus and Guardian produced aggregate MARDs of all paired points of 16.5 ± 17.8% and 20.3 ± 18.0%, respectively, and average MARDs across all 12 experiments of 16.5 ± 6.7% and 20.2 ± 6.8%, respectively. Data reporting percentages, a measure of reliability, were 76% for the Seven Plus and nearly 100% for the Navigator and Guardian. A comprehensive head-to-head-to-head comparison of three CGM devices for BG values from 36 to 563 mg/dL revealed marked differences in performance characteristics that include accuracy, precision, and reliability. The Navigator outperformed the other two in these areas.

The Effects of Medical Marijuana Laws on Potency

PubMed Central

Pacula, Rosalie Liccardo; Heaton, Paul

2014-01-01

Background Marijuana potency has risen dramatically over the past two decades. In the United States, it is unclear whether state medical marijuana policies have contributed to this increase. Methods Employing a differences-in-differences model within a mediation framework, we analyzed data on n = 39,157 marijuana samples seized by law enforcement in 51 U.S. jurisdictions between 1990-2010, producing estimates of the direct and indirect effects of state medical marijuana laws on potency, as measured by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol content. Results We found evidence that potency increased by a half percentage point on average after legalization of medical marijuana, although this result was not significant. When we examined specific medical marijuana supply provisions, results suggest that legal allowances for retail dispensaries had the strongest influence, significantly increasing potency by about one percentage point on average. Our mediation analyses examining the mechanisms through which medical marijuana laws influence potency found no evidence of direct regulatory impact. Rather, the results suggest that the impact of these laws occurs predominantly through a compositional shift in the share of the market captured by high-potency sinsemilla. Conclusion Our findings have important implications for policymakers and those in the scientific community trying to understand the extent to which greater availability of higher potency marijuana increases the risk of negative public health outcomes, such as drugged driving and drug-induced psychoses. Future work should reconsider the impact of medical marijuana laws on health outcomes in light of dramatic and ongoing shifts in both marijuana potency and the medical marijuana policy environment. PMID:24502887

Will the European Union reach the United Nations Millennium declaration target of a 50% reduction of tuberculosis mortality between 1990 and 2015?

PubMed

van der Werf, Marieke J; Bonfigli, Sandro; Hruba, Frantiska

2017-07-06

The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) provide targets for 2015. MDG 6 includes a target to reduce the tuberculosis (TB) death rate by 50% compared with 1990. We aimed to assess whether this target was reached by the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area countries. We used Eurostat causes of death data to assess whether the target was reached in the EU. We calculated the reduction in reported and adjusted death rates and the annual average percentage decline based on the available data. Between 1999 and 2014, the TB death rate decreased by 50%, the adjusted death rate by 56% and the annual average percentage decline was 5.43% (95% confidence interval 4.94-6.74) for the EU. Twenty of 26 countries reporting >5 TB deaths in the first reporting year reached the target of 50% reduction in adjusted death rate. The EU reached the MDG target of a 50% reduction of the TB death rate and also the annual average percentage decline was larger than the 2.73% needed to reach the target. The World Health Organization 'End TB Strategy' requires a further reduction of the number of TB deaths of 35% by 2020 compared to 2015, which will challenge TB prevention and care services in the EU.

Preliminary observations on the effects of vector-averaged gravity on the embryonic and larval development of the gastropod mollusk, Ilyanassa obsoleta Stimpson

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conrad, G. W.; Stephens, A. P.; Conrad, A. H.; Spooner, B. S. (Principal Investigator)

1993-01-01

Fertilized eggs of Ilyanassa obsoleta Stimpson were collected immediately after their deposition in egg capsules. Unopened egg capsules then were affixed to glass slides, and incubated either statically (controls) or on a clinostat (experimentals). After incubation for 9-14 days, hatching occurred sooner and in a higher percentage of clinostated capsules than in controls. Embryos that hatched while undergoing clinostat incubation were abnormal in morphology, whereas other embryos present in non-hatched capsules in the same tubes appeared normal, as did embryos in the control tubes. Although the results are compatible with a conclusion that vector-averaged gravity in the experimental tubes caused the altered development, some other aspects of how the incubations were done may have contributed to the differences between the control and experimental results.

Oxidative Pressure Leaching of Silver from Flotation Concentrates with Ammonium Thiocyanate Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Sheng-Hai; Yang, Jian-Guang; Liu, Wei; Chen, Geng-Tao; Tang, Mo-Tang; Qiu, Guan-Zhou

2010-02-01

The thermodynamics and technologies of the selective pressure leaching of silver from flotation concentrates were investigated in an ammonium thiocyanate medium. Thermodynamic analyses, which include silver solubility in NH4SCN solution and Eh-pH diagrams of the Me-MeS-NH4SCN-H2O system at 25 °C, were discussed. The effects of several factors, such as temperature, leaching time, oxidant, pH value, flotation concentrates concentration, surfactant concentration, and so on, on the extraction percentages of silver and zinc were investigated. The following optimal leaching conditions were obtained: NH4SCN concentration 1.5 M, lignin concentration 0.5 g/L, Fe3+ concentration 2 g/L, flotation concentrates addition 200 g/L, and oxygen pressure 1.2 MPa at 130 °C for 3 hours. Under these optimum conditions, the average extraction percentage of silver exceeded 94 pct, whereas the average extraction percentage of zinc was less than 3 pct. Only 7 pct of ammonium thiocyanate was consumed after 4 cycles, which indicated that ammonium thiocyanate hardly was oxidized under these oxidative pressure leaching conditions.

Peak discharges in steep mountain catchments in relation to rainfall variability, vegetation cover and geomorphology of the Rift Valley Escarpment of Northern Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebreyohannes, Tesfaalem; Frankl, Amaury; Haile, Mitiku; Abraha, Amanuel; Monsieurs, Elise; Nyssen, Jan

2015-04-01

The hydrological characteristics of steep mountain streams are often considered to be mainly influenced by rainfall distribution and topography. In this study, with the objective of analyzing the runoff response of mountain catchments, a total of 340 peak stage discharges were recorded in three rainy seasons (2012-2014) in 11 sloping (27-65%) mountain catchments (0.4 - 25 km²) of the marginal western Rift Valley escarpment of Northern Ethiopia. Daily rainfall data were collected using 7 rain gauges installed at different altitudes (1623 - 2851 m a.s.l) in and nearby the catchments, and used to calculate weighted average daily rain depths over the catchments. Event peak discharges were calculated from daily measurements by 11 crest stage gauges using the Manning's equation. Percentages of land use and cover classes were detected from high resolution (0.6 m) Google Earth imagery (February 1, 2014). Morphometric characteristics of the catchments were computed from ASTER digital elevation model and topographic maps. Correlation analysis between daily rainfall and peak discharge showed direct relationship (R² = 0.5-0.94, P<0.01) in all the catchments. The average specific peak discharge was negatively related to percentage of forest and grass cover (R² = 0.64, P<0.01), time of concentration (R² = 0.31, P<0.01), drainage texture (R² = 0.42, P<0.01), and catchment perimeter (R² = 0.36, P<0.01). The specific peak discharge was positively correlated with average slope gradient of the catchments (R² = 0.34, P<0.01) and with an index representing the spatial distribution of forest and grass cover (R² = 0.43, P<0.01). A stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that 84% (P<0.01) of the variability of the runoff response in the catchments can be predicted by the percentage of forest and grass cover and the relief ratio of the catchments. All in all, this study demonstrates that the magnitude of flash floods in mountain catchments is not only influenced by the morphometric characteristics of the catchments and by rainfall, but more importantly even by vegetation cover (forest and grasses).

EXCRETION OF P$sup 32$ AFTER THERAPY FOR POLYCYTHEMIA RUBRA VERA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weijer, D.L.; Duggan, H.E.; Scott, D.B.

1962-09-01

Fifteen subjects undergoing treatment for polycythemia rubra vera were given P/sup 32/. Carrier-free P/sup 32/ was administered intravenously in 11 and orally in 6. Total excretion studies were carried out in each case for periods of 5 to 22 days. Average urinary excretion of P/sup 32/, as a percentage of the initial dose to the end of 3 days for the entire series, was 14.3%, with limits of 6.4 and 18.7%. The corresponding 5-day average amounted to 17.8%, with limits of 7.5 and 22.5%. In the six patients treated orally, the average 3-day urinary excretion was 11.2% and for 5more » days was 14.2%. For the 11 patients treated intravenously, the average 3-day excretion was 16.1%, the average 5-day excretion 19.8%. The average fecal excretion as a percentage of the initial dose to the end of 3 days was 1.7%, with limits of 0.1 and 5.5%, and the average 5-day excretion was 2.5%, with limits 0.5 and 5.9%. In the orally treated fasting group the total stool excretion to the end of 3 days was 2.0 and 2.5% at the end of 5 days. Of the 10 polycythemia patients treated intravenously, the stool excretion to the end of 3 days was 1.5% and at 5 days 2.5%. Under fasting conditions (both before and after the administration of P/sup 32/) with little or no carrier added, the fecal excretion of P/sup 32/is small. Thus, the total excretion of P/sup 32/ does not differ significantly for oral and intravenous administration. Hence, despite contrary reports, it appears that under fasting conditions of administration it is not necessary to increase the oral dose of P/ sup 32/ to 4/3 of the intravenous dose in order to obtain equivalent absorption of the administered dose. It is concluded that the P/sup 32/ content of urine in the first 24 hr after therapy, by either route of administration, indicates whether or not a particular patient will retain the dose within normal limits. (BBB)« less

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. School District of Philadelphia. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Dallas Public Schools. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Dallas Public Schools. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Dallas Public Schools. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Dallas Public Schools. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. San Diego Unified School District. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. San Diego Unified School District. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. San Diego Unified School District. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. San Diego Unified School District. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Austin Independent School District. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Albuquerque Public Schools. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Reading 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Albuquerque Public Schools. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Albuquerque Public Schools. Grade 4, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

The Nation's Report Card Mathematics 2011 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Albuquerque Public Schools. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This one-page report presents overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, scores at selected percentiles, average scores for district and large cities, results for student groups (school race, gender, and eligibility for National School Lunch Program) in 2011, and score gaps for student groups. In 2011, the average…

Recent trend in family households in Beijing.

PubMed

Guo, Z; Guo, L

1997-01-01

This study examined trends in household size and age structure in Beijing, China, in 1995. Data were reliably obtained from the 1% sample survey of China. Findings indicate that the average size of a family household was 3.15 persons, that is, 0.050 persons fewer than the 3.20 from the 1990 Census. Children aged 0-14 years in each household averaged 0.04 fewer children during 1990-95. 80% of the decline in household size was due to decreases in the number of children. The percentage of single-family and single-person households declined. Three-person households were the only size group that increased (23.2-40.7%). The household headship (HH) rate for males increased dramatically between the ages of 20 and 30 years and stabilized after 35 years. The HH rate for women grew slowly and continuously until age 50 years and then stabilized. The gender gap in HH appeared at an early age and remained thereafter. The HH rate declined at older ages. The HH rate in Beijing, compared to the national rate, suggests relative gender equity in Beijing. As a child ages, the percentage of three-generation households declines and the percentage of two-generation households rises. As a child becomes an adult, the percentages of single-person households and single-couple households increase. Single-couple households decreased among the middle-aged. 67.4% of the elderly lived in two- or three-generation households. 31.4% of elderly lived in single-person/couple households. The percentage of elderly living with their children declined by 2 points during 1990-95.

The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2010 to 2020

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

Participation Rate 352-10. Average Weekly Hours Worked in the Nonfarm Business Sector 352-11. People Who Have Lost Jobs as a Percentage of All Unemployed...in the past they have not lasted more than a few quarters. Figure 2-10. Average Weekly Hours Worked in the Nonfarm Business Sector (Hours per week...in the nonfarm business sector , which accounts for about three-fourths of the economy, are projected to grow at an average annual rate of 0.5 per

Somatic maturation and body composition in female healthy adolescents with or without adjustment for body fat

PubMed Central

Miranda, Valter Paulo N.; de Faria, Franciane Rocha; de Faria, Eliane Rodrigues; Priore, Silvia Eloiza

2014-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between the stages of somatic maturation and body composition in eutrophic female adolescents with or without excessive body fat. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 118 female adolescents, from 14 to 19 years-old, in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Southeast Brazil. The adolescents were divided in two groups: Group 1 (G1), eutrophic with adequate body fat percentage, and Group 2 (G2), eutrophic with high body fat percentage. The somatic maturation was assessed by the formula for estimating the Peak Height Velocity (PHV). Results: The PHV had higher average score in G1 adolescents compared to G2 (0.26 versus 0.05; p=0.032). There was an association between G1, G2 and the somatic maturation (p=0.049). The female adolescents before and during PHV presented higher values of fat body BMI (p=0.034) and percentage of central fat (p=0.039) compared to the adolescents after PHV. There was a correspondence between before PHV stage and the excess of body fat (α=0.751). Conclusions: There was an association between somatic maturation and body composition in eutrophic female adolescents. Length, BMI and fat percentage were different among the somatic maturation stages. It is relevant to evaluate the somatic maturation and the changes occurring in the body composition during adolescence in order to better evaluate and manage the nutritional status and the body fat excess. PMID:24676194

The impact of teaching experience on interview performance of different candidates of basic medical sciences in PhD admission.

PubMed

Mehridehnavi, Alireza

2015-01-01

Admission includes written and interview at universities belonging to the ministry of the health and medical education of Iran at PhD level. In the present work, it was tried to find out the likelihood of interview performance of different candidates with their teaching experience in Iranian national medical PhD admission in the year 1386-87. In this study, applicants' exam results were extracted from their score workbooks for year 86-87. PhD applicants' categories were public (ordinary) and employed lecturers. Invited numbers of candidates for interview were 556 from 29 different fields of study. As the number of written subjects were not the same within different fields of study, at the first, each group score distribution were normalized to one and then combined together for final consideration. Accept and reject percentage within public applicants were 45.1 and 54.9, respectively, while the accept percentage within lecturer applicants was 66 and the reject was 34 respectively. Scores of all 29 groups were combined after normalization. The overall performance including test plus interview for public and lecturers were 1.02 ± 0.12 and 0.95 ± 0.1, respectively. The average and standard deviation of test exam of public and lecturer were 1.04 ± 0.16 and 0.91 ± 0.12, respectively. The average and standard deviation of interview exam of public applicants and lecturers applicants were 0.98 ± 0.18 and 1.04 ± 0.17, respectively. As results show, the interview performance of lecturers is better than public applicants. Unbalanced acceptance rate amongst lecturers was increased due to the hold of reservation toward interview and due to their higher results gain during interview. If the test performance was a reliable measure for viability of applicant, this reservation would change the acceptance rate close to balance.

Differential expression of CART in ewes with differing ovulation rates.

PubMed

Juengel, Jennifer L; French, Michelle C; Quirke, Laurel D; Kauff, Alexia; Smith, George W; Johnstone, Peter D

2017-04-01

We hypothesised that cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript ( CARTPT ) would be differentially expressed in ewes with differing ovulation rates. Expression of mRNA for CARTPT , as well as LHCGR , FSHR , CYP19A1 and CYP17A1 was determined in antral follicles ≥1 mm in diameter collected during the follicular phase in ewes heterozygous for the Booroola and Inverdale genes (I+B+; average ovulation rate 4) and ++ contemporaries (++; average ovulation rate 1.8). In ++ ewes ( n  = 6), CARTPT was expressed in small follicles (1 to <3 mm diameter), where 18.8 ± 2.5% follicles expressed CARTPT CART peptide was also detected in follicular fluid of some follicles of ++ ewes. In I+B+ ewes, 5/6 ewes did not have any follicles that expressed CARTPT , and no CART peptide was detected in any follicle examined. Expression pattern of CYP19A1 differed between I+B+ and ++ ewes with an increased percentage of small and medium follicles (3 to <4.5 mm diameter) but decreased percentage of large follicles (≥4.5 mm diameter) expressing CYP19A1 in the I+B+ ewes. Many of the large follicles from the I+B+ ewes appeared non-functional and expression of LHCGR , FSHR , CYP17A1 and CYP19A1 was less than that observed in ++ ewes. Expression of FSHR and CYP17A1 was not different between groups in small and medium follicles, but LHCGR expression was approximately double in I+B+ ewes compared to that in ++ ewes. Thus, ewes with high ovulation rates had a distinct pattern of expression of CARTPT mRNA and protein compared to ewes with normal ovulation rates, providing evidence for CART being important in the regulation of ovulation rate. © 2017 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Speech understanding in background noise with the two-microphone adaptive beamformer BEAM in the Nucleus Freedom Cochlear Implant System.

PubMed

Spriet, Ann; Van Deun, Lieselot; Eftaxiadis, Kyriaky; Laneau, Johan; Moonen, Marc; van Dijk, Bas; van Wieringen, Astrid; Wouters, Jan

2007-02-01

This paper evaluates the benefit of the two-microphone adaptive beamformer BEAM in the Nucleus Freedom cochlear implant (CI) system for speech understanding in background noise by CI users. A double-blind evaluation of the two-microphone adaptive beamformer BEAM and a hardware directional microphone was carried out with five adult Nucleus CI users. The test procedure consisted of a pre- and post-test in the lab and a 2-wk trial period at home. In the pre- and post-test, the speech reception threshold (SRT) with sentences and the percentage correct phoneme scores for CVC words were measured in quiet and background noise at different signal-to-noise ratios. Performance was assessed for two different noise configurations (with a single noise source and with three noise sources) and two different noise materials (stationary speech-weighted noise and multitalker babble). During the 2-wk trial period at home, the CI users evaluated the noise reduction performance in different listening conditions by means of the SSQ questionnaire. In addition to the perceptual evaluation, the noise reduction performance of the beamformer was measured physically as a function of the direction of the noise source. Significant improvements of both the SRT in noise (average improvement of 5-16 dB) and the percentage correct phoneme scores (average improvement of 10-41%) were observed with BEAM compared to the standard hardware directional microphone. In addition, the SSQ questionnaire and subjective evaluation in controlled and real-life scenarios suggested a possible preference for the beamformer in noisy environments. The evaluation demonstrates that the adaptive noise reduction algorithm BEAM in the Nucleus Freedom CI-system may significantly increase the speech perception by cochlear implantees in noisy listening conditions. This is the first monolateral (adaptive) noise reduction strategy actually implemented in a mainstream commercial CI.

Effect of pituitary hollow fiber units and thyroid supplementation on growth in the little mouse (41949)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harkness, John E.; Hymer, W. C.; Rosenberger, James L.; Grindeland, Richard E.

1984-01-01

It is shown that the implantation of encapsulated pituitary cells into heterozygous lit/+ mice inhibited the average percentage change in weight gain as compared to controls. However, homozygous lit/lit mice receiving cell-filled capsules consistently had higher percentage weight gains than their control counterparts. It was also found that thyroid-supplemented mutant mice with pituitary cell implants had significantly higher organ and carcass weights than other mutant groups.

Maturity status of youth football players: a noninvasive estimate.

PubMed

Malina, Robert M; Cumming, Sean P; Morano, Peter J; Barron, Mary; Miller, Susan J

2005-06-01

To estimate the biological maturity status of youth football players 9-14 yr old using a noninvasive method and to compare the body size of players of contrasting status. Subjects were members of youth football teams in two central Michigan communities. Height and weight were measured on 653 boys 8.7-14.6 yr. Heights of biological parents of 582 boys were reported and subsequently adjusted for overestimation. Decimal age, height, and weight of the player and midparent height were used to predict mature (adult) height for the boy. Current height of each player was expressed as a percentage of his predicted mature height to provide an estimate of biological maturity status. Percentage of predicted mature height of each boy was expressed as a z-score to classify players into maturity groups. ANCOVA, controlling for age, was used to compare body size in contrasting maturity groups. Mean percentages of predicted mature height of the players matched those of longitudinal reference samples, but there was a trend for higher percentages among older players, suggesting advanced maturation. Overall, 405 boys were classified as on time/average in maturity status (69.6% [95%CI 65.7-73.3]), 154 were classified as early/advanced (25.5% [95%CI 23.0-30.3]), and only 23 were classified as late/delayed (3.9% [95%CI 2.6-6.0]). The gradient for height, weight, and BMI was as follows: early > on time > late, and differences were greater for weight and the BMI than for height. Percentage of predicted mature height attained at a given age appears to be a reasonable indicator of maturity status. The method needs to be validated with other more direct indicators (skeletal age, sexual maturation) and applied to other samples.

Changes in functional construction of bone in rats under conditions of simulated increased gravity.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amtmann, E.; Oyama, J.

1973-01-01

An investigation was conducted to determine experimentally whether femur bones are altered in cross-sectional area or cross-sectional shape by chronic centrifugation at different G-levels in conformance to Wolff's law. It was found that the centrifuged animals exhibit on the average smaller body masses, femur lengths and femur cross sections, as compared to their corresponding age controls. The mean inhibitory effect of chronic centrifugation upon body and femur growth can be measured in a shortcut approximation by calculating the decrease of body masses and femoral dimensions on a percentage basis.

Changing patterns in deforestation avoidance by different protection types in the Brazilian Amazon.

PubMed

Jusys, Tomas

2018-01-01

This study quantifies how much deforestation was avoided due to legal protection in Legal Amazon in strictly protected areas, sustainable use areas, and indigenous lands. Only regions that are protected de jure (i.e., where deforestation is avoided due to effective laws rather than remoteness) were considered, so that the potential of legal protection could be better assessed. This is a cross-sectional approach, which allows comparisons in terms of avoided deforestation among the different types of protection in the same period. This study covers three different periods. Regions protected de jure were sampled by estimating a threshold distance at which deforestation starts to diminish and retaining all pixels up to that distance, and deforestation that has been avoided due to legal protection was estimated by matching. Indigenous lands avoided the highest percentage of deforestation during the 2001-2004 and 2005-2008 periods, followed by those under strict protection and sustainable use areas, in respective order. Shifting patterns in deforestation avoidance are clearly noticeable for the 2009-2014 period when 1) strictly protected areas outperformed indigenous lands in terms of the percentage of saved forests, 2) some protected regions began to attract deforestation instead of avoiding it, and 3) sustainable use areas, on average, did not avoid deforestation.

Changing patterns in deforestation avoidance by different protection types in the Brazilian Amazon

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

This study quantifies how much deforestation was avoided due to legal protection in Legal Amazon in strictly protected areas, sustainable use areas, and indigenous lands. Only regions that are protected de jure (i.e., where deforestation is avoided due to effective laws rather than remoteness) were considered, so that the potential of legal protection could be better assessed. This is a cross-sectional approach, which allows comparisons in terms of avoided deforestation among the different types of protection in the same period. This study covers three different periods. Regions protected de jure were sampled by estimating a threshold distance at which deforestation starts to diminish and retaining all pixels up to that distance, and deforestation that has been avoided due to legal protection was estimated by matching. Indigenous lands avoided the highest percentage of deforestation during the 2001–2004 and 2005–2008 periods, followed by those under strict protection and sustainable use areas, in respective order. Shifting patterns in deforestation avoidance are clearly noticeable for the 2009–2014 period when 1) strictly protected areas outperformed indigenous lands in terms of the percentage of saved forests, 2) some protected regions began to attract deforestation instead of avoiding it, and 3) sustainable use areas, on average, did not avoid deforestation. PMID:29689071

Early Impacts of the Affordable Care Act on Health Insurance Coverage in Medicaid Expansion and Non-Expansion States.

PubMed

Courtemanche, Charles; Marton, James; Ukert, Benjamin; Yelowitz, Aaron; Zapata, Daniela

2017-01-01

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) aimed to achieve nearly universal health insurance coverage in the United States through a combination of insurance market reforms, mandates, subsidies, health insurance exchanges, and Medicaid expansions, most of which took effect in 2014. This paper estimates the causal effects of the ACA on health insurance coverage in 2014 using data from the American Community Survey. We utilize difference-in-difference-in-differences models that exploit cross-sectional variation in the intensity of treatment arising from state participation in the Medicaid expansion and local area pre-ACA uninsured rates. This strategy allows us to identify the effects of the ACA in both Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states. Our preferred specification suggests that, at the average pre-treatment uninsured rate, the full ACA increased the proportion of residents with insurance by 5.9 percentage points compared to 2.8 percentage points in states that did not expand Medicaid. Private insurance expansions from the ACA were due to increases in both employer-provided and non-group coverage. The coverage gains from the full ACA were largest for those without a college degree, non-whites, young adults, unmarried individuals, and those without children in the home. We find no evidence that the Medicaid expansion crowded out private coverage.

Comparison of an Electronic Glycemic Management System Versus Provider-Managed Subcutaneous Basal Bolus Insulin Therapy in the Hospital Setting.

PubMed

Aloi, Joseph; Bode, Bruce W; Ullal, Jagdeesh; Chidester, Paul; McFarland, Raymie S; Bedingfield, Amy E; Mabrey, Melanie; Booth, Robby; Mumpower, April; Wallia, Amisha

2017-01-01

American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines recommend a basal bolus correction insulin regimen as the preferred method of treatment for non-critically ill hospitalized patients. However, achieving ADA glucose targets safely, without hypoglycemia, is challenging. In this study we evaluated the safety and efficacy of basal bolus subcutaneous (SubQ) insulin therapy managed by providers compared to a nurse-directed Electronic Glycemic Management System (eGMS). This retrospective crossover study evaluated 993 non-ICU patients treated with subcutaneous basal bolus insulin therapy managed by a provider compared to an eGMS. Analysis compared therapy outcomes before Glucommander (BGM), during Glucommander (DGM), and after Glucommander (AGM) for all patients. The blood glucose (BG) target was set at 140-180 mg/dL for all groups. The safety of each was evaluated by the following: (1) BG averages, (2) hypoglycemic events <40 and <70 mg/dL, and (3) percentage of BG in target. Percentage of BG in target was BGM 47%, DGM 62%, and AGM 36%. Patients' BGM BG average was 195 mg/dL, DGM BG average was 169 mg/dL, and AGM BG average was 174 mg/dL. Percentage of hypoglycemic events <70 mg/dL was 2.6% BGM, 1.9% DGM, and 2.8% AGM treatment. Patients using eGMS in the DGM group achieved improved glycemic control with lower incidence of hypoglycemia (<40 mg/dL and <70 mg/dl) compared to both BGM and AGM management with standard treatment. These results suggest that an eGMS can safely maintain glucose control with less hypoglycemia than basal bolus treatment managed by a provider.

Force decay of elastomeric chains - a mechanical design and product comparison study.

PubMed

Balhoff, David A; Shuldberg, Matthew; Hagan, Joseph L; Ballard, Richard W; Armbruster, Paul C

2011-03-01

To evaluate the percentage force decay of elastomeric chain products utilizing three different design mechanisms simulating canine retraction; and to evaluate the percentage force decay of elastomeric chain products from four different companies. In vitro, laboratory study. LSUHSC Dental School, New Orleans, LA, USA. Closed (non-spaced), grey elastomeric chains from four companies were selected for the study. Three acrylic resin jigs were constructed to provide a framework for three simulated space closure mechanisms. The 6-5-3, the chain loop, and the 6-3 were the configuration mechanisms used in the study. An electronic force gauge was used to measure the percentage force decay associated with each elastomeric chain over 28 days at preselected times. There was a significant difference in the mean percentage force decay for the three different mechanisms (P < 0·001). For all four companies, the 6-3 mechanical design had the smallest mean percentage force decay. There was a significant difference in the mean percentage force decay for the different companies (P < 0·001). For all three mechanisms, Ormco had the smallest percentage force decay while Unitek had the highest percentage force decay. The significant difference in the mean percentage force decay for the different mechanisms suggests that the 6-3 design is a more efficient means of closing extraction spaces utilizing elastomeric chains.

Prevalence of smoking and BMI differences between smokers and non-smokers among children and adolescents aged 7-18 years in south-east Poland.

PubMed

Wandycz, Artur; Jankowiak, Łukasz; Jerzak, Izabela

2018-05-01

Objectives : The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of smoking among children and adolescents aged 7-18 years, and also to determine the relationship between this addiction and the Body Mass Index (BMI). Methods : Basic anthropometric measurements were performed, and information concerning cigarette smoking and basic SES was gathered using the questionnaire method. Results : More than 5% of boys admit to smoking at the age of 10-11 years, and as many as 22% 18-year-olds admit to doing so. With regard to girls, the situation is slightly better because it is only among 14-year-olds that the percentage of smokers exceeds 5%. Smoking may affect average BMIs. Smoking had a negative impact on the magnitude of physical development indices among children between 8 and 12 years old. Conclusions : The percentage of smokers increases with age. Boys smoke more often than girls. Tobacco smoking in middle childhood (8-12 years) is associated with lower BMIs.

Recurrence Plots: a New Tool for Quantification of Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Recovery after Transplant.

PubMed

Takakura, Isabela Thomaz; Hoshi, Rosangela Akemi; Santos, Márcio Antonio; Pivatelli, Flávio Correa; Nóbrega, João Honorato; Guedes, Débora Linhares; Nogueira, Victor Freire; Frota, Tuane Queiroz; Castelo, Gabriel Castro; Godoy, Moacir Fernandes de

2017-01-01

To evaluate a possible evolutionary post-heart transplant return of autonomic function using quantitative and qualitative information from recurrence plots. Using electrocardiography, 102 RR tachograms of 45 patients (64.4% male) who underwent heart transplantation and that were available in the database were analyzed at different follow-up periods. The RR tachograms were collected from patients in the supine position for about 20 minutes. A time series with 1000 RR intervals was analyzed, a recurrence plot was created, and the following quantitative variables were evaluated: percentage of determinism, percentage of recurrence, average diagonal length, Shannon entropy, and sample entropy, as well as the visual qualitative aspect. Quantitative and qualitative signs of heart rate variability recovery were observed after transplantation. There is evidence that autonomic innervation of the heart begins to happen gradually after transplantation. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of recurrence can be useful tools for monitoring cardiac transplant patients and detecting the gradual return of heart rate variability.

Weight and body composition change over a six-week holiday period.

PubMed

Wagner, D R; Larson, J N; Wengreen, H

2012-03-01

Change in weight and body composition was assessed over a six-week holiday period. Baseline testing occurred the Monday or Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving Day (November 24 or 25, 2008), and the post-holiday assessment was the Monday or Tuesday after New Year's Day (January 5 or 6, 2009). Thirteen men and 21 women ranging in age from 23-61 years completed the study. The majority of participants (24 of 34) perceived that they had gained weight, and four did gain ≥2 kg. However, despite some changes to dietary and exercise habits, on average there was no difference between pre-holiday weight (74.0±17.8 kg) and post-holiday weight (73.9±18.1 kg), nor between pre-holiday body fat percentage (25.4±9.0%) and post-holiday body fat percentage (25.4±8.9%). Despite a perception of substantial weight gain, body weight and body fat remained unchanged over a six-week holiday period.

Education Gains Attributable to Fertility Decline: Patterns by Gender, Period, and Country in Latin America and Asia.

PubMed

Li, Jing; Dow, William H; Rosero-Bixby, Luis

2017-08-01

We investigate the heterogeneity across countries and time in the relationship between mother's fertility and children's educational attainment-the quantity-quality (Q-Q) trade-off-by using census data from 17 countries in Asia and Latin America, with data from each country spanning multiple census years. For each country-year, we estimate micro-level instrumental variables models predicting secondary school attainment using number of siblings of the child, instrumented by the sex composition of the first two births in the family. We then analyze correlates of Q-Q trade-off patterns across countries. On average, one additional sibling in the family reduces the probability of secondary education by 6 percentage points for girls and 4 percentage points for boys. This Q-Q trade-off is significantly associated with the level of son preference, slightly decreasing over time and with fertility, but it does not significantly differ by educational level of the country.

Epidemiologic Measures for Quantifying the Incidence of Concussion in National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports.

PubMed

Kerr, Zachary Y; Roos, Karen G; Djoko, Aristarque; Dalton, Sara L; Broglio, Steven P; Marshall, Stephen W; Dompier, Thomas P

2017-03-01

Injury rates compare the relative frequency of sport-related concussions across groups. However, they may not be intuitive to policy makers, parents, or coaches in understanding the likelihood of concussion. To describe 4 measures of incidence (athlete-based rate, athlete-based risk, team-based rate, and team-based risk) during the 2011-2012 through 2014-2015 academic years.  Descriptive epidemiology study. Aggregate injury and exposure data collected from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program in 13 sports (men's baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and wrestling and women's basketball, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, and volleyball). Collegiate student-athletes. Sport-related concussion data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program during the 2011-2012 through 2014-2015 academic years were analyzed. We calculated concussion rates per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs), concussion risk, average number of concussions per team, and percentage of teams with at least 1 concussion. During the 2011-2012 through 2014-2015 academic years, 1485 concussions were sustained by 1410 student-athletes across 13 sports. Concussion rates ranged from 0.09/1000 AEs in men's baseball to 0.89/1000 AEs in men's wrestling. Concussion risk ranged from 0.74% in men's baseball to 7.92% in men's wrestling. The average ± SD number of concussions per team ranged from 0.25 ± 0.43 in men's baseball to 5.63 ± 5.36 in men's football. The percentage of teams with a concussion ranged from 24.5% in men's baseball to 80.6% in men's football.   Although men's wrestling had a higher concussion rate and risk, men's football had the largest average number of concussions per team and the largest percentage of teams with at least 1 concussion. The risk of concussion, average number of concussions per team, and percentage of teams with concussions may be more intuitive measures of incidence for decision makers. Calculating these additional measures is feasible within existing injury surveillance programs, and this method can be applied to other injury types.

Epidemiologic Measures for Quantifying the Incidence of Concussion in National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports

PubMed Central

Kerr, Zachary Y.; Roos, Karen G.; Djoko, Aristarque; Dalton, Sara L.; Broglio, Steven P.; Marshall, Stephen W.; Dompier, Thomas P.

2017-01-01

Context: Injury rates compare the relative frequency of sport-related concussions across groups. However, they may not be intuitive to policy makers, parents, or coaches in understanding the likelihood of concussion. Objective: To describe 4 measures of incidence (athlete-based rate, athlete-based risk, team-based rate, and team-based risk) during the 2011–2012 through 2014–2015 academic years. Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting: Aggregate injury and exposure data collected from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program in 13 sports (men's baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and wrestling and women's basketball, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, and volleyball). Patients or Other Participants: Collegiate student-athletes. Main Outcome Measure(s): Sport-related concussion data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program during the 2011–2012 through 2014–2015 academic years were analyzed. We calculated concussion rates per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs), concussion risk, average number of concussions per team, and percentage of teams with at least 1 concussion. Results: During the 2011–2012 through 2014–2015 academic years, 1485 concussions were sustained by 1410 student-athletes across 13 sports. Concussion rates ranged from 0.09/1000 AEs in men's baseball to 0.89/1000 AEs in men's wrestling. Concussion risk ranged from 0.74% in men's baseball to 7.92% in men's wrestling. The average ± SD number of concussions per team ranged from 0.25 ± 0.43 in men's baseball to 5.63 ± 5.36 in men's football. The percentage of teams with a concussion ranged from 24.5% in men's baseball to 80.6% in men's football. Conclusions: Although men's wrestling had a higher concussion rate and risk, men's football had the largest average number of concussions per team and the largest percentage of teams with at least 1 concussion. The risk of concussion, average number of concussions per team, and percentage of teams with concussions may be more intuitive measures of incidence for decision makers. Calculating these additional measures is feasible within existing injury surveillance programs, and this method can be applied to other injury types. PMID:27331336

Residues of DDT in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) from the Great Lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reinert, Robert E.; Bergman, Harold L.

1974-01-01

Concentrations of DDT residues were higher in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) from southern Lake Michigan in 1966–70 (average 18.1 ppm in fish 558–684 mm long) than in lake trout of the same size-class from Lake Superior in 1968–69 (4.4 ppm), and higher in adult coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) from Lake Michigan in 1968–71 (averages for different year-classes, 9.9–14.0 ppm) than in those from Lake Erie in 1969 (2.2 ppm). Residues were significantly higher in lake trout from southern Lake Michigan than in those from the northern part of the lake. In lakes Michigan and Superior, the levels increased with length of fish and percentage oil. In Lake Michigan coho salmon, the residues remained nearly stable (2–4 ppm) from September of the 1st yr of lake residence through May or early June of the 2nd yr, but increased three to four times in the next 3 mo. Residues in Lake Erie coho salmon did not increase during this period, which preceded the spawning season. Although the concentrations of total residues in whole, maturing Lake Michigan coho salmon remained unchanged from August 1968 until near the end of the spawning season in January 1969, the residues were redistributed in the tissues of the spawning-run fish; concentrations in the loin and brain were markedly higher in January than in August. This relocation of DDT residues accompanied a marked decrease in the percentage of oil in the fish, from 13.2 in August to 2.8 in January. Concentrations of residues were relatively high in eggs of both lake trout (4.6 ppm) and coho salmon (7.4–10.2 ppm) from Lake Michigan. The percentage composition of the residues (p,p′DDE, o,p′/DDT, p,p′DDT, and p,p′DDT) did not differ significantly with life stage, size, age, or locality, or date of collection of lake trout or coho salmon.

Prescribing patterns of rural family physicians: a study in Kermanshah Province, Iran.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Fariba; Zarei, Ehsan

2017-11-28

The inappropriate use of drugs due to irrational prescriptions is a common problem in Iran, but there is little evidence of prescription patterns in rural family physicians. This study aimed to explore the prescribing pattern and rational drug use indicators for family physicians using Index of Rational Drug Prescribing (IRDP) in Kermanshah Province, Iran. In this retrospective study, 352,399 prescriptions from 184 family physicians in 103 primary health care (PHC) centers were examined. As stated, an analysis was done for rational use indicators suggested by World Health Organization (WHO): e.g., the percentage of prescriptions containing antibiotics, injections, and those prescribed by a generic name and from a national essential medicine list, plus the average number of drugs per prescription; these factors were all taken into account. Rational drug use was studied with the IRDP. The average number of drugs per prescription was 3.14 (± 1.2) and the average cost per prescription was 116,740 IRR (USD 3.6). Around 19% of prescriptions had more than four drugs, while the percentage of prescriptions involving antibiotics and injections was 52.1% and 24.4%, respectively. There was 95.1% drugs prescribed by their generic name and 95.9% were retrieved from the essential drugs list. The value of the IRDP was 3.70 out of 5. The findings of this study showed that some degree of irrational drug prescribing exists among family physicians, especially in terms of injections, antibiotics, and polypharmacy. It is recommended that there be continuing education programs for physicians regarding rational prescribing for different kinds of medical indications. Clinical practice guidelines should also assist with the rational use of medicine.

Body fatness, physical activity, and nutritional behaviours in Asian Indian immigrants to New Zealand.

PubMed

Kolt, Gregory S; Schofield, Grant M; Rush, Elaine C; Oliver, Melody; Chadha, Narender K

2007-01-01

Body fatness, physical activity, and nutritional behaviours were assessed in 112 (50 male, 62 female) Asian Indians living in New Zealand. Participants were aged 44-91 years (mean 67.5 +/- 7.6) and had lived in New Zealand on average 51 months. Height, weight, and waist circumference were measured to determine body mass index (BMI) and central adiposity. Bioelectrical impedance was used to derive fat free mass, fat mass, and percentage body fat. Pedometers were worn to record daily steps taken over each of seven consecutive days. A lifestyle and health questionnaire was administered to collect information on nutrition behaviours. Average BMI for the sample was 27.2 +/- 4.7 kg/m2 with females (28.0 +/- 5.4 kg/m2) significantly higher than males (25.6 +/- 5.4 kg/m2). Using Asian Indian specific cut-offs 69% of the sample was obese (BMI>=25 kg/m2) and a further 13.7% overweight (23>=BMI<25 kg/m2). Average percentage body fat for the sample was 41.1 +/- 9.1 with females significantly higher than males. The majority (74%) reported some form of chronic condition, with 35% diagnosed with diabetes. Physical activity levels for the sample were low (5,977 +/- 3,560 steps/day) and significantly different between males (6,982 +/- 4,426) and females (5,159 +/- 2,401). Higher pedometer steps were associated with lower waist circumference. After adjustment for age, physical activity was lower, but nutritional habits better for those who had spent a longer time in New Zealand. In summary, Asian Indian immigrants to New Zealand have low physical activity levels and high levels of overweight/obesity and lifestyle disease.

Croatian rugby project-Part I. Anthropometric characteristics, body composition and constitution.

PubMed

Babić, Z; Misigoj-Duraković, M; Matasić, H; Jancić, J

2001-06-01

There are no data in important literature about the anthropometric characteristics of rugby players in countries where rugby is not a popular sport. The goals of this study were to analyze morphological anthropometric characteristics, body composition and constitution of players in the first Croatian-Slovenian rugby league (CSRL) with regard to player's position in the team, team position in the division, and to compare results with the results of rugby players from the more popular rugby leagues. The study was carried out in a sample of voluntarily included 111 male rugby players from six clubs members of the CSRL, in the season 1996/97. Eleven anthropometric measures required for the calculations of body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BF%), and somatotype components were obtained in the clubs according to the recommendations by Jackson and Pollock and Heath and Carter. Forwards in the CSRL are on the average 93.5 kg heavy, 182.4 cm tall, with BMI 28.3 kg/m2, BF% 20.8% and somatotype 6.7-5.9-1.4. Backs are on average 82.2 kg heavy, 178.3 cm tall, with BMI 26.1 kg/m2, BF% 16.9% and somatotype 5.3-5.3-1.5. Backs from upper half of the division are on the average heavier than those from lower half, BF% in forwards from upper half of the division is higher than in forwards from lower half. Both differences were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Compared with the rugby players from more developed rugby leagues, forwards from the CSRL are lighter, backs are heavier and both have higher body fat percentage. Backs and forwards are more endomorphic and forwards are less mesomorphic compared with the rugby players from more developed rugby leagues.

Repeatability of Brain Volume Measurements Made with the Atlas-based Method from T1-weighted Images Acquired Using a 0.4 Tesla Low Field MR Scanner.

PubMed

Goto, Masami; Suzuki, Makoto; Mizukami, Shinya; Abe, Osamu; Aoki, Shigeki; Miyati, Tosiaki; Fukuda, Michinari; Gomi, Tsutomu; Takeda, Tohoru

2016-10-11

An understanding of the repeatability of measured results is important for both the atlas-based and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) methods of magnetic resonance (MR) brain volumetry. However, many recent studies that have investigated the repeatability of brain volume measurements have been performed using static magnetic fields of 1-4 tesla, and no study has used a low-strength static magnetic field. The aim of this study was to investigate the repeatability of measured volumes using the atlas-based method and a low-strength static magnetic field (0.4 tesla). Ten healthy volunteers participated in this study. Using a 0.4 tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner and a quadrature head coil, three-dimensional T 1 -weighted images (3D-T 1 WIs) were obtained from each subject, twice on the same day. VBM8 software was used to construct segmented normalized images [gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) images]. The regions-of-interest (ROIs) of GM, WM, CSF, hippocampus (HC), orbital gyrus (OG), and cerebellum posterior lobe (CPL) were generated using WFU PickAtlas. The percentage change was defined as[100 × (measured volume with first segmented image - mean volume in each subject)/(mean volume in each subject)]The average percentage change was calculated as the percentage change in the 6 ROIs of the 10 subjects. The mean of the average percentage changes for each ROI was as follows: GM, 0.556%; WM, 0.324%; CSF, 0.573%; HC, 0.645%; OG, 1.74%; and CPL, 0.471%. The average percentage change was higher for the orbital gyrus than for the other ROIs. We consider that repeatability of the atlas-based method is similar between 0.4 and 1.5 tesla MR scanners. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show that the level of repeatability with a 0.4 tesla MR scanner is adequate for the estimation of brain volume change by the atlas-based method.

An in vitro atomic force microscopic study of commercially available dental luting materials.

PubMed

Djordje, Antonijevic; Denis, Brajkovic; Nenadovic, Milos; Petar, Milovanovic; Marija, Djuric; Zlatko, Rakocevic

2013-09-01

The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the surface roughness parameters of four different types of dental luting agents used for cementation of implant restorations. Five specimens (8 mm high and 1 mm thick) of each cement were made using metal ring steelless molds. Atomic Force Microscope was employed to analyze different surface texture parameters of the materials. Bearing ratio analysis was used to calculate the potential microgap size between the cement and implant material and to calculate the depth of the valleys on the cement surface, while power spectral density (PSD) measurements were performed to measure the percentage of the surface prone to bacterial adhesion. Glass ionomer cement showed significantly lower value of average surface roughness then the other groups of the materials (P < 0.05) which was in line with the results of Bearing ratio analysis. On the other side, PSD analysis showed that zinc phosphate cement experience the lowest percentage of the surface which promote bacterial colonization. Glas ionomer cements present the surface roughness parameters that are less favorable for bacterial adhesion than that of zinc phosphate, resin-modified glass ionomer and resin cements. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Reproductive success and foraging of the crab spider Misumena vatia.

PubMed

Fritz, Robert S; Morse, Douglass H

1985-01-01

Reproductive success and growth rate data were collected for individually marked crab spiders Misumena vatia (Clerck) in 1980, 1981, and 1982. All measures of reproductive success were found to be quite variable between individuals within years, but did not differ between years. Reproductive effort (mass of clutch/prereproductive mass of female) was the least variable measurement and was not correlated with female weight at reproduction. Clutch weight and number of eggs per clutch were highly correlated with female reproductive weight. Egg weight was not correlated with the number of eggs per clutch. Hatching success did not vary with clutch size and averaged 94.5%. Growth rates of spiders were highly variable, indicating large variation in feeding rate. In 1981 and 1982, approximately 20% of female spiders were unable to capture enough prey to grow and reproduce. Primary prey species differed in weight and in their contribution to spider egg production. Spiders attacked a larger percentage of bumblebees but captured a larger percentage of honeybees. There was no simple relationship between diet choice and reproductive success. Spiders which selected suboptimal umbels to forage on some or all of the time, however, had significantly lower reproductive success than spiders choosing the best umbels.

Socio-economic factors and tuberculosis: a district-based ecological analysis in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Leung, C C; Yew, W W; Tam, C M; Chan, C K; Chang, K C; Law, W S; Wong, M Y; Au, K F

2004-08-01

Relatively little is known about the impact of socio-economic factors on tuberculosis in a metropolitan city with high disease incidence. District-specific tuberculosis notification rates for 1995--1997 and 2000--2002 were indirectly sex- and age-adjusted and compared with the socio-economic characteristics in the 1996 by-census and 2001 census. The differences between the 18 districts persisted after 3-year averaging and indirect standardisation. Only the percentage of population born locally, the percentage of the population widowed or divorced and the percentage of households residing in rooms or bedsits were consistently associated with the standardised notification ratios (SNR) for both periods, the first being negatively so (all P < 0.05). In a combined analysis with a general linear model for both periods, birth in China, residence <7 years, speaking other Asian languages, being married and in a single household were also significantly associated with the SNR (all P < 0.05). Using a backward conditional approach, only local birth, being married, and residing in rooms or bedsits were independent predictors of SNR (all P < 0.05). There was no significant association between SNR and socio-economic indices on education, occupation, unemployment and income. Socio-economic factors other than simple poverty are affecting the district-specific tuberculosis rates in Hong Kong.

Will Medicare Advantage payment reforms impact plan rebates and enrollment?

PubMed

Nicholas, Lauren Hersch

2014-01-01

To assess the relationship between Medicare Advantage (MA) plan rebates and enrollment and simulate the effects of Affordable Care Act (ACA) payment reforms. First difference regressions of county-level MA payment and enrollment data from CMS from 2006 to 2010. A $10 decrease in the per member/per month rebate to MA plans was associated with a 0.20 percentage point (0.9%) decrease in MA penetration (P < .001) and a 7.1% decline in the average MA enrollee's risk score (P < .001). These effects are small overall, but larger in counties with low levels of traditional Medicare spending; a $10 decrease in monthly rebates was associated with a 0.64 percentage point decline in MA penetration and a 10% decrease in risk score. ACA reforms are predicted to reduce the level of rebates in lower-spending counties, leading to enrollment decreases of 1.7 to 1.9 percentage points in the lowest-spending counties. The simulation predicts that the disenrollment would come from MA enrollees with higher risk scores. MA enrollment responds to availability of supplemental benefits supported by rebates. ACA provisions designed to lower MA spending will predominantly affect Medicare beneficiaries living in counties where MA plans may be unable to offer a comparable product at a price similar to that of traditional Medicare.

Investigating maternal risk factors as potential targets of intervention to reduce socioeconomic inequality in small for gestational age: a population-based study.

PubMed

Hayward, Irene; Malcoe, Lorraine Halinka; Cleathero, Lesley A; Janssen, Patricia A; Lanphear, Bruce P; Hayes, Michael V; Mattman, Andre; Pampalon, Robert; Venners, Scott A

2012-06-13

The major aim of this study was to investigate whether maternal risk factors associated with socioeconomic status and small for gestational age (SGA) might be viable targets of interventions to reduce differential risk of SGA by socioeconomic status (socioeconomic SGA inequality) in the metropolitan area of Vancouver, Canada. This study included 59,039 live, singleton births in the Vancouver Census Metropolitan Area (Vancouver) from January 1, 2006 to September 17, 2009. To identify an indicator of socioeconomic SGA inequality, we used hierarchical logistic regression to model SGA by area-level variables from the Canadian census. We then modelled SGA by area-level average income plus established maternal risk factors for SGA and calculated population attributable SGA risk percentages (PAR%) for each variable. Associations of maternal risk factors for SGA with average income were investigated to identify those that might contribute to SGA inequality. Finally, we estimated crude reductions in the percentage and absolute differences in SGA risks between highest and lowest average income quintiles that would result if interventions on maternal risk factors successfully equalized them across income levels or eliminated them altogether. Average income produced the most linear and statistically significant indicator of socioeconomic SGA inequality with 8.9% prevalence of SGA in the lowest income quintile compared to 5.6% in the highest. The adjusted PAR% of SGA for variables were: bottom four quintiles of height (51%), first birth (32%), bottom four quintiles of average income (14%), oligohydramnios (7%), underweight or hypertension, (6% each), smoking (3%) and placental disorder (1%). Shorter height, underweight and smoking during pregnancy had higher prevalence in lower income groups. Crude models assuming equalization of risk factors across income levels or elimination altogether indicated little potential change in relative socioeconomic SGA inequality and reduction in absolute SGA inequality for shorter height only. Our findings regarding maternal height may indicate trans-generational aetiology for socioeconomic SGA inequalities and/or that adult height influences social mobility. Conditions affecting foetal and childhood growth might be viable targets to reduce absolute socioeconomic SGA inequality in future generations, but more research is needed to determine whether such an approach is appropriate.

Muscular Activity and Fatigue in Lower-Limb and Trunk Muscles during Different Sit-To-Stand Tests.

PubMed

Roldán-Jiménez, Cristina; Bennett, Paul; Cuesta-Vargas, Antonio I

2015-01-01

Sit-to-stand (STS) tests measure the ability to get up from a chair, reproducing an important component of daily living activity. As this functional task is essential for human independence, STS performance has been studied in the past decades using several methods, including electromyography. The aim of this study was to measure muscular activity and fatigue during different repetitions and speeds of STS tasks using surface electromyography in lower-limb and trunk muscles. This cross-sectional study recruited 30 healthy young adults. Average muscle activation, percentage of maximum voluntary contraction, muscle involvement in motion and fatigue were measured using surface electrodes placed on the medial gastrocnemius (MG), biceps femoris (BF), vastus medialis of the quadriceps (QM), the abdominal rectus (AR), erector spinae (ES), rectus femoris (RF), soleus (SO) and the tibialis anterior (TA). Five-repetition STS, 10-repetition STS and 30-second STS variants were performed. MG, BF, QM, ES and RF muscles showed differences in muscle activation, while QM, AR and ES muscles showed significant differences in MVC percentage. Also, significant differences in fatigue were found in QM muscle between different STS tests. There was no statistically significant fatigue in the BF, MG and SO muscles of the leg although there appeared to be a trend of increasing fatigue. These results could be useful in describing the functional movements of the STS test used in rehabilitation programs, notwithstanding that they were measured in healthy young subjects.

Rise in the frequency of cloud cover in LANDSAT data for the period 1973 to 1981. [Brazil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parada, N. D. J. (Principal Investigator); Mendonca, F. J.; Neto, G. C.

1983-01-01

Percentages of cloud cover in LANDSAT imagery were used to calculate the cloud cover monthly average statistic for each LANDSAT scene in Brazil, during the period of 1973 to 1981. The average monthly cloud cover and the monthly minimum cloud cover were also calculated for the regions of north, northeast, central west, southeast and south, separately.

Regeneration of Douglas-fir cutblocks on the Six Rivers National Forest in northwestern California

Treesearch

R. O. Strothmann

1979-01-01

A survey of 61 cutblocks planted since 1964 evaluated stocking of conifers (trees 1 foot tall or taller) on 2-milacre quadrats. Overall stocking percentage averaged 42.2 and ranged from 15 to 8 1. Overall number of trees per acre averaged 396. In the regression model, based on 36 cutblocks, better stocking was associated with high site class, northerly aspect,...

The impact of anthropometric parameters on the incidence of low back pain.

PubMed

Celan, Dusan; Turk, Zmago

2005-06-01

Endogenic factors as one of possible reasons for low back pain were investigated and discussed in this study. The study included 122 male bus drivers, average age 44.2 years, average period of active service 24.4 years. The following anthropometric indexes have been calculated: Quetelet's index, percentage of body fat, relative body weight, Olivier's typologic index, Lorenz's constitution index and muscle index. According to inquiry form regarding history of low back pain the subjects were divided in two groups: 36 had no low back pain history and 76 had a history of recurrent low back pain. The results showed statistically nonsignificant differences in the anthropometric parameters and the calculated indexes between these two groups of subjects. The chosen subject sample showed that nutritional status, body build, constitution and muscular development are not associated with the incidence of low back pain.

Cryoablation for the treatment of occipital neuralgia.

PubMed

Kim, Chong H; Hu, Wayne; Gao, Jeff; Dragan, Kristin; Whealton, Thomas; Julian, Christina

2015-01-01

Treatment of occipital neuralgia (ON) can be complex, though many treatment options exist. Cryoablation (CA) is an interventional modality that has been used successfully in chronic neuropathic conditions and is one such option. To study and evaluate the efficacy and safety of cryoablation for treatment of ON. Retrospective evaluation. Academic university-based pain management center. All patients received local anesthetic injections for ON. Patients with greater than or equal to 50% relief and less than 2 week duration of relief were treated with CA. Thirty-eight patients with an average age of 49.6 years were included. Of the 38 patients, 20 were treated for unilateral greater ON, 10 for unilateral greater and lesser ON, and 8 for bilateral greater ON. There were 10 men and 28 women, with an average age of 45.2 years and 51.1 years, respectively. The average relief for all local anesthetic injections was 71.2%, 58.3% for patients who reported 50 - 74% relief (Group 1) and 82.75% for patients who reported greater than 75% relief (Group 2). The average improvement of pain relief with CA was 57.9% with an average duration of 6.1 months overall. Group 1 reported an average of 45.2% relief for an average of 4.1 months with CA. In comparison, Group 2 reported an average of 70.5% relief for 8.1 months. The percentage of relief (P = 0.007) and duration of relief (P = 0.0006) was significantly improved in those reporting at least 75% relief of pain with local anesthetic injections (Group 2 vs Group 1). Though no significance in improvement from CA was found in men, significance was seen in women with at least 75% benefit with local anesthetic injections in terms of duration (P = 0.03) and percentage (P = 0.001) of pain relief with CA. The average pain score prior to CA was 8 (0 - 10 visual analog scale, VAS), this improved to 4.2, improvement of 3.8 following CA at 6 months (P = 0.03). Of the 38 patients, 3 (7.8%) adverse effects were seen. Two patients reported post procedure neuritis and one was monitored for procedure-related hematoma. Study limitations include the retrospective nature of the study. Additionally, only the percentage of relief, pain score, and duration of relief were collected. CA is safe, and should be considered in patients with ON. Cryoablation, cryoanalgesia, occipital neuralgia, treatment, adverse effects.

Ruminally undegradable protein content and digestibility for forages using the mobile bag in situ technique.

PubMed

Buckner, C D; Klopfenstein, T J; Rolfe, K M; Griffin, W A; Lamothe, M J; Watson, A K; MacDonald, J C; Schacht, W H; Schroeder, P

2013-06-01

Four experiments were conducted to evaluate RUP content and digestibility for smooth bromegrass, subirrigated meadow, upland native range, and warm-season grasses. Samples were collected from esophageally cannulated cows or ruminally cannulated steers. Forages were ruminally incubated in in situ bags for durations of time based on 75% of total mean retention time, which was based on IVDMD and rate of passage calculations. One-half of the bags were duodenally incubated and excreted in the feces, and NDIN was analyzed on all bags for RUP calculations. Crude protein was numerically greater early in the growing cycle for grasses compared with later as grasses matured (P ≤ 0.32). The RUP was 13.3%, 13.3%, and 19.7% of CP for smooth bromegrass, subirrigated meadow, and upland native range, respectively. These values tended to be lower early in the growth cycle and increased (linear P ≤ 0.13) as forages matured for warm-season grasses and subirrigated meadows. Because both CP and RUP content change throughout the growing season, expressing RUP as a percentage of DM gives more consistent averages compared with RUP as a percentage of CP. Coefficient of variation values for RUP as a percentage of DM averaged 0.21 over all 4 experiments compared with 0.26 for RUP as a percentage of CP. Average RUP as a percentage of DM was 2.03%, 1.53%, and 1.94% for smooth bromegrass, subirrigated meadow, and upland native range, respectively. Total tract indigestible protein (TTIDP) linearly increased with maturity for subirrigated meadow samples (P < 0.01). A quadratic response (P ≤ 0.06) for TTIDP was observed in smooth bromegrass and warm-season grass samples. Digestibility of RUP varied considerably, ranging from 25% to 60%. Subirrigated meadow, native range, and smooth bromegrass samples tended to have linear decreases (P ≤ 0.11) in RUP digestibility throughout the growing season. The amount of digested RUP was fairly consistent across experiments and averages for smooth bromegrass, subirrigated meadow, and upland native range were 0.92%, 0.64%, and 0.49% of DM, respectively. Warm-season grasses in Exp. 2 had greater RUP (4.31% of DM) and amount of RUP digested (2.26% of DM), possibly because of cattle selecting for leadplant that contains more CP than the grasses. Forages can vary in CP, RUP, TTIDP, and RUP digestibility depending on the forage type, year, and time within year, but RUP digestibility is likely less than what previous sources have reported.

Study on mixis potential of rotifer resting eggs ( Brachionus plicatilis) with different collection times and different preservation periods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Li; Zheng, Yan; Xiang, Jian-Hai

2001-09-01

The present study investigated the possible changes in the mixis potential of rotifer resting eggs produced by a single stock of Brachionus plicatilis and collected and preserved annually from 1985 1998. Several clones derived from each batch of resting eggs were cultured under the same conditions for 21 days. The percentage of clones appearing resting eggs and the average yield of resting eggs produced from each clone were recorded and statistically analyzed to find the differences between the mixis potential of those resting egg batches. Results showed that different batches of resting eggs had different mictic levels among their descendent clones; but no regular relationship was found between the mixis potential of resting eggs and their collection times/preservation periods. Several internal and external factors that might affect the mixis potential of resting eggs were discussed.

[Genetic relationship analysis of Ephedra intermedia from different habitat in Gansu by ISSR analysis].

PubMed

Zhu, Tian-Tian; Jin, Ling; Du, Tao; Cui, Zhi-Jia; Zhang, Xian-Fei; Wu, Di

2013-09-01

To investigate the genetic relationship of Ephedra intermedia from different habitats in Gansu. The genetic diversity and genetic relationship of E. intermedia from different habitats in Gansu were studied by ISSR molecular marker technique. Twelve ISSR primers were selected from 70 ISSR primers and used for ISSR amplification. Total 112 loci were amplified, in which 81 were polymorphic loci, the average percentage of polymorphie bands (PPB) was 72.32%. Clustering results indicated that the wild species and cultivating species were clustered into different group. The wild species, which had closer distance, were clustered into a group. E. intermedia of different habitats in Gansu have rich genetic diversities among species, it is the reason that E. intermedia has strong adaptability and wide distribution. Further, the genetic distance of E. intermedia is associated with geographical distance, the further distance can hinder the gene flow.

Validation of an automated colony counting system for group A Streptococcus.

PubMed

Frost, H R; Tsoi, S K; Baker, C A; Laho, D; Sanderson-Smith, M L; Steer, A C; Smeesters, P R

2016-02-08

The practice of counting bacterial colony forming units on agar plates has long been used as a method to estimate the concentration of live bacteria in culture. However, due to the laborious and potentially error prone nature of this measurement technique, an alternative method is desirable. Recent technologic advancements have facilitated the development of automated colony counting systems, which reduce errors introduced during the manual counting process and recording of information. An additional benefit is the significant reduction in time taken to analyse colony counting data. Whilst automated counting procedures have been validated for a number of microorganisms, the process has not been successful for all bacteria due to the requirement for a relatively high contrast between bacterial colonies and growth medium. The purpose of this study was to validate an automated counting system for use with group A Streptococcus (GAS). Twenty-one different GAS strains, representative of major emm-types, were selected for assessment. In order to introduce the required contrast for automated counting, 2,3,5-triphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) dye was added to Todd-Hewitt broth with yeast extract (THY) agar. Growth on THY agar with TTC was compared with growth on blood agar and THY agar to ensure the dye was not detrimental to bacterial growth. Automated colony counts using a ProtoCOL 3 instrument were compared with manual counting to confirm accuracy over the stages of the growth cycle (latent, mid-log and stationary phases) and in a number of different assays. The average percentage differences between plating and counting methods were analysed using the Bland-Altman method. A percentage difference of ±10 % was determined as the cut-off for a critical difference between plating and counting methods. All strains measured had an average difference of less than 10 % when plated on THY agar with TTC. This consistency was also observed over all phases of the growth cycle and when plated in blood following bactericidal assays. Agreement between these methods suggest the use of an automated colony counting technique for GAS will significantly reduce time spent counting bacteria to enable a more efficient and accurate measurement of bacteria concentration in culture.

Sexual satisfaction following bariatric surgery: A prospective exploratory study.

PubMed

Ferrer-Márquez, Manuel; Pomares-Callejón, María Ángeles; Fernández-Agis, Inmaculada; Belda-Lozano, Ricardo; Vidaña-Márquez, Elisabet; Soriano-Maldonado, Alberto

2017-11-01

Bariatric surgery improves sexual function in obese individuals, although the extent to which sexual satisfaction is improved following surgery is unknown. The aims of this study were 1) to describe sexual satisfaction in severely/morbidly obese men and women candidates for bariatric surgery; 2) to assess the effects of bariatric surgery on sexual satisfaction at 12-months follow-up; and 3) to assess whether weight changes at follow-up following bariatric surgery are associated with changes in sexual satisfaction. We conducted a prospective observational study from February 2011 to June 2014. A total of 44 patients with severe/morbid obesity participated in the study. Sexual satisfaction was assessed (at baseline and 12-months follow-up) through the Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS) questionnaire. Of 44 patients who completed the ISS at baseline (mean age 40.3 [SD=9.4] years and BMI 46.9 [SD=6.2] kg/m 2 ), 17 were lost to follow-up. The baseline ISS total scores were 32.0 (SD=20.1) in women and 24.4 (SD=16.0) in men (P>0.05). The proportion of sexually satisfied men and women at baseline was 62.5% and 46.4%, respectively (P=0.360). At follow-up, sexual satisfaction improved significantly in women (average difference 13.7 units; P=0.032) but not in men (average difference 3.6 units; P=0.717). The percentage of women with sexual satisfaction problems was reduced by 33% at follow-up (P=0.038). A relatively large percentage of severely/morbidly obese women and men present clinically significant sexual satisfaction problems before undergoing bariatric surgery. Sexual satisfaction improves significantly 12 months following bariatric surgery, particularly in women. Copyright © 2017 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Heart Rate and Energy Expenditure in Division I Field Hockey Players During Competitive Play.

PubMed

Sell, Katie M; Ledesma, Allison B

2016-08-01

Sell, KM and Ledesma, AB. Heart rate and energy expenditure in Division I field hockey players during competitive play. J Strength Cond Res 30(8): 2122-2128, 2016-The purpose of this study was to quantify energy expenditure and heart rate data for Division I female field hockey players during competitive play. Ten female Division I collegiate field hockey athletes (19.8 ± 1.6 years; 166.4 ± 6.1 cm; 58.2 ± 5.3 kg) completed the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test to determine maximal heart rate. One week later, all subjects wore a heart rate monitor during a series of 3 matches in an off-season competition. Average heart rate (AvHR), average percentage of maximal heart rate (AvHR%), peak exercise heart rate (PExHR), and percentage of maximal heart rate (PExHR%), time spent in each of the predetermined heart rate zones, and caloric expenditure per minute of exercise (kcalM) were determined for all players. Differences between positions (backs, midfielders, and forwards) were assessed. No significant differences in AvHR, AvHR%, PExHR, PExHR%, and %TM were observed between playing positions. The AvHR% and PExHR% for each position fell into zones 4 (77-93% HRmax) and 5 (>93% HRmax), respectively, and significantly more time was spent in zone 4 compared with zones 1, 2, 3, and 5 across all players (p ≤ 0.05). The kcalM reflected very heavy intensity exercise. The results of this study will contribute toward understanding the sport-specific physiological demands of women's field hockey and has specific implications for the duration and schedule of training regimens.

Soybean cultivar selection for Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSSs) - Hydroponic cultivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paradiso, R.; Buonomo, R.; De Micco, V.; Aronne, G.; Palermo, M.; Barbieri, G.; De Pascale, S.

2012-12-01

Four soybean cultivars ('Atlantic', 'Cresir', 'Pr91m10' and 'Regir'), selected through a theoretical procedure as suitable for cultivation in BLSS, were evaluated in terms of growth and production. Germination percentage and Mean Germination Time (MGT) were measured. Plants were cultivated in a growth chamber equipped with a recirculating hydroponic system (Nutrient Film Technique). Cultivation was performed under controlled environmental conditions (12 h photoperiod, light intensity 350 μmol m-2 s-1, temperature regime 26/20 °C light/dark, relative humidity 65-75%). Fertigation was performed with a standard Hoagland solution, modified for soybean specific requirements, and EC and pH were kept at 2.0 dS m-1 and 5.5 respectively. The percentage of germination was high (from 86.9% in 'Cresir' to 96.8% in 'Regir')and the MGT was similar for all the cultivars (4.3 days). The growing cycle lasted from 114 in 'Cresir' to 133 days on average in the other cultivars. Differences in plant size were recorded, with 'Pr91m10' plants being the shortest (58 vs 106 cm). Cultivars did not differ significantly in seed yield (12 g plant-1) and in non edible biomass (waste), water consumption and biomass conversion efficiency (water, radiation and acid use indexes). 'Pr91m10' showed the highest protein content in the seeds (35.6% vs 33.3% on average in the other cultivars). Results from the cultivation experiment showed good performances of the four cultivars in hydroponics. The overall analysis suggests that 'Pr91m10' could be the best candidate for the cultivation in a BLSS, coupling the small plant size and the good yield with high resource use efficiency and good seed quality.

Proximate composition of poultry processing wastewater particulate matter from broiler slaughter plants.

PubMed

Kiepper, B H; Merka, W C; Fletcher, D L

2008-08-01

An experiment was conducted to compare the proximate composition of particulate matter recovered from poultry processing wastewater (PPW) generated by broiler slaughter plants. Poultry processing wastewater is the cumulative wastewater stream generated during the processing of poultry following primary and secondary physical screening (typically to 500 mum) that removes gross offal. Composite samples of PPW from 3 broiler slaughter plants (southeast United States) were collected over 8 consecutive weeks. All 3 broiler slaughter plants process young chickens with an average live weight of 2.0 kg. At each plant, a single 72-L composite sample was collected using an automatic sampler programmed to collect 1 L of wastewater every 20 min for 24 h during one normal processing day each week. Each composite sample was thoroughly mixed, and 60 L was passed through a series of sieves (2.0 mm, 1.0 mm, 500 mum, and 53 mum). The amount of particulate solids collected on the 2.0 mm, 1.0 mm, and 500 mum sieves was insignificant. The solids recovered from the 53-mum sieve were subjected to proximate analysis to determine percent moisture, fat, protein, ash, and fiber. The average percentages of fat, protein, ash, and fiber for all samples on a dry-weight basis were 55.3, 27.1, 6.1, and 4.1, respectively. Fat made up over half of the dry-weight matter recovered, representing PPW particulate matter between 500 and 53 mum. Despite the variation in number of birds processed daily, further processing operations, and number and type of wastewater screens utilized, there were no significance differences in percentage of fat and fiber between the slaughter plants. There were significant differences in percent protein and ash between the slaughter plants.

Fractal analysis of the ambulation pattern of Japanese quail.

PubMed

Kembro, J M; Perillo, M A; Pury, P A; Satterlee, D G; Marín, R H

2009-03-01

1. The study examined the practicality and usefulness of fractal analyses in evaluating the temporal organisation of avian ambulatory behaviour by using female Japanese quail in their home boxes as the model system. To induce two locomotion activity levels, we tested half of the birds without disturbance (Unstimulated) and the other half when food was scattered on the floor of the home box after 3 h of feeder withdrawal (Stimulated). 2. Ambulatory activity was recorded during 40 min at a resolution of 1 s and evaluated by: (1) detrended fluctuation analyses (DFA), (2) the frequency distribution of the duration of the walking or non-walking events (FDD-W or FDD-NW, respectively), and (3) the transition probabilities between walking/non-walking states. Conventional measures of total time spent walking and average duration of the walking/non-walking events were also employed. 3. DFA showed a decreased value of the self-similarity parameter (alpha; indicative of a more complex ambulatory pattern) in Stimulated birds compared to their Unstimulated counterparts. The FDD-NW showed a more negative scaling factor in Stimulated than in Unstimulated birds. Stimulated birds also had more transitions between non-walking and walking states, consistent with stimulated exploratory activity. No differences were found between groups in the FDD-W, in percentage of total time spent walking, or in average duration of the walking events. 4. The temporal walking pattern of female Japanese quail has a fractal structure and its organisation and complexity is altered when birds are stimulated to explore. The fractal analyses detected differences between the Unstimulated and Stimulated groups that went undetected by the traditional measurements of the percentage of total time spent walking and the duration of the walking events suggesting its usefulness as a tool for behavioural studies.

Clinical Characteristics of Patients Who Underwent Surgery for Genital Tract Malformations at Peking Union Medical College Hospital across 31 Years.

PubMed

Wang, Guang-Han; Zhu, Lan; Liu, Ai-Ming; Xu, Tao; Lang, Jing-He

2016-10-20

Female genital malformations represent miscellaneous deviations from normal anatomy. This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics of patients who underwent surgery for genital tract malformations at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) during a 31-year period. We retrospectively reviewed surgical cases of congenital malformation of the female genital tract at PUMCH for a 31-year period, analyzed the clinical characteristics of 1634 hospitalized patients, and investigated their general condition, diagnosis, and treatment process. The average patient age was 27.6 ± 9.9 years. The average ages of patients who underwent surgery for uterine malformation and vaginal malformation were 31.9 ± 8.8 years and 24.7 ± 9.0 years, respectively; these ages differed significantly (P < 0.01). Among patients with genital tract malformation, the percentages of vaginal malformation, uterine malformation, vulva malformation, cervical malformation, and other malformations were 43.9%, 43.5%, 7.4%, 2.3%, and 2.8%, respectively. Among patients with uterine malformation, 34.5% underwent surgery for the genital tract malformation, whereas in patients with vaginal malformation, the proportion is 70.6%; the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). The percentage of complications of the urinary system in patients with vaginal malformations was 10.2%, which was statistically significantly higher than that (5.3%) in patients with uterine malformations (P < 0.01). Compared to patients with uterine malformations, patients with vaginal malformations displayed more severe clinical symptoms, a younger surgical age, and a greater need for attention, early diagnosis, and treatment. Patients with genital tract malformations, particularly vaginal malformations, tend to have more complications of the urinary system and other malformations than patients with uterine malformations.

The relationship between total cholinesterase activity and mortality in four butterfly species

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bargar, Timothy A.

2012-01-01

The relationship between total cholinesterase activity (TChE) and mortality in four butterfly species (great southern white [Ascia monuste], common buckeye [Junonia coenia], painted lady [Vanessa cardui], and julia butterflies [Dryas julia]) was investigated. Acute contact toxicity studies were conducted to evaluate the response (median lethal dose [LD50] and TChE) of the four species following exposure to the organophosphate insecticide naled. The LD50 for these butterflies ranged from 2.3 to 7.6 μg/g. The average level of TChE inhibition associated with significant mortality ranged from 26 to 67%, depending on the species. The lower bounds of normal TChE activity (2 standard deviations less than the average TChE for reference butterflies) ranged from 8.4 to 12.3 μM/min/g. As a percentage of the average reference TChE activity for the respective species, the lower bounds were similar to the inhibition levels associated with significant mortality, indicating there was little difference between the dose resulting in significant TChE inhibition and that resulting in mortality.

Factors affecting breeding soundness classification of beef bulls examined at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine.

PubMed

Barth, Albert D; Waldner, Cheryl L

2002-04-01

Breeding soundness evaluation records from 2110 beef bulls, for the period of 1986 to 1999, were analyzed to determine the prevalence and importance of factors affecting breeding soundness classification. The percentage of all bulls classified as satisfactory ranged from 49.0% in January to 73.3% in May. The percentage of physically normal bulls with satisfactory semen quality ranged from 65.7% in January to 87.5% in June. Poor body condition or excessive body condition, below average or below the recommended minimum scrotal circumference, lameness, and severe scrotal frostbite significantly reduced the probability of a satisfactory breeding soundness classification. The percentage of sperm with midpiece defects declined significantly and the percentage of sperm with head defects increased significantly with the approach of summer. Photoperiod, cold stress, poor or excessive body condition, and reduced feed quality may interact to reduce semen quality in the winter months.

Trends in driver licensing status and driving among high school seniors in the United States, 1996–2010☆

PubMed Central

Shults, Ruth A.; Williams, Allan F.

2017-01-01

Introduction Understanding the reasons for fluctuations in teenage driver crashes over time in the United States is clouded by the lack of information on licensure rates and driving exposure. Methods We examined results from the Monitoring the Future survey to estimate the proportion of high school seniors who possessed a driver’s license and the proportion of seniors who did not drive “during an average week” during the 15-year period of 1996–2010. Results During 1996–2010, the proportion of high school seniors in United States who reported having a driver’s license declined by 12 percentage points (14%) from 85% to 73%. Two-thirds of the decline (8 percentage points) occurred during 2006–2010. During the same 15-year period, the proportion of high school seniors who did not drive during an average week increased by 7 percentage points (47%) from 15% in 1996 to 22% in 2010, with essentially all of the increase occurring during 2006–2009. Discussion Findings in this report suggest that the economic recession in recent years has reduced rates of licensure and driving among high school seniors. PMID:23932698

Endonasal Skull Base Tumor Removal Using Concentric Tube Continuum Robots: A Phantom Study.

PubMed

Swaney, Philip J; Gilbert, Hunter B; Webster, Robert J; Russell, Paul T; Weaver, Kyle D

2015-03-01

Objectives The purpose of this study is to experimentally evaluate the use of concentric tube continuum robots in endonasal skull base tumor removal. This new type of surgical robot offers many advantages over existing straight and rigid surgical tools including added dexterity, the ability to scale movements, and the ability to rotate the end effector while leaving the robot fixed in space. In this study, a concentric tube continuum robot was used to remove simulated pituitary tumors from a skull phantom. Design The robot was teleoperated by experienced skull base surgeons to remove a phantom pituitary tumor within a skull. Percentage resection was measured by weight. Resection duration was timed. Setting Academic research laboratory. Main Outcome Measures Percentage removal of tumor material and procedure duration. Results Average removal percentage of 79.8 ± 5.9% and average time to complete procedure of 12.5 ± 4.1 minutes (n = 20). Conclusions The robotic system presented here for use in endonasal skull base surgery shows promise in improving the dexterity, tool motion, and end effector capabilities currently available with straight and rigid tools while remaining an effective tool for resecting the tumor.

Palynology, petrography and geochemistry of the Sewickley coal bed (Monongahela Group, Late Pennsylvanian), Northern Appalachian Basin, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eble, C.F.; Pierce, B.S.; Grady, W.C.

2003-01-01

Forty-two bench samples of the Sewickley coal bed were collected from seven localities in the northern Appalachian Basin and analyzed palynologically, petrographically, and geochemically. The Sewickley coal bed occurs in the middle of the Pittsburgh Formation (Monongahela Group) and is of Late Pennsylvanian age. Palynologically, it is dominated by spores of tree ferns. Tree fern spore taxa in the Sewickley include Punctatisporites minutus, Punctatosporites minutus, Laevigatosporites minimus, Spinosporites exiguus, Apiculatasporites saetiger, and Thymospora spp. In fact, Punctatisporites minutus was so abundant that it had to be removed from the standard counts and recorded separately (average 73.2%). Even when Punctatisporites minutus is removed from the counts, tree fern spores still dominate a majority of the assemblages, averaging 64.4%. Among the tree fern spores identified in the Sewickley coal, Thymospora exhibits temporal and spatial abundance variation. Thymospora usually increases in abundance from the base to the top of the bed. Thymospora is also more abundant in columns that are thick (>100 cm) and low in ash yield (< 12.0%, dry basis). Calamite spores (e.g. Calamospora spp., Laevigatosporites minor, and L. vulgaris) are the next most abundant plant group represented in the Sewickley coal, averaging 20%. Contributions from all other plant groups are minor in comparison. Petrographically, the Sewickley coal contains high percentages of vitrinite (average 82.3%, mineral matter-free (mmf)), with structured forms being more common than unstructured forms. In contrast, liptinite and inertinite macerals both occur in low percentages (average 7.7% and 10.0%, respectively). Geochemically, the Sewickley coal has a moderate ash yield (average 12.4%) and high total sulfur content (average 3.4%). Four localities contained a high ash or carbonaceous shale bench. These benches, which may be coeval, are strongly dominated by tree fern spores. Unlike the lower ash benches, they contain low percentages of vitrinite, which mainly occurs as unstructured vitrinite, and higher liptinite and inertinite contents. The accumulated data suggest that the Sewickley paleomire was probably a rheotrophic, planar mire that had a consistent water cover. This is supported by the high vitrinite contents, moderate ash yields, and high total sulfur contents. The high ash and carbonaceous shale benches probably represent either periods of dryness and substrate exposure, or flooding of the mire surface, the duration of which is unknown. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic parameters for milk coagulation properties in Estonian Holstein cows.

PubMed

Vallas, M; Bovenhuis, H; Kaart, T; Pärna, K; Kiiman, H; Pärna, E

2010-08-01

The objective of this study was to estimate heritabilities and repeatabilities for milk coagulation traits [milk coagulation time (RCT) and curd firmness (E(30))] and genetic and phenotypic correlations between milk yield and composition traits (milk fat percentage and protein percentage, urea, somatic cell count, pH) in first-lactation Estonian Holstein dairy cattle. A total of 17,577 test-day records from 4,191 Estonian Holstein cows in 73 herds across the country were collected during routine milk recordings. Measurements of RCT and E(30) determined with the Optigraph (Ysebaert, Frepillon, France) are based on an optical signal in the near-infrared region. The cows had at least 3 measurements taken during the period from April 2005 to January 2009. Data were analyzed using a repeatability animal model. There was substantial variation in milk coagulation traits with a coefficient of variation of 27% for E(30) and 9% for the log-transformed RCT. The percentage of variation explained by herd was 3% for E(30) and 4% for RCT, suggesting that milk coagulation traits are not strongly affected by herd conditions (e.g., feeding). Heritability was 0.28 for RCT and 0.41 for E(30), and repeatability estimates were 0.45 and 0.50, respectively. Genetic correlation between both milk coagulation traits was negligible, suggesting that RCT and E(30) have genetically different foundations. Milk coagulation time had a moderately high positive genetic (0.69) and phenotypic (0.61) correlation with milk pH indicating that a high pH is related to a less favorable RCT. Curd firmness had a moderate positive genetic (0.48) and phenotypic (0.45) correlation with the protein percentage. Therefore, a high protein percentage is associated with favorable curd firmness. All reported genetic parameters were statistically significantly different from zero. Additional univariate random regression analysis for milk coagulation traits yielded slightly higher average heritabilities of 0.38 and 0.47 for RCT and E(30) compared with the heritabilities of the repeatability model. Copyright (c) 2010 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reduced surround inhibition in musicians.

PubMed

Shin, Hae-Won; Kang, Suk Y; Hallett, Mark; Sohn, Young H

2012-06-01

To investigate whether surround inhibition (SI) in the motor system is altered in professional musicians, we performed a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study in 10 professional musicians and 15 age-matched healthy non-musicians. TMS was set to be triggered by self-initiated flexion of the index finger at different intervals ranging from 3 to 1,000 ms. Average motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes obtained from self-triggered TMS were normalized to average MEPs of the control TMS at rest and expressed as a percentage. Normalized MEP amplitudes of the abductor digiti minimi (ADM) muscles were compared between the musicians and non-musicians with the primary analysis being the intervals between 3 and 80 ms (during the movement). A mixed-design ANOVA revealed a significant difference in normalized ADM MEPs during the index finger flexion between groups, with less SI in the musicians. This study demonstrated that the functional operation of SI is less strong in musicians than non-musicians, perhaps due to practice of movement synergies involving both muscles. Reduced SI, however, could lead susceptible musicians to be prone to develop task-specific dystonia.

Predicting objective function weights from patient anatomy in prostate IMRT treatment planning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Taewoo, E-mail: taewoo.lee@utoronto.ca; Hammad, Muhannad; Chan, Timothy C. Y.

2013-12-15

Purpose: Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment planning typically combines multiple criteria into a single objective function by taking a weighted sum. The authors propose a statistical model that predicts objective function weights from patient anatomy for prostate IMRT treatment planning. This study provides a proof of concept for geometry-driven weight determination. Methods: A previously developed inverse optimization method (IOM) was used to generate optimal objective function weights for 24 patients using their historical treatment plans (i.e., dose distributions). These IOM weights were around 1% for each of the femoral heads, while bladder and rectum weights varied greatly between patients. Amore » regression model was developed to predict a patient's rectum weight using the ratio of the overlap volume of the rectum and bladder with the planning target volume at a 1 cm expansion as the independent variable. The femoral head weights were fixed to 1% each and the bladder weight was calculated as one minus the rectum and femoral head weights. The model was validated using leave-one-out cross validation. Objective values and dose distributions generated through inverse planning using the predicted weights were compared to those generated using the original IOM weights, as well as an average of the IOM weights across all patients. Results: The IOM weight vectors were on average six times closer to the predicted weight vectors than to the average weight vector, usingl{sub 2} distance. Likewise, the bladder and rectum objective values achieved by the predicted weights were more similar to the objective values achieved by the IOM weights. The difference in objective value performance between the predicted and average weights was statistically significant according to a one-sided sign test. For all patients, the difference in rectum V54.3 Gy, rectum V70.0 Gy, bladder V54.3 Gy, and bladder V70.0 Gy values between the dose distributions generated by the predicted weights and IOM weights was less than 5 percentage points. Similarly, the difference in femoral head V54.3 Gy values between the two dose distributions was less than 5 percentage points for all but one patient. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a proof of concept that patient anatomy can be used to predict appropriate objective function weights for treatment planning. In the long term, such geometry-driven weights may serve as a starting point for iterative treatment plan design or may provide information about the most clinically relevant region of the Pareto surface to explore.« less

Predicting objective function weights from patient anatomy in prostate IMRT treatment planning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Taewoo, E-mail: taewoo.lee@utoronto.ca; Hammad, Muhannad; Chan, Timothy C. Y.

Purpose: Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment planning typically combines multiple criteria into a single objective function by taking a weighted sum. The authors propose a statistical model that predicts objective function weights from patient anatomy for prostate IMRT treatment planning. This study provides a proof of concept for geometry-driven weight determination. Methods: A previously developed inverse optimization method (IOM) was used to generate optimal objective function weights for 24 patients using their historical treatment plans (i.e., dose distributions). These IOM weights were around 1% for each of the femoral heads, while bladder and rectum weights varied greatly between patients. Amore » regression model was developed to predict a patient's rectum weight using the ratio of the overlap volume of the rectum and bladder with the planning target volume at a 1 cm expansion as the independent variable. The femoral head weights were fixed to 1% each and the bladder weight was calculated as one minus the rectum and femoral head weights. The model was validated using leave-one-out cross validation. Objective values and dose distributions generated through inverse planning using the predicted weights were compared to those generated using the original IOM weights, as well as an average of the IOM weights across all patients. Results: The IOM weight vectors were on average six times closer to the predicted weight vectors than to the average weight vector, usingl{sub 2} distance. Likewise, the bladder and rectum objective values achieved by the predicted weights were more similar to the objective values achieved by the IOM weights. The difference in objective value performance between the predicted and average weights was statistically significant according to a one-sided sign test. For all patients, the difference in rectum V54.3 Gy, rectum V70.0 Gy, bladder V54.3 Gy, and bladder V70.0 Gy values between the dose distributions generated by the predicted weights and IOM weights was less than 5 percentage points. Similarly, the difference in femoral head V54.3 Gy values between the two dose distributions was less than 5 percentage points for all but one patient. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a proof of concept that patient anatomy can be used to predict appropriate objective function weights for treatment planning. In the long term, such geometry-driven weights may serve as a starting point for iterative treatment plan design or may provide information about the most clinically relevant region of the Pareto surface to explore.« less

Effects of orthokeratology on the progression of low to moderate myopia in Chinese children.

PubMed

He, Mengmei; Du, Yaru; Liu, Qingyu; Ren, Chengda; Liu, Junling; Wang, Qianyi; Li, Li; Yu, Jing

2016-07-27

To investigate the effectiveness of orthokeratology (ortho-k) in reducing the development of myopia in Chinese children with low to moderate myopia. This was a retrospective study. In the ortho-k group, there were141 subjects, and the average age was (9.43 ± 1.10) years. The average spherical equivalent refractive error (SER) was (-2.74 ± 1.15)D, with examinations performed 1, 7, 30, and 90 days and 12 months after the patients started wearing ortho-k lenses. In the control group, there were 130 subjects, and the average age was (9.37 ± 1.00) years. The average SER was (-2.88 ± 1.39)D, with examinations performed every 6 months. Axial elongation, which is an important parameter reflecting the progression of myopia, was measured at baseline from the same IOLMaster each time by the same masked examiner and was compared between the groups after 1 year. The subjects were divided into two sub-groups according to age to further study the development of myopia at different ages. An unpaired t-test, paired t-test, Chi-square test and Spearman test were performed to analyze the data. After 1 year, the average axial elongation was (0.27 ± 0.17) mm in the ortho-k lens group and (0.38 ± 0.13) mm in the control group, with a significant difference between the groups (P < 0.001). Axial elongation was not correlated with SER but had a negative correlation with initial age (ortho-k group: r s = -0.309, p < 0.01; control group: r s = -0.472, p < 0.01). The percentages of individuals with fast myopic progression (axial elongation > 0.36 mm per year) were 38.0 % among younger children (7.00 to 9.40 years) and 24.3 % among older children (9.40 to 12.00 years), whereas the respective percentages were 76.5 and 12.9 % in the control group. When SER ranged from -5.0D to -6.0D, the axial elongation in the ortho-k group was 57.1 % slower than that in the control group. Ortho-k lenses are effective in controlling myopic progression in Chinese children, particularly in younger children and in children with higher myopia.

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Nevada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Nevada's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP increased in grade 8 reading and math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test than on NAEP in both subjects. Trends in average (mean) test scores…

Availability of high school extracurricular sports programs and high-risk behaviors.

PubMed

Cohen, Deborah A; Taylor, Stephanie L; Zonta, Michela; Vestal, Katherine D; Schuster, Mark A

2007-02-01

The Surgeon General has called for an expansion of school-based extracurricular sports programs to address the obesity epidemic. However, little is known about the availability of and participation in high school extracurricular sports and how participation in these sports is related to high-risk behaviors. We surveyed Los Angeles County public high schools in 2002 to determine the number of extracurricular sports programs offered and the percentage of students participating in those programs. We used community data on rates of arrests, births, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among youth to examine associations between risk behaviors and participation in sports programs. The average school offered 14 sports programs, and the average participation rate was 39% for boys and 30% for girls. Smaller schools and schools with higher percentages of disadvantaged students offered fewer programs. The average school offering 13 or fewer programs had 14% of its students participating, while the average school offering 16 or more programs had 31% of its students participating in sports. Controlling for area-level demographics, juvenile arrest rates and teen birth rates, but not STD rates, were lower in areas where schools offered more extracurricular sports. Opportunities for participation in high school extracurricular sports are limited. Future studies should test whether increased opportunities will increase physical activity and impact the increasing overweight problem in youths.

[Investigation of tympanogram in newborns with 226 hz and 1000 hz probe tones].

PubMed

Li, Mengyin; Zheng, Yun; Li, Gang; Wang, Kai

2012-11-01

This study aims at investigating tympanogram in newborns who passed hearing screening using 226 and 1 000 Hz probe tones in order to interpret the test results correctly and find out its clinical value in audiological evaluation and diagnosis in this population. Tympanogram was conducted using 226 and 1000 Hz probe tones in 206 newborns between 2 and 7 days of age (3.92 +/- 1.24) in both ears that passed the DPOAE screening and without any of the high risk register (HRR) factors associated with hearing loss according to the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing in 2007. The tympanogram results tested in 408 ear were as following: the percentage of single-peaked, double-peaked, and none-peaked tympanograms using 226 Hz were 52.20% (213 ears), 47.55% (194 ears) and 0.25% (1 ear) respectively. The percentage of single-peaked and other morphological type tympanograms using 1000 Hz were 94.85%(387 ears) and 5.15% (21 ears) respectively. The parameters of 1000 Hz single-peaked tympanogram in this study were as following: the average tympanometric peak pressure was 33.24 +/- 44.37 dapa, the average peak compensated static acoustic admittance was 0.52 +/- 0.25 mmho, the average tympanometric width for right and left ears were 121.38 +/- 28.79 and 108.63 +/- 26.00 dapa respectively with a statistically significant difference between them (P < 0.01). The average volume of ear canal (Vec, using 226 Hz probe tone) at boys and girls were 0.44 +/- 0.10 and 0.43 +/- 0.08 ml respectively with a statistically significant difference between them (P < 0.05). The morphology of tympanogram using a 226 Hz probe tone in newborns usually includes two main types: single-peaked and double-peaked, while it is primarily the single-peaked tympanogram while using a 1000 Hz probe tone. It is more appropriate to use a 1000 Hz probe tone than 226 Hz when testing newborns' tympanogram. The parameters obtained in this study using 1000 Hz and 226 Hz could be tried and applied to interpret clinical tympanogram test results and evaluate middle ear function. However, more studies with bigger sample size are necessary in this field.

Assessment of the Average Price and Ethanol Content of Alcoholic Beverages by Brand – United States, 2011

PubMed Central

DiLoreto, Joanna T.; Siegel, Michael; Hinchey, Danielle; Valerio, Heather; Kinzel, Kathryn; Lee, Stephanie; Chen, Kelsey; Shoaff, Jessica Ruhlman; Kenney, Jessica; Jernigan, David H.; DeJong, William

2011-01-01

Background There are no existing data on alcoholic beverage prices and ethanol content at the level of alcohol brand. A comprehensive understanding of alcohol prices and ethanol content at the brand level is essential for the development of effective public policy to reduce alcohol use among underage youth. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively assess alcoholic beverage prices and ethanol content at the brand level. Methods Using online alcohol price data from 15 control states and 164 online alcohol stores, we estimated the average alcohol price and percentage alcohol by volume for 900 brands of alcohol, across 17 different alcoholic beverage types, in the United States in 2011. Results There is considerable variation in both brand-specific alcohol prices and ethanol content within most alcoholic beverage types. For many types of alcohol, the within-category variation between brands exceeds the variation in average price and ethanol content among the several alcoholic beverage types. Despite differences in average prices between alcoholic beverage types, in 12 of the 16 alcoholic beverage types, customers can purchase at least one brand of alcohol that is under one dollar per ounce of ethanol. Conclusions Relying on data or assumptions about alcohol prices and ethanol content at the level of alcoholic beverage type is insufficient for understanding and influencing youth drinking behavior. Surveillance of alcohol prices and ethanol content at the brand level should become a standard part of alcohol research. PMID:22316218

The Impact of the National Essential Medicines Policy on Rational Drug Use in Primary Care Institutions in Jiangsu Province of China

PubMed Central

CHAO, Jianqian; GU, Jiangyi; ZHANG, Hua; CHEN, Huanghui; WU, Zhenchun

2018-01-01

Background: Essential medicine policy is a successful global health policy to promote rational drug use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the National Essential Medicines Policy (NEMP) on the rational drug use in primary care institutions in Jiangsu Province of China. Methods: In this exploratory study, a multistage, stratified, random sampling was used to select 3400 prescriptions from 17 primary care institutions who implemented the NEMP before (Jan 2010) and after the implementation of the NEMP (Jan 2014). The analyses were performed in SPSS 18.0 and SPSS Clementine client. Results: After the implementation of the NEMP, the percentage of prescribed EML (Essential Medicines List) drugs rose significantly, the average number of drugs per prescription and average cost per prescription were declined significantly, while the differences of the prescription proportion of antibiotics and injection were not statistically significant. BP (Back Propagation) neural network analysis showed that the average number of drugs per prescription, the number of using antibiotics and hormone, regional differences, size of institutions, sponsorship, financial income of institutions, doctor degree, outpatient and emergency visits person times were important factors affecting the prescription costs, among these the average number of drugs per prescription has the greatest effect. Conclusion: The NEMP can promote the rational use of drugs in some degree, but its role is limited. We should not focus only on the EML but also make comprehensive NEMP. PMID:29318114

The Impact of the National Essential Medicines Policy on Rational Drug Use in Primary Care Institutions in Jiangsu Province of China.

PubMed

Chao, Jianqian; Gu, Jiangyi; Zhang, Hua; Chen, Huanghui; Wu, Zhenchun

2018-01-01

Essential medicine policy is a successful global health policy to promote rational drug use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the National Essential Medicines Policy (NEMP) on the rational drug use in primary care institutions in Jiangsu Province of China. In this exploratory study, a multistage, stratified, random sampling was used to select 3400 prescriptions from 17 primary care institutions who implemented the NEMP before (Jan 2010) and after the implementation of the NEMP (Jan 2014). The analyses were performed in SPSS 18.0 and SPSS Clementine client. After the implementation of the NEMP, the percentage of prescribed EML (Essential Medicines List) drugs rose significantly, the average number of drugs per prescription and average cost per prescription were declined significantly, while the differences of the prescription proportion of antibiotics and injection were not statistically significant. BP (Back Propagation) neural network analysis showed that the average number of drugs per prescription, the number of using antibiotics and hormone, regional differences, size of institutions, sponsorship, financial income of institutions, doctor degree, outpatient and emergency visits person times were important factors affecting the prescription costs, among these the average number of drugs per prescription has the greatest effect. The NEMP can promote the rational use of drugs in some degree, but its role is limited. We should not focus only on the EML but also make comprehensive NEMP.

A new method to estimate average hourly global solar radiation on the horizontal surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Pramod K.; Soupir, Michelle L.

2012-10-01

A new model, Global Solar Radiation on Horizontal Surface (GSRHS), was developed to estimate the average hourly global solar radiation on the horizontal surfaces (Gh). The GSRHS model uses the transmission function (Tf,ij), which was developed to control hourly global solar radiation, for predicting solar radiation. The inputs of the model were: hour of day, day (Julian) of year, optimized parameter values, solar constant (H0), latitude, and longitude of the location of interest. The parameter values used in the model were optimized at a location (Albuquerque, NM), and these values were applied into the model for predicting average hourly global solar radiations at four different locations (Austin, TX; El Paso, TX; Desert Rock, NV; Seattle, WA) of the United States. The model performance was assessed using correlation coefficient (r), Mean Absolute Bias Error (MABE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and coefficient of determinations (R2). The sensitivities of parameter to prediction were estimated. Results show that the model performed very well. The correlation coefficients (r) range from 0.96 to 0.99, while coefficients of determination (R2) range from 0.92 to 0.98. For daily and monthly prediction, error percentages (i.e. MABE and RMSE) were less than 20%. The approach we proposed here can be potentially useful for predicting average hourly global solar radiation on the horizontal surface for different locations, with the use of readily available data (i.e. latitude and longitude of the location) as inputs.

A cross-sectional study of travel patterns of older adults in the USA during 2015: implications for mobility and traffic safety

PubMed Central

Shen, Sijun; Koech, Wilson; Feng, Jing; Rice, Thomas M; Zhu, Motao

2017-01-01

Background With an ever increasing population of older adults (65+ years) in the USA, a better understanding of this population’s travel patterns is needed to improve travel mobility and transportation safety. Objective In this study, we described the travel patterns of older adults in the USA during 2015. Methods Travel patterns of older adults (65–74 and 75+ years) were compared with younger adults (25–64 years) by frequency and proportion of daily trips. The daily trips of various age groups were estimated using the 2015 American Time Use Survey. Results The percentage of daily travellers was 88% for adults (25–64 years), 75% for adults (65–74 years) and 68% for adults (75+ years). While the percentage of privately owned vehicle (POV) drivers and average time of driving POVs decreased, the percentage of POV passengers increased as adults aged. Females were less likely to drive POVs and had decreased average daily driving time, but they were more likely to ride in POVs as passengers and had longer average daily riding times than their male counterparts across all age groups. Older adults were more likely to travel in the mornings and early afternoons (from 8:00 to 15:59) while younger adults were more likely to travel in the late afternoons and early evenings (from 16:00 to 19:59). Conclusions POV use is the predominant mode of transit in the USA. As adults age, the percentages of daily travellers and POV drivers decrease. This pattern is more apparent among females than males. This study delineated travel patterns of older adults using a 2015 national survey, and the findings facilitate traffic systems designers and policy-makers to develop and implement initiatives to accommodate older adults’ mobility needs and improve traffic safety. PMID:28801408

A cross-sectional study of travel patterns of older adults in the USA during 2015: implications for mobility and traffic safety.

PubMed

Shen, Sijun; Koech, Wilson; Feng, Jing; Rice, Thomas M; Zhu, Motao

2017-08-11

With an ever increasing population of older adults (65+ years) in the USA, a better understanding of this population's travel patterns is needed to improve travel mobility and transportation safety. In this study, we described the travel patterns of older adults in the USA during 2015. Travel patterns of older adults (65-74 and 75+ years) were compared with younger adults (25-64 years) by frequency and proportion of daily trips. The daily trips of various age groups were estimated using the 2015 American Time Use Survey. The percentage of daily travellers was 88% for adults (25-64 years), 75% for adults (65-74 years) and 68% for adults (75+ years). While the percentage of privately owned vehicle (POV) drivers and average time of driving POVs decreased, the percentage of POV passengers increased as adults aged. Females were less likely to drive POVs and had decreased average daily driving time, but they were more likely to ride in POVs as passengers and had longer average daily riding times than their male counterparts across all age groups. Older adults were more likely to travel in the mornings and early afternoons (from 8:00 to 15:59) while younger adults were more likely to travel in the late afternoons and early evenings (from 16:00 to 19:59). POV use is the predominant mode of transit in the USA. As adults age, the percentages of daily travellers and POV drivers decrease. This pattern is more apparent among females than males. This study delineated travel patterns of older adults using a 2015 national survey, and the findings facilitate traffic systems designers and policy-makers to develop and implement initiatives to accommodate older adults' mobility needs and improve traffic safety. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Family planning in sub-Saharan Africa: progress or stagnation?

PubMed

Cleland, John G; Ndugwa, Robert P; Zulu, Eliya M

2011-02-01

To review progress towards adoption of contraception among married or cohabiting women in western and eastern Africa between 1991 and 2004 by examining subjective need, approval, access and use. Indicators of attitudes towards and use of contraception were derived from Demographic and Health Surveys, which are nationally representative and yield internationally comparable data. Trends were examined for 24 countries that had conducted at least two surveys between 1986 and 2007. In western Africa, the subjective need for contraception remained unchanged; about 46% of married or cohabiting women reported a desire to stop and/or postpone childbearing for at least two years. The percentage of women who approved of contraception rose from 32 to 39 and the percentage with access to contraceptive methods rose from 8 to 29. The proportion of women who were using a modern method when interviewed increased from 7 to 15% (equivalent to an average annual increase of 0.6 percentage points). In eastern African countries, trends were much more favourable, with contraceptive use showing an average annual increase of 1.4 percentage points (from 16% in 1986 to 33% in 2007). In western Africa, progress towards adoption of contraception has been dismally slow. Attitudinal resistance remains a barrier and access to contraceptives, though improving, is still shockingly limited. If this situation does not change radically in the short run, the United Nations population projections for this subregion are likely to be exceeded. In eastern Africa, the prospects for a future decline in fertility are much more positive.

Land use policy and agricultural water management of the previous half of century in Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valipour, Mohammad

2015-12-01

This paper examines land use policy and agricultural water management in Africa from 1962 to 2011. For this purpose, data were gathered from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Bank Group. Using the FAO database, ten indices were selected: permanent crops to cultivated area (%), rural population to total population (%), total economically active population in agriculture to total economically active population (%), human development index, national rainfall index (mm/year), value added to gross domestic product by agriculture (%), irrigation water requirement (mm/year), percentage of total cultivated area drained (%), difference between national rainfall index and irrigation water requirement (mm/year), area equipped for irrigation to cultivated area or land use policy index (%). These indices were analyzed for all 53 countries in the study area and the land use policy index was estimated by two different formulas. The results show that value of relative error is <20 %. In addition, an average index was calculated using various methods to assess countries' conditions for agricultural water management. Ability of irrigation and drainage systems was studied using other eight indices with more limited information. These indices are surface irrigation (%), sprinkler irrigation (%), localized irrigation (%), spate irrigation (%), agricultural water withdrawal (10 km3/year), conservation agriculture area as percentage of cultivated area (%), percentage of area equipped for irrigation salinized (%), and area waterlogged by irrigation (%). Finally, tendency of farmers to use irrigation systems for cultivated crops has been presented. The results show that Africa needs governments' policy to encourage farmers to use irrigation systems and raise cropping intensity for irrigated area.

Genetic correlations of mid-infrared-predicted milk fatty acid groups with milk production traits.

PubMed

Fleming, A; Schenkel, F S; Malchiodi, F; Ali, R A; Mallard, B; Sargolzaei, M; Jamrozik, J; Johnston, J; Miglior, F

2018-05-01

The objective of this research was to estimate the genetic correlations between milk mid-infrared-predicted fatty acid groups and production traits in first-parity Canadian Holsteins. Contents of short-chain, medium-chain, long-chain, saturated, and unsaturated fatty acid groupings in milk samples can be predicted using mid-infrared spectral data for cows enrolled in milk recording programs. Predicted fatty acid group contents were obtained for 49,127 test-day milk samples from 10,029 first-parity Holstein cows in 810 herds. Milk yield, fat and protein yield, fat and protein percentage, fat-to-protein ratio, and somatic cell score were also available for these test days. Genetic parameters were estimated for the fatty acid groups and production traits using multiple-trait random regression test day models by Bayesian methods via Gibbs sampling. Three separate 8- or 9-trait analyses were performed, including the 5 fatty acid groups with different combinations of the production traits. Posterior standard deviations ranged from <0.001 to 0.01. Average daily genetic correlations were negative and similar to each other for the fatty acid groups with milk yield (-0.62 to -0.59) and with protein yield (-0.32 to -0.25). Weak and positive average daily genetic correlations were found between somatic cell score and the fatty acid groups (from 0.25 to 0.36). Stronger genetic correlations with fat yield, fat and protein percentage, and fat-to-protein ratio were found with medium-chain and saturated fatty acid groups compared with those with long-chain and unsaturated fatty acid groups. Genetic correlations were very strong between the fatty acid groups and fat percentage, ranging between 0.88 for unsaturated and 0.99 for saturated fatty acids. Daily genetic correlations from 5 to 305 d in milk with milk, protein yield and percentage, and somatic cell score traits showed similar patterns for all fatty acid groups. The daily genetic correlations with fat yield at the beginning of lactation were decreasing for long-chain and unsaturated fatty acid groups and increasing for short-chain fatty acids. Genetic correlations between fat percentage and fatty acids were increasing at the beginning of lactation for short- and medium-chain and saturated fatty acids, but slightly decreasing for long-chain and unsaturated fatty acid groups. These results can be used in defining fatty acid traits and breeding objectives. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study: II. Exposure monitoring surveys and development of exposure groups.

PubMed

Coble, Joseph B; Stewart, Patricia A; Vermeulen, Roel; Yereb, Daniel; Stanevich, Rebecca; Blair, Aaron; Silverman, Debra T; Attfield, Michael

2010-10-01

Air monitoring surveys were conducted between 1998 and 2001 at seven non-metal mining facilities to assess exposure to respirable elemental carbon (REC), a component of diesel exhaust (DE), for an epidemiologic study of miners exposed to DE. Personal exposure measurements were taken on workers in a cross-section of jobs located underground and on the surface. Air samples taken to measure REC were also analyzed for respirable organic carbon (ROC). Concurrent measurements to assess exposure to nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), two gaseous components of DE, were also taken. The REC measurements were used to develop quantitative estimates of average exposure levels by facility, department, and job title for the epidemiologic analysis. Each underground job was assigned to one of three sets of exposure groups from specific to general: (i) standardized job titles, (ii) groups of standardized job titles combined based on the percentage of time in the major underground areas, and (iii) larger groups based on similar area carbon monoxide (CO) air concentrations. Surface jobs were categorized based on their use of diesel equipment and proximity to DE. A total of 779 full-shift personal measurements were taken underground. The average REC exposure levels for underground jobs with five or more measurements ranged from 31 to 58 μg m⁻³ at the facility with the lowest average exposure levels and from 313 to 488 μg m⁻³ at the facility with the highest average exposure levels. The average REC exposure levels for surface workers ranged from 2 to 6 μg m⁻³ across the seven facilities. There was much less contrast in the ROC compared with REC exposure levels measured between surface and underground workers within each facility, as well as across the facilities. The average ROC levels underground ranged from 64 to 195 μg m⁻³, while on the surface, the average ROC levels ranged from 38 to 71 μg m⁻³ by facility, an ∼2- to 3-fold difference. The average NO and NO₂ levels underground ranged from 0.20 to 1.49 parts per million (ppm) and from 0.10 to 0.60 ppm, respectively, and were ∼10 times higher than levels on the surface, which ranged from 0.02 to 0.11 ppm and from 0.01 to 0.06 ppm, respectively. The ROC, NO, and NO₂ concentrations underground were correlated with the REC levels (r = 0.62, 0.71, and 0.62, respectively). A total of 80% of the underground jobs were assigned an exposure estimate based on measurements taken for the specific job title or for other jobs with a similar percentage of time spent in the major underground work areas. The average REC exposure levels by facility were from 15 to 64 times higher underground than on the surface. The large contrast in exposure levels measured underground versus on the surface, along with the differences between the mining facilities and between underground jobs within the facilities resulted in a wide distribution in the exposure estimates for evaluation of exposure-response relationships in the epidemiologic analyses.

The Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study: II. Exposure Monitoring Surveys and Development of Exposure Groups

PubMed Central

Coble, Joseph B.; Stewart, Patricia A.; Vermeulen, Roel; Yereb, Daniel; Stanevich, Rebecca; Blair, Aaron; Silverman, Debra T.; Attfield, Michael

2010-01-01

Air monitoring surveys were conducted between 1998 and 2001 at seven non-metal mining facilities to assess exposure to respirable elemental carbon (REC), a component of diesel exhaust (DE), for an epidemiologic study of miners exposed to DE. Personal exposure measurements were taken on workers in a cross-section of jobs located underground and on the surface. Air samples taken to measure REC were also analyzed for respirable organic carbon (ROC). Concurrent measurements to assess exposure to nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), two gaseous components of DE, were also taken. The REC measurements were used to develop quantitative estimates of average exposure levels by facility, department, and job title for the epidemiologic analysis. Each underground job was assigned to one of three sets of exposure groups from specific to general: (i) standardized job titles, (ii) groups of standardized job titles combined based on the percentage of time in the major underground areas, and (iii) larger groups based on similar area carbon monoxide (CO) air concentrations. Surface jobs were categorized based on their use of diesel equipment and proximity to DE. A total of 779 full-shift personal measurements were taken underground. The average REC exposure levels for underground jobs with five or more measurements ranged from 31 to 58 μg m−3 at the facility with the lowest average exposure levels and from 313 to 488 μg m−3 at the facility with the highest average exposure levels. The average REC exposure levels for surface workers ranged from 2 to 6 μg m−3 across the seven facilities. There was much less contrast in the ROC compared with REC exposure levels measured between surface and underground workers within each facility, as well as across the facilities. The average ROC levels underground ranged from 64 to 195 μg m−3, while on the surface, the average ROC levels ranged from 38 to 71 μg m−3 by facility, an ∼2- to 3-fold difference. The average NO and NO2 levels underground ranged from 0.20 to 1.49 parts per million (ppm) and from 0.10 to 0.60 ppm, respectively, and were ∼10 times higher than levels on the surface, which ranged from 0.02 to 0.11 ppm and from 0.01 to 0.06 ppm, respectively. The ROC, NO, and NO2 concentrations underground were correlated with the REC levels (r = 0.62, 0.71, and 0.62, respectively). A total of 80% of the underground jobs were assigned an exposure estimate based on measurements taken for the specific job title or for other jobs with a similar percentage of time spent in the major underground work areas. The average REC exposure levels by facility were from 15 to 64 times higher underground than on the surface. The large contrast in exposure levels measured underground versus on the surface, along with the differences between the mining facilities and between underground jobs within the facilities resulted in a wide distribution in the exposure estimates for evaluation of exposure–response relationships in the epidemiologic analyses. PMID:20876232

The Impact of Dose Rate on the Accuracy of Step-and-Shoot Intensity-modulated Radiation Therapy Quality Assurance Using Varian 2300CD.

PubMed

Njeh, Christopher F; Salmon, Howard W; Schiller, Claire

2017-01-01

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) delivery using "step-and-shoot" technique on Varian C-Series linear accelerator (linac) is influenced by the communication frequency between the multileaf collimator and linac controllers. Hence, the dose delivery accuracy is affected by the dose rate. Our aim was to quantify the impact of using two dose rates on plan quality assurance (QA). Twenty IMRT patients were selected for this study. The plan QA was measured at two different dose rates. A gamma analysis was performed, and the degree of plan modulation on the QA pass rate was also evaluated in terms of average monitor unit per segment (MU/segment) and the total number of segments. The mean percentage gamma pass rate of 94.9% and 93.5% for 300 MU/min and 600 MU/min dose rate, respectively, was observed. There was a significant ( P = 0.001) decrease in percentage gamma pass rate when the dose rate was increased from 300 MU/min to 600 MU/min. There was a weak, but significant association between the percentage pass rate at both dose rate and total number of segments. The total number of MU was significantly correlated to the total number of segments ( r = 0.59). We found a positive correlation between the percentage pass rate and mean MU/segment, r = 0.52 and r = 0.57 for 300 MU/min and 600 MU/min, respectively. IMRT delivery using step-and-shoot technique on Varian 2300CD is impacted by the dose rate and the total amount of segments.

Substance abuse and gender differences in first episode psychosis: Impact on hospital readmissions.

PubMed

Crosas, Josep M; Cobo, Jesus; Ahuir, Maribel; Hernández, Carla; García, Rebeca; Pousa, Esther; Oliva, Joan-Carles; Monreal, José-Antonio; Palao, Diego J

There have been controversial results in the study of gender differences in first episode psychosis (FEP). Substance abuse is the main existing comorbidity in FEP, and has been associated with worse prognosis and greater symptom severity. To explore gender differences in FEP in relation to drug abuse, and their relationship with hospital readmissions. Descriptive and prospective study (18 months). We included 141 patients (31.2% women), aged 26.1 years on average, mostly diagnosed with schizophreniform disorder (32.6%). A percentage of 58.9 had problematic use of drugs. Gender significant differences were found in age of onset, age at entry to the programme, marital status and cohabitation, and percentage differences were revealed in current drug abuse and frequency of consumption. Gender, duration of untreated psychosis, psychiatric history, age of onset and previous drug use were not predictors of re-entry. Hospital readmission rate was 24.8%, with no gender differences. The most common reasons for admission were abandonment of treatment (66.7%) and drug abuse (44.4%). Drug abuse was higher in the men than in the women as a reason for re-admission. There are gender differences in FEP. Men have an earlier onset of symptoms and have worse functional outcomes. Drug abuse in men is higher and represents a major cause of hospital readmission. Therapeutic interventions to prevent the effects of drug abuse are necessary from the early stages of the illness. Copyright © 2017 SEP y SEPB. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Consequences of smoke inhalation in the 'Epidemiology of Allergic Diseases in Poland' project (ECAP).

PubMed

Stankiewicz-Choroszucha, Bożenna L; Wawrzyniak, Zbigniew M; Lipiec, Agnieszka; Piekarska, Barbara; Kapalczynski, Wojciech J; Samoliński, Bolesław K

2011-01-01

This paper presents a risk assessment of individuals with respiratory allergies who are exposed to active and passive tobacco smoke (environmental tobacco smoke or ETS). Smoking tobacco and ETS is a serious environmental hazard known to be harmful to human health. This analysis is based on the results of the Epidemiology of Allergic Diseases in Poland (ECAP) study, which was conducted from 2006-2008 on a sample of approximately 22,500 respondents in 9 areas of Poland, both urban and rural. Data collection was based on individual interviews and a questionnaire employing Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing technology (CAPI). 46.8% of respondents declared themselves as smokers, defined as those who smoke and have done so for at least one year. In this group, 41.5% of respondents were female and 54.3% were male. While differences between various areas of Poland were demonstrated, they did not necessarily correlate with urbanization. Rural Zamość reported 41.4% of smokers while metropolitan Poznań had 41.9% of smokers. These statistics can be contrasted against other urban areas such as Katowice and Gdansk, which had 51.8% and 52.3% of smokers, respectively (n = 9376). 29.6% of rural women reported smoking, while this percentage was higher among urban women, ranging from 36.3% in Poznań to 49.5% in Gdańsk. However, the highest percentage of smokers was among males in Zamość at 56.1%. This percentage was higher than the overall average in this study. The largest percentages of active smoking occurred among laborers, craftsmen, miners, drivers, farmers and fishermen, the self-employed and gardeners. This quantitative assessment of the prevalence of smoking underlines the importance of the consequences of this habit as they relate to asthma and respiratory allergies. The findings demonstrate smoking as a serious social problem associated with allergic diseases, and a habit that differs between place of residence and work environment.

Adult neurogenesis and its anatomical context in the hippocampus of three mole-rat species

PubMed Central

Amrein, Irmgard; Becker, Anton S.; Engler, Stefanie; Huang, Shih-hui; Müller, Julian; Slomianka, Lutz; Oosthuizen, Maria K.

2014-01-01

African mole-rats (family Bathyergidae) are small to medium sized, long-lived, and strictly subterranean rodents that became valuable animal models as a result of their longevity and diversity in social organization. The formation and integration of new hippocampal neurons in adult mammals (adult hippocampal neurogenesis, AHN) correlates negatively with age and positively with habitat complexity. Here we present quantitative data on AHN in wild-derived mole-rats of 1 year and older, and briefly describe its anatomical context including markers of neuronal function (calbindin and parvalbumin). Solitary Cape mole-rats (Georychus capensis), social highveld mole-rats (Cryptomys hottentotus pretoriae), and eusocial naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber) were assessed. Compared to other rodents, the hippocampal formation in mole-rats is small, but shows a distinct cytoarchitecture in the dentate gyrus and CA1. Distributions of the calcium-binding proteins differ from those seen in rodents; e.g., calbindin in CA3 of naked mole-rats distributes similar to the pattern seen in early primate development, and calbindin staining extends into the stratum lacunosum-moleculare of Cape mole-rats. Proliferating cells and young neurons are found in low numbers in the hippocampus of all three mole-rat species. Resident granule cell numbers are low as well. Proliferating cells expressed as a percentage of resident granule cells are in the range of other rodents, while the percentage of young neurons is lower than that observed in surface dwelling rodents. Between mole-rat species, we observed no difference in the percentage of proliferating cells. The percentages of young neurons are high in social highveld and naked mole-rats, and low in solitary Cape mole-rats. The findings support that proliferation is regulated independently of average life expectancy and habitat. Instead, neuronal differentiation reflects species-specific demands, which appear lower in subterranean rodents. PMID:24904308

Handgrip force steadiness in young and older adults: a reproducibility study.

PubMed

Blomkvist, Andreas W; Eika, Fredrik; de Bruin, Eling D; Andersen, Stig; Jorgensen, Martin

2018-04-02

Force steadiness is a quantitative measure of the ability to control muscle tonus. It is an independent predictor of functional performance and has shown to correlate well with different degrees of motor impairment following stroke. Despite being clinically relevant, few studies have assessed the validity of measuring force steadiness. The aim of this study was to explore the reproducibility of handgrip force steadiness, and to assess age difference in steadiness. Intrarater reproducibility (the degree to which a rating gives consistent result on separate occasions) was investigated in a test-retest design with seven days between sessions. Ten young and thirty older adults were recruited and handgrip steadiness was tested at 5%, 10% and 25% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) using Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB). Coefficients of variation were calculated from the mean force produced (CVM) and the target force (CVT). Area between the force curve and the target force line (Area) was also calculated. For the older adults we explored reliability using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and agreement using standard error of measurement (SEM), limits of agreement (LOA) and smallest real difference (SRD). A systematic improvement in handgrip steadiness was found between sessions for all measures (CVM, CVT, Area). CVM and CVT at 5% of MVC showed good to high reliability, while Area had poor reliability for all percentages of MVC. Averaged ICC for CVM, CVT and Area was 0.815, 0.806 and 0.464, respectively. Averaged ICC on 5%, 10%, and 25% of MVC was 0.751, 0.667 and 0.668, respectively. Measures of agreement showed similar trends with better results for CVM and CVT than for Area. Young adults had better handgrip steadiness than older adults across all measures. The CVM and CVT measures demonstrated good reproducibility at lower percentages of MVC using the WBB, and could become relevant measures in the clinical setting. The Area measure had poor reproducibility. Young adults have better handgrip steadiness than old adults.

Quantifying the Reproducibility of Heart Position During Treatment and Corresponding Delivered Heart Dose in Voluntary Deep Inhalation Breath Hold for Left Breast Cancer Patients Treated With External Beam Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McIntosh, Alyson; Shoushtari, Asal N.; Benedict, Stanley H.

Purpose: Voluntary deep inhalation breath hold (VDIBH) reduces heart dose during left breast irradiation. We present results of the first study performed to quantify reproducibility of breath hold using bony anatomy, heart position, and heart dose for VDIBH patients at treatment table. Methods and Materials: Data from 10 left breast cancer patients undergoing VDIBH whole-breast irradiation were analyzed. Two computed tomography (CT) scans, free breathing (FB) and VDIBH, were acquired to compare dose to critical structures. Pretreatment weekly kV orthogonal images and tangential ports were acquired. The displacement difference from spinal cord to sternum across the isocenter between coregistered planningmore » Digitally Reconstructed Radiographs (DRRs) and kV imaging of bony thorax is a measure of breath hold reproducibility. The difference between bony coregistration and heart coregistration was the measured heart shift if the patient is aligned to bony anatomy. Results: Percentage of dose reductions from FB to VDIBH: mean heart dose (48%, SD 19%, p = 0.002), mean LAD dose (43%, SD 19%, p = 0.008), and maximum left anterior descending (LAD) dose (60%, SD 22%, p = 0.008). Average breath hold reproducibility using bony anatomy across the isocenter along the anteroposterior (AP) plane from planning to treatment is 1 (range, 0-3; SD, 1) mm. Average heart shifts with respect to bony anatomy between different breath holds are 2 {+-} 3 mm inferior, 1 {+-} 2 mm right, and 1 {+-} 3 mm posterior. Percentage dose changes from planning to delivery: mean heart dose (7%, SD 6%); mean LAD dose, ((9%, SD 7%)S, and maximum LAD dose, (11%, SD 11%) SD 11%, p = 0.008). Conclusion: We observed excellent three-dimensional bony registration between planning and pretreatment imaging. Reduced delivered dose to heart and LAD is maintained throughout VDIBH treatment.« less

Threonine supplementation reduces dietary protein and improves lipid metabolism in Pekin ducks.

PubMed

Jiang, Y; Tang, J; Xie, M; Wen, Z G; Qiao, S Y; Hou, S S

2017-12-01

1. This study was conducted to investigate the efficiency of threonine (Thr) supplementation on reducing dietary crude protein (CP) content and the effects of Thr on lipid metabolism in Pekin ducks. The effects of dietary CP concentration (160, 190 and 220 g/kg) and Thr supplemental concentration (0, 0.7, 1.4, 2.1 and 2.8 g/kg) on growth performance, carcass, liver lipid and plasma profiles were determined in Pekin ducks from 1-21 d of age. 2. A total of 720-d-old male Pekin ducks were randomly allotted to 1 of 15 dietary treatments with 6 replicate cages of 8 birds per cage for each treatment according to average body weight. 3. Dietary Thr supplementation improved growth performance and breast muscle percentage at all CP diets, and ducks fed Thr-supplemented diets had higher plasma concentrations of some plasma amino acids. Thr supplementation reduced the concentrations of total lipid, triglyceride, cholesterol in liver, and plasma low density lipoprotein cholesterin concentration at 160 and 190 g/kg CP, whereas it increased triglyceride concentration at 160 g/kg CP. 4. Thr requirements based on quadratic broken-line model estimation were 6.6 and 7.0 g/kg for optimal average daily gain (ADG), and 6.7 and 7.3 g/kg for breast muscle percentage of Pekin ducks from 1-21 d of age at 190 and 220 g/kg CP, respectively. The dietary Thr requirements and estimated ADG (55.18 vs. 55.86 g/d/bird) and breast muscle percentage (2.79% vs. 2.75%) of Pekin ducks did not differ between 190 and 220 g/kg CP according to the t-test results. 5. Dietary CP level could be reduced to 190 g/kg in Pekin ducks from 1-21 d of age with Thr supplementation to balance dietary amino acids, and Thr supplementation prevented excess liver lipid deposition in this instance.

Stabilometric parameters analysis in children with visual disorder

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Although postural changes were already reported in blind adults, no previous study has investigated postural stability in blind children. Moreover, there are few studies which used a stabilometric instrument to measure postural balance. In this study we evaluated stabilometric paramaters in blind children. Methods We evaluated children between 7 to 12 years old, they were divided into two groups: Blind (n = 11) and age-matched control (n = 11) groups by using computerized stabilometry. The stabilometric examination was performed taking the gravity centers displacement of the individual projected into the platform. Thirthy seconds after the period in which this information was collected, the program defined a medium-pressure center, which was used to define x and y axes displacement and the distance between the pressure center and the platform center. Furthermore, the average sway rate and the body sway area were obtained by dividing the pressure center displacement and the time spent on the task; and by an ellipse function (95% percentille), respectively. Percentages of anterior, posterior, left and right feet weight also were calculated. Variables were compared by using the Student’s t test for unpaired data. Significance level was considered for p <0.05. Results Displacement of the x axis (25.55 ± 9.851 vs. -3.545 ± 7.667; p <0.05) and average sway rate (19.18 ± 2.7 vs. -10.55 ± 1.003; p <0.001) were increased in the blind children group. Percentage of left foot weight was reduced (45.82 ± 2.017 vs. 52.36 ± 1.33; p <0.05) while percentage of right foot weight was increased (54.18 ± 2.17 vs. 47.64 ± 1.33; p <0.05) in blind children. Other variables did not show differences. Conclusions Blind children present impaired stabilometric parameters. PMID:24387244

[Impact of low temperature in young ear formation stage on rice seed setting.

PubMed

Ma, Shu Qing; Liu, Xiao Hang; Deng, Kui Cai; Quan, Hu Jie; Tong, Li Yuan; Xi, Zhu Xiang; Chai, Qing Rong; Yang, Jun

2018-01-01

A low temperature treatment in rice booting key period was executed on the north slope of Changbai Mountains to construct the impact model of low temperature on rice shell rate, and to reveal the effects of low temperature at different stages of rice young panicle on seed setting. The results showed that effects of low temperature in the young ear formation stage on rice shell rate generally followed the logarithmic function, the lower the temperature was, the greater the temperature influence coefficient was, and the longer the low temperature duration was, the higher rice shell rate was. The seed setting rate was most sensitive to low temperature in the middle time of booting stage (the period from formation to meiosis of the pollen mother cell), followed by the early and later stages. During the booting stage, with 1 ℃ decrease of daily temperature under 2-, 3- and 5-day low temperature treatments, the shell rate increased by 0.5, 1.7 and 4.3 percentage, respectively, and with 1 ℃ decrease of daily minimum temperature, the shell rate increased by 0.4,1.8 and 4.5 percentage, respectively. The impact of 2-day low temperature was smaller than that of 3 days or more. The impact of accumulative cold-temperature on the shell rate followed exponential function. In the range of harmful low temperature, rice shell rate increased about 8.5 percentage with the accumulative cold-temperature increasing 10 ℃·d. When the 3 days average temperature dropped to 21.6, 18.0 and 15.0 ℃, or the 5 days average temperature dropped to 22.0, 20.4 and 18.5 ℃, or the accumulative cold-temperature was more than 8, 19, 26 ℃·d, the light, moderate and severe booting stage chilling injury would occur, respectively. In Northeast China, low temperature within 2 d in rice booting stage might not cause moderate and severe chilling injury.

76 FR 42113 - Purified Carboxymethylcellulose From Mexico: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-18

..., 2011) (Preliminary Results). The review covers one producer/ exporter, Quimica Amtex S.A. de C.V. The..., through June 30, 2010, is as follows: Weighted- Producer/exporter average margin (percentage) Quimica...

Leisure-time physical activity and physical fitness of male adolescents in Oman.

PubMed

Khoo, Selina; Al-Shamli, Ali Khalifa

2012-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between leisure-time physical activity and physical fitness (cardiovascular fitness, body fat percentage, flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance) of 10th-grade male students in Oman. Data were collected from 330 students. All participants completed a descriptive questionnaire, a 1 mile walk/run test; a skinfold analysis of the chest, abdomen, and thigh; a sit and reach test; a hand grip test; and a 1-minute sit-up test. Students spent an average of 19.20 ± 6.77 hours on sedentary activities, 3.46 ± 2.11 hours on sports activities, and 11.22 ± 9.24 hours working per week. The students had an average body fat percentage of 6.38% ± 4.67%, muscle strength 38.04 ± 7.55 kg, flexibility 38.01 ± 7.41 cm, abdominal muscle endurance 38.85 ± 8.15 times/min, and cardiovascular endurance 8.10 ± 1.65 minutes.

SU-C-BRA-02: Gradient Based Method of Target Delineation On PET/MR Image of Head and Neck Cancer Patients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dance, M; Chera, B; Falchook, A

2015-06-15

Purpose: Validate the consistency of a gradient-based segmentation tool to facilitate accurate delineation of PET/CT-based GTVs in head and neck cancers by comparing against hybrid PET/MR-derived GTV contours. Materials and Methods: A total of 18 head and neck target volumes (10 primary and 8 nodal) were retrospectively contoured using a gradient-based segmentation tool by two observers. Each observer independently contoured each target five times. Inter-observer variability was evaluated via absolute percent differences. Intra-observer variability was examined by percentage uncertainty. All target volumes were also contoured using the SUV percent threshold method. The thresholds were explored case by case so itsmore » derived volume matched with the gradient-based volume. Dice similarity coefficients (DSC) were calculated to determine overlap of PET/CT GTVs and PET/MR GTVs. Results: The Levene’s test showed there was no statistically significant difference of the variances between the observer’s gradient-derived contours. However, the absolute difference between the observer’s volumes was 10.83%, with a range from 0.39% up to 42.89%. PET-avid regions with qualitatively non-uniform shapes and intensity levels had a higher absolute percent difference near 25%, while regions with uniform shapes and intensity levels had an absolute percent difference of 2% between observers. The average percentage uncertainty between observers was 4.83% and 7%. As the volume of the gradient-derived contours increased, the SUV threshold percent needed to match the volume decreased. Dice coefficients showed good agreement of the PET/CT and PET/MR GTVs with an average DSC value across all volumes at 0.69. Conclusion: Gradient-based segmentation of PET volume showed good consistency in general but can vary considerably for non-uniform target shapes and intensity levels. PET/CT-derived GTV contours stemming from the gradient-based tool show good agreement with the anatomically and metabolically more accurate PET/MR-derived GTV contours, but tumor delineation accuracy can be further improved with the use PET/MR.« less

Laying hens in aviaries with different litter substrates: Behavior across the flock cycle and feather lipid content

PubMed Central

Campbell, D. L. M; Ali, A. B. A; Karcher, D. M; Siegford, J. M

2017-01-01

Abstract The tiered aviary for laying hens includes a floor litter area to promote foraging and dust bathing. Data are needed on hens’ use of different litter substrates and effectiveness of substrates in removing excess feather lipids to ensure a suitable litter area. Bovans White hens were housed in commercial-style aviaries with access to one of 3 litter substrates (wood shavings, straw, or plastic turf mats—AstroTurf®, n = 4 aviary pens per substrate, 144 cage-reared hens populated per pen). Litter areas were videoed across 2 d each at 4 ages: immediately following first aviary opening (25 wk), then at 28, 50, and 68 weeks. Observations of hens throughout the d included percentages of all hens in each pen on the litter area, foraging and transitioning between the tiered enclosure and litter area. Percentages of hens dust bathing were observed from 11:00 to 15:00. Breast and back feather samples from 7 birds per pen at 28, 50, and 68 wk were analyzed for lipid content. Overall, fewer hens simultaneously accessed the AstroTurf® (P < 0.0001), but flocks showed relatively balanced transitions between the tiered enclosure and the litter area throughout the d, regardless of substrate. On average, less than 5% of all hens were observed dust bathing (peaks up to 15% of hens) with no differences among litter substrates or ages (P ≥ 0.18). On average, less than 2% of hens were observed foraging (peaks up to 4% of hens) with fewer hens foraging on AstroTurf® (P < 0.0001). Feather lipid differences among litter substrates (P < 0.0001) were inconsistent across sampling periods, possibly due to different birds sampled across time. At all ages, lipid levels were higher on the back over breast feathers (P < 0.0001) for hens housed with AstroTurf®. AstroTurf® may be suitable for nest boxes, but straw and shavings are more ideal litter substrates. Further study should investigate alternative substrates or regular substrate addition to encourage more foraging and dust bathing. PMID:29050413

Lactation performance of Holstein cows treated with 2 formulations of recombinant bovine somatotropin in a large commercial dairy herd in Brazil.

PubMed

de Morais, J P G; da S Cruz, A P; Minami, N S; Veronese, L P; Del Valle, T A; Aramini, J

2017-07-01

The objectives of this controlled study were to compare the effects of 2 different formulations of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) on milk yield, milk composition (fat and protein), milk somatic cell count, and body condition score (BCS) among dairy cattle in a large commercial herd. Regulatory approved 500-mg zinc sesame oil base rbST (ZSO-rbST; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) and vitamin E lecithin base rbST (VEL-rbST; LG Life Sciences, Seoul, South Korea) formulations were administered per the manufacturers' recommendations every 14 d over 17 injection cycles starting at 57 to 70 d of lactation (90 cows per rbST group). Control cows (n = 60) received no rbST. Somatotropin-treated animals (VEL-rbST and ZSO-rbST combined) had increased average milk yield and protein percentage and lower average BCS compared with control cows. For primiparous cows, average milk yield was 37.75 kg/d with the ZSO-rbST treatment and 35.72 kg/d with the VEL-rbST treatment. For multiparous cows, average milk yield was 40.13 kg/d with the ZSO-rbST treatment and 38.81 kg/d with the VEL-rbST treatment. There were no differences in milk fat percentage between VEL-rbST and ZSO-rbST treatments, but milk protein content was greater with VEL-rbST treatment than with ZSO-rbST treatment. Nonetheless, cows treated with ZSO-rbST yielded more kilograms of fat and protein per day than cows treated with VEL-rbST. No significant differences in BCS were found between both rbST treatment groups. The differential increase in milk yield between cows treated with ZSO-rbST and VEL-rbST was driven by rbST response differences both within the 14-d cycle and throughout the 17 injection cycles. The cows treated with VEL-rbST demonstrated a more variable 14-d milk yield response curve, with more pronounced valleys between injections compared with the ZSO-rbST formulation. In addition, only the ZSO-rbST treatment was effective in modifying the lactation persistency compared with control cows. Compared with the VEL-rbST formulation, the ZSO-rbST formulation yielded more kilograms of milk, fat, and protein with less milk variation throughout the seventeen 14-d lactation cycles for both primiparous and multiparous cows. The Authors. Published by the Federation of Animal Science Societies and Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).

A comparison of distal canal restrictors in primary cemented femoral hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Smith, Eric L; Wohlrab, Kurt P; Matzkin, Elizabeth G; Providence, Bertram C

2004-08-01

A retrospective study evaluated 75 total hip arthroplasties performed over a 4-year period using 4 different cement restrictors. A harvested bone restrictor, polyethylene restrictor (Smith & Nephew, Richards Inc, Memphis, Tenn), Biostop G (Depuy Orthopaedics, Warsaw, Ind), and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) (Wright Medical Technology, Arlington, Tex) were compared for the percentage of failures, the average length of the cement mantle, and the width of the femoral canal compared to the cement grade. Patient age, sex, and cement type were also evaluated for their influence on cement grade. The PMMA restrictor and bone performed better than the Richards plug and Biostop G restrictor.

[Influence of land use change on dissolved organic carbon export in Naoli River watershed. Northeast China].

PubMed

Yin, Xiao-min; Lyu, Xian-guo; Liu, Xing-tu; Xue, Zhen-shan

2015-12-01

The present study was conducted to evaluate the influence of land use change on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export in Naoli River watershed, Northeast China. Seasonal variation of DOC concentrations of the river water and its relationship with land use in the whole watershed and 100 m riparian zone at the annual average scale were analyzed using the method of field sampling, laboratory analysis, GIS and statistics analysis. The results showed that the concentrations of DOC under base flow conditions in spring and summer were significantly higher than that in fall in the study watershed. The seasonal trend of DOC concentrations in wetland-watersheds was similar to that in all the sub-watersheds, while significantly different from that in non-wetland watersheds. On the annual average scale, percentage of wetland in the whole watershed and paddy field in the 100 m riparian zone had positive relationship with the DOC concentration in the river water, while percentage of forest in the whole watershed had negative relationship with it (P < 0.05). It indicated that wetland in the sub-watershed played a significant role in the seasonal variation of DOC in river water of Naoli River watershed. Wetland in the watershed and paddy field in the 100 m riparian zone significantly promoted DOC export, while forest alleviated it. Land use change in the watershed in the past few decades dramatically changed the DOC balance of river water.

Reproductive performance of Matou goat under sub-tropical monsoonal climate of Central China.

PubMed

Moaeen-ud-Din, M; Yand, L G; Chen, S L; Zhang, Z R; Xiao, J Z; Wen, Q Y; Dai, M

2008-01-01

The aim of the current study was to estimate reproductive parameters of Matou goat to evaluate a meat breed. Data on 2,560 kids from 1,197 kidding records of 638 does and on puberty of 546 females kids were collected from farmer household herds of Matou goats in six counties of Shiye city under Hubei Province in China. Statistical analyses on puberty, estrus, gestation length (GL), litter size (LS) and survival rate (SR) of kids at puberty were performed with software Genstat 5 (Release 3.1) by using descriptive statistics and regression models. The results showed that age at puberty of female kids was 108.4+/-19.1 days while estrus duration and cycle averaged 58.6+/-15.9 hours and 19.7+/-1.5 days respectively. Gestation length (GL) and litter size (LS) averaged 150+/-7.4 days and 2.14+/-0.9 respectively with 90.8% of survival rate (SR) of kids. GL was unassociated with parity, but delayed as LS increased. SR of kids at birth differed remarkably among parity 1 to 5, decreased significantly at parity 6 to 7, and then increased at 8th parity. In Matou goat over all twinning and triplet percentage was 45.4 percent and 16.3 percent whereas percentage of single birth was 27.4 percent. As twins and triplets birth rate is considerably higher in Matou goat so, this breed can be recommended to other parts of China and the world having similar climatic conditions.

Reliability and Validity of Ten Consumer Activity Trackers Depend on Walking Speed.

PubMed

Fokkema, Tryntsje; Kooiman, Thea J M; Krijnen, Wim P; VAN DER Schans, Cees P; DE Groot, Martijn

2017-04-01

To examine the test-retest reliability and validity of ten activity trackers for step counting at three different walking speeds. Thirty-one healthy participants walked twice on a treadmill for 30 min while wearing 10 activity trackers (Polar Loop, Garmin Vivosmart, Fitbit Charge HR, Apple Watch Sport, Pebble Smartwatch, Samsung Gear S, Misfit Flash, Jawbone Up Move, Flyfit, and Moves). Participants walked three walking speeds for 10 min each; slow (3.2 km·h), average (4.8 km·h), and vigorous (6.4 km·h). To measure test-retest reliability, intraclass correlations (ICC) were determined between the first and second treadmill test. Validity was determined by comparing the trackers with the gold standard (hand counting), using mean differences, mean absolute percentage errors, and ICC. Statistical differences were calculated by paired-sample t tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and by constructing Bland-Altman plots. Test-retest reliability varied with ICC ranging from -0.02 to 0.97. Validity varied between trackers and different walking speeds with mean differences between the gold standard and activity trackers ranging from 0.0 to 26.4%. Most trackers showed relatively low ICC and broad limits of agreement of the Bland-Altman plots at the different speeds. For the slow walking speed, the Garmin Vivosmart and Fitbit Charge HR showed the most accurate results. The Garmin Vivosmart and Apple Watch Sport demonstrated the best accuracy at an average walking speed. For vigorous walking, the Apple Watch Sport, Pebble Smartwatch, and Samsung Gear S exhibited the most accurate results. Test-retest reliability and validity of activity trackers depends on walking speed. In general, consumer activity trackers perform better at an average and vigorous walking speed than at a slower walking speed.

Longer biopsy cores do not increase prostate cancer detection rate: A large-scale cohort study refuting cut-off values indicated in the literature

PubMed Central

Yılmaz, Hasan; Yavuz, Ufuk; Üstüner, Murat; Çiftçi, Seyfettin; Yaşar, Hikmet; Müezzinoğlu, Bahar; Uslubaş, Ali Kemal; Dillioğlugil, Özdal

2017-01-01

Objective Only a few papers in the literature aimed to evaluate biopsy core lengths. Additionally, studies evaluated the core length with different approaches. We aimed to determine whether prostate cancer (PCa) detection is affected from core lengths according to three different approaches in a large standard cohort and compare our cut-off values with the published cut-offs. Material and methods We retrospectively analyzed 1,523 initial consecutive transrectal ultrasound-guided 12-core prostate biopsies. Biopsies were evaluated with respect to total core length (total length of each patients’ core) average core length (total core length divided by total number of cores in each patient), and mean core length (mean length of all cores pooled), and compared our cut-off values with the published cut-offs. The prostate volumes were categorized into four groups (<30, 30–59.99, 60–119.99, ≥120 cm3) and PCa detection rates in these categories were examined. Results PCa was found in 41.5% patients. There was no difference between benign and malignant mean core lengths of the pooled cores (p>0.05). Total core length and average core length were not significantly associated with PCa in multivariate logistic regression analyses (p>0.05). The core lengths (mean, average and total core lengths) increased (p<0.001) and PCa rates decreased (p<0.001) steadily with increasing prostate volume categories. PCa percentages decreased in all categories above the utilized cut-offs for mean (p>0.05), average (p<0.05), and total core lengths (p>0.05). Conclusion There was no difference between mean core lengths of benign and malignant cores. Total core length and average core length were not significantly associated with PCa. Contrary to the cut-offs used for mean and average core lengths in the published studies, PCa rates decrease as these core lengths increase. Larger studies are necessary for the determination and acceptance of accurate cut-offs. PMID:28861301

Characterization of gizzards and grits of wild cranes found dead at Izumi Plain in Japan

PubMed Central

UEGOMORI, Mima; HARAGUCHI, Yuko; OBI, Takeshi; TAKASE, Kozo

2018-01-01

We analyzed the gizzards, and grits retained in the gizzards of 41 cranes that migrated to the Izumi Plain during the winter of 2015/2016 and died there, either due to accident or disease. These included 31 Hooded Cranes (Grus monacha) and 10 White-naped Cranes (G. vipio). We determined body weight, gizzard weight, total grit weight and number per gizzard, and size, shape, and surface roundness of the grits. Average gizzard weights were 92.4 g for Hooded Cranes and 97.1 g for White-naped Cranes, and gizzard weight positively correlated with body weight in both species. Average total grit weights per gizzard were 19.7 g in Hooded Cranes and 25.7 g in White-naped Cranes, and were significantly higher in the latter. Average percentages of body weight to grit weight were 0.8% in Hooded Cranes and 0.5% in White-naped Cranes. Average grit number per gizzard was 693.5 in Hooded Cranes and 924.2 in White-naped Cranes, and were significantly higher in the latter. The average grit size was 2.8 mm in both species. No differences were found in the shape and surface roundness of grits between the two species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the grits retained in the gizzards of Hooded and White-naped Cranes. PMID:29503349

Characterization of gizzards and grits of wild cranes found dead at Izumi Plain in Japan.

PubMed

Uegomori, Mima; Haraguchi, Yuko; Obi, Takeshi; Takase, Kozo

2018-04-18

We analyzed the gizzards, and grits retained in the gizzards of 41 cranes that migrated to the Izumi Plain during the winter of 2015/2016 and died there, either due to accident or disease. These included 31 Hooded Cranes (Grus monacha) and 10 White-naped Cranes (G. vipio). We determined body weight, gizzard weight, total grit weight and number per gizzard, and size, shape, and surface roundness of the grits. Average gizzard weights were 92.4 g for Hooded Cranes and 97.1 g for White-naped Cranes, and gizzard weight positively correlated with body weight in both species. Average total grit weights per gizzard were 19.7 g in Hooded Cranes and 25.7 g in White-naped Cranes, and were significantly higher in the latter. Average percentages of body weight to grit weight were 0.8% in Hooded Cranes and 0.5% in White-naped Cranes. Average grit number per gizzard was 693.5 in Hooded Cranes and 924.2 in White-naped Cranes, and were significantly higher in the latter. The average grit size was 2.8 mm in both species. No differences were found in the shape and surface roundness of grits between the two species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the grits retained in the gizzards of Hooded and White-naped Cranes.

Knowledge-based IMRT treatment planning for prostate cancer.

PubMed

Chanyavanich, Vorakarn; Das, Shiva K; Lee, William R; Lo, Joseph Y

2011-05-01

To demonstrate the feasibility of using a knowledge base of prior treatment plans to generate new prostate intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plans. Each new case would be matched against others in the knowledge base. Once the best match is identified, that clinically approved plan is used to generate the new plan. A database of 100 prostate IMRT treatment plans was assembled into an information-theoretic system. An algorithm based on mutual information was implemented to identify similar patient cases by matching 2D beam's eye view projections of contours. Ten randomly selected query cases were each matched with the most similar case from the database of prior clinically approved plans. Treatment parameters from the matched case were used to develop new treatment plans. A comparison of the differences in the dose-volume histograms between the new and the original treatment plans were analyzed. On average, the new knowledge-based plan is capable of achieving very comparable planning target volume coverage as the original plan, to within 2% as evaluated for D98, D95, and D1. Similarly, the dose to the rectum and dose to the bladder are also comparable to the original plan. For the rectum, the mean and standard deviation of the dose percentage differences for D20, D30, and D50 are 1.8% +/- 8.5%, -2.5% +/- 13.9%, and -13.9% +/- 23.6%, respectively. For the bladder, the mean and standard deviation of the dose percentage differences for D20, D30, and D50 are -5.9% +/- 10.8%, -12.2% +/- 14.6%, and -24.9% +/- 21.2%, respectively. A negative percentage difference indicates that the new plan has greater dose sparing as compared to the original plan. The authors demonstrate a knowledge-based approach of using prior clinically approved treatment plans to generate clinically acceptable treatment plans of high quality. This semiautomated approach has the potential to improve the efficiency of the treatment planning process while ensuring that high quality plans are developed.

The effect from different numbers of segmental arteries ligation to the spinal cord in the clinical practice of posterior vertebral column resection correction.

PubMed

Zhao, Zhi; Xie, Jingming; Wang, Yingsong; Bi, Ni; Li, Tao; Zhang, Ying; Shi, Zhiyue

2017-07-01

In using posterior vertebral column resection (PVCR) to treat severe kyphoscoliosis, it is unavoidable to ligate and cut off several segmental arteries (SAs) of the spinal cord for exposure and hemostasis, but which would raise the neurological risks. The aim of this study is to explore the changes of intraoperative spinal cord monitoring (IOM) following ligating different numbers of SAs in PVCR. Twenty-one consecutive patients with severe kyphoscoliosis were included and treated by PVCR correction. In operation, according to ligate different numbers of SAs, the IOM changes were recorded, respectively. Examinations of the covariance between different numbers of SAs ligations and IOM changes were performed to reveal the effect to the spinal cord by SAs ligations. In all the 21 cases, averaging 1.9 pairs of SAs were ligated. With the increased numbers of ligations, SSEP amplitudes and latencies were changed more obviously: from 1 to 3 pairs ligations, the mean decreased percentages of amplitudes were from 53.20 to 78.15%, the mean increased percentages of latency were from 1.23 to 1.40%, and the mean durations of decreased SSEP amplitudes were from 3.23 to 5.2 min; but without abnormal MEP changes. None occurred postoperative or delayed neurological deficit. Correlation analysis identified significant correlations between the number of SAs ligation and decreased percentage of SSEP amplitude (r = 0.945, P < 0.0001), and between the number of SAs being ligated and the duration of SSEP change (r = 0.945, P = 0.0002). Following the increased number of SAs ligation, the amplitude of SSEP is decreased more obviously with a much longer duration of recovery and the risk to spinal cord will be increased greatly. In the PVCR correction on the basis of spinal shortening, the numbers of SAs ligations should be as less as possible for neurological safety.

FluBreaks: early epidemic detection from Google flu trends.

PubMed

Pervaiz, Fahad; Pervaiz, Mansoor; Abdur Rehman, Nabeel; Saif, Umar

2012-10-04

The Google Flu Trends service was launched in 2008 to track changes in the volume of online search queries related to flu-like symptoms. Over the last few years, the trend data produced by this service has shown a consistent relationship with the actual number of flu reports collected by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), often identifying increases in flu cases weeks in advance of CDC records. However, contrary to popular belief, Google Flu Trends is not an early epidemic detection system. Instead, it is designed as a baseline indicator of the trend, or changes, in the number of disease cases. To evaluate whether these trends can be used as a basis for an early warning system for epidemics. We present the first detailed algorithmic analysis of how Google Flu Trends can be used as a basis for building a fully automated system for early warning of epidemics in advance of methods used by the CDC. Based on our work, we present a novel early epidemic detection system, called FluBreaks (dritte.org/flubreaks), based on Google Flu Trends data. We compared the accuracy and practicality of three types of algorithms: normal distribution algorithms, Poisson distribution algorithms, and negative binomial distribution algorithms. We explored the relative merits of these methods, and related our findings to changes in Internet penetration and population size for the regions in Google Flu Trends providing data. Across our performance metrics of percentage true-positives (RTP), percentage false-positives (RFP), percentage overlap (OT), and percentage early alarms (EA), Poisson- and negative binomial-based algorithms performed better in all except RFP. Poisson-based algorithms had average values of 99%, 28%, 71%, and 76% for RTP, RFP, OT, and EA, respectively, whereas negative binomial-based algorithms had average values of 97.8%, 17.8%, 60%, and 55% for RTP, RFP, OT, and EA, respectively. Moreover, the EA was also affected by the region's population size. Regions with larger populations (regions 4 and 6) had higher values of EA than region 10 (which had the smallest population) for negative binomial- and Poisson-based algorithms. The difference was 12.5% and 13.5% on average in negative binomial- and Poisson-based algorithms, respectively. We present the first detailed comparative analysis of popular early epidemic detection algorithms on Google Flu Trends data. We note that realizing this opportunity requires moving beyond the cumulative sum and historical limits method-based normal distribution approaches, traditionally employed by the CDC, to negative binomial- and Poisson-based algorithms to deal with potentially noisy search query data from regions with varying population and Internet penetrations. Based on our work, we have developed FluBreaks, an early warning system for flu epidemics using Google Flu Trends.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Voroney, Jon-Paul; Brock, Kristy K.; Eccles, Cynthia

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with computed tomography (CT) for liver cancer tumor definition for high-precision radiotherapy planning. Methods and Materials: Diagnostic quality MRI scans and triphasic CT scans, with the liver immobilized in exhale, were obtained at the time of radiation planning for 26 patients with unresectable liver metastases (n = 8), hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 10), and cholangiocarcinoma (n = 8). On the CT and MRI series best demonstrating the tumor, the liver and gross tumor volumes (GTVs) were contoured, and intrahepatic anatomic reference points were identified. Deformable registration wasmore » used to register the liver from the CT with that from the MRI. Results: A difference in the number of tumor foci was seen on CT vs. MRI in 5 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: MRI showed more foci in 3 patients, CT in 2. After deformable registration of the livers, the population median of the average distance between the CT tumor surface and MRI tumor surface was 3.7 mm (2.2-21.3 mm). The median percentage of tumor surface area that differed by {>=}5 mm was 26% (1-86%). Median percentage concordance volumes were 81% (77-86%) in metastases, 77% (60-88%) in hepatocellular carcinoma and 64% (25-85%) in cholangiocarcinoma. Conclusion: Differences between MRI-defined liver cancer GTVs and CT-defined GTVs can be substantial and are more common in primary liver cancer.« less

The influence of strenuous muscle stimulation on the menarche.

PubMed

Yabuuchi, F; Ichikawa, Y; Arakawa, M; Chiba, G

1984-03-01

Nowadays, the average age at which menarche begins is lowering by three to four years every century, that is, four months every decade, according to both Japanese, and European and American annual changes of the average age. It emerged that the menarche shows a tendency to occur later in female gymnasts, because of the influence of strenuous muscle stimulation, and the fact that a higher level of technic is required in gymnastic games each year. These conclusions have been drawn from replies submitted to a questionnaire distributed among a relatively small number of gymnasts who participated in the competitions including the Inter High School Championship and the World Cup Championship. For example, at the age of 14, the percentage of women who had menstruated is almost 100% among women in general, but only 24% among World Cup Championship gymnasts, the average age at menarche of the latter being later than that of the former by as many as 3 years. At the age of 16, the percentage of women who had menstruated is 100% among women in general, but on the other hand, it is only 60% among World Cup Championship gymnasts, in other words, only a low percentage of women, of the latter group, had menstruated. Finally in our study, we established that the age at menarche of gymnasts is three or five years later than that of women in general. From our study, we concluded that the excessive burden imposed on muscles might cause an abnormal menstrual cycle, and the influence on menstruation would be considerable.

[Prediction model of meteorological grade of wheat stripe rust in winter-reproductive area, Sichuan Basin, China].

PubMed

Guo, Xiang; Wang, Ming Tian; Zhang, Guo Zhi

2017-12-01

The winter reproductive areas of Puccinia striiformis var. striiformis in Sichuan Basin are often the places mostly affected by wheat stripe rust. With data on the meteorological condition and stripe rust situation at typical stations in the winter reproductive area in Sichuan Basin from 1999 to 2016, this paper classified the meteorological conditions inducing wheat stripe rust into 5 grades, based on the incidence area ratio of the disease. The meteorological factors which were biologically related to wheat stripe rust were determined through multiple analytical methods, and a meteorological grade model for forecasting wheat stripe rust was created. The result showed that wheat stripe rust in Sichuan Basin was significantly correlated with many meteorological factors, such as the ave-rage (maximum and minimum) temperature, precipitation and its anomaly percentage, relative humidity and its anomaly percentage, average wind speed and sunshine duration. Among these, the average temperature and the anomaly percentage of relative humidity were the determining factors. According to a historical retrospective test, the accuracy of the forecast based on the model was 64% for samples in the county-level test, and 89% for samples in the municipal-level test. In a meteorological grade forecast of wheat stripe rust in the winter reproductive areas in Sichuan Basin in 2017, the prediction was accurate for 62.8% of the samples, with 27.9% error by one grade and only 9.3% error by two or more grades. As a result, the model could deliver satisfactory forecast results, and predicate future wheat stripe rust from a meteorological point of view.

Characteristics of sperm motility in boar semen diluted in different extenders and stored for seven days at 18 degrees C.

PubMed

Estienne, Mark J; Harper, Allen F; Day, Jennifer L

2007-11-01

Although numerous extenders exist for diluting boar semen, little research has been conducted comparing commercial extenders with regard to maintaining sperm motility during storage. The objective was to use a computer- assisted sperm analysis system to assess motility of boar spermatozoa diluted in Beltsville Thawing Solution, Merck-III, Androhep-lite, Sperm Aid, MR-A, Modena, X-Cell, VSP, and Vital. Ejaculates from boars (n=10) were collected and sub-samples were diluted (35x10(6) spermatozoa/ml) in the different extenders and stored for seven days at 18 degrees. Extender by day interactions were detected (p<0.01) and on each day post collection, there were numerically small, but statistically significant differences in characteristics of sperm motility among extenders. For example, on day 7, the percentages of motile and progressively motile spermatozoa were highest (p<0.05) in X-Cell (90.7%) and Modena (63.9%), respectively. The average velocity measured over the actual point-to-point track followed by the sperm cell (VCL; 198.2 microm/s) and path velocity of the smoothed cell path (VAP; 106.4 microm/s) were highest (p<0.05) in Vital and Modena, respectively. Average velocity measured in a straight line from the beginning to the end of the track (VSL; 78.3 microm/s), average value of the ratio VSL/VAP (straightness; 73.2) and average value of the ratio VSL/VCL (linearity; 44.1) on day 7 were highest in Androhep-lite. In summary, changes in sperm motility during storage were affected by the extender utilized, but with the exception of Sperm Aid, all extenders maintained a high degree of sperm motility through 7 days of storage.

75 FR 15696 - Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview Information; Migrant Education Even Start...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-30

... learning gains on measures of English language acquisition; (3) the percentage of school-age adults who... learning gains on measures of language development; (6) the average number of letters preschool-age...

Crossing the Technology Adoption Chasm: Implications for DoD

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-30

technologies (where, given uncertainty of evaluation, adoption is driven by mimicry processes) and those technologies that exhibit network...Total Capital per Farm Dependent Variable = Long-run Equilibrium Percentage of Acreage Planted to Hybrid Seed Average Corn Acre per

Prompting a consumer behavior for pollution control1

PubMed Central

Geller, E. Scott; Farris, John C.; Post, David S.

1973-01-01

A field application of behavior modification studied the relative effectiveness of different prompting procedures for increasing the probability that customers entering a grocery store would select their soft drinks in returnable rather than nonreturnable containers. Six different 2-hr experimental conditions during which bottle purchases were recorded were (1) No Prompt (i.e., control), (2) one student gave incoming customers a handbill urging the purchase of soft drinks in returnable bottles, (3) distribution of the handbill by one student and public charting of each customer's bottle purchases by another student, (4) handbill distribution and charting by a five-member group, (5) handbills distributed and purchases charted by three females. The variant prompting techniques were equally effective, and in general increased the percentage of returnable-bottle customers by an average of 25%. PMID:16795418

Prompting a consumer behavior for pollution control.

PubMed

Geller, E S; Farris, J C; Post, D S

1973-01-01

A field application of behavior modification studied the relative effectiveness of different prompting procedures for increasing the probability that customers entering a grocery store would select their soft drinks in returnable rather than nonreturnable containers. Six different 2-hr experimental conditions during which bottle purchases were recorded were (1) No Prompt (i.e., control), (2) one student gave incoming customers a handbill urging the purchase of soft drinks in returnable bottles, (3) distribution of the handbill by one student and public charting of each customer's bottle purchases by another student, (4) handbill distribution and charting by a five-member group, (5) handbills distributed and purchases charted by three females. The variant prompting techniques were equally effective, and in general increased the percentage of returnable-bottle customers by an average of 25%.

The stature of the self-employed and its relation with earnings and satisfaction.

PubMed

Rietveld, Cornelius A; Hessels, Jolanda; van der Zwan, Peter

2015-04-01

Taller individuals have on average a higher socio-economic status than shorter individuals. In countries where entrepreneurs have high social status, we may therefore expect that entrepreneurs are taller than wage workers. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (2002-2012), we find that a 1cm increase in an individual's height raises the probability of being self-employed (the most common proxy for entrepreneurship) versus paid employed by 0.15 percentage points. Within the self-employed, the probability of being an employer is increased by 0.10 percentage points as a result of a 1cm increase in height, whereas this increase is 0.05 percentage points for an own-account worker. This result corroborates the higher social status of employers compared to own-account workers. We find a height premium in earnings for self-employed and paid-employed individuals: an additional 1cm in height is associated with a 0.39% increase in hourly earnings for paid employees and a 0.52% increase for self-employed individuals. Our analysis reveals that approximately one third of the height premium in earnings is explained by differences in educational attainment. We also establish the existence of a height premium in terms of work and life satisfaction, which is more pronounced for paid employees than for self-employed individuals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prescribing Patterns in Outpatient Clinics of Township Hospitals in China: A Comparative Study before and after the 2009 Health System Reform.

PubMed

Ding, Ding; Pan, Qingxia; Shan, Linghan; Liu, Chaojie; Gao, Lijun; Hao, Yanhua; Song, Jian; Ning, Ning; Cui, Yu; Li, Ye; Qi, Xinye; Liang, Chao; Wu, Qunhong; Liu, Guoxiang

2016-07-05

China introduced a series of health reforms in 2009, including a national essential medicines policy and a medical insurance system for primary care institutions. This study aimed to determine the changing prescribing patterns associated with those reforms in township hospitals. A multi-stage stratified random cluster sampling method was adopted to identify 29 township hospitals from six counties in three provinces. A total of 2899 prescriptions were collected from the participating township hospitals using a systematic random sampling strategy. Seven prescribing indicators were calculated and compared between 2008 and 2013, assessing use of medicines (antibiotics and adrenal corticosteroids) and polypharmacy, administration route of medicines (injections), and affordability of medicines. Significant changes in prescribing patterns were found. The average number of medicines and costs per-prescription dropped by about 50%. The percentage of prescriptions requiring antibiotics declined from 54% to 38%. The percentage of prescriptions requiring adrenal corticosteroid declined from 14% to 4%. The percentage of prescriptions requiring injections declined from 54% to 25%. Despite similar changing patterns, significant regional differences were observed. Significant changes in prescribing patterns are evident in township hospitals in China. Overprescription of antibiotics, injections and adrenal corticosteroids has been reduced. However, salient regional disparities still exist. Further studies are needed to determine potential shifts in the risk of the inappropriate use of medicines from primary care settings to metropolitan hospitals.

Effects of breed, sex, and age on the variation and ability of fecal near-infrared reflectance spectra to predict the composition of goat diets.

PubMed

Walker, J W; Campbell, E S; Lupton, C J; Taylor, C A; Waldron, D F; Landau, S Y

2007-02-01

The effects of breed, sex, and age of goats on fecal near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy-predicted percentage juniper in the diet were investigated, as were spectral differences in feces from goats differing in estimated genetic merit for juniper consumption. Eleven goats from each breed, sex, and age combination, representing 2 breeds (Angora and meat-type), 3 sex classifications (female, intact male, and castrated male), and 2 age categories [adult and kid (less than 12 mo of age)] were fed complete, pelleted rations containing 0 or 14% juniper. After 7 d on the same diet, fecal samples were collected for 3 d, and the spectra from the 3 replicate samples were averaged. Fecal samples were assigned to calibration or validation data sets. In a second experiment, Angora and meat goats with high or low estimated genetic merit for juniper consumption were fed the same diet to determine the effect of consumer group on fecal spectra. Feces were scanned in the 1,100- to 2,500-nm range with a scanning reflectance monochromator. Fecal spectra were analyzed for the difference in spectral characteristics and for differences in predicted juniper in the diet using internal and independent calibration equations. Internal calibration had a high precision (R(2) = 0.94), but the precision of independent validations (r(2) = 0.56) was low. Spectral differences were affected by diet, sex, breed, and age (P < 0.04). However, diet was the largest source of variation in spectral differences. Predicted percentage of juniper in the diet also showed that diet was the largest source of variation, accounting for 95% of the variation in predictions from internal calibrations and 51% of the variation in independent validations. Predictions from independent calibrations readily detected differences (P < 0.001) in the percentage of juniper in the 2 diets, and the predicted differences were similar to the actual differences. Predicted juniper in the diet was also affected by sex. Feces from goats from different juniper consumer groups fed a common diet were spectrally different, and the difference may have resulted from a greater intake by high- compared with low-juniper-consuming goats. Fecal near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy predictions of botanical composition of diets should be considered an interval scale of measurement.

Higher Levels of Aflatoxin M1 Contamination and Poorer Composition of Milk Supplied by Informal Milk Marketing Chains in Pakistan

PubMed Central

Aslam, Naveed; Tipu, Muhammad Yasin; Ishaq, Muhammad; Cowling, Ann; McGill, David; Warriach, Hassan Mahmood; Wynn, Peter

2016-01-01

The present study was conducted to observe the seasonal variation in aflatoxin M1 and nutritional quality of milk along informal marketing chains. Milk samples (485) were collected from three different chains over a period of one year. The average concentrations of aflatoxin M1 during the autumn and monsoon seasons (2.60 and 2.59 ppb) were found to be significantly higher (standard error of the difference, SED = 0.21: p = 0.003) than in the summer (1.93 ppb). The percentage of added water in milk was significantly lower (SED = 1.54: p < 0.001) in summer (18.59%) than in the monsoon season (26.39%). There was a significantly different (SED = 2.38: p < 0.001) mean percentage of water added by farmers (6.23%), small collectors (14.97%), large collectors (27.96%) and retailers (34.52%). This was reflected in changes in milk quality along the marketing chain. There was no difference (p = 0.178) in concentration of aflatoxin M1 in milk collected from the farmers (2.12 ppb), small collectors (2.23 ppb), large collectors (2.36 ppb) and retailers (2.58 ppb). The high levels of contamination found in this study, which exceed the standards set by European Union (0.05 ppb) and USFDA (0.5 ppb), demand radical intervention by regulatory authorities and mass awareness of the consequences for consumer health and safety. PMID:27929386

Effect of different levels of feed added black seed (Nigella sativa L.) on the performance of broiler chicks.

PubMed

Durrani, F R; Chand, N; Zaka, K; Sultan, A; Khattak, F M; Durrani, Z

2007-11-15

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of feed added black seed (Nigella sativa L.) on the overall performance and immunity of broiler chicks at NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar in May 2005. Four experimental rations designated as A, B, C and D having black seed at the rate of 0, 20, 30 and 40 g kg(-1) feed were fed to 160 broiler chicks, randomly distributed into 16 replicates, so as to have 4 replicates per group and 10 chicks per replicate. The experiment was lasted for 35 days. Average weight gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency, dressing percentage, weight of different body organs (breast, thigh, intestine), giblets (liver, gizzard), abdominal fat weight, antibody titer against ND, IB and IBD were used as criteria of response. Economics for each group was calculated at the end of experimental period. It was found that group D receiving 40 g kg(-1) of black seed in the feed had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on mean body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, dressing percentage and weight of different body organs (breast and thigh). Non significant (p > 0.05) effect was observed in gizzard, intestine, weight of abdominal fat and feed cost. Antibody titer against ND and IBD were higher in group D, however high antibody titer against IB was recorded in group C. Return per unit of feed cost and gross return were significantly (p < 0.05) effected by group D.

Responses of Englemann spruce forests to nitrogen fertilization in the Colorado Rocky Mountains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rueth, H.M.; Baron, Jill S.; Allstott, E.J.

2003-01-01

Two old-growth coniferous forests in Colorado with differing initial soil conditions responded differently to four years of low-level fertilization with ammonium nitrate. The site (Fraser) with an average initial organic horizon soil C:N ratio of 36 and nitrogen (N) pool of 605 kg/ha showed no significant increase in net N mineralization rates. At the Fraser site, foliar and organic horizon soil percentage N increased significantly. In contrast, N mineralization rates and inorganic soil N increased significantly at the site (Loch Vale) with greater soil N (C:N of 24, N pool of 991 kg/ha), while foliar N and soil percentage N in the organic layer did not change. We predict continued fertilization at Fraser will narrow the soil C:N ratio to a point where increases in biogeochemical N cycling and fluxes will be detected. Additional N inputs to the site with already low soil C:N ratios will enhance N mineralization rates and leaching losses. The coniferous forests at Fraser and Loch Vale are similar in species composition, stand age, substrate, aspect, and climate. The differences in soil conditions strong enough to cause contrasting responses to fertilization could be due to differences in atmospheric N deposition. Regardless of the reason, the size of the organic soil N pool and C:N ratio of mature coniferous forests in Colorado controls the responsiveness of N pools and fluxes to fertilization, and even low levels of fertilization are sufficient to initiate measurable biogeochemical changes.

Evaluation of a New Software Version of the RTVue Optical Coherence Tomograph for Image Segmentation and Detection of Glaucoma in High Myopia.

PubMed

Holló, Gábor; Shu-Wei, Hsu; Naghizadeh, Farzaneh

2016-06-01

To compare the current (6.3) and a novel software version (6.12) of the RTVue-100 optical coherence tomograph (RTVue-OCT) for ganglion cell complex (GCC) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) image segmentation and detection of glaucoma in high myopia. RNFLT and GCC scans were acquired with software version 6.3 of the RTVue-OCT on 51 highly myopic eyes (spherical refractive error ≤-6.0 D) of 51 patients, and were analyzed with both the software versions. Twenty-two eyes were nonglaucomatous, 13 were ocular hypertensive and 16 eyes had glaucoma. No difference was seen for any RNFLT, and average GCC parameter between the software versions (paired t test, P≥0.084). Global loss volume was significantly lower (more normal) with version 6.12 than with version 6.3 (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, P<0.001). The percentage agreement (κ) between the clinical (normal and ocular hypertensive vs. glaucoma) and the software-provided classifications (normal and borderline vs. outside normal limits) were 0.3219 and 0.4442 for average RNFLT, and 0.2926 and 0.4977 for average GCC with versions 1 and 2, respectively (McNemar symmetry test, P≥0.289). No difference in average RNFLT and GCC classification (McNemar symmetry test, P≥0.727) and the number of eyes with at least 1 segmentation error (P≥0.109) was found between the software versions, respectively. Although GCC segmentation was improved with software version 6.12 compared with the current version in highly myopic eyes, this did not result in a significant change of the average RNFLT and GCC values, and did not significantly improve the software-provided classification for glaucoma.

Normative Nasalance Scores for Brazilian Portuguese Using New Speech Stimuli.

PubMed

Marino, Viviane Cristina de Castro; Dutka, Jeniffer de Cássia Rillo; de Boer, Gillian; Cardoso, Vanessa Moraes; Ramos, Renata Giorgetto; Bressmann, Tim

2015-01-01

Normative data were established for newly developed speech materials for nasalance assessment in Brazilian Portuguese. Nasalance scores of preexisting passages (oral ZOO-BR, low-pressure oral ZOO-BR2 and NASAL-BR), new nasalance passages (oral Dudu no zoológico, oral Dudu no bosque, oral-nasal O cãozinho Totó and nasal O nenê) and Brasilcleft articulation screening sentences were collected from 245 speakers of Brazilian Portuguese, including 121 males and 124 females, divided into 4 groups: children (5-9 years), adolescents (10-19 years), young adults (20-24 years) and adults (25-35 years). Across all nasalance passages, adult females scored on average 2 percentage points higher than males. Children scored 2-4 percentage points lower than older groups for the preexisting nasalance passages ZOO-BR and ZOO-BR2. Nasalance scores for the new nasalance passages were not significantly different from the preexisting passages. Scores for high-pressure sentences did not differ significantly from the oral nasalance passage Dudu no bosque. The nasalance scores for the new nasalance passages were equivalent to the preexisting materials. The new shortened and simplified nasalance passages will be useful for assessing young children. Normative scores for the Brasilcleft high-pressure sentences were equivalent to the new oral passage Dudu no bosque. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Influence of genotype and ensiling of corn grain on in situ degradation of starch in the rumen.

PubMed

Philippeau, C; Michalet-Doreau, B

1998-08-01

This trial was conducted to determine the influence of genotype and ensiling of corn grain on the rate and extent of ruminal starch degradation. Two cultivars of corn that differed in texture of the endosperm, dent (Zea mays ssp. indentata) or flint (Zea mays ssp. indentura) were harvested at 30% whole-plant dry matter (DM). After separation from stover and cob, the kernels were coarsely chopped and ensiled or not ensiled. Grains were oven-dried at 40 degrees C and either ground through a 3-mm sieve or left unground. Ruminal DM and starch degradabilities were determined using the in situ technique. The proportion of starch lost through the pores of the bag without degradation was also determined. Mean ruminal DM and starch degradabilities were higher for ground grains than for chopped grains, which could be related to the proportion of DM and starch lost through the pores of the bag. For unensiled, chopped grain, ruminal starch degradability was higher for dent corn than for flint corn (72.3% vs. 61.6%). The ensiling process increased ruminal starch degradability, averaging 5.8 percentage units. The difference in ruminal starch degradability between dent corn and flint corn remained constant whether the corn was unensiled or ensiled (10.7 vs. 11.6 percentage units).

Beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas, vocalizations and their relation to behaviour in the Churchill River, Manitoba, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chmelnitsky, Elly Golda

The investigation of a species' repertoire and the contexts in which different calls are used is central to understanding vocal communication among animals. Beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas, calls were classified and described in association with behaviours, from recordings collected in the Churchill River, Manitoba, during the summers of 2006-2008. Calls were subjectively classified based on sound and visual analysis into whistles (64.2% of total calls; 22 call types), pulsed or noisy calls (25.9%; 15 call types), and combined calls (9.9%; seven types). A hierarchical cluster analysis, using six call measurements as variables, separated whistles into 12 groups and results were compared to subjective classification. Beluga calls associated with social interactions, travelling, feeding, and interactions with the boat were described. Call type percentages, relative proportions of different whistle contours (shapes), average frequency, and call duration varied with behaviour. Generally, higher percentages of whistles, more broadband pulsed and noisy calls, and shorter calls (<0.49s) were produced during behaviours associated with higher levels of activity and/or apparent arousal. Information on call types, call characteristics, and behavioural context of calls can be used for automated detection and classification methods and in future studies on call meaning and function.

[Natural disasters and health: an analysis of the situation in Brazil].

PubMed

Freitas, Carlos Machado de; Silva, Diego Ricardo Xavier; Sena, Aderita Ricarda Martins de; Silva, Eliane Lima; Sales, Luiz Belino Ferreira; Carvalho, Mauren Lopes de; Mazoto, Maíra Lopes; Barcellos, Christovam; Costa, André Monteiro; Oliveira, Mara Lúcia Carneiro; Corvalán, Carlos

2014-09-01

Natural disasters are still insufficiently studied and understood within the scope of public health in this country, with impacts in the short and long term. The scope of this article is to analyze the relationship between disasters and their impact on health based on disaster data recorded in the country. The methodology involved the systematization of data and information contained in the Brazilian Atlas of Natural Disasters 1991-2010 and directly from the National Department of Civil Defense (NSCD). Disasters were organized into four categories of events (meteorological; hydrological; climatological; geophysical/geological) and for each of the latter, the data for morbidity, mortality and exposure of those affected were examined, revealing different types of impacts. Three categories of disasters stood out: the hydrological events showed higher percentages of mortality, morbidity and exposure; climatological events had higher percentages of incidents and people affected; the geophysical/geological events had a higher average of exposure and deaths per event. Lastly, a more active participation of the health sector in the post-2015 global political agenda is proposed, particularly events related to sustainable development, climate change and disaster risk reduction.

Effects of exposure to 17-alpha-ethynylestradiol on sperm quality of tench (Tinca tinca).

PubMed

Oropesa, A L; Martín-Hidalgo, D; Fallola, C; Gil, M C

2015-10-01

Alterations of sperm quality were studied in tench (Tinca tinca) exposed to sub-lethal doses of 17-alpha-ethynylestradiol-EE2-(50, 100 and 500μg/kg t.w) under semi-static conditions for 30 days. Thus, different biomarkers of sperm quality were assessed: concentration and volume of ejaculate, total number of spermatozoa, percentage of motile spermatozoa, sperm motility and percentage of live and dead spermatozoa. Sperm motility was examined by computer-assisted image analysis and the viability of spermatozoa was assessed through flow cytometry. The most relevant alterations observed were significant reductions in the reproductive parameters such as testicular somatic index, spermatozoa concentration, straight line velocity, curvilinear velocity, average path velocity and wobble in tench exposed to 50μg/kg t.w of EE2. Our study about the effects of EE2 on the sperm quality in tench provides new evidences which strengthen the fact that this synthetic estrogen is included in the list of non-monotonic dose response compounds in animal studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum essential oil prevented biofilm formation and showed antibacterial activity against planktonic and sessile bacterial cells.

PubMed

Schillaci, Domenico; Napoli, Edoardo Marco; Cusimano, Maria Grazia; Vitale, Maria; Ruberto, Andgiuseppe

2013-10-01

Essential oils from six different populations of Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum were compared for their antibiofilm properties. The six essential oils (A to F) were characterized by a combination of gas chromatography with flame ionization detector and gas chromatography with mass spectrometer detector analyses. All oils showed weak activity against the planktonic form of a group of Staphylococcus aureus strains and against a Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 reference strain. The ability to inhibit biofilm formation was investigated at sub-MIC levels of 200, 100, and 50 m g/ml by staining sessile cells with safranin. Sample E showed the highest average effectiveness against all tested strains at 50 m g/ml and had inhibition percentages ranging from 30 to 52%. In the screening that used preformed biofilm from the reference strain P. aeruginosa, essential oils A through E were inactive at 200 m g/ml; F was active with a percentage of inhibition equal to 53.2%. Oregano essential oil can inhibit the formation of biofilms of various food pathogens and food spoilage organisms.

Stress preconditioning of rooster semen before cryopreservation improves fertility potential of thawed sperm.

PubMed

Feyzi, S; Sharafi, M; Rahimi, S

2018-03-22

Avian semen cryopreservation is not as successful as that seen in mammals. This failure is mostly attributed to unique physiological characteristics of poultry semen that make it susceptible to cryo-damages. Utilization of sublethal oxidative stress for preconditioning of sperm, as an innovative approach, improves the cryo-survival of sperm in certain mammalian species. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of preconditioning of rooster semen with sublethal oxidative stress [very low concentrations of nitric oxide (NO)] before cryopreservation on the quality and fertility potential of thawed sperm. Semen samples were collected from 20 roosters, twice a wk, and different concentrations of NO [0 (NO-0), 0.01 (NO-0.01), 0.1 (NO-0.1), 1 (NO-1), 10 (NO-10), and 100 μM (NO-100)] were used to investigate the effects of controlled induction of sublethal stress before semen cryopreservation on the thawed sperm performance. A significantly higher (P < 0.05) percentage of total motility was observed in semen treated with NO-1 compared to NO-0, NO-0.01, NO-0.1, NO-10, and NO-100. NO-1 and NO-100 produced the highest and lowest percentages of progressive motility, which were significantly different from that of the other groups (P < 0.05). A significantly higher (P < 0.05) percentage of sperm mitochondria activity was observed in semen exposed to NO-0, NO-0.01, NO-0.1, and NO-1. Moreover, the lowest (P < 0.05) concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured in samples treated with NO-1 in comparison to the other groups. Abnormal morphology, acrosome integrity, and velocity parameters [velocity average path (VAP) and linearity (LIN)] of sperm were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by different concentrations of NO. Sperm exposed to NO-1 produced the highest percentage of viable spermatozoa (Annexin-/PI-), which was significantly different from the other samples. Finally, rate of fertility after artificial insemination was significantly higher (P < 0.05) following treatment with NO-1 compared to NO-0 and NO-0.1. Application of 1 μM NO as a sublethal oxidative stress before cryopreservation of sperm efficiently increased numerous quality indices of thawed sperm as well as its fertility potential.

Percentage of different aluminum doping influence the morphological and optical properties of ZnO nanostructured growth for sensor application

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohamed, R., E-mail: ruziana12@gmail.com; NANO-SciTech Centre, Institue of Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor; Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang, 26400 Bandar Tun Razak Jengka, Pahang

In this work, Zinc Oxide (ZnO) with different aluminum (Al) doping percentage was synthesis by sol gel immersion method. Al doped ZnO at various doping percentage from 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. It was found that with different Al percentage influence the morphological and optical properties of ZnO growth. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) image showed the use of different Al doping causes the difference in geometry and size of ZnO nanorods growth. Based on UV-Vis spectroscopy, the transmittance at 1% Al doping has the highest spectrum.

Wider income gaps, wider waistbands? An ecological study of obesity and income inequality

PubMed Central

Pickett, K.; Kelly, S.; Brunner, E.; Lobstein, T.; Wilkinson, R.

2005-01-01

Objectives: To see if obesity, deaths from diabetes, and daily calorie intake are associated with income inequality among developed countries. Design: Ecological study of 21 developed countries. Countries: Countries were eligible for inclusion if they were among the top 50 countries with the highest gross national income per capita by purchasing power parity in 2002, had a population over 3 million, and had available data on income inequality and outcome measures. Main outcome measures: Percentage of obese (body mass index >30) adult men and women, diabetes mortality rates, and calorie consumption per capita per day. Results: Adjusting for gross national per capita income, income inequality was positively correlated with the percentage of obese men (r = 0.48, p = 0.03), the percentage of obese women (r = 0.62, p = 0.003), diabetes mortality rates per 1 million people (r = 0.46, p = 0.04), and average calories per capita per day (r = 0.50, p = 0.02). Correlations were stronger if analyses were weighted for population size. The effect of income inequality on female obesity was independent of average calorie intake. Conclusions: Obesity, diabetes mortality, and calorie consumption were associated with income inequality in developed countries. Increased nutritional problems may be a consequence of the psychosocial impact of living in a more hierarchical society. PMID:16020644

Wider income gaps, wider waistbands? An ecological study of obesity and income inequality.

PubMed

Pickett, Kate E; Kelly, Shona; Brunner, Eric; Lobstein, Tim; Wilkinson, Richard G

2005-08-01

To see if obesity, deaths from diabetes, and daily calorie intake are associated with income inequality among developed countries. Ecological study of 21 developed countries.Countries: Countries were eligible for inclusion if they were among the top 50 countries with the highest gross national income per capita by purchasing power parity in 2002, had a population over 3 million, and had available data on income inequality and outcome measures. Percentage of obese (body mass index >30) adult men and women, diabetes mortality rates, and calorie consumption per capita per day. Adjusting for gross national per capita income, income inequality was positively correlated with the percentage of obese men (r = 0.48, p = 0.03), the percentage of obese women (r = 0.62, p = 0.003), diabetes mortality rates per 1 million people (r = 0.46, p = 0.04), and average calories per capita per day (r = 0.50, p = 0.02). Correlations were stronger if analyses were weighted for population size. The effect of income inequality on female obesity was independent of average calorie intake. Obesity, diabetes mortality, and calorie consumption were associated with income inequality in developed countries. Increased nutritional problems may be a consequence of the psychosocial impact of living in a more hierarchical society.

A new metric for assessing IMRT modulation complexity and plan deliverability.

PubMed

McNiven, Andrea L; Sharpe, Michael B; Purdie, Thomas G

2010-02-01

To evaluate the utility of a new complexity metric, the modulation complexity score (MCS), in the treatment planning and quality assurance processes and to evaluate the relationship of the metric with deliverability. A multisite (breast, rectum, prostate, prostate bed, lung, and head and neck) and site-specific (lung) dosimetric evaluation has been completed. The MCS was calculated for each beam and the overall treatment plan. A 2D diode array (MapCHECK, Sun Nuclear, Melbourne, FL) was used to acquire measurements for each beam. The measured and planned dose (PINNACLE3, Phillips, Madison, WI) was evaluated using different percent differences and distance to agreement (DTA) criteria (3%/ 3 mm and 2%/ 1 mm) and the relationship between the dosimetric results and complexity (as measured by the MCS or simple beam parameters) assessed. For the multisite analysis (243 plans total), the mean MCS scores for each treatment site were breast (0.92), rectum (0.858), prostate (0.837), prostate bed (0.652), lung (0.631), and head and neck (0.356). The MCS allowed for compilation of treatment site-specific statistics, which is useful for comparing different techniques, as well as for comparison of individual treatment plans with the typical complexity levels. For the six plans selected for dosimetry, the average diode percent pass rate was 98.7% (minimum of 96%) for 3%/3 mm evaluation criteria. The average difference in absolute dose measurement between the planned and measured dose was 1.7 cGy. The detailed lung analysis also showed excellent agreement between the measured and planned dose, as all beams had a diode percentage pass rate for 3%/3 mm criteria of greater than 95.9%, with an average pass rate of 99.0%. The average absolute maximum dose difference for the lung plans was 0.7 cGy. There was no direct correlation between the MCS and simple beam parameters which could be used as a surrogate for complexity level (i.e., number of segments or MU). An evaluation criterion of 2%/ 1 mm reliably allowed for the identification of beams that are dosimetrically robust. In this study we defined a robust beam or plan as one that maintained a diode percentage pass rate greater than 90% at 2%/ 1 mm, indicating delivery that was deemed accurate when compared to the planned dose, even under stricter evaluation criterion. MCS and MU threshold criteria were determined by defining a required specificity of 1.0. A MCS threshold of 0.8 allowed for identification of robust deliverability with a sensitivity of 0.36. In contrast, MU had a lower sensitivity of 0.23 for a threshold of 50 MU. The MCS allows for a quantitative assessment of plan complexity, on a fixed scale, that can be applied to all treatment sites and can provide more information related to dose delivery than simple beam parameters. This could prove useful throughout the entire treatment planning and QA process.

The effectiveness of web-programming module based on scientific approach to train logical thinking ability for students in vocational high school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nashiroh, Putri Khoirin; Kamdi, Waras; Elmunsyah, Hakkun

2017-09-01

Web programming is a basic subject in Computer and Informatics Engineering, a program study in a vocational high school. It requires logical thinking ability in its learning activities. The purposes of this research were (1) to develop a web programming module that implement scientific approach that can improve logical thinking ability for students in vocational high school; and (2) to test the effectiveness of web programming module based on scientific approach to train students' logical thinking ability. The results of this research was a web-programming module that apply scientific approach for learning activities to improve logical thinking ability of students in the vocational high school. The results of the effectiveness test of web-programming module give conclusion that it was very effective to train logical thinking ability and to improve learning result, this conclusion was supported by: (1) the average of posttest result of students exceeds the minimum criterion value, it was 79.91; (2) the average percentage of students' logical thinking score is 82,98; and (3) the average percentage of students' responses to the web programming module was 81.86%.

From Politics to Parity: Using a Health Disparities Index to Guide Legislative Efforts for Health Equity

PubMed Central

Simpson, Sean L.; Hairston, Kristen G.

2011-01-01

Objectives. We created an index quantifying the longitudinal burden of racial health disparities by state and compared this index to variables to guide the construction of, and validate support for, legislative efforts aimed at eliminating health disparities. Methods. We evaluated 5 focus areas of greatest racial disparities in health from 1999 to 2005 and compiled state health disparities index (HDI) scores. We compared these scores with variables representing the purported social determinants of health. Results. Massachusetts (0.35), Oklahoma (0.35), and Washington (0.39) averaged the fewest disparities. Michigan (1.22), Wisconsin (1.32), and Illinois (1.50) averaged the greatest disparities. The statistical reference point for nationwide average racial disparities was 1.00. The longitudinal mixed model procedure yielded statistically significant correlations between HDI scores and Black state population percentage as well as with the racial gap in uninsured percentages. We noted a trend for HDI correlations with median household income ratios. Conclusions. On the basis of the HDI-established trends in the extent and distribution of racial health disparities, and their correlated social determinants of health, policymakers should consider incorporating this tool to advise future efforts in minority health legislation. PMID:21233445

[Ten years of emergency attendances for cocaine-users in Spain].

PubMed

Galicia, Miguel; Nogué, Santiago; Burillo-Putze, Guillermo

2014-10-07

Cocaine is the second most consumed illegal drug in the western world, following cannabis. Since 1998, it is also the drug that more attendances generate in different emergency devices, and it is responsible for more of 60% of the emergencies directly related to drug consumption. This work reviews the main Spanish scientific articles published in the last 10 years, in which different factors related to the use of this drug have been analyzed in relation to the use of emergency by cocaine users. A total of 8,795 patients were included (interval 57-1,755), with an average age of 32.64 years (SD 3.02), and an average percentage of positives to cocaine of 54.78% (SD 47.03); there were 7 works with 100% of subjects being positive to cocaine. Males predominated with an average of 78.69% (SD 12). They presented cardiovascular symptoms in 30% cases (SD 22.7), neurological symptoms in 11.6% cases (SD 4.28) and psychiatric symptoms in 49.32% cases (SD 23.87). There was a multiple consumption in 49.02% of patients (interval 4.3-76.2), fundamentally associated with alcohol (57.78%, SD 6.18) and cannabis (21.56%, SD 10.72). Two hundred and forty-six patients (2.8%) needed admission and 8 died (0.09%). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Toluene diisocyanate concentration investigation among TDI-related factories in Taiwan and their relations to the type of industry.

PubMed

Yeh, Hui-Jung; Shih, Tung-Sheng; Tsai, Perng-Jy; Chang, Ho-Yuan

2002-03-01

To determine nationwide 2,4- and 2,6-toluene diisocyanates (TDI) concentrations among polyurethane (PU) resin, PU foam, and other TDI-related industries in Taiwan. The ratios of 2,4-/2,6-TDI and the noncarcinogenic risk among these three industries were also investigated. Personal and fixed-area monitoring of TDI concentrations as well as questionnaires were performed for 26 factories in Taiwan. The modified OHSA 42 method was applied in sampling and analysis. Noncarcinogenic hazard index was estimated for these three industries based on the average concentration measurements. Significant differences of TDI concentrations were found among the three industry categories. For personal monitoring, PU foam was found to have the highest TDI levels [18.6 (+/-33.6) and 22.1 (+/-42.3) ppb for 2,4- and 2,6-TDI], Others average [8.3 (+/-18.9) and 10.2 (+/-17.2) ppb], and PU resin lowest [2.0 (+/-3.5) and 0.7 (+/-1.2) ppb]. The estimated average hazard indices were found to be 310-3310. A substantial percentage of airborne TDI concentrations among in Taiwan industries exceeded current TDI occupational exposure limit, and significant difference of TDI levels were found among the three industry categories. The control remedy for the tasks of charging and foaming should be enforced with the highest priority. A separate 2,6-TDI exposure standard is warranted.

19 CFR 351.224 - Disclosure of calculations and procedures for the correction of ministerial errors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... least five absolute percentage points in, but not less than 25 percent of, the weighted-average dumping... margin or countervailable subsidy rate (whichever is applicable) of zero (or de minimis) and a weighted...

19 CFR 351.224 - Disclosure of calculations and procedures for the correction of ministerial errors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... least five absolute percentage points in, but not less than 25 percent of, the weighted-average dumping... margin or countervailable subsidy rate (whichever is applicable) of zero (or de minimis) and a weighted...

19 CFR 351.224 - Disclosure of calculations and procedures for the correction of ministerial errors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... least five absolute percentage points in, but not less than 25 percent of, the weighted-average dumping... margin or countervailable subsidy rate (whichever is applicable) of zero (or de minimis) and a weighted...

19 CFR 351.224 - Disclosure of calculations and procedures for the correction of ministerial errors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... least five absolute percentage points in, but not less than 25 percent of, the weighted-average dumping... margin or countervailable subsidy rate (whichever is applicable) of zero (or de minimis) and a weighted...

19 CFR 351.224 - Disclosure of calculations and procedures for the correction of ministerial errors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... least five absolute percentage points in, but not less than 25 percent of, the weighted-average dumping... margin or countervailable subsidy rate (whichever is applicable) of zero (or de minimis) and a weighted...

Evaluation of Borama tuberculosis control program in Somaliland, Somalia.

PubMed

Qayad, Mohamed Gedi; Tarsitani, Gianfranco

2017-02-28

The Borama TB program in Somalia lost resources for TB operations in 2003. We evaluated the impact of the loss on the program. Pre-event (2002-2003) and post-event (2007) design were used. All TB patients registered in Borama and a sample of four months from Hargeisa (comparison) TB patients in both periods were abstracted. The following TB treatment outcomes were estimated: treatment success, treatment failure, case fatality, treatment interruption and transfer rates, along with percentage of patients with sputum specimen prior to treatment, percentage of patients from neighboring countries, and monthly average patients enrolled in treatment. The pre-event to post-event outcomes and measures were compared using descriptive and multivariate analyses. In total, 3,367 TB cases were abstracted. In Borama, the TB treatment success rate increased 6% in the post-event. The treatment failure and interruption rates both declined 75%. Monthly average TB patients declined 55%. Percentage of patients smear tested prior to the initiation of the treatment declined 9%. Percentage of TB patients from neighboring countries and other parts of Somalia declined 51%. Treatment interruption/transfer rates declined significantly in the post-event, compared to the pre-event period. Treatment failure/death rate did not change in the post-event period. In Hargeisa, the treatment success, failure/death, and interruption/transfer rates were similar in both periods. The RR did not change in these measures after adjusting for age and gender. This study indicates a significant setback to the Borama TB control program in the majority of measures evaluated, except the TB success rate.

Alternative to the traditional discount method of wholesaler purchasing.

PubMed

Lee, G F; Bair, J N; Piz, J W

1982-07-01

A program of purchasing drugs from wholesalers at the wholesaler's exact invoice cost plus a percentage is described and compared with the traditional method of average wholesale price (AWP) less a discount. The comparison was conducted by the pharmacy department of a 310-bed, teaching hospital that awarded a one-year contract to a wholesaler offering its items at the exact cost plus a pre-established percentage. Data collected from monthly wholesaler computer printouts gave the following information on each product: (1) list price per item, (2) actual cost to pharmacy per item, (3) percentage discount from AWP, and (4) quantity ordered. The net percentage discount from AWP for 12 months was calculated and compared to the former (traditional) discount rate. The net discount from AWP was 15.6% for purchases made by the hospital during the first 12 months of the program. When compared with the smaller discount the hospital traditionally received, the new program saved the hospital $5758 on annual purchases of $136,419. The actual dollar savings to an institution that changes from a traditional discount program to a cost-plus-percentage program depends on: (1) the negotiated percentage added to wholesaler cost, (2) the discount from AWP that the institution was previously receiving, and (3) the volume of wholesale purchases.

Need for intraoperative ultrasound and surgical recommendation for partial nephrectomy: correlation with tumor imaging features and urologist practice patterns.

PubMed

Sun, Maryellen R M; Wagner, Andrew A; San Francisco, Ignacio F; Brook, Alexander; Kavoussi, Louis; Russo, Paul; Steele, Graeme; Viterbo, Rosalia; Pedrosa, Ivan

2012-03-01

This study aimed to evaluate the need for intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) and recommendation for surgical approach in the resection of renal tumors through a survey of practicing urologists, with correlation to tumor imaging features and urologist practice pattern. An institutional review board-approved retrospective review, compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, of 44 renal tumors that underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy at the study institution was performed. The numeric component of the RENAL nephrometry score (radius [diameter], % exophytic, nearness [to collecting system/renal sinus], location) was calculated for each case using preoperative computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging. Five anonymized images of each tumor were presented to 4 academic urologists with varying practice patterns. Reviewers independently scored each case for its need for IOUS, for recommendation of a surgical technique, and for the difficulty of the proposed surgery. The RENAL scores were as follows: RENAL 1 (low complexity, score 4-6; n = 19); RENAL 2 (moderate complexity, score 7-9; n = 23); RENAL 3 (high complexity, score 10-12; n = 2). The only RENAL score component significantly influencing need for IOUS was percentage exophytic (P = 0.00002). There was an inverse relationship between normalized and averaged need for IOUS and percentage exophytic (P < 0.0001). The predominant influence for recommendation of surgical method was the reviewer him/herself, with each reviewer's recommendations closely matching his/her practice pattern. Size and percentage exophytic represented the only tumor features significantly (P = 0.03) influencing surgical recommendation. There was a significant difference in the perceived need for IOUS and surgical recommendation when 4 academic urologists reviewed a series of renal masses requiring resection. Percentage exophytic correlated inversely with need for IOUS. Urologist's practice pattern and tumor size and percentage exophytic were most predictive of surgical recommendation.

Sperm cryopreservation affects postthaw motility, but not embryogenesis or larval growth in the Brazilian fish Brycon insignis (Characiformes).

PubMed

Viveiros, A T M; Isaú, Z A; Caneppele, D; Leal, M C

2012-09-01

Sperm cryopreservation is an important method for preserving genetic information and facilitating artificial reproduction. The objective was to investigate whether the cryopreservation process affects postthaw sperm motility, embryogenesis, and larval growth in the fish Brycon insignis. Sperm was diluted in methyl glycol and Beltsville Thawing solution, frozen in a nitrogen vapor vessel (dry shipper) and stored in liquid nitrogen. Half of the samples were evaluated both subjectively (% of motile sperm and motility quality score-arbitrary grading system from 0 [no movement] to 5 [rapidly swimming sperm]) and in a computer-assisted sperm analyzer (CASA; percentage of motile sperm and velocity). The other half was used for fertilization and the evaluation of embryogenesis (cleavage and gastrula stages), hatching rate, percentage of larvae with normal development and larval growth up to 112 days posthatching (dph). Fresh sperm was analyzed subjectively (percentage of motile sperm and motility quality score) and used as the control. In the subjective analysis, sperm motility significantly decreased from 100% motile sperm and quality score of 5 in fresh sperm to 54% motile sperm and quality score of 3 after thawing. Under computer-assisted sperm analyzer evaluation, postthaw sperm had 67% motile sperm, 122 μm/sec of curvilinear velocity, 87 μm/sec of straight-line velocity and 103 μm/sec of average path velocity. There were no significant differences between progenies (pooled data) for the percentage of viable embryos in cleavage (62%) or gastrula stages (24%) or in the hatching rate (24%), percentage of normal hatched larvae (93%), larval body weight (39.8 g), or standard length (12.7 cm) at 112 days posthatching. Based on these findings, cryopreserved sperm can be used as a tool to restore the population of endangered species, such as B. insignis, as well as for aquaculture purposes, without any concern regarding quality of the offspring. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-organization in a bimotility mixture of model microswimmers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, Adyant; Babu, Sujin B.

2018-02-01

We study the cooperation and segregation dynamics in a bimotility mixture of microorganisms which swim at low Reynolds numbers via periodic deformations along the body. We employ a multiparticle collision dynamics method to simulate a two component mixture of artificial swimmers, termed as Taylor lines, which differ from each other only in the propulsion speed. The analysis reveals that a contribution of slower swimmers towards clustering, on average, is much larger as compared to the faster ones. We notice distinctive self-organizing dynamics, depending on the percentage difference in the speed of the two kinds. If this difference is large, the faster ones fragment the clusters of the slower ones in order to reach the boundary and form segregated clusters. Contrarily, when it is small, both kinds mix together at first, the faster ones usually leading the cluster and then gradually the slower ones slide out thereby also leading to segregation.

Twenty-year trends in the prevalence of disability in China

PubMed Central

Chen, Gong; Song, Xinming; Liu, Jufen; Yan, Lijing; Du, Wei; Pang, Lihua; Zhang, Lei; Wu, Jilei; Zhang, Bingzi; Zhang, Jun

2011-01-01

Abstract Objective To evaluate changes in the age-adjusted prevalence of disability in transitional China from 1987 to 2006. Methods Data from nationally representative surveys conducted in 1987 and 2006 were used to calculate age-adjusted disability prevalence rates by applying appropriate sample weights and directly adjusting to the age distribution of the 1990 Chinese population. Trends were assessed in terms of average annual percentage change. Findings The estimated number of disabled people in China in 1987 and 2006 was 52.7 and 84.6 million, respectively, corresponding to a weighted prevalence of 4.9% and 6.5%. The age-adjusted prevalence of disability decreased by an average of 0.5% per year (average annual percentage change, AAPC: −0.5%; 95% confidence interval, CI: −0.7 to −0.4) during 1987–2006. However, it increased by an average of 0.3% (AAPC: 0.3%; 95% CI: 0.1 to 0.5) per year in males and by an average of 1.0% (AAPC: 1.0%; 95% CI: 0.8 to 1.2) per year among rural residents, whereas among females it showed an average annual decrease of 1.5% (AAPC: −1.5%; 95% CI: −1.7 to −1.3) and among urban residents, an average annual decrease of 3.9% (AAPC: −3.9%; 95% CI: −4.3 to −3.5). Despite significant declining trends for hearing and speech, intellectual and visual disabilities, the annual age-adjusted prevalence of physical and mental disabilities increased by an average of 11.2% (AAPC: 11.2%; 95% CI: 10.5 to 11.9) and 13.3% (AAPC: 13.3%; 95% CI: 10.7 to 16.2), respectively. Conclusion In China, the age-adjusted prevalence of disability has declined since 1987, with inconsistencies dependent on the type of disability. These findings call for continuing and specific efforts to prevent disabilities in China. PMID:22084524

Simple and Effective Methods of Freezing Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.) Semen

PubMed Central

Kowalczyk, Artur; Łukaszewicz, Ewa

2015-01-01

A continuous decline in the number and range of capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.) in many European countries can be observed, mostly due to habitat destruction by human activity, unecological forestry management, and increased density of natural predators. Ex situ in vitro gene banks provide a unique opportunity to preserve the genetic material for future generations. Simple and effective cryopreservation methods for capercaillie semen are discussed. Semen was collected from seven males kept in the Capercaillie Breeding Centre at Forestry Wisła in Poland. Within five minutes after collection, ejaculates were diluted with EK diluent, then divided into two parts, and subjected to two freezing procedures: in pellets and in straws. In fresh semen, ejaculate clearness, viscosity, color and volume, as well as sperm concentration, motility and morphology, were evaluated, while in frozen-thawed semen only motility and morphology of sperm were determined. Fertilizing ability of thawed semen was examined for samples frozen in straws. Significant (P<0.05) differences between individual males were found in relation to the majority of fresh semen traits: ejaculate volume averaged 102.1 µL (varying from 49.0 to 205.0); average sperm concentration was 632.5 x106 mL-1 (178.8–1257.1); percentage of live normal cells varied from 39.2 to 70.3% (58.7% on an average); percentage of motile cells ranged from 76.0 to 85.7%) and motility parameters were male dependent, as well. Both cryopreservation methods had a negative effect on morphology and motility of frozen-thawed semen; however, the straw method yielded 60.7% and the pellet method 42.5% of live cells in total in thawed semen (P<0.05), while the number of live normal (intact) cells was similar (22.4 and 22.2%, respectively). Egg fertility varied between 77.8 and 91.7% (average 84.4%). Both freezing procedures seem to be effective in obtaining acceptable viability and high fertilizing potency of thawed sperm and can be used to create a gene bank of capercaillie semen. PMID:25615640

A two-concentric-loop iterative method in estimation of displacement height and roughness length for momentum and sensible heat.

PubMed

Zhao, Wenguang; Qualls, Russell J; Berliner, Pedro R

2008-11-01

A two-concentric-loop iterative (TCLI) method is proposed to estimate the displacement height and roughness length for momentum and sensible heat by using the measurements of wind speed and air temperature at two heights, sensible heat flux above the crop canopy, and the surface temperature of the canopy. This method is deduced theoretically from existing formulae and equations. The main advantage of this method is that data measured not only under near neutral conditions, but also under unstable and slightly stable conditions can be used to calculate the scaling parameters. Based on the data measured above an Acacia Saligna agroforestry system, the displacement height (d0) calculated by the TCLI method and by a conventional method are compared. Under strict neutral conditions, the two methods give almost the same results. Under unstable conditions, d0 values calculated by the conventional method are systematically lower than those calculated by the TCLI method, with the latter exhibiting only slightly lower values than those seen under strictly neutral conditions. Computation of the average values of the scaling parameters for the agroforestry system showed that the displacement height and roughness length for momentum are 68% and 9.4% of the average height of the tree canopy, respectively, which are similar to percentages found in the literature. The calculated roughness length for sensible heat is 6.4% of the average height of the tree canopy, a little higher than the percentages documented in the literature. When wind direction was aligned within 5 degrees of the row direction of the trees, the average displacement height calculated was about 0.6 m lower than when the wind blew across the row direction. This difference was statistically significant at the 0.0005 probability level. This implies that when the wind blows parallel to the row direction, the logarithmic profile of wind speed is shifted lower to the ground, so that, at a given height, the wind speeds are faster than when the wind blows perpendicular to the row direction.

Caloric restriction in lean and obese strains of laboratory rat: effects on body composition, metabolism, growth and overall health.

PubMed

Aydin, C; Jarema, K A; Phillips, P M; Gordon, C J

2015-11-01

What is the central question of this study? How do lean and obese rats respond physiologically to caloric restriction? What is the main finding and its importance? Obese rats show marked benefits compared with lean animals. Reduced body fat is associated with improved longevity with caloric restriction (CR) in rodents. Little is known regarding effects of CR in genetically lean versus obese strains. Long-Evans (LE) and Brown Norway (BN) rats make an ideal comparison for a CR study because the percentage body fat of young adult LE rats is double that of BN rats. Male LE and BN rats were either fed ad libitum (AL) or were calorically restricted to 80 or 90% of their AL weight. The percentages of fat, lean and fluid mass were measured non-invasively at 2- to 4-week intervals. Metabolic rate and respiratory quotient were measured after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of CR. Overall health was scored monthly. The percentage of fat of the LE strain decreased with CR, whereas the percentage of fat of the BN strain remained above the AL group for several months. The percentage of lean mass increased above the AL for both strains subjected to CR. The percentage of fluid was unaffected by CR. The average metabolic rate over 22 h of the BN rats subjected to CR was reduced, whereas that of LE rats was increased slightly above the AL group. The respiratory quotient of BN rats was decreased with CR. Overall health of the CR LE group was significantly improved compared with that of the AL group, whereas health of the CR BN rats was impaired compared with the AL group. Overall, the lean BN and obese LE strains differ markedly in fat utilization and metabolic response to prolonged CR. There appears to be little benefit of CR in the lean strain. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Effects of dietary protein/energy ratio on growth performance, carcass trait, meat quality, and plasma metabolites in pigs of different genotypes.

PubMed

Liu, Yingying; Kong, Xiangfeng; Jiang, Guoli; Tan, Bi'e; Deng, Jinping; Yang, Xiaojian; Li, Fengna; Xiong, Xia; Yin, Yulong

2015-01-01

The protein/energy ratio is important for the production performance and utilization of available feed resources by animals. Increased protein consumption by mammals leads to elevated feed costs and increased nitrogen release into the environment. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary protein/energy ratio on the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and plasma metabolites of pigs of different genotypes. Bama mini-pigs and Landrace pigs were randomly assigned to two dietary treatment groups (Chinese conventional diet with low protein/energy ratio or National Research Council diet with high protein/energy ratio; n = 24 per treatment) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Blood and muscle samples were collected at the end of the nursery, growing, and finishing phases. We observed significant interactions (P < 0.05) between breed and diet for total fat percentage, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, protein content in biceps femoris (BF) muscle, and plasma urea nitrogen (UN) concentration in the nursery phase; for average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), dry matter, IMF content in psoas major (PM) muscle, and plasma total protein and albumin concentrations in the growing phase; and for drip loss and plasma UN concentration in the finishing phase. Breed influenced (P < 0.05) growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality, but not plasma metabolites. Throughout the trial, Landrace pigs showed significantly higher (P < 0.05) ADG, ADFI, dressing percentage, lean mass rate, and loin-eye area than did Bama mini-pigs, but significantly lower (P < 0.05) feed/gain ratio, fat percentage, backfat thickness, and IMF content. Dietary protein/energy ratio influenced the pH value, chemical composition of BF and PM muscles, and plasma activities of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and plasma concentration of UN. Compared with Landrace pigs, Bama mini-pigs showed slower growth and lower carcass performance, but had better meat quality. Moreover, unlike Landrace pigs, the dietary protein/energy ratio did not affect the growth performance of Bama mini-pigs. These results suggest that, in swine production, low dietary protein/energy ratio may be useful for reducing feed costs and minimizing the adverse effects of ammonia release into the environment.

Is the Production of Embryos in Small-Scale Farming an Economically Feasible Enterprise?

PubMed

Sánchez, Z; Lammoglia, M A; Alarcón, M A; Romero, J J; Galina, C S

2015-08-01

The present assay attempts to evaluate the feasibility of using embryo transfer in small community farmers by in vivo study and by modelling the results obtained. From the total of 59 donor cows, 62.7% responded to treatment, with a significant difference (p = 0.002) in the percentage of the response between breeds, being 90.5% (19/21) in Holstein and 47.4% (18/38) in Brahman. A total of 283 embryos were graded as transferable, while 141 as non-transferable, without difference in the percentage of transferable embryo by breed (p = 0.18). The mean of transferable embryos graded as class I and II was not different between Holstein and Brahman (p = 0.96 and p = 0.92, respectively); besides, no differences were observed in the other grades (non-transferable). The highest difference in costs, regardless of its quality by breed, was seen in the lower levels of probable fertility of the embryo transferred, even reaching several hundred dollars. When modelling the expected costs for embryo produced and transferred, values can reach nearly $2000.00 when the probable fertility is only 10%. However, when the probable fertility was 60%, embryo cost was close to $300.00. This technology seems to be viable on average or high-scale systems, having a superovulatory response between 60 and 80% with 4-6 transferrable embryos. Yet, in small-scale farming, due to the reduced number of donors and/or recipients, the costs surpass the economical feasibility of the technique. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Characterization and coating stability evaluation of nickel-titanium orthodontic esthetic wires: an in vivo study.

PubMed

Argalji, Nina; Silva, Eduardo Moreira da; Cury-Saramago, Adriana; Mattos, Claudia Trindade

2017-08-21

The objective of this study was to compare coating dimensions and surface characteristics of two different esthetic covered nickel-titanium orthodontic rectangular archwires, as-received from the manufacturer and after oral exposure. The study was designed for comparative purposes. Both archwires, as-received from the manufacturer, were observed using a stereomicroscope to measure coating thickness and inner metallic dimensions. The wires were also exposed to oral environment in 11 orthodontic active patients for 21 days. After removing the samples, stereomicroscopy images were captured, coating loss was measured and its percentage was calculated. Three segments of each wire (one as-received and two after oral exposure) were observed using scanning electron microscopy for a qualitative analysis of the labial surface of the wires. The Lilliefors test and independent t-test were applied to verify normality of data and statistical differences between wires, respectively. The significance level adopted was 0.05. The results showed that the differences between the wires while comparing inner height and thickness were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). In average, the most recently launched wire presented a coating thickness twice that of the control wire, which was also a statistically significant difference. The coating loss percentage was also statistically different (p = 0.0346) when the latest launched wire (13.27%) was compared to the control (29.63%). In conclusion, the coating of the most recent wire was thicker and more uniform, whereas the control had a thinner coating on the edges. After oral exposure, both tested wires presented coating loss, but the most recently launched wire exhibited better results.

Outpatient prescription practices in rural township health centers in Sichuan Province, China

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Sichuan Province is an agricultural and economically developing province in western China. To understand practices of prescribing medications for outpatients in rural township health centers is important for the development of the rural medical and health services in this province and western China. Methods This is an observational study based on data from the 4th National Health Services Survey of China. A total of 3,059 prescriptions from 30 township health centers in Sichuan Province were collected and analyzed. Seven indicators were employed in the analyses to characterize the prescription practices. They are disease distribution, average cost per encounter, number of medications per encounter, percentage of encounters with antibiotics, percentage of encounters with glucocorticoids, percentage of encounters with combined glucocorticoids and antibiotics, and percentage of encounters with injections. Results The average medication cost per encounter was 16.30 Yuan ($2.59). About 60% of the prescriptions contained Chinese patent medicine (CPM), and almost all prescriptions (98.07%) contained western medicine. 85.18% of the prescriptions contained antibiotics, of which, 24.98% contained two or more types of antibiotics; the percentage of prescriptions with glucocorticoids was 19.99%; the percentage of prescriptions with both glucocorticoids and antibiotics was 16.67%; 51.40% of the prescriptions included injections, of which, 39.90% included two or more injections. Conclusions The findings from this study demonstrated irrational medication uses of antibiotics, glucocorticoids and injections prescribed for outpatients in the rural township health centers in Sichuan Province. The reasons for irrational medication uses are not only solely due to the pursuit of maximizing benefits in the township health centers, but also more likely attributable to the lack of medical knowledge of rational medication uses among rural doctors and the lack of medical devices for disease diagnosis in those township health centers. The policy implication from this study is to enhance professional training in rational medication uses for rural doctors, improve hardware facilities for township health centers, promote health education to rural residents and establish a public reporting system to monitor prescription practices in rural township health centers, etc. PMID:22988946

Seasonal and spatial distribution of bacterial biomass and the percentage of viable cells in a reservoir of Alabama

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tietjen, T.E.; Wetzel, R.G.

2003-01-01

Spatial community dynamics of bacterioplankton were evaluated along the length of the former stream channel of Elledge Lake, a small reservoir in western Alabama. The reservoir was strongly stratified from April to October with up to a 10??C temperature difference across the 1 m deep metalimnion. Bacterial biomass was highest during late summer, with a general pattern of increasing abundance from the inflowing river (???10 ??g C l-1) to the dam (???20-30 ??g C l-1). Bacterial numbers also increased following a >10-fold increase in turbidity associated with a major precipitation event, although only ???10% of these cells were viable. The percentage of viable cells generally increased through the stratified period with 50-70% viable cells in late summer. Overall, an average of 38% of bacterial cells were viable, with a range from <20 to 70%. Although these values were similar to those found by others, additional patterns were identified that have not been previously observed: a marked decline in viable cells was found following turbid storm inflows and increases in the percentage of viable cells occurred during spring warming and following autumnal mixing events. Although a modest increase in abundance occurred along the gradient from inflow down-reservoir to the dam, bacterial abundance did not increase near the dam in a pattern coincident with the commonly observed increased algal biomass in the lacustrine portion of reservoir ecosystems. The increases observed in bacterial viability moving from the inflowing rivers towards the dam and later in stratified periods stress the importance of differences in environmental conditions in time and space in regulating bacterial biomass and development, as well as of shifts that would be anticipated accompanying altered hydrological regimes under climatic change.

Analysis of lightning outliers in the EUCLID network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poelman, Dieter R.; Schulz, Wolfgang; Kaltenboeck, Rudolf; Delobbe, Laurent

2017-11-01

Lightning data as observed by the European Cooperation for Lightning Detection (EUCLID) network are used in combination with radar data to retrieve the temporal and spatial behavior of lightning outliers, i.e., discharges located in a wrong place, over a 5-year period from 2011 to 2016. Cloud-to-ground (CG) stroke and intracloud (IC) pulse data are superimposed on corresponding 5 min radar precipitation fields in two topographically different areas, Belgium and Austria, in order to extract lightning outliers based on the distance between each lightning event and the nearest precipitation. It is shown that the percentage of outliers is sensitive to changes in the network and to the location algorithm itself. The total percentage of outliers for both regions varies over the years between 0.8 and 1.7 % for a distance to the nearest precipitation of 2 km, with an average of approximately 1.2 % in Belgium and Austria. Outside the European summer thunderstorm season, the percentage of outliers tends to increase somewhat. The majority of all the outliers are low peak current events with absolute values falling between 0 and 10 kA. More specifically, positive cloud-to-ground strokes are more likely to be classified as outliers compared to all other types of discharges. Furthermore, it turns out that the number of sensors participating in locating a lightning discharge is different for outliers versus correctly located events, with outliers having the lowest amount of sensors participating. In addition, it is shown that in most cases the semi-major axis (SMA) assigned to a lightning discharge as a confidence indicator in the location accuracy (LA) is smaller for correctly located events compared to the semi-major axis of outliers.

Linking phenology and biomass productivity in South Dakota mixed-grass prairie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rigge, Matthew; Smart, Alexander; Wylie, Bruce; Gilmanov, Tagir; Johnson, Patricia

2013-01-01

Assessing the health of rangeland ecosystems based solely on annual biomass production does not fully describe plant community condition; the phenology of production can provide inferences on species composition, successional stage, and grazing impacts. We evaluate the productivity and phenology of western South Dakota mixed-grass prairie using 2000 to 2008 Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) satellite imagery at 250 m spatial resolution. Growing season NDVI images were integrated weekly to produce time-integrated NDVI (TIN), a proxy of total annual biomass production, and integrated seasonally to represent annual production by cool (C3) and warm (C4) season species. Additionally, a variety of phenological indicators including cool season percentage of TIN were derived from the seasonal profiles of NDVI. Cool season percentage and TIN were combined to generate vegetation classes, which served as proxies of plant community condition. TIN decreased with precipitation from east to west across the study area. Alternatively, cool season percentage increased from east to west, following patterns related to the reliability (interannual coefficient of variation [CV]) and quantity of mid-summer precipitation. Cool season TIN averaged 76.8% of total. Seasonal accumulation of TIN corresponded closely (R2 > 0.90) to that of gross photosynthesis data from a carbon flux tower. Field-collected biomass and community composition data were strongly related to the TIN and cool season percentage products. The patterns of vegetation classes were responsive to topographic, edaphic, and land management influences on plant communities. Accurate maps of biomass production, cool/warm season composition, and vegetation classes can improve the efficiency of land management by adjusting stocking rates and season of use to maximize rangeland productivity and achieve conservation objectives. Further, our results clarify the spatial and temporal dynamics of phenology and TIN in mixed-grass prairie.

Food insecurity and social protection in Europe: Quasi-natural experiment of Europe's great recessions 2004-2012.

PubMed

Loopstra, Rachel; Reeves, Aaron; McKee, Martin; Stuckler, David

2016-08-01

Food insecurity rose sharply in Europe after 2009, but marked variation exists across countries and over time. We test whether social protection programs protected people from food insecurity arising from economic hardship across Europe. Data on household food insecurity covering 21 EU countries from 2004 to 2012 were taken from Eurostat 2015 edition and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Cross-national first difference models were used to evaluate how rising unemployment and declining wages related to changes in the prevalence of food insecurity and the role of social protection expenditure in modifying observed effects. Economic hardship was strongly associated with greater food insecurity. Each 1 percentage point rise in unemployment rates was associated with an estimated 0.29 percentage point rise in food insecurity (95% CI: 0.10 to 0.49). Similarly, each $1000 decreases in annual average wages was associated with a 0.62 percentage point increase in food insecurity (95% CI: 0.27 to 0.97). Greater social protection spending mitigated these risks. Each $1000 spent per capita reduced the associations of rising unemployment and declining wages with food insecurity by 0.05 percentage points (95% CI: -0.10 to -0.0007) and 0.10 (95% CI: -0.18 to -0.006), respectively. The estimated effects of economic hardship on food insecurity became insignificant when countries spent more than $10,000 per capita on social protection. Rising unemployment and falling wages are strong statistical determinants of increasing food insecurity, but at high levels of social protection, these associations could be prevented. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Properties of Particle Size Distribution from Milled White Nixtamalized Corn Kernels as a Function of Steeping Time

PubMed Central

Fernández-Muñoz, J. L.; Zapata-Torrez, M.; Márquez-Herrera, A.; Sánchez-Sinencio, F.; Mendoza-Álvarez, J. G.; Meléndez-Lira, M.; Zelaya-Ángel, O.

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on the particle size distribution (PSD) changes during nixtamalized corn kernels (NCK) as a function of the steeping time (ST). The process to obtain powder or corn flour from NCK was as follows: (i) the NCK with different STs were wet-milled in a stone mill, (ii) dehydrated by a Flash type dryer, and (iii) pulverized with a hammer mill and sieved with a 20 mesh. The powder was characterized by measuring the PSD percentage, calcium percentage (CP), peak viscosity at 90°C (PV), and crystallinity percentage (CP). The PSD of the powder as a function of ST was determined by sieving in Ro-TAP equipment. By sieving, five fractions of powder were obtained employing meshes 30, 40, 60, 80, and 100. The final weight of the PSD obtained from the sieving process follows a Gaussian profile with the maximum corresponding to the average particle obtained with mesh 60. The calcium percentage as a function of ST follows a behavior similar to the weight of the PSD. The study of crystallinity versus the mesh number shows that it decreases for smaller mesh number. A similar behavior is observed as steeping time increases, except around ST = 8 h where the gelatinization of starch is observed. The trend of increasing viscosity values of the powder samples occurs when increasing ST and decreasing particle size. The ST significantly changes the crystallinity and viscosity values of the powder and, in both cases, a minimum value is observed in the region 7–9 h. The experimental results show that the viscosity increases (decreases) if the particle size decreases (increases). PMID:27375921

Study on Personality Types of Dentists in different Disciplines of Dentistry.

PubMed

Al-Dlaigan, Yousef H; Alahmari, Albatool S; Almubarak, Sara H; Alateeq, Sahar A; Anil, Sukumaran

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the most common personality type among dentists in seven selected clinical dentistry specialties using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and to compare between these different types of personalities. A survey containing the MBTI and demographic and practice questions was used to assess the personality styles of 243 dental specialists in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The survey results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of the MBTI for 243 specialist dentists revealed, generally, a higher percentage of scoring for introversion (I) with an average of 65% than extroversion (E). The study identified 10 common personality types among these specialists: ISTJ, ISFJ, INFJ, ISTP, INFP, INTP, ENFP, ENTP, ENFJ, and ENTJ (extraversion-introversion (E-I), sensing-intuition (S-N), thinking-feeling (T-F), and judging-perception (J-P)). The dominant personality type in all seven clinical specialties in dentistry was ISTJ, with an average of 54%. The personality types showed variation among the seven clinical dentistry specialties. However, among these seven clinician's specialties in dentistry, more than 50% of the individuals shared one common type of personality (ISTJ). The identification of the personality type might help in their association with coworkers, students, and patients as well as knowing the individual preferences toward different specialties in dentistry.

[The effect of sibutramine on weight loss in obese adolescents].

PubMed

Franco, Ruth Rocha; Cominato, Louise; Damiani, Durval

2014-04-01

To evaluate the effect of sibutramine on weight loss in obese adolescents. A double-blind controlled study lasting 13 months. The study included 73 obese adolescents of both sexes aged between 10 and 18 years. Laboratory tests and imaging studies were performed before, during wash-out, and at the end of 13 months. The percentage of patients who lost 10% of their initial weight in the placebo group was 46%, and in the sibutramine group was 75%. When placebo was used, average weight rose by 1.61 kg, and BMI decreased by 0.24 kg/m(2) whereas with the use of sibutramine, weight decreased by 4.47 kg, and average BMI decreased, 2.38 kg/m(2), with p < 0.001. Sibutramine induced significantly more weight loss in obese adolescents compared with placebo, without significant side effects. The weight loss curve was different depending on the moment sibutramine was introduced. This finding indicates that the best time to start sibutramine is when adhesion begins to fail.

DSSPcont: continuous secondary structure assignments for proteins

PubMed Central

Carter, Phil; Andersen, Claus A. F.; Rost, Burkhard

2003-01-01

The DSSP program automatically assigns the secondary structure for each residue from the three-dimensional co-ordinates of a protein structure to one of eight states. However, discrete assignments are incomplete in that they cannot capture the continuum of thermal fluctuations. Therefore, DSSPcont (http://cubic.bioc.columbia.edu/services/DSSPcont) introduces a continuous assignment of secondary structure that replaces ‘static’ by ‘dynamic’ states. Technically, the continuum results from calculating weighted averages over 10 discrete DSSP assignments with different hydrogen bond thresholds. A DSSPcont assignment for a particular residue is a percentage likelihood of eight secondary structure states, derived from a weighted average of the ten DSSP assignments. The continuous assignments have two important features: (i) they reflect the structural variations due to thermal fluctuations as detected by NMR spectroscopy; and (ii) they reproduce the structural variation between many NMR models from one single model. Therefore, functionally important variation can be extracted from a single X-ray structure using the continuous assignment procedure. PMID:12824310

7 CFR 1740.9 - Grant application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... score, supported by a worksheet showing the National School Lunch Program eligibility levels for all school districts within the core coverage area and averaging these eligibility percentages. The... certifying the school district scores used in the computations. (h) If applicable, a presentation not to...

Workplace Math I: Easing into Math.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Nancy; Goschen, Claire

This basic skills learning module includes instruction in performing basic computations, using general numerical concepts such as whole numbers, fractions, decimals, averages, ratios, proportions, percentages, and equivalents in practical situations. The problems are relevant to all aspects of the printing and manufacturing industry, with emphasis…

The cost determinants of routine infant immunization services: a meta-regression analysis of six country studies.

PubMed

Menzies, Nicolas A; Suharlim, Christian; Geng, Fangli; Ward, Zachary J; Brenzel, Logan; Resch, Stephen C

2017-10-06

Evidence on immunization costs is a critical input for cost-effectiveness analysis and budgeting, and can describe variation in site-level efficiency. The Expanded Program on Immunization Costing and Financing (EPIC) Project represents the largest investigation of immunization delivery costs, collecting empirical data on routine infant immunization in Benin, Ghana, Honduras, Moldova, Uganda, and Zambia. We developed a pooled dataset from individual EPIC country studies (316 sites). We regressed log total costs against explanatory variables describing service volume, quality, access, other site characteristics, and income level. We used Bayesian hierarchical regression models to combine data from different countries and account for the multi-stage sample design. We calculated output elasticity as the percentage increase in outputs (service volume) for a 1% increase in inputs (total costs), averaged across the sample in each country, and reported first differences to describe the impact of other predictors. We estimated average and total cost curves for each country as a function of service volume. Across countries, average costs per dose ranged from $2.75 to $13.63. Average costs per child receiving diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis ranged from $27 to $139. Within countries costs per dose varied widely-on average, sites in the highest quintile were 440% more expensive than those in the lowest quintile. In each country, higher service volume was strongly associated with lower average costs. A doubling of service volume was associated with a 19% (95% interval, 4.0-32) reduction in costs per dose delivered, (range 13% to 32% across countries), and the largest 20% of sites in each country realized costs per dose that were on average 61% lower than those for the smallest 20% of sites, controlling for other factors. Other factors associated with higher costs included hospital status, provision of outreach services, share of effort to management, level of staff training/seniority, distance to vaccine collection, additional days open per week, greater vaccination schedule completion, and per capita gross domestic product. We identified multiple features of sites and their operating environment that were associated with differences in average unit costs, with service volume being the most influential. These findings can inform efforts to improve the efficiency of service delivery and better understand resource needs.

Leprosy in Brazil and its association with characteristics of municipalities: ecological study, 2009-2011.

PubMed

Freitas, Lúcia R S; Duarte, Elisabeth C; Garcia, Leila P

2014-10-01

To analyse the ecological association between the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the Brazilian municipalities and average leprosy incidence rate in the period 2009-2011. An ecological study taking the Brazilian municipalities as its units of analysis. The local empirical Bayes estimation method was used to obtain smoothed incidence rates (SIR) for leprosy. The mean, median, first quartile (Q1) and third quartile (Q3) of the SIR were calculated per 100 000 inhabitants. Hierarchical log-linear negative binomial regression models were used to estimate the incidence rate ratios (IRR). In the period 2009-2011, the average SIR of leprosy in Brazil was 20.2 per 100 000 inhabitants, and the median incidence rate among municipalities was 9.1 per 100 000 inhabitants. Significantly higher adjusted IRR were identified for large municipalities (IRR = 1.67) compared to small municipalities, as well as in municipalities with higher illiteracy rates (IRR = 2.15), more urbanised municipalities (IRR = 1.53), those with greater social inequality as per the Gini index (IRR = 1.26), high percentage of households with inadequate sanitation (IRR = 1.63), higher average number of people per room (IRR = 1.41), high proportions of Family Health Programme coverage (IRR = 1.29), high percentage of household contacts investigated (IRR = 2.30) and those with percentage of cases with grade 2 disability considered to be the medium (IRR = 1.26). In this study, SIR was significantly associated with municipalities with low socio-economic status. Disease control activities need to be focused on these municipalities, and investments need to be made in improving the population's living conditions. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Study of the Extent of the Information of Cardiologists from São Paulo City, Brazil, Regarding a Low-Prevalence Entity: Brugada Syndrome

PubMed Central

Riera, Andrés Ricardo Pérez; Filho, Celso F.; Uchida, Augusto H.; Zhang, Li; Antzelevitch, Charles; Schapachnik, Edgardo; Dubner, Sergio; Ferreira, Celso

2008-01-01

Objective To determine the degree of knowledge that cardiologists from São Paulo, Brazil, have regarding a low-prevalent entity associated with a high rate of sudden death—Brugada syndrome. Methods Two hundred forty-four cardiologists were interviewed by an instrument divided in two parts: in the first, we recorded gender, age, and data related to academic profile. The second—answered only by the professionals that manifested having some degree of knowledge on the syndrome—had 28 questions that evaluated their knowledge. The answers were spontaneous and they did not have a chance to consult. We used uni- and multivariate analysis on the average percentage of right and wrong answers, and the influence of the academic profile. Results The predominant gender was the male gender (61.1%), the average age was 44.32 ± 10.83 years, 40% with more than 20 years after obtaining their degree, 44% were educated in public institutions, 69% had a residency in cardiology, 20% had overseas practice, 12% had postdegree, 41% were linked to an educational institution, 24% with publication(s) in an indexed journal, 17.2% were authors of chapters in books, 2.5% had edited books, and 10% were linked to the Brazilian Society of Cardiac Arrhythmias. The average percentage of right answers was 45.7%. Conclusion The sample studied revealed a little knowledge on the entity. A residency in cardiology was the factor of greater significance in the percentage of right answers. Other significant factors were the link of the interviewed person to an educational institution, or the Brazilian Society of Cardiac Arrhythmias, and having a specialist degree. PMID:18973492

Sediment transport, particle sizes, and loads in lower reaches of the Chippewa, Black and Wisconsin Rivers in Western Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rose, W.J.

1992-01-01

Average annual total-sediment load and the percentage transported as bedload were determined for a 10-year period (water years 1974-83)(October 1,1973-September 30, 1982). These loads and percentages were, respectively, 123,000 tons and 35 percent at Chippewa River near Caryville; 1,073,000 tons and 61 percent at Chippewa River at Durand; 940,000 tons and 44 percent at Chippewa River near Pepin; 277,000 tons and 43 percent at Black River near Galesville; and 558,000 tons and 49 percent at Wisconsin River at Muscoda.

Impact of Pb content on the physical parameters of Se-Te-Pb system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anjali,; Sharma, Raman; Thakur, Nagesh

2015-05-15

In the present study, we have investigated the impact of Pb content on the physical parameters in Se-Te-Pb system via average coordination number, constraints, the fraction of floppy modes, cross-linking density, lone pairs electrons, heat of atomization, mean bond energy, cohesive energy and electronegativity. The bulk samples have been prepared by using melt quenching technique. X-ray diffraction pattern of various samples indicates the amorphous nature of investigated glassy alloys. It is observed that average coordination number, average number of constraints and cross-linking density increase with Pb content. However, lone-pair electrons, floppy modes, average heat of atomization, cohesive energy and meanmore » bond energy are found to decrease with Pb atomic percentage.« less

Myocardial infarction in men and women under 65 years of age: no evidence of gender bias.

PubMed

Bannerman, A; Hamilton, K; Isles, C; Barrington, H; Donaldson, B; Lockhart, L; McMeeken, K; Mark, J; Norrie, J

2001-06-01

We examined short and long term outcomes of MI in a consecutive series of 169 men and 50 women who were followed for an average of 3.5 years. Similar percentages of men and women were admitted to medical intensive care, received in-patient cardiac rehabilitation, quit smoking at one year, were still smoking, were taking a lipid lowering drug or had returned to work at one year, underwent coronary angiography at 3.5 years or had died by 3.5 years. The lack of gender difference in outcome may reflect an absence of gender bias in the management of men and women with MI in southwest Scotland.

Analysis Of Ultra Compact Ionized Hydrogen Regions Within The Northern Half Of The Galactic Disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruce, John

2011-01-01

From a catalog of 199 candidate ultra compact (UC) HII regions 123 sources included in the the intersection of the GLIMPSE (8 μm),Cornish (6 cm), and Bolocam ( 1.1 mm) galactic plane surveys (BGPS) were analyzed. The sources were sorted based on 6 cm morphology and coincidence with 8 μm bubbles. The 1.1 mm flux attributes were measured and calculations were performed to determine the ionized hydrogen contributions to the 1.1 mm flux. The category averages and frequencies were obtained as well. Significant differences in HII percentages were present among the morphology groups but ranged widely, without apparent distinction, between the bubble forming and triggered source categories.

Measurement effects of seasonal and monthly variability on pedometer-determined data.

PubMed

Kang, Minsoo; Bassett, David R; Barreira, Tiago V; Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Ainsworth, Barbara E

2012-03-01

The seasonal and monthly variability of pedometer-determined physical activity and its effects on accurate measurement have not been examined. The purpose of the study was to reduce measurement error in step-count data by controlling a) the length of the measurement period and b) the season or month of the year in which sampling was conducted. Twenty-three middle-aged adults were instructed to wear a Yamax SW-200 pedometer over 365 consecutive days. The step-count measurement periods of various lengths (eg, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 days, etc.) were randomly selected 10 times for each season and month. To determine accurate estimates of yearly step-count measurement, mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and bias were calculated. The year-round average was considered as a criterion measure. A smaller MAPE and bias represent a better estimate. Differences in MAPE and bias among seasons were trivial; however, they varied among different months. The months in which seasonal changes occur presented the highest MAPE and bias. Targeting the data collection during certain months (eg, May) may reduce pedometer measurement error and provide more accurate estimates of year-round averages.

Effectiveness of seining after electrofishing to characterize stream fish communities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meador, Michael R.

2012-01-01

The richness and composition of species collected uniquely to electrofishing and subsequent seining efforts were examined at 271 stream sites across the USA by using wadeable electrofishing methods (backpack or barge electrofishing) or boat electrofishing followed by seining. Seining after wadeable electrofishing resulted in the collection of new species at 42% of sites, whereas seining after boat electrofishing resulted in the collection of new species at 87% of sites. Mean percentage of total observed fish species richness that was collected uniquely by seining was 6% (representing one new species, on average) after wadeable electrofishing compared with 18% (four new species, on average) after boat electrofishing. Shannon–Wiener diversity index values were not significantly different between data from combined sampling (electrofishing and seining) and data from wadeable electrofishing (P = 0.490) but were significantly different between boat electrofishing and combined sampling (P = 0.004). Seining efforts after boat electrofishing can provide critical information that allows for a more complete characterization of the fish community. For sampling in wadeable streams, decisions regarding the use of seines should consider the effectiveness of electrofishing at a given site and the use of seines as an alternative primary sampling gear rather than as a supplement to electrofishing.

Removal of total suspended solids from wastewater in constructed horizontal flow subsurface wetlands.

PubMed

Manios, T; Stentiford, E I; Millner, P

2003-06-01

Subsurface horizontal flow experimental wetlands (reed beds), were designed and built based on a combination of two design methodologies, that of the WRc and Severn Trent Water plc (1996) and that of the USA, EPA (1988). Four different growing media were used with a combination of top soil, gravel, river sand, and mature sewage sludge compost, to determine the best substrate for total suspended solids (TSS) removal. Eight units were constructed, two for each growing media. One bed for each pair was planted with Typha latifolia plants commonly known as cattails. Primary treated domestic wastewater, was continuously fed to the beds for more than six months. All eight beds performed very well. The best performance was achieved by the gravel reed beds with an almost constant removal rate above 95% and an average effluent concentration of less than 10 mg/L. Soil based beds containing top soil and sand, managed to reach values of removal around 90%. The wetlands containing compost in their substrate, produced an effluent with average concentration of less than 30 mg/L and a percentage removal between 80% and 90%. As expected, there was no significant difference in the performance of planted and unplanted wetlands.

Transaction costs and community-based natural resource management in Nepal.

PubMed

Adhikari, Bhim; Lovett, Jon C

2006-01-01

Transaction costs in community-based resource management are incurred by households attempting to enforce property right rules over common resources similar to those inherent in private property rights. Despite their importance, transaction costs of community-based management of common pool resources (CPRs) are often not incorporated into the economic analysis of participatory resource management. This paper examines the transaction costs incurred by forest users in community forestry (CF) based on a survey of 309 households belonging to eight different forest user groups (FUGs) in the mid hills of Nepal. The analysis reveals that the average 'poor' household incurred Nepalese rupees (NRS) 1265 in transaction costs annually, while wealthier 'rich' households incurred an average of NRS 2312 per year. Although richer households bear higher proportions of such costs, transaction costs for CF management as a percentage of resource appropriation costs are higher for poorer households (26%) than those of middle-wealth (24%) or rich households (14%). There are also village differences in the level of transaction costs. The results show that transaction costs are a major component of resource management costs and vary according to socio-economic status of resource users and characteristics of the community.