Integrating multi-criteria evaluation techniques with geographic information systems for landfill site selection: a case study using ordered weighted average.

PubMed

Gorsevski, Pece V; Donevska, Katerina R; Mitrovski, Cvetko D; Frizado, Joseph P

2012-02-01

This paper presents a GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis approach for evaluating the suitability for landfill site selection in the Polog Region, Macedonia. The multi-criteria decision framework considers environmental and economic factors which are standardized by fuzzy membership functions and combined by integration of analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and ordered weighted average (OWA) techniques. The AHP is used for the elicitation of attribute weights while the OWA operator function is used to generate a wide range of decision alternatives for addressing uncertainty associated with interaction between multiple criteria. The usefulness of the approach is illustrated by different OWA scenarios that report landfill suitability on a scale between 0 and 1. The OWA scenarios are intended to quantify the level of risk taking (i.e., optimistic, pessimistic, and neutral) and to facilitate a better understanding of patterns that emerge from decision alternatives involved in the decision making process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlative weighted stacking for seismic data in the wavelet domain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhang, S.; Xu, Y.; Xia, J.; ,

2004-01-01

Horizontal stacking plays a crucial role for modern seismic data processing, for it not only compresses random noise and multiple reflections, but also provides a foundational data for subsequent migration and inversion. However, a number of examples showed that random noise in adjacent traces exhibits correlation and coherence. The average stacking and weighted stacking based on the conventional correlative function all result in false events, which are caused by noise. Wavelet transform and high order statistics are very useful methods for modern signal processing. The multiresolution analysis in wavelet theory can decompose signal on difference scales, and high order correlative function can inhibit correlative noise, for which the conventional correlative function is of no use. Based on the theory of wavelet transform and high order statistics, high order correlative weighted stacking (HOCWS) technique is presented in this paper. Its essence is to stack common midpoint gathers after the normal moveout correction by weight that is calculated through high order correlative statistics in the wavelet domain. Synthetic examples demonstrate its advantages in improving the signal to noise (S/N) ration and compressing the correlative random noise.

A prospective study of dietary intakes and influential factors from pregnancy to postpartum on maternal weight retention in Taipei, Taiwan.

PubMed

Lyu, Li-Ching; Lo, Chaio-Chen; Chen, Heng-Fei; Wang, Chia-Yu; Liu, Dou-Ming

2009-12-01

Excessive gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention are risk factors for female obesity. The present study was to examine dietary intakes and weight history from a prospective follow-up study from early pregnancy to 1 year postpartum. A total of 151 pregnant women within 20 weeks of pregnancy in Taipei, Taiwan were interviewed periodically to collect dietary and lifestyle information. The participants had an average age of 30 years and the average gestational weight gain was 14 kg, with an average daily intake of 7830 kJ (1870 kcal) in the 1 year following parturition. By bivariate analyses, maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI and breast-feeding were not related to postpartum weight retention, but gestational weight gain had significant positive correlations (r 0.54 at 6 months, r 0.44 at 1 year; P < 0.05). The generalised estimating equations showed that the average weight before pregnancy, at 6 months and 1 year postpartum was 53.35 kg, 55.75 kg (weight retention 2.36 kg; P < 0.01) and 54.75 kg (weight retention 1.48 kg; P < 0.01), respectively. After controlling for age, pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain and parity, we found at 6 months that the adjusted weight retention at postpartum was 0.79 kg (P < 0.01), but at 1 year it was - 0.08 kg (P>0.05). From multivariate analyses, dietary energy intake and energy intake per kg body weight as a long-term physical activity index could explain 24 % of the variation at 6 months and 27 % of the variation at 1 year in postpartum weight retention. These results suggest that pregnant women should be advised to control gestational weight gain, decrease energy intakes after child-bearing and maintain regular exercise in order to prevent postpartum obesity.

Covariance Function for Nearshore Wave Assimilation Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-30

covariance can be modeled by a parameterized Gaussian function, for nearshore wave assimilation applications, the covariance function depends primarily on...case of missing values at the compiled time series, the gaps were filled by weighted interpolation. The weights depend on the number of the...averaging, in order to create the continuous time series, filters out the dependency on the instantaneous meteorological and oceanographic conditions

The architecture design of a 2mW 18-bit high speed weight voltage type DAC based on dual weight resistance chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qixing, Chen; Qiyu, Luo

2013-03-01

At present, the architecture of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) in essence is based on the weight current, and the average value of its D/A signal current increases in geometric series according to its digital signal bits increase, which is 2n-1 times of its least weight current. But for a dual weight resistance chain type DAC, by using the weight voltage manner to D/A conversion, the D/A signal current is fixed to chain current Icha; it is only 1/2n-1 order of magnitude of the average signal current value of the weight current type DAC. Its principle is: n pairs dual weight resistances form a resistance chain, which ensures the constancy of the chain current; if digital signals control the total weight resistance from the output point to the zero potential point, that could directly control the total weight voltage of the output point, so that the digital signals directly turn into a sum of the weight voltage signals; thus the following goals are realized: (1) the total current is less than 200 μA (2) the total power consumption is less than 2 mW; (3) an 18-bit conversion can be realized by adopting a multi-grade structure; (4) the chip area is one order of magnitude smaller than the subsection current-steering type DAC; (5) the error depends only on the error of the unit resistance, so it is smaller than the error of the subsection current-steering type DAC; (6) the conversion time is only one action time of switch on or off, so its speed is not lower than the present DAC.

Integrated flood hazard assessment based on spatial ordered weighted averaging method considering spatial heterogeneity of risk preference.

PubMed

Xiao, Yangfan; Yi, Shanzhen; Tang, Zhongqian

2017-12-01

Flood is the most common natural hazard in the world and has caused serious loss of life and property. Assessment of flood prone areas is of great importance for watershed management and reduction of potential loss of life and property. In this study, a framework of multi-criteria analysis (MCA) incorporating geographic information system (GIS), fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and spatial ordered weighted averaging (OWA) method was developed for flood hazard assessment. The factors associated with geographical, hydrological and flood-resistant characteristics of the basin were selected as evaluation criteria. The relative importance of the criteria was estimated through fuzzy AHP method. The OWA method was utilized to analyze the effects of different risk attitudes of the decision maker on the assessment result. The spatial ordered weighted averaging method with spatially variable risk preference was implemented in the GIS environment to integrate the criteria. The advantage of the proposed method is that it has considered spatial heterogeneity in assigning risk preference in the decision-making process. The presented methodology has been applied to the area including Hanyang, Caidian and Hannan of Wuhan, China, where flood events occur frequently. The outcome of flood hazard distribution presents a tendency of high risk towards populated and developed areas, especially the northeast part of Hanyang city, which has suffered frequent floods in history. The result indicates where the enhancement projects should be carried out first under the condition of limited resources. Finally, sensitivity of the criteria weights was analyzed to measure the stability of results with respect to the variation of the criteria weights. The flood hazard assessment method presented in this paper is adaptable for hazard assessment of a similar basin, which is of great significance to establish counterplan to mitigate life and property losses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The causal meaning of Fisher’s average effect

PubMed Central

LEE, JAMES J.; CHOW, CARSON C.

2013-01-01

Summary In order to formulate the Fundamental Theorem of Natural Selection, Fisher defined the average excess and average effect of a gene substitution. Finding these notions to be somewhat opaque, some authors have recommended reformulating Fisher’s ideas in terms of covariance and regression, which are classical concepts of statistics. We argue that Fisher intended his two averages to express a distinction between correlation and causation. On this view, the average effect is a specific weighted average of the actual phenotypic changes that result from physically changing the allelic states of homologous genes. We show that the statistical and causal conceptions of the average effect, perceived as inconsistent by Falconer, can be reconciled if certain relationships between the genotype frequencies and non-additive residuals are conserved. There are certain theory-internal considerations favouring Fisher’s original formulation in terms of causality; for example, the frequency-weighted mean of the average effects equaling zero at each locus becomes a derivable consequence rather than an arbitrary constraint. More broadly, Fisher’s distinction between correlation and causation is of critical importance to gene-trait mapping studies and the foundations of evolutionary biology. PMID:23938113

Menu Labeling as a Potential Strategy for Combating the Obesity Epidemic: A Health Impact Assessment

PubMed Central

Jarosz, Christopher J.; Simon, Paul; Fielding, Jonathan E.

2009-01-01

Objectives. We conducted a health impact assessment to quantify the potential impact of a state menu-labeling law on population weight gain in Los Angeles County, California. Methods. We utilized published and unpublished data to model consumer response to point-of-purchase calorie postings at large chain restaurants in Los Angeles County. We conducted sensitivity analyses to account for uncertainty in consumer response and in the total annual revenue, market share, and average meal price of large chain restaurants in the county. Results. Assuming that 10% of the restaurant patrons would order reduced-calorie meals in response to calorie postings, resulting in an average reduction of 100 calories per meal, we estimated that menu labeling would avert 40.6% of the 6.75 million pound average annual weight gain in the county population aged 5 years and older. Substantially larger impacts would be realized if higher percentages of patrons ordered reduced-calorie meals or if average per-meal calorie reductions increased. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that mandated menu labeling could have a sizable salutary impact on the obesity epidemic, even with only modest changes in consumer behavior. PMID:19608944

Modeling Reduction of Uranium U(VI) under Variable Sulfate Concentrations by Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria

PubMed Central

Spear, John R.; Figueroa, Linda A.; Honeyman, Bruce D.

2000-01-01

The kinetics for the reduction of sulfate alone and for concurrent uranium [U(VI)] and sulfate reduction, by mixed and pure cultures of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) at 21 ± 3°C were studied. The mixed culture contained the SRB Desulfovibrio vulgaris along with a Clostridium sp. determined via 16S ribosomal DNA analysis. The pure culture was Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (ATCC 7757). A zero-order model best fit the data for the reduction of sulfate from 0.1 to 10 mM. A lag time occurred below cell concentrations of 0.1 mg (dry weight) of cells/ml. For the mixed culture, average values for the maximum specific reaction rate, Vmax, ranged from 2.4 ± 0.2 μmol of sulfate/mg (dry weight) of SRB · h−1) at 0.25 mM sulfate to 5.0 ± 1.1 μmol of sulfate/mg (dry weight) of SRB · h−1 at 10 mM sulfate (average cell concentration, 0.52 mg [dry weight]/ml). For the pure culture, Vmax was 1.6 ± 0.2 μmol of sulfate/mg (dry weight) of SRB · h−1 at 1 mM sulfate (0.29 mg [dry weight] of cells/ml). When both electron acceptors were present, sulfate reduction remained zero order for both cultures, while uranium reduction was first order, with rate constants of 0.071 ± 0.003 mg (dry weight) of cells/ml · min−1 for the mixed culture and 0.137 ± 0.016 mg (dry weight) of cells/ml · min−1 (U0 = 1 mM) for the D. desulfuricans culture. Both cultures exhibited a faster rate of uranium reduction in the presence of sulfate and no lag time until the onset of U reduction in contrast to U alone. This kinetics information can be used to design an SRB-dominated biotreatment scheme for the removal of U(VI) from an aqueous source. PMID:10966381

Evidence conflict measure based on OWA operator in open world

PubMed Central

Wang, Shiyu; Liu, Xiang; Zheng, Hanqing; Wei, Boya

2017-01-01

Dempster-Shafer evidence theory has been extensively used in many information fusion systems since it was proposed by Dempster and extended by Shafer. Many scholars have been conducted on conflict management of Dempster-Shafer evidence theory in past decades. However, how to determine a potent parameter to measure evidence conflict, when the given environment is in an open world, namely the frame of discernment is incomplete, is still an open issue. In this paper, a new method which combines generalized conflict coefficient, generalized evidence distance, and generalized interval correlation coefficient based on ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operator, to measure the conflict of evidence is presented. Through ordered weighted average of these three parameters, the combinatorial coefficient can still measure the conflict effectively when one or two parameters are not valid. Several numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. PMID:28542271

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

Kang, Hyun-Ju; Chung, Chin-Wook, E-mail: joykang@hanyang.ac.kr; Choi, Hyeok

A modified central difference method (MCDM) is proposed to obtain the electron energy distribution functions (EEDFs) in single Langmuir probes. Numerical calculation of the EEDF with MCDM is simple and has less noise. This method provides the second derivatives at a given point as the weighted average of second order central difference derivatives calculated at different voltage intervals, weighting each by the square of the interval. In this paper, the EEDFs obtained from MCDM are compared to those calculated via the averaged central difference method. It is found that MCDM effectively suppresses the noises in the EEDF, while the samemore » number of points are used to calculate of the second derivative.« less

Conformational analysis of the chemical shifts for molecules containing diastereotopic methylene protons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borowski, Piotr

2012-01-01

Quantum chemistry SCF/GIAO calculations were carried out on a set of compounds containing diastereotopic protons. Five molecules, including recently synthesized 1,3-di(2,3-epoxypropoxy)benzene, containing the chiral or pro-chiral center and the neighboring methylene group, were chosen. The rotational averages (i.e. normalized averages with respect to the rotation about the torsional angle τ with the exponential energy weight at temperature T) calculated individually for each of the methylene protons in 1,3-di(2,3-epoxypropoxy)benzene differ by ca. 0.6 ppm, which is significantly less than the value calculated for the lowest energy conformer. This value turned out to be low enough to guarantee the proper ordering of theoretical chemical shifts, supporting the interpretation of the 1H NMR spectrum of this important compound. The rotational averages of chemical shifts for methylene protons for a given type of conformer are shown to be essentially equal to the Boltzmann averages (here, the population-weighted averages for the individual conformers representing minima on the E( τ) cross-section). The calculated Boltzmann averages in the representative conformational space may exhibit completely different ordering as compared to the chemical shifts calculated for the lowest-energy conformer. This is especially true in the case of molecules, for which no significant steric effects are present. In this case, only Boltzmann averages account for the experimental pattern of proton signals. In addition, better overall agreement with experiment (lower value of the root-mean-square deviation between calculated and measured chemical shifts) is typically obtained when Boltzmann averages are used.

Fuzzy weighted average based on left and right scores in Malaysia tourism industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamis, Nor Hanimah; Abdullah, Kamilah; Zulkifli, Muhammad Hazim; Sahlan, Shahrazali; Mohd Yunus, Syaizzal

2013-04-01

Tourism is known as an important sector to the Malaysian economy including economic generator, creating business and job offers. It is reported to bring in almost RM30 billion of the national income, thanks to intense worldwide promotion by Tourism Malaysia. One of the well-known attractions in Malaysia is our beautiful islands. The islands continue to be developed into tourist spots and attracting a continuous number of tourists. Chalets, luxury bungalows and resorts quickly develop along the coastlines of popular islands like Tioman, Redang, Pangkor, Perhentian, Sibu and so many others. In this study, we applied Fuzzy Weighted Average (FWA) method based on left and right scores in order to determine the criteria weights and to select the best island in Malaysia. Cost, safety, attractive activities, accommodation and scenery are five main criteria to be considered and five selected islands in Malaysia are taken into accounts as alternatives. The most important criteria that have been considered by the tourist are defined based on criteria weights ranking order and the best island in Malaysia is then determined in terms of FWA values. This pilot study can be used as a reference to evaluate performances or solving any selection problems, where more criteria, alternatives and decision makers will be considered in the future.

75 FR 55769 - Certain Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products From the Republic of Korea: Notice of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-14

... normal practice is to calculate an annual weighted-average cost for the POR. See, e.g., Certain Pasta... Antidumping Duty Order on Certain Pasta from Italy, 71 FR 45017, 45020 (August 8, 2006) (unchanged in Notice of Final Results of the Ninth Administrative Review of the Antidumping Duty Order on Certain Pasta...

Supermodeling With A Global Atmospheric Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiegerinck, Wim; Burgers, Willem; Selten, Frank

2013-04-01

In weather and climate prediction studies it often turns out to be the case that the multi-model ensemble mean prediction has the best prediction skill scores. One possible explanation is that the major part of the model error is random and is averaged out in the ensemble mean. In the standard multi-model ensemble approach, the models are integrated in time independently and the predicted states are combined a posteriori. Recently an alternative ensemble prediction approach has been proposed in which the models exchange information during the simulation and synchronize on a common solution that is closer to the truth than any of the individual model solutions in the standard multi-model ensemble approach or a weighted average of these. This approach is called the super modeling approach (SUMO). The potential of the SUMO approach has been demonstrated in the context of simple, low-order, chaotic dynamical systems. The information exchange takes the form of linear nudging terms in the dynamical equations that nudge the solution of each model to the solution of all other models in the ensemble. With a suitable choice of the connection strengths the models synchronize on a common solution that is indeed closer to the true system than any of the individual model solutions without nudging. This approach is called connected SUMO. An alternative approach is to integrate a weighted averaged model, weighted SUMO. At each time step all models in the ensemble calculate the tendency, these tendencies are weighted averaged and the state is integrated one time step into the future with this weighted averaged tendency. It was shown that in case the connected SUMO synchronizes perfectly, the connected SUMO follows the weighted averaged trajectory and both approaches yield the same solution. In this study we pioneer both approaches in the context of a global, quasi-geostrophic, three-level atmosphere model that is capable of simulating quite realistically the extra-tropical circulation in the Northern Hemisphere winter.

Pulmonary Nodule Recognition Based on Multiple Kernel Learning Support Vector Machine-PSO

PubMed Central

Zhu, Zhichuan; Zhao, Qingdong; Liu, Liwei; Zhang, Lijuan

2018-01-01

Pulmonary nodule recognition is the core module of lung CAD. The Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm has been widely used in pulmonary nodule recognition, and the algorithm of Multiple Kernel Learning Support Vector Machine (MKL-SVM) has achieved good results therein. Based on grid search, however, the MKL-SVM algorithm needs long optimization time in course of parameter optimization; also its identification accuracy depends on the fineness of grid. In the paper, swarm intelligence is introduced and the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is combined with MKL-SVM algorithm to be MKL-SVM-PSO algorithm so as to realize global optimization of parameters rapidly. In order to obtain the global optimal solution, different inertia weights such as constant inertia weight, linear inertia weight, and nonlinear inertia weight are applied to pulmonary nodules recognition. The experimental results show that the model training time of the proposed MKL-SVM-PSO algorithm is only 1/7 of the training time of the MKL-SVM grid search algorithm, achieving better recognition effect. Moreover, Euclidean norm of normalized error vector is proposed to measure the proximity between the average fitness curve and the optimal fitness curve after convergence. Through statistical analysis of the average of 20 times operation results with different inertial weights, it can be seen that the dynamic inertial weight is superior to the constant inertia weight in the MKL-SVM-PSO algorithm. In the dynamic inertial weight algorithm, the parameter optimization time of nonlinear inertia weight is shorter; the average fitness value after convergence is much closer to the optimal fitness value, which is better than the linear inertial weight. Besides, a better nonlinear inertial weight is verified. PMID:29853983

Pulmonary Nodule Recognition Based on Multiple Kernel Learning Support Vector Machine-PSO.

PubMed

Li, Yang; Zhu, Zhichuan; Hou, Alin; Zhao, Qingdong; Liu, Liwei; Zhang, Lijuan

2018-01-01

Pulmonary nodule recognition is the core module of lung CAD. The Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm has been widely used in pulmonary nodule recognition, and the algorithm of Multiple Kernel Learning Support Vector Machine (MKL-SVM) has achieved good results therein. Based on grid search, however, the MKL-SVM algorithm needs long optimization time in course of parameter optimization; also its identification accuracy depends on the fineness of grid. In the paper, swarm intelligence is introduced and the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is combined with MKL-SVM algorithm to be MKL-SVM-PSO algorithm so as to realize global optimization of parameters rapidly. In order to obtain the global optimal solution, different inertia weights such as constant inertia weight, linear inertia weight, and nonlinear inertia weight are applied to pulmonary nodules recognition. The experimental results show that the model training time of the proposed MKL-SVM-PSO algorithm is only 1/7 of the training time of the MKL-SVM grid search algorithm, achieving better recognition effect. Moreover, Euclidean norm of normalized error vector is proposed to measure the proximity between the average fitness curve and the optimal fitness curve after convergence. Through statistical analysis of the average of 20 times operation results with different inertial weights, it can be seen that the dynamic inertial weight is superior to the constant inertia weight in the MKL-SVM-PSO algorithm. In the dynamic inertial weight algorithm, the parameter optimization time of nonlinear inertia weight is shorter; the average fitness value after convergence is much closer to the optimal fitness value, which is better than the linear inertial weight. Besides, a better nonlinear inertial weight is verified.

Novel method for the determination of average molecular weight of natural polymers based on 2D DOSY NMR and chemometrics: Example of heparin.

PubMed

Monakhova, Yulia B; Diehl, Bernd W K; Do, Tung X; Schulze, Margit; Witzleben, Steffen

2018-02-05

Apart from the characterization of impurities, the full characterization of heparin and low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) also requires the determination of average molecular weight, which is closely related to the pharmaceutical properties of anticoagulant drugs. To determine average molecular weight of these animal-derived polymer products, partial least squares regression (PLS) was utilized for modelling of diffused-ordered spectroscopy NMR data (DOSY) of a representative set of heparin (n=32) and LMWH (n=30) samples. The same sets of samples were measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) to obtain reference data. The application of PLS to the data led to calibration models with root mean square error of prediction of 498Da and 179Da for heparin and LMWH, respectively. The average coefficients of variation (CVs) did not exceed 2.1% excluding sample preparation (by successive measuring one solution, n=5) and 2.5% including sample preparation (by preparing and analyzing separate samples, n=5). An advantage of the method is that the sample after standard 1D NMR characterization can be used for the molecular weight determination without further manipulation. The accuracy of multivariate models is better than the previous results for other matrices employing internal standards. Therefore, DOSY experiment is recommended to be employed for the calculation of molecular weight of heparin products as a complementary measurement to standard 1D NMR quality control. The method can be easily transferred to other matrices as well. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial Analysis of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in China Using a Geographically Weighted Logistic Regression Model

PubMed Central

Wu, Liang; Deng, Fei; Xie, Zhong; Hu, Sheng; Shen, Shu; Shi, Junming; Liu, Dan

2016-01-01

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is caused by severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), which has had a serious impact on public health in parts of Asia. There is no specific antiviral drug or vaccine for SFTSV and, therefore, it is important to determine the factors that influence the occurrence of SFTSV infections. This study aimed to explore the spatial associations between SFTSV infections and several potential determinants, and to predict the high-risk areas in mainland China. The analysis was carried out at the level of provinces in mainland China. The potential explanatory variables that were investigated consisted of meteorological factors (average temperature, average monthly precipitation and average relative humidity), the average proportion of rural population and the average proportion of primary industries over three years (2010–2012). We constructed a geographically weighted logistic regression (GWLR) model in order to explore the associations between the selected variables and confirmed cases of SFTSV. The study showed that: (1) meteorological factors have a strong influence on the SFTSV cover; (2) a GWLR model is suitable for exploring SFTSV cover in mainland China; (3) our findings can be used for predicting high-risk areas and highlighting when meteorological factors pose a risk in order to aid in the implementation of public health strategies. PMID:27845737

Mixing order of glidant and lubricant – Influence on powder and tablet properties

PubMed Central

Pingali, Kalyana; Mendez, Rafael; Lewis, Daniel; Michniak-Kohn, Bozena; Cuitino, Alberto; Muzzio, Fernando

2014-01-01

The main objective of the present work was to study the effect of mixing order of Cab-O-Sil (CS) and magnesium stearate (MgSt) and microlayers during mixing on blend and tablet properties. A first set of pharmaceutical blend containing Avicel PH200, Pharmatose and micronized acetaminophen was prepared with three mixing orders (mixing order-1: CS added first; mixing order-2: MgSt added first; mixing order-3: CS and MgSt added together). All the blends were subjected to a shear rate of 80 rpm and strain of 40, 160 and 640 revolutions in a controlled shear environment resulting in nine different blends. A second set of nine blends was prepared by replacing Avicel PH200 with Avicel PH102. A total of eighteen blends thus prepared were tested for powder hydrophobicity, powder flow, tablet weight, tablet hardness and tablet dissolution. Results indicated that powder hydrophobicity increased significantly for mixing order-1. Intermediate hydrophobic behavior was found for mixing order-3. Additionally, mixing order 1 resulted in improved powder flow properties, low weight variability, higher average tablet weight and slow drug release rates. Dissolution profiles obtained were found to be strongly dependent not only on the mixing order of flowing agents, but also on the strain and the resulting hydrophobicity. PMID:21356286

[Determine and parallel analysis of three kinds of PAEs in serum for obese children].

PubMed

Li, Ping; Dai, Xingbi; Dan, Hong; Huang, Xiaohong

2008-09-01

To study the serum contents of the PAEs of obese children at the ages of 10 to 12 years, in order to estimate the harm of PAEs on obese children. The contents of three kinds PAEs(DEP, DBP and DEHP) in the serum for two groups of children, including 36 obese children and 36 normal weight children, were determined by the reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method And the average measure value of three kind PAEs between two groups of children were analysed. The median serum levels of PAEs were 0.0032 (DEP), 0.1649 (DBP) and 0.1680 (DEHP) in obese children. And the serum levels of PAEs were 0.0026 (DEP), 0.0359 (DBP) and 0.1063 (DEHP) in normal weight children. The differences of average measure value of DBP and DEHP in three kind PAEs between two groups of children were significant (P < 0.01). The amounts of obese children in high level were more than those of normal weight children, and the constitution ratios in three kinds of PAEs of obese children were higher than those of normal weight children. The differences between two groups of children were significant (P < 0.01). The average levels of DBP and DEHP in serum of obese children were more than those of serum of normal weight children. The amounts of obese children were higher than those of normal weight children in high level content of three kinds of PAEs.

Hierarchical Bayesian analysis of outcome- and process-based social preferences and beliefs in Dictator Games and sequential Prisoner's Dilemmas.

PubMed

Aksoy, Ozan; Weesie, Jeroen

2014-05-01

In this paper, using a within-subjects design, we estimate the utility weights that subjects attach to the outcome of their interaction partners in four decision situations: (1) binary Dictator Games (DG), second player's role in the sequential Prisoner's Dilemma (PD) after the first player (2) cooperated and (3) defected, and (4) first player's role in the sequential Prisoner's Dilemma game. We find that the average weights in these four decision situations have the following order: (1)>(2)>(4)>(3). Moreover, the average weight is positive in (1) but negative in (2), (3), and (4). Our findings indicate the existence of strong negative and small positive reciprocity for the average subject, but there is also high interpersonal variation in the weights in these four nodes. We conclude that the PD frame makes subjects more competitive than the DG frame. Using hierarchical Bayesian modeling, we simultaneously analyze beliefs of subjects about others' utility weights in the same four decision situations. We compare several alternative theoretical models on beliefs, e.g., rational beliefs (Bayesian-Nash equilibrium) and a consensus model. Our results on beliefs strongly support the consensus effect and refute rational beliefs: there is a strong relationship between own preferences and beliefs and this relationship is relatively stable across the four decision situations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Average weighted receiving time on the non-homogeneous double-weighted fractal networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Dandan; Dai, Meifeng; Sun, Yu; Su, Weiyi

2017-05-01

In this paper, based on actual road networks, a model of the non-homogeneous double-weighted fractal networks is introduced depending on the number of copies s and two kinds of weight factors wi ,ri(i = 1 , 2 , … , s) . The double-weights represent the capacity-flowing weights and the cost-traveling weights, respectively. Denote by wijF the capacity-flowing weight connecting the nodes i and j, and denote by wijC the cost-traveling weight connecting the nodes i and j. Let wijF be related to the weight factors w1 ,w2 , … ,ws, and let wijC be related to the weight factors r1 ,r2 , … ,rs. Assuming that the walker, at each step, starting from its current node, moves to any of its neighbors with probability proportional to the capacity-flowing weight of edge linking them. The weighted time for two adjacency nodes is the cost-traveling weight connecting the two nodes. The average weighted receiving time (AWRT) is defined on the non-homogeneous double-weighted fractal networks. AWRT depends on the relationships of the number of copies s and two kinds of weight factors wi ,ri(i = 1 , 2 , … , s) . The obtained remarkable results display that in the large network, the AWRT grows as a power-law function of the network size Ng with the exponent, represented by θ =logs(w1r1 +w2r2 + ⋯ +wsrs) < 1 when w1r1 +w2r2 + ⋯ +wsrs ≠ 1, which means that the smaller the value of w1r1 +w2r2 + ⋯ +wsrs is, the more efficient the process of receiving information is. Especially when w1r1 +w2r2 + ⋯ +wsrs = 1, AWRT grows with increasing order Ng as logNg or (logNg) 2 . In the classic fractal networks, the average receiving time (ART) grows with linearly with the network size Ng. Thus, the non-homogeneous double-weighted fractal networks are more efficient than classic fractal networks in term of receiving information.

76 FR 28947 - Bus Testing: Calculation of Average Passenger Weight and Test Vehicle Weight, and Public Meeting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-19

...-0015] RIN 2132-AB01 Bus Testing: Calculation of Average Passenger Weight and Test Vehicle Weight, and... of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) regarding the calculation of average passenger weights and test vehicle... passenger weights and actual transit vehicle loads. Specifically, FTA proposed to change the average...

Viscosity Relaxation in Molten HgZnTe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Ching-Hua; Lehoczky, S. L.; Kim, Yeong Woo; Baird, James K.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Rotating cup measurements of the viscosity of the pseudo-binary melt, HgZnTe have shown that the isothermal liquid with zinc mole fraction 0.16 requires tens of hours of equilibration time before a steady viscous state can be achieved. Over this relaxation period, the viscosity at 790 C increases by a factor of two, while the viscosity at 810 C increases by 40%. Noting that the Group VI elements tend to polymerize when molten, we suggest that the viscosity of the melt is enhanced by the slow formation of Te atom chains. To explain the build-up of linear Te n-mers, we propose a scheme, which contains formation reactions with second order kinetics that increase the molecular weight, and decomposition reactions with first order kinetics that inactivate the chains. The resulting rate equations can be solved for the time dependence of each molecular weight fraction. Using these molecular weight fractions, we calculate the time dependence of the average molecular weight. Using the standard semi-empirical relation between polymer average molecular weight and viscosity, we then calculate the viscosity relaxation curve. By curve fitting, we find that the data imply that the rate constant for n-mer formation is much smaller than the rate constant for n-mer deactivation, suggesting that Te atoms only weakly polymerize in molten HgZnTe. The steady state toward which the melt relaxes occurs as the rate of formation of an n-mer becomes exactly balanced by the sum of the rate for its deactivation and the rate for its polymerization to form an (n+1)-mer.

Weighted south-wide average pulpwood prices

Treesearch

James E. Granskog; Kevin D. Growther

1991-01-01

Weighted average prices provide a more accurate representation of regional pulpwood price trends when production volumes valy widely by state. Unweighted South-wide average delivered prices for pulpwood, as reported by Timber Mart-South, were compared to average annual prices weighted by each state's pulpwood production from 1977 to 1986. Weighted average prices...

Combining forecast weights: Why and how?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Yip Chee; Kok-Haur, Ng; Hock-Eam, Lim

2012-09-01

This paper proposes a procedure called forecast weight averaging which is a specific combination of forecast weights obtained from different methods of constructing forecast weights for the purpose of improving the accuracy of pseudo out of sample forecasting. It is found that under certain specified conditions, forecast weight averaging can lower the mean squared forecast error obtained from model averaging. In addition, we show that in a linear and homoskedastic environment, this superior predictive ability of forecast weight averaging holds true irrespective whether the coefficients are tested by t statistic or z statistic provided the significant level is within the 10% range. By theoretical proofs and simulation study, we have shown that model averaging like, variance model averaging, simple model averaging and standard error model averaging, each produces mean squared forecast error larger than that of forecast weight averaging. Finally, this result also holds true marginally when applied to business and economic empirical data sets, Gross Domestic Product (GDP growth rate), Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Average Lending Rate (ALR) of Malaysia.

Measuring Household Vulnerability: A Fuzzy Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sethi, G.; Pierce, S. A.

2016-12-01

This research develops an index of vulnerability for Ugandan households using a variety of economic, social and environmental variables with two objectives. First, there is only a small body of research that measures household vulnerability. Given the stresses faced by households susceptible to water, environment, food, livelihood, energy, and health security concerns, it is critical that they be identified in order to make effective policy. We draw on the socio-ecological systems (SES) framework described by Ostrom (2009) and adapt the model developed by from Giupponi, Giove, and Giannini (2013) to develop a composite measure. Second, most indices in the literature are linear in nature, relying on simple weighted averages. In this research, we contrast the results obtained by a simple weighted average with those obtained by using the Choquet integral. The Choquet integral is a fuzzy measure, and is based on the generalization of the Lebesgue integral. Due to its non-additive nature, the Choquet integral offers a more general approach. Our results reveal that all households included in this study are highly vulnerable, and that vulnerability scores obtained by the fuzzy approach are significantly different from those obtained by using the simple weighted average (p = 9.46e-160).

Multi-criteria, personalized route planning using quantifier-guided ordered weighted averaging operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadi, S.; Delavar, M. R.

2011-06-01

This paper presents a generic model for using different decision strategies in multi-criteria, personalized route planning. Some researchers have considered user preferences in navigation systems. However, these prior studies typically employed a high tradeoff decision strategy, which used a weighted linear aggregation rule, and neglected other decision strategies. The proposed model integrates a pairwise comparison method and quantifier-guided ordered weighted averaging (OWA) aggregation operators to form a personalized route planning method that incorporates different decision strategies. The model can be used to calculate the impedance of each link regarding user preferences in terms of the route criteria, criteria importance and the selected decision strategy. Regarding the decision strategy, the calculated impedance lies between aggregations that use a logical "and" (which requires all the criteria to be satisfied) and a logical "or" (which requires at least one criterion to be satisfied). The calculated impedance also includes taking the average of the criteria scores. The model results in multiple alternative routes, which apply different decision strategies and provide users with the flexibility to select one of them en-route based on the real world situation. The model also defines the robust personalized route under different decision strategies. The influence of different decision strategies on the results are investigated in an illustrative example. This model is implemented in a web-based geographical information system (GIS) for Isfahan in Iran and verified in a tourist routing scenario. The results demonstrated, in real world situations, the validity of the route planning carried out in the model.

Study on Strata Behavior Regularity of 1301 Face in Thick Bedrock of Wei - qiang Coal Mine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Shuancheng; Yao, Boyu

2017-09-01

In order to ensure the safe and efficient production of the thick bedrock face, the rule of the strata behavior of the thick bedrock face is discussed through the observation of the strata pressure of the 1301 first mining face in Wei qiang coal mine. The initial face is to press the average distance of 50.75m, the periodic weighting is to press the average distance of 12.1m; during the normal mining period, although the upper roof can not be broken at the same time, but the pressure step is basically the same; the working face for the first weighting and periodical weighting is more obvious to the change of pressure step change, when the pressure of the working face is coming, the stent force increased significantly, but there are still part of the stent work resistance exceeds the rated working resistance, low stability, still need to strengthen management.

Morphology, directed self-assembly and pattern transfer from a high molecular weight polystyrene-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane) block copolymer film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Li-Chen; Bai, Wubin; Fernandez Martin, Eduardo; Tu, Kun-Hua; Ntetsikas, Konstantinos; Liontos, George; Avgeropoulos, Apostolos; Ross, C. A.

2017-04-01

The self-assembly of block copolymers with large feature sizes is inherently challenging as the large kinetic barrier arising from chain entanglement of high molecular weight (MW) polymers limits the extent over which long-range ordered microdomains can be achieved. Here, we illustrate the evolution of thin film morphology from a diblock copolymer of polystyrene-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane) exhibiting total number average MW of 123 kg mol-1, and demonstrate the formation of layers of well-ordered cylindrical microdomains under appropriate conditions of binary solvent mix ratio, commensurate film thickness, and solvent vapor annealing time. Directed self-assembly of the block copolymer within lithographically patterned trenches occurs with alignment of cylinders parallel to the sidewalls. Fabrication of ordered cobalt nanowire arrays by pattern transfer was also implemented, and their magnetic properties and domain wall behavior were characterized.

12 CFR 702.105 - Weighted-average life of investments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Weighted-average life of investments. 702.105... PROMPT CORRECTIVE ACTION Net Worth Classification § 702.105 Weighted-average life of investments. Except as provided below (Table 3), the weighted-average life of an investment for purposes of §§ 702.106(c...

12 CFR 702.105 - Weighted-average life of investments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Weighted-average life of investments. 702.105... PROMPT CORRECTIVE ACTION Net Worth Classification § 702.105 Weighted-average life of investments. Except as provided below (Table 3), the weighted-average life of an investment for purposes of §§ 702.106(c...

12 CFR 702.105 - Weighted-average life of investments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Weighted-average life of investments. 702.105... PROMPT CORRECTIVE ACTION Net Worth Classification § 702.105 Weighted-average life of investments. Except as provided below (Table 3), the weighted-average life of an investment for purposes of §§ 702.106(c...

12 CFR 702.105 - Weighted-average life of investments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Weighted-average life of investments. 702.105... PROMPT CORRECTIVE ACTION Net Worth Classification § 702.105 Weighted-average life of investments. Except as provided below (Table 3), the weighted-average life of an investment for purposes of §§ 702.106(c...

12 CFR 702.105 - Weighted-average life of investments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Weighted-average life of investments. 702.105... PROMPT CORRECTIVE ACTION Net Worth Classification § 702.105 Weighted-average life of investments. Except as provided below (Table 3), the weighted-average life of an investment for purposes of §§ 702.106(c...

26 CFR 1.989(b)-1 - Definition of weighted average exchange rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 10 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Definition of weighted average exchange rate. 1... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES Export Trade Corporations § 1.989(b)-1 Definition of weighted average exchange rate. For purposes of section 989(b)(3) and (4), the term “weighted average exchange rate...

An Improved Simulated Annealing Technique for Enhanced Mobility in Smart Cities.

PubMed

Amer, Hayder; Salman, Naveed; Hawes, Matthew; Chaqfeh, Moumena; Mihaylova, Lyudmila; Mayfield, Martin

2016-06-30

Vehicular traffic congestion is a significant problem that arises in many cities. This is due to the increasing number of vehicles that are driving on city roads of limited capacity. The vehicular congestion significantly impacts travel distance, travel time, fuel consumption and air pollution. Avoidance of traffic congestion and providing drivers with optimal paths are not trivial tasks. The key contribution of this work consists of the developed approach for dynamic calculation of optimal traffic routes. Two attributes (the average travel speed of the traffic and the roads' length) are utilized by the proposed method to find the optimal paths. The average travel speed values can be obtained from the sensors deployed in smart cities and communicated to vehicles via the Internet of Vehicles and roadside communication units. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared to three other algorithms: the simulated annealing weighted sum, the simulated annealing technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution and the Dijkstra algorithm. The weighted sum and technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution methods are used to formulate different attributes in the simulated annealing cost function. According to the Sheffield scenario, simulation results show that the improved simulated annealing technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution method improves the traffic performance in the presence of congestion by an overall average of 19.22% in terms of travel time, fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions as compared to other algorithms; also, similar performance patterns were achieved for the Birmingham test scenario.

An Improved Simulated Annealing Technique for Enhanced Mobility in Smart Cities

PubMed Central

Amer, Hayder; Salman, Naveed; Hawes, Matthew; Chaqfeh, Moumena; Mihaylova, Lyudmila; Mayfield, Martin

2016-01-01

Vehicular traffic congestion is a significant problem that arises in many cities. This is due to the increasing number of vehicles that are driving on city roads of limited capacity. The vehicular congestion significantly impacts travel distance, travel time, fuel consumption and air pollution. Avoidance of traffic congestion and providing drivers with optimal paths are not trivial tasks. The key contribution of this work consists of the developed approach for dynamic calculation of optimal traffic routes. Two attributes (the average travel speed of the traffic and the roads’ length) are utilized by the proposed method to find the optimal paths. The average travel speed values can be obtained from the sensors deployed in smart cities and communicated to vehicles via the Internet of Vehicles and roadside communication units. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared to three other algorithms: the simulated annealing weighted sum, the simulated annealing technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution and the Dijkstra algorithm. The weighted sum and technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution methods are used to formulate different attributes in the simulated annealing cost function. According to the Sheffield scenario, simulation results show that the improved simulated annealing technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution method improves the traffic performance in the presence of congestion by an overall average of 19.22% in terms of travel time, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions as compared to other algorithms; also, similar performance patterns were achieved for the Birmingham test scenario. PMID:27376289

Controlled Hydrogen Peroxide Decomposition for a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Oxidant Source with a Microreactor Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-01

established assuming first order kinetics weighted via an inputted catalyst mass, Mcat (equation 2). catrxn MCk *−=22OHr (2) The...H2O2 (0-50%w/w) solution heat capacity(J/kg*K) M cat Mcat 0.03 Mass of Catalyst (g) Deffhh2o 7.85E-10 Average effective diffusivity of H2O2 into... Mcat *c Rate Law for Elementary 1st Order Irreversible Reaction (mol/((s*m^3)) r H2O rtb -rt Rate Law for Elementary 1st Order Irreversible Reaction

Design and validation of a high-order weighted-frequency fourier linear combiner-based Kalman filter for parkinsonian tremor estimation.

PubMed

Zhou, Y; Jenkins, M E; Naish, M D; Trejos, A L

2016-08-01

The design of a tremor estimator is an important part of designing mechanical tremor suppression orthoses. A number of tremor estimators have been developed and applied with the assumption that tremor is a mono-frequency signal. However, recent experimental studies have shown that Parkinsonian tremor consists of multiple frequencies, and that the second and third harmonics make a large contribution to the tremor. Thus, the current estimators may have limited performance on estimation of the tremor harmonics. In this paper, a high-order tremor estimation algorithm is proposed and compared with its lower-order counterpart and a widely used estimator, the Weighted-frequency Fourier Linear Combiner (WFLC), using 18 Parkinsonian tremor data sets. The results show that the proposed estimator has better performance than its lower-order counterpart and the WFLC. The percentage estimation accuracy of the proposed estimator is 85±2.9%, an average improvement of 13% over the lower-order counterpart. The proposed algorithm holds promise for use in wearable tremor suppression devices.

Polyacrylamide medium for the electrophoretic separation of biomolecules

DOEpatents

Madabhushi, Ramakrishna S.; Gammon, Stuart A.

2003-11-11

A polyacryalmide medium for the electrophoretic separation of biomolecules. The polyacryalmide medium comprises high molecular weight polyacrylamides (PAAm) having a viscosity average molecular weight (M.sub.v) of about 675-725 kDa were synthesized by conventional red-ox polymerization technique. Using this separation medium, capillary electrophoresis of BigDye DNA sequencing standard was performed. A single base resolution of .about.725 bases was achieved in .about.60 minute in a non-covalently coated capillary of 50 .mu.m i.d., 40 cm effective length, and a filed of 160 V/cm at 40.degree. C. The resolution achieved with this formulation to separate DNA under identical conditions is much superior (725 bases vs. 625 bases) and faster (60 min. vs. 75 min.) to the commercially available PAAm, such as supplied by Amersham. The formulation method employed here to synthesize PAAm is straight-forward, simple and does not require cumbersome methods such as emulsion polymerizaiton in order to achieve very high molecular weights. Also, the formulation here does not require separation of PAAm from the reaction mixture prior to reconstituting the polymer to a final concentration. Furthermore, the formulation here is prepared from a single average mol. wt. PAAm as opposed to the mixture of two different average mo. wt. PAAm previously required to achieve high resolution.

Tailoring dietary approaches for weight loss.

PubMed

Gardner, C D

2012-07-01

Although the 'Low-Fat' diet was the predominant public health recommendation for weight loss and weight control for the past several decades, the obesity epidemic continued to grow during this time period. An alternative 'low-carbohydrate' (Low-Carb) approach, although originally dismissed and even vilified, was comparatively tested in a series of studies over the past decade, and has been found in general to be as effective, if not more, as the Low-Fat approach for weight loss and for several related metabolic health measures. From a glass half full perspective, this suggests that there is more than one choice for a dietary approach to lose weight, and that Low-Fat and Low-Carb diets may be equally effective. From a glass half empty perspective, the average amount of weight lost on either of these two dietary approaches under the conditions studied, particularly when followed beyond 1 year, has been modest at best and negligible at worst, suggesting that the two approaches may be equally ineffective. One could resign themselves at this point to focusing on calories and energy intake restriction, regardless of macronutrient distributions. However, before throwing out the half-glass of water, it is worthwhile to consider that focusing on average results may mask important subgroup successes and failures. In all weight-loss studies, without exception, the range of individual differences in weight change within any particular diet groups is orders of magnitude greater than the average group differences between diet groups. Several studies have now reported that adults with greater insulin resistance are more successful with weight loss on a lower-carbohydrate diet compared with a lower-fat diet, whereas adults with greater insulin sensitivity are equally or more successful with weight loss on a lower-fat diet compared with a lower-carbohydrate diet. Other preliminary findings suggest that there may be some promise with matching individuals with certain genotypes to one type of diet over another for increasing weight-loss success. Future research to address the macronutrient intake component of the obesity epidemic should build on these recent insights and be directed toward effectively classifying individuals who can be differentially matched to alternate types of weight-loss diets that maximize weight-loss and weight-control success.

Tailoring dietary approaches for weight loss

PubMed Central

Gardner, C D

2012-01-01

Although the ‘Low-Fat' diet was the predominant public health recommendation for weight loss and weight control for the past several decades, the obesity epidemic continued to grow during this time period. An alternative ‘low-carbohydrate' (Low-Carb) approach, although originally dismissed and even vilified, was comparatively tested in a series of studies over the past decade, and has been found in general to be as effective, if not more, as the Low-Fat approach for weight loss and for several related metabolic health measures. From a glass half full perspective, this suggests that there is more than one choice for a dietary approach to lose weight, and that Low-Fat and Low-Carb diets may be equally effective. From a glass half empty perspective, the average amount of weight lost on either of these two dietary approaches under the conditions studied, particularly when followed beyond 1 year, has been modest at best and negligible at worst, suggesting that the two approaches may be equally ineffective. One could resign themselves at this point to focusing on calories and energy intake restriction, regardless of macronutrient distributions. However, before throwing out the half-glass of water, it is worthwhile to consider that focusing on average results may mask important subgroup successes and failures. In all weight-loss studies, without exception, the range of individual differences in weight change within any particular diet groups is orders of magnitude greater than the average group differences between diet groups. Several studies have now reported that adults with greater insulin resistance are more successful with weight loss on a lower-carbohydrate diet compared with a lower-fat diet, whereas adults with greater insulin sensitivity are equally or more successful with weight loss on a lower-fat diet compared with a lower-carbohydrate diet. Other preliminary findings suggest that there may be some promise with matching individuals with certain genotypes to one type of diet over another for increasing weight-loss success. Future research to address the macronutrient intake component of the obesity epidemic should build on these recent insights and be directed toward effectively classifying individuals who can be differentially matched to alternate types of weight-loss diets that maximize weight-loss and weight-control success. PMID:25089189

Childhood and adolescent obesity: how many extra calories are responsible for excess of weight?

PubMed

Pereira, Helen Rose C; Bobbio, Tatiana Godoy; Antonio, Maria Ângela R G M; Barros Filho, Antônio de Azevedo

2013-06-01

To review the main articles on energy imbalance and obesity in order to quantify the daily energy surplus associated with weight gain in children and adolescents. Articles published in the last ten years, indexed in electronic databases Medline (Pubmed) and SciELO-Br. In the Medline database, the descriptor "energy gap" was used and describes the energy values ​​associated with changes in body weight in individuals or populations. In SciELO-Br database, the descriptors "obesity", "energy metabolism", "energy balance", and "energy imbalance" were used, once it was not possible to find national articles discussing the energy gap. In the pediatric population, four studies were performed and indicate that children and adolescents are gradually gaining weight due to a small, but persistent, daily positive energy balance of 70 to 160kcal above the total energy suitable for growth. The results suggest that small changes in daily eating behavior as well as physical activity would be enough to prevent future weight gain in this population. gradual weight gain can be explained by small daily average of positive energy balance, from 70 to 160kcal above the total energy suitable for growth. The incentive to small changes in eating behavior and physical activities that promotes daily reduction of 160kcal can be an accessible practice in order to block weight gain in this population.

Results of simultaneous radon and thoron measurements in 33 metropolitan areas of Canada

PubMed Central

Chen, Jing; Bergman, Lauren; Falcomer, Renato; Whyte, Jeff

2015-01-01

Radon has been identified as the second leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoking. 222Rn (radon gas) and 220Rn (thoron gas) are the most common isotopes of radon. In order to assess thoron contribution to indoor radon and thoron exposure, a survey of residential radon and thoron concentrations was initiated in 2012 with ∼4000 homes in the 33 census metropolitan areas of Canada. The survey confirmed that indoor radon and thoron concentrations are not correlated and that thoron concentrations cannot be predicted from widely available radon information. The results showed that thoron contribution to the radiation dose varied from 0.5 to 6 % geographically. The study indicated that, on average, thoron contributes ∼3 % of the radiation dose due to indoor radon and thoron exposure in Canada. Even though the estimated average thoron concentration of 9 Bq m−3 (population weighted) in Canada is low, the average radon concentration of 96 Bq m−3 (population weighted) is more than double the worldwide average indoor radon concentration. It is clear that continued efforts are needed to further reduce the exposure and effectively reduce the number of lung cancers caused by radon. PMID:24748485

Principal curvatures and area ratio of propagating surfaces in isotropic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Tianhang; You, Jiaping; Yang, Yue

2017-10-01

We study the statistics of principal curvatures and the surface area ratio of propagating surfaces with a constant or nonconstant propagating velocity in isotropic turbulence using direct numerical simulation. Propagating surface elements initially constitute a plane to model a planar premixed flame front. When the statistics of evolving propagating surfaces reach the stationary stage, the statistical profiles of principal curvatures scaled by the Kolmogorov length scale versus the constant displacement speed scaled by the Kolmogorov velocity scale collapse at different Reynolds numbers. The magnitude of averaged principal curvatures and the number of surviving surface elements without cusp formation decrease with increasing displacement speed. In addition, the effect of surface stretch on the nonconstant displacement speed inhibits the cusp formation on surface elements at negative Markstein numbers. In order to characterize the wrinkling process of the global propagating surface, we develop a model to demonstrate that the increase of the surface area ratio is primarily due to positive Lagrangian time integrations of the area-weighted averaged tangential strain-rate term and propagation-curvature term. The difference between the negative averaged mean curvature and the positive area-weighted averaged mean curvature characterizes the cellular geometry of the global propagating surface.

34 CFR 222.162 - What disparity standard must a State meet in order to be certified and how are disparities in...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... current expenditures or revenues per pupil for free public education among LEAs in the State is no more... State. The method for calculating the percentage of disparity in a State is in the appendix to this... in paragraph (a) of this section. The method for calculating the weighted average disparity...

34 CFR 222.162 - What disparity standard must a State meet in order to be certified and how are disparities in...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... current expenditures or revenues per pupil for free public education among LEAs in the State is no more... State. The method for calculating the percentage of disparity in a State is in the appendix to this... in paragraph (a) of this section. The method for calculating the weighted average disparity...

34 CFR 222.162 - What disparity standard must a State meet in order to be certified and how are disparities in...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... current expenditures or revenues per pupil for free public education among LEAs in the State is no more... State. The method for calculating the percentage of disparity in a State is in the appendix to this... in paragraph (a) of this section. The method for calculating the weighted average disparity...

Workplace Breathing Rates: Defining Anticipated Values and Ranges for Respirator Certification Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-09-01

Test participants cleared heavy, wet snow with either a shovel or an electric snow thrower in random order, with 10- to 15-minute rest periods between...automated snow thrower . Using the average subject population weight of 85.7 kg, estimated Po2 in L-min-l would be about 1.71 L-min-’ for shoveling and 0.72

Noise correction on LANDSAT images using a spline-like algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vijaykumar, N. L. (Principal Investigator); Dias, L. A. V.

1985-01-01

Many applications using LANDSAT images face a dilemma: the user needs a certain scene (for example, a flooded region), but that particular image may present interference or noise in form of horizontal stripes. During automatic analysis, this interference or noise may cause false readings of the region of interest. In order to minimize this interference or noise, many solutions are used, for instane, that of using the average (simple or weighted) values of the neighboring vertical points. In the case of high interference (more than one adjacent line lost) the method of averages may not suit the desired purpose. The solution proposed is to use a spline-like algorithm (weighted splines). This type of interpolation is simple to be computer implemented, fast, uses only four points in each interval, and eliminates the necessity of solving a linear equation system. In the normal mode of operation, the first and second derivatives of the solution function are continuous and determined by data points, as in cubic splines. It is possible, however, to impose the values of the first derivatives, in order to account for shapr boundaries, without increasing the computational effort. Some examples using the proposed method are also shown.

Hierarchical semi-numeric method for pairwise fuzzy group decision making.

PubMed

Marimin, M; Umano, M; Hatono, I; Tamura, H

2002-01-01

Gradual improvements to a single-level semi-numeric method, i.e., linguistic labels preference representation by fuzzy sets computation for pairwise fuzzy group decision making are summarized. The method is extended to solve multiple criteria hierarchical structure pairwise fuzzy group decision-making problems. The problems are hierarchically structured into focus, criteria, and alternatives. Decision makers express their evaluations of criteria and alternatives based on each criterion by using linguistic labels. The labels are converted into and processed in triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs). Evaluations of criteria yield relative criteria weights. Evaluations of the alternatives, based on each criterion, yield a degree of preference for each alternative or a degree of satisfaction for each preference value. By using a neat ordered weighted average (OWA) or a fuzzy weighted average operator, solutions obtained based on each criterion are aggregated into final solutions. The hierarchical semi-numeric method is suitable for solving a larger and more complex pairwise fuzzy group decision-making problem. The proposed method has been verified and applied to solve some real cases and is compared to Saaty's (1996) analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method.

Comparison of Node-Centered and Cell-Centered Unstructured Finite-Volume Discretizations: Inviscid Fluxes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diskin, Boris; Thomas, James L.

2010-01-01

Cell-centered and node-centered approaches have been compared for unstructured finite-volume discretization of inviscid fluxes. The grids range from regular grids to irregular grids, including mixed-element grids and grids with random perturbations of nodes. Accuracy, complexity, and convergence rates of defect-correction iterations are studied for eight nominally second-order accurate schemes: two node-centered schemes with weighted and unweighted least-squares (LSQ) methods for gradient reconstruction and six cell-centered schemes two node-averaging with and without clipping and four schemes that employ different stencils for LSQ gradient reconstruction. The cell-centered nearest-neighbor (CC-NN) scheme has the lowest complexity; a version of the scheme that involves smart augmentation of the LSQ stencil (CC-SA) has only marginal complexity increase. All other schemes have larger complexity; complexity of node-centered (NC) schemes are somewhat lower than complexity of cell-centered node-averaging (CC-NA) and full-augmentation (CC-FA) schemes. On highly anisotropic grids typical of those encountered in grid adaptation, discretization errors of five of the six cell-centered schemes converge with second order on all tested grids; the CC-NA scheme with clipping degrades solution accuracy to first order. The NC schemes converge with second order on regular and/or triangular grids and with first order on perturbed quadrilaterals and mixed-element grids. All schemes may produce large relative errors in gradient reconstruction on grids with perturbed nodes. Defect-correction iterations for schemes employing weighted least-square gradient reconstruction diverge on perturbed stretched grids. Overall, the CC-NN and CC-SA schemes offer the best options of the lowest complexity and secondorder discretization errors. On anisotropic grids over a curved body typical of turbulent flow simulations, the discretization errors converge with second order and are small for the CC-NN, CC-SA, and CC-FA schemes on all grids and for NC schemes on triangular grids; the discretization errors of the CC-NA scheme without clipping do not converge on irregular grids. Accurate gradient reconstruction can be achieved by introducing a local approximate mapping; without approximate mapping, only the NC scheme with weighted LSQ method provides accurate gradients. Defect correction iterations for the CC-NA scheme without clipping diverge; for the NC scheme with weighted LSQ method, the iterations either diverge or converge very slowly. The best option in curved geometries is the CC-SA scheme that offers low complexity, second-order discretization errors, and fast convergence.

The Power Plant Operating Data Based on Real-time Digital Filtration Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Ning; Chen, Ya-mi; Wang, Hui-jie

2018-03-01

Real-time monitoring of the data of the thermal power plant was the basis of accurate analyzing thermal economy and accurate reconstruction of the operating state. Due to noise interference was inevitable; we need real-time monitoring data filtering to get accurate information of the units and equipment operating data of the thermal power plant. Real-time filtering algorithm couldn’t be used to correct the current data with future data. Compared with traditional filtering algorithm, there were a lot of constraints. First-order lag filtering method and weighted recursive average filtering method could be used for real-time filtering. This paper analyzes the characteristics of the two filtering methods and applications for real-time processing of the positive spin simulation data, and the thermal power plant operating data. The analysis was revealed that the weighted recursive average filtering method applied to the simulation and real-time plant data filtering achieved very good results.

Measurement and Analysis of Porosity in Al-10Si-1Mg Components Additively Manufactured by Selective Laser Melting

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

Rao, Suraj; Cunningham, Ross; Ozturk, Tugce

Aluminum alloys are candidate materials for weight critical applications because of their excellent strength and stiffness to weight ratio. However, defects such as voids decrease the strength and fatigue life of these alloys, which can limit the application of Selective Laser Melting. In this study, the average volume fraction, average size, and size distribution of pores in Al10-Si-1Mg samples built using Selective Laser Melting have been characterized. Synchrotron high energy X-rays were used to perform computed tomography on volumes of order one cubic millimeter with a resolution of approximately 1.5 μm. Substantial variations in the pore size distributions were foundmore » as a function of process conditions. Even under conditions that ensured that all locations were melted at least once, a significant number density was found of pores above 5 μm in diameter.« less

Design for the optical retardation in broadband zero-order half-wave plates.

PubMed

Liu, Jin; Cai, Yi; Chen, Hongyi; Zeng, Xuanke; Zou, Da; Xu, Shixiang

2011-04-25

This paper presents a novel design for broadband zero-order half-wave plates to eliminate the first-order or up to second-order wavelength-dependent birefringent phase retardation (BPR) with 2 or 3 different birefringent materials. The residual BPRs of the plates increase monotonously with the wavelength deviation from a selected wavelength, so the plates are applicable to the broadband light pulses which gather most of the light energy around their central wavelengths. The model chooses the materials by the birefringent dispersion coefficient and evaluates the performances of the plates by the weighted average of the absolute value of residual BPR in order to emphasize the contributions of the incident spectral components whose possess higher energies.

The effects of leachate recirculation with supplemental water addition on methane production and waste decomposition in a simulated tropical landfill.

PubMed

Sanphoti, N; Towprayoon, S; Chaiprasert, P; Nopharatana, A

2006-10-01

In order to increase methane production efficiency, leachate recirculation is applied in landfills to increase moisture content and circulate organic matter back into the landfill cell. In the case of tropical landfills, where high temperature and evaporation occurs, leachate recirculation may not be enough to maintain the moisture content, therefore supplemental water addition into the cell is an option that could help stabilize moisture levels as well as stimulate biological activity. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of leachate recirculation and supplemental water addition on municipal solid waste decomposition and methane production in three anaerobic digestion reactors. Anaerobic digestion with leachate recirculation and supplemental water addition showed the highest performance in terms of cumulative methane production and the stabilization period time required. It produced an accumulated methane production of 54.87 l/kg dry weight of MSW at an average rate of 0.58 l/kg dry weight/d and reached the stabilization phase on day 180. The leachate recirculation reactor provided 17.04 l/kg dry weight at a rate of 0.14l/kg dry weight/d and reached the stabilization phase on day 290. The control reactor provided 9.02 l/kg dry weight at a rate of 0.10 l/kg dry weight/d, and reached the stabilization phase on day 270. Increasing the organic loading rate (OLR) after the waste had reached the stabilization phase made it possible to increase the methane content of the gas, the methane production rate, and the COD removal. Comparison of the reactors' efficiencies at maximum OLR (5 kgCOD/m(3)/d) in terms of the methane production rate showed that the reactor using leachate recirculation with supplemental water addition still gave the highest performance (1.56 l/kg dry weight/d), whereas the leachate recirculation reactor and the control reactor provided 0.69 l/kg dry weight/d and 0.43 l/kg dry weight/d, respectively. However, when considering methane composition (average 63.09%) and COD removal (average 90.60%), slight differences were found among these three reactors.

A novel weight determination method for time series data aggregation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Paiheng; Zhang, Rong; Deng, Yong

2017-09-01

Aggregation in time series is of great importance in time series smoothing, predicting and other time series analysis process, which makes it crucial to address the weights in times series correctly and reasonably. In this paper, a novel method to obtain the weights in time series is proposed, in which we adopt induced ordered weighted aggregation (IOWA) operator and visibility graph averaging (VGA) operator and linearly combine the weights separately generated by the two operator. The IOWA operator is introduced to the weight determination of time series, through which the time decay factor is taken into consideration. The VGA operator is able to generate weights with respect to the degree distribution in the visibility graph constructed from the corresponding time series, which reflects the relative importance of vertices in time series. The proposed method is applied to two practical datasets to illustrate its merits. The aggregation of Construction Cost Index (CCI) demonstrates the ability of proposed method to smooth time series, while the aggregation of The Taiwan Stock Exchange Capitalization Weighted Stock Index (TAIEX) illustrate how proposed method maintain the variation tendency of original data.

26 CFR 1.989(b)-1 - Definition of weighted average exchange rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 10 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Definition of weighted average exchange rate. 1... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Export Trade Corporations § 1.989(b)-1 Definition of weighted average exchange rate. For purposes of section 989(b)(3) and (4), the term “weighted...

Genetic analyses of partial egg production in Japanese quail using multi-trait random regression models.

PubMed

Karami, K; Zerehdaran, S; Barzanooni, B; Lotfi, E

2017-12-01

1. The aim of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters for average egg weight (EW) and egg number (EN) at different ages in Japanese quail using multi-trait random regression (MTRR) models. 2. A total of 8534 records from 900 quail, hatched between 2014 and 2015, were used in the study. Average weekly egg weights and egg numbers were measured from second until sixth week of egg production. 3. Nine random regression models were compared to identify the best order of the Legendre polynomials (LP). The most optimal model was identified by the Bayesian Information Criterion. A model with second order of LP for fixed effects, second order of LP for additive genetic effects and third order of LP for permanent environmental effects (MTRR23) was found to be the best. 4. According to the MTRR23 model, direct heritability for EW increased from 0.26 in the second week to 0.53 in the sixth week of egg production, whereas the ratio of permanent environment to phenotypic variance decreased from 0.48 to 0.1. Direct heritability for EN was low, whereas the ratio of permanent environment to phenotypic variance decreased from 0.57 to 0.15 during the production period. 5. For each trait, estimated genetic correlations among weeks of egg production were high (from 0.85 to 0.98). Genetic correlations between EW and EN were low and negative for the first two weeks, but they were low and positive for the rest of the egg production period. 6. In conclusion, random regression models can be used effectively for analysing egg production traits in Japanese quail. Response to selection for increased egg weight would be higher at older ages because of its higher heritability and such a breeding program would have no negative genetic impact on egg production.

Influence of pre-pregnancy leisure time physical activity on gestational and postpartum weight gain and birth weight - a cohort study.

PubMed

Hegaard, Hanne Kristine; Rode, Line; Katballe, Malene Kjær; Langberg, Henning; Ottesen, Bent; Damm, Peter

2017-08-01

In order to examine the association between pre-pregnancy leisure time physical activities and gestational weight gain, postpartum weight gain and birth weight, we analysed prospectively collected data from 1827 women with singleton term pregnancies. Women were categorised in groups of sedentary women, light exercisers, moderate exercisers and competitive athletes. The results showed that sedentary women on average gained 14.1 kg during pregnancy, whereas light exercisers gained 13.7 kg, moderate exercisers gained 14.3 kg and competitive athletes 16.1 kg. Competitive athletes had an increased risk of having a gestational weight gain above Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations with an odds ratio of 2.60 (1.32-5.15) compared to light exercisers. However, birth weight and one year postpartum weight was similar for all four groups. Thus, although competitive athletes gain more weight than recommended during pregnancy, this may not affect birth weight or postpartum weight. Impact statement What is already known on this subjectPrevious studies have found that increased pre-pregnancy physical activity is associated with lower gestational weight gain during the last trimester, but showed no association between the pre-pregnancy level of physical activity and mean birth weight. What the results of this study addWe found that women classified as competitive exercisers had a 2.6-fold increased risk of gaining more weight than recommended compared to light exercisers. Nearly 6 out of 10 women among the competitive exercisers gained more weight than recommended by IOM. Surprisingly, this did not appear to increase birth weight or post-partum weight gain, but other adverse effects cannot be excluded. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further researchIn the clinical practice it may be relevant to focus on and advise pre-pregnancy competitive exercisers in order to prevent excessive gestational weight gain.

12 CFR Appendix B to Subpart A of... - Conversion of Scorecard Measures into Score

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 327—Conversion of Scorecard Measures into Score 1. Weighted Average CAMELS Rating Weighted average CAMELS ratings between 1 and 3.5 are assigned a score between 25 and 100 according to the following equation: S = 25 + [(20/3) * (C 2 −1)], where: S = the weighted average CAMELS score; and C = the weighted...

12 CFR Appendix B to Subpart A of... - Conversion of Scorecard Measures into Score

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 327—Conversion of Scorecard Measures into Score 1. Weighted Average CAMELS Rating Weighted average CAMELS ratings between 1 and 3.5 are assigned a score between 25 and 100 according to the following equation: S = 25 + [(20/3) * (C 2 −1)], where: S = the weighted average CAMELS score; and C = the weighted...

12 CFR Appendix B to Subpart A of... - Conversion of Scorecard Measures into Score

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 327—Conversion of Scorecard Measures into Score 1. Weighted Average CAMELS Rating Weighted average CAMELS ratings between 1 and 3.5 are assigned a score between 25 and 100 according to the following equation: S = 25 + [(20/3) * (C 2 −1)], where: S = the weighted average CAMELS score; and C = the weighted...

Parturition in gilts: duration of farrowing, birth intervals and placenta expulsion in relation to maternal, piglet and placental traits.

PubMed

van Rens, Birgitte T T M; van der Lende, Tette

2004-07-01

Large White x Meishan F2 crossbred gilts (n = 57) were observed continuously during farrowing while the placentae of their offspring were labeled in order to examine the duration of farrowing and placenta expulsion in relation to maternal-, piglet- and placental traits and the duration of birth interval in relation to birth weight, birth order and placental traits. Independently from each other, litter size, gestation length and offspring directed aggression significantly (P 0.05) affected duration of farrowing. An increase in litter size was associated with an increase of duration of farrowing and an increase in gestation length was associated with a decrease of duration of farrowing. Aggressive gilts took longer to farrow, compared to non-aggressive ones. After taking into account litter size, gestation length and offspring directed aggression, placental thickness (i.e., placental weight corrected for placental surface area) was significantly (P < 0.05) related to duration of farrowing, i.e., litters with on average thicker placentae took longer to farrow. The latter effect is the result of the fact that individual placental thickness significantly (P < 0.01) affected individual birth interval, independent of birth weight. The piglet has to break its own membranes to be able to start its journey through the uterus towards the birth channel. Apparently, a thicker placenta offers more resistance and thus prolongs the process of birth. Independent of placental thickness, birth interval significantly (P < 0.01) decreased with an increase in birth order (first born to last born). The high variation of birth intervals for the last born piglets, caused a slight increase in average birth interval for the latter piglets. Litters with on average more areolae per placenta took significantly (P < 0.001) less time to be born than litters with on average less areolae per placenta (independent of total number of piglets born and other placental traits), while birth intervals within litters were not affected by this trait. Thus, these results are probably due to a gilt trait rather than a piglet trait. Since the number of areolae represent the number of uterine glands present, the gilt trait might be uterine development. Duration of placenta expulsion significantly (P < 0.01) increased with an increase of duration of farrowing. Furthermore, the first placenta was expelled significantly (P < 0.01) earlier relative to last piglet when duration of farrowing was protracted, while there was no relation of the time interval between first placenta and last piglet and the duration of placenta expulsion. In conclusion, the most important finding of this study is that placental thickness rather than birth weight appears to play an important role in the duration of birth intervals and as a result, of duration of parturition in gilts.

Improving calibration and validation of cosmic-ray neutron sensors in the light of spatial sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrön, Martin; Köhli, Markus; Scheiffele, Lena; Iwema, Joost; Bogena, Heye R.; Lv, Ling; Martini, Edoardo; Baroni, Gabriele; Rosolem, Rafael; Weimar, Jannis; Mai, Juliane; Cuntz, Matthias; Rebmann, Corinna; Oswald, Sascha E.; Dietrich, Peter; Schmidt, Ulrich; Zacharias, Steffen

2017-10-01

In the last few years the method of cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRNS) has gained popularity among hydrologists, physicists, and land-surface modelers. The sensor provides continuous soil moisture data, averaged over several hectares and tens of decimeters in depth. However, the signal still may contain unidentified features of hydrological processes, and many calibration datasets are often required in order to find reliable relations between neutron intensity and water dynamics. Recent insights into environmental neutrons accurately described the spatial sensitivity of the sensor and thus allowed one to quantify the contribution of individual sample locations to the CRNS signal. Consequently, data points of calibration and validation datasets are suggested to be averaged using a more physically based weighting approach. In this work, a revised sensitivity function is used to calculate weighted averages of point data. The function is different from the simple exponential convention by the extraordinary sensitivity to the first few meters around the probe, and by dependencies on air pressure, air humidity, soil moisture, and vegetation. The approach is extensively tested at six distinct monitoring sites: two sites with multiple calibration datasets and four sites with continuous time series datasets. In all cases, the revised averaging method improved the performance of the CRNS products. The revised approach further helped to reveal hidden hydrological processes which otherwise remained unexplained in the data or were lost in the process of overcalibration. The presented weighting approach increases the overall accuracy of CRNS products and will have an impact on all their applications in agriculture, hydrology, and modeling.

A Group Decision Framework with Intuitionistic Preference Relations and Its Application to Low Carbon Supplier Selection.

PubMed

Tong, Xiayu; Wang, Zhou-Jing

2016-09-19

This article develops a group decision framework with intuitionistic preference relations. An approach is first devised to rectify an inconsistent intuitionistic preference relation to derive an additive consistent one. A new aggregation operator, the so-called induced intuitionistic ordered weighted averaging (IIOWA) operator, is proposed to aggregate individual intuitionistic fuzzy judgments. By using the mean absolute deviation between the original and rectified intuitionistic preference relations as an order inducing variable, the rectified consistent intuitionistic preference relations are aggregated into a collective preference relation. This treatment is presumably able to assign different weights to different decision-makers' judgments based on the quality of their inputs (in terms of consistency of their original judgments). A solution procedure is then developed for tackling group decision problems with intuitionistic preference relations. A low carbon supplier selection case study is developed to illustrate how to apply the proposed decision model in practice.

A Group Decision Framework with Intuitionistic Preference Relations and Its Application to Low Carbon Supplier Selection

PubMed Central

Tong, Xiayu; Wang, Zhou-Jing

2016-01-01

This article develops a group decision framework with intuitionistic preference relations. An approach is first devised to rectify an inconsistent intuitionistic preference relation to derive an additive consistent one. A new aggregation operator, the so-called induced intuitionistic ordered weighted averaging (IIOWA) operator, is proposed to aggregate individual intuitionistic fuzzy judgments. By using the mean absolute deviation between the original and rectified intuitionistic preference relations as an order inducing variable, the rectified consistent intuitionistic preference relations are aggregated into a collective preference relation. This treatment is presumably able to assign different weights to different decision-makers’ judgments based on the quality of their inputs (in terms of consistency of their original judgments). A solution procedure is then developed for tackling group decision problems with intuitionistic preference relations. A low carbon supplier selection case study is developed to illustrate how to apply the proposed decision model in practice. PMID:27657097

Sundanese ancient manuscripts search engine using probability approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suryani, Mira; Hadi, Setiawan; Paulus, Erick; Nurma Yulita, Intan; Supriatna, Asep K.

2017-10-01

Today, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become a regular thing for every aspect of live include cultural and heritage aspect. Sundanese ancient manuscripts as Sundanese heritage are in damage condition and also the information that containing on it. So in order to preserve the information in Sundanese ancient manuscripts and make them easier to search, a search engine has been developed. The search engine must has good computing ability. In order to get the best computation in developed search engine, three types of probabilistic approaches: Bayesian Networks Model, Divergence from Randomness with PL2 distribution, and DFR-PL2F as derivative form DFR-PL2 have been compared in this study. The three probabilistic approaches supported by index of documents and three different weighting methods: term occurrence, term frequency, and TF-IDF. The experiment involved 12 Sundanese ancient manuscripts. From 12 manuscripts there are 474 distinct terms. The developed search engine tested by 50 random queries for three types of query. The experiment results showed that for the single query and multiple query, the best searching performance given by the combination of PL2F approach and TF-IDF weighting method. The performance has been evaluated using average time responds with value about 0.08 second and Mean Average Precision (MAP) about 0.33.

[Delimitation of urban growth boundary based on ecological suitability and risk control: A case of Taibai Lake New District in Jining City, Shandong, China.

PubMed

Liu, Yan Xu; Peng, Jian; Sun, Mao Long; Yang, Yang

2016-08-01

Urban growth boundary, with full consideration of regional ecological constraints, can effectively control the unordered urban sprawl. Thus, urban growth boundary is a significant planning concept integrating regional ecological protection and urban construction. Finding the preferential position for urban construction, as well as controlling the ecological risk, has always been the core content of urban growth boundary delimitation. This study selected Taibai Lake New District in Jining City as a case area, and analyzed the scenario of ecological suitability by ordered weighted ave-raging algorithm. Surface temperature retrieval and rain flooding simulation were used to identify the spatial ecological risk. In the result of ecological suitability, the suitable construction zone accounted for 25.3% of the total area, the unsuitable construction zone accounted for 20.4%, and the other area was in the limit construction zone. Excluding the ecological risk control region, the flexible urban growth boundary covered 2975 hm 2 in near term, and covered 6754 hm 2 in long term. The final inflexible urban growth boundary covered 9405 hm 2 . As a new method, the scenario algorithms of ordered weighted averaging and ecological risk modeling could provide effective support in urban growth boundary identification.

9 CFR 54.6 - Amount of indemnity payments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... will be used. The AMS reports from the most recent week or month prior to the date APHIS offers to pay... weighted average Choice/Prime slaughter lamb price per pound at Greeley, CO; (2) The weekly weighted average Utility slaughter ewe price per pound at San Angelo, TX; (3) The monthly weighted average...

46 CFR 164.009-15 - Test procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... seconds. (4) The average weight loss of the specimens after heating is not more than 50 percent of their... described in paragraphs (b) through (k) of this section, except the average weight loss of the sample is... weighed while still hot. (6) The average weight loss of the specimens after heating may not be more than...

Dynamic parameters of three-point crutch gait in female patients after total hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Murawa, Michał; Dworak, Lechosław B; Kabaciński, Jarosław; Syczewska, Małgorzata; Rzepnicka, Agata

2016-01-01

Patient recovery after a surgical procedure depends, among other factors, on the amount of the body weight with which patient loads lower limb. Research studies report different results of the degree of body weight with which lower limb is loaded during three-point crutch gait. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of the ground reaction forces (GRF) during crutch gait used by patients after total hip arthroplasty (THA) in the first week after discharge from the orthopaedic units. Ten female patients diagnosed with primary unilateral coxarthrosis participated in a single measurement session. In order to record kinematic and dynamic variables of this gait pattern motion analysis system was used together with two force plates. The static test of body weight distribution between lower limbs was performed on a dual-top stabilometric plate. The average peak values of loading on the operated (O) limb during mid stance and terminal stance of three-point crutch gait were 64.6% and 64.3% of body weight (BW), respectively, whereas in the case of the nonoperated (NO) limb 103.5%BW and 108.8%BW, respectively. The maximum loads on the crutches were significantly higher (by 9%BW) on the NO side as compared to the O side ( p < 0.05). During the static test, average values of body weight distribution on the O and NO limb were 36%BW and 64%BW, respectively. The patients showed surprisingly similar level of loading on the O limb. The weight bearing on the O limb was lower during static trial than during three-point crutch gait.

Numerical Investigation of a Model Scramjet Combustor Using DDES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Junsu; Sung, Hong-Gye

2017-04-01

Non-reactive flows moving through a model scramjet were investigated using a delayed detached eddy simulation (DDES), which is a hybrid scheme combining Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes scheme and a large eddy simulation. The three dimensional Navier-Stokes equations were solved numerically on a structural grid using finite volume methods. An in-house was developed. This code used a monotonic upstream-centered scheme for conservation laws (MUSCL) with an advection upstream splitting method by pressure weight function (AUSMPW+) for space. In addition, a 4th order Runge-Kutta scheme was used with preconditioning for time integration. The geometries and boundary conditions of a scramjet combustor operated by DLR, a German aerospace center, were considered. The profiles of the lower wall pressure and axial velocity obtained from a time-averaged solution were compared with experimental results. Also, the mixing efficiency and total pressure recovery factor were provided in order to inspect the performance of the combustor.

Discrete distributed strain sensing of intelligent structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Mark S.; Crawley, Edward F.

1992-01-01

Techniques are developed for the design of discrete highly distributed sensor systems for use in intelligent structures. First the functional requirements for such a system are presented. Discrete spatially averaging strain sensors are then identified as satisfying the functional requirements. A variety of spatial weightings for spatially averaging sensors are examined, and their wave number characteristics are determined. Preferable spatial weightings are identified. Several numerical integration rules used to integrate such sensors in order to determine the global deflection of the structure are discussed. A numerical simulation is conducted using point and rectangular sensors mounted on a cantilevered beam under static loading. Gage factor and sensor position uncertainties are incorporated to assess the absolute error and standard deviation of the error in the estimated tip displacement found by numerically integrating the sensor outputs. An experiment is carried out using a statically loaded cantilevered beam with five point sensors. It is found that in most cases the actual experimental error is within one standard deviation of the absolute error as found in the numerical simulation.

24 CFR Appendix B to Part 1000 - IHBG Block Grant Formula Mechanisms

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... weighted average for AEL (NAEL). The FMR factor is also defined in § 1000.302 as the relative difference between a local area Fair Market Rent (FMR) and the national weighted average for FMR. OPSUB = [LR * LRSUB... FMR Factor weighted by national average of AEL Factor and FRM Factor. AEL FACTOR = AEL/NAEL. AEL...

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.

Estimation of genetic parameters for milk yield in Murrah buffaloes by Bayesian inference.

PubMed

Breda, F C; Albuquerque, L G; Euclydes, R F; Bignardi, A B; Baldi, F; Torres, R A; Barbosa, L; Tonhati, H

2010-02-01

Random regression models were used to estimate genetic parameters for test-day milk yield in Murrah buffaloes using Bayesian inference. Data comprised 17,935 test-day milk records from 1,433 buffaloes. Twelve models were tested using different combinations of third-, fourth-, fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-order orthogonal polynomials of weeks of lactation for additive genetic and permanent environmental effects. All models included the fixed effects of contemporary group, number of daily milkings and age of cow at calving as covariate (linear and quadratic effect). In addition, residual variances were considered to be heterogeneous with 6 classes of variance. Models were selected based on the residual mean square error, weighted average of residual variance estimates, and estimates of variance components, heritabilities, correlations, eigenvalues, and eigenfunctions. Results indicated that changes in the order of fit for additive genetic and permanent environmental random effects influenced the estimation of genetic parameters. Heritability estimates ranged from 0.19 to 0.31. Genetic correlation estimates were close to unity between adjacent test-day records, but decreased gradually as the interval between test-days increased. Results from mean squared error and weighted averages of residual variance estimates suggested that a model considering sixth- and seventh-order Legendre polynomials for additive and permanent environmental effects, respectively, and 6 classes for residual variances, provided the best fit. Nevertheless, this model presented the largest degree of complexity. A more parsimonious model, with fourth- and sixth-order polynomials, respectively, for these same effects, yielded very similar genetic parameter estimates. Therefore, this last model is recommended for routine applications. Copyright 2010 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Efficacy of Simultaneous Breast Reconstruction and Contralateral Balancing Procedures in Reducing the Need for Second Stage Operations

PubMed Central

Clarke-Pearson, Emily M; Vornovitsky, Michael; Dayan, Joseph H; Samson, William; Sultan, Mark R

2014-01-01

Background Patients having unilateral breast reconstruction often require a second stage procedure on the contralateral breast to improve symmetry. In order to provide immediate symmetry and minimize the frequency and extent of secondary procedures, we began performing simultaneous contralateral balancing operations at the time of initial reconstruction. This study examines the indications, safety, and efficacy of this approach. Methods One-hundred and two consecutive breast reconstructions with simultaneous contralateral balancing procedures were identified. Data included patient age, body mass index (BMI), type of reconstruction and balancing procedure, specimen weight, transfusion requirement, complications and additional surgery under anesthesia. Unpaired t-tests were used to compare BMI, specimen weight and need for non-autologous transfusion. Results Average patient age was 48 years. The majority had autologous tissue-only reconstructions (94%) and the rest prosthesis-based reconstructions (6%). Balancing procedures included reduction mammoplasty (50%), mastopexy (49%), and augmentation mammoplasty (1%). Average BMI was 27 and average reduction specimen was 340 grams. Non-autologous blood transfusion rate was 9%. There was no relationship between BMI or reduction specimen weight and need for transfusion. We performed secondary surgery in 24% of the autologous group and 100% of the prosthesis group. Revision rate for symmetry was 13% in the autologous group and 17% in the prosthesis group. Conclusions Performing balancing at the time of breast reconstruction is safe and most effective in autologous reconstructions, where 87% did not require a second operation for symmetry. PMID:25276646

Combination of GRACE monthly gravity field solutions from different processing strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jean, Yoomin; Meyer, Ulrich; Jäggi, Adrian

2018-02-01

We combine the publicly available GRACE monthly gravity field time series to produce gravity fields with reduced systematic errors. We first compare the monthly gravity fields in the spatial domain in terms of signal and noise. Then, we combine the individual gravity fields with comparable signal content, but diverse noise characteristics. We test five different weighting schemes: equal weights, non-iterative coefficient-wise, order-wise, or field-wise weights, and iterative field-wise weights applying variance component estimation (VCE). The combined solutions are evaluated in terms of signal and noise in the spectral and spatial domains. Compared to the individual contributions, they in general show lower noise. In case the noise characteristics of the individual solutions differ significantly, the weighted means are less noisy, compared to the arithmetic mean: The non-seasonal variability over the oceans is reduced by up to 7.7% and the root mean square (RMS) of the residuals of mass change estimates within Antarctic drainage basins is reduced by 18.1% on average. The field-wise weighting schemes in general show better performance, compared to the order- or coefficient-wise weighting schemes. The combination of the full set of considered time series results in lower noise levels, compared to the combination of a subset consisting of the official GRACE Science Data System gravity fields only: The RMS of coefficient-wise anomalies is smaller by up to 22.4% and the non-seasonal variability over the oceans by 25.4%. This study was performed in the frame of the European Gravity Service for Improved Emergency Management (EGSIEM; http://www.egsiem.eu) project. The gravity fields provided by the EGSIEM scientific combination service (ftp://ftp.aiub.unibe.ch/EGSIEM/) are combined, based on the weights derived by VCE as described in this article.

Exploring multicriteria decision strategies in GIS with linguistic quantifiers: A case study of residential quality evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malczewski, Jacek; Rinner, Claus

2005-06-01

Commonly used GIS combination operators such as Boolean conjunction/disjunction and weighted linear combination can be generalized to the ordered weighted averaging (OWA) family of operators. This multicriteria evaluation method allows decision-makers to define a decision strategy on a continuum between pessimistic and optimistic strategies. Recently, OWA has been introduced to GIS-based decision support systems. We propose to extend a previous implementation of OWA with linguistic quantifiers to simplify the definition of decision strategies and to facilitate an exploratory analysis of multiple criteria. The linguistic quantifier-guided OWA procedure is illustrated using a dataset for evaluating residential quality of neighborhoods in London, Ontario.

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

Boutilier, Justin J., E-mail: j.boutilier@mail.utoronto.ca; Lee, Taewoo; Craig, Tim

Purpose: To develop and evaluate the clinical applicability of advanced machine learning models that simultaneously predict multiple optimization objective function weights from patient geometry for intensity-modulated radiation therapy of prostate cancer. Methods: A previously developed inverse optimization method was applied retrospectively to determine optimal objective function weights for 315 treated patients. The authors used an overlap volume ratio (OV) of bladder and rectum for different PTV expansions and overlap volume histogram slopes (OVSR and OVSB for the rectum and bladder, respectively) as explanatory variables that quantify patient geometry. Using the optimal weights as ground truth, the authors trained and appliedmore » three prediction models: logistic regression (LR), multinomial logistic regression (MLR), and weighted K-nearest neighbor (KNN). The population average of the optimal objective function weights was also calculated. Results: The OV at 0.4 cm and OVSR at 0.1 cm features were found to be the most predictive of the weights. The authors observed comparable performance (i.e., no statistically significant difference) between LR, MLR, and KNN methodologies, with LR appearing to perform the best. All three machine learning models outperformed the population average by a statistically significant amount over a range of clinical metrics including bladder/rectum V53Gy, bladder/rectum V70Gy, and dose to the bladder, rectum, CTV, and PTV. When comparing the weights directly, the LR model predicted bladder and rectum weights that had, on average, a 73% and 74% relative improvement over the population average weights, respectively. The treatment plans resulting from the LR weights had, on average, a rectum V70Gy that was 35% closer to the clinical plan and a bladder V70Gy that was 29% closer, compared to the population average weights. Similar results were observed for all other clinical metrics. Conclusions: The authors demonstrated that the KNN and MLR weight prediction methodologies perform comparably to the LR model and can produce clinical quality treatment plans by simultaneously predicting multiple weights that capture trade-offs associated with sparing multiple OARs.« less

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.

76 FR 28998 - Implementation of Revised Passenger Weight Standards for Existing Passenger Vessels

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-19

... Inspection prior to a change in the assumed average weight per person standard that will become effective in... several factors, including the total weight of people carried based on an Assumed Average Weight per... reason, the policy letter referred to in this notice provides supplemental guidance to the implementation...

Cognitive algebra of love through the adult life.

PubMed

Falconi, Anne; Mullet, Etienne

2003-01-01

The study was aimed at characterizing the exact algebraic structure of the love schema in order to trace possible changes in the conceptualization of love throughout the adult life cycle, notably as regards the weight attributed to the three components of love: passion, intimacy, and commitment. The methodological framework was the Functional Theory of Cognition. Irrespective of the gender and age of the participants (from 18 to 93), the structure of the love schema was shown to obey an equal-weight-averaging rule; the love schema was conceived as a strictly compensatory schema. Irrespective of age and gender, passion was the most important factor (w = .51), followed by intimacy (.29) and commitment (.20). The relationship between overall love value and degree of passion (or intimacy or commitment) was not conceived as a linear one, but as an exponential one. The weight of passion was shown to decline over age, and the weight of commitment was shown to increase over age. This change was, however, very limited and observed in elderly participants only.

Time needed to board an airplane: a power law and the structure behind it.

PubMed

Frette, Vidar; Hemmer, Per C

2012-01-01

A simple model for the boarding of an airplane is studied. Passengers have reserved seats but enter the airplane in arbitrary order. Queues are formed along the aisle, as some passengers have to wait to reach the seats for which they have reservation. We label a passenger by the number of his or her reserved seat. In most cases the boarding process is much slower than for the optimal situation, where passenger and seat orders are identical. We study this dynamical system by calculating the average boarding time when all permutations of N passengers are given equal weight. To first order, the boarding time for a given permutation (ordering) of the passengers is given by the number s of sequences of monotonically increasing values in the permutation. We show that the distribution of s is symmetric on [1,N], which leads to an average boarding time (N+1)/2. We have found an exact expression for s and have shown that the full distribution of s approaches a normal distribution as N increases. However, there are significant corrections to the first-order results, due to certain correlations between passenger ordering and the substrate (seat ordering). This occurs for some cases in which the sequence of the seats is partially mirrored in the passenger ordering. These cases with correlations have a boarding time that is lower than predicted by the first-order results. The large number of cases with reduced boarding times have been classified. We also give some indicative results on the geometry of the correlations, with sorting into geometry groups. With increasing N, both the number of correlation types and the number of cases belonging to each type increase rapidly. Using enumeration we find that as a result of these correlations the average boarding time behaves like N(α), with α≃0.69, as compared with α=1.0 for the first-order approximation. © 2012 American Physical Society

Enhanced Fuzzy-OWA model for municipal solid waste landfill site selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Siti Zubaidah; Ahamad, Mohd Sanusi S.; Yusoff, Mohd Suffian; Abujayyab, Sohaib K. M.

2017-10-01

In Malaysia, the municipal solid waste landfill site is an essential facility that needs to be evaluated as its demand is infrequently getting higher. The increment of waste generation forces the government to cater the appropriate site for waste disposal. However, the selection process for new landfill sites is a difficult task with regard to land scarcity and time consumption. In addition, the complication will proliferate when there are various criteria to be considered. Therefore, this paper intends to show the significance of the fuzzy logic-ordered weighted average (Fuzzy-OWA) model for the landfill site suitability analysis. The model was developed to generalize the multi-criteria combination that was extended to the GIS applications as part of the decision support module. OWA has the capability to implement different combination operators through the selection of appropriate order weight that is possible in changing the form of aggregation such as minimum, intermediate and maximum types of combination. OWA give six forms of aggregation results that have their specific significance that indirectly evaluates the environmental, physical and socio-economic (EPSE) criteria respectively. Nevertheless, one of the aggregated results has shown similarity with the weighted linear combination (WLC) method.

Application of multi-criteria decision-making to risk prioritisation in tidal energy developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolios, Athanasios; Read, George; Ioannou, Anastasia

2016-01-01

This paper presents an analytical multi-criterion analysis for the prioritisation of risks for the development of tidal energy projects. After a basic identification of risks throughout the project and relevant stakeholders in the UK, classified through a political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental analysis, relevant questionnaires provided scores to each risk and corresponding weights for each of the different sectors. Employing an extended technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution as well as the weighted sum method based on the data obtained, the risks identified are ranked based on their criticality, drawing attention of the industry in mitigating the ones scoring higher. Both methods were modified to take averages at different stages of the analysis in order to observe the effects on the final risk ranking. A sensitivity analysis of the results was also carried out with regard to the weighting factors given to the perceived expertise of participants, with different results being obtained whether a linear, squared or square root regression is used. Results of the study show that academics and industry have conflicting opinions with regard to the perception of the most critical risks.

Persistence of lower birth weight in second generation South Asian babies born in the United Kingdom

PubMed Central

Margetts, B; Mohd, Y; Al, D; Jackson, A

2002-01-01

Objective: To assess differences in birth weight between all first and second generation South Asian babies born in Southampton, and trends since 1957. Design: Retrospective, cohort study. Setting: Birth records for babies born in Southampton from 1957 to 1996 were searched to identify all babies born of South Asian origin (including from the Indian subcontinent, East Africa, and elsewhere). Main outcome measures: All information recorded in the birth record about the mother and baby was extracted. Results: 2395 full term (>37 weeks; mean birth weight 3110; 95%CI 3092 to 3129) singleton births were identified. Detailed analysis was restricted to mothers either born in the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh (1435)) or United Kingdom (283). Mean birth weight and % low birth weight (<2500 g) were 3133 g (95%CI 3108 to 3157) and 7.5%, for first generation babies and 3046 g (2992 to 3099) and 11.7% for second generation babies. There was no trend over time to increased average birth weight in either first or second generation babies. Adjusting for other factors that were statistically significantly related to birth weight (gender, gestational age, mother's age, maternal weight at 15 weeks, parity, and mother's ethnic group) did not alter the trends. Conclusions: For that group in the UK who derive from the Indian subcontinent, average birth weight is significantly less than the national average. There has not been any increase in the average birth weight over the past 40 years, and the birth weight of babies of women who were born in the UK are no greater. The persistence of lower than desirable birth weight may result long term in higher than average rates of diabetes and heart disease in these groups. PMID:12177085

Persistence of lower birth weight in second generation South Asian babies born in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Margetts, B M; Mohd Yusof, S; Al Dallal, Z; Jackson, A A

2002-09-01

To assess differences in birth weight between all first and second generation South Asian babies born in Southampton, and trends since 1957. Retrospective, cohort study. Birth records for babies born in Southampton from 1957 to 1996 were searched to identify all babies born of South Asian origin (including from the Indian subcontinent, East Africa, and elsewhere). All information recorded in the birth record about the mother and baby was extracted. 2395 full term (>37 weeks; mean birth weight 3110; 95%CI 3092 to 3129) singleton births were identified. Detailed analysis was restricted to mothers either born in the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh (1435)) or United Kingdom (283). Mean birth weight and % low birth weight (<2500 g) were 3133 g (95%CI 3108 to 3157) and 7.5%, for first generation babies and 3046 g (2992 to 3099) and 11.7% for second generation babies. There was no trend over time to increased average birth weight in either first or second generation babies. Adjusting for other factors that were statistically significantly related to birth weight (gender, gestational age, mother's age, maternal weight at 15 weeks, parity, and mother's ethnic group) did not alter the trends. For that group in the UK who derive from the Indian subcontinent, average birth weight is significantly less than the national average. There has not been any increase in the average birth weight over the past 40 years, and the birth weight of babies of women who were born in the UK are no greater. The persistence of lower than desirable birth weight may result long term in higher than average rates of diabetes and heart disease in these groups.

A comparison of free weight squat to Smith machine squat using electromyography.

PubMed

Schwanbeck, Shane; Chilibeck, Philip D; Binsted, Gordon

2009-12-01

The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether free weight or Smith machine squats were optimal for activating the prime movers of the legs and the stabilizers of the legs and the trunk. Six healthy participants performed 1 set of 8 repetitions (using a weight they could lift 8 times, i.e., 8RM, or 8 repetition maximum) for each of the free weight squat and Smith machine squat in a randomized order with a minimum of 3 days between sessions, while electromyographic (EMG) activity of the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, lumbar erector spinae, and rectus abdominus were simultaneously measured. Electromyographic activity was significantly higher by 34, 26, and 49 in the gastrocnemius, biceps femoris, and vastus medialis, respectively, during the free weight squat compared to the Smith machine squat (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between free weight and Smith machine squat for any of the other muscles; however, the EMG averaged over all muscles during the free weight squat was 43% higher when compared to the Smith machine squat (p < 0.05). The free weight squat may be more beneficial than the Smith machine squat for individuals who are looking to strengthen plantar flexors, knee flexors, and knee extensors.

Exploiting Sparsity in Hyperspectral Image Classification via Graphical Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

distribution p by minimizing the Kullback – Leibler (KL) distance D(p‖p̂) = Ep[log(p/p̂)] using first- and second-order statistics, via a maximum-weight...Obtain sparse representations αl, l = 1, . . . , T , in RN from test image. 6: Inference: Classify based on the output of the resulting classifier using ...The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing

Measurement of jet charge in dijet events from $$\\sqrt{s}$$ = 8 TeV $pp$ collisions with the ATLAS detector

DOE PAGES

Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.; ...

2016-03-02

In this study, the momentum-weighted sum of the charges of tracks associated to a jet is sensitive to the charge of the initiating quark or gluon. This paper presents a measurement of the distribution of momentum-weighted sums, called jet charge, in dijet events using 20.3 fb -1 of data recorded with the ATLAS detector at √s = 8 TeV in pp collisions at the LHC. The jet charge distribution is unfolded to remove distortions from detector effects and the resulting particle-level distribution is compared with several models. The p T dependence of the jet charge distribution average and standard deviationmore » are compared to predictions obtained with several leading-order and next-to-leading-order parton distribution functions. The data are also compared to different Monte Carlo simulations of QCD dijet production using various settings of the free parameters within these models. The chosen value of the strong coupling constant used to calculate gluon radiation is found to have a significant impact on the predicted jet charge. There is evidence for a p T dependence of the jet charge distribution for a given jet flavor. In agreement with perturbative QCD predictions, the data show that the average jet charge of quark-initiated jets decreases in magnitude as the energy of the jet increases.« less

Improved hybridization of Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) algorithm with Fuzzy Multiple Attribute Decision Making - Simple Additive Weighting (FMADM-SAW)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaiwani, B. E.; Zarlis, M.; Efendi, S.

2018-03-01

In this research, the improvement of hybridization algorithm of Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) with Fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS) in selecting the best bank chief inspector based on several qualitative and quantitative criteria with various priorities. To improve the performance of the above research, FAHP algorithm hybridization with Fuzzy Multiple Attribute Decision Making - Simple Additive Weighting (FMADM-SAW) algorithm was adopted, which applied FAHP algorithm to the weighting process and SAW for the ranking process to determine the promotion of employee at a government institution. The result of improvement of the average value of Efficiency Rate (ER) is 85.24%, which means that this research has succeeded in improving the previous research that is equal to 77.82%. Keywords: Ranking and Selection, Fuzzy AHP, Fuzzy TOPSIS, FMADM-SAW.

A rough set approach for determining weights of decision makers in group decision making.

PubMed

Yang, Qiang; Du, Ping-An; Wang, Yong; Liang, Bin

2017-01-01

This study aims to present a novel approach for determining the weights of decision makers (DMs) based on rough group decision in multiple attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) problems. First, we construct a rough group decision matrix from all DMs' decision matrixes on the basis of rough set theory. After that, we derive a positive ideal solution (PIS) founded on the average matrix of rough group decision, and negative ideal solutions (NISs) founded on the lower and upper limit matrixes of rough group decision. Then, we obtain the weight of each group member and priority order of alternatives by using relative closeness method, which depends on the distances from each individual group member' decision to the PIS and NISs. Through comparisons with existing methods and an on-line business manager selection example, the proposed method show that it can provide more insights into the subjectivity and vagueness of DMs' evaluations and selections.

Haptic biofeedback for improving compliance with lower-extremity partial weight bearing.

PubMed

Fu, Michael C; DeLuke, Levi; Buerba, Rafael A; Fan, Richard E; Zheng, Ying Jean; Leslie, Michael P; Baumgaertner, Michael R; Grauer, Jonathan N

2014-11-01

After lower-extremity orthopedic trauma and surgery, patients are often advised to restrict weight bearing on the affected limb. Conventional training methods are not effective at enabling patients to comply with recommendations for partial weight bearing. The current study assessed a novel method of using real-time haptic (vibratory/vibrotactile) biofeedback to improve compliance with instructions for partial weight bearing. Thirty healthy, asymptomatic participants were randomized into 1 of 3 groups: verbal instruction, bathroom scale training, and haptic biofeedback. Participants were instructed to restrict lower-extremity weight bearing in a walking boot with crutches to 25 lb, with an acceptable range of 15 to 35 lb. A custom weight bearing sensor and biofeedback system was attached to all participants, but only those in the haptic biofeedback group were given a vibrotactile signal if they exceeded the acceptable range. Weight bearing in all groups was measured with a separate validated commercial system. The verbal instruction group bore an average of 60.3±30.5 lb (mean±standard deviation). The bathroom scale group averaged 43.8±17.2 lb, whereas the haptic biofeedback group averaged 22.4±9.1 lb (P<.05). As a percentage of body weight, the verbal instruction group averaged 40.2±19.3%, the bathroom scale group averaged 32.5±16.9%, and the haptic biofeedback group averaged 14.5±6.3% (P<.05). In this initial evaluation of the use of haptic biofeedback to improve compliance with lower-extremity partial weight bearing, haptic biofeedback was superior to conventional physical therapy methods. Further studies in patients with clinical orthopedic trauma are warranted. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Upgrades to the REA method for producing probabilistic climate change projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Ying; Gao, Xuejie; Giorgi, Filippo

2010-05-01

We present an augmented version of the Reliability Ensemble Averaging (REA) method designed to generate probabilistic climate change information from ensembles of climate model simulations. Compared to the original version, the augmented one includes consideration of multiple variables and statistics in the calculation of the performance-based weights. In addition, the model convergence criterion previously employed is removed. The method is applied to the calculation of changes in mean and variability for temperature and precipitation over different sub-regions of East Asia based on the recently completed CMIP3 multi-model ensemble. Comparison of the new and old REA methods, along with the simple averaging procedure, and the use of different combinations of performance metrics shows that at fine sub-regional scales the choice of weighting is relevant. This is mostly because the models show a substantial spread in performance for the simulation of precipitation statistics, a result that supports the use of model weighting as a useful option to account for wide ranges of quality of models. The REA method, and in particular the upgraded one, provides a simple and flexible framework for assessing the uncertainty related to the aggregation of results from ensembles of models in order to produce climate change information at the regional scale. KEY WORDS: REA method, Climate change, CMIP3

Occurrence of organochlorine contaminants (PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs) and pathologic findings in loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, from the Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea).

PubMed

Storelli, Maria M; Zizzo, Nicola

2014-02-15

Livers of 12 loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (Adriatic Sea) were analyzed for the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs). Pathological and microbiological studies were also carried out in order to provide a contribution to the knowledge of causes of Mediterranean turtle death. Boat-strike injuries, entanglement in derelict fishing nets and ingestion of hooks and monofilament lines are the causes of death most frequently observed. PCBs (average: 1,399 ng g(-1) fat basis) were the dominant chemicals, followed by PCDFs (average: 61 pg g(-1) fat basic) and PCDDs (average: 16 pg g(-1) fat basis). Hexachlorobiphenyl 153 accounted for the greatest proportion of the total PCBs, followed in order by PCB 138 and PCB 180 (14.1%). Mid-chlorinated, penta-through hepta-PCBs were among the top contributors to the sum of total PCBs, while the homolog pattern of PCCD/Fs was dominated by the tetra- to hexa-substituted congeners. In general the contamination level observed here was comparable with that reported in literature for specimens from different marine areas. Average TEQPCDD/Fs+Dl-PCBs concentration was 27.02 pg g(-1) wet weight (305.1 pg g(-1) lipid weight), with dioxin like-PCBs (93.4%) contributing much more to the total than PCDFs (3.9%) and PCDDs (2.7%). The appreciable concentration of TEQ would at first suggest that there are signs of potential threats to the health of these marine reptiles. Apart from PCBs, this is the first study documenting concentrations of PCDD/Fs in marine turtles from the Mediterranean Sea. Further investigations are urgently needed to characterize their contamination level for a better future protection and conservation of this endangered animal. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do increases in cigarette prices lead to increases in sales of cigarettes with high tar and nicotine yields?

PubMed

Farrelly, Matthew C; Loomis, Brett R; Mann, Nathan H

2007-10-01

We used scanner data on cigarette prices and sales collected from supermarkets across the United States from 1994 to 2004 to test the hypothesis that cigarette prices are positively correlated with sales of cigarettes with higher tar and nicotine content. During this period the average inflation-adjusted price for menthol cigarettes increased 55.8%. Price elasticities from multivariate regression models suggest that this price increase led to an increase of 1.73% in sales-weighted average tar yields and a 1.28% increase in sales-weighted average nicotine yields for menthol cigarettes. The 50.5% price increase of nonmenthol varieties over the same period yielded an estimated increase of 1% in tar per cigarette but no statistically significant increase in nicotine yields. An ordered probit model of the impact of cigarette prices on cigarette strength (ultra-light, light, full flavor, unfiltered) offers an explanation: As cigarette prices increase, the probability that stronger cigarette types will be sold increases. This effect is larger for menthol than for nonmenthol cigarettes. Our results are consistent with earlier population-based cross-sectional and longitudinal studies showing that higher cigarette prices and taxes are associated with increasing consumption of higher-yield cigarettes by smokers.

Spatiotemporal distribution and the characteristics of the air temperature of a river source region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

PubMed

Deng, Cai; Zhang, Wanchang

2018-05-30

As the backland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the river source region is highly sensitive to changes in global climate. Air temperature estimation using remote sensing satellite provides a new way of conducting studies in the field of climate change study. A geographically weighted regression model was applied to estimate synchronic air temperature from 2001 to 2015 using Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometry (MODIS) data. The results were R 2  = 0.913 and RMSE = 2.47 °C, which confirmed the feasibility of the estimation. The spatial distribution and variation characteristics of the average annual and seasonal air temperature were analyzed. The findings are as follows: (1) the distribution of average annual air temperature has significant terrain characteristics. The reduction in average annual air temperature along the elevation of the region is 0.19 °C/km, whereas the reduction in the average annual air temperature along the latitude is 0.04 °C/degree. (2) The average annual air temperature increase in the region is 0.37 °C/decade. The average air temperature increase could be arranged in the following decreasing order: Yangtze River Basin > Mekong River Basin > Nujiang River Basin > Yarlung Zangbo River Basin > Yellow River Basin. The fastest, namely, Yangtze River Basin, is 0.47 °C/decade. (3) The average air temperature rise in spring, summer, and winter generally increases with higher altitude. The average annual air temperature in different types of lands following a decreasing order is as follows: wetland > construction land > bare land glacier > shrub grassland > arable land > forest land > water body and that of the fastest one, wetland, is 0.13 °C/year.

10 CFR 611.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... both subpart A and subpart B. Adjusted average fuel economy means a harmonic production weighted average of the combined fuel economy of all vehicles in a fleet, which were subject to CAFE. Advanced... (3) At least 125 percent of the harmonic production weighted average combined fuel economy, for...

Sensitive Procedures for Determining the Permeation Resistance of Chlorinated Polyethylene Against Liquid Propellants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Jess M.; Williams, James H.; Fries, Joseph (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

The permeation resistance of chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) used in totally encapsulating chemical protective suits against the aerospace fuels hydrazine, monomethylhydrazine, and uns-dimethylhydrazine was determined by measuring the breakthrough time (BT) and time-averaged vapor transmission rate (VTR) using procedures consistent with ASTM F 739 and ASTM F 1383. Two exposure scenarios were simulated: a 2 hour (h) fuel vapor exposure, and a liquid fuel "splash" followed by a 2 h vapor exposure. To simulate internal suit pressure during operation, a positive differential pressure of 0.3 in. water (75 Pa) on the collection side of the permeation apparatus was used. Using the available data, a model was developed to estimate propellant concentrations inside an air-line fed, totally encapsulating chemical protective suit. Concentrations were calculated under simulated conditions of fixed vapor transmission rate, variable breathing air flow rate, and variable splash exposure area. Calculations showed that the maximum allowable permeation rates of hydrazine fuels through CPE were of the order of 0.05 to 0.08 ng/sq cm min for encapsulating suits with low breathing air flow rates (of the order of 5 scfm or 140 L min-1). Above these permeation rates, the 10 parts-per-billion (ppb) threshold limit value time-weighted average could be exceeded. To evaluate suit performance at 10 ppb threshold-limiting value/time-weighted average level concentrations, use of a sensitive analytical method such as cation exchange high performance liquid chromatography with amperometric detection was found to be essential. The analytical detection limit determines the lowest measurable VTR, which in turn governed the lowest per meant concentration that could be calculated inside the totally encapsulating chemical protective suit.

Application of a weighted-averaging method for determining paleosalinity: a tool for restoration of south Florida's estuaries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wingard, G.L.; Hudley, J.W.

2012-01-01

A molluscan analogue dataset is presented in conjunction with a weighted-averaging technique as a tool for estimating past salinity patterns in south Florida’s estuaries and developing targets for restoration based on these reconstructions. The method, here referred to as cumulative weighted percent (CWP), was tested using modern surficial samples collected in Florida Bay from sites located near fixed water monitoring stations that record salinity. The results were calibrated using species weighting factors derived from examining species occurrence patterns. A comparison of the resulting calibrated species-weighted CWP (SW-CWP) to the observed salinity at the water monitoring stations averaged over a 3-year time period indicates, on average, the SW-CWP comes within less than two salinity units of estimating the observed salinity. The SW-CWP reconstructions were conducted on a core from near the mouth of Taylor Slough to illustrate the application of the method.

Decision support from local data: creating adaptive order menus from past clinician behavior.

PubMed

Klann, Jeffrey G; Szolovits, Peter; Downs, Stephen M; Schadow, Gunther

2014-04-01

Reducing care variability through guidelines has significantly benefited patients. Nonetheless, guideline-based Clinical Decision Support (CDS) systems are not widely implemented or used, are frequently out-of-date, and cannot address complex care for which guidelines do not exist. Here, we develop and evaluate a complementary approach - using Bayesian Network (BN) learning to generate adaptive, context-specific treatment menus based on local order-entry data. These menus can be used as a draft for expert review, in order to minimize development time for local decision support content. This is in keeping with the vision outlined in the US Health Information Technology Strategic Plan, which describes a healthcare system that learns from itself. We used the Greedy Equivalence Search algorithm to learn four 50-node domain-specific BNs from 11,344 encounters: abdominal pain in the emergency department, inpatient pregnancy, hypertension in the Urgent Visit Clinic, and altered mental state in the intensive care unit. We developed a system to produce situation-specific, rank-ordered treatment menus from these networks. We evaluated this system with a hospital-simulation methodology and computed Area Under the Receiver-Operator Curve (AUC) and average menu position at time of selection. We also compared this system with a similar association-rule-mining approach. A short order menu on average contained the next order (weighted average length 3.91-5.83 items). Overall predictive ability was good: average AUC above 0.9 for 25% of order types and overall average AUC .714-.844 (depending on domain). However, AUC had high variance (.50-.99). Higher AUC correlated with tighter clusters and more connections in the graphs, indicating importance of appropriate contextual data. Comparison with an Association Rule Mining approach showed similar performance for only the most common orders with dramatic divergence as orders are less frequent. This study demonstrates that local clinical knowledge can be extracted from treatment data for decision support. This approach is appealing because: it reflects local standards; it uses data already being captured; and it produces human-readable treatment-diagnosis networks that could be curated by a human expert to reduce workload in developing localized CDS content. The BN methodology captured transitive associations and co-varying relationships, which existing approaches do not. It also performs better as orders become less frequent and require more context. This system is a step forward in harnessing local, empirical data to enhance decision support. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Decision Support from Local Data: Creating Adaptive Order Menus from Past Clinician Behavior

PubMed Central

Klann, Jeffrey G.; Szolovits, Peter; Downs, Stephen; Schadow, Gunther

2014-01-01

Objective Reducing care variability through guidelines has significantly benefited patients. Nonetheless, guideline-based clinical decision support (CDS) systems are not widely implemented or used, are frequently out-of-date, and cannot address complex care for which guidelines do not exist. Here, we develop and evaluate a complementary approach - using Bayesian network (BN) learning to generate adaptive, context-specific treatment menus based on local order-entry data. These menus can be used as a draft for expert review, in order to minimize development time for local decision support content. This is in keeping with the vision outlined in the US Health Information Technology Strategic Plan, which describes a healthcare system that learns from itself. Materials and Methods We used the Greedy Equivalence Search algorithm to learn four 50-node domain-specific BNs from 11,344 encounters: abdominal pain in the emergency department, inpatient pregnancy, hypertension in the urgent visit clinic, and altered mental state in the intensive care unit. We developed a system to produce situation-specific, rank-ordered treatment menus from these networks. We evaluated this system with a hospital-simulation methodology and computed Area Under the Receiver-Operator Curve (AUC) and average menu position at time of selection. We also compared this system with a similar association-rule-mining approach. Results A short order menu on average contained the next order (weighted average length 3.91–5.83 items). Overall predictive ability was good: average AUC above 0.9 for 25% of order types and overall average AUC .714–.844 (depending on domain). However, AUC had high variance (.50–.99). Higher AUC correlated with tighter clusters and more connections in the graphs, indicating importance of appropriate contextual data. Comparison with an association rule mining approach showed similar performance for only the most common orders with dramatic divergence as orders are less frequent. Discussion and Conclusion This study demonstrates that local clinical knowledge can be extracted from treatment data for decision support. This approach is appealing because: it reflects local standards; it uses data already being captured; and it produces human-readable treatment-diagnosis networks that could be curated by a human expert to reduce workload in developing localized CDS content. The BN methodology captured transitive associations and co-varying relationships, which existing approaches do not. It also performs better as orders become less frequent and require more context. This system is a step forward in harnessing local, empirical data to enhance decision support. PMID:24355978

Examining the provisional guidelines for weight gain in twin pregnancies: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Lutsiv, Olha; Hulman, Adam; Woolcott, Christy; Beyene, Joseph; Giglia, Lucy; Armson, B Anthony; Dodds, Linda; Neupane, Binod; McDonald, Sarah D

2017-09-29

Weight gain during pregnancy has an important impact on maternal and neonatal health. Unlike the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations for weight gain in singleton pregnancies, those for twin gestations are termed "provisional", as they are based on limited data. The objectives of this study were to determine the neonatal and maternal outcomes associated with gaining weight below, within and above the IOM provisional guidelines on gestational weight gain in twin pregnancies, and additionally, to explore ranges of gestational weight gain among women who delivered twins at the recommended gestational age and birth weight, and those who did not. A retrospective cohort study of women who gave birth to twins at ≥20 weeks gestation, with a birth weight ≥ 500 g was conducted in Nova Scotia, Canada (2003-2014). Our primary outcome of interest was small for gestational age (<10th percentile). In order to account for gestational age at delivery, weekly rates of 2nd and 3rd trimester weight gain were used to categorize women as gaining below, within, or above guidelines. We performed traditional regression analyses for maternal outcomes, and to account for the correlated nature of the neonatal outcomes in twins, we used generalized estimating equations (GEE). A total of 1482 twins and 741 mothers were included, of whom 27%, 43%, and 30% gained below, within, and above guidelines, respectively. The incidence of small for gestational age in these three groups was 30%, 21%, and 20%, respectively, and relative to gaining within guidelines, the adjusted odds ratios were 1.44 (95% CI 1.01-2.06) for gaining below and 0.92 (95% CI 0.62-1.36) for gaining above. The gestational weight gain in women who delivered twins at 37-42 weeks with average birth weight ≥ 2500 g and those who delivered twins outside of the recommend ranges were comparable to each other and the IOM recommendations. While gestational weight gain below guidelines for twins was associated with some adverse neonatal outcomes, additional research exploring alternate ranges of gestational weight gain in twin pregnancies is warranted, in order to optimize neonatal and maternal outcomes.

Effect of sugars in solutions on subjective appetite and short-term food intake in 9- to 14-year-old normal weight boys.

PubMed

Van Engelen, M; Khodabandeh, S; Akhavan, T; Agarwal, J; Gladanac, B; Bellissimo, N

2014-07-01

The role of sugars in solutions on subjective appetite and food intake (FI) has received little investigation in children. Therefore, we examined the effect of isocaloric solutions (200 kcal/250 ml) of sugars including sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup-55 (HFCS) or glucose, compared with a non-caloric sucralose control, on subjective appetite and FI in 9- to 14-year-old normal weight (NW) boys. NW boys (n=15) received each of the test solutions, in random order, 60 min before an ad libitum pizza meal. Subjective appetite was measured at baseline (0 min), and 15, 30, 45 and 60 min. Only glucose (P=0.003), but neither sucrose nor HFCS, reduced FI compared with the sucralose control. This led to a higher cumulative energy intake, compared with sucralose, after sucrose (P=0.009) and HFCS (P=0.01), but not after glucose. In all treatment sessions, subjective average appetite increased from baseline to 60 min, but change from baseline average appetite was the highest after sucrose (P<0.005). Furthermore, sucrose (r=-0.59, P=0.02) and HFCS (r=-0.56, P=0.03), but not glucose, were inversely associated with test meal FI when the treatment dose (200 kcal) was expressed on a body weight (kg) basis. Change from baseline subjective average appetite was the highest after sucrose, but only the glucose solution suppressed FI at the test meal 60 min later in NW boys.

Effectiveness of a psychosocial weight management program for individuals with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Niv, Noosha; Cohen, Amy N; Hamilton, Alison; Reist, Christopher; Young, Alexander S

2014-07-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a weight loss program for individuals with schizophrenia in usual care. The study included 146 adults with schizophrenia from two mental health clinics of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The 109 individuals who were overweight or obese were offered a 16-week, psychosocial, weight management program. Weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) were assessed at baseline, 1 year later, and at each treatment session. Only 51% of those who were overweight or obese chose to enroll in the weight management program. Participants attended an average of 6.7 treatment sessions, lost an average of 2.4 pounds, and had an average BMI decrease of 0.3. There was no significant change in weight or BMI compared to the control group. Intervention strategies that both improve utilization and yield greater weight loss need to be developed.

Implementation and Effectiveness of a Psychosocial Weight Management Program for Individuals with Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Niv, Noosha; Cohen, Amy N.; Hamilton, Alison; Reist, Christopher; Young, Alexander S.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a weight loss program for individuals with schizophrenia in usual care. The study included 146 adults with schizophrenia from two mental health clinics of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The 109 individuals who were overweight or obese were offered a 16-week, psychosocial, weight management program. Weight and BMI were assessed at baseline, 1 year later and at each treatment session. Only 51% of those who were overweight or obese chose to enroll in the weight management program. Participants attended an average of 6.7 treatment sessions, lost an average of 2.4 pounds and had an average BMI decrease of 0.3. There was no significant change in weight or BMI compared to the control group. Intervention strategies that both improve utilization and yield greater weight loss need to be developed. PMID:22430566

9 CFR 54.6 - Amount of indemnity payments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... weighted average Choice/Prime slaughter lamb price per pound at Greeley, CO; (2) The weekly weighted... commercial western ewe lamb replacement price per head; (4) The monthly weighted average commercial western... ewe lambs under 1 year of age, the indemnity shall equal the per-head price from paragraph (a)(3) of...

Non-collinear magnetism with analytic Bond-Order Potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, Michael E.; Pettifor, D. G.; Drautz, Ralf

2015-03-01

The theory of analytic Bond-Order Potentials as applied to non-collinear magnetic structures of transition metals is extended to take into account explicit rotations of Hamiltonian and local moment matrix elements between locally and globally defined spin-coordinate systems. Expressions for the gradients of the energy with respect to the Hamiltonian matrix elements, the interatomic forces and the magnetic torques are derived. The method is applied to simulations of the rotation of magnetic moments in α iron, as well as α and β manganese, based on d-valent orthogonal tight-binding parametrizations of the electronic structure. A new weighted-average terminator is introduced to improve the convergence of the Bond-Order Potential energies and torques with respect to tight-binding reference values, although the general behavior is qualitatively correct for low-moment expansions.

Anaerobic co-digestion of commercial food waste and dairy manure: Characterizing biochemical parameters and synergistic effects.

PubMed

Ebner, Jacqueline H; Labatut, Rodrigo A; Lodge, Jeffrey S; Williamson, Anahita A; Trabold, Thomas A

2016-06-01

Anaerobic digestion of commercial food waste is a promising alternative to landfilling commercial food waste. This study characterized 11 types of commercial food wastes and 12 co-digestion blends. Bio-methane potential, biodegradable fraction, and apparent first-order hydrolysis rate coefficients were reported based upon biochemical methane potential (BMP) assays. Food waste bio-methane potentials ranged from 165 to 496 mL CH4/g VS. Substrates high in lipids or readily degradable carbohydrates showed the highest methane production. Average bio-methane potential observed for co-digested substrates was -5% to +20% that of the bio-methane potential of the individual substrates weighted by VS content. Apparent hydrolysis rate coefficients ranged from 0.19d(-1) to 0.65d(-1). Co-digested substrates showed an accelerated apparent hydrolysis rate relative to the weighted average of individual substrate rates. These results provide a database of key bio-digestion parameters to advance modeling and utilization of commercial food waste in anaerobic digestion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Cost Containment Case for Occupational Illness and Injury Case Management

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-15

hypochondriacs, "worried well" or WW, problem patients, and persistent somatizers (Wagner & Curran, 1984). In order to distinguish the WW from other health care...report that 14 TAERE I-ALES IRELCH TO ASES HEAIZ HELM~ IN A HEMLI MAJNNMM (JIMO2ATWN 1. Somatic ptoatol : Frequency x average intensity of the six... somatic symptoms which include: stomach trouble, headaches, weight gain, appetite loss, tired and nn down, and trouble sleeping (’at do you think is your

Endocrine Gland and Brain Weights of Market Weight Bulls and Steers Representing the Shorthorn Breed and Several Breed Crosses

PubMed Central

Doornenbal, H.

1974-01-01

Thyroid, adrenal, pituitary and brain weights were first determined in 1971 in 492 market weight cattle representing purebred Shorthorns and crosses of “foreign” breeds, Charolais, Simmental and Limousin with Hereford, Angus and Shorthorn. Thyroid weights were also determined in a similar group of 433 cattle the following year. The data were reported on a per 100 kg body weight basis and analyzed within the subgroups of breed of sire, breed of dam and location. The average thyroid weight per 100 kg of body weight for males within subgroups over the two years ranged from 3.99 to 8.71 g, while that for steers ranged from 3.81 to 4.41 g. The average thyroid weight for a group of 18 Limousin sired heifers was 3.71 g. The average adrenal weight per 100 kg of slaughter weight ranged from 3.66 to 4.20 g in the males and from 3.66 to 3.86 g in the steers. Pituitary weight per 100 kg body weight at slaughter ranged from 486-511 mg in bulls and from 469-510 mg in steers. Average brain weight ranged from 85.5 to 97.3 g in males and from 92.2 to 94.1 g in steers. Breed differences existed only for the pituitary gland, with Simmental sired males and steers having heavier glands than Charolais sired males and steers. Sex differences were significant for the thyroid and the brain. Thyroids of males were generally heavier than those of steers, while brains of steers were heavier than those from males. Thyroid, adrenal and brain weights were significantly different between two genetically similar purebred herds of Shorthorns. PMID:4279761

[Mastopexy in Massive Weight Loss Patients - Extended Ribeiro Technique and Usage of the Lateral Intercostal Artery Perforator Flap (LICAP Flap) for Autoaugmentation].

PubMed

Wolter, Andreas; Scholz, Till; Pluto, Naja; Diedrichson, Jens; Arens-Landwehr, Andreas; Liebau, Jutta

2017-12-01

 Mastopexy in massive weight loss patients is challenging. The breast mound is often unstable and deflated, with a loose inelastic skin envelope. It has become apparent that mammaplasty techniques in these cases should rely more on glandular recontouring rather than on the skin envelope for shaping. Published methods include plication, suspension and autoaugmentation. The residual local tissue (glandular breast tissue, fat tissue, dermoglandular fat flap) is utilised to its full extent in order to reshape a form-stable breast with full upper pole projection. The evolution of a technique is presented.  In this study we retrospectively analysed 68 massive weight loss patients who underwent an extended Ribeiro technique with a superomedial pedicle mastopexy and suspension by an inferior dermoglandular flap. The current procedure involves incorporating the lateral intercostal artery perforator flap (LICAP flap) and medial breast pillar additionally to the inferior dermoglandular Ribeiro flap. This essentially autoaugments the upper pole by creating an "autoprosthesis", narrows the widened breast, and redefines the inframammary fold. The outcome parameters complication rate, patient satisfaction with the aesthetic result, nipple sensibility and surgical revision rate were obtained.  From 01/2011 to 12/2016, we performed 136 autoaugmentation mastopexies. The average age was 41.2 years, average body mass index (BMI) was 27,1 kg/m 2 , average weight loss was 54.3 kg, average sternal notch-NAC distance was 32.3 cm, average operation time was 109 minutes. In 12 breasts, a free-nipple graft was necessary. The complication rate was 5.1 %, surgical revision rate was 17.6 %. 95 % of the patients were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the aesthetic result. Nipple sensibility was rated as "very good" or "good" by 85 % of patients.  Modification of the Ribeiro technique by using the medial and lateral breast pillar (LICAP flap) allows autoaugmentation of the upper pole. Parenchymal shaping through plication and suspension of the breast mound should improve breast shape over time, with the aim of reducing the incidence of recurrent ptosis. The presented technique is a reproducible and reliable method with a low complication rate. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Discrimination against Obese Exercise Clients: An Experimental Study of Personal Trainers.

PubMed

Fontana, Fabio; Bopes, Jonathan; Bendixen, Seth; Speed, Tyler; George, Megan; Mack, Mick

2018-01-01

The aim of the study was to compare exercise recommendations, attitudes, and behaviors of personal trainers toward clients of different weight statuses. Fifty-two personal trainers participated in the study. The data collection was organized into two phases. In phase one, trainers read a profile and watched the video displaying an interview of either an obese or an average-weight client. Profiles and video interviews were identical except for weight status. Then, trainers provided exercise recommendations and rated their attitude toward the client. In phase two, trainers personally met an obese or an average-weight mock client. Measures were duration and number of advices provided by the trainer to a question posed by the client and sitting distance between trainer and client. There were no significant differences in exercise intensity ( p = .94), duration of first session ( p = .65), and total exercise duration of first week ( p = .76) prescribed to the obese and average-weight clients. The attitude of the personal trainers toward the obese client were not significantly different from the attitude of personal trainers toward the average-weight client ( p = .58). The number of advices provided ( p = .49), the duration of the answer ( p = .55), and the distance personal trainers sat from the obese client ( p = .68) were not significantly different from the behaviors displayed toward the average-weight client. Personal trainers did not discriminate against obese clients in professional settings.

Testing the norm to fat talk for women of varying size: what's weight got to do with it?

PubMed

Barwick, Amy; Bazzini, Doris; Martz, Denise; Rocheleau, Courtney; Curtin, Lisa

2012-01-01

"Fat talk" is the conversational phenomenon whereby people berate their bodies in social circles. This study assessed whether norms of fat talk differ for overweight versus average-weight women. Sixty-three women read a script depicting a fat talk situation during which an overweight or average-weight target woman engaged in positive or negative body talk. Regardless of the target's weight, participants perceived it to be more typical and less surprising if she engaged in negative body talk (fat talk) rather than positive body talk. Furthermore, fat talk from either weight group did not affect the likeability of the target, but women, overweight or of average weight, who engaged in positive talk were perceived to have more socially desirable personality characteristics. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

29 CFR 1910.1047 - Ethylene oxide.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (8)-hour time-weighted average. Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Labor for... organic compound with chemical formula C2 H4 O. (c) Permissible exposure limits—(1) 8-hour time weighted... in excess of one (1) part EtO per million parts of air (1 ppm) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (8...

29 CFR 1910.1047 - Ethylene oxide.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (8)-hour time-weighted average. Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Labor for... organic compound with chemical formula C2 H4 O. (c) Permissible exposure limits—(1) 8-hour time weighted... in excess of one (1) part EtO per million parts of air (1 ppm) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (8...

29 CFR 1910.1047 - Ethylene oxide.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (8)-hour time-weighted average. Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Labor for... organic compound with chemical formula C2 H4 O. (c) Permissible exposure limits—(1) 8-hour time weighted... in excess of one (1) part EtO per million parts of air (1 ppm) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (8...

Leptin levels in patients with anorexia nervosa following day/inpatient treatment do not predict weight 1 year post-referral.

PubMed

Seitz, Jochen; Bühren, Katharina; Biemann, Ronald; Timmesfeld, Nina; Dempfle, Astrid; Winter, Sibylle Maria; Egberts, Karin; Fleischhaker, Christian; Wewetzer, Christoph; Herpertz-Dahlmann, Beate; Hebebrand, Johannes; Föcker, Manuel

2016-09-01

Elevated serum leptin levels following rapid therapeutically induced weight gain in anorexia nervosa (AN) patients are discussed as a potential biomarker for renewed weight loss as a result of leptin-related suppression of appetite and increased energy expenditure. This study aims to analyze the predictive value of leptin levels at discharge as well as the average rate of weight gain during inpatient or day patient treatment for body weight at 1-year follow-up. 121 patients were recruited from the longitudinal Anorexia Nervosa Day patient versus Inpatient (ANDI) trial. Serum leptin levels were analyzed at referral and discharge. A multiple linear regression analysis to predict age-adjusted body mass index (BMI-SDS) at 1-year follow-up was performed. Leptin levels, the average rate of weight gain, premorbid BMI-SDS, BMI-SDS at referral, age and illness duration were included as independent variables. Neither leptin levels at discharge nor rate of weight gain significantly predicted BMI-SDS at 1-year follow-up explaining only 1.8 and 0.4 % of the variance, respectively. According to our results, leptin levels at discharge and average rate of weight gain did not exhibit any value in predicting weight at 1-year follow-up in our longitudinal observation study of adolescent patients with AN. Thus, research should focus on other potential factors to predict weight at follow-up. As elevated leptin levels and average rate of weight gain did not pose a risk for reduced weight, we found no evidence for the beneficial effect of slow refeeding in patients with acute AN.

Procedure for the Selection and Validation of a Calibration Model I-Description and Application.

PubMed

Desharnais, Brigitte; Camirand-Lemyre, Félix; Mireault, Pascal; Skinner, Cameron D

2017-05-01

Calibration model selection is required for all quantitative methods in toxicology and more broadly in bioanalysis. This typically involves selecting the equation order (quadratic or linear) and weighting factor correctly modelizing the data. A mis-selection of the calibration model will generate lower quality control (QC) accuracy, with an error up to 154%. Unfortunately, simple tools to perform this selection and tests to validate the resulting model are lacking. We present a stepwise, analyst-independent scheme for selection and validation of calibration models. The success rate of this scheme is on average 40% higher than a traditional "fit and check the QCs accuracy" method of selecting the calibration model. Moreover, the process was completely automated through a script (available in Supplemental Data 3) running in RStudio (free, open-source software). The need for weighting was assessed through an F-test using the variances of the upper limit of quantification and lower limit of quantification replicate measurements. When weighting was required, the choice between 1/x and 1/x2 was determined by calculating which option generated the smallest spread of weighted normalized variances. Finally, model order was selected through a partial F-test. The chosen calibration model was validated through Cramer-von Mises or Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality testing of the standardized residuals. Performance of the different tests was assessed using 50 simulated data sets per possible calibration model (e.g., linear-no weight, quadratic-no weight, linear-1/x, etc.). This first of two papers describes the tests, procedures and outcomes of the developed procedure using real LC-MS-MS results for the quantification of cocaine and naltrexone. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Game of collusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malarz, Krzysztof; Kułakowski, Krzysztof

2016-09-01

A new model of collusions in an organization is proposed. Each actor a i = 1 , … , N disposes one unique good g i = 1 , … , N. Each actor ai has also a list of other goods which he/she needs, in order from desired most to those desired less. Finally, each actor ai has also a list of other actors, initially ordered at random. The order in the last list means the order of the access of the actors to the good gi. A pair after a pair of actors tries to make a transaction. This transaction is possible if each of two actors can be shifted upwards in the list of actors possessed by the partner. Our numerical results indicate, that the average time of evolution scales with the number N of actors approximately as N2.9. For each actor, we calculate the Kendall's rank correlation between the order of desired goods and actor's place at the lists of the good's possessors. We also calculate individual utility functions ηi, where goods are weighted according to how strongly they are desired by an actor ai, and how easily they can be accessed by ai. Although the individual utility functions can increase or decrease in the time course, its value averaged over actors and independent simulations does increase in time. This means that the system of collusions is profitable for the members of the organization.

A novel tool for continuous fracture aftercare - Clinical feasibility and first results of a new telemetric gait analysis insole.

PubMed

Braun, Benedikt J; Bushuven, Eva; Hell, Rebecca; Veith, Nils T; Buschbaum, Jan; Holstein, Joerg H; Pohlemann, Tim

2016-02-01

Weight bearing after lower extremity fractures still remains a highly controversial issue. Even in ankle fractures, the most common lower extremity injury no standard aftercare protocol has been established. Average non weight bearing times range from 0 to 7 weeks, with standardised, radiological healing controls at fixed time intervals. Recent literature calls for patient-adapted aftercare protocols based on individual fracture and load scenarios. We show the clinical feasibility and first results of a new, insole embedded gait analysis tool for continuous monitoring of gait, load and activity. Ten patients were monitored with a new, independent gait analysis insole for up to 3 months postoperatively. Strict 20 kg partial weight bearing was ordered for 6 weeks. Overall activity, load spectrum, ground reaction forces, clinical scoring and general health data were recorded and correlated. Statistical analysis with power analysis, t-test and Spearman correlation was performed. Only one patient completely adhered to the set weight bearing limit. Average time in minutes over the limit was 374 min. Based on the parameters load, activity, gait time over 20 kg weight bearing and maximum ground reaction force high and low performers were defined after 3 weeks. Significant difference in time to painless full weight bearing between high and low performers was shown. Correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between weight bearing and clinical scoring as well as pain (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Score rs=0.74; Olerud-Molander Score rs=0.93; VAS pain rs=-0.95). Early, continuous gait analysis is able to define aftercare performers with significant differences in time to full painless weight bearing where clinical or radiographic controls could not. Patient compliance to standardised weight bearing limits and protocols is low. Highly individual rehabilitation patterns were seen in all patients. Aftercare protocols should be adjusted to real-time patient conditions, rather than fixed intervals and limits. With a real-time measuring device high performers could be identified and influenced towards optimal healing conditions early, while low performers are recognised and missing healing influences could be corrected according to patient condition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Macro-level safety analysis of pedestrian crashes in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Wang, Xuesong; Yang, Junguang; Lee, Chris; Ji, Zhuoran; You, Shikai

2016-11-01

Pedestrian safety has become one of the most important issues in the field of traffic safety. This study aims at investigating the association between pedestrian crash frequency and various predictor variables including roadway, socio-economic, and land-use features. The relationships were modeled using the data from 263 Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs) within the urban area of Shanghai - the largest city in China. Since spatial correlation exists among the zonal-level data, Bayesian Conditional Autoregressive (CAR) models with seven different spatial weight features (i.e. (a) 0-1 first order, adjacency-based, (b) common boundary-length-based, (c) geometric centroid-distance-based, (d) crash-weighted centroid-distance-based, (e) land use type, adjacency-based, (f) land use intensity, adjacency-based, and (g) geometric centroid-distance-order) were developed to characterize the spatial correlations among TAZs. Model results indicated that the geometric centroid-distance-order spatial weight feature, which was introduced in macro-level safety analysis for the first time, outperformed all the other spatial weight features. Population was used as the surrogate for pedestrian exposure, and had a positive effect on pedestrian crashes. Other significant factors included length of major arterials, length of minor arterials, road density, average intersection spacing, percentage of 3-legged intersections, and area of TAZ. Pedestrian crashes were higher in TAZs with medium land use intensity than in TAZs with low and high land use intensity. Thus, higher priority should be given to TAZs with medium land use intensity to improve pedestrian safety. Overall, these findings can help transportation planners and managers understand the characteristics of pedestrian crashes and improve pedestrian safety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of a Taxonomical Structure for Classifying Goods Procured by the Federal Government

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

between all pairs of objects. Also called a "tree" or "phenogram". "• UPGMA Clustering Method- (Un--weighted pair-group method using weighted averages...clustering arrangement, specifically, the unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages ( UPGMA ) (more commonly known as the 49 average linkage method

The Weighted-Average Lagged Ensemble.

PubMed

DelSole, T; Trenary, L; Tippett, M K

2017-11-01

A lagged ensemble is an ensemble of forecasts from the same model initialized at different times but verifying at the same time. The skill of a lagged ensemble mean can be improved by assigning weights to different forecasts in such a way as to maximize skill. If the forecasts are bias corrected, then an unbiased weighted lagged ensemble requires the weights to sum to one. Such a scheme is called a weighted-average lagged ensemble. In the limit of uncorrelated errors, the optimal weights are positive and decay monotonically with lead time, so that the least skillful forecasts have the least weight. In more realistic applications, the optimal weights do not always behave this way. This paper presents a series of analytic examples designed to illuminate conditions under which the weights of an optimal weighted-average lagged ensemble become negative or depend nonmonotonically on lead time. It is shown that negative weights are most likely to occur when the errors grow rapidly and are highly correlated across lead time. The weights are most likely to behave nonmonotonically when the mean square error is approximately constant over the range forecasts included in the lagged ensemble. An extreme example of the latter behavior is presented in which the optimal weights vanish everywhere except at the shortest and longest lead times.

The effect of environmental tobacco smoke during pregnancy on birth weight.

PubMed

Hegaard, Hanne K; Kjaergaard, Hanne; Møller, Lars F; Wachmann, Henrik; Ottesen, Bent

2006-01-01

This study explores whether pregnant nonsmokers' exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) affects the average birth weight at term. The population studied consists of pregnant nonsmokers participating in a study called Smoke-free Newborn Study. The participants (n = 1612) answered a questionnaire during 12th to 16th gestational week about their exposure to ETS at home and outside the home. Pregnant nonsmokers exposed to ETS both at home and outside the home gave birth to children with a birth weight of 78.9 g (95% CI -143.7 to -14.1) (P=0.02) lower than the weight of children born to women unexposed to ETS. There was no significant reduction in birth weight among women exposed to ETS at home only or outside the home only. A nonsignificant dose-response association was seen between increasing daily exposure to ETS and reduction in birth weight. Nonsmoking pregnant women who were exposed to ETS at home as well as outside the home gave birth to children with a 79 g reduction in birth weight compared to children of unexposed women. The fact that exposure to ETS has an effect on the birth weight is regarded as essential. The authors recommend that pregnant women should not be exposed to passive smoking, and that it should be considered whether workplace legislation should be instituted in order to protect pregnant women against the adverse effects of passive smoking.

Associations between body weight and depression, social phobia, insomnia, and self-esteem among Taiwanese adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, Jia-In; Yen, Cheng-Fang

2014-12-01

The aims of this cross-sectional study were to examine the associations between body weight and mental health indicators including depression, social phobia, insomnia, and self-esteem among Taiwanese adolescents in Grades 7-12. The body mass index (BMI) of 5254 adolescents was calculated based on self-reported weight and height measurements. Body weight status was determined by the age- and gender-specific International Obesity Task Force reference tables. By using participants of average weight as the reference group, the association between body weight status (underweight, overweight, and obesity) and mental health indicators (depression, social phobia, insomnia, and self-esteem) were examined by using multiple regression analysis. The possible moderating effects of sociodemographic characteristics on the association were also examined. After controlling for the effects of sociodemographic characteristics, both overweight (p < 0.05) and obese adolescents (p < 0.001) had a lower level of self-esteem than did those of average weight; however, no significant differences in depression, social phobia, or insomnia were found between those who were overweight/obese and those of average weight. No significant differences in the four mental health indicators were found between those who were underweight and those of average weight. Sociodemographic characteristics had no moderating effect on the association between body weight and mental health indicators. In conclusion, mental health and school professionals must take the association between overweight/obesity and self-esteem into consideration when approaching the issue of mental health among adolescents. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

[Peruvian newborn fetal growth according to its sex, geographical area, and maternal parity and height].

PubMed

Rendón, Manuel Ticona; Apaza, Diana Huanco

2008-09-01

Birth weight is the most important indicator of fetal growth, fetal development, and nutritional estate of newborn, and several factors affect it. To know the fetal growth of Peruvian newborns according to fetal sex, maternal parity and height, and geographical area. Prospective and cross sectional study. Successive newborn data of 29 hospitals of Ministerio de Salud del Peru was obtained during 2005 year, all of them without intrauterine growth delay. Student ttest was used to compare: male and female, primiparous and multiparous, and coast, mountain, and rainforest newborn average weight (meaningful difference: p < 0.05). Maternal height was related to newborn weight, height, cephalic perimeter, and gestational age. From 50,568 selected alive newborns, male had an average weight from 19 to 41 g higher than female, and multiparous newborns had from 22 to 53 g more than primiparous newborns. Maternal height has a direct connection with newborn weight, height, and cephalic perimeter. Coast newborns had an average weight from 133 to 210 g higher than those from mountain, and from 76 to 142 g higher than those from rainforest; average weight of rainforest newborns was from 19 to 83 g higher to those from mountain. Weight differences due to fetal sex, maternal parity and height, and geographic region were meaningful among 36 to 42 weeks of gestation. Fetal sex, maternal parity and height, and geographical region affect newborn weight. It is recommended to use weight and gestational age as correction factors to appropriately classify Peruvian newborns.

The impact of using weight estimated from mammographic images vs. self-reported weight on breast cancer risk calculation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nair, Kalyani P.; Harkness, Elaine F.; Gadde, Soujanye; Lim, Yit Y.; Maxwell, Anthony J.; Moschidis, Emmanouil; Foden, Philip; Cuzick, Jack; Brentnall, Adam; Evans, D. Gareth; Howell, Anthony; Astley, Susan M.

2017-03-01

Personalised breast screening requires assessment of individual risk of breast cancer, of which one contributory factor is weight. Self-reported weight has been used for this purpose, but may be unreliable. We explore the use of volume of fat in the breast, measured from digital mammograms. Volumetric breast density measurements were used to determine the volume of fat in the breasts of 40,431 women taking part in the Predicting Risk Of Cancer At Screening (PROCAS) study. Tyrer-Cuzick risk using self-reported weight was calculated for each woman. Weight was also estimated from the relationship between self-reported weight and breast fat volume in the cohort, and used to re-calculate Tyrer-Cuzick risk. Women were assigned to risk categories according to 10 year risk (below average <2%, average 2-3.49%, above average 3.5-4.99%, moderate 5-7.99%, high >=8%) and the original and re-calculated Tyrer-Cuzick risks were compared. Of the 716 women diagnosed with breast cancer during the study, 15 (2.1%) moved into a lower risk category, and 37 (5.2%) moved into a higher category when using weight estimated from breast fat volume. Of the 39,715 women without a cancer diagnosis, 1009 (2.5%) moved into a lower risk category, and 1721 (4.3%) into a higher risk category. The majority of changes were between below average and average risk categories (38.5% of those with a cancer diagnosis, and 34.6% of those without). No individual moved more than one risk group. Automated breast fat measures may provide a suitable alternative to self-reported weight for risk assessment in personalized screening.

The Status at Two Years of Low-Birth-Weight Infants Born in 1974 with Birth Weights of Less Than 1,001 gm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pape, K. E.; And Others

1978-01-01

For availibility see EC 103 548 Among findings of a 2-year followup study of 43 infants of birth weight less than 1000 grams were the following: average height at age 2 years was between the tenth and twenty-fifth percentiles; average weight was between the third and tenth percentiles; 15 Ss developed lower respiratory tract infections during the…

A simple method to reduce the risk of cadmium exposure from consumption of Iceland scallops (Chlamys islandica) fished in Greenland.

PubMed

Bach, Lis; Sonne, Christian; Rigét, Frank F; Dietz, Rune; Asmund, Gert

2014-08-01

This paper studied the levels and organ distribution of the toxic heavy metal cadmium in scallops from unpolluted Greenlandic waters. The scallops had an average cadmium concentration of 2.93 ± 0.94 μg/g wet weight in the total soft tissues and no concentration dependent effect was found for gender or size (both p>0.05). The kidney was the primary organ for cadmium accumulation with a mean of 226.2 ± 111.7 μg/g wet weight, and despite the small weight of the kidney, it appeared as the principal contributor of cadmium with 92% of the total cadmium body burden. The cadmium concentrations in the total soft tissues far exceeded the EU-limit of 1 μg/g wet weight for cadmium in bivalves. Based on this, selective evisceration of the cadmium-rich kidney and digestive gland during processing can be regarded as a reliable measure to be taken in order to reduce the cadmium content of scallops used for human consumption. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Martinez, Andre P.; Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y.; Dobrynin, Andrey V.

The molecular weight and polydispersity of the chains in a polymer brush are critical parameters determining the brush properties. However, the characterization of polymer brushes is hindered by the vanishingly small mass of polymer present in brush layers. In this study, in order to obtain sufficient quantities of polymer for analysis, polymer brushes were grown from high surface area fibrous nylon membranes by ATRP. We synthesized the brushes with varying surface initiator densities, polymerization times, and amounts of sacrificial initiator, then cleaved from the substrate, and analyzed by GPC and NMR. Characterization showed that the surface-grown polymer chains were moremore » polydisperse and had lower average molecular weight compared to solution-grown polymers synthesized concurrently. Furthermore, the molecular weight distribution of the polymer brushes was observed to be bimodal, with a low molecular weight population of chains representing a significant mass fraction of the polymer chains at high surface initiator densities. Moreover, the origin of this low MW polymer fraction is proposed to be the termination of growing chains by recombination during the early stages of polymerization, a mechanism confirmed by molecular dynamics simulations of brush polymerization.« less

TOPSIS-based consensus model for group decision-making with incomplete interval fuzzy preference relations.

PubMed

Liu, Fang; Zhang, Wei-Guo

2014-08-01

Due to the vagueness of real-world environments and the subjective nature of human judgments, it is natural for experts to estimate their judgements by using incomplete interval fuzzy preference relations. In this paper, based on the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution method, we present a consensus model for group decision-making (GDM) with incomplete interval fuzzy preference relations. To do this, we first define a new consistency measure for incomplete interval fuzzy preference relations. Second, a goal programming model is proposed to estimate the missing interval preference values and it is guided by the consistency property. Third, an ideal interval fuzzy preference relation is constructed by using the induced ordered weighted averaging operator, where the associated weights of characterizing the operator are based on the defined consistency measure. Fourth, a similarity degree between complete interval fuzzy preference relations and the ideal one is defined. The similarity degree is related to the associated weights, and used to aggregate the experts' preference relations in such a way that more importance is given to ones with the higher similarity degree. Finally, a new algorithm is given to solve the GDM problem with incomplete interval fuzzy preference relations, which is further applied to partnership selection in formation of virtual enterprises.

Effect of clothing weight on body weight.

PubMed

Whigham, L D; Schoeller, D A; Johnson, L K; Atkinson, R L

2013-01-01

In clinical settings, it is common to measure weight of clothed patients and estimate a correction for the weight of clothing, but we can find no papers in the medical literature regarding the variability in clothing weight of adults with weather, season and gender. Fifty adults (35 women) were weighed four times during a 12-month period with and without clothing. Clothing weights were determined and regressed against minimum, maximum and average daily outdoor temperature. The average clothing weight (±s.d.) throughout the year was significantly greater in men than in women (1.2±0.3 vs 0.8±0.3 kg, P<0.0001). The average within-person minimum and the average within-person maximum clothing weights across the year were 0.9±0.2 and 1.5±0.4 kg for men, and 0.5±0.2 and 1.1±0.4 kg for women, respectively. The within-person s.d. in clothing weight was 0.3 kg for both men and women. Over the 55 °C range in the lowest to the highest outdoor temperatures, the regressions predicted a maximal change in clothing weight of only 0.4 kg in women and 0.6 kg in men. The clothing weight of men is significantly greater than that of women, but there is little variability throughout the year. Therefore, a clothing adjustment of approximately 0.8 kg for women and 1.2 kg for men is appropriate regardless of outdoor temperature.

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

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.

Factors that affect molecular weight distribution of Suwannee river fulvic acid as determined by electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rostad, Colleen E.; Leenheer, Jerry A.

2004-01-01

Effects of methylation, molar response, multiple charging, solvents, and positive and negative ionization on molecular weight distributions of aquatic fulvic acid were investigated by electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry. After preliminary analysis by positive and negative modes, samples and mixtures of standards were derivatized by methylation to minimize ionization sites and reanalyzed.Positive ionization was less effective and produced more complex spectra than negative ionization. Ionization in methanol/water produced greater response than in acetonitrile/water. Molar response varied widely for the selected free acid standards when analyzed individually and in a mixture, but after methylation this range decreased. After methylation, the number average molecular weight of the Suwannee River fulvic acid remained the same while the weight average molecular weight decreased. These differences are probably indicative of disaggregation of large aggregated ions during methylation. Since the weight average molecular weight decreased, it is likely that aggregate formation in the fulvic acid was present prior to derivatization, rather than multiple charging in the mass spectra.

Distinguishing between tertiary and secondary facilities: a case study of cardiac diagnostic-related groups (DRGs).

PubMed

Rouse, Paul; Arulambalam, Ajit; Correa, Ralph; Ullman, Cornelia

2010-05-14

To develop a classification of tertiary cardiac DRGs in order to investigate differences in tertiary/secondary product mix across New Zealand district health boards (DHBs). 67 DRGs from 85,442 cardiac cases were analysed using cost weights and patient comorbidity complexity levels, which were used as a proxy for complexity. The research found high variability of severity within some DRGs. 5 DHBs are the main providers of 27 DRGs which are high cost and identified as tertiary by several ADHB clinicians; the same 5 DHBs have on average higher severity by DRG than the other DHBs. NZ tertiary hospitals have a product mix of DRGs with higher complexity than secondary hospitals. Funding based on case weights needs to recognise the additional resource requirements for this higher complexity.

Climate-Induced Changes in the Chemical Characteristics of Natural Organic Matter at a Small Freshwater Wetland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurice, P. A.; Cabaniss, S. E.; Drummond, J.

2001-12-01

This study investigated the spatiotemporal variability in dissolved organic carbon concentration (DOC), natural organic matter (NOM) weight average molecular weight (Mw), and absorptivity at 280 nm (e280, an estimator of aromaticity) at McDonalds Branch, a first-order stream that is a fen wetland. When ground-water discharge to the stream was predominant, the DOC, the Mw, and the e280 were all relatively low. When soil porewater was more important, not only was the DOC higher, but also the Mw and e280. Hence, the contribution of soil pore water relative to ground water controlled not only the concentration but also the average physicochemical characteristics of the NOM. Results from this small watershed study provide insight into climatic effects on surface-water NOM characteristics in a small freshwater fen. Low-flow periods resulted in lower Mw, more aliphatic NOM derived primarily from ground-water discharge to the stream whereas higher flow periods resulted in a higher Mw(by 150-500 Da), more aromatic downstream surface-water NOM pool. Hence, during future summer drought periods, as suggested by climate-change models for much of North America, surface-water NOM likely will be lower molecular weight, more aliphatic, and more hydrophilic with lesser metal binding and HOC uptake abilities, along with decreased ability to attenuate UV radiation.

Image Quality Assessment of High-Resolution Satellite Images with Mtf-Based Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Z.; Luo, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Guo, F.; He, L.

2018-04-01

A Modulation Transfer Function (MTF)-based fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was proposed in this paper for the purpose of evaluating high-resolution satellite image quality. To establish the factor set, two MTF features and seven radiant features were extracted from the knife-edge region of image patch, which included Nyquist, MTF0.5, entropy, peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), average difference, edge intensity, average gradient, contrast and ground spatial distance (GSD). After analyzing the statistical distribution of above features, a fuzzy evaluation threshold table and fuzzy evaluation membership functions was established. The experiments for comprehensive quality assessment of different natural and artificial objects was done with GF2 image patches. The results showed that the calibration field image has the highest quality scores. The water image has closest image quality to the calibration field, quality of building image is a little poor than water image, but much higher than farmland image. In order to test the influence of different features on quality evaluation, the experiment with different weights were tested on GF2 and SPOT7 images. The results showed that different weights correspond different evaluating effectiveness. In the case of setting up the weights of edge features and GSD, the image quality of GF2 is better than SPOT7. However, when setting MTF and PSNR as main factor, the image quality of SPOT7 is better than GF2.

Effect of onsite dietitian counseling on weight loss and lipid levels in an outpatient physician office.

PubMed

Welty, Francine K; Nasca, Melita M; Lew, Natalie S; Gregoire, Sue; Ruan, Yuheng

2007-07-01

We examined the effect of an outpatient office-based diet and exercise counseling program on weight loss and lipid levels with an onsite dietitian who sees patients at the same visit with the physician and is fully reimbursable. Eighty overweight or obese patients (average age 55 +/- 12 years, baseline body mass index 30.1 +/- 6.4 kg/m(2)) with > or =1 cardiovascular risk factor (86%) or coronary heart disease (14%) were counseled to exercise 30 minutes/day and eat a modified Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet (saturated fat <7%, polyunsaturated fat to 10%, monounsaturated fat to 18%, low in glycemic index and sodium and high in fiber, low-fat dairy products, fruits, and vegetables). Weight, body mass index, lipid levels, and blood pressure were measured at 1 concurrent follow-up visit with the dietitian and physician and > or =1 additional follow-up with the physician. Maximum weight lost was an average of 5.6% (10.8 lb) at a mean follow-up of 1.75 years. Sixty-four (81%) of these patients maintained significant weight loss (average weight loss 5.3%) at a mean follow-up of 2.6 years. Average decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 9.3%, average decrease in triglycerides was 34%, and average increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 9.6%. Systolic blood pressure was lowered from 129 to 126 mm Hg (p = 0.21) and diastolic blood pressure from 79 to 75 mm Hg (p = 0.003). In conclusion, having a dietitian counsel patients concurrently with a physician in the outpatient setting is effective in achieving and maintaining weight loss and is fully reimbursable.

Quaternion Averaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Markley, F. Landis; Cheng, Yang; Crassidis, John L.; Oshman, Yaakov

2007-01-01

Many applications require an algorithm that averages quaternions in an optimal manner. For example, when combining the quaternion outputs of multiple star trackers having this output capability, it is desirable to properly average the quaternions without recomputing the attitude from the the raw star tracker data. Other applications requiring some sort of optimal quaternion averaging include particle filtering and multiple-model adaptive estimation, where weighted quaternions are used to determine the quaternion estimate. For spacecraft attitude estimation applications, derives an optimal averaging scheme to compute the average of a set of weighted attitude matrices using the singular value decomposition method. Focusing on a 4-dimensional quaternion Gaussian distribution on the unit hypersphere, provides an approach to computing the average quaternion by minimizing a quaternion cost function that is equivalent to the attitude matrix cost function Motivated by and extending its results, this Note derives an algorithm that deterniines an optimal average quaternion from a set of scalar- or matrix-weighted quaternions. Rirthermore, a sufficient condition for the uniqueness of the average quaternion, and the equivalence of the mininiization problem, stated herein, to maximum likelihood estimation, are shown.

Evolution of a plastic quantitative trait in an age-structured population in a fluctuating environment.

PubMed

Engen, Steinar; Lande, Russell; Saether, Bernt-Erik

2011-10-01

We analyze weak fluctuating selection on a quantitative character in an age-structured population not subject to density regulation. We assume that early in the first year of life before selection, during a critical state of development, environments exert a plastic effect on the phenotype, which remains constant throughout the life of an individual. Age-specific selection on the character affects survival and fecundity, which have intermediate optima subject to temporal environmental fluctuations with directional selection in some age classes as special cases. Weighting individuals by their reproductive value, as suggested by Fisher, we show that the expected response per year in the weighted mean character has the same form as for models with no age structure. Environmental stochasticity generates stochastic fluctuations in the weighted mean character following a first-order autoregressive model with a temporally autocorrelated noise term and stationary variance depending on the amount of phenotypic plasticity. The parameters of the process are simple weighted averages of parameters used to describe age-specific survival and fecundity. The "age-specific selective weights" are related to the stable distribution of reproductive values among age classes. This allows partitioning of the change in the weighted mean character into age-specific components. © 2011 The Author(s). Evolution© 2011 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Design and analysis of truck body for increasing the payload capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vamshi Krishna, K.; Yugandhar Reddy, K.; Venugopal, K.; Ravi, K.

2017-11-01

Truck industry is a major source of transportation in India. With an average truck travelling about 300 kilometers per day [1], every kilogram of truck weight is of concern to the industry in order to get the best out of the truck. The main objective of this project is to increase the payload capacity of automotive truck body. Every kilogram of increased vehicle weight will decrease the vehicle payload capacity in turn increasing the manufacturing cost and reducing the fuel economy by increase the fuel consumption. With the intension of weight reduction, standard truck body has been designed and analyzed in ANSYS software. C-cross section beams were used instead of conventional rectangular box sections to reduce the weight of the body. Light-weight Aluminum alloy Al 6061 T6 is used to increase the payload capacity. The strength of the Truck platform is monitored in terms of deformation and stress concentration. These parameters will be obtained in structural analysis test condition environment. For reducing the stress concentration the concept of beams of uniform strength is used. Accordingly necessary modifications are done so that the optimized model has a better stress distribution and much lesser weight compared to the conventional model. The results obtained by analyzing the modified model are compared with the standard model.

Implicit and explicit prejudice toward overweight and average-weight men and women: testing their correspondence and relation to behavioral intentions.

PubMed

Brochu, Paula M; Morrison, Melanie A

2007-12-01

The authors examined prejudice toward overweight men and women. Participants (N = 76) indicated their perceptions, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and implicit associations toward an average-weight or overweight man or woman. Results indicated the presence of explicit and implicit antifat prejudice, with male participants showing greater negativity toward overweight targets. Analyses of covariance indicated that overweight targets received greater derogation than did their average-weight counterparts, regardless, for the most part, of the target's gender. With one exception, no significant relations emerged between explicit and implicit measures of weight bias. The authors discuss limitations of the study and implications for future research.

40 CFR Table 2 to Subpart Fffff of... - Initial Compliance With Emission and Opacity Limits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... flow-weighted average concentration of particulate matter from one or more control devices applied to...). 4. Each discharge end at a new sinter plant a. The flow-weighted average concentration of... BOPF at a new or existing BOPF shop a. The average concentration of particulate matter from a primary...

40 CFR Table 2 to Subpart Fffff of... - Initial Compliance With Emission and Opacity Limits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... flow-weighted average concentration of particulate matter from one or more control devices applied to...). 4. Each discharge end at a new sinter plant a. The flow-weighted average concentration of... BOPF at a new or existing BOPF shop a. The average concentration of particulate matter from a primary...

40 CFR Table 2 to Subpart Fffff of... - Initial Compliance With Emission and Opacity Limits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... flow-weighted average concentration of particulate matter from one or more control devices applied to...). 4. Each discharge end at a new sinter plant a. The flow-weighted average concentration of... BOPF at a new or existing BOPF shop a. The average concentration of particulate matter from a primary...

40 CFR Table 2 to Subpart Fffff of... - Initial Compliance With Emission and Opacity Limits

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... flow-weighted average concentration of particulate matter from one or more control devices applied to...). 4. Each discharge end at a new sinter plant a. The flow-weighted average concentration of... BOPF at a new or existing BOPF shop a. The average concentration of particulate matter from a primary...

Investigating the Group-Level Impact of Advanced Dual-Echo fMRI Combinations

PubMed Central

Kettinger, Ádám; Hill, Christopher; Vidnyánszky, Zoltán; Windischberger, Christian; Nagy, Zoltán

2016-01-01

Multi-echo fMRI data acquisition has been widely investigated and suggested to optimize sensitivity for detecting the BOLD signal. Several methods have also been proposed for the combination of data with different echo times. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether these advanced echo combination methods provide advantages over the simple averaging of echoes when state-of-the-art group-level random-effect analyses are performed. Both resting-state and task-based dual-echo fMRI data were collected from 27 healthy adult individuals (14 male, mean age = 25.75 years) using standard echo-planar acquisition methods at 3T. Both resting-state and task-based data were subjected to a standard image pre-processing pipeline. Subsequently the two echoes were combined as a weighted average, using four different strategies for calculating the weights: (1) simple arithmetic averaging, (2) BOLD sensitivity weighting, (3) temporal-signal-to-noise ratio weighting and (4) temporal BOLD sensitivity weighting. Our results clearly show that the simple averaging of data with the different echoes is sufficient. Advanced echo combination methods may provide advantages on a single-subject level but when considering random-effects group level statistics they provide no benefit regarding sensitivity (i.e., group-level t-values) compared to the simple echo-averaging approach. One possible reason for the lack of clear advantages may be that apart from increasing the average BOLD sensitivity at the single-subject level, the advanced weighted averaging methods also inflate the inter-subject variance. As the echo combination methods provide very similar results, the recommendation is to choose between them depending on the availability of time for collecting additional resting-state data or whether subject-level or group-level analyses are planned. PMID:28018165

Data on Income inequality in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, and other affluent nations, 2012.

PubMed

Dorling, Danny

2015-12-01

This data article contains information on the distribution of household incomes in the five most populous European countries as surveyed in 2012, with data released in 2014 and published here aggregated and so further anonymized in 2015. The underlying source data is the already anonymized EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EUSILC) Microdata. The data include the annual household income required in each country to fall within the best-off 1% in that country, median and mean incomes, average (mean) incomes of the best off 1%, 0.1% and estimates for the 0.01%, 0.001% and so on for the UK, and of the 90% and worse-off 10%, the best-off 10% and best-off 1% of households for all countries. Average income from the state is also calculated by these income categories and the number of people working in finance and receiving over €1,000,000 a year in income is reported from other sources (the European Banking Authority). Finally income distribution data is provided from the USA and the rest of Europe in order to allow comparisons to be made. The data revealed the gross household (simple unweighted) median incomes in 2012 to have been (in order from best-off country by median to worse-off): France €39,000, Germany: €33,400, UK: €36,300, Italy €33,400 and Spain €27,000. However the medians, once households are weighted to reflect the nation populations do differ although they are in the same order: France €36,000, Germany: €33,400, UK: €31,300, Italy €31,000 and Spain €23,700. Thus weighting to increase representativeness of the medians reduces each by €3000, €0, €5000, €3300 and €3300 respectively. In short, the middle (weighted median) French household is €4700 a year better off than the middle UK family, and that is before housing costs are considered. This Data in Brief article accompanies Dorling, D. (2015) Income Inequality in the UK: Comparisons with five large Western European countries and the USA [1].

Characterizing reduced sulfur compounds emissions from a swine concentrated animal feeding operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumsey, Ian C.; Aneja, Viney P.; Lonneman, William A.

2014-09-01

Reduced sulfur compounds (RSCs) emissions from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) have become a potential environmental and human health concern, as a result of changes in livestock production methods. RSC emissions were determined from a swine CAFO in North Carolina. RSC measurements were made over a period of ≈1 week from both the barn and lagoon during each of the four seasonal periods from June 2007 to April 2008. During sampling, meteorological and other environmental parameters were measured continuously. Seasonal hydrogen sulfide (H2S) barn concentrations ranged from 72 to 631 ppb. Seasonal dimethyl sulfide (DMS; CH3SCH3) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS; CH3S2CH3) concentrations were 2-3 orders of magnitude lower, ranging from 0.18 to 0.89 ppb and 0.47 to 1.02 ppb, respectively. The overall average barn emission rate was 3.3 g day-1 AU-1 (AU (animal unit) = 500 kg of live animal weight) for H2S, which was approximately two orders of magnitude higher than the DMS and DMDS overall average emissions rates, determined as 0.017 g day-1 AU-1 and 0.036 g day-1 AU-1, respectively. The overall average lagoon flux was 1.33 μg m-2 min-1 for H2S, which was approximately an order of magnitude higher than the overall average DMS (0.12 μg m-2 min-1) and DMDS (0.09 μg m-2 min-1) lagoon fluxes. The overall average lagoon emission for H2S (0.038 g day-1 AU-1) was also approximately an order of magnitude higher than the overall average DMS (0.0034 g day-1 AU-1) and DMDS (0.0028 g day-1 AU-1) emissions. H2S, DMS and DMDS have offensive odors and low odor thresholds. Over all four sampling seasons, 77% of 15 min averaged H2S barn concentrations were an order of magnitude above the average odor threshold. During these sampling periods, however, DMS and DMDS concentrations did not exceed their odor thresholds. The overall average barn and lagoon emissions from this study were used to help estimate barn, lagoon and total (barn + lagoon) RSC emissions from swine CAFOs in North Carolina. Total (barn + lagoon) H2S emissions from swine CAFOs in North Carolina were estimated to be 1.22*106 kg yr-1. The barns had significantly higher H2S emissions than the lagoons, contributing ≈98% of total North Carolina H2S swine CAFO emissions. Total (barn + lagoon) emissions for DMS and DMDS were 1-2 orders of magnitude lower, with barns contributing ≈86% and ≈93% of total emissions, respectively. H2S swine CAFO emissions were estimated to contribute ≈18% of North Carolina H2S emissions.

Creating "Intelligent" Ensemble Averages Using a Process-Based Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Noel; Taylor, Patrick

2014-05-01

The CMIP5 archive contains future climate projections from over 50 models provided by dozens of modeling centers from around the world. Individual model projections, however, are subject to biases created by structural model uncertainties. As a result, ensemble averaging of multiple models is used to add value to individual model projections and construct a consensus projection. Previous reports for the IPCC establish climate change projections based on an equal-weighted average of all model projections. However, individual models reproduce certain climate processes better than other models. Should models be weighted based on performance? Unequal ensemble averages have previously been constructed using a variety of mean state metrics. What metrics are most relevant for constraining future climate projections? This project develops a framework for systematically testing metrics in models to identify optimal metrics for unequal weighting multi-model ensembles. The intention is to produce improved ("intelligent") unequal-weight ensemble averages. A unique aspect of this project is the construction and testing of climate process-based model evaluation metrics. A climate process-based metric is defined as a metric based on the relationship between two physically related climate variables—e.g., outgoing longwave radiation and surface temperature. Several climate process metrics are constructed using high-quality Earth radiation budget data from NASA's Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument in combination with surface temperature data sets. It is found that regional values of tested quantities can vary significantly when comparing the equal-weighted ensemble average and an ensemble weighted using the process-based metric. Additionally, this study investigates the dependence of the metric weighting scheme on the climate state using a combination of model simulations including a non-forced preindustrial control experiment, historical simulations, and several radiative forcing Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. Ultimately, the goal of the framework is to advise better methods for ensemble averaging models and create better climate predictions.

Quantitative quasiperiodicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Suddhasattwa; Saiki, Yoshitaka; Sander, Evelyn; Yorke, James A.

2017-11-01

The Birkhoff ergodic theorem concludes that time averages, i.e. Birkhoff averages, B_N( f):=Σn=0N-1 f(x_n)/N of a function f along a length N ergodic trajectory (x_n) of a function T converge to the space average \\int f dμ , where μ is the unique invariant probability measure. Convergence of the time average to the space average is slow. We use a modified average of f(x_n) by giving very small weights to the ‘end’ terms when n is near 0 or N-1 . When (x_n) is a trajectory on a quasiperiodic torus and f and T are C^∞ , our weighted Birkhoff average (denoted \

Molecular weight of Escherichia coli β-galactosidase in concentrated solutions of guanidine hydrochloride

PubMed Central

Erickson, Robert P.

1970-01-01

The molecular weight of Escherichia coli β-galactosidase was determined in 6m- and 8m-guanidine hydrochloride by meniscus-depletion sedimentation equilibrium, sedimentation velocity and viscosity. Sedimentation equilibrium revealed heterogeneity with the smallest component having a molecular weight of about 50000. At lower speeds, the apparent weight-average molecular weight is about 80000. By use of a calculation based on an empirical correlation for proteins that are random coils in 6m-guanidine hydrochloride, sedimentation velocity gave a molecular weight of 91000, and the intrinsic viscosity indicated a viscosity-average molecular weight of 84000. Heating in 6m-guanidine hydrochloride lowered the viscosity of β-galactosidase in a variable manner. PMID:4924171

Increasing molecular weight parameters of a helical polymer through polymerization in a chiral solvent.

PubMed

Holder, Simon J; Achilleos, Mariliz; Jones, Richard G

2006-09-27

In this communication, we will demonstrate that polymerization in a chiral solvent can affect the molecular weight distribution of the product by perturbing the balance of the P and M helical screw senses of the growing chains. Specifically, for the Wurtz-type synthesis of polymethylphenylsilane (PMPS) in either (R) or (S)-limonene, the weight-average molecular weight of the products (average Mw = 80 000) was twice that of PMPS synthesized in (R/S)-limonene (average Mw = 39 200). Peturbation of the helical segmentation along the polymer chains leads to a reduction in the rate of occurrence of a key termination step. This the first time that a chiral solvent has been demonstrated to have such an effect on a polymerization process in affecting molecular weight parameters in contrast to affecting tacticity.

Reversed-phase ion-pair ultra-high-performance-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for fingerprinting low-molecular-weight heparins.

PubMed

Langeslay, Derek J; Urso, Elena; Gardini, Cristina; Naggi, Annamaria; Torri, Giangiacomo; Larive, Cynthia K

2013-05-31

Heparin is a complex mixture of sulfated linear carbohydrate polymers. It is widely used as an antithrombotic drug, though it has been shown to have a myriad of additional biological activities. Heparin is often partially depolymerized in order to decrease the average molecular weight, as it has been shown that low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) possess more desirable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties than unfractionated heparin (UFH). Due to the prevalence of LMWHs in the market and the emerging availability of generic LMWH products, it is important that analytical methods be developed to ensure the drug quality. This work explores the use of tributylamine (TrBA), dibutylamine (DBA), and pentylamine (PTA) as ion-pairing reagents in conjunction with acetonitrile and methanol modified mobile phases for reversed-phase ion-pairing ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (RPIP-UPLC-MS) for fingerprint analysis of LMWH preparations. RPIP-UPLC-MS fingerprints are presented and compared for tinzaparinand enoxaparin. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A rough set approach for determining weights of decision makers in group decision making

PubMed Central

Yang, Qiang; Du, Ping-an; Wang, Yong; Liang, Bin

2017-01-01

This study aims to present a novel approach for determining the weights of decision makers (DMs) based on rough group decision in multiple attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) problems. First, we construct a rough group decision matrix from all DMs’ decision matrixes on the basis of rough set theory. After that, we derive a positive ideal solution (PIS) founded on the average matrix of rough group decision, and negative ideal solutions (NISs) founded on the lower and upper limit matrixes of rough group decision. Then, we obtain the weight of each group member and priority order of alternatives by using relative closeness method, which depends on the distances from each individual group member’ decision to the PIS and NISs. Through comparisons with existing methods and an on-line business manager selection example, the proposed method show that it can provide more insights into the subjectivity and vagueness of DMs’ evaluations and selections. PMID:28234974

Phase 1 of the near term hybrid passenger vehicle development program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montalenti, P.; Piccolo, R.

1979-01-01

In order to meet project requirements and be competitive in the 1985 market, the proposed six-passenger vehicle incorporates a high power type Ni-Zn battery, which by making electric-only traction possible, permits the achievement of an optimized control strategy based on electric-only traction to a set battery depth of discharge, followed by hybrid operation with thermal primary energy. This results in a highly efficient hybrid propulsion subsystem. Technical solutions are available to contain energy waste by reducing vehicle weight, rolling resistance, and drag coefficient. Reproaching new 1985 full size vehicles of the conventional type with hybrids of the proposed type would result in a U.S. average gasoline saving per vehicle of 1,261 liters/year and an average energy saving per vehicle of 27,133 MJ/year.

ZT Optimization: An Application Focus

PubMed Central

Tuley, Richard; Simpson, Kevin

2017-01-01

Significant research has been performed on the challenge of improving thermoelectric materials, with maximum peak figure of merit, ZT, the most common target. We use an approximate thermoelectric material model, matched to real materials, to demonstrate that when an application is known, average ZT is a significantly better optimization target. We quantify this difference with some examples, with one scenario showing that changing the doping to increase peak ZT by 19% can lead to a performance drop of 16%. The importance of average ZT means that the temperature at which the ZT peak occurs should be given similar weight to the value of the peak. An ideal material for an application operates across the maximum peak ZT, otherwise maximum performance occurs when the peak value is reduced in order to improve the peak position. PMID:28772668

Factors associated with six-year weight change in young and middle-aged adults in the Young Finns Study.

PubMed

Kaikkonen, Jari E; Mikkilä, Vera; Juonala, Markus; Keltikangas-Järvinen, Liisa; Hintsanen, Mirka; Pulkki-Råback, Laura; Viikari, Jorma S A; Kähönen, Mika; Lehtimäki, Terho; Telama, Risto; Raitakari, Olli T

2015-04-01

To examine factors associated with weight change and obesity risk in young and middle-aged adults. The Young Finns Study with its 923 women and 792 men aged 24-39 years at baseline were followed for six years. Variables associated with the weight change were investigated with regression models. The average weight change was 0.45 kg/year in women and 0.58 kg/year in men. In women, weight change was steady across all ages. In men, weight changes were more pronounced in younger age groups. In women (weight gain > 2 kg, n = 490), medication for anxiety, low occupational status, high baseline BMI (body mass index), high intake of sweet beverages, high childhood BMI, high salt (NaCl and/or KCl) use, low number of children, low childhood family income, high stature and low level of dependence (a temperament subscale) were associated with increased weight gain (in the order of importance). In men (weight gain > 2 kg, n = 455), high stature, high intake of french fries, low intake of sweet cookies, young age, recent divorce, low intake of cereals, high intake of milk, depressive symptoms, rural childhood origin, high baseline BMI and unemployment were associated with more pronounced weight gain. Sedentarity (screen-time) was associated with weight gain only in young men. Physical activity and genetic risk for high BMI (score of 31 known variants) were not consistently associated with weight change. Socio-economic factors, temperamental and physical characteristics, and some dietary factors are related with weight change in young/middle-aged adults. The weight change occurring in adulthood is also determined by childhood factors, such as high BMI and low family income.

Maternal Perception of Child Weight Among Mexicans in California and Mexico

PubMed Central

Rosas, Lisa G.; Harley, Kim G.; Guendelman, Sylvia; Fernald, Lia CH; Mejia, Fabiola

2009-01-01

The prevalence of childhood overweight is high in Mexican immigrant communities in the United States. Understanding mother’s perceptions of child weight in immigrants’ country of origin may help to understand this high prevalence. The goal of this study was to examine and compare mothers’ perception of weight in Mexico (MX) and in an immigrant community in California (CA). We assessed perceptions of child weight using a pictorial scale with 314 mothers of 5-year-old children in MX and 60 mothers of 5 year-old-children in CA. We compared maternal reports with children’s objectively measured weight. Using chi-square and Analysis of Variance, we investigated associations of maternal perception of and satisfaction with weight according to socio-demographic characteristics. Mothers were more likely to underestimate their children’s weight in CA than in MX. On average, CA mothers wanted their children to be smaller than they currently were and mothers in MX wanted their children to be bigger than they currently were. This differed by weight status in CA with mothers of normal weight and at-risk-for-overweight children wanting them to be bigger and mothers of overweight children wanting them to be smaller. In order for programs to be effective, mothers must be able to recognize their children as overweight and want to address it. Because underestimation of weight and a desire for a larger size is common in this population, programs to address overweight may be more effective if they focus on alternative benefits of weight control strategies, such as healthy child development. PMID:19911262

Determination of the absolute molecular weight averages and molecular weight distributions of alginates used as ice cream stabilizers by using multiangle laser light scattering measurements.

PubMed

Turquois, T; Gloria, H

2000-11-01

High-performance size exclusion chromatography with multiangle laser light scattering detection (HPSEC-MALLS) was used for characterizing complete molecular weight distributions for a range of commercial alginates used as ice cream stabilizers. For the samples investigated, molecular weight averages were found to vary between 115 000 and 321 700 g/mol and polydispersity indexes varied from 1. 53 to 3.25. These samples displayed a high content of low molecular weights. Thus, the weight percentage of material below 100 000 g/mol ranged between 6.9 and 54.4%.

[Body weight, nutritional factors and physical activity--their influence on prognosis after breast cancer diagnosis].

PubMed

Weitzen, Rony; Tichler, Thomas; Kaufman, Bella; Catane, Raphael; Shpatz, Yael

2006-11-01

Numerous studies have examined the association between body weight, nutritional factors, physical activity and the risk for primary breast cancer. Relatively few studies, however, have examined the associations between these issues and the recurrence of the disease and cure of the primary tumor. Today, three areas of focus are actively being researched for breast cancer survivors: body weight, diet composition and physical activity with specific emphasis on the risk for recurrence, survival and quality of life. Increased body weight or BMI (Body Mass Index) at diagnosis was found to be a significant risk factor for recurrent disease, decreased survival, or both. Overall obesity has been shown to adversely affect prognosis. Appropriate weight control may be particularly beneficial for breast cancer survivors. Breast cancer survivors should be encouraged to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Limiting fat intake can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Increasing consumption of vegetables and fruits seems to have possible beneficial effects during and after treatments. To date physical activity after breast cancer diagnosis has been found to reduce the risk of death. The greatest benefit occurred in women who performed the equivalent of walking 3-5 hours per week at an average pace. Safe weight loss via increased physical activity and healthful food choices should be encouraged for normal, overweight or obese breast cancer survivors in order to improve survival and life quality.

An Exploration into Diffusion Tensor Imaging in the Bovine Ocular Lens

PubMed Central

Vaghefi, Ehsan; Donaldson, Paul J.

2013-01-01

We describe our development of the diffusion tensor imaging modality for the bovine ocular lens. Diffusion gradients were added to a spin-echo pulse sequence and the relevant parameters of the sequence were refined to achieve good diffusion weighting in the lens tissue, which demonstrated heterogeneous regions of diffusive signal attenuation. Decay curves for b-value (loosely summarizes the strength of diffusion weighting) and TE (determines the amount of magnetic resonance imaging-obtained signal) were used to estimate apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) and T2 in different lens regions. The ADCs varied by over an order of magnitude and revealed diffusive anisotropy in the lens. Up to 30 diffusion gradient directions, and 8 signal acquisition averages, were applied to lenses in culture in order to improve maps of diffusion tensor eigenvalues, equivalent to ADC, across the lens. From these maps, fractional anisotropy maps were calculated and compared to known spatial distributions of anisotropic molecular fluxes in the lens. This comparison suggested new hypotheses and experiments to quantitatively assess models of circulation in the avascular lens. PMID:23459990

Effects of error covariance structure on estimation of model averaging weights and predictive performance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lu, Dan; Ye, Ming; Meyer, Philip D.; Curtis, Gary P.; Shi, Xiaoqing; Niu, Xu-Feng; Yabusaki, Steve B.

2013-01-01

When conducting model averaging for assessing groundwater conceptual model uncertainty, the averaging weights are often evaluated using model selection criteria such as AIC, AICc, BIC, and KIC (Akaike Information Criterion, Corrected Akaike Information Criterion, Bayesian Information Criterion, and Kashyap Information Criterion, respectively). However, this method often leads to an unrealistic situation in which the best model receives overwhelmingly large averaging weight (close to 100%), which cannot be justified by available data and knowledge. It was found in this study that this problem was caused by using the covariance matrix, CE, of measurement errors for estimating the negative log likelihood function common to all the model selection criteria. This problem can be resolved by using the covariance matrix, Cek, of total errors (including model errors and measurement errors) to account for the correlation between the total errors. An iterative two-stage method was developed in the context of maximum likelihood inverse modeling to iteratively infer the unknown Cek from the residuals during model calibration. The inferred Cek was then used in the evaluation of model selection criteria and model averaging weights. While this method was limited to serial data using time series techniques in this study, it can be extended to spatial data using geostatistical techniques. The method was first evaluated in a synthetic study and then applied to an experimental study, in which alternative surface complexation models were developed to simulate column experiments of uranium reactive transport. It was found that the total errors of the alternative models were temporally correlated due to the model errors. The iterative two-stage method using Cekresolved the problem that the best model receives 100% model averaging weight, and the resulting model averaging weights were supported by the calibration results and physical understanding of the alternative models. Using Cek obtained from the iterative two-stage method also improved predictive performance of the individual models and model averaging in both synthetic and experimental studies.

Weight outcomes audit for 34,271 adults referred to a primary care/commercial weight management partnership scheme.

PubMed

Stubbs, R James; Pallister, Carolyn; Whybrow, Stephen; Avery, Amanda; Lavin, Jacquie

2011-01-01

This project audited rate and extent of weight loss in a primary care/commercial weight management organisation partnership scheme. 34,271 patients were referred to Slimming World for 12 weekly sessions. Data were analysed using individual weekly weight records. Average (SD) BMI change was -1.5 kg/m² (1.3), weight change -4.0 kg (3.7), percent weight change -4.0% (3.6), rate of weight change -0.3 kg/week, and number of sessions attended 8.9 (3.6) of 12. For patients attending at least 10 of 12 sessions (n = 19,907 or 58.1%), average (SD) BMI change was -2.0 kg/m² (1.3), weight change -5.5 kg (3.8), percent weight change -5.5% (3.5), rate of weight change -0.4 kg/week, and average number of sessions attended was 11.5 (0.7) (p < 0.001, compared to all patients). Weight loss was greater in men (n = 3,651) than in women (n = 30,620) (p < 0.001). 35.8% of all patients enrolled and 54.7% in patients attending 10 or more sessions achieved at least 5% weight loss. Weight gain was prevented in 92.1% of all patients referred. Attendance explained 29.6% and percent weight lost in week 1 explained 18.4% of the variance in weight loss. Referral to a commercial organisation is a practical option for National Health Service (NHS) weight management strategies, which achieves clinically safe and effective weight loss. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The relationship between biological cognitive and psychosocial characteristics of parents and the weight of infant at the time of birth in Isfahan.

PubMed

Talebian, Mohammad Hassan; Afrooz, Gholam Ali; Hooman, Heidar Ali; Aghaei, Asghar

2013-01-01

The present study was connected in order to evaluate the relationship between biological, cognitive and psychosocial characteristics of mothers and the weight of infant at the time of birth. In order to conduct this research a sample of 910 women among recently delivered mothers of Isfahan province in 2009 were selected. From stratified sampling and cluster sampling according to the percentage of population in each of the cities of Isfahan Province was used. The data was gathered with a questionnaire prepared by the researcher in order to evaluate the biological cognitive and psychosocial characteristics of mothers, in addition to the Enrich marital satisfaction test. After collecting data, the analysis of the data was done with SPSS software in two categories of descriptive and inferential statistics by using logistic regression model. The results showed that the prevalence of low weight infants was 9.5 percent and 38.7 percent of pregnancies was unwanted. Twenty-nine percent of mothers had marital dissatisfaction. 15/6 percent of pregnancies were below 20 years old and 22 percent was above of 35 years old. 38.9 percent of mothers were exposed to cigarette smoke. The average of weight gain during pregnancies was 9 kilograms. Thirty three percent of mothers had high blood pressure during pregnancy, 26.7 percent had history of abortion and 31.9 percent had history of bleeding. 23/1percent of women was employed during pregnancy, 19.8 percent gave twin birth and 21/1 percent of parents were relative of each other, 29.7 percent of deliveries were done in cesarean way. The results of this study showed that severe marital dissatisfaction, abnormal blood pressure during pregnancy, being employed during pregnancy, weight gain less than 5 Kg during pregnancy, pregnancy below the age of 20 can meaning fully increase the possibility of low birth weight in infant (α=0.05). The results were consisting with the previous findings and indicated that some of the applicable benefits of this research can be recording of information about each delivery in the whole country with holding training workshops of before and during pregnancy skills by welfare organization.

Accurate finite difference methods for time-harmonic wave propagation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harari, Isaac; Turkel, Eli

1994-01-01

Finite difference methods for solving problems of time-harmonic acoustics are developed and analyzed. Multidimensional inhomogeneous problems with variable, possibly discontinuous, coefficients are considered, accounting for the effects of employing nonuniform grids. A weighted-average representation is less sensitive to transition in wave resolution (due to variable wave numbers or nonuniform grids) than the standard pointwise representation. Further enhancement in method performance is obtained by basing the stencils on generalizations of Pade approximation, or generalized definitions of the derivative, reducing spurious dispersion, anisotropy and reflection, and by improving the representation of source terms. The resulting schemes have fourth-order accurate local truncation error on uniform grids and third order in the nonuniform case. Guidelines for discretization pertaining to grid orientation and resolution are presented.

Multisensor data fusion for IED threat detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mees, Wim; Heremans, Roel

2012-10-01

In this paper we present the multi-sensor registration and fusion algorithms that were developed for a force protection research project in order to detect threats against military patrol vehicles. The fusion is performed at object level, using a hierarchical evidence aggregation approach. It first uses expert domain knowledge about the features used to characterize the detected threats, that is implemented in the form of a fuzzy expert system. The next level consists in fusing intra-sensor and inter-sensor information. Here an ordered weighted averaging operator is used. The object level fusion between candidate threats that are detected asynchronously on a moving vehicle by sensors with different imaging geometries, requires an accurate sensor to world coordinate transformation. This image registration will also be discussed in this paper.

Retrofit Weight-Loss Outcomes at 6, 12, and 24 Months and Characteristics of 12-Month High Performers: A Retrospective Analysis.

PubMed

Painter, Stefanie; Ditsch, Gary; Ahmed, Rezwan; Hanson, Nicholas Buck; Kachin, Kevin; Berger, Jan

2016-08-22

Obesity is the leading cause of preventable death costing the health care system billions of dollars. Combining self-monitoring technology with personalized behavior change strategies results in clinically significant weight loss. However, there is a lack of real-world outcomes in commercial weight-loss program research. Retrofit is a personalized weight management and disease-prevention solution. This study aimed to report Retrofit's weight-loss outcomes at 6, 12, and 24 months and characterize behaviors, age, and sex of high-performing participants who achieved weight loss of 10% or greater at 12 months. A retrospective analysis was performed from 2011 to 2014 using 2720 participants enrolled in a Retrofit weight-loss program. Participants had a starting body mass index (BMI) of >25 kg/m² and were at least 18 years of age. Weight measurements were assessed at 6, 12, and 24 months in the program to evaluate change in body weight, BMI, and percentage of participants who achieved 5% or greater weight loss. A secondary analysis characterized high-performing participants who lost ≥10% of their starting weight (n=238). Characterized behaviors were evaluated, including self-monitoring through weigh-ins, number of days wearing an activity tracker, daily step count average, and engagement through coaching conversations via Web-based messages, and number of coaching sessions attended. Average weight loss at 6 months was -5.55% for male and -4.86% for female participants. Male and female participants had an average weight loss of -6.28% and -5.37% at 12 months, respectively. Average weight loss at 24 months was -5.03% and -3.15% for males and females, respectively. Behaviors of high-performing participants were assessed at 12 months. Number of weigh-ins were greater in high-performing male (197.3 times vs 165.4 times, P=.001) and female participants (222 times vs 167 times, P<.001) compared with remaining participants. Total activity tracker days and average steps per day were greater in high-performing females (304.7 vs 266.6 days, P<.001; 8380.9 vs 7059.7 steps, P<.001, respectively) and males (297.1 vs 255.3 days, P<.001; 9099.3 vs 8251.4 steps, P=.008, respectively). High-performing female participants had significantly more coaching conversations via Web-based messages than remaining female participants (341.4 vs 301.1, P=.03), as well as more days with at least one such electronic message (118 vs 108 days, P=.03). High-performing male participants displayed similar behavior. Participants on the Retrofit program lost an average of -5.21% at 6 months, -5.83% at 12 months, and -4.09% at 24 months. High-performing participants show greater adherence to self-monitoring behaviors of weighing in, number of days wearing an activity tracker, and average number of steps per day. Female high performers have higher coaching engagement through conversation days and total number of coaching conversations.

Using new aggregation operators in rule-based intelligent control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berenji, Hamid R.; Chen, Yung-Yaw; Yager, Ronald R.

1990-01-01

A new aggregation operator is applied in the design of an approximate reasoning-based controller. The ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operator has the property of lying between the And function and the Or function used in previous fuzzy set reasoning systems. It is shown here that, by applying OWA operators, more generalized types of control rules, which may include linguistic quantifiers such as Many and Most, can be developed. The new aggregation operators, as tested in a cart-pole balancing control problem, illustrate improved performance when compared with existing fuzzy control aggregation schemes.

Scalability of Asynchronous Networks Is Limited by One-to-One Mapping between Effective Connectivity and Correlations

PubMed Central

van Albada, Sacha Jennifer; Helias, Moritz; Diesmann, Markus

2015-01-01

Network models are routinely downscaled compared to nature in terms of numbers of nodes or edges because of a lack of computational resources, often without explicit mention of the limitations this entails. While reliable methods have long existed to adjust parameters such that the first-order statistics of network dynamics are conserved, here we show that limitations already arise if also second-order statistics are to be maintained. The temporal structure of pairwise averaged correlations in the activity of recurrent networks is determined by the effective population-level connectivity. We first show that in general the converse is also true and explicitly mention degenerate cases when this one-to-one relationship does not hold. The one-to-one correspondence between effective connectivity and the temporal structure of pairwise averaged correlations implies that network scalings should preserve the effective connectivity if pairwise averaged correlations are to be held constant. Changes in effective connectivity can even push a network from a linearly stable to an unstable, oscillatory regime and vice versa. On this basis, we derive conditions for the preservation of both mean population-averaged activities and pairwise averaged correlations under a change in numbers of neurons or synapses in the asynchronous regime typical of cortical networks. We find that mean activities and correlation structure can be maintained by an appropriate scaling of the synaptic weights, but only over a range of numbers of synapses that is limited by the variance of external inputs to the network. Our results therefore show that the reducibility of asynchronous networks is fundamentally limited. PMID:26325661

Weighting by Inverse Variance or by Sample Size in Random-Effects Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marin-Martinez, Fulgencio; Sanchez-Meca, Julio

2010-01-01

Most of the statistical procedures in meta-analysis are based on the estimation of average effect sizes from a set of primary studies. The optimal weight for averaging a set of independent effect sizes is the inverse variance of each effect size, but in practice these weights have to be estimated, being affected by sampling error. When assuming a…

Communications circuit including a linear quadratic estimator

DOEpatents

Ferguson, Dennis D.

2015-07-07

A circuit includes a linear quadratic estimator (LQE) configured to receive a plurality of measurements a signal. The LQE is configured to weight the measurements based on their respective uncertainties to produce weighted averages. The circuit further includes a controller coupled to the LQE and configured to selectively adjust at least one data link parameter associated with a communication channel in response to receiving the weighted averages.

40 CFR 61.356 - Recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., annual average flow-weighted benzene concentration, and annual benzene quantity. (2) For each waste... measurements, calculations, and other documentation used to determine that the continuous flow of process... benzene concentrations in the waste, the annual average flow-weighted benzene concentration of the waste...

40 CFR 61.356 - Recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., annual average flow-weighted benzene concentration, and annual benzene quantity. (2) For each waste... measurements, calculations, and other documentation used to determine that the continuous flow of process... benzene concentrations in the waste, the annual average flow-weighted benzene concentration of the waste...

40 CFR 61.356 - Recordkeeping requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., annual average flow-weighted benzene concentration, and annual benzene quantity. (2) For each waste... measurements, calculations, and other documentation used to determine that the continuous flow of process... benzene concentrations in the waste, the annual average flow-weighted benzene concentration of the waste...

Developmental and hematological responses to low level continuous exposure of nitrogen dioxide in mice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, J.

1977-01-01

Young healthy mice were continuously exposed to 0ppm, 0.5ppm, 1.0ppm and 5ppm nitrogen dioxide gas for eight weeks. Nitrogen dioxide exposure for eight weeks decreased the average weight of mice, increased the average weight of lungs, heart, and brain and decreased the average weight of liver. Nitrogen dioxide exposure did not have any effects on the WBC and RBC in mice blood but it increased the HCT and HGB in mice blood. Nitrogen dioxide exposure increased the MCV and decreased the MCH and MCHC in mice blood.

Factors that affect molecular weight distribution of Suwannee river fulvic acid as determined by electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rostad, C.E.; Leenheer, J.A.

2004-01-01

Effects of methylation, molar response, multiple charging, solvents, and positive and negative ionization on molecular weight distributions of aquatic fulvic acid were investigated by electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry. After preliminary analysis by positive and negative modes, samples and mixtures of standards were derivatized by methylation to minimize ionization sites and reanalyzed.Positive ionization was less effective and produced more complex spectra than negative ionization. Ionization in methanol/water produced greater response than in acetonitrile/water. Molar response varied widely for the selected free acid standards when analyzed individually and in a mixture, but after methylation this range decreased. After methylation, the number average molecular weight of the Suwannee River fulvic acid remained the same while the weight average molecular weight decreased. These differences are probably indicative of disaggregation of large aggregated ions during methylation. Since the weight average molecular weight decreased, it is likely that aggregate formation in the fulvic acid was present prior to derivatization, rather than multiple charging in the mass spectra. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The development of preferences for specific body shapes.

PubMed

Connolly, Jennifer M; Slaughter, Virginia; Mealey, Linda

2004-02-01

Research with adults has shown a preference for average-weight female figures with waist-to-hip ratios (WHR) of 0.7, and average weight male figures with waist-to-hip ratios of 0.9. This study investigated the development of preferences for WHR sizes as well as preferences for specific body weights. Five-hundred eleven children ranging in age from 6 to 17 were presented with drawings of 12 male and 12 female silhouettes varying in weight and WHR and asked to select one they thought looked the nicest or most attractive. The youngest children showed preferences for the underweight figures, changing to consistent preferences for the average weight figures in the teenage years. The developmental curves for waist-to-hip ratio preferences were linear, changing gradually over time to become more adult-like. Potential developmental models for the development of preferences for specific body shapes are considered in relation to these data.

DIDA - Dynamic Image Disparity Analysis.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-31

register the image only where the disparity estimates are believed to be correct. Therefore, in our 60 implementation we register in proportion to the...average motion is computed as a the average of neighbors motions weighted by their confidence. Since estimates contribute oniy in proportion to their...confidence statistics in the same proportion as they contribute to the average disparity estimate. Two confidences are derived from the weighted

MUC1 gene polymorphism in three Nelore lines selected for growth and its association with growth and carcass traits.

PubMed

de Souza, Fabio Ricardo Pablos; Maione, Sandra; Sartore, Stefano; Soglia, Dominga; Spalenza, Veronica; Cauvin, Elsa; Martelli, Lucia Regina; Mercadante, Maria Eugênia Zerlotti; Sacchi, Paola; de Albuquerque, Lucia Galvão; Rasero, Roberto

2012-02-01

The objective of this study was to describe the VNTR polymorphism of the mucin 1 gene (MUC1) in three Nelore lines selected for yearling weight to determine whether allele and genotype frequencies of this polymorphism were affected by selection for growth. In addition, the effects of the polymorphism on growth and carcass traits were evaluated. Birth, weaning and yearling weights, rump height, Longissimus muscle area, backfat thickness, and rump fat thickness, were analyzed. A total of 295 Nelore heifers from the Beef Cattle Research Center, Instituto de Zootecnia de Sertãozinho, were used, including 41 of the control line, 102 of the selection line and 152 of the traditional. The selection and traditional lines comprise animals selected for higher yearling weight, whereas control line animals are selected for yearling weight close to the average. Five alleles were identified, with allele 1 being the most frequent in the three lines, especially in the lines selected for higher means for yearling weight. Heterozygosity was significantly higher in the control line. Association analyses showed significant effects of allele 1 on birth weight and weaning weight while the allele 3 exert significant effects on yearling weight and back fat thickness. Despite these findings, application of this marker to marker-assisted selection requires more consistent results based on the genotyping of a larger number of animals in order to increase the accuracy of the statistical analyses.

Determinants of cognitive development of low SES children in Chile: a post-transitional country with rising childhood obesity rates.

PubMed

Galván, Marcos; Uauy, Ricardo; Corvalán, Camila; López-Rodríguez, Guadalupe; Kain, Juliana

2013-09-01

Studies conducted in developing countries have noted associations between concurrent stunting, social-emotional problems and poor cognitive ability in young children. However, the relative contribution of these variables in Latin America is likely changing as undernutrition rates decline and prevalence of childhood obesity rises. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 106 normal-weight and 109 obese preschool children to compare the relative contribution of early nutrition, sociodemographic factors and psychosocial variables on cognitive development in normal-weight and obese preschool children in Chile. The study variables were categorized as: (1) socio-demographic (age, sex, birth order and socioeconomic) (2) early nutrition (maternal height, birth weight, birth length and height at 5 years) (3) psychosocial factors (maternal depression, social-emotional wellbeing and home space sufficiency). In order to assess determinants of cognitive development at 4-5 years we measured intelligence quotient (IQ); variability in normal children was mostly explained by socio-demographic characteristics (r(2) = 0.26), while in obese children early nutritional factors had a significant effect (r(2) = 0.12) beyond socio-demographic factors (r(2) = 0.19). Normal-weight children, who were first born, of slightly better SES and height Z score >1, had an IQ ≥ 6 points greater than their counterparts (p < 0.05). Obese children who were first born with birth weight >4,000 g and low risk of socio-emotional problems had on average ≥5 IQ points greater than their peers (p < 0.05). We conclude that in Chile, a post-transitional country, IQ variability of normal children was mostly explained by socio-demographic characteristics; while in obese children, early nutrition also played a significant role.

Aqueous self-assembly of poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEO-b-PCL) copolymers: disparate diblock copolymer compositions give rise to nano- and meso-scale bilayered vesicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Wei; Ghoroghchian, P. Peter; Li, Guizhi; Hammer, Daniel A.; Therien, Michael J.

2013-10-01

Nanoparticles formed from diblock copolymers of FDA approved PEO and PCL have generated considerable interest as in vivo drug delivery vehicles. Herein, we report the synthesis of the most extensive family PEO-b-PCL copolymers that vary over the largest range of number-average molecular weights (Mn: 3.6-57k), PEO weight fractions (fPEO: 0.08-0.33), and PEO chain lengths (0.75-5.8k) reported to date. These polymers were synthesized in order to establish the full range of aqueous phase behaviours of these diblock copolymers and to specifically identify formulations that were able to generate bilayered vesicles (polymersomes). Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) was utilized in order to visualize the morphology of these structures upon aqueous self-assembly of dry polymer films. Nanoscale polymersomes were formed from PEO-b-PCL copolymers over a wide range of PEO weight fractions (fPEO: 0.14-0.27) and PEO molecular weights (0.75-3.8k) after extrusion of aqueous suspensions. Comparative morphology diagrams, which describe the nature of self-assembled structures as a function of diblock copolymer molecular weight and PEO weight fraction, show that in contrast to micron-scale polymersomes, which form only from a limited range of PEO-b-PCL diblock copolymer compositions, a multiplicity of PEO-b-PCL diblock copolymer compositions are able to give rise to nanoscale vesicles. These data underscore that PEO-b-PCL compositions that spontaneously form micron-sized polymersomes, as well as those that have previously been reported to form polymersomes via a cosolvent fabrication system, provide only limited insights into the distribution of PEO-b-PCL diblocks that give rise to nanoscale vesicles. The broad range of polymersome-forming PEO-b-PCL compositions described herein suggest the ability to construct extensive families of nanoscale vesicles of varied bilayer thickness, providing the ability to tune the timescales of vesicle degradation and encapsulant release based on the intended in vivo application.Nanoparticles formed from diblock copolymers of FDA approved PEO and PCL have generated considerable interest as in vivo drug delivery vehicles. Herein, we report the synthesis of the most extensive family PEO-b-PCL copolymers that vary over the largest range of number-average molecular weights (Mn: 3.6-57k), PEO weight fractions (fPEO: 0.08-0.33), and PEO chain lengths (0.75-5.8k) reported to date. These polymers were synthesized in order to establish the full range of aqueous phase behaviours of these diblock copolymers and to specifically identify formulations that were able to generate bilayered vesicles (polymersomes). Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) was utilized in order to visualize the morphology of these structures upon aqueous self-assembly of dry polymer films. Nanoscale polymersomes were formed from PEO-b-PCL copolymers over a wide range of PEO weight fractions (fPEO: 0.14-0.27) and PEO molecular weights (0.75-3.8k) after extrusion of aqueous suspensions. Comparative morphology diagrams, which describe the nature of self-assembled structures as a function of diblock copolymer molecular weight and PEO weight fraction, show that in contrast to micron-scale polymersomes, which form only from a limited range of PEO-b-PCL diblock copolymer compositions, a multiplicity of PEO-b-PCL diblock copolymer compositions are able to give rise to nanoscale vesicles. These data underscore that PEO-b-PCL compositions that spontaneously form micron-sized polymersomes, as well as those that have previously been reported to form polymersomes via a cosolvent fabrication system, provide only limited insights into the distribution of PEO-b-PCL diblocks that give rise to nanoscale vesicles. The broad range of polymersome-forming PEO-b-PCL compositions described herein suggest the ability to construct extensive families of nanoscale vesicles of varied bilayer thickness, providing the ability to tune the timescales of vesicle degradation and encapsulant release based on the intended in vivo application. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Materials and methods, characterization data. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03250g

40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart Dddd of... - Work Practice Requirements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... with a 24-hour block average inlet moisture content of less than or equal to 30 percent (by weight, dry... average inlet moisture content of the veneer is less than or equal to 25 percent (by weight, dry basis...

Factors contributing to initial weight loss among adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome.

PubMed

Geier, L M; Bekx, M T; Connor, E L

2012-12-01

To evaluate the impact of a multidisciplinary clinic on weight management among adolescents with PCOS. 140 adolescent females were evaluated in a multidisciplinary PCOS clinic from March 2005 to December 2008. The team included a pediatric endocrinologist, health psychologist, dietitian, and pediatric gynecologist. 110 were diagnosed with PCOS based on the Rotterdam Criteria. Height, weight, BMI, number of subspecialists seen, use of metformin, and compliance with return visits were obtained from medical records. American Family Children's Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. 110 adolescent females with polycystic ovary syndrome. Consultation with a dietitian and health psychologist. Change in weight. The average age at first visit was 15.9 years. The average BMI was 34.7 kg/m(2) (range 18.1-55.5). Seventy-six percent had an initial BMI above the 95(th) percentile. Interactions with providers at the initial visit included a pediatric endocrinologist (100%), health psychologist (60.9%), dietitian (75.5%) and gynecologist (70.9%). Seventy one percent returned for a follow-up visit, (average time of 4.5 months between visits) with 57% achieving weight loss (average 3.5 kg) and an additional 12.6% demonstrating no significant weight gain (< 1.5 kg). Thus, 69.6% demonstrated weight loss/stabilization. In this multidisciplinary clinic for adolescents with PCOS, nearly 70% of patients succeeded in short-term weight stabilization, with 57% demonstrating weight loss. Interactions with the health psychologist and dietitian appeared to play a key role in successful weight control, supporting the importance of psychology and nutrition expertise in the management of this disorder. Copyright © 2012 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of therapeutic radiation on polycaprolactone and polyurethane biomaterials.

PubMed

Cooke, Shelley L; Whittington, Abby R

2016-03-01

Biomedical polymers are exposed in vivo to ionizing radiation as implants, coatings and bystander materials. High levels of ionizing radiation (e.g. X-ray and gamma) have been reported to cause degradation and/or cross-linking in many polymers. This pilot study sought to determine causes of failure, by investigating how therapeutic radiation affects two different porous polymeric scaffolds: polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyurethane (PU). PCL is a bioresorbable material used in biomedical devices (e.g., dentistry, internal fixation devices and targeted drug delivery capsules). PU is commonly used in medical applications (e.g., coatings for pacemakers, tissue expanders, catheter tubing and wound dressings). PU was specifically fabricated to be a non-degradable polymer in this study. Porous scaffolds, fabricated using solvent casting and/or salt leeching techniques, were placed in phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH=7.4) and exposed to typical cancer radiotherapy. A total dose of 50 Gy was broken into 25 doses over an eleven-week period. Collected PBS was tested for polymer leachants and degradation products using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS), results revealed no analyzable leachants from either polymer. Scaffolds were characterized using Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy, Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). No gross visual changes were observed in either polymer, however PU exhibited microstructure changes after irradiation. Increased number average molecular weight and weight average molecular weight in PCL and PU were observed after irradiation, indicating crosslinking. PU displayed an increase in intrinsic viscosity that further confirms increased crosslinking. PCL and PU showed decreases in crystallinity after irradiation, and PU crystallinity shifted from long-range-order hard segments to short-range-order hard segments after irradiation. Results from both PCL and PU suggest changes in polymer backbones. This preliminary study suggests that therapeutic radiation doses cause both degradation and crosslinking in PCL and PU. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of Surface Type, Wheelchair Weight, and Axle Position on Wheelchair Propulsion by Novice Older Adults

PubMed Central

Cowan, Rachel E.; Nash, Mark S.; Collinger, Jennifer L.; Koontz, Alicia M.; Boninger, Michael L.

2009-01-01

Objective To examine the impact of surface type, wheelchair weight, and rear axle position on older adult propulsion biomechanics. Design Crossover trial. Setting Biomechanics laboratory. Participants Convenience sample of 53 ambulatory older adults with minimal wheelchair experience (65−87y); men = 20, women = 33. Intervention Participants propelled 4 different wheelchair configurations over 4 surfaces; tile, low carpet, high carpet, and an 8% grade ramp (surface, chair order randomized). Chair configurations included: (1) unweighted chair with an anterior axle position, (2) 9.05kg weighted chair with an anterior axle position, (3) unweighted chair with a posterior axle position (Δ0.08m), and (4) 9.05kg weighted chair with a posterior axle position (Δ0.08m). Weight was added to a titanium folding chair, simulating the weight difference between very light and depot wheelchairs. Instrumented wheels measured propulsion kinetics. Main Outcome Measures Average self-selected velocity, push-frequency, stroke length, peak resultant and tangential force. Results Velocity decreased as surface rolling resistance or chair weight increased. Peak resultant and tangential forces increased as chair weight increased, surface resistance increased, and with a posterior axle position. The effect of a posterior axle position was greater on high carpet and the ramp. The effect of weight was constant, but more easily observed on high carpet and ramp. The effects of axle position and weight were independent of one another. Conclusion Increased surface resistance decreases self-selected velocity and increases peak forces. Increased weight decreases self-selected velocity and increases forces. Anterior axle positions decrease forces, more so on high carpet. Effects of weight and axle position are independent. Greatest reductions in peak forces occur in lighter chairs with anterior axle positions. PMID:19577019

Colorectal Cancer and Colitis Diagnosis Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and an Improved K-Nearest-Neighbour Classifier.

PubMed

Li, Qingbo; Hao, Can; Kang, Xue; Zhang, Jialin; Sun, Xuejun; Wang, Wenbo; Zeng, Haishan

2017-11-27

Combining Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) with endoscopy, it is expected that noninvasive, rapid detection of colorectal cancer can be performed in vivo in the future. In this study, Fourier transform infrared spectra were collected from 88 endoscopic biopsy colorectal tissue samples (41 colitis and 47 cancers). A new method, viz., entropy weight local-hyperplane k-nearest-neighbor (EWHK), which is an improved version of K-local hyperplane distance nearest-neighbor (HKNN), is proposed for tissue classification. In order to avoid limiting high dimensions and small values of the nearest neighbor, the new EWHK method calculates feature weights based on information entropy. The average results of the random classification showed that the EWHK classifier for differentiating cancer from colitis samples produced a sensitivity of 81.38% and a specificity of 92.69%.

Use of scan overlap redundancy to enhance multispectral aircraft scanner data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindenlaub, J. C.; Keat, J.

1973-01-01

Two criteria were suggested for optimizing the resolution error versus signal-to-noise-ratio tradeoff. The first criterion uses equal weighting coefficients and chooses n, the number of lines averaged, so as to make the average resolution error equal to the noise error. The second criterion adjusts both the number and relative sizes of the weighting coefficients so as to minimize the total error (resolution error plus noise error). The optimum set of coefficients depends upon the geometry of the resolution element, the number of redundant scan lines, the scan line increment, and the original signal-to-noise ratio of the channel. Programs were developed to find the optimum number and relative weights of the averaging coefficients. A working definition of signal-to-noise ratio was given and used to try line averaging on a typical set of data. Line averaging was evaluated only with respect to its effect on classification accuracy.

Detection of Methamphetamine and Morphine in Urine and Saliva Using Excitation-Emission Matrix Fluorescence and a Second-Order Calibration Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, B. Y.; Ye, Y.; Liao, L. C.

2016-07-01

A new method was developed to determine the methamphetamine and morphine concentrations in urine and saliva based on excitation-emission matrix fluorescence coupled to a second-order calibration algorithm. In the case of single-drug abuse, the results showed that the average recoveries of methamphetamine and morphine were 95.3 and 96.7% in urine samples, respectively, and 98.1 and 106.2% in saliva samples, respectively. The relative errors were all below 5%. The simultaneous determination of methamphetamine and morphine in urine using two second-order algorithms was also investigated. Satisfactory results were obtained with a self-weighted alternating trilinear decomposition algorithm. The root-mean-square errors of the predictions were 0.540 and 0.0382 μg/mL for methamphetamine and morphine, respectively. The limits of detection of the proposed methods were very low and sufficient for studying methamphetamine and morphine in urine.

40 CFR 1065.125 - Engine intake air.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... engines with multiple intakes with separate humidity measurements at each intake, use a flow-weighted average humidity for NOX corrections. If individual flows of each intake are not measured, use good engineering judgment to estimate a flow-weighted average humidity. (3) Temperature. Good engineering judgment...

[Role of placental apoptosis in fetal growth restriction].

PubMed

Liu, Yuan; Gao, Peng; Xie, Yingbo; Wang, Shuyun; Dai, Minsheng; Jiang, Sen

2002-12-01

To determine the relationship of placental cellular apoptosis and pathophysiology of fetal growth restriction (FGR). Placental samples were obtained from 18 pregnancies complicated by FGR and 14 normal pregnancies. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL) and transmission electron microscopy were used to confirm the occurrence of apoptosis. In FGR group the placental apoptosis rate was (n = 18) 12.1 per thousand, the average placental weight was (236 +/- 24) g, the average birth weight was (2,071 +/- 428) g; In normal group (n = 14), the placental apoptosis rate was 7.3 per thousand, the average placental weight was (354 +/- 63) g, the average birth weight was (3,411 +/- 588) g (P < 0.05). The incidence of apoptosis was significantly higher in placental samples from pregnancies with FGR compared with normal placental samples (P < 0.05). Under transmission election microscopy, apoptosis was obviously compact and the chromatins were formed as mass. These results suggest that apoptosis may play a role in the pathophysiologic mechanisms of FGR.

Maintaining vigorous activity attenuates 7-yr weight gain in 8340 runners.

PubMed

Williams, Paul T

2007-05-01

Body weight generally increases with aging in Western societies. Although training studies show that exercise produces acute weight loss, it is unclear whether the long-term maintenance of vigorous exercise attenuates the trajectory of age-related weight gain. Specifically, prior studies have not tested whether the maintenance of physical activity, in the absence of any change in activity, prevents weight gain. Prospective study of 6119 male and 2221 female runners whose running distances changed < 5 km x wk(-1) between baseline and follow-up surveys 7 yr later. On average, men who maintained modest (0-23 km x wk(-1)), intermediate (24-47 km x wk(-1)), or prolonged running distances (> or = 48 km x wk(-1)) all gained weight through age 64; however, those who maintained > or = 48 km x wk(-1) had one half the average annual weight gain of those who maintained < 24 km x wk(-1). For example, between the ages of 35 and 44 in men and 30 and 39 yr in women, those who maintained < 24 km x wk(-1) gained, on average, 2.1 and 2.9 kg more per decade than those averaging > 48 km x wk(-1). Age-related weight gain, and its attenuation by maintained exercise, were both greater in younger than in older men. Men's gains in waist circumference with age, and its attenuation by maintaining running, were the same in older and younger men. Regardless of age, women increased their body weight, waist circumference, and hip circumference over time, and these measurements were attenuated in proportion to their maintained running distance. In both sexes, running disproportionately prevented more extreme increases in weight. As they aged, men and women gained less weight in proportion to their levels of sustained vigorous activity. This long-term beneficial effect is in addition to the acute weight loss that occurs with increased activity.

Ultrahigh molecular weight aromatic siloxane polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ludwick, L. M.

1982-01-01

The condensation of a diol with a silane in toluene yields a silphenylene-siloxane polymer. The reaction of stiochiometric amounts of the diol and silane produced products with molecular weights in the range 2.0 - 6.0 x 10 to the 5th power. The molecular weight of the product was greatly increased by a multistep technique. The methodology for synthesis of high molecular weight polymers using a two step procedure was refined. Polymers with weight average molecular weights in excess of 1.0 x 10 to the 6th power produced by this method. Two more reactive silanes, bis(pyrrolidinyl)dimethylsilane and bis(gamma butyrolactam)dimethylsilane, are compared with the dimethyleminodimethylsilane in ability to advance the molecular weight of the prepolymer. The polymers produced are characterized by intrinsic viscosity in tetrahydrofuran. Weight and number average molecular weights and polydispersity are determined by gel permeation chromatography.

Feeding differently processed soya bean. Part 1. Effect on performance, protein utilization, relative organ weights, carcass traits and economics of producing broiler-chickens.

PubMed

Aletor, V A; Olonimoyo, F I

1992-01-01

The comparative utilization of differently processed (roasted, cooked and oil cake) soya bean base diets and groundnut cake diet were evaluated in a feeding trial using 100 day-old Anak broiler-chicks. The response criteria included performance, protein utilization, relative organ weights, carcass traits and economy of production. At the end of the feeding trial, the average weight gains of chicks fed processed soya bean diets were significantly (P less than 0.05) higher than those fed groundnut cake and raw soya bean diets. Both feed consumption and efficiency were significantly (P less than 0.05) enhanced by processing. For example, feed consumption was highest in the chicks fed soya bean oil cake and least in those fed raw bean. Feed efficiency was best in chicks fed roasted soya bean. The relative weights [g/100 g body wt.] of the liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, gizzard and bursa were not significantly affected by the differently processed soya bean while the raw bean (unprocessed) significantly (P less than 0.01) increased pancreas weight. The dressed weight [%], eviscerated weight [%] and the relative weight of the thigh, drumsticks, chest, back and head were not significantly influenced by the dietary treatments. However, the relative weights of the shank and belly fat were significantly (P less than 0.05) affected. Cost-benefit analysis showed that the processed soya bean gave higher profit than groundnut cake diet. Among the soya bean diets, profit was in the order: roasted greater than cooked greater than oil cake greater than raw bean.

Size and shape of soil humic acids estimated by viscosity and molecular weight.

PubMed

Kawahigashi, Masayuki; Sumida, Hiroaki; Yamamoto, Kazuhiko

2005-04-15

Ultrafiltration fractions of three soil humic acids were characterized by viscometry and high performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) in order to estimate shapes and hydrodynamic sizes. Intrinsic viscosities under given solute/solvent/temperature conditions were obtained by extrapolating the concentration dependence of reduced viscosities to zero concentration. Molecular mass (weight average molecular weight (M (w)) and number average molecular weight (M (n))) and hydrodynamic radius (R(H)) were determined by HPSEC using pullulan as calibrant. Values of M (w) and M (n) ranged from 15 to 118 x 10(3) and from 9 to 50 x 10(3) (g mol(-1)), respectively. Polydispersity, as indicated by M (w)/M (n), increased with increasing filter size from 1.5 to 2.4. The hydrodynamic radii (R(H)) ranged between 2.2 and 6.4 nm. For each humic acid, M (w) and [eta] were related. Mark-Houwink coefficients calculated on the basis of the M (w)-[eta] relationships suggested restricted flexible chains for two of the humic acids and a branched structure for the third humic acid. Those structures probably behave as hydrated sphere colloids in a good solvent. Hydrodynamic radii of fractions calculated from [eta] using Einstein's equation, which is applicable to hydrated sphere colloids, ranged from 2.2 to 7.1 nm. These dimensions are fit to the size of nanospaces on and between clay minerals and micropores in soil particle aggregates. On the other hand, the good agreement of R(H) values obtained by applying Einstein's equation with those directly determined by HPSEC suggests that pullulan is a suitable calibrant for estimation of molecular mass and size of humic acids by HPSEC.

Retrofit Weight-Loss Outcomes at 6, 12, and 24 Months and Characteristics of 12-Month High Performers: A Retrospective Analysis

PubMed Central

Hanson, Nicholas Buck; Kachin, Kevin; Berger, Jan

2016-01-01

Background Obesity is the leading cause of preventable death costing the health care system billions of dollars. Combining self-monitoring technology with personalized behavior change strategies results in clinically significant weight loss. However, there is a lack of real-world outcomes in commercial weight-loss program research. Objective Retrofit is a personalized weight management and disease-prevention solution. This study aimed to report Retrofit’s weight-loss outcomes at 6, 12, and 24 months and characterize behaviors, age, and sex of high-performing participants who achieved weight loss of 10% or greater at 12 months. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed from 2011 to 2014 using 2720 participants enrolled in a Retrofit weight-loss program. Participants had a starting body mass index (BMI) of >25 kg/m² and were at least 18 years of age. Weight measurements were assessed at 6, 12, and 24 months in the program to evaluate change in body weight, BMI, and percentage of participants who achieved 5% or greater weight loss. A secondary analysis characterized high-performing participants who lost ≥10% of their starting weight (n=238). Characterized behaviors were evaluated, including self-monitoring through weigh-ins, number of days wearing an activity tracker, daily step count average, and engagement through coaching conversations via Web-based messages, and number of coaching sessions attended. Results Average weight loss at 6 months was −5.55% for male and −4.86% for female participants. Male and female participants had an average weight loss of −6.28% and −5.37% at 12 months, respectively. Average weight loss at 24 months was −5.03% and −3.15% for males and females, respectively. Behaviors of high-performing participants were assessed at 12 months. Number of weigh-ins were greater in high-performing male (197.3 times vs 165.4 times, P=.001) and female participants (222 times vs 167 times, P<.001) compared with remaining participants. Total activity tracker days and average steps per day were greater in high-performing females (304.7 vs 266.6 days, P<.001; 8380.9 vs 7059.7 steps, P<.001, respectively) and males (297.1 vs 255.3 days, P<.001; 9099.3 vs 8251.4 steps, P=.008, respectively). High-performing female participants had significantly more coaching conversations via Web-based messages than remaining female participants (341.4 vs 301.1, P=.03), as well as more days with at least one such electronic message (118 vs 108 days, P=.03). High-performing male participants displayed similar behavior. Conclusions Participants on the Retrofit program lost an average of −5.21% at 6 months, −5.83% at 12 months, and −4.09% at 24 months. High-performing participants show greater adherence to self-monitoring behaviors of weighing in, number of days wearing an activity tracker, and average number of steps per day. Female high performers have higher coaching engagement through conversation days and total number of coaching conversations. PMID:27549134

Inhibitory effect of konjac glucomanan on pitting corrosion of AA5052 aluminium alloy in NaCl solution.

PubMed

Zhang, Kegui; Yang, Wenzhong; Xu, Bin; Chen, Yun; Yin, Xiaoshuang; Liu, Ying; Zuo, Huanzhen

2018-05-01

A natural carbohydrate polymer, konjac glucomanan, has been extracted from commercial product and studied as a green corrosion inhibitor for AA5052 aluminium alloy in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution by high-performance gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, electrochemical measurement and surface characterization techniques. The results of GPC measurements suggest the weight-average molecular weight and the number-average molecular weight of KGM with 98.2% purity are 1.61 × 10 5  g/mol and 1.54 × 10 5  g/mol, respectively. Potentiodynamic polarization curves show konjac glucomanan behaves as a mixed-type inhibitor with dominant anodic effect and that its maximum efficiency at 200 ppm is 94%. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies reveal the resistance of oxide film is approximately two orders of magnitude greater than the resistance of adsorbed inhibitor layer and that they both increase with KGM concentration. Moreover, in-situ electrochemical noise (EN) detection demonstrates that the growth and propagation stages of the pitting corrosion germinating on metal surface are blocked by polysaccharide additive, which is confirmed by the surface analysis of aluminium alloy using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Raman spectroscopy. At last, it is found that the addition of KGM makes it harder for water droplet containing NaCl to wet the metallic substrate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Distribution of Chains in Polymer Brushes Produced by a “Grafting From” Mechanism

DOE PAGES

Martinez, Andre P.; Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y.; Dobrynin, Andrey V.; ...

2016-01-11

The molecular weight and polydispersity of the chains in a polymer brush are critical parameters determining the brush properties. However, the characterization of polymer brushes is hindered by the vanishingly small mass of polymer present in brush layers. In this study, in order to obtain sufficient quantities of polymer for analysis, polymer brushes were grown from high surface area fibrous nylon membranes by ATRP. We synthesized the brushes with varying surface initiator densities, polymerization times, and amounts of sacrificial initiator, then cleaved from the substrate, and analyzed by GPC and NMR. Characterization showed that the surface-grown polymer chains were moremore » polydisperse and had lower average molecular weight compared to solution-grown polymers synthesized concurrently. Furthermore, the molecular weight distribution of the polymer brushes was observed to be bimodal, with a low molecular weight population of chains representing a significant mass fraction of the polymer chains at high surface initiator densities. Moreover, the origin of this low MW polymer fraction is proposed to be the termination of growing chains by recombination during the early stages of polymerization, a mechanism confirmed by molecular dynamics simulations of brush polymerization.« less

Buying and Selling Prices of Investments: Configural Weight Model of Interactions Predicts Violations of Joint Independence.

PubMed

Birnbaum; Zimmermann

1998-05-01

Judges evaluated buying and selling prices of hypothetical investments, based on the previous price of each investment and estimates of the investment's future value given by advisors of varied expertise. Effect of a source's estimate varied in proportion to the source's expertise, and it varied inversely with the number and expertise of other sources. There was also a configural effect in which the effect of a source's estimate was affected by the rank order of that source's estimate, in relation to other estimates of the same investment. These interactions were fit with a configural weight averaging model in which buyers and sellers place different weights on estimates of different ranks. This model implies that one can design a new experiment in which there will be different violations of joint independence in different viewpoints. Experiment 2 confirmed patterns of violations of joint independence predicted from the model fit in Experiment 1. Experiment 2 also showed that preference reversals between viewpoints can be predicted by the model of Experiment 1. Configural weighting provides a better account of buying and selling prices than either of two models of loss aversion or the theory of anchoring and insufficient adjustment. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Model Reduction for Control System Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Enns, D. F.

1985-01-01

An approach and a technique for effectively obtaining reduced order mathematical models of a given large order model for the purposes of synthesis, analysis and implementation of control systems is developed. This approach involves the use of an error criterion which is the H-infinity norm of a frequency weighted error between the full and reduced order models. The weightings are chosen to take into account the purpose for which the reduced order model is intended. A previously unknown error bound in the H-infinity norm for reduced order models obtained from internally balanced realizations was obtained. This motivated further development of the balancing technique to include the frequency dependent weightings. This resulted in the frequency weighted balanced realization and a new model reduction technique. Two approaches to designing reduced order controllers were developed. The first involves reducing the order of a high order controller with an appropriate weighting. The second involves linear quadratic Gaussian synthesis based on a reduced order model obtained with an appropriate weighting.

A behavioral weight-loss intervention for persons with serious mental illness in psychiatric rehabilitation centers.

PubMed

Daumit, G L; Dalcin, A T; Jerome, G J; Young, D R; Charleston, J; Crum, R M; Anthony, C; Hayes, J H; McCarron, P B; Khaykin, E; Appel, L J

2011-08-01

Overweight and obesity are epidemic in populations with serious mental illnesses. We developed and pilot-tested a behavioral weight-loss intervention appropriately tailored for persons with serious mental disorders. We conducted a single-arm pilot study in two psychiatric rehabilitation day programs in Maryland, and enrolled 63 overweight or obese adults. The 6-month intervention provided group and individual weight management and group physical activity classes. The primary outcome was weight change from baseline to 6 months. A total of 64% of those potentially eligible enrolled at the centers. The mean age was 43.7 years; 56% were women; 49% were white; and over half had schizophrenia or a schizoaffective disorder. One-third had hypertension and one-fifth had diabetes. In total, 52 (82%) completed the study; others were discharged from psychiatric centers before completion of the study. Average attendance across all weight management sessions was 70% (87% on days participants attended the center) and 59% for physical activity classes (74% on days participants attended the center). From a baseline mean of 210.9 lbs (s.d. 43.9), average weight loss for 52 participants was 4.5 lb (s.d. 12.8) (P<0.014). On average, participants lost 1.9% of body weight. Mean waist circumference change was 3.1 cm (s.d. 5.6). Participants on average increased the distance on the 6-minute walk test by 8%. This pilot study documents the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a behavioral weight-loss intervention in adults with serious mental illness who were attendees at psychiatric rehabilitation centers. The results may have implications for developing weight-loss interventions in other institutional settings such as schools or nursing homes.

Alternative Fuels Data Center

Science.gov Websites

gross vehicle weight limits by a weight equal to the difference between the average weight of the diesel tank and fueling system. The NGV maximum gross weight may not exceed 82,000 pounds. (Reference

Weight loss in exclusively breastfed infants delivered by cesarean birth.

PubMed

Preer, Genevieve L; Newby, P K; Philipp, Barbara L

2012-05-01

Rates of exclusive breastfeeding during the postpartum hospital stay are a key measure of quality maternity care. Often, however, concern for excessive in-hospital weight loss leads to formula supplementation of breastfed infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics defines 7% weight loss as acceptable for breastfed newborns regardless of mode of delivery. Typical weight loss in exclusively breastfed infants delivered by cesarean birth has not been studied nor have possible correlates of greater weight loss in this population. To determine average weight loss in a cohort of exclusively breastfed infants delivered by cesarean birth and to identify correlates of greater than expected weight loss. We performed a retrospective chart review of exclusively breastfed infants delivered via cesarean birth at a Baby-Friendly hospital between 2005 and 2007. Average weight loss was calculated, and multivariate regression analysis was performed. Average weight loss during the hospital stay in our cohort of 200 infants was 7.2% ± 2.1% of birth weight, slightly greater than the American Academy of Pediatrics guideline of 7%. Absence of labor prior to delivery was significantly associated with a greater percentage of weight loss (P = .0004), as were lower gestational age (P = .0004) and higher birth weight (P < .0001). Maternal age, gravity, parity, infant sex, Apgar scores, and prior cesarean birth were not significantly associated. We conclude that for exclusively breastfed infants delivered by cesarean birth in a Baby-Friendly hospital, absence of labor prior to cesarean birth may be a previously unreported risk factor for greater than expected weight loss.

Genetic parameter estimates among scale activity score and farrowing disposition with reproductive traits in swine.

PubMed

Schneider, J F; Rempel, L A; Rohrer, G A; Brown-Brandl, T M

2011-11-01

The primary objective of this study was to determine if certain behavior traits were genetically correlated with reproduction. If 1 or both of the behavior traits were found to be correlated, a secondary objective was to determine if the behavior traits could be useful in selecting for more productive females. A scale activity score taken at 5 mo of age and a farrowing disposition score taken at farrowing were selected as the behavioral traits. Scale activity score ranged from 1 to 5 and farrowing disposition ranged from 1 to 3. Reproductive traits included age at puberty, number born alive, number born dead, litter birth weight, average piglet birth weight, number weaned, litter weaning weight, average weaning weight, wean-to-estrus interval, ovulation rate including gilts, and postweaning ovulation rate. Genetic correlations between scale activity score and reproduction ranged from -0.79 to 0.61. Three of the correlations, number born alive (P < 0.01), average piglet birth weight (P < 0.001), and wean-to-estrus interval (P = 0.014), were statistically significant but included both favorable and antagonistic correlations. In contrast, all but 1 of the farrowing disposition correlations was favorable and ranged from -0.66 to 0.67. Although only the correlation with litter birth weight was significant (P = 0.018), the consistent favorable direction of all farrowing disposition correlations, except average weaning weight, shows a potential for inclusion of farrowing disposition into a selection program.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Employer Matching of Employees' Monetary Contributions to Deposit Contracts to Promote Weight Loss.

PubMed

Kullgren, Jeffrey T; Troxel, Andrea B; Loewenstein, George; Norton, Laurie A; Gatto, Dana; Tao, Yuanyuan; Zhu, Jingsan; Schofield, Heather; Shea, Judy A; Asch, David A; Pellathy, Thomas; Driggers, Jay; Volpp, Kevin G

2016-07-01

To test whether employer matching of employees' monetary contributions increases employees' (1) participation in deposit contracts to promote weight loss and (2) weight loss. A 36-week randomized trial. Large employer in the northeast United States. One hundred thirty-two obese employees. Over 24 weeks, participants were asked to lose 24 pounds and randomized to monthly weigh-ins or daily weigh-ins with monthly opportunities to deposit $1 to $3 per day that was not matched, matched 1:1, or matched 2:1. Deposits and matched funds were returned to participants for each day they were below their goal weight. Rates of making ≥1 deposit, weight loss at 24 weeks (primary outcome), and 36 weeks. Deposit rates were compared using χ(2) tests. Weight loss was compared using t tests. Among participants eligible to make deposits, 29% made ≥1 deposit and matching did not increase participation. At 24 weeks, control participants gained an average of 1.0 pound, whereas 1:1 match participants lost an average of 5.3 pounds (P = .005). After 36 weeks, control participants gained an average of 2.1 pounds, whereas no match participants lost an average of 5.1 pounds (P = .008). Participation in deposit contracts to promote weight loss was low, and matching deposits did not increase participation. For deposit contracts to impact population health, ongoing participation will need to be higher. © The Author(s) 2016.

[The kangaroo mothers' programme: a simple and cost-effective alternative for protecting the premature newborn or low-birth-weight babies].

PubMed

Lizarazo-Medina, Jenny P; Ospina-Diaz, Juan M; Ariza-Riaño, Nelly E

2012-06-01

Describing the efficacy and achievements of the kangaroo mothers' programme (KMP) regarding preterm or low-birth-weight babies' health and development in Hospital San Rafael in Tunja from November 2007 to December 2009. This was a retrospective observational cohort study; 374 infants born prematurely or having low-birth-weight were included to assess household socio-demographic factors, maternal and obstetric history, delivery characteristics and complications and follow-up until 40 weeks post-conception age. There was a high prevalence of teenage pregnancy (17.5 %) and in women older than 35 years (12.6 %), unwanted pregnancy (40.6 %), low quality and poor availability of food in families, complications such as preeclampsia, infection and premature rupture of membranes, 1,969 grams average birth weight, 2,742.9 grams average weight on discharge and 22 grams average weight gain per day. It was found that KMP methodology substantially improved the mothers' psychological aspects and health status and the newborns' prognosis and led to stabilising body temperature and weight gain rate while decreasing risks of complications and nosocomial infection. It also lowered health care costs and shortened hospital stay.

Conversion of calibration curves for accurate estimation of molecular weight averages and distributions of polyether polyols by conventional size exclusion chromatography.

PubMed

Xu, Xiuqing; Yang, Xiuhan; Martin, Steven J; Mes, Edwin; Chen, Junlan; Meunier, David M

2018-08-17

Accurate measurement of molecular weight averages (M¯ n, M¯ w, M¯ z ) and molecular weight distributions (MWD) of polyether polyols by conventional SEC (size exclusion chromatography) is not as straightforward as it would appear. Conventional calibration with polystyrene (PS) standards can only provide PS apparent molecular weights which do not provide accurate estimates of polyol molecular weights. Using polyethylene oxide/polyethylene glycol (PEO/PEG) for molecular weight calibration could improve the accuracy, but the retention behavior of PEO/PEG is not stable in THF-based (tetrahydrofuran) SEC systems. In this work, two approaches for calibration curve conversion with narrow PS and polyol molecular weight standards were developed. Equations to convert PS-apparent molecular weight to polyol-apparent molecular weight were developed using both a rigorous mathematical analysis and graphical plot regression method. The conversion equations obtained by the two approaches were in good agreement. Factors influencing the conversion equation were investigated. It was concluded that the separation conditions such as column batch and operating temperature did not have significant impact on the conversion coefficients and a universal conversion equation could be obtained. With this conversion equation, more accurate estimates of molecular weight averages and MWDs for polyether polyols can be achieved from conventional PS-THF SEC calibration. Moreover, no additional experimentation is required to convert historical PS equivalent data to reasonably accurate molecular weight results. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

HbA1c and Gestational Weight Gain Are Factors that Influence Neonatal Outcome in Mothers with Gestational Diabetes.

PubMed

Barquiel, Beatriz; Herranz, Lucrecia; Hillman, Natalia; Burgos, Ma Ángeles; Grande, Cristina; Tukia, Keleni M; Bartha, José Luis; Pallardo, Luis Felipe

2016-06-01

Maternal glucose and weight gain are related to neonatal outcome in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The aim of this study was to explore the influence of average third-trimester HbA1c and excess gestational weight gain on GDM neonatal complications. This observational study included 2037 Spanish singleton pregnant women with GDM followed in our Diabetes and Pregnancy Unit. The maternal HbA1c level was measured monthly from GDM diagnosis to delivery. Women were compared by average HbA1c level and weight gain categorized into ≤ or > the current Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations for body mass index. The differential effects of these factors on large-for-gestational-age birth weight and a composite of neonatal complications were assessed. Women with an average third-trimester HbA1c ≥5.0% (n = 1319) gave birth to 7.3% versus 3.8% (p = 0.005) of large-for-gestational-age neonates and 22.0% versus 16.0% (p = 0.006) of neonates with complications. Women with excess gestational weight gain (n = 299) delivered 12.5% versus 5.2% (p < 0.001) of large-for-gestational-age neonates and 24.7% versus 19.0% (p = 0.022) of neonates with complications. In an adjusted multiple logistic regression analysis among mothers exposed to the respective risk factors, ∼47% and 52% of large-for-gestational-age neonates and 32% and 37% of neonatal complications were potentially preventable by attaining an average third-trimester HbA1c level <5.0% and optimizing gestational weight gain. Average third-trimester HbA1c level ≥5% and gestational weight gain above the IOM recommendation are relevant risk factors for neonatal complications in mothers with gestational diabetes.

Concomitant changes in sleep duration and body weight and body composition during weight loss and 3-mo weight maintenance.

PubMed

Verhoef, Sanne P M; Camps, Stefan G J A; Gonnissen, Hanne K J; Westerterp, Klaas R; Westerterp-Plantenga, Margriet S

2013-07-01

An inverse relation between sleep duration and body mass index (BMI) has been shown. We assessed the relation between changes in sleep duration and changes in body weight and body composition during weight loss. A total of 98 healthy subjects (25 men), aged 20-50 y and with BMI (in kg/m(2)) from 28 to 35, followed a 2-mo very-low-energy diet that was followed by a 10-mo period of weight maintenance. Body weight, body composition (measured by using deuterium dilution and air-displacement plethysmography), eating behavior (measured by using a 3-factor eating questionnaire), physical activity (measured by using the validated Baecke's questionnaire), and sleep (estimated by using a questionnaire with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale) were assessed before and immediately after weight loss and 3- and 10-mo follow-ups. The average weight loss was 10% after 2 mo of dieting and 9% and 6% after 3- and 10-mo follow-ups, respectively. Daytime sleepiness and time to fall asleep decreased during weight loss. Short (≤7 h) and average (>7 to <9 h) sleepers increased their sleep duration, whereas sleep duration in long sleepers (≥9 h) did not change significantly during weight loss. This change in sleep duration was concomitantly negatively correlated with the change in BMI during weight loss and after the 3-mo follow-up and with the change in fat mass after the 3-mo follow-up. Sleep duration benefits from weight loss or vice versa. Successful weight loss, loss of body fat, and 3-mo weight maintenance in short and average sleepers are underscored by an increase in sleep duration or vice versa. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01015508.

76 FR 5518 - Antidumping Proceedings: Calculation of the Weighted Average Dumping Margin and Assessment Rate...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-01

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration 19 CFR Part 351 [Docket No. 101130598-1052-02] RIN 0625-AA87 Antidumping Proceedings: Calculation of the Weighted Average Dumping Margin and Assessment Rate in Certain Antidumping Duty Proceedings AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade...

Defense Sector Consolidation: Will Consolidation Within the Defense Sector Improve the Financial Performance of Defense Contractors While, Simultaneously Yielding Cost Savings to Taxpayers

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

Treaty USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics WACC Weighted Average Cost of Capital...a present value using the company’s weighted average cost of capital ( WACC ). Synergy: The Premium for Potential Success For the most part

7 CFR 1951.860 - Interest on loans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Interest on loans. (a) RDLF intermediaries: When the RDLF loan portfolio was transferred from HHS to USDA... Law 103-354 to determine the weighted average of the loan portfolio, the RDLF intermediary will be required to complete a weighted loan average rate on its outstanding portfolio. The schedule prepared for...

An in-depth assessment into simultaneous monitoring of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and low-molecular-weight organic phosphorus (LMWOP) in aquatic environments using diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT).

PubMed

Mohr, Christian Wilhelm; Vogt, Rolf David; Røyset, Oddvar; Andersen, Tom; Parekh, Neha Amit

2015-04-01

Long-term laborious and thus costly monitoring of phosphorus (P) fractions is required in order to provide reasonable estimates of the levels of bioavailable phosphorus for eutrophication studies. A practical solution to this problem is the application of passive samplers, known as Diffusive Gradient in Thin films (DGTs), providing time-average concentrations. DGT, with the phosphate adsorbent Fe-oxide based binding gel, is capable of collecting both orthophosphate and low molecular weight organic phosphorus (LMWOP) compounds, such as adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6). The diffusion coefficient (D) is a key parameter relating the amount of analyte determined from the DGT to a time averaged ambient concentration. D at 20 °C for AMP and IP6 were experimentally determined to be 2.9 × 10(-6) cm(2) s(-1) and 1.0 × 10(-6) cm(2) s(-1), respectively. Estimations by conceptual models of LMWOP uptake by DGTs indicated that this fraction constituted more than 75% of the dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) accumulated. Since there is no one D for LMWOP, a D range was estimated through assessment of D models. The models tested for estimating D for a variety of common LMWOP molecules proved to be still too uncertain for practical use. The experimentally determined D for AMP and IP6 were therefore used as upper and lower D, respectively, in order to estimate minimum and maximum ambient concentrations of LMWOP. Validation of the DGT data was performed by comparing concentrations of P fractions determined in natural water samples with concentration of P fractions determined using DGT. Stream water draining three catchments with different land-use (forest, mixed and agriculture) showed clear differences in relative and absolute concentrations of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and dissolved organic P (DOP). There was no significant difference between water sample and DGT DRP (p > 0.05). Moreover, the upper and lower limit D for LMWOP proved reasonable as water sample determined DOP was found to lie in-between the limits of DGT LMWOP concentrations, indicating that on average DOP consists mainly of LMWOP. "Best fit" D was determined for each stream in order to practically use the DGTs for estimating time average DOP. Applying DGT in a eutrophic lake provided insight into P cycling in the water column.

A novel methodology for interpreting air quality measurements from urban streets using CFD modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solazzo, Efisio; Vardoulakis, Sotiris; Cai, Xiaoming

2011-09-01

In this study, a novel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based methodology has been developed to interpret long-term averaged measurements of pollutant concentrations collected at roadside locations. The methodology is applied to the analysis of pollutant dispersion in Stratford Road (SR), a busy street canyon in Birmingham (UK), where a one-year sampling campaign was carried out between August 2005 and July 2006. Firstly, a number of dispersion scenarios are defined by combining sets of synoptic wind velocity and direction. Assuming neutral atmospheric stability, CFD simulations are conducted for all the scenarios, by applying the standard k-ɛ turbulence model, with the aim of creating a database of normalised pollutant concentrations at specific locations within the street. Modelled concentration for all wind scenarios were compared with hourly observed NO x data. In order to compare with long-term averaged measurements, a weighted average of the CFD-calculated concentration fields was derived, with the weighting coefficients being proportional to the frequency of each scenario observed during the examined period (either monthly or annually). In summary the methodology consists of (i) identifying the main dispersion scenarios for the street based on wind speed and directions data, (ii) creating a database of CFD-calculated concentration fields for the identified dispersion scenarios, and (iii) combining the CFD results based on the frequency of occurrence of each dispersion scenario during the examined period. The methodology has been applied to calculate monthly and annually averaged benzene concentration at several locations within the street canyon so that a direct comparison with observations could be made. The results of this study indicate that, within the simplifying assumption of non-buoyant flow, CFD modelling can aid understanding of long-term air quality measurements, and help assessing the representativeness of monitoring locations for population exposure studies.

Environmental factors that influence milk production of Pantaneiro ewes and the weight gain of their lambs during the pre-weaning period.

PubMed

Longo, M L; Vargas Junior, F M; Cansian, K; Souza, M R; Burim, P C; Silva, A L A; Costa, C M; Seno, L O

2018-04-14

The main objective of this research was to conduct an exploratory study of the lactation curve in order to characterize the productive potential of Pantaneiro ewes and lambs. Fifty ewes were bred using four rams in two different mating seasons. The ewes were kept with their lambs on pasture of Brachiaria brizantha. Ewe body score, ewe weight, and lamb weight were evaluated. Milk sampling was performed every week. In the morning for milk collections, the ewes were treated with 1 UI of oxytocin (intramuscular) for complete milking. Lambs were separated from the ewes for 4 h and milk collections were performed. The total milk production over 24 h was estimated by multiplying the production of this period (4 h) by 6. The data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure (P < 0.05) in SAS. Milk production data were fitted to the curve using the incomplete gamma function of Wood, and lamb growth data were fitted using the Gompertiz equation. The average milk production of the ewes was 1.03 kg/day -1 . Younger ewes had the lowest milk production (18 = 798 ± 330, 24 = 1001 ± 440, 36 = 1100 ± 490, and 48 = 1106 ± 490 g/day -1 ). Ewe body score at lambing affected initial milk production (1.0 = 816 ± 660, 1.5 = 1089 ± 105, and 2.0 = 1424 ± 1600 g/day -1 ). Lambs were weaned with an average weight of 20.3 kg. Daily weight gain from birth to weaning was 181 g. Locally adapted Pantaneiro ewes showed a linear decreasing lactation curve, with reduced production from the second week of lactation. Overall, evaluation of the dairy production and lamb performance revealed great variation, denoting potential for selection.

Optimisation and establishment of diagnostic reference levels in paediatric plain radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulo, Graciano do Nascimento Nobre

Purpose: This study aimed to propose Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs) in paediatric plain radiography and to optimise the most frequent paediatric plain radiography examinations in Portugal following an analysis and evaluation of current practice. Methods and materials: Anthropometric data (weight, patient height and thickness of the irradiated anatomy) was collected from 9,935 patients referred for a radiography procedure to one of the three dedicated paediatric hospitals in Portugal. National DRLs were calculated for the three most frequent X-ray procedures at the three hospitals: chest AP/PA projection; abdomen AP projection; pelvis AP projection. Exposure factors and patient dose were collected prospectively at the clinical sites. In order to analyse the relationship between exposure factors, the use of technical features and dose, experimental tests were made using two anthropomorphic phantoms: a) CIRSTM ATOM model 705; height: 110cm, weight: 19kg and b) Kyoto kagakuTM model PBU-60; height: 165cm, weight: 50kg. After phantom data collection, an objective image analysis was performed by analysing the variation of the mean value of the standard deviation, measured with OsiriX software (Pixmeo, Switzerland). After proposing new exposure criteria, a Visual Grading Characteristic image quality evaluation was performed blindly by four paediatric radiologists, each with a minimum of 10 years of professional experience, using anatomical criteria scoring. Results: DRLs by patient weight groups have been established for the first time. ESAKP75 DRLs for both patient age and weight groups were also obtained and are described in the thesis. Significant dose reduction was achieved through the implementation of an optimisation programme: an average reduction of 41% and 18% on KAPP75 and ESAKP75, respectively for chest plain radiography; an average reduction of 58% and 53% on KAPP75 and ESAKP75, respectively for abdomen plain radiography; and an average reduction of 47% and 48% on KAPP75 and ESAKP75, respectively for pelvis plain radiography. Conclusion: Portuguese DRLs for plain radiography were obtained for paediatric plain radiography (chest AP/PA, abdomen and pelvis). Experimental phantom tests identified adequate plain radiography exposure criteria, validated by objective and subjective image quality analysis. The new exposure criteria were put into practice in one of the paediatric hospitals, by introducing an optimisation programme. The implementation of the optimisation programme allowed a significant dose reduction to paediatric patients, without compromising image quality. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

Reduction of speckle noise from optical coherence tomography images using multi-frame weighted nuclear norm minimization method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thapa, Damber; Raahemifar, Kaamran; Lakshminarayanan, Vasudevan

2015-12-01

In this paper, we propose a speckle noise reduction method for spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) images called multi-frame weighted nuclear norm minimization (MWNNM). This method is a direct extension of weighted nuclear norm minimization (WNNM) in the multi-frame framework since an adequately denoised image could not be achieved with single-frame denoising methods. The MWNNM method exploits multiple B-scans collected from a small area of a SD-OCT volumetric image, and then denoises and averages them together to obtain a high signal-to-noise ratio B-scan. The results show that the image quality metrics obtained by denoising and averaging only five nearby B-scans with MWNNM method is considerably better than those of the average image obtained by registering and averaging 40 azimuthally repeated B-scans.

The effect of total knee arthroplasty on body weight.

PubMed

Lee, Gwo-Chin; Cushner, Fred D; Cannella, Laura Y; Scott, W Norman

2005-03-01

This prospective study quantified the weight change in 20 consecutive patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Resected bone, soft tissues, and bone reamings were collected during surgery and weighed using a digital scale at the end of the procedure. Results were compared to the cumulative weights of the prosthesis, bone cement, patellar component, and polyethylene liner. Average weight of the resected bone and soft tissues was 167.71 g for men and 130.13 g for women. Mean weight of the implanted prosthesis and cement used was 509.92 g for men and 422.56 g for women. Men tended to receive a larger-sized prosthesis than women. Overall, the average weight gain as a result of knee arthroplasty was 345.54 g for men and 292.44 g for women. This translates to an insignificant increase in body weight.

Change in diet, physical activity, and body weight among young-adults during the transition from high school to college.

PubMed

Wengreen, Heidi J; Moncur, Cara

2009-07-22

The freshmen year of college is likely a critical period for risk of weight gain among young-adults. A longitudinal observational study was conducted to examine changes in weight, dietary intake, and other health-related behaviors among first-year college students (n = 186) attending a public University in the western United States. Weight was measured at the beginning and end of fall semester (August - December 2005). Participants completed surveys about dietary intake, physical activity and other health-related behaviors during the last six months of high school (January - June 2005) in August 2005 and during their first semester of college (August - December 2005) in December 2005. 159 students (n = 102 women, 57 men) completed both assessments. The average BMI at the baseline assessment was 23.0 (standard deviation (SD) 3.8). Although the average amount of weight gained during the 15-week study was modest (1.5 kg), 23% of participants gained > or = 5% of their baseline body weight. Average weight gain among those who gained > or = 5% of baseline body weight was 4.5 kg. Those who gained > or = 5% of body weight reported less physical activity during college than high school, were more likely to eat breakfast, and slept more than were those who did not gain > or = 5% of body weight. Almost one quarter of students gained a significant amount of weight during their first semester of college. This research provides further support for the implementation of education or other strategies aimed at helping young-adults entering college to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight.

An estimation of Canadian population exposure to cosmic rays.

PubMed

Chen, Jing; Timmins, Rachel; Verdecchia, Kyle; Sato, Tatsuhiko

2009-08-01

The worldwide average exposure to cosmic rays contributes to about 16% of the annual effective dose from natural radiation sources. At ground level, doses from cosmic ray exposure depend strongly on altitude, and weakly on geographical location and solar activity. With the analytical model PARMA developed by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, annual effective doses due to cosmic ray exposure at ground level were calculated for more than 1,500 communities across Canada which cover more than 85% of the Canadian population. The annual effective doses from cosmic ray exposure in the year 2000 during solar maximum ranged from 0.27 to 0.72 mSv with the population-weighted national average of 0.30 mSv. For the year 2006 during solar minimum, the doses varied between 0.30 and 0.84 mSv, and the population-weighted national average was 0.33 mSv. Averaged over solar activity, the Canadian population-weighted average annual effective dose due to cosmic ray exposure at ground level is estimated to be 0.31 mSv.

Dietary survey methods. 1. A semi-weighted technique for measuring dietary intake within families.

PubMed

Nelson, M; Nettleton, P A

1980-10-01

Family diet studies which measure total family consumption can determine only the average nutrient intake. A method has been devised to measure all family members' individual diets concurrently in order to learn how food and nutrient intake is distributed within the family. In this semi-weighed method, the total quantity of food available for consumption by the family is weighted at time of preparation or serving, and the distribution between family members is recorded in household measures. The method is described in detail. It provides data on individual consumption with an accuracy approaching that of a weighed survey. A co-operation rate of 73 per cent in a random sample of 74 households with two adults and two or three children indicates that this semi-weighed method can be used to assess family diets in a broad cross-section of socio-economic backgounds.

Body composition and nutritional assessments in soccer.

PubMed

Rico-Sanz, J

1998-06-01

This review summarizes results from studies investigating the physical characteristics, daily energy expenditures, diets, and effects of nutritional supplements to the habitual diets of soccer players. The results show that players fall within a wide range of stature and body weight, and they are classified as mesomorphs. The body fat of male players is about 10% of body weight, whereas the average for females is about 21%. Energy expenditure for males is about 4,000 kcal on training days and 3,800 kcal on match day, while energy intake reported in other studies is on the order of 3,700 kcal. Carbohydrate (CHO), fat, and protein intakes are about 53, 30, and 14% of energy intake, respectively, the remaining being from alcohol intake. There are indications that CHO supplements might be beneficial during soccer performance. However, more research is needed to clarify the importance of branched-chain amino acid and creatine supplementation in soccer.

A Pulse Rate Detection Method for Mouse Application Based on Multi-PPG Sensors

PubMed Central

Chen, Wei-Hao

2017-01-01

Heart rate is an important physiological parameter for healthcare. Among measurement methods, photoplethysmography (PPG) is an easy and convenient method for pulse rate detection. However, as the PPG signal faces the challenge of motion artifacts and is constrained by the position chosen, the purpose of this paper is to implement a comfortable and easy-to-use multi-PPG sensor module combined with a stable and accurate real-time pulse rate detection method on a computer mouse. A weighted average method for multi-PPG sensors is used to adjust the weight of each signal channel in order to raise the accuracy and stability of the detected signal, therefore reducing the disturbance of noise under the environment of moving effectively and efficiently. According to the experiment results, the proposed method can increase the usability and probability of PPG signal detection on palms. PMID:28708112

Consultation sequencing of a hospital with multiple service points using genetic programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morikawa, Katsumi; Takahashi, Katsuhiko; Nagasawa, Keisuke

2018-07-01

A hospital with one consultation room operated by a physician and several examination rooms is investigated. Scheduled patients and walk-ins arrive at the hospital, each patient goes to the consultation room first, and some of them visit other service points before consulting the physician again. The objective function consists of the sum of three weighted average waiting times. The problem of sequencing patients for consultation is focused. To alleviate the stress of waiting, the consultation sequence is displayed. A dispatching rule is used to decide the sequence, and best rules are explored by genetic programming (GP). The simulation experiments indicate that the rules produced by GP can be reduced to simple permutations of queues, and the best permutation depends on the weight used in the objective function. This implies that a balanced allocation of waiting times can be achieved by ordering the priority among three queues.

The fish fauna in tropical rivers: the case of the Sorocaba River basin, São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Smith, Welber Senteio; Petrere Júnior, Miguel; Barrella, Walter

2003-01-01

A survey was carried out on the fish species in the Sorocaba River basin, the main tributary of the left margin of the Tietê River, located in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The species were collected with gill nets. After identification of the specimens, their relative abundance, weight and standard length were determined. Up to the present moment there are not any studies that focus this subject in this hydrographic basin. Fifty-three species, distributed in eighteen families and six orders were collected. Characiformes were represented by twenty-eight species, Siluriformes by seventeen species, the Gymnotiformes by three species, Perciformes and Cyprinodontiformes by two species, and the Synbranchiformes by one species. Among the collected species there were two exotic. The most abundant species were Astyanax fasciatus and Hypostomus ancistroides. In relation to total weight the most representative species were Hoplias malabaricus and Hypostomus ancistroides. Cyprinus carpio, Prochilodus lineatus, Schizodon nasutus and Hoplias malabaricus were the most representative species in relation to average weight. Largest standard length were recorded for Sternopygus macrurus, Steindachnerina insculpta, Eigenmannia aff. virescens and Cyprinus carpio.

Investigation on the effect of Friction Stir Processing Parameters on Micro-structure and Micro-hardness of Rice Husk Ash reinforced Al6061 Metal Matrix Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fatchurrohman, N.; Farhana, N.; Marini, C. D.

2018-03-01

Friction stir processing (FSP) is an alternative way to produce the surface composites of aluminium alloy in order to modify the microstructure and improve the mechanical properties. In this experiment, Al6061 aluminium alloy has been chosen to be used as the matrix base plate for the FSP. Al606 has potential for the use in advanced application but it has low wear resistance. While, the reinforced used was rice husk ash (RHA) in order to produce surface composites which increased the micro hardness of the plate composites. The Al6061 was stirred individually and with 5 weight % of RHA at three different tool rotational speeds of 800 rpm, 1000 rpm and 1200 rpm. After running the FSP, the result in the distribution of particles and the micro hardness of the specimens were identified. The result showed that Al6061 plate with the existing 5 weight % of RHA reinforced at the highest of tool rotational speeds of 1200rpm has the best distribution of particles and the highest result in average of micro hardness with 80Hv.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Personality Profiling and General Weighted Average (GWA) of Nursing Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallari, Shedy Dee C.; Pelayo, Jose Maria G., III

2017-01-01

The study focused on the investigation of the existing dynamics between the Myers Briggs Type Indicator personality profiling (MBTI), and General Weighted Average (GWA) of nursing students. The participants were 48 college students in Angeles City, Philippines. All the students were administered with the MBTI instrument. Descriptive…

19 CFR 351.106 - De minimis net countervailable subsidies and weighted-average dumping margins disregarded.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false De minimis net countervailable subsidies and... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANTIDUMPING AND COUNTERVAILING DUTIES Scope and Definitions § 351.106 De... practice of disregarding net countervailable subsidies or weighted-average dumping margins that were de...

19 CFR 351.106 - De minimis net countervailable subsidies and weighted-average dumping margins disregarded.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false De minimis net countervailable subsidies and... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANTIDUMPING AND COUNTERVAILING DUTIES Scope and Definitions § 351.106 De... practice of disregarding net countervailable subsidies or weighted-average dumping margins that were de...

7 CFR 800.85 - Inspection of grain in combined lots.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REGULATIONS Inspection Methods and Procedures § 800.85 Inspection of grain in combined lots. (a) General. The...) Weighted or mathematical average. Official factor and official criteria information shown on a certificate... section, be based on the weighted or mathematical averages of the analysis of the sublots in the lot and...

26 CFR 1.141-15 - Effective dates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... that increases the amount of requirements covered by the contract by reason of a change in the method... section 1301 of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (100 Stat. 2602); and (2)(i) The weighted average maturity of the refunding bonds is longer than— (A) The weighted average maturity of the refunded bonds; or (B) In...

40 CFR 60.493 - Performance test and compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... equivalent or alternative method. The owner or operator shall determine from company records the volume of... estimate the volume of coating used at each facility by using the average dry weight of coating, number of... acceptable to the Administrator. (i) Calculate the volume-weighted average of the total mass of VOC per...

30 CFR 203.74 - When will MMS reconsider its determination?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Sulfur General Royalty Relief for Pre-Act Deep Water Leases and for Development and Expansion Projects... as calculated under this paragraph. (1) Your current reference price is a weighted-average of daily... calendar months; (2) Your base reference price is a weighted average of daily closing prices on the NYMEX...

Real Options as a Strategic Management Framework: A Case Study of the Operationally Responsive Space Initiative

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

of the project, and the Weighted Average Cost of Capital ( WACC ). WACC is defined as the after-tax marginal cost of capital (Copeland & Antikarov...Initial Investment t = Life Expectancy of Project (Start =1, to Finish=N) E(FCF) = Expected Free-Cash Flow WACC = Weighted Average Cost of

[The secular trend in body height and weight in the adult population in the Czech republic].

PubMed

Kopecký, Miroslav; Kikalová, Kateřina; Charamza, Jiří

Secular changes in anthropometric parameters reflect the effect of socio-economic conditions in interaction with other factors on individuals in the course of 100-200 years. The main aim of the research was to determine the average body height and weight for the current adult population of men 19 to 94 years old and women 19 to 86 years old in the Czech Republic, and to compare the average values ​​of body height and weight of the monitored group with the reference values ​​for the adult population observed in our country from 1895 to 2001.Body height and weight were measured with standard anthropometry in 973 men aged 19-94 years and 2,606 women aged 19-86 years. The research was carried out from 2013 to 2015. Statistical tests: t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The average body weight and height of the current adult male is 178.58 cm and 80.86 kg, and of adult female 165.99 cm and 65.67 kg. When compared to men, women show significantly lower average height by 12.59 cm and lower weight by 15.19 kg. The results show that men today are about 10.61 cm higher and weigh 9.01 kilograms more than men in 1895. Todays women are about 9.43 centimeters taller, but weigh 0,58 kg less than women of the same age in 1895.Comparison of results from 1895 to 2015 shows that at present there is likely stagnation or decline in the positive secular trend in body height among men and women. The weight of men is increasing while there is stagnation in the body weight of women.

Comparing Satellite Rainfall Estimates with Rain-Gauge Data: Optimal Strategies Suggested by a Spectral Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, Thomas L.; Kundu, Prasun K.; Lau, William K. M. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Validation of satellite remote-sensing methods for estimating rainfall against rain-gauge data is attractive because of the direct nature of the rain-gauge measurements. Comparisons of satellite estimates to rain-gauge data are difficult, however, because of the extreme variability of rain and the fact that satellites view large areas over a short time while rain gauges monitor small areas continuously. In this paper, a statistical model of rainfall variability developed for studies of sampling error in averages of satellite data is used to examine the impact of spatial and temporal averaging of satellite and gauge data on intercomparison results. The model parameters were derived from radar observations of rain, but the model appears to capture many of the characteristics of rain-gauge data as well. The model predicts that many months of data from areas containing a few gauges are required to validate satellite estimates over the areas, and that the areas should be of the order of several hundred km in diameter. Over gauge arrays of sufficiently high density, the optimal areas and averaging times are reduced. The possibility of using time-weighted averages of gauge data is explored.

Node-based measures of connectivity in genetic networks.

PubMed

Koen, Erin L; Bowman, Jeff; Wilson, Paul J

2016-01-01

At-site environmental conditions can have strong influences on genetic connectivity, and in particular on the immigration and settlement phases of dispersal. However, at-site processes are rarely explored in landscape genetic analyses. Networks can facilitate the study of at-site processes, where network nodes are used to model site-level effects. We used simulated genetic networks to compare and contrast the performance of 7 node-based (as opposed to edge-based) genetic connectivity metrics. We simulated increasing node connectivity by varying migration in two ways: we increased the number of migrants moving between a focal node and a set number of recipient nodes, and we increased the number of recipient nodes receiving a set number of migrants. We found that two metrics in particular, the average edge weight and the average inverse edge weight, varied linearly with simulated connectivity. Conversely, node degree was not a good measure of connectivity. We demonstrated the use of average inverse edge weight to describe the influence of at-site habitat characteristics on genetic connectivity of 653 American martens (Martes americana) in Ontario, Canada. We found that highly connected nodes had high habitat quality for marten (deep snow and high proportions of coniferous and mature forest) and were farther from the range edge. We recommend the use of node-based genetic connectivity metrics, in particular, average edge weight or average inverse edge weight, to model the influences of at-site habitat conditions on the immigration and settlement phases of dispersal. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Integration of ANFIS, NN and GA to determine core porosity and permeability from conventional well log data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ja'fari, Ahmad; Hamidzadeh Moghadam, Rasoul

2012-10-01

Routine core analysis provides useful information for petrophysical study of the hydrocarbon reservoirs. Effective porosity and fluid conductivity (permeability) could be obtained from core analysis in laboratory. Coring hydrocarbon bearing intervals and analysis of obtained cores in laboratory is expensive and time consuming. In this study an improved method to make a quantitative correlation between porosity and permeability obtained from core and conventional well log data by integration of different artificial intelligent systems is proposed. The proposed method combines the results of adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and neural network (NN) algorithms for overall estimation of core data from conventional well log data. These methods multiply the output of each algorithm with a weight factor. Simple averaging and weighted averaging were used for determining the weight factors. In the weighted averaging method the genetic algorithm (GA) is used to determine the weight factors. The overall algorithm was applied in one of SW Iran’s oil fields with two cored wells. One-third of all data were used as the test dataset and the rest of them were used for training the networks. Results show that the output of the GA averaging method provided the best mean square error and also the best correlation coefficient with real core data.

Multisensor Arrays for Greater Reliability and Accuracy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Immer, Christopher; Eckhoff, Anthony; Lane, John; Perotti, Jose; Randazzo, John; Blalock, Norman; Ree, Jeff

2004-01-01

Arrays of multiple, nominally identical sensors with sensor-output-processing electronic hardware and software are being developed in order to obtain accuracy, reliability, and lifetime greater than those of single sensors. The conceptual basis of this development lies in the statistical behavior of multiple sensors and a multisensor-array (MSA) algorithm that exploits that behavior. In addition, advances in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and integrated circuits are exploited. A typical sensor unit according to this concept includes multiple MEMS sensors and sensor-readout circuitry fabricated together on a single chip and packaged compactly with a microprocessor that performs several functions, including execution of the MSA algorithm. In the MSA algorithm, the readings from all the sensors in an array at a given instant of time are compared and the reliability of each sensor is quantified. This comparison of readings and quantification of reliabilities involves the calculation of the ratio between every sensor reading and every other sensor reading, plus calculation of the sum of all such ratios. Then one output reading for the given instant of time is computed as a weighted average of the readings of all the sensors. In this computation, the weight for each sensor is the aforementioned value used to quantify its reliability. In an optional variant of the MSA algorithm that can be implemented easily, a running sum of the reliability value for each sensor at previous time steps as well as at the present time step is used as the weight of the sensor in calculating the weighted average at the present time step. In this variant, the weight of a sensor that continually fails gradually decreases, so that eventually, its influence over the output reading becomes minimal: In effect, the sensor system "learns" which sensors to trust and which not to trust. The MSA algorithm incorporates a criterion for deciding whether there remain enough sensor readings that approximate each other sufficiently closely to constitute a majority for the purpose of quantifying reliability. This criterion is, simply, that if there do not exist at least three sensors having weights greater than a prescribed minimum acceptable value, then the array as a whole is deemed to have failed.

Reliability of cervical vertebral maturation staging.

PubMed

Rainey, Billie-Jean; Burnside, Girvan; Harrison, Jayne E

2016-07-01

Growth and its prediction are important for the success of many orthodontic treatments. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability of the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method for the assessment of mandibular growth. A group of 20 orthodontic clinicians, inexperienced in CVM staging, was trained to use the improved version of the CVM method for the assessment of mandibular growth with a teaching program. They independently assessed 72 consecutive lateral cephalograms, taken at Liverpool University Dental Hospital, on 2 occasions. The cephalograms were presented in 2 different random orders and interspersed with 11 additional images for standardization. The intraobserver and interobserver agreement values were evaluated using the weighted kappa statistic. The intraobserver and interobserver agreement values were substantial (weighted kappa, 0.6-0.8). The overall intraobserver agreement was 0.70 (SE, 0.01), with average agreement of 89%. The interobserver agreement values were 0.68 (SE, 0.03) for phase 1 and 0.66 (SE, 0.03) for phase 2, with average interobserver agreement of 88%. The intraobserver and interobserver agreement values of classifying the vertebral stages with the CVM method were substantial. These findings demonstrate that this method of CVM classification is reproducible and reliable. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the use of hydroxyl radical kinetics to assess the number-average molecular weight of dissolved organic matter.

PubMed

Appiani, Elena; Page, Sarah E; McNeill, Kristopher

2014-10-21

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is involved in numerous environmental processes, and its molecular size is important in many of these processes, such as DOM bioavailability, DOM sorptive capacity, and the formation of disinfection byproducts during water treatment. The size and size distribution of the molecules composing DOM remains an open question. In this contribution, an indirect method to assess the average size of DOM is described, which is based on the reaction of hydroxyl radical (HO(•)) quenching by DOM. HO(•) is often assumed to be relatively unselective, reacting with nearly all organic molecules with similar rate constants. Literature values for HO(•) reaction with organic molecules were surveyed to assess the unselectivity of DOM and to determine a representative quenching rate constant (k(rep) = 5.6 × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1)). This value was used to assess the average molecular weight of various humic and fulvic acid isolates as model DOM, using literature HO(•) quenching constants, kC,DOM. The results obtained by this method were compared with previous estimates of average molecular weight. The average molecular weight (Mn) values obtained with this approach are lower than the Mn measured by other techniques such as size exclusion chromatography (SEC), vapor pressure osmometry (VPO), and flow field fractionation (FFF). This suggests that DOM is an especially good quencher for HO(•), reacting at rates close to the diffusion-control limit. It was further observed that humic acids generally react faster than fulvic acids. The high reactivity of humic acids toward HO(•) is in line with the antioxidant properties of DOM. The benefit of this method is that it provides a firm upper bound on the average molecular weight of DOM, based on the kinetic limits of the HO(•) reaction. The results indicate low average molecular weight values, which is most consistent with the recent understanding of DOM. A possible DOM size distribution is discussed to reconcile the small nature of DOM with the large-molecule behavior observed in other studies.

Regionalized life cycle impact assessment of air pollution on the global scale: Damage to human health and vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Zelm, Rosalie; Preiss, Philipp; van Goethem, Thomas; Van Dingenen, Rita; Huijbregts, Mark

2016-06-01

We developed regionalized characterization factors (CFs) for human health damage from particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone, and for damage to vegetation from ozone, at the global scale. These factors can be used in the impact assessment phase of an environmental life cycle assessment. CFs express the overall damage of a certain pollutant per unit of emission of a precursor, i.e. primary PM2.5, nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). The global chemical transport model TM5 was used to calculate intake fractions of PM2.5 and ozone for 56 world regions covering the whole globe. Furthermore, region-specific effect and damage factors were derived, using mortality rates, background concentrations and years of life lost. The emission-weighted world average CF for primary PM2.5 emissions is 629 yr kton-1, varying up to 3 orders of magnitude over the regions. Larger CFs were obtained for emissions in central Asia and Europe, and smaller factors in Australia and South America. The world average CFs for PM2.5 from secondary aerosols, i.e. NOx, NH3, and SO2, is 67.2 to 183.4 yr kton-1. We found that the CFs for ozone human health damage are 2-4 orders of magnitude lower compared to the CFs for damage due to primary PM2.5 and PM2.5 precursor emissions. Human health damage due to the priority air pollutants considered in this study was 1.7·10-2 yr capita-1 worldwide in year 2010, with primary PM2.5 emissions as the main contributor (62%). The emission-weighted world average CF for ecosystem damage due to ozone was 2.5 km2 yr kton-1 for NMVOCs and 8.7 m2 yr kg-1 for NOx emissions, varying 2-3 orders of magnitude over the regions. Ecosystem damage due to the priority air pollutants considered in this study was 1.6·10-4 km2 capita-1 worldwide in 2010, with NOx as the main contributor (72%). The spatial range in CFs stresses the importance of including spatial variation in life cycle impact assessment of priority air pollutants.

Phase Transition in Protocols Minimizing Work Fluctuations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solon, Alexandre P.; Horowitz, Jordan M.

2018-05-01

For two canonical examples of driven mesoscopic systems—a harmonically trapped Brownian particle and a quantum dot—we numerically determine the finite-time protocols that optimize the compromise between the standard deviation and the mean of the dissipated work. In the case of the oscillator, we observe a collection of protocols that smoothly trade off between average work and its fluctuations. However, for the quantum dot, we find that as we shift the weight of our optimization objective from average work to work standard deviation, there is an analog of a first-order phase transition in protocol space: two distinct protocols exchange global optimality with mixed protocols akin to phase coexistence. As a result, the two types of protocols possess qualitatively different properties and remain distinct even in the infinite duration limit: optimal-work-fluctuation protocols never coalesce with the minimal-work protocols, which therefore never become quasistatic.

SEDFIT-MSTAR: Molecular weight and molecular weight distribution analysis of polymers by sedimentation equilibrium in the ultracentrifuge

PubMed Central

Schuck, Peter; Gillis, Richard B.; Besong, Tabot M.D.; Almutairi, Fahad; Adams, Gary G.; Rowe, Arthur J.; Harding, Stephen E.

2014-01-01

Sedimentation equilibrium (analytical ultracentrifugation) is one of the most inherently suitable methods for the determination of average molecular weights and molecular weight distributions of polymers, because of its absolute basis (no conformation assumptions) and inherent fractionation ability (without the need for columns or membranes and associated assumptions over inertness). With modern instrumentation it is also possible to run up to 21 samples simultaneously in a single run. Its application has been severely hampered because of difficulties in terms of baseline determination (incorporating estimation of the concentration at the air/solution meniscus) and complexity of the analysis procedures. We describe a new method for baseline determination based on a smart-smoothing principle and built into the highly popular platform SEDFIT for the analysis of the sedimentation behavior of natural and synthetic polymer materials. The SEDFIT-MSTAR procedure – which takes only a few minutes to perform - is tested with four synthetic data sets (including a significantly non-ideal system) a naturally occurring protein (human IgG1) and two naturally occurring carbohydrate polymers (pullulan and λ–carrageenan) in terms of (i) weight average molecular weight for the whole distribution of species in the sample (ii) the variation in “point” average molecular weight with local concentration in the ultracentrifuge cell and (iii) molecular weight distribution. PMID:24244936

Evaluation of the dietary intake of homebound elderly and the feasibility of dietary supplementation.

PubMed

Gray-Donald, K; Payette, H; Boutier, V; Page, S

1994-06-01

The dietary intake of elderly subjects receiving home care services (n = 145) was studied to assess the adequacy of their intake, and their ability to maintain normal body weight. In a second part of the study, the feasibility of providing nutrient supplements to underweight subjects or those with important recent weight loss was evaluated. For the survey, three 24-hour recalls, height, weight and lifestyle habits were evaluated in a home interview and two follow-up telephone contacts. The effects of dietary supplementation of 14 subjects at risk of malnutrition (underweight or with substantial weight loss) over 12 weeks were evaluated. Mean energy intake for the entire group was low (males 1546 kcal; females 1152 kcal) and on average barely covered estimated resting energy expenditure. Recent weight loss was negatively correlated with energy intake among underweight subjects (R = -0.64; p < 0.001). Dietary supplementation resulted in an average increase in daily intake of 390 kcal with an average weight gain of 1.27 kg over the 12-week period. Weight change was directly associated with measures of functional status; hand-grip strength (r = 0.75; p = 0.002) and general well-being score (r = 0.46; p = 0.095). Homebound elderly were at high risk of inadequate protein and energy intake. Dietary supplementation in high risk individuals was well tolerated and led to modest weight gain and improvements in general well-being.

Population annealing with weighted averages: A Monte Carlo method for rough free-energy landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machta, J.

2010-08-01

The population annealing algorithm introduced by Hukushima and Iba is described. Population annealing combines simulated annealing and Boltzmann weighted differential reproduction within a population of replicas to sample equilibrium states. Population annealing gives direct access to the free energy. It is shown that unbiased measurements of observables can be obtained by weighted averages over many runs with weight factors related to the free-energy estimate from the run. Population annealing is well suited to parallelization and may be a useful alternative to parallel tempering for systems with rough free-energy landscapes such as spin glasses. The method is demonstrated for spin glasses.

Radiologically Guided Placement of Mushroom-retained Gastrostomy Catheters: Long-term Outcomes of Use in 300 Patients at a Single Center.

PubMed

Ahmed, Osman; Jilani, Danial; Sheth, Sujay; Giger, Maryellen; Funaki, Brian

2015-08-01

To assess long-term outcomes including risk of complications and nutritional benefits of mushroom-retained (pull-type) gastrostomy catheters placed in patients by interventional radiologists. All patients who received pull-type gastrostomy tubes between 2010 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed, including 142 men (average weight, 169.6 lb [76.32 kg]; mean age, 65.2 years; range, 22-92 years) and 158 women (average weight, 150.4 lb [67.68 kg]; mean age, 65.2 years; range, 18-98 years). Indications for placement were cerebrovascular accident (n = 80), failure to thrive (n = 71), other central nervous system disorder (n = 51), head and neck cancer (n = 47), and other malignancy (n = 51). Complications were recorded per Society of Interventional Radiology practice guidelines. Patient weight was documented at specific follow-up intervals. Statistical analysis was performed by using the Student t test and one-way analysis of variance for the effects of sex and indication for placement, respectively, on average weight change. The technical success rate was 98.4% (300 of 305 patients). Major and minor complications occurred at a rate of 3.7% (n = 11) and 13% (n = 39), respectively. Follow-up weight during the early (≤45 days), intermediate (≤180 days), and long-term (>180 days) periods was available for 71% (n = 214), 36% (n = 108), and 15% (n = 44) of the 300 patients, respectively. Weight gain occurred in 77% (160 of 214), 60% (65 of 108), and 73% (32 of 44) of the patients, respectively. Patients who gained weight gained 6.7, 10.6, and 16.3 lb (3.02, 4.77, and 7.34 kg) during each follow-up period, respectively. Average weight gain at follow-up in all patients was 4.2, 0.6, and 5.4 lb (1.89, 0.27, and 2.43 kg), respectively. No significant differences in average weight change were seen among groups when they were classified according to sex or indication for placement. Placement of mushroom-retained gastrostomy catheters is a viable long-term treatment option for enteral nutrition, with complication rates similar to those reported for other gastrostomy techniques. Improvement in nutrition status measured as weight gain was seen in most patients in both early and long-term periods. (©) RSNA, 2015.

How Reliable is Bayesian Model Averaging Under Noisy Data? Statistical Assessment and Implications for Robust Model Selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schöniger, Anneli; Wöhling, Thomas; Nowak, Wolfgang

2014-05-01

Bayesian model averaging ranks the predictive capabilities of alternative conceptual models based on Bayes' theorem. The individual models are weighted with their posterior probability to be the best one in the considered set of models. Finally, their predictions are combined into a robust weighted average and the predictive uncertainty can be quantified. This rigorous procedure does, however, not yet account for possible instabilities due to measurement noise in the calibration data set. This is a major drawback, since posterior model weights may suffer a lack of robustness related to the uncertainty in noisy data, which may compromise the reliability of model ranking. We present a new statistical concept to account for measurement noise as source of uncertainty for the weights in Bayesian model averaging. Our suggested upgrade reflects the limited information content of data for the purpose of model selection. It allows us to assess the significance of the determined posterior model weights, the confidence in model selection, and the accuracy of the quantified predictive uncertainty. Our approach rests on a brute-force Monte Carlo framework. We determine the robustness of model weights against measurement noise by repeatedly perturbing the observed data with random realizations of measurement error. Then, we analyze the induced variability in posterior model weights and introduce this "weighting variance" as an additional term into the overall prediction uncertainty analysis scheme. We further determine the theoretical upper limit in performance of the model set which is imposed by measurement noise. As an extension to the merely relative model ranking, this analysis provides a measure of absolute model performance. To finally decide, whether better data or longer time series are needed to ensure a robust basis for model selection, we resample the measurement time series and assess the convergence of model weights for increasing time series length. We illustrate our suggested approach with an application to model selection between different soil-plant models following up on a study by Wöhling et al. (2013). Results show that measurement noise compromises the reliability of model ranking and causes a significant amount of weighting uncertainty, if the calibration data time series is not long enough to compensate for its noisiness. This additional contribution to the overall predictive uncertainty is neglected without our approach. Thus, we strongly advertise to include our suggested upgrade in the Bayesian model averaging routine.

Recommended Interim Criteria for Three Environmental Polluting Compounds of Rocky Mountain Arsenal

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-01

derivation ox criteria will have to be assessed. All the criLeria recommended herein are also subject to change when any new scientific data on the...weight, it follows that dhuman/ danimal - (WE/WA)/ and dhuman/WH = (W 1/3 Sanimal/WA where WH = average body weight for a human adult, 70 kg WA - average

A transgenic study on affecting potato tuber yield by expressing the rice sucrose transporter genes OsSUT5Z and OsSUT2M.

PubMed

Sun, Aijun; Dai, Yan; Zhang, Xinsheng; Li, Chunmin; Meng, Kun; Xu, Honglin; Wei, Xiaoli; Xiao, Guifang; Ouwerkerk, Pieter B F; Wang, Mei; Zhu, Zhen

2011-07-01

In many plants, sucrose transporters are essential for both sucrose exports from sources and imports into sinks, indicating a function in assimilate partitioning. To investigate whether sucrose transporters can improve the yield of starch plant, potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Désirée) were transformed with cDNAs of the rice sucrose transporter genes OsSUT5Z and OsSUT2M under the control of a tuber-specific, class-I patatin promoter. Compared to the controls, the average fructose content of OsSUT5Z transgenic tubers significantly increased. However, the content of the sugars and starch in the OsSUT2M transgenic potato tubers showed no obvious difference. Correspondingly, the average tuber yield, average number of tubers per plant and average weight of single tuber showed no significant difference in OsSUT2M transgenic tubers with controls. In the OsSUT5Z transgenic lines, the average tuber yield per plant was 1.9-fold higher than the controls, and the average number of tubers per plant increased by more than 10 tubers on average, whereas the average weight of a single tuber did not increase significantly. These results suggested that the average number of tubers per plant showed more contribution than the average weight of a single tuber to the tuber yield per plant. © 2011 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Spatial feature analysis of a cosmic-ray sensor for measuring the soil water content: Comparison of four weighting methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Jingya; Pang, Zhiguo; Fu, Jun'e.

2018-04-01

To quantitatively analyze the spatial features of a cosmic-ray sensor (CRS) (i.e., the measurement support volume of the CRS and the weight of the in situ point-scale soil water content (SWC) in terms of the regionally averaged SWC derived from the CRS) in measuring the SWC, cooperative observations based on CRS, oven drying and frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) methods are performed at the point and regional scales in a desert steppe area of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. This region is flat with sparse vegetation cover consisting of only grass, thereby minimizing the effects of terrain and vegetation. Considering the two possibilities of the measurement support volume of the CRS, the results of four weighting methods are compared with the SWC monitored by FDR within an appropriate measurement support volume. The weighted average calculated using the neutron intensity-based weighting method (Ni weighting method) best fits the regionally averaged SWC measured by the CRS. Therefore, we conclude that the gyroscopic support volume and the weights determined by the Ni weighting method are the closest to the actual spatial features of the CRS when measuring the SWC. Based on these findings, a scale transformation model of the SWC from the point scale to the scale of the CRS measurement support volume is established. In addition, the spatial features simulated using the Ni weighting method are visualized by developing a software system.

Uncertainty Assessment and Weight Map Generation for Efficient Fusion of Tandem-X and CARTOSAT-1 Dems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagheri, H.; Schmitt, M.; Zhu, X. X.

2017-05-01

Recently, with InSAR data provided by the German TanDEM-X mission, a new global, high-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) has been produced by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) with unprecedented height accuracy. However, due to SAR-inherent sensor specifics, its quality decreases over urban areas, making additional improvement necessary. On the other hand, DEMs derived from optical remote sensing imagery, such as Cartosat-1 data, have an apparently greater resolution in urban areas, making their fusion with TanDEM-X elevation data a promising perspective. The objective of this paper is two-fold: First, the height accuracies of TanDEM-X and Cartosat-1 elevation data over different land types are empirically evaluated in order to analyze the potential of TanDEM-XCartosat- 1 DEM data fusion. After the quality assessment, urban DEM fusion using weighted averaging is investigated. In this experiment, both weight maps derived from the height error maps delivered with the DEM data, as well as more sophisticated weight maps predicted by a procedure based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) are compared. The ANN framework employs several features that can describe the height residual performance to predict the weights used in the subsequent fusion step. The results demonstrate that especially the ANN-based framework is able to improve the quality of the final DEM through data fusion.

A Technique of Treating Negative Weights in WENO Schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shi, Jing; Hu, Changqing; Shu, Chi-Wang

2000-01-01

High order accurate weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) schemes have recently been developed for finite difference and finite volume methods both in structural and in unstructured meshes. A key idea in WENO scheme is a linear combination of lower order fluxes or reconstructions to obtain a high order approximation. The combination coefficients, also called linear weights, are determined by local geometry of the mesh and order of accuracy and may become negative. WENO procedures cannot be applied directly to obtain a stable scheme if negative linear weights are present. Previous strategy for handling this difficulty is by either regrouping of stencils or reducing the order of accuracy to get rid of the negative linear weights. In this paper we present a simple and effective technique for handling negative linear weights without a need to get rid of them.

Characteristics of Line 1 Hereford females resulting from selection by independent culling levels for below-average birth weight and high yearling weight or by mass selection for high yearling weight.

PubMed

MacNeil, M D; Urick, J J; Decoudu, G

2000-09-01

Simultaneous selection for low birth weight and high yearling weight has been advocated to improve efficiency of beef production. Two sublines of Line 1 Hereford cattle were established by selection either for below-average birth weight and high yearling weight (YB) or for high yearling weight alone (YW). Direct effects on birth weight and yearling weight diverged between sublines with approximately four generations of selection. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic trends for traits of the cows. A three-parameter growth curve [Wt = A(1 - b0e(-kt))] was fitted to age (t, d)-weight (W, kg) data for cows surviving past 4.5 yr of age (n = 738). The resulting parameter estimates were analyzed simultaneously with birth weight and yearling weight using multiple-trait restricted maximum likelihood methods. To estimate maternal additive effects on calf gain from birth to weaning (MILK) the two-trait model previously used to analyze birth weight and yearling weight was transformed to the equivalent three-trait model with birth weight, gain from birth to weaning, and gain from weaning to yearling as dependent variables. Heritability estimates were 0.32, 0.27, 0.10, and 0.20 for A, b0, k, and MILK, respectively. Genetic correlations with direct effects on birth weight were 0.34, -0.11, and 0.55 and with direct effects on yearling weight were 0.65, -0.17, and 0.11 for A, b0, and k, respectively. Genetic trends for YB and YW, respectively, were as follows: A (kg/generation), 8.0+/-0.2 and 10.1+/-0.2; b0 (x 1,000), -1.34+/-0.07 and -1.16+/-0.07; k (x 1,000), -14.3+/-0.1 and 4.3+/-0.1; and MILK (kg), 1.25+/-0.05 and 1.89+/-0.05. Beef cows resulting from simultaneous selection for below-average birth weight and increased yearling weight had different growth curves and reduced genetic trend in maternal gain from birth to weaning relative to cows resulting from selection for increased yearling weight.

Herd-of-origin effect on the post-weaning performance of centrally tested Nellore beef cattle.

PubMed

de Rezende Neves, Haroldo Henrique; Polin dos Reis, Felipe; Motta Paterno, Flávia; Rocha Guarini, Aline; Carvalheiro, Roberto; da Silva, Lilian Regina; de Oliveira, João Ademir; Aidar de Queiroz, Sandra

2014-10-01

The objective of a performance test station is to evaluate the performance of potential breeding bulls earlier in order to decrease the generation interval and increase genetic gain as well. This study evaluates the herd-of-origin influence on end-of-test weight (ETW), average daily weight gain during testing (ADG), average daily weight gain during the adjustment period (ADGadj), rib eye area (REA), marbling (MARB), subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT), conformation (C), early finishing (EF), muscling (M), navel (N) and temperament (T) scores, and scrotal circumference (SC) of Nellore cattle that underwent a performance test. We evaluated 664 animals that participated in the performance tests conducted at the Center for Performance CRV Lagoa between 2007 and 2012. Components of variance for each trait were estimated by an animal model (model 1), using the restricted maximum likelihood method. An alternative animal model (model 2) included, in addition to the fixed effects present in S1, the non-correlated random effect of herd-year (HY). A significant HY effect was observed on ETW, REA, SFT, ADGadj, C, and Cw (p < 0.05). The estimated heritability of all traits decreased when the HY effect was included in the model; also, the bull rank, in deciles, changed significantly for traits ETW, REA, SFT, and C. The adjustment period did not completely remove the environmental effect of herd of origin on ETW, REA, SFT, and C. It is recommended that the herd-of-origin effect should be included in the statistical models used to predict the breeding values of the participants of these performance tests.

Comparison of Node-Centered and Cell-Centered Unstructured Finite-Volume Discretizations. Part 1; Viscous Fluxes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diskin, Boris; Thomas, James L.; Nielsen, Eric J.; Nishikawa, Hiroaki; White, Jeffery A.

2009-01-01

Discretization of the viscous terms in current finite-volume unstructured-grid schemes are compared using node-centered and cell-centered approaches in two dimensions. Accuracy and efficiency are studied for six nominally second-order accurate schemes: a node-centered scheme, cell-centered node-averaging schemes with and without clipping, and cell-centered schemes with unweighted, weighted, and approximately mapped least-square face gradient reconstruction. The grids considered range from structured (regular) grids to irregular grids composed of arbitrary mixtures of triangles and quadrilaterals, including random perturbations of the grid points to bring out the worst possible behavior of the solution. Two classes of tests are considered. The first class of tests involves smooth manufactured solutions on both isotropic and highly anisotropic grids with discontinuous metrics, typical of those encountered in grid adaptation. The second class concerns solutions and grids varying strongly anisotropically over a curved body, typical of those encountered in high-Reynolds number turbulent flow simulations. Results from the first class indicate the face least-square methods, the node-averaging method without clipping, and the node-centered method demonstrate second-order convergence of discretization errors with very similar accuracies per degree of freedom. The second class of tests are more discriminating. The node-centered scheme is always second order with an accuracy and complexity in linearization comparable to the best of the cell-centered schemes. In comparison, the cell-centered node-averaging schemes are less accurate, have a higher complexity in linearization, and can fail to converge to the exact solution when clipping of the node-averaged values is used. The cell-centered schemes using least-square face gradient reconstruction have more compact stencils with a complexity similar to the complexity of the node-centered scheme. For simulations on highly anisotropic curved grids, the least-square methods have to be amended either by introducing a local mapping of the surface anisotropy or modifying the scheme stencil to reflect the direction of strong coupling.

Correlation between preconception maternal non-occupational exposure to interior decoration or oil paint odour and average birth weight of neonates: findings from a nationwide cohort study in China’s rural areas

PubMed Central

Liu, Huiting; Chen, Shi; Zhu, Huijuan; Yang, Hongbo; Gong, Fengying; Wang, Linjie; Jiang, Yu; Lian, Bill Q; Yan, Chengsheng; Li, Jianqang; Wang, Qing; Zhang, Shikun; Pan, Hui

2017-01-01

Background Birth weight is a critical indicator of neonatal health and foretells people’s health in adolescence and even adulthood. Some researchers have warned against the adverse effects on babies’ birth weight of exposure to pollutants in interior decoration or oil paint by odour intake. This study evaluated the effects of maternal exposure to such factors before conception on the birth weights of neonates. Methods Data on 213 461 cases in this study were from the database of the free National Pre-pregnancy Checkups Project. Defined as ‘exposed’ were those women exposed to oil paint odour or interior decoration at home or in the workplace within 6 months before their pregnancy. The study focused on revealing the correlation between such exposure and the birth weight of the neonates of these women, especially the incidence of macrosomia and low birth weight (LBW). Statistical analysis was conducted using the Kruskal–Wallis H test, the Mann–Whitney U test and logistic regression. Results The birth weight of babies from mothers non-occupationally exposed to such settings averaged 3465 g (range 3150–3650 g), whereas the birth weight of those from mothers free of such exposure averaged 3300 g (range 3000–3600g). Maternal exposure preconception to interior decoration or oil paint odour reduced the incidence of LBW in their babies (p=0.003, OR 0.749, 95% CI 0.617 to 0.909). Such exposure may also augment the probability of macrosomia (p<0.001, OR 1.297, 95% CI 1.133 to 1.484). Conclusion Maternal exposure to interior decoration or oil paint odour preconception may increase the average birth weight of neonates, as well as the incidence of macrosomia. PMID:28827230

Equation of state in the presence of gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyeong-Chan; Kang, Gungwon

2016-11-01

We investigate how an equation of state for matter is affected when a gravity is present. For this purpose, we consider a box of ideal gas in the presence of Newtonian gravity. In addition to the ordinary thermodynamic quantities, a characteristic variable that represents a weight per unit area relative to the average pressure is required in order to describe a macroscopic state of the gas. Although the density and the pressure are not uniform due to the presence of gravity, the ideal gas law itself is satisfied for the thermodynamic quantities when averaged over the system. Assuming that the system follows an adiabatic process further, we obtain a new relation between the averaged pressure and density, which differs from the conventional equation of state for the ideal gas in the absence of gravity. Applying our results to a small volume in a Newtonian star, however, we find that the conventional one is reliable for most astrophysical situations when the characteristic scale is small. On the other hand, gravity effects become significant near the surface of a Newtonian star.

Predicting total weight of retail-ready lamb cuts from bioelectrical impedance measurements taken at the processing plant.

PubMed

Slanger, W D; Marchello, M J; Busboom, J R; Meyer, H H; Mitchell, L A; Hendrix, W F; Mills, R R; Warnock, W D

1994-06-01

Data of sixty finished, crossbred lambs were used to develop prediction equations of total weight of retail-ready cuts (SUM). These cuts were the leg, sirloin, loin, rack, shoulder, neck, riblets, shank, and lean trim (85/15). Measurements were taken on live lambs and on both hot and cold carcasses. A four-terminal bioelectrical impedance analyzer (BIA) was used to measure resistance (Rs, ohms) and reactance (Xc, ohms). Distances between detector terminals (L, centimeters) were recorded. Carcass temperatures (T, degrees C) at time of BIA readings were also recorded. The equation predicting SUM from cold carcass measurements (n = 53, R2 = .97) was .093 + .621 x weight-.0219 x Rs + .0248 x Xc + .182 x L-.338 x T. Resistance accounted for variability in SUM over and above weight and L (P = .0016). The above equation was used to rank cold carcasses in descending order of predicted SUM. An analogous ranking was obtained from a prediction equation that used weight only (R2 = .88). These rankings were divided into five categories: top 25%, middle 50%, bottom 25%, top 50%, and bottom 50%. Within-category differences in average fat cover, yield grade, and SUM as a percentage of cold carcass weight of carcasses not placed in the same category by both prediction equations were quantified with independent t-tests. These differences were statistically significant for all categories except middle 50%. This shows that BIA located those lambs that could more efficiently contribute to SUM because a higher portion of their weight was lean.

A Comparison of Weights Matrices on Computation of Dengue Spatial Autocorrelation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suryowati, K.; Bekti, R. D.; Faradila, A.

2018-04-01

Spatial autocorrelation is one of spatial analysis to identify patterns of relationship or correlation between locations. This method is very important to get information on the dispersal patterns characteristic of a region and linkages between locations. In this study, it applied on the incidence of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) in 17 sub districts in Sleman, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta Province. The link among location indicated by a spatial weight matrix. It describe the structure of neighbouring and reflects the spatial influence. According to the spatial data, type of weighting matrix can be divided into two types: point type (distance) and the neighbourhood area (contiguity). Selection weighting function is one determinant of the results of the spatial analysis. This study use queen contiguity based on first order neighbour weights, queen contiguity based on second order neighbour weights, and inverse distance weights. Queen contiguity first order and inverse distance weights shows that there is the significance spatial autocorrelation in DHF, but not by queen contiguity second order. Queen contiguity first and second order compute 68 and 86 neighbour list

Adaptation of six shallots varieties to phosphate solubilizing bacteria on the flower formation, seeds fromation, and yields on the lowland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Triharyanto, E.; Sudadi; Rawandari, S.

2018-03-01

Using seeds as planting materials is a solution to improve the quality and quantity of shallot. This study aims to determine the interaction between shallot varieties and Phosphate- Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) on the flowering and shallot yield on the lowlands. The research was conducted in Mijil Village, Jaten, Karanganyar, 98 m altitude with Vertisol-type soil order in June to December 2016, using Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with two factors. Shallot varieties used as factors are Bima, Manjung, Ilokos, Bima (bulb seeds), Mentes and Rubaru. PSB factors are control and with PSB inoculation. Observed variables included plant height, number of leaves, flowering percentage, seed formation and shallot bulb yield. Results showed that there was no interaction between varieties and PSB inoculation on all observed variables. However, PSB inoculation were able to increase the number of flowering plants and seed weight per plot. Bima variety have the highest average yield compared to other varieties in terms of number of leaves, number of bulbs per plant and bulb weight per plot (fresh harvest weight 317.74 g equivalent to 17.65 ton per hectare and dry weight 288.16 g consumption equivalent to 16 ton per hectare).

Non-exhaust PM emissions from electric vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timmers, Victor R. J. H.; Achten, Peter A. J.

2016-06-01

Particulate matter (PM) exposure has been linked to adverse health effects by numerous studies. Therefore, governments have been heavily incentivising the market to switch to electric passenger cars in order to reduce air pollution. However, this literature review suggests that electric vehicles may not reduce levels of PM as much as expected, because of their relatively high weight. By analysing the existing literature on non-exhaust emissions of different vehicle categories, this review found that there is a positive relationship between weight and non-exhaust PM emission factors. In addition, electric vehicles (EVs) were found to be 24% heavier than equivalent internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). As a result, total PM10 emissions from EVs were found to be equal to those of modern ICEVs. PM2.5 emissions were only 1-3% lower for EVs compared to modern ICEVs. Therefore, it could be concluded that the increased popularity of electric vehicles will likely not have a great effect on PM levels. Non-exhaust emissions already account for over 90% of PM10 and 85% of PM2.5 emissions from traffic. These proportions will continue to increase as exhaust standards improve and average vehicle weight increases. Future policy should consequently focus on setting standards for non-exhaust emissions and encouraging weight reduction of all vehicles to significantly reduce PM emissions from traffic.

Assessment of flood susceptible areas using spatially explicit, probabilistic multi-criteria decision analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Zhongqian; Zhang, Hua; Yi, Shanzhen; Xiao, Yangfan

2018-03-01

GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is increasingly used to support flood risk assessment. However, conventional GIS-MCDA methods fail to adequately represent spatial variability and are accompanied with considerable uncertainty. It is, thus, important to incorporate spatial variability and uncertainty into GIS-based decision analysis procedures. This research develops a spatially explicit, probabilistic GIS-MCDA approach for the delineation of potentially flood susceptible areas. The approach integrates the probabilistic and the local ordered weighted averaging (OWA) methods via Monte Carlo simulation, to take into account the uncertainty related to criteria weights, spatial heterogeneity of preferences and the risk attitude of the analyst. The approach is applied to a pilot study for the Gucheng County, central China, heavily affected by the hazardous 2012 flood. A GIS database of six geomorphological and hydrometeorological factors for the evaluation of susceptibility was created. Moreover, uncertainty and sensitivity analysis were performed to investigate the robustness of the model. The results indicate that the ensemble method improves the robustness of the model outcomes with respect to variation in criteria weights and identifies which criteria weights are most responsible for the variability of model outcomes. Therefore, the proposed approach is an improvement over the conventional deterministic method and can provides a more rational, objective and unbiased tool for flood susceptibility evaluation.

Psychosocial Factors of Different Health Behaviour Patterns in Adolescents: Association with Overweight and Weight Control Behaviours

PubMed Central

Veloso, Susana M.; Matos, Margarida G.; Carvalho, Marina; Diniz, José A.

2012-01-01

Physical activity, nutrition, and sedentary behaviour combine to influence the risk of overweight among adolescents. This paper aims to identify psychosocial factors of different health behaviour patterns in adolescents and its association with overweight and weight control behaviours. The 3069 adolescents of both genders (average of 14.8 years old) from the 2010 Portuguese survey of Health Behaviour School-Aged Children (HBSC) answered the 2010 HBSC self-reported questionnaire. It used the cluster k-means (nonhierarchy method), qui-square, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression. Three clusters with different behavioural patterns (physical activity, sedentary, and eating) composed the results obtained. The sedentary group (34%) had lower self-regulation, body satisfaction, health and wellness, family and classmates relationships, communication with the father than the other two groups. The active gamers (25%) had a smaller BMI but used more unhealthy weight control strategies than the other two groups. The healthy group (41%) was more motivated and more satisfied with school but was not different than the active gamers in most psychosocial variables. Differences were found between clusters for weight control behaviours and psychosocial variables. Different strategies for different patterns were necessary in order to promote obesity prevention and, simultaneously, target healthy lifestyle and wellbeing in adolescents. PMID:22811890

Wave height data assimilation using non-stationary kriging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolosana-Delgado, R.; Egozcue, J. J.; Sáchez-Arcilla, A.; Gómez, J.

2011-03-01

Data assimilation into numerical models should be both computationally fast and physically meaningful, in order to be applicable in online environmental surveillance. We present a way to improve assimilation for computationally intensive models, based on non-stationary kriging and a separable space-time covariance function. The method is illustrated with significant wave height data. The covariance function is expressed as a collection of fields: each one is obtained as the empirical covariance between the studied property (significant wave height in log-scale) at a pixel where a measurement is located (a wave-buoy is available) and the same parameter at every other pixel of the field. These covariances are computed from the available history of forecasts. The method provides a set of weights, that can be mapped for each measuring location, and that do not vary with time. Resulting weights may be used in a weighted average of the differences between the forecast and measured parameter. In the case presented, these weights may show long-range connection patterns, such as between the Catalan coast and the eastern coast of Sardinia, associated to common prevailing meteo-oceanographic conditions. When such patterns are considered as non-informative of the present situation, it is always possible to diminish their influence by relaxing the covariance maps.

Birth Weight, School Sports Ability, and Adulthood Leisure-Time Physical Activity.

PubMed

Elhakeem, Ahmed; Cooper, Rachel; Bann, David; Kuh, Diana; Hardy, Rebecca

2017-01-01

This study aimed to examine the associations of birth weight with ability in school sports in adolescence and participation in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) across adulthood and to investigate whether associations between birth weight and LTPA change with age. Study participants were British singletons born in 1946 and followed up to age 68 yr (the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development). Birth weights were extracted from birth records. Teacher reports of ability in school sports were collected at age 13 yr. LTPA was self-reported at ages 36, 43, 53, 60-64, and 68 yr and categorized at each age as participating in sports, exercise, and other vigorous LTPA at least once per month versus no participation. Associations were examined using standard and mixed-effects logistic regression models. Relevant data were available for 2739 study participants (50.1% female). When compared with the low birth weight group (≤2.50 kg), those with heavier birth weights were more likely to be rated as above average or average at school sports (vs below average); fully adjusted odds ratio = 1.78 (95% confidence interval = 1.14-2.77). Across adulthood, those with heavier birth weights were more likely to participate in LTPA than those with low birth weight; fully adjusted odds ratio of LTPA across adulthood = 1.52 (95% confidence interval = 1.09-2.14). This association did not vary by age (P = 0.5 for birth weight by age interaction). Low birth weight was associated with lower ability in school sports and with nonparticipation in LTPA across adulthood. Identifying the underlying developmental and social processes operating across life for low birth weight infants may inform the design of appropriate interventions to support participation in LTPA across life.

A population pharmacokinetic analysis of sildenafil citrate in patients with erectile dysfunction

PubMed Central

Milligan, Peter A; Marshall, Scott F; Karlsson, Mats O

2002-01-01

Aims To analyse the pharmacokinetics of sildenafil citrate in patients with erectile dysfunction in order to characterize covariate relationships and assist in the development of rational dosage strategies. Methods A population pharmacokinetic sampling strategy was incorporated into five phase III clinical study protocols. Overall, 2077 patients, 1335 of whom received sildenafil, were asked to take an additional dose of study drug before their scheduled clinic visits on four or five occasions throughout the study duration. A single plasma sample was obtained at random times postdose (range 1–7 h), and a total of 4582 samples were assayed (average 3.4 samples per individual). Results For the population average patient (age 58 years; aspartate transaminase [AST], 24 IU l−1; weight, 87 kg; not receiving CYP3A4 potential inhibitors), typical values for sildenafil (mean±SE) were 58.5±1.4 l h−1 for apparent clearance (CL/F), 310±6.92 l for volume of distribution (V/F), and 2.6±0.176 h−1 for first-order absorption constant (ka). The value for ka is associated with meal consumption within 2 h predose, at all other times ka was equivalent to an instantaneous bolus administration. The interindividual variabilities were 29% for CL/F, 20% for V/F, and 210% for ka. Over a dose range of 25–100 mg sildenafil, the pharmacokinetics exhibited dose proportionality. There was evidence of nonproportionality (40% increase on average) in relative bioavailability with respect to the 200-mg dose (P < 0.001) relative to the other doses. Age, AST concentration, and co-administration with CYP3A4 potential inhibitors significantly influenced CL/F of sildenafil (P < 0.001, for each relationship). For age and AST, the extent of the linear relationships (extrapolated from population average values) included a 4% decrease in CL/F for every decade increase and a 6% decrease in CL/F for every 10-unit increase, respectively. Following co-administration of CYP3A4 potential inhibitors, a 14% decrease in CL/F was estimated. Only body weight was found to significantly (P < 0.001) influence V/F (a 6% increase in V/F for every 10-kg increase). Conclusions The pharmacokinetics of, and covariate influences on, sildenafil in patients with erectile dysfunction were shown to be consistent with those demonstrated in phase I volunteer studies. PMID:11879259

[Contact characteristics research of acetabular weight-bearing area with different internal fixation methods after compression fracture of acetabular dome].

PubMed

Xu, Bowen; Zhang, Qingsong; An, Siqi; Pei, Baorui; Wu, Xiaobo

2017-08-01

To establish the model of compression fracture of acetabular dome, and to measure the contact characteristics of acetabular weight-bearing area of acetabulum after 3 kinds of internal fixation. Sixteen fresh adult half pelvis specimens were randomly divided into 4 groups, 4 specimens each group. Group D was the complete acetabulum (control group), and the remaining 3 groups were prepared acetabular dome compression fracture model. The fractures were fixed with reconstruction plate in group A, antegrade raft screws in group B, and retrograde raft screws in group C. The pressure sensitive films were attached to the femoral head, and the axial compression test was carried out on the inverted single leg standing position. The weight-bearing area, average stress, and peak stress were measured in each group. Under the loading of 500 N, the acetabular weight-bearing area was significantly higher in group D than in other 3 groups ( P <0.05), and the average stress and peak stress were significantly lower than in other 3 groups ( P <0.05). The acetabular weight-bearing area were significantly higher in group B and group C than in group A, and the average stress and peak stress were significantly lower than in group A ( P <0.05). There was no significant difference in the above indexes between group B and group C ( P >0.05). For the compression fracture of the acetabular dome, the contact characteristics of the weight-bearing area can not restore to the normal level, even if the anatomical reduction and rigid internal fixation were performed; compared with the reconstruction plate fixation, antegrade and retrograde raft screws fixations can increase the weight-bearing area, reduce the average stress and peak stress, and reduce the incidence of traumatic arthritis.

College Freshman Stress and Weight Change: Differences by Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Economos, Christina D.; Hildebrandt, M. Lise; Hyatt, Raymond R.

2008-01-01

Objectives: To examine how stress and health-related behaviors affect freshman weight change by gender. Methods: Three hundred ninety-six freshmen completed a 40-item health behavior survey and height and weight were collected at baseline and follow-up. Results: Average weight change was 5.04 lbs for males, 5.49 lbs for females. Weight gain was…

Effect of Exposure to Air Pollution on Placental Weight in Isfahan-Iran.

PubMed

Ghasemi-Tehrani, Hatav; Fallah, Setare; Mozafarian, Nafiseh; Miranzadeh, Sareh; Sadeghi, Shokooh; Azidhak, Azam

2017-06-01

Objective: To determine the effect of Air Quality Index (AQI) in the first trimester of pregnancy on birth weight, placental weight, and the ratio of placental weight to the birth weight (pw-bw) in Isfahan. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was done on 312 consecutive pregnant women in Beheshti Hospital in Isfahan city in 2013. Information on air pollution was received from the Environmental department of Isfahan. Average exposure to air pollution in the first trimester of pregnancy was calculated for eachpregnant woman. In order to compare quantitative and qualitative variables, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and chi-square were applied. After that, the multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the association the Air Quality Index (AQI) on birth weight, placental weight and the ratio of pw-bw. Potential confounders including age, baby gender, smoking of husband, maternal BMI, maternal occupation, and education and mother's residential area were considered. A statistical significant association were considered for P-value less than 0.05. Results: The findings showed that there is inverse relationship between exposure to air pollution and placental weight in the first trimester of pregnancy after controlling potential confounders (β = -2.57, p-value = 0.008). The inverse relationship between air pollution and the ratio of pw-bw was found. (β = -0.001, p-value = 0.002). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that air pollution is associated with newborns' health which in turn is a warning alarm for considering some actions in both sides of reducing the air pollution and teaching the pregnant women about the adverse effects of air pollution on the pregnancy outcomes.

Polymeric heat pipe wick

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seidenberg, Benjamin

1988-01-01

A wick for use in a capillary loop pump heat pipe is described. The wick material is an essentially uniformly porous, permeable, open-cell, polyethylene thermoplastic foam having an ultrahigh average molecular weight of from approximately 1 to 5 million, and an average pore size of about 10 to 12 microns. A representative material having these characteristics is POREX UF, which has an average molecular weight of about 3 million. This material is fully compatible with the FREONs and anhydrous ammonia and allows for the use of these very efficient working fluids in capillary loops.

Delignification of wheat straw by Pleurotus spp. under mushroom-growing conditions

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

Tsang, L.J.; Reid, I.D.; Coxworth, E.C.

1987-06-01

Pleurotus sajor-caju, P. sapidus, P. cornucopiae, and P. ostreatus mushrooms were produced on unsupplemented wheat straw. The yield of mushrooms averaged 3.6% (dry-weight basis), with an average 18% straw weight loss. Lignin losses (average, 11%) were lower than cellulose (20%) and hemicellulose (50%) losses. The cellulase digestibility of the residual straw after mushroom harvest was generally lower than that of the original straw. It does not appear feasible to simultaneously produce Pleurotus mushrooms and a highly delignified residue from wheat straw. (Refs. 24).

Thermo-Elastic Triangular Sandwich Element for the Complete Stress Field Based on a Single-Layer Theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Das, M.; Barut, A.; Madenci, E.; Ambur, D. R.

2004-01-01

This study presents a new triangular finite element for modeling thick sandwich panels, subjected to thermo-mechanical loading, based on a {3,2}-order single-layer plate theory. A hybrid energy functional is employed in the derivation of the element because of a C interelement continuity requirement. The single-layer theory is based on five weighted-average field variables arising from the cubic and quadratic representations of the in-plane and transverse displacement fields, respectively. The variations of temperature and distributed loading acting on the top and bottom surfaces are non-uniform. The temperature varies linearly through the thickness.

7 CFR 59.200 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... these same swine. Average lean percentage. The term “average lean percentage” means the value equal to the average percentage of the carcass weight comprised of lean meat for the swine slaughtered during the applicable reporting period. Whenever the packer changes the manner in which the average lean...

7 CFR 59.200 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... these same swine. Average lean percentage. The term “average lean percentage” means the value equal to the average percentage of the carcass weight comprised of lean meat for the swine slaughtered during the applicable reporting period. Whenever the packer changes the manner in which the average lean...

An evaluation of the effects of PEO/PEG molecular weights on extruded alumina rods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolger, Nancy Beth

1998-12-01

Alumina rods were piston extruded from bodies containing polyethylene glycols (PEGs) and polyethylene oxides (PEOs) with molecular weights ranging from 1,300 to 3,800,000 g/mol. A blend of aluminas possessing different particle size distributions was evaluated with regard to its extrusion pressure by varying the amount of PEG/PEO addition. Behavior exhibited by the alumina blend was dependent upon the additive that was used. The higher molecular weight binders with average molecular weight of 200,000 g/mol and 3,350,000 g/mol displayed the most severe behaviors of near dilatant and dilatant respectively. Physical properties of the green and fired states, as well as the binder burnout, were investigated with the changing additions. Correlation between the green and fired strengths and the changing molecular weights were examined. The additive present influenced the surface properties of the rods, which affected the green strengths. The highest average molecular weight polyethylene glycols showed higher green strengths, while the lowest green strengths were observed for the high molecular weight polyethylene oxides. Fired strengths generally ranged from approximately 12,000 psi to 16,000 psi for additive batches. Alumina pellets containing twelve separate combinations of polyethylene glycol with polyethylene oxide were dry pressed. Physical properties of the green and fired states were examined. Statistical analysis was performed upon the data and seven combinations of polyethylene glycol with polyethylene oxide were deemed significant. These combinations in conjunction with the same alumina blend were then piston extruded. The addition of polyethylene glycol reduced the near dilatant behavior exhibited by the 200,000 g/mol average molecular weight polyethylene oxide. Dilatant behavior was completely eliminated from the 3,350,000 g/mol average molecular weight polyethylene oxide batches. Physical properties of the green and fired states were again investigated with the changing additions. Polyethylene oxide, in combination with polyethylene glycol, did show an increase in green strength versus the polyethylene oxide alone. Strengths were still lower than those displayed by the polyethylene glycols alone. Reductions or degradations in molecular weight of the polymers due to mixing and extrusion processes may account for lower green strength of bodies, especially those containing polyethylene oxides.

A study of T2-weighted MR image texture features and diffusion-weighted MR image features for computer-aided diagnosis of prostate cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Yahui; Jiang, Yulei; Antic, Tatjana; Giger, Maryellen L.; Eggener, Scott; Oto, Aytekin

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to study T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) image texture features and diffusionweighted (DW) MR image features in distinguishing prostate cancer (PCa) from normal tissue. We collected two image datasets: 23 PCa patients (25 PCa and 23 normal tissue regions of interest [ROIs]) imaged with Philips MR scanners, and 30 PCa patients (41 PCa and 26 normal tissue ROIs) imaged with GE MR scanners. A radiologist drew ROIs manually via consensus histology-MR correlation conference with a pathologist. A number of T2-weighted texture features and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) features were investigated, and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to combine select strong image features. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was used to characterize feature effectiveness in distinguishing PCa from normal tissue ROIs. Of the features studied, ADC 10th percentile, ADC average, and T2-weighted sum average yielded AUC values (+/-standard error) of 0.95+/-0.03, 0.94+/-0.03, and 0.85+/-0.05 on the Phillips images, and 0.91+/-0.04, 0.89+/-0.04, and 0.70+/-0.06 on the GE images, respectively. The three-feature combination yielded AUC values of 0.94+/-0.03 and 0.89+/-0.04 on the Phillips and GE images, respectively. ADC 10th percentile, ADC average, and T2-weighted sum average, are effective in distinguishing PCa from normal tissue, and appear robust in images acquired from Phillips and GE MR scanners.

Stand up time in tunnel base on rock mass rating Bieniawski 1989

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nata, Refky Adi; M. S., Murad

2017-11-01

RMR (Rock Mass Rating), or also known as the geo mechanics classification has been modified and made as the International Standard in determination of rock mass weighting. Rock Mass Rating Classification has been developed by Bieniawski (since 1973, 1976, and 1989). The goals of this research are investigate the class of rocks base on classification rock mass rating Bieniawski 1989, to investigate the long mass of the establishment rocks, and also to investigate the distance of the opening tunnel without a support especially in underground mine. On the research measuring: strength intact rock material, RQD (Rock Quality Designation), spacing of discontinuities, condition of discontinuities, groundwater, and also adjustment for discontinuity orientations. On testing samples in the laboratory for coal obtained strong press UCS of 30.583 MPa. Based on the classification according to Bieniawski has a weight of 4. As for silt stone obtained strong press of 35.749 MPa, gained weight also by 4. From the results of the measurements obtained for coal RQD value average 97.38 %, so it has a weight of 20. While in siltstone RQD value average 90.10 % so it has weight 20 also. On the coal the average distance measured in field is 22.6 cm so as to obtain a weight of 10, while for siltstone has an average is 148 cm, so it has weight = 15. Presistence in the field vary, on coal = 57.28 cm, so it has weight is 6 and persistence on siltstone 47 cm then does it weight to 6. Base on table Rock Mass Rating according to Bieniawski 1989, aperture on coal = 0.41 mm. That is located in the range 0.1-1 mm, so it has weight is 4. Besides that, for the siltstone aperture = 21.43 mm. That is located in the range > 5 mm, so the weight = 0. Roughness condition in coal and siltstone classified into rough so it has weight 5. Infilling condition in coal and siltstone classified into none so it has weight 6. Weathering condition in coal and siltstone classified into highly weathered so it has weight 1. Groundwater condition in coal classified into dripping so it has weight 4. and siltstone classified into completely dry so it has weight 15. Discontinuity orientation in coal parallel axis of the tunnel. The range is 251°-290° so unfavorable. It has weight = -10. In siltstone also discontinuity parallel axis of the tunnel. The range located between 241°-300°. Base on weighting parameters according to Bieniawski 1989, concluded for rocks are there in class II with value is 62, and able to establishment until 6 months. For the distance of the opening tunnel without a support as far as 8 meters.

Success of women in a worksite weight loss program: Does being part of a group help?

PubMed

Rigsby, Andrea; Gropper, Daniel M; Gropper, Sareen S

2009-04-01

This study reports the results of a worksite weight loss program which allowed female hospital and nursing home employees to enroll in a worksite weight loss program as individuals or as part of a group. After 8 weeks, employees (irrespective of group versus individual participation) lost an average of 6.2 lb and 1.5% body fat. The initial weight, body fat, and body mass index reductions were all significantly greater, in absolute and percentage terms, among group participants than individual participants. Weight reduction averaged 7.6+1.1 lb for group participants and 4.2+6.4 lb for individual participants; body fat reduction was 1.7+1.3% for group participants and 0.9+1.3% for individual participants. Exercising more frequently was significantly associated with weight loss in those participating as a group, while following a written diet plan was significantly associated with weight loss in those participating as individuals.

[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.

Neither fixed nor random: weighted least squares meta-analysis.

PubMed

Stanley, T D; Doucouliagos, Hristos

2015-06-15

This study challenges two core conventional meta-analysis methods: fixed effect and random effects. We show how and explain why an unrestricted weighted least squares estimator is superior to conventional random-effects meta-analysis when there is publication (or small-sample) bias and better than a fixed-effect weighted average if there is heterogeneity. Statistical theory and simulations of effect sizes, log odds ratios and regression coefficients demonstrate that this unrestricted weighted least squares estimator provides satisfactory estimates and confidence intervals that are comparable to random effects when there is no publication (or small-sample) bias and identical to fixed-effect meta-analysis when there is no heterogeneity. When there is publication selection bias, the unrestricted weighted least squares approach dominates random effects; when there is excess heterogeneity, it is clearly superior to fixed-effect meta-analysis. In practical applications, an unrestricted weighted least squares weighted average will often provide superior estimates to both conventional fixed and random effects. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Molecular Weight Distribution of Polymer Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horta, Arturo; Pastoriza, M. Alejandra

2007-01-01

Various methods for the determination of the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of different polymer samples are presented. The study shows that the molecular weight averages and distribution of a polymerization completely depend on the characteristics of the reaction itself.

Optimal weighted averaging of event related activity from acquisitions with artifacts.

PubMed

Vollero, Luca; Petrichella, Sara; Innello, Giulio

2016-08-01

In several biomedical applications that require the signal processing of biological data, the starting procedure for noise reduction is the ensemble averaging of multiple repeated acquisitions (trials). This method is based on the assumption that each trial is composed of two additive components: (i) a time-locked activity related to some sensitive/stimulation phenomenon (ERA, Event Related Activity in the following) and (ii) a sum of several other non time-locked background activities. The averaging aims at estimating the ERA activity under very low Signal to Noise and Interference Ratio (SNIR). Although averaging is a well established tool, its performance can be improved in the presence of high-power disturbances (artifacts) by a trials classification and removal stage. In this paper we propose, model and evaluate a new approach that avoids trials removal, managing trials classified as artifact-free and artifact-prone with two different weights. Based on the model, a weights tuning is possible and through modeling and simulations we show that, when optimally configured, the proposed solution outperforms classical approaches.

Acid rain monitoring in East-Central Florida from 1977 to present

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madsen, B. C.; Kheoh, T.; Hinkle, C. R.; Dreschel, T. W.

1990-01-01

Rainfall has been collected on the University of Central Florida campus and at the Kennedy Space Center over a 12 year period. The chemical composition has been determined and summarized by monthly, annual periods, and for the entire 12 year period at both locations. The weighted average pH at each site is 4.58; however, annual weighted average pH has been equal to or above the 12 year average during six of the past eight years. Nitrate concentrations have increased slightly during recent years while excess sulfate concentrations have remained below the 12 year weighted average during six of the past seven years. Stepwise regression suggests that sulfate, nitrate, ammonium ion and calcium play major roles in the description of rainwater acidity. Annual acid deposition and annual rainfall have varied from 20 to 50 meg/(m(exp 2) year) and 100 to 180 cm/year, respectively. Sea salt comprises at least 25 percent of the total ionic composition.

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.

Homelessness prevention in New York City: On average, it works

PubMed Central

Goodman, Sarena; Messeri, Peter; O'Flaherty, Brendan

2016-01-01

This study evaluates the community impact of the first four years of Homebase, a homelessness prevention program in New York City. Family shelter entries decreased on average in the neighborhoods in which Homebase was operating. Homebase effects appear to be heterogeneous, and so different kinds of averages imply different-sized effects. The (geometric) average decrease in shelter entries was about 5% when census tracts are weighted equally, and 11% when community districts (which are much larger) are weighted equally. This study also examines the effect of foreclosures. Foreclosures are associated with more shelter entries in neighborhoods that usually do not send large numbers of families to the shelter system. PMID:26941543

Target weight achievement and ultrafiltration rate thresholds: potential patient implications.

PubMed

Flythe, Jennifer E; Assimon, Magdalene M; Overman, Robert A

2017-06-02

Higher ultrafiltration (UF) rates and extracellular hypo- and hypervolemia are associated with adverse outcomes among maintenance hemodialysis patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently considered UF rate and target weight achievement measures for ESRD Quality Incentive Program inclusion. The dual measures were intended to promote balance between too aggressive and too conservative fluid removal. The National Quality Forum endorsed the UF rate measure but not the target weight measure. We examined the proposed target weight measure and quantified weight gains if UF rate thresholds were applied without treatment time (TT) extension or interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) reduction. Data were taken from the 2012 database of a large dialysis organization. Analyses considered 152,196 United States hemodialysis patients. We described monthly patient and dialysis facility target weight achievement patterns and examined differences in patient characteristics across target weight achievement status and differences in facilities across target weight measure scores. We computed the cumulative, theoretical 1-month fluid-related weight gain that would occur if UF rates were capped at 13 mL/h/kg without concurrent TT extension or IDWG reduction. Target weight achievement patterns were stable over the year. Patients who did not achieve target weight (post-dialysis weight ≥ 1 kg above or below target weight) tended to be younger, black and dialyze via catheter, and had shorter dialysis vintage, greater body weight, higher UF rate and more missed treatments compared with patients who achieved target weight. Facilities had, on average, 27.1 ± 9.7% of patients with average post-dialysis weight ≥ 1 kg above or below the prescribed target weight. In adjusted analyses, facilities located in the midwest and south and facilities with higher proportions of black and Hispanic patients and higher proportions of patients with shorter TTs were more likely to have unfavorable facility target weight measure scores. Without TT extension or IDWG reduction, UF rate threshold (13 mL/h/kg) implementation led to an average theoretical 1-month, fluid-related weight gain of 1.4 ± 3.0 kg. Target weight achievement patterns vary across clinical subgroups. Implementation of a maximum UF rate threshold without adequate attention to extracellular volume status may lead to fluid-related weight gain.

Cosmological measure with volume averaging and the vacuum energy problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astashenok, Artyom V.; del Popolo, Antonino

2012-04-01

In this paper, we give a possible solution to the cosmological constant problem. It is shown that the traditional approach, based on volume weighting of probabilities, leads to an incoherent conclusion: the probability that a randomly chosen observer measures Λ = 0 is exactly equal to 1. Using an alternative, volume averaging measure, instead of volume weighting can explain why the cosmological constant is non-zero.

Characterization and analysis of the molecular weight of lignin for biorefining studies

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

Tolbert, Allison; Akinosho, Hannah; Khunsupat, Ratayakorn

2014-06-04

The molecular weight of lignin is a fundamental property that infl uences the recalcitrance of biomass and the valorization of lignin. The determination of the molecular weight of lignin in native biomass is dependent on the bioresources used and the isolation and purifi cation procedures employed. The three most commonly employed isolation methods are milled wood lignin (MWL), cellulolytic enzyme lignin (CEL), and enzymatic mild acidolysis lignin (EMAL). Common characterization techniques for determining the molecular weight of lignin will be addressed, with an emphasis on gel permeation chromatography (GPC). This review also examines the mechanisms behind several biological, physical, andmore » chemical pre-treatments and their impact on the molecular weight of lignin. The number average molecular weight (Mn), weight average molecular weight (Mw) and polydispersity index (D) all vary in magnitude depending on the biomass source, pre-treatment conditions, and isolation method. Additionally, there is a growing body of literature that supports changes in the molecular weight of lignin in response to genetic modifi cations in the lignin biosynthetic pathways. This review summarizes different procedures for obtaining the molecular weight of lignin that have been used in recent years and highlight future opportunities for applications of lignin.« less

Source identification of combustion-related air pollution during an episode and afterwards in winter-time in Istanbul.

PubMed

Kuzu, S Levent

2016-10-11

Conventional air pollutants (PM 10 , CO, NO x ) gradually increased from fall to winter during 2015 in Istanbul. Several air pollution episodes were observed during this period. This study was made in order to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels, identify the sources of air pollution, and make toxicity assessment based on Benzo(a)pyrene equivalent concentrations. The sampling took 14 sequential days during winter. High-pressure weather conditions prevailed at the start of the sampling. The conditions were then changed to low-pressure condition towards the end of the sampling. Strong inversion was effective on the onset of the sampling. Strong inversion was effective at the onset of the sampling. A high-volume sampler was used to collect gas and particle phase samples. Total suspended particle concentrations were between 27 and 252 μg m -3 . Sixteen PAH species were investigated. Total (gas + particle) PAH concentrations were between 76.4 and 1280.3 ng m -3 , with an average of 301.4 ng m -3 . Individual PAH concentrations were between not detected (n.d.) and 99.2 ng m -3 in the gaseous phase, and between n.d. and 11.5 ng m -3 in the particle phase. Phenanthrene had the highest share among 16 PAH compounds. Benzo(a)pyrene was not detected in 8 days. On the remaining days, its concentration ranged between 5.5 and 14.8 ng m -3 with an average of 3.7 ng m -3 . Low-molecular-weight PAHs dominated gaseous phase; inversely, high-molecular-weight PAHs dominated particle phase. Possible sources were identified by diagnostic ratios. These ratios suggested that coal combustion and diesel vehicle exhaust emissions had a substantial impact on ambient air quality. Benzo(a)pyrene equivalencies were calculated for each PAH compound in order to make toxicity assessment. Total benzo(a)pyrene equivalencies ranged between 0.4 and 30.0 ng m -3 with an average of 7.2 ng m -3 .

Relationships Among Lower Body Strength, Power, and Performance of Functional Tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ploutz-Snyder, Lori; Ryder, J.; Hackney, K.; Scott-Pandorf, M.; Redd, E.; Buxton, R.; Bloomberg, J.

2010-01-01

There is a large degree of variability among crewmembers with respect to decrements in muscle strength and power following long duration spaceflight, ranging from 0 to approx.30% reductions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of varying decrements in lower body muscle strength and power (relative to body weight) on the performance of 2 occupationally relevant tasks (ladder climb and supine egress & walk). Seventeen participants with leg strength similar to US crewmembers performed a leg press power test, an isokinetic knee extension strength test and they were asked to complete the 2 functional tasks as quickly as possible. On additional test days the participants were asked to repeat the functional tasks under 3 conditions where a different external load was applied each time using a weighted suit in order to experimentally manipulate participants strength/body weight and power/body weight ratios. The weight in the suit ranged from 20-120% of body weight and was distributed in proportion to limb segment weights to minimize changes in center of gravity. The ladder task consisted of climbing 40 rungs on a ladder treadmill as fast as possible. The supine egress & walk task consisted of rising from a supine position and walking through an obstacle course. Results show a relatively linear relationship between strength/body weight and task time and power/body weight with task time such that the fastest performance times are associated with higher strength and power with about half the variance in task time is accounted for by a single variable (either strength or power). For the average person, a 20% reduction in power/body weight (from 18 to 14.4 W/kg) induces an increase (slowing) of about 10 seconds in the ladder climb task from 14 to 24 seconds (approx.70%) and a slowing of the supine egress & walk task from 14 to 21 seconds (approx.50%). Similar relationships were observed with strength/body weight and task performance. For the average person, a 20% reduction in strength/body weight (from 2.1 to 1.7 Nm/kg) resulted in a slowing of the ladder climb from 10.5 to 24 seconds (approx.128%) and a slowing of the supine egress & walk from 11 to 20 seconds (approx.82%). These data suggest that the single variable of either low body muscle strength or power, relative to body weight is predictive of about 50% of the variance in task performance time, and that considerable slowing in task performance is associated with relatively typical decrements in muscle performance seen with long duration spaceflight. The observation of a relatively linear relationship between strength/power and task time suggests that across the full spectrum of initial crew strengths and typical decrements in strength previously observed, that task performance would be expected to be slowed following long duration spaceflight. These data will be confirmed in actual spaceflight with subsequent studies.

Mood and Weight Loss in a Behavioral Treatment Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wing, Rena R.; And Others

1983-01-01

Evaluated the relationship between mood and weight loss for 76 patients participating in two consecutive behavioral treatment programs. Weight losses averaged 12.2 pounds (5.55 kg) during the 10-week program. Positive changes in mood were reported during this interval, and these changes appeared to be related to changes in weight. (Author/RC)

Height, weight and body mass index values of mid-19th century New York legislative officers.

PubMed

Bodenhorn, Howard

2010-07-01

Previous studies of mid-19th century American heights and body mass index values have used potentially unrepresentative groups-students in military academies, prisoners, and African Americans. This paper uses an alternative source with heights and weights of ordinary people employed in a wide variety of occupations. The results reveal the operation of the antebellum paradox in that average heights declined between men born circa 1820 and those born circa 1840. Average weights also declined for adult males, suggesting a decline in mid-19th century nutritional status. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A System of Systems Approach to the EU Energy System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jess, Tom; Madani, Kaveh; Mahlooji, Maral; Ristic, Bora

2016-04-01

Around the world, measures to prevent dangerous climate change are being adopted and may change energy systems fundamentally. The European Union (EU) is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emission by 20% by 2020 and by 80-95% by 2050. In order to achieve this, EU member states aim to increase the share of renewables in the energy mix to 20% by 2020. This commitment comes as part of a series of other aims, principles, and policies to reform the EU's energy system. Cost-efficiency in the emissions reductions measures as well as strategic goals under the Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative which would include a more prudent approach to other natural resources such as water and land. Using the "System of Systems Approach", as from Hadian and Madani (2015), energy sources' Relative Aggregate Footprints (RAF) in the EU are evaluated. RAF aggregates across four criteria: carbon footprint, water footprint, land footprint, and economic cost. The four criteria are weighted by resource availability across the EU and for each Member State. This provides an evaluation of the overall resource use efficiency of the EU's energy portfolio and gives insight into the differences in the desirability of energy sources across Member States. Broadly, nuclear, onshore wind, and geothermal are most desirable under equal criteria weights and EU average weighting introduces only small changes in the relative performance of only few technologies. The member state specific weightings show that most countries have similar energy technology preferences. However, the UK deviates most strongly from the average, with an even stronger preference for nuclear and coal. Sweden, Malta and Finland also deviate from the typical preferences indicating the complexity in play in reforming the EU energy system. Reference Hadian S, Madani K (2015) A System of Systems Approach to Energy Sustainability Assessment: Are All Renewables Really Green? Ecological Indicators, 52, 194-206.

Stochastic transfer of polarized radiation in finite cloudy atmospheric media with reflective boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sallah, M.

2014-03-01

The problem of monoenergetic radiative transfer in a finite planar stochastic atmospheric medium with polarized (vector) Rayleigh scattering is proposed. The solution is presented for an arbitrary absorption and scattering cross sections. The extinction function of the medium is assumed to be a continuous random function of position, with fluctuations about the mean taken as Gaussian distributed. The joint probability distribution function of these Gaussian random variables is used to calculate the ensemble-averaged quantities, such as reflectivity and transmissivity, for an arbitrary correlation function. A modified Gaussian probability distribution function is also used to average the solution in order to exclude the probable negative values of the optical variable. Pomraning-Eddington approximation is used, at first, to obtain the deterministic analytical solution for both the total intensity and the difference function used to describe the polarized radiation. The problem is treated with specular reflecting boundaries and angular-dependent externally incident flux upon the medium from one side and with no flux from the other side. For the sake of comparison, two different forms of the weight function, which introduced to force the boundary conditions to be fulfilled, are used. Numerical results of the average reflectivity and average transmissivity are obtained for both Gaussian and modified Gaussian probability density functions at the different degrees of polarization.

ELLIPTICAL WEIGHTED HOLICs FOR WEAK LENSING SHEAR MEASUREMENT. III. THE EFFECT OF RANDOM COUNT NOISE ON IMAGE MOMENTS IN WEAK LENSING ANALYSIS

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

Okura, Yuki; Futamase, Toshifumi, E-mail: yuki.okura@nao.ac.jp, E-mail: tof@astr.tohoku.ac.jp

This is the third paper on the improvement of systematic errors in weak lensing analysis using an elliptical weight function, referred to as E-HOLICs. In previous papers, we succeeded in avoiding errors that depend on the ellipticity of the background image. In this paper, we investigate the systematic error that depends on the signal-to-noise ratio of the background image. We find that the origin of this error is the random count noise that comes from the Poisson noise of sky counts. The random count noise makes additional moments and centroid shift error, and those first-order effects are canceled in averaging,more » but the second-order effects are not canceled. We derive the formulae that correct this systematic error due to the random count noise in measuring the moments and ellipticity of the background image. The correction formulae obtained are expressed as combinations of complex moments of the image, and thus can correct the systematic errors caused by each object. We test their validity using a simulated image and find that the systematic error becomes less than 1% in the measured ellipticity for objects with an IMCAT significance threshold of {nu} {approx} 11.7.« less

Noise Annoyance Produced by Commercial Vehicles Transit on Rumble Strips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaiton, Haron; Khairulzan, Yahya; Nadirah, Darus; Nordiana, Mashros; Azril, Hezmi Muhammad; Samah Rosiah, Abu; Mutalif, Abdul Hameed Abdul; Asyraf, Norudin Wan Mohammad; Habab, Abd Halil Muhammad; Zanariah, Jahya; Hanifi, Othman Mohd

2018-03-01

This paper reports on research examining the extent of noise annoyance affecting residents within the vicinity of installation of two types of transverse rumble strips (TRS), namely Middle Overlapped (MO) and Multilayer Overlapping (MLO). In order to assess the noise annoyance in the area, measurements were taken at 7.5m from centre of road with TRS installation using single vehicle test to determine the extent of changes of sound level indices and sound spectrum. Two light and two medium weight commercial vehicles were used. Indicators LAeq, LAFmax, LAImax, LAIeq, and LASmax were used to determine impulsivity that led to noise annoyance. The results showed that, at 30 km/h, all commercial vehicles considered in this study that transited on MO produced impulsive noise, while only light commercial vehicles caused noise annoyance when they transited on MLO. The research also analysed the extent of low-frequency noise and found a significant low-frequency component, which indicated that noise annoyance might arise from the hitting of MO and MLO by the commercial vehicles. For night-time related annoyance, it was suggested that an additional weighting factor could be added to the average A-weighted value during night-time.

Genetically optimizing weather predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potter, S. B.; Staats, Kai; Romero-Colmenero, Encarni

2016-07-01

humidity, air pressure, wind speed and wind direction) into a database. Built upon this database, we have developed a remarkably simple approach to derive a functional weather predictor. The aim is provide up to the minute local weather predictions in order to e.g. prepare dome environment conditions ready for night time operations or plan, prioritize and update weather dependent observing queues. In order to predict the weather for the next 24 hours, we take the current live weather readings and search the entire archive for similar conditions. Predictions are made against an averaged, subsequent 24 hours of the closest matches for the current readings. We use an Evolutionary Algorithm to optimize our formula through weighted parameters. The accuracy of the predictor is routinely tested and tuned against the full, updated archive to account for seasonal trends and total, climate shifts. The live (updated every 5 minutes) SALT weather predictor can be viewed here: http://www.saao.ac.za/ sbp/suthweather_predict.html

7 CFR 1714.7 - Interest rate cap.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... the same year. (2) Consumer income test.The borrower meets this test if either the average per capita income of the residents receiving electric service from the borrower is less than the average per capita..., RUS will compare, on a weighted average basis, the average per capita and median household income of...

77 FR 72766 - Small Business Size Standards: Support Activities for Mining

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-06

... its entirety for parties who have an interest in SBA's overall approach to establishing, evaluating....gov , Docket ID: SBA-2009- 0008. SBA continues to welcome comments on its methodology from interested.... Average firm size. SBA computes two measures of average firm size: simple average and weighted average...

A Divergence Median-based Geometric Detector with A Weighted Averaging Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, Xiaoqiang; Cheng, Yongqiang; Li, Yubo; Wang, Hongqiang; Qin, Yuliang

2018-01-01

To overcome the performance degradation of the classical fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based constant false alarm rate detector with the limited sample data, a divergence median-based geometric detector on the Riemannian manifold of Heimitian positive definite matrices is proposed in this paper. In particular, an autocorrelation matrix is used to model the correlation of sample data. This method of the modeling can avoid the poor Doppler resolution as well as the energy spread of the Doppler filter banks result from the FFT. Moreover, a weighted averaging filter, conceived from the philosophy of the bilateral filtering in image denoising, is proposed and combined within the geometric detection framework. As the weighted averaging filter acts as the clutter suppression, the performance of the geometric detector is improved. Numerical experiments are given to validate the effectiveness of our proposed method.

Annealed importance sampling with constant cooling rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giovannelli, Edoardo; Cardini, Gianni; Gellini, Cristina; Pietraperzia, Giangaetano; Chelli, Riccardo

2015-02-01

Annealed importance sampling is a simulation method devised by Neal [Stat. Comput. 11, 125 (2001)] to assign weights to configurations generated by simulated annealing trajectories. In particular, the equilibrium average of a generic physical quantity can be computed by a weighted average exploiting weights and estimates of this quantity associated to the final configurations of the annealed trajectories. Here, we review annealed importance sampling from the perspective of nonequilibrium path-ensemble averages [G. E. Crooks, Phys. Rev. E 61, 2361 (2000)]. The equivalence of Neal's and Crooks' treatments highlights the generality of the method, which goes beyond the mere thermal-based protocols. Furthermore, we show that a temperature schedule based on a constant cooling rate outperforms stepwise cooling schedules and that, for a given elapsed computer time, performances of annealed importance sampling are, in general, improved by increasing the number of intermediate temperatures.

Ideals versus reality: Are weight ideals associated with weight change in the population?

PubMed

Kärkkäinen, Ulla; Mustelin, Linda; Raevuori, Anu; Kaprio, Jaakko; Keski-Rahkonen, Anna

2016-04-01

To quantify weight ideals of young adults and to examine whether the discrepancy between actual and ideal weight is associated with 10-year body mass index (BMI) change in the population. This study comprised 4,964 adults from the prospective population-based FinnTwin16 study. They reported their actual and ideal body weight at age 24 (range 22-27) and 10 years later (attrition 24.6%). The correlates of discrepancy between actual and ideal body weight and the impact on subsequent BMI change were examined. The discrepancy between actual and ideal weight at 24 years was on average 3.9 kg (1.4 kg/m(2) ) among women and 1.2 kg (0.4 kg/m(2) ) among men. On average, participants gained weight during follow-up irrespective of baseline ideal weight: women ¯x = +4.8 kg (1.7 kg/m(2) , 95% CI 1.6-1.9 kg/m(2) ), men ¯x = +6.3 kg (2.0 kg/m(2) , 95% CI 1.8-2.1 kg/m(2) ). Weight ideals at 24 years were not correlated with 10-year weight change. At 34 years, just 13.2% of women and 18.9% of men were at or below the weight they had specified as their ideal weight at 24 years. Women and men adjusted their ideal weight upward over time. Irrespective of ideal weight at baseline, weight gain was nearly universal. Weight ideals were shifted upward over time. © 2016 The Obesity Society.

Restaurant menu labelling: Is it worth adding sodium to the label?

PubMed

Scourboutakos, Mary J; Corey, Paul N; Mendoza, Julio; Henson, Spencer J; L'Abbe, Mary R

2014-07-31

Several provincial and federal bills have recommended various forms of menu labelling that would require information beyond just calories; however, the additional benefit of including sodium information is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine whether sodium information on menus helps consumers make lower-sodium choices and to understand what other factors influence the effect of menu labelling on consumers' meal choices. A total of 3,080 Canadian consumers completed an online survey that included a repeated measures experiment in which consumers were asked to select what they would typically order from four mock-restaurant menus. Subsequently, consumers were randomly allocated to see one of three menu-labelling treatments (calories; calories and sodium; or calories, sodium and serving size) and were given the option to change their order. There was a significant difference in the proportion of consumers who changed their order, varying from 17% to 30%, depending on the restaurant type. After participants had seen menu labelling, sodium levels decreased in all treatments (p<0.0001). However, in three of the four restaurant types, consumers who saw calorie and sodium information ordered meals with significantly less sodium than consumers who saw only calorie information (p<0.01). Consumers who saw sodium labelling decreased the sodium level of their meal by an average of 171-384 mg, depending on the restaurant. In the subset of consumers who saw sodium information and chose to change their order, sodium levels decreased by an average of 681-1,360 mg, depending on the restaurant. Sex, intent to lose weight and the amount of calories ordered at baseline were the most important predictors of who used menu labelling. Eighty percent of survey panelists wanted to see nutrition information when dining out. Including sodium information alongside calorie information may result in a larger decrease in the amount of sodium ordered by restaurant-goers.

Does smoking affect body weight and obesity in China?

PubMed

Fang, Hai; Ali, Mir M; Rizzo, John A

2009-12-01

An inverse relationship between smoking and body weight has been documented in the medical literature, but the effect of cigarette smoking on obesity remains inconclusive. In addition, the evidence is mixed on whether rising obesity rates are an unintended consequence of successful anti-smoking policies. This study re-examines these relationships using data from China, the largest consumer and manufacturer of tobacco in the world that is also experiencing a steady rise in obesity rates. We focus on the impact of the total number of cigarettes smoked per day on individuals' body mass index (BMI) and on the likelihood of being overweight and obese. Instrumental variables estimation is used to correct for the endogeneity of cigarette smoking. We find a moderate negative and significant relationship between cigarette smoking and BMI. Smoking is also negatively related to being overweight and obese, but the marginal effects are small and statistically insignificant for being obese. Quantile regression analyses reveal that the association between smoking and BMI is quite weak among subjects whose BMIs are at the high end of the distribution but are considerably stronger among subjects in the healthy weight range. Ordered probit regression analyses also confirm these findings. Our results thus reconcile an inverse average effect of smoking on body weight with the absence of any significant effect on obesity. From a policy perspective these findings suggest that, while smoking cessation may lead to moderate weight gain among subjects of healthy weight, the effects on obese subjects are modest and should not be expected to lead to a large increase in obesity prevalence rates.

Nutrient intake, peripheral edema, and weight change in elderly recuperative care patients.

PubMed

Sullivan, Dennis H; Johnson, Larry E; Dennis, Richard A; Roberson, Paula K; Garner, Kimberly K; Padala, Prasad R; Padala, Kalpana P; Bopp, Melinda M

2013-06-01

It is unclear whether serial measures of body weight are valid indicators of nutritional status in older patients recovering from illness. Objectives. Investigate the relative influence of nutrient intake and changes in peripheral edema on weight change. A prospective cohort study of 404 older men (mean age = 78.7±7.5 years) admitted to a transitional care unit of a Department of Veterans Affairs nursing home. Body weight and several indicators of lower extremity edema were measured at both unit admission and discharge. Complete nutrient intake assessments were performed daily. Over a median length of stay of 23 days (interquartile range: 15-41 days), 216 (53%) participants gained or lost more than or equal to 2.5% of their body weight. Two hundred eighty-two (70%) participants had recognizable lower extremity pitting edema at admission and/or discharge. The amount of weight change was strongly and positively correlated with multiple indicators of both nutrient intake and the change in the amount of peripheral edema. By multivariable analysis, the strongest predictor of weight change was maximal calf circumference change (partial R (2) = .35, p < .0001), followed by average daily energy intake (partial R (2) = .14, p < .0001), and the interaction of energy intake by time (partial R (2) = .02, p < .0001). Many older patients either gain or lose a significant amount of weight after admission to a transitional care unit. Because of the apparent high prevalence of co-occurring changes in total body water, the weight changes do not necessarily represent changes in nutritional status. Although repeat calf circumference measurements may provide some indication as to how much of the weight change is due to changes in body water, there is currently no viable alternative to monitoring the nutrient intake of older recuperative care patients in order to ensure that their nutrient needs are being met.

Effects of feeding different proportions of silver leaf desmodium (Dismodium uncinatum) with banana (Musa paradisiaca) leaf on nutrient utilization in Horro sheep fed a basal diet of natural grass hay.

PubMed

Chali, Diriba; Nurfeta, Ajebu; Banerjee, Sandip; Eik, Lars Olav

2018-03-02

The objective was to evaluate feed intake, digestibility, body weight change and carcass characteristics of sheep fed a basal diet of hay supplemented with banana leaves and silver leaf desmodium. Thirty yearling lambs with an average initial body weight of 15.85 ± 1.6 kg were grouped into six blocks of five rams in each block. The treatments were: hay alone (T1), hay + 100% banana leaf (T2), hay + 67% banana leaf + 33% desmodium leaf (T3), hay + 33% banana leaf + 67% desmodium leaf (T4) and hay + 100% desmodium leaf (T5). Three hundred grams of treatment diets were offered daily on as fed basis. The feeding and digestibility trial lasted for 84 and 7 days, respectively, followed by carcass evaluation. The total dry matter (DM) intake for T3, T4 and T5 were greater (P<0.05) than those fed T1 and T2 diets. The lowest (P<0.05) organic matter (OM) intake was recorded in rams reared on T1 diet. The total crude protein (CP) intake was in the following order: T5 > T4 > T3 > T2 > T1. Rams lambs receiving supplementary diets had higher (P<0.05) DM, OM, CP, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber digestibility compared with the control diet. The empty body weight and slaughter weight was highest (P<0.05) in rams receiving T3, T4 and T5 diets. The average daily gain and feed conversion efficiency was highest (P<0.05) in rams receiving the supplementary diets. The DP on the basis of hot carcass weight linearly increased with increasing levels of desmodium. Rams reared on supplementary diet had higher (P<0.05) rib eye area compared with the control diet. In conclusion, when banana leaf is used as a supplement to poor quality grass, better response was obtained when fed in combination with desmodium.

Eating, feeding, and feeling: emotional responsiveness mediates longitudinal associations between maternal binge eating, feeding practices, and child weight.

PubMed

Saltzman, Jaclyn A; Pineros-Leano, Maria; Liechty, Janet M; Bost, Kelly K; Fiese, Barbara H

2016-08-02

Although it is known that maternal disordered eating is related to restrictive feeding practices, there is little research exploring mechanisms for this association or its effects on other feeding practices. The purpose of this study was to assess whether maternal emotion responses mediate the association between maternal binge eating (BE) and child feeding practices, in order to identify potential risk factors for feeding practices that influence child weight. This longitudinal observational study included (n = 260) mothers and children from the STRONG Kids Panel Survey. At Wave 1, children were an average of 37 months old (SD = 6.9), and at Wave 2 children were an average of 57 months old (SD = 8.3). Mothers self-reported their frequency of binge eating behavior (Wave 1), responses to children's negative emotions (Wave 1), feeding practices (Wave 1 and Wave 2), and child height and weight were measured at both time points. Using bias-corrected bootstrapping procedures, we tested the hypothesis that longitudinal associations between maternal BE and nonresponsive parent feeding practices would be mediated by parents' unsupportive responses to children's negative emotion. We also tested a serial mediation model positing that maternal BE predicts child body mass index (BMI) percentile change 18-24 months later, indirectly through unsupportive responses to negative emotion and nonresponsive feeding practices. Maternal BE predicted use of more nonresponsive feeding practices (e.g. Emotion Regulation, Restriction for Health, Pressure to Eat, and Food as Reward), indirectly through more Distress responses to children's negative emotions. In the serial mediation model, maternal BE was associated with greater use of Distress responses, which indirectly predicted higher child BMI percentile through Food as Reward feeding practices. These results suggest that maternal eating and emotion responsiveness are important for understanding the interpersonal context of feeding behaviors, and child weight outcomes. Distress responses may serve as a risk factor for use of unhealthful feeding practices among mothers with BE and these responses may increase children's risk for weight gain. This study used an observational prospective design. Therefore, it has not been registered as a clinical intervention trial.

Molecular Weights of Bovine and Porcine Heparin Samples: Comparison of Chromatographic Methods and Results of a Collaborative Survey.

PubMed

Bertini, Sabrina; Risi, Giulia; Guerrini, Marco; Carrick, Kevin; Szajek, Anita Y; Mulloy, Barbara

2017-07-19

In a collaborative study involving six laboratories in the USA, Europe, and India the molecular weight distributions of a panel of heparin sodium samples were determined, in order to compare heparin sodium of bovine intestinal origin with that of bovine lung and porcine intestinal origin. Porcine samples met the current criteria as laid out in the USP Heparin Sodium monograph. Bovine lung heparin samples had consistently lower average molecular weights. Bovine intestinal heparin was variable in molecular weight; some samples fell below the USP limits, some fell within these limits and others fell above the upper limits. These data will inform the establishment of pharmacopeial acceptance criteria for heparin sodium derived from bovine intestinal mucosa. The method for MW determination as described in the USP monograph uses a single, broad standard calibrant to characterize the chromatographic profile of heparin sodium on high-resolution silica-based GPC columns. These columns may be short-lived in some laboratories. Using the panel of samples described above, methods based on the use of robust polymer-based columns have been developed. In addition to the use of the USP's broad standard calibrant for heparin sodium with these columns, a set of conditions have been devised that allow light-scattering detected molecular weight characterization of heparin sodium, giving results that agree well with the monograph method. These findings may facilitate the validation of variant chromatographic methods with some practical advantages over the USP monograph method.

Effect of a High-Fructose Weight-Maintaining Diet on Lipogenesis and Liver Fat

PubMed Central

Noworolski, Susan M.; Wen, Michael J.; Dyachenko, Artem; Prior, Jessica L.; Weinberg, Melissa E.; Herraiz, Laurie A.; Tai, Viva W.; Bergeron, Nathalie; Bersot, Thomas P.; Rao, Madhu N.; Schambelan, Morris; Mulligan, Kathleen

2015-01-01

Context: Consumption of high-fructose diets promotes hepatic fatty acid synthesis (de novo lipogenesis [DNL]) and an atherogenic lipid profile. It is unclear whether these effects occur independent of positive energy balance and weight gain. Objectives: We compared the effects of a high-fructose, (25% of energy content) weight-maintaining diet to those of an isocaloric diet with the same macronutrient distribution but in which complex carbohydrate (CCHO) was substituted for fructose. Design, Setting, and Participants: Eight healthy men were studied as inpatients for consecutive 9-day periods. Stable isotope tracers were used to measure fractional hepatic DNL and endogenous glucose production (EGP) and its suppression during a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp. Liver fat was measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results: Weight remained stable. Regardless of the order in which the diets were fed, the high-fructose diet was associated with both higher DNL (average, 18.6 ± 1.4% vs 11.0 ± 1.4% for CCHO; P = .001) and higher liver fat (median, +137% of CCHO; P = .016) in all participants. Fasting EGP and insulin-mediated glucose disposal did not differ significantly, but EGP during hyperinsulinemia was greater (0.60 ± 0.07 vs 0.46 ± 0.06 mg/kg/min; P = .013) with the high-fructose diet, suggesting blunted suppression of EGP. Conclusion: Short-term high-fructose intake was associated with increased DNL and liver fat in healthy men fed weight-maintaining diets. PMID:25825943

The adjusting factor method for weight-scaling truckloads of mixed hardwood sawlogs

Treesearch

Edward L. Adams

1976-01-01

A new method of weight-scaling truckloads of mixed hardwood sawlogs systematically adjusts for changes in the weight/volume ratio of logs coming into a sawmill. It uses a conversion factor based on the running average of weight/volume ratios of randomly selected sample loads. A test of the method indicated that over a period of time the weight-scaled volume should...

Constructing statistically unbiased cortical surface templates using feature-space covariance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parvathaneni, Prasanna; Lyu, Ilwoo; Huo, Yuankai; Blaber, Justin; Hainline, Allison E.; Kang, Hakmook; Woodward, Neil D.; Landman, Bennett A.

2018-03-01

The choice of surface template plays an important role in cross-sectional subject analyses involving cortical brain surfaces because there is a tendency toward registration bias given variations in inter-individual and inter-group sulcal and gyral patterns. In order to account for the bias and spatial smoothing, we propose a feature-based unbiased average template surface. In contrast to prior approaches, we factor in the sample population covariance and assign weights based on feature information to minimize the influence of covariance in the sampled population. The mean surface is computed by applying the weights obtained from an inverse covariance matrix, which guarantees that multiple representations from similar groups (e.g., involving imaging, demographic, diagnosis information) are down-weighted to yield an unbiased mean in feature space. Results are validated by applying this approach in two different applications. For evaluation, the proposed unbiased weighted surface mean is compared with un-weighted means both qualitatively and quantitatively (mean squared error and absolute relative distance of both the means with baseline). In first application, we validated the stability of the proposed optimal mean on a scan-rescan reproducibility dataset by incrementally adding duplicate subjects. In the second application, we used clinical research data to evaluate the difference between the weighted and unweighted mean when different number of subjects were included in control versus schizophrenia groups. In both cases, the proposed method achieved greater stability that indicated reduced impacts of sampling bias. The weighted mean is built based on covariance information in feature space as opposed to spatial location, thus making this a generic approach to be applicable to any feature of interest.

Toughening elastomers with sacrificial bonds and watching them break

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Creton, Costantino

2014-03-01

Most unfilled elastomers are relatively brittle, in particular when the average molecular weight between crosslinks is lower than the average molecular weight between entanglements. We created a new class of tough elastomers by introducing isotropically prestretched chains inside ordinary acrylic elastomers by successive swelling and polymerization steps. These new materials combine a high entanglement density with a densely crosslinked structure reaching elastic moduli of 4 MPa and fracture strength of 25 MPa. The highly prestretched chains are the minority in the material and can break in the bulk of the material before catastrophic failure occurs, increasing the toughness of the material by two orders of magnitude up to 5 kJ/m2. To investigate the details of the toughening mechanism we introduced specific sacrificial dioxetane bonds in the prestretched chains that emit light when they break. In uniaxial extension cyclic experiments, we checked that the light emission corresponded exactly and quantitatively to the energy dissipation in each cycle demonstrating that short chains break first and long chains later. We then watched crack propagation in notched samples and mapped spatially the location of bond breakage ahead of the crack tip before and during propagation. This new toughening mechanism for elastomers creates superentangled rubbers and is ideally suited to overcome the trade-off between toughness and stiffness of ordinary elastomers. We gratefully acknowledge funding from DSM Ahead

Nesting ecology of roseate spoonbills at Nueces Bay, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, D.H.; Mitchell, C.A.

1982-01-01

We conducted a 3-year study in 1978-80 of thenesting ecology of Roseate Spoonbills (Ajaia ajaja) at Nueces Bay, Texas. Reproductive success, as well as nesting chronology, nest composition and placement, growth and development of young, egg measurements, and pollutant residues in eggs were determined. For 154 marked nests, the average clutch size was 3.0 eggs; 73% of the eggs hatched, and 87% of the nests were successful (fledged at least one young). Nest success (total fledglings: total eggs) averaged 50% during the study, or 1.5 fledglings per nest. Incubation began the day after the first egg was laid, and the incubation period for each egg was 22 days. Eggs hatched in the order that they were laid; the first and second egg hatched on consecutive days, and the second, third, and fourth egg hatched every other day. Nest composition and size were highly consistent, as was distance between nests within clusters, but nest placement varied considerably and was dependent on the vegetative configuration of the dredged-material islands. Growth rate of nestlings conformed to a 'standard' growth curve where body weight equaled that of adults at fledging. There was no difference in weight gain among siblings based on actual age. Nestlings fledged at about siz weeks of age when feather development was complete. At fledging, the bills of juveniles had almost reached adult width, but bill length was only 67% that of adults.

[1981-1983 breast feeding studies of 1,500 mothers in Dortmund and Haltern. II. Volume of breast milk in the maternity ward].

PubMed

Kersting, M; Koester, H; Wennemann, J; Wember, T; Schöch, G

1987-05-01

In two large maternity wards encouraging breast-feeding, breast-milk volumes (weighing of the baby before and after each feeding) and weight development of the infants were determined until dismissal. On days 2, 3 and 4, 20-30%, 60-70%, and 80-90% of the mothers, respectively, produced milk. The largest increase in milk volume ("Einschuss") usually took place between days 3 and 4. Milk volume increased from an average of 150-180 ml on day 4 to 270-300 ml on day 6. Development of milk production was independent of type of delivery; however, the usual delay of one day following caesarean section was not made up for until discharge. Fully breast-feeding mothers produced on the average the same amounts of milk as mothers at the turn of the century. Throughout their stay in the maternity ward, mothers with good breast-feeding experience produced more milk than those with bad or without any breast-feeding experience. Nursing all infants at fairly regular intervals during the day and at night is recommended in order to achieve that as many mothers as possible are fully breast-feeding on discharge. Comparing energy intake and weight development between groups of fully, partially and non breast-fed infants suggested a better utilization of breast-milk.

Comparison of estimators for rolling samples using Forest Inventory and Analysis data

Treesearch

Devin S. Johnson; Michael S. Williams; Raymond L. Czaplewski

2003-01-01

The performance of three classes of weighted average estimators is studied for an annual inventory design similar to the Forest Inventory and Analysis program of the United States. The first class is based on an ARIMA(0,1,1) time series model. The equal weight, simple moving average is a member of this class. The second class is based on an ARIMA(0,2,2) time series...

Aboveground Biomass of Choctawhatchee Sand Pine in Northwest Florida

Treesearch

Michael A. Taras

1980-01-01

Choctawhatchee sand pine trees 4 to 14 inches d.b.h. were selected from a natural, uneven-aged stand in northwest Florida to determine the weight and volume of above ground biomass. On the average, 85 percent of the green weight of the total tree was wood, 11 percent bark. and 4 percent needles. The average tree sampled had 82 percent of its wood in the stem and 18...

17 CFR 240.15c3-1g - Conditions for ultimate holding companies of certain brokers or dealers (Appendix G to 17 CFR 240...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... that: (A) The stock does not have a maturity date; (B) The stock cannot be redeemed at the option of... G; (B) Subordinated debt if the original weighted average maturity of the subordinated debt is at... weighted average maturity of at least five years and that cannot be accelerated, except upon the occurrence...

Modeling electrostatic and heterogeneity effects on proton dissociation from humic substances

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tipping, E.; Reddy, M.M.; Hurley, M.A.

1990-01-01

The apparent acid dissociation constant of humic substances increases by 2-4 pK units as ionization of the humic carboxylate groups proceeds. This change in apparent acid strength is due in part to the increase in electrical charge on the humic molecules as protons are shed. In addition, proton dissociation reactions are complicated because humic substances are heterogeneous with respect to proton dissociating groups and molecular size. In this paper, we use the Debye-Hu??ckel theory to describe the effects of electrostatic interactions on proton dissociation of humic substances. Simulations show that, for a size-heterogeneous system of molecules, the weight-average molecular weight is preferable to the number-average value for averaging the effects of electrostatic interactions. Analysis of published data on the proton dissociation of fulvic acid from the Suwannee River shows that the electrostatic interactions can be satisfactorily described by a hypothetical homogeneous compound having a molecular weight of 1000 (similar to the experimentally determined weight-average value). Titration data at three ionic strengths, for several fulvic acid concentrations, and in the pH range from 2.9 to 6.4 can be fitted with three adjustable parameters (pK??int values), given information on molecular size and carboxylate group content. ?? 1990 American Chemical Society.

The influence of non-ionic radiation on the chicken hatching.

PubMed

Veterány, Ladislav; Toman, Robert; Jedlicka, Jaroslav

2002-11-01

The study considers the influence of non-ionic radiation (white and monochromatic light) on the hatching of the Hampshire breed chickens. The chicken embryos were most sensitive to the white light (El), reaching the hatching time of 503.63 +/- 3.17 h, the hatchability of 95.12 +/- 3.72% and an average weight of incubated chickens 46.83 +/- 2.82 g. Of the monochromatic lights, the chicken embryos were most sensitive to yellow and green lights (E5, E4) with the hatching time of 505.22 +/- 4.03 and 507.14 +/- 3.95 h, respectively, the hatchability of 94.89 +/- 3.02 and 94.47 +/- 2.93%, respectively and the average weight of incubated chickens 45.72 +/- 1.93 and 45.05 +/- 2.66 g, respectively. The least reaction of chicken was observed with violet light (E2) with the hatching time of 510.04+/- 1.97 h, hatchability of 90.81 +/- 4.05% and the average weight of incubated chickens 42.02 +/- 3.72 g. The effect of violet light brings the same results as we observed in the case of hatching in darkness (control group C), when the hatching time was 510.41 +/- 2.82 h, hatchability 90.42 +/- 3.35% and average weight of incubated chickens 41.98 +/- 3.05 g.

Development of MY-DRG casemix pharmacy service weights in UKM Medical Centre in Malaysia.

PubMed

Ali Jadoo, Saad Ahmed; Aljunid, Syed Mohamed; Nur, Amrizal Muhammad; Ahmed, Zafar; Van Dort, Dexter

2015-02-10

The service weight is among several issues and challenges in the implementation of case-mix in developing countries, including Malaysia. The aim of this study is to develop the Malaysian Diagnosis Related Group (MY-DRG) case-mix pharmacy service weight in University Kebangsaan Malaysia-Medical Center (UKMMC) by identifying the actual cost of pharmacy services by MY-DRG groups in the hospital. All patients admitted to UKMMC in 2011 were recruited in this study. Combination of Step-down and Bottom-up costing methodology has been used in this study. The drug and supplies cost; the cost of staff; the overhead cost; and the equipment cost make up the four components of pharmacy. Direct costing approach has been employed to calculate Drugs and supplies cost from electronic-prescription system; and the inpatient pharmacy staff cost, while the overhead cost and the pharmacy equipments cost have been calculated indirectly from MY-DRG data base. The total pharmacy cost was obtained by summing the four pharmacy components' cost per each MY-DRG. The Pharmacy service weight of a MY-DRG was estimated by dividing the average pharmacy cost of the investigated MY-DRG on the average of a specified MY-DRG (which usually the average pharmacy cost of all MY-DRGs). Drugs and supplies were the main component (86.0%) of pharmacy cost compared o overhead cost centers (7.3%), staff cost (6.5%) and pharmacy equipments (0.2%) respectively. Out of 789 inpatient MY-DRGs case-mix groups, 450 (57.0%) groups were utilized by the UKMMC. Pharmacy service weight has been calculated for each of these 450 MY-DRGs groups. MY-DRG case-mix group of Lymphoma & Chronic Leukemia group with severity level three (C-4-11-III) has the highest pharmacy service weight of 11.8 equivalents to average pharmacy cost of RM 5383.90. While the MY-DRG case-mix group for Circumcision with severity level one (V-1-15-I) has the lowest pharmacy service weight of 0.04 equivalents to average pharmacy cost of RM 17.83. A mixed approach which is based partly on top-down and partly on bottom up costing methodology has been recruited to develop MY-DRG case-mix pharmacy service weight for 450 groups utilized by the UKMMC in 2011.

Isolation of a thermophilic bacterium capable of low-molecular-weight polyethylene degradation.

PubMed

Jeon, Hyun Jeong; Kim, Mal Nam

2013-02-01

A thermophilic bacterium capable of low-molecular-weight polyethylene (LMWPE) degradation was isolated from a compost sample, and was identified as Chelatococcus sp. E1, through sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. LMWPE was prepared by thermal degradation of commercial PE in a strict nitrogen atmosphere. LMWPE with a weight-average-molecular-weight (Mw) in the range of 1,700-23,700 was noticeably mineralized into CO(2) by the bacterium. The biodegradability of LMWPE decreased as the Mw increased. The low molecular weight fraction of LMWPE decreased significantly as a result of the degradation process, and thereby both the number-average-molecular-weight and Mw increased after biodegradation. The polydispersity of LMWPE was either narrowed or widened, depending on the initial Mw of LMWPE, due to the preferential elimination of the low molecular weight fraction, in comparison to the high molecular weight portion. LMWPE free from an extremely low molecular weight fraction was also mineralized by the strain at a remarkable rate, and FTIR peaks assignable to C-O stretching appeared as a result of microbial action. The FTIR peaks corresponding to alkenes also became more intense, indicating that dehydrogenations occurred concomitantly with microbial induced oxidation.

Weight loss in overweight patients maintained on atypical antipsychotic agents.

PubMed

Centorrino, F; Wurtman, J J; Duca, K A; Fellman, V H; Fogarty, K V; Berry, J M; Guay, D M; Romeling, M; Kidwell, J; Cincotta, S L; Baldessarini, R J

2006-06-01

Weight gain and associated medical morbidity offset the reduction of extrapyramidal side effects associated with atypical antipsychotics. Efforts to control weight in antipsychotic-treated patients have yielded limited success. We studied the impact of an intensive 24-week program of diet, exercise, and counseling in 17 chronically psychotic patients (10 women, seven men) who entered at high average body weight (105.0+/-18.4 kg) and body mass index (BMI) (36.6+/-4.6 kg/m(2)). A total of 12 subjects who completed the initial 24 weeks elected to participate in an additional 24-week, less intensive extension phase. By 24 weeks, weight-loss/patient averaged 6.0 kg (5.7%) and BMI decreased to 34.5 (by 5.7%). Blood pressure decreased from 130/83 to 116/74 (11% improvement), pulse fell slightly, and serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations changed nonsignificantly. With less intensive management for another 24 weeks, subjects regained minimal weight (0.43 kg). These findings add to the emerging view that weight gain is a major health problem associated with modern antipsychotic drugs and that labor-intensive weight-control efforts in patients requiring antipsychotic treatment yield clinically promising benefits. Improved treatments without weight-gain risk are needed.

Efficacy and safety of transoral outlet reduction via endoscopic suturing in patients with weight regain after a surgical Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

PubMed

Espinet Coll, Eduardo; Nebreda Durán, Javier; López-Nava Breviere, Gontrand; Galvao Neto, Manoel; Gómez Valero, José Antonio; Bacchiddu, Silvia; Vila Lolo, Carmen; Díaz Galán, Patricia; Bautista-Castaño, Inmaculada; Juan-Creix Comamala, Antonio

2018-05-09

many patients that undergo bariatric surgery (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass [RYGB]) may regain some of their weight lost over time. A transoral outlet reduction (TORe) with endoscopic suture could be a valid alternative in these patients. this was a retrospective initial series of 13 consecutive patients with weight regain after RYGB and a dilated gastro-jejunal anastomosis (> 15 mm). TORe was performed using an endoscopic transmural suture device (OverStitch-Apollo®), which was used to reduce the anastomosis aperture and also to treat the gastric pouch. The initial data of feasibility, safety and weight loss are described with a limited follow-up of six months. there was a mean maximum weight loss of 37.69 kg after RYGB and a subsequent average regain of 21.62 kg. The mean anastomosis diameter was 36 mm (range 20-45) which was reduced to 9 mm (range 5-12) (75% reduction), with an average of 2.5 sutures. The mean pouch size was 7.2 cm (range 2-10), which decreased to 4.7 cm (range 4-5) (34.72% reduction), with an average of 2.7 sutures. The mean weight loss six months after TORe was 12.29 kg, a weight loss of 56.85% of the weight regained after RYGB. No complications related to the procedure were recorded. endoscopic suture reduction of the dilated gastro-jejunal anastomosis and the gastric pouch seems a feasible and safe option in our limited initial experience. With a multidisciplinary approach and a short term follow-up, this seems to be a minimally invasive and effective option to control weight regain after RYGB.

An Experimental Examination of Peers’ Influence on Adolescent Girls’ Intent to Engage in Maladaptive Weight-Related Behaviors

PubMed Central

Rancourt, Diana; Choukas-Bradley, Sophia; Cohen, Geoffrey L.; Prinstein, Mitchell J.

2015-01-01

Objective Social psychological theories provide bases for understanding how social comparison processes may impact peer influence. This study examined two peer characteristics that may impact peer influence on adolescent girls’ weight-related behavior intentions: body size and popularity. Method A school-based sample of 66 9th grade girls (12–15 years old) completed an experimental paradigm in which they believed they were interacting with other students (i.e., “e-confederates”). The body size and popularity of the e-confederates were experimentally manipulated. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental conditions in which they were exposed to identical maladaptive weight-related behavior norms communicated by ostensible female peers who were either: (1) Thin and Popular; (2) Thin and Average Popularity; or (3) Heavy and Average Popularity. Participants’ intent to engage in weight-related behaviors was measured pre-experiment and during public and private segments of the experiment. Results A significant effect of condition on public conformity was observed. Participants exposed to peers’ maladaptive weight-related behavior norms in the Heavy and Average condition reported significantly less intent to engage in weight-related behaviors than participants in either of the thin-peer conditions (F(2) = 3.93, p = .025). Peer influence on private acceptance of weight-related behavior intentions was similar across conditions (F(2) = .47, p = .63). Discussion Body size comparison may be the most salient component of peer influence processes on weight-related behaviors. Peer influence on weight-related behavior intention also appears to impact private beliefs. Considering peer norms in preventive interventions combined with dissonance-based approaches may be useful. PMID:24482093

[Eating attitudes, attitudes related to weight gain, and body satisfaction of pregnant adolescents].

PubMed

Oliboni, Carolina Marques; Alvarenga, Marle Dos Santos

2015-12-01

To assess attitudes about eating, weight gain and body image of pregnant adolescents. Pregnant adolescents (n=67) were assessed using the Body Image Questionnaire, the Attitude towards Weight Gain during Pregnancy scale (AWGP) and questions about risk behaviors for eating disorders and unhealthy weight control practices. Associations between variables were analyzed by ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, Pearson and Spearman tests. The influence of the independent variables regarding skipping meals, body satisfaction and binge eating was evaluated by logistic regression. The average age of the adolescents was 15.3 years (SD=1.14) and their average gestational age was 21.9 weeks (SD=6.53). The average AWGP score was 52.6 points, indicating a positive attitude towards weight gain, and 82.1% of the pregnant girls were satisfied with their bodies. Obese girls had more body dissatisfaction (p=0.001), and overweight girls thought more about food (p=0.02) and eating (p=0.03). The frequency of reported binge eating was 41.8%, and the frequency of skipping meals was 19%. Regression analysis showed that the current Body Mass Index (p=0.03; OR=1.18) and the importance of body awareness and fitness before pregnancy (p=0.03; OR=4.63) were predictors of skipping meals. Higher socioeconomic level (p=0.04; OR=0.55) and greater concern with weight gain (p=0.03; OR=0.32) predicted binge eating. Even though the majority of the pregnant adolescents had positive attitudes toward weight gain and body satisfaction, those heavier and more concerned with weight gain had a higher risk of unhealthy attitudes, while those of lower social class, less concerned with weight gain and less embarrassed about their bodies during pregnancy, had a lower risk of unhealthy attitudes.

DietBet: A Web-Based Program that Uses Social Gaming and Financial Incentives to Promote Weight Loss

PubMed Central

Rosen, Jamie

2014-01-01

Background Web-based commercial weight loss programs are increasing in popularity. Despite their significant public health potential, there is limited research on the effectiveness of such programs. Objective The objective of our study was to examine weight losses produced by DietBet and explore whether baseline and engagement variables predict weight outcomes. Methods DietBet is a social gaming website that uses financial incentives and social influence to promote weight loss. Players bet money and join a game. All players have 4 weeks to lose 4% of their initial body weight. At enrollment, players can choose to share their participation on Facebook. During the game, players interact with one another and report their weight loss on the DietBet platform. At week 4, all players within each game who lose at least 4% of initial body weight are declared winners and split the pool of money bet at the start of the game. Official weigh-in procedures are used to verify weights at the start of the game and at the end. Results From December 2012 to July 2013, 39,387 players (84.04% female, 33,101/39,387; mean weight 87.8kg, SD 22.6kg) competed in 1934 games. The average amount bet was US $27 (SD US $22). A total of 65.63% (25,849/39,387) provided a verified weight at the end of the 4-week competition. The average intention-to-treat weight loss was 2.6% (SD 2.3%). Winners (n=17,171) won an average of US $59 (SD US $35) and lost 4.9% (SD 1.0%) of initial body weight, with 30.68% (5268/17,171) losing 5% or more of their initial weight. Betting more money at game entry, sharing on Facebook, completing more weigh-ins, and having more social interactions during the game predicted greater weight loss and greater likelihood of winning (Ps<.001). In addition, weight loss clustered within games (P<.001), suggesting that players influenced each others’ weight outcomes. Conclusions DietBet, a social gaming website, reached nearly 40,000 individuals in just 7 months and produced excellent 4-week weight loss results. Given its reach and potential public health impact, future research may consider examining whether a longer program promotes additional weight loss. PMID:25658966

Lean Mass Loss Is Associated with Low Protein Intake during Dietary-Induced Weight Loss in Postmenopausal Women

PubMed Central

BOPP, MELANIE J.; HOUSTON, DENISE K.; LENCHIK, LEON; EASTER, LINDA; KRITCHEVSKY, STEPHEN B.; NICKLAS, BARBARA J.

2013-01-01

The health and quality-of-life implications of overweight and obesity span all ages in the United States. We investigated the association between dietary protein intake and loss of lean mass during weight loss in postmenopausal women through a retrospective analysis of a 20-week randomized, controlled diet and exercise intervention in women aged 50 to 70 years. Weight loss was achieved by differing levels of caloric restriction and exercise. The diet-only group reduced caloric intake by 2,800 kcal/week, and the exercise groups reduced caloric intake by 2,400 kcal/week and expended ~400 kcal/week through aerobic exercise. Total and appendicular lean mass was measured using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between changes in lean mass and appendicular lean mass and dietary protein intake. Average weight loss was 10.8±4.0 kg, with an average of 32% of total weight lost as lean mass. Protein intake averaged 0.62 g/kg body weight/day (range=0.47 to 0.8 g/kg body weight/day). Participants who consumed higher amounts of dietary protein lost less lean mass and appendicular lean mass r(=0.3, P=0.01 and r=0.41, P<0.001, respectively). These associations remained significant after adjusting for intervention group and body size. Therefore, inadequate protein intake during caloric restriction may be associated with adverse body-composition changes in postmenopausal women. PMID:18589032

Nesting ecology of roseate spoonbills at Nueces Bay, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, Donald H.; Mitchell, Christine A.; Cromartie, E.

1982-01-01

We conducted a study in 1978-1980 of the nesting ecology of Roseate Spoonbills (Ajaia ajaja) in a relatively polluted environment at Nueces Bay, Texas. For 154 marked nests, the average clutch size was 3.0 eggs; 73% of the eggs hatched, and 87% of the nests were successful (hatched at least 1 young). The average nest success rate (total fledglings:total eggs) was 50% or 1.5 fledglings per total nests. Incubation began the day after the first egg was laid, and the incubation period for each egg was 22 days. Eggs hatched in the order that they were laid; the first and second eggs hatched on consecutive days, and the second, third, and fourth eggs hatched every other day. Nest composition and size were highly consistent, but nest placement varied considerably and was dependent on the vegetative configuration of the dredge-material islands. Growth rate of nestlings conformed to a 'standard' growth curve, where body weight of nestlings at fledging equaled that of adults. There was no difference in weight gain among siblings based on actual age. Nestlings fledged at about 6 weeks of age, when feather development was complete. At fledging, the bills of juveniles had almost reached adult width, but bill length was only 67% that of adults. In general, environmental pollutants were low (<2 ppm) in spoonbill eggs, though a few eggs contained elevated concentrations of DDE (up to 15 ppm, wet weight). Some eggshells were 5% thinner than those in museum collections, but the degree of thinning was not within the range known to cause population declines. We conclude that organochlorine pollutants are not adversely affecting spoonbill reproduction at Nueces Bay, Texas, though the area is surrounded by industries and agricultural lands. Apparently, spoonbills are less sensitive to these contaminants than are other aquatic species.

Evaluating the biochemical methane potential (BMP) of low-organic waste at Danish landfills.

PubMed

Mou, Zishen; Scheutz, Charlotte; Kjeldsen, Peter

2014-11-01

The biochemical methane potential (BMP) is an essential parameter when using first order decay (FOD) landfill gas (LFG) generation models to estimate methane (CH4) generation from landfills. Different categories of waste (mixed, shredder and sludge waste) with a low-organic content and temporarily stored combustible waste were sampled from four Danish landfills. The waste was characterized in terms of physical characteristics (TS, VS, TC and TOC) and the BMP was analyzed in batch tests. The experiment was set up in triplicate, including blank and control tests. Waste samples were incubated at 55°C for more than 60 days, with continuous monitoring of the cumulative CH4 generation. Results showed that samples of mixed waste and shredder waste had similar BMP results, which was in the range of 5.4-9.1 kg CH4/ton waste (wet weight) on average. As a calculated consequence, their degradable organic carbon content (DOCC) was in the range of 0.44-0.70% of total weight (wet waste). Numeric values of both parameters were much lower than values of traditional municipal solid waste (MSW), as well as default numeric values in current FOD models. The sludge waste and temporarily stored combustible waste showed BMP values of 51.8-69.6 and 106.6-117.3 kg CH4/ton waste on average, respectively, and DOCC values of 3.84-5.12% and 7.96-8.74% of total weight. The same category of waste from different Danish landfills did not show significant variation. This research studied the BMP of Danish low-organic waste for the first time, which is important and valuable for using current FOD LFG generation models to estimate realistic CH4 emissions from modern landfills receiving low-organic waste. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of rainfall distribution in Kelantan river basin, Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Che Ros, Faizah; Tosaka, Hiroyuki

2018-03-01

Using rainfall gauge on its own as input carries great uncertainties regarding runoff estimation, especially when the area is large and the rainfall is measured and recorded at irregular spaced gauging stations. Hence spatial interpolation is the key to obtain continuous and orderly rainfall distribution at unknown points to be the input to the rainfall runoff processes for distributed and semi-distributed numerical modelling. It is crucial to study and predict the behaviour of rainfall and river runoff to reduce flood damages of the affected area along the Kelantan river. Thus, a good knowledge on rainfall distribution is essential in early flood prediction studies. Forty six rainfall stations and their daily time-series were used to interpolate gridded rainfall surfaces using inverse-distance weighting (IDW), inverse-distance and elevation weighting (IDEW) methods and average rainfall distribution. Sensitivity analysis for distance and elevation parameters were conducted to see the variation produced. The accuracy of these interpolated datasets was examined using cross-validation assessment.

Hollow proppants and a process for their manufacture

DOEpatents

Jones, A.H.; Cutler, R.A.

1985-10-15

Hollow, fine-grained ceramic proppants are less expensive and improve fracture control when compared to conventional proppants (dense alumina, mullite, bauxite, zirconia, etc.). Hollow proppants of the present invention have been fabricated by spray drying, followed by sintering in order to obtain a dense case and a hollow core. These proppants generally have high sphericity and roundness (Krumbein sphericity and roundness greater than 0.8), have diameters on average between 2,250 and 125 [mu]m, depending on proppant size required, and have strength equal to or greater than that of sand. The hollow core, the size of which can be controlled, permits better fracture control in hydraulic fracturing treatments since the proppant can be transported in lower viscosity fluids. Hollow proppants produced at the same cost/weight as conventional proppants also provide for lower costs, since less weight is required to fill the same volume. The fine-grained (preferably less than 5 [mu]m in diameter) ceramic case provides the strength necessary to withstand closure stresses and prevent crushing. 6 figs.

Impact of electrical conductivity on acid hydrolysis of guar gum under induced electric field.

PubMed

Li, Dandan; Zhang, Yao; Yang, Na; Jin, Zhengyu; Xu, Xueming

2018-09-01

This study aimed to improve induced electric field (IEF)-assisted hydrolysis of polysaccharide by controlling electrical conductivity. As the conductivity of reaction medium was increased, the energy efficiency of IEF was increased because of deceased impedance, as well as enhanced output voltage and temperature, thus the hydrolysis of guar gum (GG) was accelerated under IEF. Changes in weight-average molecular weight (Mw) suggested that IEF-assisted hydrolysis of GG could be described by the first-order kinetics 1/Mw ∝ kt, with the rate constant (k), varying directly with the medium conductivity. Although IEF-assisted hydrolysis largely disrupted the morphological structure of GG, it had no impact on the chemical structure. In comparison to native GG, the steady shear viscosity of hydrolyzed GG dramatically declined while the thermal stability slightly decreased. This study extended the knowledge of electrical conductivity upon IEF-assisted acid hydrolysis of GG and might contribute to a better utilization of IEF for polysaccharide modification. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High efficiency and low cost preparation of size controlled starch nanoparticles through ultrasonic treatment and precipitation.

PubMed

Chang, Yanjiao; Yan, Xiaoxia; Wang, Qian; Ren, Lili; Tong, Jin; Zhou, Jiang

2017-07-15

The purpose of this work was to develop an approach to produce size controlled starch nanoparticles (SNPs), via precipitation with high efficiency and low cost. High concentration starch aqueous pastes (up to 5wt.%) were treated by ultrasound. Viscosity measurements and size exclusion chromatography characterization revealed that, after 30min ultrasonic treatment, viscosity of the starch pastes decreased two orders of magnitude and the weight average molecular weight of the starch decreased from 8.4×10 7 to 2.7×10 6 g/mol. Dynamic light scattering measurements and scanning electron microscopy observations showed that the SNPs prepared from the starch pastes with ultrasonic treatments were smaller (∼75nm) and more uniform. Moreover, SNPs could be obtained using less non-solvents. X-ray diffraction results indicated that effect of the ultrasonic treatment on crystalline structure of the SNPs was negligible. Ultrasound can be utilized to prepare smaller SNPs through nanoprecipitation with higher efficiency and lower cost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of Noncytotoxic Chitosan–Gold Nanocomposites as Efficient Antibacterial Materials

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of noncytotoxic nanocomposites either colloidal or as films exhibiting high antibacterial activity. The biocompatible and biodegradable polymer chitosan was used as reducing and stabilizing agent for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles embedded in it. Herein, for the first time, three different chitosan grades varying in the average molecular weight and deacetylation degree (DD) were used with an optimized gold precursor concentration. Several factors were analyzed in order to obtain antimicrobial but not cytotoxic nanocomposite materials. Films based on chitosan with medium molecular weight and the highest DD exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against biofilm forming strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The resulting nanocomposites did not show any cytotoxicity against mammalian somatic and tumoral cells. They produced a disruptive effect on the bacteria wall while their internalization was hindered on the eukaryotic cells. This selectivity and safety make them potentially applicable as antimicrobial coatings in the biomedical field. PMID:25522372

Hollow proppants and a process for their manufacture

DOEpatents

Jones, Arfon H.; Cutler, Raymond A.

1985-01-01

Hollow, fine-grained ceramic proppants are less expensive and improve fracture control when compared to conventional proppants (dense alumina, mullite, bauxite, zirconia, etc.). Hollow proppants of the present invention have been fabricated by spray drying, followed by sintering in order to obtain a dense case and a hollow core. These proppants generally have high sphericity and roundness (Krumbein sphericity and roundness greater than 0.8), have diameters on average between 2250 and 125 .mu.m, depending on proppant size required, and have strength equal to or greater than that of sand. The hollow core, the size of which can be controlled, permits better fracture control in hydraulic fracturing treatments since the proppant can be transported in lower viscosity fluids. Hollow proppants produced at the same cost/weight as conventional proppants also provide for lower costs, since less weight is required to fill the same volume. The fine-grained (preferably less than 5 .mu.m in diameter) ceramic case provides the strength necessary to withstand closure stresses and prevent crushing.

Scaling of Transient Storage Parameter Estimates with Increasing Reach Length in a Mountain Headwater Stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briggs, M.; Gooseff, M. N.; McGlynn, B.

2006-12-01

. Numerous studies have used the methods of stream tracer experiments and subsequent solute transport modeling to determine transient storage characteristics of streams. Experimental reach length is often determined by site logistics, morphology, specific study goals, etc. Harvey et al. [1996] provided guidance for optimal study reach lengths, based on the Dahmkoler number, as a balance between timescales of advective transport and transient storage. In this study, we investigate the scaling of parameters in a solute transport model (OTIS) with increasing spatial scale of investigation. We conducted 2 6-hour constant rate injections of dissolved NaCl in Spring Park Creek, a headwater stream in the Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest, Montana. Below the first injection we sampled 4 reaches ~200m in length, we then moved upstream 640m for the second injection and sampled 3 more ~200 m reaches. Solute transport simulations were conducted for each of these sub-reaches and for combinations of these sub-reaches, from which we assessed estimates of solute velocity, dispersion, transient storage exchange, storage zone size, and Fmed (proportion of median transport time due to storage). Dahmkoler values calculated for each simulation (sub-reaches as well as longer combined reach) were within an order of magnitude of 1, suggesting that our study reach lengths were appropriate. Length-weighted average solute transport and transient storage parameters for the sub-reaches were found to be comparable to their counterparts in the longer reach simulation. In particular the average dispersion found for the sub-reaches (0.43 m2/s) compared very favorably with the value for dispersion calculated for the larger reach (0.40 m2/s). In contrast the weighted average of storage zone size for the sub-reaches was much greater (1.17 m2) than those calculated for the injection reach as a whole (0.09 m2) by a factor of ~13. Weighted average values for transient storage exchange and size for the sub-reaches were both found to be higher than that of the reach as a whole, but only by factors of ~2.5 and 3 respectively. This study indicates that some values of solute transport and transient storage for a particular reach can be reasonably extrapolated from its corresponding component reach values.

A prospective longitudinal study of seasonality in African students living in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

PubMed

Guzman, Alvaro; Zebrak, Ryszard; Rohan, Kelly J; Sumar, Irshad A; Savchenko, Svetlana; Stiller, John W; Valadez-Meltzer, Adela; Olsen, Cara; Lapidus, Manana; Soriano, Joseph J; Postolache, Teodor T

2007-05-01

We conducted a prospective, longitudinal study of seasonality in a vulnerable population, i.e., African students who migrated to a temperate climate. Consistent with previous cross-sectional studies, we hypothesized lower mood and energy, and higher appetite and weight, in fall/winter than in spring/summer. Four cohorts of African students attending a year-long nursing school program without vacation in Washington, D.C., were assessed monthly for 1 year. Forty-three subjects (mean age = 33.46 +/- 6.25), consisting of predominantly females (76.7%), completed the study. The cohorts began their academic program in different seasons (one each in winter, spring, summer, and fall), inherently minimizing confounding influences on seasonality, such as academic and immigration stress, as well as allowing adjustment for an order effect. At each assessment, students completed three 100-mm visual analog scales for mood, energy, and appetite, and were weighed on a digital scale. For each standardized dependent variable, a repeated measure ANOVA was used and, if a significant effect of month was identified, averages for spring/summer and fall/winter were compared using paired t-tests. In addition, a mixed model for repeated measures was applied to raw (nonstandardized) data. Body weight was significantly higher in fall/winter than in spring/summer (p < 0.01). No seasonal differences in mood, energy, or appetite were found. Benefiting from certain unique features of our cohorts allowing adjustment for order effects, this is the first study to identify a seasonal variation in body weight with a peak in winter using longitudinal monthly measurements.

Weight reduction in schizophrenics by molindone.

PubMed

Gardos, G; Cole, J O

1977-03-01

The weight-reducing property of molindone, a recently introduced antipsychotic drug, was tested in 9 hospitalized chronic schizophrenic patients. There was an average weight loss of 7.6 kg after 3 months on molindone; most of the loss occurred during the first month. The mechanism producing this weight loss is uncertain, but a central anorexigenic effect may be an important factor.

Application of the weibull distribution function to the molecular weight distribution of cellulose

Treesearch

A. Broido; Hsiukang Yow

1977-01-01

The molecular weight distribution of a linear homologous polymer is usually obtained empirically for any particular sample. Sample-to-sample comparisons are made in terms of the weight- or number-average molecular weights and graphic displays of the distribution curves. Such treatment generally precludes data interpretations in which a distribution can be described in...

Blade size and weight effects in shovel design.

PubMed

Freivalds, A; Kim, Y J

1990-03-01

The shovel is a basic tool that has undergone only nominal systematic design changes. Although previous studies found shovel-weight and blade-size effects of shovelling, the exact trade-off between the two has not been quantified. Energy expenditure, heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion and shovelling performance were measured on five subjects using five shovels with varying blade sizes and weights to move sand. Energy expenditure, normalised to subject weight and load handled, varied quadratically with the blade-size/shovel-weight (B/W) ratio. Minimum energy cost was at B/W = 0.0676 m2/kg, which for an average subject and average load would require an acceptable 5.16 kcal/min of energy expenditure. Subjects, through the ratings of perceived exertion, also strongly preferred the lighter shovels without regard to blade size. Too large a blade or too heavy a shovel increased energy expenditure beyond acceptable levels, while too small a blade reduced efficiency of the shovelling.

Evaluation of a Viscosity-Molecular Weight Relationship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathias, Lon J.

1983-01-01

Background information, procedures, and results are provided for a series of graduate/undergraduate polymer experiments. These include synthesis of poly(methylmethacrylate), viscosity experiment (indicating large effect even small amounts of a polymer may have on solution properties), and measurement of weight-average molecular weight by light…

Reliability Analysis and Reliability-Based Design Optimization of Circular Composite Cylinders Under Axial Compression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rais-Rohani, Masoud

2001-01-01

This report describes the preliminary results of an investigation on component reliability analysis and reliability-based design optimization of thin-walled circular composite cylinders with average diameter and average length of 15 inches. Structural reliability is based on axial buckling strength of the cylinder. Both Monte Carlo simulation and First Order Reliability Method are considered for reliability analysis with the latter incorporated into the reliability-based structural optimization problem. To improve the efficiency of reliability sensitivity analysis and design optimization solution, the buckling strength of the cylinder is estimated using a second-order response surface model. The sensitivity of the reliability index with respect to the mean and standard deviation of each random variable is calculated and compared. The reliability index is found to be extremely sensitive to the applied load and elastic modulus of the material in the fiber direction. The cylinder diameter was found to have the third highest impact on the reliability index. Also the uncertainty in the applied load, captured by examining different values for its coefficient of variation, is found to have a large influence on cylinder reliability. The optimization problem for minimum weight is solved subject to a design constraint on element reliability index. The methodology, solution procedure and optimization results are included in this report.

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.

You can be too thin (but not too tall): Social desirability bias in self-reports of weight and height.

PubMed

Burke, Mary A; Carman, Katherine G

2017-11-01

Previous studies of survey data from the U.S. and other countries find that women tend to understate their body weight on average, while both men and women overstate their height on average. Social norms have been posited as one potential explanation for misreporting of weight and height, but lack of awareness of body weight has been suggested as an alternative explanation, and the evidence presented to date is inconclusive. This paper is the first to offer a theoretical model of self-reporting behavior for weight and height, in which individuals face a tradeoff between reporting an accurate weight (or height) and reporting a socially desirable weight (or height). The model generates testable implications that help us to determine whether self-reporting errors arise because of social desirability bias or instead reflect lack of awareness of body weight and/or other factors. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2010, we find that self-reports of weight offer robust evidence of social desirability bias. However, lack of awareness of weight may also contribute to self-reporting biases, and this factor appears to be more important within some demographic groups than others. Among both women and men, self-reports of height exhibit significant social desirability bias only among those of below-average height, and very few individuals underreport their height. Implied self-reports of BMI exhibit gender-specific patterns similar to those observed for self-reporting of weight, and the inferred social norms for BMI (20.8 for women and 24.8 for men) are within the "normal" range established by public health institutions. Determining why individuals misreport their weight has important implications for survey design as well as for clinical practice. For example, our findings suggest that health care providers might take additional steps to increase self-awareness of body weight. The framework also helps to explain previous findings that the degree of self-reporting bias in weight is stronger in telephone surveys than it is in in-person surveys. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Climate Projections from the NARCliM Project: Bayesian Model Averaging of Maximum Temperature Projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, R.; Evans, J. P.; Fan, Y.

2015-12-01

NARCliM (NSW/ACT Regional Climate Modelling Project) is a regional climate project for Australia and the surrounding region. It dynamically downscales 4 General Circulation Models (GCMs) using three Regional Climate Models (RCMs) to provide climate projections for the CORDEX-AustralAsia region at 50 km resolution, and for south-east Australia at 10 km resolution. The project differs from previous work in the level of sophistication of model selection. Specifically, the selection process for GCMs included (i) conducting literature review to evaluate model performance, (ii) analysing model independence, and (iii) selecting models that span future temperature and precipitation change space. RCMs for downscaling the GCMs were chosen based on their performance for several precipitation events over South-East Australia, and on model independence.Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) provides a statistically consistent framework for weighing the models based on their likelihood given the available observations. These weights are used to provide probability distribution functions (pdfs) for model projections. We develop a BMA framework for constructing probabilistic climate projections for spatially-averaged variables from the NARCliM project. The first step in the procedure is smoothing model output in order to exclude the influence of internal climate variability. Our statistical model for model-observations residuals is a homoskedastic iid process. Comparing RCMs with Australian Water Availability Project (AWAP) observations is used to determine model weights through Monte Carlo integration. Posterior pdfs of statistical parameters of model-data residuals are obtained using Markov Chain Monte Carlo. The uncertainty in the properties of the model-data residuals is fully accounted for when constructing the projections. We present the preliminary results of the BMA analysis for yearly maximum temperature for New South Wales state planning regions for the period 2060-2079.

A Quasi-Steady Lifting Line Theory for Insect-Like Hovering Flight

PubMed Central

Nabawy, Mostafa R. A.; Crowthe, William J.

2015-01-01

A novel lifting line formulation is presented for the quasi-steady aerodynamic evaluation of insect-like wings in hovering flight. The approach allows accurate estimation of aerodynamic forces from geometry and kinematic information alone and provides for the first time quantitative information on the relative contribution of induced and profile drag associated with lift production for insect-like wings in hover. The main adaptation to the existing lifting line theory is the use of an equivalent angle of attack, which enables capture of the steady non-linear aerodynamics at high angles of attack. A simple methodology to include non-ideal induced effects due to wake periodicity and effective actuator disc area within the lifting line theory is included in the model. Low Reynolds number effects as well as the edge velocity correction required to account for different wing planform shapes are incorporated through appropriate modification of the wing section lift curve slope. The model has been successfully validated against measurements from revolving wing experiments and high order computational fluid dynamics simulations. Model predicted mean lift to weight ratio results have an average error of 4% compared to values from computational fluid dynamics for eight different insect cases. Application of an unmodified linear lifting line approach leads on average to a 60% overestimation in the mean lift force required for weight support, with most of the discrepancy due to use of linear aerodynamics. It is shown that on average for the eight insects considered, the induced drag contributes 22% of the total drag based on the mean cycle values and 29% of the total drag based on the mid half-stroke values. PMID:26252657

Low-income women's reproductive weight patterns empirically based clusters of prepregnant, gestational, and postpartum weights.

PubMed

Walker, Lorraine O

2009-01-01

Women have varying weight responses to pregnancy and the postpartum period. The purpose of this study was to derive sub-groups of women based on differing reproductive weight clusters; to validate clusters by reference to adequacy of gestational weight gain (GWG) and postpartum incremental weight shifts; and to examine associations between clusters and demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial variables. A cluster analysis was conducted of a multi-ethnic/racial sample of low-income women (n = 247). Clusters were derived from three weight variables: prepregnant body mass index, GWG, and postpartum retained weight. Five clusters were derived: Cluster 1, normal weight-high prenatal gain-average retain; cluster 2, normal weight-low prenatal gain-zero retain; cluster 3, high normal weight-high prenatal gain-high retain; cluster 4, obese-low prenatal gain-average retain; and cluster 5, overweight-very high prenatal gain-very high retain. Clusters differed with regard to postpartum weight shifts (p < .001), with clusters 3, 4, and 5, mostly gaining weight between 6 weeks and 12 months postpartum, whereas clusters 1 and 2 were losing weight. Clusters were also associated with race/ethnicity (p < .01), breastfeeding immediately postdelivery (p < .01), smoking at 12 months (p < .05), and reaching weight goals at 6 and 12 months (p < .001), but not depressive symptoms, fat intake habits, or physical activity. In a five-cluster solution, postpartum weight shifts, ethnicity, and initial breastfeeding were among factors associated with clusters. Monitoring of weight and appropriate intervention beyond the 6 weeks after birth is needed for low-income women in high normal weight, overweight, and obese clusters.

Crop yield and light/energy efficiency in a closed ecological system: Laboratory Biosphere experiments with wheat and sweet potato

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, M.; Dempster, W. F.; Silverstone, S.; Alling, A.; Allen, J. P.; van Thillo, M.

Two crop growth experiments in the soil-based closed ecological facility, Laboratory Biosphere, were conducted from 2003 to 2004 with candidate space life support crops. Apogee wheat (Utah State University variety) was grown, planted at two densities, 400 and 800 seeds m -2. The lighting regime for the wheat crop was 16 h of light - 8 h dark at a total light intensity of around 840 μmol m -2 s -1 and 48.4 mol m -2 d -1 over 84 days. Average biomass was 1395 g m -2, 16.0 g m -2 d -1 and average seed production was 689 g m -2 and 7.9 g m -2 d -1. The less densely planted side was more productive than the denser planting, with 1634 g m -2 and 18.8 g m -2 d -1 of biomass vs. 1156 g m -2 and 13.3 g m -2 d -1; and a seed harvest of 812.3 g m -2 and 9.3 g m -2 d -1 vs. 566.5 g m -2 and 6.5 g m -2 d -1. Harvest index was 0.49 for the wheat crop. The experiment with sweet potato used TU-82-155 a compact variety developed at Tuskegee University. Light during the sweet potato experiment, on a 18 h on/6 h dark cycle, totaled 5568 total moles of light per square meter in 126 days for the sweet potatoes, or an average of 44.2 mol m -2 d -1. Temperature regime was 28 ± 3 °C day/22 ± 4 °C night. Sweet potato tuber yield was 39.7 kg wet weight, or an average of 7.4 kg m -2, and 7.7 kg dry weight of tubers since dry weight was about 18.6% wet weight. Average per day production was 58.7 g m -2 d -1 wet weight and 11.3 g m -2 d -1. For the wheat, average light efficiency was 0.34 g biomass per mole, and 0.17 g seed per mole. The best area of wheat had an efficiency of light utilization of 0.51 g biomass per mole and 0.22 g seed per mole. For the sweet potato crop, light efficiency per tuber wet weight was 1.33 g mol -1 and 0.34 g dry weight of tuber per mole of light. The best area of tuber production had 1.77 g mol -1 wet weight and 0.34 g mol -1 of light dry weight. The Laboratory Biosphere experiment's light efficiency was somewhat higher than the USU field results but somewhat below greenhouse trials at comparable light levels, and the best portion of the crop at 0.22 g mol -1 was in-between those values. Sweet potato production was overall close to 50% higher than trials using hydroponic methods with TU-82-155 at NASA JSC. Compared to projected yields for the Mars on Earth life support system, these wheat yields were about 15% higher, and the sweet potato yields averaged over 80% higher.

Crop yield and light / energy efficiency in a closed ecological system: two laboratory biosphere experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, M.; Dempster, W. F.; Silverstone, S.; Alling, A.; Allen, J. P.; van Thillo, M.

Two crop growth experiments in the soil-based closed ecological facity, Laboratory Biosphere, were conducted from 2003-2004 with candidate space life support crops. Apogee wheat (Utah State University variety) was grown, planted in 2 densities, 400 and 800 seeds m-2. The lighting regime for the wheat crop was 16 hours of light -- 8 hours dark at a total light intensity of around 840 mol m2 sec-1 and 48.4 mol m-2 d-1 over 84 days Average biomass was 1395 g m-2, 16.0 g m-2 day-1 and average seed production was 689 g m-2 and 7.9 g m2 day-1. The less densely planted side was more productive than the denser planting, with 1634 g m-2 and 18.8g m-2 day-1 of biomass vs. 1156 g m-2 and 13.3 g m-2 day-1; and a seed harvest of 812.3 g m-2 and 9.3 g m-2 day-1 vs. 566.5 g m-2 and 6.5 g m-2 day-1 Harvest index was 0.49 for the wheat crop. The experiment with sweet potato used TU-82-155, a compact variety developed at Tuskegee University. Light during the sweet potato experiment, on a 16 hour on/8 hours dark cycle, totalled 5568 total moles of light in 126 days for the sweet potatoes, or an average of 44.2 moles m-2 day-1. Temperature regime was 28 deg +/- 3 deg C day /22 deg +/- 4 deg C night. Sweet potato tuber yield was 39.7 kg wet weight, or an average of 7.4 kg m-2 and 7.7 kg dry weight of tubers since dry weight was about 18.6% wet weight.^Average per day production was 58.7 g m-2 day-1 wet weight and 11.3 g m-2 day-1. For the wheat, average light efficiency was 0.34 grams biomass per mole, and 0.17 grams seed per mole. The best area of wheat had an efficiency of light utilization of 0.51 g biomass per mole and 0.22 g seed per mole. For the sweet potato crop, light efficiency per tuber wet weight was 7.13 g/mole and 1.38 g dry weight of tuber per mole of light. The best area of tuber production had 9.49 g/mole wet weight and 1.85 g/mole of light dry weight. Production from the wheat was The Laboratory Biosphere experiment's light efficiency was somewhat higher than the USU field results but somewhat below greenhouse trials at comparable light levels, and the best portion of the crop at 0.22g/mole was inbetween those values. Sweet potato production was overall close to 50% higher than trials using hydroponic methods with TU-82-155 at NASA JSC. Compared to projected yields for the Mars on Earth life support system, these wheat yields were about 15% higher, and the sweet potato yields averaged over 80% higher

Levels of heavy metals in green-lipped mussel Perna veridis (Linnaeus) from Muar Estuary, Johore, Malaysia.

PubMed

Kamaruzzaman, B Y; Ong, M C; Zaleha, K; Shahbudin, S

2008-09-15

Muscle and feather in tissue of 40 juveniles and 40 adult green-lipped mussel Perna veridis (L.) collected from Muar Estuary, Johor were analyzed for copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) concentration using a fast and sensitive Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). In this study, the average concentration of Cu was 8.96 microg g(-1) dry weights, Cd with 0.58 microg g(-1) dry weight, Pb averaging 2.28 microg g(-1) dry weights and Zn averaged to 86.73 microg g(-1) dry weight. The highest accumulation of metal studied was found in feather sample compared to the muscle. The positive relationship of Cu, Cd, Pb and Zn with P. virdis length suggesting that the accumulation of these metals were formed in the mussel. In all cases, metal levels found were lower than the guideline of international standards of reference and the examined bivalve were not associated with enhanced metal content in their tissues and were safe within the limits for human consumption.

Polar organic compounds in pore waters of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure, Eyreville core hole: Character of the dissolved organic carbon and comparison with drilling fluids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rostad, C.E.; Sanford, W.E.

2009-01-01

Pore waters from the Chesapeake Bay impact structure cores recovered at Eyreville Farm, Northampton County, Virginia, were analyzed to characterize the dissolved organic carbon. After squeezing or centrifuging, a small volume of pore water, 100 ??L, was taken for analysis by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. Porewater samples were analyzed directly without filtration or fractionation, in positive and negative mode, for polar organic compounds. Spectra in both modes were dominated by low-molecular-weight ions. Negative mode had clusters of ions differing by -60 daltons, possibly due to increasing concentrations of inorganic salts. The numberaverage molecular weight and weight-average molecular weight values for the pore waters from the Chesapeake Bay impact structure are higher than those reported for other aquatic sources of natural dissolved organic carbon as determined by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. In order to address the question of whether drilling mud fluids may have contaminated the pore waters during sample collection, spectra from the pore waters were compared to spectra from drilling mud fluids. Ions indicative of drilling mud fluids were not found in spectra from the pore waters, indicating there was no detectable contamination, and highlighting the usefulness of this analytical technique for detecting potential contamination during sample collection. ?? 2009 The Geological Society of America.

Bayesian inference for the distribution of grams of marijuana in a joint.

PubMed

Ridgeway, Greg; Kilmer, Beau

2016-08-01

The average amount of marijuana in a joint is unknown, yet this figure is a critical quantity for creating credible measures of marijuana consumption. It is essential for projecting tax revenues post-legalization, estimating the size of illicit marijuana markets, and learning about how much marijuana users are consuming in order to understand health and behavioral consequences. Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring data collected between 2000 and 2010 contain relevant information on 10,628 marijuana transactions, joints and loose marijuana purchases, including the city in which the purchase occurred and the price paid for the marijuana. Using the Brown-Silverman drug pricing model to link marijuana price and weight, we are able to infer the distribution of grams of marijuana in a joint and provide a Bayesian posterior distribution for the mean weight of marijuana in a joint. We estimate that the mean weight of marijuana in a joint is 0.32g (95% Bayesian posterior interval: 0.30-0.35). Our estimate of the mean weight of marijuana in a joint is lower than figures commonly used to make estimates of marijuana consumption. These estimates can be incorporated into drug policy discussions to produce better understanding about illicit marijuana markets, the size of potential legalized marijuana markets, and health and behavior outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of thermal treatment on potato starch evidenced by EPR, XRD and molecular weight distribution.

PubMed

Bidzińska, Ewa; Michalec, Marek; Pawcenis, Dominika

2015-12-01

Effect of heating of the potato starch on damages of its structure was investigated by quantitative electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and determination of the molecular weight distribution. The measurements were performed in the temperature range commonly used for starch modifications optimizing properties important for industrial applications. Upon thermal treatment, because of breaking of the polymer chains, diminishing of the average molecular weights occurred, which significantly influences generation of radicals, evidenced by EPR. For the relatively mild conditions, with heating parameters not exceeding temperature 230 °C and time of heating equal to 30 min a moderate changes of both the number of thermally generated radicals and the mean molecular weight of the starch were observed. After more drastic thermal treatment (e.g. 2 h at 230 °C), a rapid increase in the radical amount occurred, which was accompanied by significant reduction of the starch molecular size and crystallinity. Experimentally established threshold values of heating parameters should not be exceeded in order to avoid excessive damages of the starch structure accompanied by the formation of the redundant amount of radicals. This requirement is important for industrial applications, because significant destruction of the starch matrix might annihilate the positive influence of the previously performed intentional starch modification. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Preliminary analysis on hybrid vigor in Indonesian indigenous and crossbred cattle population using data from published studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prastowo, S.; Widi, TSM; Widyas, N.

2017-04-01

Hybrid vigor or heterosis is the phenomenon where a crossbreed progeny has better performance compared to its parents. Heterosis can be quantified relative to the mid-parents value or relative to one of its parent’s population average by crossing two breeds. Crossbreeding is aimed to increase the production performance of local breeds. According to the Indonesian government policy, crossbreeding program is one of main strategies to achieve meat self-sufficiency. We explore the possibilities observing of heterosis exhibited by crossing Bali and Peranakan Onggole (PO) cattle as local breed with the exotic breed based on the published data. In this paper, growth and reproductive traits from Bali and PO from year 2000-2010 were used for analysis. Moreover, Limousine and Simmental exotic breed data were collected from official information of artificial insemination (AI) centre. Data in growth trait (chest girth, mature weight, weaning weight and yearling weight) in all breeds and their crosses were then analysed using standard heterosis estimation method. Result, shows that crossbred offspring perform better in the growth trait in relative to Bali and PO as local breed. Specifically in Bali crossed with PO, the offspring shown better estimated heterosis effect in yearling weight compared to both parents. Despite heterosis were observed in some traits, careful planning of crossbreeding program is a must in order to avoid the loss of genetic variance.

Effects of dietary fibers with high water-binding capacity and swelling capacity on gastrointestinal functions, food intake and body weight in male rats.

PubMed

Tan, Chengquan; Wei, Hongkui; Zhao, Xichen; Xu, Chuanhui; Peng, Jian

2017-01-01

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementation of dietary soluble fibers with high water-binding capacity (WBC) and swelling capacity (SC) on gastrointestinal tract mass, physicochemical properties of digesta, gastrointestinal mean retention time (MRT), body weight, and food intake in male rats. Methods : Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to four equal groups and fed the control diet or diet containing 2% konjac flour (KF), pregelatinized waxy maize starch plus guar gum (PWMS+GG), andPWMS plus xanthan gum (PWMS+XG) for three weeks. Results : WBC and SC of diets followed the order of PWMS+GG > KF > PWMS + XG > control. PWMS+GG and KF groups had a lower average daily food intake than the control group, but all the groups showed no difference in final body weightand the weight gain rate. The high WBC and SC of the PWMS+GG and KF groupsled to an increase of WBC and SC in the stomach digesta, and a gain of the cecal digesta weight, due to increased cecal moisture content. Conclusion : The inclusion of the novel fiber, PWMS+GG, in the diet of male rats appears to facilitate the modulation of WBC and SC of stomach digesta and the reduction of food intake.

Weight control behaviors of highly successful weight loss maintainers: the Portuguese Weight Control Registry.

PubMed

Santos, Inês; Vieira, Paulo N; Silva, Marlene N; Sardinha, Luís B; Teixeira, Pedro J

2017-04-01

To describe key behaviors reported by participants in the Portuguese Weight Control Registry and to determine associations between these behaviors and weight loss maintenance. A total of 388 adults participated in this cross-sectional study. Assessments included demographic information, weight history, weight loss and weight maintenance strategies, dietary intake, and physical activity. Participants lost on average 18 kg, which they had maintained for ~28 months. Their average dietary intake was 2199 kcal/day, with 33 % of energy coming from fat. About 78 % of participants engaged in levels of moderate-plus-vigorous physical activity exceeding 150 min/week (51 % above 250 min/week), with men accumulating 82 more minutes than women (p < 0.05). The most frequently reported strategies for both weight loss and maintenance were keeping healthy foods at home, consuming vegetables regularly, and having daily breakfast. Greater weight loss maintenance was associated with higher levels of physical activity, walking, weight self-monitoring, establishing specific goals, and with reduced portion size use, reduced consumption of carbohydrates, and increased consumption of protein, (p < 0.05). Results indicate that weight loss maintenance is possible through the adoption of a nutritionally-balanced diet and regular participation in physical activity, but also suggest that adopting different (and, to a degree, individualized) set of behavioral strategies is key for achieving success.

Preformulation Studies of Selected Pretreatment and Therapeutic Compounds

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-07-01

Mefloquine Hydrochloride) Placebo Tablets 39 Manufacturing Formula 40 Final Weight Variation 42 Disintegration Test 43 In-Process Control Analyses 44...average "weight of 563.9 mg. Disintegration times in 900 ml of water (37°C) were around 35 seconds for six tablets , Each tablet had an average thickness...WGROS ( M an .va*. ohm It nseew M nev op ,adIpit 6p 6"Wee dmme6) Antimalarials; preformulations; antileishminiasie; capsule production; tablet

Generation of Comprehensive Surrogate Kinetic Models and Validation Databases for Simulating Large Molecular Weight Hydrocarbon Fuels

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-25

of hydrogen/ carbon molar ratio (H/C), derived cetane number (DCN), threshold sooting index (TSI), and average mean molecular weight (MWave) of...diffusive soot extinction configurations. Matching the “real fuel combustion property targets” of hydrogen/ carbon molar ratio (H/C), derived cetane number...combustion property targets - hydrogen/ carbon molar ratio (H/C), derived cetane number (DCN), threshold sooting index (TSI), and average mean

Choosing the Discount Rate for Defense Decisionmaking.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-07-01

a weighted average of the after-personal-income-tax rate of return to savers and the pre- corporate - income - tax cost of capital. Stockfisch calcu].ates...occurs between the corporate and noncorporate sector. Many economists assume 100 percent shifting of the corporate income tax , so if the corporate ...capital is a weighted average of the after-personal-income-tax rate of return to savers and the pre- corporate - income - tax cost of capital. Stockfisch

Funding issues for Victorian hospitals: the risk-adjusted vision beyond casemix funding.

PubMed

Antioch, K; Walsh, M

2000-01-01

This paper discusses casemix funding issues in Victoria impacting on teaching hospitals. For casemix payments to be acceptable, the average price and cost weights must be set at an appropriate standard. The average price is based on a normative, policy basis rather than benchmarking. The 'averaging principle' inherent in cost weights has resulted in some AN-DRG weights being too low for teaching hospitals that are key State-wide providers of high complexity services such as neurosurgery and trauma. Casemix data have been analysed using international risk adjustment methodologies to successfully negotiate with the Victorian State Government for specified grants for several high complexity AN-DRGs. A risk-adjusted capitation funding model has also been developed for cystic fibrosis patients treated by The Alfred, called an Australian Health Maintenance Organisation (AHMO). This will facilitate the development of similar models by both the Victorian and Federal governments.

Correlation of the protein structure and gelling properties in dried egg white products.

PubMed

Handa, A; Hayashi, K; Shidara, H; Kuroda, N

2001-08-01

The relationship between protein structure and aggregation, as well as heat-induced gelling properties, of seven dried egg white (DEW) products was investigated. Strong correlations were found between average molecular weight and hydrophobicity plus surface SH groups of DEW-soluble protein aggregate (SPA). This suggests that hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bond formation between protein molecules were involved in the aggregation. The average molecular weight of DEW products with alkaline pHs was relatively higher than those with neutral pHs and the same degree of protein unfolding, probably because of more disulfide bond formation between protein molecules. In addition, strong correlations were found between hydrophobicity, surface SH groups plus average molecular weight of DEW-SPA, and physical properties of the gels from DEW products. These data indicated that controlling the aggregation of DEW proteins in the dry state is crucial to controlling the gelling properties of DEW.

A short note on economic development and socioeconomic inequality in female body weight.

PubMed

Deuchert, Eva; Cabus, Sofie; Tafreschi, Darjusch

2014-07-01

The origin of the obesity epidemic in developing countries is still poorly understood. It has been prominently argued that economic development provides a natural interpretation of the growth in obesity. This paper tests the main aggregated predictions of the theoretical framework to analyze obesity. Average body weight and health inequality should be associated with economic development. Both hypotheses are confirmed: we find higher average female body weight in economically more advanced countries. In relatively nondeveloped countries, obesity is a phenomenon of the socioeconomic elite. With economic development, obesity shifts toward individuals with lower socioeconomic status. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tissue classification and segmentation of pressure injuries using convolutional neural networks.

PubMed

Zahia, Sofia; Sierra-Sosa, Daniel; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya; Elmaghraby, Adel

2018-06-01

This paper presents a new approach for automatic tissue classification in pressure injuries. These wounds are localized skin damages which need frequent diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, a reliable and accurate systems for segmentation and tissue type identification are needed in order to achieve better treatment results. Our proposed system is based on a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) devoted to performing optimized segmentation of the different tissue types present in pressure injuries (granulation, slough, and necrotic tissues). A preprocessing step removes the flash light and creates a set of 5x5 sub-images which are used as input for the CNN network. The network output will classify every sub-image of the validation set into one of the three classes studied. The metrics used to evaluate our approach show an overall average classification accuracy of 92.01%, an average total weighted Dice Similarity Coefficient of 91.38%, and an average precision per class of 97.31% for granulation tissue, 96.59% for necrotic tissue, and 77.90% for slough tissue. Our system has been proven to make recognition of complicated structures in biomedical images feasible. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Methods of developing core collections based on the predicted genotypic value of rice ( Oryza sativa L.).

PubMed

Li, C T; Shi, C H; Wu, J G; Xu, H M; Zhang, H Z; Ren, Y L

2004-04-01

The selection of an appropriate sampling strategy and a clustering method is important in the construction of core collections based on predicted genotypic values in order to retain the greatest degree of genetic diversity of the initial collection. In this study, methods of developing rice core collections were evaluated based on the predicted genotypic values for 992 rice varieties with 13 quantitative traits. The genotypic values of the traits were predicted by the adjusted unbiased prediction (AUP) method. Based on the predicted genotypic values, Mahalanobis distances were calculated and employed to measure the genetic similarities among the rice varieties. Six hierarchical clustering methods, including the single linkage, median linkage, centroid, unweighted pair-group average, weighted pair-group average and flexible-beta methods, were combined with random, preferred and deviation sampling to develop 18 core collections of rice germplasm. The results show that the deviation sampling strategy in combination with the unweighted pair-group average method of hierarchical clustering retains the greatest degree of genetic diversities of the initial collection. The core collections sampled using predicted genotypic values had more genetic diversity than those based on phenotypic values.

The Productivity of Male Thin-Tailed Lambs and Sheep Fed Complete Feed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aluns, M. S.; Luthfi, N.

2018-02-01

The aim of this study is to examine the productivity of thin tailed lambs and sheep fed complete feed. The material used in this study were 6 thin tailed lambs aged ± 5 months with an average body weight of 15.41 ± 2.11 kg (CV 37.04%) and 6 thin tailed rams aged ± 1 year with an average body weight of 23, 01 ± 1.91 kg (CV 28.83%). The animals were raised intensively with complete feed as much as 3.5% of body weight. The feed contained 12% crude protein (CP) and 55% Total Digestible Nutrients (TDNs). The results showed that the average feed intake was 567.10 g DMI/d in lambs and 726.24 g DMI per day in sheep. An average of body gain of lambs was 0.02 kg/d and 0.01 kg/d. The day matter digestibility of lambs achieves 50.23% and 50.74% in sheep. Based on results, it can be inferred that lambs has same digestibility with sheep and has more efficient to be fattened than sheep.

Neustonic microplastic and zooplankton in the North Western Mediterranean Sea.

PubMed

Collignon, Amandine; Hecq, Jean-Henri; Glagani, François; Voisin, Pierre; Collard, France; Goffart, Anne

2012-04-01

Neustonic microplastic and zooplankton abundance was determined in the North Western Mediterranean Sea during a summer cruise between July 9th and August 6th 2010, with a break between July 22 th and 25th due to a strong wind event. Ninety percent of the 40 stations contained microplastic particles (size 0.3-5mm) of various compositions: e.g., filaments, polystyrene, thin plastic films. An average concentration of 0.116 particles/m(2) was observed. The highest abundances (>0.36 particles/m(2)) were observed in shelf stations. The neustonic plastic particles concentrations were 5 times higher before than after the strong wind event which increased the mixing and the vertical repartition of plastic particles in the upper layers of the water column. The values rise in the same order of magnitude than in the North Pacific Gyre. The average ratio between microplastics and mesozooplankton weights was 0.5 for the whole survey and might induce a potential confusion for zooplankton feeders. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Financial networks based on Granger causality: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papana, Angeliki; Kyrtsou, Catherine; Kugiumtzis, Dimitris; Diks, Cees

2017-09-01

Connectivity analysis is performed on a long financial record of 21 international stock indices employing a linear and a nonlinear causality measure, the conditional Granger causality index (CGCI) and the partial mutual information on mixed embedding (PMIME), respectively. Both measures aim to specify the direction of the interrelationships among the international stock indexes and portray the links of the resulting networks, by the presence of direct couplings between variables exploiting all available information. However, their differences are assessed due to the presence of nonlinearity. The weighted networks formed with respect to the causality measures are transformed to binary ones using a significance test. The financial networks are formed on sliding windows in order to examine the network characteristics and trace changes in the connectivity structure. Subsequently, two statistical network quantities are calculated; the average degree and the average shortest path length. The empirical findings reveal interesting time-varying properties of the constructed network, which are clearly dependent on the nature of the financial cycle.

The need for higher-order averaging in the stability analysis of hovering, flapping-wing flight.

PubMed

Taha, Haithem E; Tahmasian, Sevak; Woolsey, Craig A; Nayfeh, Ali H; Hajj, Muhammad R

2015-01-05

Because of the relatively high flapping frequency associated with hovering insects and flapping wing micro-air vehicles (FWMAVs), dynamic stability analysis typically involves direct averaging of the time-periodic dynamics over a flapping cycle. However, direct application of the averaging theorem may lead to false conclusions about the dynamics and stability of hovering insects and FWMAVs. Higher-order averaging techniques may be needed to understand the dynamics of flapping wing flight and to analyze its stability. We use second-order averaging to analyze the hovering dynamics of five insects in response to high-amplitude, high-frequency, periodic wing motion. We discuss the applicability of direct averaging versus second-order averaging for these insects.

Influence of maternal age, birth-to-conception intervals and prior perinatal factors on perinatal outcomes.

PubMed

Farahati, M; Bozorgi, N; Luke, B

1993-10-01

This study evaluated the influence of prior perinatal factors on birth weight, length of gestation, and maternal pregravid and postpartum weights in subsequent pregnancies. The study sample included 47 women each with first, second and third pregnancies. Mean pregravid weight increased by 5.2 lb between the first and second pregnancies and by 4.4 lb between the second and third pregnancies. Total weight gain averaged 31 lb for the first pregnancy and 28.4 and 28.3 lb for the second and third pregnancies, respectively. Mean birth weight increased by 111 g between the first and second pregnancies and by 199 g between the second and third pregnancies. Mean gestational age was similar for all three pregnancies, averaging 39.5 weeks. Using stepwise forward multiple regression analyses, we determined that birth weight and length of gestation are both influenced significantly by prior birth weight and length of gestation; subsequent pregravid weight is influenced significantly by prior rate of gain, pregravid weight and postpartum weight; and postpartum weight is significantly influenced by prior rate of gain and birth weight. Comparisons across three pregnancies for the same woman showed that differences in birth-to-conception interval were not associated with higher postpartum weight or subsequent pregravid weight. These data indicate that in healthy, nonsmoking, low-risk women, the maternal and infant outcomes of pregnancies are significantly influenced by prior outcomes but not by either short birth-to-conception interval or greater maternal age.

In-use activity, fuel use, and emissions of heavy-duty diesel roll-off refuse trucks.

PubMed

Sandhu, Gurdas S; Frey, H Christopher; Bartelt-Hunt, Shannon; Jones, Elizabeth

2015-03-01

The objectives of this study were to quantify real-world activity, fuel use, and emissions for heavy duty diesel roll-off refuse trucks; evaluate the contribution of duty cycles and emissions controls to variability in cycle average fuel use and emission rates; quantify the effect of vehicle weight on fuel use and emission rates; and compare empirical cycle average emission rates with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's MOVES emission factor model predictions. Measurements were made at 1 Hz on six trucks of model years 2005 to 2012, using onboard systems. The trucks traveled 870 miles, had an average speed of 16 mph, and collected 165 tons of trash. The average fuel economy was 4.4 mpg, which is approximately twice previously reported values for residential trash collection trucks. On average, 50% of time is spent idling and about 58% of emissions occur in urban areas. Newer trucks with selective catalytic reduction and diesel particulate filter had NOx and PM cycle average emission rates that were 80% lower and 95% lower, respectively, compared to older trucks without. On average, the combined can and trash weight was about 55% of chassis weight. The marginal effect of vehicle weight on fuel use and emissions is highest at low loads and decreases as load increases. Among 36 cycle average rates (6 trucks×6 cycles), MOVES-predicted values and estimates based on real-world data have similar relative trends. MOVES-predicted CO2 emissions are similar to those of the real world, while NOx and PM emissions are, on average, 43% lower and 300% higher, respectively. The real-world data presented here can be used to estimate benefits of replacing old trucks with new trucks. Further, the data can be used to improve emission inventories and model predictions. In-use measurements of the real-world activity, fuel use, and emissions of heavy-duty diesel roll-off refuse trucks can be used to improve the accuracy of predictive models, such as MOVES, and emissions inventories. Further, the activity data from this study can be used to generate more representative duty cycles for more accurate chassis dynamometer testing. Comparisons of old and new model year diesel trucks are useful in analyzing the effect of fleet turnover. The analysis of effect of haul weight on fuel use can be used by fleet managers to optimize operations to reduce fuel cost.

26 CFR 48.4071-2 - Determination of weight.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... EXCISE TAXES MANUFACTURERS AND RETAILERS EXCISE TAXES Motor Vehicles, Tires, Tubes, Tread Rubber, and... each type, size, grade, and classification. The average weights must be established in accordance with...

Use of modified halloysite nanotubes in the feed reduces the toxic effects of zearalenone on sow reproduction and piglet development.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuanyuan; Gao, Rui; Liu, Min; Shi, Baoming; Shan, Anshan; Cheng, Baojing

2015-03-15

A study was conducted to determine the effects of feeding a blend of corn contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins on the physical condition of pregnant and suckling sows and the development of their offspring. Halloysite nanotubes modified using the surfactant, stearyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, were tested for its efficacy in protecting against the detrimental effects of zearalenone (ZEN) exposure. A total of 18 pregnant second parity Yorkshire sows (six per treatment) were fed control diet, contaminated grain diet (ZEN, 2.77 mg/kg), and contaminated grain + 1% modified halloysite nanotube (MHNT) diet (ZEN, 2.76 mg/kg) from 35 to 70 days in pregnancy (DIP), which is the critical period in development of fetuses. The results show that consumption of ZEN led to a reduction in sow's mass gain during 35 to 70 DIP and mass at 110 DIP, backfat at 70 DIP and weaning, placenta weight at 70 DIP and farrowing, the lactation average daily feed intake, and an increase in the weight of ovary at 70 DIP of sows (P < 0.05). The total number and average body weight (BW) of fetuses at 70 DIP, the number of piglets born, the litter birth weight, the average BW of piglet at birth, the number of piglets born alive, the born alive litter weight, and born alive piglet BW at farrowing were also decreased by ZEN exposure (P < 0.05). The increased expressions of P53, Bax, Cyto C, caspase 9, and caspase 3 and decreased expression of Bcl-2 were observed in the uterus and placenta of sows at 70 DIP, the placenta and fetal uterus at farrowing, and the piglet uterus at weaning (P < 0.05). Adding 1% MHNTs decreased the residue of ZEN in maternal and fetal tissues. The number of fetuses and the average fetus BW at 70 DIP, the total number of piglets born, the litter birth weight, the born alive piglet BW at farrowing, the average piglet BW, the litter weaned weight, and the average day gain at weaning were increased by adding 1% MHNTs, compared with the ZEN-treated group (P < 0.05). The MHNTs significantly reduced the damage to the fat in the colostrum and the protein and lactose in the milk induced by the ZEN-contaminated feed (P < 0.05). Modified halloysite nanotubes could be used as adsorbent in the feed to reduce the toxic effects of ZEN. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A universal reduced glass transition temperature for liquids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fedors, R. F.

1979-01-01

Data on the dependence of the glass transition temperature on the molecular structure for low-molecular-weight liquids are analyzed in order to determine whether Boyer's reduced glass transition temperature (1952) is a universal constant as proposed. It is shown that the Boyer ratio varies widely depending on the chemical nature of the molecule. It is pointed out that a characteristic temperature ratio, defined by the ratio of the sum of the melting temperature and the boiling temperature to the sum of the glass transition temperature and the boiling temperature, is a universal constant independent of the molecular structure of the liquid. The average value of the ratio obtained from data for 65 liquids is 1.15.

Optimal Configurations for Rotating Spacecraft Formations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, Steven P.; Hall, Christopher D.

2000-01-01

In this paper a new class of formations that maintain a constant shape as viewed from the Earth is introduced. An algorithm is developed to place n spacecraft in a constant shape formation spaced equally in time using the classical orbital elements. To first order, the dimensions of the formation are shown to be simple functions of orbit eccentricity and inclination. The performance of the formation is investigated over a Keplerian orbit using a performance measure based on a weighted average of the angular separations between spacecraft in formation. Analytic approximations are developed that yield optimum configurations for different values of n. The analytic approximations are shown to be in excellent agreement with the exact solutions.

A new evaluation method research for fusion quality of infrared and visible images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Xingguo; Ji, Yiguo; Tao, Zhongxiang; Tian, Chunyan; Ning, Chengda

2017-03-01

In order to objectively evaluate the fusion effect of infrared and visible image, a fusion evaluation method for infrared and visible images based on energy-weighted average structure similarity and edge information retention value is proposed for drawbacks of existing evaluation methods. The evaluation index of this method is given, and the infrared and visible image fusion results under different algorithms and environments are made evaluation experiments on the basis of this index. The experimental results show that the objective evaluation index is consistent with the subjective evaluation results obtained from this method, which shows that the method is a practical and effective fusion image quality evaluation method.

Does metabolic compensation explain the majority of less-than-expected weight loss in obese adults during a short-term severe diet and exercise intervention?

PubMed

Byrne, N M; Wood, R E; Schutz, Y; Hills, A P

2012-11-01

We investigated to what extent changes in metabolic rate and composition of weight loss explained the less-than-expected weight loss in obese men and women during a diet-plus-exercise intervention. In all, 16 obese men and women (41 ± 9 years; body mass index (BMI) 39 ± 6 kg m(-2)) were investigated in energy balance before, after and twice during a 12-week very-low-energy diet(565-650 kcal per day) plus exercise (aerobic plus resistance training) intervention. The relative energy deficit (EDef) from baseline requirements was severe (74%-87%). Body composition was measured by deuterium dilution and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and resting metabolic rate (RMR) was measured by indirect calorimetry. Fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were converted into energy equivalents using constants 9.45 kcal per g FM and 1.13 kcal per g FFM. Predicted weight loss was calculated from the EDef using the '7700 kcal kg(-1) rule'. Changes in weight (-18.6 ± 5.0 kg), FM (-15.5 ± 4.3 kg) and FFM (-3.1 ± 1.9 kg) did not differ between genders. Measured weight loss was on average 67% of the predicted value, but ranged from 39% to 94%. Relative EDef was correlated with the decrease in RMR (R=0.70, P<0.01), and the decrease in RMR correlated with the difference between actual and expected weight loss (R=0.51, P<0.01). Changes in metabolic rate explained on average 67% of the less-than-expected weight loss, and variability in the proportion of weight lost as FM accounted for a further 5%. On average, after adjustment for changes in metabolic rate and body composition of weight lost, actual weight loss reached 90% of the predicted values. Although weight loss was 33% lower than predicted at baseline from standard energy equivalents, the majority of this differential was explained by physiological variables. Although lower-than-expected weight loss is often attributed to incomplete adherence to prescribed interventions, the influence of baseline calculation errors and metabolic downregulation should not be discounted.

Explaining changes in child health inequality in the run up to the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): The case of Zambia

PubMed Central

Hangoma, Peter; Aakvik, Arild; Robberstad, Bjarne

2017-01-01

Background Child health interventions were drastically scaled up in the period leading up to 2015 as countries aimed at meeting the 2015 target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). MDGs were defined in terms of achieving improvements in average health. Significant improvements in average child health are documented, but evidence also points to rising inequality. It is important to investigate factors that drive the increasing disparities in order to inform the post-2015 development agenda of reducing inequality, as captured in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We investigated changes in socioeconomic inequality in stunting and fever in Zambia in 2007 and 2014. Unlike the huge literature that seeks to quantify the contribution of different determinants on the observed inequality at any given time, we quantify determinants of changes in inequality. Methods Data from the 2007 and 2014 waves of the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) were utilized. Our sample consisted of children aged 0–5 years (n = 5,616 in 2007 and n = 12,714 in 2014). We employed multilevel models to assess the determinants of stunting and fever, which are two important child health indicators. The concentration index (CI) was used to measure the magnitude of inequality. Changes in inequality of stunting and fever were investigated using Oaxaca-type decomposition of the CI. In this approach, the change in the CI for stunting/fever is decomposed into changes in CI for each determinant and changes in the effect—measured as an elasticity—of each determinant on stunting/fever. Results While average rates of stunting reduced in 2014 socioeconomic inequality in stunting increased significantly. Inequality in fever incidence also increased significantly, but average rates of fever did not reduce. The increase in the inequality (CI) of determinants accounted for the largest part (42.5%) of the increase in inequality of stunting, while the increase in the effect of determinants explained 35% of the increase. The determinants with the greatest total contribution (change in CI plus change in effect) to the increase in inequality of stunting were mother’s height and weight, wealth, birth order, facility delivery, duration of breastfeeding, and maternal education. For fever, almost all (86%) the increase in inequality was accounted for by the increase in the effect of determinants of fever, while the distribution of determinants mattered less. The determinants with the greatest total contribution to the increase in inequality of fever were wealth, maternal education, birth order and breastfeeding duration. In the multilevel model, we found that the likelihood of a child being stunted or experiencing fever depends on the community in which they live. Conclusions To curb the increase in inequality of stunting and fever, policy may focus on improving levels of, and reducing inequality in, access to facility deliveries, maternal nutrition (which may be related to maternal weight and height), complementary feeding (for breastfed children), wealth, maternal education, and child care (related to birth order effects). Improving overall levels of these determinants contribute to the persistence of inequality if these determinants are unequally concentrated on the well off to begin with. PMID:28170442

Explaining changes in child health inequality in the run up to the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): The case of Zambia.

PubMed

Hangoma, Peter; Aakvik, Arild; Robberstad, Bjarne

2017-01-01

Child health interventions were drastically scaled up in the period leading up to 2015 as countries aimed at meeting the 2015 target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). MDGs were defined in terms of achieving improvements in average health. Significant improvements in average child health are documented, but evidence also points to rising inequality. It is important to investigate factors that drive the increasing disparities in order to inform the post-2015 development agenda of reducing inequality, as captured in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We investigated changes in socioeconomic inequality in stunting and fever in Zambia in 2007 and 2014. Unlike the huge literature that seeks to quantify the contribution of different determinants on the observed inequality at any given time, we quantify determinants of changes in inequality. Data from the 2007 and 2014 waves of the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) were utilized. Our sample consisted of children aged 0-5 years (n = 5,616 in 2007 and n = 12,714 in 2014). We employed multilevel models to assess the determinants of stunting and fever, which are two important child health indicators. The concentration index (CI) was used to measure the magnitude of inequality. Changes in inequality of stunting and fever were investigated using Oaxaca-type decomposition of the CI. In this approach, the change in the CI for stunting/fever is decomposed into changes in CI for each determinant and changes in the effect-measured as an elasticity-of each determinant on stunting/fever. While average rates of stunting reduced in 2014 socioeconomic inequality in stunting increased significantly. Inequality in fever incidence also increased significantly, but average rates of fever did not reduce. The increase in the inequality (CI) of determinants accounted for the largest part (42.5%) of the increase in inequality of stunting, while the increase in the effect of determinants explained 35% of the increase. The determinants with the greatest total contribution (change in CI plus change in effect) to the increase in inequality of stunting were mother's height and weight, wealth, birth order, facility delivery, duration of breastfeeding, and maternal education. For fever, almost all (86%) the increase in inequality was accounted for by the increase in the effect of determinants of fever, while the distribution of determinants mattered less. The determinants with the greatest total contribution to the increase in inequality of fever were wealth, maternal education, birth order and breastfeeding duration. In the multilevel model, we found that the likelihood of a child being stunted or experiencing fever depends on the community in which they live. To curb the increase in inequality of stunting and fever, policy may focus on improving levels of, and reducing inequality in, access to facility deliveries, maternal nutrition (which may be related to maternal weight and height), complementary feeding (for breastfed children), wealth, maternal education, and child care (related to birth order effects). Improving overall levels of these determinants contribute to the persistence of inequality if these determinants are unequally concentrated on the well off to begin with.

Overall Fatality Risk to the Public at Large Related to National Weight Mix of Passenger Cars

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1989-10-01

This report addresses the question of the effect on the fatality risk to the public at : large due to shifts in the weight distributions of passenger cars. For example, if the : weight o f the average passenger car were decreased would fatalities inc...

Influence of dispatching rules on average production lead time for multi-stage production systems.

PubMed

Hübl, Alexander; Jodlbauer, Herbert; Altendorfer, Klaus

2013-08-01

In this paper the influence of different dispatching rules on the average production lead time is investigated. Two theorems based on covariance between processing time and production lead time are formulated and proved theoretically. Theorem 1 links the average production lead time to the "processing time weighted production lead time" for the multi-stage production systems analytically. The influence of different dispatching rules on average lead time, which is well known from simulation and empirical studies, can be proved theoretically in Theorem 2 for a single stage production system. A simulation study is conducted to gain more insight into the influence of dispatching rules on average production lead time in a multi-stage production system. We find that the "processing time weighted average production lead time" for a multi-stage production system is not invariant of the applied dispatching rule and can be used as a dispatching rule independent indicator for single-stage production systems.

MR of Toxoplasma encephalitis: Signal characteristics on T2-weighted images and pathologic correlation

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

Brightbill, T.C.; Hensley, G.T.; Ruiz, A.

1996-05-01

Our goal was to determine if there are any T2-weighted MR signal characteristics of Toxoplasma encephalitis that might be useful in diagnosis and/or in gauging the effectiveness of medical therapy. We retrospectively analyzed the MR, CT, thallium-201 SPECT brain scans, and medical records of 27 patients with medically proven (26) and biopsy proven (1) Toxoplasma encephalitis, supplemented by autopsy findings in 4 additional patients, 2 of whom had postmortem MR correlation. The neuropathologic literature was also reviewed. Among the 27 patients, we discovered three distinct imaging patterns. Ten (37%) patients had predominantly T2-weighted hyperintense lesions and had been on medicalmore » therapy an average of 3 days (excluding one outlier). Ten (37%) patients had T2-weighted isointense lesions and had received medical therapy an average of 61 days. Seven (26%) patients had lesions with mixed signal on T2-weighted images and bad been on treatment an average of 6 days. Analysis of autopsy material from the four additional patients revealed the presence of organizing abscesses in three and necrotizing encephalitis in one, while the patient who had a brain biopsy demonstrated both types of pathologic lesions. In both cases having postmortem MRI, organizing abscesses appeared isointense to hypointense on T2-weighted images. There is a definite variation in the appearance of lesions of Toxoplasma encephalitis on T2-weighted images that precludes a definitive diagnosis based on signal characteristics alone. Pathologically, our data suggest that T2-weighted hyperintensity correlates with necrotizing encephalitis and T2-weighted isointensity with organizing abscesses. Furthermore, in patients on medical therapy the T2-weighted MR appearance may be a transition from hyperintensity to isointensity as a function of a positive response to antibiotic treatment, indicating that the signal change might be used to gauge the effectiveness of medical therapy. 15 refs., 6 figs.« less

Excessive weight gain after pregnancy in urban areas: one important area to prevent diabetes.

PubMed

Bhattarai, Madhur Dev; Singh, Dhruba Lall

2005-12-01

Diabetes has been found to be common in people, including the women of child bearing age, in urban Nepal. There is a custom of feeding the women with foods rich in calories and fats, as much as possible, after delivery. Weights of 200 women of urban Kathmandu before the first pregnancy and 6 months and 1 year after delivery were studied. The mean + SD of weights before pregnancy, six months after delivery and one year after delivery were 51.3 + 4.9, 67.2 + 6.3 and 63.4 + 6.4 respectively. Similarly, the mean + SD of body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy, six months after delivery and one year after delivery were 21.3 + 1.8, 27.9 + 2.5 and 26.7 + 2.8 respectively. The average increases in weight and BMI six months after delivery were 15.9 kg and 6.6; the increases from the basal values were statistically significant (p<0.01). Six months later the average increased weight and BMI decreased by 3.8 kg and 1.2 respectively. Thus, the average increases in weight and BMI one year after first pregnancy were 12.1 kg and 5.4; the increases from the basal values were statistically significant (p<0.01). The women seemed to have difficulty in losing weight gained. In view of the problem of overweight, the custom of excess feeding after delivery seems required to be discouraged in urban areas to prevent subsequent gestational and type 2 diabetes in women and the population.

Modelling body weight, dieting and obesity traps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbieri, Paolo Nicola

2017-02-01

This paper presents a theoretical investigation into why losing weight is so difficult even in the absence of rational addiction, time-inconsistent preferences or bounded rationality. We add to the existing literature by focusing on the role that individual metabolism has on weight loss. The results from the theoretical model provide multiple steady states and a threshold revealing a situation of "obesity traps" that the individual must surpass in order to successfully lose weight. Any weight-loss efforts that the individual undertakes have to surpass such threshold in order to result in permanent weight loss, otherwise the individual will gradually regain weight and converge to his or her previous body weight.

Method of generating hydrocarbon reagents from diesel, natural gas and other logistical fuels

DOEpatents

Herling, Darrell R [Richland, WA; Aardahl, Chris L [Richland, WA; Rozmiarek, Robert T [Middleton, WI; Rappe, Kenneth G [Richland, WA; Wang, Yong [Richland, WA; Holladay, Jamelyn D [Kennewick, WA

2010-06-29

The present invention provides a process for producing reagents for a chemical reaction by introducing a fuel containing hydrocarbons into a flash distillation process wherein the fuel is separated into a first component having a lower average molecular weight and a second component having a higher average molecular weight. The first component is then reformed to produce synthesis gas wherein the synthesis gas is reacted catalytically to produce the desire reagent.

Method of Generating Hydrocarbon Reagents from Diesel, Natural Gas and Other Logistical Fuels

DOEpatents

Herling, Darrell R [Richland, WA; Aardahl, Chris L [Richland, WA; Rozmiarek, Robert T [Middleton, WI; Rappe, Kenneth G [Richland, WA; Wang, Yong [Richland, WA; Holladay, Jamelyn D [Kennewick, WA

2008-10-14

The present invention provides a process for producing reagents for a chemical reaction by introducing a fuel containing hydrocarbons into a flash distillation process wherein the fuel is separated into a first component having a lower average molecular weight and a second component having a higher average molecular weight. The first component is then reformed to produce synthesis gas wherein the synthesis gas is reacted catalytically to produce the desire reagent.

Control of bed height in a fluidized bed gasification system

DOEpatents

Mehta, Gautam I.; Rogers, Lynn M.

1983-12-20

In a fluidized bed apparatus a method for controlling the height of the fdized bed, taking into account variations in the density of the bed. The method comprises taking simultaneous differential pressure measurements at different vertical elevations within the vessel, averaging the differential pressures, determining an average fluidized bed density, then periodically calculating a weighting factor. The weighting factor is used in the determination of the actual bed height which is used in controlling the fluidizing means.

Real Diffusion-Weighted MRI Enabling True Signal Averaging and Increased Diffusion Contrast

PubMed Central

Eichner, Cornelius; Cauley, Stephen F; Cohen-Adad, Julien; Möller, Harald E; Turner, Robert; Setsompop, Kawin; Wald, Lawrence L

2015-01-01

This project aims to characterize the impact of underlying noise distributions on diffusion-weighted imaging. The noise floor is a well-known problem for traditional magnitude-based diffusion-weighted MRI (dMRI) data, leading to biased diffusion model fits and inaccurate signal averaging. Here, we introduce a total-variation-based algorithm to eliminate shot-to-shot phase variations of complex-valued diffusion data with the intention to extract real-valued dMRI datasets. The obtained real-valued diffusion data are no longer superimposed by a noise floor but instead by a zero-mean Gaussian noise distribution, yielding dMRI data without signal bias. We acquired high-resolution dMRI data with strong diffusion weighting and, thus, low signal-to-noise ratio. Both the extracted real-valued and traditional magnitude data were compared regarding signal averaging, diffusion model fitting and accuracy in resolving crossing fibers. Our results clearly indicate that real-valued diffusion data enables idealized conditions for signal averaging. Furthermore, the proposed method enables unbiased use of widely employed linear least squares estimators for model fitting and demonstrates an increased sensitivity to detect secondary fiber directions with reduced angular error. The use of phase-corrected, real-valued data for dMRI will therefore help to clear the way for more detailed and accurate studies of white matter microstructure and structural connectivity on a fine scale. PMID:26241680

Thermal conductivity of ternary III-V semiconductor alloys: The role of mass difference and long-range order

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mei, S.; Knezevic, I.

2018-03-01

Thermal transport in bulk ternary III-V arsenide (III-As) semiconductor alloys was investigated using equilibrium molecular dynamics with optimized Albe-Tersoff empirical interatomic potentials. Existing potentials for binary AlAs, GaAs, and InAs were optimized to match experimentally obtained acoustic-phonon dispersions and temperature-dependent thermal conductivity. Calculations of thermal transport in ternary III-Vs commonly employ the virtual-crystal approximation (VCA), where the structure is assumed to be a random alloy and all group-III atoms (cations) are treated as if they have an effective weighted-average mass. Here, we showed that it is critical to treat atomic masses explicitly and that the thermal conductivity obtained with explicit atomic masses differs considerably from the value obtained with the average VCA cation mass. The larger the difference between the cation masses, the poorer the VCA prediction for thermal conductivity. The random-alloy assumption in the VCA is also challenged because X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show order in InGaAs, InAlAs, and GaAlAs epilayers. We calculated thermal conductivity for three common types of order (CuPt-B, CuAu-I, and triple-period-A) and showed that the experimental results for In0.53Ga0.47As and In0.52Al0.48As, which are lattice matched to the InP substrate, can be reproduced in molecular dynamics simulation with 2% and 8% of random disorder, respectively. Based on our results, thermal transport in ternary III-As alloys appears to be governed by the competition between mass-difference scattering, which is much more pronounced than the VCA suggests, and the long-range order that these alloys support.

Incubation behavior of Spectacled Eiders on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flint, Paul L.; Grand, J.B.

1999-01-01

We studied incubation behavior of Spectacled Eiders (Somateria fischeri) on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in 1996. We trapped 19 females on their nests and weighed them in early incubation and again at hatch. Average daily weight loss for incubating females was 16.6 ?? 1.0 g day-1, which resulted in a cumulative loss of 26% of body weight throughout incubation. Nest attendance was monitored for a portion of the incubation period using temperature sensing artificial eggs. Incubation constancy averaged 90 ?? 1%. Average recess length was 37.1 ?? 0.9 min, and nests cooled an average of 4.2 ?? 0.1??C during recesses. Recess frequency averaged 2.5 ?? 0.1 recesses day-1, and most recesses (70%) occurred between 10:00 and 22: 00. Incubation constancy varied among females, but was not related to changes in body weight or incubation period. There was no influence of ambient temperature on incubation recess length, however most recesses were taken during the warmest part of the day. We found considerable variation among females in patterns of daily incubation constancy, nest cooling, recess frequency, and recess length. It is not clear from our results what factors constrain incubation behavior of Spectacled Eiders, but we suggest that individual females respond to a complex suite of variables.

A recursively formulated first-order semianalytic artificial satellite theory based on the generalized method of averaging. Volume 1: The generalized method of averaging applied to the artificial satellite problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcclain, W. D.

1977-01-01

A recursively formulated, first-order, semianalytic artificial satellite theory, based on the generalized method of averaging is presented in two volumes. Volume I comprehensively discusses the theory of the generalized method of averaging applied to the artificial satellite problem. Volume II presents the explicit development in the nonsingular equinoctial elements of the first-order average equations of motion. The recursive algorithms used to evaluate the first-order averaged equations of motion are also presented in Volume II. This semianalytic theory is, in principle, valid for a term of arbitrary degree in the expansion of the third-body disturbing function (nonresonant cases only) and for a term of arbitrary degree and order in the expansion of the nonspherical gravitational potential function.

A study of forest fire danger district division in Lushan Mountain based on RS and GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Jinxiang; Huang, Shu-E.; Zhong, Anjian; Zhu, Biqin; Ye, Qing; Sun, Lijun

2009-09-01

The study selected 9 factors, average maximum temperature, average temperature, average precipitation, average the longest days of continuous drought and average wind speed during fire prevention period, vegetation type, altitude, slope and aspect as the index of forest fire danger district division, which has taken the features of Lushan Mountain's forest fire history into consideration, then assigned subjective weights to each factor according to their sensitivity to fire or their fire-inducing capability. By remote sensing and GIS, vegetation information layer were gotten from Landsat TM image and DEM with a scale of 1:50000 was abstracted from the digital scanned relief map. Topography info. (elevation, slope, aspect) layers could be gotten after that. A climate resource databank that contained the data from the stations of Lushan Mountain and other nearby 7 stations was built up and extrapolated through the way of grid extrapolation in order to make the distribution map of climate resource. Finally synthetical district division maps were made by weighing and integrating all the single factor special layers,and the study area were divided into three forest fire danger district, include special fire danger district, I-fire danger district and II-fire danger district. It could be used as a basis for developing a forest fire prevention system, preparing the annual investment plan, allocating reasonably the investment of fire prevention, developing the program of forest fire prevention and handle, setting up forest fire brigade, leaders' decisions on forest fire prevention work.

Integrated production and distribution scheduling problems related to fixed delivery departure dates and weights of late orders.

PubMed

Li, Shanlin; Li, Maoqin

2015-01-01

We consider an integrated production and distribution scheduling problem faced by a typical make-to-order manufacturer which relies on a third-party logistics (3PL) provider for finished product delivery to customers. In the beginning of a planning horizon, the manufacturer has received a set of orders to be processed on a single production line. Completed orders are delivered to customers by a finite number of vehicles provided by the 3PL company which follows a fixed daily or weekly shipping schedule such that the vehicles have fixed departure dates which are not part of the decisions. The problem is to find a feasible schedule that minimizes one of the following objective functions when processing times and weights are oppositely ordered: (1) the total weight of late orders and (2) the number of vehicles used subject to the condition that the total weight of late orders is minimum. We show that both problems are solvable in polynomial time.

Integrated Production and Distribution Scheduling Problems Related to Fixed Delivery Departure Dates and Weights of Late Orders

PubMed Central

Li, Shanlin; Li, Maoqin

2015-01-01

We consider an integrated production and distribution scheduling problem faced by a typical make-to-order manufacturer which relies on a third-party logistics (3PL) provider for finished product delivery to customers. In the beginning of a planning horizon, the manufacturer has received a set of orders to be processed on a single production line. Completed orders are delivered to customers by a finite number of vehicles provided by the 3PL company which follows a fixed daily or weekly shipping schedule such that the vehicles have fixed departure dates which are not part of the decisions. The problem is to find a feasible schedule that minimizes one of the following objective functions when processing times and weights are oppositely ordered: (1) the total weight of late orders and (2) the number of vehicles used subject to the condition that the total weight of late orders is minimum. We show that both problems are solvable in polynomial time. PMID:25785285

Comparative efficacy of diclazuril (Vecoxan®) and toltrazuril (Baycox bovis®) against natural infections of Eimeria bovis and Eimeria zuernii in French calves.

PubMed

Philippe, P; Alzieu, J P; Taylor, M A; Dorchies, Ph

2014-12-15

A blinded, randomized, controlled, multi-centric field study was conducted on French dairy farms (n = 9) to evaluate the long term efficacy of metaphylactic, single oral treatments with either 1 mg/kg body weight (BW) of diclazuril (Vecoxan®), or 15 mg/kg BW of toltrazuril (Baycox®) against natural infections with Eimeria zuernii and/or Eimeria bovis, compared to untreated control animals. A total of 199 calves from nine commercial farms aged between 21 and 55 days old at the start of study were included and randomly allocated to one of three groups. Calves on all farms were observed for a period of 78 days post treatment, using both parasitological (oocyst excretion), and clinical parameters (faecal score and body weight). The assessment of efficacy was based on both control of oocyst excretion, and on the average daily weight gains throughout the study. During the whole study period, the mean number of days with diarrhoea (≥ 2) was similar (0.7 days) between treated groups. Excretion in the untreated group peaked at 21 days after treatment. In both the diclazuril and toltrazuril-treated groups, mean oocyst excretion decreased dramatically in the five days following treatment. Thereafter, particularly towards the end of the study period, oocyst counts and percentage levels of E. zuernii were highest in the toltrazuril-treated group. In pooled data from all trial sites, the average daily weight gain was significantly (p = 0.01) higher (+ 0.057 kg/day) in the diclazuril group when compared to the toltrazuril group, and the average body weight gain of the diclazuril treated group was 4.4 kg higher than the toltrazuril group. On eight of the nine trial sites, the average daily gain was greater in the diclazuril group than in the toltrazuril group. This study demonstrates that, over an extended observation period of 78 days, metaphylactic treatment with both diclazuril and toltrazuril reduces the impact of coccidiosis, but greater performance benefits based on average daily weight gains, were achieved following the use of diclazuril. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Creating "Intelligent" Climate Model Ensemble Averages Using a Process-Based Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, N. C.; Taylor, P. C.

2014-12-01

The CMIP5 archive contains future climate projections from over 50 models provided by dozens of modeling centers from around the world. Individual model projections, however, are subject to biases created by structural model uncertainties. As a result, ensemble averaging of multiple models is often used to add value to model projections: consensus projections have been shown to consistently outperform individual models. Previous reports for the IPCC establish climate change projections based on an equal-weighted average of all model projections. However, certain models reproduce climate processes better than other models. Should models be weighted based on performance? Unequal ensemble averages have previously been constructed using a variety of mean state metrics. What metrics are most relevant for constraining future climate projections? This project develops a framework for systematically testing metrics in models to identify optimal metrics for unequal weighting multi-model ensembles. A unique aspect of this project is the construction and testing of climate process-based model evaluation metrics. A climate process-based metric is defined as a metric based on the relationship between two physically related climate variables—e.g., outgoing longwave radiation and surface temperature. Metrics are constructed using high-quality Earth radiation budget data from NASA's Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument and surface temperature data sets. It is found that regional values of tested quantities can vary significantly when comparing weighted and unweighted model ensembles. For example, one tested metric weights the ensemble by how well models reproduce the time-series probability distribution of the cloud forcing component of reflected shortwave radiation. The weighted ensemble for this metric indicates lower simulated precipitation (up to .7 mm/day) in tropical regions than the unweighted ensemble: since CMIP5 models have been shown to overproduce precipitation, this result could indicate that the metric is effective in identifying models which simulate more realistic precipitation. Ultimately, the goal of the framework is to identify performance metrics for advising better methods for ensemble averaging models and create better climate predictions.

[General growth patterns and simple mathematic models of height and weight of Chinese children].

PubMed

Zong, Xin-nan; Li, Hui

2009-05-01

To explore the growth patterns and simple mathematic models of height and weight of Chinese children. The original data had been obtained from two national representative cross-sectional surveys which were 2005 National Survey of Physical Development of Children (under 7 years of age) and 2005 Chinese National Survey on Students Constitution and Health (6 - 18 years). Reference curves of height and weight of children under 7 years of age was constructed by LMS method, and data of children from 6 to 18 years of age were smoothed by cubic spline function and transformed by modified LMS procedure. Growth velocity was calculated by smoothed values of height and weight. Simple linear model was fitted for children 1 to 10 years of age, for which smoothed height and weight values were used. (1) Birth length of Chinese children was about 50 cm, average length 61 cm, 67 cm, 76 cm and 88 cm at the 3rd, 6th, 12th and 24th month. Height gain was stable from 2 to 10 years of age, average 6 - 7 cm each year. Birth length doubles by 3.5 years, and triples by 12 years. The formula estimating average height of normal children aged 2 - 10 years was, height (cm) = age (yr) x 6.5 + 76 (cm). (2) Birth weight was about 3.3 kg. Growth velocity was at peak about 1.0 - 1.1 kg/mon in the first 3 months, decreased by half and was about 0.5 - 0.6 kg/mon in the second 3 months, and was reduced by a quarter, which was about 0.25 - 0.30 kg/mon, in the last 6 months of the first year. Body mass was up to doubles, triples and quadruple of birth weight at about the 3rd, 12th and 24th month. Average annual gain was about 2 kg and 3 kg from 1 - 6 years and 7 - 10 years, respectively. The estimated formula for children 1 to 6 years of age was weight (kg) = age (yr) x 2 + 8 (kg), but for those 7 - 10 years old, weight (kg) = age (yr) x 3 + 2 (kg). Growth patterns of height and weight at the different age stages were summarized for Chinese children, and simple reference data of height and weight velocity from 0 to 18 years and approximate estimation formula from 1 - 10 years was presented for clinical practice.

Tail thrust of bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix at different buoyancies, speeds, and swimming angles.

PubMed

Ogilvy, C S; DuBois, A B

1982-06-01

1. The tail thrust of bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix was measured using a body accelerometer at different water speeds, buoyancies, and angles of water flow to determine the contribution of tail thrust in overcoming parasitic drag, induced drag, and weight directed along the track. The lengths and weights of the fish averaged 0.52 m and 1.50 kg respectively. 2. The tail thrust overcoming parasitic drag in Newtons, as measured during neutral buoyancy, was: 0.51 x speed + 0.15, with a standard error of estimate of 0.09 N. 3. When buoyancy was altered by the introduction or removal of air from a balloon implanted in the swim bladder, the tail thrust was altered by an amount of the same order as the value calculated for the induced drag of the pectoral fins. 4. The component of weight directed backward along the track was the weight in water multiplied by the sine of the angle of the swimming tunnel relative to horizontal. When this force was added to the calculated induced drag and tail thrust measured at neutral buoyancy, the rearward force equal to the tail thrust, at 45 ml negative buoyancy, 0.5 m s-1, and 15 degrees head up, was 0.12 N due to weight + 0.05 N due to induced drag + 0.40 N due to parasitic drag = 0.57 N total rearward force. 5. The conditions required for gliding were not achieved in our bluefish because the drag exceeded the component of the weight in water directed forward along the track at speeds above the stalling speed of the pectoral fins.

Cardiac Strain between Normal Weight and Overweight Workers in Hot/Humid Weather in the Persian Gulf

PubMed Central

Dehghan, Habibollah; Mortazavi, Seyed Bagher; Jafari, Mohammad Javad; Maracy, Mohammad Reza

2013-01-01

Background: In hot weather, overweight and obesity are considered as significant risk factors for the incidence of cardiac strain in workers. This study was aimed to compare cardiac strain among overweight and normal-weight workers in hot, humid conditions in the south of Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 71 workers in the south of Iran in summer 2010. The heart rate was measured at rest and at actual work. Cardiac strain based on working heart rate (WHR), the relative cardiac cost (RCC), the net cardiac cost (NCC), load relative cardiovascular (CVL), and heart rate reduction was analyzed in 35 normal-weight people (body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m2) and 36 overweight people (BMI >25 kg/m2) using descriptive statistics. Results: In 42% of the total workers, BMI was >25 kg/m2. The average of Wet Bulb Globe Temperature Index (WBGT Index) in the two groups was not significantly different. The mean WHR in the two groups was 101 ± 20.3 and 112 ± 18.9, respectively (P = 0.026). Percentages exceeded the acceptable limits in the parameters NCC, RCC, WHR, CVL, and Brouha index, which were significantly higher in overweight people than in those with normal weight. Conclusions: Based on the study results, it is concluded that the severity of cardiac strain was higher in overweight workers compared with that in normal weight workers. Hence, in order to decrease the cardiac strain, selecting overweight individuals for these jobs should be avoided and also some vital intervention for losing weight should be implemented such as nutrition education and encouraging them regarding physical activity. PMID:24319554

Maternal biomass smoke exposure and birth weight in Malawi: Analysis of data from the 2010 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey.

PubMed

Milanzi, Edith B; Namacha, Ndifanji M

2017-06-01

Use of biomass fuels has been shown to contribute to ill health and complications in pregnancy outcomes such as low birthweight, neonatal deaths and mortality in developing countries. However, there is insufficient evidence of this association in the Sub-Saharan Africa and the Malawian population. We, therefore, investigated effects of exposure to biomass fuels on reduced birth weight in the Malawian population. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using secondary data from the 2010 Malawi Demographic Health Survey with a total of 9124 respondents. Information on exposure to biomass fuels, birthweight, and size of child at birth as well as other relevant information on risk factors was obtained through a questionnaire. We used linear regression models for continuous birth weight outcome and logistic regression for the binary outcome. Models were systematically adjusted for relevant confounding factors. Use of high pollution fuels resulted in a 92 g (95% CI: -320.4; 136.4) reduction in mean birth weight compared to low pollution fuel use after adjustment for child, maternal as well as household characteristics. Full adjusted OR (95% CI) for risk of having size below average at birth was 1.29 (0.34; 4.48). Gender and birth order of child were the significant confounders factors in our adjusted models. We observed reduced birth weight in children whose mothers used high pollution fuels suggesting a negative effect of maternal exposure to biomass fuels on birth weight of the child. However, this reduction was not statistically significant. More carefully designed studies need to be carried out to explore effects of biomass fuels on pregnancy outcomes and health outcomes in general.

Carcass conformation and cut composition of Creole goat from Guadeloupe.

PubMed

Liméa, Léticia; Bocage, Bruno; Arquet, Rémy; Mahieu, Maurice; Alexandre, Gisele

2010-03-01

Carcass data base of 164 Creole male goats was used in order to provide factual data on the carcass conformation. Standardised procedures of carcass measuring and cutting were followed. The European official grid of light lamb is implemented for meat goat in the French West Indies and included five levels. Weights of carcass, cuts and tissues, quality scores and linear measurements were analysed. Feeding system, age at slaughter and weight were taken into account for statistical analysis. There were significant differences among carcass conformation classes (CC) for many traits except for the fat score, leg length and compactness ratio (carcass width on length): 2.2, 34.5 cm and 0.30 on average, respectively. The values of chilled carcass weight and yield and the carcass linear measurements steadily increased until conformation class 4 or 5: 6.7 to 11.2 kg, 49% to 55% and 52.4 to 58.0 cm carcass length. For the weights of carcass cuts, significant differences appeared between two groups: classes 1 and 2 vs. classes 3, 4 and 5. Regardless of the carcass weight, the distribution of prime cuts remained similar. The indices calculated on a weight basis (kg/cm), either for the carcass or the leg, increased significantly (P<0.01): with 54% and 63% difference between the two extreme classes, respectively. The muscle, bone and fat proportions in the shoulder did not vary between CC with 0.72, 0.22 and 0.06, respectively. Corresponding traits in leg were 0.74, 0.23 and 0.03; the last two were different (P<0.05) from class 1 to class 5. The muscle/bone ratios calculated either in shoulder or in leg ranged from 3.1 to 3.6 (P>0.05).

Your Child's Weight

MedlinePlus

... spurts in height and weight gain in both boys and girls. These changes continue for several years. The average ... with age. Different BMI charts are used for boys and girls because growth rate and the amount of body ...

21 CFR 177.2415 - Poly(aryletherketone) resins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

..., and have a minimum weight-average molecular weight of 12,000, as determined by gel permeation...: Distilled water, 50 percent (by volume) ethanol in distilled water, 3 percent acetic acid in distilled water...

Vapor-pressure osmometric study of the molecular weight and aggregation tendency of a reference-soil fulvic acid

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marinsky, J.A.; Reddy, M.M.

1990-01-01

The molecular weight and aggregation tendency of a reference-soil fulvic acid in Armadale horizon Bh were determined by vapor-pressure osmometry using tetrahydrofuran and water as solvents. With tetrahydrofuran, number-average molecular weight values of 767 ?? 34 and 699 ?? 8 daltons were obtained from two separate sets of measurements. Two sets of measurements with water also yielded values within this range (754 ?? 70 daltons) provided that the fulvic acid concentration in water did not exceed 7 mg ml-1; at higher concentrations (9.1-13.7 mg ml-1) a number-average molecular weight of 956 ?? 25 daltons was resolved, providing evidence of molecular aggregation. Extension of these studies to 80% neutralized fulvic acid showed that a sizeable fraction of the sodium counter ion is not osmotically active.

Mass balance, meteorological, ice motion, surface altitude, runoff, and ice thickness data at Gulkana Glacier, Alaska, 1995 balance year

USGS Publications Warehouse

March, Rod S.

2000-01-01

The 1995 measured winter snow, maximum winter snow, net, and annual balances in the Gulkana Glacier basin were evaluated on the basis of meteorological, hydrological, and glaciological data obtained in the basin. Averaged over the glacier, the measured winter snow balance was 0.94 meter on April 19, 1995, 0.6 standard deviation below the long-term average; the maximum winter snow balance, 0.94 meter, was reached on April 25, 1995; the net balance (from September 18, 1994 to August 29, 1995) was -0.70 meter, 0.76 standard deviation below the long-term average. The annual balance (October 1, 1994, to September 30, 1995) was -0.86 meter. Ice-surface motion and altitude changes measured at three index sites document seasonal ice speed and glacier-thickness changes. Annual stream runoff was 2.05 meters averaged over the basin, approximately equal to the long-term average. The 1976 ice-thickness data are reported from a single site near the highest measurement site (180 meters thick) and from two glacier cross profiles near the mid-glacier (270 meters thick on centerline) and low glacier (150 meters thick on centerline) measurement sites. A new area-altitude distribution determined from 1993 photogrammetry is reported. Area-averaged balances are reported from both the 1967 and 1993 area-altitude distribution so the reader may directly see the effect of the update. Briefly, loss of ablation area between 1967 and 1993 results in a larger weighting being applied to data from the upper glacier site and hence, increases calculated area-averaged balances. The balance increase is of the order of 15 percent for net balance.

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.

Using Tournament Angler Data to Rapidly Assess the Invasion Status of Alien Sport Fishes (Micropterus spp.) in Southern Africa.

PubMed

Hargrove, John S; Weyl, Olaf L F; Allen, Micheal S; Deacon, Neil R

2015-01-01

Fishes are one of the most commonly introduced aquatic taxa worldwide, and invasive fish species pose threats to biodiversity and ecosystem function in recipient waters. Considerable research efforts have focused on predicting the invasibility of different fish taxa; however, accurate records detailing the establishment and spread of invasive fishes are lacking for large numbers of fish around the globe. In response to these data limitations, a low-cost method of cataloging and quantifying the temporal and spatial status of fish invasions was explored. Specifically, angler catch data derived from competitive bass angling tournaments was used to document the distribution of 66 non-native populations of black bass (Micropterus spp.) in southern Africa. Additionally, catch data from standardized tournament events were used to assess the abundance and growth of non-native bass populations in southern Africa relative to their native distribution (southern and eastern United States). Differences in metrics of catch per unit effort (average number of fish retained per angler per day), daily bag weights (the average weight of fish retained per angler), and average fish weight were assessed using catch data from 14,890 angler days of tournament fishing (11,045 days from South Africa and Zimbabwe; 3,845 days from the United States). No significant differences were found between catch rates, average daily bag weight, or the average fish weight between countries, suggesting that bass populations in southern Africa reach comparable sizes and numbers relative to waters in their native distribution. Given the minimal cost associated with data collection (i.e. records are collected by tournament organizers), the standardized nature of the events, and consistent bias (i.e. selection for the biggest fish in a population), the use of angler catch data represents a novel approach to infer the status and distribution of invasive sport fish.

Using Tournament Angler Data to Rapidly Assess the Invasion Status of Alien Sport Fishes (Micropterus spp.) in Southern Africa

PubMed Central

Hargrove, John S.; Weyl, Olaf L. F.; Allen, Micheal S.; Deacon, Neil R.

2015-01-01

Fishes are one of the most commonly introduced aquatic taxa worldwide, and invasive fish species pose threats to biodiversity and ecosystem function in recipient waters. Considerable research efforts have focused on predicting the invasibility of different fish taxa; however, accurate records detailing the establishment and spread of invasive fishes are lacking for large numbers of fish around the globe. In response to these data limitations, a low-cost method of cataloging and quantifying the temporal and spatial status of fish invasions was explored. Specifically, angler catch data derived from competitive bass angling tournaments was used to document the distribution of 66 non-native populations of black bass (Micropterus spp.) in southern Africa. Additionally, catch data from standardized tournament events were used to assess the abundance and growth of non-native bass populations in southern Africa relative to their native distribution (southern and eastern United States). Differences in metrics of catch per unit effort (average number of fish retained per angler per day), daily bag weights (the average weight of fish retained per angler), and average fish weight were assessed using catch data from 14,890 angler days of tournament fishing (11,045 days from South Africa and Zimbabwe; 3,845 days from the United States). No significant differences were found between catch rates, average daily bag weight, or the average fish weight between countries, suggesting that bass populations in southern Africa reach comparable sizes and numbers relative to waters in their native distribution. Given the minimal cost associated with data collection (i.e. records are collected by tournament organizers), the standardized nature of the events, and consistent bias (i.e. selection for the biggest fish in a population), the use of angler catch data represents a novel approach to infer the status and distribution of invasive sport fish. PMID:26047487

Using rainfall radar data to improve interpolated maps of dose rate in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Hiemstra, Paul H; Pebesma, Edzer J; Heuvelink, Gerard B M; Twenhöfel, Chris J W

2010-12-01

The radiation monitoring network in the Netherlands is designed to detect and track increased radiation levels, dose rate more specifically, in 10-minute intervals. The network consists of 153 monitoring stations. Washout of radon progeny by rainfall is the most important cause of natural variations in dose rate. The increase in dose rate at a given time is a function of the amount of progeny decaying, which in turn is a balance between deposition of progeny by rainfall and radioactive decay. The increase in progeny is closely related to average rainfall intensity over the last 2.5h. We included decay of progeny by using weighted averaged rainfall intensity, where the weight decreases back in time. The decrease in weight is related to the half-life of radon progeny. In this paper we show for a rainstorm on the 20th of July 2007 that weighted averaged rainfall intensity estimated from rainfall radar images, collected every 5min, performs much better as a predictor of increases in dose rate than using the non-averaged rainfall intensity. In addition, we show through cross-validation that including weighted averaged rainfall intensity in an interpolated map using universal kriging (UK) does not necessarily lead to a more accurate map. This might be attributed to the high density of monitoring stations in comparison to the spatial extent of a typical rain event. Reducing the network density improved the accuracy of the map when universal kriging was used instead of ordinary kriging (no trend). Consequently, in a less dense network the positive influence of including a trend is likely to increase. Furthermore, we suspect that UK better reproduces the sharp boundaries present in rainfall maps, but that the lack of short-distance monitoring station pairs prevents cross-validation from revealing this effect. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Method for concentration determination of mineral-oil fog in the air of workplace].

PubMed

Xu, Min; Zhang, Yu-Zeng; Liu, Shi-Feng

2008-05-01

To study the method of concentration determination of mineral-oil fog in the air of workplace. Four filter films such as synthetic fabric filter film, beta glass fiber filter film, chronic filter paper and microporous film were used in this study. Two kinds of dust samplers were used to collect the sample, one sampling at fast flow rate in a short time and the other sampling at slow flow rate with long duration. Subsequently, the filter membrane was weighed with electronic analytical balance. According to sampling efficiency and incremental size, the adsorbent ability of four different filter membranes was compared. When the flow rate was between 10 approximately 20 L/min and the sampling time was between 10 approximately 15 min, the average sampling efficiency of synthetic fabric filter film was 95.61% and the increased weight ranged from 0.87 to 2.60 mg. When the flow rate was between 10 approximately 20 L/min and sampling time was between 10 approximately 15 min, the average sampling efficiency of beta glass fiber filter film was 97.57% and the increased weight was 0.75 approximately 2.47 mg. When the flow rate was between 5 approximately 10 L/min and the sampling time between 10 approximately 20 min, the average sampling efficiency of chronic filter paper and microporous film was 48.94% and 63.15%, respectively and the increased weight was 0.75 approximately 2.15 mg and 0.23 approximately 0.85 mg, respectively. When the flow rate was 3.5 L/min and the sampling time was between 100 approximately 166 min, the average sampling efficiency of filter film were 94.44% and 93.45%, respectively and the average increased weight was 1.28 mg for beta glass fiber filter film and 0.78 mg for beta glass fiber filter film and synthetic fabric synthetic fabric filter film. The average sampling efficiency of chronic filter paper and microporous film were 37.65% and 88.21%, respectively. The average increased weight was 4.30 mg and 1.23 mg, respectively. Sampling with synthetic fabric filter film and beta glass fiber filter film is credible, accurate, simple and feasible for determination of the concentration of mineral-oil fog in workplaces.

Calcium, potassium, and sodium content of forest floor arthropods

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

Reichle, D.E.; Shanks, M.H.; Crossley, D.A. Jr.

1969-01-01

Whole-body nutrient composition of calcium, potassium, and sodium is documented for 37 species of forest floor arthropods. Sodium concentrations averaging 4.6 mg Na/g ash-free dry weight, and potassium concentrations averaging 6.2 mg K/g ash-free dry weight were relatively consistent within and among major taxonomic categories. Calcium content varied from 0.3 to 509.8 mg Ca/g ash-free dry weight, with highest values associated with Diplopoda and related species possessing highly calcified exoskeletons. Within-species variation in chemical composition often exceeded seasonal fluctuations, although several species exhibited significant temporal changes in whole-body nutrient composition of calcium, potassium, and sodium. 9 references, 3 tables.

Comparison of weighted and unweighted network analysis in the case of a pig trade network in Northern Germany.

PubMed

Büttner, Kathrin; Krieter, Joachim

2018-08-01

The analysis of trade networks as well as the spread of diseases within these systems focuses mainly on pure animal movements between farms. However, additional data included as edge weights can complement the informational content of the network analysis. However, the inclusion of edge weights can also alter the outcome of the network analysis. Thus, the aim of the study was to compare unweighted and weighted network analyses of a pork supply chain in Northern Germany and to evaluate the impact on the centrality parameters. Five different weighted network versions were constructed by adding the following edge weights: number of trade contacts, number of delivered livestock, average number of delivered livestock per trade contact, geographical distance and reciprocal geographical distance. Additionally, two different edge weight standardizations were used. The network observed from 2013 to 2014 contained 678 farms which were connected by 1,018 edges. General network characteristics including shortest path structure (e.g. identical shortest paths, shortest path lengths) as well as centrality parameters for each network version were calculated. Furthermore, the targeted and the random removal of farms were performed in order to evaluate the structural changes in the networks. All network versions and edge weight standardizations revealed the same number of shortest paths (1,935). Between 94.4 to 98.9% of the unweighted network and the weighted network versions were identical. Furthermore, depending on the calculated centrality parameters and the edge weight standardization used, it could be shown that the weighted network versions differed from the unweighted network (e.g. for the centrality parameters based on ingoing trade contacts) or did not differ (e.g. for the centrality parameters based on the outgoing trade contacts) with regard to the Spearman Rank Correlation and the targeted removal of farms. The choice of standardization method as well as the inclusion or exclusion of specific farm types (e.g. abattoirs) can alter the results significantly. These facts have to be considered when centrality parameters are to be used for the implementation of prevention and control strategies in the case of an epidemic. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crop yield and light/energy efficiency in a closed ecological system: Laboratory Biosphere experiments with wheat and sweet potato.

PubMed

Nelson, M; Dempster, W F; Silverstone, S; Alling, A; Allen, J P; van Thillo, M

2005-01-01

Two crop growth experiments in the soil-based closed ecological facility, Laboratory Biosphere, were conducted from 2003 to 2004 with candidate space life support crops. Apogee wheat (Utah State University variety) was grown, planted at two densities, 400 and 800 seeds m-2. The lighting regime for the wheat crop was 16 h of light-8 h dark at a total light intensity of around 840 micromoles m-2 s-1 and 48.4 mol m-2 d-1 over 84 days. Average biomass was 1395 g m-2, 16.0 g m-2 d-1 and average seed production was 689 g m-2 and 7.9 g m-2 d-1. The less densely planted side was more productive than the denser planting, with 1634 g m-2 and 18.8 g m-2 d-1 of biomass vs. 1156 g m-2 and 13.3 g m-2 d-1; and a seed harvest of 812.3 g m-2 and 9.3 g m-2 d-1 vs. 566.5 g m-2 and 6.5 g m-2 d-1. Harvest index was 0.49 for the wheat crop. The experiment with sweet potato used TU-82-155 a compact variety developed at Tuskegee University. Light during the sweet potato experiment, on a 18 h on/6 h dark cycle, totaled 5568 total moles of light per square meter in 126 days for the sweet potatoes, or an average of 44.2 mol m-2 d-1. Temperature regime was 28 +/- 3 degrees C day/22 +/- 4 degrees C night. Sweet potato tuber yield was 39.7 kg wet weight, or an average of 7.4 kg m-2, and 7.7 kg dry weight of tubers since dry weight was about 18.6% wet weight. Average per day production was 58.7 g m-2 d-1 wet weight and 11.3 g m-2 d-1. For the wheat, average light efficiency was 0.34 g biomass per mole, and 0.17 g seed per mole. The best area of wheat had an efficiency of light utilization of 0.51 g biomass per mole and 0.22 g seed per mole. For the sweet potato crop, light efficiency per tuber wet weight was 1.33 g mol-1 and 0.34 g dry weight of tuber per mole of light. The best area of tuber production had 1.77 g mol-1 wet weight and 0.34 g mol-1 of light dry weight. The Laboratory Biosphere experiment's light efficiency was somewhat higher than the USU field results but somewhat below greenhouse trials at comparable light levels, and the best portion of the crop at 0.22 g mol-1 was in-between those values. Sweet potato production was overall close to 50% higher than trials using hydroponic methods with TU-82-155 at NASA JSC. Compared to projected yields for the Mars on Earth life support system, these wheat yields were about 15% higher, and the sweet potato yields averaged over 80% higher. c2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

9 CFR 201.100 - Records to be furnished poultry growers and sellers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... growers and sellers. 201.100 Section 201.100 Animals and Animal Products GRAIN INSPECTION, PACKERS AND... method used to convert condemnations to live weight; (iv) The per unit charges for feed and other inputs... weight and the average weight of the birds, and the payment per pound. (e) Condemnation and grading...

9 CFR 201.100 - Records to be furnished poultry growers and sellers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... growers and sellers. 201.100 Section 201.100 Animals and Animal Products GRAIN INSPECTION, PACKERS AND... method used to convert condemnations to live weight; (iv) The per unit charges for feed and other inputs... weight and the average weight of the birds, and the payment per pound. (e) Condemnation and grading...

40 CFR 86.087-2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... vehicle weight equal to or less than 3,750 lbs (LDDT1s) together in the particulate averaging program... light-duty truck production for those engine families with a loaded vehicle weight equal to or less than... light-duty truck particulate standard for diesel light-duty trucks with a loaded vehicle weight equal to...

A Comparison of Stimulus Control and Reinforcement Techniques for Weight Reduction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Mary B.; Collins, Grace

This study compares three six-week programs for weight control that were followed by several booster sessions and a 15-week followup. Although subjects in all programs showed significant weight losses (an average of 8.1 pounds for the 22 weeks), no significant differences between groups emphasizing stimulus control, reinforcement or general…

A Behavioral Weight Reduction Model for Moderately Mentally Retarded Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rotatori, Anthony F.; And Others

1980-01-01

A behavioral weight reduction treatment and maintenance program for moderately mentally retarded adolescents which involves six phases from background information collection to followup relies on stimulus control procedures to modify eating behaviors. Data from pilot studies show an average weekly weight loss of .5 to 1 pound per S. (CL)

Power Allocation Based on Data Classification in Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Wang, Houlian; Zhou, Gongbo

2017-01-01

Limited node energy in wireless sensor networks is a crucial factor which affects the monitoring of equipment operation and working conditions in coal mines. In addition, due to heterogeneous nodes and different data acquisition rates, the number of arriving packets in a queue network can differ, which may lead to some queue lengths reaching the maximum value earlier compared with others. In order to tackle these two problems, an optimal power allocation strategy based on classified data is proposed in this paper. Arriving data is classified into dissimilar classes depending on the number of arriving packets. The problem is formulated as a Lyapunov drift optimization with the objective of minimizing the weight sum of average power consumption and average data class. As a result, a suboptimal distributed algorithm without any knowledge of system statistics is presented. The simulations, conducted in the perfect channel state information (CSI) case and the imperfect CSI case, reveal that the utility can be pushed arbitrarily close to optimal by increasing the parameter V, but with a corresponding growth in the average delay, and that other tunable parameters W and the classification method in the interior of utility function can trade power optimality for increased average data class. The above results show that data in a high class has priorities to be processed than data in a low class, and energy consumption can be minimized in this resource allocation strategy. PMID:28498346

Soft learning vector quantization and clustering algorithms based on ordered weighted aggregation operators.

PubMed

Karayiannis, N B

2000-01-01

This paper presents the development and investigates the properties of ordered weighted learning vector quantization (LVQ) and clustering algorithms. These algorithms are developed by using gradient descent to minimize reformulation functions based on aggregation operators. An axiomatic approach provides conditions for selecting aggregation operators that lead to admissible reformulation functions. Minimization of admissible reformulation functions based on ordered weighted aggregation operators produces a family of soft LVQ and clustering algorithms, which includes fuzzy LVQ and clustering algorithms as special cases. The proposed LVQ and clustering algorithms are used to perform segmentation of magnetic resonance (MR) images of the brain. The diagnostic value of the segmented MR images provides the basis for evaluating a variety of ordered weighted LVQ and clustering algorithms.

Delayed onset of weanling diarrhoea associated with high breast milk intake.

PubMed

Watkinson, M

1981-01-01

In a West African community where breast feeding was practised universally for 18 to 24 months infants with the higher breast milk intakes were given supplementary foods later than others. Although 66% of infants had diarrhoea before the introduction of these foods, it was generally mild and only 12% suffered diarrhoea-induced weight loss in this pre-weaning period. By the end of infancy, all children had had diarrhoea and 89% had suffered weight loss in one or more attacks. As the bulk of diarrhoeal morbidity occurred after weaning had started, children with the higher breast milk intakes tended to be older before losing weight with diarrhoea. By one year, children with a higher than average breast milk intake and with no diarrhoea-induced weight loss in the first half of infancy weighed an average of 1 kg more than those with low breast milk intakes and early weight loss with diarrhoea. Interventions which improve or maintain maternal lactation performance should not only increase the nutrient intake of an infant, but also delay the almost inevitable weight loss of weanling diarrhoea.

Shared medical appointments: promoting weight loss in a clinical setting.

PubMed

Palaniappan, Latha P; Muzaffar, Amy L; Wang, Elsie J; Wong, Eric C; Orchard, Trevor J

2011-01-01

Shared medical appointments (SMAs) are 90-minute group appointments for patients with similar medical complaints. SMAs include components of a traditional office visit but provide further emphasis on health education. The effectiveness of SMAs on weight-loss in an outpatient setting has not been studied. Weight-loss SMAs were offered by one physician at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Teaching content included Diabetes Prevention Program materials. This analysis includes patients who attended at least one SMA (n = 74) compared with patients in the same physician's practice who had at least one office visit and a body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m(2) (n = 356). The SMA group had a higher proportion of women than the comparison group (76% vs 64%) and were older (mean, 52.4 years; SD, 13.1 years vs mean, 47.0 years; SD, 13.3 years). SMA patients on average lost 1.0% of their baseline weight. Patients in the comparison group on average gained 0.8% of their baseline weight. SMAs may be a viable option for physicians to promote weight loss in the clinical setting.

STOCK Market Differences in Correlation-Based Weighted Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youn, Janghyuk; Lee, Junghoon; Chang, Woojin

We examined the sector dynamics of Korean stock market in relation to the market volatility. The daily price data of 360 stocks for 5019 trading days (from January, 1990 to August, 2008) in Korean stock market are used. We performed the weighted network analysis and employed four measures: the average, the variance, the intensity, and the coherence of network weights (absolute values of stock return correlations) to investigate the network structure of Korean stock market. We performed regression analysis using the four measures in the seven major industry sectors and the market (seven sectors combined). We found that the average, the intensity, and the coherence of sector (subnetwork) weights increase as market becomes volatile. Except for the "Financials" sector, the variance of sector weights also grows as market volatility increases. Based on the four measures, we can categorize "Financials," "Information Technology" and "Industrials" sectors into one group, and "Materials" and "Consumer Discretionary" sectors into another group. We investigated the distributions of intrasector and intersector weights for each sector and found the differences in "Financials" sector are most distinct.

Application of sensitivity analysis for assessment of de-desertification alternatives in the central Iran by using Triantaphyllou method.

PubMed

Sadeghi Ravesh, Mohammad Hassan; Ahmadi, Hassan; Zehtabian, Gholamreza

2011-08-01

Desertification, land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid regions, is a global environmental problem. With respect to increasing importance of desertification and its complexity, the necessity of attention to the optimal de-desertification alternatives is essential. Therefore, this work presents an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method to objectively select the optimal de-desertification alternatives based on the results of interviews with experts in Khezr Abad region, central Iran as the case study. This model was used in Yazd Khezr Abad region to evaluate the efficiency in presentation of better alternatives related to personal and environmental situations. Obtained results indicate that the criterion "proportion and adaptation to the environment" with the weighted average of 33.6% is the most important criterion from experts viewpoints. While prevention alternatives of land usage unsuitable of reveres and conversion with 22.88% mean weight and vegetation cover development and reclamation with 21.9% mean weight are recognized ordinarily as the most important de-desertification alternatives in region. Finally, sensitivity analysis is performed in detail by varying the objective factor decision weight, the priority weight of subjective factors, and the gain factors. After the fulfillment of sensitivity analysis and determination of the most sensitive criteria and alternatives, the former classification and ranking of alternatives does not change so much, and it was observed that unsuitable land use alternative with the preference degree of 22.7% was still in the first order of priority. The final priority of livestock grazing control alternative was replaced with the alternative of modification of ground water harvesting.

Interpreting Bivariate Regression Coefficients: Going beyond the Average

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halcoussis, Dennis; Phillips, G. Michael

2010-01-01

Statistics, econometrics, investment analysis, and data analysis classes often review the calculation of several types of averages, including the arithmetic mean, geometric mean, harmonic mean, and various weighted averages. This note shows how each of these can be computed using a basic regression framework. By recognizing when a regression model…

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...

24 CFR 51.106 - Implementation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... day-night average sound level data are not available may be evaluated from NEF or CNEL analyses using.... The day-night average sound level may be estimated from the design hour L10 or Leq values by the.... The Department of Defense uses day-night average sound level based on C-weighted sound level...

Niche evolution and adaptive radiation: Testing the order of trait divergence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ackerly, D.D.; Schwilk, D.W.; Webb, C.O.

2006-01-01

In the course of an adaptive radiation, the evolution of niche parameters is of particular interest for understanding modes of speciation and the consequences for coexistence of related species within communities. We pose a general question: In the course of an evolutionary radiation, do traits related to within-community niche differences (?? niche) evolve before or after differentiation of macrohabitat affinity or climatic tolerances (?? niche)? Here we introduce a new test to address this question, based on a modification of the method of independent contrasts. The divergence order test (DOT) is based on the average age of the nodes on a tree, weighted by the absolute magnitude of the contrast at each node for a particular trait. The comparison of these weighted averages reveals whether large divergences for one trait have occurred earlier or later in the course of diversification, relative to a second trait; significance is determined by bootstrapping from maximum-likelihood ancestral state reconstructions. The method is applied to the evolution of Ceanothus, a woody plant group in California, in which co-occurring species exhibit significant differences in a key leaf trait (specific leaf area) associated with contrasting physiological and life history strategies. Co-occurring species differ more for this trait than expected under a null model of community assembly. This ?? niche difference evolved early in the divergence of two major subclades within Ceanothus, whereas climatic distributions (?? niche traits) diversified later within each of the subclades. However, rapid evolution of climate parameters makes inferences of early divergence events highly uncertain, and differentiation of the ?? niche might have taken place throughout the evolution of the group, without leaving a clear phylogenetic signal. Similar patterns observed in several plant and animal groups suggest that early divergence of ?? niche traits might be a common feature of niche evolution in many adaptive radiations. ?? 2006 by the Ecological Society of America.

A review of the feasibility of lightening structural polymeric composites with voids without compromising mechanical properties.

PubMed

Rutz, Benjamin H; Berg, John C

2010-10-15

High performance polymer-fiber composites are high strength, low weight materials that have many applications, many of which would benefit from a decrease in weight, without a decrease in material properties. Generally, the fibers serve as the main load carriers, while the matrix serves to distribute load and protect the fibers from the environment. Thus, it is postulated that if the volume fraction of matrix is reduced, while still ensuring complete wetting of the fibers by the matrix, the per unit weight, i.e., specific, mechanical properties could be improved. This can be done by introducing small, spherical bubbles. Given the small average inter-fiber distance and assuming that the bubbles must not interact with the surface of the reinforcements the bubble diameter would need to be less than 1 μm. Introducing bubbles this small and ensuring that they do not form, or become attached, on the surface of the reinforcement are significant challenges. Two methods to produce such bubbles and the effect of these bubbles on mechanical properties of neat resins are reviewed: the addition of hollow spherical fillers, called microballoons, and the creation of bubbles from blowing agents. Microballoons in resins are a class of materials called syntactic foams. Although commercial microballoons are too large, smaller diameters can be made and could be used to reduce the weight of a reinforced composite on the order of 10%. The use of a physical blowing agent to produce bubbles in a composite is also considered. However, traditional polymer foaming techniques may be inadequate, as nucleation on the reinforcing phase is likely, and the bubbles formed are generally too large, so the use of blowing agent wells is considered. Blowing agent wells are discontinuous regions made from copolymer micelles or immiscible polymers that act as reservoirs of blowing agent. Additionally, the use of nano-sized materials for use as heterogeneous nucleation sites and secondary reinforcement of the matrix is also considered. Bubbles made from blowing agent could reduce the weight slightly more than using hollow spheres, but the reduction would also be of the order of 10%. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gamma-Weighted Discrete Ordinate Two-Stream Approximation for Computation of Domain Averaged Solar Irradiance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kato, S.; Smith, G. L.; Barker, H. W.

2001-01-01

An algorithm is developed for the gamma-weighted discrete ordinate two-stream approximation that computes profiles of domain-averaged shortwave irradiances for horizontally inhomogeneous cloudy atmospheres. The algorithm assumes that frequency distributions of cloud optical depth at unresolved scales can be represented by a gamma distribution though it neglects net horizontal transport of radiation. This algorithm is an alternative to the one used in earlier studies that adopted the adding method. At present, only overcast cloudy layers are permitted.

Residues of organochlorine pesticides, mercury, and PCB's in mourning doves from eastern United States--1970-71

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kreitzer, J.F.

1974-01-01

Mourning dove (Zenaidura macroura) breast muscle samples from birds collected in 1970-71 from Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida were found to contain residues of DDT, DDE, DDD, polychlorinated biphenyls, dieldrin, mirex, mercury, and heptachlor epoxide in amounts not considered hazardous to consumers, human or nonhuman. There were 145 birds involved, 7 to 10 from each State. Residues of DDT plus DDE plus DDD averaged 5.83 ppm lipid weight (0.068 ppm wet weight); those of PCB's, 9.75 ppm lipid weight (0.121 ppm wet weight); compounds were found in all birds. Heptachlor epoxide and dieldrin were found in little more than trace amounts: heptachlor in all birds, dieldrin in 73. Mirex was found only in birds from South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, averaging 4.32 ppm lipid weight (0.046 ppm wet weight) in eight birds. Less than 0.05 ppm (wet weight) mercury was found in all birds except 10, in which it ranged from 0.07 to 0.67 ppm. The 10 were from Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama.

Molecular weight, polydispersity, and spectroscopic properties of aquatic humic substances

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chin, Y.-P.; Aiken, G.; O'Loughlin, E.

1994-01-01

The number- and weight-averaged molecular weights of a number of aquatic fulvic acids, a commercial humic acid, and unfractionated organic matter from four natural water samples were measured by high-pressure size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). Molecular weights determined in this manner compared favorably with those values reported in the literature. Both recent literature values and our data indicate that these substances are smaller and less polydisperse than previously believed. Moreover, the molecular weights of the organic matter from three of the four natural water samples compared favorably to the fulvic acid samples extracted from similar environments. Bulk spectroscopic properties of the fulvic substances such as molar absorptivity at 280 nm and the E4/E6 ratio were also measured. A strong correlation was observed between molar absorptivity, total aromaticity, and the weight average molecular weights of all the humic substances. This observation suggests that bulk spectroscopic properties can be used to quickly estimate the size of humic substances and their aromatic contents. Both parameters are important with respect to understanding humic substance mobility and their propensity to react with both organic and inorganic pollutants. ?? 1994 American Chemical Society.

Relationships between maternal engorgement weight and the number, size, and fat content of larval Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ginsberg, Howard; Lee, Chong; Volson, Barry; Dyer, Megan C.; LeBrun, Roger A.

2017-01-01

The relationship between engorgement weight of female Ixodes scapularis Say and characteristics of offspring was studied using field-collected females fed on rabbits in the laboratory. The number of eggs laid was positively related to maternal engorgement weight in one trial, and larval size (estimated by scutal area) was positively related to maternal engorgement weight in the other. These results suggest a trade-off in number of eggs produced versus average size of offspring, possibly determined during late engorgement. The adults for the two trials were collected from different sites in southern Rhode Island and in different seasons (the fall adults were newly emerged, while the spring adults had presumably lived through the winter), so it is not clear whether these results reflect genetic differences or subtle environmental differences between trials. Percent egg hatch and average fat content of larvae were not related to female engorgement weight. We present a modified method to measure lipid content of pooled larval ticks.

Changes in fat distribution (WHR) and body weight across the menstrual cycle.

PubMed

Kirchengast, S; Gartner, M

2002-12-01

The aim of the present study was to analyze changes of the body weight and waist-to-hip ratio during menstrual cycle, with special respect to changes around ovulation. 32 healthy young women ranging in age between 19 and 30 years (X = 23.5) were enrolled in the study. Beside a basal anthropometric investigation (stature, weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, fat percentage, waist to hip ratio) the probands were instructed to take body weight, waist and hip circumference and basal body temperature every morning by themselves over a whole cycle. Three proband groups according to cycle length (average, short and long) were defined and eight hormonal contraceptive users served as controls. It turned out that body weight increased only slightly during the second cycle half in all proband groups. A marked decrease of WHR around the time of ovulation was found in the proband group who exhibited average cycle length and a successful ovulation could be assumed. Evolutionary and physiological explanations are discussed.

The Effect of Crude Protein Content on Meat and Fat Production in Sheep

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mawati, S.; Restitrisnani, V.; Soedarsono

2018-02-01

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of crude protein (CP) content on meat protein and fat production in sheep. Twenty four male thin tail sheep aged 6-7 months with average body weight of 13±1.56 kg were used in this study. The sheep were fed 10-14% CP. Sheep with the average body weight amount 16.75 kg were slaughter after 4 months rising. Parameters observed in this study were carcass weight, meat weight and fat weight of thin tail sheep. The data were analyzed using correlation analysis. The result of this study showed that CP content on diet had weak and negative correlation with meat production (r = -0.06) (y = -0.148x + 62.54) but had weak and possitive correlation with fat production (r = 0.3) (y = 0.807x2 -18.40x + 119.1). Based on the result, it can be concluded that the optimum CP content for sheep is 12.5% CP.

Three-Dimensional High-Order Spectral Volume Method for Solving Maxwell's Equations on Unstructured Grids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Yen; Vinokur, Marcel; Wang, Z. J.

2004-01-01

A three-dimensional, high-order, conservative, and efficient discontinuous spectral volume (SV) method for the solutions of Maxwell's equations on unstructured grids is presented. The concept of discontinuous 2nd high-order loca1 representations to achieve conservation and high accuracy is utilized in a manner similar to the Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method, but instead of using a Galerkin finite-element formulation, the SV method is based on a finite-volume approach to attain a simpler formulation. Conventional unstructured finite-volume methods require data reconstruction based on the least-squares formulation using neighboring cell data. Since each unknown employs a different stencil, one must repeat the least-squares inversion for every cell at each time step, or to store the inversion coefficients. In a high-order, three-dimensional computation, the former would involve impractically large CPU time, while for the latter the memory requirement becomes prohibitive. In the SV method, one starts with a relatively coarse grid of triangles or tetrahedra, called spectral volumes (SVs), and partition each SV into a number of structured subcells, called control volumes (CVs), that support a polynomial expansion of a desired degree of precision. The unknowns are cell averages over CVs. If all the SVs are partitioned in a geometrically similar manner, the reconstruction becomes universal as a weighted sum of unknowns, and only a few universal coefficients need to be stored for the surface integrals over CV faces. Since the solution is discontinuous across the SV boundaries, a Riemann solver is thus necessary to maintain conservation. In the paper, multi-parameter and symmetric SV partitions, up to quartic for triangle and cubic for tetrahedron, are first presented. The corresponding weight coefficients for CV face integrals in terms of CV cell averages for each partition are analytically determined. These discretization formulas are then applied to the integral form of the Maxwell equations. All numerical procedures for outer boundary, material interface, zonal interface, and interior SV face are unified with a single characteristic formulation. The load balancing in a massive parallel computing environment is therefore easier to achieve. A parameter is introduced in the Riemann solver to control the strength of the smoothing term. Important aspects of the data structure and its effects to communication and the optimum use of cache memory are discussed. Results will be presented for plane TE and TM waves incident on a perfectly conducting cylinder for up to fifth order of accuracy, and a plane wave incident on a perfectly conducting sphere for up to fourth order of accuracy. Comparisons are made with exact solutions for these cases.

19 CFR 146.92 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... utilizing T.D. 66-16 (see § 146.92(h)), and which takes into account any volumetric loss or gain. (d) Final... been separated into two or more final products. (k) Weighted average. “Weighted average” means the...

19 CFR 146.92 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... utilizing T.D. 66-16 (see § 146.92(h)), and which takes into account any volumetric loss or gain. (d) Final... been separated into two or more final products. (k) Weighted average. “Weighted average” means the...

19 CFR 146.92 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... utilizing T.D. 66-16 (see § 146.92(h)), and which takes into account any volumetric loss or gain. (d) Final... been separated into two or more final products. (k) Weighted average. “Weighted average” means the...

19 CFR 146.92 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... utilizing T.D. 66-16 (see § 146.92(h)), and which takes into account any volumetric loss or gain. (d) Final... been separated into two or more final products. (k) Weighted average. “Weighted average” means the...

19 CFR 146.92 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... utilizing T.D. 66-16 (see § 146.92(h)), and which takes into account any volumetric loss or gain. (d) Final... been separated into two or more final products. (k) Weighted average. “Weighted average” means the...

Noise-induced annoyance from transportation noise: short-term responses to a single noise source in a laboratory.

PubMed

Kim, Jaehwan; Lim, Changwoo; Hong, Jiyoung; Lee, Soogab

2010-02-01

An experimental study was performed to compare the annoyances from civil-aircraft noise, military-aircraft noise, railway noise, and road-traffic noise. Two-way within-subjects designs were applied in this research. Fifty-two subjects, who were naive listeners, were given various stimuli with varying levels through a headphone in an anechoic chamber. Regardless of the frequency weighting network, even under the same average energy level, civil-aircraft noise was the most annoying, followed by military-aircraft noise, railway noise, and road-traffic noise. In particular, penalties in the time-averaged, A-weighted sound level (TAL) of about 8, 5, and 5 dB, respectively, were found in the civil-aircraft, military-aircraft, and railway noises. The reason could be clarified through the high-frequency component and the variability in the level. When people were exposed to sounds with the same maximum A-weighted level, a railway bonus of about 3 dB was found. However, transportation noise has been evaluated by the time-averaged A-weighted level in most countries. Therefore, in the present situation, the railway bonus is not acceptable for railway vehicles with diesel-electric engines.

The association of change in physical activity and body weight in the regulation of total energy expenditure.

PubMed

Drenowatz, C; Hill, J O; Peters, J C; Soriano-Maldonado, A; Blair, S N

2017-03-01

The limited success in addressing the current obesity epidemic reflects the insufficient understanding of the regulation of energy balance. The present study examines the longitudinal association of body weight with physical activity (PA), total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and total daily energy intake (TDEI). A total of 195 adults (52% male) between 21 and 35 years of age with no intention for weight loss were followed over a 2-year period. Body weight, fat mass and fat-free mass were measured every 3 months. Participants were stratified into three groups based on change in body weight using a 5% cutpoint. TDEE and time spent in different PA intensities were determined via a multisensor device at each measurement time. TDEI was calculated based on change in body composition and TDEE. At 2-year follow-up, 57% of the participants maintained weight, 14% lost weight and 29% gained weight. Average weight change was -6.9±3.4 and 7.1±3.6 kg in the weight-loss and weight-gain groups, respectively. Average TDEE and TDEI did not change significantly in any weight change group (P>0.16). Moderate-to-vigorous PA, however, increased significantly in the weight-loss group (35±49 min/day; P<0.01) and decreased in the weight-gain group (-35±46 min/day; P<0.01). Results of this observational study indicate an inverse association between body weight and PA to maintain a stable TDEE and allow for a stable TDEI over time. Sufficient PA levels, therefore, are an important contributor to weight loss maintenance.

[Study the impacts of diagnosis on occupational noise-induced deafness after bring into the different high frequency hearing threshold weighted value].

PubMed

Xue, L J; Yang, A C; Chen, H; Huang, W X; Guo, J J; Liang, X Y; Chen, Z Q; Zheng, Q L

2017-11-20

Objective: Study of the results and the degree on occupational noise-induced deafness in-to the different high frequency hearing threshold weighted value, in order to provide theoretical basis for the re-vision of diagnostic criteria on occupational noise-induced deafness. Methods: A retrospective study was con-ducted to investigate the cases on the diagnosis of occupational noise-induced deafness in Guangdong province hospital for occupational disease prevention and treatment from January 2016 to January 2017. Based on the re-sults of the 3 hearing test for each test interval greater than 3 days in the hospital, the best threshold of each frequency was obtained, and based on the diagnostic criteria of occupational noise deafness in 2007 edition, Chi square test, t test and variance analysis were used to measure SPSS21.0 data, their differences are tested among the means of speech frequency and the high frequency weighted value into different age group, noise ex-posure group, and diagnostic classification between different dimensions. Results: 1. There were totally 168 cases in accordance with the study plan, male 154 cases, female 14 cases, the average age was 41.18 ±6.07 years old. 2. The diagnosis rate was increased into the weighted value of different high frequency than the mean value of pure speech frequency, the weighted 4 kHz frequency increased by 13.69% (χ(2)=9.880, P =0.002) , 6 kHz increased by 15.47% (χ(2)=9.985, P =0.002) and 4 kHz+6 kHz increased by15.47% (χ(2)=9.985, P =0.002) , the difference was statistically significant. The diagnostic rate of different high threshold had no obvious differ-ence between the genders. 3. The age groups were divided into less than or equal to 40years old group (A group) and 40-50 years old group (group B) , there were higher the diagnostic rate between high frequency weighted 4 kHz (A group χ(2)=3.380, P =0.050; B group χ(2)=4.054, P =0.032) , weighted 6 kHz (A group χ(2)=6.362, P =0.012; B group χ(2)=4.054, P =0.032) , high frequency weighted 4 kHz+6 kHz (A group χ(2)=6.362, P =0.012; B group χ(2)=4.054, P =0.032) than those of speech frequency average value in the same group on oc-cupational noise-induced deafness diagnosis rate, the difference was statistically significant. There was no sig-nificant difference between age groups (χ(2)=2.265, P =0.944) . 4. The better ear's mean value of pure speech fre-quency and the weighted values into different high frequency of working years on each group were compared, working years more than 10 years group was significantly higher than that of average thresholds of each frequen-cy band in 3-5 group ( F =2.271, P =0.001) , 6-10 group ( F =1.563, P =0.046) , the difference was statistically significant. The different high frequency weighted values were higher than those of the mean value of pure speech frequency, and the high frequency weighted 4 kHz+6 kHz had the highest frequency difference, with an average increase of 2.83 dB. 5. The diagnostic rate into weighted different high frequency was higher in the mild, moderate and severe grades than in the pure speech frequency. In the comparison of diagnosis for mild occupational noise-induced deafness, in addition to the weighted 3 kHz high frequency (χ(2)=3.117, P =0.077) had no significant difference, the weighted 4 kHz (χ(2)=10.835, P =0.001) , 6 kHz (χ(2)=9.985, P =0.002) , 3 kHz+4 kHz (χ(2)=6.315, P =0.012) , 3 kHz+6 kHz (χ(2)=6.315, P =0.012) , 4 kHz+6 kHz (χ(2)=9.985, P =0.002) , 3 kHz+4 kHz+6 kHz (χ(2)=7.667, P =0.002) were significantly higher than the diagnosis rate of the mean value of pure speech frequency. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the moderate and se-vere grades ( P >0.05) . Conclusion: Bring into different high frequency hearing threshold weighted value in-creases the diagnostic rate of occupational noise-induced deafness, the weighted 4 kHz, 6 kHz and 4 kHz+ 6 kHz high frequency value affects the result greatly, and the weighted 4 kHz+6 kHz high frequency hearing threshold value is maximum the effect on occupational noise-induced deafness diagnosis.

Monoterpene concentrations in fresh, senescent, and decaying foliage of singleleaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frem.: Pinaceae) from the western Great Basin.

PubMed

Wilt, F M; Miller, G C; Everett, R L; Hackett, M

1993-02-01

Senescent foliage from pines is potentially a large contributor to the total monoterpene content of the litter layer, and the availability of these compounds as phytotoxins may result from release of these compounds into the vapor phase. In order to determine the fate of several monoterpene hydrocarbons in the natural environment, we examined their concentrations in fresh, senescent, and decaying needles from 32 single-leaf pinyon pine (Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frem.: Pinaceae) trees growing at two different locations. Total monoterpene content was highest in the fresh needles (mean=5.6 ± 2.2 mg/g extracted air dry weight), but also remained relatively high in senescent needles (mean=3.6 ±1.8 mg/g extracted air dry weight), either still attached to the tree or forming the freshest layer of understory litter. Decaying needles within a dark decomposing layer of litter material 5-20 cm from the surface were found to contain much lower amounts of total monoterpenes (average: =0.12 ±0.06 mg/g extracted air dry weight). Further investigation of the fate of these compounds in the pinyon understory is required to determine if these hydrocarbons are indeed exerting phytotoxic characteristics.

Synthesis and Characterization of Graft Copolymers Poly(isoprene-g-styrene) of High Molecular Weight by a Combination of Anionic Polymerization and Emulsion Polymerization

DOE PAGES

Wang, Wenwen; Wang, Weiyu; Li, Hui; ...

2015-01-14

In this study, high molecular weight “comb-shaped” graft copolymers, poly(isoprene-g-styrene), with polyisoprene as the backbone and polystyrene as side chains, were synthesized via free radical emulsion polymerization by copolymerization of isoprene with a polystyrene macromonomer synthesized using anionic polymerization. A small amount of toluene was used in order to successfully disperse the macromonomer. Both a redox and thermal initiation system were used in the emulsion polymerization, and the latex particle size and distribution were investigated by dynamic light scattering. The structural characteristics of the macromonomer and comb graft copolymers were investigated through use of size exclusion chromatography, spectroscopy, microscopy, thermalmore » analysis, and rheology. While the macromonomer was successfully copolymerized to obtain the desired multigraft copolymers, small amounts of unreacted macromonomer remained in the products, reflecting its reduced reactivity due to steric effects. Nevertheless, the multigraft copolymers obtained were very high in molecular weight (5–12 × 10 5 g/mol) and up to 10 branches per chain, on average, could be incorporated. A material incorporating 29 wt% polystyrene exhibits a disordered microphase separated morphology and elastomeric properties. As a result, these materials show promise as new, highly tunable, and potentially low cost thermoplastic elastomers.« less

a Fast Method for Measuring the Similarity Between 3d Model and 3d Point Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zongliang; Li, Jonathan; Li, Xin; Lin, Yangbin; Zhang, Shanxin; Wang, Cheng

2016-06-01

This paper proposes a fast method for measuring the partial Similarity between 3D Model and 3D point Cloud (SimMC). It is crucial to measure SimMC for many point cloud-related applications such as 3D object retrieval and inverse procedural modelling. In our proposed method, the surface area of model and the Distance from Model to point Cloud (DistMC) are exploited as measurements to calculate SimMC. Here, DistMC is defined as the weighted distance of the distances between points sampled from model and point cloud. Similarly, Distance from point Cloud to Model (DistCM) is defined as the average distance of the distances between points in point cloud and model. In order to reduce huge computational burdens brought by calculation of DistCM in some traditional methods, we define SimMC as the ratio of weighted surface area of model to DistMC. Compared to those traditional SimMC measuring methods that are only able to measure global similarity, our method is capable of measuring partial similarity by employing distance-weighted strategy. Moreover, our method is able to be faster than other partial similarity assessment methods. We demonstrate the superiority of our method both on synthetic data and laser scanning data.

An Improved Evidential-IOWA Sensor Data Fusion Approach in Fault Diagnosis

PubMed Central

Zhou, Deyun; Zhuang, Miaoyan; Fang, Xueyi; Xie, Chunhe

2017-01-01

As an important tool of information fusion, Dempster–Shafer evidence theory is widely applied in handling the uncertain information in fault diagnosis. However, an incorrect result may be obtained if the combined evidence is highly conflicting, which may leads to failure in locating the fault. To deal with the problem, an improved evidential-Induced Ordered Weighted Averaging (IOWA) sensor data fusion approach is proposed in the frame of Dempster–Shafer evidence theory. In the new method, the IOWA operator is used to determine the weight of different sensor data source, while determining the parameter of the IOWA, both the distance of evidence and the belief entropy are taken into consideration. First, based on the global distance of evidence and the global belief entropy, the α value of IOWA is obtained. Simultaneously, a weight vector is given based on the maximum entropy method model. Then, according to IOWA operator, the evidence are modified before applying the Dempster’s combination rule. The proposed method has a better performance in conflict management and fault diagnosis due to the fact that the information volume of each evidence is taken into consideration. A numerical example and a case study in fault diagnosis are presented to show the rationality and efficiency of the proposed method. PMID:28927017

Differences in energy expenditure, amount of physical activity and physical exertion level during a Zumba fitness class among adult women who are normal weight, overweight and obese.

PubMed

Yáñez-Sepúlveda, Rodrigo; Barraza-Gómez, Fernando; Báez-San Martin, Eduardo; Araneda, Oscar F; Zavala, Juan P; Hecht, Gernot K; Tuesta, Marcelo

2018-01-01

One of the most popular expressions of massive group classes of aerobic physical activity is Zumba fitness. The aim of the study was to compare and relate the energy expenditure and the amount and intensity of physical effort during a Zumba fitness class in women with different Body Mass Index (BMI). Body displacements of 61 adult women who performed a one-hour Zumba session were evaluated with triaxial accelerometers. In order to observe the effect of BMI women were divided into normal weight (N.=26), overweight (N.=21) and obese groups (N.=14). The average number of steps was 4533.3±1351 and the percentage of total class time of moderate to vigorous intensity (% MVPA) was 53.8±14.4%. The metabolic intensity average was 3.64±1.1 MET, with an energy expenditure by total body mass of 3.9±1.6 kcal/kg. When analyzing groups, the normal weight group had a greater number of steps (5184.2±1561.1 steps/class) compared to overweight (4244.8±1049.3 steps/class) and obese women (3756.9±685.7 steps/class) with P<0.05. Also, the normal weight group spent a lower percentage of class time at the lower levels of intensity (sedentary and lifestyle activity levels) and more time at the highest levels (vigorous and very vigorous) compared to obese women (P<0.05). Participants with a normal weight obtained a higher % MVPA (62.1±15%) compared to overweight (50.1±9.4%) and obese (44.1±11.9%) groups with P<0.05. A metabolic intensity of 4.6±1.9 MET in the normal weight group was higher compared to 3.5±1.0 MET in the overweight (P<0.05) and 3.1±1.2 MET in the obese group (P<0.05), was observed. The subjective perception of effort was 7.84±0.9 (Borg CR 10), no differences between groups. Also we observed in all participants that at higher BMI values, there were lower energy expenditure values per kilo of weight (r=-0.40; P<0.001), metabolic intensity (r=-0.39; P<0.001), step counts (r=-0.43; P<0.001) and % MVPA (r=-0.50; P<0.001). These results show that a higher BMI is associated with a lower intensity of effort, energy expenditure and amount of physical activity during a one-hour Zumba class, restricting to overweight and obese women to achieving the effort parameters recommended to control weight and improve cardiovascular fitness.

Developmental origins of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a case control study comparing birth weight in women with PCOS and control group.

PubMed

Sadrzadeh, Sheda; Painter, Rebecca C; Lambalk, Cornelis B

2016-10-01

Evidence from various epidemiological studies and experimental animal studies has linked adverse intrauterine circumstances with health problems in adult life. This field of investigation is known as Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). Studies investigating the relation between developing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adulthood and birth weight have yielded inconsistent results: PCOS is described more often in women with low birth weight and high birth weight, while other studies have failed to establish any relation. In this retrospective case-control study, we evaluated whether women diagnosed with PCOS had lower birth weight compared to women with a regular menstrual cycle (controls). Binary logistic regression models were used to analyze the data and correct for known confounders. About 65 women with PCOS and 96 controls were recruited for this purpose. The average birth weight of PCOS women (3357 g) did not differ from the average birth weight of controls (3409 g). Mean age at menarche differed significantly between groups, 13.7  years and 12.8  years (p = 0.006), respectively, for PCOS women and controls. In conclusion, we could not confirm the effect of adverse intrauterine conditions, reflected in birth weight, on developing PCOS.

Postmenopausal weight status, body composition and body fat distribution in relation to parameters of menstrual and reproductive history.

PubMed

Kirchengast, S; Gruber, D; Sator, M; Huber, J

1999-10-24

In the present study the association between menstrual and reproductive history patterns and weight status, fat distribution and body composition during postmenopause was tested. In 106 healthy postmenopausal women ranging in age from 48 to 58 years (x = 53.7 year) the weight status was classified according to the recommendations of the WHO. Additionally body composition was estimated by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and fat distribution was calculated using the fat distribution index. Weight status, body composition and fat distribution were correlated with self-reported parameters of menstrual and reproductive history (age at menarche, average cycle length, number of births, age at first and last birth, average pregnancy weight gain, age at menopause). It was shown that number of births, age at first birth and pregnancy weight gain were related significantly to the postmenopausal weight status, body composition and fat distribution. An early first birth a low number of births and a high weight gain during pregnancies can be assumed as risk factors for overweight, a higher amount of adipose tissue, android fat patterning and therefore for the development of the metabolic syndrome during postmenopause. In contrast no adverse effect of menstrual and reproductive parameters on postmenopausal bone mass was found.

On the Likely Utility of Hybrid Weights Optimized for Variances in Hybrid Error Covariance Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satterfield, E.; Hodyss, D.; Kuhl, D.; Bishop, C. H.

2017-12-01

Because of imperfections in ensemble data assimilation schemes, one cannot assume that the ensemble covariance is equal to the true error covariance of a forecast. Previous work demonstrated how information about the distribution of true error variances given an ensemble sample variance can be revealed from an archive of (observation-minus-forecast, ensemble-variance) data pairs. Here, we derive a simple and intuitively compelling formula to obtain the mean of this distribution of true error variances given an ensemble sample variance from (observation-minus-forecast, ensemble-variance) data pairs produced by a single run of a data assimilation system. This formula takes the form of a Hybrid weighted average of the climatological forecast error variance and the ensemble sample variance. Here, we test the extent to which these readily obtainable weights can be used to rapidly optimize the covariance weights used in Hybrid data assimilation systems that employ weighted averages of static covariance models and flow-dependent ensemble based covariance models. Univariate data assimilation and multi-variate cycling ensemble data assimilation are considered. In both cases, it is found that our computationally efficient formula gives Hybrid weights that closely approximate the optimal weights found through the simple but computationally expensive process of testing every plausible combination of weights.

Extraction of hyaluronic acid (HA) from rooster comb and characterization using flow field-flow fractionation (FlFFF) coupled with multiangle light scattering (MALS).

PubMed

Kang, Dong Young; Kim, Won-Suk; Heo, In Sook; Park, Young Hun; Lee, Seungho

2010-11-01

Hyaluronic acid (HA) was extracted in a relatively large scale from rooster comb using a method similar to that reported previously. The extraction method was modified to simplify and to reduce time and cost in order to accommodate a large-scale extraction. Five hundred grams of frozen rooster combs yielded about 500 mg of dried HA. Extracted HA was characterized using asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF) coupled online to a multiangle light scattering detector and a refractive index detector to determine the molecular size, molecular weight (MW) distribution, and molecular conformation of HA. For characterization of HA, AsFlFFF was operated by a simplified two-step procedure, instead of the conventional three-step procedure, where the first two steps (sample loading and focusing) were combined into one to avoid the adsorption of viscous HA onto the channel membrane. The simplified two-step AsFlFFF yielded reasonably good separations of HA molecules based on their MWs. The weight average MW (M(w) ) and the average root-mean-square (RMS) radius of HA extracted from rooster comb were 1.20×10(6) and 94.7 nm, respectively. When the sample solution was filtered through a 0.45 μm disposable syringe filter, they were reduced down to 3.8×10(5) and 50.1 nm, respectively. Copyright © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

COMPARISONS OF THE FINITE-ELEMENT-WITH-DISCONTIGUOUS-SUPPORT METHOD TO CONTINUOUS-ENERGY MONTE CARLO FOR PIN-CELL PROBLEMS

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

A. T. Till; M. Hanuš; J. Lou

The standard multigroup (MG) method for energy discretization of the transport equation can be sensitive to approximations in the weighting spectrum chosen for cross-section averaging. As a result, MG often inaccurately treats important phenomena such as self-shielding variations across a material. From a finite-element viewpoint, MG uses a single fixed basis function (the pre-selected spectrum) within each group, with no mechanism to adapt to local solution behavior. In this work, we introduce the Finite-Element-with-Discontiguous-Support (FEDS) method, whose only approximation with respect to energy is that the angular flux is a linear combination of unknowns multiplied by basis functions. A basismore » function is non-zero only in the discontiguous set of energy intervals associated with its energy element. Discontiguous energy elements are generalizations of bands and are determined by minimizing a norm of the difference between snapshot spectra and their averages over the energy elements. We begin by presenting the theory of the FEDS method. We then compare to continuous-energy Monte Carlo for one-dimensional slab and two-dimensional pin-cell problem. We find FEDS to be accurate and efficient at producing quantities of interest such as reaction rates and eigenvalues. Results show that FEDS converges at a rate that is approximately first-order in the number of energy elements and that FEDS is less sensitive to weighting spectrum than standard MG.« less

Effect of including sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam) meal in finishing pig diets on growth performance, carcass traits and pork quality.

PubMed

Pietrosemoli, Silvana; Moron-Fuenmayor, Oneida Elizabeth; Paez, Angel; Villamide, Maria Jesús

2016-10-01

The partial replacement of a commercial concentrate at 10-20% and 15-30% (the first percentage of each dietary treatment corresponded to weeks 1-3 and the second to weeks 4-7 of the experiment, respectively) by sweet potato meal (SPM; 70% foliage: 30% roots) was evaluated for growth performance, carcass yield, instrumental and sensory pork quality using 36 commercial crossbred pigs (56.8 ± 1.3 kg initial body weight). Three dietary treatments were compared in a randomized complete block design. Most growth, carcass traits and pork quality variables were not affected by the SPM inclusion. Growth performance averaged 868 g/day and feed efficiency 0.24 kg/kg. However, feed intake increased 2.2% (P = 0.04) in pigs fed the 10-20% SPM diets, in a similar order of magnitude as the decrease in dietary energy. Despite an increase in gastrointestinal tract as a percent of hot carcass weight (+14.7%) (P = 0.03) with SPM inclusion, carcass yield averaged 69.4%. Conversely, decreases in loin yield (-4.2%) (P = 0.05), backfat thickness (-6.0%) (P < 0.01) and pork tenderness (-13%) (P = 0.02) were observed with 15-30% SPM inclusion. Results suggest that up to 20% SPM inclusion is a viable feed strategy for finishing pigs, easily replicable in small farm settings. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Mercury contamination in free-ranging great egret nestlings (Ardea albus) from southern Florida, USA

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

Sepulveda, M.S.; Frederick, P.C.; Spalding, M.G.

1999-05-01

Between March and June of 1994 and 1995, mercury (Hg) concentrations were determined from 393 blood and 164 growing scapular feathers from 252 great egret nestlings (Ardea albus). Nestlings came from eight colonies located in Water Conservation Area 3 in the Everglades region in southern Florida. The ages of these birds ranged from 1 to 44 d (bill length 1.1 to 10.2 cm). Mercury concentrations in blood and feathers of first-hatched great egret nestlings sampled during 1994 averaged 1.2 {micro}g/g (range = 0.07--3.9) wet weight and 16 {micro}g/g (4.5--40) dry weight, respectively. During 1995, first-hatched chicks had blood and feathermore » Hg concentrations that averaged 0.8 {micro}g/g (0.2--1.7) and 9.7 {micro}g/g (2.3--26), respectively. In both years, Hg concentrations in blood and feathers were significantly correlated, and a significant correlation also was found between Hg in blood and age of the chicks. Blood and feather Hg concentrations differed significantly between years, with higher concentrations during 1994. Birds from JW1 and L67 colonies had the highest concentrations of Hg in blood and feathers. Mercury concentrations did not differ between chicks of different hatch order Mercury in feathers of great egret nestlings from southern Florida are approximately six times higher than when compared to feather Hg concentrations of nestlings wading birds sampled elsewhere.« less

Characterization of screenings from three municipal wastewater treatment plants in the Region Rhône-Alpes.

PubMed

Le Hyaric, R; Canler, J-P; Barillon, B; Naquin, P; Gourdon, R

2009-01-01

The objective of this study was to analyze the composition of the screenings sampled from three municipal wastewater treatment plants (wwtp) located in the Region Rhône-Alpes, France. The plants were equipped with multi screening stages with gap sizes ranging from 60 to 3 mm. Waste production flows from each plant were monitored over at least 48 hours in each sampling campaign in order to calculate average production rates. Waste samples of at least 7 kg were collected from each screening stage in each plant at different seasons to evaluate the influence of different parameters on the composition of the waste. An overall 30 samples were thereby collected between May 2007 and February 2008, dried at 80 degrees C for a week, and subsequently hand sorted into 10 fractions of waste materials. Results showed that the average production varied between 0.53 and 3.49 kg (wet mass) per capita per year. The highest production rates were observed during or immediately after rainy weather conditions. The dry matter content ranged between 14.4 and 29.2% of wet mass, and the volatile matter content was between 70.0 and 90.5% of dry mass. The predominant materials in the screenings were found to be sanitary textiles which accounted for 65.2% to 73.6% of dry weight and fines (<20 mm) which accounted for 15.2% to 18.2% of dry weight. These proportions were relatively similar in each plant and each sampling campaign.

Tree-average distances on certain phylogenetic networks have their weights uniquely determined.

PubMed

Willson, Stephen J

2012-01-01

A phylogenetic network N has vertices corresponding to species and arcs corresponding to direct genetic inheritance from the species at the tail to the species at the head. Measurements of DNA are often made on species in the leaf set, and one seeks to infer properties of the network, possibly including the graph itself. In the case of phylogenetic trees, distances between extant species are frequently used to infer the phylogenetic trees by methods such as neighbor-joining. This paper proposes a tree-average distance for networks more general than trees. The notion requires a weight on each arc measuring the genetic change along the arc. For each displayed tree the distance between two leaves is the sum of the weights along the path joining them. At a hybrid vertex, each character is inherited from one of its parents. We will assume that for each hybrid there is a probability that the inheritance of a character is from a specified parent. Assume that the inheritance events at different hybrids are independent. Then for each displayed tree there will be a probability that the inheritance of a given character follows the tree; this probability may be interpreted as the probability of the tree. The tree-average distance between the leaves is defined to be the expected value of their distance in the displayed trees. For a class of rooted networks that includes rooted trees, it is shown that the weights and the probabilities at each hybrid vertex can be calculated given the network and the tree-average distances between the leaves. Hence these weights and probabilities are uniquely determined. The hypotheses on the networks include that hybrid vertices have indegree exactly 2 and that vertices that are not leaves have a tree-child.

The association between sleep duration and weight gain in adults: a 6-year prospective study from the Quebec Family Study.

PubMed

Chaput, Jean-Philippe; Després, Jean-Pierre; Bouchard, Claude; Tremblay, Angelo

2008-04-01

To investigate the relationship between sleep duration and subsequent body weight and fat gain. Six-year longitudinal study. Community setting. Two hundred seventy-six adults aged 21 to 64 years from the Quebec Family Study. More than half of the sample is drawn from families with at least 1 parent and 1 offspring with a body mass index of 32 kg/m2 or higher. Body composition measurements and self-reported sleep duration were determined. Changes in adiposity indices were compared between short- (5-6 hours), average- (7-8 hours), and long- (9-10 hours) duration sleeper groups. After adjustment for age, sex, and baseline body mass index, short-duration sleepers gained 1.98 kg (95% confidence interval: 1.16-2.82) more and long-duration sleepers gained 1.58 kg (95% CI: 1.02-2.56) more than did average-duration sleepers over 6 years. Short- and long-duration sleepers were 35% and 25% more likely to experience a 5-kg weight gain, respectively, as compared with average-duration sleepers over 6 years. The risk of developing obesity was elevated for short- and long-duration sleepers as compared with average-duration sleepers, with 27% and 21% increases in risk, respectively. These associations remained significant after inclusion of important covariates and were not affected by adjustment for energy intake and physical activity participation. This study provides evidence that both short and long sleeping times predict an increased risk of future body weight and fat gain in adults. Hence, these results emphasize the need to add sleep duration to the panel of determinants that contribute to weight gain and obesity.

A content analysis of weight stigmatization in popular television programming for adolescents.

PubMed

Eisenberg, Marla E; Carlson-McGuire, Ashley; Gollust, Sarah E; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2015-09-01

This study provides updated information regarding the prevalence and characteristics of weight stigma in popular adolescent television programming, using a sample of favorite shows named by diverse adolescents. Participants in a large, population-based study of Minnesota adolescents (N = 2,793, mean age = 14.4) listed their top three favorite television shows. A coding instrument was developed to analyze randomly selected episodes from the most popular 10 programs. Weight-stigmatizing incidents were compared across television show characteristics and characters' gender and weight status. Half (50%) of the 30 episodes analyzed contained at least one weight-stigmatizing incident. Both youth- and adult-targeted shows contained weight-stigmatizing comments, but the percent of these comments was much higher for youth-targeted (55.6%) than general audience-targeted shows (8.3%). Male characters were more likely than females to engage in (72.7% vs. 27.3%), and be the targets of, weight stigma (63.6% vs. 36.4%), and there was no difference in the amount of weight stigmatizing directed at average weight females compared to overweight females. Targets of these instances showed a negative response in only about one-third of cases, but audience laughter followed 40.9% of cases. The portrayal of weight stigmatization on popular television shows-including targeting women of average weight-sends signals to adolescents about the wide acceptability of this behavior and the expected response, which may be harmful. Prevention of weight stigmatization should take a multi-faceted approach and include the media. Future research should explore the impact that weight-related stigma in television content has on viewers. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Personality as a predictor of weight loss maintenance after surgery for morbid obesity.

PubMed

Larsen, Junilla K; Geenen, Rinie; Maas, Cora; de Wit, Pieter; van Antwerpen, Tiny; Brand, Nico; van Ramshorst, Bert

2004-11-01

Personality characteristics are assumed to underlie health behaviors and, thus, a variety of health outcomes. Our aim was to examine prospectively whether personality traits predict short- and long-term weight loss after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. Of patients undergoing laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, 168 (143 women, 25 men, 18 to 58 years old, mean 37 years, preoperative BMI 45.9 +/- 5.6 kg/m(2)) completed the Dutch Personality Questionnaire on average 1.5 years before the operation. The relationship between preoperative personality and short- and long-term postoperative weight loss was determined using multilevel regression analysis. The average weight loss of patients progressively increased to 10 BMI points until 18 months after surgery and stabilized thereafter. A lower baseline BMI, being a man, and a higher educational level were associated with a lower weight loss. None of the personality variables was associated with weight outcome at short-term follow-up. Six of seven personality variables did not predict long-term weight outcome. Egoism was associated with less weight loss in the long-term postoperative period. The effect sizes of the significant predictions were small. None of the personality variables predicted short-term weight outcome, and only one variable showed a small and unexpected association with long-term weight outcome that needs confirmation. This suggests that personality assessment as intake psychological screening is of little use for the prediction of a poor or successful weight outcome after bariatric surgery.

Changes in stature, weight, and nutritional status with tourism-based economic development in the Yucatan.

PubMed

Leatherman, Thomas L; Goodman, Alan H; Stillman, Tobias

2010-07-01

Over the past 40 years, tourism-based economic development has transformed social and economic conditions in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. We address how these changes have influenced anthropometric indicators of growth and nutritional status in Yalcoba, a Mayan farming community involved in the circular migration of labor in the tourist economy. Data are presented on stature and weight for children measured in 1938 in the Yucatan Peninsula and from 1987 to 1998 in the Mayan community of Yalcoba. In addition, stature, weight and BMI are presented for adults in Yalcoba based on clinic records. Childhood stature varied little between 1938 and 1987. Between 1987 and 1998 average male child statures increased by 2.6cm and female child statures increased by 2.7cm. Yet, 65% of children were short for their ages. Between 1987 and 1998, average child weight increased by 1.8kg. Child BMIs were similar to US reference values and 13% were considered to be above average for weight. Forty percent of adult males and 64% of females were overweight or obese. The anthropometric data from Yalcoba suggest a pattern of stunted children growing into overweight adults. This pattern is found elsewhere in the Yucatan and in much of the developing world where populations have experienced a nutrition transition toward western diets and reduced physical activity levels. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of intermittent kangaroo mother care on weight gain of low birth weight neonates with delayed weight gain.

PubMed

Samra, Nashwa M; Taweel, Amal El; Cadwell, Karin

2013-01-01

To evaluate intermittent Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) with additional opportunities to breastfeed on weight gain of low birth weight (LBW) neonates with delayed weight gain. 40 LBW neonates were followed to see whether KMC with additional opportunities to breastfeed improved weight gain. In the KMC group, the mean age of regaining birth weight was significantly less (15.68 vs. 24.56 days) and the average daily weight gain was significantly higher (22.09 vs. 10.39 g, p < .001) than controls. KMC with additional opportunities to breastfeed was found to be an effective intervention for LBWs with delayed weight gain and should be considered to be an effective strategy.

Detailed T1-Weighted Profiles from the Human Cortex Measured in Vivo at 3 Tesla MRI.

PubMed

Ferguson, Bart; Petridou, Natalia; Fracasso, Alessio; van den Heuvel, Martijn P; Brouwer, Rachel M; Hulshoff Pol, Hilleke E; Kahn, René S; Mandl, René C W

2018-04-01

Studies into cortical thickness in psychiatric diseases based on T1-weighted MRI frequently report on aberrations in the cerebral cortex. Due to limitations in image resolution for studies conducted at conventional MRI field strengths (e.g. 3 Tesla (T)) this information cannot be used to establish which of the cortical layers may be implicated. Here we propose a new analysis method that computes one high-resolution average cortical profile per brain region extracting myeloarchitectural information from T1-weighted MRI scans that are routinely acquired at a conventional field strength. To assess this new method, we acquired standard T1-weighted scans at 3 T and compared them with state-of-the-art ultra-high resolution T1-weighted scans optimised for intracortical myelin contrast acquired at 7 T. Average cortical profiles were computed for seven different brain regions. Besides a qualitative comparison between the 3 T scans, 7 T scans, and results from literature, we tested if the results from dynamic time warping-based clustering are similar for the cortical profiles computed from 7 T and 3 T data. In addition, we quantitatively compared cortical profiles computed for V1, V2 and V7 for both 7 T and 3 T data using a priori information on their relative myelin concentration. Although qualitative comparisons show that at an individual level average profiles computed for 7 T have more pronounced features than 3 T profiles the results from the quantitative analyses suggest that average cortical profiles computed from T1-weighted scans acquired at 3 T indeed contain myeloarchitectural information similar to profiles computed from the scans acquired at 7 T. The proposed method therefore provides a step forward to study cortical myeloarchitecture in vivo at conventional magnetic field strength both in health and disease.

Use of yeast (Pichia kudriavzevii) as a novel feed additive to ameliorate the effects of aflatoxin B1 on broiler chicken performance.

PubMed

Magnoli, A P; Rodriguez, M C; González Pereyra, M L; Poloni, V L; Peralta, M F; Nilson, A J; Miazzo, R D; Bagnis, G; Chiacchiera, S M; Cavaglieri, L R

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of autochthonous Pichia kudriavzevii as a novel bioadsorbent for aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ). The selection of this yeast was based on the AFB 1 adsorption capacity previously demonstrated in vitro (Magnoli et al. 2016). One-day-old Cobb broilers (n = 160) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments (T1: basal diet (B); T2: B + 0.1% yeast; T3: B + AFB 1 , 100 μg/kg; T4: B + 0.1% yeast + AFB 1 , 100 μg/kg). Performance parameters (average daily weight gain body, average daily consumption, feed conversion ratio, carcass weight, and dead weight), biochemical parameters (albumin, globulin, and albumin/globulin), liver pathological changes, and AFB 1 residual levels in the liver and excreta were evaluated. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in performance parameters were observed among treatments and controls: T3 group showed the lowest average daily body weight gain value while in T4 group, the value of this parameter increased significantly (P < 0.05). T3 and T4 groups showed the lowest and highest values for average daily feed consumption, respectively. The feed conversion ratio (FC) showed no significant differences among treatments. T3 group showed the lowest dead weight and carcass weight compared with T1 group. The biochemical parameters showed no significant differences among treatments. T3 group showed macroscopic and microscopic liver changes compared to the control. Aflatoxin B 1 levels (μg/g) were detected in broiler livers and showed significant differences among treatments (P < 0.05). In conclusion, native P. kudriavzevii incorporation (0.1%) in broiler diets containing AFB 1 was shown to be effective in ameliorating the adverse effects of AFB 1 on production.

Finite-volume WENO scheme for viscous compressible multicomponent flows

PubMed Central

Coralic, Vedran; Colonius, Tim

2014-01-01

We develop a shock- and interface-capturing numerical method that is suitable for the simulation of multicomponent flows governed by the compressible Navier-Stokes equations. The numerical method is high-order accurate in smooth regions of the flow, discretely conserves the mass of each component, as well as the total momentum and energy, and is oscillation-free, i.e. it does not introduce spurious oscillations at the locations of shockwaves and/or material interfaces. The method is of Godunov-type and utilizes a fifth-order, finite-volume, weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme for the spatial reconstruction and a Harten-Lax-van Leer contact (HLLC) approximate Riemann solver to upwind the fluxes. A third-order total variation diminishing (TVD) Runge-Kutta (RK) algorithm is employed to march the solution in time. The derivation is generalized to three dimensions and nonuniform Cartesian grids. A two-point, fourth-order, Gaussian quadrature rule is utilized to build the spatial averages of the reconstructed variables inside the cells, as well as at cell boundaries. The algorithm is therefore fourth-order accurate in space and third-order accurate in time in smooth regions of the flow. We corroborate the properties of our numerical method by considering several challenging one-, two- and three-dimensional test cases, the most complex of which is the asymmetric collapse of an air bubble submerged in a cylindrical water cavity that is embedded in 10% gelatin. PMID:25110358

Finite-volume WENO scheme for viscous compressible multicomponent flows.

PubMed

Coralic, Vedran; Colonius, Tim

2014-10-01

We develop a shock- and interface-capturing numerical method that is suitable for the simulation of multicomponent flows governed by the compressible Navier-Stokes equations. The numerical method is high-order accurate in smooth regions of the flow, discretely conserves the mass of each component, as well as the total momentum and energy, and is oscillation-free, i.e. it does not introduce spurious oscillations at the locations of shockwaves and/or material interfaces. The method is of Godunov-type and utilizes a fifth-order, finite-volume, weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme for the spatial reconstruction and a Harten-Lax-van Leer contact (HLLC) approximate Riemann solver to upwind the fluxes. A third-order total variation diminishing (TVD) Runge-Kutta (RK) algorithm is employed to march the solution in time. The derivation is generalized to three dimensions and nonuniform Cartesian grids. A two-point, fourth-order, Gaussian quadrature rule is utilized to build the spatial averages of the reconstructed variables inside the cells, as well as at cell boundaries. The algorithm is therefore fourth-order accurate in space and third-order accurate in time in smooth regions of the flow. We corroborate the properties of our numerical method by considering several challenging one-, two- and three-dimensional test cases, the most complex of which is the asymmetric collapse of an air bubble submerged in a cylindrical water cavity that is embedded in 10% gelatin.

Wetland Boundary Determination in the Great Dismal Swamp Using Weighted Averages

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carter, Virginia; Garrett, Mary Keith; Gammon, Patricia T.

1988-01-01

A weighted average method was used to analyze transition zone vegetation in the Great Dismal Swamp to determine if a more uniform determination of wetland boundaries can be made nationwide. The method was applied to vegetation data collected on four transects and three vertical layers across the wetland-to-upland transition zone of the swamp. Ecological index values based on water tolerance were either taken from the literature or derived from local species tolerances. Wetland index values were calculated for 25-m increments using species cover and rankings based on the ecological indices. Wetland index values were used to designate increments as either wetland, transitional, or upland, and to examine the usefulness of a provisional wetland-upland break-point. The weighted average method did not provide for an objective placement of an absolute wetland boundary, but did serve to focus attention on the transitional boundary zone where supplementary information is necessary to select a wetland-upland breakpoint.

Effects of long term feeding of Quillaja saponins on sex ratio, muscle and serum cholesterol and LH levels in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus (L)).

PubMed

Francis, George; Levavi-Sivan, Berta; Avitan, Ayelet; Becker, Klaus

2002-12-01

Seventeen-day-old Nile tilapia fry were fed a standard diet (C) or diets containing 50-700 mg kg(-1) Quillaja saponin (QS) extract (groups S50, S150, S300, S500 and S700). After the first 8 weeks, 30 randomly selected tilapia from each of the treatments were placed in separate aquaria and fed the standard diet without saponins from then on (these were designated S50/C, S150/C, S300/C, S500/C and S700/C). The fish grew from an initial average weight of approximately 30 mg to a final average weight of 79 g during the 6-month feeding period. The difference between the average weight of C-fed tilapia and the treatment with the highest average weight after 6 months was 53.5%. The sex ratio of tilapia in the saponin-fed groups deviated from the normal 50:50 male:female ratio, with the S700 group showing a significantly higher number of males. Quillaja saponin stimulated LH release from dispersed tilapia pituitary cells in vitro. This effect was abolished in the presence of dilute calf serum. Serum LH values did not show any diet-dependent trend in either male or female tilapia in vivo. In both continuously saponin-fed and only-initially saponin-fed groups, the average serum (but not muscle) cholesterol levels in males showed an increasing trend (R(2) values of 0.62 and 0.69) with increasing dietary saponin level. It was concluded that dietary QS has the potential to change the sex-ratio in favour of males. More investigations are required to determine the mechanism of action and the optimum dietary level of QS for maximum effects.

Blocking carbohydrate absorption and weight loss: a clinical trial using Phase 2 brand proprietary fractionated white bean extract.

PubMed

Udani, Jay; Hardy, Mary; Madsen, Damian C

2004-03-01

Phase 2' starch neutralizer brand bean extract product ("Phase 2") is a water-extract of a common white bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) that has been shown in vitro to inhibit the digestive enzyme alpha-amylase. Inhibiting this enzyme may prevent the digestion of complex carbohydrates, thus decreasing the number of carbohydrate calories absorbed and potentially promoting weight loss. Fifty obese adults were screened to participate in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the effects of treatment with Phase 2 versus placebo on weight loss. Participants were randomized to receive either 1500 mg Phase 2 or an identical placebo twice daily with meals. The active study period was eight weeks. Thirty-nine subjects completed the initial screening process and 27 subjects completed the study. The results after eight weeks demonstrated the Phase 2 group lost an average of 3.79 lbs (average of 0.47 lb per week) compared with the placebo group, which lost an average of 1.65 lbs (average of 0.21 lb per week), representing a difference of 129 percent (p=0.35). Triglyceride levels in the Phase 2 group were reduced an average of 26.3 mg/dL, more than three times greater a reduction than observed in the placebo group (8.2 mg/dL) (p=0.07). No adverse events during the study were attributed to the study medication. Clinical trends were identified for weight loss and a decrease in triglycerides, although statistical significance was not reached. Phase 2 shows potential promise as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of obesity and hypertriglyceridemia and further studies with larger numbers of subjects are warranted to conclusively demonstrate effectiveness.